Canadian travel magazine ‘Travel and Escape’ is reporting that an anti-gay law recently passed in Russia may result in the arrest of ‘openly gay’ tourists to the country. It says, “It is now outlawed to be ‘out and proud’” in the former Soviet power.
The report calls the move “a throwback to the country’s authoritarian ruling”, with Russian president Vladimir Putin signing a controversial law that punishes people for “homosexual propaganda.” The law fines people—including tourists—up to 200,000 rubles (£4,040 GBP) for “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.”
Apparently, anything from gay-affirmative speech to hand-holding; even displaying a rainbow flag on your backpack is reportedly illegal. Recently in southern Russia, there were complaints that Elton John’s stage outfits fell under “gay propaganda.”
According to Voice of Russia, any display of affection between same-sex couples could cause a “distorted understanding” that gay relations and heterosexual relations are socially equivalent, and risk spreading Western liberalism.
