Russia: New bill proposed to broaden scope of anti-gay law

Ban on 'promoting' sexual relations of any kind to minors included in wording

Russia’s ruling party has introduced a bill that would expand the country’s gay-propaganda law to include all sexual orientations, the Moscow Times reports. The wording of the law would change from “propagandizing nontraditional sexual relations” to “propagandizing a priority of sexual relations.” The part of the law that would see fines imposed on people and organizations that promote homosexuality would remain unchanged.

Notes in the bill say the changes would fight rising sexual activity among teenagers in Russia, but gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev says he thinks the purpose of the bill is to obscure the issue of discrimination. “In legal practice [it] will still be directed, as before, at homosexuals,” he writes in his blog.

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

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