Thursday, May 16, 2013

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia: Holocaust


Most people have heard of the Holocaust that took place under Nazi German rule between 1933-1945. Millions of people were brutally killed by guns, gas chambers, and concentration camps. Most were Jews, but there were also other groups that ended up in those camps. The lesser talked about were the estimated 100,000 homosexuals (mostly men) who were arrested, over half of which were sentenced to the camps or simply murdered. Like the Jews and all other groups, the homosexuals were forced to wear a triangle. Theirs was pink. I doubt it's a coincidence that the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia's symbol is a pink triangle with an exclamation mark in the middle:


Take action against homophobic and transphobic discrimination!


Taking action is exactly what May 17th is all about. You can help by posting about homophobic and transphobic discrimination, reading about it, donating to LGBT charity organizations, and just get the word out there. Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia is the effort of nearly 180 writers, publishers, reviewers, and cover designers to spread the word and to try to get our readers active during the day and for ten days thereafter. Please stop by and read our messages. A prize will be given at each stop.

Back to the topic: a holocaust is a thing of the past, right? Wrong. LGBT people in all countries (even in tolerant Iceland, although it's not very frequent or visible) have to face homophobic and transphobic discrimination. In some countries, they are killed, either by officials or the public.

There are many, many countries that imprison people for their sexuality. One such country is Uganda, but they want to take things further. They have been on the verge of a homosexual and transsexual holocaust twice now, trying to push through the "Kill the Gays Bill". Politicians want all homosexual and trans* people imprisoned, and everyone who helps them in any way (this includes their landlord for renting them a roof over their heads). They want the public to point out who's gay or even displaying homosexual/transsexual behavior. If this bill ever goes through, one must make certain never to touch an individual of the same gender for too long or they run the risk of being accused of being same-sex oriented, and thereby thrown in jail or hanged. If this bill goes through, it will be a modern-day holocaust.

Currently, the bill's been put on hold, but if you ever see it prop up again (it's on the agenda for 2013), I beg you to sign petitions against it and do whatever you can to stop it. Every little bit helps. 

In honor of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, I'm donating $50 to Icebreakers Uganda, and will make it my choice of future donations when I have more money. If you have money to spare, this is a great cause. Frank Mugisha and his people have been working hard to stand up for LGBTI rights, but it's like swimming upstream with all the public and political prejudice in Uganda. They need all the backing they can get.

Now, if you leave a comment below along with your email address, you may have a chance to win a book from my backlist. I will use Random.org to choose, announce and contact 3 winners on May 28th.

Thanks for stopping by!


53 comments:

  1. thank you for the post and the info on what sounds like a fantastic cause!! I will be looking them up.

    Kassandra
    sionedkla@gmail.com

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  2. Great post. I am doing what I can./
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  3. Thank you for highlighting this HUGE ugly in regards to human rights. Worthy cause, indeed. ~SM Johnson devante9901 at aol dot com

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  4. Thank you for taking part in the hop! A great post indeed.

    kimberlyFDR@yahoo.com

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  5. Wow, very moving post. If nothing else, I AM a petition signer!

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  6. The comparison to the Holocaust is just crazy - I'd never thought of that. It's so true, and so sad. Great post.

    j_crawford@alumni.clemson.edu

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  7. Great post.

    HarperKingsley0.0@gmail.com

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  8. Awesome post Erice, and thanks for all you've done to get this hop set up.

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  9. Amazing post! So proud to be part of this.

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  10. that is so awful. thank you so much for sharing!

    parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

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  11. A wonderful post and a generous donation! So glad to be a part of the hop this year.

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  12. Thanks for putting my own issues with my red state in perspective! Great post.

    skadlec1@yahoo.com

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  13. Wow! Great and informative post, Erica!

    morris.crissy@gmail.com

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  14. This is a great post, Erica. Really opened my eyes to this cause and make me want to take action. I'm gonna spread the word about this post. I think everyone should read this.

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  15. What a terrifying piece of legislation. Thank you for telling us!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  16. As difficult as things are here in the US, we need to remember that people in other countries have it far worse. Thanks for taking part in the hop. Keep up the good work!

    lena.grey.iam@gmail.com

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  17. Thanks for the fantastic post and for all you and the other organizers are doing to make this hop happen again. You rock, Erica. I don't mind saying it! :D

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  18. Thank you for the info re Uganda, almost unbelievable in this day and sge.

    emmasmom AT wi DOT rr DOT com

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  19. My kids and I have been campaigning against this legislation in Uganda-- it's horrifying! Thank you for spreading the word about how to help.

