Russian group visits the Castro to discuss LGBT Human Rights

By Melanie Nathan, November 11, 2013. I was privileged today to attend a meeting with the the group of LGBT Russians and organizers, at the San Francisco LGBT Center in the Castro, to discuss LGBT human rights in Russia.  The group is visitng the United States under the auspices of the Department of State’s International … More Russian group visits the Castro to discuss LGBT Human Rights

Russian Conductor Gergiev Fails to Convince Queer Nation

Queer Nation denounces conductor Valery Gergiev’s attempt to defend himself against charges that he is anti-LGBT in New York Times Posted by Melanie Nathan, November 06, 2013. NEW YORK— Valery Gergiev, the Russian conductor whose performances have drawn protests in New York and London this fall from gay-rights advocates opposing Russia’s new law placing restrictions … More Russian Conductor Gergiev Fails to Convince Queer Nation

Tuxedoed Gay Activist Seizes Stage at London Symphony

GAY ACTIVIST ONCE AGAIN DISRUPTS CONCERT CONDUCTED BY PUTIN SUPPORTER VALERY GERGIEVAT THE BARBICAN IN LONDON Posted by Melanie Nathan, Nov 01, 2013. London, November 1, 2013— The opening night of London Symphony Orchestra principal conductor Valery Gergiev’s new concert season at the Barbican in London was disrupted last night (31 October) by a protest … More Tuxedoed Gay Activist Seizes Stage at London Symphony

Gays Protest Putin’s Homophobic Laws at U.S. Olympic Committee SOCHI Launch

New York, NY (October 29, 2013) — Two dozen members of Queer Nation interrupted the smooth flow of the opening event of the US Olympic Committee’s Road to Sochi tour, which launched in Times Square today. As the Road to Sochi event began at 12:00 pm with a press conference featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes, … More Gays Protest Putin’s Homophobic Laws at U.S. Olympic Committee SOCHI Launch

Putin’s Immoral Choice | Orphanages vs. Loving Same-Sex Families

By Melanie Nathan, October 14, 2013. Russian lawmakers would rather see infants and children starve and suffer neglect, resulting in deformities and attachment disorders than provide these children with the opportunities for love and health.  A picture speaks a million words – how does one grasp what could have been; and why would Russian lawmakers,  … More Putin’s Immoral Choice | Orphanages vs. Loving Same-Sex Families

Queer Nation Disrupts Carnegie Hall Performance

“Gergiev, Your Silence is Killing Russian Gays” by Melanie Nathan, Ocytober 10, 2013. New York, NY (October 10, 2013) — Tonight, four members of the LGBT rights group Queer Nation disrupted the performance of the Mariinsky Orchestra, led by world-renowned conductor Valery Gergiev, demanding that Gergiev oppose the Russian government’s attacks on LGBT Russians and … More Queer Nation Disrupts Carnegie Hall Performance

Queer Nation to Protest Russian Conductor at Carnegie Hall

LGBT Rights Group Again Targets Conductor Linked to Putin By Melanie Nathan, October 09, 2013. New York, NY (October 9, 2013) — In the latest in a series of high-profile protests against the Russian government’s anti-gay laws, Queer Nation will stage a demonstration at Carnegie Hall on October 10. The target of the protest is … More Queer Nation to Protest Russian Conductor at Carnegie Hall

Putin’s Gay Ambassador Alekseev to Meet with Putin

Czar meets Czar | After all the only legitimacy left for Alekseev is his stature in anti-semitic circles By Melanie Nathan, September 04, 2013. The highly controversial Russian gay activist, Nikolai Alekseev, (also known as Nikolay Alekseyev,) who recently found himself the center of a storm amongst LGBT communities in Russia and around the world, noted … More Putin’s Gay Ambassador Alekseev to Meet with Putin

President Obama to Meet with LGBT Russians During G20 Summit

By Melanie Nathan, September 02, 2013. Buzzfeed is reporting that President Obama will be meeting with Russian LGBT activists while in Russia. The President had cancelled a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin while there for the G20 summit. I agree with Buzfeed that Obama may anger the Kremlin further by meeting with Russian … More President Obama to Meet with LGBT Russians During G20 Summit

Putin’s Puppeteers Try to Deflect Attention from Olympic Boycott

By Attempting to Divide Russian LGBT Movement | List of Trusted Russian LGBT Activists for Media to call upon By Larry Poltavtsev Since last week in a bizarre fashion a number of known to the foreign media Russian LGBT figures started to make polarizing anti-West statements either using their own broadcasting platforms or even utilizing … More Putin’s Puppeteers Try to Deflect Attention from Olympic Boycott

