News
Russia to enforce anti-gay law during Olympics
Vladimir Putin signed gay propaganda ban in June
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo public domain)
“The Interior Ministry of Russia during the Olympic games, as well as at any other time, will operate under Russian law in general and in particular on the law protecting children from the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations,” the Russian Interior Ministry said in a statement posted to its website in Russian. “Law enforcement measures will be applied in accordance to Russian law to people carrying out such activities.”
The statement comes nearly two weeks after the International Olympic Committee said it had “received assurances” from the highest levels of the Russian government that the broadly worded law that President Vladimir Putin signed in June would not impact athletes who plan to compete in the games and those who will travel to Sochi for them.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told a Russian sports website earlier this month the gay propaganda law would apply to those who travel to the Olympics. He told reporters during a Moscow press conference on August 8 that those who continue to criticize the statute need to “calm down.”
Outrage over Russia’s LGBT rights record continues to grow amid calls to boycott the Sochi games.
Gay New Zealand speed skater Blake Skjellerup last month announced he will wear a Pride pin during the Olympics. Figure skater Johnny Weir, whose husband is of Russian descent, told CBS News in an interview posted to its website on August 9 that he is “not afraid of being arrested” while in Sochi.
“If it takes me getting arrested for people to pay attention and for people to lobby against this law, then I’m willing to take it,” Weir said.
President Obama told Jay Leno during an appearance on “The Tonight Show” on August 6 that he has “no patience” for countries in which anti-LGBT laws remain on the books. The White House the following day cited Russia’s LGBT rights record as among the reasons that prompted Obama to cancel a meeting with Putin that had been scheduled to take place in Moscow before next month’s G-20 summit in St. Petersburg.
“One of the things I’m really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there,” Obama said during a White House press conference on August 9. “If Russia doesn’t have gay or lesbian athletes, then that would probably make their team weaker.”
The Russian Interior Ministry stressed in its statement that those who do not violate the gay propaganda law will be able to “take part in the Olympics peacefully” as the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on its website. It also took issue with those who continue to criticize Russia over its LGBT rights record.
“The criticisms concerning the violation of the rights of gay [people,] preventing them from taking part in the Olympics, discrimination [against] athletes and Olympic guests on the grounds of sexual orientation are completely baseless and far-fetched,” the Russian Interior Ministry said. “We consider them only as an attempt to undermine the credibility of the upcoming Olympic games in Sochi.”
United Nations
UN Human Rights Council extends LGBTQ rights expert’s mandate
29 countries voted for resolution
The U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday extended the mandate of the United Nations’ independent LGBTQ rights expert for another three years.
The resolution passed with 29 countries (Albania, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kenya, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, South Korea, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and Vietnam) voting for it and 15 countries (Algeria, Bangladesh, Burundi, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malawi, Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, and Sudan) voted against it.
Benin, Ghana, and Kyrgyzstan abstained.
The U.S. in February withdrew from the Human Rights Council. The Trump-Pence administration in 2018 pulled the U.S. from it. The U.S. in 2021 regained a seat on the Human Rights Council.
Graeme Reid has been the UN’s independent LGBTQ rights expert since 2023. The South African activist, among other things, previously ran Human Rights Watch’s LGBT Rights Program.
Maryland
Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — and one of the last — is a log cabin in the woods
The Lodge is a Boonsboro watering hole resembling a log cabin
By SAPNA BANSIL | In the woods of a conservative Western Maryland town of fewer than 4,000 people is an unlikely landmark of state LGBTQ history.
The Lodge, a Boonsboro watering hole that resembles a log cabin, is Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — one of a few remaining in the country, according to historians.
For about four decades, the Washington County venue has offered safety, escape and community to queer people far from large, liberal cities. Starting Friday night, The Lodge will close out Pride month with one of its biggest parties of the year: a weekend of dancing, drinking and drag in celebration of Frederick Pride, held about 20 miles away in the area’s largest city.
The rest of this article the Baltimore Banner published on June 27 can be read on its website.
South Africa National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on June 17 swore in lesbian feminist Palomino Jama as a new MP.
Jama joins other LGBTQ legislators — including Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dion George; and Deputy Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Steve Letsike.
Jama said she will work hard and excel as MP.
“What a great moment to be alive. Thank you youth of 1976, thank you Simon Nkoli, Phumi Mthetwa, Paddy Nhlaphos, Vanessa Ludwig, and others for what you did for the LGBTI people in the 80s and 90s. Lastly, for the fierce fist of the Jamas to always hit where it matters for the people of this country,” said Letsike.
Embrace Diversity Movement, a local LGBTQ organization, said Jama’s inauguration came at an appropriate time, during Pride month.
“Her swearing-in took place during a month of profound significance in June, which marks both international Pride Month and Youth Month in South Africa,” said the group. “Palomino is a seasoned queer activist and dedicated community builder with a distinguished record of leadership and service.”
“The EDM proudly supports Palomino in her deployment to parliament, her presence meaningfully advances youth and queer representation in public office,” added the Embrace Diversity Movement. “We are confident that she will serve the people of South Africa with integrity, courage, and distinction.”
South Africa is the only African country that constitutionally upholds LGBTQ rights. There are, however, still myriad challenges the LGBTQ community faces on a daily basis that range from physical attacks to online abuse.
Letsike in May faced a barrage of online attacks after she released a scathing statement against popular podcaster Macgyver “MacG” Mukwevho, who during a podcast episode in April insinuated that the reason behind popular socialite Minnie Dlamini’s “unsuccessful” relationships were probably due to the bad odor from her genitals.
Letsike, who viewed MacG’s comments as offensive, called for the podcaster to be summoned before parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities and criticized the local television station that aired the podcast.
X users and other social media subscribers bombarded Letsike with anti-lesbian comments. She, however, was unphased.
Letsike continues to face anti-lesbian comments, even though MacG apologized and the television station on which his podcast had aired cancelled its contract with him.
UN Human Rights Council extends LGBTQ rights expert’s mandate
Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — and one of the last — is a log cabin in the woods
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