A gay teen's body is found burned and decapitated in Puerto Rico while police investigators claim that those who live this "lifestyle" must expect these types of crimes
Two recent police raids of gay bars in Atlanta, Georgia and Fort Worth, Texas have sparked mass protests in the two cities and have raised questions regarding the state of equality for persons of all sexual orientations.Two recent police raids of gay bars in Atlanta, Georgia and Fort Worth, Texas have... more
A Queens, New York man is fighting for his life because to men chose to attack him simply because he is gay. The entire incident was caught on tape. According to David Mixner, "You morally must watch this tape and know that this is not an isolated incident."A Queens, New York man is fighting for his life because to men chose to attack him... more
Incidents increased by 28 % in 2008 compared to then in 2007.
NEW YORK - The number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people killed in bias-motivated incidents increased by 28 percent in 2008 compared to a year ago, according to a national coalition of advocacy groups.
Last year's 29 killings was the highest recorded by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs since 1999, when it documented the same number of slayings, according to a report released Tuesday by the coalition.
"What we're also seeing, more disturbingly, is the increase in the severity of violence," said Sharon Stapel, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, which coordinates coalition.
Stapel theorized that at least some of last year's violence was backlash against issues that arose during the during the presidential campaign. She cited debates about same-sex marriage, the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and federal legislation that would ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as possible flash points.
"The more visibility there is the more likely we're going to see backlash, and that's exactly what we see here," Stapel said.
Overall, the number of victims who reported anti-LGBT violence in 2008 increased by 2 percent compared to 2007, said the New York-based coalition of programs in 25 states.
Figures said to be more accurate
Coalition officials say their figures are more accurate than those from law enforcement agencies. As an example, they say, the FBI doesn't record bias crimes against transgender people because gender identity isn't covered by federal hate-crime law.
Also, victims sometimes are reluctant to report bias incidents to police because they don't want to reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity and/or they fear bias from police, officials said.
Reports of physical abuse by police increased to 25 incidents last year from 10 in 2007, the report said.
For the new report, programs in Milwaukee, Minnesota, Chicago, Los Angeles, Colorado, Columbus, Ohio, Houston, Pennsylvania, New York City, Kansas City, Missouri, Michigan and San Francisco submitted data.
Programs in Vermont and the Boston area participated in the 2007 report but not the current one. The program in Rochester, N.Y., participated in 2008 for the first time.
The largest increase — 64 percent — was in Milwaukee, where the number of reported incidents rose to 18 in 2008 from 11 in 2007, the report said.
Officials weren't sure whether reported increases were attributable to more people reporting incidents or an actual rise.
'It's a vulnerable population'
Meighan Bentz, a victim outreach advocate at the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, which includes an anti-violence project, said, "I think it's a combination."
"Certainly there are more people reporting," Bentz said, adding that the project started in 2005. "As time goes on there are more people aware of our program as a resource."
Bentz added, "I do believe there are ongoing issues of violence and its affect upon LGBT individuals. It's a vulnerable population."
Many of 2008's incidents made headlines.
In December, a man was beaten to death in New York City while he walked arm in arm with his brother as their attackers yelled anti-gay and anti-Latino epithets. Two men have been charged with murder as a hate crime.
In February 2008, 15-year-old Lawrence King was shot to death at school in Oxnard, Calif., near Malibu after enduring harassment after he told classmates he was gay; a classmate is charged as an adult in the killing, which prosecutors classified as a hate crime.
Last June, a surveillance tape was publicized showing Memphis, Tenn., police officers beating Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman, and shouting slurs in a jail booking area; a public outcry erupted.
In November, Johnson was found fatally shot on a Memphis streetIncidents increased by 28 % in 2008 compared to then in 2007.
NEW YORK - The number... more
The new chief Republican counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a blog post last month in which he linked same-sex marriage to pedophilia, according to a Web site that has since been taken down.
Follow link for the rest of the story at The Blog of Legal Times.The new chief Republican counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a blog post... more
Does SNL realize that "fire pon a batty boy" means killing homosexuals?
I thought the rest of this skit was hilarious, but that hateful line ruined it for me. Much of Jamaica's dancehall music is homophobic and it's very sad. Many Jamaican artists are turning away from this type of hate and skits like this perpetuate it. Also, I wonder if white Rastafarian's generally encourage murdering gays?
It's one thing (not good) when an individual artist spews hate, but when a popular show like SNL does it, it becomes more institutionalized (worse).
Imagine the reaction they would have gotten if the joke was lynch blackie!
I realize this is humor, but that part didn't seem funny to me.
