Be Excellent To Each Other

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30735673

Russia are now saying people who are transsexual and transgender will no longer be allowed a driving license

Also Fetishism, exhibitionism and voyeurism, Pathological" gambling and compulsive stealing are also on the "List"

The government said "it is tightening medical controls for drivers because Russia has too many road accidents"

Had to double check that this article wasn't first published April 1st!

Surprised they don't mention endemic alcoholism or corruption.

Do they still have that scheme where you can pay a bribe a fee for a blue light allowing you to zoom around ignoring traffic regulations? Or was that an urban myth?

When I was in Russia (well, St Petersburg, Moscow, and some daytrips to places near those cities), the traffic was appalling and crossing the road was a pretty scary experience.

That would cut the number of drivers by 50%

How come it's just the trans community complaining? Why aren't the exhibitionists out there making a scene? Why aren't the voyeurs watching them?

Superb.

They're all tied up with the fetishists instead.

(on a more serious note: fucking hell, Russia. Seriously?)

This.

Russia's become a very nasty place to anyone who isn't a fan of Mr Putin or doesn't follow a conservative lifestyle. Seems he's aligned himself with the Orthodox Church to help maintain his grip on power.

I still haven't brought myself to watch the C4 documentary from last year about organised attacks on gay people: I just know I'll find it too distressing to watch.

I was in Russia last year. In Yekaterinburg a friend and I were lucky enough to be taken out by a group; dancing that evening, then given a tour of the city the next day. The girl who took us was doing a PhD in linguistics - her English was probably better than mine. Highly intelligent, she seemed lovely. And then friend asked her about homosexuality and her reply included 'something must be done because there are more and more of them now'. Which beggared belief; I had hoped the educated would be some bastion of sanity, but not in this case. I later heard the same sentiment from a Canadian who was working in Mongolia, for what it's worth. But the Russian certainly saw homosexuality as 'unnatural' and 'a problem', and I am happy to make the leap to thinking that comes from the regime, perhaps riffing on old cultural mores.

Why is Putin banning himself from driving?

Unless continually publishing pictures of yourself topless in homoerotic poses somehow stops qualifying as exhibitionism.

Heh

See what you mean!