Gay Rights Charities on the Hunt for Designer to Create Olympic Anti-Homophobia Outfit

Two gay rights charities have announced plans to unveil an anti-homophobia outfit for Olympians to wear in Sochi next year as a sign of solidarity with global LGBT equality. Vogue reports that Athlete Ally and All Out are currently looking for a high profile, international designer to create the motif:

The design that the Olympians will wear during the forthcoming games should "powerfully reject the anti-gay propaganda law in solidarity with Russian groups demanding equal rights", said All Out co-founder and executive director Andre Banks.

"One of the most effective things we can do at the games is to amass a global army of athlete allies who demonstrate their support for the LGBT citizens of Russia and LGBT athletes around the world," said Brian Ellner, Athlete Ally Board Member and LGBT Rights strategist. "We look forward to partnering on the development of that symbol."

Gay Rights Activists Confront Russia's UN Ambassador at His NYC Residence

Gay rights activists confronted Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin when he arrived at his NYC residence yesterday, attempting to hand him the petition that was delivered to the IOC yesterday urging the repeal of Russia's anti-gay laws, the AP reports:

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin arrived at his residence on New York’s Upper East Side in the late afternoon to find 10 activists from the international gay rights group All Out outside the wrought iron gates holding red placards saying: “340,457 worldwide say stop Russia’s anti-gay crackdown.” Minutes earlier, when they got no answer ringing the bell, they had slipped a CD with the signatures under the gate.

Churkin took the CD and spoke with AllOut Executive Director Andre Banks (who appeared on CNN the other day) about the laws, saying “We don’t have anti-gay laws. We have laws banning homosexual propaganda among minors."

Churkin reportedly insisted no people have been harmed or killed because they're gay.