Hate Crime Against LGBT+

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In the United States, there has been an increasingly amount of prejudice towards the LGBT+ community. From a mass shooting, physical assaults, and murder towards those who have a different perspective a given love preference. Why do heterosexuals not want to accept the LGBT+ community for same-sex love or for one to be comfortable with their own body? Whether they call themselves him, he, her, she, them, they, Ze, etc.; each person should still be treated like a decent human being. This remains for if a woman wants to transition into a man by taking testosterone medication. Vice versa with a man desiring to transform into a woman and undergoing procedures. The main question remains of how heterosexuals or homophobes feel the need in harming a person physically, emotionally, and mentally is needed? LGBT+ community is a major target in America, as they are more likely than any other minority group to be targets of a hate crime. With that being said, hate crimes are going underreported, and minority transgender women are frequent targets, and youths are experiencing it first-hand as well.

June 12, 2016 forty-nine people were killed, and fifty-three people were injured inside an Orlando Nightclub called Pulse. It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history (Alter, 2017). Pulse was nightclub catered to the LGBT+ group and was supposed to be a safe place for LGBT+ to hang out, drink, and dance within their community. They can avoid altercations at other clubs for those who do not accept LGBT+ people. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) stated Orlando, Florida LGBT+ was already high targets of hate crime before the mass shooting at Pulse. FBI collected data from 2005 and 2014, on hate crimes towards different minorities per one million adults. 2005, LGBT+ was ranked at second at one hundred and fifty-five per one million. 2014, LGBT+ ranked first at over one hundred and fifty per one million adults. Below LGBT+ was Jewish, Muslim, African Americans, Asian, Hispanic, and White. Analyzed data showed that LGBT+ community are twice as likely if not more to be a target of a hate crime (Park & Mykhyalyshyn, 2016). The LGBT+ community only makes up a percentage of 3.5 of the United States population. The 3.5% are eight times more likely to be a victim of a hate crime compared to heterosexuals (Coston).

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Politically, President Obama explained the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting as an act of terror and hate towards individuals. When brought up to Republicans, they disregarded the facts and would not consider the shooting a hate crime. The Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell neglected mentioning any of the gays, and Texas Representative Pete Sessions explained to the audience that Pulse was not a gay dance club. When indeed, Pulse Nightclub is a gay dance club, as Pulse mentioned it on Twitter as well (Park & Mykhyalyshyn, 2016). CBS had taken a poll based on political views and views of what is terrorism and what is a hate crime. Republicans were more likely to choose terrorism and Democrats were more likely to choose hate crime. By definition from the FBI, a hate crime is a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” Hate itself is not a crime—and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties” (Hate Crimes, 2016). Pulse Nightclub was a target due to sexual orientation and gender identity that by definition it should be recognized as a hate crime. Politically, why do two different sides of spectrum label the nightclub massacre differently whether it was a targeted hate crime or not? Before and after the mass murder, LGBT+ community experiences trauma mentally, emotionally, and physically from others and politically.

In the United States, it was against the law to get married to the same sex under the DOMA act. The DOMA act included that marriage is only between one man and one woman. Slowly, states were legalizing it under certain circumstances. During the Obama administration, June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court passed same-sex marriage in all fifty states in Obergefell v. Hodges (A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States). Two months after the ruling, Larry and Daniel Lennox-Choate were the first gay couple to get married at West Point Military Academy and were victims of a hate crime. Both were assaulted by a New York City man. According to PBS, 780,000 Americans in 2015 are in same-sex marriages and an estimation of two million with a same-sex domestic partner since the legalization (Greve, 2016). Those numbers have far increased since 2015. As the legalization of same-sex marriage, more people were open about their sexuality to the public.

From showing affection by holding hands, kissing, or hugging in public. Violence increased against LGBT+ as members of the community became more social and in the view of the public’s eye. Marzullo explains that observers of an attack against a same-sex couples occurs after that couple was showing affection to each other in pubic. Sociologically, some people view affection being seen in public from a same-sex couple as deviant behavior. For those who want to avoid the risk of being a victim of violence, they must “pass” as heterosexual or cisgender to be safe in public (Coston). One of the most frequent places where sexual orientation-motivated hate crimes take place is on a highway, road, alley, or street at 24%. 11% happen at a college or high school and 4% at a bar or nightclub (Marzullo, 2009). Having most of the crimes happen out in public, gives the LGBT+ community have to be more cautious of walking anywhere they go. Whether it is day light or night-time, they can experience verbal or physical abuse from others.

Also, members of the community experience hate starting at a young age. Especially middle school through high school. They are harassed verbally and physically aggressive. One third of children will experience hate verbally or physically when going to school. As the schools would call it bullying, kids do not know any better. They know it is wrong, but if they do not get in trouble they keep persisting. At 85% of students have been verbally abused about their sexual orientation whether it would be their actual or perceived. 44% were physically aggressed during their time at school for the same reason. Overall, 90% of students have heard their peers use vulgar or offensive language towards others (Stathatos, 2016). The words “gay, dyke, queer”, etc. are used to describe someone’s sexual orientation in an offensive language. In experience, softball was known as a “dyke” sport and people would call those playing that sport dykes or lesbians whether they are heterosexual or not. If girls were to dress like a “tomboy”, they were called dykes or gay. Heterosexuals do experience verbal harassment for certain things like sports or clothing choice. But, in high school both heterosexual and homosexuals were targets, but homosexuals were the main target. From there, the hate progressives to more violent crimes or abuse as they aren’t on school grounds or graduated and moved away.

