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LGBT Pride House Will Be Open At World Cup In Russia

Russians believe LGBT foreigners may be attacked during the FIFA tournament.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held this summer in Russia, a country with a history of anti-LGBT discrimination and oppression, but LGBT attendees will have at least one oasis of safety.

Despite the nation's anti-LGBT policies, prominent Russian LGBT leaders will set up a Pride House in host city St. Petersburg, USA Today reports. While seen as one of Russia's most cosmopolitan cities, St. Petersburg has been particularly inhospitable to LGBT rights.

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Netherlands' midfielder Wesley Sneijder (L) celebrates after scoring with Netherlands' midfielder Nigel de Jong during their Group E first round 2010 World Cup football match on June 19, 2010 at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE AFP PHOTO / LIU JIN (Photo credit should read LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images)

According to Russian news service Fontanka, LGBT visitors to the soccer championship will be able to "find shelter" at the St. Petersburg site, organized with international support but without official backing from Russia’s government.

The Pride House will stand in defiance of Russian president Vladimir Putin's controversial anti-gay legislation, including the so-called "gay propaganda" law banning the promotion of "nontraditional relationships" to minors. While same-sex relationships in Russia aren’t criminalized outright, homophobic violence is commonplace and often un-investigated.

A recent survey found that 39% of Russians believe it is "likely or highly likely" that LGBT foreigners will be targeted for attacks during the tournament, and about 13% of Russians are "irritated" by the presence of LGBT foreigners.

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Everton's Dutch defender John Heitinga wears rainbow-coloured laces as part of a campaign against homophobia in football during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Everton at the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park, in east London on September 21, 2013. The English Premier League said on September 18 that it is happy for players to wear the rainbow-coloured laces against homophobia in football. Gay rights charity Stonewall is behind the initiative and has sent the striped laces to all 134 professional clubs in England and Scotland. AFP PHOTO / OLLY GREENWOODRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / AFP PHOTO / OLLY GREENWOOD (Photo credit s...

FARE, Europe's leading anti-discrimination soccer network, is also preparing a guide that "will advise gay people to be cautious in any place which is not seen to be welcoming to the LGBT community."

LGBT fans attending the World Cup in Russia were warned last year that it is not safe for same-sex couples to hold hands there in public.

After athletes and activists criticized FIFA for choosing Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the international soccer world’s governing body has increased efforts to address discrimination. FIFA’s bidding guidelines now explicitly state host countries must guarantee “there is no discrimination of any nature.”

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Gothatamic 1 Oct 2011: in New York City. Photo by Zoran Milich for LIFE.com

FIFA, which has levied fines against several countries after fans chanted anti-gay slurs, also banned about 300 members of far-right extremist groups from attending the Russian championships.

Similar concerns about Russia's homophobia arose at the 2014 Olympic Summer Games in Sochi, even after Putin insisted LGBT attendees could feel “at ease” as long as they “leave the children in peace.” The Russian government rejected official applications to set up a Pride House in Sochi's Olympic Village.

The World Cup tournament begins June 14 with matches in 11 different cities. The finals take place July 15 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

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