Russia's President Putin Enacts Sweeping Ban on Gender-Affirming Procedures

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation that effectively outlaws gender-affirming procedures, dealing a severe blow to the already marginalized LGBTQ+ community in Russia. The new law prohibits medical interventions aimed at changing a person's sex, as well as changing gender markers on official documents. It also annuls marriages in which one person has transitioned 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 has been criticized as discriminatory and a violation of human rights.