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Why are people harassed, attacked, and killed simply for being who they are? How do these crimes affect society as a whole? And what do we do to end these tragedies? This powerful documentary—together with the project’s interconnected outreach components—place what occurred in Colorado in a universal context, illuminating one of the most complex issues of our day through the story of Fred Martinez.
The number of anti-LGBT incidents reported to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has risen in the past two years, which signals a retrograde environment where violent incidents that range from threats, harassment, and vandalism, to physical assault with weapons and vehicles, and escalate even to torture and murder are on the increase.
Fatal assaults against gender non-conforming people continue to rise, and many teens have been murdered in attacks motivated by their gender identity or gender expression--most of color, disadvantaged, and gay, lesbian, or transgender. Chillingly, offenders who were 18 years of age or under represent fully twenty percent of all offenders. There has also been a disturbing increase in gang-style violence, in which a group of perpetrators "hunt" someone they identify as LGBT, targeting them for harassment or violence.
One of the most important ways to change this dynamic within the culture is by telling the stories that humanize the issues and transform fear and bigotry into insight and compassion.
Don't you think that it is because of the inflammatory rhetoric that is spewed from pulpits that motivate people to strap bombs on to themselves and blow themselves up in crowded markets and trains? Ours stem from the hateful bible-pushing, erroneous interpreters of the Scriptures who are teaching youngsters to hate anything and anybody that is unlike themselves.
ReplyDeleteBut you and I see it while these morons continue to waddle in a mud puddle of ignorance and superstition.
thanks for your comments on my blog.
saludos,
raulito
http://fromtop2bttm.blogspot.com/
I'd agree, the churches and homophobic politicians have played a massive part. But I also think that an increasingly conservative and gentrifying queer population where critical radical politics have taken a back seat to being accepted and included and allowed to marry has left many of us who cannot so easily pass or assimilate into hetero society unprotected. Speaking as one of those who have managed to pass and achieve marginal yet completely abhorrent acceptance, I do think that the society's shift towards increased acceptance of those who can present as palatable has had a devastating impact on those among us who cannot draw from class privilege, who cannot draw from gender privilege, who are very young or very old, among those who cannot and/or will not hide. As those among us who court the politicians and the heterocentric, homophobic world gain more and more ground, it is necessary to be accountable to those who are exposed in the process, who pay the price for wider acceptance. yup.
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