How Florida legally terrorized gay students
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- Опубліковано 3 лис 2019
- The hidden history of a Florida witch hunt.
Help our reporting on hidden histories. Submit a story idea here: bit.ly/2RhjxMy
Starting in the 1950s, a Florida state committee spent years stalking, intimidating, and outing hundreds of LGBTQ people. And they got away with it. Amid a national witch hunt for communists and an ascendant civil rights movement, a group of Florida politicians with a mission to preserve racial segregation in the state created a powerful group called the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee.
Commonly called the "Johns Committee" for the influential state senator Charley Johns who spearheaded it, the Committee went after civil rights activists by arguing they were backed by communists. But when those investigations failed, they turned to a new group to target: LGBTQ people. Today, over 50 years later, some Florida legislators are calling for the state to finally come to terms with this part of its history.
Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: When Florida had a committee to terrorize gay people
In the Vox series Missing Chapter, Vox Senior Producer Ranjani Chakraborty revisits underreported and often overlooked moments from the past to give context to the present. Join her as she covers the histories that are often left out of our textbooks. Our first season tackles stories of racial injustice, political conflicts, even the hidden history of US medical experimentation.
Have an idea for a story that Ranjani should investigate for Missing Chapter? Send it to her via this form! bit.ly/2RhjxMy
Sign up for the Missing Chapter newsletter to stay up to date with the series: vox.com/missing-chapter
Explore the full Missing Chapter playlist, including episodes, a creator Q&A, and more! • Missing Chapter - Vox
To learn more, check out some of our sources below:
Our DocumentCloud folder with the Florida state archives we used in the piece: www.documentcloud.org/search/...
Judith Poucher’s book on the history of the Johns Committee, “State of Defiance:
Challenging the Johns Committee's Assault on Civil Liberties” - upf.com/book.asp?id=POUCH003
Stacy Braukman’s book on the history of the Johns Committee, “Communists and Perverts under the Palms” - upf.com/book.asp?id=BRAUK001
Karen L. Graves’ book on the Johns Committee’s purges of K-12 teachers, “And They Were Wonderful Teachers” - www.press.uillinois.edu/books...
Watch the documentary, “The Committee,” on the history of the Johns Committee: www.pbs.org/show/committee/
Check out the documentary “Behind Closed Doors,” on the history of the committee: www.behindcloseddoorsfilm.com/...
Read about the push for a state apology by Florida State Rep. Evan Jenne and State Sen. Lauren Book: www.tallahassee.com/story/new...
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com.
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"It was a low degree of terror."
This man could barely choke out those words a half century later...
Low degree? I don't think so.
😢 I can't even begin to imagine
i thought he meant "low" as a signifier of how "low" the actions were morally. like, it was an immoral degree of terror.
Imagine if everytime you meet someone you have to wonder if your being set up...very lonely
I imagine that was what life was like for blacks in the southern states back then.
@@cyrene7784 "Hey roommate you aren't black, are you?"
Could you imagine having to question if every single person you engage with is a plant by some organization?
Yes.
People STILL have to question whether people in their lives are plants from the government. Try googling "UK police activists scandal" sometime. It's horrifying.
I live in germany. The stasi had 200.000 "inofficial coworkers" as they called them (in a country with 16 million people). Anyone could be working for them. Your teachers, bosses and anyone higher up the ladder HAD to cooperate with them. If your family or your friends had any refigees to west germany, you were under investigation too. They hid microphones in your home and drilled camera holes in hotel rooms. If you were cought planing an escape or talking bad about the goverment, they would blackmail you into becoming a spy too otherwise years of prision including sensory deprivation torture. This was exactly 30 years ago.
Marius Banik
Wow:(
Danekarl, you hit the point precisely. I'm the guy in the video. We never knew when we would run into one of the Johns Committee goons, and we were afraid to talk to anyone about it because we never knew who might be an undercover cop working for Johns. My roommate was a perfect example:.
And this is only 1 person’s story.
