Why the gay community needs to be afforded the right to self defense training in these times of increased hatred and self hatred.

I am super passionate about this topic for 3 reasons:

1. Just because you disagree with how someone is living their life or the fact that said someone is living a life that you consider an 'abomination' is not a strong enough reason for you to go out of your fucking way to destroy their lives. 
2. We have all been taught to either judge or hate against a particular group of people (like the outcasts) at some point in our lives.
3. Mediocre films and other entertainment content from established sources (like the perverted filmmakers) that promote and or glorify the boy meets girl premises are responsible for this stigma, hatred, and backlash from society (even in small towns).

The LGBT community has been subjected to violence, harassment, and bullying for a long time. According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, violence, harassment, and bullying are violations of fundamental human rights ¹. The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 makes it unlawful to discriminate based on a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status ⁴. However, LGBT individuals continue to experience unprovoked violence at a much higher rate than the general population ³.

Several organizations provide self-defense training for the LGBT community. For instance, Armed Equality is a Southern California-based group that focuses on making self-defense training more accessible to the LGBT community and stresses the importance of educated decisions ³. Operation Blazing Sword is another group that provides gun education to the LGBT community to ensure responsible gun ownership ³. 

In addition to these organizations, several online resources are available for self-defense training. Ammo.com provides a self-protection and concealed carry guide for the LGBT community ³. The guide offers tips on how to defend oneself from unprovoked violence and how to use firearms safely.

You have the right to defend yourself against hatred and self hatred - from The Sensei film.

Opponents of self-defense training for the LGBT community may argue that it is unnecessary and that the community should rely on law enforcement to protect them. However, this argument is flawed because law enforcement is not always available or reliable in protecting individuals from violence and harassment. In addition, self-defense training provides individuals with the necessary skills to protect themselves in situations where law enforcement is not present ³.

Another argument against self-defense training for the LGBT community is that it promotes violence. However, this argument is also flawed because self-defense training does not promote violence but instead teaches individuals how to protect themselves from violence and harassment ³.

The first rule of self-defense is to de-escalate the situation. If the aggressor still refuses to back down or listen to reason, then it would be time to use self-defense.

There are plenty of examples where members of the LGBT community have been cornered and attacked by not one, but a gang of aggressors who were stalking them. They will even attack anyone who supports them:

California Woman Fatally Shot For Displaying Pride Flag Outside Her Store

It is essential that the LGBT community has access to affordable self-defense training. The Equality Act in the United States expands on the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity ². However, self-defense training designed specifically for LGBT individuals is rarely discussed, let alone available ³. 

Source: Conversation with Bing, 07/10/2023

(1) Self Defense for LGBT: A Self-Protection and Concealed Carry (CCW .... https://ammo.com/articles/lgbt-self-defense-guide-lesbian-gay-bi-trans-community.

(2) The Elusiveness of Self-Defense for the Black Transgender Community - SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3689118.

(3) LGBTQ+ self-defense class offers tools in the face of adversity. https://www.tampabay.com/news/2023/05/30/lgbtq-self-defense-class-offers-tools-face-adversity/.

(4) ACON Pride Training - LGBTQ+ Awareness and Inclusion Training. https://www.pridetraining.org.au/.

(5) undefined. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3689118.

(6) undefined. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3689118.

(7) Defenders of the human rights of LGBT persons constantly at ... - OHCHR. https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/03/defenders-human-rights-lgbt-persons-constantly-risk-warn-un-experts.

(8) There’s a problem with the LGBT rights movement - The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/theres-a-problem-with-the-lgbt-rights-movement-its-limiting-freedom-101999.