Lawmakers in Russia recently endorsed a bill that prohibits the adoption of Russian children by citizens from nations that permit gender transitioning.
The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, also passed legislation banning the dissemination of materials promoting childlessness, part of a broader effort to reinforce traditional family values.
The Adoption Ban
Having already cleared the lower house, the bills now await Russian President Vladimir Putin's signature to become law. These measures are the latest in a series of actions aimed at marginalizing sexual minorities while reinforcing Russia's traditional values.
Russian lower house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who was one of the authors of the new bill, said "it is extremely important to eliminate possible dangers in the form of gender reassignment that adopted children may face in these countries."
The adoption ban would impact at least 15 countries, including several European nations, as well as Australia, Argentina and Canada. Adoption by U.S. citizens has been prohibited since 2012.
Other Russian Bills
Lawmakers also passed measures Wednesday criminalizing what they termed as propaganda promoting a child-free lifestyle, with fines reaching up to 5 million rubles (approximately $50,000). Supporters of the legislation argued that discouraging parenthood aligns with alleged Western efforts to undermine Russia by fostering population decline.
In recent years, Putin and other senior officials have intensified their emphasis on upholding traditional values as a countermeasure to Western liberal ideals. Amid concerns over Russia's shrinking population, Putin has advocated for larger families, even urging women last year to consider having up to eight children.
Russian Efforts Against Gender-Transition
Last year, Russia enacted a ban on gender-transition medical procedures, and the country's top court classified the LGBTQ+ "movement" as extremist, further tightening restrictions on sexual and gender minorities.
In 2022, Putin signed a law extending the ban on LGBTQ+ content, prohibiting its distribution to individuals of all ages. This expanded 2013 legislation that initially restricted such materials to minors.
Since launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has frequently denounced the West as "satanic," accusing it of attempting to weaken Russia by spreading liberal ideologies.
In recent years, independent journalists, activists, critics and opposition figures in Russia have faced mounting government pressure, a trend that has escalated sharply since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. Hundreds of individuals and organizations have been branded as "foreign agents," a designation that subjects them to increased scrutiny and carries a heavily stigmatized connotation.
On Wednesday, Russia's State Duma advanced a bill that would block individuals labeled as "foreign agents" from accessing their income.
Under the proposed measure, all income generated within Russia would be frozen in special accounts, with access granted only if the "foreign agent" designation is lifted.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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