One out of many. 🙄
ned i think that's the point they're trying to make, not this is only one story so it doesn't matter
Omy
If others don’t understand, I think OP is trying to say there is so much pain in this story and it’s only one person, imagine how much more pain stems from homophobia.
So do you have information on others?
That poor man never trusted another person and I feel so bad for him. I tear up every time he does. You can still see how hard he thinks before he speaks.
Y people always try to hate others rather than to love
lol
@Sana fiza sana
That is a question all of us want answers to
lol
Indeed.
"They weren't very bright people but they have tremendous power over others, over us." Sound familiar?
oterenceo no?
Of course. Rings so many bells here in India given the current political state
@@rahuldhargalkar
Sympathies extended.
Trump
@djnennwowwk everything is political
Why isn't this taught in school?
Random Dude Because it will be boring
Homophobia my guy
Isabelle Whitley 🤦♀️
Because America doesn’t like acknowledging is filthy past
v Pooperz aight, If I’m wrong explain your ‘galaxy brain’ hot take
"These interrogators, the investigators, they weren't very bright people, but they had tremendous power over others. Over us." Some things absolutely never change
alot of government positions in any government are promoted based on either party loyalty or personal loyalty to someone at the top, _not_ on any kind of merit. This is how you wind up with alot of political attack dogs, dim witted administrators, and blind supporters in the government. It's also how they help cultivate an entrenched bureaucracy and how you help to gain dominance of a single party in a given location.
It gets kind of weird too: my local city government is hardline left wing and they often require college degrees (or internships with the government) for even menial jobs, and they almost only recruit from a select group of colleges, mainly the local liberal arts school. I had a friend who applied for a janitorial job at city hall and they denied him for not having a college degree saying it "wasn't required, but it would be preferred" and they said he should go to that same liberal arts school. Almost every job also requires you to join their employee union, which surprise, is run solely by the ruling party. They essentially only want to hire people that have the same ideology as them to guarantee party loyalty. The same goes for promotions: you almost only see hardline left wing people getting promoted or getting the best jobs. My area is roughly 60/40 left wing/right wing when it comes to civilians but over 90% of all government employees and politicians are left wing because this sort of favoritism has gone on for decades now and they're too entrenched to remove.
As my example I'm using a left wing example, but you see the same thing happening on the right side of the political spectrum as well, in most countries.
@@arthas640 Man glad to see somebody using his brain and reading the situation more than "bad straight christian" "booh america" ect
*trump sweating in a corner*
Such a tragedy, they just ruined his social life
Kinda like what we're seeing today, isn't it?
now I understand why lgbtq parades exist. To honor these victims and bring light to these issues.
And because there is still so much homophobia.
You my friend, is someone who I respect a lot because you're willing to understand
Thanks for that
I don't see any indicators in prides of this topic, considering the limited video footage I have seen from Western countries.
@@hanchenhoste5725 If I understand your statement correctly, that may more be in part because of what is available to your country. Though, and depending on which country you come from, UA-cam will have a wealth of footage available. It's still a pretty recent development in media, but there is an almost limitless amount of media associated with LGBTQ pride and examples of it. A surprising amount considering how short a timespan it's been considered socially acceptable to broach the topic at all.
It's an issue alike to racial equality and women's rights, not all of them have the same backstory or the same magnitude, but generally speaking it's about a group standing up for themselves, and moving forwards from the injustices and inequalities of times past.
This for all people who are like: "It was great back then"
Joannot i think most the people saying that would be homophobic themselves
Ya mean Trump voters?
Joannot do you like deliberately projecting demonising beliefs onto people? Why do you do it? You do know that they just mean it was nice when housing market and job opportunities and job progression was better don't you?
Joannot do you like deliberately projecting demonising beliefs onto people? Why do you do it? You do know that they just mean it was nice when housing market and job opportunities and job progression was better don't you?
@@connorp3030 Better for who?
