“Take your AIDS infected lifestyle and get lost”: Toronto Pride organizers react to hate mail
Another message to Toronto Pride called homosexuality "a disease of the mind"
“To my unborn child, if you turn out gay I will burn you alive.”
–An excerpt from hate mail sent to Toronto Pride, which takes place July 3. The Toronto Star, in a video posted to their Facebook (embedded at the end of this article), had organizers and volunteers read some of the hate mail they’ve received in the run up to this year’s Pride event.
“Sitting behind a computer and writing hate mail to Pride Toronto is easy,” the post reads. “Usually it’s from anonymous people who don’t believe in the mission. But when these letters are read aloud, as this video attests, it reveals how hate can hurt.”
The hatred in the messages is staggering — but also something that some in the video have plenty of experience with.
“It’s just a decision. I don’t support the choice to be unnatural. Just be straight like the rest of us,” reads one message.
“Sadly, not the first time I’ve heard that,” responds one participant.
Other messages include [strong language follows]:
- “Homosexuality is a disease of the heart and mind.”
- “First, being gay is cool. Now being transgender is the new thing. What is this world coming to?”
- “Fuck you bitch. I fucking hate you. Stupid tranny looking cunt. Kill yourself whore.”
- “Do you need the whole month to show the world your AIDS spreading faggots? Look, nobody really gives a shit about you so take your AIDS infected lifestyle and get lost. I really hope God has bad weather for your dumb fag parade. You make Toronto puke.”
“It’s hard to hear that,” one participant says to that last message. “Unfortunately, we live in a world where I here this everyday. So it’s hard for me to react to it because it’s just daily life for me.”
“It just shows how much more work there really is and still needs to be done,” says another person. “It’s unfortunate, because I think it’s a long road.”
“All we can say is let’s fight hate with love,” responds another. “Love is love. We’re all humans.”
Watch the full video below:
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