Pro-LGBT Anastasia Smirnova fled Russia

[Adelaide]

Russian LGBT activist Anastasia Smirnova was arrested for protesting the Sochi Olympics. Then she fled the country.

One of the most powerful moments of last year’s Olympics in Sochi took place not on the skating rink or ski slope, but in a public square in St. Petersburg, where a handful of courageous activists unfurled a banner protesting Russia’s persecution of LGBT people.

Ironically, the message the banner displayed was entirely neutral: It was an excerpt from the Olympic Charter’s Principle 6, which describes discrimination as “incompatible with the Olympic movement.” But even that was controversial enough for Russian authorities to arrest the activists.

One of those arrested was Anastasia Smirnova, who at the time was working with the Russian LGBT Network, an umbrella organization of a dozen LGBT groups across Russia. She was released, but further threats followed—and so she reluctantly made the decision to leave.

Quorum Video: Sochi's Pro-Gay Protestor Speaks Out - Daily Beast

Sometimes I think it's good to remind some that in the US and Canada we have a lot more freedom. Whether your state recognizes same-sex marriage or not, you won't be arrested or forced to flee your country to avoid persecution for your opinions on the subject. Anastasia Smirnova provides that reminder in this case for exercising what should have been her freedom to protest, and she used a relatively benign message and was arrested anyways.

[Peter1469]

She didn't go off the hook the way $#@! Riot did. Those guys did stuff that would get them locked up here.

[iustitia]

St. Petersburg, where a handful of courageous activists unfurled a banner protesting Russia’s persecution of LGBT people.

One of those arrested was Anastasia Smirnova, who at the time was working with the Russian LGBT Network, an umbrella organization of a dozen LGBT groups across Russia.

[Peter1469]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.

[Crayola Chaos]

Quorum Video: Sochi's Pro-Gay Protestor Speaks Out - Daily Beast

Sometimes I think it's good to remind some that in the US and Canada we have a lot more freedom. Whether your state recognizes same-sex marriage or not, you won't be arrested or forced to flee your country to avoid persecution for your opinions on the subject. Anastasia Smirnova provides that reminder in this case for exercising what should have been her freedom to protest, and she used a relatively benign message and was arrested anyways.

Yeah but the southern rednecks and right wing lunatics would persecute gays if they could and just as recently as the 1980's almost every state had Sodomy Laws which essentially criminalized gay sex although a Supreme Court ruling on a Texas Case Essentially struck all remaining sodomy laws down.

[Peter1469]

Yeah but the southern rednecks and right wing lunatics would persecute gays if they could and just as recently as the 1980's almost every state had Sodomy Laws which essentially criminalized gay sex although a Supreme Court ruling on a Texas Case Essentially struck all remaining sodomy laws down.

How many of those laws were enforced?

Hysterics much?

[kilgram]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.

What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.

[Howey]

How many of those laws were enforced?

Hysterics much?

If only anti gay legislation were a thing of the past...

http://m.arktimes.com/arkansas/arkan...nt?oid=3683557

Arkansas SB 202 is part of a wave of legislation that looks to uphold discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In doing so, it is very directly engaging with legal arguments resolved over 50 years ago, but which have been under challenge since and are now being attacked more vigorously than ever. Arkansas is actively seeking to turn the civil rights law clock back to a time before the civil rights movement occurred.

[Mister D]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.

Perhaps but western lecturing also plays a role.

[Mister D]

What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.

Spain is in a death spiral as well. I understand your sensitivity on this issue.