How Russia's Hilarious, Homoerotic "Satisfaction" Became A Nationwide Meme Of Solidarity

Last weekend, thousands, if not millions, of Russians spent hours watching a dozen of semi-naked guys dancing playfully to "Satisfaction" — an old dance track by Benny Benassi. This nation-wide craze started with a video shot, as a joke, by a group of air-transport cadets. It got them into trouble with their school's head, and earned them reprimands from several high-ranking officials and several hours of bashing by the most popular late-night talk shows, where they were accused of "acting gay".

To everyone's surprise, their video triggered an outpouring of solidarity: dozens of new videos appeared all over the internet, with students, older people, and sports teams repeating the dance. Most of the videos are just funny, while still being just slightly homoerotic — a style that, in today's Russian reality, is itself a sign of protest.

Because in a country like Russia, where the government positions homophobia and "traditional values" (whatever that means) at the center of its ideology, dancing suggestively on camera is an act of protest — and solidarity. The #Satisfaction protest really hits the sweet spot between your usual funny YouTube videos and open rebellion. With the country's elite being openly nostalgic about the totalitarian era, and trying to force schools to teach "patriotism" and "traditional family values", the personal sphere has completely merged with the political.