MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts has been tapped to co-host the “Miss Universe” pageant for NBC next month, alongside “Spice Girl” Mel B.
Roberts will be stepping in for Bravo’s Andy Cohen, who dropped out because the pageant is being held in Russia, which recently passed anti-gay legislation. Roberts is also gay, and explains on msnbc.com why he decided to take on the challenge.
So people may wonder: “Thomas, how can you accept this assignment? Shouldn’t you boycott Russia?” I am not going to boycott. Boycotting and vilifying from the outside is too easy. Rather, I choose to offer my support of the LGBT community in Russia by going to Moscow and hosting this event as a journalist, an anchor and a man who happens to be gay. Let people see I am no different than anyone else.
AdvertisementAll kids—Russian, American or otherwise—need hope. I am a happy, healthy, gainfully employed, educated and married man. And yes, I am gay. These new Russian laws won’t stop Russians from being born LGBT and growing up to identify as such. Russia’s treatment of its LGBT citizens is unacceptable, unrealistic and only promotes homophobia and intolerance for a community that does and will continue to exist.