Case
In the year prior to the Sochi Olympics, there was a law enacted in Russia that criminalized “public expression of non-heterosexual identities” (CITE). Canada offered the country’s on LGBT rights evidently through the CBC broadcast when the games began. The Canadians, in essence, were proud of their progress stances against those that are homophobic like Russia, thus creating a divide that formulated two categories: those that followed the progressive Western idea of equality and those that were homophobic like Russia. This demonstrates the Canadian political response indicating their foreign policy on homophobia. The Canadian response is a perfect case study that exemplifies the existence of the Canadian homonationalism. Canadian politicians …show more content…
A scholar Brian James Baer makes a strong argument in stating that the “erasure of homosexuality as a political identity has in fact become a central component in the construction of contemporary Russian identity” (Baer). This is different from Canada where the protection of LGBT rights and the Canadian national identity has been intermeshed in society. The different ideologies between the two countries is what leads to Canada’s disapproval of Russia’s anti-gay laws as well as the different historical narratives that have lead to each country’s stance on LGBT rights and liberties. It would be important to note that Canada’s stance on LGBT rights prior to the 2000’s is not much different than Russia national narrative now. One must not assume that just because Canada has allowed for LGBT equality that it has advanced at a faster pace than Russia, which would reinforce the fallacy that Russia is in dire need of Western cultural modernization. This is a common misconception as the Russian conceptualization of sexuality needs to be understood from its own distinct historical …show more content…
In other words, Russian ideologies rejected all Western cultures and capitalism. This was mostly likely induced from the belief that “capitalism’s exploitation of labor incubates social diseases,” which includes homosexuality (279 ESSIG QUEER IN RUSSIA CITE). The rejection of homosexuality understandable leads to the criminalization of such acts as it is a way to protect the nation of Western influences. This provides enough evidence to state that the Russian discourse on homosexuality is due to its negative association with Western cultures, thus leading to the conclusion that pro-Western campaigns would easily be rejected by the Russian government. This is exactly the approach that the Canadian government has applied towards Russian in regards to the anti-gay law enacted prior to the Sochi Olympics. For Canada or any Western nations to properly challenge Russian homophobia, the best chance at success would not be implementing the successful Western blueprint onto Russian LGBT individuals but rather a leadership fostered from local queer or LGBT activist organizations. This way, the imagined Western sexual identities are not imposed and presumed as compatible with the Russian national narrative. Though any LGBT activity is publically condemned in Russia, this does not equate that queer
In the year prior to the Sochi Olympics, there was a law enacted in Russia that criminalized “public expression of non-heterosexual identities” (CITE). Canada offered the country’s on LGBT rights evidently through the CBC broadcast when the games began. The Canadians, in essence, were proud of their progress stances against those that are homophobic like Russia, thus creating a divide that formulated two categories: those that followed the progressive Western idea of equality and those that were homophobic like Russia. This demonstrates the Canadian political response indicating their foreign policy on homophobia. The Canadian response is a perfect case study that exemplifies the existence of the Canadian homonationalism. Canadian politicians …show more content…
A scholar Brian James Baer makes a strong argument in stating that the “erasure of homosexuality as a political identity has in fact become a central component in the construction of contemporary Russian identity” (Baer). This is different from Canada where the protection of LGBT rights and the Canadian national identity has been intermeshed in society. The different ideologies between the two countries is what leads to Canada’s disapproval of Russia’s anti-gay laws as well as the different historical narratives that have lead to each country’s stance on LGBT rights and liberties. It would be important to note that Canada’s stance on LGBT rights prior to the 2000’s is not much different than Russia national narrative now. One must not assume that just because Canada has allowed for LGBT equality that it has advanced at a faster pace than Russia, which would reinforce the fallacy that Russia is in dire need of Western cultural modernization. This is a common misconception as the Russian conceptualization of sexuality needs to be understood from its own distinct historical …show more content…
In other words, Russian ideologies rejected all Western cultures and capitalism. This was mostly likely induced from the belief that “capitalism’s exploitation of labor incubates social diseases,” which includes homosexuality (279 ESSIG QUEER IN RUSSIA CITE). The rejection of homosexuality understandable leads to the criminalization of such acts as it is a way to protect the nation of Western influences. This provides enough evidence to state that the Russian discourse on homosexuality is due to its negative association with Western cultures, thus leading to the conclusion that pro-Western campaigns would easily be rejected by the Russian government. This is exactly the approach that the Canadian government has applied towards Russian in regards to the anti-gay law enacted prior to the Sochi Olympics. For Canada or any Western nations to properly challenge Russian homophobia, the best chance at success would not be implementing the successful Western blueprint onto Russian LGBT individuals but rather a leadership fostered from local queer or LGBT activist organizations. This way, the imagined Western sexual identities are not imposed and presumed as compatible with the Russian national narrative. Though any LGBT activity is publically condemned in Russia, this does not equate that queer