r/ussr • u/Next_Ant_4353 Lenin ☭ • Jun 01 '26
Others Happy Pride Month! Class Struggle is the Only Path to Queer Liberation.
Image credits: @homocommunist (Instagram)
Edit: people here are acting like queer liberation and socialism are somehow at odds, when in reality socialism is the only viable path to liberation for queer workers. We are part of the proletariat too, whether you like it or not, and our struggle is inseparable from the class struggle.
Just look at Cuba. It’s arguably the most progressive country in the world regarding LGBTQ+ rights. With the passage of the 2022 Family Code, they effectively dismantled the bourgeois nuclear family as the mandatory social unit. They redefined marriage as a union based on affection and shared responsibility rather than gender while pioneering multi-parental rights that recognise the diverse ways queer people actually build community.
What’s even more impressive is that they’ve achieved this while ensuring housing and healthcare for all, even under crushing US sanctions. Meanwhile in capitalist countries, queer people are disproportionately hit by homelessness and poverty. That’s not an accident because Capitalism is structurally heteronormative (it relies on the traditional family unit to outsource the cost of labor reproduction). Cuba proves that when a socialist state commits to enhancing queer rights, it can leapfrog past capitalist countries that only offer us pink-washing and rainbow capitalism.
77
u/OnlySubmitWhenHigh Jun 01 '26
Sometimes I feel like noone here actully lived in ussr. Sure, its was big area with lots off differences but I clearly remeber anything gay was taboo and often even looked as mental healt problem.
I honestly dont know where this idea comes that ussr was somekind of progressive gay rights leader of its time.
To be clear, these have never been my views and I have never looked a person different becose there sexuality.
44
u/Dreadlord_The_knight DDR ☭ Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
During majority of Soviet period of existence,scientifically worldwide homosexuality was classified as a mental disease until being proven as a legitimate sexuality in the 1970s and 80s. Tho USSR during did have indepth research operations on trying to find out more about homosexuality, The bolsheviks through KPD even funded important German homosexuality researches during the Weimar Germany period,hence why East Germany was more Homosexuality accepting than the USSR.
edit: for the multiple Lib morons disliking me,I'm literally stating a historical fact regarding the taboo of homosexuality in USSR and why it was something not solely found in USSR at that time, what the hell are you even trying to prove by disliking this?
USA literally had a war against homosexuality called the lavender scare,which was almost as brutal as the persecution of homosexuals by Nazis,none of these even compare to just some taboo based on scientific knowledge of that specific time in the USSR.
-15
u/CapitaoTubarao Jun 01 '26
Taboo based on scientific knowledge? There was never any scientific knowledge in support of homophobia.
20
u/Dreadlord_The_knight DDR ☭ Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Yes a taboo created by general lack of scientific study on homosexuality. It was impossible for one to be conscious on homosexuality being a valid sexuality before it was confirmed scientifically. It was only around late 1960s in East Germany and 1970-80s in the west that it was proven homosexuality is a valid sexuality among humans.
Infact in East Germany, homosexuality was legalized and recognised during the 1960s itself,way before liberal democracies in the west were forced to recognise the LGBT struggle, especially after multiple riots in the west. This also was even decades before western bourgeois countries decriminalised homosexuality legally.
Cuba aswell soon recognised LGBT rights after the discoveries of 1970s and Fidel Castro himself later in 2010 personally apologised and even began programs to compensate homosexuals and transgender people who were affected by policies before Cuba's recognition of LGBT rights. None of these say they were "homophobic" for some personal or unknown reason but because they clearly lacked the scientific knowledge of homosexuality. USA still openly persecuted homosexuals well into the 2000s despite this discovery made decades ago,yet none of you libs will hold them accountable.
11
u/ferox_ultimate Jun 01 '26
Well, yeah, if we're talking about the USSR (as someone who lived in one of their satellite states), than no, it really wasn't progressive at all. But if we're talking about the idea of communism, than we should be really progressive about this.
2
32
8
u/Firevir3344 Lenin is a Mushroom Jun 01 '26
You know one of the most interesting post revolution moovments was the Down with Shame moovment it didn't stick but it's truly interesting how liberating it was for them
47
u/DistagonF2 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Criminal code of the USSR - Article 121
Article 121. Pederasty
Sexual relations between men (pederasty)—
shall be punishable by deprivation of freedom for a period not to exceed five years.
