Russia’s lower house of parliament known as Duma voted for the enactment of a new law that would illegalize gender reassignment in the country. This is another proof that Russia is engaging in anti-Western and ultra-conservative campaign.
The new law bans all ‘medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person,’ and changing one’s gender in identification documents or public records. The only exception is the medical treatment of congenital anomalies.
During the second reading which happened on July 13, a number of clauses were added to prevent transgender individuals from becoming adoptive or foster parents in Russia.
There are high chances that the bill will also be passed by the upper house or the Federation Council which is controlled by Kremlin. Later it will be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Duma (lower house), the bill will have great consequences for the transgender people in Russia.
“Citizens who have already changed gender will be prohibited from adopting children, and their marriages will be annulled.”
“The State Duma banned gender reassignment in Russia. The relevant changes to the legislation, initiated by the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and deputies of all factions, were adopted in the final version unanimously,” read a statement on the Duma’s website.
“This decision will protect our citizens and our children,” Volodin said in a separate statement on social media.
Russia has in the recent past adopted several conservative regulations with negative consequences against the LGBTQ community and any other group of people with western-influenced behaviors.
Putin believes that the west has lost its moral compass. Last Russian parliament passed what is known as “gay propaganda” law which makes it illegal to refer to LGBTQ relationships positively from any angle.
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