US and GB Embassies in Moscow fly LGBT flags

LGBT flag at the British Embassy in Moscow. Photo: Telegram-account of the diplomatic service

The embassies of the United States and Great Britain in Moscow hanged up rainbow flags on their buildings with an interval of two days in support of the representatives of the LGBT-community, their rights and freedoms.

For example, on the building of the US Embassy, an LGBT flag appeared on June 25, 2020, in the framework of the so-called “month of pride” of the LGBT community. At the same time, in 2019, CNN and NBC reported that the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration forbade its embassies from flying rainbow flags on flagpoles in honor of this event.

“Today, the US Embassy in Russia honors the LGBTI Pride Flag during the #PrideFlagDay celebration,” the US Embassy said in its message on Facebook. “The LGBTI flag was created by American artist and activist Gilbert Baker and was first hoisted on June 25, 1978, during the Gay Freedom Day parade in San Francisco. <...> He wanted to convey his conviction that the power of society is in diversity. LGBTI rights are human rights. Human rights are universal. A month of pride is designed to emphasize that everyone deserves to live a life free of hatred, prejudice and persecution.”

On June 27, the LGBT flag appeared in front of the British Embassy.

“In June, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Pride Parade, which took place in New York in 1970,” representatives of the diplomatic mission said in their official Telegram account. “Today at the Embassy we are raising the LGBT flag in support of representatives of the LGBT community, their rights and freedoms. LGBT people do not demand special privileges for themselves; they only ask for a dignified and respectful attitude to themselves and the same rights that other people have. Therefore, any form of discrimination on any grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity, is absolutely inappropriate for us.”

Note that in Russia since 2013, a law has been enacted to ban gay propaganda among children. Violators are subject to a fine of 5 thousand to 1 million rubles.

As reported by the UOJ, on June 21, representatives of the LGBT community with the help of a drone “decorated the symbol of Kiev – the “Motherland” sculpture” – with a rainbow flag.

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