Internet Is Applauding The Genius Way These Activists Troll Russia’s Anti-Gay Laws
In Russia, homosexuality is technically decriminalized but people who form “non-traditional” relationships have it pretty hard there. For example, in 2013 the country passed a law banning the spreading of “gay propaganda” among minors, which the European Court of Human Rights ruled was discriminatory and encouraged homophobia. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, however, a group of LGBT activists managed to undermine the law in a particularly genius way.
Organizing a project called #HiddenFlag they smuggled in a Pride flag into the country and paraded it right in the center of its capital, Moscow. “We have taken advantage of the fact the country is hosting the World Cup at the same time as Pride Month, to denounce their behavior and take the rainbow flag to the streets of Russia,” they write. “Yes, in the plain light of day, in front of the Russian authorities, Russian society and the whole world, we wave the flag with pride.”
Six people from six countries (Spain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia) dressed in jerseys that together formed the iconic flag, and their photos instantly went viral all over the internet. Scroll down to check out the images and tell us what you think about the initiative in the comments.
More info: thehiddenflag.org | lola-mullenlowe.com
In Russia, homosexuality is technically decriminalized but spreading “gay propaganda” can get you arrested
So six LGBT activists from six countries that participated in the World Cup used their countries’ football shirts to protest against it
When arranged in a particular order, the jerseys of the models formed the Pride flag
The Hidden Flag initiative was the brainchild of a digital ad agency called LOLA MullenLowe and FELGTB, Spain’s federation for LGBT rights
They said they wanted to come up with a safe way to speak out
“Russia is a terrible place for LGBTI people and we wanted it to be safe for the volunteers,” Sara Okrent, LOLA MullenLowe’s head of communications, told BuzzFeed
The idea they settled with allowed the volunteers to get in and out of the country before everything became public
Participants were found through friends at the company and email callouts
“It’s been an amazing reaction, and feeling like part of something that could hopefully make a change”
Gilbert Baker designed the rainbow flag in 1978
“He did so to create a symbol,<…> recognizable across the world, that people could use to express their pride,” the organizers wrote
“Unfortunately, 40 years later, there are still countries in which homosexuality is persecuted, sometimes even by jail sentences”
“And in which the rainbow flag is forbidden”
“Russia is one of these countries”
“Because of this, we have taken advantage of the fact the country is hosting the World Cup at the same time as Pride Month”
In 2013, the country passed a law banning the spreading of “gay propaganda” among minors
The European Court of Human Rights ruled it was discriminatory and encouraged homophobia
Homosexuality was decriminalized there in 1993, but anti-gay prejudice is widespread
The Hidden Flag instantly went viral
As of this post, one tweet sharing pics of the project has amassed an incredible 350,000 likes
Love is love!
People are in love with the creativity of the idea
114Kviews
Share on FacebookI'm Russian and I doubt that wearing LGBT flag colors is widely recognized as LGBT promotion here. It's unlikely that all Russian adults, let alone kids and teens, associate rainbow with LGBT. In fact, there's another color traditionally associated with gays at least - light blue - and even that is 100% legal. I see many people wearing rainbow colored clothes freely, especially in summertime, without inflicting any harm upon themselves.
Я тоже из России и я знаю, что многие россияне знаю, что такое радужный флаг, а полиция в особенности в курсе и хватает всех, кто его несет. Многие гетеросексалы стараются не покупать разноцветные вещи, чтобы их не заподозрили в том, что они могут быть геями. В Россия вся пропитана лицемерием и показухой. Телевизионная картинка не соответствует тому, что происходит на самом деле. Полиции сказали терпеть иностранцев. Но когда закончится чемпионат мира по футболу репрессии начнутся снова! Если вы чего-то не знаете, то не надо просто лицемерия!
Load More Replies...WOW! What brave clever people going to another country and getting involved with their social issues in such a way that you don't even know what the hell they're doing until they tell you.
OMG they did not "undermine " the law, they poked fun at it, and in a way that no one there even noticed. This got them their 15 minutes of Internet fame, but has little to do with real social change.
This. Most people here likely wouldn't understand the idea behind it(not because they're dumb, it's just not that wide-spread and known here) even if they were waving the actual rainbow flag.
Load More Replies...They think they troll Russia. But, I'm sure, no Russian even recognized and did not understand that it was trolling. Useless action)))
It’s a shame that media’s brain-washing stories make Russia look like it has any anti-LGBT laws, where in reality there are NO laws against LGBT, you are free to be whoever you want and there is no prosecution for that. The only thing that differs is that there are no laws pro-LGBT, and yes, the deep christian-orthodox and post-soviet ideology doesn’t make it easy for those who are LGBT. A tendency to objectivity is what makes the foundation for a common ground and change!
There is a law against LGBT propaganda in youth, which can be interpreted as an anti-LGBT law, but again this is something that can be argued about.
Load More Replies...I am so thankful that I live in a country where I can safety express who I am. It hurts me to know that there are still countries that haven't yet realized that it is wrong to persecute people and deny them rights based soley on their sexuality.
"In 2013, the country passed a law banning the spreading of gay propaganda among minors" Is it so bad and inconceivable that some people would like to protect minors from sexual propaganda?
