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It appeares to me that you are on the same wavelength. I wasn't aware of the 'Panic Defense Clause' in the UK.

Perhaps on this point it could be said that GB's legal system is slightly backward and unprepared for the kind of violent homophobia that may very well immigrate here with members of fanatical fundamentalist sects of Islam.

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James, I am sorry to read about your experiences (above) at the hands of a thug's solicitor. It is a timely reminder of the fact that the legal profession remains dominated by straight white males who – legal equality or not – will still try to use homophobia to defend their privileges.

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I've been asking him why his office and why he, as Mayor of London, hasn't been speaking out against these Hate Crimes and specifically the murders against those from within the LGBT community. He ignored the requests and instead told me to liaise with the MPA.

I responded saying that it wasn't the MPA I was asking, but him. So, why was HE not saying anything.

I would also encourage all of you to do the same if you can.

regards

RJ

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Panic defence allows a person to avoid culpability for murder of a homosexual person by claiming that in panic they murdered the person because they made a sexual advance which cased them to panic.

Albeit Institutional racism . . . they is no formal structured legal equivalent as far as I am aware regard to race

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I knew someone would come around to proposing a discussion like this… and it sounds interesting. I suggest we begin by defining the options, e.g. what is racism, exactly, and what is Islamophobia…. as opposed to self-defense.

I also find Mike's comments noteworthy. Is homophobia in London really on the rise, or is it simply getting more exposure in the media?

Mihangel:

Admitting one's phobias ain't easy. There again, it would be worth while to draw the line between a phobia and self-defense. For example, those who would kill harmless gays are not defending themselves, are they?

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"The high levels of racism in the LGBT community"?
or
"The high levels of homophobia in the immigrant community"?

Discuss.

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The primitive Islam that shouts ludest in this country teaches its children to hate us, and tries to get the laws to exclude us.

And enables its adherants to physically attack us

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Wjhat is the community there doing about it? I want to see signs in their language sponsored by hackney and tower hamlets, and the police, making it clear, homophobic abuse will not be tolerated and its perpetrators will be rooted out.

In fact, it is high time a public show of LGBT visibility was made in the Shoreditch area specifically.

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I see genuine concern, worry and anxiety about the homophobia coming from communities who come from countries where imprisoning, lashing – or even executing – gay people is a normal, government-sanctioned activity. No one can expect these people's values, views and culture to magically change or disappear just because they step onto British land.

I'd be surprised if anyone posting here was racist. How exactly is discussing the negative impact of mass immigration "racist"? I welcome people of any culture and creed who want to integrate and who also share common values of decency. It's a typical "poltically correct" retort to scream "racism" because you have no real answers.

My ex-boyfriend was asian and muslim and he shares the concerns described here. He has experienced the hostility and violence. He was disowned by his family and community, attacked and threatened with death if he returns to their "area" (an inner city part of the UK). He said to me he was disgusted to see the freedoms here that allowed him to live his life in peace (fairly) openly being threatened and eroded by people from his community who refused to integrate. Is he racist?

This is why the gay community needs to be as loud and proud as possible, to show them we will not be defeated and silenced by medieval cultures that are becoming sadly more respected and accepted.

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It is not racist to be concerned about people wanting to enter the UK from other countries where homosexuality is not tolerated, viewed as immoral or worse is illegal and punishable by death. . .

As mentioned in a previous thread, there are some groups in the UK who think they are justified under their religous systems in calling for the LGBT people to be killed. . . this is 21st century UK not the middle ages . . . when are some LGBT people going to wake up instead of shouting racist racist racist.

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Christina: As stats and census reports don't show it, it is not possible to confirm, but as I said earlier, gay men tend to congregate in cities than stay out in 'the sticks'. I think most people would agree with that. That also means that the effective rates of homophobia are likely to be higher accordingly.

Mihangel: Where I live in East London, over 90% are immigrant / foreigner. Christine's statistics are only looking at the general spread. What goes on in Berwick-on-Tweed is hardly typical of the same in Bethnal Green or Moss Side. There is a massive slant on the demographic.

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It is interesting that, while the non white population of London is almost 29%, only 3% of the reported homophobic attackers were asian and 4% black.

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"In 2007-08, 76% of homophobic crime defendants were
identified as belonging to the White British category, and 79% were categorised as White. Just under 3% of defendants were identified as Asian, and a further 4% were identified as Black. 4% of defendants did not state an ethnicity on arrest."

In fact, 79% were white, not 76% as quoted from the Pink News article.

The report also shows that Metropolitan and City areas had more than double the amount of homophobic/transphobic prosecutions compared to anywhere else in England and Wales. Bearing in mind Metropolitan and City areas tend to have a higher percentage of ethnic minorities in the population e.g. 2001 census shows London's non-white population was 28.86%, one would expect the results to be skewed towards an increase in percentage for the non-white population. But it appears that the percentage is overall less for what one would expect within the population.

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