Russian media watchdog is considering whether to banning “gay” emojis under the “propaganda” law.
The media watchdog in Russia is considering a ban on same-sex “gay” emojis if an investigation finds that they are breaking the non-traditional relationship law, which was introduced in 2013.
Mikhail Marchenko, a Russian senator claims that the same-sex couple emojis which were recently released on Apple’s latest operating system for its iPhones are breaking the “propaganda” law. The new emoji pack includes a vast array of different pairings of same-sex and opposite couples as well as same-sex parents with children.
The law which was passed in 2013 forbids the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relationships to anyone under the age of 18.
Last year Facebook launched a number of gay pride icons for users to celebrate Pride season.
ChebuRussia TV of YouTube decided to try a social experiment on the streets of Moscow to see what would happen when two men held hands in public.
Using a hidden camera in a back pack to capture the response from the general public, two men from ChebuRussia held hands in the Russian capital city of Moscow. The couple endured abusive outbursts from various people around the city, with some pointing fingers and shouting abuse at the couple, with one man yelling “Leave Russia”.
Most of the outbursts towards the couple were from men.
Two passersby physically assaulted them by walking directly into their path on two separate occasions.
One member of ChebuRussia said, “I’m a bit frightened by his reaction, he hit hard”, after the assault.
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The three-minute thirty video shows how tough it is to be openly gay in Moscow. The video has had over 3 million views in just one day.
In 2013 President Putin passed a law which outlawed the promotion of homosexuality to anyone under the age of 18.
If Russian’s most homophobic lawmaker (and there is quite a fierce battle for this particular title) Vitaly Milonov has his way, we will never get to see any more pictures of President Putin half-naked in public again.
More importantly if he does strut around on his horse like that once a new Bill against “nudity or unethical attire” is passed, he will fined about £20-£30.
The bill elucidates this as “either absence of clothes or nudity of either upper or lower parts of the body” for men and women alike.
The list of “unethical clothing” includes men’s and women’s underwear and swimsuits. Milonov noted in explanations that the definition of swimwear and underwear can be found in the state register of industrial standards!
BBC 3 was corrected after it Tweeted the wrong information to its followers about gay rights in Russia.
The BBC were slammed last night by the Russian Embassy after it tweeted:
“In Russia it’s illegal to tell anyone that being gay is normal. #ReggieYatesExtremeRussia: Gay & Under Attack, now pic.twitter.com/NVyabGblBn”
The Russian Embassy were quick to snap back:
“.@bbcthree This is plain wrong. Care to read http://rusemb.org.uk/press/1436 #ReggieYatesExtremeRussia”
The programme fronted by Reggie Yates was centred around the fight and struggles that many LGBT Russians face after the introduction of a law in June 2013, which makes it illegal for anyone to talk about homosexuality to people under the age of 18.
Since the introduction of the law Russia’s gay community has been on high alert from attacks and abuse. In 2014, Channel 4 broadcast a film called Hunted, which documented the cruelty that many face in their day-to-day living. In Russia it is claimed that only 1% of gay people dare to live openly because of the homophobic attacks on the gay community.
The BBC replied to the tweet,
‘@RussianEmbassy Sorry for simplification. As the show correctly said, in Russia it’s illegal to tell anyone under 18 being gay is normal.”
Officials in Russia are planning to ban transgender and transsexual drivers from owning or qualifying for a driving license, in a move to lower Russia’s death rate on the road.
In a truly bizarre move, Russian officials have made an announcement that they are to tighten restrictions on who can apply or qualify for a driver’s license. Those who are likely to be banned are those they claim have ‘metal disorders’ which the government has listed transsexual and transgender men and women. Also banned will be those with gambling addictions and those who compulsively steal.
Also listed as disorders, those with Fetishism, exhibitionism and voyeurism. The move has been made because the government is worried about too many road accidents. The decree was signed on the 29th December by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Human Rights lawyers and activists have decried the move, but the Professional Drivers Union has supported the move. Alexander Kotov, the union’s leader told the BBC, “We have too many deaths on the road, and I believe toughening medical requirements for applicants is fully justified,”
He did say that the requirements should not be so strict for non-professional drivers.
According to available statistics, in 2012, 28,000 road fatalities were recorded in Russia, around 55 per 100,000 vehicles. The USA reported 36,166 in the same period, 13.5 per 100,000 whilst the UK reported 2,175 deaths, 6.2 per 100,000 vehicles.
