Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws didn’t stop fans there from embracing the Hot Competition
This article contains spoilers for the show Hot Rivalry.
If a glimpse of the Canadian series Hot Competition first appeared on TikTok at the end of last year, 24-year-old Dima, who works as an engineer in Moscow, was surprised by the hot show that focused on the romantic relationship between two professional hockey players – one Canadian, one Russian.
When he first looked at it, he was immediately hooked. He was immediately impressed by the way American actor Connor Storrie nailed it when he portrayed Ilya Rozanov, the arrogant and mild-mannered Russian center.
And he felt a deep personal connection to Rozanov’s struggle to be open about his sexuality.
“If Ilya says that he will not be able to return to his country if he leaves – that is the pure truth,” said Dima. CBC News is identifying him only by his first name, given Russia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
“Before, it was just thrown away. Now it’s a reason for hatred … they can beat you, they can lock you up, they can arrest you.”
Calls to close the thread
The show, based on a series of novels by Canadian author Rachel Reid, follows Rozanov and Asian-Canadian athlete Shane Hollander (played by Canadian Hudson Williams) over several years as they develop feelings for each other while maintaining a fierce on-ice rivalry.
That was itglobal media exposure, sparking discussions about sexuality, Homophobia in sports and acceptance, all while challenging the construction of what is considered masculinity.
In Canada, the series is produced for Bell Media’s streaming platform, Crave, and airs on HBO Max in the US, bu.t in Russia is only available via VPN or pirated sites, complete with Russian subtitles or voiceover.
Even though it technically cannot be viewed legally in Russia due to licensing restrictions, a the national Orthodox organization it calls for it to be closed completely because of what it calls for scenes of “unnatural immorality.”
Despite the fact that the Kremlin has passed a series of increasingly anti-LGBTQ+ laws, most Russian fans show love and appreciation for the online series.
Canada’s hockey fan finds an unexpected audience in Russia. Fans there say the narrative of Heated Rivalry reflects the reality of LGBTQ+ people living under Russia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
On Kinopoisk, the Russian version of the Internet Movie Database, votes from more than 30,000 fans have given. Hot Competition a mouseat 8.6.
There are memes, posts and reels on social media from Russians who enthusiastically admit to binge watching spicy content. In a nod to one of the episodes, the woman puts up photos of Rozanov in the countryside, saying the hockey player can come to her “dacha”, or cottage, anytime.
But the series has also sparked serious, albeit very private, discussions in a country where same-sex unions are not recognized and the government makes a big effort to honor what it considers “traditional” values.
“People are watching it partly because it is forbidden, it is a pleasure that the government is guilty of they can view it as dangerous propaganda,” Dima said in a voice memo sent to CBC News via the Telegram messaging app.
Russian laws are becoming increasingly strict
In December 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a sweeping law banning what his government described as “LGBTQ+ propaganda”.
Several books, including those of Oscar Wilde, were pulled from store shelves. Films depicting same-sex relationships, incl Brokeback MountainRussian broadcast sites were removed.
Under the lawanyone deemed to be promoting “extraordinary sexual relations” can be fined up to 400,000 rubles, the equivalent of ab.from $7,200 Cdn.
Earlier this week, on Jan. 13, a Moscow court filed administrative charges against several executives at Russian broadcasting outlets for allegedly spreading LGBTQ+ propaganda. It is not clear what content caused the charge.
But Russia has also gone further, moving to introduce the possibility of arresting those it sees as activists.
In 2023, after a closed trial, the Russian Supreme Court announced what it called “international LGBT movement“extremist organization.
In 2024, the first arrests were made under the new law. Two employees of the LGBTQ+ club they were arrested and could face up to ten years if convicted.
The growing pressure has caused some to flee Russia, and for those who remain, to hide their private lives.
Keeping their sexuality a secret
Dima says he “accepted” that he was gay at the age of 19, but he is careful not to reveal anything except to those he is closest to. When she talks about going out on the weekend, she will tell people that she went out with her girlfriend, instead of her boyfriend.
“The problem is that I’m getting used to it,” he said. “I have come to accept that things are like this for us, there is no other way.”
At work, when he hears his colleagues making hateful, anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, Dima says to keep quiet, so as not to give anything away about himself.
Dima says that it is easy for him to forget that he is gay because he tries hard to distance himself from society.
He likes that the first season of Hot Competition it ended with Hollander coming out to his parents, but admitted he was jealous as he watched.
“Opening up to my parents is completely different, and looking at the way his parents accept him, I feel a lot for him,” he said.
“I hate Shane that he has parents like that.”
Broad appeal
For Oli, who lived in St. Petersburg before leaving Russia in 2022, the exhibition serves as a reminder that “being queer is OK.”
Oli, who uses his pronouns, fled the country due to repressive laws, but still helps other LBGTQ+ people in Russia. This is why the CBC does not use Oli’s full name.
While Oli says the show clearly resonated with the LGBTQ+ community, it also has a wider appeal, especially among young women.
A song by a Russian pop duo TTU featured in one episode, and the group reportedly gained hundreds of thousands of new listeners on Russian streaming site Yandex Music.
Now and then it is often sampled as part of reels and videos on social media.
“This show is the reason why [some people] had a good atmosphere, especially right now, because it’s winter,” said Oli in a Zoom interview with CBC News. “This is like a certain day … and they were very happy to watch the show.”
