This past Sunday, a vigil was organized in Lincoln, NE
for a woman who was assaulted during a hate-motivated attack. Hundreds attended. Reports state
that three men entered her home, bound her wrists and ankles, and carved
homophobic words onto her body. They then doused the room with gasoline and set
it on fire. The woman was able to escape and found her way to a neighbor’s house,
naked and bleeding.
While we have seen a dramatic shift in the public
consciousness regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and
their rights during these past few years, this is a harsh reminder of the hate
that still exists. These crimes, fueled by hate and bias, send a message to the
LGBT community and remind us of the work that is yet to be done.
From physical violence to anti-gay slurs shouted in
schools, these actions are an assault on the entire LGBT community. As more
details about the attack are released, we hope that this knowledge will inspire
Iowans to create schools and communities that are truly supportive of LGBT
people and families.
We are shocked and saddened by the account of such
extreme violence and we can only hope that this woman’s physical and emotional
wounds heal quickly. Our thoughts and prayers are with this woman and her
family.
Ryan Roemerman, Executive Director
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