Credit: Disney+Sir Elton John has a long history with The Walt Disney Company. His work on The Lion King (1994) and his documentaries on Disney+ have made him a Disney Legend.
However, John is also known for his charity work. For decades, he has worked around the world to significantly improve the lives of millions of people.
The Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF) was established in 1992 to help stop the spread of the AIDS virus and end the stigma around the LGBTQ community. John has raised millions of dollars through his foundation to help heal the sick and end discrimination worldwide.
But now, John and his Foundation face a new barrier to their work. This week, the Russian Federation announced that it was banning John and the foundation from the country for its support of the LGBTQ community. If any foundation employee continues to work within Russia, providing life-saving medicine to thousands of people, they are subject to arrest and jail time.
Russia’s prosecutor general’s office wrote in a statement:
To a greater extent, they are focused on the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations, Western family models, and gender reassignment. They have negative attitudes towards the policies of countries that protect traditional spiritual and moral values, and it had been participating in the West’s information campaign to denigrate Russia.
For years, Russia has cracked down on the LGBTQ community in the country, even going so far as to ban any “symbols” of the LGBTQ community. Last year, Russian courts began sending people to prison for displaying pride flags.
In an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, John accused Putin of “hypocrisy” and “duplicity” in his stance against the gay community in Russia. In the past, Putin has argued that the country does not have a problem with its LGBTQ community as he continues to persecute them.
The Elton John Aids Foundation said in a statement:
For more than two decades, we have worked in collaboration with federal and non-governmental partners in Russia to provide hundreds of thousands of people with vital HIV services, including testing, treatment, and care. This work is urgent: in 2024, there were over 1.2 million people living with HIV in Russia, with over 430,000 not receiving treatment.
Today’s decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens. At a time when we have the tools and knowledge to defeat HIV, it is heartbreaking to be unable to support them.
For now, the EJAF has little recourse against Russia, while thousands in the country suffer without their life-saving medication.