For a long time, Russia has been doing its utmost to completely dismantle the rights of LGBTQ+ people and is trying to remove them from society. The bans imposed on them affect not only Russian influencers, but the entire rainbow community.

On Monday 24 July, Vladimir Putin signed a law banning gender correction and access to public healthcare services for transgender people. More restrictions are yet to come. Does this mean that transgender people will disappear from Russia?

As part of the fight for the "well-being of families and the nation", Russia has decided to pass another law that restricts the rights of LGBTQ+ people. This time, transgender people are on Putin's target.

The parliamentary-backed law, which was signed by the Russian president on Monday, prohibits transgender people from accessing public healthcare services. From now on, gender correction, hormone therapy or related surgery cannot be performed.

It is also forbidden to change personal data in official documents and public registers, which up to now has been legal since 1997. Transgender people are now also not allowed to adopt or raise children. Marriages in which one of the couples has undergone gender correction have been invalidated as well.

Does the introduction of such restrictions mean that we will no longer see transgender people in Russia? Of course not. However, charities warn that Putin's policy could lead to an increase in suicides among young people who will not be able to get medical help when in need.

The law banning gender correction in Russia may also unfortunately mean that hormonal products will be sold on black market. This, in turn, may affect the health of young people - the composition of such substances and their effects will not be controlled so the risk of taking them will skyrocket.

It is worth noting that this is another step by Russia in the great battle to "protect the nation and traditional family values". Last November, the Russian parliament passed a law extending the ban on "LGBTQ+ propaganda". Previously, the law banned the promotion of "non-traditional relationships among minors", and in 2022 it was extended to adults as well.

While one may laugh at some of the actions of Russian politicians (one of them used "Peppa Pig" as an example in proving the "harmfulness of LGBTQ+ propaganda") it is Putin's country that is becoming increasingly anti-LGBT. This, unfortunately, is likely to have a significant impact on the health and safety of young people living in Russia.

Source: PinkNews, The Guardian