Gay Foreign Couples Banned From Adopting Russian Children, New Legislation Gaining Steam

Russian legislators voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with a bill that will bar same-sex couples from adopting Russian children.

The ban specifically forbids foreigners in LGBT unions from adopting Russian kids, but also applies to unmarried couples living in countries that have legalized same-sex marriage.

According to Russian news service RIA Novosti, this is the second reading vote on a bill that was first introduced in Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on April 16.

Members of the Duma voted on the bill in its second round at about 5 p.m. Moscow time Tuesday. The final vote is scheduled for June 21.

After France legalized gay marriage, the country-along with the rest of Europe-watched the first French homosexual union play out on nearly every media outlet. This pushed the issue into the spotlight for Russia, where anti-gay legislation has recently gained resounding steam. Earlier this month, Russia moved to forbid the circulation of any "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations," especially to children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted a need for tolerance in the past in regards to "peopleof traditional and non-traditional [sexual] orientation," but seems, overall, to stress that gay marriage goes against the government's idea of "traditional Russian values," RIA Novosti reported.

The bill will only be passed into law if both its adoptions legislation and the "non-traditional" relationships bill are passed by Russia's upper house of parliament. Then, the Federation Council and president of the country must sign off on it.

Putin has said that the bill barring foreign LGBT couples from adopting Russian children already has his vote.

"If such legislation is adopted by the country's parliament, I will sign it," he said.

At the end of last year, Russia banned Americans from adopting Russian children. According to the US State Department, United States citizens have adopted around 60,000 Russian kids in the past two decades.