By Cathy Kristofferson, February 13, 2014
RIA Novisti is reporting that today Russia introduced measures to further restrict adoptions to people in countries that recognize same-sex marriages. The ban now affects married gay couples and unmarried couples. The timing is beautiful – why let the international focus on Russia of the homophobic Sochi Olympic Games dissuade you from continuing your anti-gay hate, President Putin?
Today’s measures add to the law passed last July that banned couples in those countries from adopting Russian children. OBLOGDEE reported on that law here. The new measures will make Russia the first country to specifically ban adoptions by single would-be parents living in countries that permit same-sex marriage. Perhaps a Gold Medal is in order for Mr. Putin.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the decree which reads:
“Adoptions can be carried out by members of either sex with the exception of… people in a union of two people of the same sex that has been registered as a married according to the legislation of their country… and also unmarried people in such countries.”
Russia is one of the top foreign adoption countries. The top three countries adopting Russian children are Spain, France and Canada – all of which recognize equal marriage. The United States is already banned for other reasons.
Some LGBT activists. including us here on OBLOGDEE, had called for boycotts of the Sochi Games. We were of the opinion that just like Germany circa 1936, the laws for gays would get worse after Sochi. Melanie Nathan, one such activist who called for an outright boycotts says:
“We were right. We said that going to Sochi and not boycotting would encourage Putin to make things worse for gays. Now his real game is on. The world has empowered him, just the way they did Hitler in 1936. He is making it worse for LGBT gays. Shame on the IOC and the world, especially all gays who have participated in these games, for doing absolutely nothing worthwhile to help.”
We now wonder what other anti-gay laws will be passed DURING the Sochi Games while we continue to worry about the severity of the persecution that will befall the Russian LGBT community after the spotlight leaves their country.
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