commentary to student safety in St Petersburg

[Shlomit Gorin]

>
> It's a great disservice to discourage someone from taking a risk that could
> possibly be one of the best experiences of their life.  You keep focusing
> on
> the negatives and what bad could go wrong; I guess I am too optimistic for
> my own good, and actually believe that humans, even Russians, can change
> for
> the better.   It's sad you do not share that view.
>

I don't find it discouraging to inform people of certain risks - I find it
compulsory. Some will feel discouraged by those risks, others won't. I'm
focusing on the negative because it doesn't seem like you want to give the
negative the attention it warrants.  I'm not sure what led you to believe
that I don't think that humans can change for the better since there's
nothing I wrote that explicitly or implicitly indicates that's the case.


> Why isn't it my place to say that they should not be scared, especially
> when
> I have personal experience of living in Moscow?
>
> Why is it your place to tell them that they, students of color, should fear
> Russia?  Perhaps you have some other agenda against Russia itself?
>

I'm not saying that students of color should or shouldn't be scared. I'm
saying that whatever decisions they make based on what they know and learn
about racism and hate crimes in Russia is theirs to make. It's not mine, and
it's not yours.

With respect to gay bars, you wrote:

>
> You are correct, they aren't the safest of places, but then again, it all
> comes down to people being aware of others and their surroundings, doesn't
> it?  For now, even though I hate to say it, the Russian LGBT community is
> safe if it doesn't make too many waves.  Again, as I've already said, if
> they can get themselves adequately organized, things will hopefully
> improve.
>

What do you mean not make too many waves? You mean not walking down the
street holding your partner's hand? Not kissing your partner in public? Not
being openly gay? Not demanding equal rights and protection? Finding
problems with organization is one thing, telling others they shouldn't make
too many waves is another.

>
> Yes - they are greatly meaningful - to us as individuals.  Some, however,
> hold the view of - what does it really matter?  Why should X tell Y that he
> or she is L G B or T?   In the end, for some, but not all, they are labels
> that create stereotypes.
>

I'm not saying that anyone is required to tell anyone anything. But can you
really say that being gay for you doesn't really matter? And they're not
just label - they're ways that people identify themselves, and everyone,
whether or not they're aware of it, identifies with one or more groups.  I
realize you're saying some people - not you - hold that view, but since you
brought it up I thought I'd respond.

>
> >>
> >> Americans experience similar if entirely not the same problems as their
> >> Russian counterparts.
>
> There are laws based on sexuality, you are correct, but not all states have
> laws based on sexual orientation:
>
> http://lawdigest.uslegal.com/civil-rights/sexual-discrimination-and-orientation/7177/
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_United_States#Anti-discrimination_laws
>

I know that not all states have laws against discrimination based on
sexuality.  But some do, and Russia doesn't. That was my point, or at least
part of it.

 No, I certainly didn't choose to be heterosexual, I somehow came out as
> homosexual!   I don't feel it is a choice either.  The decision to disclose
> that one is LGBT or not lies within the individual  - so whether or not
> they
> wish to let loose that fact is their choice - that is what I mean.
>

Of course that decision is for people to make - I wholeheartedly agree.  But
I think you would agree with me that they should have the choice of
disclosing that information without negative ramifications.

>
> They shouldn't be complacent, my argument is that why should outsiders
> interfere on their behalf?  I could be mistaken, but I don't think any
> foreigners came over to help out with Stonewall in New York in 1969.
>

For one, because it is risky for those who "make waves," as you said, from
within Russia.  Secondly, I think most LGBT people view outside interference
as support rather than interference.

>
> And to add to that, until for example Britain and US resolve their issues
> with their respective LGBT communities, I do not believe for a minute that
> gay rights organizations from those countries have any good reason to add
> to
> or interfere with the gay rights movement in Russia.  Solve the problems at
> home first before gallivanting around elsewhere.
>

The proposition that no country should concern itself with problems in other
countries unless those problems are completely absent in their own country
is a very bold statement to make. I think the reason is good enough: things
are simply and generally better for the LGBT community in Britain and the US
than they are in Russia.

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