Russia Moves to Ban Adoptions by Citizens of Gender Transition-Friendly Countries
On September 25, 2023, Russian lawmakers passed the first reading of a controversial legislation aimed at prohibiting the adoption of Russian children by citizens from nations where gender transition is permitted. This move aligns with the Kremlin's broader efforts to uphold what it considers traditional family values, reflecting President Vladimir Putin's ongoing campaign to reinforce conservative social norms in Russia.
The legislation, spearheaded by State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, is part of a suite of measures, including a ban on the promotion of childfree ideology and hefty fines for those advocating for childlessness. If the bill clears two more readings and gains approval from the Federation Council, it will bar potential adoptive parents from a host of countries that support gender transition, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.
This recent move follows a series of restrictive laws passed in Russia over the past few years. In 2022, the government enacted a law forbidding surgical procedures aimed at altering an individual’s sex and a subsequent ban on changing gender designations in legal documents. Adding to this, in November 2022, the Supreme Court decisively ruled against the unregistered International Public LGBT Movement, further underscoring the tightening of regulations surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.
Putin, supported by the influential Russian Orthodox Church, has positioned himself as a defender of traditional family structures, which resonates with a significant faction of his domestic audience. In November 2022, he issued a decree reaffirming support for Russia’s 'traditional spiritual-moral values', emphasizing commitment to the fatherland, the importance of strong families, and prioritizing spiritual over material concerns.
In July 2023, the president introduced a new law prohibiting gender-reassignment surgeries and hormone therapy associated with gender transition. Concurrently, the government has passed other legislation that not only annuls marriages where one spouse has changed their gender but also prohibits transgender individuals from adopting children.
Historically, Russia had already restricted adoptions from the United States in 2012, a move that was largely viewed as retaliation against American sanctions aimed at Russian figures involved in human rights violations. The topic of traditional family values has been increasingly invoked by authorities in light of the country's declining birth rate, reflecting a desperate attempt to boost population numbers amid demographic challenges.
Just hours before the adoption ban was discussed, lawmakers in the Primorye region of Far East Russia voted on an all-encompassing bill prohibiting inducements to procure abortions—a trend seen in several regions like Mordovia, Tver, and Kaliningrad since the beginning of 2023. This burgeoning legislative environment has drawn criticism from Russian human rights activists, who express alarm over the growing restrictions on abortive services, reflecting a broader pattern of oppressive measures against personal freedoms in the nation.
The developments surrounding adoption legislation and abortion bans signal a significant shift in Russia's legal framework governing family and reproductive rights, casting a long shadow over the rights and daily lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and potentially even those seeking to promote family growth through adoption.
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