I just want to offer a heartfelt thanks to the gentleman who was interviewed for this video. Sir, your courage and willingness to share about what was obviously a terrible time in your life (one that apparently affects you to this day) is invaluable to those of us who might otherwise have trouble connecting with that time and those events.
How stunning so brave im stunned by how brave it is
This man gives me hope, and makes me want to be proud of who I am in his honor!
He better be pushing that, after all it is his party that did this, and are still doing it in ways most people won't think of it as that
I felt so much like giving him a big long hug.
I'm so sorry, sir, for what you went through.
Thank you,@@jamesdaugherty2339. I'm the guy in the video.
Boomer: it was so much better when I was younger
well yeah, most "boomers" are straight white people, and they're either former hippies who became middle/upper class or they were people who were always middle/upper class
Arthas Menethil how are boomers mostly white? Boomer is a generation not an ideology.
@@nab.7250 boomer is a state of mind, you can be a boomer even if your 20
Ry Phi ok zoomer
@Mr. Turnenkof oh i see the type of person u are
That poor man is still in pain all these years later. I hope y'all offered to set him up with a trauma counselor if he didn't have one already.
It is almost too late, they need to debrief him, it is truly disgusting what happened to this poor man
I want to give that man a hug after what he went through
Careful there 👀
I just feel so bad
I'd hug him.
Tristan_ melfi13 like what a tight hug?
Poor guy, I hope he could have a bit of freedom in the last years. Discrimination has to end. It only causes suffering and it is against societies progressing.
And people say that we became too sensitive and the past was better. Human society disgusts me. Homophobes are lunatics.
Martín Mejía This.
Robert Not all religious people are homophobic and not all homophobes are religious, but all homophobes bad people 🤔🤔🤔
@@bobbaeba but religion is the seed, prejudice and discrimination is the plant
@@Robert-dh1yj It would be great if these "views" stopped where other peoples' rights begin, but TIME AND TIME again religious people are unable to keep their views to themselves.
It is true that you guys have different views of homosexuality. But it's when you guys start actively harassing or forcefully shove your own opinions of your disgust with homosexuality, is when issues start to arise.
Imagine hating someone because of their sexuality that has absolutely nothing to do with you.. lol
Republicans :/
@@user-ge9tm5rr5f there are some republicans who are open minded. Well I've only found like 4, so.
Erin K lol
@@user-ge9tm5rr5f Pretty much, yeah.
What does the moral fabric of society have to do with you, bro? Just live and let live, bro.
Nein.
I’m sorely undereducated about the history of my own community...this is shocking
me too, it's truly a shame, LGBTQ history needs to be recorded
Same. I knew it was bad back then but wow
same, this is horrible, i’m glad i was born in the generation i was, but i feel bad for the guy who went through that
ah the land of the free... so long as your white, straight and capitalist
Yea its not like we have equal rights and liberties unlike 90% of the world. How in the world do you think LGBT people and non whites are not free please explain.
You do realize everyone in the US, above the age 18, can vote right? How is anyone's freedom being limited exactly?
Look at you catching on :)
Ivri i dont trust your judgment after reading a reply you left on a separate comment
W.A.S.P. = Considered the ideal American
White
Anglo
Saxon
Protestant
* They should have added an extra “S” at the end for “Straight” to be more accurate.
and to think a current politician has the audacity to use the term “witch hunt” for issues no where near this scale...
That we know of.
avuhhh so true
He's actually right, I'm not a Trump fan, but it has been a witch hunt. Can't think of any other president that has endured like this guy.
@@Jen-tt9yx
How about Obama? The same people who constantly defend trump never had anything good to say about Obama.
@@genieglasslamp5028 , Obama has it easy because he was black therefore, didn't endure anything.
I’d like to thank this man for forcing himself to tell such a horrific time... he really is a brave soul. More people need to know about this.