Putin’s Anti-gay law causes shocking “Beware of Homosexuals” Notice

 Putin’s Anti-gay law provides impetus for building to post shocking notice By Melanie Nathan, August 26, 2013. For those of you who believe the Putin lies, that LGBTI people are safe, can be left alone entitled to privacy, and are not persecuted in Russia under his new law, here is a shocking example. This notice … More Putin’s Anti-gay law causes shocking “Beware of Homosexuals” Notice

LGBT Russian leadership and the voice of Putin

By Melanie Nathan, August 26, 2013. Through the Winter Olympics, the world is endorsing Putin’s homophobic and anti-gay regime by coming to the #GulagOlympics at Sochi. The Russian Orthodox Church stands at the front line of the Putin anti-gay machine, encouraging and endorsing laws that persecute, proclaiming an ideal that gay can be ‘prayed away.’ … More LGBT Russian leadership and the voice of Putin

The Russian Orthodox Church provides an official and shameful response to Castro LGBT Protests

By Melanie Nathan, August 25 The Russian Church took our protests this Sunday very seriously and below is their response.  After you read it  you will note that nowhere do they take a  single sentence to show care or concern for persecuted LGBTI people in Russia.  The Orthodox Church has refused  to dialogue with us, … More The Russian Orthodox Church provides an official and shameful response to Castro LGBT Protests

Over a thousand attend London’s UK Supports LGBT Russia protest

“Stephen Fry has called on athletes … to make a symbol at the Games to display their objection to new anti-gay laws.” By Cathy Kristofferson, August 10, 2013 Today’s “UK Supports LGBT Russia” protest in London against Russia’s anti-gay laws and rising homophobia drew an early estimate of 1,100 attending the over 3 hour event.  The … More Over a thousand attend London’s UK Supports LGBT Russia protest

Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013 Today kicked off Embassy and Consulate protests in the U.S. against Russia’s LGBT human rights violations with actions in New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. We have blogged on the protests as actions people can take to help raise awareness about the worsening conditions for the Russian … More Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates

10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture

10 ways to STOP the Russian terror of Gays By Melanie Nathan, July 26, 2013. Anti-gay sentiment and violence against LGBTI people has been a Russian habit for some time. However in recent months it has escalated with lack of basic law and order, exacerbated by Vladamir Putin’s legislative onslaught through various laws that criminalize … More 10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture

Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed

“They were discussing human rights when suddenly the police and migration officers burst inside.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 Today a court hearing scheduled in Murmansk, Russia for the Dutch tourists arrested on ‘gay propaganda’ charges. It would seem that the judge did not hear the matter but rather “returned the case materials for … More Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed

Is Belarus following Russia’s footsteps to ban ‘gay propaganda’?

‘Protecting children from the “advancement and promotion of homosexuality, especially among minors.”‘ By Cathy Kristofferson, July 09, 2013 A few weeks ago rumor had it that Belarus was looking to be the first country in Europe to re-criminalize homosexuality by amending its Criminal Code, to punish gays with up to 10 years imprisonment and confiscation of their … More Is Belarus following Russia’s footsteps to ban ‘gay propaganda’?

Renewed calls for Olympic boycott as gay arrests continue in Russia

An action to demonstrate the danger of  the new anti-LGBT laws By Cathy Kristofferson, July 2, 2013 Amidst current graphic protests, there is a renewed call for the boycott of the Sochi Olympics, as gay arrests continue in Russia following President Putin’s signing into law the nationwide so-called “anti-propaganda bill,” banning the so called ‘promotion’ … More Renewed calls for Olympic boycott as gay arrests continue in Russia

Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa

“If they feel strongly about human rights they should boycott the Olympics in Sochi.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 18, 2013 RUSA LGBT, a Russian-Speaking American LGBTQ group in New York City, is calling for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The lower house of the Russian Duma  last week unanimously passed their … More Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa

Topless Protestors in Germany lunge at Putin in Protest at Trade Event

European protestors, the group Femen take their protests to an effective extreme – at least I think so – certainly noticeable and passionately expressive. This makes American protests in the vein of Code Pink and GetEQUAL seem tame. I say ‘way to go and thank you FEMEN! By Melanie Nathan, April 10, 2013. A must … More Topless Protestors in Germany lunge at Putin in Protest at Trade Event

Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism

Russian police detained a punk group called Pussy Riot on Friday after they performed a protest song criticising Vladimir Putin next to Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. The Pussy Riot an all-female band, wearing  brightly colored mini-dresses and balaclavas, were arrested after their protest song slammed  the “Putin-system,” prostitution, and sexism. The all female group, … More Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to be Quizzed Over anti-gay laws.

by Paul Canning, Dec 13, 2011- The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, told activists today that she would raise the discriminatory laws at the EU-Russia summit.  She received in Brussels a 246,000 petition along with the Presidents of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT rights, Michael Cashman and Ulrike … More Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to be Quizzed Over anti-gay laws.