February 04, 2026

Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda


Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda
Members of the British band Queen dressed in drag for their "I Want To Break Free" music video. Verstka, Telegram.

On January 31, a Moscow man was fined for posting pictures of the members of the band Queen in drag from the music video of their song "I Want to Break Free." The court determined that the man was guilty of spreading "LGBT propaganda."

On March 26, 2025, Muscovite David Gevondian, 21, was charged with "extremist and LGBT propaganda." He was accused of posting images on his VKontakte page of "men dressed in women's clothes and accessories (children's hairclips)," "men dressed in women's clothes," and men kissing. A city court considered these pictures "LGBT propaganda." Gevodian was fined R100,000 ($1,309) for each image.

While facing "LGBT propaganda" charges, Gevondian was also accused of "extremism" for allegedly posting images of an organization called "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" with the caption "Russia and a car brand are brothers forever." He also reportedly accompanied his post with a picture of two hanging men. Gevondian was sentenced to ten days in administrative jail. Mediazona, which originally broke the story, could not find the original post.

Gevondian challenged the charges of "LGBT propaganda." He claimed that the images were stills from the British band Queen's 1984 music video, for their song "I Want to Break Free," so it was not LGBT propaganda. However, the judge rejected his claims, saying, "Posting a photo of Queen members dressed in women's clothing has no musical connotation." The court claimed that Gevondian's post provided "positive assessments of the rationale for non-traditional sexual relations" and that it "distorted" relationships between men and women, "destroying family values."

 

You Might Also Like

Game Over for Roblox?
  • December 11, 2025

Game Over for Roblox?

Russia has banned Roblox, one of the most popular video games in the world. In turn, Russians protested on social media.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

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.

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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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.

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