And on the international stage, the law helped position Russia as a champion of so-called “traditional values.” The legislation, formally titled the law “aimed at protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values,” bans the “promotion of nontraditional sexual relations to minors”-a reference universally understood to mean a ban on providing children access to information about LGBT people’s lives. When Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the federal law in June 2013, he pandered to a conservative domestic support base. It targets vulnerable sexual and gender minorities for political gain. Russia’s “gay propaganda” law is a classic example of political homophobia. The law has also had a stifling effect on access to affirming education and support services, with harmful consequences for LGBT youth. In Russia, antipathy towards homosexuality and gender variance is not new-LGBT people there have long faced threats, bullying, abuse inside their families, and discrimination-but the 2013 “gay propaganda” law has increased that social hostility. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in Russia face formidable barriers to enjoying their fundamental rights to dignity, health, education, information, and association.