THIS TAKES COURAGE! Russian Athletes Kiss on Winner's Podium to Protest Anti-Gay Laws

[kpete]

Russian Athletes Kiss on Winners Podium to Protest Anti-Gay Law




Two female Russian athletes kissed on the winners podium to protest Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law, reports Sky News. Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova kissed after they helped their team win the 4 x 400 meter relay at the World Athletics Championship in Moscow on Saturday. While Sky News seems certain that the kiss was a political statement, others aren’t so sure. Gay Star News says it is “unclear” whether the kiss was merely a sign of affection or whether the athletes were “blatantly defying Russia’s ‘gay propaganda’ laws since neither of the athletes have released a statement.” Regardless, the kiss could land the athletes in legal trouble considering it expressly goes against the much-criticized law that bans anything that may be seen as a promotion of homosexuality.

The kiss came a day after Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva claimed she “may have been misunderstood” by her anti-gay comments that made news around the world Thursday. "English is not my first language and I think I may have been misunderstood when I spoke yesterday," she said. The popular athlete sparked much controversy when she spoke in favor of the anti-gay propaganda law. "We consider ourselves, like normal, standard people, we just live boys with women, girls with boys,” Isinbayeva had said. Later she backtracked saying that she was just trying to say “people should respect the laws of other countries particularly when they are guests,” according to the Toronto Sun. Isinbayeva made her comments after at least two Swedish athletes competed with their fingernails painted in rainbow colors.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/08/18/kseniya_ryzhova_and_tatyana_firova_russian_athletes_kiss_on_winners_podium.html


nicer pic (MHO)
http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/76OpJIEvGPbSeRym1iy83A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/

Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firov won a world championship as a part of the 4x400-meter relay team at the IAAF track championships in Moscow. The edged out the American and British teams for the gold. While on the medal stand, they kissed to protest their own country's anti-gay propaganda laws.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/russian-gold-medalists-kiss-medal-stand-world-championships-132337366.html

[ZombieHorde]

1. I wish these heroes well. nt

[Rex]

2. Funny, I always thought LGBT issues were not political

as much as simple human rights issues. The Olympic committee seems to be full of politicians.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Not so sure. Isn't it possibly just backpeddling her anti-gay comments? Or....

...maybe it's just that kissing thing that people do that has nothing to do with sex or sexuality.

[tkmorris]

6. What anti-gay comments?

Are you confusing one of these two for that pole vaulter?

[NYC_SKP]

8. My mistake.

I misread the article.

Still, not sure that kissing is such a big deal.

I hope it is a form of protest, however.

Russia has a ways to go.

[MattSh]

4. Europe and Russia is not the USA.

Having spent almost 8 years in the former Soviet bloc, I can tell you that public displays of affection between women, especially, is quite commonplace. You even see it among men. Unless said display lasts a darn long time. Let's go to the video...

[napkinz]

5. 2014 ... let's have some 1968!

[rollin74]

7. K & R