Comments

1
It'd sure be interesting to hear from actual Russian GLBTQs as to how we can help.
2
The Stoli boycott idea is a good if totally insufficient start. Go after every single sponsor of the upcoming Olympics. Not Russian brands, most Russians themselves don't give a fuck about gay rights. But Coke would, Unilever would, Nike would if they start carrying a lot of negative PR. If they are going fly their corporate flag at the Olympics, go for the throat. Any high profile celebrity who goes to Russia--publicly shame them, make it personal. It worked against South Africa--but it took years and years.
3
Stoli is Russian. That is clear. I don't know how their judiciary works but I do know this. That government is corrupt as hell and rather than play games with us and trying to obfuscate the facts, they should bribe a few judges to rule the anti-gay laws unjust. Cheap, easy and a way out of their mess.
4
Drinking a Seagrams vodka and soda right now. It's pretty nice, a creamy almost vanilla-y flavor.
5
I realize this question isn't strictly related to the narrow scope of this article, but what sense does it make to punish a company that, as far as I know, has no history of homophobia, for the actions of a government it has no control over?
6
I understand that boycotts are often more about the message they send rather than putting a company out of business but by picking a pro-gay company like Stoli for no other reason than it is a product with Russian ties just makes you look foolish. Sure they're out out another statement of support of the gay community, but they probably would have done that anyway, considering they ALREADY partner with many gay organizations. It's slacktivism at its finest and most misguided.
8
matt. you are a moron.
9
I've always had the notion that the word is "Luxembourgeois".

P.S. thanks for kicking this off, Matt!
10
Did Stoli write the laws in question? This is the dumbest thing since you guys pushed for the invasion of Iraq.
11
This whole boycott is ridiculous at best. Why would Russia care one bit if the gays boycott Stoli?? Do think Putin won't get any sleep tonight because of it? Stoli had nothing to do with what Russia has decided to do. The best I can tell they have been a better supporter of the LGBT community than most. Boycotting and writing letters to those that support the Olympics makes more sense. Write letters to NBC and hold them accountable to fairly report on this subject. I really don't see how boycotting a vodka company is going to prove anything !!!
12
Well then, by all means. Lets stick it to what is arguably the most pro gay "Russian" company around for not being pro gay enough. Because Stoli IS the only company in Russia... Right? Or wait, is vodka the only thing gay people buy???...

I wonder, if Stoli didn't sponsor our parades, market in our magazines with pro gay images and send thier reps into our bars to pour us shots, would they still be the only "Russian" brand we can think of?

Also, with pro gay propaganda outlawed in Russia, doesn't that place companies with pro gay advertising (propaganda) messages afoul of that law and potential targets of prosecution under it???

Yes. Clearly we should push the long knives into Stoli.
13
Point of Order. It is correctly Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch).

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/luxembou…

The rest can be argued as you like, and as your politics (or lack thereof) lean.
14
If anyone else is wondering who-the-hell Matt Fikse-Verkerk might be, here's the number-one Google hit.

Manners, dear Editor, manners.
15
Or, you know, maybe it's still not black and white.

The more I read, the less well thought out this boycott seems.
16
Stupid idea is Stupid, even the GLBTQs in mother Russia herself think so.
17
@7, Glad you asked. None. Because there is no Russian product that Americans consume enough of and provides enough leverage over the Russian economy or government to led to change. Your time is better spent drinking whatever the heck you want and donating some money to gay advocacy groups in Russia which are currently being beaten up by anti-gay thugs on the streets while the Stranger propagates this absolutely useless solution.

Boycotts are notoriously ineffective in most cases, their real power comes in the negative reputation that it generates for the target. In this case Dan Savage has concluded that if he tries to ruin Stoli's reputation, it'll convince one of the parent company's major owners to lobby Putin on this issue. This completely ignores any of the political realities in Russia, and presumes that all that matters is some old-boys club. In reality these anti-gay laws are not just the whim of Putin or the oligarchs, but something which is supported by huge majorities of Russians. Less than 5% of Russians support gay marriage, down from 14%, "22 percent said that the treatment of homosexuality must be made compulsory, and 5 percent said that homosexuals should be ‘exterminated.’" These are incredibly popular laws at a time when Putin's power is waning, and it will take more than one billionaire to convince the Russian leadership that they're more trouble than their worth.
18
Nobody suggests to boycott Californian wines because of Proposition 8 even though Californian winery owners are much more influential in the USA than Russian business people in Russia (don't you know what happened with Hodorkovsky or Gusinsky?).

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