Kazakhstan—a former Soviet republic that’s been trying to brand itself as “modern” and “reforming”—has gone and done it. Its Senate has approved a law banning so‑called “LGBT propaganda.” Yes, that tired, imported phrase that authoritarian governments love to use when they want to erase queer people without saying the quiet part out loud. What exactly is “LGBT propaganda”? No one can define it because it isn’t a real thing. It’s a political invention—a catch‑all label used to criminalize visibility, silence queer voices, and intimidate anyone who doesn’t fit the state‑approved mold. A historically persecuted minority that still faces discrimination across the globe is now being accused of running a propaganda machine? Bitch please.
This law is Kazakhstan’s attempt to copy‑paste Russia’s anti‑LGBT playbook: claim it’s about “protecting children,” then use that excuse to censor media, punish speech, and push queer people back into the shadows. It’s state‑sanctioned stigma dressed up as moral concern. And honestly? I barely remember Kazakhstan existed until today—but I do remember what it feels like when governments decide certain people shouldn’t exist in public. So yes, I feel for the queer Kazakhs and every non‑hateful person living under a government that thinks erasure is a policy solution. The world may shrug, but queer people everywhere know exactly what this is: repression with a PR department.
Source: NBC
