Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008. He was also the Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012.
Putin signs some of world’s harshest anti-trans legislation into Russian law
Vladimir Putin has signed some of the world’s most extreme anti-trans legislation into law, banning all forms of gender-affirming care in Russia.
This includes gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy, according to The New York Times. The law, which was signed by the Russian president on 24 July, also blocks trans people from changing the gender identity listed on official documents, such as passports.
Marriages in which one person has “changed gender” will be annulled and these couples will be prohibited from adopting children.
Russian lawmakers in favour of the law have described it as a step towards ‘protecting’ the country’s so-called traditional values. READ MORE: What does Russia’s anti-transition bill mean for trans people? When the ban was unanimously passed by the lower house of parliament earlier this month, Badma Bashenkaev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, said: “We have our Russian families, and the liberalisation of such phenomena can be the first step on the road to hell.” Nef Cellarious, a representative of LGBTQ+ rights group Vykhod, told Reuters the new law “is a logical continuation of the repressive policies of the Russian government, not only against LGBTQI people, but against human rights, freedom of speech, and democracy.” Russia’s ‘LGBT propaganda’ law now applies to all adults The legislation comes as part of an ongoing crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.
