“Russian children need protection from ‘catastrophic’ foreign policies.”
This was the justification from Russian President Vladimir Putin as he signed into law a ban on the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries that permit gender changes. The controversial move aligns with Russia’s broader efforts to restrict LGBT rights and protect what lawmakers call “traditional values.”
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Details of the New Law
Under the newly enacted legislation, foreign nationals from countries that allow gender transition through medical treatments or legal documentation changes are barred from adopting Russian children. This applies regardless of whether the gender change involves surgery.
The president of the Russian State Duma, Viacheslav Volodin, emphasized the need to protect vulnerable children. “We must safeguard those who cannot protect themselves,” he stated, adding that the law was specifically designed to exclude adoption by members of the LGBT community.
Targeted Nations
Volodin cited 12 countries that currently lead in Russian child adoptions, including Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. He criticized these nations for permitting gender changes for minors, labeling such policies as “catastrophic.”
“An adopter could change their gender after returning home, and worse, they could alter the adopted child’s gender as well,” Volodin claimed, underscoring what he called the potential risks of allowing adoption by citizens from these countries.
Decline of International Adoptions
Adoptions by foreigners have already declined significantly in Russia. Anna Kuznetsova, vice president of the Duma, noted in September that foreign adoptions had stopped completely, following decades during which more than 100,000 Russian children were adopted by foreign families.
This shift began in 2011, when Russia imposed stricter adoption rules for countries that legalized same-sex marriage. Bilateral agreements were required, further limiting international adoptions.
Broader Context: Russia’s Anti-LGBT Agenda
The new law reflects Russia’s ongoing campaign to uphold conservative values, particularly under Putin’s administration. The Kremlin has implemented numerous measures to curtail LGBT rights, from banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” to labeling gender diversity as a threat to society.
The ban on adoption by citizens of gender-transition-friendly nations is being hailed by Russian lawmakers as a victory for “protecting traditional values,” even as it draws criticism from human rights organizations and foreign governments.
International Reactions
While the law aligns with Russia’s domestic policies, it may exacerbate tensions with Western nations that have criticized the Kremlin’s stance on LGBT issues. Countries such as Germany and Spain, which previously maintained strong adoption ties with Russia, are likely to view the ban as a politically charged move.
Conclusion:
Putin’s adoption ban marks yet another chapter in Russia’s escalating efforts to enforce conservative values and isolate its policies from Western liberal norms. While supporters frame the law as necessary for protecting children, critics argue it reflects deeper discriminatory attitudes within Russian governance.
As global adoption opportunities dwindle for Russian children, this legislation reinforces the country’s determination to distance itself from what it perceives as the moral decline of the West—further widening the cultural and ideological divide between Russia and the world.