A Kiss Between 2 Athletes On A Moscow Podium Has Brought More Attention To Russia's 'Gay Propaganda'

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http://www.businessinsider.com/kiss-in-moscow-leads-to-controversy-2013-8



A podium kiss in Moscow has led to further attention being shone on Russia's harsh new homosexuality laws.

Russian runners Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova kissed on the podium after winning the 4x400 meter relay at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow. According to Sky News, sources in the Russia team camp are downplaying the incident, saying it was simply a celebration and there were no politics involved. Gay Star News, however, points out that the kiss could theoretically have seen the pair arrested under Russia's controversial new "gay propaganda" laws as it could be promoting homosexuality.

It's the latest twist in a controversy that is only likely to get worse.

The upcoming Winter Olympics are due to be held in Sochi, Russia, despite a wave of controversy surrounding the vague and potentially homophobic law. Some athletes have been using the World Athletics Championships to highlight the issue, with American track and field star Nick Symmonds dedicating his medal to his gay family and friends, and Swedish athletes painting their nails rainbow colors in support of gay rights.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/kiss-in-moscow-leads-to-controversy-2013-8#ixzz2cQC7Bm58

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1. The athlete to the right choking that chicken toy (no dirty minds, now) looks very concerned.

The one to the left looks like she's cheering them on.

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2. Was a Kiss Just a Kiss? The Medal Stand Smooch Heard Round the World

http://www.thenation.com/blog/175812/was-kiss-just-kiss-medal-stand-smooch-heard-round-world#axzz2cQQMdsPA


“A Tommie Smith/John Carlos moment.” My inbox became flooded yesterday with variations of that phrase after two Russian 4X400 Gold medalists, Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova kissed on the medal stand at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow. This led to widespread pronouncements – not speculation but pronouncements – that their kiss was in fact a protest against Russia’s recent brual wave of anti-LGBT legislation. People across the world, alarmed at the repression and violence in Russia, were comparing the kiss with ecstatic joy to that moment in Mexico City in 1968, when Carlos and Smith raised their black gloves to the heavens in the name of anti-racism and universal human rights.

This enthusiasm was understandable. The still photos of Ryzhova and Firova appeared like a dramatic rebuke of Vladamir Putin’s criminalization of LGBT life. The kiss also came on the heels of protest efforts at the Championships by Swedish athletes Emma Green-Tregaro and Moa Hjelmer – who painted their fingernails in rainbow hues as well as public statements of solidarity from US 800 meter runner Nick Symmonds. Symmonds dedicated his silver medal to his LGBT friends back home saying, "Whether you're gay, straight, black, white, we all deserve the same rights. If there's anything I can do to champion the cause and further it I will, shy of getting arrested.”

With the coming Sochi Olympics and calls to boycott Russia, ban Russia from competition, or use the Olympics as a protest staging ground for Pride Marches and athletic activism, there is simply no arena more alive with resistance to Russia’s draconian legislation than sports. This can be best understood as the culmination of a historically unprecedented level of confidence amongst LGBT athletes and allies. As Robbie Rogers, out and proud professional soccer player proclaimed, “It’s awesome to be part of a movement that’s changing the world.”

All that said, the question of whether the kiss between Ryzhova and Firova was a conscious act of political rebellion, is just that: a question. The Metro newspaper in the UK quoted an unnamed source in their camp who described it as “just kissing, not protesting against anti-gay laws.” They could be saying this to protect them and keep the track stars out of Russian interrogation or prison, but perhaps not. The video of the “kiss” tells a different story than the dramatic still-images. These are quick pecks, in line with Russian custom. All four runners in fact, give each other kisses. Even more importantly, the crowd, cheering on the gold medalists, doesn’t respond to their actions as if anything unusual actually happened. There is just a continual wave of cheers. Compare that to Tommie Smith and John Carlos where after the raising of their fists, the crowd goes completely silent followed by heckles and jeers.