Spark In Darkness

Because the dead should not be forgotten

It has been 12 years since Matthew Shepard died from being brutally attacked and tortured by homophobes What was done to him was horrific – so horrendous that it finally served as something of a wake up call. There was outrage, there was fury – and there was a great deal of grief.

People shouldn’t have to suffer like this just because they are GBLTQ. A 21 year old shouldn’t be tortured and killed because he was gay. Lives shouldn’t be cut so horrifically short because the person living them is not straight and cisgendered. It shouldn’t have to be said – but it CANNOT be said enough times.

And the reason why it cannot be repeated enough is because the lesson is not being learned. Because people are not listening to us.

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Hate speech is one of my main beefs. I believe it is the foundation on which discrimination, prejudice and violence is built. These things do not happen in a vaccuum -they happen because there are people, organisations, the media and authority figures giving their consent and encouragement with their hateful words and bigoted speech.

I very much believe this is the basis for so much of the badness we face

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This piece originally appeared at Womanist Musings where Renee has very generously allowed my random musings to appear on her excellent blog

The closet, one of the most enduring and unpleasant aspects of being GBLT and a source and consequence of so much GBLT oppression. It is also a subject of no shortage of privileged, clueless and purely homophobic commentary from straight people.

I honestly have lost count to the number of times – perhaps especially in progressive circles – where I have seen homophobia and transphobia dismissed or diminished because of the closet. The idea that GBLTs can hide (and, let‘s be clear straight off, not all of us can. And all it takes is us being PERCEIVED to be GBLT to face hatred) – so prejudice against GBLTs isn’t all that bad, right? It’s not as bad as “real” oppressions – because all we have to do is hide, right?

It is used to diminish homophobia and transphobia – and it actually makes the closet, which to so many of us is an utterly toxic place that brought us no small amount of misery – seem like some kind of ASSET.

The closet has it’s cost. Being able to hide (in as much as we can) comes with a terrible price.

The closet, being able to hide, comes with the demand TO hide. If we actually presume to be us then we are “flaunting ourselves” or “ramming it down people’s throats.” We can hide, they say, so why don’t we? Why don’t we wear the mask to spare the straight people the sight of us? Why do we parade ourselves, our vileness so? It is seen as being RUDE to simply be.

The closet comes with a denial of our existence, a doubt that we‘re even what we say we are. Hiding what we are comes with a disbelief that what we are even exists. Being trans is still considered and listed a mental illness far too often. Being gay was considered as mental illness by the WHO as recently as 20 years ago.

How many times do people talk about the “gay lifestyle?” How many times do bigots prate about “homosexual behaviour” that it’s not about people, it’s about actions? How many times do they doubt our identity? how many times do they treat what and who we are as a kink or a fetish? An inclination? A hobby? A vague preference?

How many times is our very being diminished and demeaned as some kind of act of rebellion? Our identity reduced to the actions of a teenager acting out? How often is it presented as deliberate sin? As a deliberate attempt to shock, appal or insult the world? Because it’s all our actions and it’s all about them and how it upsets the straight world – never about us and who and what we are. Our identities, our beings are lost in the closet and they only see deeds not people.

How many times has the closet lead to GBLTness being treated as learned behaviour?

How many times do we treat GBLT people as being almost diseased? Don’t stand near them, you’ll catch it. Don’t talk to them. Don’t mix with them. You can’t be associated with them.

How many times are we portrayed as preying on children? As recruiting children? How many people see us as a threat to kids? As paedophiles? As abusers?

How many times has viewing being GBLT as a behaviour lead to horrific and horrendous laws that continue today? It is through an ignorant view of the closet, of a diminishment of being GBLT to actions rather than identity, that allows respected media outlets to ask “should gays be executed?” as some kind of reasonable question. It is an ignorant idea of the closet that makes it still acceptable, in law, in so many supposedly modern places to discriminate against someone, deny their rights, fire them, evict them – just because they are GBLT. And this is LEGAL and acceptable.

It is this ignorant view of the closet confusing people with actions that allows laws that criminalised – and criminalise -  being GBLT, to imprison GBLT people and even execute us – and raise no more than vague disapproval at best – let alone being decried as the acts of genocide they are.

The closet has lead to ex-gay therapy, to exorcisms and aversion treatment (the latter of which involves inflicting pain repeatedly whenever the patient succumbs to their “deviance“). Even the least violent of these are grossly destructive to us – and the worst of them are the stuff of nightmares. To “cure” us, the authorities have subjected GBLTs to being injected with powerful emetics, have suffered electroshock treatment, to horrendous abuse and deprivation.

