A gay Phoenix, Arizona resident named Cesar Marin says he was the victim of a gay bashing this weekend. Police are reportedly investigating. Marin says they have arrested one suspect
In a public Facebook post (which has since been shared over 1,600 times), Marin wrote:
“I was attacked by a mob of 10 people [early Saturday morning]. It all started with 1 girl flicking her cigarette in my car and calling me a faggot. Before I knew it, I was surrounded in a hail of punches. One guy kicked me in the face when I fell down. The police are investigating and they have the cigarette the girl flicked into my car. I have a broken nose and a swollen face and bruised body. Im home resting. Thanks for all your love!”
Marin reportedly had his nose broken in two places after a man kicked him in the face. Although Marin still has bruising and pain, he’s confident he’ll make a full recovery.
National statistics suggest that hate crimes against LGBTQ people have been increasing since 2016, though this can be difficult to quantify. Vanessa Panfil, a professor of criminal justice, told BuzzFeed News that violence against LGBTQ people might be connected to the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ policies and rhetoric.
Related: Arizona pastor predicts ‘AIDS-free world by Christmas’ if all ‘homos’ are killed
Arizona has a mixed record of late when it comes to LGBTQ rights. Even though state Democrats have pushed for statewide nondiscrimination protections, conservatives continue pushing for retrogressive policies like a law that would forbid teachers from discussing any “controversial” issues (including contemporary politics, slavery and anything LGBTQ). Under the law, teachers would be fired if they discuss these topics.
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Arizona is also one of seven U.S. states with a “no promo homo” law forbidding teachers from ever mentioning homosexuality “in a positive light.” Last month, Kathy Hoffman, Arizona’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction, said the law should be repealed.