Genius! and respectful. and brave. and clever, and everything. Love this!
I find that most people that have a deep hatred of one group are secretly wanting to be a part of said group. They feel like the were wrong and shunned at some point. So are you wildly protesting the gay community because you feel left out? And..even if you're not..what have they done to you to cause such hatred?
Most(I won't say all because there're all kinds of people) of the country does not hate gay people, I wish we wouldn't be portrayed as some unholy villains as a whole nation or something. Russia is still majorly very conservative, and (especially in older generation(s) ) this kind of stuff just seems weird and nonsensible, so what people feel is bewilderment and perhaps pity like you would towards a sick person because they feel it's not how it should be. This is obviously not a great attitude but it's more about the natural humans' fear of the unknown and unfamiliar(which can and should be overcome) rather than pure hatred.
Load More Replies...Like it, (I am mexican, so I like to see a mexican jersey in the hidden flag).I don't know too much about what people have to live in Russia if ylu are part of LGBT. Honestly is a nice way to fight
When they speak about the goodwill of Russia, remember MH17, Donbass, Transnistria, South Ossetia, chemical attacks in Syria .... The list is very long.
Thank god there're no such awful things to remember for any other country in the world. Oh, wait...
Load More Replies...Something to remember that Russia unlike the US has a different set of laws and they are willing to enforce them. Unlike the US and several other western "progressive country's who make laws but only enforce them when it is politically advantage to them.
I'm Russian and I doubt that wearing LGBT flag colors is widely recognized as LGBT promotion here. It's unlikely that all Russian adults, let alone kids and teens, associate rainbow with LGBT. In fact, there's another color traditionally associated with gays at least - light blue - and even that is 100% legal. I see many people wearing rainbow colored clothes freely, especially in summertime, without inflicting any harm upon themselves.
Я тоже из России и я знаю, что многие россияне знаю, что такое радужный флаг, а полиция в особенности в курсе и хватает всех, кто его несет. Многие гетеросексалы стараются не покупать разноцветные вещи, чтобы их не заподозрили в том, что они могут быть геями. В Россия вся пропитана лицемерием и показухой. Телевизионная картинка не соответствует тому, что происходит на самом деле. Полиции сказали терпеть иностранцев. Но когда закончится чемпионат мира по футболу репрессии начнутся снова! Если вы чего-то не знаете, то не надо просто лицемерия!
Load More Replies...WOW! What brave clever people going to another country and getting involved with their social issues in such a way that you don't even know what the hell they're doing until they tell you.
OMG they did not "undermine " the law, they poked fun at it, and in a way that no one there even noticed. This got them their 15 minutes of Internet fame, but has little to do with real social change.
This. Most people here likely wouldn't understand the idea behind it(not because they're dumb, it's just not that wide-spread and known here) even if they were waving the actual rainbow flag.
Load More Replies...They think they troll Russia. But, I'm sure, no Russian even recognized and did not understand that it was trolling. Useless action)))
It’s a shame that media’s brain-washing stories make Russia look like it has any anti-LGBT laws, where in reality there are NO laws against LGBT, you are free to be whoever you want and there is no prosecution for that. The only thing that differs is that there are no laws pro-LGBT, and yes, the deep christian-orthodox and post-soviet ideology doesn’t make it easy for those who are LGBT. A tendency to objectivity is what makes the foundation for a common ground and change!
There is a law against LGBT propaganda in youth, which can be interpreted as an anti-LGBT law, but again this is something that can be argued about.
Load More Replies...I am so thankful that I live in a country where I can safety express who I am. It hurts me to know that there are still countries that haven't yet realized that it is wrong to persecute people and deny them rights based soley on their sexuality.
"In 2013, the country passed a law banning the spreading of gay propaganda among minors" Is it so bad and inconceivable that some people would like to protect minors from sexual propaganda?
Genius! and respectful. and brave. and clever, and everything. Love this!
I find that most people that have a deep hatred of one group are secretly wanting to be a part of said group. They feel like the were wrong and shunned at some point. So are you wildly protesting the gay community because you feel left out? And..even if you're not..what have they done to you to cause such hatred?
Most(I won't say all because there're all kinds of people) of the country does not hate gay people, I wish we wouldn't be portrayed as some unholy villains as a whole nation or something. Russia is still majorly very conservative, and (especially in older generation(s) ) this kind of stuff just seems weird and nonsensible, so what people feel is bewilderment and perhaps pity like you would towards a sick person because they feel it's not how it should be. This is obviously not a great attitude but it's more about the natural humans' fear of the unknown and unfamiliar(which can and should be overcome) rather than pure hatred.
Load More Replies...Like it, (I am mexican, so I like to see a mexican jersey in the hidden flag).I don't know too much about what people have to live in Russia if ylu are part of LGBT. Honestly is a nice way to fight
When they speak about the goodwill of Russia, remember MH17, Donbass, Transnistria, South Ossetia, chemical attacks in Syria .... The list is very long.
Thank god there're no such awful things to remember for any other country in the world. Oh, wait...
Load More Replies...Something to remember that Russia unlike the US has a different set of laws and they are willing to enforce them. Unlike the US and several other western "progressive country's who make laws but only enforce them when it is politically advantage to them.
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