GBLTs have been attacked to “cure” them, they have been beaten, they have been tortured and they have been raped. To change us. To “cure” us.

The closet has lead to vast numbers of therapists, doctors, counsellors and any number of people who are supposed to help us instead blaming all of our problems on being gay or trans. When we’re at our most vulnerable, at our greatest need for help, those who are supposed to help us can turn on us and kick us down still further. The closet has lead to endless misguided, cruel and downright evil attempts to change us, to “cure us” to “fix us”.

The closet means even our own families doubt and revile us. It makes one of the hardest moments of many GBLT’s lives the moment when they turn to their parents to tell them who and what we are. It makes speaking to our parents – our parents! – a moment of pure dread and terror for so many. And so many of those parents respond with shame and guilt and pain and abuse. The closet means our own families can be our most unsafe spaces. Our own flesh and blood can be our fiercest enemies.

How many times do parents feel shame? How many parents ask themselves what they did wrong? How did they make their kids GBLT? How did they fail? How many parents worry – did they mother him too much? Should they have let her play with that GI-Jo? Should they have made her wear dresses? Did they breast feed too much/not enough? Did he hug him too much/not enough? I’ve heard all these and so many more – the laments of parents who think they damaged their children – who view GBLT children as damaged – because the closet will not let them see us as people.

The closet causes us to hate ourselves. It causes us to grow up in shame and hate and self-loathing, wanting to be other than we are, wanting to be free from an “affliction.” Wanting to be “fixed” wanting not to be a “deviant” or “sick” or “sinful.” It drivers us from our homes, it drives us to self-harm, to substance abuse – and to suicide.

The closet causes us to live fake lives. To wear a mask so long and so tightly that we cannot take it off. It leads us to create false families, to constantly wear a disguise to never ever be ourselves. It makes us create fake marriages, fake families and entire life built on a faced. An entire life where you have to spend every waking moment being something you‘re not and pretending and acting to everyone around you. An entire life where for some the truest they can ever be to your own being is seeking hook ups in a public toilet!

They can’t confide in their nearest and dearest, they can’t even stop the act in their own homes. And they have to maintain this every waking moment for decades – decades of never ever being yourself. I’ve said it before, but it is honestly something that horrifies me beyond description. But this is the hell the closet forces them into, the hell they then feel they have no choice but to live until it breaks them, they fall out of it (or are found out) or they die.

And the closet is used to blame us for being a victim.

It is our fault when we’re attacked. Because we should have hidden. We shouldn’t have been there. We shouldn’t have been wearing that. We shouldn’t have touched each other. We shouldn’t have kissed each other. We shouldn’t have walked like that. We shouldn’t have talked about that. We should have realised who was hearing us. We should have realised being outside a gay bar was dangerous. We shouldn’t have made eye contact. We shouldn’t have done anything that may be seen as flirty. Did we wink? Did we smile at them? Did we look a little too long? Did we brush past them? Did we touch them?

It’s our fault when we’re discriminated against. If you hadn’t told the boss you were gay you wouldn’t be fired. The office wouldn’t be bullying you, excluding you, making your life a living hell if you’d kept your gayness to yourself. The landlord wouldn’t have refused you if you’d just said you were friends or room-mates. The hotel or shop or pub wouldn’t have closed it’s doors to you if you had just hidden better. Why did you have to put that photograph out? Why did you let your partner pick you up from work? Why didn’t you keep your mouth shut when they made that joke? Why didn’t you make up a fictional partner? Why didn’t you lie? Why didn’t you avoid that discussion? Why didn’t you just keep your whole life secret?

LGBTs seeking asylum in the UK, coming from countries like Iraq, Iran, Nigeria and so many others are being SENT HOME because, as far as the Home Office is concerned – all they have to do to avoid being tortured to death is HIDE.

Because people think we can hide, it is our fault when we don’t and we get grief because of it. Or when the act slips and we are revealed – and attacked in that new scrutiny. We are blamed for our own oppression because we don’t hide who we are. Even alleged progressives reveal a shocking amount of straight privilege and outright homophobia over and over “anti-gay attacks aren’t as bad as “X” because GAYS CAN HIDE!”

Do you know how HARD it is to hide?

To go through every minute of every second of every damn day constantly checking everything you do, everything you say. To judge every action in case it conforms to a stereotype? To check every word to see who may overhear?

