For Russians who consider themselves part of the modern world, the debacle over Russia’s ‘gay propaganda’ laws is a source of tremendous humiliation. For Russia’s Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, columnist Anton Oryekh writes that Russia’s ham-handed lawmakers, thinking such laws were for domestic purposes only, never imagined that they would blow up in their faces in such spectacular fashion – and just in time for what Oryekh calls a de-facto boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
For the Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Anton Oryekh laments in part:
These idiotic host country lawmakers can pass whatever foolish laws they like. Even in the 21st century they can inject the country with hysteria and force citizens to live as if in some bygone era. For us, there is nothing strange in the discrimination and persecution of people simply because they aren’t like the majority. In polite society, such persecution is “somehow” regarded as abnormal. We tell fairy tales about how anti-gay laws are not anti-gay, that they are against some unintelligible propaganda and ultimately targeted at pedophiles. In decent countries, they know perfectly well who these laws target.
The funny thing is that during Sochi, of course no one would dare openly act homophobically toward foreign athletes (and no one would demonstrate against homosexuality – not in front of athletes at the Games). That’s because our ringleaders as well are well aware that such propaganda is only good for domestic use. They never expected, however, such an injurious global reaction. Therefore, before passing this law, the Kremlin must understand that if the law is adopted, they will automatically lead the country into isolation.
As far as the American delegation, its composition isn’t bad, in particular a certain Billie Jean King. She is one of history’s great tennis players – and one of the most famous, uncompromising, and unyielding fighters for the rights of sexual minorities. She alone would be enough to make a strong point!
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