Posted on 08/19/2013 12:13:55 PM PDT by Starman417
Earlier this month, there has been some international indignation and furor over Russia's recent "anti-gay law":
The law, which parliament passed in June, bans "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. It has attracted international condemnation and cast a shadow over the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, with questions raised over whether it will apply to athletes and spectators at next year's Winter Olympics in the Russian resort of Sochi.The International Olympic Committee is seeking clarification from Russia and there have already been some calls for a boycott of the Games.
Mutko said before the start of the track and field championships that critics should "calm down", saying the rights of all athletes competing in Sochi will be respected. On Sunday he blamed continuing debate on "an invented problem" in Western media. "We don't have a law to ban non-traditional sexual relations," he said. "The mass media in the West have focused much more on this law more than they do in Russia."
More recently, Sky News (mis)characterized a congratulatory kiss between Russian athletes Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova as a "protest kiss". The claim was made without any evidence of the athletes making a political statement. It is quite common to see Russian athletes give each other a customary kiss as a form of greeting/congratulations/celebration; and it is quite common to see between two athletes of the same gender.
Meanwhile, there have been athletes who have made public their political feelings.
In Moscow last week, Swedish high-jumper Emma Green-Tregaro painted her fingernails in rainbow colors. She, a non-Russian, achieves praise. When Russian pole-vaulting hero Yelena Isibayeva reacts and criticizes an outsider for "disrespecting" the laws of her country, Isibayeva earns ire and condemnation for expressing her opinion. Some now are calling for her to be stripped of her Olympic ambassadorial role. The backlash caused her to try and clarify (or backtrack) her opinion and position.
Another non-Russian athlete criticized the Russian legislation as well, last Friday:
(CNN) -- U.S. runner Nick Symmonds took a swipe at Russia's anti-gay propaganda law after winning a silver medal in the 800-meter competition at the World Track & Field Championships in Moscow, according to state-run media.It sounds like the exact sentiment Isibayeva was expressing. Yet Symmonds appears to have reneged. Any public outcry against him (aside from my tepid response)?Symmonds became the first athlete to openly criticize the law on Russian soil Tuesday when, after registering a time of one minute, 43.55 seconds, he dedicated his second-place finish to all his gay friends back home, RIA Novosti reported.
"As much as I can speak out about it, I believe that all humans deserve equality as however God made them," he told the news outlet at Luzhniki Stadium. "Whether you're gay, straight, black, white, we all deserve the same rights. If there's anything I can do to champion the cause and further it, I will, shy of getting arrested."
Symmonds, 29, who appeared in a February ad for the gender-equality group, NOH8, went on record with his sentiments earlier this month in a blog post for Runner's World magazine.
In it, he flatly stated his support for LGBT rights -- and his disagreement with the Russian law -- but promised not to raise the subject in Russia because "the playing field is not a place for politics."
"I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government, but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation. Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend's house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids, neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people," he wrote.
2 years ago, a man of good character, '1984 Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Peter Vidmar resigned as USOC's chief of mission for the U.S. Olympic team amidst pressure and protest by those who could not tolerate his personal belief against same-sex marriage, and his support of California's Prop 8:
I've been to USOC events where Vidmar was the guest speaker. He was an immediate role model and an incredibly inspirational speaker. When I heard he had been chosen by the USOC, along with past Women's Sports Foundation president and Paralympian Aimee Mullins, it seemed like a natural fit. But then I too read about his active support (including a $2,000 personal donation) of California's Proposition 8, the ballot initiative to ban gay marriage. Immediately, I thought of all the gay Olympic athletes he would be representing next summer.
~~~ If I were competing in next year's Olympics, I would want the appointments made by the USOC to represent all of the USA. The Olympic Games are known for setting the standard on inclusiveness in sport. Once Vidmar went public with his stance against gay marriage, he excluded specific Olympic athletes from feeling that they belonged. This may not have been his intention. But would it have been OK for him to speak out against rights for those of a different race, gender or religion? Discrimination based on sexuality should be seen as just as detrimental. With Vidmar's resignation, I know we are finally moving in the right direction.
Whatever Vidmar's personal beliefs, I strongly feel he would have represented all athletes fairly and equally, as it related to his role as a USOC official and its purpose- which had nothing to do with the issue of traditional vs. same-sex marriage.
Last week, WWE pro-wrestling superstar Darren Young came out of the closet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rPUfetsjVQ
Was it an "act of courage"? To some degree, sure. But just look at the reaction he's received (which in my opinion, is not shocking at the least): Overwhelming support.
You know what would take a set of raisins the size of grapefruits? For any of those WWE wrestling superstars to say anything at all that even remotely hints at an "anti-gay" sentiment or a non-support of same-sex marriage.
In the world we live in today, I think it takes just as much courage for those who are against gay marriage to express their opinions without the fear of being labeled "homophobe", "hateful", "bigoted" as it does for "coming out" as gay.
(Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net...
There have never been any rights available to heterosexual Americans that have been denied to homosexual Americans. For example, no homosexual has ever been denied the right to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. No homosexual has ever been denied the right to marry. Only when they have tried to bring their sexual identity into play have homosexuals had problems. And that is the core of the problem. In this instance, no homosexual would be barred from Russian Olympic activities. Only if they tried to bring their sexual identity into the discussion would they have problems.
Why that picture?
A woman kissing another on the check is not a ‘homosexual’ kiss, good grief. Women greet each other that way frequently.
Aren’t those the women from the volleyball team? Not homosexuals.
Flappy Ass blogpimps, that's who.
They had worked on some project together and had become great friends. Backus was eating at some restaurant when Burton entered. They greeted each other and Backus remarked to Burton, "Not on the lips old boy, this is Boston."
People in Europe (and Russia, I guess) tend to kiss each other in greeting. We shake hands, they kiss each other on the cheek. Trying to make a "gay rights" case out of something that has been happening forever is a real stretch.
Guess that rules out the naked crisco queer parties at the Olympics in Russia.
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