Russia bans sex reassignment investigation into cocaine find in White House closed without result

After criticism of Western self-determination policies, the Russian parliament passed a law banning “gender reassignment”. People there are no longer allowed to undergo surgical procedures or be prescribed hormones.

The State Duma unanimously passed the law, which has been criticized by human rights activists as another step backwards in society, on Friday in its third and final reading. Victims who speak of gender reassignment fear even more exclusion, an increase in hatred and violent attacks.

By law, marriages in which one partner has changed sex in the past must be annulled. A ban on adopting children is also now enshrined. The new law takes effect with Putin’s signature.

The initiators of the law had stated that they wanted to protect cultural traditions and family values ​​in the fight against “Western ideologies”. Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin is considered a proponent of rigid role models for men and women. Putin, who repeatedly insists on tradition but is divorced himself, had also enshrined in the constitution that a marriage could only consist of a man and a woman.

Russia has been taking legal action against positive depictions of same-sex lifestyles for years, even though homosexuality itself is not prohibited. Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church, his mainstay, have repeatedly denounced liberal politics in the West.

(yam/sda/dpa)