commentary to student safety in St Petersburg

Sun Nov 29 15:28:22 UTC 2009

On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:59:03 +0000, Wilkinson, C.
<cxwilkinson at GOOGLEMAIL.COM> wrote:

>Dustin,
>
>Your thinking seems unnecessarily absolutist. It is not a question of
>saying "avoid Russia or accept the consequences" to students of any
>minority. At the same time, however, it would be highly irresponsible
>for us not to acknowledge that in certain circumstances such students
>may be at increased risk of harassment or aggression and take
>reasonable measures to promote their wellbeing.

Perhaps.  Again, I feel the educators/directors who blatantly say 'Russia is
dangerous' for groups XYZ are doing a great disservice.  

I agree, students should be warned of the risks, however there are a few
educators and directors who would, I feel, prefer not to risk anything at all.  

However, as two instructors have posted, giving a clear picture might be the
best way, but at the same time it should not turn students off from going
abroad.  

>You state that "I disagree that there is, as you call it, a systematic
>oppression of homosexuals in Russia. They are allowed to socialize in
>cyberspace without any issue.  In the larger cities there are gay
>bars/clubs, and they have not experienced any issues recently.  Gays
>aren't being swept off the streets, you know..."

>
>And socialising in cyberspace is sufficient in your view?! You seem to
>be saying that LGBT people are fine provided they keep out of view and
>don't do anything to provoke people or attempt to change the status
>quo. What about people who get "read" as LGBT just because of how they
>look? Are you going to argue that they should make a bigger effort to
>look straight/cisgender or else they have it coming?

No, of course it's not enough, but again they do have other venues to use. 
I'm not saying that they should keep out of view at all. 

Then again... there is one view that I have had to come to terms:  What does
it matter if you are gay or not?  It is your own business and no one elses.
 What are the reasons for flagging it?  Why should anyone go to LGBT groups
and associate/identify with them?   

I don't necessarily subscribe to the view above, but some people within and
outside of the LGBT community at large do hold similar views, whether we are
focusing on Russians or Americans, or others.  

Americans experience similar if entirely not the same problems as their
Russian counterparts.  I do not argue for people to change themselves.  It
is ultimately an individual's decision to chose what to do, and that choice
lies within that person, even if there are outside influences constraining
them.    

>
>As for your assertion that LGBT people "aren't being swept off the
>streets", even if the very direct tactic of subjecting LGBT people to
>"remont" by beating them is not happening/being reported so frequently
>(and it's a big if given the figures in a recent Russian LGBT Network
>report: http://lgbtnet.ru/news/detail.php?ID=4336#3.2) , this by no
>means indicates that all is well. The Russian LGBT network's report,
>which is entitled "Discrimination based on sexual orientation and
>gender identity in Russia"
>(http://www.lgbtnet.ru/news/detail.php?ID=4336) strongly suggests that
>there is "systematic oppression" in the form of institutional homo-
>and transphobic behaviour that is detrimental to the lives of LGBT
>persons in Russia.

But can disinterest in protecting a group be taken as actively going after
and attacking it?

>
>You ask if we feel Russia is ready for the degree of social change
>involved in accepting gay rights. It seems to me that no society is
>ever completely ready for change since, especially en masse, people
>are inherently conservative, so it takes determined people to lead the
>way and often to swim against the tide of public opinion for some
>time. There are people already doing that in Russia and the wider FSU,
>paving the way for the "key events" to which you refer.

I think that the answer is no - Russia is not ready.  It's as simple as
that.   I do think, however, Russia is ready to tackle the problem of race.
 As others have mentioned, the issue of race is being discussed within
various circles - finding a solution is another question.   One thing people
seem to have forgotten to mention here is just how racially diverse Russia
really is.   

You are right, it does take leaders, albeit effective ones, to lead the way
for change.  
However, if Nikolai Alexeev is one of these people or the face of the
movement, then what he's been doing is woeful.  

>
>WRT waiting for change, you argue that "There have been many mothers
>and fathers (in the US and UK) who were homophobic until, low and
>behold, their daughter or son came out as lesbian or gay.  Those
>parents undoubtedly suffered a lot of grief and soul searching, but a
>lot have come to accept their children and realize that it really is
>OK to be gay."
>
>Yes, and a lot haven't. Or they manage to justify/accept their child's
>sexuality, but don't endorse equal rights for all LGBT people. It's
>not enough. In practice this passive approach will never lead to
>change as the number of openly LGBT people in any generation is not
>going to increase massively, meaning that a critical mass of people
>who cease being homophobic due to their child being gay is never
>reached this way - and which is why the issue of LGBT rights has to be
>taken up in wider  societal fora that reach more people.

Why isn't it enough?  You mentioned earlier that people are inherently
conservative, so a bit of change on their part is tantamount to a small
revolution.  

>LGBT communities in the UK and US are still waiting for equal rights,
>on that we can agree. However, this does not mean waiting resignedly
>until someone condescends to give us our rights. Campaigning, lobbying
>and protesting can be frustrating, but we'll be waiting a lot longer
>if we don't persevere - both on LGBT rights and human rights more
>widely.
>
>At the end of the day I suspect we may have to agree to disagree, but
>hopefully we can do so in a respectful and tolerant manner.
>
>CW
>
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