Russians’ attitudes to LGBT changing – poll
A majority of Russians harbor negative attitudes toward LGBT people, according to a survey by the Levada Center, a Western-funded organization designated as a “foreign agent” in Russia.
The study, conducted between October 24 and 30 with 1,617 participants across 137 cities, towns and villages, revealed that 44% of respondents feel “disgust and fear” toward gays and lesbians, while another 15% said they are irritated by them.
An additional 10% expressed wariness of the LGBT community.
Just 1% of those surveyed held a positive view of sexual minorities, while 26% described their feelings as calm or neutral.
Notably, 0% of respondents expressed specific interest in LGBT issues.
The poll highlights a sharp increase in hostility over the past decade. In a similar Levada study from 2013, 27% of Russians reported feeling disgust or fear toward sexual minorities.
That figure has now risen by three-quarters, the researchers noted.
Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians has also grown steadily in recent years, with 62% of respondents stating they do not believe LGBT people should have the same legal protections as other citizens.
Similarly, 59% said they would reduce or sever contact with acquaintances if they discovered they were homosexual.
Concerns about so-called “gay propaganda” remain widespread. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents voiced fears that their children or grandchildren could be influenced by LGBT material.
Russia introduced a ban on distributing LGBT-related content to minors in 2013, expanding it last year to include adults. The Supreme Court also outlawed the “international LGBT public movement” in 2022, labeling it an extremist organization.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that the authorities have no desire to interfere in private lives, but he has also stressed that public displays of LGBT behavior or content involving children are unacceptable.
The survey also found that only 10% of respondents personally know someone who identifies as gay or lesbian, reflecting a limited exposure to the LGBT community in Russian society.
Despite its controversial status, Levada has a long history of conducting public opinion polls in the country.
