Actor, playwright, and Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein joined Chris Hayes on All In Wednesday night to speak out about his opposition to Russia’s anti-gay laws. Legislation prohibiting homosexual “propaganda” and banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries that allow same-sex marriage has sparked a firestorm of criticism.
Fierstein, a longtime LGBT activist, sees Russia’s recent crackdown as the latest in a long history of abuses against the gay community.
“The gay community has, in our history, been attacked in every way you can attack a group,” said Fierstein. “There is nothing that the human race has thought of to tear down other people that hasn’t been used on us.”
Fierstein also spoke strongly about the necessity of striking back against discrimination. Despite the “great strides” made in recent years toward acceptance of the LGBT community, he warned against becoming complacent. Fierstein said this is a moment the LGBT community must seize to tell the world they will not accept any more bigotry.
“You must fight injustice wherever that injustice is,” he told Hayes. “It is time for us to put our foot down and say we will not be the scapegoat of the world anymore.” Fierstein added, “You cannot just ignore evil. When evil shows its face you have to answer.” Watch the video above for Chris Hayes’ full interview with Harvey Fierstein.
Rachel Simon
Rachel Simon is a writer and editor based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is the author of “Pickleball for All: Everything but the ‘Kitchen’ Sink.” Her work has been published in The New York Times, Glamour, Vulture, Teen Vogue and more. You can find her at @rsimon113. Recommended
