West Hollywood Gay Bars To Pour Stoli In Gutters In Protest Of Russian Oppression Of Gays

Posted: 07/29/2013 1:38 pm EDT  |  Updated: 07/29/2013 7:03 pm EDT

West Hollywood Stoli

West Hollywood gay bars and supporters are planning on pouring bottles of Stoli vodka into gutters in protest of Russia’s oppression of gays.

West Hollywood City Councilman John Duran is asking gay bars to join in a ceremony on Thursday at Micky’s bar to dump Stoli down gutters to raise awareness that multiple bars in the U.S. are boycotting the product. West Hollywood Councilman John D’Amico will also join in the ceremony, WeHo News reports.

Duran told the paper that his Russian President Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay legislation “broke his heart,” especially because he toured Russia with the LA Gay Men’s Chorus 15 years ago. At that time, Duran “met such a phenomenal community of gay and lesbian people. They were active, creating a vigorous community,” he told WeHo News.

Several gay bars in West Hollywood took Stoli off its shelf last week in protest. The Revolver posted announced its boycott of the product on its Facebook page:

Revolver Video Bar could not support any brand associated with Russia at a time when the Russian government is implementing its anti-gay law that bans gay propaganda.

West Hollywood is, ironically, a neighborhood of both gay and Russian residents, with 40 percent of the city identifying as LGBT and with 11 percent as Jewish immigrants from countries of the former Soviet Union, the Los Angeles Times reports. Russian bakeries and stores line Santa Monica Boulevard, alongside gay bars, and public notices in City Hall, which has a rainbow flag flying outside, are in English and Russian, the Times reports.

Not only have Russian government officials passed blatant anti-gay legislation, but LGBT individuals are facing extreme violence at the hands of those in power, as well as by their fellow citizens.

In protest, many activists have called for LGBT athletes to boycott the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games and encouraged consumers to boycott the purchase of Russian-made products. Sidetrack, one of Chicago’s most prominent gay bars, began the boycott of Stoli.

Stoli CEO, Val Mendeleev, released an open letter to the Advocate in response:

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.

The letter continues in an effort to highlight the ways in which Stoli has partnered with or been a sponsor of major queer events in the past — such as serving as the official vodka of Miami Gay Pride, and producing a Stoli series in 2006 titled “Be Real: Stories from Queer America.”

Mendeleev also notes that the Russian government has “no ownership interest or control over Stoli,” but does admit that the company’s “production process involves both Russia and Latvia.”

In response, Duran told WeHo News, “They say we’re going after the wrong people, but the only way to get the attention of the oligarchs to whom Putin listens is economically.”

He also said that Stoli bottles will be filled with water for the ceremony Thursday, as environmental law prohibits pouring alcohol down gutters.

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    Not only will this breakfast cereal reduce your family’s cholesterol but it will reduce your family’s moral integrity as well, according to The National Organization for Marriage. As part of the General Mills family of products, Cheerios is one of the brands that has been <a href=”http://www.dumpgeneralmills.com/?REF=EB120625NANT” target=”_hplink”>boycotted by NOM</a> for opposing the Minnesota Marriage Amendment.

  • Betty Crocker

    The staple of American domesticity is part of the General Mills family of products, which has been <a href=”http://www.dumpgeneralmills.com/?REF=EB120625NANT” target=”_hplink”>boycotted by the National Organization for Marriage</a> for opposing the Minnesota Marriage Amendment. What better way to celebrate the stand against intolerance than Betty Crocker’s <a href=”http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/supermoist-cakes/products/supermoist cake mix/rainbow-chip” target=”_hplink”>Rainbow Chip</a> cake? <em>Correction on July 24 at 1:35pm ET: The original version of this slideshow misidentified the name of the Minnesota Marriage Amendment. It has been corrected on this slide and several others throughout the slideshow.</em>

  • Levi’s

    In 1992, Levi’s found itself at odds with the Boy Scout’s ‘Three Gs’ principle that had guided the Scouts’ membership model for more than 80 years — that everyone is welcome, provided they are not gay, godless, or a girl. San Francisco-based Levi’s <a href=”http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/boy-scouts-battle-on-antigay-policy-levis-the-denim-firm-has-withdrawn-its-sponsorship-over-the-movements-refusal-to-accept-homosexuals-writes-david-usborne-in-washington-1550450.html” target=”_hplink”>pulled its Boy Scout funding</a>, due to the group’s exclusion. In response, Republican Dana Rohrabacher encouraged a ‘grassroots’ counter-boycott of Levi Strauss and his Texan colleage, Tom DeLay, was even more extreme in his reaction: “When Texans find out that the Levi’s they have on go toward attacks on the Boy Scouts of America… they’ll take off those Levi’s and burn them in the streets.”