To stand near your partner but be afraid to kiss them, to touch them, to stand too close, to make too much eye contact, to make sure you watch your body language. Make sure you don’t give any indication, make sure you don’t give yourselves away.

To never be part of a community or workplace or social event or ANYTHING because you have to conceal such a major part of your life? To check every conversation to make sure you don’t mention your loved one, your family, your home. To make sure your cover story is tight, to even make up some kind of straight fantasy life and hope like hell it passes muster and isn’t found out – because if it cracks it’s YOUR FAULT for not hiding enough.

To wear clothes, arrange your hair, dress your body, present yourself in a way that feels like a disguise. To make sure you don’t do anything that could be perceived as GBLT. To not be you ever. To constantly suppress who you are. To constantly deny it. To constantly pretend this isn’t you.

And you have to do this all the time. All the damn time

The closet is not an assert. The closet is not a bonus. The closet does not diminish or reduce prejudice, oppression or persecution. The closet is the reason for so much of the crap we face. The closet is a toxic blight on so much of our lives. It is not to be treasured – it is to be mourned

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.

In Georgia 2 marines have been arrested for beating a gay man in Savannah. The victim is still in hospital after suffering 2 seizures during the attack. But but of course

They have been charged with… a misdemeanour. But it’s possible federal hate crimes charges may be brought since Georgia has no hate crime law.

Of course the attack was justified because it’s alleged the victim *gasp* WINKED AT THEM! WINKING people! Why, in such circumstances why wouldn’t you beat someone into unconsciousness and leave them with bruises on their brain and needing CPR from their friends?! Words cannot describe how sick I am of the “gay panic” defence. In light of the horrendous charge of winking Col. David Robinson would like you to consider both sides of the story. So hey, at least they can rely on their commanding officer to try and defend the beating of gay men into unconsciousness.

Of course, it is bound to be connected to some degree to the whole debate about gays in the military (yes, that debate that shouldn’t be happening because it is inherently homophobic and over done) but the mayor of Yuma, Arizona has already made up his mind.  Making it clear that: “I cannot believe a bunch of lacey-drawered, limp-wristed people could do what those men have done in the past.”

No because violent bigots do a much much better job than “lacey drawered, limp-wristed people” right?

Of course, he is a mayor in Arizona, which does seem to be trying to set records for being objectionable out there.  And governor Jan Brewer has heard the word of God and used the powerful position that god put her in (is Arizona a theocracy now?) to revoke rights for domestic partners of state employees and their children. That’s unmarried heterosexual couples (who, in her godly mind, should get married) and gay couples (who, of course, aren’t allowed to get married). Is there an award for most objectionable state? Between the “show your papers” immigration rule and the “you have an accent, get out them schools!” and now this – Arizona seems to be aiming for gold.

But, back to the soldiers. How can gays be allowed in the military? Don’t you know that gay sex is… TERRORISM! Yes, the American Family Association, holding on to its good Christian values, would like you all to know that gay sex is domestic terrorism! But hey, they also would like everyone to know that Hitler was gay and recuirted gay soldiers because us gays know no limit on our “savagery”. Considering the number of homosexuals who were killed in the holocaust – well, words cannot describe how offensive this is

And of course Janet Porter is being, well Janet Porter. That woman is almost a stand up act, she’s so out there

Sadly, hate crimes and attacks are not limited to Arizona. An assault on a gay teen in Illanois was actually recorded by the attackers and posted on Youtube.

In Washington, a dispute over a trailer goes the way of hate as one man announces he’s going to get his gun and go “{anti-gay expletive} hunting” ah, just like that pastor who wanted to have “fag burning” and “hunt a homo.”

A man left a pride parade in Albany only to be found with life threatening injuries (he has now been stabilised) and is currently being investigated

In London, a gay couple was attacked with slurs and violence riding on a bus threatening them, attacking them and causing one man to need 8 stitches

At least there is some justice. The murderer of 79 year old gay man, Edward Highworth known for helping the homeless has been found guilty – despite AGAIN the raising of the gay panic defence. He has been gaoled for 23 yeats

In Vancouver a gay couple has been attacked and bitten one of the victims had to be hospitalised and have staples put in his head.

And homophobic hate crimes in Canada are increasing – doubling in fact (though we can hope it is better reporting) and hate crimes against homosexuals, primarily gay men, where more likely to be violent. Better reporting or not – we know that most hate crimes go un-reported.

In Dubai, a man found with a bra offered to take a “gay test” to defend himself from prosecution. He was cleared of cross-dressing “charges” since the court couldn’t prove he was wearing the bra.

