A State Duma lawmaker has submitted a bill that would deprive people "with a nontraditional sexual orientation" of their parental rights and remove their children from their custody.
The bill, submitted by United Russia deputy Alexei Zhuravlyov on Thursday, would add a paragraph to Article 69 of the Family Code making nontraditional sexual orientation a legal basis for deprivation of parental rights, Interfax reported.
Zhuravlyov said in an explanatory note to the bill that, according to experts, 5-7% of Russian citizens have a "nontraditional sexual orientation" and a third of them currently have children.
The proposed legislation comes just a few months after the State Duma's approval of a law banning same-sex couples from adopting Russian children. Lawmakers said at that time that the legislation would help Russia develop its own system of adoptions.
As for Zhuravlyov's bill, it is unclear what the rationale behind the initiative is, but Russia's recently passed anti-gay "propaganda" law purports to protect minors from exposure to any nontraditional sexual orientation because — as some officials have explained — their psyches are not yet fully formed and could thus be damaged.
Mikhail Fedotov, head of the Kremlin's human rights council, responded to the new bill with indignation.
"Will we deprive left-handed people of their driver's licenses now too? They're left-handed, you know, and all of our vehicles have the steering wheel on the left side, so it's harder for a left-handed person to drive," Fedotov said in comments carried by the BBC's Russian service.
Many LGBT activists have expressed concerns in the past of such a law being passed after United Russia deputy Yelena Mizulina mentioned that such legislation was in the pipeline. Journalist Masha Gessen issued perhaps the most stark warning by emigrating to the U.S. to avoid the fallout of such a bill.
But according to Nikolai Alexeyev, a prominent gay rights activist, Zhuravloyov's bill is unlikely to be signed into law.
"I think it's absolute nonsense. I can't imagine how this initiative would be accepted in the Duma. I think it's just the latest populist move to attract attention to a certain individual," Alexeyev told Interfax on Thursday, adding that the "deputies are competing to see who can come up with the most absurd initiative."
"I don't believe that things like this can end up in the law and be signed by the president. The president says that the rights of homosexuals are not infringed upon, but initiatives like this will create excessive tension between Russia and the West. It's a provocation against the Russian government," Alexeyev said.
If Zhuravlyov's bill is passed by the State Duma, it will then have to be approved by the Federation Council before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
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.