RUSSIAN LAWMAKER PLANS TO TAKE KIDS FROM GAY PARENTS

In a shocking development, Russian lawmakers may soon vote on a measure to forcibly take children away from their gay parents.

The RT news network reported that the deputy of the Russian State Duma, Alexey Zhuravlev, submitted amendments to the Family Code to the Duma on Thursday.

These amendments would allow for the termination of parental rights of people who are practicing ‘non-traditional sexual relations’.

Under current Russian law, children may be removed from the care of their parents if the parents abuse alcohol or drugs or inflict serious harm on their offspring.

Zhuravlev argues that gay parents should also have no rights to their children and that the country’s gay propaganda law should be extended to the family.

In his submission to the Duma he wrote: “Following the letter of the law that forbids propaganda of non-traditional sex to minors we must restrict such propaganda not only in mass media but also the family.”

He explained that, “if one of the child’s parents indulges in sexual contact with persons of the same sex, the damage to the child’s psyche is immense as a mother or father serves as an example for their offspring”.

Under Zhuravlev’s proposed amendment, if one or both parents are gay or lesbian this would be sufficient reason to strip them of their parental rights.

Zhuravlyov is a member of United Russia, the party that controls a majority in the Duma, the lower house of the legislature.

In June, lawmakers in the Duma voted almost unanimously to pass the bill banning the “propaganda” of “non-traditional sexual relations”.

Russia also recently barred foreign gay and lesbian couples and any individuals living in countries that have legalised same-sex marriages from adopting Russian children to avoid them experiencing “complexes, emotional suffering and stress”.