Pavel Petel was once an open , flamboyant bisexual man from Ukraine who built up a career as a model , performance artist and DJ in Russia . Photographs of him semi-naked while riding a horse and brandishing a gun are a feast for web surfers . But after he and his partner Sergey Ostrikov were attacked outside Moscow , and especially since a bill banning gay `` propaganda '' was passed in June , Petel has feared for his safety . He is losing business -- and blames that on the law and an increasingly less tolerant climate towards homosexuality . `` People in the regions are very aggressive towards gays . Sergey and I were lucky to be alive last year because some people wanted to kill us . My fear has been growing since then . '' And recently , `` I was working on my video when I turned on the TV and saw video of one anchor of a Russian channel who said that you need to burn the gays ' hearts , '' he told CNN . `` I had to continue to smile , perform , say 'hello sexy ' but it was difficult . I started to be afraid . `` I 'm dressed down now when I go on to the street and I 'm afraid police could arrest me . They can implement the law against me . I know that I 'm not safe . `` I 'm afraid to do what I used to . I 'll probably change . I 'm scared to come to the streets now wearing wigs or heels . I 've started to wear them much more rarely . '' When he was growing up in the Soviet era , `` life was easier , '' he recalled . `` There was no pressure to make you chose who you are . '' Indeed he does n't even define himself as a gay man at all . `` I 've never actually thought about myself being a gay or a straight or anything else . I still do n't think about it and I did n't think about it in my childhood . '' Russia insists the new law , which bans `` propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations around minors , '' is intended to protect children . It bars discussion of gay rights and relationships within earshot of children . International rights groups have called the legislation highly discriminatory , as anti-gay attacks are on the rise in Russia and are sometimes perpetrated by the police themselves . There have been widespread calls for boycotts and protests -- including a vodka-dumping demonstration in Los Angeles -- casting a pall over the 2014 Sochi Olympics . The gay rights group , All Out , has delivered a petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures denouncing Russia 's stance on gay rights . Petel , who lives in Moscow , said that although he believes the law is `` designed against people with non-traditional sexuality '' he does not support a boycott . `` I hear a lot now about boycotting the Olympics or vodka . It makes me laugh . Why ? First of all , because we all know that no one will ever boycott Olympics for the sake of this because financial interests of the countries are more important than the freedom . '' Such a move could cause a backlash against homosexuals , he fears . `` It may even be designed against the gay community of Russia to turn everyone against them . Because people will say that it 's gays who sabotaged and boycotted the Olympics and people will just burn us with our hearts . '' OPINION : Make Olympics in Russia `` the gayest ever '' Moscow , a city of more than 11 million people , has only a handful of gay night clubs , none of which would allow CNN 's cameras inside . And on the street , few people are willing to be identified . Viktor Michaelson says most of Moscow 's gay population has always lived in secret -- and that they now have even greater reason to embrace anonymity . The gay scene here is often referred to as a ghetto . Michaelson says : `` [ Gay people ] are n't imposed to stay in the ghetto but they feel more comfortable because they can be themselves . '' Alexander Gudkov says outside the ghetto there 's a clear rule -- do n't ask , do n't tell -- but that he wants more from life . `` It 's very bad . I want to live in open life . And I want to live my life . It 's not my choice , it 's my life , '' Gudkov says . What does the future hold then for gays in Russia ? Petel understands why acceptance in the country has come slowly , but says : `` Russia would benefit from appreciating gays the same way that Indians appreciate their cows . To me , gays are usually kind , talented , genial , creative and I feel sorry that they 're leaving . It 's not civilized . `` I think it will be back to normal again in 10 years but the new young generation should come to power and change the laws . Maybe we 'll see the first Russian gay president in 10 years . Or maybe it will be a woman . ''
Pavel Petel had built up a career as a model , performance artist and DJ in Russia . He is now losing business and blames it on a Russian law banning gay `` propaganda '' Most of Moscow 's gay population lives in secret and city has few gay clubs . `` Do n't ask , do n't tell '' is the unspoken rule outside Moscow 's gay `` ghetto , '' says one man .