Tag: Russia

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Dan Savage: Dump Russian Vodka over anti-gay

In his blog at The Stranger, Dan Savage urges gays and straight people to stop drinking Russian vodka as a form of boycott against the recent anti-gay laws and treatment of the LGBT community:

“If you drink a Russian Vodka like Stoli, Russian Standard, or any of the other brands listed above, switch to another brand from another country, or even a local brand from a local distillery. Stoli is the iconic Russian Vodka and it’s returning to Russian ownership in 2014. Other brands like Russian Standard should also be boycotted. Do not drink Russian vodka. Do not buy Russian vodka. Ask your bartender at your favorite bar—gay or otherwise—to DUMP STOLI and DUMP RUSSIAN VODKA.”

As to why Savage prefers supports boycotting vodka over the Winter Olympics, he points to an inspired quote from Patrick Burke, founder of the You Can Play project, on the subject:

“In 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to play in the Olympics as a protest against the treatment of blacks in America. The same year, Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on a medal stand, gloved fists in the air, as a protest against the treatment of blacks in America. History remembers the athletes who showed up…. To send the strongest possible message of support to the LGBT community, we must send our athletes—those who are LGBT, those who are LGBT-supportive, those with LGBT family members or friends. Let them show that champions stand strong with their teammates and training partners. Send our openly LGBT and “publicly pro-gay” athletes and let them compete. Let them win. Show the world that there are elite LGBT athletes who are not afraid to be themselves, on and off the playing field. That the majority of the world’s finest athletes support their LGBT teammates, coaches, and opponents by treating them as equals in competition.”

Chicago’s biggest gay bar announced tonight that they are no longer selling Stoli or any other Russian products. From the Windy City Times:

Sidetrack today said that it would be removing Stolichnaya Vodka and other Russian products from their shelves. The decision comes in the wake of Russia’s implementation of oppressive anti-gay laws last month.

“I had been following the various news reports about what was going on in Russia,” said co-owner Art Johnston. “It’s hard to believe that they could carry out and enforce that kind of a law, but they did.” He added that there was no way he could in good conscience continue to serve Stolichnaya or any other Russian products at the nightclub.

It is unsafe for gay people to travel in Russia: this week four gay Dutch tourists were arrested for spreading “gay propaganda” in Russia.

(via Instinct)

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Queer Nation urges boycott of Russian vodka

graphic by Gilbert Baker

Queer Nation is urging a boycott of Russian vodka (since we all know how much vodka the gay community consumes). Via email:

In light of the Putin regime’s attacks on the LGBT community, Queer Nation is calling for a worldwide boycott of Russian vodka.

Do not buy or drink Russian vodka: Brands include Russian Standard and Stolichnaya.

Demand that bar owners do not buy or serve Russian vodka.

Ask your favorite club promoters, DJs, and entertainers to insist that Russian brands are not served in the venues in which they perform.

It’s time to target Russia. Dump Russian vodka! Queer Nation is asking that consumers worldwide dump Russian vodka.

Queer Nation expects to have additional actions that the LGBT community can take to make one message clear — violence against the LGBT community anywhere will be met with swift and direct action.

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Harvey Fierstein: “Get loud against Putin and his anti-gay pogrom”

From Harvey Fierstein’s Facebook page –

It’s time to start paying attention to what’s going on in Russia in case you haven’t yet. Putin has declared war on the gay community.

He’s made it illegal to promote homosexuality in theater, film, tv, print that in any way could be seen by youth. In other words anything gay is now pornography.

He’s outlawed the adopting of Russian children to any country that has legalized marriage equality.

And now it is reported that his next law will remove the children of GLBT families from their homes. This will apply to biological children as well as formerly adopted ones.

This is a horror. Not only for our community but even for straight families. Already divorced parents are threatening one another with blackmail to tell authorities that their ex is now gay just to control parental rights.

Putin wants this attack against human rights to be his legacy. He believes he can get the backing of the Vatican as well as all other conservative religious leaders to join his cause.

What can we do? Make his actions and his plans public. Shine the light of public opinion on this evil doer.
Boycott the Winter Olympics in Russia. Believe me, Putin will use the Olympics as proof that the world backs up his action. There are only two ways to deal with a tyrant: Starve out the rat, or destroy him.

So, my friends, do your research and then GET LOUD AGAINST PUTIN AND HIS ANTI-GAY POGROM. This is a very small world. Our brothers and sisters in Russia need us NOW!

(via Harvey Fierstein’s Facebook page)

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Russia: Putin signs adoption ban for foreign gay couples

This is very sad for so many children without parents.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill barring same-sex couples from foreign countries from adopting Russian children.

The legislature passed the law after France established legal marriage equality rights for gay and lesbian couples in May. The Russian measure is “aimed at guaranteeing a harmonious and full upbringing for children in adoptive families,” according to the Huffington Post.

According to the Associated Press, this law limits adoption possibilities for 600,000 Russian children who do not have parental custody.

(source)

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Eric Snowden asks Russia for asylum

Eric Snowden

The Interfax news agency says a Russian consular official has confirmed that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden asked for political asylum in Russia.

The duty officer at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s consular office in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport says that Snowden’s representative, Sarah Harrison, handed over his request Sunday.

Snowden has been stuck in limbo for a week as his passport was cancelled by the US and Ecuador, where he was thought to be heading, apparently has not offered the shelter he’s seeking.

(via Yahoo News)

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Russia: State Duma passes ban on “gay propaganda” on vote of 434-0

Youths kick a gay rights activist during a protest against a proposed new law
termed by the State Duma (Reuters)

The lower house of Russia’s parliament passed a bill that stigmatises the gay community and bans the distribution of information about homosexuality to children.

The State Duma voted 434-0 with one abstention to approve the Kremlin-backed legislation, which imposes hefty fines for holding gay pride rallies or providing information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to minors.

Before the vote, gay activists were arrested and attacked in Moscow on Tuesday outside the Russian State Duma as it prepared to take a final vote on a federal bill banning “gay propaganda”, the AP reports:

Police moved in after supporters of the bill started showering the protesters with eggs and water. Some of the protesters who were not detained were viciously attacked by masked men on a central street a mile away.

Reuters adds:

The gay protesters were far outnumbered by around 200 anti-gay activists who surrounded them, chanting “Russia is not Sodom”, singing Orthodox Christian prayers and crossing themselves. They threw rotten eggs at the gay protesters.

After scuffles in which one man was knocked to the ground and kicked by the anti-gay activists, police began detaining the gay protesters and bundling them into waiting buses.

Journalist and Putin critic Masha Gessen said she was among 24 people being taken to police stations. Moscow police said about 20 people were detained…

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No Pride House at the 2014 Olympic Games in Russia

A Russian judge has ruled that the modern tradition of a Pride House in Olympic cities will not find a home at the 2014 games in Sochi. The judge determined that an inclusive spot welcoming international athletes would harm children and end Russia as we know it.

According to Gay Star News:

Plans for the Pride House were formulated by Russian gay activists following the 2010 Games in Vancouver, which featured a very successful Pride House.

But the dreams of repeating the success of Vancouver were scuppered last year when the Russian Ministry of Justice refused the registration of the NGO set-up to organize Pride House.

Pride House was first featured during the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. And the Summer Olympics in London later this year is to have a Pride House too.