Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Vodka, Olympic controversies shed light on Russian repression
by Matt Simonette
2013-07-31

This article shared 5756 times since Wed Jul 31, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia has sought a larger role on the world stage. Thanks to many years of its booming, oil-driven economy, it has been succeeding. But in recent months, that economy has begun to stagnate—in the first quarter of 2013, it grew at 1.6 percent, its slowest rate since 2009, according to The Economist—and President Vladimir Putin has faced ongoing accusations of corruption. So in an effort to drum up support from conservatives, who had been some of his most ardent protesters, the Russian president has been appealing to their most homophobic instincts.

The anti-gay legislation that became laws in late June both forbade adoption by gays and ostensibly protects children from gay propaganda. What constitutes "gay propaganda" is left to the discretion of police officers, so some gays might be in danger even just stating that they are gay. Travelers to Russia are not exempt from the laws either; they face fines, 15 days imprisonment and deportation. A group of Dutch filmmakers were the first foreigners to be arrested under the new laws.

Gay activists and other concerned supporters have responded by calling for the removal of one of Russia's most famous products—its vodka—from the shelves of gay bars. Other commentators have questioned how gay athletes taking part in the Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi next year

Many Chicago gay bars last week said they were banning Stolichnaya Vodka and other products of Russian origin. A statement released Thursday said four Chicago bars—Elixir Lounge, 3452 N. Halsted, Halsted's Bar and Grill, 3441 N. Halsted, Hydrate Nightclub, 3458 N. Halsted, and Replay, 3449 N. Halsted—said the bars would pull Russian products effective immediately.

The bars "have been monitoring the unfolding events in Russia and we are extremely outraged by the open attacks of the government against the rights of the GLBT community. …We have been working with our distributors over the past few weeks to identify a premium spirit produced in a country that recognizes and respects the importance and equality of every citizen of the world," said the statement.

Parlour, 6341 N. Clark St., The Call, 1547 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., and Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., are among other bars that said they would also be removing the products from their shelves.

"I had been following the various news reports about what was going on in Russia," said Sidetrack co-owner Art Johnston. "It's hard to believe that they could carry out and enforce that kind of a law, but they did." He added that there was no way he could in good conscience continue to serve Stolichnaya or any other Russian products at the nightclub.

Johnston also emphasized that the decision was a matter of conscience and not an effort to ignite a widespread boycott. "The purpose of this was not to say that we we're better than other businesses. Other businesses have their own concerns and may not be in the same position to do something like this."

But bans started in other cities as well, with gay bars in West Hollywood, New York City, Toronto and London, saying they'd be banning Russian beverages as well.

Stolichnaya's corporate owners, Luxembourg-based SPI Group, last week released an open letter from their CEO, Val Mendeleev, expressing its opposition to the laws.

"I want to stress that Stoli firmly opposes such attitude and actions. Indeed, as a company that encourages transparency and fairness, we are upset and angry," said Mendeleev. "Stolichnaya Vodka has always been, and continues to be, a fervent supporter and friend to the LGBT community."

The ownership of the Stolichnaya trademark has long been in dispute between SPI and the Russian government. Mendeleev's statement attempted to distance SPI from the Russian government, which it insisted had no ownership or control over Stolichnaya. The statement also explained that the vodka's ingredients came from Russia and were distilled and bottled in Latvia.

"We fully support and endorse your objectives to fight against prejudice in Russia. In the past decade, SPI has been actively advocating in favor of freedom, tolerance and openness in society, standing very passionately on the side of the LGBT community and will continue to support any effective initiative in that direction," said the statement.

But it doesn't look like the opposition will be letting up anytime soon. On July 28, Queer Nation, which was recently relaunched as a working group in New York City, according to co-founder Alan Klein, released a statement signed by 23 Russian LGBT activists that encouraged support from the West.

