A Russian magazine editor claims his publisher demanded he censor a book that mentions homosexuality in animals because it violates the country’s “LGBT propaganda” law.

Viktor Kovylin, editor of the scientific journal Batrachospermum, wrote on Telegram that his publisher told him the descriptions of same-sex behavior in a book on animal sexual behavior were against the law because they did not express “disgust or criticism” for the acts.

Related

State GOP wants to ban local governments from protecting LGBTQ+ rights… to help bakers

“Apparently, neutral scientific descriptions of homosexual behavior, without disgust or criticism, now fall under the category of propaganda for non-traditional relationships!” Kovylin wrote on Telegram, according to a translation.

“Hermaphrodites also fell victim to censorship: snails, slugs, and planarians will now have to apologize in turtlenecks and switch to separate sexes for the book to be published!” he joked. “The diversity of sexual organs is also banned… pedipalps, aedeagus, hectocotylus, and phallosomes with gynosomas are propaganda for non-traditional genitals!”

Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Kovylin did not mention the publisher’s name, but Novaya Gazeta pointed out that the journal’s previous books have all been published by the Eksmo-AST publishing group. The group has also admitted it uses AI to censor manuscripts, which Kovylin said happened in this case.

Under Russian law, so-called LGBTQ+ “propaganda” has been banned in the presence of minors since 2013. In late 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation expanding the 2013 law to effectively outlaw any public expression of LGBTQ+ life in the country. And in 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court declared the “international LGBT social movement” an “extremist organization.”

“Public approval and the promotion of the attractiveness of non-traditional sexual relations is dangerous not only for children and young people who are not yet capable of critical thinking, but also for society as a whole,” the ruling stated, as reported by Russia’s Verstka Media, “as it poses a threat to the country’s demographic growth and economic development.”

Last year, independent news outlet Meduza reported that Russian officials and state-aligned media regularly describe Russia’s LGBTQ+ community as a network of “paramilitary groups” calling for an “open gender war,” who engage in “dehumanization” and “devil worship.”

The country has been cracking down on so-called “LGBT propaganda” as of late.

In January, authorities charged executives at some of the country’s top streaming services with violating the law, which some have posited is connected to the success of gay hockey romance Heated Rivalry in the country.

Also in January, a young adult-focused imprint of Russia’s largest book publisher, Eksmo, shut down after being targeted by the government.

And in December, Russian officials  blocked access to U.S. children’s online gaming platform Roblox, claiming that it is “rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children.”

Most recently, a 22-year-old man was fined for posting a photo on social media showing members of the rock band Queen dressed in drag.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.