The controversial Rainbow Unicorn bank card, which has been labelled as “gay propaganda”. Photo: Sberbank
In an all-too-familiar tale, Russian lawmakers were outraged over a bank card featuring a rainbow unicorn, denouncing it as a form of pro-LGBTQ “propaganda.”
Lawmakers from the Russian Duma’s Committee on Family, Women and Children have called on Russia’s largest financial institution, Sberbank, to remove the unicorn design from its special bank cards aimed at children, declaring anything containing rainbow colours a symbol of the “international LGBT movement.”
In a letter to Sberbank president Gherman Gref, the lawmakers said several “indignant” parents had complained about the bank card design, seeing the unicorn cartoon as an attempt to brainwash children.
“Dear German Oskarovich, taking into account the opinions of parents and representatives of the Russian Committee for Prevention of Violations of Law, we ask you to stop issuing children’s Sbercards featuring the LGBT movement symbol, the ‘rainbow unicorn,'” the letter read.
Sberbank typically issues cards for children between 6 and 13 years old in seven different designs, each featuring a rainbow unicorn on the front.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government has led a decades-long crackdown on any form of LGBTQ visibility. The government has vocally opposed expanding LGBTQ rights and attempted to associate LGBTQ identity with Western culture, treating it as a corrupting influence.
In 2013, Russian lawmakers passed a law banning “LGBT propaganda,” or any information that “promotes non-traditional sexual relationships.” In 2022, the law was expanded to apply to all Russian citizens.
Read next Republican National Convention speech expresses hatred towards the LGBTQ community
Efforts to crack down on LGBTQ visibility have intensified following Russia’s Supreme Court ruling declaring the “International LGBT Movement” an “extremist organization,” as the movement does not exist as a single entity. Russian law enforcement agencies have sought to erase symbols of LGBTQ identity, including rainbows and anything iridescent.
Last year, Russian TV station TNT Music removed a rainbow from the music video for K-pop group Seventeen’s hit “God of Music.” In February, a woman wearing rainbow-colored earrings was arrested and charged with spreading “LGBT propaganda,” while another was charged for displaying a rainbow pride flag on her Instagram account. A third woman was fined for displaying a pride flag in the window of her home.
Russian law enforcement agencies raided a “My Little Pony” convention on suspicion of promoting homosexuality because some characters were deemed gender non-conforming and the rainbow unicorn was believed to be a symbol of support for LGBTQ rights.
In March, a man was arrested and charged with using “extremist symbolism” after sending a rainbow flag emoji in a private chat.
Get the latest LGBTQ news delivered to your inbox: Subscribe to our newsletter.
