A new LGBT+ Muslim Pride festival is just £400 away from reaching its crowdfunding goal.
Imaan, Europe’s biggest charity sporting LGBT+ Muslims, is trying to raise £10,000 to put on an event which will “provide a space for LGBTQI Muslims from across the UK to be empowered, engaged and to make no apologies for being practising Muslims and LGBTQI people”.
With a day left until the campaign ends on Tuesday afternoon, October 29, the crowdfunder is £403 short of its goal.
Imaan posted on Twitter: “With now just 1 day left – dare we dream we can do it? The pressure’s too much!! PLEASE chip in anything. A LIKE/SHARE IS A FREE WAY TO HELP.”
Imaan originally sought to raise £5,000 for the event, a target it smashed in September.
The crowdfunder was extended to £10,000 in order to “produce a bigger, bolder, more exciting event and subsidise a number of places for those who cannot afford to attend”.
New Pride festival will provide a safe space for LGBT+ Muslims.
A spokesperson from Imaan told PinkNews that the festival, which will be held in London in spring 2020, aims to show that people can be both LGBT+ and Muslim.
“Often LGBTQI Muslims are caught in the middle of Islamophobia and homophobia, so we want to provide a safe and inclusive space where people feel like they do not have to choose between identities and that they can be LGBTQI and Muslim without pressure from those who say otherwise,” they said.
Imaan will also be recruiting volunteers to support the festival and will be calling on both LGBT+ and Muslim organisations for practical support.
Often LGBTQI Muslims are caught in the middle of islamophobia and homophobia, so we want to provide a safe and inclusive space where people feel like they do not have to choose between identities.
Plans for the festival come at a time when reported incidents of both Islamophobia and homophobia in the UK have spiked in recent years.
In March, it was reported that Islamophobic incidents in the UK rocketed by nearly 600 percent in the week after a terror attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 51 people.
And, in June, a Guardian investigation revealed that hate crimes against LGBT+ people have more than doubled in the past four years.
Imaan praised for setting up LGBT+ Muslim Pride festival.
Campaigners from LGBT+ faith organisations have praised Imaan for working to setup the festival.
Matt Mahmood-Ogston, who set up the Naz and Matt Foundation, which works to tackle homophobia triggered by religious and cultural beliefs, praised Imaan for creating the “fabulous” new event.
“The launch of the festival will create an exciting new platform that will inspire hearts, and help many more people understand and celebrate the beauty of LGBTQI+ Muslim culture,” Mahmood-Ogston told PinkNews.
“Too often members of the community, and many of the LGBTQI+ Muslims who come to our charity for support, are forced into choosing between their religion and their queer identity.
“This festival will become a safe place – an event to look forward to – where this choice never has to be considered. We can’t wait for the festival to begin!”
A day of calm winds and an intense air attack aided firefighters battling the Kincade Fire Monday to gain a foothold on the western edge of the massive blaze, allowing evacuation orders for nearly a dozen communities including Guerneville and Sebastopol to be downgraded to warnings.
The Sonoma County Sheriff said residents of the far western reaches of the massive evacuation zone that extended from Geyserville, Healdsburg and west to the Pacific Ocean at the height of the firefight over the weekend could return home.
Officials said residents could return to their homes unimpeded by law enforcement officers patrolling the area.
“This means that you can return home now at your own risk,” the sheriff’s department said in a news release. “This area is still at risk from the Kincade Fire, and much of this area does not have power or natural gas due to the power shutoff. Remember, if you hear the hi-lo sirens, it’s time to evacuate.”
“There will still be more peace officers in your neighborhood,” authorities said. ” You do not need to check in with anyone and you do not need a peace officer escort.”
Here are the areas where the evacuation order has been downgraded to an evacuation warning.
ZONE 7
Jenner
Bodega Bay
Bodega
Occidental
Monte Rio
Rio Nido
Duncans Mills
Cazadero
Guerneville
Forestville
Graton (west of Highway 116 only)
Zone 8
Sebastopol
Twin Hills
Western unincorporated Santa Rosa
The situation was much improved than over the weekend when strong winds drove the massive wildfire beyond containment lines, growing to 66,231 acres – 103 square miles – by early Monday and destroying 96 structures, including 40 homes.
