The climate for LGBTQ people in Russia is terrible. In 2013, the Russian government passed a law banning so-called gay propaganda aimed at minors. LGBTQ demonstrators are routinely arrested. There have been violent attacks. Russia is a country with a bad record on human rights. Yet the 2014 Winter Olympics are being there.
What should the United States's response be? A boycott of the games? Of NBC and the commercial sponsors? With marriage equality a reality in a minority of states and with discrimination against LGBTQ people continuing in much of our country, can the United States claim a moral high ground from which to criticize Russia's anti-LGBTQ environment?
Joining us to discuss these issues are the diving champion Greg Louganis, who has won multiple Olympic gold medals, and Brian Healey, the Programming and Social Media Coordinator for Athlete Ally, a nonprofit working to end homophobia and transphobia in sports.