The Russian Embassy in London has linked the apparent “decline” of the West with its increased acceptance of LGBT people.
On Saturday, the embassy tweeted a cartoon of a flexing bear, representing Russia, as pigs watch on in what could be a concentration camp, named “Euro Zone” and flying a rainbow flag.
The caption reads: “If Russia is in decline, why worry? Maybe, real worry is West’s decline and that we manage things better?”
The plight of LGBT people in Russia has worsened in recent years, alongside the country’s declining general human rights environment.
In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relationships. The “gay propaganda” law effectively bars any expression or discussion of homosexuality in public, on television, in print or on the internet.
The law has been blamed for increased anti-gay sentiment, discrimination and violence against members of the LGBT community.
The notion that the acceptance or “growth” of homosexuality is as a result of the decadence of American and European culture is not an uncommon trope in anti-LGBT countries.
If Russia is in decline, why worry? Maybe, real worry is West’s decline and that we manage things better? pic.twitter.com/WqG4uT5Pqt
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) October 22, 2016
