Threats against the LGBTQIA+ community intensifying: Department of Homeland Security - ABC News
By: ABC News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Threats of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community are on the rise and intensifying, according to a new briefing by the Department of Homeland Security.
The DHS document, distributed to government and law enforcement agencies on May 11, said that domestic violence extremists and people who commit hate crimes have increased threats of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community within the last year.
"These issues include actions linked to drag-themed events, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQIA+ curricula in schools," DHS said.
MORE: LGBTQ group targeted in alleged 'slaughter' threat in response to Nashville shooting
DHS said that the issues inspiring threats and calls of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community could lead to a rise of potential attacks against larger targets, such as public spaces and healthcare sites that may be linked to the community.
DHS analysts also cite social media chatter celebrating the recent mass shooting at a Nashville church school.
"High-profile attacks against schools and faith-based institutions like the recent shooting in Nashville have historically served as inspiration for individuals to conduct copycat attacks," DHS said.
People march through the Texas State Capitol on April 20, 2023 in Austin, Texas.Brandon Bell/Getty Images
In recent months, politicians in Tennessee, Florida and other Republican-run states have introduced legislation that critics say targets the LGBTQIA+ community.
People demonstrate at the Texas State Capitol on April 20, 2023 in Austin, Texas.Brandon Bell/Getty Images
In March 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by detractors.
The bill banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Last month, the Florida Board of Education expanded those restrictions to include all grades. In March, Tennessee became the first state to restrict public drag performances.
MORE: Public drag performances restricted in Tennessee
HB 9 and SB 3, signed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, make "a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property" -- or where it can be viewed by minors -- a criminal offense.
Last month, a federal judge temporarily blocked the law, saying it was vaguely written and overly broad, according to AP.
At least 14 states have passed laws or policies that restrict gender-affirming care for people under the age of legal majority, which is the threshold for legal adulthood.
According to DHS, about 20% of all hate crimes reported throughout the country in 2021 were motivated by bias linked to sexual orientation and gender, citing the FBI's hate crime statistics.
ABC News' Kiara Alfonseca contributed to this report.
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Is anyone surprised? With the all the laws being enacted in red states about drag shows, don't say gay, and banning books it's no wonder the LGBTQ community is facing more harassment and violence
the republican party now is basically a coalition of many fringe groups. groups like bible thumpers, autocrats, white supremacists, morons, pro-insurrectionists, and wealthy white collar criminals.
hopefully no real christians will have to pay the price for the actions of the bible thumping fakers.
What an evil fucking monster those scumlappingshitbags have created
DeSantis and his minions are leading the way.
the DOI and the constitution mean nothing to them...
“Hatred is corrosive of a person's wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nation's spirit, instigate brutal life and death struggles, destroy a society's tolerance and humanity, and block a nation's progress to freedom and democracy.” ~Liu Xiaobo
And they pick the easiest target…an oppressed minority with little representation and even less respect, even though they are striving for the same things we all are.
Sound like a bunch of bullies. Bullies pick the easiest targets
Sadly, that is a true statement.
The gop becomes increasingly incandescent with rage as the voting demographic becomes increasingly diverse.
they're running out of voters to alienate...
they're hateful scared whiny little evil bitches
Always much easier to just tar all with the same wide brush.
I live in a small rural town of about 20,000 population. We have residents that are LGBT orientation living here that are generally treated with respect and they respect non LGBT in return. It makes no difference what the political affiliation is on either side. I am a conservative independent and I have good friends that are both liberal Democrat and LGBT. I get along just fine because they know I respect them and they do the same. We may not agree all the time and when we do we just agree to disagree and go on. My town is nowhere near perfect but it is a lot better than a lot of other places.
Big surprise. Extremist nut jobs go around terrifying people that anyone who is LGBT+ is a sexual predator/agent of Satan, grooming children for their pedophile human trafficking or some such bullshit.
??
It seems like every time we turn around these people have added new letters.
“…these people have added new letters.”
These people?
These people only want to be recognized as people. If it takes all 26 to gain just a semblance of the rights we all deserve then let it be.
How in the world does it hurt you to give them that most basic accommodation?
Exactly, self identification of gender, racial, ethnic, and political categories may even require more than the current 26 letters. We should be open to that, it’s that important.
“…may even require more than the current 26 letters.”
