Map of the Week

Three out of Four Russians Say Society Should Reject Gay People

It’s not just the Russian government that hates gay people.

About three out of four Russians say society should not accept homosexuality, according to a Pew Research Center study. Russian Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko said Thursday that Russia would enforce its ban on “homosexual propaganda” during the Winter Olympics in Sochi next year. Under the law, gay athletes and spectators will be able to attend the Olympics but will be fined if they advocate their “nontraditional sexual orientation,” he said. The internationally controversial rule may only work against Russia’s anti-gay agenda by bringing more international attention to Russia’s discriminatory policies. Russia also recently prohibited foreign same-sex couples from adopting Russian children.

Russia is the most anti-gay of the nine European countries surveyed, although it is not nearly as anti-gay as some countries in Africa and the Middle East. One-third of Americans say society should not accept homosexuality.