Madonna challenges Russian Orthodox Church over anti gay law

London: Madonna has spoken out against a new law in Russia, which likens homosexuality with paedophilia. The pop queen took to her Facebook page and, calling herself a “freedom fighter”, said that she would come to the country to “speak up for the gay community”.

“I will come to St Petersburg to speak up for the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed,” a leading daily has quoted her as saying. According to the bill, gay rights “propaganda” threatens to “damage the health, moral and spiritual development of the under aged”. Anyone found to be promoting the “false perception that traditional and non-traditional relationships are socially equal may be fined up to 10,000 pounds. Organisations can be penalised by as much as 100,000 pounds. The Russian Orthodox Church, which believes that homosexuality is a sin, has called for the law to be nationalised. Madonna, who is due to tour Russia this summer, has called the new bill, signed in to law by Mayor of St Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko, a “ridiculous atrocity”. City assemblyman Vitaly Milanov, who wrote the bill, says he wants her charged under the new law if she makes any negative reference to it during her show. Milanov asserted that he was prepared to attend the concert ‘to control its moral content.’ The Material Girl had come to blows with the Russian Church in 2006, when church activists protested against her singing ‘Live to Tell’ on a crucifix while wearing a crown of thorns during a Moscow concert. ANI