Let Us Not Be Complacent & Invisible

As anyone who knows me knows, the two things that really get me ranting to anyone that will listen is ‘apathy’ and ‘subtle homo/trans/bi-phobia’ in society. I have spoken in previous posts about how both are dangerous. My friends will happily tell me I’m being OTT, shrug their shoulders and tell me to lighten up when I get on my soap box about how we in Brighton & Hove are wrong to be so complacent just because there’s greater acceptance of LGBT in our city ‘bubble’ here.

The 17^th May was International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).  Here in Brighton an event was organised and a small group of people showed up to mark this annual day of awareness. If estimated statistics are correct, the 20,000 LGBT residents of Brighton & Hove that day were predominantly invisible.  Apathy was prevailing and our city bubble mentality preventing many from feeling the need to make any noise.

It was therefore quite fitting and coincidental that the speakers at the Brighton IDAHOBIT event all spoke about ‘invisibleness’.

Camel Gupta from Brighton Bothways & Queers of Colour Brighton, spoke about how, “Biphobia is often the thing that happens in these communities that gets ignored. (I’ve started a new group for) people of colour who are LGBT and queer and in three months our membership is in double figures.  It’s important to include the things that get missed”.

Nick Douglas, Founder of F2M Brighton and LGBT Health Involvement Project (HIP) Coordinator, spoke about “What we know about discrimination and hated against LGBT people is that it is often rooted in invisibility. When it comes to standing up against discrimination against LGBT people we as trans men are not invisible and we are not silent. The T in LGBT is not silent”.

Sheila McWattie of the Brighton Women’s Centre spoke about how, “We’ve been very involved in...  just making some noise and getting out there and making ourselves visible. So the message I’d like to give to you is if you’re part of a group or want to start a group, there’s plenty of scope... for you starting something new, joining forces and bringing a new face to what is an old ancient problem that shouldn’t be there anymore”.

Jan Baxter from Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS), said about how “As we become more confident in ourselves with equality laws in place... it’s important that as LGBT people we don’t pull the drawbridge up behind us... I don’t want us to ever do the worst thing possible; we face a lot of threats from stupid people. The important thing is that we are our own biggest enemy because complacency is the thing that threatens us not the threat without”.

Last year from April 2010 to March 2011, there were 69 LGBT hate crimes within Brighton & Hove and 3 LGBT hate incidents including that of my friend who was beaten up on Steine Street (by the Aquarium Bar) off St James Street in Brighton's gay village, in broad daylight for being gay.

Beaten up for being gay in Brighton

LGBT Hate Crime exists in Brighton & Hove

Let ‘us’ not be our biggest enemy. 72 LGBT hate crimes and incidents within our ‘Brighton bubble’ in one year is reason enough to for us to not become invisible through complacency, a shrug of our shoulders and a misguided belief that ‘it doesn’t effect me’. 

I will certainly continue to voice against ‘apathy’ and ‘subtle homo/trans/bi-phobia’ in society that is here in Brighton & Hove as well as nationally, and dangerous. I just hope that you will be listening.