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Postcards from St.Petersburg
Alexey Tikhonov
Published on 12/02/13
St. Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia, the cradle of the most liberal and forward minded ideas in the country’s history kept making the headlines in the news since last year.In 2012 city’s legislators came up with yet another “ahead of the times” historical input — anti-gay legislation, banning any reading, writing, speech or debate on anything “gay”.
The law’s content is vague – it criminalizes “public action aimed at propagandizing sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism, and transgenderism among minors”. Those charged with breaking the law are to be fined from 500 (160$) to 500 000 rubles.
The hopes that the discriminative bill, brought in by conservative legislators trying to make their “gay-hate” point won’t go any further faded for good when brought nationwide– in January 2013 Russian State Duma has passed the first reading of the bill.
Where does it leave those who are in love in spite of all the labels and bans?
Wondering, whether this will be their last unpunished expression of freedom and love, gays of the “progressive” capital of Russia united their “no” in this most nonviolent and romantic protest.
Alexey Tikhanov for colta.ru