I love the sentiment. Given Google’s online ubiquity, this seems to be a well-calculated way of spreading the word. And there’s no doubt that I find Russia’s laws obnoxious and the examples of Russian LGBTQ people suffering discrimination and ill-treatment at the hands of their government is surely legion.
My only question is, given this message aimed at the Olympics, how much discrimination are LGBTQ athletes actually suffering while at the festivities in Sochi?
Even if Russia has cleaned up its act in Sochi a lot, props to Google because there’s a lot more to Russia than one resort city on the coast of the Black Sea.
My only question is, given this message aimed at the Olympics, how much discrimination are LGBTQ athletes actually suffering while at the festivities in Sochi?
I wouldn’t expect much; and from what little I’ve attention to the games I’ve paid, the officials say they want to make it a non-issue as much as possible.
It’s what athletes and non-athletes experience before and after that’s controversial.Report
It seems like the bigger story to me is the role of American sponsors in the games. There is, rightly so, a lot of static coming at them for at least not mentioning the issue.
Overall though I think that the Olympics are maybe not always the place for political statements. Of course they are a corporate creation in many ways but the ideals behind them are for sports to transcend human failings. Besides, Brazil will probably have naked drag queens marching into the olympic stadium so we’ll see a huge difference in how this issue is handled. They seem to be pretty progressive when it comes to sexuality.Report
naked drag queens
How does that work, exactly?Report
Rhinestones.
Erm, I mean, so I have heard.Report
I’ll never hear “Rhinestone Cowboy” the same way again…Report
Also, wigs and makeup?Report
You guys obviously don’t know many drag queens.Report
Guilty. A lot of the people I know would have no idea how to dress up as women, or even as well-dressed men.Report