St Petersburg’s gay clubs still vibrant in spite of new homophobic ‘propaganda’ law but there are fears for the future
St Petersburg’s gay nightlife is still vibrant despite laws banning the ‘promotion’ of LGBT lifestyles to minors.
That’s according to a story by the St Petersburg Times today (28 March), a leading English-language newspaper, which declares that the local gay scene ‘has never been more visible or felt less threatened than it does today’.
The comments come in the wake of St Petersburg’s new law banning ‘the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors’.
It goes on to say that ‘public action aimed at propagandizing sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism, and transgenderism among minors’ is a criminal offense. Those charged with breaking the law can be fined.
But, says the St Petersburg Times, the gay community wanting to party in the city is undeterred.
‘The city’s gay scene is surprisingly busy and accessible to all, with four well-established clubs and a smattering of bars and saunas – it differs little from the scene to be found in any other European city,’ writes the article’s author, Tom Masters.
The news comes as city officials vow they will charge American pop star Madonna under the new law if she lives up to her promise to ‘speak up for the gay community’ on the St Petersburg leg of her forthcoming tour.
‘I will support and give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed,’ she wrote in reaction to the anti-gay laws.
Manny de Guerre, director of programming at St Petersburg’s Side by Side LGBT International Film Festival told Gay Star News that she agrees that nightlife is currently not affected, but worries for the future.
‘The law shouldn’t affect the gay clubs scene as law is about propaganda to minors, and visitors to clubs should be over 18,’ she says.
‘However, the passing of the law is a sign from the state that LGBT people aren’t wanted and that gives a sign to anti-gay groups to target them.’
Therefore, she says, gay people might not want to go out and be themselves, especially in the open atmosphere of the city’s clubs.
‘The self esteem of many gay people will be dramatically lowered – the language of this law is insulting, and it can affect people psychologically,’ she says.
by Torsten Højer
Source – Gay Star News
