Some people need no reason to gay-bash. Hatred alone is enough.
I remember a friend and colleague back in music graduate school, Robert Moon... a fine composer, a rehearsal pianist for Houston Ballet, a creator of excellent poster art promoting his own and other people's musical productions, and a generally decent guy who was easy to work with.
One day, Robert arrived for one of the classes we shared, with his face having been beaten to a pulp the night before in a gay-bashing incident outside a well-known gay bar in Houston's Montrose. Robert looked awful. No one who knew him could believe that anyone would do that to him; he was such an easygoing and actively helpful guy. But of course his assailants didn't know that. All they cared about was that he was gay. For them, that was reason enough to hate him.
Robert died of HIV/AIDS a few years later; in those days, the disease was still a mystery, and there were no life-prolonging treatments. But he may rest easier knowing his friends have not forgotten him. Now if only the bloody assaults could cease once and for all...
Jesus, Steve. Even more horrible when it's done to someone you are friends with.
It seems that gay bashing, stoning, pogroms, hangings etc are hardwired into our lizard brains. For those who need such things, I supposed we could get a few toy animals to beat the stuffing out of in the village square. Just as therapeutic and nobody would get hurt.
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Some people need no reason to gay-bash. Hatred alone is enough.
I remember a friend and colleague back in music graduate school, Robert Moon... a fine composer, a rehearsal pianist for Houston Ballet, a creator of excellent poster art promoting his own and other people's musical productions, and a generally decent guy who was easy to work with.
One day, Robert arrived for one of the classes we shared, with his face having been beaten to a pulp the night before in a gay-bashing incident outside a well-known gay bar in Houston's Montrose. Robert looked awful. No one who knew him could believe that anyone would do that to him; he was such an easygoing and actively helpful guy. But of course his assailants didn't know that. All they cared about was that he was gay. For them, that was reason enough to hate him.
Robert died of HIV/AIDS a few years later; in those days, the disease was still a mystery, and there were no life-prolonging treatments. But he may rest easier knowing his friends have not forgotten him. Now if only the bloody assaults could cease once and for all...
Jesus, Steve. Even more horrible when it's done to someone you are friends with.
It seems that gay bashing, stoning, pogroms, hangings etc are hardwired into our lizard brains. For those who need such things, I supposed we could get a few toy animals to beat the stuffing out of in the village square. Just as therapeutic and nobody would get hurt.
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