Thread by @RainbowRailroad

Hey folks, @KimahliPowell here - Executive Director at Rainbow Railroad. I wanted to take over our account to talk about this horrific tweet - and why we should all immediately join in condemning it. A #thread:

First, we should not quote or engage in the post directly. In doing so we’d directly spread this message of hate - which is ultimately their goal. Don’t do it.

What’s so angering about this post is that this past week, Canada has hosted human rights defenders from around the world to discuss how Canada needs to further advance #LGBTQI+ rights globally. I literally just tweeted about the progress we’ve made:

https://twitter.com/KimahliPowell/status/1596274599226150912?s=20&t=AQ4IwbKGtMA0f03zCjuL2Q

This is just another instance of a steady stream of anti-#LGBTQI+ actions from #Russia since passing its 2013 anti-LGBTQI+ propaganda law. Yesterday, Russian lawmakers approved a bill that expands it, which will surely lead to increased violence and persecution of LGBTQI+ persons

Chechnya is a key example. It's been five years since 2017, when hundreds of #LGBTQI+ people in #Chechnya were made targets of violence from the state. This led to Rainbow Railroad partnering with the Russian LGBT Network to help hundreds escape.

Even though the media spotlight on #Chechnya has passed, these people are still targets. Our work in Chechnya and with human rights defenders on the ground continues to this day - more on this soon.

When bills like this pass, more at-risk LGBTQI+ will reach out to us. It is alarming to see this legislation in #Russia. It will silence critical LGBTQI+ voices, particularly human rights defenders. LGBTQI+ people have a right to speak freely, and advocate for equality.

We also know, from our work in the region, Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine has not only been particularly difficult for LGBTQI+ people in Ukraine, but in #Russia as well. We’ve seen a corresponding increase in requests for help in both countries.

These reasons are why statements like this from the Russian Embassy in Canada are so dangerous: it will only put more people at risk. We need to join together to condemn these actions swiftly and completely.