Hunted: The War Against Gays in Russia (Trailer)

Governor Brewer's Plight

With both houses of Arizona’s legislature having passed SB1062 which would allow the state’s business owners to deny service to patron based on religious beliefs - which many believe would target the LGBT community - the question now becomes what will governor Jan Brewer do: sign or veto? There are of course people who are urging her to sign the bill in support of religious liberty. But there are many who are urging her to veto the bill.

Some of the people and groups in opposition to the bill, which has been dubbed the “Turn Away the Gays” bill, are not very surprising. Many LGBT groups have denounced the bill. George Takei specifically is suggesting a boycott of the entire state should the governor sign the bill. The mayor of the state’s largest city - Phoenix - is also against it. As happens with many state bills that support discrimination, many businesses and business groups have also come out against this measure. According to Outsports, with the 2015 Super Bowl located in Arizona, not to mention the state being home to a football team (the Cardinals), even the NFL has weighed in:

Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard. We are following the issue in Arizona and will continue to do so should the bill be signed into law, but will decline further comment at this time.

The idea has even been mentioned by the Governor Jack Markell (D-DE)  that should the bill become law, the Super Bowl should be moved. This is not without precedent, though such a decision would not be made until the end of March if at all. Other businesses have also cautioned the governor against signing the bill into law. These businesses include Apple Inc., which, according to Think Progress, is slated to start construction on a facility in the state that will provide approximately 700 permanent jobs plus hundreds of construction jobs. Studies have shown that discriminatory policies are bad for business, which explains why so many businesses and chambers of commerce either denounce such measures, have anti-discrimination policies of their own, or both.

Some of the calls for a veto are coming from some…less than expected sources. Both of Arizona’s U.S. senators - Jeff Flake and John McCain, both fellow Republicans, and neither of whom have been friends of the LGBT community - have made public statements against the bill.

Tuesday night, former GOP banner-bearer and presidential candidate Mitt Romney called for a veto. Hours later, former Republican Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives Newt Gingrich did said via Twitter that in Governor Brewer‘s position, he would veto the bill. Even three state legislators who voted for the bill have now reversed course, including one of the bill’s cosponsors, Bob Worsley. Two of Worsley’s fellow Senate Republicans - Steve Pierce and Majority Whip Adam Driggs - issued a statement made available to Huffington Post that asked Governor Brewer to veto the bill. 

After all of this backlash and bad press, legislators who voted for and still support the bill are avoiding the press like the plague. 

During the day on Tuesday, reports swirled that Brewer was likely to veto the bill. These claims were, hours later, denied by the governor’s office (Brewer was not even in the state at the time). Brewer has been a bit of a wild card, very unpredictable. She issued a statement saying she would do what is right for Arizona with this bill. What is right is very subjective, and even with so many forces arrayed against this bill - from both left and right - what she will do is anyone’s guess.

The Fight Against Virginia's Marriage Inequality

Marriage News Watch: August 26, 2013

Sen. Boxer Writes to Putin on Human Rights

Published in Buzzfeed: 

August 23, 2013

The Honorable Vladimir Putin

President

Russian Federation

Dear President Putin:

As the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee dedicated to the protection of human rights, I urge you to work to repeal recent laws and policies that severely infringe upon the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Russia. These efforts—including legislation you recently signed banning “homosexual propaganda”—are not only an affront to fundamental principles of equality, but also contradict the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Russia is a party.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

I support a strong United States-Russia bilateral relationship and believe we must work to strengthen this important relationship whenever possible. However, I cannot stay silent while your country works to put in place deeply discriminatory laws and policies undermining the rights of LGBT individuals, which have already had tangible and dangerous consequences. I have been shocked by images of Russian LGBT individuals—including young men and women—being harassed, threatened and severely beaten. If these laws and policies are not repealed, the consequences for human life and human dignity could get even worse.

Furthermore, I am deeply concerned about the significant detrimental impact of these laws on the Winter Olympic Games that Russia is scheduled to host next year. The United States—like many other countries—will be sending both LGBT athletes and spectators to the Games. I firmly expect Russia to support the Charter of the Olympic Games, which refers to sport as a human right that should be practiced without “discrimination of any kind.” Any attempt at discrimination will be met with significant protest and will leave a dark stain on Russia’s international image for decades to come.