I’m going to forward this to everyone who wants a straight pride
Dabdab The second Straight Pride WorldWide🙌
Erdoğan Keleş im pretty sure lgbts have the same rights as hetros
@@kaisersingh5827 some country's can legally have you flocked or killed and some workplaces can't keep their LGBTQ workers safe from harm becuase of law
Kulraj Singh sorry but you are wrong about that chief
Kulraj Singh absolutely not
Christ. This is what some people want back to, apparently. Or they don't care to know.
You should listen to Dr Richard Dawkins, Hitchens, Sam Harris, Gervais, Carlin and Neil Tyson
they know, they don’t care
They know
We want back to these period
This and special water fountains / bathrooms. The rich were actually taxed fairly in the 50’s but Cletus doesn’t know that, he only knows he had reserved seats on the bus.
Are you guys going to do a video on Mississippi's secret police, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission? It operated from 1956 to 1977.
That's a great topic to cover. A lot of people don't know about the Sovereignty Commission. It's probably the closet thing the U.S has ever had to the KGB or the Stasi.
@@BJN1253 I think Louisiana also had a similar agency during the 1960's.
@@henrimourant9855 It wouldn't surprise me. They had some notorious bigots over there too. Like Leander Perez. Here in Mississippi we had the likes of Ross Barnett, Paul Johnson, and James Eastland.
@Vox Would love a response from you guys!
Ok, now I want a video!
It’s so weird how the US national anthem says “Land of the free” even though for hundreds of years, people of color, people who are LGBTQ, people who are women, people with mental or physical disabilities, people who practice different religions, and other minority groups have not been free to do everyday things. They have been targeted for being “different”. I don’t think that being free or equal in the US actually means free and equal.
@@berreyl1689 But that would imply that everyone gets equal treatment today.
@@berreyl1689 you think everyone gets equal treatment today?
@@kooby122 nvm were still stuck in the past
What are you going to do about destroying your country because it is based on slavery, racism and homophobia?
Everyone’s equal but some are more equal than others 😢
The sad part is that a lot of countries are still like this
Africa is especially suffering from this.
Gud
@@mrandorex7495 excuse me?
@@dispersion4333 lol
including america
The people who worked for the Johns Comittee deserve to be in jail
celestial rex
Sarcasm ... right ??
@@celestialrex551 unlike your parents
It's been over 60 years. They are probably dead.
celestial rex sure, boomer
@wimmisky You're comparing the murder of millions of people for their religious beliefs to an employer investing their employees, then firing them?
Mike Pence and his right-wing religious zealots long for these days to return.
@Dragon1717 Russian bot revealed
@Dragon1717 ok boomer
Dragon1717 ah yes radical Islam, which has never been influential in the states, would bring back 50s era conservatism. Makes sense. It’s not like American homophobia is founded on good old judeo-christian values or anything.
Dragon1717 sure, boomer
Dragon1717 ok boomer
I pray that man eventually loses his PTSD from that committee ):
So, they *needed* someone to target? Wow, how disgusting.
It's so important that Vox is making these videos. I had no idea. Although I've heard the term "Lavender Scare," I didn't get it. Horrifying and yet one more example of the abuse of another marginalized group.
"They weren't very bright people."
That sort of statement kinda gets me.
That reminds me sadly about of government and law enforcement people with way too much power.
They are disgusting
Brandon Allison No they’re pro Biology
@@bowen4878 biology supports diversity actually theology treats people like dogs in a kennel 🤫
Bellio Trungy men and women are biologically meant for each other. Scientific fact.
Theology can be wrong. Biology can’t.
That has to be horrifying knowing that there is always an organization stalking you, spying on you, interrogating you, trying to incriminate you, just because of your sexuality. No person should ever have to go through this.
And to think that some people have the audacity to scream “Straight Pride” because they don’t feel “included” or whatever.
Why wont you allow me to be proud of being born the way im supposed to to bring our species forward?
@@Helperbot-2000 Why won’t you stop talking and stop being ignorant?
@@laura-yd3fv ignorant? stating facts istnt being ignorant, tell me what part of what i wrote was being ignorant?
helperbot 2000 because you don’t face persecution for it. You didn’t earn or get through or do anything the way most lgbtqia+ people have
@@Helperbot-2000 You don't need to be straight to reproduce
These “ christian Family Value Leaders “ have always been Monsters.
