Russian Lawmaker: We Will Arrest Gay Athletes/Tourists At Olympics

[Gahars]

Russia, the land of infinite vodka and infinite sadness, is hosting the next Olympic games in 2014. Russia also has a checkered past when it comes to gay rights, and recently enacted a law that... well, as Yakov Smirnoff might say:

"In America, you can talk about the gay people in public. In Post-Soviet Russia, such an action is considered to be "proliferating propaganda" and is punishable by arrest and imprisonment!"

...Man, did his material go downhill or what?

Anyway, with so many foreign athletes of various persuasions attending the event, this could be something of a problem. While some in Russia have tried to assure foreign athletes that the law will not be applied to them, others vocally disagree.

A Russian lawmaker has said the ‘gay propaganda’ law will remain enforced during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

Vitaly Milonov, co-sponsor of the ‘non-traditional relationships’ bill, said the government cannot decide when to selectively enforce the law.

...In the interview, the lawmaker claimed the law is ‘defending children from the propaganda of non-traditional values’ and nothing to do with ‘the ordinary life of adults’.

Milonov said while he personally did not know any LGBT people, he said: ‘I can say that the best figure-skating in the world is the Soviet school of figure skating.

GayStarNews

In the words of Pierce Hawthorne...

In this day and age, laws like this are a real shame; it's even worse because they're only hurting themselves. If Russia was more gay friendly, maybe someone could have told the Kremlin that iron is a terrible style of curtain.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Russian Winter Olympics are more Russian Winter than we may have hoped.

 

[DinohScene]

I suspect that Russia isn't going to keep their Winter Olympics for long.

 

[The Catboy]

I am pretty sure the other countries will be thrilled when their people start getting arrested in Russia over nothing.

 

[gokujr1000]

Why did anyone even think it'd be a good idea for Russia to be considered an Olympic Host in the first place?

 

[pyromaniac123]

Why did anyone even think it'd be a good idea for Russia to be considered an Olympic Host in the first place?

Because Russia has lots of snow.

 

[AlanJohn]

Oh I get it now. First russia arrests Micheal Phelps, then america kicks in wanting him back, and then WW3 happens.
Cool.

 

[FAST6191]

Though I like many things about Russia I guess it is going to be props to any country that boycotts this.

 

[xist]

Saw something similar being discussed elsewhere and the links are relevant....Russia sure hates the Rainbow.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/03/1...-and-5-think-gay-people-should-be-liquidated/
http://rbth.ru/news/2013/03/12/80_of_russians_oppose_same-sex_marriages_gay_pride_parades_-_poll_23756.html


Liquidated???

 

[Hop2089]

The US and other countries can just boycott the Olympics, it's been done before.

 

[Foxi4]

At the end of the day, this is a Russian law catering to the Russian society - 80%+ of the population opposes gay/lesbian relationships and the law reflects that, this is literally Democracy in action (the fact that using "Democracy" and "Russia" in one sentence is pretty debatable being besides the point).

Now, mind you, this is in no way against homosexual relationships themselves, it's against so-called "gay propaganda" aka "love parades" and so-on and so-forth which just aren't welcome in traditional, conservative societies.

Don't get me wrong, it's a super-outdated, backwards way of thinking but it's okay with Russians whom it concerns.

 

[Gahars]

Now, mind you, this is in no way against homosexual relationships themselves, it's against so-called "gay propaganda" aka "love parades" and so-on and so-forth which just aren't welcome in traditional, conservative societies..

Except it goes beyond that - as the article mentions, foreign tourists have been arrested for just talking about the subject of gay rights in public. The fact that mere conversations and discussions can be used as an excuse to imprison someone (in this case, foreign athletes for the Olympics) is the pressing issue.

 

[emigre]

And Russia will hold the World Cup in 2018 followed by Qater in 2022.

Not a great time to be gay sports fan.

 

[Lacius]

At the end of the day, this is a Russian law catering to the Russian society - 80%+ of the population opposes gay/lesbian relationships and the law reflects that, this is literally Democracy in action (the fact that using "Democracy" and "Russia" in one sentence is pretty debatable being besides the point).

Now, mind you, this is in no way against homosexual relationships themselves, it's against so-called "gay propaganda" aka "love parades" and so-on and so-forth which just aren't welcome in traditional, conservative societies.

Don't get me wrong, it's a super-outdated, backwards way of thinking but it's okay with Russians whom it concerns.

As Gahars mentioned, this extends to people just talking about gay rights, including foreign tourists. Russia also spent this year banning foreign gay couples from adopting Russian children, baiting and then subsequently beating and/or harassing gay teens, etc.

 

[Ericthegreat]

Good for them, the United States could learn a thing or two

 

[Sicklyboy]

Good for them, the United States could learn a thing or two

I think the US has some bigger things to worry about than trying to undo decades of liberal movements.

 

[RedCoreZero]

Lesson learned.

 

[Maxternal]

So the law is just against discussing gayness in public?

Sounds easy enough to me just to not talk about it. I mean, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

It doesn't seem likely that they can arrest you just because of your preferences, especially if you don't act upon them ... and then there's always plenty of time when you're NOT in "public".


Like if I were invited to participate in the Olympic games but the only catch is it's being held somewhere extrem(-ist)ely conservative like the old Afghanistan and they happen to have just passed this law that even mentioning sex or anything related in public is punishable by death. I think I could keep my mouth shut for the few hours each day that I was actually in public because ... well ... I'd be participating in the freaking Olympics!



... but I do know some people are unavoidably more vocal than I am.

 

[EzekielRage]

Bring the Olympics to Austria. We already had them in 76 in my hometown, we have a great landscape, great food and great people and best of all we dont arrest anyone for living his life. In fact we encourage people to live the way they want. Also we could really use the publicity

 

[BORTZ]

Well i mean Russia isnt really the most socially advanced place. And besides this is against people who "promote" homosexuality. Its not really a "gay witch hunt" or anything.

In the words of Pierce Hawthorne...

Also ive kinda just been waiting for a good Russian thread to use this.

Spoiler

 

[Foxi4]

Except it goes beyond that - as the article mentions, foreign tourists have been arrested for just talking about the subject of gay rights in public. The fact that mere conversations and discussions can be used as an excuse to imprison someone (in this case, foreign athletes for the Olympics) is the pressing issue.

Oh, I was not dismissing that, by no means! As I said, it is a backwards way of thinking, but it is the Russian way of thinking if I may have the liberty of putting it that way so it's hard to blame an anti-gay society for being, well, anti-gay.

It's a shame that it causes a very real danger of imprisonment to tourists and athletes alike and naturally it puts Russia in a very bad light, I was merely saying that it's a conservative society and such attitudes were to be expected. If there's anyone at fault then it's whatever jury has picked the country to host the Olympics without checking their law.