No, it only requires the basic understanding that people of any age, race, or gender are inherently equal.
So simple and yet so difficult to comprehend.
But when people cannot remember all the letters and just say alphabet community, some get offended and obnoxious. What do they expect. I'm all for equality, special treatment is another thing all together and don't tell me some militants don't want or demand special treatment based on orientation.
Provide an example.
I agree but don’t discount the need for identification labels. Our species seems to have an inherent need to bin ourselves into an ever increasing amount of separate sub-bins. We’ve abandoned the notion of melting pot while the science of DNA shows an ever increasing melting pot blend.
Gotta love when people show their true colours.
You may be waiting a while for one...
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“…don’t discount the need for identification labels…”
Using any label is to discount the individual. Using labels is intellectually lazy and only serves to perpetuate demoralizing stereotypes.
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I don't expect a response. They've got nothing.
Seriously, how does this community define bots?
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A bot is a software program that operates on the Internet and performs repetitive tasks. While some bot traffic is from good bots, bad bots can have a huge negative impact on a website or application.
I think you could have googled that also.
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It seems some people tend to believe that any that do not happen to share their particular political ideology fall under the category of right wing fascist.
People don't need a letter.
Why should it involve me? I just don't want to have to keep up with it all.
While we're here, define "basic accommodation."
Good. Then we don't need to be dividing them by letters.
Yeah, my thoughts exactly, 'these people' - I mean my god, the nerve of some people, how dare they expect to be treated with respect and decency
With some folks it always seems to be - 'these people' want 'extra' rights 'special' rights when all they want is the same thing everyone else does.
I don't understand what's so hard to understand about that.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?
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But some get upset when the term alphabet community is used.
In ordinary conversation, I tend to just use the word “queer.” It’s simpler.
I've heard that term, even used by members of that community lately, but I've spent the last 60 years thinking it was derogatory.
I think the queer community is doing an effective job of sort of taking back that term and making positive use of it. I consider it more inclusive than then the letters. It’s sort of like we’re in all this together, as opposed the L vs G vs B vs T, etc., which has happened in the past.
I have first hand knowledge of that back in the 80's. the gay males I knew were brutal in their attitudes towards lesbians and trans people, with derogatory nicknames for each. I'm happy that now they have basically unified in their fight for equality.
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Back in 91 or 92 I had a rather heated argument with a friend of mine about bisexuals. To him one was either straight or gay. I found it weird, being straight, trying to explain bisexuality to a gay man.
I had the same sort of situation when I was in the late 80's when I was in the Navy with a gay guy that worked for me. That was back in the days of "Don't ask, don't tell." When came to work for me he told me right off that he was gay but hopefully he would not have to work with bisexuals. He asked if that would be a problem? I thought very carefully about how to phrase my answer. I told him I could care less what he did on his off duty off base hours or what his orientation was as long as he kept it to himself and did his job and not bother anybody. He did and we had no problem.
That's actually helpful.
Is that a term a straight person can use without it being considered offensive?
Get to Cedar Springs, try it and find out...
For best results try in a men's leather bar!
If your intention is to get an ass whoopin.
I think context matters. If a speaker has established that they are respecting people, then there likely wouldn’t be any complaints. If it’s evident that respect is lacking, then you can expect it to be taken as the insult that it was probably intended to be.
If you’re looking to get away with something - i.e. insulting people but planning on defending yourself by saying you thought it was “officially” ok - then you’re going to have a problem. People are not that stupid.
Fair enough.
Obviously that can be difficult to navigate. For everybody who is chill about it there will be an idiot trying to offend or trying to find something to be offended about.
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Okay, I am not quite sure how this explains LGBTQ pronouns, but it does lend INSIGHT into a way of life of people who male/drag/trans.
Flame Monroe Says Pronouns Don’t Matter
Compare (for brevity)
Flame Monroe on Parenting as a Trans Woman
Finally, Flame Monroe is a repeat figure on several "heavily-trafficked" Black listening audience shows above: The Breakfast Club and The Grio. That's a feat of 'arriving' in itself.
Her perspective, I hope, should lend something of value to this discussion happening now. IMPORTANT! Do not miss the concept of Flame Monroe displaying as a transperson, but who parents as a male figure and who is sexually a "Top"!
Seems personal insecuraties are boiling over...
the closet is usually the biggest room in the christo-fascist home...