Studies show that anti-LGBT+ crimes happen in their own homes. In 2007, the Federal Bureau Investigations received data that 30% of anti-LGBT+ crimes happen in a home, right above highways, streets, road, etc. In 2007, reported five murders, two hundred and forty-two aggravated assaults, four hundred and forty-eight simple assaults, and three hundred and thirty-five intimidation. Additionally, there were sexual orientation hate motivated crimes against LGBT+ property. Fifty-three robberies, sixteen burglaries, twenty-thee larceny, three hundred and fourteen crimes recorded for vandalism (Marzullo, 2009). The journal also outlined sexual orientation offenders by race. Caucasian came in as number one at 46%, African Americans at 18%, unknown race and offender at 31% (Marzullo, 2009).

The Natural Center for Victims of Crime came out with reported hate crime data in 2014. Out of the 6,727 victims that reported a hate crime towards them, one thousand two hundred and forty-eight were victims of sexual orientation bias. 56% were anti-gay, 24.4% anti-LGBT, 13.9% anti-bisexual, 3.8% anti-bisexual (Hate and Bias Crime, 2016). In 2017, 1,130 reported a hate crime due to sexual-orientation and 119 reported due to gender identity bias (Human Rights Campaign, 2018). To help protect the community, many states have specific hate crime laws. Law enforcement agencies must investigate and prosecute or if a gay and trans panic for the victim to get hurt by the defendant over their identity. Comparing New York to West Virginia, New York has laws that cover hate crime against LGBT+, whether it is sexual orientation or gender identity. West Virginia does not have any laws or policies protecting LGBT community. Those living in West Virginia do not have protection if they are a victim of a hate crime due to their sexual orientation or gender identity (Movement Advanced Projects).

As you see the numbers above for reporting hate crime, we also see an amount of underreported reports. For ten years, the FBI has conducted research data on sexual orientation-based hate crimes at universities and college campuses. It was roughly reported that about 11% of our reported hate crimes came from universities and colleges (Stotzer, 2010). In 2017, an increase of 17% of reported hate crime from the LGBT+ community. The data collected showed an increase of report for sexual-orientation hate crime, but a 4% decrease of gender identity bias crime (HRC, 2018). Why are victims fearful of reporting a hate crime? As only fewer than half of hate crimes committed to the LGBT+ community, they are fearful of harassment and experience an increase of victimization for speaking out in their city or hometown. Some places are more accepting than others. If you are located in rural West Virginia, very unlikely that people there are accepting as they are closed minded individuals, political beliefs, or religion beliefs. Another reason of not reporting is medical care. Most hate crimes towards them ends up in needing medical treatment, and they are fearful of discrimination from a medical provider. Statistics showed only 14% of victims seek the medical attention needed from the incident (Coston, 2018).

Those who are transgender experience a high prevalence of violence according to Stolzer. Rape and sexual assault are among the top incidents that occur to transgender individuals. Statistics show about 50% of transgender experience unwanted sexual activities or violence (Stolzer, 2009). 59% of male transgender female and female transgender male have reported in their surveys of forcible rape. At the age of fourteen many female transgender males reported sexual violence and male transgender female have experienced that at the age of fifteen (Stolzer, 2009). In 2015 a study by the UCLA’s Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity law reported 31% and 50% of transgenders experience dating violence. Comparing to heterosexuals they experience dating violence between 28% to 33% (Allen, 2019). This year alone, nineteen transgender members have been killed this year. Last year was the highest of 26 killings that was recorded from fatal violence from partner, acquaintances, and strangers (HRC, 2019). Most cases were clear hate-crime motivation and bias of transgenders. There is to believe there is more, but due to police misgendering or underreporting they may be missing some information.

Direct and indirect impacts occur when victimized by anti-trans people. Intergroup Emotion Theory explains how transgender’s become emotional with anger and fear due to different types of threats that will spark the specific emotion (Smith & Mackie, 2015). For the transgender community living in fear leads to forming a community group and start avoiding situations for example, staying indoors. In 2013, Williams and Tregida researched impact of a hate crime transgender victim would lead to a spiral of behavioral and spatial consequences. Living in fear, anger, lack of confidence, which would lead to depression. About 56% of transgenders feel unsafe and 43% felt uncomfortable in public (Williams & Tregida, 2014). Due to harassment, abuse, or afraid of being killed leave an impact on those individuals. Many parts of the country, many people are homophobic or transphobic, which can lead to feeling of having someone to talk to or having your back for support. Social isolation and feeling rejected due to the lack of social and emotional support is another impact on a transgender individual. Leads to transgender victims at a higher risk of suicide ideation or attempted suicide (Williams & Tregida, 2014). Overall, victimization always has an indirect and direct impact on a crime.

In conclusion, LGBT+ are one of the highest targeted groups in America for hate. Due to political, religious beliefs, and taboos the community holds high standards for those who aren’t heterosexual. Most of the time it leads to hate, mental, physical, or emotional abuse towards the LGBT+ population. As years go on, society is changing where sexual orientation or gender identity may be more accepted or radicalized by others. As of right now, the LGBT+ community lives in fear of being outside in the public eye. Those who are in the public view but show affection to their partner may have to deal with repercussions. Transgender females and African American transgender females are at the highest risk of violence from their partners and strangers, which can be ruled out to be a hate crime. LGBT+ community should not have to live in fear, where it could lead to depression, isolation or suicide. People need to come together, stick up for one another, and help the community deserve the peace and love they deserve. No one deserves to live in fear or isolation for coming out about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Politically, establishing stricter laws to protect the LGBT+ community and creating a strong partnership with law enforcement can help give them the justice they deserve. Overall, love is love and as a society we have a lot to change to treat everyone equally.

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