The World is Watching

Maybe you've heard about it, my dear readers.  Maybe you haven't.  Maybe you care; maybe you don't.

I care. 

And you should too.

Russia has passed legislation that violates the European courts of human rights.  They were violating the courts anyway by not allowing gay prides.

 But this legislation goes a step further: gays, lesbians, transsexuals, bisexuals, and basically everyone who does not have a "traditional" (i.e. one man plus one woman) sexual relationship are facing discrimination.

Not just the kind of discrimination like we have here in the U.S. But the kind that gives jail time, fines, random arrests.  The kind that offers no aid if you get beat up, but rather makes your tormentors the victims and makes you look to blame.

Imagine living your life, as you are.  You're out, holding hands in public with the person you love.  And instead of being able to continue going to the store or the park or wherever you were heading, you get beat up and arrested because the person you love just happens to be the "wrong" person according to law.

Russian citizens are living in fear. 

And this law applies to tourists and athletes for the Olympics as well, with jail time of up to 15 days.

I can hear you thinking, readers.  "That's awful, but I don't live in Russia.  So why do I care?" or "I'm straight, why should this matter to me?"

Because no one deserves to be treated this way.  Look at these pictures and tell me that it's okay to have this happen to anyone.  Go on.  I'll wait.

  We have things like this in the U.S. too.  Don't let them kid you; it's far from perfect here.  There's verbal harassment and the occasional beating or murder reaches the news.  There are some states where same sex couples can marry and others where they can't; what does that do to the marriage license?

We have a lot of narrow minded people in America. 

But we also have a lot of open minded people. 

And for the most part, we're working our way to making equal rights for all.  Every college I've been to has a LGBTQ group as well as straight alliances.  I've seen same sex couples out at the grocery stores multiple times when I was working, all of them out without fear.  Overall, even though we aren't as far as I'd like us to be, there is still a lot of freedom here.

Russia, I have no words for you.

(Rather, I have too many words for you.)

People are people.  We all bleed red.  We all cry salt.  Orientation does not change who you are as a person. 

I found some videos that I think summarize the fear and worry many LGBTQ people face over in Russia.  No one should have to worry about discrimination at their job or school for their orientation.  No one should have to worry about their parents disowning them for who they love.

But what really hit it home for me was a comic, actually.

On Facebook and Twitter, I follow a guy named Bart who makes these really awesome comics about him and his partner, Mark.  I mean, these are comics that I relate to because similar things happen with my boyfriend and I.  I adore these guys.  I really do.

Anyway, he made a comic today that really made me cry.  Maybe it was because he put himself and Mark in it that made me so sad while I read it.   And while I knew things were bad, this made me realize just how bad it is over in Russia.

I can hear you thinking again, readers.  "But Meaghan, we live so far away.  What can we honestly do?"

Actually, quite a bit. :)

First off, there's the Olympics in 2014.

Johnny Weir, a gay U.S. ice skater I adore, is asking that we don't boycott the Olympics.

 I want to boycott more than you know, readers.  I really do.

 But Johnny makes a really good point - boycotting only hurts the athletes.  These are people who train their whole lives to go have one shining moment.  And, as history has shown with Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics, sometimes the ones who are discriminated against show up the ones who discriminate.

There is a human rights petition going around to get NBC (the station here in the U.S. that covers the Olympics) to reveal the brutality going on.  I would be more willing to watch if they did show or at least acknowledge during the coverage what is going on.

Use your best judgment with that. 

(I will probably only turn on for Johnny Weir and the ice skating.  But that's just me.)

Another thing: Vodka.

So I found this article about doing a vodka boycott.  As they point out, America imports over $59.7 a year in Russian vodka.  If we were to all stop drinking Russian vodka, such as Stoli and Russian Standard, it wouldn't kill the Russian economy.  However it may be enough to make them take notice.

So if you drink vodka, change up your brands.  Or if you're like me, grab that tequila.

Finally, I have a petition I signed that everyone should sign. 

Petitions are awesome and they actually do work.  I know some of you are skeptical.  Trust me.  When the voices of the people are loud enough, eventually those in power have to take notice. 

You can sign it here .

Let's keep putting pressure on Russia.  Let's keep making each other aware.

Russia, the world is watching.

And we are not happy.

~Meaghan