The photo at the begining of this blog is of Richard Fairbrass, singer from Right Said Fred was taken at a gay rights demonstration in Moscow in 2007. Both he and Peter Tatchell, a gay rights activist, were punched by anti-homosexual protestors.Tatchell said: "We were violently assaulted - I was battered in the face and the eye, and knocked to the ground, kicked and beaten...The Moscow police, astonishingly, arrested me and let my attackers walk free".
Thank goodness for the 'Gay Propaganda' law because marches supporting gay rights, the end to hate crime and equality needs to STOP. i mean think of the children, they're bound to equate a peaceful demonstration with anal sex, poppers and the music of George Michael. It's true. If I just mention the word 'gay' to my friend's two year old daughter she immediately regurtutates a song from the musical Rent. It's disgusting the effect it's having on our children. Which is why they need to be protected from the likes of Wham, blue eyeshadow and Antony Cotton. BURN ALL PROPAGANDA.
Though.. weird as it is, a law is being considered in St Petersburg which would prohibit all 'propaganda' (what a nostalgic word that carries no hateful extremist rightwing connotations whatsoever) on lesbianism, bisexualism, sodomy AND pedophilia in front of minors. Failure to abide will result in a fine. £20 for individuals and upto £1000 for organisations.
Pedophilia aside for one moment, the word 'sodomy' itself is confusing but seems to act as a punchy euphanism for 'gay men'. Continuing in this tradition, I'd like to propose that we use unnecessary euphanisms for all clear-cut nouns. Heterosexuals are now to be referred to as 'missionary', cute, fluffy rabbits as 'nibbley nibbley' and Jeremy Clarkson as 'a vessel of shit misery'. I think this trend would catch on. It's again baffling why they have deemed it relevant to throw pedophilia in there alongside legal, consentual same sex relationships. I've yet to see a 'Rights for Pedophiles' banner anywhere or a drag queen that goes by the name of 'Mizz I 'Heavenly' Huntley'.
Presumably the tag line they have appropriated 'in front of minors' includes all minors; straight ones, gay ones, bisexual ones and transgender, whom if this law is passed will be denied a frame of reference for their sexual orientation, the much needed support that LGBT groups provide as well as the opportunity to express and raise awareness publicly of LGBT issues.The Suicide Resource Centre have estimated that between 30 and 40% of LGB young people have attempted to commit suicide. As a country with a high enough suicide rate; WHY?
Understandably LGBT groups have expressed their outrage online as this would completely ban any public gay rights marches as well as any attempts to spread awareness through pamphlets and campaigns under the sinister guise of 'in front of minors' knowing full well that they're everywhere. No escaping minors. At the shops. At a bus stop. On a Kindle. Everywhere . Any semi-logical person can see that this is a really contemptuous effort to obliterate any attempts to reduce xenophobia or hate crime. Under the beseeching, Maude Flanders-esque notion of 'think of the children!' it is manipulating an already shaky perception of homosexuality into some sort of gay boogey man.
For those that have fallen into the trap of actually believing it's to 'protect' children. Expressing opinions or campaigning about the issues relating to sexual orientation is not the same as discussing sex. At a gay rights march you are unlikely to see someone holding up a colourful diagram illustrating the act of fellatio. If it were really to protect children from sex then why doesn't this proposed law include heterosexual propaganda? Presumably because it's deemed a-okay to be straight and somehow damaging to be anything other than that. By not allowing peaceful marches to take place and not allowing LGBT groups to engage with the community I would argue that it's an open invitation to hate crime. The purpose of an LGBT march is not only to spread awareness but by doing so aims to stamp out hate crime. How can they possibly do that if it is illegal to talk about it in public. (sorry, in front of children...) LGBT people exist, hate crime exists. Going to the street with a few drag queens in tow and campaigning for an end to hate crime is not over-sexualising children.
As well as politically shitting on the rights of the Russian LGBT community, this legislation if it were to come into effect goes against the European Convention of Human Rights which Russia signed upto. Article 10 stipulates that 'Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers' as well as article 14 prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Surely the most amount of damage would be caused to social attitudes to treat LGBT issues as something that needs to be 'prohibited' and that children need protecting from. This is curtailing a basic human right, a right to free speech.
A close family friend and a man I consider to be like an uncle is gay. I've known this all my life and an issue wasn't made of it because... there isn't one! I think people are grossly underestimating 'minors'. It has been proven that young children adapt quickly and are influenced more by the behaviour of their parents than anything else. If parents are really that terrified of telling a child that some people are attracted to the same gender than I'd like to suggest that they have the problem, not the child.
To draw this long blog to an end, whilst there have been constant updates throughout the day the latest seems to be that they are reconsidering. Despite this positive news, during the first draft it was passed by 27 votes to 1. I implore you to help the LGBT community of Russia and sign this petition which is still running [ here ]
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