Reasons for Russia's anti gay shift

[Zuza]

Huh... the few Americans of Russian descent I've met have actually all be quite socially liberal, and I've generally attributed it partially to the fact that communism left a relatively secular legacy in Russia. But it seems that as that legacy fades, Russia is going back to what it was before World War I... one of the most illiberal countries in Europe.

On some issues (such as abortion; though abortion never was a significant political issue) Russians are still fairly socially liberal. But on many (probably most) other issues Russians were socially conservative in Soviet times as well as currently. Religion isn't the only ground for homophobia, so secularism (Russian population is still low religious) isn't panacea for homophobia.

[Zuza]

Soviet Union, which wasn't as anti-theistic as it is commonly portrayed, since they realized that active persecution of the church would be a dumb political move

Soviet Union religious politics changed significantly from time to time, there were several anti-religious campaigns (the last one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSR_anti-religious_campaign_(1970s–1990)).

[afleitch]

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/gay-peoples-hearts-unsuitable-for-life-says-head-of-russias-state-controlled-tv-news/politics/2013/08/10/72922

Stomach churning. What groundwork is being set here? What's next?

"I think that just imposing fines on gays for homosexual propaganda among teenagers is not enough. They should be banned from donating blood, sperm. And their hearts, in case of the automobile accident, should be buried in the ground or burned as unsuitable for the continuation of life."

[TDAS04]

What is going on in Russia is terrible.  At the same time, it makes me glad that I do not live there, and that the US is not even remotely the worst country on this issue.

Certainly, the US has some ways to go, and gays and supporters of gay rights must continue the unfinished work here, but we must also grateful that the US is far better on gay rights than numerous other places.

[Marokai Backbeat]

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/gay-peoples-hearts-unsuitable-for-life-says-head-of-russias-state-controlled-tv-news/politics/2013/08/10/72922

Stomach churning. What groundwork is being set here? What's next?

"I think that just imposing fines on gays for homosexual propaganda among teenagers is not enough. They should be banned from donating blood, sperm. And their hearts, in case of the automobile accident, should be buried in the ground or burned as unsuitable for the continuation of life."

Pure evil. Wow.