Those guys rule Poland now
Bogdan
That’s really sad.
@@zain4019 Yeah
Maurice Hunt Democrats.
Where do you see any indication that the people on that committee were Christian?
How terrifying this must have been... It is very brave if him to do this interview. Even today he still lives in fear and can’t talk about it without getting emotional. We’ve come so far but there is still a long way to go.
I still wonder why ending homophobia is still a debate.
Creep
@@user-wf3mp1xl8t how is wanting to end homophobia creepy
Many people in the US still think "Socialist" is a insult...
it is
@@diabolivirtusen-tavares-ea4645 it shouldnt be
@@TheZampa why
@@dagaki3793 because what's wrong with socialism
Whenever people say socialism is bad they always point towards Venezuela or Cuba never too Finland Iceland Canada or other successful states with socialist policies same goes for the opposite end of the spectrum.
I can't imagine hating someone just for their sexuality.
I know. Same goes for me. But there are truly some hateful people in this country. Many of them pretend to be followers of Christ.
American Nightmare or Muslim
@American Nightmare There are atheists who feel this way too.
@@laurent1144 Plus there are Christians and Catholics like me who feel the opposite of homophobia.
I know it is physically impossible for me to even hate someone for who they love.
Can y’all post more about things you won’t find in a history book
yes it should be a series
@@_sadgirl_8730 it is now
No
@@misaelsantos7697 this video is a part of a series called "Missing Chapter"
The word "legally terrorized" is itself terrifying
Yeah
And straight white southern conservative men still say MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. If you are talking about racism, homophobia, and segregation, yes. That is exactly what you are doing.
*Straight pride organizers have left the chat*
You wish 😂
@@diabolivirtusen-tavares-ea4645 you should.
TraRob-EastSide yes, I do. they’re obnoxious
@@bhavs398 not my fault im born the way im supposed to to bring our species forward
@@Helperbot-2000 ???????
I just want to give the interviewee, Art, a hug. I can't even imagine the constant terror and anxiety on top of the fear of being outted back then.
Ahhhhh Florida the state that never stops surprising me with their bigotry.
Nikora Toma what did you expect from the south?
@@okinawatim3421 Yeah because we all know bigotry doesn’t exist outside the
South
The beginning when he started crying and you can hear the interviewer say, “it’s okay” broke my heart. These things affect real people and it’s so horrible to see the aftermath of such horrific events
This is what Some consider Great America...I hope we never have to see such bigotry and hate again. Unfortunately sometimes it seems we’re headed there, especially in the south.
Yet people still stay home instead of voting
Fabian Farbeyond 30 states are red. Red = Pro Sanity
Pro Biology
@Neptune 23. Take a biology class
@@ButterBallTheOpossum this hasn't aged well
@@bowen4878 What about infertile women? Are you going to yell at them to “take a biology” class?
Florida Man...
Yes I am
R. T.E. yeah
When I hear conservative Fox News viewers talk about socialism, antifa, black lives matter, or LGBTQ rights, it reminds me of this era.
Fox News and Prager U are possibly the worst things to happen to news.
Even today no wonder people are afraid to come out. I just wanna say, please don’t out people, it’s a complete violation of privacy and you are potentially putting someone in serious danger. It is disgusting
Poor guy who was interviewed for this. You never should have been treated that way :(
“What? The land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy!”
RAGE!
I'm often reminded of RATM quotes, but it's so rare to actually see them.
my grandfather was part of the police in Tallahassee, the state capitol, back during when all of this was happening. I think he was an officer from 1962 to 1968, based on what he's told me. I have the sinking feeling that he was involved with this in some way.
as a bisexual, my heart breaks for this man. no one should’ve ever gone through this. but i’m also terrified for my future as my us exchange program starts jan 2020.....
Hey. How did the exchange program go? Id imagine the biggest issue was covid, right?
