The lower house of the Russian parliament has passed a comprehensive draft law that aims to prohibit individuals from legally or medically changing their gender.
If enacted, the legislation would prevent Russians from changing their gender on official identity documents, reversing a legal provision that had been in place since 1997.
Additionally, health workers would be prohibited from performing any medical interventions aimed at altering a person’s sex, including surgeries and hormone therapy prescriptions.
During the bill’s second reading, State Duma deputies introduced additional provisions that would ban transgender individuals from adopting or fostering children.
Furthermore, the bill would annul marriages if one of the partners undergoes a gender transition
With the approval from the State Duma, the bill is now on track to become law, heightening concerns among doctors and transgender rights advocates.
They warn that the ban could lead to a rise in the use of hormone substitutes from the black market and potentially contribute to an increase in attempted suicides among young people who are unable to access necessary medical care.
