In Russia, it is basically illegal to say that you are gay. You cannot kiss your partner in public. You can’t have a rainbow flag in public. You can’t even acknowledge that you are gay, or else you face possible imprisonment and fines.
Russia is becoming one of the most anti-gay places in the entire world. But it’s also going to hold the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, where the world is supposed to come together in a spirit of community and togetherness. But how could LGBT people and their families be welcome, when they run the risk of being thrown in jail or fined just for being who they are?
RUSA LGBT, a Russian-speaking American association for members of the gay community, says that LGBT athletes and spectators will not be safe during the 2014 Olympic games. And given the Russian government’s recent actions toward LGBT people -- including violent crackdowns on gay rights rallies and arresting members of the LGBT community -- how could anyone feel safe during these Olympic games?
It’s
time for these companies to put their support for LGBT people first,
and send a message to Russia that their anti-gay laws are not only
contrary to basic human rights, but fly in the face of the spirit of the
Olympic Games, which celebrate human dignity and community above all
else.
Thank you,
Beauty Within~Teen Esteem and "i Am Esteem" Day.org