A former reality show celebrity has become the first person in Russia to go to court over claims that he is gay.
 Vasily Pechen has embarked on a test case for Russia |
Vasily Pechen, who appeared on Russian reality shows Big Brother and Dom 2, made Russian legal history by bringing the case to a Moscow court this week.
He says that publications in a tabloid newspaper and gay news website, which also claimed he regularly frequented gay clubs and even received money in return for sex, caused irreparable damage to his TV career.
Mr Pechen also said the publications, which were accompanied by revealing pictures of the Z-list celebrity, even contributed to his mother's death due to the stress caused by the claims.
In total, he is seeking up to four million roubles (£76,000) by way of compensation: the sum he claims his career would be worth if not for false claims about his sexual orientation.
Second attempt at fame?
However, legal expert and Moscow gay pride organiser Nikolai Alexeyev said that the case would be baseless if the claims only concerned Mr Pechen's orientation.
Perhaps he just wants to remind the world of his existence
Russian TV company TNT
"Being gay in Russia is no longer a criminal offence and no longer considered a mental illness," Mr Alexeyev told the BBC Russian Service.
"If he tries to take someone to court because they said he was gay, he probably will not get very far.
"The second part of the claim concerning the publication of indecent photos of the claimant and accusations that he worked as a prostitute have a better chance of success."
However, when approached for further information about the reality show participant, Russian TV company TNT said they could barely remember who he was.
"Perhaps he just wants to remind the world of his existence," said the company's press office.
Changing attitudes?
Attitudes towards gay people in Russia remain generally negative, which might explain Mr Pechen's desire to refute the claims over his sexuality so robustly and so publicly.
Nikolai Alexeyev
Mr Alexeyev said the lawsuit would fail if based on sexual orientation
However, human rights activist Edward Murzin - who tried to apply for a same-sex partnership in Russia in 2005, although not gay himself - says reality shows like Big Brother and Dom 2 have gone a long way to break down taboos in Russian society, especially among youngsters.
The website GayRussia.ru, which is also run by Mr Alexeyev, carried out a survey in 2005 with the Levada Center into public attitudes towards sexual minorities in Russia.
The poll showed that the majority of Russians still oppose gay marriage and the idea of a gay president, but support a ban on sexual orientation discrimination.
Although larger Russian cities do have active gay communities and gay scenes, and attitudes towards gay people are slowly changing, few people in Russia are openly gay and discrimination remains widespread and virtually unchallenged.
All applications for organising a gay pride march in Moscow have been blocked by the Russian authorities, and any attempts to hold the event without permission have ended in violence, with demonstrators being arrested and beaten by the security forces.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia in 1993 and was removed from the official list of mental illnesses in 1999.
However, there is equally no legislation protecting people from discrimination or harassment on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
There is also no formal recognition of same-sex relationships.source from:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8197735.stm