Brazillian-born medical student Pedro Paz Montiero Jr performed Hozier’s Take Me To Church in defiance of Putin’s anti-gay laws in Russia.

Montiero performed the pro-equality anthem at a talent contest in a small town in Russia, defying the anti-gay propaganda laws as he sang passionately to his boyfriend who was sitting in the audience. The original video for Hozier’s breakout song was based on the plight of Russian LGBT’s.

The video was posted to Reddit by a friend of Montiero, a user called Boxersaurus, aka Aisyah.

“My dear friend, a Brazilian medical student here in Russia was born in an extremely Catholic family, his father is a Pastor, born into a church family, this song really speaks to him. He came out when he was 12 years old, and until now, his family never truly accepted him,” Aisyah wrote.

During the line “I was born sick, but I love it,” Montiero points to his boyfriend in the crowd, a Malaysian-born man, who has also not been accepted by his own family.

“And, that he finally found someone he can sing his song of life to, my best friend who ended up dating him, who is Malaysian and was brought up in an extremely Buddhist family.”

This act of defiance – of singing an anti-gay song to his partner – is as dangerous as one might expect, with the treatment of LGBT people in Russia over the last few years.

Just last week, Russia attempted to block the UN from allowing benefits for same-sex partners.

The song, Hozier says, is about reclaiming your humanity, regardless of sexual orientation.

“An act of sex is one of the most human things. But an organization like the church, say, through its doctrine, would undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation – that it is sinful, or that it offends God. The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love.”

Watch the video below: