Stephen Fry has first-hand experience of how awful and wretched things are for gay people in Russia.
He was over there last year while filming a TV documentary series about homophobia around the world**, and interviewed an anti-gay politician and LGBT campaigners in St Petersburg.
He found making the series so depressing it helped trigger a suicide attempt.
No-one can doubt his sincerity, passion and anger over this.
And I'm sure all of his many followers who RT-ed his letter to people who'd already been sent it actually do think homophobia is bad.
And I'm sure all of his many followers who RT-ed his letter to people who'd already been sent it actually do think homophobia is bad.
But I genuinely just do not understand what he or anyone thinks a boycott of or a ban on the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics would actually achieve.
(Though I bet Putin - macho defender of the Russian Motherland - is loving all this).
(Though I bet Putin - macho defender of the Russian Motherland - is loving all this).
Anyone?
** Note: People in many other countries are treated like shit, too, by the way.
PS An excellent article, LGBT Rights In Russia And Our Western Fantasies, by How Upsetting.
* It is said Mahatma Gandhi, on landing in England in 1930, was asked what he thought of Western civilisation; "I think it would be a very good idea."
** Note: People in many other countries are treated like shit, too, by the way.
PS An excellent article, LGBT Rights In Russia And Our Western Fantasies, by How Upsetting.
* It is said Mahatma Gandhi, on landing in England in 1930, was asked what he thought of Western civilisation; "I think it would be a very good idea."
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Not doing anything has already been tried in 1936. That's why Stephen Fry is right about this.
ReplyDeleteAre you seriously suggesting that would have changed Hitler's mind about anything?
DeleteNo, I was only joking. Nearly had you there!
ReplyDeleteIt's classic crap 'activism' to put tactics before aims. You are right.
ReplyDeleteThe real debate on this (happening away from any reporting on it that I've seen) is just how to support actual activists in Russia who will change Russia for the better when a series of repressive laws and practices now block their way.
I disagree with you (I think this is your opinion?) that international pressure is bound to backfire - practical support actually is 'international pressure'. Russia has shown many times in other cases (eg Chechnya/GWOT) that they aren't just about defining themselves against the West.
Plus there is a metropolitan, Western-linked caste who are hardly powerless and can be won over. See how the gay propaganda law's author is not just targeting Alekseev for the actual crime of 'insulting a politician' but one of the leading liberal new media stars as well http://en.rian.ru/columnists/20130730/182481131/Trendwatcher-Mizulina-Gay-Activists--And-Fame.html
I don't see the harm it could do at this stage. At least two activist groups inside Russia (Russian LGBT Network and GayRussia.Ru) appear to support Stephen Fry on this. By your own reasoning, don't you think you'd be letting those people down by just writing it off as a waste of time?
ReplyDeleteNo kind of protest or direct action should be undertaken without consideration to outcomes. I'd say one thing you could at least expect from this is drawing a lot of attention to the issue and potentially causing a great deal of embarrassment to Russia if the IOC responds to pressure (even by making small concessions).
I think you were absolutely right to oppose the boycott, which was purely a cause celebre of Western activists who weren't interested in the opinion of the above organisations. But that's no reason to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Where have Russian LGBT Network said this?
DeleteLast I saw they were opposing a boycott or a ban etc - https://www.facebook.com/LGBT.Russia?hc_location=timeline
Yeah, it seems you're right about the Russian LGBT Network. I had read that statement before and remember it advising against a boycott, but the last paragraph is important, which I must have missed. Of course their silence so far on Fry's letter the IOC shouldn't be taken as approval either.
DeleteAlexeyev/GayRussia.Ru do seem to support it though. https://twitter.com/n_alexeyev/status/365083277968670723
This is a classic of finding people to support your argument. Selective activists. 'We found Russkies who support us'.
ReplyDeleteThis is what the Americans did - finding people to support the Vodka boycott (finding them once they started it btw). But you could do the exact opposite. Find Russkies who support your argument.
Damn Russkies. How very dare they have a 'movement' which isn't Democratic Centralist ...
I think this is a problem for the 'orientalism' left - they don't know who to support.
Do they come out and support the country which invaded Georgia, massacred Chechens, murdered the opposition, exploited migrants, bombed apartments etc etc... Y'know the whataboutery 'culture' argument?
Watch Greenwald, he's the professional at this. Practically a wizard. He can make it all the fault of the Yanks.
I notice he's studiously avoiding any comment though. I suggest an appeal for the great one's thoughts.
Lo, and Greenwald spake on Fry. And it was the usual ...
BTW, apart form Russian LGBT practical support another form of support regarding activism which is missed is to the athletes, currently in very important and stressful prep.
ReplyDeleteThis is another ignored angle.
They face real chance of exclusion if they protest, as happened in 68. The history records well the two black Americans - look at what happened to the Aussie.