In countries where homosexuality is illegal such as Zimbabwe, Yemen and Uganda, death rates are 212, 587.6, and 1518.1 per 100,000 vehicles respectively.
The move is an extension of Russia’s already restrictive campaign against LGBT people. In 2013 the Russia government infamously enacted the anti-gay law, which forbids the promotion of homosexuality to anyone under the age of 18.
You may know him as the King Of Porn, having built up an empire called Lucas Entertainment. Russian born, Israeli by parentage and American by heart Michael Lucas is in the midst of a rebrand. King of the documentary. We catch up with Mr. Lucas to talk about what’s on his mind and the power of the camera.
Russia is not exactly known for its understanding nature.
In June 2013 President Putin signed into law a bill that banned the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors.” This law has since been the basis for taking away the fundamental rights of Russia’s gay citizens including banning gay pride parades, fines for gay rights groups (they’re accused of acting as a foreign agent), and denial of registration to non-government organisations.
As a result, violent attacks on gay people or “suspect gays” are becoming commonplace in Putin’s backwards thinking country. The vagueness of the term propaganda has helped Putin write the laws to suit his own ideas of how Russians should behave. The law is even in place for foreign visitors and is accompanied with a fine, detention and deportation.
So you can’t hold your boyfriend’s hand in public but Putin’s fine with invading neighbouring countries.
Anybody picking up on a problem with this logic? And with Belarus planning to follow Russia’s example the future seams bleak for the LGBT community in Eastern Europe.
HMMD.org is therefore challenging architecture enthusiasts to envision a way to promote tolerance within Russia with their latest architecture competition. ‘Designing for Tolerance’ challenges designers from around the globe to propose a temporary pavilion for the education of social, political and religious tolerance, to be erected in Russia’s Red Square, Moscow.
Entrants are challenged with conceiving a new pavilion that can be incorporated into educational spaces, with lecture and workshop rooms as well as exhibition spaces. Participants are also urged to consider other recreational and public spaces to support these educational programs.
The competition offers a US$3,000 first prize (2nd prize is US$ 1500 and 3rd prize US$ 500), will be judged by an esteemed panel of judges and is a chance for architecture enthusiasts to not only win some cash and acclaim, but promote a real movement for tolerance in the world’s largest country.
Entrants can be from any country, from any background and with any level of experience. What’s important is a passion for architecture and a desire to evoke some real change in some of the less-enlightened countries of the world.
Build a more tolerant Russia, or at least sketch out the plans to it.
Visit hmmd.org or email hello@hmmd.org for more information or to register.
Orthodox Calendar is the title of wall calendars and videos first published in 2012, featuring nude and semi-nude photographs of members of the Orthodox Church. The calendar is the brainchild of a group composed mostly of Orthodox eastern Europeans of the former communist region. The primary goal was to create the very first organised global effort against homophobia in the Orthodox Region. At the same time, the calendar takes an ironic approach to the Orthodox Church itself, which in recent years has been embroiled in artist repression, questionable behaviour and homophobia.
Through their unconventional and bold images, Orthodox Calendar’s creative team seeks to counteract the negative and outdated influences of most of the Orthodox Church leadership. While recognizing that change might not come quickly to the official Orthodox Church position, Orthodox Calendar nonetheless believes that at least it can encourage people to reflect and realise that there is an urgent need for an update in values as part of the modern society.
Through their unconventional and bold images, Orthodox Calendar’s creative team seeks to counteract the negative and outdated influences of most of the Orthodox Church leadership. While recognizing that change might not come quickly to the official Orthodox Church position, Orthodox Calendar nonetheless believes that at least it can encourage people to reflect and realise that there is an urgent need for an update in values as part of the modern society.
The first series in 2013, called “For freedom of speech, unity and tolerance” tells the individual story of 12 intensely masculine young men and their guests representing different parts of Eastern Europe. All are open-minded and believe that it is important to be perceived as individuals committed to diversity and acceptance against homophobia who reject contempt and violence. Disrespect for gay human beings weakens thousands of children and adolescents, promotes risk-taking, and increases vulnerability to HIV and those steeped in silence, shame and secrecy.
The second series in 2014, called “LOVE IS LOVE – ORTHODOX OR NOT!” pays tribute to gay marriage. It’s the story of young gay couples from Eastern Europe sharing a common dream of one day being able to wed their beloved at the altar of their local Orthodox chapel.
