STEPHEN FRY
In Russia, the LGBT community is severely
oppressed by the government and religious
leaders. The injustices that they are facing are
discrimination, verbal and physical assault, and
ostracism. The Russian government is doing
nothing to help the social position of the LGBT
community, and is even making policies that
further the stigma. Englishman Stephen Fry has
used his position as a well known actor and
comedian, by used social media and film, and met
with politicians, to raise awareness so the
treatment of the LGBT community will be
improved. Fry uses social media to raise
awareness for the LGBT community. He frequently
Tweets and uses his website, stephenfry.org, to
share his ideas as well as dates of his talks around
the world. One big thing that he does on his
website is write open letters to politicians,
explaining his position and convincing them to do
the right thing (stephenfry.org).
For example, in the months approaching the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Fry
posted an open letter to the British Prime Minister and the International Olympic
Committee (IOC), urging them not to let Russia and its treatment of the LGBT
community appear acceptable to the “civilized world.”(stephenfry.org)
Fry also made a documentary, Out There, about the lives of people in the LGBT
community all over the world. It has inspired and empowered LGBT citizens to be who
they are. In Out There, Fry travels to places such as Uganda, Brazil, South Africa, and
of course, Russia, to talk to political and religious leaders there to find out why they
are oppressive to the LGBT community and what they are doing to prevent it in their
country (Stephen Fry: Out There). The documentary is trying to show the world about
the struggles that the LGBT community has to face, to which they would otherwise be
oblivious.
In Out There, Stephen Fry speaks to a few different religious and political leaders,
although in many places the line between politics and religion is slowly blurring into
the same thing. (Stephen Fry: Out There) When he was in Russia, Fry spoke to Deputy
Milinov, who is credited as one of the writers of the law that banned so-called “gay
propaganda” around minors. In the film, Deputy Milinov said that he believed that
the gay people were trying to force their sexuality on others, and they were trying to
bring minors to “their side.” He believes that he is protecting the youth of Russia, but
in truth he is hurting them more than he could ever know. After hearing everything
that Milinov had to say, Fry was so appalled and frustrated with him that he got up
and left (Stephen Fry: Out There). His departure hopefully put something in Milanov’s
mind that could possibly influence him, or maybe even influence some viewers.
LGBT oppression all over the world is an immense problem;