back to article Gay emojis? GAY EMOJIS?! Not here in Russia, comrade

The Russian government is reportedly looking to ban "gay" emoji symbols over fears the same-sex pictures could violate censorship laws. Russia's Izvestia newspaper reports that Russian senator Mikhail Marchenko has issued a complaint that a collection of new emojis depict same-sex couples. Marchenko argues the emojis are in …

  1. John H Woods Silver badge

    New Emoji request ...

    ... muscular bare-chested male riding a horse; holding an AK; wrestling a bear etc.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: New Emoji request ...

      Ooh, stop it. You're making me feel all horny, ducks.

      1. PleebSmash
        Trollface

        Re: New Emoji request ...

        *dicks

  2. 45RPM Silver badge

    Could this be the classic reaction of a man who's unwilling to admit that he has a predilection for men? The rest of the world suspects that he's a bit closet but, possibly owing to a repressed upbringing, maybe he's unwilling to admit it to himself and embrace his true, rainbow hued, sexuality.

    It's nothing to be ashamed of, Comrade. The only thing that anyone should feel ashamed of is not treating every human being with the respect and dignity that they deserve - by denying them the right to express and explore their sexuality in a safe and consenting environment for example.

    1. Mark 85

      It wouldn't be the first time this happened and it won't be the last. At the risk of violating Goodwin's Law, those high-ranking officials in Germany that were in charge of sending homosexuals to the chambers were themselves gay. A truly hidden agenda to say the least.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "Goodwin's Law"

        It's Godwin's Law, after Mike Godwin, and it just says that if a discussion goes on long enough something will be compared to the Nazis. Get off my lawn etc.

        "At the risk of violating Goodwin's Law, those high-ranking officials in Germany that were in charge of sending homosexuals to the chambers were themselves gay"

        Not precisely. The leaders of the SA were, including Roehm. Part of the price of Hitler's gaining power was that the SA had to be purged. Roehm was killed before any Final Solution.

        I think the record should be set straight on this because it's a slur on gay people to suggest that even the SA behaved like that. As far as I know the architects of the Final Solution were almost all hetero.

      2. JLV

        Goodwin

        Really? Do you have data to corroborate that assertion on a generalized basis, not just as an anectdote? I know Hitler was aided into power by the Brownshirts, a number of whom were gay and in fact were liquidated during Kristallnacht. Thats in 33-34, gas chambers were 1940 and up.

        Past 34? Who knows? Data, not rumor, is bound to be sparse if you consider the consequences of being outed. I certainly haven't heard of massive amounts of gay Nazis, I'd guess they'd have as big a proportion as any random group, but I welcome your insight.

        Me? I find homophobia distasteful enough on its own, no need to drag in the old "jeez he's gay himself" chestnut. Though it does happen and can make for especially effed up bigots. A certain US TV preacher comes to mind.

        Putin? Anything to make his electorate feel under external threat. That's been his modus operandi for a while now and the fools gobble it up.

      3. Suricou Raven

        Citation needed?

        There's a book called The Gay Swastika that made that assertion, but in terms of historical credibility it's on about the same level as The Da Vinci Code.

    2. Hollerith 1

      Nah

      Putin and his buddies aren't repressed, they just see a really easy target to get the public indignant over, while being able to stand by the Orthodox Church and 'family values', while they raid the country dry.

  3. jake Silver badge

    Earth to Russia:

    This het dude finds your opinion not only very, very retro, but also completely stupid. Do grow up and join the 21st century. Ta.

    1. PleebSmash
      Trollface

      Re: Earth to Russia:

      Your typical Western response has been Put-in the queue.

  4. Elmer Phud

    Presumably . . .

    the approved emoji's will be themed on a group of lovely people taunting and torturing and generally assulting gays (or anyone they think 'looks' gay.)

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    $(name) Youth group

    "[...] president Putin's Young Guard youth group [...]"

    The mention of a country's leader and his organisation of youth for indoctrination and coercion - reminds me of several instances in the past. In those cases the result was a violent tyranny for many of their people.

    1. PleebSmash
      Devil

      Re: $(name) Youth group

      No doubt the Russian population is extremely conservative, but the post-Putin hangover is going to be crazy. A Russia where you can do investigative journalism without being assassinated.

      However Putin has created a state of crooks and thieves. It could last beyond his exit.

      RIP Boris, Anna, Litvinenko (good luck w that inquiry) et al

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Havin_it
      Childcatcher

      Re: $(name) Youth group

      Shurely in this case it's a "Save Our" Youth group, not an actual group of youths. Letting the latter "investigate and prepare a report on" this corrosive subject would be far too risky from their perspective, no?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: $(name) Youth group

        " Letting the latter "investigate and prepare a report on" this corrosive subject would be far too risky from their perspective, no?"

        If you can condition adolescents to do your bidding then they will be unquestioning and extremist - that is the nature of youth. They are fired by ideological idealism, action, power, and the need to be seen to be one of their peer group.

        Examples: Mao's Red Book chaos in the 1960a - and the 1930/40s ideological youth organisations of Russia, Germany, Italy, Japan etc.

    3. Tomato42
      Unhappy

      Re: $(name) Youth group

      Russia never really left tsardom, not for the vast majority of population

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: $(name) Youth group

        Maybe a good thing Putin doesn't have a son, or he'd try to set him up as another "president for life" when he's gone. Maybe he'll do that for a son-in-law, but more likely it will end up as a military coup. No way back into having proper elections when you're a dictatorship.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The irony being…

    … computers were first conceived by a homosexual. Yet they don't seem to be shunning them.

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: The irony being…

      Well actually they did replace computers with typewriters a year or two ago, using Snowden as an excuse. Presumably with macho Italian Olivettis.

    2. Havin_it
      Coat

      Re: The irony being…

      >… computers were first conceived by a homosexual.

      Izzat like a virgin birth, sorta?

      All right I'm going, mine's the Mugwump skin over by the Clark Nova, ta.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The irony being…

      This is the first time that I have heard Blaise Pascal accused of being homosexual... he did after all build a computing machine.

  7. NanoMeter

    I would have called Russians reactions against...

    anything gay for ridiculous and hilarious if it wasn't for the fact that gay people are harassed, threatened, attacked and killed in that country.

  8. Francis Boyle Silver badge

    Putin's Young Guard

    I don't have a good feeling about this.

    edit: i.e. what AC above said.

    1. graeme leggett Silver badge

      Re: Putin's Young Guard

      Obviously the complete opposite to Putin's Old Guard....now they would be reactionary...

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ban them

    Ban ALL the emojis!!!

    1. PleebSmash
      Trollface

      Re: ban them

      U+13000 to U+1342F is the only block I need to communicate with.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Strange

    How is it possible the Putin troll brigade has not discovered The Register?

    Or have the funds for the trolling run dry?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Strange

      They're just putin-up with it for the time being.

  11. Richard Bijster

    Please

    More anti-Russian propaganda. It's all so outright these days. The little 'registered' icon says so much .

  12. skeptical i
    FAIL

    The worst thing going on in your country right now is emojis?

    All the hungry fed, shoes on all the kids' feet, roofs over everyone's heads, no one cold in winter?

    Bless.

  13. Phuq Witt
    Thumb Down

    Bloody Redneck Russkies!

    Thank God nothing like this would ever happen here in the enlightened west!

    Lest we forget

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oooooh Vlad, you are naughty

    But I like you...

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