I look forward to your favorable reply and action.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer

United States Senator"

Gay, Disabled Vet Booed By Homophobic Protesters

From Huffington Post:

Eric Alva, a gay Marine veteran who lost a leg during combat in the Iraq War, faced an unfriendly reception from anti-LGBT protesters in San Antonio, Texas, this week, while testifying in favor of an anti-discrimination ordinance.

In a Facebook post after addressing the city council on Wednesday, Alva described the response he received from a large group rallying against a measure that would expand anti-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status.

“Well I just left city council chambers and I feel like crying," he wrote. "I have never seen a city so divided and hateful towards each other. All of mankind should be ashamed. I already spoke and even some of the religious groups even booed me as I spoke. Such disrespect as they preach the word of God."

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the bigotry. Stay classy Lone Star state!

Canada to Favour Asylum For LGBT Russians

From the Globe & Mail: 

Canada’s refugee board is likely to look favourably on claims of persecution by gay asylum-seekers from Russia, the Immigration Minister says. 

Chris Alexander said Monday in Surrey, B.C., that Russia has taken the wrong path in restricting the fundamental rights of its gay community, and that any refugee claims “related to this particular issue will of course be looked at very seriously by our very generous system.” 

Russia has passed a new law banning gay “propaganda” – a catch-all that prohibits gay pride events and providing information to minors on “non-traditional” relationships, and exposes those who express pro-gay views to prosecution. Foreigners can be hit with fines of about $3,000, and 15 days in a Russian jail. 

Lawyer Rob Hughes, who is representing two gay Russian men claiming refugee status in Canada, says he expects more Russians to make claims based on sexual orientation.

~

Canada accepts gay asylum-seekers in the same way as it accepts members of any other persecuted group, like a religious or ethnic minority. Asylum-seekers can file a claim after they arrive in Canada because they face persecution by their government, or because they are persecuted by others and the government does not offer protection.

Why Bisexuals Stay in the Closet

From Edge New England: 

"The coming out process is very different for bisexuals," [Kyle Schickner, a filmmaker and outspoken bisexual activist of 20 years] said. "I probably have to come out every day of my life whether it’s to gays, lesbians or straight people." 

Constantly coming out and explaining one’s identity can get exhausting, and that exhaustion means some bisexuals would rather not even bother. Bisexual men and women not only have to worry about the judgments from their straight friends, but also what their gay and lesbians will think of them as well. They are often stereotyped as really being just gay, stuck in a phase, confused, promiscuous or unfaithful. 

"The people setting the agenda in the LGBT community are mostly gay or lesbian and so the bisexual thing becomes secondary," Schickner said. "There’s still sort of distrust or anger towards bisexuals because they have the ability to enjoy a lot of straight privileges that gay and lesbians don’t enjoy. I think there’s a resentment and sort of a fear. And there’s always an anecdote about getting screwed over by someone who was bisexual and scapegoating bisexuality as the reason the relationship failed." 

He wonders if another reason people aren’t coming out as bisexual is because they’re coming out as newer terms like fluid, polysexual or pansexual. 

"We haven’t defined what it means to be bisexual, really," he said. "And there’s been a lack of really strong leadership in the bi community since the late ’90s."

Racist Attack on Jackie Robinson Statue

Rainbow Flags Could Get Olympic Athletes Disqualified

From the New Civil Rights Movement: 

...That beautify fantasy, above, is the beginning of New York Times‘ opinion writer Frank Bruni‘s Monday column, “Striking Olympic Gold.” What Bruni leaves out is that that act of political defiance would disqualify each participating Olympic athlete from the Games. In short, they would each be sent home. 

And the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could very well be sending home a great many Olympic athletes from the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia six months from now, if any of them show support for LGBT civil rights. While they IOC has not made a public statement, their 103-page charter (published below) is very specific:

No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.

The bylaws clarify this rule:

No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise, may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or, more generally, on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by the athletes or other participants in the Olympic Games, except for the identification – as defined in paragraph 8 below – of the manufacturer of the article or equipment concerned, provided that such identification shall not be marked conspicuously for advertising purposes.

So, if any Olympic athlete pulls out a gay flag, as the Times’s Frank Bruni suggested, or of they wear the tiniest rainbow pin on their uniform, they could be disqualified from the Games and sent home.

Tweet of the Day: August 7, 2013

Canada, America, and everyone else that it takes for Russia to get the point.

