Russia plans to open LGBT “treatment” facilities across the nation

Russia is proposing opening special exam rooms in hospitals and clinics to “treat” people with “gender identity disorders” and “disorders of sexual preference”.

In addition, the facilities would also address children with “psychological and behavioural disorders associated with sexual development and orientation”.

Staff, consisting of a doctor (sexologist) and a nurse, will “diagnose and treat these disorders” as well as provide “medical rehabilitation” of patients suffering from these “disabilities”.

The rooms would also treat offending child abusers, indicating that the health authorities essentially equate LGBT people to paedophiles.

The idea has been included in a draft proposal on the Russian Ministry of Health’s website to amend the “procedure for the provision of medical care for mental and behavioural disorders”.

It is unclear why the proposal suggests that each facility be equipped with “dildos (extenders) in different sizes”.

In January 2015, it was reported that the Ministry of Health had adopted a policy to rescind or deny a driver’s license to anyone diagnosed as transgender, bigender, asexual, or as a cross-dresser. This was played down by the ministry at the time and does not appear to have been implemented.

Russia’s LGBT community has faced growing discrimination and censorship since President Putin enacted a federal ‘gay propaganda’ law in June 2013.

Last month, a parliamentary committee declined to support a bill that proposed banning being gay in public.