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A Russian business refuses to hire a gay man because of his ‘feminine mannerisms,’ saying it would violate a federal ban on ‘gay propaganda’ 🌈

Source: Omsk Inform

Omsk resident Eduard Zavyalov is suing a local nutrition store called “Hardcore” for refusing to hire him on the grounds that it would violate Russia’s ban on so-called “gay propaganda” in the presence of minors.

In a formal statement, the store’s human resources director, Natalia Chernorai, explained that Zavyalov’s “behavioral mannerisms (feminine speech inflections and gestures), as well as his outward appearance (excessive grooming and provocative clothing),” give the impression that he is gay and thus promotes unconventional sexual relations.

Chernorai also noted that Zavyalov did not dispute the fact that he is gay during his interview for a sales consultant position at Hardcore. As a result, the store concluded that it lacks the “moral and legal right” to hire Zavyalov, arguing that it would violate Russia’s ban on “gay propaganda” because the store’s products are available to minors.

After receiving Chernorai’s statement, Zavyalov filed a discrimination lawsuit against the business, arguing that Hardcore illegally refused to consider his work experience and qualifications. The hearing is scheduled to begin on July 24.

Meanwhile, Natalya Chistyakova, a trainer and dietitian at Hardcore whose husband owns the store, is currently running for the Omsk city council. In a July 18 post on the social network Vkontakte, Hardcore asked its 1,315 subscribers to share Chistyakova's campaign literature. She is running as a candidate from the liberal opposition party Yabloko.

Chistyakova told Meduza that she only works at Hardcore as an occasional freelance specialist, calling Chernorai’s statement to Zavyalov “shocking.” “It's wrong, illegal, and certainly discriminatory,” she said.

Calling her husband a “reasonable and loyal man with a legal education,” Chistyakova wrote on Facebook that she believes that Eduard Zavyalov was turned away simply because his physical fitness doesn't meet the “unofficial standards” of a nutrition store. She also claimed that the rejection was likely meant to protect Zavyalov from homophobic customers, arguing the store's clientele can be “rather idiosyncratic.” Chistyakova says she believes the problem lies with the wording of the rejection letter and blames the “incompetence and negligence” of the store's human resources department.

Russia’s Labor Code doesn’t explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but regulations do state that job seekers can only be turned away for professional reasons or because of legal restrictions.

Photo on front page: Pixabay

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