| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (27 min. 56 sec.) ; 169259616 bytes |
| Summary |
Around the world there's a loud, proud fight for equality. And in some places significant battles are being won. The right for same-sex partners to marry under law and recognition that gay couples should enjoy the same financial and social benefits as heterosexual couples. In many places there's good reason to celebrate advances but not in Russia. There the fight is to stay out of jail, or avoid stinging fines for openly identifying as gay. And draconian anti-gay laws are effectively licensing vigilantism as gangs target the LGBT community. Why the crackdown and will the billion-dollar Sochi Winter Olympics become a global protest point?Her glitzy, diva'ish concert performance wouldn't be out of place at that shrine of campy over-the-top-pop Eurovision. Songbird Valeriya Perfilova is one of Russia's favourite entertainers and with three children she's become a high profile symbol of motherhood and motherland. She's also one of the more visible supporters of a Russian law criminalising the so-called 'promotion of homosexuality'.'I think it's our duty to protect our children from any kind of sexual propaganda. A person's private life has to be behind their doors. Why should I know who, who does this or that. I think it's not decent to speak about it.' - Valeriya Perfilova, EntertainerMasha Gessen is also a mother of three but she she believes the open and vague wording of the homosexual propaganda law means she could be marched off the jail at any time. That's because she's a lesbian, raising her children with her partner and that could be interpreted as flouting that law.'Theoretically it's possible to start hauling us into the police station today, several times a day for instances of violation.' - Masha Gessen, WriterUnder Vladimir Putin's particular brand of muscular nationalism the law passed without a single dissenting voice and an overwhelming majority of Russians support it. It was inspired by a law drafted (and enacted) in St Petersburg by an outspoken cleric and politician named Vitaly Milonov. Milonov, like many, believes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community are agents of a foreign plot to emasculate and enfeeble Russia in order to undermine its place in the world.'We're trying to be strong. The poisoning of Russian society with new standards of a liberal homosexual revolution would of course make us weak.' - Vitaly MilonovOne of the more confronting features of Russia's anti-gay stance is the extent to which it enables and encourages vigilantism with groups like Occupy Pedofilyaj luring gays (who they uniformly view as paedophiles) into city parks to be bashed, humiliated and filmed for internet broadcasts.'The objective is to look for paedophile-minded residents, find them, reveal their intentions and film a video that will them leave them publicly disgraced.' - Yekaterina Zibunova, Occupy PedofilyajAs world focus soon shifts to Sochi, Russia for the Winter Olympics, many Russian activists are encouraging visitors to take a stand.'I would call on games participants to come here and to do visible things in support of LGBT people. Athletes, visitors, sponsors. Come here and do something!' - Polina, Convenor Vixhod |
| Event |
Broadcast 2013-10-29 at 20:00:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: NC |
| Subject |
Homophobia -- Psychological aspects.
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Homosexuality -- Law and legislation.
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Homosexuality -- Public opinion.
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Propaganda, Russian.
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Sexual minorities in advertising.
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Russia.
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Streaming video
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| Author |
Campbell, Eric, reporter
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Gessen, Masha, contributor
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Huisman, Klaas, contributor
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Milonov, Vitaly, contributor
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Perfilova, Valeriya, contributor
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Zigunova, Yekaterina, contributor
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