Russia: Russian lawmakers have adopted a bill that outlaws gender-reassignment procedures. The bill bans medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person as well as changing one’s gender in official documents and public records.
The bill was passed unanimously in its third and final reading on 14th July 2023. The bill, which harshly impacts the LGBTQ+ community in Russia, has been approved as part of the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts to protect what it perceives as the nation’s “traditional values.” Nevertheless, there will be an exception in cases of medical intervention aimed at treating congenital anomalies.
In the second reading on 13th July 2023, clauses were added that annul marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bar transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents.
Before becoming law, the bill must be passed by Russia’s upper chamber, the Federation Council, which is controlled by the Kremlin and approves legislation passed by the Duma. Finally, to be law, the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, has to sign it.
The bill has caused significant distress among Russia’s transgender community, and it has faced criticism not just from LGBTQ rights activists but also from medical professionals. The targeting of the LGBTQ community began around ten years ago when Mr. Putin initially emphasized the importance of “traditional family values.” This approach received support and, to some extent, was fueled by the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Kremlin approved the first legislation limiting LGBTQ rights in 2013, a “gay propaganda” law that banned any public endorsement of “non-traditional sexual relations” among minors.
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