This article was published on October 17th, 2016
Shocking stories continue to emerge of targeted attacks on gay men in ISIS territory. Gay men are being thrown off buildings and if they do not die, are subsequently stoned to death by the community to rid the world of the ‘evil’. An attack on the civil liberties of any minority group is an attack on the freedoms of everybody. Every individual in the world has the right to live a life without fear of persecution and yet, the growth of terror and extremism is attacking this very fundamental right within the global LGBT community. So what does the growth of extremism mean for LGBT rights?
It means there are places where it is physically unsafe if you are LGBT. Ignorance is a slow burner. It’s dangerous because it can permeate society and create bad attitudes that, while difficult to fight, aren’t always outright dangerous. Extremism is not just ignorance; it is much more dangerous. It is a fundamental belief in something that is extreme. Religious extremism tends to encompass anti-LGBT views that go beyond ignorance, to something unchallengeable. This type of extremism isn’t open to logic because it is tied to faith. It is a belief so strong that people are willing to kill or die for it. It isn’t something that can be educated out of an individual, its something that has to be challenged and fought head on. It’s a whole new level of bullying.
Essentially, the growth of extremism means there is a new enemy to the LGBT community. It is a new fight to be fought, a new frontier on which to fight for our rights and the rights of all those within the community, worldwide. It means new tools need to be developed, leveraging our allies, and putting together powerful strategies, to fight it head one. Governments and international organizations need to work together to secure equal rights and safely, for all people around the world.
This is not the first time the LGBT community has been targeted. It is not the biggest, baddest or most fearful opponent that the LGBT community has faced, and it sure as hell won’t be the last. But, the LGBT community will, as they have always done, band together to fight for equality, freedom to love, freedom to be true to ourselves and for our rights to be heard, seen and protected. It will be done with style, pride, ferocity and, more than anything else, a zest for life unique to the community. Remember: it’s only frightening because they haven’t been beaten, yet.