Cal Fire said there were 4,000 firefighters manning the lines early Monday and they were being assisted by troops from the California National Guard. Nearly 80,000 homes were being threatened by the blaze.
“The fire was extremely active during the day yesterday (Sunday),” Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Blankenheim told reporters at a Monday news conference. “The fire more than doubled in size and that did present some challenges for us. The priorities for today (Monday) are we are going to work on the Mt. St. Helena area in the northeastern corner (of the fire.) Working in the Mark West area and the Shiloh area.”
“The fire made it that far south last night,” he added. “We are going to be really aggressive today, working on perimeter control.”
Cal Fire Monday AM update on Kincade Fire:
Firefighters had the blaze 10 percent contained before Sunday’s howling winds whipped it further out of control, expanding the evacuation area from Geyserville to the Pacific Ocean and driving some 180,000 residents from their homes.
Local residents filled evacuation centers from Petaluma all the way to San Francisco, waking Monday morning hopeful their homes would not be damaged or destroyed by the blaze.
By sunrise, containment had tumbled to five percent, but firefighters were able to save homes in Windsor from mass destruction.
“We had a very scary day today,” Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli told KPIX 5 Sunday night. “We could have lost a lot of homes in Windsor…Thanks to the absolute valiant effort by first responders…They have been able to save pretty much all of Windsor.”
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essink said with the intensity of the fire fight in Windsor on Sunday, had the area not been evacuated far in advance, there would have loss of lives.
“Yesterday in the northeastern area of Windsor, we had a very aggressive fight of the fire by our partners at Cal Fire,” Essink said. “Had that area not been evacuated those firefighters would not have been as effective they were…We had a lot of success yesterday in Windsor…The northern area of Windsor was saved by their efforts.”
Around Healdsburg, several buildings were damaged or destroyed including the more than 100-year-old Soda Rock Winery that was turned into a smoldering pile of ruins with just the front brick wall still standing early Monday.
Two firefighters were injured Sunday fighting the blaze, Cal Fire Division Chief Jonathan Cox said during an afternoon press conference. One suffered minor burn injuries, but another suffered significant burn injuries and had to be airlifted to the UC Davis Medical Center.
Around 10:15 p.m. Sunday evening, the fire flared up again in the area of Markwest/Larkfield Wikiup, where mandatory evacuations had previously been issued.
Deputies used Hi-Lo sirens to warn residents on Faught Road from Shiloh to Old Redwood Hwy in Larkfield-Wikiup. The fire’s movement over the Shiloh Ridge was threatening homes and residents in Napa County by Monday morning.
“If in this area, you need to leave immediately!” the Sonoma County Sheriff asserted to people that hadn’t yet left.
Firefighters were racing from one spot fire to another along the roads surrounding the ridge, trying to limit damage and the blaze’s advance.
Essick said the magnitude of this event struck him while visiting evacuation shelters.
“There is certainly a sense of fear out there,” he said. “A lot of people have questions about what’s going on…Ladies and gentleman, we are doing the right thing by keeping you out of these evacuated areas.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a proclamation Sunday evening, declaring a local emergency to provide shelter for Kincade Fire evacuees. The city will open a temporary disaster shelter to help those displaced by the fire at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption at 1111 Gough Street.
“San Francisco stands with our neighbors to the north and is ready to help in every way we can,” said Breed. “Our City departments are working in unison to provide shelter and care to those who have been displaced, while first responders continue to fight the fire in Sonoma County.”
More than 200 law enforcement officers were patrolling the evacuation zones for safety and to prevent looting. Essick said there was one arrest Sunday of a suspicious person in one of the evacuation zones who could not provide a location for where they were headed.
At an evacuation center at Napa Valley College, Francisco Alvarado, 15, said he, two younger brothers and his parents decided to leave their Calistoga home in advance of evacuation orders. Two years ago, the family had to flee, but in the middle of the night.
“I’m pretty mad that we have to keep evacuating,” he said. “I just want to be home. I’m trying to leave here tomorrow; I want to sleep in my bed.”
Hundreds of people arrived at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa by Sunday. Some came from nursing homes. More than 300 people slept in an auditorium filled with cots and wheeled beds. Scores of others stayed in a separate building with their pets.
Among them was Maribel Cruz, 19, who packed up her dog, four cats and fish as soon as she was told to flee her trailer in the town of Windsor, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of San Francisco. She also grabbed a neighbor’s cat.
