t.A.T.u singer Julia Volkova, who made a name for herself as part of a faux lesbian pop act, has told Russian television that she would condemn her son if he was gay because it would make him less of a man.

“I believe that being gay is all still better than murderers, thieves or drug addicts. If you choose out of all this, being gay a little better than the rest,” she said.

Volkova reportedly wanted to make it clear on Russian television that she is “not against gays”.

“I believe that a real man must be a real man. God created man for procreation, it is the nature. The man for me is the support, the strength of ... I won’t accept a gay son,” she said.

However, Volkova said she would not have an issue if her daughter was a lesbian.

“Two girls together — not the same thing as the two men together. It seems to me that lesbians look aesthetically much nicer than two men holding their hands or kissing,” she said.