On a Mission to Out Closeted Russian Politicians

With Russia seemingly growing more anti-gay by the minute, the new social media project is setting metaphorical fire to the closets that anti-gay Russian politicians might be hiding in.

With Russia seemingly growing more anti-gay by the minute, the new social media project is setting metaphorical fire to the closets that anti-gay Russian politicians might be hiding in.

So, in other words, thank you, Russian vodka ban, but it's time to move on. Hello Russian gay sex scandals.

 Russian journalist Elena Kostyuchenko has announced that she would collecting "information about the deputies of the State Duma concerning LGBT [activities]." Further, Kostyuchenko asked for photos, videos, and correspondence from anyone whose had same-sex dalliance, relationship, or encounter with a State Duma official in order to out them. She compared the tactic to a "nuclear bomb" in response to the terrible conditions for gays in Russia.

Though things in Russia are aggressively anti-gay, being gay is (thankfully) not a punishable offense (yet). But it's unclear what would happen if Kostyuchenko does out a Duma official—would they be forgiven for passing these anti-gay laws in the eyes of their anti-gay constituents or would they turn into political fodder?

We won't know until it happens. What we do know is the state Duma unanimously passed Russia's infamous gay propaganda law 434-0 back in June—so that's a pool of nearly 450 people Kostyuchenko has to work with.