Portraying Putin As A Gay Clown Is Illegal In Russia

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a gay clown.

But apparently, to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, it deserves to be a crime.

While Russian news outlets are finding it hard to communicate to citizens which image of Putin as a "gay clown" is now illegal, because it has been banned ( duh), we can guess it is maybe this one seen below.

Honestly, he doesn't look like a gay clown to me in this photo. It's more of a "Putin wearing makeup in front of a rainbow" look to be honest.

The image, whichever one it is, is now included on a list of things that are considered "extremism."

According to the Washington Post, the ban reads,

Item 4071: a picture of a Putin-like person /with eyes and lips made up,' captioned with an implicit anti-gay slur, implying 'the supposed nonstandard sexual orientation of the president of the Russian Federation.'

The above poster first started making its rounds in 2013, shortly after Russia banned propagandizing to children about "nontraditional sexual relationship." Gay rights protested were also being beaten and arrested.

But the newly banned image could be this...

This image also features Putin wearing blush with eye makeup and lipstick.

He is wearing a matching outfit with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The two hold bouquets of daisies.

Unlike daisies, which are found in every single continent except Antartica, gays and lesbians are found everywhere. Antarctica is the "world's first LGBT-friendly continent."

Medvedev is known for signing an order that would ban transgender people from driving. The only thing it prevents? Transgender fender benders.

Again, there are just so many images of Putin wearing makeup it's hard to know for sure which one is not illegal to share.

Maybe this?

Or this heavily airbrushed photo?

While we can enjoy laughing at memes and silly photoshopped pictures in the United States, in Russia, where "internet extremism" laws exist, people can be issued prison sentences for even giving a thumbs-up to a banned online post.

Citations: s It's now illegal in Russia to share an image of Putin as a gay clown (Washington Post)