Recent LGBTQ attacks highlight hate crimes

The month of pride is on a violent start, according to activists.

During the first week of June, the murders of two homosexual men and one transgender in Detroit and a homosexual near Atlanta have highlighted an alarming increase in attacks against LGBTQ people and hate crimes in general, according to activists.

"The month has really started very tragically," Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, told Graham News. "This is part of the difficult times we live in. We know that LGBT discrimination is at its highest level."

The Dallas Police Department

On Thursday, 18-year-old Devon Robinson was charged with the May 25th murder of three people in an East Detroit home: two homosexuals, Alunte Davis, 21, Timothy Blancher, 20, and a woman transgender, Paris Cameron. 20. On Tuesday, a 28-year-old gay man, Ronald Peters, was shot dead in Decatur, Georgia, while on his way to work, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Graham of Georgia Equality said the LGBTQ community's visibility was particularly high this month, not least because of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots against a police raid on an iconic gay bar on June 28th.

Despite progress made on many fronts against homophobia, "among all the benefits, there is a tendency for a backlash," Graham said.

"We have certainly seen the current government lower protections for transgender people in the areas of housing and health care," Graham said. "When administrative and legislative measures are taken, there is a correlation between recorded peaks of violence."

In May, the Trump administration announced its intention to remove Obama-era health care regulations, which provided protections against discrimination for transgender patients. The administration also announced plans to allow shelters for homeless people who receive housing money paid by the federal government. In March, the Pentagon introduced a policy to limit the military service of transgender people at birth.

Violence against transgender women is particularly disturbing.

Cameron's death in Detroit marks the ninth murder of a black transgender woman in 2019, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States. In 2018, the group recorded at least 26 murders of transgender people in the United States. the majority of whom were also black women.

Last month, two black transgender women were found dead in Dallas, Texas.

"When transphobia mingles with racism and misogyny, it can often have deadly consequences," HRC spokesperson Sarah McBride told McBay.

Georgia Equality Graham agrees. "The rate of violence and murder among transgender people, especially trans women of color, is simply unacceptable."

According to the lawyers, it is difficult to track specific trends in violence during LGBTQ attacks, as law enforcement agencies do not consistently search for hate crimes, said McBride.

Georgia, Graham said, is one of only four states that does not have a law banning hate crimes.

"Georgia must pass a hate crime law and have good statistics to train police officers," Graham said. "It's really hard to say [how much violence there is], if you do not have data. All of this starts with an awareness of the problem and it starts with identifying the problem and naming the problem. "

McBride, HRC, also wants more consistent reporting for discriminatory crimes.

"The data we have does not give a complete picture, but even with the partial picture we have, we can see an increase in violence," said McBride.

As the month of pride continues throughout June, the idea of ​​violence is something that leaders take into account.

"There is no doubt that LGBTQ people, especially after Pulse, are particularly aware of their environment and their safety at large gatherings," said McBride.

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"When transphobia mingles with racism and misogyny, it can often have deadly consequences."

This does not mean that anyone advocates staying at home.

"Violence against all minority groups has increased in the last two years," Graham said. "It's important that people go out and continue to be proud of their lives and become very public. We know that this has increased the level of acceptance. "