THIS is How to Deal With Russia in 2014

From Outsports: 

Why debate the exclusion of American, Canadian, British and other athletes when it's the Russians that are in violation here? The new Russian law is in clear and direct conflict with the Olympic Charter, creating a system of discrimination that forces LGBT athletes into a life of fear and isolation. 

"The practice of sport is a human right," the charter reads. "Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." 

That's not just an isolated sentence in the midst of dozens of charter pages, it's right up front in the section called "Fundamental Principles of Olympism." That's "fundamental" as in "essential to the existence of the Olympics." And the law doesn't just violate one word of it or a clause, it violates the entire statement.

~

In 1964, the IOC banned South Africa from Olympic competition because of the nation's apartheid policies. Despite the South Africans claiming they would add black athletes to their Olympic team that year, the IOC demanded the South African government publicly renounce all racial discrimination in sport. The white majority government in South Africa refused, and they were banned from Olympic participation until 1992. 

Similarly, Rhodesia was banned from the Olympics just four days before the 1972 Munich Games began because of anti-black racist policies in the nation. That nation, which collapsed in 1979, never competed in an Olympic Games. 

Afghanistan was banned from the 2000 Summer Games because of human-rights violations against women under the Taliban; They were re-admitted four years later upon the inclusion of female Olympians. Germany was banned from several Games for their involvement in World War I and World War II.

In other words, instead of nations boycotting the games, the IOC should ban Russia. Given that this upcoming Olympics is in Russia, the point would be driven home even further.

Congressmembers Urge U.S. to Protect LGBT Olympians

From Outsports: 

The following is part of the text of a letter sent to the United States Secretary of State John Kerry by 83 members of the United States Congress:

...According to the Organizing Committee of XXII Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Sochi will be host to over 40,000 athletes, volunteers, and members of the press for the duration of the Games. An additional 75,000 spectators are expected to visit Sochi daily during that time. With the Olympics only seven months away, we are deeply concerned about the impact of the new anti-LGBT law on LGBT Russians, the Olympic community and supporters of LGBT equality.

We are particularly troubled because while the newly signed law is the most recent and most extreme codification of Russia’s maltreatment of its LGBT citizens, it is also part of larger trend of anti-LGBT actions in Russia. In the last month, the Russian government also enacted a law banning foreign same-sex couples and single people from nations that have marriage equality from adopting Russian children. Hate crimes and violent attacks against the LGBT community have been reported, including the murders of two gay men earlier this year. In 2012, Moscow instituted a hundred-year ban on LGBT pride parades, a ban that was deemed illegal by the European Court of Human Rights, but which nevertheless resulted in the arrest and detention of seventeen LGBT activists for displaying rainbow flags. Russia’s record of anti-LGBT legislation and persecution pose serious concerns for the safety of LGBT Sochi Olympic participants and spectators.

~

We applaud the State Department’s commitment to ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons abroad, and the actions your agency has already taken to communicate concerns about the overall direction on LGBT rights in Russia directly to the Russian government. In light of the importance of U.S. leadership on LGBT issues, and the quickly-approaching Sochi Games, we urge the State Department to determine the appropriate course of action to assure the safety and well being of LGBT and LGBT— supporting individuals involved in or attending the 2014 Sochi Olympics and Paralympics. We look forward to hearing from you regarding what efforts have been undertaken, especially efforts undertaken in coordination with other foreign governments, and are committed to working together with you on this issue.

Gay Couple Ordered to the Back of the Bus

From KRQE: 

McCoy said he and his partner sat in the front of a shuttle bus, holding hands when a driver discriminated against them. 

“I saw him look at us, look down at his hands and he looked so angry,” McCoy said. “He just blurted out at me, he goes, “’Okay, if you’re going to do that, you’re going to the back of the bus.’” 

Shocked and not wanting to cause problems, the couple obeyed. Once the shuttle stopped at its destination, however, the couple asked the driver why he forced them to move. 

“I said, ‘I think it was because you didn’t like the fact that I was holding my partner’s hand.’ He goes, ‘See, now you’re telling on yourself.’ My partner responds, ‘Well, that’s discrimination,’ and the driver responds, ‘You’re telling on yourself again,’” McCoy said. 

A woman, originally from Albuquerque, witnessed the confrontation and jumped in. “I told the bus driver that I was completely appalled that anybody would be treated this way,” said Bernadette Aguirre. 

“And the driver looks back at us and goes, ‘I’ll show you what’s appalling,’ and he points to us,” McCoy said.

