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Photo by Seva Galkin The decriminalization of homosexuality had a manifestly positive impact on lives of Russian lesbians and gays and offered them an opportunity to shed the pall of invisibility. On one hand, this new visibility provoked a backlash and a wave of hostilities and homophobia; on the other hand, Russians are slowly getting used to share their social space with their fellow citizens who happen to be lesbian or gay.

Changes can also be seen in everyday life of lesbians and gays. While some ten years ago the opportunities to meet 'their kind' were limited to furtive cruising in public areas and WCs, now there are openly gay venues in Moscow and St. Petersburg, no less willingly frequented by 'progressive' straight youth. Gay infrastructure gradually builds up. A gay paging company successfully operates in St. Petersburg, several travel agencies offer Russian gays visits to Western 'gay Meccas'.

Despite of a marginal increase in public awareness of gay issues and a slight rise of social tolerance, the position of lesbians and gays has not improved much over the recent years. Nowadays, Russian lesbians and gays are still not visible in the society; their legal status remains precarious; they are often subjected to abuse and harassment both by government official and fellow citizens.

Photo by Seva Galkin (from cover of the book "69. Russian Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transsexual" (2005)

News on "Society"

· 16/08/2010 Levada-Center poll: During the last five years anti-gay mood in Russia is strengthening
· 26/06/2010 Zimniy Palace Gay action participants detained in Saint-Petersburg
· 16/05/2010 Rainbow Flashmob 2010 goes off across the planet on May 17th!
· 16/05/2010 A summary of the "Film Your Friend" event - on the Eve of "Rainbow Flash"
· 18/04/2010 "Lights Out" for the Queer Film Festival "Side by Side" in Kemerovo
· 13/04/2010 The Day of Silence – 2010. Event of the Gay Community to Take Place in Russia for the 3rd Time
· 19/03/2010 Russian WAHO is preceded by Xenofobia.NET events
· 11/02/2010 “I Love You, Philip Morris!” on the Russian screens
· 28/01/2010 The Russian LGBT Network prepares for RWAHO-2010
· 28/11/2009 A large-scale research on Ukrainian gay and lesbian families carried

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All articles on "Society"

· The Russian LGBT Network pronounces 2009 to be memorial year for the gay and lesbian victims of political repressions
75 years ago, the Soviet system began political repressions against gays and lesbians.

· Discrimination in Russia
We've compiled the list of most asked questions about the law and the society in Russia.

· Rights Movement Divides Russia's Gay Community
Elena Gusyatinskaya's tiny apartment in the drab northwestern outskirts of Moscow holds a special place in the city's gay subculture. Her living room is really a gay-themed library, lined to the ceiling with books, manuscripts, magazines, movies and many-colored binders of newspaper clippings...

· Soviet Homophobia
Soviet punitive psychiatry was one of the main weapons of both legal and illegal repression. Sexologically ignorant psychiatrists were always ready to find some serious diagnosis that enabled persons so stigmatized to be put under lifelong medical and police observation or detained in a psychiatric hospital under conditions often much worse than prison.

· Problems and Prospects
The most obvious social change in Russia is the disappearance of the old conspiracy of silence and the appearance of same-sex love as a fashionable topic for newspapers, art, and salon conversation. Formerly suppressed and forbidden "gay sensibilities" and eroticism are gradually being recognized and integrated into the elite culture

· Criminal Code of the Russian Federation
Adopted on 24 May 1996 by the State Duma
Approved on 5 June 1996 by the Federation Council
Effective as of 1 January 1997 (as amended on 8 December 2003)

· Legal Position of Russian Lesbians and Gays
The Russian Criminal Code prohibits incitement to ethnic, religious or racial enmity, but this list is exhaustive and cannot be applied to homophobic hate crimes. There is no specific gay hate crime laws in Russia.

· Gays Gather Quietly, Out of Political Spotlight
The founder and keeper of the Gay and Lesbian Archives is a middle-aged teacher who asked that she be referred to in this article by her English-language initials, H.G., as she fears being fired.

· Russia’s Exported Children
Until last year, when Russia slipped into second place behind China in terms of international adoptions, Russia exported more children than any other country. Most of these orphans end up in the United States, where many of them happily settle into new families. But hidden in the flood are an unknown number of violently disturbed youngsters.

· International Adoptions: A New Route For Gays
Some say they were moved by their concern for the vast number of children who live as orphans in foreign countries. Some believed they would avoid problems in other countries that they might have faced in this country. Others say that they were interested in having their families be multicultural.

· Love of Friends Will Change the World
I am a guest of Lesha and Slava, a gay family, in their house. The stove spreads its warmth around. There are icons in the room's corners. We are sitting at the round table under the floral lampshade.