Repressionof LGBTQ[1] Activism in Russia
On June 11th of 2013, Russian’s parliament unanimously passed a federal law banning gay “propaganda”. Shortly afterward on June 29th, the law was signed by Vladimir Putin, and thus marks the beginning of a policy directed against the LGBT[2] community – defined by government officials as individuals who are in a “non-traditional sexual relationship” - and activism in favor of the aforementioned community. Indeed, the content of article 3[3] of the “code of the Russian federation on administrative offenses” with the article 6.21[4] “Propaganda of Non-Traditional Sexual Relations Among Minors” states clearly that pro-gay statements made by an individual, a parent, or an organization including or marketed towards underage persons could lead to arrest or the payment of fines (from about 70 euros to 14,000 euros), or even the “suspension of business activities for up to 90 days”. And according to the Russian public opinion research center, in 2013, 88 percent of Russians surveyed were in favor of this law.
Thus, I would like to put forth this question: Why is repression of homosexual activism so prevalent in Russia? How do LGBT organizations deal with this unwelcoming – even perhaps hostile – climate to represent their beliefs and values?
A tradition of heterosexism and homophobia
To begin with, a quick overview of the history of Russia must be made in order to understand the current context.
Peter the Great first prohibited same-sex practices for men in the Russian army and navy during the seventeenth century, which later swelled to include all homosexual acts between men. Conversely, at that time coital activity was hidden because sexuality was a part of the private sphere, and thus had no visibility or interference within the public sphere. Nevertheless, aristocrats and bourgeoisie created events where they could gather thanks their financial ability to participate in such activities. (Lapina, 2013, p.19). However, the October revolution in 1917 changed position of gays and lesbians. Firstly, an open-mindedness about matters such as abortion or homosexuality appeared because the communists wanted to break fully free of the laws of the old tsarist regime. Yet during the 1930s – under Stalin’s infamous rule – same-sex practices started to be considered as a feature of the upper class. For example, the bourgeoisie and the political spectrum were being used to erase those upper-classes, pro-gay propaganda was banned again, along with same-sex practice and sanctions ( article 121 of the Criminal Code) were established ( De Jong,1985).
Thus, for centuries the population lived under policies which glorified heterosexism, and the malfeasance of homosexuality. Then “the collapse of the Soviet Union against the West has translated in the revival of Russian nationalism drawing from an Eurasianist doctrine[5]”, leading to the launch of a “coercion campaign to extend Russia’s influence across the two continents while simultaneously blocking Western encroachment “(Lecuyer, 2014, p.120). So, according to Marie Lecuyer, the anti-gay propaganda law can be seen as “a statement of non-compliance to western norms and a way to reassert the Russian national identity by tapping into patriotic feelings”.
Reaction of the Russian LGBTQ Activism
Nonetheless, Gorbachev’s rise to power and the arrival of Perestroika and Glasnost slowly liberalized the mores. For example, in 1984 a group of gay people founded “the Gay Laboratory” (an undercover organization) in St Petersburg whose aim was to “spread knowledge about plight and position of homosexual in the USSR and to popularize HIV/AIDS prevention discourses” (Lapina, 2013, p. 23-24). Even if it didn’t succeed because that organization had connections with foreigners, it launched the possibility for LGBT community to organize themselves enough to raise awareness about homosexuality. Moreover, the pressure of international public opinion in the 90’s constrained Russia to change its position on homosexuality, because it was a provision to enter the European Council (Lapina, 2013, p.35) and other such international organizations. That’s why, despite the repression of LGBTQ activism, some groups such as Vihod (Coming Out) or GayRussia organized various pride parades or protests against the anti-gay propaganda law in both Moscow and St Petersburg. For example on May 1, 2014 a “Rainbow Mayday March” took place in St Petersburg and about 80-100 people attending, sporting rainbow flags and slogans to show their disapproval toward this law.
Moreover, the Russian LGBTQ activism can count on international LGBTQ organizations and international public opinion. Indeed, the European Parliament has condemned homophobic discrimination and censorship, and European Council has called on Russia to protect LGBT rights[6]. The Russian LGBT network has become linked with ILGA-Europe and Amnesty International, both which help it to raise funds and to “promote equal rights and respect for human dignity, regardless sexual orientation and gender identity”[7] But also some Western celebrities showed their support, such as the Swedish athlete Emma Green Tregaro –who painted her nails rainbow flag during the Olympic Games in Sotchi –and some political figures. For example, in September 2013 Obama met civil right activists whilst in St Petersburg for the G-20 economic summit[8].
In a nutshell, the repression of homosexual activism is prevalent in Russia because the historic background but also because the need to reunite Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, as we have seen, LGBTQ people still fights - despite violence and arrest orchestrated by the national authorities and even if they are still not recognized as an institutionalized community -in order to challenge the State and break the cultural habits established over time. Moreover they use unconventional means such as demonstrations or the signing of petitions because conventional means, for example run for an electoral election or lobbying, are forbidden by this authoritarian State(Meyer,2004). But thanks to the support of other international organizations and international public opinion thy found a way to organize themselves in creating a community and obtained means used in the western countries to increase the impact their claims.
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