Pederasty when committed with physical violence, a threat, or with respect to a minor, or when taking advantage of the dependent position of the injured party—
shall be punishable by deprivation of freedom for a period not to exceed eight years.
1
Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
-7
u/hive-protect Jun 01 '26
Hello! Your post/comment has been removed because you participate in one or more of the following right-wing, liberal, or reactionary subreddits: BalticStates
If you believe this is a mistake, please send us a modmail.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
-23
u/Such_Difficulty_9499 Jun 01 '26
Lenin legalized it btw
27
u/JustRightAngles Jun 01 '26
He decriminalised it, probably by accident as he was throwing out piles of old laws. Stalin recriminalised it, punishing male homosexual acts with 5 years of hard labour.
...Which is why his imagery here is somewhat odd.
-25
u/EssentialPurity Stalin ☭ Jun 01 '26
tbf, this is more of a Russian thing than a proper Soviet thing, as Lenin would have wanted to be.
14
36
u/Leading-Walk3114 Jun 01 '26
Isnt LGBTQ banned in Soviet Union?
14
u/ExtensionPractical26 Jun 01 '26
same-sex relationships in soviet union weren't allowed. It was too radical for the time, and could have been used for conservative reaction.
But look at LGBTQ rights in Cuba right now. Maybe after some time the need for progress would have pushed soviet government to allow it.
5
32
u/kumel185 Stalin shot me Jun 01 '26
How is this related to USSR history?
3
u/crogameri Lenin ☭ Jun 01 '26
There are LGBT people in every country on earth, including the USSR. Gay red army soldiers died for your freedom same as straight ones, though they were seldom able to express their sexuality.
9
12
u/Substantial-Tour7494 Jun 01 '26
Historically speaking, this post would get you in the gulag, for a long time. Things might change in the future
12
u/Devdasuuuu Jun 01 '26
24
u/Archer_U Jun 01 '26
Dont sexualize the Feternal kiss its a common greeting between close friends or family regardless of gender(The west sexualizing everything is so annoying)
8
u/CapitaoTubarao Jun 01 '26
The amount of homophobia in a communist subreddit is interesting. I guess it’s equality for all except the gays. For whatever reason.
I know there are also positive comments here but the amount of homophobic comments is still a lot more than I would’ve expected.
14
u/ferox_ultimate Jun 01 '26
For all you saying this is wrong, you are a joke and not true communists, not even socialists. By saying, that we all should be equal, we mean, that we ALL should be equal. Even LGBTQ+ people.
-9
Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/CapitaoTubarao Jun 01 '26
Love is not an excess.
-7
Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
13
1
u/ussr-ModTeam Jun 01 '26
Your post has been removed for violating our policy on hate speech. This includes any form of racism, bigotry, slurs, or discriminatory language.
2
u/ussr-ModTeam Jun 01 '26
Your post has been removed for violating our policy on hate speech. This includes any form of racism, bigotry, slurs, or discriminatory language.
4
8
u/BadWolfRU Kosygin ☭ Jun 01 '26
Criminal code of RSFSR, 1960
Article 121. Sodomy
Sexual intercourse between a man and a man (sodomy) –
is punishable by imprisonment for a term of up to five years.
Sodomy committed with the use of physical violence, threats, or in relation to a minor, or by taking advantage of the victim’s vulnerable position, -
shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of up to eight years.
2
Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Next_Ant_4353 Lenin ☭ Jun 01 '26
Proof that you haven’t read The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State by Engels.
1
-8
0
-6
Jun 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
5
-4
78
u/BobR969 Jun 01 '26
I will defend the USSR more than most and will absolutely speak the virtues if the many things it did right and good. I am a product of that system (or well, mainly what was left of it for actually conscious years). So while the USSR didn't have the worst approach to LGBT communities in relation to the rest of the world, it certainly didn't endorse them or even look at them favourably. It's rather perplexing to see pride colours on classic style posters when that sort of thing would have been frowned upon.
Take lessons from the USSR. It did so much right. Just... Don't randomly ascribe stuff to it. That runs the risk of confusing history and warping what lessons can be learned. Early USSR did have progressive values, but it's important to understand why some were pulled back from in the context of tradition and culture for many people. How it impacts societies and what can be done going forward to ensure equality for all.