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This article from The Guardian has too many good Sochi tweets to just pick one or two. People are arriving and yes, it's a mess. This one though cracks me up. I mean, PLEASE--no wait don't---tell me who fishes in a toilet?! Behind all the 'new' Sochi building though is the real crumbling city of Sochi where citizens have some real primitive conditions that have been made worse.

Obviously since people are arriving in Sochi nothing came of boycotting them. Let's remember that the next time the USA tries to police a country and claims we have to because of how the citizens are being treated. I agree with actor Chris Pine who said, "...the U.S. should have done more in the run-up to the Sochi Olympics to protest Russia's anti-gay legislation, which he calls "clearly awful, archaic, hostile nonsense." "

Though, some points must be given for some world leaders for one, not going to the opening ceremonies and two, sending members of the LGBT community to represent them. President Obama isn't going, nor the Vice President, but is sending Billie Jean King* to the opening ceremonies, Caitlin Cahow to the closing ceremonies and Brian Boitano is in the delegation>. France, the UK, and Germany are also not sending their heads of state. German President Joachim Gauck publicly pointed to Russia’s human rights abuses as his reason. Prime Minister Cameron is sending Clare Balding, a well known gay TV journalist, and one time jockey, will be among the group of culture ministers who will represent The UK. Also the British government has said that the sports minister Helen Grant, who is also equalities minister, will attend on its behalf. Putin did attend the Olympics in London in 2012, so this is quite a snub for Cameron to not return the favor. Norway's Health Minister is attending the Sochi Paralympics and he is taking his husband. He will be Norway's official representative at the Paralympics.

An IOC member spoke out publicly against President Obama sending gay representatives. ' "It's absurd that a country like that sends four lesbians to Russia just to demonstrate that in their country gay rights have (been established),'' Mario Pescante said at an Italian Olympic Committee meeting...'

Former Gold Medalist Greg Louganis is urging Olympic athletes to protest Russia's anti-gay laws by dedicating wins to gay family members and friends. By doing THIS, it would not run afoul of the Olympic rules for protesting. Yes, the IOC in more moves to placate Putin yet also try to placate everyone else, says that athletes cannot speak out on issues within "accredited areas".

Putin is saying that gays at the Olympics must leave children alone, because he's just perpetuating the false belief that gays are pedophiles. "We have a ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and paedophilia," Putin said in televised comments from host city Sochi... Further in that article is this alarming statement: In a sign that Russia could go further in its anti-gay legislation, a senior cleric from the Russian Orthodox Church, which is closely allied to Putin, this month called for a national debate on returning a Soviet-era law repealed in 1993 that criminalised gay sex. Though there's one amusing one, with a volunteer pointing out to Putin that their volunteer uniforms are RAINBOW colored! Of course Putin says he had nothing to do with their design. Bonus points to whomever designed them! And the Mayor of Sochi doesn't even think there's any gay people in his city.

Within Russia a 9nth grade student, which there is between the ages of 14-16, was found guilty of the Russian propaganda laws for stating her sexual orientation in front of her classmates. (The child pictured in the article is NOT the child in question). Her own father attacked her to the point she had a severe head injury and had to be hospitalized. The first media outlet was also just fined for violating the laws, for reporting a teacher was fired for being gay. A Russian LGBT teen activist has been charged with violating their draconian law also. She runs a support group for LGBT teens in Russia online.

Elena Klimova established the aforementioned online community, Children 404, in March of 2013. She said the project was created after she published an article about LGBT teenagers’ problems and began receiving messages from teen teenagers on her personal VKontakte page. On the “Children 404″ page, LGBT teens share personal stories, and converse about their problems. Often, they write about about bullying by peers and misunderstanding by parents. To date, more than one thousand letters have been published. The LGBT youth community faces a mental health crisis as it is already. But imagine being in RUSSIA, with basically ZERO support. You would feel more isolated.

