Fresbians and Flicks At Fresno’s Reel Pride Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Fresno’s Reel Pride is an annual film festival that happens each September in California’s Central Valley. It’s the biggest LGBTQ event in the area — providing a way for the quiet valley community to get together. Now in it’s 24th year, Reel Pride assembled over 30 films and shorts to screen over the five days. From September 18th through the 22nd, films played from mid afternoon to late night, many of them followed by well-attended after parties. The board of directors were gracious enough to give me a media pass to participate in this year’s festival, and A-camp alumna/ Reel Pride volunteer Tory Domena guided me through the Reel Pride experience.

Tory at Reel Pride

One thing I’ve noticed living in the Central Valley is that most of the out LGBTQ community leaders are a few generations older than me. It’s inspiring that in California’s conservative farmland there are active, outspoken people who are working to make a difference. (In fact, several longtime LGBT Central Valley residents are founding a Gay Lion’s Club – one of the few Gay Lion’s Club in the nation). But, I’ve always wondered where the younger queers hide out. One of the great things about Reel Pride is that it brings this community together in a central location: Fresno’s Tower District. The Tower District is the closest thing Fresno has to a hip neighborhood. Olive Avenue, the main street, is crowded with locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, thrift stores, and small businesses. At the center of the District is the historic Tower Theatre, which is where Reel Pride shows the bulk of their films. Known as the funky/young-oriented part of town, this location is key to attracting some of the younger queers out to the event.

Fresno’s Tower District

Another awesome thing of note is the ethnic and age diversity amongst the Reel Pride Board of Directors. I met Augie Blancas and Justin Kamimoto, two young people who serve on the board, as well as Sarrah Soza and Kathleen Reyna, the women at the head of the event. It seems that the Board of Directors and the long list of volunteers have worked hard to get a wide range of sponsors, from big name companies to local businesses. As Tory explained to me, this team has worked to find a good balance of films that appeal to a wide audience, especially picking feature films that appeal to the younger crowd. The opening night film, G.B.F., is a high-school based comedy that parodies clique culture and competition. Other youth-oriented films included: Geography Club, Easy Abby and Valentine Road. To ease the cost of attending the festival, Reel Pride offered discounted and free tickets to students throughout the festival. Additionally, they showed a series of short films about the HIV experience called Positivity for free. Inside the Tower Theater they created a lounge and bar space for VIP members 21+ to socialize.

The crowd gathers after Ladies Night outside Tower Theatre

Women’s Nights have always been a highlight, and with more lesbian films on the roster this year, there were two nights that featured lesbian films. The first happened Friday, with the screening of Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf?. Local social groups including the Fresbians and POW: Professional Out Women, created events around the film, gathering for dinner beforehand and organizing groups for the after party. The theatre was packed for the showing of Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf, which tells the story of a forty-something filmmaker who finally tackles her list of life resolutions when she decides to produce a film to win the affection of her leading lady.

Directly after the film, they hosted a Q & A with cast members Guinevere Turner, Agnes Olech and Joel Michaley. Reel Pride hosted the “Women’s Night Out” at Arena nightclub, just across the street from Tower Theatre. The night featured a comedy set by Bridget McManus, who entertained everyone with audience centered jokes and participation.

I also had the opportunity to see the cheekily titled Fun in Girl’s Shorts program which highlighted eight short lesbian films. My favorites included: The Devotion Project:Foremost in My Mind, a documentary style short that shared the love story of two trailblazing African American women; The First Date a comedy that pokes fun at the aftermath of a horrendous first date; and Natives, the story of a first trip to meet the parents that confronts the intersections of sexuality and cultural differences.

Here’s a brief interview with Kathleen Reyna:

Kathleen Reyna being interviewed by local TV station

Why do you believe this is an important event in Fresno?
KR: I believe it’s an important event in any community, not just ours. Reel Pride offers not only entertainment but fellowship for people who may not otherwise experience it.

Is the Central Valley becoming more tolerant/accepting of LGBTQ people?
KR: I think it is very easy to say that the Valley is as conservative as ever, however as the new generations come up they have more accepting attitudes.

What is the significance of Reel Pride for you? Why did you become involved as a board member?
KR: I had never been involved in LGBTQ anything before. I didn’t come out until I was 30! I had other things to accomplish and I focused on those. I concentrated on my education and then I saw the need there was in the community. The opportunity there was to be a good influence and it felt like an obligation.

