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

**Posted by Be** August 2, 2013 7:56 am

Today Mr Gatiss retweeted a comment about yesterday's article at animalnewyork.com.

The headline reads: Olympic Athletes will be" held accountable" for gaying it up.

You can read the article here:
http://animalnewyork.com/2013/olympic-athletes-will-be-held-accountable-for-gaying-it-up-says-russian-sports-minister/?
utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer4b762&utm_medium=twitter

It's a shame.Think twice before you visit the Olympics when you are an open minded person who supports gay marriage or when you are just a tolerant human being who thinks that everybody has the right to live his/her own dream whatever it is as long as nobody is harmed.
Otherwise you might get arrested when you say that out loud.

**Posted by Harriet** August 2, 2013 8:14 am

An issue that needs to be brought up again and again.
Thanks, Be

**Posted by besleybean** August 2, 2013 8:40 am

It's an absolute diagrace, civilised societies shouls always uphold all human rights.

**Posted by SusiGo** August 2, 2013 8:49 am

It's bitter to see how the Russian government presents itself as a fighter for democracy by granting asylum to Edward Snowden while on the other hand passing such disgusting laws. For me it shows how complicated the world really is and how difficult it is to decide moral issues.
It is a sad fact that again and again countries are given the opportunity to present themselves internationally, e.g. at the Olympics or other big sports events, while applying deeply inhuman laws and procedures.

**Posted by Titania** August 2, 2013 9:54 am

it doesn't really surprise me: homophobia , even if it's a little more hidden, is ever present in our societies
it's sad

**Posted by besleybean** August 2, 2013 10:04 am

Yes, but it is the duty of the state legislature to rule against it, as much as possible.
You won't always change attitudes, but we can certainly not allow those attitudes to prevail.

Last edited by besleybean (August 2, 2013 1:03 pm)

**Posted by tobeornot221b** August 2, 2013 12:48 pm

Finally, it's all about the states' sheer greed for power over other countries, even their own people. Inducing fear in people who don't "fit in" in one way or the other has always been an appropriate tool to prevent upcoming resistance against any existing injustice.

**Posted by Mary Me** August 2, 2013 5:50 pm

Frankly, I was shocked when I learned about the prohibition about practising homosexuality in publicity, to be more accurate, in front of children. Especially children should learn to accept and tolerate individuality from early age.

Well, the news about the Olympics is another shock but not really suprising. It was the next "logical" step. Please, someone stop them?

Last edited by Mary Me (August 2, 2013 6:17 pm)

**Posted by Be** August 2, 2013 6:14 pm

It's the Russian public who is supposed to vote for the right person. I am fairly convinced that there is not much for us to do, except to speak our mind publicly. And talk about tolerance and human rights. Which we do here.

**Posted by tonnaree** August 2, 2013 9:41 pm

We've come so far and yet still have so far to go.

**Posted by Russell** August 3, 2013 9:50 pm

tonnaree wrote:
We've come so far and yet still have so far to go.

You said it. Still makes so sad sometimes how it's more important to some people to push this kind of thing or spread hate instead of trying to help things get better as far as basic needs in the world go...

**Posted by Be** August 7, 2013 11:41 am

Stephen Fry's open letter to David Cameron and the IOC about the anti-gay legislation in Russia and the Olympics. I was already tempted to compare the current affair with the Olympics in Berlin 1936, but comparisons are always problematic because of the unique situation in Germany back then.
Being neither gay nor Jewish, but German I also felt that it is not me to talk about that. Stephen Fry did.

http://www.stephenfry.com/2013/08/07/an-open-letter-to-david-cameron-and-the-ioc/

Last edited by Be (August 7, 2013 11:52 am)

**Posted by besleybean** August 7, 2013 11:42 am

Good ole Stephen.

**Posted by Sava** August 7, 2013 12:13 pm

Very impressive letter, shared it already on FB. I really like his courage!

**Posted by kittykat** August 7, 2013 6:31 pm

It's on Yahoo! News as well, but some of the comments are horrible

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/winter-sports-fry-calls-ioc-strip-russia-2014-133324076.html

**Posted by besleybean** August 7, 2013 6:33 pm

Some of those comments are just pure ignorance.

**Posted by Be** August 20, 2013 11:04 am

Konstantin Yablotskyi, a gay Russian sportsman, about ths situation in Russia, the Olympics and possible plans to demonstrate during the opening ceremony.
http://www.zeit.de/sport/2013-08/homosexuell-sportler-sotschi-aktivist-russland (it's German, sorry)

**Posted by Mattlocked** August 20, 2013 5:24 pm

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.

**Posted by Davina** August 20, 2013 8:16 pm

Tom Hiddlestone has made a fantastic advert about such events. Russia is certainly not the only country that acts like this.

**Posted by besleybean** August 20, 2013 8:17 pm

Yep, I love Tom's docu-ad.