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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDustin Lance Black Urges Hollywood to Confront Russia's Anti-Gay Laws
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The Oscar-winning writer implores industry readers of The Hollywood Reporter to use their voice -- and economic clout -- to counter Vladimir Putin.
The path of history is littered with moments when progress in this country blinds us to appalling crimes against humanity elsewhere. At this very moment in Russia, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are facing harassment, arrest and violence under a set of horrific new laws. For their sake, we must take off the blinders and break this cycle of inaction. Hollywood is in a unique position to lead in this fight. The question now is, will we?
For LGBT Americans and the countless advocates in Hollywood who have helped champion the cause of full equality for all, these past few months have been filled with hope and celebration. Every day it seems we are taking a new step forward in this country. The dangerous temptation, however, is that we become content. Just days after the Supreme Court made so many of us feel more American with a pair of favorable marriage-equality rulings, on the other side of the globe, Russian President Vladimir Putin enacted some of the most vehemently anti-gay laws the world has ever known. The most dangerous weapon he has against his own LGBT citizens is the apathy that may spring from international ignorance and our own potential domestic contentment.
Even worse than what these Russian laws target is what they tolerate. Hate is spreading to all corners of Russian society. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church called marriage equality a "sign of the apocalypse." Roving groups of skinheads have attacked LGBT pride demonstrations, leaving blood on public streets.
There are even profoundly disturbing reports of thugs posing as teenagers on the Internet and luring gay youth out into the open and then harassing, torturing and humiliating these young people before releasing videos of their tortured victims online."
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"Because the truth is, the other thing that will soon be noted by Putin and LGBT Russians alike is our industry's silence and apathy. And LGBT Russians living in fear and putting their lives on the line deserve better than our inaction and silence.".
There's More..
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russias-anti-gay-laws-dustin-600437
Dustin Lance Black
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_Lance_Black
William769
(55,124 posts)Some have already come out in support but the silence of so called friends not only in Hollywood but everywhere is sad.
Cha
(295,929 posts)Profoundly. I just know this is going to make a difference, Bill.
sheshe2
(83,355 posts)Thank you to Dustin Lance Black!
From you link.
This too should be see...a link from your OP.
I wanted to hi-light it so people will take a look.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/gay-marriage-not-global-cinema-581155#9-thailand-iron-ladies
Cha
(295,929 posts)because of the limits.. and I had brought that one forward in a post I made last night on this very same article.
Decided I should make an OP out of it today, though.. DLB just writes and says it so stunningly as to what is actually going on. Quite the opposite of the Russian Propaganda minister.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3426197
Mahalo for K&R, she
MADem
(135,425 posts)If those Russians want to see American films, they'll have to see out, gay actors, too!
And, unlike Gerard Depardieu, I would, if I were the owner of a Hollywood Studio or production company, refuse to film in Russia, even if the plot takes one there. Green screen and CGI, that's the way to go!
And when someone is drinking vodka on screen, make sure it ain't RUSSIAN!
Cha
(295,929 posts)We already have New York bars and Pittsburg bars boycotting Russian Vodka for their LGBT sisters and brothers in Russia.
I feel sure Hollywood will answer DLB's call quite amazingly!
sheshe2
(83,355 posts)Black is a Founding Board Member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights[1] and writer of 8, a staged reenactment of the federal trial that led to a federal court's overturn of California's Proposition 8.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_Lance_Black
Thank you Cha!
Cha
(295,929 posts)paragraph. When I saw this column from him I remembered him from another time when he stood up for Gay Rights and I can't quite place it yet, but I will.
Oh, here is it.. his speech at the Academy Awards for Milk!
... When I was thirteen years old my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California and I heard the story of Harvey Milk and it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life, it gave me the hope to one day I could live my life openly as who I am, and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married...'
"I want to thank my mom, who has always loved me for who I am even when there was pressure not to...'
"But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he would want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, or by the government, or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon I promise you, you will have equal rights federally across this great nation of ours.'
Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is an American screenwriter, director, film and television producer, and LGBT rights activist. He has won two Writers Guild of America Awards for his work on the television series Big Love and an Academy Award for the 2008 film Milk.
And, Sasha Obama was born on his birthday! He has a really interesting history..
Mahalo, she~
sheshe2
(83,355 posts)Speech at the Academy Awards.
If anyone in Hollywood can get this information out, he can.
Harvey Milk Speech - Hope
http://www.votingrightsmatter.com/
To Hope, Cha.
Mahalo, she
To Hope~
Dustin Lance Black~
hue
(4,949 posts)William769
(55,124 posts)Cha
(295,929 posts)you for caring!
Dustin Lance Black has a way of getting the facts out there.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)In this country, it's the RWReligionists and CTers saying being gay is a plot by a western cabal to commit genocide. Those voices play well with some in Russia.
They have a paranoia of foreign powers seeking to ruin their government just as we have with the JBS RWRs and CTers here. What is there to do?
When we complain to them as we go against CTers and RWRs here, they will claim they are being victimized. This is a deep problem in both nations, from the same sources.
We need a new narrative, one that is global to cut through the propaganda. While this boycott may work, it may not solve the underlying problem. If security is increased to protect the athletes, the locals may take it out on civilians without security. That is what happened the last time when there was an attempt at a gay pride parade. The people from other nations were on buses and the locals were hurt.
Just an idea, not sure how to do it. IF this is seen as coming from the USA, they will reject it. SoS Clinton made clear her support of women and gay rights abroad.
Obama took the bull by the horns and now this is over, all but the crying, here in the USA. But he is demonized in Russia and elsewhere, which hurts all the causes he has worked on, women, minority, gay, etc. rights and I can't help but wonder how much of those causes are what underlies the hatred.
But if we don't get out and vote the RWRs and the CTers out state by state, they will drag us backward, be sure of that. As the article says, we have no time to be complacent on human rights, but so many people are chasing the shiny stuff, not much attention paid to these issues.
Thanks for posting this, Cha. I wish I just had a better narrative to outwit the RWRs and CTers here and in Russia. That's who Putin is playing to there.
Cha
(295,929 posts)he is saying do it with Movies..
We can hope Hollywood responds.
And, we do need to get out there in 2014 to get as many rw out of office as we can! thanks fresh
freshwest
(53,661 posts)When the activists escaped the mob the last time, they went after everyone that they thought might be gay and beat them up. And nothing was done at all. We are ahead of them in that respect, AFAIK.
Cha
(295,929 posts)Here's to Hope..
"Harvey Milk Speech - Hope"
http://www.votingrightsmatter.com/
Cha
(295,929 posts)own thread.
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)great thread too! K/R
Cha
(295,929 posts)ucr~
Cha
(295,929 posts)Cha
(295,929 posts)I haven't seen you lately!