Sadly, the prejudice behind all of this violence continues. In addition to our friends in the AFA and the ever eccentric Janet Porter, Pentecostal and evangelical churches are still engaging in highly damaging gay exorcisms despite the pain and damage this causes to people – especially the young and vulnerable

In Virginia Michael Moore (not that one) was fired. He was fired because he was gay. The Virginia Department of Human Resource Management  confirmed this. His appeal has been refused. There is no legal protection in Virginia for discrimination against GBLT people. And, as ever, the court and powers that be avoided the elephant in the room – the fact that anti-gay discrimination is so often religious based. But time and again we’ve found that that is a conversation we cannot have, a point we cannot make and a battle we’re not even allowed to fight – let alone get close to winning.

In New York, the GENDA bill to protect trans people from discrimination, was defeated/ I can only agree with Senator Thomas Duane, calling his fellows “a cesspool of homophobia and transphobia”

A catholic newspaper for the Archdiocese of Boston published a column saying we shouldn’t allow gay kids in catholic schools because they might BRING PORN! ZOMG no, PORN PEOPLE! PORN! Well, I don’t know about you guys but I always took porn to school. Books? Check. Pens? Check. Calculator? Check. Hardcore porn? Check. Because I’m sure EVERY gay schoolkid is just happy to carry gay porn around with them.

But of course, because gay people don’t breed (apparently) we’re INHERENTLY pornographic, don’tchaknow. Oh and gay parents shouldn’t be called parents unless biologically related to their children, apparently. Why would such bigots be allowed to be part of the adoption of ANY children?! Oh the Catholic church, it never changes.

Gross homophobia in sports continues sadly

To the surprise of absolutely no-one, Rep Michele Bachman (she who makes Janet Porter look almost reasonable) praised a Christian rock band that will appear at a GOP convention. The band calls for the execution of gay people

And yes, equally unsurprising, the bigots are already threatening Iceland with another volcano eruption. Because their evil hate-deity is going to cause untold pain and suffering with a mega eruption because gay people love each other (and I’m not even going to link to James Hartline’s blog, it’s bad enough I saw the re-tweet of his vileness).

Another unfortunate look at the forces of homophobia out there and the victims they leave behind. From politics to media to the church and the endless attacks on our children, our work places and our bodily integrity there seems to be no shortage of stories and I know I only scratch the shallowest surface

Around the world, politics continues to devalue, attack and destroy our lives.

In Georgia GBLT violence and discrimination is on the rise – fanned and encouraged by political parties using GBLTs as scapegoats and distractions and as a quick and easy way to garner support. You don’t need to focus on issues – just bash us and you’ll get the adulation of the masses it seems.

In Zimbabwe, two members of the gay rights group GALZ (courageous people to operate in such a virulently homophobic nation) were arrested. While both were later released – they say they were brutalised and tortured during their detention.

During the ongoing battles to stop the Uganda genocide law, many forces came out to distance themselves from it (oh no, rampant homophobia and religious hate can’t have been the cause! Certainly not!) Not the christian Family Research Council They actually paid $25,000 to lobby the US congress NOT to denounce Uganda’s kill-the-gays law. They spent this money to defend the execution of gay people.

How this group is not considered a hate group, I do not know.

But while we investigate why these aren’t a hate group, we could also investigate why Minnesota governor Time Pawlenty is considered human. He has vetoed a law that would allow gay people to have some say on the burial decisions of their deceased loved ones. Such a small thing to ask, such a desperate thing that is needed and he vetoed it.

The media is doing it’s normal sterling jobf ke oeping the flames of homophobia high.

CNN has again jumped into that wonderful media pit of Questions that should not be asked as it has before along with the BBC, the Sun and gods alone know how many others by asking (straight) people whether or not they agree with letting gay people visit our partners when they are hospitalised. Again, why is this debateable? Again, why are the whims of the public over such an essential need considered relevant? Again, why is disagreement with this presented as a legitimate, acceptable position?

Meanwhile McDonalds in France has produced a sweet advert about a gay kid eating at their ‘restaurant’. Now, I don’t find this unproblematic because I think the whole “come as you are” would work far better if it weren’t “come as you are… closeted.” Because I don’t think that is a great message – come as you are, in hiding, come as you are, but hide it, come as you are… but make sure straight people don‘t know, including your own father. Well, yeah, not an ideal advert. Still it is sweet and it is an actual gay person in mainstream advertising in a non-mockable manner which is pretty damn rare (now just waiting for a gay person in mainstream advertising without problematic elements).

