Gold medal won't outshine the stain

I do most of my blog writing in the evening. So when I have a series of evenings out -- Tuesday was a church meeting, Wednesday was my volunteer time at Ruth Ellis Center, Thursday was at the Purple Rose Theatre (Miles & Ellie was amusing and had fun characters, but I'm not rushing to recommend it) -- things to write about accumulate.

The big one is the ongoing developments with the anti-gay law in Russia.

Belgians staged a gay kiss-in in front of the Russian Consulate in Antwerp. There were 400 people there and the event coincided with the World Out Games in Antwerp.


John Amaechi is a former professional football player and came out as gay after his playing days were over (appropriate for the time he was playing). He has written an open letter to the world's Olympic athletes. In it he accuses the IOC of being cowardly. Then he says you athletes, especially if you win a medal, will have a podium. Use it as a soapbox. The Fundamental Principles of the Olympic games, according to IOC documents, is to "place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity." He also said that, "no amount of gold hung around a neck can outshine the shame of such a stain" of being able to take a stand and choosing not to.

Russia will host the FIFA (soccer) World Cup in 2018. There is already discussion aimed at FIFA officials about treatment of gays at that event, similar to the discussion of gays at February's Olympics. The 2022 World Cup will be in Qatar, another country with anti-gay laws. I think the difference is that Qatar's laws were on the books before it was chosen as host.

The IOC is stressing that Olympic games are not a venue for political or religious demonstration. Good to know the IOC isn't exactly aligning itself with Russia on this policy. But some note the IOC bans on discrimination don't include sexual orientation.

Senator Chuck Schumer, an ally of ours, suggests athletes wave rainbow flags in the Opening Ceremony and calls Putin a "schoolyard bully." Putin is a former KGB agent so knew the glories of the Soviet Union and resents that Russia is no longer that major power.

The Russian Interior Ministry, which has control over the police force, affirms that the law that bans gay propaganda will indeed be enforced during the games. Though they say don't confuse a ban on gay propaganda with a ban on being gay. Stay closeted and there's no problem.

The IOC had asked that the law be suspended during the games. Actual gays in Russia (and gays forced to leave) say such a suspension is immoral -- it would protect visitors while leaving residents to suffer after the games.

Gay figure skater Johnny Weir will participate in the games even if they were in "Saudi Arabia, in Palestine, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Mars." And if he gets arrested, well if that's what it takes for people to pay attention, he's ready.

Nick Symmonds, an ally, had said that when he is in Russia for the Olympic Games he won't criticize his hosts. He's in Russia now for the World Track and Field Championships and took silver in the men's 800 meters. He used that opportunity to call for equal rights, declare his disagreement with the propaganda law, and dedicate his medal to his gay and lesbian friends back home. A pleasing change of opinion.

Corporate sponsors of the Olympics, including Coca Cola, McDonalds, Samsung, GE, P&G, and others, are being grilled about their support of Russian gays. Their responses tend towards non-committal. The text of their messages is similar enough to suggest coordination or wording supplied by the IOC.

Yelena Mizulina is the head of the Duma committee that created and pushed the anti-propaganda law. She is now using the full investigative power of the Russian gov't (the old KGB apparatus?) to target her opponents. That apparently includes celebrities who make jokes at Mizulina's expense.

I had mentioned the initiative of getting around the bans on flags, clothing, and pins by suggesting same-sex hand holding. Pride House is an international coalition of gay sports groups. They are promoting "Sochi sshhi" (which makes a cool logo), the same-sex hand holding initiative. It is "to hold hands with as many members of the same sex as possible as often as possible. That's it." Doing it this way has the approval of gay sportspeople in Russia. It is something everyone can do and is an iconic gesture. Some wonder though, if straights do it too (as suggested), will the impact be diluted?

Another form of protest: Rainbow colored fingernails.

The US Olympic Committee says the Russian law is inconsistent with principles of the Olympic movement. But it asks American athletes to abide by the law anyway.

Canada is offering asylum to any gay Russian who shows up to claim it. Alas, it costs money many don't have to pay for the transportation and exit visas.

I had written about why Russians are cracking down on gays. One of the reasons is Russia isn't sure who or what it is, only that it isn't Western. And homosexuality is seen as a Western import. Russian gay activists are countering that by showing the rich history of gays in their homeland. At the top of the list is Pyotr Tchaikovsky. They also have several more names, though I only recognized Sergei Diaghilev who was the head of the Ballet Russe in Paris and hired Igor Stravinsky to write three phenomenal ballet scores.

Stephen Colbert has gotten into the fray: "The IOC is just asking gay athletes to knock it off for a couple of weeks. Just like at the '36 Olympic games Hitler asked Jesse Owens to ease off on the black."