The ultra-conservative turn of the Russian government since the offensive in Ukraine is confirmed. In Moscow, the deputies adopted this Friday a law prohibiting gender transitions and notably banning the adoption of children by transgender people. “This decision protects our citizens, our children”, ured on Telegram Vyacheslav Volodin, the president of the lower house of Parliament (Duma).
Changes to civil status, surgical operations and hormonal treatments had become accessible in Russia after the fall of the USSR. But since the attack in Ukraine, the authorities have multiplied conservative measures, especially against LGBT +, saying they want to eliminate behavior that they consider deviant and imported from the West. The Russian security services (FSB) even arrested a transgender activist on Thursday accused of “high treason” for the benefit of Ukraine. He faces life imprisonment.
To justify this bill, Vyacheslav Volodin deemed surgical operations for gender reignments a “monstrous tendency” and a “path that leads to the degeneration of a nation”. While these have exploded in the United States over the past ten years, “this is unacceptable for us”, he said.
Marriages involving a transgender person annulled
In a press release published this Friday, the Duma specifies that the text prohibits “any medical intervention” for gender reignments, in particular surgical operations and hormonal therapies. Changing the sex designation in identity documents will also be prohibited. Medical exceptions, on the decision of a special commission, will be possible in the event of “congenital anomalies” in children or genetic or endocrine diseases, specifies the Duma.
Transgender people will also be banned from having custody of or adopting children in Russia. Finally, marriages involving a transgender person will be “annulled” after the entry into force of the law, specifies the Duma.
The bill must now be validated by the upper house of parliament, the Council of the Federation, and then signed by President Vladimir Putin to enter into force, two steps that are usually mere formalities.
Since 2013, a law already prohibits in Russia the “propaganda” of “non-traditional relations”, a text denounced by NGOs as an instrument to repress LGBT +. In December, the application of this law was considerably extended. It now bans LGBT + “propaganda” from all audiences, whereas it previously only concerned minors.