Russia - Bill Would Allow Children to Be Taken Away From Gay Parents - NYTimes.com In the latest sign of government pressure on gay men and lesbians in Russia, a member of the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament, has proposed a bill that would allow the authorities to take custody of children if one or both of their parents are gay. Russia is already facing a barrage of international criticism, including some calls for a boycott of the coming Winter Olympics in Sochi, over a new law that bars "propaganda on nontraditional sexual relationships." Supporters of the law say it is intended to protect children, while critics argue that it is a transparent effort by officials to suppress homosexuality. In an interview with The Associated Press and the state-controlled Channel 1 television station that was made public on Wednesday, President Vladimir V. Putin insisted that gay men and lesbians do not face government-sanctioned discrimination. The legislation was introduced this week by Aleksei Zhuravlyov, a member of United Russia, the party that nominated Mr. Putin for president and controls a majority in the Duma.