News (USA)

Obama: ‘No patience’ for Russia’s anti-gay laws, poor treatment at Olympics

Obama: ‘No patience’ for Russia’s anti-gay laws, poor treatment at Olympics

BURBANK, Calif. — President Barack Obama on Tuesday criticized a new Russian law cracking down on gay rights activism, saying he has “no patience for countries that try to treat gays and lesbians and transgendered persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.”

Obama’s remarks during an interview on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” mark the first time the president weighed in on the growing concern over Russia’s anti-gay laws, and their impact on athletes and spectators attending the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Jacquelyn Martin, AP
President Barack Obama, left, talks with Jay Leno during a commercial break during the taping of his appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013.

Russia’s contentious law was signed by President Vladimir Putin in late June, imposing fines on individuals accused of spreading “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” to minors, and imposes penalties for those who express these views online or in the news media. Gay pride rallies also are banned, as are public display of affenction, including holding hands, between persons of the same gender.

Russian lawmakers have said the country will enforce the law when it hosts the 2014 Winter Olympics, but Obama said he believes Putin and Russia have “a big stake in making sure the Olympics work.”

“I think they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we wouldn’t tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently,” he said.

Watch:

In a wide-ranging interview broadcast Tuesday night, Obama also said he was “disappointed” that Russia granted temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, defying Obama administration demands that the former government contractor be sent back to the U.S. to face espionage charges.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

Update, August 7, 2013:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a rare diplomatic rebuke, President Barack Obama on Wednesday canceled his Moscow summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The decision reflected both U.S. anger over Russia’s harboring of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden and growing frustration within the Obama administration over what it sees as Moscow’s stubbornness on other key issues, including missile defense and human rights.

Don't forget to share:

Support vital LGBTQ+ journalism

Reader contributions help keep LGBTQ Nation free, so that queer people get the news they need, with stories that mainstream media often leaves out. Can you contribute today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated

Bradley Manning’s maximum possible sentence cut to 90 years

Previous article

Zimbabwe’s LGBT community in fear after Mugabe’s disputed re-election victory

Next article