(Photo Credits: yanishevska from Shutterstock)
The FBI’s latest annual crime report reveals an alarming increase in hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community. According to the data, hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose 13.8% while those concerning gender identity surged 32.9% compared to the previous year.
Specifically, the number of incidents related to sexual orientation grew from 1,711 in 2021 to 1,947 in 2022. Hate crimes targeting gender identity increased from 353 to 469, with 338 targeting transgender individuals and 131 aimed at those who were gender non-conforming.
The Human Rights Campaign, a prominent LGBTQ+ civil rights group, expressed grave concern over the statistics. “The rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes is both shocking and heartbreaking, yet sadly, not unexpected,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson in a statement.
She attributed the troubling climate to a “constant stream of hostile rhetoric from fringe anti-equality figures and a wave of discriminatory bills, especially those aimed at transgender individuals.”
In addition, the FBI’s report provided additional insights into hate crime categories. It found that race- and ethnicity-motivated crimes remain the largest, making up 56% of the total. Religion-based hate crimes were the second largest category, followed by those targeting sexual orientation.
Significantly, the FBI noted that over one in five hate crimes reported in 2022 were due to anti-LGBTQ+ bias. This suggests a growing prevalence of hateful acts stemming from discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity.
The alarming hate crime statistics occurred alongside a major surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation at the state level. Data shows over 550 such bills were proposed in 43 different states, with over 80 becoming law. This represents more than double the number passed in the previous year, demonstrating a disturbing rising pattern.
Some experts attribute this influx to more extremist Republican candidates advancing transgender-negative rhetoric and policies as they seek higher office. The legislation has been accompanied by “increased anti-transgender rhetoric and violence.” The confluence of these social and political trends suggests a worsening environment for LGBTQ+ Americans.
Given the dangerous combination of discriminatory legislation and increasing violence faced by the LGBTQ+ community, the Human Rights Campaign took the unprecedented step in June and declared a national state of emergency regarding the threats faced by the community. This marked the first such alarm raised in the organization’s over 40 years of advocacy, underscoring the severity of challenges now confronting LGBTQ+ individuals across the country due to both social and political pressures.
While the Biden-Harris administration has taken steps to improve how consistently hate crime data is reported, the Human Rights Campaign asserts more must be done to ensure a fully transparent portrait of such offenses.
According to HRC, additional measures are vital to developing a comprehensive and precise documentation of bias-motivated attacks. The organization argues enhanced compliance and accounting are critical prerequisites for properly addressing the problem and protecting communities increasingly vulnerable to hate-driven violence and discrimination. Further progress is still needed, HRC maintains, to establish an accurate and complete reporting framework that can effectively inform response efforts. “If we’re going to bring a stop to that violence, we need a full accounting of just how many hate crimes are taking place – and that requires every jurisdiction stepping up,” Robinson said. For more information, click here and here.
. . . The effects of the rightwing “maga” Christain coalition/s, which are now associated with the nazi movement, to the point where Christianity and nazism are now considered, synonymous . . . That’s quite the association, isn’t it? It’s dragging Christianity through the mud; sullying it; talk about literal degradation OMG! It’s as though, “white” which was supposed to stand for “purity” has become the “666” in reality because you can see “white”, but no one has seen anyone with those #’s as a birth mark. Look at all the harm, this ‘ideology’ has done around the world, it’s… Read more »
Interesting. I saw an article in my news feed this morning that said a US government representative said that the LGTBQ+ movement’s backers were the equivalent of Nazi’s. Just depends on your political perspective, it seems. Such language from both sides benefits no one.
Hunter0500:
Most Americans do not understand the Heinousness of using “Nazi”.
I am German/Dutch on my father’s side and as a child, my father took great pains to
explain “Who and What were The Nazis
One of my father’s relatives was shot in the back-of-his-head, at 21,
because
he would kill
only Americans Soldiers – not Jews.
He refused to staff a Concentration Camp
He was a member of the German Army and as such, he would fight as a German Soldier –
not –
as a German Practitioner of Genocide.
And that, is the fuckin’ problem; these worldly educated, affluent cocksuckers; forgot, buying into “WHITE” they were murdered as well as the polish, the Jews, the gay, the infirm, etc., . . . Wait, they’ve been endoctined, nothing new there, the country is heavily populated by Germans, right, they WERE the most dominant European here, at one time; I know my history, especially, having grown up in the five-state area of the Midwest of Minnesota. The mother country, for all walks of life, is a strong draw, but one has to choose one side or the other . . .… Read more »
Rage, Rage, Rage…to the dying of the light!
