LGBTQ news and entertainment
While some city councils across the U.S. are banning Pride flags from being flown on official properties, for the first time, LGBTQ Pride flags are flying outside city-owned facilities in Austin, Texas, throughout June. Continue reading “Pride Flags Flown At Official Buildings In Austin For First Time”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (screen capture)
Smart folks at MONEY crunched the data to come up with a Top 10 list of best cities in the world to relocate to resulting in Austin, Texas, scoring the top spot. Continue reading “The Top 10 Cities In The World To Relocate To”
|
| Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry |
Four men have been arrested in connection with the brutal homophobic attack in downtown Austin last month that sent the two victims to the hospital.
According to NBC affiliate KXAN, the four suspects are:
• Frank Macias
• Miguel Macias
• Kolby Monnell
• Quinn O’Connor
All four face two counts of second-degree felony assault.
According to KXAN, a second-degree aggravated assault charge, if convicted, could result in a prison sentence of two to 20 years. If a hate crime finding was successfully proven on top of that, the sentencing range would increase to five to 99 years in prison.
Officials say social media played a part in identifying some of the suspects by matching physical descriptions as well as tattoos, as well as surveillance footage from nearby buildings.
 |
| Frank Macias, Quinn O’Connor, Miguel Macias, Kolby Monnell (l-r) |
Additionally, a few days after the attack was reported, the police received a crime stoppers tip naming Frank Macias and another individual.
The victims, Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry, told police they were walking down the street holding hands when a man called them a homophobic slur. When they asked what he had said, the man began calling them ‘faggots’ and called previously-unseen men who joined in the attack.
The four reportedly followed the couple taunting them with homophobic slurs.
When Perry attempted to verbally defend himself, he says he was punched by a muscular man with long, blond hair. Falling to the ground, the four joined in punching and kicking him.
When Deehring tried to defend Perry, they turned on him as well.
The attack ended when a passerby happened to see the assault.
Both men were transported to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries.
Deehring positively identified Macias in a police lineup. And according to reports, Macias then implicated his brother and the two other men.
|
| Tristan Perry (L) and Spencer Deehring (R) |
A gay couple was attacked in an apparent hate crime early Saturday morning in Austin, Texas.
Tristan Perry and Spencer Deehring were walking to their car around 2:45am after celebrating a friend’s birthday at Rain nightclub in downtown Austin.
The couple passed a man on the street who called them a homophobic slur. They told local news station KXAN they believe it was because they had been holding hands.
Deehring says he responded to the slur by saying something along the lines of “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”
At that point, Deehring says the man called out to his group of friends who were previously unseen. The mob began to follow the couple as they headed to their car.
The group began “yelling every expletive you can think of,” says Deehring, who told them, “I don’t have anything more to say to you guys, we’re just going home, leave us alone.”
And that’s when Perry was punched in the face suffering a broken nose and falling to the ground. While down, another in the group kicked Perry in the back of his head.
Deehring attempted to defend his boyfriend by tackling the men, but was knocked unconscious after being punched by members of the mob.
A bystander walking by may have saved their lives as the attackers fled upon being seen. The bystander called 911 and waited with the men until police and an ambulance arrived. Both men were hospitalized.
Perry was treated for a cut on the back of his head, a broken nose, chipped teeth, and multiple bruises. He continues to experience memory lapses.
Deehring suffered several lacerations, bruises to the back of his neck and head, and swelling to his jaw and mouth.
The president of the Austin chapter of PFLAG, Anna Nguyen, told KXAN that while she has seen violence targeting LGBTQ people in Austin in the past, “It feels as if lately the frequency has ratched up quite a bit.”
“I think Austin as a community needs to step up its game and prove it’s one of the most LGBTQIA-friendly cities in the country by deed, and not just by words,” she added.
Statistics released last November by the FBI show an increase of LGBT-related hate crimes in Texas when comparing data from 2016 to 2017.
The couple has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help defray the medical costs.
