Mikhail Baryshnikov Condemns Russian ’Gay Propaganda’ Law
Russian ballet star and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov made headlines this week for condemning Russia's controversial "homosexual propaganda" law.
Baryshnikov made a statement to the No More Fear Foundation, an international LGBT advocacy group that helps LGBT people seek asylum in the U.S.
"My life has been immensely enriched by gay mentors, colleagues and friends and any discrimination and persecution of gay people is unacceptable," Baryshnikov, 65, said. "Equal treatment of people is a basic right and it is sad that we still have to even speak about this in [the] 21st century."
He also lauded No More Fear Foundation for "stepping in so quickly to provide the much necessary assistance" to the LGBT community.
Baryshnikov was born in Latvia to Russian parents and was a dancer with the Kirov Ballet, located in St. Petersburg.
Some may know the dancer from his recent performance in "Sex and the City," where he played a Russian artist, Aleksandr Petrovsky, who dated Carrie Bradshaw.
Baryshnikov is the latest celebrity to sound off on Russia's anti-gay law. Madonna, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Cher, Tilda Swinton and Wentworth Miller and others have slammed the "homosexual propaganda" measure.