Members TampaYankee Posted July 25, 2013 Members Posted July 25, 2013 Why Gay Men Are Dumping Russian Vodka Alexander Abad-Santos In a gay man's life, there are few things more cherished than vodka. That's why its hugely problematic that Russia — the supposed birthplace of "the little water" — has passed one anti-gay bill after another, effectively making being gay or even telling a child that gay people exist a punishable offensive. And now, Russian vodka companies could pay the price. See the full article at: http://news.yahoo.com/why-gay-men-dumping-russian-vodka-184639931.html axiom2001 and JKane 2 Quote
Members TampaYankee Posted July 25, 2013 Author Members Posted July 25, 2013 Sounds like a plan. I'm all in. TotallyOz 1 Quote
Members RA1 Posted July 25, 2013 Members Posted July 25, 2013 There are plenty of vodkas that are not Russian, if that is your pleasure. Best regards, RA1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted July 25, 2013 Posted July 25, 2013 Dan Savage is a good guy, and you can't argue with the gesture. (Especially given what RA1 notes. ) But as for impact, it reminds me of an old Beetle Bailey cartoon... Gen. Halftrack: "Have we had an answer from the Pentagon yet?" Old secretary: "Still nothing, sir." Gen. Halftrack: "All right, I've had it with them. Begin Plan X immediately." Young secretary: "What's Plan X?" Old secretary (rolls eyes): "He's crossing them off the Christmas card list." wayout 1 Quote
Members JKane Posted July 26, 2013 Members Posted July 26, 2013 I saw mention of this today, there are many purely Russian vodkas (the country may even have involvement in some...) and I do support gay boycotting of them. Sure it's only a drop in the bucket but if we can do half as a good a job publicizing it as "Million" Mom's (and the like) do with their horseshit it can at least help to make people aware of the issue. Damn. I don't drink much vodka but I just realized that the two I especially liked I won't be having again for the foreseeable future: Zyr and Jewel of Russia... good thing I'm learning to like scotch, I guess. And for those needing to resupply their liqueur cabinets, Costco has two different Kirkland (store) brand vodkas that are good--and cheap! Quote
Members JKane Posted July 26, 2013 Members Posted July 26, 2013 The attention has already gotten a pretty good response from Stoli, and it earns them some sympathy from me, but Dan Savage's reply to their response is even more compelling, to me anyway. Both below: An Open Letter from the CEO of Stolichnaya Vodka to the LGBT community. The recent dreadful actions taken by the Russian Government limiting the rights of the LGBT community and the passionate reaction of the community have prompted me to write this letter to you. I want to stress that Stoli firmly opposes such attitude and actions. Indeed, as a company that encourages transparency and fairness, we are upset and angry. Stolichnaya Vodka has always been, and continues to be a fervent supporter and friend to the LGBT community. We also thank the community for having adopted Stoli as their vodka of preference. In the US, the brand’s commitment to the LGBT community has been ongoing for years. Among the best examples, I can cite the series produced by Stoli in 2006 called “Be Real: Stories from Queer America” which featured short documentaries on real life stories depicting the challenges and accomplishments of the LGBT community in the United States ( http://www.logotv.com/shows/dyn/be_real_series/series.jhtml [1] ) Stoli is very proud of its current exclusive national partnership with Gaycities.com and Queerty.com in search of the Most Original Stoli Guy. This is a fantastic program that started as a local initiative in Colorado and became a national platform. Previous national initiatives included serving as the official vodka of the Miami Gay Pride Week as well as ongoing events with focus on Pride month. Some great examples from other parts of the world are the support to the Durban Gay Pride, in South Africa ( http://www.durbanpride.org [2] ), the Pride Parade in Vienna, in cooperation with HOSI and CT, the largest LGBT communities in Austria and the Tel Aviv Pride Parade, taking place this weekend. This letter also gives me the opportunity to clear some of the confusion surrounding the Stolichnaya brand, based on facts found online that often inaccurately link our company to the Russian Government. The Russian government has no ownership interest or control over the Stoli brand that is privately owned by SPI Group, headquartered in Luxembourg in the heart of Western Europe. Stoli’s production process involves both Russia and Latvia. Stoli is made from Russian ingredients (wheat, rye and raw alcohol) blended with pure artesian well water at our historic distillery and bottling facility Latvijas Balzams ( www.lb.lv [3] ) in Riga, Latvia (formerly part of the Russian Empire and then of the Soviet Union). Latvijas Balzams did not recently become part of the Stoli heritage, but has been one of its main production and bottling facilities since 1948. This has allowed the brand to deliver the outstanding quality it is recognized for consistently across the years. What changed in the last years is politics, with Latvia becoming an independent state part of the EU. We fully support and endorse your objectives to fight against prejudice in Russia. In the past decade, SPI has been actively advocating in favor of freedom, tolerance and openness in society, standing very passionately on the side of the LGBT