August 30, 2022

Homophobia Codified


Homophobia Codified
Waving proudly. Wikimedia Commons, Ludovic Bertron

Russia's newly-imposed restrictions on free expression continue to demonstrate that draconian measures know no bounds.

The State Duma, in an effort spearheaded by Putin's United Russia party, is poised to enact laws completely banning "gay propaganda" from public distribution. Since 2013, media with homosexual tones has been marked as "18+," but the new measure would prevent any product of this type from even reaching the market.

The instigating incident is the publication of the book Summer in a Pioneer Necktie, by Elena Malisova and Katerina Silvanova. The story concerns two teenage boys falling in love at a Soviet summer camp. The work hit shelves this summer, where it was marked "18+" under Russia's child-safety media rating laws, implying that the content was intended for mature audiences. It has so far sold over 200,000 copies.

However, several officials have nonetheless expressed outrage at the book and its values. United Russia politician Vitaly Milonov reportedly went into a bookstore and threw LGBTQ+ books onto the floor, and author Zakhar Prilepin threatened to burn down the publisher's offices. Talk show host and Oscar-laureate director Nikita Mikhalkov lamented, "How can we wage war against fascism in the center of Europe and at the same time cultivate the values ​​of this very Europe, against which we are trying to fight, with our own hands?"

As such, the new law purportedly seeks both to protect youth from non-traditional values and fight against insidious Western cultural influences. So far, two draft bills have been written, and United Russia is believed to now be preparing a final version that could go into effect this fall.

You Might Also Like

Searching for Nazis
  • June 05, 2022

Searching for Nazis

Putin says he invaded Ukraine to root out Nazis. Zelensky compares the defense of Ukraine to the heroism of the 1940s. Can both be right? No. No, they can't.
Kremlin Cancels Culture
  • August 18, 2022

Kremlin Cancels Culture

A working group of the Russian State Duma has compiled a list of cultural figures who have denounced the war in Ukraine. They can either "repent" or quit their jobs.
Time to Move?
  • August 04, 2022

Time to Move?

An English-language video released by the Russian embassy in Madrid lists reasons why Westerners should pack up their things and move in.
Detained on Victory Day
  • May 17, 2022

Detained on Victory Day

Over 125 citizens were detained during Immortal Regiment processions across Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955