How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
It's been 40 years since the Stonewall Riots. Annise Parker, an open lesbian, is in a run-off election to become mayor of Houston, Texas. Last month, 75,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. for the National Equality March to demand gay rights.
Well, 40 years, multiple anti-discrimination laws and tens of thousands of passionate people later, intolerance still manages to slither into even the most liberal communities. On Monday, Nov. 4, an East Village taxi driver kicked Paul Bruno and his partner out of his cab after catching the heathen couple in the ribald act of — prepare yourself — hugging. Filthy, I know. The driver, Medhat Mohamed screamed, "You guys have to get out of the taxi! Hugging is not allowed in here!" leaving the stunned lovers on the street after only two blocks. To make things even more peachy, Taxi and Limousine Commission spokesman Allan Fromberg told the New York Post that the commission "would take such an allegation very seriously and fully investigate." Then, they labeled the offense simply as "service refusal," resulting in a $200 to $500 fine. Thanks, Allan.
Still, possibly the most upsetting part of this whole brouhaha is the comments left by several readers on the article posted by the New York Post, a publication that harbors readers that apparently can't stomach gays and beatniks. One states, "Ride the gay taxi next time if you're not happy. A bunch of AIDs [sic] breeders," while another reads, "HA HA, MAINE VOTED DOWN GAY MARRIAGE. NOWHERE IN AMERICA WILL IT PASS BY VOTERS. MASSACHUSETTS MUST HAVE A VOTE BY THE PEOPLE NOT LESBO [sic] JUDGES!!" And so on.
I come from Orange County, California, where people comment on how thin my Asian eyes are and throw around the phrase "You're so gay" to refer to something stupid. So when I came to New York City, it felt as if the thoughts that were once stifled beneath layers and layers of my terrified heart were liberated. Now, after escaping the insipid and passive-aggressive intolerance of the suburbs, it pains me to have to be reminded that hate, no matter where we go, is constantly existing and painfully vivid.
The taxi driver's actions, the commission's indifference, the mockery in the online comments: These are acts of violence. The perpetrators treat homosexuals as if they were fiends that do not deserve either respect or peace. That is brutality. That sort of abuse is offensive to victims, their family and friends, and all LGBT individuals. It is offensive to me, a heterosexual woman, for I am human and I know how difficult it is just to live with discrimination. It breaks my heart to watch my gay friends just shake their heads and laugh upon hearing this news. They aren't surprised. The fact that they expect it is tragic; no one should expect to be mistreated. I am appalled that these offenses still occur in this day and age, in my community and augur the potential of the same happening to my peers.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission needs to take this situation seriously. They must enforce strict retribution to the driver and offer the affronted couple an apology and compensation. Unfortunately, complete equality and respect for all people will probably never come; still, we must confront these issues day by day, no matter how small the situation may seem and try as hard as we can to fight prejudice and injustice.
