Russia’s newly appointed prosecutor-general of Crimea, Natalia Poklonskaya, has set the internet’s heart a-flutter after a video of her first press conference went viral on YouTube. Online users have bizarrely disregarded the fact that she holds a controversial position under President Vladimir Putin’s controlling government, instead labelling her ‘cute and hot’ and quickly creating memes…
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On top of the already shocking (and disgusting) crack downs regarding homosexuality in Russia recently, mayor of Sochi, the city set to host the Winter Olympics, has told BBC Panorama that ‘we do not have [homosexuals] in our city.’ Anatoly Pakhomov wants the gay Olympians that are going to compete in his city to be…
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You may remember the news headlines earlier this year about Russian punk-rock band ‘Pussy Riot,’ if not, here’s an update about what’s going on: Pussy Riot made headlines worldwide with their fluorescent, flash-mob performances of noisy free speech, which nevertheless were harmless. The band, consisting of three young women in their twenties, two of them…
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Russian parliament debate law to strip gay parents of their children. In February the Russian parliament will debate a bill that could cause same sex parents to lose custody of their children. The potential law would allow the state to strip parents of custody if they practise ‘non-traditional sexual relations.’ Currently in Russia children can…
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Almost as soon as the Russian government passed its anti-gay legislation in June, there were questions about how the law would impact the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Less than a year to go until the games, international athletes were in training with their eyes on gold; for some it will be their first games…
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Image via Evgeny Feldman / AP In the last week, more than 100 famous musicians including Madonna, Elton John and Sting have called for Russia to release the two members of feminist punk-rock band Pussy Riot still jailed for an anti-government protest performance. This high-profile campaign represents a growing international focus on Russia’s human…
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The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has claimed that feminism could destroy Russia. On Tuesday last week, Patriarch Kirill denounced feminism as ‘very dangerous’ and a form of ‘pseudo-freedom’. He explained that feminism was threatening the fabric of Russian society because it ‘must appear outside of marriage and outside of the family’. ‘Man has…
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Pussy Riot, a punk band from Russia, was charged in February with hooliganism. Their perceived hooligan behaviour was to perform a punk prayer against Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, at Moscow’s main cathedral. In most of the media coverage, Pussy Riot is labeled as not just a band but a “feminist punk band” and…
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This new column will summarise events that have happened in the last week relevant to women, feminism, and sexuality and link you to related articles. It will also offer a brief analysis on some stories. This column is still finding its feet, so please feel free to give us feedback, as well as any news…
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