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Sochi
Watching the opening ceremony...
ETA: I'm presuming there'll be more ceremony once the athletes have finished marching in. So far there's been 5 minutes? *tries very hard not to mention the technical problems*
Everything is very ~Russian. Stopped watching due to tea. But I'm glad Johnny Weir is there - I hope he's the sparkliest happiest thing in the village! :)
Am also v. pleased with Google (yay LGBT rights!) but by far the most entertaining thing so far has been Sochi Problems:
https://twitter.com/SochiProblems
ETA2: Via![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
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ETA3: OMG. Classic Winter Olympics moments - recreated with LEGO! Thank you BBC! (*goes to watch Torvill and Dean's Bolero once more*)
ETA: I'm presuming there'll be more ceremony once the athletes have finished marching in. So far there's been 5 minutes? *tries very hard not to mention the technical problems*
Everything is very ~Russian. Stopped watching due to tea. But I'm glad Johnny Weir is there - I hope he's the sparkliest happiest thing in the village! :)
Am also v. pleased with Google (yay LGBT rights!) but by far the most entertaining thing so far has been Sochi Problems:
https://twitter.com/SochiProblems
ETA2: Via
beer_good_foamyETA3: OMG. Classic Winter Olympics moments - recreated with LEGO! Thank you BBC! (*goes to watch Torvill and Dean's Bolero once more*)
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ETA: And yay Google!
There's also this.
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Yes, I saw that! :D
I just hope people get through this mess without any more deaths... And that maybe, just maybe, some more Russians question their government's scapegoat tactics.
*nods* Although sadly the government is merely justifying already prevalent attitudes. :(
And thanks for the vid!
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I'm not sure actively encouraging, campaigning on and legislating them qualifies as "merely" justifying. But yeah.
Happened to switch over just when they started playing Tchaikovsky. There's irony for ya.
Glad you liked the vid! Just found out today that my boss knows the guy who put it all together. Apparently he's had an... interesting week, with both CNN interviews and death threats.
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What I meant (am tired, long week) is that Russian society is pretty anti-gay already. And now they have the law behind them...
Happened to switch over just when they started playing Tchaikovsky. There's irony for ya.
I don't think Putin would get it.
Just found out today that my boss knows the guy who put it all together. Apparently he's had an... interesting week, with both CNN interviews and death threats.
Huh. I hope he stays safe! ETA: Meant to say that it reminded me of the furore over the Cola advert from Superbowl, except this was genuinely lovely and not Evil Marketing.
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(Anonymous) 2014-02-10 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)Don't ask, don't tell approach existed in Russia for centuries. We had a gay professor who was known to give good marks to good-looking boys. Ballet dance s were always more or less open gays. It all came down to what kind of person you are. A quiet nice mannered gay would be always more welcome than an aggressive ignorant girl. We generally do not like show-offs without any substance.
Regarding all problems that happened in the Olympics so far, I am not going to point out the total failure of an Olympics in Atlanta or problem with a torch opening in Vancouver, but just quote what I read the other day in Russian blogs: " Olympics is suppose to be a celebration and happy time for everybody. Let's our mistakes and problems bring happiness to people with anti-Russian sentiments, if nothing else does".
Elena
PS I came here through a link for Doctor's figs. I think I will be better off without them
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But I still think the anti-gay laws (I know that they're technically laws 'banning the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships”to minors') is a serious cause for concern. As you can see elsewhere in the comments I have gay friends who will not watch any of the Olympics as that is the only way they can protest. As for the 'don't ask, don't tell' approach, then it is not a good way for society to function, as America has proved so very well.
All the best,
Elisi
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(Anonymous) 2014-02-10 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)I am sorry too that your friends are so easily swayed by media fact manipulation and misinformation. As you pointed out those were not anti-gay laws, first of all. This was a triad of to a much more restrictive laws that were proposed. You actually should be rallying for Putin and his cabinet. General public sentiment regarding gays is not so favorable. They managed to turn down and pass something acceptable to all sides. The boycott of the Olympics would actually be viewed by anti-gay movement as a victory ("see we got ride of them").
The Olympics itself, regardless of what you think about the Russian government, is a huge national project. A lot of volunteer work went into it and a lot of sacrifice were made in its favor. Everybody form old fragile ladies to huge track drivers, teenagers and popular girls are paying very close attention to the event. Attack it and you attack the nation. We generally do not take it well :)
Elena
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I am sorry too that your friends are so easily swayed by media fact manipulation and misinformation. As you pointed out those were not anti-gay laws, first of all. This was a triad of to a much more restrictive laws that were proposed. You actually should be rallying for Putin and his cabinet.
The issue here, I think, is the whole idea of a) don't target children and b) 'gay propaganda'. Gay people aren't a movement, they're not recruiting. The fact that they are fighting for their rights is because those rights have in many ways been taken away. Gay people are born that way, and can't help it anymore than people can help being born female, or black, or Canadian. Besides why would they choose to join a group of people where merely holding hands with the person you love puts you at risk of violence? (I'm not speaking specifically about Russia here, violence against gays is an issue almost everywhere, sadly.)
General public sentiment regarding gays is not so favorable. They managed to turn down and pass something acceptable to all sides. The boycott of the Olympics would actually be viewed by anti-gay movement as a victory ("see we got ride of them").
I'm not sure I follow that logic, but I know gay people do not have an easy time (they don't in parts of America either...). I don't understand why gay people are an acceptable target, but am aware that that is the case. Gay people don't want to impose on anyone - they just want the same rights as other people. Want to be treated as human beings. (Look to the Civil Rights movement and the Suffragettes for similar ideas...)
The Olympics itself, regardless of what you think about the Russian government, is a huge national project. A lot of volunteer work went into it and a lot of sacrifice were made in its favor. Everybody form old fragile ladies to huge track drivers, teenagers and popular girls are paying very close attention to the event. Attack it and you attack the nation. We generally do not take it well :)
Ah yes. Well... Having hosted the Olympics in 2012, I can relate what the British attitude was: Until the opening night, the general consensus was that the Olympics were too expensive, nothing would work, and the whole thing would be an embarrassment. Then came the opening ceremony, everyone was blown away by how amazing it was, and instantly the whole country did a 180 degree turn and decided our Olympics were The Best Olympics Ever!
ETA: As it happens, there's a very apropos story in American news at the moment - a young NFL (American football player) came out as gay (he's the first one), and the commentary is interesting. this video/post highlights a lot of the main issues.
Also, just to point out something I was going to mention: Doctor Who could most definitely be seen as gay propaganda. After all, it features several openly gay characters (some married) and it is certainly aimed at children... This clip, for example, sums up an awful lot of what I'm trying to say. :)
(I'm not really expecting you to answer, just sort of thinking out loud. Hope you don't mind. We all have privilege and prejudices, as Derailing for Dummies shows... And Russia has its own history and culture and customs. I am sure, in time, it will move forward in its own way. It's certainly not moved as far backwards as India for example, so here's to the future.)
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Unfortunately, it's such a convenient and easy to hit scapegoat, and it's working too well. :(
But there's a growing young (and older) fangirl population sharing human rights values and disgusted with the whole thing, so there's hope. Torchwood, Sherlock, other cult shows are doing more for tolerance then you can imagine...
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Except the Berlion Olympics of 1936.
Ray.
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