Gay couple forced to back of bus

Fox's "Worst Interview Ever"

The Folly of the Stolichnaya Boycott

For more information about Stolichnaya, you can see their Wikipedia page HERE.

Russian Lawmaker Threatens Pro-Gay Athletes & Tourists

From Gay Star News: 

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. 

It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest. 

Speaking to Interfax and as translated by GSN, Milonov said: ‘I have not heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation but I know it is acting in accordance with Russian law. 

‘If a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.’

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.
It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest.
Speaking to Interfax and as translated by GSN, Milonov said: ‘I have not heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation but I know it is acting in accordance with Russian law.
‘If a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.’
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-lawmaker-we-will-arrest-gay-athletes-tourists-olympic-games300713#sthash.VrsYwMs8.d

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.
It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest.
Speaking to Interfax and as translated by GSN, Milonov said: ‘I have not heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation but I know it is acting in accordance with Russian law.
‘If a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.’
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-lawmaker-we-will-arrest-gay-athletes-tourists-olympic-games300713#sthash.VrsYwMs8.dpufA 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.
It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest.
Speaking to Interfax and as translated by GSN, Milonov said: ‘I have not heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation but I know it is acting in accordance with Russian law.
‘If a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.’
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-lawmaker-we-will-arrest-gay-athletes-tourists-olympic-games300713#sthash.VrsYwMs8.dpuf

To Boycott or Not to Boycott the Olympics: Part 2

I recently wrote a post about how some people are calling for a boycott of next year’s Olympics in Sochi, Russia given the country’s enactment of laws which we in the States - as well as others in the western world - would say violate the freedom of speech. While that post primarily addressed a formal boycott by the United States Olympic Committee - thus precluding participation by American athletes - it has since been brought to my attention that I did not mention a critical part of the discussion: the safety of sports fans in attendance of the Games.

While in the first post I mentioned that the USOC boycotting the Games or the United States government issuing a travel ban would be tragic for the athletes whose dreams would be crushed, fans not going to the Games is a completely different story. People deciding not to go of their own volition makes total sense, but this is something that goes beyond just next year’s Olympic Games. Just this week the first tourists were arrested under Russia’s draconian homophobic laws. According to the Huffington Post, four Dutch tourists were put in jail as they were suspected of “promoting homosexuality” to children. These laws are not just endangering gay people (which would be bad enough), but also allies and anyone else who believes in free speech.

With the radically anti-gay laws they have put in place, Russia has set itself amongst the ranks nations in the Middle East and Africa where most countries outlaw being supportive of homosexuality as well as homosexuality itself, even to the point where being gay will get you a state-sanctioned execution. As such, a concerted tourism boycott of Russia and a boycott of Russian products is something I can support. It should also be incumbent upon  the United States Department of State and its foreign counterparts to issue travel advisories. While we in the LGBT community are aware of what is happening given that we are the primary target of these laws, many people outside of the LGBT community are unaware and thus they risk being thrown behind bars for saying the wrong thing. They will not even know why they are being jailed. 

Whether or not even this will be enough to change Russia’s stance on LGBT equality and freedom of speech remains to be seen. However it is also incumbent upon the international community to make sure Russian officials how this makes Russia appear: as an archaic state that seeks to crush minority rights, trample free speech, and oppress its people. The fact of the matter is that instead of striding forward into the future where people‘s rights are concerned as it had been doing before, Russia is now pulling itself back into its own dark past where human rights mean nothing. It is high time Russia entered the 21st century with the rest of the world.

To Boycott or Not Boycott the Olympics?

Over the course of the last year, Russia has passed many draconian laws regarding the LGBT community. One such law makes it illegal to spread pro-gay "propaganda," except the law's definition of propaganda is extremely broad. The Pride Parades that go on in much of the world during the Summer months are for all intents and purposes outlawed throughout Russia. Anyone flying a rainbow flag, anyone who tells children that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, and same-sex couples holding hands risk being thrown behind bars. Such laws in the States would be a violation of the freedom of association and freedom of speech which are guaranteed by the first amendment of the United States Constitution. The punishments can run up to a 200,000 ruble fine (which is several thousand U.S. dollars) and jail time. Travelers from outside the country could be detained for 14 days before being deported In short, being "out and proud," or even supporting that notion, is against Russian law. Insulting religious feelings can result in a one year prison term.

