Selena Gomez Denied Visa, Russia Concerts Cancelled
From the archive: published Sep 20, 2013, 13 years ago. Details may have changed since.
Selena Gomez won’t be playing in Russia this weekend.
The singer was scheduled to play a show in St. Petersburg on September 23 and in Moscow on September 24 but Russia didn’t grant Gomez a visa. The Inquisitr reported earlier that Selena didn’t get a visa because she is pro gay rights.
Russia has a controversial rule on the books that forbids people from promoting a gay lifestyle.
The government has reportedly become more strict with pop stars after Lady Gaga and Madonna made pro-gay statements during their concerts earlier this year.
Lady Gaga told her fans: “Lady Gaga told fans “You can be gay in my house” at shows in Russia last year.”
Selena Gomez hasn’t commented on the Russia concerts yet but a a representative for the concert’s organizers, Russian Entertainment Academy, said: “Up to the last moment, we thought the problem would be resolved, but it turned out that things aren’t so simple in our country.”
E! Online reports that a petition was started on Change.org urging Selena Gomez to speak out during her concerts in Russia. The petition obviously doesn’t mean much now that the singer has been denied a visa.
Becker, who started the petition, said: “This cancellation of Selena Gomez’s visa shows that the Russian government is sensitive and on the defense, and shows that the pressure from people all around the world and the backlash against these laws is strong. They’re afraid to have someone like Selena Gomez come in and potentially use her platform to advance LGBT rights.”
Are you surprised that Selena Gomez was denied a visa?