The third series (#OC2015) called “S.A.L.I.G.I.A (Superbia, Avaritia, Luxuria, Invidia, Gula, Ira, Acedia)” pays tribute to social tolerance. The story takes place on the right bank of the Moskva River south of Moscow, where some priests believe that same-sex unions are NOT a sign of the coming apocalypse, contrary to what Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill may claim. These priests set out, in a humorous way, to remind the world that homosexuality is NOT one of the 7 deadly sins and in fact that Jesus Christ never even referred to homosexuality as a sin!
Yet in the words of many in the Orthodox hierarchy, LGBT people have suddenly become the worst kind of sinners – an omen of the impending end of the world. What about wrath, avarice, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony?
Starting today, anyone can discover #OC2015 wall calendar pictures by simply ordering on-line from Amazon or directly from their store at www.orthodox-calendar.com/shop. The price for the classic wall calendar is €18.99 and the explicit version is €34,95. The “Making Of” DVD is priced at €16,99. Check out the Orthodox Calendar on Facebook:www.facebook.com/CalendarOrtodoxAVA and Twitter: @OrthodoxCalenda
A singer who once posed as a Lesbian in pop group T.a.t.u has said on television that she would condemn her son if he was gay.
In a rather shocking statement, Russian singer Yulia Volkova, who once cavorted with band mate Lena Katina has said that she would condemn her son if he turned out to be gay. The pair released a single in 2002 called, “All The Things She Said”, which became a gay anthem because of its homosexual imagery.
In 2006 Volkova said, ‘Our slogan is to love and it’s not important whom to love,
‘We want to say that a boy can love a boy and a girl can love a girl. If all people would love each other, it would be easier to live in this world. If people are led by hatred and evil, nothing good would happen from this.’
However on a TV show, when asked if she would condemn her son if he was gay, she said, ‘Yes, I would condemn him, because I believe that a real man must be a real man,” she said. “God created man for procreation, it is the nature. The man for me is the support, the strength of… I won’t accept a gay son.’
She did state however the opinions weren’t at odds with previous statements by adding, ‘Two girls together – not the same thing as the two men together,” she continued. “It seems to me that lesbians look aesthetically much nicer than two men holding their hands or kissing.’
She went on to say, ‘I want to say that I’m not against gays, I just want my son to be a real man, not a fag,
‘I have many gay friends.
‘I believe that being gay is all still better than murderers, thieves or drug addicts. If you choose out of all this, being gay a little better than the rest.’
An application for a parade to celebrate Eurovision winner Conchita has been declined by Moscow’s Mayoral Office.
Officials in Moscow have vetoed an application for a parade to honour the Eurovision 2014 winner Conchita Wurst.
Wurst won the 2014 competition with her song Rise Like A Phoenix with 290 points.
Speaking to Russian news agency interfax Alexei Mayorov, from the Moscow mayor’s office said, ‘We informed them that the event could not take place,’
The application was denied to, ‘respect morality in the education of the younger generation’.
Before the show aired last week, top Russian politician branded the show a ‘Sodom Show’.
The parade had been planned for May 27th, the 21st anniversary of legalising homosexuality in Russia.
The activists behind the application have said it will appeal the decision and have vowed to stage a gay pride on 31st May 2014, despite a 100 year ban of Gay Prides.
Many men in Russia have started to shave their beards off in protest of Conchita’s win, but Rise Like A Phoenix continues to chart high in the Russian iTunes chart.
Conchita Wurst’s win at the 2014 Eurovision has achieved more than just a thumbs up for the LGBT+ community across Europe, it has also encouraged some Russian men to shave off their beards… in protest.
Conchita’s victory has spurred on some men across Russia to shave off their beards in a backlash against the drag queen’s victory. Conchita’s song Rise Like A Phoenix amassed an impressive 290 points in the 59th Eurovision Competition.
Wurst, real name Tom Neuwirth, has been the subject of much hate mongering from a few people Russia, Armenia and Belarus. One top Russian politician even called the contest a ‘sodom show’.
Since the DQ’s win some Russian men have taken to social media to show their distain of the victory – by shaving off their beards in protest and using a hashtag.
Huffington Post show 3 examples of these men – some using the hashtag Prove You’re Not Conchita.
Valentin’s video from Instagram has also apparently been shown on Italian News.
Rise Like A Phoenix is currently at Number 1 in the Russian iTunes’ chart despite the adverse reactions.
