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Russians’ attitudes to LGBT changing – poll Russians’ attitudes to LGBT changing – poll
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Some 44% of respondents to a Levada Center survey said that they view gays and lesbians with “disgust and fear”Some 44% of respondents to a Levada Center survey said that they view gays and lesbians with “disgust and fear”
More than a half of Russians hold a negative opinion on LGBT people, a poll by the Levada Center has suggested.
"Negative attitudes towards LGBT people in Russia are growing,” the Levada Center, which is listed as a foreign agent in the country, said on its website. A majority of Russians harbor negative attitudes toward LGBT people, according to a survey by the Levada Center, a Western-funded organization designated as a “foreign agent” in Russia. 
According to the study, 44% of respondents view gays and lesbians with “disgust and fear,” another 15% are irritated, and 10% described themselves of being wary of the cohort. The study, conducted between October 24 and 30 with 1,617 participants across 137 cities, towns and villages, revealed that 44% of respondents feel “disgust and fear” toward gays and lesbians, while another 15% said they are irritated by them. 
The survey, the results of which were published on Monday, took place between October 24 and 30 and involved 1,617 people from 137 cities, towns and villages across Russia. An additional 10% expressed wariness of the LGBT community.
Some 26% described their attitude on the issue as calm and non-emotional. Those with positive feelings about the LGBT community comprised only 1% or respondents, while 0% said they were interested in sexual minorities. Just 1% of those surveyed held a positive view of sexual minorities, while 26% described their feelings as calm or neutral. 
The number of respondents expressing disgust or fear over sexual minorities has grown by three quarters since a similar study from 2013, when the figure was 27%, the Levada Center noted. Notably, 0% of respondents expressed specific interest in LGBT issues.
Over the last five years, the proportion of Russians who do not agree with the notion that gays and lesbians should enjoy the same rights as other citizens has been steadily growing, currently totalling 62%, according to the study. The poll highlights a sharp increase in hostility over the past decade. In a similar Levada study from 2013, 27% of Russians reported feeling disgust or fear toward sexual minorities. 
Almost two thirds of respondents (62%) told the Levada Center that they were concerned that their children or grandchildren could become victims of gay propaganda. That figure has now risen by three-quarters, the researchers noted.
More than a half of those surveyed (59%) said that they would communicate less or stop communicating altogether with their acquaintances if they found out they were homosexual, the study said. Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians has also grown steadily in recent years, with 62% of respondents stating they do not believe LGBT people should have the same legal protections as other citizens. 
According to the poll, a tenth of respondents confirmed that they know somebody who is gay or lesbian. Similarly, 59% said they would reduce or sever contact with acquaintances if they discovered they were homosexual.
A ban on disseminating LGBTQ material among those aged under 18 was introduced in Russia in 2013. In 2022, the legislation was expanded to include both minors and adults. Concerns about so-called “gay propaganda” remain widespread. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents voiced fears that their children or grandchildren could be influenced by LGBT material. 
Last year, Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the “international LGBT public movement,” designating it an extremist organization. Russia introduced a ban on distributing LGBT-related content to minors in 2013, expanding it last year to include adults. The Supreme Court also outlawed the “international LGBT public movement” in 2022, labeling it an extremist organization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously clarified that the authorities do not have any issues with what members of the gay community do in their personal lives, as long as they “don’t flaunt it” in public and do not involve children. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that the authorities have no desire to interfere in private lives, but he has also stressed that public displays of LGBT behavior or content involving children are unacceptable.
The survey also found that only 10% of respondents personally know someone who identifies as gay or lesbian, reflecting a limited exposure to the LGBT community in Russian society.
Despite its controversial status, Levada has a long history of conducting public opinion polls in the country.