Madonna revealed this week she will never hold a concert in Russia again because of the country’s highly controversial “homosexual propaganda” law, which bans the spread of “non-traditional relationships” to minors, the Moscow Times reports.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly (via Moscow Times) on August 7, the Material Girl talked about her upcoming tour, which starts on Sept. 9 and finds the pop diva traveling to 35 cities across North America, Europe and Australia.
“I won’t appear in Moscow or St. Petersburg anymore, because I don’t want to perform in places where being homosexual is tantamount to a crime,” she told the magazine.
Though homosexuality is legal, the “promotion” of it is not, and those who are found guilty of “promoting non-traditional relationships” can be hit with a fine and even receive jail time.
Madonna performed in Russia in 2012 – a year before Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the anti-gay measure into national law – and voiced her support for the punk band Pussy Riot. She also told concertgoers to “show your love and appreciation to the gay community” and handed out pink wristbands to her audience. Additionally, she had the words “No Fear” written on her back.
The “Bitch, I’m Madonna” singer was sued for her concert but the case against her was later dropped.
According to the Moscow Times, Vitaly Milonov, who drafted St. Petersburg’s anti-gay measure before it became a national law, responded to Madonna in an interview with the Russian News Agency, calling the 56-year-old singer a “hypocritical old lady.” He also accused her of “prioritizing gay rights over the lives of children suffering because of the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” the Moscow Times writes.
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Category: Celebrities, General, Music, National News
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