Comments on: Washington DC: General Outcry Expected

By: Hans N.

Hans N. — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:07:00 +0000

I’m not surprised that there was discrimination toward these people, but rather that there was violence toward them as well. Very sad.

By: Gavin

Gavin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:44:00 +0000

The whole situation is fucked up, but I'm surprised that people are actually shocked that the GLBT community in DC can be made up of people with their own inherent ignorance and prejudices. I've been in DC for awhile and have been witness to and am aware of a lot of petty ignorance and straight up prejudice regarding others whether it be based on race, gender, being transgendered, etc.

The same goes for constructive criticism when it comes to negative issues that people see within the GLBT community. it's easier to simply point the finger at everyone outside of the LGBT community and place blame at their feet, but much more difficult for people to really honestly take a look at the attitudes and behavior within that aren't necessarily positive. Especially our own as individuals.

So, while the discussions about gender, race, and class bias and how they play out in the community might be uncomfortable discussions, they're pretty important dialogues to have. So, next time someone has something to say in relation to our own actions and words and how they might be construed as offensive from their own personal standpoint it's necessary to keep an open-mind and honestly consider their perspective as a means to creating some sense of understanding about our own roles in creating these issues.

By: Hans B.

Hans B. — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Fuck, those comments are just about as bad the freerepublic hordes… I had no clue that there was such a level of ignorance in the community.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:48:00 +0000

We don't have to like each other but we do have to respect each other. Come on people!

Get your shit together.

By: Khalila

Khalila — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:11:00 +0000

I’m glad this site is covering this story. This incident enrages me. We have a serious problem in this community, and a lot of ignorance, if things like this are taking place. The Blade article mentioned that an employee stood by and did nothing. I think establishments that cater to our community need to do a better job at providing a safe space. And I think some of our national non-profit representatives need to do a better job of being inclusive rather than taking the convenient or expedient approaches to policies.

By: presbyqueerian

presbyqueerian — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Hey, TNG, thanks for finally publishing a story on this terrible event. I don’t know how many people in the DC area actually know that this happened. I keep waiting to catch wind of an outcry, and it just hasn’t happened, which is shocking and saddening. I only learned about this event through a friend in Boston whose friend from Durham, NC tweeted about the article in the Washington Blade. Hopefully publicity from posts like the one at this blog can generate some interest in figuring out the most appropriate way to respond to transphobic events.

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Oh my God. Check out some of the comments left at the Blade article. I really had no idea…