American journalist James Kirchick made waves on Wednesday, when he openly condemned the Russian government for anti-gay legislation on state-run news channel RT.
"I'm going to speak out against the horrific anti-gay legislation that Vladimir Putin signed into law that was passed unanimously by the Russian Duma," Kirchick announced while snapping rainbow colored suspenders on in a gesture of solidarity with homosexual friends and allies.
The legislation in question bars "homosexual propaganda," which effectively bans any public LGBT-related discussions in Moscow.
Kirchick had originally been brought onto the show to discuss the Bradley Manning verdict, but once he appeared on the RT's screens via video-link from Stockholm, he steered the conversation in another direction.
"I'm not really interested in talking about Bradley Manning," Kirchick told one of the hosts who interrupted him to draw back to the topic. "I'm interested in talking about the horrific environment of homophobia in Russia right now, and to let the Russian gay people know that...we're not going to be silent in the face of this...repression that is perpetrated by your paymasters, Vladimir Putin."
RT's hosts squirmed and chortled at the comments Kirchick made, clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation.
One female presenter looked at the camera skittishly, saying, "James, you have to come over here and see for yourself."
Another host said that RT had aired a panel on the anti-gay law in the recent past.
RT's editor in chief Margarita Simonyan wrote an explanation on Twitter shortly after the interview.
"A comrade decided to troll us on a show about Bradley Manning," she wrote. "Of course, we listened to him, but we decided he had nothing to do with the topic. Next time we will invite him to discuss gay rights. But for the moment, good bye."
Members of the international community have responded in outrage toward the Kremlin-backed legislation in the recent past.
During last week's World Athletics Championship in Moscow, American track star Nick Symmonds chided the anti-gay laws.
"I disagree with their laws and I disagree with their views," he said on an ABC News interview.
Watch the clip of Kirchick's interview here.