Bill O’Reilly has also seen this advert. And he is not amused. He asks whether McDonalds is going to produce an advert including Al’Qaida members. Yes he just compared being gay to being a member of Al’Qaida. Yeah, I’d comment on that but I have to plant rainbow sparkly bombs somewhere according to the insidious gay agenda.

But hey, O’Reilly may be on some pretty strong reality altering drugs – afterall, he has just compared trans people to Ewoks. Ewoks. EWOKS? *boggles*

In Iowa, Rep Steve King in a great deal of frothing and raving about the legalisation of gay marriage – speaks of fathers marrying their sons and mothers marrying their daughters. Because, y’know, gay marriage is totally the same as incest, right? Oh and gay marriage will lead to more abortions… *thinks* *tilts head* *strains* nope, lost me there. I mean I’m generally able to run alongside wingnuttery but I can’t even begin to see how he’s coming up with that one.

Of course, our kids are still in the firing line.

China is worried about boys growing up without enough masculine stereotypes being shoved down their throats so has created a school for “sissies” To “toughen” the boys up and make them less “girly” with an extra side dollop of emotional repression. Well, I have to say, that’s an impressive amount of fail in one. What’s that? sexism, transphobia, homophobia, AND saddling kids with a big big big helping of issues and complexes for later life. Ok, anyone else competing in the “who can screw up kids the most?” game show?

Continuing the screwing over of gay teens that seems to be something of a habit lately, a Lesbian student does not appear in her high school year book she has been erased completely.

No look at the waves of homophobia out there can fail to take into account religious bigotry, alas.

And that includes when further harming GBLT children, a Christian group in Oakland is celebrating their victory – they have forced a school to withdraw it’s anti-GBLT bullying campaign. Because stopping kids being hurt is against their faith it seems.

The Catholic church, always to be relied upon for being an eternal source of hatred, of course gets a mention. See, the Catholic church has had to deal with the most horrific sex abuse scandal and is responding by asking questions of seminarians to weed out paedophiles (sounds about as useful as a chocolate fireguard to me since if paedophiles could be identified in a cripplingly awkward interview, paedophilia wouldn’t be much of a problem) Oh and the interview is also designed to find any gay candidates as well. An interview in response to the child abuse scandal that tries to weed out gay candidates. Gah, words cannot express how much the Catholic church is coming to disgust me.

Of course, one entry from the Catholic church would be an improvement over the normal amount of hate they bring, but no, there’s another. See, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is not happy about ENDA, not happy at all. So decided it was their Christian duty to appeal to congress to allow bigotry against GBLT people to continue. Be warned, the source is a Catholic news source.

And Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston has spoken on the recent exclusion of the children of lesbians from Catholic schools (personally, I don’t understand why any GBLT person would put their child into a situation that would indoctrinate such hatred in them). And he made an analogy to make his point – referencing a brothel owner who trafficked women in horrendous conditions that lead to some of their deaths.  That’s right, he compared lesbian parents with human traffickers.

And while we’re on the subject of religious bigotry – the Traditional Families coalition makes it clear why they’re so opposed to discrimination laws as if it were in doubt – religious business owners should have the moral right to discriminate against GBLTs. Why Rand Paul, you have a following, you do!  The minute you allow in “my religion says X” as an excuse to be a bigot then ALL discrimination laws go out the window – they all die because people can use (and have used) religion to justify any amount of bigotry.

Pastor Owens of West Virginia’s Shenandoah Bible Baptist church is taking some heat for his truly disgusting sermon, the audio tape of which was leaked onto the net Most providers take it down as soon as it appears because it is that disgusting. Dubbed the “hunt-a-homo” sermon, it says things like “we should burn fags not flags” and other such gems. Ye gods I wish I was making that up. The video is included in the link, it is EXTREMELY TRIGGERING!

Sadly, religious groups are a major source of bigotry world wide (though it’s rarely something we’re permitted to address given the large number of defenders and excusers organised religion’s homophobia has). In the UK, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey wants SPECIAL courts for cases when there is religious beliefs are used to promote and enforce bigotry against GBLT people he wants specially religiously trained judges to handle them – to protect the rights of poor poor Christians who want to oppress GBLTs.