Does being a WOC affect your work on Reel Pride or perception of the Central Valley LGBTQ community?
KR: In my experience at Reel Pride race, gender, and age have been non-factors for me. It really feels like a coalescence of like minds with different skills and talents coming together to get the five day festival completed.

With the dates of next year’s Reel Pride Film Festival set, (September 17-21), the members are already preparing for another successful event. The excitement and energy behind Reel Pride is clearly fueling the development of new programs and groups that support the LGBTQ community here. Even though they might be immediately visible, there is queer pride that stretches out beyond Fresno and through the Central Valley’s small towns.

IRS Decides Married Gays Can Finally File As Married: Let’s Talk Taxes!

This week it was announced than in addition to some modicum of acknowledgement from the federal government and some states, gay married couples are now also recognized by the IRS for tax purposes! Taxes are never fun, (I would know – I worked at a tax place for nine years!), but it’s important to look how the IRS ruling will affect those of you who are married. Here’s your quick, handy guide.

Let’s Talk About What Happened

The new Revenue Ruling 2013-17 changed the tax law so that for federal tax purposes, the terms “spouse,” “husband and wife,” “husband,” and “wife” include an individual married to a person of the same sex. If you were married under state law, the term “marriage” now includes same-sex marriage. This applies to your federal tax return no matter what state you live in. So, if you were married in the past year and lived in a state that recognizes your marriage, for your 2013 taxes, you will file both your federal and state returns as Married Filing Jointly. If you live in a state that does not recognize your marriage, you will file your federal return as Married Filing Jointly and your state return as either Single or Head of Household (if you have a dependent). This is the biggest federal change since the Supreme Court DOMA decision.

What’s in a filing status?

The first cool thing about a Married Filing Joint (MFJ) status is that the amount of money you claim for exemptions and for your standard deductions goes up. Exemptions are an amount designated for each dependent claimed and they reduce your tax. The standard deduction is a deduction against your income you can take without having to prove anything. For example, in 2012 the exemption amount was $3,800 per person and the standard deduction was $11,900.

Secondly, if you are in a lower tax bracket, you can change your W-4 form to claim an extra exemption to reflect your married status. This means they will withhold less taxes, and that difference will be made up by the extra amount you get to claim at the end of the year.

This also affects estate planning and gift taxes. Spouses can give cash gifts to each other types of property to each other free of taxes. (Yep, there is such a thing as gift tax, which applies to the transfer of property when you are receiving nothing in return).

What are the downsides?

One of the potential downsides to this is what is called the “marriage penalty;” basically when you combine two incomes, the total income is higher, which moves you to a higher tax bracket. MFJ income tax brackets and standard deduction are not equal to twice the single income tax bracket and standard deduction. The more money you have, the more of it they want, so your tax liability goes up. Currently, there’s a law to help balance out the tax liability if you are in a lower tax bracket (10-15%), but since this law will soon expire, it’s up to Congress whether or not the marriage penalty will affect all taxpayers. If the percentage you owe is higher, the likelihood that you will pay is more, which is why all of those extra credits are so important.

How do you avoid owing money? Firstly, if you do have a significant income, claim less on your W-4, which allows them to collect more taxes from your paycheck, and may help balance out what you owe against what you’ve already paid to the government. If you do own a home, look into filing a Schedule A form to itemize your deductions versus taking the standard deduction. Homeowners can claim their mortgage interest and real estate taxes, which is generally what swings the amount of the deduction in their favor. If it is better for you to itemize, look at the other deductions on this form and keep records accordingly. You can write off a percentage of medical and dental expenses, donations, and job expenses.

(via theweek.com)

If you are married, it’s important to file jointly and not separate!

Around 95% of the time, it’s better to file jointly than to try to file Married Filing Separate. Did I make that statistic up? Yeah, but let me prove it to you. Because the Internal Revenue Service now recognizes your marriage, if you don’t file jointly, they basically penalize you. How? Married Filing Separate status disqualifies you from a lot of the awesome tax credits you would receive whether you were married or not. For students, say goodbye to your tuition and fees and the student loan interest deduction. Education credit: gone! Have children? No more childcare tax credit. No earned income credit. Also, whatever type of deductions (Standard vs. Itemized) your spouse takes, you have to take that kind as well. So if you own a home and one wants to take itemized to claim mortgage and other taxes, the other spouse loses out big time.

