Russian lawmakers passed a bill Thursday banning the promotion of what they call “non-traditional sexual relations” among adults.
The bill — which was approved by the lower house of parliament, or State Duma, after a third and final reading — bans “LBGTQ propaganda” in traditional media, on the internet or on merchandise sold to the public.
It’s an expansion of a law that went into effect in 2013 and that outlawed any public discussions or positive messages about LGBTQ issues with minors — which was described by Human Rights Watch as a “classic example of political homophobia” that “targets vulnerable sexual and gender minorities for political gain.”
