In a move that really should surprise no one, one half of the duo of Russian pop sensation t.A.T.u, Yulia Volkova, who made her own career by faking her homosexuality, says she would "condemn" her son for being gay—because being gay isn't manly enough, and because of baby-making, and REAL MEN GRAWR.


Video shows and Gay Star News reported that Volkova made the comments on a Russian TV program. The program interviewer asked if she would not accept her son as gay, but rather condemn him, and she gave a pretty unambiguous answer.

Yes, I would condemn him, because 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.


Except, of course, equally unsurprising to me, Volkova doesn't think the same about her daughter coming out as a lesbian. Why not? I'm going to take a stab at this—because men. Volkova and her duet partner feed into a version of female and lesbian sexuality which is ultimately (as long as the women are "aesthetically much nicer" says Volkova) provided for the male gaze. It is an acceptable form of sexuality because it promotes male sexuality. "Pretty" young lesbians who make out and have sex for a male audience are objects of that sexuality; they do not have sexuality of their own. This is not a threat to the status quo. It's also how Volkova personally profits.

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.

Wait, wait, folks, it gets better, I promise. If you're gay, Volkova will still consider you a friend. You won't be a real man, and she'll call you slurs, but at least you're better than criminals or substance abusers (and how's about that for some ableism thrown on top of your homophobia?). She still loves you! Maybe...

But! I want to say that I'm not against gays, I just want my son to be a real man, not a fag. I have many gay friends. 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.


Ironically, Russia now bans so-called "gay propaganda" and as such, t.A.T.u likely couldn't even exist in today's Russia. If they were a new group with the same lyrical content and the same types of videography, they'd likely be in jail.

If you speak Russian, listen to the interview below.

Thanks, Yulia. Now I am not sure I can enjoy one of my favorite Utena anime music videos ever again. GRAWR, indeed.

Image via Getty, videos via YouTube.