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Homophobia On the Rise? And If So, What Can We Do About It?

“Clearly etched in the red paint on the hood of the car are the words “bitches move,” and the roof of the car reads “homos” and “fag.” Scratches run up and down both sides of the car and litter the back end, which had been replaced days earlier after someone sideswiped it a few weeks ago, York said.”

On the 10th anniversary of north state’s infamous hate crime, the killings of gay couple Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder, Jason York says the homophobia that led to it is still alive and well.

“Hate crimes based on sexual orientation are increasing at a startling rate in California. A report released by the state attorney general’s office with the most recent data says that anti-homosexual crime events increased 77.2 percent from 2006 to 2007. In 1999, the year Matson and Mowder were shot to death by the Williams brothers, there were 30 anti-homosexual crimes documented in California. In 2007, there were 143.”

The facts supporting Mr. York’s  conclusion are definitely there.

On the 11th Annual National Day of Silence, a young woman’s VW beetle was also vandalized for having a gay rainbow sticker on her car. And of course we all remember the case of the young woman who was kidnapped and gang raped for having a rainbow on her car as well. Apparently, a rainbow bumper sticker is something that the homophobes want us to stop. Let’s not stop.

Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, New York. Her car was vandalized, left with the words “fag” and “u r gay” placed on the driver’s side window and hood of her car. Overcoming the initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened by leaving the graffiti on her car.

Similar to that scene in the Queer as Folk pilot, no? See? That show has really given gays confidence!

She took her car, now known worldwide as the “fagbug,” on a 58-day trip around the United States and Canada. Along the way, Erin discovered other, more serious hate crimes, had people attempt to remove the graffiti, and experimented with having a male drive her car. After driving the fagbug for one year, Erin decided to give her car a makeover.

It definitely seems to me that there are some people out there who are willing to push us back into the closet, by force if necessary. Please do not let these horrific crimes keep you from being who you are out of fear. Don’t let a tactic of hate keep you from putting a rainbow bumper sticker on your car. That would be letting the homophobes win.

Please check out FagBug.com-Activism On Wheels, right now!