How gay people fit into the Russia-Ukraine divide

‘We are an endlessly malleable symbol’

Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch, talks about Russia, Ukraine and how members of the gay community can become unwilling participants in an international affairs debate.

Gay rights seem to be working their way into many international debates these days. No matter what side you are on, we fit into someone’s argument. The Russia-Ukraine standoff appears to be no different.

“We are an endlessly malleable symbol,” says Graeme Reid, director of Human Rights Watch’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights program.

In the above video interview, Reid talks with Daily Xtra’s Rob Salerno about the situation in Russia and Ukraine and how the LGBT community gets dragged into international affairs.

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