Heteronormativity of the Russian Legal Discourse: The Silencing, Lack, and Absence of Homosexual Subjects in Law and Policies

Abstract

Russia has not yet decided which one of the existing ways it follows: It is going to integrate into the 'civilised' international community or to introduce its own peculiar modes of organising the life of the people? On the one hand, the authorities headed for integration, insisting on cancellation of visa regime with the European Union and entering into WTO. On the other hand, as far as these processes entail a sort of commitment to the 'Eurocentric' legal and political order, a kind of resistance to it occurred, as well. The decisions of The Court of Human Rights are contested, the Russian legal system itself contains norms incompatible with democracy (such as appointments of the heads of republics of the federation), the state discussions on feminism, homosexuality, and religion may be regarded as quite 'barbarous' nowadays. It seems that there are lots of abstacles on this way of integration. Cansidering the issue discussed in the article (discourse about homosexuality), an obstacle may be found in heteronormativity who provokes a trong drive of governmentality which regulates the law, politics and the subjects of discourse themselves. The study uncovers the heteronormative character of the Russian law.