New Yorkers Stood By As Gay Man Beaten On Subway

On Sunday, a couple was coming home after celebrating their tenth anniversary when a man approached them and started to beat J.P. Masterson in the face. “I fucking hate faggots” the assailant told Masterson and his partner, Peter Moore as they waited on the platform for a subway in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The couple says there were about 50 people at the busy subway station, but not one bothered to help.

The police are investigating the incident as a bias crime. The suspect, according to the New York Times, had first asked the couple if they were gay.

Masterson, whose nose ands eye socket were broken and eye badly bruised, is 39 and reportedly lives in Clifton, New Jersey, but says he grew and came out in the Village.

“Police describe the suspect as a white male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs around 170 pounds and is in his late 20s. He may also have a thick Polish accent,” NJ.comreports:

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, visit the Crime Stoppers website or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

 

The New York City Anti-Violence Project announced they “will be doing outreach next Wednesday, March 12th in the West Village and in and around the West 4th Street subway station, where we will talk with community members to increase awareness about this incident and provide people with safety information.” You can contact RJ Mendoza, AVP’s Hate Violence Community Organizer, at rmendoza@avp.org.

 

Last year, New York City experienced yet another jump in anti-gay hate crimes, including the shooting murder of 32-year old Mark Carson.

 

Journalist Brutally Beaten in possible Midtown Hate Crime, undergoes brain surgery

The family of Randy Gener, an award-winning Filipino-American editor, writer and artist, is asking for the public’s help in finding out who attacked him on Seventh Ave. near W. 54th St. around 3 a.m. Jan. 17th. 

An award-winning journalist was brutally beaten in Midtown, officials said Saturday.Randy Gener, a Filipino-American editor, writer and artist, was attacked and left suffering from a massive head injury on Seventh Ave. near W. 54th St. as he returned home from a party at about 3 a.m. on Jan. 17, friends of the beloved, openly gay media expert said.

Paramedics rushed Gener, who lost his father to gun violence, to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he underwent brain surgery. Gener, who worked stints at the Daily News, as well as The New York Times, the Village Voice, Crain’s and National Public Radio, is speaking but has no memory of what happened,family members told Eyewitness News.

“He can’t answer the questions of what happened that night, he doesn’t really exactly know who we are or where he’s at sometimes,” said Gener’s sister, Jessica Blair Driessler. “It’s really painful to see him here the way that he is because he’s the most articulate person.”Cops were searching for the 45-year-old’s assailants but said so far there’s no evidence to indicate that the attack was a hate crime.

Two vigils are being held for Gener in Manhattan — one at 53rd St. and Seventh Ave. at 6 p.m. Sunday and one at the Philippine Center, on Fifth Ave. near 45th St. at 7 p.m. Monday — as friends collect donations for his medical expenses.

Anyone who wishes to donate can log on to his YouCaring fundraiser page.

 

2013 LGBT Accomplishments and More

 

2013 has been a powerful year of accomplishments for the members of the LGBT community. It has also been a great year as a self identified transgender man and open bisexual in New York City.  Here are some of the international, national and city LGBT moments of 2013 (not in any particular order)

• Aziz Ansari Took Down Homophobia in 2 minutes flat
• Barilla Pasta’s CEO learned NOT to mess with the LGBT community
• Orange is the New Black and Laverne Cox become the first mainstream scripted television series too cast a transwoman of color in a leading role
• GLAAD Expanded it’s mission to include Trans* Rights
• Steamy Photo- Shoot featuring Ines Rau a Transwoman, made waves
• Chelsea Manning bravely opened up about her gender identity
• Kristen Beek became the first Transgender Navy SEAL to come out after her service
• Islan Neetles death sparked calls from Politicians to Pass GENDA (Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act)
• Same Love- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
• The Boy Scouts will allow gay boys too be scouts
• NBA Jason Collins Came out
• Pope Francis “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge”
• Jodie Foster Came Out
• 75% of Millennial Came Out in Support of Marriage Equality
• DOMA and Prop 8 struck down on the same day
• Bryan John Ellicott and the HRC
• July 7th Launch of this Blog
• New Jersey, Hawaii, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Utah
• Colorado allows Civil Unions
• Republican Rob Portman came out in Support of his gay son & Marriage Equality
• Raven Simone Came Out on twitter
• Edie Windsor @ NYC Pride
• Tim Cook Came Out in Support of ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act)
• France, New Zealand, England and Wales, Uruguay all got Marriage Equality
• Germany offers a third gender option on birth certificates
• GQ Magazine Germany shot straight allies committed to Ending Homophobia
• Australia’s PM took down every argument against Marriage Equality in One Speech
• Activist fought back against Russia Anti-Gay Law
• President Obama appointed Gay Athlete Billy Jean to Represent USA in the Sochi Olympics

Statement by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office at the trial of Paris Wilson

Statement by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office at the trial of Paris Wilson, accused killer of Islan Nettles.
This was the complete statement read by the prosecutor in court yesterday:

“As the Court is aware, the defendant was originally arrested in this case on a charge of misdemeanor assault. Several days after the arrest, the victim died from her injuries. Since that time, we have been aggressively investigating the crime as a homicide.
For the reasons referenced in court on the prior two dates, however, the case has turned out to be a uniquely complex one, and we are not yet prepared to go to the grand jury. However we continue to actively investigate this case in the hopes of ultimately holding the person responsible for this crime accountable. Today, we concede that eh speedy trial time has run with only with regards to the misdemeanor with which the defendant is charged – and thus the case must be dismissed. It should be emphasized, however, that the crime we are investigating, homicide, has no statutory speedy-trial deadline. Therefore, should our ongoing investigation ultimately result in an indictment of Mr. Wilson for homicide, the case would be promptly restored to the calendar and would move forward, notwithstanding today’s dismissal of the misdemeanor charge.”