Russia Censored Iconic The White Lotus Scene
January 12, 2023According to Russian news site Meduza, the version of The White Lotus Russians got to see did not live up to the original.
The website reported that the word “gay” was censored from the final episode of season 2 of HBO’s The White Lotus, changing the plot, and an instantly iconic scene for the worse.
In the final episode, Tanya McQuaid (Jennifer Coolidge) is on a yacht with her new Eurogay friends when she realizes that something sinister about to happen. “Please, these gays, they’re trying to murder me!” Tanya begs the yacht’s captain in one of the most iconic scenes in the series.
“We’re all gay here,” he replies in the few English words he knows.
Unfortunately, Russian streamer Amediateka changed the word “gay” to “men,” according to Out.
While Meduza doesn’t make it clear if Tanya’s line was edited or erased, it does specifically say that the response was changed to the impactless “we’re all men here.”
One important scene of gay sex was also completely removed from episode five. In that episode, Tanya walks in on Quentin (Tom Hollander) having sex with his “nephew” Jack (Leo Woodall), discovering that there’s foul play going on. The gay sex was completely cut from the Russian version.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Another scene where Tanya calls her assistant to tell her that she saw Quentin and Jack having sex was also edited, leaving Tanya telling her assistant that she saw the two “doing some kind of game.”
Additionally, scenes with lesbian character Valentina, and Mia – the sex worker who helps her – were also edited.
In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a new bill that expanded the country’s ban on LGBTQ+ “propaganda.” The new law puts even stricter rules on not allowing “non-traditional sexual relations” from being portrayed.
The laws make it illegal to promote or “praise” LGBTQ+ relationships or suggest they are “normal” and includes heavier fines and penalties for those who break the law.
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