NY City Council Declares Today as “Day Against Homophobia”

From Opposing View:

New York City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is standing with the Puerto Rican community to demand that the rash of anti-gay and transgender murders in Puerto Rico be properly investigated and covered by the media.

The New York City Council along with other elected officials, in a press conference, will declare July 13 the “New York City Day Against Homophobia” to symbolically stand in solidarity with the LGBT Puerto Rican community.

WHERE: Steps of New York City Hall – 2 Lafayette St (Chambers Street)

WHEN: Tuesday – July 13, 2010 11:00 am

WHO: New York State Senator Thomas K. Duane, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, New York City Council Members Rosie Mendez, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Daniel Dromm, Jimmy Van Bramer, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Latino Commission on AIDS, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, New York City Anti-Violence Project, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, The Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund

Since 2002, 25 gay and transgender people have been murdered in Puerto Rico—six of these murders occurred since last November. Most of these crimes were not investigated by the local authorities as hate crimes and very few have received media coverage.

“This is about the concrete harms that members of our community still face even with inclusive hate crime protections. Everyday LGBT people face, harassment, violence and even murder simply for being who they are. The media has a responsibility to elevate these important stories,” said Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs for GLAAD. “We are proud to work with the New York City Council and our fellow community partners to raise visibility around this issue and demand these stories be told in the media.”

“This is about members of the Puerto Rican lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender community feeling safe in their communities and being able to take care of the ones they love,” said Pedro Julio Serrano, communications manager, for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “New York City’s LGBT community stands with the Puerto Rican community in response to this rash of murders and demands that they receive proper investigations by the local authorities and coverage by the local media,” he continued.