Thomas Roberts talks to the Advocate about hosting the Miss Universe pageant in Russia

Thomas Roberts sat down with the Advocate to talk about his recently announced assignment to head to Russia to host the Miss Universe Pageant.

Some folks have been critical of Roberts taking on the task, saying he should instead boycott the event in solidarity with our Russian LGBT community now under siege by anti-gay laws being passed.

In response to the criticism, Robert wrote a thoughtful op-ed piece for MSNBC, and is now discussing why he made the decision to not boycott and host the pageant so that Russia and the world could see a successful, gainfully employed, confident gay man on the world stage.

Here's just a bit of his exchange with Advocate:

What was the response of Russian LGBT activists that you reached out to?

I was told: don't boycott. I was told that this is too big of an opportunity, and that voices like theirs need representation. So, what they want is, while they don't feel safe, they want influential people to come in, and speak out. Not only can I speak out ahead of time, before going, but I also have a great capacity to cover and storytell. So, that's why this assignment was so attractive to me.

In doing that research, did you consult with any other LGBT anchors, like Rachel Maddow, at MSNBC, about this decision?

No, I didn't. I consulted with the HRC, and with GLAAD. I wanted to find out their take on what they thought about this decision by me. They are two organizations that I have done a great deal of work with, and that have not only had my personal support, but professional support. So, a lot of counsel, a lot of advice, went into this. Certainly great LGBT activists, who are mentors of mine — I reached out to them as well. So, I am a little dismayed at some of the reaction that people have had, that have wanted to try to attack my personal and professional belief for what I'm standing up for, but I respect their right to do that. But, I wish they would have a little more faith in me.

Given that there has been some vocal critique, how do you respond to critics who say you are going there primarily because — I presume you're being paid to host it — you're going there to line your pockets?

Well that's just silly. I mean, I show up to work every day, and we still work in a country where there are gay and lesbian people who can be fired every day at work. In 33 states, you can be fired based on gender identity, 29 states they explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation; we have the Employment Non-Discrimination Act languishing in Washington, D.C., and has for decades. 

So that's silly, that would be like telling all of these bloggers and reporters, and everyone else, don't show up to work in the United States. And nobody boycotted, last year, when Miss Universe was held in Las Vegas, and we hadn't had decisions on marriage equality by that point. And I think that we had just gotten out from "don't ask, don't tell," but nobody was asking for a boycott of that, so it's interesting to me. I find it very interesting, that people would take this tone with me.

Read the entire interview by visiting the Advocate here.