Croatian Lesbians Sing For Sochi
Le Zbor, the first lesbian and feminist choir in southeastern Europe, has created a charming video “expressing its solidarity with the LGBT citizens of Russia and worldwide.” Watch the Croatian singers here:
Sports
Meet Another Russian-Born Lesbian Mom Fighting for LGBT Russians
Yelena Goltsman is founder and co-president of RUSA LGBT, the association for Russian-speaking LGBT people in the U.S., and a leading voice speaking out for LGBT Russians. She didn’t plan to be an LGBT activist, though — and in fact came to the U.S. in 1990 because of anti-Jewish, not anti-LGBT, persecution, when she was still married to a man.
Sneak Peek: Chevy’s Olympic Ad Featuring Same-Sex Parents
Here’s a sneak peek of Chevrolet’s ad that will run tonight during the Olympic opening ceremonies, featuring two-mom and two-dad families.
Companies Highlight LGBT Inclusion During Olympics: Is It Enough?
Google lit up the Internet last night with its not-so-subtle rainbow-colored Olympic doodle, quoting the non-discrimination section of the Olympic Charter below it. From what I can tell, based on reports from friends of friends, the doodle is visible by Google users in Russia, too. I’ve been working in social media and social justice for a long time, and I think Google’s move was one of the best-timed, best planned examples of how to use the former for the latter. Other companies are planning to air LGBT-inclusive commercials during the Games as well. But what will the impact of this be?
Send Your Family Photo to Sochi, With Love
The Olympics start tonight, and I am going to be watching with mixed feelings: the love of a sports fan, and the concern of a member of the LGBT community. I shudder when I think that Russia may soon pass a bill that would allow the state to take children from parents for no reason other than that the parents are LGBT. The Family Equality Council is taking action, however, and asking people to send a message of love and support to LGBT people in Russia through the “To Sochi With Love” campaign.
8 Reasons the Red Sox Are Like Marriage Equality
My hometown team, the Boston Red Sox, is in the World Series. Earlier this week, New Jersey became the 14th state to enact marriage equality, with the possibility of several more to follow. All this got me thinking about parallels between the Red Sox and marriage equality.
Would Skater’s Moms Be Arrested If They Attended Her Performance at Olympics?
On Friday, I mentioned Britney Simpson, one half of the 2013 U.S. Junior Pairs Champion figure skating team, who has two moms. I said it would be great to see both her and her skating partner’s parents in the audience if the pair makes the 2014 Winter Olympics—but forgot that the Games will be held in Russia. Russia’s increasingly harsh anti-gay laws cast Simpson’s moms’ attendance in a very different light.
U.S. Figure Skating Champ Has Two Moms with a Lot of Drive
Britney Simpson, one half of the 2013 U.S. Junior Pairs Champion figure skating team, has two moms—whose dedication to their daughter’s sporting career is pretty amazing.
Pro Basketball Star with Two Moms Delights Kid with Two Moms
I posted Monday about basketball star Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets, who spoke out on behalf of his two moms and in favor of civil unions (and marriage equality) in Colorado. That’s cool—but it turns out he’s even cooler. Reader Fran Simon, who is herself working to help pass the civil union bill, sent me a fun story about her family meeting Faried. I’m sharing it here, with her permission.
Basketball Star Speaks Out for Two Mothers, Marriage
Basketball star Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets has two moms, as we found out a couple of years ago. He recently made a video with them for One Colorado, the state LGBT advocacy group that is leading the fight for civil unions in that state. “Nobody can ever tell me I can’t have two mothers, because I really do,” he said. Watch:
