Hey, everyone. This is the third and final episode of a three-part story we're calling out on the ice so if you haven't listened from the beginning go back to part one and start from there

Previously on blind landing

He is the first US male competitor to come out of the closet. I always thought that there was some discrimination

I'm sorry. I don't need to see a prima ballerina on the ice people to think that's him just trying to act out rage

Is on the ice you're just being yourself exactly, and that's the only that's the only way I can be

In our last episode we took a look at the reception both from the public and behind the scenes of some of America's first openly and visibly queer figure skaters

But that that was just the tip of the iceberg

I'm Ari Savorstein. I'm Chris Liger

And this is blind landing

Out on the ice

Part three

In recent months gay rights activists have been arrested while protesting Russia's new laws which prohibit promoting homosexuality in public

They're generating protests around the world Russian gay rights activists say they want to see mass demonstrations in slouching

It's created a climate of fear in the LGBT community

In the summer of 2013 Russia passed this anti-gay law used to criminalize LGBTQ plus people

Which led to violence against the queer community?

I remember this this was like a huge huge story that whole summer there were protests in Russia and queer people getting attacked in a

Rested and not only Russians but queer tourists in Russia getting arrested. That's right. That's right. I mean, it was really disturbing

But um, what do the anti-gay laws in Russia have to do with our story?

At the time Russia was getting ready to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi

So the implications were huge because the world was preparing to come to Russia in just a few months for the Olympic Games

Russia's sports minister says new anti-gay laws will be enforced at next year's Winter Olympics

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