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LGBT Rights in Russia

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Not legal
    Censorship
    ✖ Other punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Research in attittudes towards LGBTQ+ issues in Russia have identified a strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, reflecting underlying homophobic sentiments.

Russia Surveys

of Russians believe gays and lesbians should be eliminated from society

Orthodox Christian Support for Church's Position of Refusing to Perform Same-Sex Marriage

80%
Support
13%
Oppose

Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Agree that same-sex marriage should be legal

of Russians would not want a homosexual neighbor

of Russians believe homosexuals should be isolated from society
believe homosexuals should be physically destroyed

of Russians would not want a homosexual neighbor

History

Homosexual activity in Russia

?

Homosexual activity in Russia is legal.

Current status
Since 1993
Legal
Homosexuality became legal in Russia in 1993. Now at the moment homosexuality is legal except 1 region-Chechnya (in practice)

On November 30, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the LGBT movement as extremist and banned it. However, according to the court's decision, this does not concern the private life of LGBT people, but more concerns LGBT activists, it is also prohibited to use LGBT symbols and demonstrate it. It is not forbidden to make a cuming-out. This is accurate information, as the data has been studied in ILGA, as well as this statement by LGBT human rights organizations and lawyers.
region-dependent" is used if homosexuality is not de jure legal in a region. In this case, homosexuality is de jure legal in all regions, so it is necessary to change the status for Chechnya, not for the whole of Russia, as it would be incorrect to put such a status for Russia.

Same-sex marriage in Russia

?

Same-sex marriage in Russia is not legal.

Current status
Since Dec 29, 1995
Not legal
The federal laws of Russia do not allow for same-sex unions of any kind, and the Russian constitution has defined marriage as a union strictly between a man and woman since 2020.
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Russia

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Russia is other punishment.

Current status
Since Nov 30, 2023
Other punishment
“Russia's parliament approved on Thursday a bill that widens a prohibition of "LGBT propaganda" and restricts the "demonstration" of LGBT behaviour, making any expression of an LGBT lifestyle almost impossible.”

“Under the new law, which still needs the approval of the upper house of parliament and President Vladimir Putin, any action or information that is considered an attempt to promote homosexuality - whether in public, online, or in films, books or advertising - could incur a heavy fine.”

After recognizing the LGBT movement as extremist in Russia, the government put more pressure on activists than on the private lives of LGBT people themselves. This has completely limited the freedom of expression for LGBT people. After recognizing LGBT as extremist, the demonstration of the LGBT flag became prohibited and because of this, you can get a fine of up to 2000 rubles or arrest for up to 15 days, and if you repeat the demonstration, criminal liability in the form of imprisonment for up to 4 years. However, imprisonment is applied only in case of demonstration of LGBT symbols, for everything else people are punished with fines.
Added by CHR0LL0PH0BICCC  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jun 11, 2013–Nov 2022
Fine as punishment
In 2013, Russia introduced a law known as "for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values" (known worldwide as the "gay propaganda law") which prohibits the promotion of homosexual topics. According to the Russian government, this law is aimed to "protect" children from being exposed to homosexuality, since it goes against "traditional family values." Foreigners who break this law can be arrested and detained for up to 15 days (or fined up to 5,000 rubles) and then deported.
Added by danlev  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Russia

?

Right to change legal gender in Russia is illegal.

Current status
Since Jul 19, 2023
Illegal
The upper house of Russia’s parliament unanimously approved a bill outlawing gender-affirming care and legal gender change. It also annuls marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bars transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents.
Sources:
www.pressenterprise.com/2023/07/19/the-upper-house-of-russian-parliament-approves-a-ban-on-gender-changes/
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 31, 2023–Jun 17, 2023
Ambiguous
A bill to make gender change illegal was proposed, and it will probably pass.
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 19, 2018–May 30, 2023
Legal, no restrictions
Under the 2018 revision by the Ministry of Health, a medical commision can issue a certificate of gender change without the need for surgery or hormone replacement therapy.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Nov 15, 19972018
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender people are able to change their gender on identification documents after being issued a document from a health institution confirming the surgical requirements.
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 5, 1972–Nov 5, 1997
Legal, but requires surgery
after the sex reassignment surgery that took place in September 17, 1970, a transgender man changed his legal gender and name.
Six months after change legal gender, he became a husband.
Added by JuliaB  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Russia

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Russia is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
There's no third gender recognition.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Russia

?

LGBT discrimination in Russia is no protections.

Current status
Since 1993
No protections
No protection against discrimination.
Added by daveyroo  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Russia

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Russia is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Article 3 of the Labour Code prohibits employment discrimination but does not explicitly mention sexual
orientation or gender identity. Several prominent people including a TV news anchor have been fired for coming out, although some people have successfully challenged discriminatory dismissal.

LGBT housing discrimination in Russia

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Russia is no protections.

Current status
Since Jul 29, 2013
No protections
LGBT people have no protection from discrimination.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Russia

?

Same-sex adoption in Russia is single only.

Current status
Since Jul 24, 2023
Single only
Single homosexuals are allowed to adopt, but banned for transgender people.
Added by Markissik  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jul 2, 2013–Jul 19, 2023
Single only
Adoption is being regulated by the Civil Procedure Code of Russia (Chapter 29); Family Code of Russia (Chapter 19); Federal Law On Acts of Civil Status (Chapter V). None of these documents contain any direct restriction or ban for homosexual people to ado
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Jul 2, 2013
Illegal
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Wednesday banning the adoption of children by same-sex couples, as part of an increasingly conservative agenda the Kremlin is pursuing since his return to power.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Russia

?

Serving openly in military in Russia is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2003
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Open homosexuals still serve in the military.
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Russia

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Russia is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 16, 2008
Legal

Legal
In 2008, Russia repealed its ban against gay people donating blood. The law was signed in effect on April 16, 2008 by Tatyana Golikova, the minister of Russia's Health and Social Development department
Added by brennen  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Sep 14, 2001–Apr 16, 2008
Banned (indefinite deferral)
On September 14, 2001, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that men who have sex with men would be considered part of the "HIV high-risk groups," along with prostitutes and drug addicts.
Added by danlev  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Russia

?

Conversion therapy in Russia is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not condemned. As well their is still the attitude that homosexuality is a disease.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Russia

?

Equal age of consent in Russia is equal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1997
Equal
The age of consent in Russia is 16 for same-sex couples.
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by administrative region

View the LGBT laws in each individual administrative region of Russia.