The Italian cities of Milan and Venice have suspended their “Sister City” status with St. Petersburg, Russia over that city’s recently-passed legislation that ties gays to pedophilia and pretty much bans even mentioning the word “gay” in public. (Someone was arrested under the law for wearing rainbow suspenders.)

Russia is now considering passing the same law nationwide.

The question now is whether cities like Los Angeles and Quebec will continue to remain Sister Cities with St. Petersburg, in view of the brave position the Italians have taken. Also a Sister City with St. Petersburg is the State of Maryland, which just legalized gay marriages.

Other prominent cities that have Sister City status with St. Petersburg include Paris, Stockholm, Rio, and Melbourne, Australia. (You can find a longer list of St. Petersburg’s Sister Cities at the bottom of this story, and an even longer list here.)

Please look for your city in the list below, and contact your city council, mayor, and write to your local newspapers, urging your city or state to suspend its Sister City ties with St. Petersburg, Russia over that city’s new laws criminalizing even mentioning the word “gay” in public. I’ve bolded some of the more interesting cities: