Fwd: [Queerussia] St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor Signed the Gay Gag Law

Sun Mar 11 20:20:30 UTC 2012

We don't go there, we ARE in Middle Ages ;-)

But you should always remember that severity of Russian laws is compensated
by the optionality of implementation.

Maxim Marusenkov

-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Sentinel76 Astrakhan
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 8:44 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Fwd: [Queerussia] St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor
Signed the Gay Gag Law

Middle Ages, here we go!  Full throttle.

> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:31:55 -0400
> From: moss at MIDDLEBURY.EDU
> Subject: [SEELANGS] Fwd: [Queerussia] St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor
Signed the Gay Gag Law
> To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
> 
> The Governor of Petersburg has signed the law. As Eric Naiman pointed out,
we don't really know the effect this will have on scholarship around
sexuality in Russia. I've certainly given lectures in Russia that could now
be subject to a 5000 ruble fine. Would a university as a "legal entity" be
fined up to 500,000 rubles for hosting a lecture? Milonov apparently plans
to ban the rock group Rammstein and has suggested introducing Cossacks as a
"morals police."
> 
> http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lastnews/2012/03/11/n_2237553.shtml
> 
> http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2012/02/08/n_2196741.shtml
> 
> http://www.ria.ru/society/20120311/591444855.html
> 
> http://www.comingoutspb.ru/ru/news/gubernator
> 
> Kevin Moss
> Middlebury
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> > From: Polina Savchenko <polina at comingoutspb.ru>
> > Date: March 11, 2012 11:39:08 AM EDT
> > To: Polina Savchenko <polina at comingoutspb.ru>
> > Bcc: <queerussia at googlegroups.com>
> > Subject: [Queerussia] St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor Signed the Gay
Gag Law
> > Reply-To: <queerussia at googlegroups.com>
> > 
> > St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor Signed the Gay Gag Law
> > 
> > Statement by St. Petersburg LGBT organization Coming Out
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Today it became known that the governor of St. Petersburg Georgiy
Poltavchenko signed the homophobic law, imposing administrative fines on the
so-called "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism"
and paedophilia to minors.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Authors of the law maintain that it is designed to "protect children
from information that can harm their physical, intellectual, moral, and
spiritual development". The term "propaganda" is defined as any uncontrolled
and targeted distribution of information through any accessible means to
minors that can [:] form an incorrect perception of social equivalence
between traditional and non-traditional conjugal relations". Authorities
project "traditional values" and clerical rhetoric onto politics, and
prioritize "interests of majority" over the value of human individuality. We
realize that today, fascist-like rhetoric in Russia is becoming basis for
legislative activity.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > In fact, this law has little to do with protecting minors. Today,
neither homosexual people, nor human rights defenders, nor lawyers can
answer the question of how this law is going to be applied in practice, due
to its vague nature and non-legal terminology. To talk about existence of
homosexuality, to publicly denounce homophobic violence, to develop sense of
self-awareness and dignity in homosexual people, to promote tolerance - all
of these acts can fall under the "propaganda" law. This law will serve
directly to further isolate and marginalize the gay community and encourage
hate towards a social group.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 60 years ago philosopher and founder of totalitarianism theory, Hannah
Arendt, said that in a totalitarian state, citizens are "either victims or
executioners and the movement by its ideology seeks to prepare them to fill
either role." Handing out of roles has begun: Russian authorities legalized
discrimination of homosexuals. What will come next?
> > 
> > We are convinced that no authority can deprive people of their right to
dignity, to respect of private and family life, to freedom of expression and
to protection from discrimination and violence. We are offended and outraged
by this act by city authorities and will continue fighting for the rights of
LGBT citizens until the barbaric law is repealed.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Генеральный менеджер
> > Санкт-Петербургская ЛГБТ-организация "Выход"
> > 
> > General Manager
> > St. Petersburg LGBT organization Coming Out
> > 
> > +7 (812) 313 9369
> > +7 (904) 609 9706
> > http://www.comingoutspb.ru
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
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