Middle Blue

[icedink.livejournal.com]

Talking with another American living in Russia, she commented that many people react negatively to the word голубой, something which I hadn't noticed myself -- but remarking about a boy's "light-blue" sweater, for instance, would not be well-received.

The other day, I was substituting as an English language teacher for a 3rd-grade class: They'd been practicing their "question" words, and I'd received instructions that I should encourage them to ask questions about me. When I replied that my favorite color was "blue", there was a fair amount of snickering -- although I am female, the only thing which I can attribute this reaction to is the association with "голубой."

Question is this: Does anyone think that  the meaning of "goluboj" as a color might eventually have the same fate as the way of  "gay" meaning " (or whatever it meant.) Is the rising generation reluctant to use this word?

Will there no longer be a designation between light and dark blues, eliminating the "Is that голубой or синний" quandry for all of us foreigners...?

Or is this just a case of kids being kids, being uncomfortable with lots of facts of life? What does the adult population currently think?

Comments

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

Oh puh-lease stop ranting about all these phobiae.
Their level is normal; the fact that minorities don't get preferential treatment does not mean they are oppressed.

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

Hassids wearing their traditional hats -- can't say I have seen them in the streets of Rostov. But neither have I seen Orthodox priests wearing their sermon clothes. Not Muslim mullas. Maybe because they mostly drive, eh?

A girl I know has a boyfriend who is a DJ in a gay nightclub. He is straight, though. Haven't heard about anybody ever attacking this club. Or other gay bars in the city.

Also, I don't think that hassids would appreciate you giving them as an example next to gays.

The link you provide is something I would fight against, myself. See above: tolerance does not equal advocating. Which is exactly this billboard does. I find this disgusting.

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

Anywhere in Russia? Anywhere in the US? Have you been to the US yourself?

I would like to dare you to put on some gay outfit and cruise across some ghetto in a large American city. Or come out of a closet in some town in a Bible Belt. Or simply to find a good job. I would happily listen to you thereafter.

Furthermore, you are distorting my words. I did not say I would be unhappy to see an openly gay person in a street - simply because this is not true. Read carefully - I do object to ADVOCATING homosexuality. Just as much as to groping and French-kissing in public. Or unnecesarily stressing the fact that senior citizens need and like sex, too.

If you think that such posters as shown in your link indicate deep tolerance rather than a necessity to fix a lingering and painful problem in a society (American in this case), you have serious trouble with logic.

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

We're not talking about ghettos in large American cities as well as not talking about little villages in Russia. It's both, uh, special cases.

Ни хера себе special cases, pardon my Russian! So, while easily brushing aside two major groups in both cases, you undertake to make generalizations about societies in total? Oh, wow.

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

Even better. So, as a scientist, you must've had a way to measure the level of tolerance numerically?

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

What kind of sociologist are you, anyway?
Ever heard anything about tests, polls, statistics?

"Enough known", "Everybody knows, that...", "It's obvious", "There's no doubt" -- oh, how I love this kind of reasoning )))

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

btw: Bible Belt is an American term coined for Southern states, like Alabama, Georgia etc. with predominantly baptist population.
(Corrections welcome.)

[eavanmoore.livejournal.com]

The billboard wasn't actually advocating homosexuality. It was making the point that homosexuals are, have been, and will be a part of the community, and deserve to be treated as such.

[cabarethaze.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It's just trying to help people understand that your very nice neighbours might be different, and that's okay.

[mooose.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say 'anywhere' myself, but when I was in Moscow, just walking down a street or taking the metro, I'd get all these dirty stares from people who probably thought I was some Kazakhstani thief.

My friend insists it was because I was 'staring' at them first, but I think I can tell when someone's looking at me in a dirty way before I even make eye contact with them. Some of the younger people looked very angry wherever I went, and I rarely felt safe when I was there.

[branwen.livejournal.com]

There are many places in the U.S. where gay people are not welcome, and there are plenty of hate crimes towards many different people here as well. It is pretty much everywhere in the world, though it varies in degree from place to place.

[cabarethaze.livejournal.com]

Not even going to attempt entering this conversation thread, but when you mention hasidic Jews and gays...all I can think is West Hollywood (Los Angeles). So many times I have seen a scantily dressed gay couple next to an observant Jew who won't even press the crosswalk light on Sabbath. No problems, everyone is generally let live as they please. I never got that same feeling in Russia, honestly, in communities of similar size.

[yourpoultry.livejournal.com]

In February 2006, Grand Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin was quoted as saying about Moscow gay pride marchers, "If they come out on to the streets anyway they should be flogged. Any normal person would do that - Muslims and Orthodox Christians alike..."[9] Days later, Moscow's Chief Rabbi, Berl Lazar, joined Tadzhuddin in condemning the march in saying that it "would be a blow for morality", but he didn't go as far as saying that marchers should be beaten.[10]
In late April and early May 2006, protestors blockaded some popular gay clubs in Moscow. After initial complaints that police had failed to intervene, later blockade attempts were met with arrests.[11]
In May 2006, a gay rights forum was held in Moscow. An accompanying march was banned by the mayor in a decision upheld by the courts. Some activists tried to march despite the ban and attempted to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. This act and the presence of non-Russian activists aroused a nationalist reaction in addition to a religious condemnation of homosexuality, leading to the presence of both neo-Nazi groups and Orthodox protesters. According to the BBC, anti-march protestors beat the marchers, and about 50 marchers and 20 protestors were arrested when riot police moved in to break up the conflict.[12]
Support for gay marriage in Russia is at 14%