Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS

Next week, the lower house of Russia's parliament will review the first reading of a draft law targeting the LGBT community, punishing “public expressions of non-traditional relationships.” Duma deputies want to amend Russia's Code of Administrative Offenses to take a hard line against non-heterosexual displays of affection. If the bill becomes law, gay couples caught hugging or kissing on the street, for example, could be fined. If the scene takes place at an “educational or cultural institution,” the penalty could be as severe as 15 days in jail. The legislation was drafted by deputies from Russia's Communist Party. Meduza's special correspondent Daniil Turovsky spoke with one of these men, Ivan Nikitchuk, about his plan to criminalize being gay in public.

What drove you to draft such a law?

Well, tell me, are you a normal person? In my opinion, nature created man and woman to be together, and throughout the animal world, we find such couples. Even the plant world works this way: here's the pistil, and there's the stamen.

But sick and crazy people have decided their sexual problems can be solved another way. These are mental deviations—deviations from the norms of behavior, and from what nature has dictated.

With this legislation, we're not prohibiting anyone from engaging in you-know-what (a stamen in a stamen—let them do whatever they want under the sheets). But we are stopping them from displaying their demonic desires, which the West would force on us...

Sorry, guys, but this is Russia. This is our country, where we've always respected traditions, where we've always had and still have today a conscience and the concept of shame.

And all these bearded men kissing is nothing but nauseating.

The text of your draft law says punishment will follow displays of homosexuality in public places. How do you define “public places”? Would you include the doorway of somebody's home? What about on a balcony, where neighbors could see?

Public places are places where you are not alone: ​​the street, the subway, and so on.

And how should this be policed? People are walking down the street, holding hands or kissing, and police officers come up to them and detain them?

Naturally. That's how it should happen.

They'll go to prison for being in love?

Well, if this is love... You mean a man loving another man? That's called love?

Is it so impossible?

I don't think it's possible. Decent people won't accept that. Only sick, perverted people can believe that.

In the draft law, you indicate that homosexuals pose a serious danger to the state and society. What do you mean?

There's a good reason why the West has poured so much money into this issue, which has invaded our minds in Russia. They're corrupting the youth, disorienting us, and plotting to weaken our birth rate. It's all part of a larger plan.

In the proposed law, you quote Hillary Clinton, who says “gay rights are human rights”...

Listen, human rights aren't everything! This is getting to be absurd. There are people who like to piss on the street in public. Let's go ahead and defend their rights! We've reached the point of absurdity, when it comes to talking about human rights. This is especially true in the West. Just look at what's happening in Cologne! Take it in, folks: human rights.

From everything you've said, I've come to realize that you think all homosexuals are mentally ill people.

And what about you? Are you a normal, decent person? Do you start pitching a tent in your pants every time you see another man? So you can shove it into the guy's backside? That kind of thing is okay by you?

I believe homosexuals are people, like everyone else.

Well, good luck with that.

State Duma deputy Ivan Nikitchuk then hung up.

Daniil Turovsky Moscow