Tag Archives: homophobia

Community rally against hate crimes in Eckington TOMORROW (August 9th)

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Two Eckington residents were attacked walking from a car to their home the night of July 21st, leaving one of them with a fractured jaw and in need of major surgery.  Why were the lives of this couple so brutally interrupted in what should have been an uneventful two-block walk to their front door?  They may have been targeted, says MPD, because they are gay.

This reprehensible act of violence and homophobia has since turned into a story of the success of collective action and community support. Community members chipped in more than enough money to pay the hospital bills of one of the victims, and now, their neighbors are organizing a march and rally to take place tomorrow, August 9, at 7:00pm at Big Bear Cafe, located at R and 1st NW. Titled “WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED Rally and Safety Walk” (all caps righteously the organizers’), the event will include a march to the site of the incident, where the participants will engage in a “momentum of noise.”

Please join us there and help us show that we can — and will — be heard.  CASS supports the WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED march as well as all community-based responses to hate crimes and gender-based violence. All acts of gender- and sexuality-based violence are attacks against the community at large, and no one needs to stand by while their neighbors become survivors.

In case you’re thinking this might just be one sad but rare incident, we want to stress that this is not an isolated occurrence.  According to police statistics, incidences of crimes linked to victims’ sexual orientation have increased this year.  Twenty-two such hate crimes have been reported so far, compared to 15 at this time in 2011.  This does not include the crimes that go unreported or that are allegedly gender- or sexuality-based but are not classified as such.  After a rash of violence against the transgender community last summer, NPR reported that the crimes, which included hate-based vandalism, had “raise[d] alarm” in the city.  Earlier this year, almost 1,000 DC residents marched against hate after three violent attacks occurred within the space of a week.

It’s time to make headlines again! We hope to see you tomorrow. Look for the folks in the Collective Action for Safe Spaces t-shirts if you want to chat or march with us!

“It made me realize how dangerous DC is for the LGBT community”

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Location: 14th & Park Road NW; in front of PNC Bank, across from Wells Fargo
Time: Evening Rush Hour (3:30pm-7:30pm)

I was standing at the corner waiting to cross the street when a van full of guys pulled up to the red light. As soon as the light turned green and they began to drive off, they yelled “FAGGOT” super loud. I was really thrown off because I haven’t heard someone call me that since I was in high school. It made me realize how dangerous DC is for the LGBT community. I am not even “flamboyantly” gay. I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, but I was wearing a few bracelets on my wrist.

Submitted on 7/13/12 by “V”

If you experience or have experienced sexual harassment on the DC Metro system:
Please consider reporting to Metro Transit Police; www.wmata.com/harassment, on Twitter at @WMATAharassment, or 202-962-2121.

Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault? Submit your story to help raise awareness about the pervasiveness and harmful effects of street harassment. All submissions are posted anonymously unless otherwise specified.

U Street Music Hall fights homophobia; reminds us of the continual fight for LGBTQ-safe spaces!

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On Saturday, July 7, a security guard at DC’s popular club, U Street Music Hall, asked two male patrons to leave for having danced “in a sexual manner” during a Robyn concert. Fortunately, two staff security guards stepped in during the incident, and UHall’s General Manager fired the security guard — who had been contracted by a third-party firm — on the spot.

After learning on the incident on Monday, U Hall co-owner Will Eastman posted a heartfelt public Facebook note expressing his remorse and anger with the situation.

“I’m aghast at hearing of this. While the security guard was fired on the spot, I want to take this opportunity to say that I apologize to our community, especially our friends in the LGBT community, and I’m working right now to ensure this never happens at the club again.”

We want to take this moment to APPLAUD U Street Music Hall for being allies in the fight for safe spaces! We can’t express enough how great it is to see a local business take a stand against homophobia and gender-based harassment. In fact, Eastman has an awesome record of helping fight harassment. Earlier this year, Eastman and his local band, Volta Bureau, played a benefit concert to help raise funds for CASS. (Check out the awesome pics here!) What’s more, Eastman and bandmate Micah Vellian filmed an anti-sexual harassment PSA for CASS, in which Eastman explains his club’s strong stance against harasment. Said Eastman, “If you’re harassing somebody in public, sexually, it’s wrong. Period.” 

HOWEVER, even as we commend U Hall’s great, public response to Saturday’s incident, it reminds us of the awful problem of LGBTQ discrimination, which is far from uncommon in DC and around the country. Unfortunately, it also is not something that gets talked about enough by ally organizations.

According to a report by the Center for American Progress, LGBT individuals report staggering rates of discrimination in public spaces. A 2001 survey of gay New York residents found that when eating at a restaurant, entering a store, or checking in at a hotel:

  • 37% of respondents said they were made to feel unwelcome.
  • 27% reported experiencing inappropriate treatment or hostility.
  • 25% were verbally harassed.
  • 6% had been denied service.
  • 5% experienced physical harassment.

Would LGBT icon Robyn approve of sexual discrimination? We think NOT!

Transgender individuals face particularly high rates of public discrimination. A report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) found the following:

  • 53% (over HALF!!) of transgender Americans report being verbally harassed or disrespected in an area of public accommodation.
  • 44% report being denied equal treatment or service at least once in a place of public accommodation.
  • 8% report being physically attacked or assaulted in places of public accommodation.

What can YOU do to fight gender- and sexual orientated-based harassment? Luckily, DC is home to a number of organizations working to end LGBTQ harassment. Some of them are (and let us know if you know more!):

If YOU want to make sure your public spaces are safe for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, contact us at info@collectiveactiondc.org.  We are available to conduct trainings for business owners and staff on how to recognize and respond to gender-based harassment. And as always, share your story with us to raise awareness about the pervasive nature as well as the personal and damaging effects of harassment.

Lastly, don’t forget to leave a note to give kudos to U Hall for setting an example for DC businesses for zero tolerance for sexual harassment. And don’t forget to watch Volta Bureau’s anti-harassment vid, below!