Russian Feminist Facing Prison for “Gay Propaganda”

In 2013 a law against gay propaganda was adopted in Russia. So far, no prominent cases of activists have been brought to the attention of the international press. But this year, feminist activist Yulia Tzvetkova was accused of spreading pornography and gay propaganda! What she shared online were artistic representations of the female body, and cartoons promoting healthy representations of women.
It is so interesting and quite controversial, that the Russian authorities have nothing against huge beauty corporations promoting images of Photoshopped barely dressed lingerie models, but use the full force of the state against a feminist portraying a woman’s body in innocent cartoons.
No state violence against the fashion industry that promotes models 28% thinner than the normal woman. Full repression destined to smear and silence a woman promoting body positivity.
She is also accused of drawing rainbows and gay couples. And yet, no problem with adult magazines, no problem with visual representations of women in advertising.
The case of Yulia Tzvetkova is proving beyond doubt that feminism is one thing that makes capitalists and patriarchal leaders such as Vladimir Putin go hand in hand. To destroy it!
You will discover the tactics the Russian government is using against feminists and activists by listening to the interview I’ve conducted with Mariya Caschilova. She currently works with an NGO called OVD info. It protects the freedom of assembly in Russia. In 2019 when she represented Yulia Tsvetkova in administrative court hearings, she worked with the Moscow community center for LGBT initiatives. The interview was translated by her friend Dmitri Piskunov.