Maybe as satire this says something important, what do you think?Does SNL realize that "fire pon a batty boy" means killing homosexuals?
I... more
"Three homes and five vehicles were sprayed with anti-gay slogans in the 2800 block of NW 7th Ave in Wilton Manors early Friday morning.
One resident was using soap and water to wash out the anti-gay messages sprayed on his property that said "fag".
He explained to CBS4 Reporter Ted Scouten that he's not gay, which is all the more worrying why he was a target.
Another resident, Ron Helfrich, said his home and car were defaced, "They wrote gay on the door, in the living room, and on the couch."
''There's no reason for this to happen,'' Aaron Challancin said. ``We didn't do anything to anyone. We're normal people trying to live normal lives.
The incidents are being investigated by the Wilton Manors police department.""Three homes and five vehicles were sprayed with anti-gay slogans in the 2800 block of... more
In response to gay groups criticizing their music, the Reggae community has decided to unite and stage a Straight Pride Parade on August 31st in Crown Heights in Brooklyn, the day before the annual West Indian Labor Day Parade. Not only is it absurd, it's actually offensive the longer I think about it. Whatever happened to reggae ideals of peace and mutual tolerance? Maybe it's the new strain of ganja everyone is smoking?
But sadly after doing more research we discovered that reggae singers have a long history of gay intolerance. There was a breakthrough last year when The Stop Murder Music Campaign, a group that's been trying to get reggae and dance hall artists to stop promoting anti-gay violence, harassment, and bigotry through lyrics in their music finally got prominent reggae and dance hall artists to agree and sign the Reggae Compassionate Act. Clearly, however, it seems the atmosphere of intolerance still continues.
A snippet from their press release: "The Straight Pride Parade is a chance for Heterosexuals to gather together and proudly embrace their sexuality. The Parade will also allow reggae and dancehall fans who are in New York City for the Labor Day celebrations to get together and celebrate reggae, dancehall and family in love and unity. Adults are encouraged to bring their children along for the celebrations, as the event will be family oriented."
PS: Gay friends and gay relatives must be left at home or worse kept in the closet. In response to gay groups criticizing their music, the Reggae community has decided to... more
I'm ashamed to admit this now, but when I was in high school, this was a joke I told a classmate about gay rights: "I'll give them rights - the right to die."
Did I really believe that? No. Back then, I was an 18-year-old insecure student trying to be macho by putting down gay people.
I thought that was the way I was supposed to act, and, sadly, at my school in Mississauga, a lot of people were like me.
While some teenagers today feel comfortable enough to come out of the closet, it was pretty much unheard of almost 20 years ago. You wouldn't want to be called gay after seeing the way homosexuals were portrayed on TV and in movies in the 1980s. Gay men were usually the limp-wristed, secondary characters with high-pitched voices who were the punch-line of a joke, never the leading man.
Take one of my favourite films growing up: 1984's Revenge of the Nerds. It featured a gay man named Lamar Latrell. In one scene, the nerds make a special javelin designed specifically for Lamar's limp wrist in order to beat the jocks in a contest.
And it was common for actors to put down other people by calling them "queers" or "homos."
Hollywood taught me being gay was an insult. And degrading gay people was something I'd watched on TV hundreds of times. So I did it too.
I'm ashamed to admit this now, but when I was in high school, this was a joke I told a... more
A bruised head and swollen eye didn't stop 20-year-old Marquis from speaking publicly about the attack. He's admittedly afraid after what happened, but said he is not afraid of who he is.
"I've been called names while I was out, but never like this," said Bryant.
Bryant says the attackers started by yelling offensive remarks.
"I was being called a 'fag', a 'faggott.' The next thing I know I'm hitting the ground," said Bryant.
He says as he was nearing the corner of 20th St. and J St. when he put some head phones on a starting listening to music. All of a sudden, the suspects allegedly jumped on him and knocked him to he ground.
"We don't tolerate crimes like this," said Sgt. Matt Young, Sacramento Police Department.
Sacrament Police believe the 20-year-old may have been targeted because the bag he was carrying may have looked to his alleged attackers like a woman's purse.A bruised head and swollen eye didn't stop 20-year-old Marquis from speaking publicly... more
Brighton bars and clubs may loose their licenses if they play music by homophobic reggae performers and rappers. Jamaican gays are regularly attacked, even murdered. Some believe homophobic reggae encourages the violence. Similar attacks occur in the UK. The Brighton City council, who voted for the ban, learned later that their library had a sizable collection of the so called "Murder Music".Brighton bars and clubs may loose their licenses if they play music by homophobic... more
