Madonna to address gay rights in St. Petersburg

Madonna vows to tackle St. Petersburg’s much-criticized law banning “gay propaganda” when she plays a concert there in August, Bloomberg News reported.

The Material Girl called the law a “ridiculous atrocity.”

“I will come to St. Petersburg to speak up for the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed,” she wrote in an email to Bloomberg. “I’m a freedom fighter.”

Earlier this month, St. Petersburg became the fourth Russian city to adopt such legislation.

Those who violate the law – which prohibits “the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors” – face fines as high as $16,000, Ria Novosi reported.

More from GlobalPost: St. Petersburg bans ‘gay propaganda’

Critics say the law’s inner workings are so vague it could create greater hardship for Russia’s much-maligned homosexual community.

Madonna plans to perform in Moscow on Aug. 7 and St. Petersburg on Aug. 9 – her only 2 Russian dates so far in her worldwide tour.

“I don’t run away from adversity,” the pop star told Bloomberg. “I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity.”

Madonna is, of course, no stranger to controversy.

During a 2009 concert in Romania, she chastised those who attack the Roma (gypsy) minority, MTV News reported.

“It has been brought to my attention that there is a lot of discrimination against Romanies and Gypsies in general in Eastern Europe. It made me feel very sad,” Madonna said then, according to MTV. “We don’t believe in discrimination … we believe in freedom and equal rights for everyone.”

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