Category: Russia

All Out Articles LGBTQ+ News Life News Russia Sphere Foundation Vladimir Putin

‘An attack on human rights’: LGBTQ+ Russians in need of urgent support as “repressive” laws worsen

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Sphere Foundation, a human rights organisation that spotlights and supports the LGBTQIA+ people in Russia, has launched an urgent petition to rally support against the criminalisation of the LGBTQIA+ community in Russia and to encourage safe passage for those at risk. In a plea to the public for support the organisation has launched a grassroot initiative, which is being amplified by All Out, a global organisation advocating for the rights and dignity of LGBTQIA+ individuals, to demonstrate and “affirm that human rights should not be subject to governmental oppression.” On…

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Anti-LGBTQ discrimination Articles LGBTQ+ News Life News Russia Supreme Court

Russia: Supreme Court bans ‘LGBT movement’ and labels it ‘extremist organisation’

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In an unprecedented move, Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled that the so-called “international LGBT movement” is an “extreme organisation.” In a closed hearing on 30 November, the top court ruled in favour of the Justice Ministry’s lawsuit that claimed the “LGBT movement” had incited social and religious discord. Russian criminal law currently states that participating in, or financing an extremist organisation is punishable by up to 12 years imprisonment. Even displaying such “extremist” symbols can lead an individual to face up to 15 days in a detention centre or up…

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Articles LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly Russia Surgery Trans

Trans Russians panic over proposed gender surgery ban

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When Dimitri, a transgender 17-year-old from Russia, found out about a proposed law that would ban people from transitioning gender, he considered taking his own life. “If it wasn’t for my beloved boyfriend and my best friend I would probably be in the next world,” Dimitri told Openly by phone from his home near Moscow, asking not to use his real name to protect his identity. The draft legislation, which would outlaw both changing gender on official documents and gender-affirming medical care including surgery, received initial backing on June 14…

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Articles Basketball Biden Administration Brittney Griner Culture LGBTQ+ Athlete LGBTQ+ News Life News President Biden Russia WNBA

Brittney Griner: WNBA star says she’s “never going overseas” to play basketball again

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WNBA star Brittney Griner has shut down any possibility of playing basketball overseas during a recent interview. Back in February 2022, the beloved athlete was wrongfully detained in Russia after she was accused of carrying hashish oil in her luggage. At the time, Griner was travelling to the country to spend the Phoneix Mercury off-season playing for the Russian basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg – which she had done since 2014. In the wake of her arrest, the Olympic athlete was held in a detention centre and given limited communication with…

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anti-gay Anti-LGBTQ+ law Articles LGBTQ+ couple LGBTQ+ News Life News Russia TikTok YouTube

Russia arrests LGBTQ+ TikTokers for violating ‘gay propaganda law’

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Social media stars Gela Gogishvili and Haoyang Xu were both arrested for breaking Russia’s so-called ‘gay propaganda law’. Russian-born Gogishvili, 23, and Chinese national Xu, 21, crossed paths on a dating app two years ago after Xu moved abroad to study in Russia. Since then, the pair have been dating in Russia, living in the city of Kazan, and sharing their experience with followers online. The duo, who have over 65,000 followers on YouTube, share snippets of their lives together – holding hands and sharing a bed together, and recreating…

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Articles Daria Kasatkina LGBTQ+ News LGBTQ+ representation Life News Russia Sport

Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina is “happy with the outcome” after coming out

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Russia’s highest-ranked female tennis player Daria Kasatkina has shared that coming out “helped” her and that she is “happy with the outcome”. The 25-year-old bravely came out in July and shared that she is dating Russian Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako. “Living in the closet is impossible,” the star told blogger Vitya Kravchenko. “I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really, speak about it,” she continued. “It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support.” She…

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Articles Gay propaganda law Jennifer Coolidge LGBTQ+ News LGBTQ+ TV Life News Russia Television The White Lotus Vladimir Putin White Lotus

Jennifer Coolidge’s iconic White Lotus quote was censored in Russia

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Russia censored Jennifer Coolidge’s now-viral quote in the second season’s finale of The White Lotus, according to local outlet Meduza. In the episode, the Legally Blonde star was targeted by “high-end gays” trying to murder her character, Tanya McQuoid. After managing to take a few of them out, Tanya falls off a yacht, knocks her head on a dinghy and proceeds to drown to death in the Ionian Sea. However, prior to doing so, she seeks help from the captain, explaining: “These gays, they’re trying to murder me!” Audiences in…

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Articles Brittney Griner Cherelle Griner LGBTQ+ Love LGBTQ+ News Life News Russia WNBA

Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle breaks silence on their emotional reunion: “It did not feel real”

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Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle, has opened up about reuniting with the WNBA star in a new interview.  On 8 December, the beloved basketball player returned to the United States after President Joe Biden struck a deal with Russia to exchange her for arms dealer Viktor Bout. “She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home,” Biden revealed in an official statement (per CNN). “After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she…

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Articles Basketball Brittney Griner LGBTQ+ Athlete LGBTQ+ News Life News Russia WNBA

Brittney Griner makes first public statement since her release: “It feels so good to be home”

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WNBA star Brittney Griner issued her first public statement since being released from Russian custody. On 8 December, the beloved basketball player returned to the United States after President Joe Biden struck a deal with Russia to exchange her for arms dealer Viktor Bout. “She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home,” Biden revealed in an official statement (per CNN). “After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should…

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Articles Basketball Basketball player Brittney Griner Joe Biden Life News President Joe Biden Russia Russia detainment Russian detainment

Brittney Griner is finally free after a prisoner exchange with Russia

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US basketball star Brittney Griner is finally free.⁠ Griner was originally arrested in Moscow back in February after authorities found cannabis oil in her luggage.⁠ In her sentencing, she was found guilty of drug possession and smuggling with criminal intent by a Russian court and sentenced to nine years in a penal colony and a fine of a million rubles – approximately $16,300.⁠ According to The New York Times, the queer athlete’s defence described the verdict as “absolutely unreasonable”.⁠ Now after months of negotiation and public attention, the US athlete…

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