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| Tatu: Then and Now. |
Despite Vladimir Putin’s very public stance against “homosexual propaganda,” the pop-group Tatu was allowed to perform at the Sochi Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies. For those who are unfamiliar with this duo, the group was formed in 1999 and consisted of two 15 year old Russian girls. Their music was passable bubble-gum tunes, similar to their contemporaries: mostly notably Britney Spears and ‘N Sync. The gimmick with Tatu, and what set them apart from everyone else, were the music videos and public persona, that sickly embraced a lesbian eroticism which was even more sadistic because it involved minors. In their first single, “All the Things She Said” which they sung at the Olympics, told the story of two schoolchildren persecuted because of their lesbian affair. The music video was described at the time as “raunchy” by most critics. The gay press praised it, stating: “transgender, bisexual, lesbian or gay. In the end, it's about people and yourself feeling safe and better together.” A writer from the homosexual periodical “The Guardian” called it her favorite “lesbian song.” And yet, Putin finds that this is not an example of gay propaganda.