Hey am a bisexual too! It's so cool to meet a other bisexual
@@The_slaya_of_nutcaseslol they are the most common letter of the "alphebet"
Wow, this is heartbreaking. And what fantastic reporting!
leftyla It’s sad that people aren’t sane and pro biology
@@bowen4878 what.
Bowen Shut up homophobe
@@bowen4878 what. ×2
Bowen “pro biology” wow ur so smart woAh 👏
Sweet man❤️ I can’t even imagine the pain of it being illegal to be yourself 😞
Art Copelston.....Thank you for telling us your story. Thank you for facing the terror and pain that you carry from this horror that was perpetrated on you it is important to hear these stories so that we can prevent it from happening again. I am sorry you had to live through this. Vox thank you for recording this horrible part of America's past and it's unfortunate present in some places.
Thanks for your kind comments, Joe. For many years, I've been embarrassed by the emotions these memories engender in me. With my partner of 30 years (until his death), we had a full and exciting life. How would my life have been different without the Johns Committee? I think I would have lived my life with greater self-satisfaction; without always feeling that I am somehow "less than others", and somehow "sub-standard". Those are the over-riding feelings I will carry with me forever.
Though we are still not fully accepted, I'm so glad to be born into a time like this, rather than being paranoid and scared in the 1950s.
If only as much effort was invested into ending social ills like war, colonialism and all forms of racism. I am beyond disgusted 😣
Did this only happen in Florida? If so then why especially in that state?
Mostly conservative
I doubt it was just in florida, but these things are coming to light, and vox chose to focus on florida specifically, instead of going too general and losing the personal impact these events had.
My heart broke when teared up over telling his story. To feel that he can’t really “come out” must be heavy on his heart.
And now it’s happening again.
I just wanna give that old man a hug
Blessed and fortunate to live in a time when this is (mostly) a memory and not a fact of life.
well
depends on what country you are in
@tre luglio yeah, ikr
their is also such a large problem with sexism in the middle east
I have the hope that someday we will live in a world where everyone puts rationality before plain racism and misjudge.
I can't breathe. Murica
ignorance is bliss lol
This feels incredibly prescient in today's Florida.
As Mark Twain once said, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymed."
I cannot describe how angry I am.
I love thes Missing Chapter, for it gives us more dark sides of history rarely if not shown on books and taught in schools.
This is why we need to teach LGBTQ history ins schools
L P just gonna make things worse
sadiq musa what ignoring it is better?? Smh
No thanks.
Carson Redford
Are you a homophobe or something because teaching kids LGBTQ+ History is needed.
Carson Redford
It looked like you said no to the comment
Whenever he gets choked up I get choked up too
Why are conservatives unfailingly cruel?
Uh, I guess you missed the part where Sen Charley Johns, the creator of the committee, was a DEMOCRAT.
@@vjhreevesthe ideologies of the parts flipped and what used to be democrat is now republican, this was around the 1980's lol
What the John's Committee did was just monstrous. I can't believe that people would do something like this. Terrible.
The more I learn about my state's history the less I feel proud to call myself a Floridian.
I'm a student at UF and I can't believe I didn't know this...
Mega Wag, the next time you walk past Thomas H, look up to the 2nd floor bay window: That was my room. I'm the guy in the video.
Sending you love from South Africa ♥️
It’s so sad. I’m speechless. They were forced to be in the closet. They were just. Targeted. Disturbing. And what’s worse, it can happen today. We can’t let this happen.
I'm a Floridian and this horrified me.
Sad that people treat other people this way. Disgusting.
Just sticking a hapless young man in the back of a police car is already terrifying.
And they’re doing it again by banning the discussion of it in classrooms.
the dark ages of Florida.
You mean ..Florida being Florida
@Shirley Timple 😂
why what's up with florida ?
Did Florida ever enlightened ?
