LGBTQ+ Representation
The rise in Russians who identified as members of the Russian Orthodox Church directly correlates to those citizens who espouse the church’s stance on homosexuality as immoral. For instance, the majority of Russians view the LGBT community as a “disease” whose members engage in “criminal acts” (Essig 39). Other opinions of the LGBT community assert that their sexual identity is both “foreign pollution” and “a temporary aberration” (Essig 39). The overall opinion that sexual identity is a short-term disease, a view shared by the highly-influential Roman Orthodox Church, encourages many Russians to believe that being a member of LGBT culture can be easily cured with cold medicine and hot soup. Essig later states,“In the post-Soviet era, this history of the homosexual as foreign is now confronted with American understandings of gays and lesbians as “born this way.”’
In a 2016 study completed by Robert W. McGee, examining which countries are the most and least homophobic (McGee 3), he states ,“It is not the purpose of this paper to review the history of homosexuality, or the pros and cons or moral standing of the practice” (McGee). This disclaimer is important because it expresses the stance of this commentary as well, in the hope of ensuring that personal beliefs on morality are not the focus, so much as how the shift in government is tied to the shift in religious affiliation and how that has impacted certain segments of Russian society. It is the goal of both McGee’s and this paper to present only factual information that is not shrouded in personal beliefs. In his paper, McGee outlines his research and how:
The data used in this study were taken from the Human Beliefs and Values (HBV) surveys. Data for these surveys were collected by social scientists all over the world and cover a wide range of issues relating to perceptions of life, environment, work, family, politics and society, religion and morale and national identity. The present study analyzes the data reflecting attitudes on homosexuality. The question asked: “Please tell me for each of the following actions whether you think it can always be justified, never be justified, or something in between: homosexuality.” Responses were measured on a 10-point Likert scale where 1 is never justifiable and 10 is always justifiable. Respondents were not asked the reason for their view, which makes it impossible to delve into their reasoning. Determining the reasoning behind their views is the subject of some future study. (McGee 3)
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McGee makes it clear that the study is solely factual and is not subject to the concept of individualism and morality. The list of the ninety-eight countries rank from 1 being the most homophobic and 98 being the least homophobic (McGee 3). Russia unsurprisingly ranked number 49 out of the 98 countries in the survey (McGee 3).
Contrary to McGee’s unbiased approach to commenting on beliefs around the LGBT community, Dmitry Kiselev, a manager in the Russian media empire, stated in his April 4, 2012, political debate that “[he thinks] that just imposing fines on gays for homosexual propaganda among teenagers is not enough. They should be banned from donating blood, sperm. And their hearts, in case of the automobile accident, should be buried in the ground or burned as unsuitable for the continuation of life” (Essig 40). Unsurprisingly after Kiselev’s statement, the live audience watching the debate burst into applause, leading to his victory (Essig 40). Dmitry Kiselev was personally selected to run the media empire by Vladimir Putin (Essig 40). For Kiselev to be endorsed by the highest ranking leader of Russia for this role, Putin sends the powerful message that Kiselev’s radical and deeply-held beliefs are in kinship with his own. If a man with that entrenched of an opinion is running a large section of Russian politics, then it stands to reason that this opinion is widely-held throughout Russian society.
Clearly, disdain for members of the LGBT community is evident in statements from key political figures, and can also be noted in how policy has been shaped in Russia. Cyd Zeigler writes, “When Russia enacted anti-gay “propaganda” laws in the summer of 2013, LGBT activists around the world wondered if this was the beginning of a Nazi-style crackdown on homosexuality”. The right to protest has been limited as additional anti-gay laws are passed in Russia, revealing remnants of their communist roots. As these strict Socialist powers are coming into play again, Russian activists and advocates for the LGBT community are losing more and more options to protest peacefully. Cyd Zeigler later states in his paper that, “Russia is an isolated political system, thumbing its nose at the dreaded “West” every chance it gets. President Vladimir Putin has built his reputation and powerful political career on his defiance of the West and its cultural norms.” America, one of the countries left wondering if this hatred of the LGBT community will persist, has been unable to persuade Russia to abandon this stance and embrace a more democratic society that is good for all its citizens. When the governmental structure of Russia shifted from Communism to a Federal Republic, and subsequently embraced affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church, life did not improve for all Russian citizens. As a result, many in the LGBT community have been ostracized by both the country’s religious and political leaders, as well as their resulting policies.
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People of the Russian Orthodox faith chanted "Moscow not Sodom," and others sang hymns declaring that "[the LGBT community] will burn in hell for all eternity." (Underwood).
On May 27, 2006, a small group of LGBT advocates took to the streets of Moscow in protest of discrimination towards the LGBT community. The protestors began at a public park, and according to Aleksandrijski Sad (Underwood), they began “with the goal of undertaking a peaceful demonstration against homophobia and discrimination, they gathered for Moscow Pride as individual citizens, so as not to be charged with staging an illegal protest” (Underwood).
Although the group was not given a permit to have a rally, many protesters risked their lives to raise awareness (Underwood). Protesters carried rainbow flags and signs reading "Gay Rights," while others held up bouquets of red and white flowers (Underwood). Soon the gay pride event turned violent as advocates, “pressed together for safety,” while being “bombarded with verbal taunts” by discriminators and the police,”(Underwood). Unfortunately, the event ended with the police “making arrests - ultimately carting more marchers to the stations than violent protestors” (Underwood). It is notable how long it took for Russia to even host a pride event. For the first pride event to take place as late as the early 21st century, reveals how slowly Russia has developed a true identity of individualism as a country no longer tied to the harsh reality of communism. If current political figures embrace the tenet of communism that the individual is not allowed to stray from the “norm,” then members of the LGBT community suffer by not following suit with the majority of society and the mandates of the Russian Orthodoxy.
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