Russia Enacts New Law Banning Gender Changes In Battle Against 'Western Anti-Family Ideology'

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law prohibiting gender changes in the country, a move that further marginalizes Russia’s LGBTQ+ community.

What Happened: The new legislation bans any medical interventions aimed at changing a person’s sex and gender in official documents or public records, The Guardian reported.

The legislation also invalidates marriages in cases where one person has undergone a gender change and prohibits transgender individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

It is a part of the Kremlin’s crusade to uphold what it perceives as the country’s “traditional values” and to safeguard the country against "Western anti-family ideology."

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Why It Matters: The new law represents a significant setback for LGBTQ+ rights in Russia. This move follows a series of anti-LGBTQ+ measures in Russia. In 2013, the country passed a law banning the promotion of “nontraditional sexual relations” among minors.

Last year, Putin signed a law prohibiting the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” among adults. The Russian parliament passed a law in 2022 imposing hefty fines to suppress LGBTQ+ “propaganda.”

Meanwhile, the new legislation has been widely criticized by human rights organizations and Western governments. The move also adds to the growing list of human rights concerns in Russia, which have been a source of tension between the country and the West.

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Photo by Melnikov Dmitriy on Shutterstock