I did know about Florida that much but from this point of view I think Florida deserve to be known as accidentally created by God
I didn't
i don't know why, but seeing the florida seal stamped on the back of the purple pamphlet is what really drove this home for me. i'm from florida, i still live here,i am part of the lgbt community, so it was easy to separate myself from the johns committee until i realized that we do share an identity and come from similar neighborhoods. seeing that really hit me that it could simply be my own neighbors that want to see my own life ruined for no valid reason.
Hate is disgusting, no matter whom it's directed toward. We need to acknowledge the humanity of everyone.
religion of humanity lol
Florida hasn’t changed much🤷🏽
When you consider that they later had Anita Bryant and then Ron DeSantis, not really.
as a floridian i can agree that we are one of the worst states in america in terms of activism. every day we go a step backwards. as a bi person i greatly appreciate this video because nobody ever talks about things like this
You just have to laugh sometimes. It's darkly and morbidly funny how certain things were in the past. Stuff like this is so ridiculously evil. It's proper gestapo stuff.
People will commit the cruelest acts when they have righteous motivations.
Anna L.
This makes me think about myself and what I think is right, and how far I would go. Not to uphold bigoted values, but to keep them at bay, so we don’t go back to the hatred that was so prevalent before.
What’s the right balance between protecting others and your values, against misogyny, homophobia, racism, and actively doing things to stop these acts, if you see them?
"Moral deviation" WHY CANT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THEN THEM ARE STILL HUMAN
People are afraid of what they don't understand
Having to question the intent of every single person you interact with sounds so horrifying. I felt so bad for the guy. That experience still terrorizes his psyche today. :(
I can't imagine how hard it must be to have gone through trauma and be unable to connect to your community, then openly talk about your story online. This man is so brave.
Excellent reporting. I didn't know anything about this. Thank you.
I wish I could give that man a hug.
It’s horrifying. Just absolutely horrifying how America has treated LGBTQ people for decades; no, hundreds of years.
Ah, conservatism and religion. How nice.
Ah, we get about half of our morals from religion, How nice. Ah, the world's 3 worst men (Stalin, Mao, and Hitler) were Atheists, How nice. Ah, White and Christian guilt, How nice.
@@Alan-pi1vn Civilization before Christ did exist but in the US constitution and many other countries laws. Basic principles were based on Christianity as the moral code.
@@venator8139 weren't they more based on tenets of the Greco-Roman era? Unless you count the severe limitations on personal freedom and expression, because yes, that's medieval/enlightened christian morality.
Martín Mejía Don’t need religion to know how the body works
This is why religion should stay out of law
Somehow, this explains the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The descendants of these absolute psychos are carrying on this madness
So basically Americans put together two obnoxious concepts: irrational fear of communism and discrimination against the LGBTQ community... the plot of a movie really
I want to give that man a hug sooo badly and whisper to him "It's all gonna be ok"
Makes me really scared when I have to go south, that all of this discrimination still exists
i went on a road trip there and someone scrawled slurs in the bathroom stall.
Yep that’s my country over there!
God this is so much truth. I wasn’t raised in a “question everything “ mentality but in my early 20’s that’s exactly what I started doing and now the more I dig into history and our culture, the more lies and bodies I find. It’s gotten to the point where whenever I hear something horrible happening part of my brain instantly says “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
I try so hard to stay positive, to make sure I’m contributing to good vibes but it’s just so hard sometimes.
Jen G im confused as to why you left a paragraph on such a simple comment
@@jeng9927 ok boomer
I thought it was Iran
@@jeng9927 ok boomer
imagine being one of the 1.2k people who disliked this video
Just... Auch.
2022 here, Florida is at it again. shame.
hahhahahha
I love Florida
@@CowOfTheNile hahaha your dad left you
@Belltown Daisy what perverts? Why would you justify any type of discrimination
Vox keeping me educated and curious. Thank you.
Wish I could give this guy a hug
Thank you for a piece of LGBT history. As LGBT community we don't have much documented history. Because all the hatred through the ages.
I feel really bad for the guy who is talking about what happened you can feel his pain