This Way Out: Russia, Cameroon & Zimbabwe updates + more LGBT news

This Way Out #1,322 Program Rundown:

Opening teases/theme music/intro continuity . . . . . . . . . . 1:10

SEGMENT #1 – "NewsWrap": A scathing rebuke of President Vladimir Putin in the "New York Times" kicks off an LGBT week dominated by news in or about Russia: the apoplectic leader of the Russian Orthodox Church warns that marriage equality is a "dangerous sign of the apocalypse"; a St. Petersburg appeals court judge upholds a backbreaking fine against the "Side By Side" LGBT Film Festival for violating a new national "foreign agent" law; a Neo-Nazi group uses the Russian version of "Facebook" to lure young gay men to a supposed date that turns into videotaped torture, beatings, and humiliation; 4 Dutch nationals become the first non-Russians to be punished for violating the new national law against the "promotion of non-traditional sexual relations"; the U.S. Human Rights Campaign asks NBC-TV to include coverage of the persecution of LGBT people -- including its impact on athletes and visitors -- during their broadcasts of the Winter Olympics in the Black Sea town of Sochi next year, and questions International Olympic Committee assurances that LGBT people will be safe at those Games; a boycott of Russian vodka by gay nightspots to protest the treatment of LGBT people there spreads around the world, but a leading Russian activist questions its value; Moldova secretly enacts its own "no promo homo" law; protestors chanting "kill the gays" and throwing stones and bottles greet Pride marchers in Montenegro, while eggs are the thrown objects of choice in Lithuania; a marriage equality bill fails in the South Australia lower house, but New Mexico's Attorney General tells the U.S. state's high court that barring same-gender couples from civil marriage is unconstitutional; and Luigi and Mario aren't Brothers, they're a gay couple!! (written by GREG GORDON, produced by STEVE PRIDE, and reported this week by CHRISTOPHER GAAL and TANYA KANE-PARRY). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:51

SEGMENT #2 – Billboard for Cameroon and Zimbabwe reports [:18] + It took a "New York Times" op-ed piece by the multi-award-winning playwright-performer-author-activist HARVEY FIERSTEIN to put the spotlight on RUSSIA's fierce crackdown on LGBT rights. In recent weeks President Vladimir Putin has signed laws banning LGBT-positive speech, and adoptions of Russian children by parents from marriage equality countries -- and more repressive laws are said to be in the works. Shocking violence against gays and lesbians and their allies is clearly on the rise. Fierstein took his dire warning to LAWRENCE O'DONNELL's "The Last Word" on MSNBC [4:31] + "TWO" I.D. by gay Olympian GREG LOUGANIS [:07] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:56
[www.msnbc.com]

SEGMENT #3 – Dangers loom heavily over the heads of African LGBT activists, with CAMEROON and Zimbabwe as two of the critical hotspots. "Free Speech Radio News" featured reports from both countries this week, starting with coverage of the murder of ERIC LEMEMBE, executive director of the Cameroonian human rights group CAMFAIDS. NGALA KILLIAN CHIMTOM has more from YAOUNDE (includes comments by leading LGBT rights lawyer ALICE NKOM). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:24
[www.fsrn.org]

SEGMENT #4 - ZIMBABWE activists have been engaged in a struggle for LGBT rights for decades. GARIKAI CHAUNZA of "Free Speech Radio News" has the latest from HARARE (includes comments by UN Human Rights Commission NAVI PILLAY) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:04
[www.fsrn.org]

Closing Credits/continuity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:25

TOTAL PROGRAM TIME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28:50