More than 150 people, including many Russians and Eastern European emigres engaged in this issue, gathered at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center to discuss the Russian government’s continuing attacks on LGBT Russians and to plan a response to those attacks.
The August 14 meeting, which will be followed by an August 21 meeting at The Center, was organized by Queer Nation NY and opened with comments by Ann Northrop, a Queer Nation NY member, followed by presentations from Nina Long, the co-president of RUSA LGBT, a Russian-Speaking American LGBTQ association, and Roman Mamonov, a Russian TV anchor who was fired from his job after coming out. Mamonov left Russia in 2012 after receiving death threats and has applied for asylum in the U.S. Nancy Goldstein, who wrote “Sticking It to Sochi: Russian LGBT Activists on What Works” in The American Prospect, read a statement of support from Alexei Davydov, a gay Russian activist. Two videos that demonstrated the violence that LGBT Russians are enduring and the global response were shown.
Video 1: Euronews: Moscow gays assaulted during kissing protest
Video 2: CBS Evening News: Russia’s anti-gay laws spark backlash ahead of Olympics
The attendees included such community stalwarts as longtime gay and AIDS activist Andy Velez, journalist Andy Humm and Randy Wicker, who has been fighting for the community since before Stonewall, and much younger community members including a young Russian man who has been in the U.S. for just three weeks and a young Bostonian who recently returned from a trip to Ukraine. Brad Hoylman, the openly-gay state senator who represents the district that runs from 72nd Street to the West Village and from river to river in Manhattan, and Tom Duane, who held that seat for 14 years before Hoylman, were at the event. Also attending were longtime gay and AIDS activists Jamie Bauer and Ira Manhoff, attorney Joan Gibbs, and Michael Lucas of Lucas Entertainment, a film studio.
Following the presentations, attendees had a wide-ranging discussion about how the community should respond. There was support for a continuing boycott of Russian products, including Russian vodka, and the 2014 Winter Olympic Games at Sochi. Other ideas included pressing the New York City mayoral candidates to oppose the recently enacted Russian law that bans any pro-gay statements in public or private and on the Internet to pressing Andrew Cuomo, New York’s governor, to offer Lake Placid, the site of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, as an alternative to Russia where the 2014 Games are scheduled to be held.
Other proposals included picketing the September 23 Opening Night Gala at the The Metropolitan Opera. The performers that evening will include soprano Anna Netrebko and conductor Valery Gergiev, both are supporters of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president and a champion of the anti-gay law. Attendees also suggested denying U.S. travel visas to anti-gay Russian politicians and funneling money and support to LGBT activists in Russia. Duane proposed that he and a group travel to Russia to directly confront the anti-gay law. People also proposed targeting the sponsors of the 2014 Games.
After this discussion, attendees decided that they would produce an action following Queer Nation NY’s August 21 meeting, which will also be held at The Center and will feature author and journalist Masha Gessen, who is leaving Russia after 20 years because of the threats to her and her family.