Russian advert is homophobic and xenophobic
An advert says Russia will become a gay utopia (or dystopia if you’re a homophobe) if people don’t vote in the presidential elections.
The three-minute video, uploaded to social media, has been watched by millions of people.
It shows the ‘horrifying’ idea of Russia becoming gay-friendly.
What does the advert show?
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Set on 17 March, the eve of the presidential election, it starts with a man mocking his wife.
While she wants to set an alarm to get up and vote, he says: ‘As if they won’t elect someone without you.’
He then falls asleep.
The next morning, a military official flanked by two soldiers attempts to conscript him into the army.
‘I’m 52,’ he protests. ‘Excellent. The conscription age has been increased to 60.’
Fleeing into the kitchen, he finds a tattooed gay man filing his nails.
‘I’m a gay on a homestay,’ the man tells him. His wife tells him under the new law, Russian families are forced to take in gay people.
Shocked, the man sees his Communist son. He then rushes into the toilet. The intercom says ‘toilet time is restricted’.
And then he apparently wakes up, only to find himself in bed with the gay man.
He then wakes up for real and urges his wife to go to the polling station ‘before it’s too late’.
Advert slammed by opposition advocates
It is believed the video was produced by President Vladimir Putin’s campaign team or the government-controlled election committee, according to The Guardian.
Meduza, an opposition website, accused the video’s producers of trying to scare Russians into voting by playing on widespread homophobia and xenophobia.
Putin’s rivals include Pavel Grudinin, the Community party leader, and Ksenia Sobchak, a pro-LGBTI journalist.
Sobchak said the video will incite LGBTI hate crime.
Svetlana Galka, who plays the wife in the video, told Govorit Moskva radio station: ‘This is simply a humorous promo.’
