Why We Should Ditch the Sochi Olympics [View all]

[William769]

One athlete says boycotting the upcoming Winter Olympics is exactly what we should do to make a difference for human rights in Russia.

A few years ago red flags were raised when a Russian judge ruled that Pride House, a nonprofit organization supporting LGBT athletes, would be banned from the Sochi Olympics. It was the first time such an organization had been blocked by Russian officials. The judge went a step further and labeled Pride House, which was present at the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2012 London Games, an “extremist” association that could provoke “social-religious hatred.”

Since then Russia has slowly stripped gays and lesbians of their liberties and freedoms while allowing them to be the target of violence with little police protection.

The passage of the law banning “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” essentially became a state-sponsored green light for homophobes across the country to harass and in some cases murder LGBT Russians. The law imposes fines and prison sentences on individuals and media organizations that provide information about the LGBT matters to minors; it bans gay pride events and forbids anyone from speaking in defense of gay rights. Just stating that your lesbian sister deserves the same rights as heterosexuals like yourself could see you spending 15 days in a Russian prison.

The law basically paints LGBT people as sexual predators who are looking to brainwash Russian children into joining their “lifestyle.” Call this law ignorant, misguided, or just a fantastic way to create a fantasy enemy, but it passed without one vote of opposition.

Last year a commercial aired in Russia that showed a 61-year-old man luring “virgins” to the voting booths because he would offer a great “first time.” Sounds a little creepy? Bizarrely, Russian lawmakers didn’t feel Russian children needed to be protected from this clip.

http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2013/08/16/op-ed-why-we-should-ditch-sochi-olympics