In a country that continues to be a major opponent of gay rights, Russia's edition of Maxim published an article featuring a list of gay men that they "respect" and "forgive" for their sexual orientation. So far, the publication is facing mounting criticism over their controversial decision.

The magazine explained their choice and stance on homosexuality in an introduction to the article, BuzzFeed reports:

"We, men, do not consider men who love men to be men. This is the rule. But there are exceptions. There are gays that have earned our respect and the right to remain real men in our eyes."

In an odd statement, the magazine said it was willing to "forgive" these few gay men for their honorable public personas and heterosexual roles they played on television.

The article, titled "Gay Men We Respect," includes:

British comedian Stephen Fry

British actor Ian McKellen

Getty Images

Queen's Freddie Mercury

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Irish novelist and playwright Oscar Wilde

"Fight Club" author Chuck Palahnuik

Mathmatician Alan Turing

Alan Turing in 1951 Wikimedia Commons

French actor Jean Maiais

Monty Python actor Graham Chapman

"How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris

Michael Desmond/CBS

In speaking about choosing Neil Patrick Harris, the magazine's editors referenced Harris' womanizing and "bro-like" character on "How I Met Your Mother."

"We weren’t sure about including Neil Patrick Harris in the list. After all, he declared himself a ‘happy gay’ in 2006. But his performance as Barney Stinson in the series "How I Met Your Mother" hasn’t left us indifferent. It’s impossible not to respect someone who elevated the hunt for girls into a true art, who systematized all the tricks and techniques and created the ‘Bro Code.’ Even if he was just acting the role. But how he acted!”

In choosing Stephen Fry and Freddie Mecury, the magazine explained that Fry was the "living embodiment of the idea that one can be openly gay and a sensible person at the same time," and Mecury was just too awesome not to forgive because of his joyful music.

The U.S. version of Maxim has already denounced the article.

"We are deeply disturbed by the article in Maxim Russia and fully condemn it," a spokesperson for U.S. Maxim told BuzzFeed News by email. "It is entirely against the views of U.S. Maxim.

According to BuzzFeed, Russia's Maxim editor-in-chief, Alexander Malenkov, claimed the article was meant to be a parody, however, it is not clear in the article.

Russia continues to have a hostile relationship with the LGBT community. In 2013 Russia passed a law banning the spread of "propaganda of non traditional sexual relations to minors," which was seen as a move by Vladmir Putin as way to crack down on societal dissent and get closer to the Russian Orthodox Church,according to Al-Jazeera. As one of the most influential institutions in Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church has taken a stand against homosexuality.