On the GoFundMe page, after explaining the attack that landed them in the hospital, they write:
Today I ask for your help with the burden we have been given of medical expenses related to this experience. Both of us were transported in an ambulance and given emergency trauma care at a local hospital. Due to this we expect our bills to exceed the thousands of dollars due to receiving comprehensive radiological care. And we ask for your love and support during our difficult time. Any help you can give is immensely appreciated. Always spread love and positivity. End hate.
They also shared their story on Facebook wanting people to realize attacks like this can happen to anyone.
Additionally, as a result of sharing the news of the attack, Deehring came out to his family and loved ones.
Grateful for the support they’ve received since the attack, the couple say they have a message for others.
“Spread love, end all this hatred, end all this closed-mindedness always watch your surroundings, always be aware of your surroundings, don’t walk alone,” says Perry.
And Deehring adds, “Be aware of your surroundings, but don’t change who you are as a person, don’t ever change who you are as a person and don’t be afraid to go out there and explore the world, just as you are.”
Watch the report from KXAN below:
|
| Austin bombing suspect Mark Conditt |
Six weeks after the deadly bombing spree by 23-year-old Mark Conditt in Austin and San Antonio police are still searching for clues as to the motivation for his actions.
New evidence suggests it’s possible internalized homophobia may have played a part.
Conditt’s early life revolved around being home-schooled by his conservative Christian family. He attended church each week and took part in Christian youth groups.
But in 2012, Conditt penned an online essay while attending Austin Community College that virulently denounced homosexuality.
The blog post read, in part:
Homosexuality is not natural. Just look at the male and female bodies. They are obviously designed to couple. The natural design is apparent. It is not natural to couple male with male and female with female. It would be like trying to fit two screws together and to nuts together and then say, “See, it’s natural for them to go together.” In addition, political protection of a sexual practice is ludicrous. I do not believe it is proper to pass laws stating that homosexuals have ‘rights.’ What about pedophilia or bestiality? These are sexual practices. Should they also be protected by law? If homosexuality is protected by law, why not those as well?
It was around this time that Conditt also cut off a childhood friend, Sierra Jane Davis, whom he knew from the Pflugerville home-school community.
When she shared the news that she was transitioning, “He told me that he couldn’t support my decision to live this life,” said Davis.
But then there was a turning point for Conditt.
He ceased attending church, quit Christianity and announced he was an atheist.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Conditt’s two roommates thought he might have been gay.
It was that revelation that led police to discover he had used Grindr to exchange messages with men.
It’s not apparent if his family knew he was out.
When asked about the possibility, Davis says, “It’s not something we talked about, but I do know that it would have been difficult for him and his family.”
Currently there’s no proof that he was working with a terrorist or paramilitary organizations. Nor are there any white supremacist or racially-motivated clues to point to at this time.
My native Texas gives me yet another reason to be proud today.
I recently posted a video by the Austin Police Department for “It Gets Better.”
And now, today, Austin will be become the first city in Texas to endorse same-sex marriage when its city council will approve a symbolic resolution.
The Austin Chronicle has the details:
The feel-good proposal on Thursday’s City Council agenda (Sept. 27) is Item 77, an endorsement of marriage equality in the state of Texas. Sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and co-sponsored by Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Council Member Laura Morrison, the symbolic resolution is unlikely to raise much dissent in the chamber and certainly none on the dais. It cites the historical, moral, and political reasons for same-sex equality – notably, the Bill of Rights of the Texas Constitution, which says rights cannot be restricted only to certain people – and should be recommended reading for all Austinites.
The Lesbian & Gay Peace Officers Association produced a video comprising of LGBT officers and civilian members of the Austin Police Department to send a message to LGBTQ youth that it does get better.
This is part of the It Gets Better Project and The Trevor Project to reach out to LGBTQ youth who may be struggling due to bullying, harassment, and non-acceptance, and who may be thinking of committing suicide.
The message is to let those youth know that even though it is difficult today, tomorrow will bring hope, love, and life. Help is here to get you there.
As a native Texan who spent my summers in Austin (one of my favorite cities) I’m so proud of this video. These folks did an amazing job of communicating not only the struggles of the journey of coming out, but the pride and joy you feel when it finally “gets better” and you can accept and love yourself.
Great job guys!