When the Russian Monument of Steve Jobs was taken down soon after the new CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, came out as gay, it was just another reminder of the hostile environment in Russia for homosexuals. Its progression is worrisome.

Russia is progressing backwards in its mentality toward homosexuals.

The anti-gay “propaganda” law was unanimously passed by Russians parliament in June 30, 2013. It specifically bans “propaganda” for nontraditional sexual relationships. This is broadly understood to reference gay, bisexual, and lesbian relationships. The law in itself denies the equal social and political standing of LGBT people by considering their sexuality unnatural and seriously harmful to society.

Surprisingly enough, these anti-gay laws are quite new and in fact, Russia has a history of having laws that protected and recognized the LGBT community.

In 1993 Homosexual relationships were decriminalized, and in 1997, parliament passed a law that made it legal for transgender people to change their legal gender on identity documents. This all occurred after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

However, since the turn of the century, instead of more acceptance of the LGBT community, there has been a growing hostility. Russian authorities have intimated and arrested LGBT activists and denied permits for pride parades in places like St. Petersburg, a more liberal progressive city. The European section of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and intersex Association rates Russia as the least protective country for LGBT out of 49 European countries. It also ranks Russia as one of the most dangerous for LGBT people.

Some studies indicate that this can partly be attributed to the rise of the orthodox church. The official Russian Orthodox church condemns homosexuality and has a growing influence in politics.

In the 2014 Winter Olympics, there was a growing fear for gay athletes competing in Russia, as any homosexual act in the country can lead to a possible fine or arrest.

A British documentary named “Hunted,” that was aired last February, accurately demonstrates the brutality that Russian gays face on a daily basis. The documentary points out that cruelty is considered “fun.” The title “Hunted” comes from the comments of a man who was beaten up and shot during an attack on a gay community center in St. Petersburg.

Many gays in Russia feel as if they are personally being sought out as targets.

The new law is often seen as a safe ground or even an encouragement to those who brutalize homosexuals in Russia. Gays in Russia have reported spending their lives simply trying to avoid being assaulted and humiliated.

Other than government’s antagonism to the gay community, gangs who enact violence to homosexuals justify their actions because the public links pedophilia to homosexuality.

For a country that was ahead of most others in the 90s, Russia is digressing at a fast rate.

But there is some hope for homosexuals in Russia. Canada has recently declared to give asylum to Russian gays escaping the growing hostilities.

Although, Russia is not the only country that fosters a dangerous environment for homosexuals, The United States is now in the movement to become more open, along with other western countries.

In the documentary the “Hunted”, Timor a citizen of Russia is a devoted father, jeweler and leader of a homophobic gang that targets homosexuals and organizes protests at gay communities and help centers, and holds events in the name of traditional family roles.

This further demonstrates the complexity of the human behavior. Some activists have pointed out that this antagonism is not an accident.

When the economy started to downturn in the early 2000s, anti-gay sentiment started to seep into the government and into the culture.

Nevertheless, this radical change in human behavior is significant and only demonstrates the complexity of our social behavior and our willingness to be violent.