Despite the passage of a series of anti-gay laws at the federal, regional and city levels, and the proposal of yet another measure that aims to deprive gay people of their parental rights, Vladimir Putin continues to insist that gay people face no discrimination in Russia.
An Associated Press report says Putin repeated his claim Sept 19 that the law banning “propaganda of nontraditional relations among minors” does not infringe on LGBT people’s rights.
According to the report, Putin says that even as European nations legalize gay marriage, Europeans are “dying out” and same-sex marriages “don’t produce children.”
He also repeated his belief that heterosexual couples need to have more children to arrest a population decline, AP says.
“Let us make our own choice, as we see fit for our country,” Putin insisted.
Putin’s contentions fly in the face of recent news that Russian teachers are facing persecution from anti-gay activists and education authorities because of their sexuality.
Olga Bakhaeva, 24, was forced to resign her position as a history and social studies at School No 56 in Magnitogorsk, while Alexander Yermoshkin, 38, fears he will be dismissed from his teaching position at School 32 in Khabarovsk. Yermoshkin has already been fired from the Far East State University for the Humanities.
Putin indicated that he could run for another presidential term in 2018.
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