There are special cases with this; sometimes a huge difference in income can affect filing status. Or if one spouse has a lot of tax liability, it can change the situation. If you have a special situation, go talk to a tax professional before you file. (Pro tip: If you walk into a place like H&R Block or any of those franchises, they don’t charge for a quick consultation. Sure, they’ll want to convince you to file with them, but if you go in with a specific question, they’ll answer it).

To the special people legally married before the DOMA decision

Remember how it seemed like the IRS was working really hard to make taxes as complicated as possible for same-sex couples? Well, those of you who were married before this year have the option to make it even more complicated for yourself! The good news is that the extra paperwork drama could work out in your favor. Same-sex couples can go back and amend their federal returns to change their filing status to Married Filing Jointly for up to three previous years if there were legally married during that time. This could mean additional refunds to you, depending on your situation.

My tax-loathing heart goes out to my fellow Californians who could be doing amendments of amendments considering the flip-flopping our state has done about the legal status of same-sex marriage. (Burn forever, Proposition 8). It is a good idea to hire a tax pro or CPA to help you with this.

Things to Remember

For federal tax purposes, the term “marriage” does not include domestic partnerships or civil unions. In order to file Married Filing Joint for your 2013 taxes, you must be legally married by the end of the year.

Once you are married you can not file Single or Head of Household on your federal return. (And as noted above, it’s only different if you live in a state that does not recognize your marriage). You must file Married File Jointly or Married Filing Separate. The last thing any of us wants in the mail is one of those confusing, mean letters from the IRS telling us we are wrong and have to do the paperwork all over again.

Also, the IRS already has an FAQs page for this, check it out. Don’t let all of the tax jargon intimidate you. Most of these forms are worded terribly and are meant to confuse you, so try not to get frustrated easily and seek out local tax advisors for free advice.

Anti-Gay Violence in Cameroon Rises: “We Are Calling on Our Government to Stop Waiting”

Feature Image via ilga.org

On Wednesday, over 100 people gathered for a rally organized by the Association of Cameroonian Youth to post homophobic signs on suspected gay-friendly bars and to distribute anti-gay pamphlets in Cameroon’s capital city, Yaounde. Just one month after Cameroonian LGBT activist Eric Ohena Lembembe was found dead, the violence against the LGBT population continues to rise.

The participants of the rally marched through Yaounde carrying the Cameroon flag and wearing shirts with anti-gay slogans. They declared it the “Day Against Homosexuality” and claimed it was to honor the death of a student who was “assaulted by homosexuals” and found in a hotel in 2006. The Association of Cameroonian Youth wants to see stricter enforcement of anti-gay laws despite the fact Cameroon already prosecutes the most LGBT citizens in sub-Saharan African. Most of them are arrested, charged and sentenced for up to five years with little evidence of same-sex involvement.

Via queerville.com

Michal Togue, a lawyer who works in LGBT rights, believes that the government was in support of this rally and noted that many gay activists have been actively receiving threats of violence:

“I have the impression that the persecution of homosexuals is sharply on the rise since Lembembe was murdered. A demonstration like the one today is clear proof. If I tell you I’m not scared, then I’m joking. I’m scared for my security.”

Although Article 347 of Cameroon’s penal code already violates the country’s constitution as well as human rights standards, the organizer of the Association of Cameroonian Youth, Sismondi Barley Bidjocka, says they are pushing to increase the maximum sentence to twenty years in prison. Bidjocka was quoted: “It is a struggle to push the authorities to clearly assert our rejection of homosexuality as a nation, and to increase the punishment.” While the ACY believes current punishment isn’t harsh enough, the daily harassment and violence that Cameroonian LGBT population faces is rampant.

Via newint.org

Togue also said that two transgender women were attacked last week in Yaounde, adding to the countless reports of targeted aggression in the city. While police did break up this attack, Togue pointed out that the rally should have also been dismantled, considering that large-scale gatherings are required to have government approval.

