Sociologists: the level of homophobia in Russia has risen sharply during the pandemic

As follows from the results of the Levada poll, almost two-thirds of Russians, or 59% of those surveyed, said that gays and lesbians should not have the same rights as other citizens.

“In 2019, 43% of Russians adhered to this opinion,” notes the Dozhd TV channel **.

While among young people aged 18-24, 55% are in favor of equal rights for people of any sexual orientation. In the group of 55 years and older, only 25% are ready to support the rights of LGBT people.

Since 2013, the number of respondents in the Russian Federation who are confident that homosexual relationships among adults should be prohibited has grown from 60% to 69%. Today only 15% of the population are ready to support the right of adult citizens to choose a sexual partner of the same sex, and 7% have not decided on the answer.

The researchers note that the largest number of people with intolerant attitudes towards same-sex sexual relations is observed in the age group over 55. Meanwhile, among women, the number of respondents negatively disposed towards same-sex unions is lower than among men. About 28% of women surveyed by sociologists recognize the right of compatriots to same-sex sex, while among men only 20%.

Sociologists have found that in recent years, the attitude towards representatives of the LGBT community in the country as a whole has deteriorated. If in 2003 only 21% of respondents treated them with disgust or fear, now this share has grown to 38%. At the same time, the number of people referring to people with a non-traditional sexual orientation calmly fell over the same period from 45 to 32%.

At the same time, 13% refer to LGBT people with irritation, 9% - wary, 3% - benevolently, 1% - with interest.

As a reminder, on June 11, 2013, the State Duma adopted a law supplementing the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation with Article 6.21, establishing responsibility for “promoting non-traditional sexual relations among minors”, among the population and in the media, better known as the prohibition of “promoting homosexuality”. The law came into force on July 2, 2013.

The first similar law was adopted in the Ryazan region in 2006, and then circulated in several other constituent entities of Russia. In some regions, such laws were adopted as a single package together with the law against the propaganda of pedophilia. With the adoption of the federal ban on “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors,” similar regional laws lost their meaning and were canceled in most regions.

* By the decision of the Ministry of Justice of Russia, Levada Center is included in the register of NGOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.

** Listed by the Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign media agents.