St Petersburg has passed the second reading of a bill which outlaws “homosexual propaganda”, by fining anyone who says or does anything considered pro-gay. The bill now only needs to go through the formality of a third reading before becoming law. Propaganda is defined by the bill as "enticements, positive opinions and comments that promote non-traditional sexual and family relations to minors". The plan is to target themed clubs for teenagers and the spreading of information about gay issues on social networks like Facebook. Rights group Coming Out says the bill is a direct path to discrimination and legitimises violence. "While claiming to be about protecting young people, the law will do quite the opposite and will push gay teenagers towards isolation and suicide." A similar law has been passed in two other regions of Russia, which decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, but discrimination remains commonplace.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 9th February 2012 - 1:26pm