In Russia Gay Pride Parade marches on you! A very brave Nikolai Alexeyev faces jeers and police harassment during a Pride celebration in Moscow.
For the last six years, people in Russia have defied government bans and faced police beatings and arrests to hold gay pride parades. In Russia, gay pride parade marches on you. What a country!
Nikolai and a friend dress up as a bride and groom to confuse the police. 10 years from now people will complain about all the drag queens at Pride Parades.
Today we’re talking to gay rights activist and unofficial gay ambassador for Russia, Nikolai Alexeyev about the recent landmark win in the European Court of Human Rights that re-affirmed their constitutional right to march and gave his organization $40k in damages!
In an effort to get him to drop the suit and intimidate him, Nikolai was detained, drugged and ditched on the side of the road by the police. Incredibly, he used his iPad’s geolocation map to discover that he was some 200 miles from home. There is an app for that! He’s now touring the U.S. to rally support for their first “legal” Pride celebration in Russia this May.
Will Elton John keep his promise and Grand Marshall the first ever Russian Pride Parade?
Listen to the Nikolai’s incredible story on how he’s fighting for equality in Russia and he drops a bombshell that your favorite celebrity may be getting rich by secretly performing for the obscenely super-wealthy, anti-gay tyrants in Russia.
Also, joining us is Gay Liberation Network’s Andy Thayer who recently held a major demonstration against the Chicago archdiocese for actively lobbying politicians to deny gay people equality.
Plus- get inside the 007 top secret world of Russian gay rights activists, why are there no openly gay musicians, artists, actors or celebrities in Russia? And how drag queens in Russia tuck away their sexual orientation from the public eye. Acting!
Featured Music:
Zaza Napoli and Maximov Show “Your World”: YouTube
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The Birth of a Transgender Movement in Russia
Moscow Pride 2011: a Response to the Obama Administration’s Statement
Video of Today’s Moscow Pride 2011
2 Comments
Comments
Things have taken a turn for the weird
http://www.lgbtpov.com/2011/03/russian-gay-activist-california-tour-cancelled-over-anti-jewish-remark/
“The Israeli Prime Minister urged Western leaders to support Egyptian dictator Mubarak … And who after this are the Jews? In fact, I always knew who they were.”
Only because of this remark? He should not have written the second sentence “And who after this are the Jews? In fact, I always knew who they were.” This is can be misinterpreted. Although the first sentence could be probably true, Israel mainly cares about the stability in region as they already have to defend their country in the north, in the east and in the West (Gaza). The longest border they share with Egypt so of course they want to prevent a conflict with Egypt.
But it should be possible to criticize Israel’s foreign policy and how they treat Palestinians. It does not matter what kind of past a country or certain group had, they cannot always play the victim role and they have to justify their actions nowadays.
On the other hand it is known that Russian Jews still face discrimination in Russia. The last 20 years many of them have left Russia to live in Israel, the US or Germany. More than 200 000 Russian settled down in Germany after the fall of the iron curtain.
I meant Russian Jews. More than 200 000 Russian Jews have settled down in Germany after the fall of the iron curtain.
great show! Nikolai truly is a brave man doing what he does in that country, I wish him success!!
Yet as for these more recent events concerning the tour in California, all I can really do is roll my eyes, all this drama over some perceived anti-Semitic remark? why do ppl have to be so god damned PC all the time!!?! I mean really, what the hell is wrong with these organizations bringin’ all the hate over some stupid remark? their statement “we can’t support someone who doesn’t stand up for equal rights” or whatever is a bunch of bullshit, here we have this gay activist who has gone through so much in his own country, and is trying to bring awareness to California, and all these gay organizations get their panties in a wad over one remark.
but now Nikolai is going to do something in San Francisco??? I think there is more to this story than this article is letting on….things aren’t making sense.
That was a very interesting interview. It is a pity the EU does not more to support LGBT rights in Eastern Europe and Russia. Andy Thayer mentioned the EU dependence on Russia’s oil and gas as one reason. But Russia also depend on the EU as it is by far the main trading partner of Russia, more than 50% of its trade Russia does with the EU. Moreover Russia is also part of Europe, most of its citizen live in the European part of Russia from topographical standpoint and continental European countries have a long history with Russia. Therefore it is more complicated sometimes than one might think.
Particular Germany I expect to do more for the LGBT community in Russia but politicians just don’t care about it as in the German-Russian friendship business is always top priority. Except politicians from small political parties nobody dares to criticize really the situation in Russia as Germany became the single largest trading partner of Russia and Russia chose Germany as key partner to modernize its country, e.g. for building a high-speed railway network. And not to forget that Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder now works for the Russian gas company Gazprom due to good relations with Putin. Merkel who speaks Russian fluently cares even less about the human rights situation there. Therefore we can expect little support from politicians.
Also what can you expect from a Russian regime with a former KGB agent at the top?
But at least LGBT rights slowly improving in Eastern Europe and Russia as they prosper economically and thanks to guys like Nikolai who are not afraid to fight for his rights and against a brutal and corrupt regime.
Gawwwd. Andy always makes me feel like I’m not doing enough for the GLBTQ. Keep up the great work!
Fausto- The Four Square badge joke was hilarious.
Great interview.
Nikolai if you ever come to Switzerland (though Swiss airlines… disappointing) you’ll be welcome to stay with us if you don’t already have friends hosting you. Hope you’ll keep doing your terrific work.
his energy makes me hot. let’s release group pressure together
Pavel, I need to get in contact with you. Please could you send me an email address via my website http://www.investigatecz.com I have someone who would like to be in touch with you!
I’ll give you all the details and you can decide what to do but I’m not putting more here..
Thanks
I love these politically-themed interviews. It’s great to shake-up the regular (excellent) lighter content with a little hard-hitting discussion on civil rights in other, more challenging parts of the world. The FOF interview with the Nigerian activist is certainly one of your most memorable interviews. It’s for episodes like these that I bought a FOF t-shirt today.
Keep-up the excellent work! You are doing us all a great service.
Cheers from Canada.