The Anti – Gay Games

With the Olympics only about three weeks away, there has been much discussion of Russia’s policy towards gay rights and the concern for gay athletes who will be participating in the games. Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, recently signed a law that banned gay propaganda and allows the government to fine people who speak to minors about homosexuality. Click here for the link to an article I found that discusses Russia’s new law, as well as what Putin had to say on the topic.

The author of the article writes that Putin insisted that hatred towards gays would not be tolerated at the Olympics. The law, which bans propaganda for non-traditional sexual relations and imposes fines on anyone who provides minors with information about the gay community, encourages the alienation of gays. By discouraging acceptance of alternative lifestyles, the law promotes a negative view of the same-sex relationships. Clearly, this is not a policy of tolerance.

In the article, the author said that the law was “passed with near unanimous support by Russian lawmakers.” It is striking to me how intolerant Russians with political power are towards gays, and I can only hope that the average Russian does not feel the same way about the issue (although I am afraid that the vast majority probably do). Here in the U.S., even with the right wing conservatives who are strongly against gay marriage, there is still a wide range of views among politicians, and most tend to be more accepting of alternative lifestyles.

By not allowing the discussion of varied sexual preferences, the law makes gays feel isolated and abnormal, especially the children who are innately oriented to an alternative lifestyle. Many of these kids, I’m sure, already feel alone. By not allowing them exposure to different ideas about sexual preferences, their emotional isolation is intensified.

There is, however, something positive that we can take away from this topic. The good news about this issue is that it shows how far America has come in accepting diversity. We used to be a society that viewed gays much like Russia does. For example, up until recently, it was unacceptable to marry another person of the same sex. Now, however, marriage (as well of life in general) is becoming increasingly less of a struggle for homosexuals. In the article, the author discusses the pressure that many American citizens are putting on sponsors of the Olympic games to speak out against the law. Even though citizens here are not really affected by a law in a country halfway across the world, it is great that they are willing to speak out about it.