With all of this and more (Russia will no longer allow same-sex couple and gay people in general to adopt children from out of the country) in mind, there are LGBT groups in the States calling for the United States Olympic Committee to boycott the 2014 Olympics which will be held in Sochi, Russia (a similar thing happened with human rights watch dog groups calling for a boycott of the Olympic Games held in Beijing, China because of that nation's human rights violations), while other groups are saying that a boycott is a bad idea.

I see both sides of this problem but I think I have come to my own personal conclusion. First and foremost, there are absolutely ZERO excuses for what Russia has done. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that these laws were passed in order to protect children from pedophilia, which shows how categorically ignorant he and members of Russia's government are when it comes to homosexuality. The mayor of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is cutting the city's ties with Russia given its homophobic actions. It is the duty of the international community to put pressure on Russia regarding its homophobic laws. I 100% support boycotting vacationing in Russia, purchasing Russian products, etc.

Having said that, I can not say that I support the United States Olympic Committee boycotting the Sochi Games as many are calling for them to do. We are talking about athletes who have spent day-after-day for several years training for the opportunity to represent their country in the Olympic games. These are people's dreams. For some, this will be their last/only chance at making it to the Olympics since they only come around once every four years. I would sincerely hate to see all of that work come to naught but might-have-beens in the end. On a slightly selfish note, Meryl Davis and Charlie White have a really good shot at winning the gold in Ice Dance and I would LOVE to see that happen.

American Figure Skater Johnny Weir

On a more practical point, I do not believe that America alone boycotting the Games would suffice to sway Russia beyond a symbolic gesture (not to belittle symbolic gestures). The only way to truly sway Russia by way of the Olympics would be to either move the Olympics out of Russia or to have several major nations boycott the Games in a concerted effort. The former is logistically impossible and the chances of the latter happening are infinitesimal.

Using the Olympics for political reasons, even benevolent political reasons, is always a dodgy prospect. The way to get Russia to change its course will not involve five rings. Possibly reaching the Sochi Games is openly gay American figure skater Johnny Weir, who has in the past expressed an affinity for any things Russian (he is married to a Russian man). New Zealand speed skater Blake Skjellerup, also openly gay, has said that should he make it to the Sochi Games, he will march in wearing a rainbow pin that he got from his visit to the London Games in 2012 which were far more gay friendly. These and other openly gay athletes have an opportunity to offer something to fly in the face of these Russian laws: defiance. At least hundreds of millions of people will be watching these games and if Russian authorities had the audacity to actually enforce these laws, it would be huge news that would shed an incredibly unflattering light on the discrimination happening there.

If I thought that America's absence from the Games would genuinely make a difference, then I would be humming a different tune. But as things are, I simply do not see that happening. It would be a shame to see the dreams and years-long hard work of so many athletes go up in smoke.

Addressing Leviticus (You Know Which Part)

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination." Leviticus 18:22

"If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death: their blood shall be upon them." -Leviticus 20:13

If you are gay, you have had these words thrown in your face more times than you can count by biblical literalists attempting to excuse homophobic discrimination. I would just like to point out a couple of things regarding these quotes that these folks have overlooked.

First, even if taken literally, these particular verses in no way address lesbians. It seems they are in the clear. Second, if you are a gay man, you would not lie with mankind as you would with womankind because you would not lie with womankind at all. So, I am not really seeing how these verses apply to gay men either. 

If you are bisexual, well, I don't know what to tell you.

And then of course there are the other bits of Leviticus which go completely ignored. The same people calling same-sex relationships abominations forget that they are supposed to kill their kids if they use curse words (20:9), they should be protesting the practices of Red Lobster and any other place that sells shellfish (11:9-12), they should be passing laws against having tattoos (19:28), and the list goes on and on (and that is just the Leviticus stuff, let alone the rest of the Bible).

While there are certainly other Bible verses that are used to denounce homosexuality, these particular Leviticus verses are flimsy at best and do not hold up to the slightest bit of scrutiny.

As I have said elsewhere, using the Bible to denounce homosexuality is a pretense. If this were really about the Bible, they would be publicly protesting a host of things they do not protest while supporting a host of things that they do not currently support. Their focus however is on using the Bible as a weapon against the gay community. As much as they say they are not against gay people and the are simply trying to adhere to the Bible, they have made it very clear that their idea of holiness is cherry-picking the parts of the Bible they like, which includes the parts they deem to be homophobic and not the parts about loving thy neighbour.