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There Will Be a Pride House in Russia During the World Cup

St Petersburg

Despite the nation's anti-LGBT policies, organizers will set up a Pride House in St. Petersburg.

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Despite Russia's law against so-called gay propaganda, there will be an LGBT Pride House in the nation during this summer's World Cup soccer tournament.

The house, which will provide a safe and welcoming space for LGBT visitors, will be in St. Petersburg, USA Today reports, citing a story from Russian news service Fontanka. Russian LGBT organizations will run the house, with support from international groups but no backing from Russia's government.

The government rejected applications from organizations that wanted to set up a Pride House in the Olympic Village in Sochi in 2014, even though previous Olympic host countries had allowed Pride Houses. USA Today did not include any comment from Russian officials, but it appeared plans for the Pride House would go forward in any case.

Russia passed a national law in 2013 banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" -- basically, any positive mention of LGBT identity or causes -- in venues accessible to minors. St. Petersburg had adopted a local version of the law a year earlier. Along with the laws, there has been widespread violence against LGBT people in the nation. A poll taken by a betting website found 39 percent of respondents thought it "likely or highly likely" that LGBT tourists would be targeted for attacks during the World Cup, USA Today reports.

Games will take place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities, but St. Petersburg may be particularly inhospitable to LGBT visitors. "In St. Petersburg, seen as the most European of Russian cities, there remains strong opposition to the local LGBT rights movement," USA Today notes. In 2012, fans of the city's soccer team, Zerit St. Petersburg, demanded that the team not sign any gay or black players.

Fare, an organization that fights discrimination in the soccer world, is preparing a guide on staying safe while attending the World Cup. The tournament opens June 14 and runs through July 15.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.