Filed by: Waymon Hudson
February 18, 2008 2:00 PM

The Bilerico Project

"All one has to do is listen to the rhetoric continually aimed at our community. Phrases like "as long as they don't throw it in my face" or "I don't care what they do in the privacy of their home as long as I don't have to see it" all play into this idea that when we live at all openly, we deserve what comes our way.

The constant dehumanization of our community only makes it easier for our society to write off murders and violence against LGBT people as understandable and acceptable. When being LGBT is used as the sole reason for being killed, and the idea that it is an acceptable reason is pushed by the media and police, the message comes through loud and clear to our community.

These hate crimes are meant as lessons telling our community to go back into the closet and live in fear. They are meant to marginalize our lives and make hating us okay."