Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Says 'Genius Musician' Elton John Mistaken on Russian LGBT Rights

Kremlin.ru

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Elton John was "mistaken" about LGBT rights in Russia, while praising the British singer as a musical genius.

Elton John said on Friday he was deeply upset by Putin's comment that liberal values were "obsolete" and had been rejected by the majority of people in Western nations.

He also accused Putin of hypocrisy for saying that he wanted LGBT people to be happy after reports that gay scenes in "Rocketman," the movie based on the singer's life, had been censored in Russia.

"I have a lot of respect for him, he is a genius musician, we all enjoy his music, but I think he is mistaken," Putin said when asked about Elton John's comments in Osaka where he was attending a G20 summit.

Putin said Russian authorities had a "relaxed and unprejudiced" attitude towards LGBT people, but decisions about gender identity could only be made by adults and therefore minors need to be "left alone."

Russian law bans "propaganda of homosexuality among minors."

Putin also said that while he did not deny the attractiveness of liberal values in general, he was referring to situations where they impinged on traditional lifestyles.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more