Culture Ministry finds no “gay propaganda” in live-action Beauty and the Beast

Russia’s Ministry of Culture has not find any signs of “homosexual propaganda” in Disney’s new live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, stated Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky.

“We checked [and] did not find anything. We have an assessment from Likhachev’s Cultural Heritage Institute, whose entire commission watched the film scrupulously. The Institute is famous for its ultra-conservative approach to culture. They recommended raising the age limit [to aged 16 +], which was done,” said Medinsky.

State Duma deputy Vitaly Milonov requested that the Ministry of Culture check the film for the presence of “gay propaganda”. Milonov claimed that he had received calls from many concerned parents. The deputy asked the Ministry of Culture to prohibit the release of Beauty and the Beast in Russia in the event that the film contained any trace of “homosexual propaganda.”

Film director Bill Condon has previously spoken of an “exclusively gay moment” in the film, referring to a subplot in which the secondary character LeFou, played by actor Josh Gad, explores his feelings for the film’s antagonist Gaston.

In Russia, Beauty and the Beast is set to be released on March 16.