Stalin's Russia and Homosexuality

[TheGodlessUtopian]

What was life like in Stalin's Russia for homosexuals and other queer people? I've heard he criminalized it,but aren't sure if this is true or if there more to it.I would be curious to learn what his reasoning was for all his actions revolving around queer life in general.

Also,how was life for queer people during Lenin's time? How was his stance on homosexuality?

Thanks.

(I tried asking this question is the "Stalin thread" in history,but it went no where fast)

[gorillafuck]

What was life like in Stalin's Russia for homosexuals and other queer people? I've heard he criminalized it,but aren't sure if this is true or if there more to it.I would be curious to learn what his reasoning was for all his actions revolving around queer life in general.
It was illegal and could get you forced labor.

[Princess Luna]

What was life like in Stalin's Russia for homosexuals and other queer people? I've heard he criminalized it,but aren't sure if this is true or if there more to it.I would be curious to learn what his reasoning was for all his actions revolving around queer life in general.

Also,how was life for queer people during Lenin's time? How was his stance on homosexuality?

Thanks.

(I tried asking this question is the "Stalin thread" in history,but it went no where fast)
in Lenin's credit , one of the first acts of the U.S.S.R. was to repeal all laws against homosexuality and even legalize gay marriage. when Stalin came to power he banned gay marriage again but i'm not sure if he criminalized homosexuality

[Jimmie Higgins]

What was life like in Stalin's Russia for homosexuals and other queer people? I've heard he criminalized it,but aren't sure if this is true or if there more to it.I would be curious to learn what his reasoning was for all his actions revolving around queer life in general.

Also,how was life for queer people during Lenin's time? How was his stance on homosexuality?

Thanks.

(I tried asking this question is the "Stalin thread" in history,but it went no where fast)

The Bolsheviks initially got rid of all legal regulations on sexuality and there are many anecdotes about society at that time opening up to both homosexuals and women. I think today we'd want to be more explicit combating sexism and homophobia than the Bolsheviks were, but still quite an achievement to allow freedom of sex (and divorce) at that time... something that Texas wouldn't legally have until they decriminalized sodomy a few years ago.

Stalin's supposed reasons for re-criminalizing homosexuality (and restricting woman's rights) were for promoting birth-rates. Homosexuals - particularly intellectuals were thought to be connected to the NAZIs too - but what enemy of the USSR's rulers at that time wasn't supposedly in league with Hitler?

But really I think that's only part of it, I think the crack-downs (on homosexuals and Jews and other groups) had more to do with promoting conformity just as similar crack-downs in the US after WWII were based on realigning people to the ruling class view of things after the depression and war.

[Kléber]

Just to clarify, the Tsarist law against anal intercourse was repealed by the bourgeois Provisional Government after the February Revolution. After the October Revolution, the Bolshevik-led Soviet government maintained the legal freedom to have same-sex relations within the RSFSR (Russia); however, after the 1922 formation of the USSR, some union republics (I believe it was the Turkmen, Uzbek and Bukharan SSR's, correct me if wrong) moved to reinstate it.

Of course it was not until 1933 that the Stalinist regime moved to ban "buggery" throughout the entire USSR. That was part of a "great retreat" on all fronts - political, economic and international - during the 1930's, as the bureaucracy rolled back the social gains of the 1917 revolution.

[Diello]

in Lenin's credit , one of the first acts of the U.S.S.R. was to repeal all laws against homosexuality and even legalize gay marriage.

WHAT? I had no idea. And to think I was fawning all over the Bolsheviks for lifting the prohibition against women voting.

[Il Medico]

The Bolsheviks originally repealed (or apparently the provisional government that was before the Bolsheviks) the Tsarist laws against homosexuality. And Lenin and the Bolsheviks kept this repeal. (Note, as Kebler metioned this as only for Russia specifically. Other SSRs still had laws against homosexuality). Later in the 30's under Stalin, these were removed and re-criminalized, with a sentence of up to five year hard labor. Similar laws restricting women's right (like banning abortion) were also part of this "great leap backwards" on social policy the USSR experienced during the 30's.