  • American Apparel

    In 2009, <a href=”http://www.americanapparel.net/” target=”_hplink”>American Apparel</a> put its “Legalize Gay” t-shirt in storefront windows in Washinton, D.C. When a group of <a href=”http://news.change.org/stories/american-apparel-pushes-back-against-anti-lgbt-vandalism” target=”_hplink”>anti-LGBT vandals broke the store’s windows</a>, the company didn’t back down, but rather agreed to send shirts to any group in D.C. that was fighting for gay rights.

  • Oreo

    In June 2012, Oreo posted a photo of a rainbow sextuple-stacked cookie to its <a href=”https://www.facebook.com/oreo” target=”_hplink”>Facebook</a> page in honor of Pride month. While the responses were mostly positive, some commenters were outraged, even calling for a <a href=”http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/oreo-sees-support-backlash-boycott-gay-pride-rainbow-cookie-article-1.1103369″ target=”_hplink”>boycott</a> of the product. Still, Basil Maglaris, Kraft’s associate director of corporate affairs, <a href=”http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-krafts-gay-pride-oreo-draws-20000-comments-some-flak-20120627,0,490983.story” target=”_hplink”>said</a> that the positive comments on the post “far outweighed” the negative ones.

  • Disney World

    Although Walt Disney World’s <a href=”http://www.gaydays.com/” target=”_hplink”>Gay Days</a> are not officially sanctioned by the theme park, they were the object of a <a href=”http://floridafamily.org/full_article.php?article_no=158″ target=”_hplink”>Florida Family Association warning</a>. The anti-LGBT group paid to have two planes fly over the park, with warning banners, to deter unsuspecting families from attending the park during Gay Days.

  • Starbucks

    In January 2012, when Starbucks released a <a href=”http://www.dumpstarbucks.com/documents/memo.pdf” target=”_hplink”>memorandum</a> voicing support of gay marriage, NOM launched <a href=”http://www.dumpstarbucks.com/” target=”_hplink”>DumpStarbucks.com</a> to urge people to boycott the coffee chain.

  • Wheaties

    As part of the General Mills family of products, which has been <a href=”http://www.dumpgeneralmills.com/?REF=EB120625NANT” target=”_hplink”>boycotted by NOM</a> for opposing the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, there are attempts to dethrone Wheaties as the “Breakfast of Champions.”

  • Tide Detergent

    In 2004, Procter and Gamble <a href=”http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/17/news/fortune500/pg_gay_rights/” target=”_hplink”>angered conservatives</a> by opposing an anti-gay rights statute that would exempt gays and lesbians from special civil rights protection in its hometown of Cincinnati. In response, the American Family Association <a href=”http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/17/news/fortune500/pg_gay_rights/” target=”_hplink”>issued a boycott</a> of some of P&G’s most popular products, including Tide Detergent, and gathered petition signatures from almost 365,000 families urging Procter & Gamble to change its policy.

  • Microsoft

    In 2005, Microsoft <a href=”http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1490060/Religious-Right-to-boycott-Microsoft-over-support-for-gay-rights.html” target=”_hplink”>came under fire</a> from anti-LGBT activists, including evangelical preacher Ken Hutcherson, for its support of a bill in that would outlaw discrimination against homosexuals at work in the state of Washington. In response, Microsoft <a href=”http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1490060/Religious-Right-to-boycott-Microsoft-over-support-for-gay-rights.html” target=”_hplink”>withdrew its support</a> of the bill, prompting outrage from gay and liberal activists and criticism from its staff and other big businesses. In response, Bill Gates backtracked again and admitted that he was surprised by the vehemence of the reaction. When the bill was defeated by a single vote, Microsoft’s liberal critics blamed its withdrawal of support for the loss.

  • Home Depot

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  • PepsiCo Products

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  • Safeway

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  • Crest Toothpaste

    In 2004, Procter and Gamble <a href=”http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/17/news/fortune500/pg_gay_rights/” target=”_hplink”>angered conservatives</a> by opposing an anti-gay rights statute that would exempt gays and lesbians from special civil rights protection in its hometown of Cincinnati. In response, the American Family Association <a href=”http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/17/news/fortune500/pg_gay_rights/” target=”_hplink”>issued a boycott</a> of some of P&G’s most popular products, including Crest Toothpaste, and gathered petition signatures from almost 365,000 families, urging Procter & Gamble to change its policy.

  • Old Navy

    In 2011, when Old Navy planned to sell shirts to benefit the anti-suicide, anti-bullying <a href=”http://www.itgetsbetter.org/” target=”_hplink”>It Gets Better</a> project, the American Family Association <a href=”http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gays-ought-be-ashamed-national-borders-were-set-god” target=”_hplink”>urged members</a> to “drop by your Old Navy store in your community and tell them you’re not going to shop at Old Navy until they get their minds right.”

