As the weather gets colder, it brings a constant reminder that winter is here. With winter comes the Winter Olympics, and in 2014, the games will be hosted in a country that many consider to be the definition of cold. But this year, in the midst of Russia’s anti-gay legislation, the Olympics will be especially cold.
As of June 2013, it is illegal to be openly gay or support homosexuality whatsoever in Russia. The purpose of the law is to prevent the dissemination of information about homosexuality from reaching minors. Even speaking positively about homosexuality can be casue for arrest, and straight people are just as capable of breaking the law. Foreigners breaking this law can be arrested and held for two weeks before being expelled from the country.
Not only did Russia grant asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, but it also has legislation in place that morally offends many Americans and can lead to their arrests on Russian soil if they are open about being gay. Seeing that the United States and Russia aren’t exactly on the best of terms, it really wouldn’t be a complete surprise if America boycotted the winter games. But boycotting the games is the exact opposite of how the country should respond.
In 1936, amidst the rise of the Nazi Party and its ideal of an Aryan race, the United States participated in the Berlin games. This was a time period in which black athletes faced an abundant amount of racism and discrimination. But that didn’t stop American track and field athlete Jesse Owens from competing. He took the discrimination in stride en route to winning four gold medals.
Boycotting Olympics held in Russia isn’t a new concept, either. In 1980, the United States boycotted the Summer Olympics in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Four years later, the Soviets boycotted the Olympics held in Los Angeles. But are Cold War policies really the best option for these upcoming Winter Olympics?
Choosing not to participate in the Olympics really doesn’t hurt Russia. The games will go on — other countries will gladly fill in for the absent American athletes. The government can refuse to acknowledge the Olympics or put an asterisk next to other athletes’ success, but all this does is hurt American athletes who have trained and dreamed for a chance to compete.
People often underestimate the power of sports. Sports transcend religion and politics. Especially on the Olympic stage, they are a medium for people from all over the world to interact and learn from each other. The Olympics are a reminder that while national pride rises, so does the universality of sports. Regardless of who invented a sport, these events are shared games that can be played across the globe. America needs to utilize this platform, not hide from the opportunity to advocate for LGBTQ equality.
It is quite plausible that there will be at least one fan from America or another country arrested for propagating homosexuality in some fashion, whether or not that person is protesting or gay. A simple act like holding hands in public with someone of the same gender can lead to a fine or even being held for 15 days before deportation from the country. But that arrest will last a maximum of about two weeks. The spreading of ideas about acceptance of different sexual orientations could catalyze an entire social revolution. A gay American couple could open up a different culture just by walking around and showing people their sexual orientation doesn’t make them different.
It is still unclear how strict Russian authorities will be. Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that the country “will do everything to make sure that athletes, fans and guests feel comfortable at the Olympic Games regardless of their ethnicity, race or sexual orientation.” While the sincerity of this statement is debatable considering the anti-gay legislation, this at least indicates that Russia will not deny gay athletes visas.
Gay athletes not only from America but also the entire world need to participate and succeed in the Olympics. What better way to show Russian policy makers the fallacy of this law than by having openly gay athletes perform better than their own? Show Russian lawmakers that those of the sexual orientation they are discriminating against not only have the courage to enter Russia but also to bring home medals. These medals would signify more than athletic prowess — they would symbolize the ability to stand up in the face of opposition and just be one’s self.
It’s cool, Russia, I can’t afford the plane ticket anyway. You’ll have to contact me at andrew_feldman@brown.edu.
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