[Queercommie Girl]

After the October Revolution in 1917, Lenin de-criminalised homosexuality.

However, in reality the actual social implications of this progressive law in Russia at the time were still rather limited. In society homophobic views were still widespread, and some Russian scientists still considered homosexuality to be a "mental illness". (This is not the formal official view though) There wasn't really enough time for any of these to change before the Civil War began and the later bureaucratic degeneration to happen. So on the ground at the time, even though it was on paper legalised, in reality things were still really tough for queer people. As Trotskyists believe, the Russian revolution needed to have linked up with revolutions in the advanced capitalist West for it to be sustainable. Culturally this is also true, because actually the German SDP at this time, although it was only a reformist party, were culturally more advanced with respect to queer rights. But unfortunately this did not happen.

It is not certain how homophobic Stalin was as a person, because historians are not sure about exactly why he introduced the homophobic laws. But in 1933 Stalin introduced Article 121 which meant that male homosexuality can be punished by up to 5 years of hard labour in prison. Perhaps this move was linked to Stalin's crushing of direct proletarian democracy in the country in general. Or perhaps his decision to outlaw homosexuality and ban abortion, as well as his promotion of the conservative family, was due to his desire to rapidly increase Russia's population.

(However, from a purely mathematical and hypothetical point of view, it is not actually certain that the conservative style bourgeois family would really increase population faster than a society that has completely abolished the family and in which most people are generally "bi-sexualised" and the state takes care of all children free of charge)

[ExUnoDisceOmnes]

Out of curiosity, why did Stalin move to ban homosexuality? Was it a personal opinion? Or was he pressured on political fronts?

[ComradeAV]

Out of curiosity, why did Stalin move to ban homosexuality? Was it a personal opinion? Or was he pressured on political fronts?

This is one of the moves of stalin which I dont support. It was basically becuase the Soviet Union was a very conservative minded country. It didnt seem like a bad decision at the time. But looking back on it, it was.

[Queercommie Girl]

Just to clarify, the Tsarist law against anal intercourse was repealed by the bourgeois Provisional Government after the February Revolution. After the October Revolution, the Bolshevik-led Soviet government maintained the legal freedom to have same-sex relations within the RSFSR (Russia); however, after the 1922 formation of the USSR, some union republics (I believe it was the Turkmen, Uzbek and Bukharan SSR's, correct me if wrong) moved to reinstate it.


Just out of interest, some bourgeois commentators state that it was actually the Russian "bourgeois revolution" (of the Provisional Government) that had the most progressive position with respect to queer rights, not the Bolsheviks. That actually though on the surface the Leninists pretended to support queer rights, deep down they are really trying to move against it in secret.

How would you answer to such an allegation?

[IHateCorporations]

This is my biggest criticism of Stalin. I think that all this talk of Stalin committing genocide is propaganda, but this is real. This was such an unnecessary step backwards!

On the other hand, I wonder to what extent was this enforced. This may have been an empty law that was just on the books to discourage people. Maybe I'm wrong.

Were there any other example of nominal prohibitions in the USSR? I think the ban on corporal punishment may count.

Also, are we sure that this was put into law by Stalin and not some other governing body, perhaps the Supreme Soviet? I really don't know too much about the detailed structure of the Soviet government. Please enlighten me. ;)

[Queercommie Girl]

On the other hand, I wonder to what extent was this enforced. This may have been an empty law that was just on the books to discourage people. Maybe I'm wrong.
;)


It didn't need to be enforced. Although Lenin legalised homosexuality in 1917, Russian culture never became really tolerant or supportive of queer rights. There was no time for any real cultural or social progress in Russia before the Civil War and the subsequent bureaucratic degeneration.

Russian society never did become LGBT-friendly, despite the de-criminalisation of homosexuality in 1917.