To boycott or not to boycott? That is the big question many LGBT activists are asking themselves in relation to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. For those of you unfamiliar with the situation, unfair laws have been imposed against the LGBT population leading to brutality and hate against individuals who openly celebrate LGBT pride.

Pictures have surfaced displaying the extent of these extreme circumstances and have caused quite the public outrage worldwide. LGBT activists have gone as far as to boycott goods imported from Russia, including vodka.

What exactly will a boycott of the 2014 Olympics accomplish? It will do absolutely nothing to help the gay community in Russia. Things will continue to be the way they are for LGBT citizens of Russia, and we will continue to go on with our lives while these atrocities occur.

Because the Russian government has agreed to remain politically correct about the issue of LGBT athletes and LGBT propaganda during the course of the games, the biggest thing that we can do to help the LGBT community in Russia is to remain visible. Gay athletes from all over must stand up against these harsh conditions the Russian LGBT community has had to endure.

We don’t realize how privileged we are in America as an LGBT community. We get to celebrate pride festivals openly with no backlash from the authorities. Waving a rainbow flag is not considered indoctrination of minors and illegal like it is in Russia. We have allies that will stand up against the injustices in our community.

Because we are able to live so freely, we are given the platform to speak out against these injustices worldwide. We should look at it as our duty to help those that aren’t given the same rights as us. Some may think that simply being visible will not help the Russian LGBT population, but visibility humanizes individuals that are part of the LGBT community.

In Russia, homosexuality has been given an awful connotation, being compared to such things as pedophilia. In America, being gay or lesbian used to carry the same connotation and was often seen as a disease.

To eliminate this negativity, it took leaders showing that homosexuals are just like everyone else. If LGBT athletes can do this in Russia at the Olympics, there can be some sort of change in the way the LGBT community is treated by the Russian government.

dhaynie@mavs.coloradomesa.edu