Quebec gays take aim at homophobia following bashing

Quebec LGBT rights groups have stepped up the fight against homophobia after a gay man recently was severely beaten in the provincial capital. Philippe, who did not release his last name, says four men with shaved heads followed him after he left the Le Drague gay bar in downtown Quebec City on July 1. After calling the 24-year-old man derogatory names, the assailants knocked him to the ground. In a melee lasting less than 60 seconds, the men punched and kicked him repeatedly. The victim spent two days in hospital and doctors needed eight screws to reassemble his jaw. "This man who was attacked is not alone. He has a community with him,'' said Olivier Poulin, president of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Quebec. Poulin said violent attacks are rare, but different forms of discrimination against homosexuals are ever-present. He praised Philippe for coming forward with his story. "He wanted to make sure other young people would not have to face attacks such as this,'' said Poulin, who described the beating as "barbaric.'' Several gay-rights groups will hold a brunch to condemn homophobia during the city's Labor Day weekend gay pride festival. The event will be held at Place d'Youville, the site of the assault. "It's very symbolic to hold it a few steps from the [provincial] national assembly, a few steps from city hall and a few steps from where the young man was attacked,'' said Poulin, who expects a significant display of solidarity at the brunch. "We will be denouncing this act, but we will also show that there are many people who find [homophobia] unacceptable.'' Quebec City police told Le Soleil newspaper that attacks against gays are "isolated'' and there are no organized groups advocating homophobia or racism. Meanwhile, Laurent McCutcheon of the gay-rights group Emergence Foundation said Quebec is one of the world's most open societies when it comes to homosexuality. It's his belief that about half of the province's population "accepts'' gays. Intolerance is more of an attitude and rarely acted upon, he said. "As a society, we have to denounce these situations,'' he said of the beating. "I hope we catch these people.'' McCutcheon said many crimes against gays go unreported because most victims are not ready to speak publicly about their homosexuality. "These people will not file reports with police,'' he said. He said acceptance has to begin at home, in school and at the workplace. "To reduce homophobia we need to educate the population,'' he said. "People must take a position. I think everybody is capable of expressing themselves on this issue.''