Russia moves to ban 'LGBT propaganda' among all ages
NBCDec 23, 2022
Russia to Expand LGBTQ+ 'Propaganda' Ban
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Image copyright: Interprets/TASS [via The Moscow Times]
The Facts
On Thursday, Russian lawmakers unanimously backed a bill that would extend an existing ban on promoting so-called LGBTQ+ "propaganda" among children to adults.
Providing LGBTQ+ information has been a criminal offense in Russia since 2013, and anyone convicted of violating the restriction faces fines of between 50K roubles ($815) and 400K roubles ($6,520). Citizens of other nations who break the Russian law can face expulsion.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
This bill is a censorship tool that's being used in an absurd attempt to humiliate and discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. It's just the latest iteration of Putin's authoritarian overreach and imposition of draconian values.
Pro-Russia narrative
While the rights of sexual minorities are important to any society, the US has historically deployed its self-righteous "values-based" foreign policy as a weapon to further its global hegemony. This bill is important to safeguarding Russia's traditional principles and will go a long way to countering the West's pursuit of woke imperialism.