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  20. Great post! It is so hard to wrap my brain around this is the 21st century and there are places where it's a crime to love someone who happens to be the same gender or to acknowledge that the gender of one's body isn't the gender of their mind, heart, and soul.

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  21. Very informative! I had no idea :-/ Thank you for posting.
    wendynjason04(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. Wonderful post! Thank you for acknowledging the ongoing threat and how every voice counts in combating it.

    ~Xakara

    My HAHAT Contribution Writing From the Middle: BiVisibility & BiErasure

    Xakara at Xakara dot com

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  23. That was a great post. Thanks for participating in the hop!

    Sophie Bonaste
    sophiebonaste@gmail.com

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  24. Terrific post! very informative. I will definitely check out the site/cause you mentioned.
    Kudos to you and all the others participating in this Hop... to stand up for not what you just believe in but what you know in your heart is right is a wonderful freedom here in the USA....We must not let our country or others take this freedom for granted or take it away completely.

    hugs from your fan,
    jo
    johannasnodgrass(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  25. Thanks again Erica for setting this up!

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  26. Great post, Erica! And a worthy cause, I'll definitely be signing the petitions and helping if that ugly bill pops up again.

    I'm proud to be part of the hop, thanks for setting it up!

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  27. Great post. It just tears my heart up every time I sign another petition try to stop Uganda with their despicable Bill. The world needs to step up to the plate and put a final stop to it even if it means shutting off any non humanitarian aid. Time to put the stop to the slaughter of human rights.
    thank you for being a part of this wonderful hop..*S*

    Darcy
    pomma @akwolf.com

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  28. That was an awesome post. I learned a lot.

    Beth
    JPadawan11@gmail.com

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  29. Chilling post! A harsh reminder of of man at their most cruel.

    Thank you for running this hop. It's a fantastic place for the GLBQT publishing community to get together and talk about this!

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  30. Thank you for the wonderful post. It was very informative and terrifying.

    H.B.
    humhumbum@yahoo.com

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  31. Thanks for highlighting such a horrendous reality. My heart breaks for the Ugandans, whatever orientation they might be. That must be a truly terrible place to live. And yet they bravely held their first ever Pride event. Go Ugandans! Great post, Erica. Thanks for putting such effort into this hop.

    bloodandfires (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  32. Thanks for the great post

    peggy1984 (at) live (dot) com

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  33. Wow, what a terrific post!
    Here's to the day that we no longer have a need for a Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia!
    ~Cody

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  34. Thank you for your post, Erica, and for rallying people to a worthy cause.

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  35. Thanks for airing some of the ugly past not many are aware of and also the ugly now. I hope my grandchildren will see a world with less ugliness in it.

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  36. <3 Awareness is certainly key, and what an amazing cause!!

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  37. Thanks for sharing informational post and rallying for a worthy cause.

    BeckeyWhiteATgmailDOTcom

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  38. Great post, I had no idea about Uganda I'm lost for words.

    ShirleyAnn@speakman40.freeserve.co.uk

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  39. I wish we could get our house in order first, but the situation in Uganda is too appalling to ignore. Thanks for informing us about this post colonial hellhole.

    Urb
    brendurbanist @gmail. com

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  40. That was a great post and and a reminder that history does repeat itself. It gives the chills just thinking about that Bill passing. There are people here in the US that agree with that Bill. If it goes through what next? Who will be the next target of hate? People of mixed races or green eyes. ??? :(

    Chris
    ceagles48218@yahoo.com

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  41. Thanks for your post and being part of the hop.

    strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com

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  42. Icebreakers Uganda sounds like a great organization, thanks for bringing it to my attention. And it's true, holocausts happen everyday and yet, people don't realize it since it's not as obvious as Hitler's. Thanks so much for participating.

    tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  43. Thanks for writing books for EVERYONE! Blackhippiechick@yahoo.com

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  44. Great blog and a great reminder, everybody needs to know about this!
    thorarun(at)hotmail.(dot)com

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  45. Thank you for your work with this hop, Erica, and for a great post. I'm so glad to learn about this organization.

    jarockauthor at gmail dot com

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  46. Sounds like a good charity.

    penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com

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  47. We see a article like this and see how very far we still have to go...

    mfierydrgn@aol.com

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  48. Hi! Thanks for being apart of this fantastic hop! Wonderful post. Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful night!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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  49. Great post! Thank you for taking part in the hop!
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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