“I’m just nervous since I grew up in Windsor,” she said. “I’m hoping the wind cooperates.”
More than 39 million people in the U.S. are age 65 years or older including 2.4 million people who identify as LGBTQ+, according to the American Psychology Association.
As the baby boomer generation ages, the senior population will increase from 12.8 percent to an estimated 19 percent in 2030. Psychological service providers and care givers for older adults need to be sensitive to the histories and concerns of LGBTQ folks and to be open-minded, affirming and supportive towards LGBT older adults to ensure accessible, competent, quality care. As GBTQ people age, they find themselves facing unique challenges, including access to information and resources, as well as isolation and loneliness. That’s where Living Out Palm Springs comes in.
“Knowing that too many LGBTQ seniors live in unsafe or even openly hostile environments, we wanted to address this issue that is near and dear to us by creating a safe and beautiful community for those 55 and over. The Living Out development will be the first of its kind in the Southern California area,” said Living Out co-founder and creator Loren S. Ostrow. “Living Out Palm Springs was designed by, invested in and created by members of our community who recognize the unique needs we face as we begin the next chapters of our lives.”
Los Angeles-based real estate development company KOAR International LLC, announced recently that Living Out Palm Springs – an active retirement community designed to meet the unique needs of LGBTQ adults – will break ground this fall.
Living Out Palm Springs will provide a safe, supportive and enriched environment in which LGBTQ seniors can live openly and thrive, according to a press release. LGBTQ seniors currently face very limited options for welcoming and inclusive senior living environments. Living Out communities will celebrate the LGBTQ aging experience in a way that has yet to be realized. Living Out Palm Springs will be ideal for seniors who live in, travel to or would like to have a second home with resort-like amenities in the celebrated desert community of Palm Springs.
The Pride LA spoke with Ostrow on what residents can expect. Check it out:
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Loren Ostrow. I am a real estate attorney and developer. I have served on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center for more than 20 years, the National LGBTQ Task Force for nine years and the Board of Trustees of Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood. My business partner of 40 years, Paul Alanis, has been an extraordinary ally over our four decades of association.
Luann Boylan recently joined us Marketing Director for the Living Out project. LuAnn has served with Loren on the LGBTQ Center’s Board for over 27 years.
In one sentence what is Living Out?
Living Out is a luxury condominium community for active LGBTQ 55+ persons in Palm Springs; a community designed to provide LGBTQ seniors a safe, welcoming, inclusive experience where they can live comfortably out as an LGBTQ person.
Can you elaborate more?
Living Out is a nine-acre oasis designed to provide its residents with a five-star, resort-style living experience in historic Palm Springs. Architecturally, Living Out is authentic to its surroundings, referencing the iconic Mid-Century Modern style for which Palm Springs is famous. Our homes feature open floor plans, large lanais, elegant appointments and an exceptional attention to detail, all wrapped in magnificently landscaped grounds and stunning desert mountain views.
At the heart of the Living Out concept is the element of community and we have incorporated opportunities throughout the property for people to come together and enjoy “being home.” Some of the amenities we are providing that encourage the building of community include:
Resort-style lagoon pool
Lap pool and spa
4 pickleball courts
2 bocce ball courts
Putting green
Community BBQ and fire pit areas
Lushly landscaped dog park
Casual dining restaurant
Piano bar
Private screening room
State-of-the-art gym
Game room
Card room
Community gathering room
Grab-and-go coffee shop and community workspace
In short, Living Out has been designed to be the home you have always wanted and the community every LGBTQ person deserves.
Why is there a need for such housing in Palm Springs?
While straight individuals have many opportunities available to them for retirement communities, LGBTQ 55+ people have virtually no opportunities to live openly and comfortably. Unfortunately, one hears stories of LGBTQ individuals and couples being ostracized or discriminated against in the broader retirement world, often being forced back into the closet.
While Palm Springs is one of the most supportive environments for LGTBQ people in the country, as one ages the sense of loneliness can be palpable and I hope to provide a community within a community where people can live comfortably and safely.
What is the story behind the creation of Living Out?
I have been thinking about this issue for over 30 years knowing that the LGBTQ community would age as does the general community. Having served on the Board of the LA Center since 1993, I have seen the glaring disparities in the opportunities for LGBTQ people to live in safe, inclusive environments as they age.
