Should we Boycott STOLI Vodka?

 STOLI could be in a little hot water. Some LGBT groups are already calling for a boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Russia. Now, Vodka. Gay drink lots of Vodka! But Stoli has also been a supporter of the LGBT community…

Queer Nation has  organized  a boycott of Russian vodka. 

From their statement:

In light of the Putin regime’s attacks on the LGBT community, Queer Nation is calling for a worldwide boycott of Russian vodka.

Do not buy or drink Russian vodka: Brands
include Russian Standard and Stolichnaya. Demand that bar owners do not
buy or serve Russian vodka. Ask your favorite club promoters, DJs, and
entertainers to insist that Russian brands are not served in the venues
in which they perform.

It’s time to target Russia. Dump Russian vodka!

Stoli has shown support to LGBT community in the past – is a boycott the answer, to send a message to Russian Government? At first, I wasn’t sure it was the right choice – but now I do – even
though Stoli has shown support to the gay community, the Russian
government still shares in Stoli’s profits. We MUST put pressure where we
can, so they stop this madness over there!

Chicagoin Dan Savage, columnist, author, and founder of the It Gets Better Project, published an article in Seattle’s independent newspaper The Stranger on Wednesday titled
“Why I’m Boycotting Russian Vodka,” urging gay bars to stop serving the
brand and others like Russian Standard, Shustov, Starka, and Stolnaya.

“[T]here is something we can do right here, right now, in Seattle and
other U.S. cities to show our solidarity with Russian queers and their
allies,” wrote Savage on Wednesday. “And to help to draw international
attention to the persecution of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans
people, and straight allies in Putin’s increasingly fascistic Russia:
DUMP RUSSIAN VODKA.”

Sidetrack, Chicago’s largest gay bar, and allegedly the biggest seller of vodka in gay bars in the country!  announced yesterday that it would
remove Stolichnaya and other Russian brands from its shelves,
according
to the Windy City Times. Another Chicago gay bar, Call, joined the boycott. Replay, Hydrate, Elixir and Halsteds are also pulling Russian vodkas from their shelves!

The SPI Group, which owns Stolichnaya Vodka, contacted The Advocate
today to release an open letter to the LGBT community. The statement
stressed that Stoli “firmly opposes such attitude and actions” committed
by the Russian government and continues to be a “fervent supporter and
friend” of the community, pointing to past endorsements of Pride events
and LGBT organizations.

The statement claimed that the Luxembourg-based company is not
affiliated with the Russian government, and that the vodka’s production
is divided between Russia and Latvia.

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