Even information about HIV prevention is considered propaganda, which aside from the whole ridiculousness of these draconian laws, somehow makes it even MORE draconian. Putin has claimed gays aren't discriminated against, yet I highly doubt he'll take up Elton John's offer to introduce him to people who have been harassed, threatened, physically assaulted, etc because they are gay. "The people I met in Moscow – gay men and lesbians in their 20s, 30s and 40s – told me stories about receiving threats from vigilante groups who would 'cure' them of homosexuality by dousing them with urine or beating them up." <---THIS is what the homophobic Russian yobs do to peaceful individuals just trying to live their lives. Then there's a Russian actor who thinks gays should be burned alive in an oven. Hmmm.....what other oppressive regime used ovens?

ETA: *Billie Jean King whereas selected to go, is now not able to go to the opening ceremonies due to her elderly mother being gravely ill.

Pictured is Kirill Kalugin, 21, is a student at St Petersburg’s Polytechnic University. He became famous for holding a one-man protest at Palace Square during celebrations of Russian Airborne Troops Day on 2 August 2013, when he unfolded a rainbow banner reading: ‘This is promotion of tolerance’ and was attacked and arrested by uniformed veteran paratroopers within seconds. ‘The protests should make people think, reflect, and create discussions in our society,’ he says. ‘Protests that are seen by no one are useless.’



From this set of Gay and Lesbian people in Russia. His statement "This is promotion of tolerance" and "The protests should make people think, reflect, and create discussions in our society." Really struck a chord with me.

Next month, February 7th I will focus exclusively on the Olympics and Russia. This month, let's see what's going on around the world.

Just today I read here that the president of Nigeria signed a law criminalizing same sex relationships. "The bill, which contains penalties of up to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex "amorous relationships" and membership of gay rights groups, was passed by the national assembly last May but Jonathan had delayed signing it into law." Finally, it seems, the United States is saying something to a country that passes such laws. Secretary of State John Kerry said in part, "It is inconsistent with Nigeria's international legal obligations and undermines ... democratic reforms and human rights protections."

In Cameroon a man was sentenced to 3 years in jail for sending a text to another man saying he loved him. In prison he developed a hernia, was released to the hospital and then his family took him home and let him die because they objected to his homosexuality. Cameroon is unapologetic with it's homophobic laws. A quote from the article I read: "Appearing before the council in September 2013, Anatole Nkou, Cameroon's ambassador to Geneva, testified that a prominent gay rights activist found tortured and killed last year died because of his "personal life," prompting outcry from international rights groups."

In Uganda in December a bill was passed, but not yet signed by the president, that can send a gay individual to jail for life. People can also be sent to jail for NOT reporting homosexual behavior. It also bans the promotion of homosexuality (they must have picked that one up from Russia). I agree with president Obama's comment about this, calling it "Odious". The article I read here and taken from that article is this map of Africa denoting gay rights in each country (or lack of).



In India, their government is asking the supreme court to overturn the ruling so that being gay would NOT be illegal. From the article: "Gay sex had been effectively legalised in 2009 when the Delhi High Court ruled that a section of the penal code prohibiting "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" was an infringement of fundamental rights. But in a shock judgement on December 11, a panel of two Supreme Court judges ruled that the High Court had overstepped its authority and that a law passed in 1860 during British colonial rule was still valid." I could find no update on this, so their court must still be mulling this over.

Ignorance about the LGBT community continues around the world also, unfortunately.

From last month here, a professor at Newham College in London was terminated for comparing gays to the kkk, nazis and free masons. He also believed that gays wanted to indoctrinate children. This is an alleged educated individual?

Also in the United Kingdom, Andrea Minichiello Williams, founder of Christian Concern, said that lack of a father could lead to homosexual feelings and used Olympic diver Tom Daley as an example. Yes, apparently if your father passed away, it'll turn you gay, that's basically what she said. Let that sink in. Here's the article I read.

In the United States we have potential GOP Senate candidate from Iowa Bob Vander Plaats blathering on how if same sex married is allowed parents could end up marrying their children! Audio of his interview included with this story. I wonder if he even knows Gay marriage is allowed in Iowa? Shhhh....don't tell him! :)

Of course also in the United States there was a short window of time that Utah was allowing same sex marriages, now they are on hold. For those couples who DID get married though, whereas the State has said their marriages aren't valid, the Federal government has stepped in and said they will recognize them. Article here.

Promoting tolerance SHOULD make people think, reflect and create discussions within society. Out of that, eventually, WILL come acceptance and most of all equality.