NEW YORK — Entertainer-songwriter Elton John is declaring his support of the Russian people, and he says they still accept him despite that country’s harsh new anti-gay law.
Passed last year, the so-called “gay propaganda” law bans promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” to minors.
John said Wednesday that he visited Russia in December concerned that the new law would affect how he was treated as “an openly gay foreigner.” He says he received a warm welcome.
But even if foreign visitors are unaffected by the law, John says it has legitimized “vicious homophobia” against gay Russians.
John calls the legislation “deeply dangerous” to the gay and lesbian community, and “deeply divisive” to Russian society.
He volunteered to introduce Russian President Vladimir Putin to gay Russians to help promote understanding.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.