President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a controversial law that bans legal and surgical sex changes, a move that deprives transgender Russians of the right to access gender-affirming services.
The law, which makes "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and "the state registration of a change of gender without an operation" illegal, was swiftly passed by both houses of the Russian parliament earlier this month.
The law also bans individuals who have undergone gender reassignment from adopting children and annuls marriages in which one of the partners is transgender.
It enters into force immediately.
LGBT activists have warned that the law will lead to a further increase in already high rates of suicide and suicide attempts among transgender people, as well as encourage an underground market for surgeries and medications.
“The way how these people see their future is collapsing,” Yan Dvorkin, the head of Center-T, a group that helps transgender and non-binary people in Russia, said in an interview with The Moscow Times this month.
The law is the latest step in Russia’s crackdown on the rights of the country’s LGBTQ+ community in an effort to promote what it calls “traditional values” in the face of Western liberalism.
Late last year, Russia passed a law banning the “propaganda” of LGBT relationships and lifestyles toward all ages, effectively outlawing public displays and media portrayals of non-heterosexual identities.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
