1. Let's talk about LGBT rights in 2014
by Christina Bontioti
Monday, 03 March 2014
As we leave February behind, it is important to reflect on what we celebratedduring those 28
daysand why. In the UK, February is LGBT history month and this year it happened to
coincide with a few eventsthat brought many LGBT issues to the surface. Unfortunately,
instead of positive news of progress, the world has been witness to considerable regressionas
far as LGBT rights worldwide are concerned. Fromthe Russian 'anti-gay' laws to the more
far-reaching Ugandan ones, we have definitely reacheda point in LGBT history where we
need to stop and ask ourselvesif we are in fact moving forward.
The Sochiwinter Olympicsare without a doubt the one event which has caused the biggest
wave of interest to emerge, since the controversy onwhether the Olympicsshould be
boycottedrestedalmost entirely on the debate over whether Russia's law violatedthe
Olympic Charter'sprohibition against discrimination. From celebritiesboycottingthe event
to teams showing up with rainbow-colouredoutfits, there was definite tension before and
throughout the two weeks. And there is very seriousreasonfor this to be the case; the law
banning "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors" is disconcertingto put it
mildly. The fact that Russian citizens can be fined for advocatingLGBT rights and foreigners
can be arrested, or deportedin extreme cases, shows that the government is not afraid to
encroachon people'sfreedoms. Although President Putin did seemingly change his line of
reasoning by welcoming gay people to Sochi, he did unfortunately end that statement with
"but [they]should leave childrenalone".

2. The Greek national team sporting rainbow-coloured gloves at the Winter
Olympics in Sochi.
However, let us be fair and look at the US and other countries, in which anti-gay sentiments
are being vocalisedand acted upon more and more. In the US, this ranges from Laverne Cox,
a transgender actress, being asked about her genitalia by Katie Couric on live television, to
the State of Arizona almost passing the SB 1062, a bill that would effectively allowfor
rampant discrimination to be legal on the basis of religious beliefs. Other controversialissues
include the Boy Scoutsof America, one of the largest youthorganizations in the country,
having an anti-gay policy. More specifically, they do not grant membership to 'open or
avowedhomosexuals', which has started many online petitions to end this discrimination. In
Europe we encounter the disgraceful treatment of gay and lesbian asylumseekersby Home
Office officialsin the UK and the anti-gay remarks of the chairman of the world's leading
pasta manufacturer, Barilla. In Africa, we witness appalling laws being passed in Nigeria and
Uganda.

3. An Arizona shop sign reflects the relief of many as a law which would allow
businesses to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers on the basis of
religious belief is narrowly avoided.
The President of Uganda, YoweriMuseveni, signed into law a bill that defines some
homosexualacts as crimes punishable by incarceration. He said that although in the past he
believedthat homosexuality was the result of a genetic abnormality, the science he has seen
provesthat it is a choice and that is the reason for his implementation of this law. Contrary to
most of the world watching on, in Uganda this bill is popular and the tabloids were
humiliating gay individuals from day one.

4. The front page of Red Pepper, a Ugandan tabloid, echoes the kind of obscene
journalism seen in some of the British tabloids in previous decades.
There is no doubt that we should all be entitled to our own opinions, even if it is very hardto
find a meeting point where extremely opposingsides can exist without fear that one's
freedomsare being infringed on. However, we should all stand undividedin demanding that
our governmentsrespect our freedom of expressionand allow love to flourish where it exists.
Irrespective of gender.
IMAGE SOURCES:
First article image - http://www.bustle.com/articles/14944-greece-wore-rainbow-gloves-at-
sochis-opening-ceremonies-and-other-olympic-gay-friendly-looks
Secondarticle image - http://uptownmagazine.com/2014/02/arizona-governor-vetoes-sb-
1062-transcript-remarks/
Thirdarticle image - http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/exposed-ugandan-tabloid-
publishes-list-top-homosexuals-n38231