Discrimination, hate and prejudice

In the US Rep Ike Skelton is one of those who has allowed his homophobia to overcome all reason and human decency, it’s sad that he wields such power. He wishes to fight to keep DADT – and ruin the lives of so many soldiers – because it may mean ZOMG TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT GAY PEOPLE EXISTING! And how are kids supposed to deal with the fact their country is defended by gay people?

Not only is this some truly boggling hatred, it’s frightening when you extrapolate this. Kids – and he mentions 7 year olds – most be protected from even seeing or hearing about GBLTs lest they ask their parents awkward questions. The complete black out and closeting of us this would require is boggling and frightening.

In Alabama a pair of homophobic DJs responded to Obama’s pride declaration with… well expected class and decorum. You see there we don’t have adulterers or fornicators month do we? Because that’s totally equivalent./ Oh and we can’t biblically justify our “lifestyle.”

Well I don’t really give a damn about the Bible, nor do I live any kind of lifestyle and I sure as hell don’t need to justify who and what I am.

In Wisconsin, tragically a court has denied parenthood to a woman who raised 2 children in a same-sex relationship for years. By every remotely sensible definition of parenthood this woman is mother to those children, she has been mother to them for 7 years, she has been their primary caregiver, a stay-at-home mum for 7 years – but she is not a parent and cannot be a parent.

A church in Tennessee throws us some Christian love. See it is direly sinful to play softball if your coach is a lesbian. Upon finding out her sexuality (by directly asking and forcing her to tell the truth or lie) they fired her and threw in some hate speech to boot.
Remember, thou shalt not play sports with lesbians. Special edition of the Bible for bigots methinks.

In Las Vegas a gay temp worker was humiliated and ostracised by his manager and co-workers after the manager demanded to know whether he was gay or not.

In Dundonald, Belfast, a lesbian teacher has accepted a settlement from the school she worked in. She was subjected to a campaign of harassment from her superiors that eventually lead to constructive dismissal. In addition, her civil partnership was ignored in the school newsletter “in the name of decency” while colleagues straight weddings were celebrated. And these people are teaching children.

Mike Huckabee thinks gays are icky. I think he’s an arsehole. But then I expect no better from him.

In France, following the McDonald’s advert we have another gay friendly ad from orangina. Except this one was banned. I have looked it over several times and I don’t see why it would be – and don’t tell me an ad this damn tame would have been banned if the person stroking the freshly shaved chin was female not male. Especially in France where the adverts can be explicit enough to cause that entire Tennessee church to have the vapours.

In a further display of Christian love, a woman is suing her church. See, this church had the temerity to decide that gay people were people too – worthy of respect and decency with their love to be honoured like any other love. Of course that was unacceptable to these good people – and half of the church left over night in disgust that gay people wer ebeing respected. But Yvonne Moore is taking it an extra step in order to punish this church for daring to put aside homophobic hate.

In China gays and lesbians are faced with an almost insurmountable pressure to get married – to the opposite sex. Gays and lesbians make the most of the few years they have before they’re expected to settle down into a heterosexual marriage – pressured by culture and especially by family.

Oh, and close to home, Stonewall has found that gay lawyers don’t believe we can be judges. Well yeah – there’s what, one gay judge on the court of appeal? And let’s not forget that it wasn’t that long ago that judges had to be MARRIED – a rule that was brought in expressly to keep us nasty gays out of the judiciary.  When talking about my career with my university professors and at law school I spoke about the judiciary – and I was told that it wouldn’t happen because I was openly gay.

And, of course, the violence…

In Iran, the persecution and, let’s be frank, genocide against GBLT peopel continues. A bisexual man  in prison has been tortured and died of his injuries. At the same time, another bissexual man has been sentenced to 74 lashes – and still faces the death penalty. I despair to read of these cases, where our existence is punishable by death.

In Ghana a march of 3,000 people protested against GBLTs, encouraged by the muslim community, spreading gross disinformation and slurs – and calling for homosexuality to be criminalised (male homosexuality is actually criminalised in Ghana).

In Syria there is a crackdown going on against gay men – with gay parties and cruising areas being hit and the most recent swoop alone arrested 25 men. Again, our existence is illegal in Syria and carries a prison term. Even if these men are released without charge, they will be labelled and known and at the mercy of those around them.

In Mongolia, LGBTs face attack, violence, rape and death by an ultrantionalist group that enjoys the tolerance of the powers that be. Orgs to help them are seriously under-resourced and in danger, particularly at protecting the trans women who suffer the brunt of the attacks.

The GOP in Texas has clearly looked at events like this and wants a piece of the action – they want to bring back sodomy laws and they want to imprison straight people who help gays get married. There’s… really nothing to say to that, just despair.

In Slovenia, a gay friendly cafe has been firebombed and covered in anti-gay graffiti> This wasn’t even the first time this cafe has been attacked – or even the first time homophobes tried to burn it down

In St. Petersburg, Russia gay and lesbian activists were arrested for protesting and trying to hold a pride parade. Pride Parades in Russia are very hard to hold legally since the authorities continually refuse permits. St. Petersburg turned down the pride parade in 5 different locations before this went ahead.

In London, Lesbian trainee police officer Laura Goldie committed suicide and refers to the homophobia of her colleagues in her suicide note

In Houston a gay, trans man was beaten, held at knife point and robbed in a bathroom

In West Virginia a gay man has been beaten by police who used gay slurs. And people wonder why we don’t trust the police.

In Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 2 gay men were attacked and beaten by a gang of 3.