“HEY, FAGGOTS… YOU LIVE IN A TRUMP COUNTRY NOW.”
Gay Americans express their feelings about the Trump presidency. By Munyarukumbuzi Emmanuel.
IN THE 24-HOURS following the election of Donald Trump as President, police across the US responded to a “wave of hate crimes,” reported the UK’s Independent newspaper. Muslims, Hispanics, other ethnic minorities and the LGBTI community were all effected.
BETWEEN TRUMP’S ELECTION on November 8 and November 17, 437 hate incidences were reported to the Southern Poverty Law Center. When interviewed by 60 Minutes, Trump said he was “saddened” by the attacks that were carried out in his name. “And I say, ‘Stop it.’ If it helps, I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: ‘Stop it.’”
SINCE THAT HONEYMOON PERIOD the attacks have continued. In Key West, a gay couple were attacked by a man shouting, “I bet you faggots voted for that bitch Hillary. Well, you live in a Trump country now.”
IN BROOKLYN, two men leaving a gay club were stabbed by a man shouting, “All these faggots… I’m gonna shoot up this place.” IN TULSA, 13 shots were fired into the front of the Oklahoma LGBTI Equality Centre.
IN DENVER, a trans woman’s car was spray painted with swastikas and the words “Die He She” and “Go Trump”.
THE NATIONAL Coalition Of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) reports that being gay in the USA is not safe and is becoming increasingly unsafe. LGBTI homicides have been steadily rising since 2010. Twentyfive percent of LGBTI people will experience a hate crime in their lifetime according to NCAVP data. LGBTI people of colour and trans people are at even greater risk than those perceived to be white.
IT’S DIFFICULT to gauge President Trump’s true opinion, but his inner-sanctum is extremely hostile to the LGBTI community. Vice President Mike Pence has advocated redirecting funds from HIV treatment into “gay conversion therapies”. Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos’ family has donated hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to “gay conversion” businesses. Advisor Steve Bannon, former publisher of website Breitbart News, has run headlines like, “Gay Rights Has Made Us Dumber,” “How The LGBT Agenda Is Hijacking America’s Youth” and “Isis Is A Gay Death Cult”. Trump’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions voted against gay marriage, against gays serving openly in the military, and to not include crimes against gay people as part of Hate Crimes protections.
DNA asked a cross-section of gay male Americans how they feel about living in Trump’s USA. We present their opinions in this article. Some answers are longer than others; this reflects the response of those interviewees and does not indicate any editorial bias. We have been extremely careful in the editing of this feature to ensure the integrity of the responses.