Tag Archives: Moscow

Punished For A Kiss | Russian Police Raid Lesbian Nightclub Owned By The Woman Who Kissed Her Girlfriend In Selfie

Being a lesbian is dangerous business in Russia, but it’s especially risky when you do it in front of the country’s leading opponent of LGBT rights.

This week, the lesbian nightclub Infinity was raided by Russian police, for illegally allowing under-age people to enter, and allowing the sale of illegal drugs.

More: Isabella Moore Documents Russia’s War On Homosexuality

On February 1, club owner Kseniya Infinity, and several of her friends were flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg, when they spotted Vitaly Milonov, a lawmaker famous for initiating Russia’s crackdown on LGBT rights. In protest, the women photographed themselves kissing one another in front of Milonov, and later posted the images online, where they became a viral sensation.

russian-kiss-protest-01

After the picture went viral, Senator Milanov said:

“This shows that these people are not of a normal sexual orientation, but that their sexual deviance shows in all aspects of their lives. I didn’t understand what they are doing but they have a nice sense of humour.

I also have a good sense of humour. I will perhaps continue this joke by closing their gay club in St. Petersburg, or ban them from having meetings in public places, that’s also a funny step.”

An anti-gay online community based in Moscow and St. Petersburg published a call to get Infinity closed down. The group posted instructions and a scripted complaint to be sent to the district attorney, demanding that police shut down the lesbian nightclub.

Community members were also encouraged to appeal to Roskomnadzor, Russia’s state-run media watchdog, and federal anti-drug agents, based on claims that Infinity opens its doors to minors and operates as a center for illegal drug use.

Those who wanted the nightclub shut down were instructed to convey their concerns to police. “I have every reason to believe,” the scripted complaint reads, “that the promotional activities carried out at the lesbian club Infinity pose a serious threat to the physical and mental health of minors who manage to enter the establishment.”

The anti-gay group makes no secret of why it targeted club Infinity, citing the kissing selfies incident with Milonov on the airplane.

The Lesbian Kissing Protest Against Russia’s Anti Gay Lawmaker Goes Viral

A lesbian couple who found themselves seated on a domestic flight from Moscow to St Petersburg, near the Russian anti-LGBT politician, Vitaly Milonov, staged a fantastic loving protest in front of him.

The pair posed for a selfie while kissing in front of the extremely homophobic Senator, who was seated on the row behind them. The photos were then uploaded to social media site, and have since gone viral in Russia and started to spread around the globe

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Milonov confirmed the authenticity of the photo, telling FlashNord:

“These crazy idiots were so brave that after taking the photo they ran to the end of the plane, sat there and didn’t even stick their necks out until the end of the flight.”

Vitaly Milonov

The loving protest has infuriated the St. Petersburg city councilman, who later called the women ‘animals’ and threatened to ‘call the Cossacks’ on them.

Vitaly Milonov is well-known for his discriminating anti-LGBT stance. In December last year he staged a raid on a St Petersburg gay club where he entered the venue with riot police and arrested anyone under 18.

Following last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which he branded a ‘Europe-wide gay parade’, Milonov tweeted that Russia should boycott the ‘Sodom show’.

Milonov co-sponsored Russia’s controversial ‘gay propaganda’ law bans displays of ‘non-traditional sexual behaviour’ in public or in front of under-18s, which was signed in to law the same year by President Vladimir Putin. The law allows the government to detain ‘homosexual or sympathetic foreigners’ for up to 14 days, after which they could face expulsion from the country.

He is also currently bringing forward legislation that would close a ‘loophole’ in the country’s laws which allowed a lesbian couple to marry.

In 2013, Milanov said that gay people were not “normal” and compared being gay to living “with a dog, with a horse, with a sheep, whatever.”.

Tori Amos Makes a Stand in Moscow Gig by Performing Lesbian Anthem

Tori Amos performed a lesbian anthem in a Moscow concert as part of her recent world tour. The singer told News.com.au she was intentionally making a point by performing ‘Not Gonna Get Us’ by t.A.T.u, who are famous for their lesbian image.

“The Russian audiences suggested it and I thought OK, that’s a really good idea. Little did I know, Putin was the next person to take that stage. He was going to be giving a speech there the next morning. His security showed up at the end of my show to start scoping the place, not knowing I’d just sung a lesbian anthem on stage…

You can’t not do those songs without knowing what it can mean… I mean I’m 50, I’m not completely naive! You can’t be coy about it. To play a t.A.T.u. song, a lesbian anthem, in Moscow — you’ve gotta grab it with both hands, because if you don’t, it’s not going to work. [In Russia] you’re kind of safe, but even then you have intimidating security everywhere.

My tour manager, who’s a lesbian, made them stand down because they were very threatening. But the Moscow show was great; we had people from Russia there, and people from Kiev, and to see them joined in unity, above and beyond government, was inspiring to see. I don’t sing for government, I sing for the people.”

Tori Amos