Fun Fast Facts:
Updated: 2013 (Melbourne’s sister city has anti-gay propaganda laws)
- Tsar Peter the Great banned homosexual relations in the armed forces in 1716.
- Following the formation of the Soviet Union, the new government eradicated the old laws regarding sexual relations, effectively legalising homosexual activity within Russia. Under Lenin’s leadership, openly gay people were allowed to serve in government.
- In 1933, the Soviet government re-criminalised homosexual activity.
- Homosexuality was again legalised in 1993.
- In July 2005, Moscow Pride was held. In May 2007, the Moscow Pride was banned again by the Moscow Mayor, who had earlier branded it as “satanic”.
- Since 2006, nine regions have enacted a ban on so-called “propaganda of homosexualism among minors”.
Broadcast: 18 Aug 2015
The challenge of delivering HIV services
LGBTIQ-friendly organisation: SIBALT (Center for Health and Social Support)
- SIBALT, the Center for Health and Social Support, is one of the oldest currently working Russian non-profit organisations established to support the international movement against HIV/AIDS.
- Since 1996, SIBALT has provided support and vitally important information to more than 70,000 people.
- SIBALT is the largest non-governmental organisation in the Omsk region, working in the field of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections prevention.
- More than 5 thousand people participate in the organisations’ activities annually.
- Based on principles of creativity, autonomy, professionalism, human rights and human dignity, SIBALT mobilises community-based efforts to respond to emerging challenges in public health: HIV, STI, drug abuse, TB and other social diseases.
W3JOY interviewed: Anastasia of SIBALT Siberia
Listen to the podcast to learn discover:
- who SIBALT is and what they do
- the first case of detected HIV and why it was quite late compared to other countries
- the primary at-risk groups for HIV infection
- how volunteers are used to deliver health service
- the social stigma around HIV in Siberia
- the impact of Russia’s gay propaganda laws on the delivery of HIV and sexual health services in Siberia
Listen to the podcast
Broadcast: 2013
Melbourne’s sister city has anti-gay propaganda laws
LGBTIQ-friendly organisation: St. Petersberg Pride
- Smolny activists refused for a third of the St. Petersburg LGBT Pride on routes throughout the city, including Pioneer and Palace Square.
- Activists LGBTIQ organisation “Equality” has filed a notice to the relevant authorities of St. Petersburg in order to hold full LGBT Pride marches.
- Equality is working with other Russian organisations, such as GayRussia (founded in 2005 to fight discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and raise awareness of LGBT issues in Russia).
W3JOY interviewed: Yury Gavrikov of the LGBTIQ organisation Equality
“Society has got to be more open to discuss these topics. As a reaction, politicians, religious organisations wanted to close this discussion. It’s not “homosexual propaganda” it’s called “propaganda of sodomy”.”
“Homosexualism” many people believe its some kind of movement, like socialism.”
“The government is trying to get more support from conservative people…”
“The people who promoted this [anti-homosexual] law…they explained that they will ban homosexual propaganda between teenagers, between children.”
“Sometimes we see that social change is going very slow, but in my experience, in ten –twenty– years, Russian society will be completely different. I think we can make changes faster because of communications.”
“Only Russia, some African countries and some Arabic countries, they will not support same-sex marriages.”
W3JOY interviewed: Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor of Melbourne
“St. Petersberg passed (at the end of the year last year) laws that are quit blatantly anti-gay, anti-same-sex couple that take us back 100 years.”
“I think one of the best ways that we can work against anti-discrimination laws is to reach out to the young people that regularly come to Melbourne for cultural exchange.”
“I asked for a formal interview with the ambassador of Russia…and registered our distaste for these sort of laws. Made the point that St. Petersberg does have a very international reputation, and in places like Melbourne that is put at risk if you’re going to implement draconian laws of this nature.”
“Simultaneously, there is a huge online petition being generated about the laws in St Petersberg… it comes from change.org, and if people want to continue to sign up, the petition is still up there at change.org.”
“I think it’s important that we send a message about how unacceptable these discriminatory laws are. And my way of doing that is by a formal complaint to the ambassador and by receiving this petition.”
“If we want to change these laws in another country, we need to change their hearts and minds. We actually get a large number of people from St. Petersberg here in Melbourne… in coincidence, the day after I met with the ambassador, I met with St. Petersberg School 606 and their senior secondary students.”
“I think by opening the eyes of young people to what a diverse, tolerant and open community looks like, that’s how you’re going to affect change in St Petersberg in Russia, not by breaking off relations.”
“When you’re dealing in these sensitive areas, you don’t want to blunder in. Don’t try to meddle in the affairs of another country, but do try to make the point that international reputations are hard won and easily lost.”