December 5, 2013 | Arts / Entertainment

Elton John in quandary over Russian concerts

Sir Elton John is supposed to be performing two concerts in Russia later this week. However, because of his outspoken nature, the shows may be cancelled for fear he will violate Russia's 'gay propaganda' law.

“I've got to go,” John said. “And I've got to think about what I'm going to say very carefully. There's two avenues of thought: Do you stop everyone going, ban all the artists coming in from Russia? But then you're really leaving the men and women who are gay and suffering under the antigay laws in an isolated situation. As a gay man, I can't leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them. I don't know what's going to happen, but I've got to go.”

A group of Russian parents have asked that the concerts be stopped. They argued Sir Elton should be banned because his music, style and views could negatively influence children.

"The singer intends to come out in support of local sodomites and break the current Russian law, directed at protecting children," the group stated in an open letter.  Another conservative group, The Union of Orthodox Brotherhoods, started a petition to have him barred from the country, calling Sir Elton's "support for gays and other perverts" an "insult to all Russian citizens."

These people are so narrow they probably think "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road" counts as gay propaganda. 

Elton John's Russian tour at risk of cancellation over anti-gay laws [The Independent]