While 2017 saw a number of great things happen for the LGBT community, we also faced a series of blows that not only hurt LGBT peoples rights, but saw many killed too.
Let’s take a look back in solidarity at those we’ve lost this year, and how we can keep fighting to make 2018 better for our community.
Trump speaking at an anti-gay conference
Donald Trump became the first sitting president to speak at an anti-gay conference this year. He attended the Values Voter Summit in October, an event held by anti-LGBT organisation Family Research Council who were classed as a hate group in 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center (Click here to read more).
Chechnya’s anti-gay purge
Chechnya launched a terrifying crackdown on LGBT people this year. Back in July, the names of 27 men believed to be killed during the state’s anti-gay purge were published by a Russian newspaper. A pop star was also reported missing and later believed to have been killed amidst the anti-gay purge (Click here to read more).
Trump’s trans military ban
Back in July, President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that transgender Americans will not be allowed to serve openly in the US military. The move was met with criticism from celebrities and activists alike, until a US District Judge ruled against it (Click here to read more).
Kevin Spacey
House of Cards star and two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey came out as gay publicly after being accused of making a sexual advance on actor Anthony Rapp when he was 14-years-old. In a statement, Spacey apologised for the claim but insisted he does “not remember the encounter” (Click here to read more).
Russian authorities arrest LGBT activists protesting against Chechnya’s persecuation of gay men
Police in Russia arrested around 20 LGBT+ activists protesting against the treatment of gay men in Chechnya at St Petersburg’s May Day demonstrations.
14 year old shot dead by his father for being gay
A 14-year-old teenager was shot dead by his father because he was gay. The murder occurred in early November after neighbours reportedly heard a heated argument between the two before the sound of gun shots (Click here to read more).
Abuse against LGBT people doubled during Australian equal marriage postal vote
The number of assaults against LGBT people doubled during Australia’s equal marriage postal vote. Over 9,500 LGBT people and allies participated in the study which revealed that experiences of verbal and physical assaults had more than doubled (Find out more about the study here).
Egyptian crackdown
Egypt launches a brutal crackdown on members of the LGBT community in the country after rainbow flags were flown at a Mashrou’ Leila concert in Cairo back in September. Since then, it’s thought that over 30 people have been arrested and 14 men were sentenced to three years in jail (Click here to read more).
Man found guilty of torturing 8-year-old to death because he thought he was gay
A man was found guilty of torturing his girlfriend’s eight-year-old son to death because he believed him to be gay. The child was found with a catalogue of terrible injuries when he was hospitalised on May 22, 2013 (Click here to read more).