The campaign was initiated by Brazilian activist group SSEX BBOX, a group seeking to highlight LGBTIQ issues around the globe.
With self-defined ideals including “expanding awareness, dismantling shame, reducing isolation and ignorance, facilitating education and awareness and encouraging community-building”, the advocacy group encouraged Instagram users to post images of themselves kissing, using the hashtag #Kiss4LGBTQRights and tag themselves at Russia’s political capital, the Moscow Kremlin.
There have been numerous reports of violence against gay men in the republic of Chechnya with Russia playing down the claims as "phantom complaints" by the media while early last week several gay rights activists in St. Petersburg were detained during a protest against the reported abuse.
There have been upwards of 4,400 posts featuring users from around the globe, from LGBTIQ and straight couples to creative individuals without a partner.
