From The Guardian UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/21/stop-lgbtq-hate-crimes
A recent hate crime in New York City highlights the culture of hate that we have to change to protect people from violence
Sharon Stapel
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 May 2013
New York City is the heart of America’s “melting pot” of cultures and ideas. Yet even here, violence against those seen as “other” occurs. This week we mourn the brutal death of Mark Carson, a 32-year-old, shot and allegedly taunted with homophobic slurs by the shooter. The killing happened in Greenwich Village, one of the city’s most famous gay friendly neighborhoods.
In recent years, we at the New York City Anti-Violence Project have seen an increase in reports of anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer hate violence throughout the city and the country. From 2010 to 2011, we saw a 13% increase of reports of this violence in New York City, which followed an 11% increase from the year before. In 2011, our National Coalition (NCAVP) reported the highest number of LGBTQ bias-related homicides in its 15 year history.
Yet again after the homicide of Carson, we are left asking what we can do to prevent this violence from ever happening again?
Throughout New York City and the country, LGBTQ people suffer violence far too frequently. This is particularly true for transgender and gender non-conforming people, people of color and young people. When the factors combine the odds get worse. Young, transgender people of color experience violence at two or three times the rates that most people do. Why are reports of violence increasing?
There’s no single answer to this question, but we must start by looking at the way which LGBTQ people are treated in this country. In 2013, it is still lawful to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In many states, LGBTQ people can lose their jobs and homes just because their identity. This legal discrimination sends a message that it’s acceptable to treat LGBTQ people as less than human, and that message, in turn, creates a culture of hate that encourages anti-LGBTQ sentiment, laws and policies.
Vitriolic hate speech reinforces this culture; public figures accuse LGBTQ people of being degenerates, freaks and pedophiles, and call for LGBTQ people to be “penned up”, have their children taken away, and some even call for murder. It’s no surprise, then, that this culture spawns acts of violence. And as we make progress across this country toward LGBTQ equality, we are seeing a reactionary backlash of hatred. This tells us that we will not achieve full equality until we change not just laws, but the attitudes that lead to violence.
Continue reading at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/21/stop-lgbtq-hate-crimes
