The spirit we share tonight is what builds a future of equality, love and compassion for my children and for your children. Youve always welcomed me with warmth and open arms every time I visited here. The 66-year-old did not make a speech about the issue when he appeared in Kazan, and in Moscow he took a more compassionate tone. I would welcome the opportunity to introduce President Putin to some Russians who deserve to be heard, and who deserve to be treated in their own country with the same respect and warm welcome that I received on my last visit.Īlthough Sir Elton has discussed Russias anti-gay legislation before, including in a statement defending his decision to perform there, his previous comments have not been as forceful. I am absolutely clear from my own personal experience that it is proving deeply dangerous to the LGBT community and deeply divisive to Russian society. President Putin asserts that these results were not the intention of this law, but it is undoubtedly the effect that this law has had by promoting misunderstanding and ignorance, he wrote.
In many ways, Sir Eltons message seemed directed at Putin himself. The people I met in Moscow gay men and lesbians in their 20s, 30s and 40s - told me stories about receiving threats from vigilante groups who would cure them of homosexuality by dousing them with urine or beating them up, he went on.Įveryone shared stories of verbal and physical abuse at work, in bars and restaurants or in the street since the legislation came into force last June.Īnd, some of the vital work providing HIV prevention information to the gay community has been labelled homosexual propaganda and shut down. Vicious homophobia has been legitimised by this legislation and given extremists the cover to abuse peoples basic human rights. What I heard in Russia reinforced all the media stories that have been circling since the propaganda bill became federal law, Sir Elton wrote. Gay Taxi Liverpool Archive Facebook YouTube.
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