In Dorset, UK a Lesbian couple has been forced out of the church one of them has attended for years. Told they may not ‘associate’ with each other. Callous and uncaring, though I expect little else

The leader of a Pentecostal church in Brixton, London has been comparing being gay top paedophilia and rape, fanning the flames of religious hatred against us. His “refutation” is that he is only upholds orthodox and traditional Christian beliefs. That is not a refutation. Not even close – an admission perhaps, but not a refutation

And all this comes with a further cost – the cost of violence and discrimination and fear and very real victims

In Paraguay, a young Lesbian on announcing she was going to move in with her girlfriend, was kidnapped and tortured – by her own family

In China, a lesbian tried to kill herself by swallowing pesticide because she was faced with a forced marriage to a man. This is the despair that homophobia drives people to

In Texas 2 gay men were attacked by homophobes yelling slurs and hitting them with freaking baseball bats as they left a gay bar.

In Minneaoplis 2 people were shot outside of a gay club.

In Ontario, a man who direcdted a play about homophobia was beaten in an anti-gay assault.

And in Seattle, a man has been arrested for hate crimes for harassing, assaulting and beating a trans woman in the street

Gay flight attendants working for the airline KLM have been refused in their requests to avoid trips to Iran. A country which, we must remember, imprisons, tortures and executes GBLT people. The company already allows some flight attendants to stay safe by avoiding the country and doesn’t want to extend it further. They can stay safe but gay flight attendants still have to go and put their very lives at risk.

But who do we rely on to protect GBLT rights? Well… sadly not a whole lot of anyone. Certainly not the UN which has finally blocked accreditation for The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission after 3 years of hemming and hawing. It seems too many nations are too vehemently against any idea of gay rights, there are just too many bigots and bigoted nations out there to allow us to be treated like people. of course, there never are and never will be any real action to try and push these nations to accept our humanity (indeed, no small amount of wailing and fury and defence at the very suggestion!) so our blood will continue to be spilled and generally ignored.

And the result of such hatred is always the lives lost, the blood spilled and the pain suffered.

These lists and links are always depressing – the more so because I know they’re only the tip of the iceberg – not a fraction of what is reported and in turn that only a fraction of the violence that happened – and continues to happen – every day.

A man in Florida has a killed his lesbian daughter’s girlfriend. Friends of the daughter have said that he hated that he did it because he didn’t like lesbians. I cannot even begin to contemplate the pain of this or the hate that would drive ytou to do such a thing.

I should be beyond  being shocked by homophobiuc violence by now, but this chilled me. the mayor of Paris has claimed that the killing of 2 men – by burying them alive – was an example of a homophobic hate crime. Buried alive? My mind refuses to go there, absolutely not.

In Scotland, openly gay teenager Jack Frew has been stabbed to death A 16 year old…

In Ipswich, UK, Rodney Greenland explains to us that he stabbed Simon Amers to death because Simon Amers touched him. The gay panic defence, again aired in the court room.

Neil McMillan is now on trial for the murder of trans woman Andrea Waddell

In Mexico, homophobia related murders have doubled. I always hope such reports indicate a greater level of reporting and consideration – it’s disturbing how homophobic hate seems to be increasing!

In Minsk, Belarus there was a pride parade. For 10 minutes before it was put down by violent riot police. Pride Parade marchers were beaten and arrested.

The violence and official brutality of this outweighs even the terrible acts around Lithuania’s pride parade. After fighting with the courts for the mere right to hold a pride parade were then attacked by protesters throwing things and attacking the marchers

An 11 year old girl in New Mexico was bullied and left bloody at school. Returning to class – she was left to bleed, ignored by her teacher. When her lesbian parents asked why, they say they were told it was because the teacher didn’t like that her parents were lesbians

And, returning to George Rekers, and his luggage and that sweet sweet Schadenfreude pie, we remind ourselves just how evil this man was. He was an adherent of aversion therapy for GBLT kids. In particular taking a boy as young as 4 that his parents were “concerned” about due to his “effeminate behaviour”. And when he displayed that “effeminate behaviour” he was punished. This developed into a scheme where when he did something “masculine” he got rewarded. When he did something “feminine” he got spanked. They ran this experiment on the boy for 2 years

Unsurprisingly, the child quickly learned to conform to their behavioural norms (fear will cause suppression after all). They were proud of their success. Except of course that their pushing the child to be more “masculine” thatb he became, as his worried mother described “a roughneck” playing recknlessly without considering damage to himself – or the furnishings. He became, as Rekers described him, “delinquent.”

And at age 18 that boy tried to commit suicide.

Of course, this is from a member of NARTH – that is on record for encouraging the bullying of GBLT children, so what can we expect except this kind of evil?