Russia places “Tom of Finland XXL” on banned book list

Authorities in Russia say the list is just a draft, even though the books listed are no longer available in the country’s online stores.

TOM OF FINLAND Untitled, 1980 © Tom of Finland Foundation

A list of books allegedly banned by Russian authorities under a so-called “LGBT propaganda” law has appeared on the instant messaging platform Telegram.

The list includes a book called Tom of Finland XXL, a collector’s edition featuring the work of the artist Tom of Finland, who created iconic homoerotic art.

Tom of Finalnd was born in Kaarina, near Turku, in 1920, and during his artistic career spanning almost four decades up to his death in 1991, he produced over 3,500 works, mostly featuring his trademark stylised, erotic depictions of men, usually clad in leather or in uniform.

Other titles to appear on the list include Netochka Nezvanova by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Making History by Stephen Fry and several books by American horror and science-fiction writer Stephen King.

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Published: 22nd February 2024

Categorised in: For the Record, History, News