PHOTOS: FCKH8, the pro-equality T-shirt purveyor, is flouting Russia’s controversial anti-gay propaganda law by doing exactly what it forbids: presenting a “distorted image of equality of traditional and non-traditional sexual relationships.” And that image can be colored in with an array of crayons.
The law is meant to protect children from harmful “gay propaganda” so in the spirit of fucking hate, FCKH8 is mailing 10,000 copies of its children’s coloring book, Misha & His Moms Go to the Olympics, to Russian kids –just in time for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, or, the holidays!
You can download your own coloring book here.
bradleyx
I dont understand – where did they find the mailing addresses for 10,000 Russian children?
I think the idea is great, but…. Can anyone explain it a little more?
Kieru
The idea of this frankly… terrifies me.
First, as user bradleyx asked; how are they getting these kids addresses? Secondly; what happens to the parents of these kids when Russian police officers discover their children are coloring in LGBTQ propaganda coloring books?
Hell; how is a package from FCKH8 even making it through Russian customs at this point?
But no… I just don’t see this as a move that HELPS at all. I see this as a movie that says “Hey Rusisa, F*CK YOU!” and honestly… that’s not going to improve the lives for any LGBTQ persons in Russia.
Fael
@Kieru: I couldn’t agree more!
AuntieChrist
The holidays are here and this smells like an ad stunt to me. These books will never make it past customs. If in fact they are ever sent. I suspect we shall be reading in the future about either how they were stopped, or more than likely that they were never sent. Just sayin…
niles
The fixation on children by this site is extremely creepy.
jwtraveler
I haven’t noticed any “fixation”, but what’s creepy about teaching kids that “Gay is OK” and that their gay families are equal to any other families. Maybe the creepy is in your mind.@Kieru: I don’t know how or if these books are getting to Russian kids. I DO know that exposing, confronting, resisting and fighting inequality, bigotry and oppression are ALWAYS important and valuable. Whether or not this helps the lives of Russian LGBT
jwtraveler
…people remains to be seen. What is certain is that doing nothing will not help them at all. If you have a better idea, then go for it. Otherwise don’t criticize the people who are trying to do something.
fagburn
The homophobia of the likes of Putin in Russia is based mainly on two myths.
Putin et al are ultra-nationalists who claim tolerance of homosexuality is something the West is trying to impose on Russia. Any outside pressure allows them to present themselves as proud macho defenders of the motherland.
They also argue that their anti-gay laws are there to protect children from gay propaganda. Cause those queers are after your kids.
This – if it’s true – is just record-breakingly stupid and would be completely counter-productive.
Idiots!
PS And I can’t see how you got the addresses of 10,000 children in russia either…
AuntieChrist
@jwtraveler: There is a question of feasibility and logistics here…. It is one thing to say that you are GOING TO DO SOMETHING….Quite another to actually follow through…. Best intentions and all that.
AuntieChrist
@fagburn: Excellent point… But you all are responding as if this may be anything more than a publicity stunt. People have done worse to draw attention to their company.
zrocqs
Maybe the books will be mailed from inside Russia or one of the old SSRs. Even if they never see the light of Russian day, this “publicity stunt” is still a fabulous FU to the IOC and that’s AOK.
hyhybt
Whether real or not, and if real, whether the books ever reach their destinations, this is a terrible idea. At least, it is if you care about the probable results.
Dixie Rect
With all the logistical issues identified above it sounds like more Queerty fiction.
Why not send these to kids in the USA?
jwtraveler
@Kieru: @fagburn: @AuntieChrist: @hyhybt: You’re probably right. It’s much more productive to spend your time writing comments on Queerty trashing other people’s efforts.
hyhybt
@jwtraveler: If this project were merely unproductive, you might have a point.
The problem is that it is likely to have a *negative* effect. And no, “at least they’re doing something” is not a valid argument when what they’re doing is harmful.
AuntieChrist
@jwtraveler: I’m sorry dear if I offended you. I was merely making an observation from my perspective. As a semi-retired person I spend more time outside the home actually doing things in the real world. I volunteer at Other Options in Oklahoma and also at the LGBT youth center. I also rehabilitate abandoned dogs and have been with the same man for 24 years. At my age a girl has to stay active.