"International support is essential for the survival of Russia's LGBT community right now," said the statement. "We appreciate and support all attempts to let the Russian authorities know that homophobic and inhumane laws will not go unnoticed and that Vladimir Putin's regime will not get away with antigay violence. We speak out in favor of boycotting Russian goods and companies and the Olympic Games in Sochi. We also appreciate the attention of international media; we need it. We would also support any legislative initiative aimed at holding the Russian authorities accountable for their homophobic campaign."

Among the signatories were activist Alexei Davydov, lawyer Kseniya Kirichenko and author Masha Gessen. According to Klein, Gessen was instrumental in obtaining the signatures in Russia. The letter, he added, "is unambiguous in stating that they do want help, and that they need to know that the LGBT community around the world has their back."

Queer Nation has a "Dump Russian Vodka" demonstration in front of the Russian consulate in New York City planned July 31. Klein said that Queer Nation was planning to continue mobilizing around the ban of Russian products and the Olympics.

Some organizations had already been urging the International Olympic Committee to come out more forcefully against the laws. In mid-June, after the legislation had passed the Duma, Boris O. Dittrich, advocacy director of the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, asked IOC to "to press the authorities to state publicly that, as Olympic Host, Russia will ensure, without distinction, the safety and the freedom of expression and association of all athletes, coaches, fans, and others who will attend the Sochi Games."

The IOC said in a statement released July 25 that it had received assurances "from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games." The news originated from Russian media outlet R-Sports and was confirmed by USA Today.

Human Rights Campaign was skeptical of the assurances, however, and called upon NBCUniversal, who have exclusive broadcasting rights in the US, to be vigilant in its coverage of the laws. In a letter to NBCUniversal's president, Stephen B. Burke from HRC President Chad Griffin, Griffin called for the network to "expose this inhumane and unjust law to the millions of American Viewers who will tune in to watch the Games."

NBCUniversal Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Cameron Blanchard told buzzfeed.com that the company "strongly supports equal rights and the fair treatment for all people. The spirit of the Olympic Games is about unifying people and countries through the celebration of sport and it is our hope that spirit will prevail."

Fred Sainz, HRC vice president for communications, however, was relatively dismissive of the network's statement. "Unfortunately platitudes won't do away with these heinous laws that are an abomination to LGBT people. …It would not be an accurate depiction of the environment for the Olympics to merely be a commercial for the Russian Federation. History demands that NBC depict the truth."

Some athletes participating in the Games have said they will not be threatened by the rule. Blake Skjellerup, an out speed skater from New Zealand who also competed in the Vancouver games, has said he will take part, wearing a rainbow pin. "If that gets me in trouble," he told vocativ.com, "then, I guess, so be it."

Opponents of the law find themselves up against an entrenched homophobia that is deeply inscribed in Russia's political and pop culture discourses, according to activist Scott Long, a fellow in the Human Rights Program at Harvard University.

"It's very prevalent," said Long. He attributed the pervasiveness of homophobia to a strong prejudice against "social deviance," an idea that took hold in the Stalin era. "A lot of the stereotypes of homosexuals are still essentially images of 'hooligans'—moving in gangs, gathering in underground dives, engaging in anti-social criminality."

In April, the independent Levada Centre reported that about 39 percent of Russians believe gays are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals. Forty-seven percent disagreed. Forty-five percent believed that people were gay because of "seduction or their own licentiousness."

Chicago activist Andy Thayer visited Russia three times. He remembered being in the studio audience of television program where activist Nikolay Alexeyev was debating gay rights. "They had some kind of a phone-in poll and it showed 16 percent in the audience were in favor of gay rights," he said.

Putin had not concerned himself much with the LGBT community prior to protests surrounding rigged elections in 2011-2012. Indeed, one of his key adversaries was Mayor Yuri Luzkov of Moscow, a political rival who the president eventually fired. Luzkov was a virulent opponent to Pride parades in Moscow.

