A controversial member of the Russian parliament, Vitaly Milonov, has proposed a ban for organizations promoting so-called childfree lifestyles in the country, arguing that the movement’s philosophy has “extremist roots.”
Milonov, who is known for his hardline conservative and anti-gay stance, floated the idea during an interview with the Govorit Moskva radio station on Saturday. He believes that the concept of couples being childfree constitutes a call for giving up on having children and, therefore, has no place in Russian society.
“This is a completely unnatural position of potential homosexuals, liberals, and vegans,” the MP added. He claimed that the movement is “extremist” but argued those who decide against having children should not be regarded as “extremists.”
“It used to be that people who made the decision not to have children did so without any movement. As a movement emerges, so does the propaganda of the movement,” Milonov opined.
“Just like the so-called international LGBT organization – it's not about orientation, it's about propaganda,” he added.
The controversial MP is known for making inflammatory remarks and was the most vocal proponent of Russia’s so-called ‘gay propaganda law’ that passed unanimously through the Russian parliament and went into effect in 2013. The legislation seeks to prohibit minors from exposure to LGBTQ material.
He has proposed numerous outlandish laws, including a ban on men walking topless on the street, and has also suggested that fathers who fail to pay alimony should not be listed as male on their official documents because “a real man will never abandon his kids.”
Last month, the Russian Supreme Court outlawed the “international LGBT public movement” as an extremist organization in the country. The inclusion of groups in the list of “extremist organizations” effectively outlaws all of their activities and symbols. It is not clear which groups and people will be affected by the ruling, which has come amid a crackdown on the “LGBT ideology” in Russia.
Last year, a draft bill was proposed in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, calling for a ban on so-called childfree propaganda among minors and introducing fines for violators. So far, it has been turned down twice for further refinement.
Last September, a SuperJob survey seen by Tass news agency found that about one-third of working Russians do not support the bill. Respondees argued that the decision of whether to have kids is a personal choice for every person and that the state should not interfere in the private lives of citizens.