"Russia Bans Gender-Affirming Procedures, Sparking Controversy"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation that effectively outlaws gender-affirming procedures, dealing a severe blow to the country's LGBTQ community. The law prohibits medical interventions aimed at changing a person's sex, as well as altering gender markers on official documents. It also annuls marriages involving gender transition and prevents transgender individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The legislation is part of the Kremlin's efforts to protect what it considers traditional values and combat what it perceives as Western anti-family ideology. This move follows a decade-long crackdown on LGBTQ rights in Russia.