Home blog The National: Lesbians, Gays Responsible for Trans Murders?

The National: Lesbians, Gays Responsible for Trans Murders?

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EDGE Boston, a New England LGBT news websites, has the second story in a series looking at anti-trans violence, highlighting transphobia among the LGB members of the community. EDGE singles out a story from Tuscon:

Last October, a transgender woman was attacked by a gay man while attending a race at the Tucson Greyhound Park. Janey Kay was reportedly using an ATM at the track when a man asked her if she was a “drag queen.” When she responded, she endured a cut lip and had clumps of her hair pulled out by the assailant, Richard Ray Young.

Young labeled the incident a “misunderstanding,” referencing his own sexuality as a reason why it was not a hate crime. “I let her know that I was one of the family, that I was homosexual,” he told an Arizona newspaper. Young was convicted of assault and disorderly conduct by a South Tucson municipal court in August.

The story lays blame at the feet of LGB individuals’ struggle with gender:

“Of course LGB people aren’t innocent of transphobia,” Cook-Daniels said. “It even makes sense that they may be more transphobic, due to gender allegiance – to be a “gay man” you have to assert both your own male gender and the male gender of those you love – and to the popular conflation of sexual orientation with gender identity.”

Elsewhere…

Sodomy — In Alabama, a former judge faces sodomy charges, among others, for allegedly soliciting sex from male defendants in return for leniency in sentencing. Wait…something’s wrong with this picture…. Apparently Alabama didn’t get the memo? (CNN)

DADT — In a talk show on Sunday, President Obama’s National Security Advisor, James Jones, said the administration will address a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell at an “appropriate time.” Just not now. And “don’t ask” when. (ThinkProgress)

Marriage in ME — Superstar opinion poll analyst Nate Silver thinks same-gender marriage will survive in Maine, predicting the referendum may fail, but he’s got some caveats. His worst-case prediction gives the ban a 1-in-3 chance of passing. (Fivethirtyeight.com)

Outrage — Last of all, HBO is premiering Outrage tonight at 8pm CST, a new documentary by Kirby Dick (“This Film is Not Yet Rated”) taking aim at closeted politicians who spread anti-LGBT bigotry, and how their hypocrisy hurts peoples’ lives. Trailer: