Soccer star Megan Rapinoe hosted a boozy, four-hour Instagram chat Tuesday night. In it, she and girlfriend Sue Bird trashed Russian President Vladamir Putin over his homophobic policies.
Rapinoe & Bird hosted two other sports stars, basketballers Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor. Their chat encompassed a wide range of subjects, including their past travels as sports stars. When the subject of Russia came up, Rapinoe didn’t hold back.
Related: Putin seeks to amend Russia’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage
“Don’t tell them I’m gay!” Rapinoe pleaded, alluding to Russia’s homophobic laws and violent treatment of LGBTQ people. Taurasi injected that she’d traveled to Russia several times, and that most Russian citizens actually don’t mind queer people. Putin, Taurasi pointed out, is a big source of the nation’s homophobia. Since taking office, Putin has stoked the fires of hate and put in place harsh laws that target and attack LGBTQ Russians.
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“Well Putin… Putin seems pretty gay,” Rapinoe blurted. “I mean… Putin’s basically a drag queen, his whole thing on the horse, I’m like, was this a big drag show, Putin? All you need is like a fur cape down your back and like, you coulda fooled us.”
Although same-sex activity is legalized in Russia, LGBTQ people have few other rights. They are not allowed to adopt, and in 2013 a law was passed banning any “gay propaganda” that could be seen by minors. This effectively bans Pride marches and any positive representation of gay lives in the media. In the province of Chechnya, journalists have documented purges of LGBTQ citizens who disappear into the night.
Jim
Drat I was hoping we wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore
Cam
So a publicly out lesbian attacks a dangerous homophobe and you attack her?!
HiKo73
Damn Jim, what a B you are….
Cam
The only people pushing the “Putin is such a strong leader” line other than official Kremlin news is the American Republican party.
In Russia they refer to him as “The Dwarf”. The guys a former KGB errand boy. If he actually WAS strong ,they wouldn’t be so desperate to push out that narrative, or pressure U.S. Republicans to toe the line and make that claim.
Vince
No secret there. Bigots and fascists love other bigots and fascists or enemy of our enemy is our friend.
Kangol2
Putin is a terrifying leader and person. Under his watch, people who’ve challenged him, fled Russia or spoken out against his rule have been thrown out of windows (including within the past few weeks!), off roofs, down stairs; have been poisoned with strange radioactive chemicals or rare biopharmaceuticals; have been gunned down in cold blood on crowded streets, etc. In addition, innocent people were gassed to death under the pretext of a hostage rescue; etc. In addition to which he successfully interfered in a US election, installing a place one of the worst, most incompetent, destructive and imbecilic leaders in American history, Don the Con. Under Putin’s puppet, the US currently is rudderless, domestically and in the wider world. He may be called all kinds of names, but he is extremely dangerous, and let’s not forget, he commands the second largest nuclear arsenal in the world.
Jared MacBride
Putin is probably the wealthiest person in the world. He doesn’t care who attacks him as long as it doesn’t cut off the flow of money. He may as well be a tsar.
GayEGO
Vlady must be fuming, maybe he should come out! We never hear if he is married to a woman, but if he is, it is likely a fake marriage!