Gays in Russia face backlash, plan protests

Branislav Siljkovic Reporter • E-mail

MOSCOW — Thirteen years after homosexuality was decriminalized and a more tolerant era appeared to be emerging, Russian gays are fighting a backlash, both from anti-gay elements and government officials.

The controversy has escalated in recent days with Moscow's mayor so far refusing to issue a permit for the city's first gay pride parade, which was called for by activists in the face of recent homophobic attacks.

The organizers submitted a request to Moscow city officials on Monday for a march on May 27 to mark the anniversary of their official recognition by the state. However, Moscow’s mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, office has threatened to ban the march, saying that the proposed event had “evoked outrage in society, in particular among religious leaders.”  

New era
The showdown is a sharp contrast to the situation for Russian gays in early 1990s, when homosexuality was decriminalized, prompted by then-President Boris Yeltsin's desire to bring Russia closer to European Union human-rights requirements. The revised laws led to a new era for Russia’s homosexuals, who had previously lived in constant fear of oppression, discrimination and physical attack.

Gay clubs and cafes came into being — first in Moscow and St. Petersburg, then in other major cities across Russia. Numerous radio and television programs focused on the life of people of “untraditional sexual orientation,” as gay people are officially referred to in Russia.

In fact, open homosexuality appeared to be so accepted that a savvy showbusiness producer even created a pop duo called “Tatu” proclaiming that they were lesbian. In reality they were not, but the media hype around them swept the duo to the top of the pop charts not only in Russia but also across Europe and in the U.S.

Reversal
In recent years, though, the tide has turned, and gays have again come under pressure.

The changes in attitude were highlighted several years ago when Gennady Raikov, a member of the Duma, the Russian parliament's lower house, started a campaign to reverse the abolition for criminal prosecution of homosexuality. His attempt failed, but the attacks on homosexuals did not stop there.

Alexei Khodorkovsky, a gay activist, says the anti-homosexuality mood in Russia has been increasing steadily. This is especially true, he says, outside larger cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The situation has become so bad, Khodorkovsky says, that he believes that even if permission were granted for a Moscow gay parade, the rank and file of the gay movement may still not show up for fear of repercussions.

"In today's Russia, there's little to celebrate for the gay movement," said Khodorkovsky. "It still is life-threatening to openly confess you're gay." Russian society, he says, needs to go through a slow and steady process of openness for it to stop seeing homosexuality as an aberration.

Vocal opposition
Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow’s mayor, has been outspoken about his opposition of homosexuality and the proposed event.

On February 22, during a Berlin press conference for the "M4" meeting (a meeting of the mayors of Paris, Berlin, London and Moscow), he described homosexuality as "unnatural,” which immediately provoked criticism from the mayors of Paris and Berlin, both openly gay.

Luzhkov has powerful support. Recently, Russia's Orthodox Patriarch, Alexi II, wrote to the mayor, praising Luzkov for "protecting Moscow and Muscovites against attempts to organize a public parade of propaganda for sin." The Vatican's representative in Russia, Archbishop Àntonio Mennini, described Luzhkov's refusal to let the parade go "a wise decision,” arguing that "such a manifestation would certainly lead to an aggravated tension in Russian society and possibly even to violence." Meanwhile, Russia's top rabbi, Berl Lazar, told the Russian media that gay pride parade in Moscow "would be a blow for morality.”

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