A new bill backed by Russia’s upper legislative house will prohibit citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal from adopting Russian children.
Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, has given its approval to a bill that bans individuals from countries where gender transitioning is legally protected from adopting children in Russia. According to ABC News, Russian President Vladimir Putin is anticipated to sign the bill into law.
The bill would ban adoptions from a total of 15 countries, primarily in Europe, but also including Australia, Argentina, and Canada. It is worth noting that American citizens were already banned from adopting Russian children in 2012.
Vyacheslav Volodin, a legislator and co-author of the bill, emphasized the significance of addressing potential risks associated with gender reassignment that adopted children may encounter in certain countries. Volodin, who also serves as the speaker for the nation’s lower house of Parliament, underscored the need to eliminate these dangers.
Putin has consistently marginalized and disregarded the LGBTQ+ community in his country, persistently eroding their rights and privileges. This is evident in the implementation of a law in 2022 that prohibits the dissemination of any content promoting “nontraditional sexual relations.”
According to Igor Kochetkov, a human rights advocate and founder of the Russian LGBT Network, the government in Russia has not yet made any attempts to ban gay relations in the same way that the Soviet Union did. However, the government is focused on suppressing any independent opinions that do not align with the official state ideology, as well as any organized civic activities that it cannot control.
In 2023, a new law came into effect that aimed to ban procedures related to gender transitioning and gender-affirming care. Additionally, the law made it illegal to change a person’s gender on official documents and public records.
Tatyana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, emphasized the Russian government’s commitment to preserving the status quo in a specific domain. She suggests that President Putin not only recognizes this objective but also finds it advantageous for his own interests.
