For a lot of Elton John fans, his garish stage costumes are part of his charm -- but one Russian organization is hoping to pressure him into toning down his wardrobe during his upcoming visit to their country.

The group, who call themselves Communists of Russia, are accusing John of spreading "homosexual propaganda" with his clothes, and threatening to gather a crowd of 350 protestors when John plays the Russian city of Krasnodar on July 14.

A more acceptable alternative, in their opinion, would be if John garbed himself in the traditional Cossack uniform of "a knee-length caftan, a fur hat and leather boots" -- which actually sounds pretty flamboyant to us, and a lot like something he might wear under the right conditions; unfortunately for the COR, the concert's promoters have reportedly already rejected their request.

It all might sound pretty silly to North American readers, but promoting homosexuality is a punishable offense in Russia, and John's visit is just the latest in a recent series of music-related controversies. As ABC points out, Madonna faced a (frivolous) $10 million lawsuit after she told fans at a St. Petersburg concert to raise their hands in a show of support for gay equality.

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