Michael Segalov explores the wave of homoerotic viral videos sweeping the nation, which have been described by some as ‘a sign of solidarity’
- TextMichael Segalov
If you saw a video of young men thursting away to electronic music dressed in nothing but harnesses and their underwear, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were paying witness to a gay club, circa 4am. In fact, that would be the logical conclusion. But these scenes, which can be found in a wave of homoerotic viral videos making their way across Russia, are a long way from London’s Heaven in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Kick-started by a group of Russian ‘transport-cadets’ who stripped down to their boxers and filmed themselves dancing to the 2002 dance track Satisfaction, this craze has swept across the country – seeing nurses, jockeys, athletes, construction workers and more filming themselves in a similar vein. The concept is simple: strip off, grab some tools, and get thrusting.
The original parody was posted on YouTube just a few days ago, though it was actually created a few weeks previously. And while an investigation by local authorities found that no law had been violated, politicians nonetheless called on the boys to be “punished” for what they had done. Petr Timofeev, the head of campus administration where the initial video was taken, told a local publication that he did not want to comment on “the disgusting behaviour of these cadets”. Homophobic commentators in the country have used it as an excuse to further their agenda.
For a country often defined by its homophobic values, these videos – at least superficially – seem to offer some light relief. Despite some of the initial backlash, the copycat recordings, alongside millions of views, like and shares, are proof that swathes of the Russian population are growing tired of the draconian values of an authoritarian state. But is this just another example of boys being boys, or could these scenes mark something deeper?
“Those videos are amazing, and they’re a sign of solidarity,” Svetlana Zakharova tells me down the phone from Russia, “I don’t however think they’re a sign that Russian society isn’t homophobic anymore.” A board member of the Russian LGBT Network, Svetlana sees these videos as a signal that many Russians are getting tired of “traditional values imposed by the authorities”, and yet points out that opinion polls and incidents of bigotry are a much better marker for the prejudices that prevail.
“Recently a new poll showed that more than 80% of people don't consider homosexuality normal, she continues, “and our research shows Russian society is getting more and more homophobic – the level of violence is increasing. Those videos don’t show a sign of acceptance of homosexuality or queerness at all.”
Instead these videos can be looked at as proof that both youth culture and masculinity in Russia are changing. As Evgeniy Manzhurin, a social scientist from St. Petersburg who defines as gay tells me, it’s only really in the past decade that young men in cities like Moscow have generationally taken an interest in the world’s of grooming, culture and fashion.
“The short answer to the question ‘Do these videos mean Russia is now less homophobic?’ is no,” Evgeniy explains, “but I should add some important qualifications.” He suggests that the flashmobs are, of course, all about grabbing attention, and that the craze is being co-opted by advertisers (now employing women’s bodies) to sell their wares.
“However people in their teens and twenties and even their thirties are here demonstrating a relaxed attitude to demonstrations of sex in public,” he continues, “including those involving and celebrating the male body."
“I don’t think that we see in the content is homoerotic per se – and those involved may not be less homophobic in a thought through, political position – but there is an openness that exists in a certain strata of young society. They want to take on the agenda, to ride on this hype, and to make a claim to the Russian public space.”
“Whether it means if you were to start a discussion about acceptance of anything gay with these young people and they’d be more open? I’m not sure,” concludes Evgeniy. “They have certainly moved on from their more traditional ways, and they’re part of a younger visual culture where the male body has become more equal to that of the female."
These videos can of course be applauded for their subversion – they’re a ‘fuck you’ to an often repressive state. A cultural shift that no longer sees sexuality and skin as something to be ashamed of may well result in a relaxing of homophobic attitudes over time. But a sign that the fabric of Russian society is any less consumed by rampant homophobia? I suggest we listen to young queer voices in Russia, rather than foreign journalists and the Twittersphere, before deciding on that.