The Human Rights Watch outlined numerous cases involved the anti-gay law in a 55-page report, “Guilty by Association,” released in March of this year. Though Cameroon president Paul Biya claimed earlier this year that “minds were changing” about homosexuality in the country, the government has taken no formal action to prevent violence or change the prosecution of LGBT people. Groups like Yaounde-based CAMFAIDS, (which Lembembe was involved with), and Alternatives-Cameroun continue to work to decriminalize homosexuality and pursue equality. Director of Alternatives-Cameroun, Yves Yomb, has put out a challenge to the government to stand up for all citizens: “We are calling on our government to stop waiting around helplessly for minds to change, and instead to show a bit of courage… and [to] inform the public that this is a matter of upholding fundamental rights.”

LGBT rights continues to be a controversial issue throughout Africa; homosexuality is illegal in 38 countries, and in a few, punishable by death. The gay rights and AIDS awareness organizations have staged protests, reached out for international support and as recently as July, AIDs workers have gone on strike. After Lembembe’s murder, his lawyer, Alice Nkom, was quoted: “We are afraid there will never be justice.” As the activists in Yaounde stay consistent in their fight, hopefully the international news coverage and scruntiny will increase the pressure on the Cameroon government to protect all citizens regardless of sexuality.

Religious Gay Acceptance on the Rise; More Than Just Marriage Happening for Gays at the Altar

Religious conservatives seem to be becoming a minority faster than we think, thanks to what the Atlantic is calling the “Quiet Gay Rights Revolution”, in churches across the country. The social shift towards the acceptance of same sex couples has continued to put pressure on religious institutions to show support of, or at least stop openly condemning, LGBT equality.

via theatlantic.com

From President Obama’s reelection after his marriage equality statement to the Pope’s message that that gay people should not be marginalized, the future is looking a little brighter for LGBT people of faith. The wave of this movement ranges from the rising population of actively engaged left-wing Christians to the sects and/or congregations who are begrudgingly coming to acceptance so as not to lose popular favor. What is the driving force of this change? It’s twofold: both in response to recent court decisions that are legalizing same sex unions and to a network of outreach campaigns from local and national organizations. We’re familiar with the legal victories, but the social movements within the religious sector also have a tremendous impact. Various campaigns have worked to negatively spotlight and marginalize gay marriage opponents, in order to discredit leaders of large congregations (like megachurches) and insist that they do not speak for the entire community.

Some of this change is being spearheaded by the leaders themselves. Delman Coates, the head of Mount Ennon Baptist Church, (which has 8,000 members), used the experience of a family member as the catalyst to reshape his opinion. In early 2012, Coates testified in support of a bill in Maryland legalizing same-sex marriage. Though not expressive of his personal beliefs, Coates did say, “It is not a question of private belief, but whether all citizens of this state have the same rights.” As a prominent African American religious leader, this decision made a clear statement that sits in opposition to the opinion of the majority of prominently African American churches. For many Southern Baptists, as explained by Russell Moore, head of Southern Baptist Public Policy, among churchgoing, conservative evangelicals, the convictions haven’t changed at all. But there is fatigue — more than fatigue — there is a rejection of seeing those who disagree with us as enemies.

According to the Public Religion Research Institute, the shift in attitude regarding same sex coupling is measurable, with Jewish Americans leading the progressive inclusivity as the more outspoken evangelicals and Protestants are slowly evolving:

Religious groups fall on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate. More than 8-in-10 (81%) Jewish Americans, roughly three-quarters (76%) of religiously unaffiliated Americans, 59% of Hispanic Catholics, 58% of white Catholics, and 55% of white mainline Protestants favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. By contrast, more than 7-in-10 (71%) white evangelical Protestants, nearly two-thirds (65%) of Hispanic Protestants, and 57% of black Protestants oppose same-sex marriage.

Progressive members of religious groups are working to redefine the messages surrounding their communities to emphasize the teachings of compassion and tolerance. On the large scale, the Human Rights Commission has looked to become involved in religious festivals and events. Sharon Groves, director of the religion and faith program of the HRC described their participation in the annual Wild Goose festival to The Atlantic as enlightening and healing for those in attendance. A smaller but effective organization in New York, Empire State Pride, started a three-tiered program to educate and rally support from three traditionally conservative and politically influential sectors of the community: corporations, labor unions, and people of faith. These campaigns, titled Pride in the Workplace, Pride in Our Union, and Pride in the Pulpit, opened the dialogue between the LGBT rights organization and the wider community. From the description of Pride in the Pulpit:

Pride in the Pulpit works to build a network of congregations and faith leaders and elevate the voices of leaders of faith who support equality and justice for LGBT people and their families. Members of Pride in the Pulpit advocate for equality and justice for LGBT New Yorkers and build support for LGBT issues in their congregations and faith communities.

