[Lauren]

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SIGNED TWO BILLS INTO LAW THAT ARE PART OF THE KREMLIN’S EFFORT TO ABIDE BY WHAT RUSSIAN OFFICIALS CALL “TRADITIONAL VALUES.” 

THE FIRST IS PEOPLE FROM COUNTRIES WHERE GENDER TRANSITIONING IS ALLOWED … CAN NO LONGER ADOPT CHILDREN FROM RUSSIA. 

LAST YEAR, RUSSIA BANNED GENDER-TRANSITION PROCEDURES AND IN 20-22 PUTIN SIGNED A LAW BANNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF L-G-T-B-Q PLUS INFORMATION TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.

THE ADOPTION BAN WILL APPLY TO AT LEAST 15 COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, ARGENTINA AND CANADA. 

ADOPTION OF RUSSIAN CHILDREN BY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS BANNED IN 2012.

PUTIN ALSO JUST APPROVED LEGISLATION BARRING THE SPREAD OF MATERIAL THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO *NOT* HAVE CHILDREN.

HE HAS URGED RUSSIAN WOMEN TO HAVE EIGHT OR MORE KIDS TO SUSTAIN THE NATIVE POPULACE.

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS CLAIM ARGUMENTS AGAINST HAVING CHILDREN ARE PART OF WESTERN EFFORTS TO WEAKEN RUSSIA THROUGH POPULATION DECLINE, ACCORDING TO CBS NEWS.

IN 20-22 A LAW WENT INTO EFFECT LABELING ANY PERSON — INCLUDING JOURNALISTS AND ACTIVISTS — WHO ENGAGES IN ACTIVISM OR EXPRESSES CONTRARY OPINIONS ABOUT RUSSIAN POLICIES AS A FOREIGN AGENT … WITH OFFICIALS CLAIMING THEY ARE UNDER FOREIGN INFLUENCE.

FOR SAN – I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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