But as the protests geared up, Putin became determined to put the nationalist right on his side. Their political front was "a significant presence in the (anti-corruption) demonstrations and Putin was very eager to neutralize them," said Long. The way to do that was by stirring up their anti-gay sentiments.

The anti-gay laws are also a play for the support of the Russian Orthodox Church. After decades of atheism, the Church has relatively little influence in the nation, and it sees a homosexuality as a wedge issue, according to Long. "There was little religious homophobia under the USSR, because religion was so marginalized. Its revival since 1991 hasn't reached as much of the population as elsewhere in the former bloc."

"Putin is not so worried about protest right now," added Long. "But he must fear that a contracting economy would mean spreading support for protest, and spreading outrage at corruption. He is certainly looking for distractions and scapegoats."


This article shared 5756 times since Wed Jul 31, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Thailand parliament passes landmark marriage bill
2024-03-27
On March 27, Thailand's parliament approved a marriage-equality bill by an overwhelmingly large margin—a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to legalizing same-sex unions, media ...


Gay News

Kara Swisher talks truth, power in tech at Chicago Humanities event
2024-03-25
Lesbian author, award-winning journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher spoke about truth and power in the tech industry through the lens of her most recent book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, March 21 at First ...


Gay News

Wyoming is latest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors
2024-03-24
On March 22, Wyoming became the latest state to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, The Hill noted. In doing so, it joined 23 other states that passed laws restricting or banning the treatment. Legislators in both ...


Gay News

Chicago alder proposes renaming street after Obama
2024-03-22
Openly gay Black Chicago Ald. Lamont Robinson has proposed renaming Columbus Drive after former U.S. President and city resident Barack Obama, media outlets noted. The street stretches through the Loop from East Grand Avenue to DuSable ...


Gay News

Congressional Equality Caucus on FY24 bills passing the house
2024-03-22
--From a press release - WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), released the following statement after the House successfully passed the final funding bills for Fiscal Year ...


Gay News

WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds
2024-03-21
It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist
2024-03-21
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ candidates Marcelino Garcia, Precious Brady Davis win primary elections to keep MWRD seats
2024-03-21
Marcelino Garcia and Precious Brady-Davis, the two openly LGBTQ+ incumbents in the race to keep their seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), won their primary elections and will move on to the general this ...


Gay News

Small LGBTQ+ candidate pool nevertheless scores some important victories March 19
2024-03-20
Relatively few openly LGBTQ+ candidates were running in the March 19 Illinois Primary Election. But there were some significant contests in play at the local, state and federal levels. Openly gay Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) ...


Gay News

Gay Irish prime minister to step down
2024-03-20
In a surprise move, openly gay Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has announced his resignation, citing "personal and political, but mainly political reasons," according to CNN. Varadkar said he felt he was no longer ...


Gay News

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council sets a new course
2024-03-18
Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council held its first meeting of the calendar year on Feb. 28 at City Hall in the Loop under the leadership of the recently appointed chair Jin-Soo Huh. The LGBTQ+ Advisory Council is ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Missouri measure, HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, judge, Texas schools
2024-03-15
In Missouri, a newly proposed law could charge teachers and counselors with a felony and require them to register as sex offenders if they're found guilty of supporting transgender students who are socially transitioning, CNN noted. ...


Gay News

PASSAGES: Former Chicago Commission on Human Relations chair Clarence Wood
2024-03-13
LGBTQ ally and former Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Chair and Commissioner Clarence N. Wood died March 5. He was 83. Wood was born April 14, 1940, in Alabama. While primarily raised in Alabama, Wood ...


Gay News

Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist David Mixner dies at 77
2024-03-12
On March 11, longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist David Mixner—known for working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign but then splitting from him over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT)—died at age 77, The Advocate reported. ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund remembers co-founder David Mixner
2024-03-12
--From a press release - Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker released the following statement on the passing of LGBTQ+ civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund co-founder David Mixner: "Today, we lost David Mixner, a founding ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.