Fire & Brimstone…from the Pulpit
without
an attending congregation!
Who the fuck, are they ‘we’ murdering, can you fuckin’ distinguish between the two? FREDOM, to be who you are, love whom each other want to or can! If you ‘we’ should burn in fuckin’ hell for it, whose business is it; not that they’re tryin’ to save anyone’s soul! These mutha fucka’s cannot save their own fuckin’ souls they’re so guilty, on multiple counts, man, really, are you fuckin’ kidding me?! Have you seen any of these documentaries, with these mega Christian groups; raping/molesting kids, tax frauds and shit, I’m watching multiple docs on the subject, (Hulu)! In fact,… Read more »
Again Hunter my friend, I agree with your perspective but I believe that the right is worse. I’m bashing RepublicanTrump in regard to hate crimes rising in our country among races. Trump emboldened white people in general and politicians such as Tuberville, DeSantis, etc, that it ok to trash African Americans and wipe out our valued history. Trump said shoplifters should be shot!! Isn’t that a little extreme? I wonder what race of people he perceives as shoplifters? The whites (murderers) that raided the US capital with weapons, AMERICA FLAG, bear spray etc he said were good people!! Ummmmmmmmmm. You… Read more »
Crime, unfortunately, has increased in recent years. The Community has equally been included in that uptick, whether for general crimes or those of hate. While there is NO excuse for hate crimes, extremist members of The Community act in ways that contribute to its growth. Excessive flamboyant behavior in public spaces invites conflict. Prolonged pushes of one-sided LGTBQ-biased policies and laws in school systems, universities, and city or town or county or state government entities invites conflict from extremists who do not favor The Community. LGTBQ extremists would do better by seeking compromise over authoritarianism. Instead of demanding Transgender individuals… Read more »
Normalizing what is to be perceived as bad/destructive behavior among the general public in the “gay community” didn’t help anyone.
what causes these increases in hate crimes?
Undue propaganda by the Liberal Media whose only justification seems to parlay needless attention
on gay men and gay women?
The more media attention, the more the average “Joe Blow & Jane Doe” become aware of our
existence.
The increased awareness – increases – concern, fear, distrust, hatred and an overwhelming sense
that we are everywhere and taking over the life and liberties of Heterosexuals?
A self-fulfilling prophecy at work!
. . . Is that what you think of people of color, too? Should we have continued to hide shamefully; cowards get no respect, man, which actually gives them more power over you . . . Because you’re saying to them, you’re correct, you’re right, I deserve your abuses. I’m not going to love, serve a country, that does not appreciate my contributions, but excepts my contribution with disrespect to me in return. WTF!!! THAT IS NARCISSISM, I will not abide it!!! It’s proven fact, that if someone hits you, and you do nothing, the next blow will come harder!… Read more »
The truth of the matter is that no one really cares about who you sleep with at the end of the day. Bigotry and hatred are taught/learned, so is racism. We are not born with any of that. “Gay” and “race” are modern day/industrial terms.
That’s absolutely crazy; of course, they care, the very reason for today’s politics. Point two; is well known. goes without saying.
Rage, Rage, Rage…to the dying of the light!
Fire & Brimstone…from the Pulpit
without
an attending congregation!
“Cause and effect” works every time! And every time, dummies don’t get it.
This is correct, homosexuality has been used as a tool in the media for the last few years, pop stars even use it to sell an image, or get followers on social media, that’s just a tip of the iceberg. Sexuality is just sexuality, it shouldn’t be exploited to sell a product or an agenda.
Glad you took it as I meant it!
One, as you have already read, did not take it as intended.
Homosexuality has become
“Objectified” now that it has become “Mainstream”.
We dont hate the sinner we hate the sin that they are commenting. We love our kids. Suppose that one of our kids does something bad that we hate. Does that mean we hate our kid that did it. No
Some Christian churches have given up the “sinner” designation that came into vogue a couple iof decades ago. It was thought to be tidy, forgiving and everso all things Christ-like. But it was unmasked for what it is: sounding nice and sounding progressive, but full of judgement and hate.
None of which is Christ-like because God created all of us, Gays as well and he’s the judge. Not us.
Nothing is, as portrayed: it’s just marketing; pulling the wool over your eyes; wolves in sheep’s clothing, etc., just a plain flat-out lie!
Just like in the advent of America, nothing has changed with these people; still preaching the bible yet acting in the opposite of its message; but rather hate, greed, and yes, sexual deviancy.