HUMAN RIGHTS NO SUPPORT Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Law Imperils LGBT Youth WATCH No Support Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Law Imperils LGBT Youth Copyright © 2018 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-6231-36871 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org DECEMBER 2018 ISBN: 978-1-6231-36871 No Support Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Law Imperils LGBT Youth Glossary .............................................................................................................................. i Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 6 To the President of the Russian Federation ............................................................................... 6 To the Government of the Russian Federation ........................................................................... 6 To the Ministry of Health ........................................................................................................... 7 To the Ministry of Education ...................................................................................................... 7 To School Staff ........................................................................................................................ 8 To the European Union and Its Member States ......................................................................... 8 To the Council of Europe .......................................................................................................... 8 To Participating States of the Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) ....... 9 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 10 I. Growing Up Queer in Russia .......................................................................................... 12 Longstanding Antipathy in Law and Official Actions ................................................................ 12 The “Gay Propaganda” Law ..................................................................................................... 14 Endemic Discrimination and Abuse ......................................................................................... 19 Treatment by Parents .............................................................................................................. 21 II. Hostile Hallways ........................................................................................................... 26 Treatment by School Staff ...................................................................................................... 26 Teachers’ Use of Anti-LGBT Slurs ...................................................................................... 27 Teachers Targeting Students ........................................................................................... 29 Cautious Discussion of LGBT Issues ................................................................................. 31 Supportive School Staff .................................................................................................... 32 Hostile Environments ....................................................................................................... 33 Treatment by Classmates ........................................................................................................ 35 Survival Strategies .................................................................................................................. 39 Interactions with School Psychologists ................................................................................... 41 Adverse Impact on Education .................................................................................................. 42 III. Limited Access to Information ..................................................................................... 45 Deti-404 ................................................................................................................................. 47 IV. Mental Health Consequences ....................................................................................... 51 The Consequences of Sustained Hostility ................................................................................ 52 The Importance of Mental Health Professionals ....................................................................... 55 Chilling Effect on Mental Health Providers ............................................................................... 57 Barriers to Accessing Support Groups and LGBT Organizations ................................................ 61 Discriminatory Attitudes Among Mental Health Professionals ................................................. 62 V. Russia’s Legal Obligations ........................................................................................... 64 Freedom of Expression........................................................................................................... 64 The Requirement of Legality ............................................................................................. 67 The Requirements of Necessity and Proportionality ........................................................... 70 The Need for a Legitimate Ground for Restriction............................................................... 70 Freedom of Association .......................................................................................................... 74 Protection from Violence ......................................................................................................... 75 Education ............................................................................................................................... 77 Health .................................................................................................................................... 79 Responsibility to Support Parents ........................................................................................... 81 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................ 84 Appendix 1: Letter to Ministry of Education ....................................................................... 85 Appendix 2: Letter to Ministry of Health ........................................................................... 88 Appendix 3: Response from Ministry of Education ............................................................ 91 Glossary Young people interviewed by Human Rights Watch for this report used a variety of terms to describe same-sex attraction and gender variance. Some of these terms are defined below. Asexual The sexual orientation of a person who experiences little or no sexual attraction to other people. Biological sex The biological classification of bodies as male or female based on such factors as external sex organs, internal sexual and reproductive organs, hormones, and chromosomes. Bisexual The sexual orientation of a person who is sexually and romantically attracted to both women and men. Cisgender The gender identity of people whose sex assigned at birth conforms to their identified or lived gender. Closeted/Being A person who does not acknowledge their sexual orientation to in the Closet others. People may be “fully” in the closet (not admitting their sexual orientation to anyone), fully out, or somewhere in between. Gay A synonym for homosexual in many parts of the world; in this report, used specifically to refer to the sexual orientation of a man whose primary sexual and romantic attraction is towards other men. Gender The social and cultural codes (as opposed to biological sex) used to distinguish between society’s conceptions of “femininity” and “masculinity.” Gender-Based Violence directed against a person on the basis of gender or sex. Violence Gender-based violence can include sexual violence, domestic i HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | DECEMBER 2018 violence, psychological abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, harmful traditional practices, and discriminatory practices based on gender. The term originally described violence against women but is now widely understood to include violence targeting women, transgender persons, and men because of how they experience and express their genders and sexualities. Gender The external characteristics and behaviours that societies define Expression as “feminine,” “androgynous,” or “masculine,” including such attributes as dress appearance, mannerisms, hair style, speech patterns, and social behaviour and interactions. Gender Identity A person’s internal,