Heartwarming kids’ book about LGBT+ families published with 18+ label in Russia

A children’s book about children with same-sex parents has been published in Russia with an “18+” label due to the country’s reviled anti-LGBT+ legislation.

Charitable foundation Sphere told the Guardian that it published the book with the Russian LGBT Network as none of country’s publishers would touch it because of Russia’s “gay propaganda” law.

The hateful legislation was signed by Vladimir Putin in 2013 and banned any “promotion” of “non-traditional sexual relationships”. Anyone found guilty under the law can be sentenced to heavy fines or up to 15 years in prison.

Sphere explained the book is “not only about LGBTQ+ families'', but is also for them – making it the “very first of its kind in Russia''. However, it added, Russian law required it to be printed with an 18+ label.

Sphere told the Guardian: “In other words, because of the existing legislature there was no other choice but to publish a children’s book for adults only … This is the ridiculousness of the propaganda law, which only raises discrimination against LGBT+ and limits access to information.”

The Russian translation by Dmitriy Kuzmin combined the two stories under the singular title: Mothers, Fathers and Kids from Dusk till Dawn. It is not being made available for commercial release, Sphere said, with the 500 copies printed being distributed between LGBT+ groups and influencers.

The charity hopes the book will raise awareness and bring “a whole new dimension and momentum in fighting the discriminatory legislature”, it told the Guardian.