Transpersons were prohibited from participating in the government poetry competition in the Tver region — this rule was prescribed in the requirements for prize applicants, they were published on the website of the Dementiev House of Poetry, the local publication TIA drew attention to.
Take part in “The All-Russian Poetry Prize of the Government of the Tver Region named after Andrei Dementiev” is open to everyone — “regardless of citizenship, nationality, profession and place of residence,” the requirements for participants say.
At the same time, the document emphasizes that “in order to preserve the traditional ideas for Russian society and shared by all traditional religious confessions about marriage, family, motherhood, paternity, and childhood, citizens who have changed their gender are not allowed to participate in the Competition” . In previous years, there was no such provision in the rules.
The award is held in two categories — “Young Poet” and “For Contribution to the Development and Popularization of Poetic Creativity.” The main requirements for works are “the undeniable artistic merits of the text and universal moral values.”
The competition organizers specify that they will not accept poems that “contain obscene language, violate ethical standards, and also demonstrate disrespect for Russian history.”
«Homophobia and transphobia become the ideology of war.» Brief chronology of the LGBTQ+ ban in modern Russia