This quiet revolution also has to credit the millennials, as the increased acceptance of LGBT issues in the church can be attributed to the younger members of the congregations. As recently reported by The Atlantic,  23 percent of 18- to 33-year-olds are religious progressives, 17 percent are religious conservatives, and 22 percent are nonreligious. By contrast, only 12 percent of 66- to 88-year-olds are religious progressives, while about half are religious conservatives. With the progression of each generation, the number of religious conservatives has declined and balanced out between religious moderate and religious progressive. This trend has been dubbed the Rise of the Christian Left.

Via: theatlantic.com

There’s hope that with the continued work of local organizations and progressive religious activists, the Christian Left mentality will be a reflection of the majority of churches across the nation. The ulta-religious rightwing is wavering as GOP politics have catered to extremists that no longer speak to the moral sensibilities of our changing society. The cultural marginalization of the religious conservatives signals a shift in power, giving voice to young leaders who want to emphasize community building over exclusion.

Raven Symone Is Gay: Now You Can Say “That’s So Gayven!” With Abandon

Featured image via fanpop.com

Remember that time when Raven Symone wouldn’t come out and we had a ton of feelings about it? Today is our day! In a subtle but clear way, Raven Symone seems to have finally confirmed via Twitter that she is gay.

I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you

— Raven-Symonè (@MissRavenSymone) August 2, 2013

Immediately following that message, she retweeted a few followers who said things such as: “She’s been out!” and “Disney might not like you anymore.” Finally, Raven has put all the rumors to rest and we can claim her for our team.

This announcement has been years in the making, since her angry-but-LGBTQ-supportive statement in 2008. Raven has always presented herself as an ally: speaking out in support of the community, posing in the NO H8 campaign, and recently participating in a Pride event in NYC. However, she would not confirm or deny her own sexuality, even as more rumors surfaced in 2012 about her relationship with AzMarie from America’s Next Top Model. Media buzzed about Raven and AzMarie’s co-habitation in Raven’s New York condo. And knowing we were this close to hearing the truth, Autostraddle included her in this kick-ass gallery of Out Women in 2012.

Via Theybf.com

I’m sure a ton of us grew up watching Raven as Olivia on The Cosby Show. I was a toddler just a few years after her and wore similar one-piece jumpsuits, and colorful hair ties in my braids. I was always practicing for the most epic lip-sync moment ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVcgsz-zSh0

I watched That’s So Raven religiously on the Disney Channel, so excited that a girl who looked like me was the lead of show that was actually funny and smart. She was a child star who didn’t fall off the tracks and seemed both humble and classy. Since the rumors started, I’ve been crossing my fingers on this one.

via mlive.com

This news is so exciting, even more so considering her journey to get here and her involvement in the queer community. For girls like me who’ve watched her our whole lives, it’s a validation.

This Week In Small Post-DOMA Victories: Judge Rules that Lesbian Widow Should Receive Spouse’s Benefits

In Good News Since the DOMA Ruling, a Philadelphia judge ruled that the lesbian widow of a deceased lawyer is entitled to the proceeds of her wife’s benefits plan. After a long legal dispute with her wife’s parents, Jennifer Tobits will receive the $41,000 sum from the profit-sharing plan her wife held at her law firm.

District Judge C. Darnell Jones cited both the Supreme Court DOMA case and the recent ruling on US v. Windsor as influential factors in his decision. Jones wrote, “Windsor makes clear that where a state has recognized a marriage as valid… the U.S. Constitution requires that the federal laws and regulations of this country acknowledge that marriage.”

Tobits and Farley were married in Toronto in 2006 and celebrated their marriage in Illinois, where Farley worked for the prominent law firm Cozen O’Connor. Farley worked at the firm’s Chicago office, but the case was brought to Pennsylvania, where the firm is based. Though Pennsylvania does not recognize same-sex couples, Tobits’s lawyer believed they had a valid case based on the new federal law that confirms same-sex couples have the right to spousal benefits. Additionally, Cozen O’Connor’s death benefits plan defined spouse as someone married for at least a year.

