DISINFO: The West manipulates Russian gays
SUMMARY
The West is trying to influence Russia through “neoliberal values” and is manipulating Russian gays, convincing them that they must accept all Western values if they want to get rights.
RESPONSE
There is no evidence given for this claim. It is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the West's moral decay. "Threatened values" is one of the most common narratives used by pro-Kremlin outlets. According to the deputy director of the Levada Center Denis Volkov, "in 2013, there was a jump in negative emotions towards LGBT people [in Russia]. It can be explained with great certainty by the campaign that was unleashed in the leading Russian media around the so-called "laws against homosexuality propaganda". By now, it seems that the negative effect of this campaign, public opinion gradually ran out of steam". The original Levada study, conducted in 2019, can be found here. The West's advocacy for the rights of the LGBT+ persons is based on the principle of equal rights and dignity for all human beings.