Russian Band Sansara's New Video: A Turn in Russian Society?

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Back in June of 2021, a novel thing occurred in Russia society, furthering the cause of pro-LGBT advocacy. The Russian indi-rock band Sansara, whose name is derived from the Indian word for the world ["samsara"], released the music-video to their song "We Will Become Better." Reminisiant of lucid-dreaming, with music evoking 1950s/60s bard-meets-New Wave, the video concludes with the formidable phrase, "Love is everyone's right." While coverage on the video is decidely low, the film's writer Evgeny Primachenko chalking it up to fear of backlash, alternate sources have been widely covering it, an interview with Evgeny from Wieden+Kennedy revealing that it was through his partnership with the Yekaterinburg branch of The LGBTQIA+ Network that the film got off the ground. The music-video/short-film, with international collaboration, was created to mark the 1-year anniversary of the 2020 radification of new amendments to the Russian consitution, of which the "institution of wedlock" was officially secured as that between a man and a woman.

Background Information

Although, on the record, those with non-traditional lifestyles and of minority distinctions are protected by the Constitution (specifically Article 17-23), intolerance towards those who associate with such lifestyles runs rampant through the Orthodox state. According to a poll released by The Levada Center in September of 2020 revealed the shocking figure that (as of September 21st) 38% of Russian are disgusted by homosexuals, while only 3% look upon them with "kindness". Even more apalling was the figure of 42%, the percentage of those who disagreed that Russian homsexuals should be granted the same societal priviledges than those of the heterosexual distinction, with only 14% agreeing that they should be granted equal treatment. While not entirely off-base, considering that nearly 65% of the country associate with Orthodox Christianity, with only 26% professing little or no faith connection, Putin and his administration have not aided in the dissolvement of hate within the country, instead add fuel to the growing fire since 2013 when the federal law "For the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values," although colloquiely known as the "gay propaganda law" was made official. Much could be said about this piece of legeslation, whose internal infrastructure of 3 articles legalized the notion of homosexuality as propaganda, banned homosexual content from the eyes of minors, and facilitated the criminalization of homsexuality (Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses, Article 6.2.1). Ever since then, things have gotten steadily worse. Need I remind you of the heinous 2018 Chechnyan attack of homosexuals, known as the "anti-gay purges," the first incidents being reported in 2017 and carrying through until the beginning of 2019, although one can be assured such activites have covertly continued. It was reported by HRW in January of 2019 that the "purge" was being continuing. If Russia will ever be free from the dilemma of homophobia is not a realistic question, because as it stands due to the inescapable influence of religious belief, and the unethical marrige of Church and state, there will not a repreive in sight. A cursory look into news surrounding LGBT issues in Russia reveals several concerning and motivational stories: "The picture book fighting back against Russia’s LGBT+ propaganda law" (August, 2021) "Over 30 protesters arrested in Moscow for supporting LGBT activist – rights group" (June, 2020). But some of the more pressing issues would be the continued purge of "foreign agents" and NGOs inside of Russia, such activites really begun back at the start of Putin's presidency in the 2000s, as documented by HRW's End-of-Year 2004 Report. One of Russia's largest LGBT-advocacy groups "The Russian LGBT Network," founded in 2006 during Putin's second term, has been hammered by Putin's villification of foreign agents. On November 8th of 2021 they were listed under those who were facilitating the operations of foreign agents, alluding to their pro-LGBT work, although in October Putin had pushed back against the notion that such actions were anything to be alarmed about, "Simply the money they receive from abroad, from over there, should be flagged." Another high-profile event, the case of Fedotova and Others v. Russia, a court-case held in July of 2021 to determine if same-sex couples were eligble for marriage, showed that the Russian government was cemented in its beliefs.

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