1. Gay Rights in Russia By Oksana Veres English 9A Period 3 https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=rX9xXi2PmUBp7M&tbnid=xZ3lJ4UK4b5FDM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.t henation.com%2Farticle%2F176368%2Frepression-and-gay-rights-russia&ei=zHgOU8uWComIogSvgoL4CA&psig=AFQjCNHjKx-42KQKKCuqKqOOKsgsPW0uOg&ust=1393543745471061

2. Background "After passage of a law banning the promotion of homosexuality among minors last summer, the Russian government's anti-gay campaign appears to be on hiatus during the Olympics. But many gay activists and human rights groups fear it will return once the foreign athletes, journalists and dignitaries have gone home.“ This article basically describes the incidents studied and interviewed for by Yelena Klimova, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activist and journalist. Klimova sought out to collect info. on and project to others the experiences and viewpoints of many different people who are involved in some way or another in the gay rights movement going on in Russia right now. In addition, she runs a project called "Children-404" that helps LGBT teenagers who are going through peer and parental pressure over coming out. This project has been jeopardized twice by the police fining her a possible $3,000.

3. Statistics "Immigration Equality, a U.S.-based group that offers legal support for LGBT people seeking asylum in the U.S., says it has opened 28 cases involving gay Russians in 2013, more than any previous year." "Konstantin Yablotsky, co-president of the LGBT Sport Federation, says his group asks new members if they have come out publicly. The number saying no is up from 45% in 2010 to 75% now." “In a June 2013 poll by the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Research, 42% said homosexuality should be a punishable crime, up from 19% in 2007.” "Gay pride parades… have never been authorized -- and the new law gives authorities leverage to forbid them outright."

4. Affects on Teens & Families a girl 14 years of age from the Bryansk region was told that she had "propagandized non-traditional sexual relations among minors by admitting that she is of non-traditional sexual orientation" and was notified that she would have to be placed under watch. a single lesbian mother in Arkhangelsk was surprised with a knock on the door from child services because a neighbor complained about her sexual orientation to the athourities. young people in Russia fear things will get worse after international recognition of the country from the Olympics dies down Russian-American writer, Masha Gessen, moved from Russia to New York with her children and Partner out of fear of having their kids takein from them

5. The Professionals and Their Viewpoints Prosecutors from the Ulyanovsk region have been checking to see whether children's books and media that project diversity are considered against the law Dmitry Svetly, worker with the Rainbow Association (promoter of LGBT people) states that new laws in Russia highly promote radical anti-gay groups. He also says, "At one protest, this group came and surrounded us... Homophobic groups have grown larger in size, stronger, and they feel they have the support of the government." Andrei Zheravolyov, a lawmaker in Russia, wants to create a bill stripping gays the right of parenthood. His attempt was turned down in September Aaron Morris, the legal director of a group offering support to LGBT people said, "I think a lot of people were sort of thinking -- maybe hoping -- Russia would get better, but made a decision that that wasn't going to happen." Olga Kryshtanovskaya, a former United Russia party member, said, "After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a period that was widely characterized as moral decay. The government wants to restore morals."

6. Why I Chose This Topic? very low tolerance for any type of social injustices -Particularly those that restrict or forbid one from doing what is only natural to them: being themselves. those who get in the way of that are the ones doing wrong, not those who are doing the "socially unacceptable“ When someone criticizes who someone is allowed to love is doing the crime Essential our goal in life: to be happy. -when someone attempts to do that in a different or unique way, people don't acknowledge that that is all they're trying to do, and protest against it Why the article stood out to me? it projected the same viewpoint I support and represented the constant controversy over the issue

7. Thank You