  • Girl Scouts

    In 2011, when The Girl Scouts decided to allow a transgender youth to participate, The American Family Association <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147513279″ target=”_hplink”>urged members</a> to contact Girl Scout leadership, “expressing your disappointment in their recent decision to allow boys as troop members,” and to “let them know you will not support the Girl Scouts as long as it continues down a path of destructive policies.”

  • Macy’s

    In December 2011, a Macy’s dressing room attendant prevented a transgender woman from using a female dressing room, because it violated her religious beliefs. After the woman was fired for refusing to abide by Macy’s pro-LGBT policies, the American Family Association <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147514523″ target=”_hplink”>lamented</a>, “The LGBT agenda has become the theater of the absurd” and <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147514523″ target=”_hplink”>urged</a> members to contact the Macy’s headquarters to “express… outrage at this injustice to female employees and customers.”

  • Target

    In May 2012, Target <a href=”http://action.afa.net/uploadedImages/Activism/AFA_Action_Alerts/Action_Alert_Related_Items/targetpride.jpg” target=”_hplink”>announced</a> that 100% of the purchase price of any of its Pride merchandise would be donated to the pro-LGBT <a href=”http://www.familyequality.org/” target=”_hplink”>Family Equality Council</a>. The American Family Association <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147521799″ target=”_hplink”>lamented</a> that “Target is joining President Obama in ramming same-sex marriage down the throats of the American people” and urged members to contact Target Chairman Gregg Steinhafel, to “let him know that a majority of Americans oppose same-sex marriage and are able to use their pocketbooks to voice their opposition to companies that support it.” It should be noted that Target has also come under fire from gay advocates. <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/08/lady-gaga-ends-target-lgbt_n_833209.html” target=”_hplink”>In 2011, Lady Gaga nixed a deal with Target</a> for an exclusive special edition of her “Born This Way” album after it was revealed that the brand had donated $150,000 to MN Forward, a group that was backing Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial bid in Minnesota. Emmer was known for being especially conservative and not supporting equal rights for LGBT citizens.

  • J.C. Penney

    Aside from One Million Mom’s <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/ellen-degeneres-jc-penney_n_1247657.html” target=”_hplink”>infamous boycott</a> of the department store for choosing Ellen DeGeneres as its spokesperson, J.C. Penney also came under fire in June 2012 when its <a href=”http://calendar.jcpenney.com/june/#!book/thebook/16″ target=”_hplink”>catalog</a> featured two men on the floor playing and hugging their two children at home indicating, <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147522587″ target=”_hplink”>according</a> to the American Family Association, that the company made a “departure from its moorings to God’s Word and Mr. Penney’s leadership by taking sides in the cultural war in celebration of homosexuality.” The AFA <a href=”http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147522587″ target=”_hplink”>urged members</a> to “call or visit your local J. C. Penney store manager to politely inform them that you will not be shopping at their store this Father’s Day,” and added, “If you have a store credit card or hold stock with the J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP), you might consider closing your account and divesting until they become neutral in the culture war.”

  • Pillsbury

    Pillsbury is part of the General Mills family of products, which has been <a href=”http://www.dumpgeneralmills.com/?REF=EB120625NANT” target=”_hplink”>boycotted by NOM</a> for opposing the Minnesota Marriage Amendment.

  • Walgreen’s

    In 2006, Walgreen’s was a Platinum-Level sponsor of the Chicago “<a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Games” target=”_hplink”>Gay Games</a>.” According to Tom Kovach of <a href=”http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/kovach/060319″ target=”_hplink”>RenewAmerica.com</a>, “by its very definition, the ‘Gay’ Games will invite people from all over the world to come to Chicago this summer and have homo-sex,” and Walgreen’s support contradicted it “squeaky-clean, family-friendly corporate image.” Kovach wasn’t alone in his condemnation — the Illinois Family Institute <a href=”http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-10-19/news/0510190382_1_walgreens-gay-games-vii-michael-polzin” target=”_hplink”>voiced opposition</a> and considered urging members to boycott the Pharmacy chain.

  • Ford

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  • Gap

    When Gap launched an ad campaign featuring two men pressed together under a shared t-shirt, anti-LGBT group One Million Moms, which is part of the American Family Association, launched a boycott, <a href=”http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/gay-issues/one-million-moms-protests-gap-clothing-gay-billboard” target=”_hplink”>stating</a>, “GAP Inc. Brands, including Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Athleta, does not deserve, nor will it get, money from conservative families across the country. Supporting GAP is not an option until they decide to remain neutral in the culture war. GAP needs to seriously consider how their immoral advertising affect the youth of our nation.”