Of course, there are non-profit agencies, like the Center, that provide services for LGBTQ seniors who are less financially able to provide for themselves. However, it occurred to me, there are very few options available to members of our community who are financially independent and would like to live in an LGBTQ-focused community that is supportive of and, in fact, celebrates living authentically. Living Out has been designed to be that option.
In what ways does Living Out create an inclusive and safe environment for LGBTQ+ seniors?
Celebrating living authentically is the core concept of Living Out, not a byproduct or an afterthought. To create an environment where that concept can be realized requires infusing all of our efforts with a consciousness about what it means to be inclusive and what it takes to feel safe. That has been made possible, in part, by having Living Out envisioned by, designed by, and invested in by members of the LGBTQ community who recognize the unique needs our community faces as we begin the next chapter of our lives. This consciousness translates into creating living and community spaces that are open, inviting and purposefully designed to support the concept of community, while offering the safety of knowing you are in an environment that is not “in spite of you” but is “because of you.”
What’s in store for Living Out’s future?
Living Out Palm Springs will break ground in December of this year and will take approximately 18 months to complete, making our move-in date as early as June, 2021 but no later than September, 2021. And, as Palm Springs is being completed, Living Out is exploring and developing other venues for active LGBTQ seniors across the country.
Colombia’s capital city elected its first female mayor Sunday in what is being hailed as an important advancement for both women and LGBTQ rights.
Claudia López won the race for mayor of Bogota on a platform promising to combat corruption and advance equal rights for minority communities.
The Alianza Verde candidate captured over 1.1 million votes, or about 35 percent of the vote, defeating runner-up Carlos Galán by 2.7 percentage points.
With her victory, López also becomes the first openly lesbian mayor of a capital city in Latin America, a region slowly advancing in improving LGBTQ rights but where long-standing cultural biases and inequality remain barriers.
“This is the day of the woman,” she said to a jubilant crowd. “We knew that only by uniting could we win. We did that. We united, we won and we made history!”
She vowed to continue uniting Colombians across the political spectrum and work to improve daily life issues like public transportation.
Many in the LGBTQ community praised López’s victory as an important step forward in a country where gay and lesbians still confront harassment. Earlier this year, a man was caught on camera pushing and screaming profanities at two gay men in their early 20s hugging and holding hands at an upscale mall in Colombia’s capital.
Blanca Duran, a former city politician, told the El Espectador newspaper that with López’s win, Bogota is “setting an example for the country.”
“It is showing that it is a city with respect, with diversity, in which we can advance rights,” she said.
Centrist and progressive party candidates won several important posts in Colombia’s local elections, the first since the signing of an historic peace accord with leftist rebels.
Conservative former President Álvaro Uribe acknowledged his party’s setback, stating on Twitter that “I recognize the defeat with humility.”
Trudeau, battered by scandal across his campaign, will no longer retain a majority in Canada’s House of Commons but will keep enough seats to allow him to form a government, with support from two left-leaning parties.
His victory in 2015 touted him as a fresh-faced, shirtless jogging, LGBT+ rights championing politician.
Though his approval ratings have slumped since, his renewed term secures a generally positive four years ahead for the queer community.
What will a Liberal Party win mean for LGBT+ Canadians?
Several positive initiatives are now potentially in the pipeline as a result of Trudeau securing a minority government.
In its 2019 platform, the Liberal Party promised to spend $10 million a year over three years to help more LGBT+ organisations hire staff and expand services, according to Global News.
The party also pledged to end the ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men and promised to spend an additional $2 million a year for the pan-Canadian 24-7 mental health crisis hotline.
Liberal Leader and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers his victory speech at his election night headquarters on October 21, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Moreover, Trudeau evoked his positive track record to his advantage during his campaigning, contrasting his pro-marriage equality stance with his opponent, Scheer.
The Conservative Party leader voted against several pro-LGBT+ bills in the past, as well as fiercely opposing same-sex marriage when it was first tabled in 2005.
Although, the lawmaker has since claimed to have u-turned on such homophobic views.
Nevertheless, several LGBT+ activists in Canada took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Trudeau’s return to office, with one calling it a “sigh of relief”:
Moreover, four LGBT+ MPs were elected into parliament. Two from the Liberal Party – Seamus O’Regan and and Rob Oliphant – as well as Conservative Eric Duncan and NDP member Randall Garrison.
