Khinshtein: there is no LGBT propaganda in classical Russian literature

The head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Alexander Khinshtein, spoke about the effect of the bill banning the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations in relation to classical literature. Earlier, the Russian Book Union (RKS) sent a letter to Mr. Khinshtein with a relevant question. According to the deputy, no “revisions” and “revisions” threaten classical works.

“I want to reassure all lovers of books and classical literature. The bill we have prepared to combat LGBT propaganda is not an attempt at censorship. We prohibit not the mention of LGBT as a phenomenon, but propaganda, that is – a quote – “the dissemination of information and (or) the commission of public actions aimed at the formation of non-traditional sexual attitudes,” Mr. Khinshtein wrote in his Telegram-channel. Earlier, the deputy voiced similar theses to Kommersant in response to a request to comment on the letter of the RCC.

“The “distorted idea of ​​the social equivalence of traditional and non-traditional sexual relations and preferences” means that LGBT people are put on the same level as traditional relationships and are presented as an absolute norm,” Alexander Khinshtein also explained.

The initiator of the bill also noted that none of the works listed by the RCC falls under the definition of propaganda. “Calling Nabokov’s Lolita as pedophilia propaganda is as absurd as calling the battle scenes in War and Peace propaganda of cruelty,” he added.

October 14 RKS sent a letter to Mr. Khinshtein (Kommersant has a copy) asking him to clarify whether plots in classical Russian literature included in the school curriculum will be banned if the bill is passed. The question concerned, among other things, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel “Demons”, Alexander Ostrovsky’s play “Thunderstorm”, Mikhail Bulgakov’s story “Morphine”, etc.

Milena Kostereva