IOC Defends Removal of Trans MP for Rainbow Protest

[William769]

The International Olympic Committee is standing with the Russian officials who removed a group of pro-LGBT demonstrators from the Olympic village Sunday, citing the Olympic Charter's prohibition on political demonstrations in Olympic venues, according to BuzzFeed.

Among those removed was Vladimir Luxuria, a former member of Italy's Parliament, who was walking around the village for two hours Sunday, shouting and carrying signs saying "Gay is OK" and "It's OK to be gay" in English and Russian.

Luxuria, who is also the first openly transgender member of any European parliament, was strolling through the Olympic village in a rainbow dress, scarf, and headpiece when she was reportedly removed by Russian plainclothes police officers. She says she was taken to a local police station by four men — who did not show her an official badge — where she was questioned for several hours and eventually released early Monday morning.

"I was kept to take information, for a couple of hours, and then at last, a person talking English came, saying that I shouldn't show Russian writings about LGBT rights," Luxuria told Russia's Kremlin-backed news outlet RuptlyTV.

http://www.advocate.com/sports/2014/02/18/ioc-defends-removal-trans-mp-rainbow-protest

[Bluenorthwest]

1. The Olympics are still going on? Good lord, how much skating is there to do, really?

Every couple of days I see an article about how low the NBC ratings have been, and Costas having pink eye and that whole string of good luck NBC is having in Sochi but somehow I thought it was already over. I guess all that fascism and bigotry is time consuming when done on ice. People must be so sick of it by now.

[William769]

2. Got to get that Russian Propaganda out don't cha know.

To show how well the LGBT Community is being treated there.

P.S. I hear Russia is willing to sponsor the Summer Olympics in Uganda.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. I think the brand is damaged

The Olympic Games have ski jumped the shark.

[William769]

4. I feel a photo shop moment coming on.

[William769]

5. Kicking for the night owls.