The Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are less than 50 days away and gay rights has the potential to make news despite the government's attempts to stifle the subject. Between straight Olympic athletes wondering if they'll get busted under Russia's anti-gay propaganda law for saying "That's so gay" to actual LGBT athletes worried they may face real harm just for being themselves, it's likely to be a subdued Olympic Village, with athletes perhaps thinking twice before unleashing the inevitable anti-gay tweets. While communication may be compromised, we expect that condoms will still be provided.
President Barack Obama gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the snub last week when it was announced that no high-level administration official would be leading the U.S. delegation to Sochi. Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and other officials will stay away, as will the French foreign minister, the German president, a European Union official, and the Canadian prime minister. Putin's campaign years ago to host the games in Sochi was seen at the time as a testament to his stature on the world stage; however, since he signed the anti-gay law this summer, his stage has shrunk as we get closer to the opening ceremony.
The American delegation to Sochi will be a powerful reminder that being gay is okay, as not one, not two, but three out former athletes will represent the U.S. One of them, former Olympian Brian Boitano, came out two days after the White House's announcement. The others, tennis icon Billie Jean King and hockey player Caitlin Cahow, have been out for years. So whether he likes it or not, Putin will see out gays in the audience at the opening and closing ceremonies.
We urge the U.S. delegation to speak up against the injustices going on in Russia – and other parts of the world. Last Friday, Uganda stunned LGBT rights organizations by passing the long-stalled anti-homosexuality bill, which was supported by right-wing fringe U.S. evangelicals like Scott Lively. The death penalty has apparently been removed, but LGBTs still face the possibility of life in prison for repeat offenses, now known as "aggravated homosexuality." Like Putin's law, the Uganda measure makes it criminal for any individual or corporation to "promote" homosexuality.
Homosexuality is already outlawed in Uganda and LGBT communities are already marginalized. Like the Russian law, which has led to incidents of violence in recent months, the Ugandan law "gives people an excuse to exclude, abuse, and discriminate for no other reason than someone is being perceived as gay," said Jessica Stern, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
As of press time, Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi had not signed the bill, and he is reportedly questioning the legality of the vote. Suffice it to say, Mbabazi should veto it immediately. The U.S. State Department must deliver a strong message that this type of law is unjust and unnecessary.
As the U.S. moves forward toward equality – same-sex marriage is legal now in New Mexico and a federal judge tossed an anti-same-sex marriage amendment in Utah last week – other countries are moving in the wrong direction. Olympic athletes from around the world will soon gather and uphold the ideals of sportsmanship. We are proud of Obama's response to bigotry by including gay athletes as part of the official delegation and leading the world by example. As King tweeted following her selection to the U.S. delegation, "Honored to represent USA in Sochi and I hope these Olympics will be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people."