community and will continue to support any effective initiative in that direction. Sincerely yours Val Mendeleev Chief Executive Officer SPI Group --- The reply... --- For the record: Regardless of where SPI Group's corporate offices are located, the company is owned by Yuri Scheffler, one of the 100 richest men in Russia. SPI is a Russian corporation, Stoli is a Russian vodka. And while it's nice that SPI is willing to market to homos who are lucky enough to live in Austria, the US, and South Africa, what has SPI done in Russia? The group has sponsored gay pride events in Vienna and Miami. That's nice. But have they sponsored gay pride events in Moscow or St. Petersburg? Val says that Stoli is upset and angry. That's nice. So has Stoli said anything to the Russian authorities? Has Yuri Scheffler expressed his anger in an open letter to Vladimir Putin? Did the SPI Group speak the fuck up before the Russian government passed a law that made it a crime to be openly gay and a crime to publicly support someone who is openly gay? Frankly I'm not interested in Stoli's marketing efforts in the West. I'm interested in what this Russian-owned company is doing in Russia. And from this letter it's clear they've done and they only plan on doing squat. Quote
Members TampaYankee Posted July 26, 2013 Author Members Posted July 26, 2013 For those who say this will have little effect, maybe, maybe not. It would be nice to see them change as a result of a boycott. However if it doesn't then it still matters to me to whom I lend my support and patronage. I'll be g--damned if I am going to tolerate a homophobic government by supporting their exports. In the end it is about me and my principles. JKane 1 Quote
Members RA1 Posted July 26, 2013 Members Posted July 26, 2013 On the one hand, one might hope that 10% or so of the population would not have a huge direct effect on a vodka manufacturer by withholding their patronage. That likely would indicate far too much drinking of vodka by that group. On the other hand, there is the principle. Taking a stand and being loud about it can have an out of proportion effect. There are many examples of minorities having an outsized result from their actions. Best regards, RA1 JKane 1 Quote
Guest zipperzone Posted July 26, 2013 Posted July 26, 2013 I don't have to make that decision. I much prefer FINLANDIA. Quote
AdamSmith Posted July 26, 2013 Posted July 26, 2013 I favor Stoli but could more than make do with Ciroc. You can see where I hung out a lot in the city. Quote
Members TampaYankee Posted July 27, 2013 Author Members Posted July 27, 2013 If you one a great vodka then try Three Olives -- smooth, affordable, not pretentious. The Brits outdid themselves. Quote
AdamSmith Posted July 27, 2013 Posted July 27, 2013 26 July update... ...Six bars in Chicago announced they would stop selling Russian products, and a seventh bar said it had withdrawn Stolichnaya, according to Windy City Times, a Chicago LGBT newspaper. The campaign seemed to have an instant success when the manufacturers of Stolichnaya criticised Russia's record on lesbian and gay rights. In an open letter published this week, Val Mendeleev, the head of the SPI group, condemned the Russian government for "limiting the rights of the LGBT community" and noted that the Russian state has no ownership or control of the brand, which is produced in Latvia. On its Facebook page, the company posted a multicoloured banner reading: "Stolichnaya Premium Vodka stands strong and proud with the global LGBT community against the actions and beliefs of the Russian government." Stolichnaya, with its distinctive red-and-white label, was produced by the state in Soviet times and was reportedly the favourite vodka of Boris Yeltsin. After an attempt by the Russian state to regain the brand name in the 2000s, SPI Group, which is based in Luxembourg, has produced Stolichnaya in Latvia using Russian ingredients. Meanwhile, the state-owned Soyuzplodimport produces a nearly identical vodka in Russia. Russia's leading gay rights activist said the boycott was misguided. "They mixed everything up. Stolichnaya isn't Russian," said the lawyer Nikolai Alekseev, head of the Moscow Pride organising committee. "This is all good for attracting attention to the situation in Russia, like any other action, such as boycott of the Olympics, but it will not drastically change anything," he added. Unlike Stolichnaya, Russian Standard vodka is produced in Russia and is owned by the Russian oligarch Roustam Tariko. A spokesman for the company declined to comment... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/26/russia-vodka-boycott-gay-law Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted July 28, 2013 Posted July 28, 2013 NBC has stated that they support equal rights in Russia, but as far as covering the gay propaganda laws in the Olympic broadcast, they say plans haven’t been finalized. At the TCA, they took that a step further into weasel territory, with NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarussaying “The IOC has addressed it with the Russian government and has assured athletes, fans and media that there will not be any issues regarding what takes place during the Games. The IOC is watching this very closely and they’re monitoring this and we’ll address it if it becomes an issue.” Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted July 31, 2013 Posted July 31, 2013 Will Los Angeles Sever ‘Sister City’ Ties to Anti-Gay St. Petersburg, Russia? Quote
