If you’re thirsty for Stoli vodka this weekend, good luck finding it in WeHo.
According to an LA Times report, a number of the gay bars in West Hollywood, including Eleven Bar and Nightclub, Revolver Video Bar and Mother Lode, have stopped serving Stolichnaya — distilled from Russian ingredients —following the passage of anti-gay laws in Russia that ban gay pride events.
About 11 percent of WeHo’ans are Russian and former-Soviet state immigrants.
In a statement on its Facebook page, Revolver management said, “Revolver Video Bar could not support any brand associated with Russia at a time when the Russian government is implementing its anti-gay law that bans gay ‘propaganda.'”
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation banning gay adoptions, “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,” gay pride events and providing children with information on homosexuality. The bill was passed overwhelmingly by Russia’s parliament.
In a statement released Friday, Stoli CEO Val Mendeleev said: “I want to stress that Stoli firmly opposes such attitude and actions. Indeed, as a company that encourages transparency and fairness, we are upset and angry. We fully support and endorse your objectives to fight against prejudice in Russia.”
The company, which is based in Luxembourg, has no ties to the Russian government, and is made at a distillery in Latvia.
Just wanted to add that we should mobilize against the abuses of gay rights in China, .. or Africa,.. or how women, all women, are second class citizens in the middle east. Out with some friends last night and when this subject came up one of the comments was.. ‘makes us look bad, connects gays to alcohol’… whats the point of picking on a company that probably has gay employees who agree with us! And… heres a fact… Abbey and Eleven do not even carry Stoli in their locations.. how much business will Stoli lose? This could backfire.. 37 states… Read more »
While I support the principle of gay marriage and gay adoption and all of our rights — Russia as a country is not the worst offender of anti-gay rhetoric. In some countries you get jailed or killed for being gay. We don’t seem to be boycotting products from those countries. We are taking our frustrations out on the blue collar workers when the government is the problem. What would have happened just a couple of years ago if the Europeans decided to boycott tourism America to protest our own anti-gay laws? Because we defeated Prop 8 and passed DOMA, does… Read more »
it would also help if more people demand that putin turn himself in for excessive gayness. I mean, really: http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/16-homoerotic-photos-of-vladimir-putin
What are the Latvian views on the equality of the Gay community in Latvia and elsewhere? If bars that cater to a gay clientele elect to boycott this export – why not. There are so many other vodkas from countries that have far more equal laws. Good for the bars.
Those are two VERY important Russian ties Stolichnaya has!
Except that the owner is one of the richest men in Russia, and that the grain is grown and fermented id Russia before it is bottled in Latvia.
I have been reading the pros and cons of the boycott for the last few hours.