But some activists took note that this is a decrease from the previous parliament – down by two – and that only one-third of those lawmakers elected are female.
Justin Trudeau’s LGBT+ rights history.
Trudeau has positioned himself as an ally throughout both of his campaigns and during his first premiership.
He became the first sitting prime minister to march in a Pride parade in 2016, and to raise the Pride flag in Parliament Hill.
Moreover, he appointed Randy Boissonnault as his special advisor on LGBT+ issues.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is surrounded by his family as he casts his vote on election day. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
This year, he delivered a formal apology on behalf of the Canadian government to queer citizens who have been wronged by anti-LGBT+ federal legislation in the past.
Moreover, the Liberal government passed a law to permanently expunge criminal records linked to consensual sexual activity with same-sex partners.
Furthermore, the government invested $2.9 million of funding into projects for the Canada’s LGBT+ population.
These projects have included awareness campaigns, advocacy initiatives and other interventions to prevent homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the Canadian education system.
However, his September campaign was shadowed by scandal, as photographs and videos of a young Trudeau in blackface and brownface surged to the surface, as well as earlier accusations that he bullied his formal attorney general, an Indigenous woman.
These damning revelations took a toll on his voting percentages, but Trudeau’s win has nevertheless secured an overall progressive term ahead for LGBT+ Canadians, activists have argued.
Pete Buttigieg has surged into third place in the key state of Iowa, according to polling.
The out South Bend mayor is proving surprisingly popular in the traditionally-conservative state, surpassing Bernie Sanders to make it into third place.
Pete Buttigieg is third in Iowa, ahead of Bernie Sanders.
According to the Suffolk University/USA Today poll, 13 percent of Iowans support Buttigieg, behind only Elizabeth Warren on 17 percent and Joe Biden on 18 percent in the crowded Democratic field.
Sanders, who has seen his left-wing support eroded by Warren, is in fourth on 9 percent, with no other candidate receiving above 3 percent in the poll.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is running for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States (Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Iowa caucuses, set to take place on February 3, are traditionally the first event of the presidential primaries – marking the state as a key battleground for candidates hoping to show they have momentum.
Buttigieg has unveiled a bold plan for LGBT+ rights.
Buttigieg recently revealed his ambitious LGBT+ policy platform, including pledges to update US passports to recognise non-binary people, ensure access to PrEP for everyone who needs it, and provide LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons and health education.
He said: “I will press for and sign the Equality Act into law as soon as it hits my desk, making anti-discrimination the law of the land.
“I will deliver quality health care that is affordable, accessible, and equitable for all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or race.
“My administration will put us on a path to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic—which disproportionately affects gay men and transgender women of color —by 2030, and ban the dangerous practice known as ‘conversion therapy’ once and for all.
“I will use more comprehensive strategies to end hate-based violence against LGBTQ+ people, especially black transgender women; increase access to housing for LGBTQ+ Americans; and strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ immigrants and refugees.”
Buttigieg also pledged to “conduct a thorough examination of unconstitutional religious exemption policies in the federal government, especially those deployed by the Trump administration to undermine the rights of LGBTQ+ people”.
Presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren has called on the Trump administration to protect transgender asylum seekers, who allegedly suffer “rampant” abuse while in detention.
Along with her fellow senator Tammy Baldwin, the first out LGBT+ person elected to the US Senate, Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter urging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to “immediately reverse policies” that harm transgender migrants seeking refuge in the US.
The senators state that the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy is particularly harmful to trans asylum seekers as it forces them to remain in countries where their gender identity puts them at risk.
They said the administration must allow trans asylum seekers entry into the US, warning of the danger in “placing their health and safety at risk while they wait – potentially for years – for their asylum claims to be processed”.
In one case cited by Warren and Baldwin, a transgender woman’s “finger was cut off by a cartel” while her application was intentionally delayed.
Hundreds of activists and immigration advocates took to the streets in New York City to demand an end to Salesforce and Amazon profiteering from immigrants detention camps (Erik McGregor/LightRocket/Getty)
Warren and Baldwin also drew attention to recent reports of “abuse and neglect of transgender migrants and asylum seekers”, both at the border and in US custody.