Guest josephga Posted August 1, 2013 Posted August 1, 2013 doesn't all vodka taste the same anyway Quote
Members RA1 Posted August 1, 2013 Members Posted August 1, 2013 Heresy, sheer heresy. But, I am not a fan of vodka anyway. Best regards, RA1 Quote
Members axiom2001 Posted August 1, 2013 Members Posted August 1, 2013 Why Gay Men Are Dumping Russian Vodka Alexander Abad-Santos In a gay man's life, there are few things more cherished than vodka. That's why its hugely problematic that Russia — the supposed birthplace of "the little water" — has passed one anti-gay bill after another, effectively making being gay or even telling a child that gay people exist a punishable offensive. And now, Russian vodka companies could pay the price. See the full article at: http://news.yahoo.com/why-gay-men-dumping-russian-vodka-184639931.html Although I am NOT a vodka drinker or a drinker of any alcohol (...haven't liked the taste per se)-- I AM ALL FOR this plan and wish non gays would do the same. In fact, an entire "BOYCOTT RUSSIA" should be put into place immediately!!! Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 In West Hollywood today. . .http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=9192422 West Hollywood bartenders are boycotting Russian vodka to take a stand against the country's treatment of gays. At a Thursday demonstration, local bartenders poured out bottles of Russian vodka onto the streets to show their solidarity with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community abroad. "It's disheartening to see some of the images coming out of Russia with people doing as little as simply holding a pride flag being beaten, arrested and, in some cases, murdered," said Alfredo Diaz with Revolver Video Bar. Their anger and frustration stems from Russian President Vladimir Putin signing an anti-gay propaganda law recently. It bans same-sex couples from adopting Russian born children. The law includes stiff fines and jail time for people police suspect as pro-gay, which could include hand-holding and other public displays of affection. "If laws are supposed to protect his people, I think that law is going against it. It's actually hurting his own people," said AJ Moheeka of New York. By pouring thousands of dollars of Russian vodka, like Stoli, down curbside drains, West Hollywood bar owners, LGBT organizations and city officials have joined the Dump Stoli movement, a boycott of all Russian vodkas and other spirits. Several bars have taken the alcohol off shelves. Instead, bars along Santa Monica Boulevard are now stocking up on European and American alternatives. The movement has spread to pubs and restaurants all over the world and even in households. "We don't want to harbor a long-term grudge against Stoli. We'd like to see Stoli shift the portion of its manufacturing that still takes place in Russia out of Russia," said Diaz. LGBT community officials say if the anti-gay law does not change in the near future, they will also boycott next year's winter Olympics, which takes place in Russia. Quote
TotallyOz Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 Russian is becoming more dangerous day by day for Russian Gays! http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-videotaped-bullying-gays/25062657.html Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 Harvey Fierstein sat down with Michelangelo Signorile to continue his war on the Russian gay propaganda law, and he doesn’t hold back. “It seemed to me a really good time for us as a community to say, ‘You know what boys? Time to stop fucking with us,’ he said, also backing the boycott of Stolichnaya Vodka that has taken off worldwide. ‘It’s time for them to stop to making money. Time for churches to stop raising money by demonizing us. Time for politicians to stop making money by demonizing us. It’s time to make the gay community too dangerous to do that too. Russia happens to be a great place to do it because Putin — I call him ‘Rat Putin’ — is such a villain. I think there’s an entire movement here and an opportunity to say the gay community is no longer available to be your scapegoat.’ Fierstein urged LGBT people to take a stand. ‘A lot of people are saying, ‘We can’t do this, we can’t do that,’ he said. ‘You can do everything. You don’t necessarily see the results right away. We have to create an environment where we are too dangerous to mess with. ‘“ Quote
Guest EXPAT Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 My bartender / restaurant manager friend (who is in this picture) told me that they didn't really pour vodka in the streets but they replaced the vodka with water so that they wouldn't put liquor down into the sewers. Quote
Members RA1 Posted August 2, 2013 Members Posted August 2, 2013 That is what I was thinking. Best regards, RA1 Quote
Guest zipperzone Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 So what happened to the Vodka they took out of the bottles before adding water? Quote
AdamSmith Posted August 3, 2013 Posted August 3, 2013 Exactly. Although presumably they poured it down the sink? So that it would go into the sewer (and then to the treatment plant), instead of into the stormwater drainage system (no treatment) as would have happened had they poured it down the street drains. Quote
Members RA1 Posted August 3, 2013 Members Posted August 3, 2013 They saved it and drank it themselves. There is a difference between a public posture and private actions. JFK bought all the Cuban cigars he could get his hands on before the embargo. Best regards, RA1 AdamSmith 1 Quote