According to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, after Farley died from cancer in 2010, her parents filed to take control of Farley’s estate, refusing to acknowledge her marriage to Tobits. With the help of the NCLR, Tobits petitioned that Illinois law did recognize their marriage, meaning that she should receive benefits as any surviving spouse would. In September 2012, Tobits did secure the rights to Farley’s estate, however, the Pennsylvania district court put the benefits plan case on hold as the Supreme Court was considering several cases regarding the constitutionality of DOMA.

As Judge Jones was quoted here, the state laws around the Employee Retirement Income Security Act are preempted by federal law. This will hopefully take precedence in future decisions where same-sex couples are unions are not recognized.

Whether this case will have an effect on Pennsylvania law or on future LGBT state-level legislation remains in question. But since the DOMA ruling, judges have increasingly credited the case in support of same-sex marriage rights. In a recent release, Tobits expressed her optimism after the ruling in her favor: “…it’s a great tribute to [my wife] that the courts have rejected these challenges to our marriage and recognized our commitment to each other and the life we built together.” As it becomes harder for employers across the US to deny benefits to same sex spouses, the legal backing for marriage equality across the nation builds.

Dutch Filmmakers Face the First Backlash Against Foreigners from Russia’s Anti-Gay Law

Despite the decriminalization of homosexuality in Russia in 1993, the past few weeks have seen a rush of anti-gay legislation, including the new ban on the adopting of children by any same sex couples. This weekend, four Dutch immigrants became the first people found in contempt of the anti-gay propaganda law, and were arrested. They were released Sunday without being charged.

Cara introduced the specifics of this bill in her article last month, explaining the fines and penalties for citizens who engage in the “dissemination of information aimed at developing in minors non-traditional sexual facilities.” This includes any printed propaganda, use of the media and internet to spread pro-gay messages, speaking about homosexuality in the presence of children and the assembly of LGBT groups, protests or rallies. Monetary fines range from 4,000 rubles for individuals up to 1 million rubles for organizations. Foreigners can face deportation, organization can see temporary closure, and some individuals can serve jail time.

According to a report from BBC, the four Dutch citizens were filming a documentary about gay rights in Murmansk when police burst in during an interview, detained the film crew, and questioned them for several hours. The police later reviewed their footage. One of the documentary participants turned out to be 17 years old, though the Dutch lawyer countered that the participant told the film crew he was 18 before they included them in filiming. One member of the Dutch group, Kris van der Veen, wrote on his twitter account that since their release, no further action has been taken against them. It is now assumed there won’t be a full case brought against them. (Van der Veen is the head of LGBT-Groningen, a group that campaigns for gay rights). Each of the four were fined 3,000 rubles, ($93), and cited for violating their visas which stated they were visiting the area to learn local culture.

As the homophobic legislation in Russia escalates, there seems to be little mainstream news coverage or reaction to these harsh political changes, despite the international attention you would assume Russia would receive as Russia is readying to host the 2014 Winter Olympic games. In a New York Times op/ed piece last weekend, Harvey Fierstein, an actor and playwright, voiced his frustrations about the situation in Russia, calling out the world’s silence and questioning Putin’s political motives. Fierstein concludes that “Mr. Putin’s campaign against lesbian, gay and bisexual people is one of distraction” from other political failings. He also challenges the world leaders to speak out against these practices that are breeding hate and violence.

As mentioned above, at least two new bills regarding LGBT rights have passed since the anti-gay propaganda bill in June. On July 3rd, Putin signed the ban on adoptions by same sex couples, both domestic and foreign, which had been brewing for some time. Single parents who lived in same sex permitting areas are included in this ban. The Huffington Post quoted the Kremlin as saying “the measure is aimed at guaranteeing a harmonious and full upbringing for children in adoptive families.” Just a few days earlier, Putin extended the previous anti-propaganda bill to include foreign tourists. This new provision is especially worrisome in light of the Olympics – and whether any LGBT athletes could be subjected to consequences of this law, which includes up to 15 days of jail time, for speaking publicly about their sexual orientation.

The time is ripe for international pressure to be put on Russia, but any real action is yet to be seen. The International Olympic Community and Human Rights Watch have already released statements vowing to stand by any LGBT athletes, but the protection of just one group isn’t a good meter for change. While stories of questioned foreigners and fears about traveling swirl on smaller news outlets, the internal violence continues without much coverage, and Russia’s silenced LGBT community waits for collective support.