“While in detention, transgender migrants and asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse,” the letter reads.
“The United States should protect individuals fleeing persecution and targeted violence, including persecution based on gender identity or expression — not subject them to further harm.”
Some trans women have accused ICE of housing them in barracks with heterosexual men where officers ordered them: “Walk like a man! You better sit like a man!”
They told of being forced to bathe and sleep in units with men who sexually harassed and threatened them. These men would intrude on them while they were in the shower, leering at them and offering to “help” them bathe. The women claim they were thrown into solitary if they complained.
Another trans woman named Alejandra Barrera was refused treatment for a progressive medical condition, which if left untreated could cause severe complications or even death.
Alejandra Barrera, a trans asylum seeker (Facebook/Translatina@ Coalition)
After a sustained advocacy campaign by her attorney and several non-profit organisations, she was finally released after 20 months – the longest period of detainment for a trans person ever at the facility.
Activists claim her experience is representative of the widespread mistreatment of all trans women in ICE custody.
Warren and Baldwin have requested a meeting with ICE and DHS “to update our offices on your efforts to address the harm to transgender migrants” before October 30.
More than half of homeless young people in Atlanta, Georgia, have been victims of human trafficking and LGBT+ and African American youth are most at risk, according to a new study.
The Atlanta Youth Count 2018 study by Georgia State University sociology professor Eric Wright found that there were an estimated 3,372 homeless young people in Atlanta between the ages of 14 and 25.ADVERTISING
Human trafficking is defined in the report as “acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them either for sexual acts or labour services”.
Overall, 54 per cent of homeless youth had experienced some form of human trafficking in their lifetime, and 37 per cent had experienced it since becoming homeless.
African American, black and multiracial young people were at high risk of trafficking, as 56 per cent of homeless youth counted in the study were black or African American and 32 per cent were multiracial.
Looking just at LGB youth, these numbers increased. 61 per cent of lesbian, gay or bisexual homeless youth had experienced human trafficking in their lifetime and 44 per cent had been trafficked while homeless.
For trans and non-binary young people experiencing homelessness the figures jumped even more dramatically.
71 per cent had experienced trafficking during their lifetimes, and 65 per cent had been victims of it while homeless.
The report said cisgender young women are often seen as the main targets, but that is not the case.
The report states that LGBT+ homeless youth “require special attention in the provision of safe and secure services”, and that “gendered definitions of trafficking need to be expanded”.
It continues: “While cisgender female individuals are often conceptualised as the main targets of trafficking vulnerabilities, transgender respondents report significantly higher rates of trafficking than their cisgender counterparts (including both male and female cisgender respondents).
“The full spectrum of gender identity must be understood and accepted in order to fully serve transgender youth and effectively address the needs of trafficked youth.”
Of those surveyed between September and November 2018, seven per cent were trans or non-binary and 24 per cent identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual. Four per cent identified as an orientation other than LGB or straight.
High school football players allegedly shouted homophobic slurs at a male cheerleader, aged just 14.
The incident on October 18 at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, California, saw the teen targeted with homophobic chants from varsity football players, who branded him a “fag” for being part of the cheerleading squad.
According to local newspaper Mercury News, school officials asked the Santa Clara Police Department to investigate after the teen and another female cheerleader were threatened with violence.
The boy, who is not being named, is still attending school.
Father of cheerleader is ‘fearful for his safety’.
His father told the newspaper: “We are fearful for his safety — now more than ever
“Even after everything that happened, he went back [to the field] and faced it.
“He’s so courageous. He has a responsibility to his team and to the school. He’s out there to cheer the football team and this is what they do.”
The school said in a statement: “At Santa Clara Unified School District, we proactively work to create an environment that embraces diversity and we do not tolerate harassment or bullying of any kind.”
Thousands demand action after ‘sickening’ incident.
A petition in support of the bullied teen has attracted more than 2,800 supporters.
It states: “Despite the fact that the cheerleaders spend hours of their day cheering on various sports teams, these football members thought it appropriate to be cruel and harass a single cheerleader based on their biases and prejudice.
“While many people are aware of this incident, there is a slim chance much will be done to change this behaviour by tweeting/posting about it.
“The main purpose of this petition is to call the administration and football coaches to attention, so they can investigate this incident.ADVERTISING
