Saving Children from “Propaganda of Homosexualism”

The article critically analyzes the legal and discursive mechanisms underpinning the prohibition of so-called “propaganda of homosexualism” in the Russian Federation, with particular attention to its impact on minors. Through a discourse-analytical approach, it examines how this legislative framework constructs heterosexuality as the sole legitimate norm — while representing homosexuality as deviant, pathological, and socially harmful, especially in relation to children and adolescents.

Gorbachov traces the trajectory of these laws from their regional introduction in Ryazan in 2006 to their federal implementation in 2013, emphasizing the rhetorical instability and conceptual ambiguity surrounding the term “propaganda”. Despite evolving formulations, the core objective remains consistent: the protection of minors — discursively framed as inherently heterosexual and in need of safeguarding from non-normative sexualities. Judicial interpretations reinforce this framework, pathologizing any notion of equivalence between heterosexual and homosexual relationships and casting such notions as threats to the moral, psychological, and spiritual development of youth.

While courts nominally uphold the right of minors to access neutral information about homosexuality, in practice the law severely limits affirming or supportive discourse. Gorbachov argues that this constraint silences LGBTQ+ youth, depriving them of essential resources, community belonging, and psychological care. The ban further sustains a homophobic cultural environment in which heteronormative assumptions remain uncontested and queer identities are marginalized or erased.

The article reveals a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the legislation: though framed as a child protection measure, the law deepens the vulnerability of LGBTQ+ minors by denying them the right to sexual self-identification and excluding them from civic life. Subjected to both legal restriction and social stigma, queer adolescents experience heightened psychological risks. Gorbachov concludes that rather than offering protection, the law institutionalizes exclusion and exacerbates the psychosocial harm endured by LGBTQ+ youth in contemporary Russia.