BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Putin's anti-gay purge

**Posted by Be** August 21, 2013 7:42 am

I personally don't think that mixing sports and politics is a good idea. The olympic spirit should be respected and a call for boycott doesn't help the people affected by unjust laws.
Only the athletes will actually be punished and they will suffer because all their training and preparation would be in vane.
Our politicians should speak about human rights and try to make a change and get the media attention in Russia. The problem is that the media is apparently controled by the government. The German foreign minister is the perfect person to act when he visits the Olympics.
The Olympics can be a platform to enhence wider awareness of the human rights issue.

**Posted by Be** December 12, 2013 11:51 am

Mattlocked wrote:
Yesterday I saw on tv that in Russia it's forbidden to talk positively over homosexuality.
And some extremists allured homosexual teenagers by faked advertisments and punished them. The reporter said this way they drive them to suicide.

Strange: Our foreign minister doesn't want anything to be done against the Olympics.
He's gay.

And he will not be the foreign minister when it's time for the Olympics.
Our President decided not to go (without clearly saying why). I hope that somebody who represents Germany (the next foreign minister?) who visits the games will talk about human rights issues. But it seems that everybody prefers to bury one's head in the sand.

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 12, 2013 12:22 pm

I just don't believe that Olympic Games have the power to change anything - as we have seen in 2008 in Peking. I still remember how enthusiastic everyone was and how optimistic that things in China would change afterwards, that the country would open up to the world and more stuff like that. So, have things changed in China since then? Not that I know of.
And it will be the same in Russia. Politicians can go there to represent their countries and talk about human rights issues, but I don't have any hope that this will change anything.

**Posted by Be** December 12, 2013 12:41 pm

I don't harbour illusions either, but the fatalistic point of view makes me sad. Why would I allow Mr Putin to do that to me? So I rather hope that everybody recognises his power to change something (a bit).

**Posted by Marva** December 12, 2013 12:59 pm

In the context of Putin's anti-gay agenda the German GQ magazine recently made a photo-shooting where they invited various heterosexual famous guys (actors, singers, sportsmen) and made them kiss each other. This is such a great idea!
Here is the making-of vid (German with English subs): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkhvYintpJ0

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 12, 2013 4:09 pm

Oh yes, I saw something about this on TV yesterday, what a great idea! And the boys apparently had lots of fun.

**Posted by Be** December 14, 2013 5:31 pm

Moftiss should sell Sherlock to Russian television to secretly undermine homophobia and infect the lovely Russians with Johnlock.

**Posted by Marva** December 17, 2013 2:03 pm

oh and a very nice comment of Martin's namesake:

(not directly relating to Putin but still very true )

**Posted by SusiGo** December 17, 2013 2:11 pm

I like the GQ Mundpropaganda campaign very much. Thumbs up, guys. And to Morgan Freeman as well.

Last edited by SusiGo (December 17, 2013 2:11 pm)

**Posted by Be** January 19, 2014 1:38 pm

It seems that Mr Putin is backpadling a bit and feels the need to sugarcoat his intolerance towards minorities and the lack of human rights.

http://attitude.co.uk/2014/01/putin-gays-olympics-ok-leave-children-peace/

Horrible.

**Posted by besleybean** January 19, 2014 2:42 pm

Unfortuately, he's popular with some of his people.

**Posted by Criosdan** January 20, 2014 9:34 am

I'm not sure if Putin actually really cares for homosexuality. He's a politician and the conservative and religious movements are his supporters. He don't want to lose them. Which doesn't make it better.

At the moment, I fear the development in India and several African states.

**Posted by Be** January 21, 2014 12:31 pm

I don't think he really cares about homosexuality. He cares about power and he has problems on the domestic front. That's why he draws the attention towards minorities. Nothing new. The wheel turns...

**Posted by spanisherlock** January 27, 2014 12:55 am

We are in the 21st century and we are updated in terms of technology ( it provides companies with high amount of money), but regarding human minds, it seems that we are still living in the Medieval period!!! How long will we have to fight for human rights? This is something that should already be part of our society, we should already be putting it into practise...

**Posted by besleybean** January 27, 2014 6:42 am

In civilised societies we are there ot thereabouts.

**Posted by Be** February 21, 2014 10:02 am

A UK judge about same sex marriage. Might as well appear under the good news thread.

http://attitude.co.uk/2014/02/uk-supreme-court-judge-backs-northern-ireland-gay-marriage/

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** February 21, 2014 10:10 am

That is certainly good news @Be!

This is just beautiful:

”The availability of marriage dignifies same-sex love. In my view, the most important benefit of same-sex marriage is the symbol that it holds up to the heterosexual community, not forgetting teenagers apprehensively trying to make sense of their own emerging sexuality, that each of the two types of intimate adult love is as valid as the other.”