Even with strides that are being made, LGBT people all over the world still struggle for the basic ability to walk down the street holding hands. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done, even after the U.S. making a huge stride with nationwide marriage equality. In Moscow, Russia, two men secretly filmed themselves holding hands and walking around the city as a social experiment. They were met with an onslaught of homophobic slandering and even some physical violence.
The YouTubers, CheburussiaTV, said that “We decided to check out how people in Moscow, Russia, will react to a gay couple." The video demonstrates the dangerous homophobia in Russia. The men, although they were entirely minding their own business, were leered at, laughed at, called homophobic slurs, abused, and physically attacked twice by other members of the public. People barged into them and threatened to beat them up. Watching them walk through such an experience is jarring.
Russia has passed anti-LGBT laws in the past, making it a very hostile place for its LGBT community. Included in the legislature is a ban on Russian adoptions to parents in countries where marriage equality is legal (including the U.S.), and an "anti-propaganda" law. The anti-propaganda law forbid any positive public expression of support for or gathering of LGBT people, and was intended to keep pro-LGBT messages away from youth. However, it has also been used to persecute, fire, and physically assault LGBT people. After it was passed, attacks against LGBT people in Russia increased.
Here you can find a thorough background on Russia's anti-LGBT laws and culture and CheburussiaTV's video. It's going viral with more than 5 million views, and the majority of the viewer response has been positive and supportive. The social experiment is bringing important attention to the disturbing reality that many LGBT people face daily.