Gay Guide Moskva

Moscow, capital of Russia, was founded in 1147 and has a population of over 15 million inhabitants. Moscow is not only the business centre of Russia, but also home of the most flamboyant Russian gay venues, though the scene is not stable with venues changing frequently. As in the rest of the country, gays and lesbians are increasingly being targeted by so-called nationalists, so that 2013 saw sadly frequent reports of violent attacks on homosexuals. The law banning "gay propaganda" has served to drastically reinforce hostile attitudes to homosexuals and legitimize them in society. Large parts of the population hence acquiesce in acts of violence against homosexuals. The first gay pride festival took place in May 2006. On this occasion, several people were beaten by small nationalist groups coming from regions of Russia. Since then, gays attempted to organize the same event every May with the same result.