Spring break is one of the most exciting weeks of the year for children. Finally, a week where homework is replaced with rewatching “Encanto” every evening, and daily rides on the school bus are substituted with a family road trip or journeys to local amusement parks, zoos and museums. Spring break can be a wonderful time for families to bond and relax while enjoying the season’s first days of warm, sunny weather. Unfortunately for one family, their spring break plans were rudely interrupted by a hateful stranger.

While Robbie Pierce, his husband and their two young children were 9 hours into an Amtrak ride embarking on their spring break adventure, a stranger suddenly approached and began spewing homophobic hate speech. Robbie shared the story in an upsetting Twitter thread last week, and many readers have chimed in with their opinions.

On what was supposed to be a fun spring break trip, this family was suddenly harassed by a homophobic stranger

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Stories like this are never easy to read. It can be difficult to understand how someone can harbor so much hate towards innocent strangers. Unfortunately for members of the LGBTQ community, harassment like this is not unheard of. Particularly in the UK, there has been a frightening rise in homophobic and transphobic crime since lockdown began in 2020. Compared to January-August in 2019, in the same time in 2021, the number of homophobic hate crimes recorded increased by almost one third. The number of transphobic offenses reported in this same time period increased by over a quarter. Sadly, the number of incidents are assumed to be even higher due to under-reporting.

Image credits: Robbiepierce

Many tweeted their shock and disgust in response to the story, while pouring sympathy towards Robbie and his family

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In the United States, a similarly frightening rise in homophobia has been observed recently. According to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center, anti-LGBTQ hate groups saw a stark increase from 49 groups in 2018 to 70 groups in 2019. One potential explanation for this rise in the US was “anti-LGBTQ groups [becoming] intertwined with the Trump administration”. Though spokespeople for the White House adamantly denied this at the time, the report stated that Trump “fully embraced anti-LGBTQ hate groups and their agenda of dismantling federal protections and resources for LGBTQ people”. Two examples of such groups are the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defending Freedom. The FRC has a long history of sharing homophobic rhetoric such as comparing same-sex marriage to marrying a horse and claiming it “cheapens and degrades the real thing“. Meanwhile, the ADF is a law firm with a long history of fighting to minimize LGBTQ rights. Trump attended the FRC’s annual summit in 2019 and opposed the Equality Act, a bill that would extend nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ people, and has backed the ADF on multiple cases concerning gay and trans rights.

Robbie revealed the man was later arrested for refusing to leave the train

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What can we do to protect LGBTQ communities and prevent homophobia from flourishing? As mentioned in several of the tweets, being an active bystander can be powerful in situations like this train ride. As scary as it can be to speak up, it can be much more dangerous to let hate speech go uncorrected. We can also create safe spaces for loved ones who have been targeted by hate to feel comfortable coming forward and reporting it. Encourage conversations about how prevalent homophobia and transphobia still are, and educate friends and family on the risks that the LGBTQ community still faces today. It can be easy for those unaffected to be blind to these attacks, but that can allow hate to be normalized.

Some readers even shared tips of what to do when witnessing harassment in public

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Even after reading Robbie’s story, some Twitter users wanted to play devil’s advocate

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There is never a valid reason to attack others with prejudiced hate speech, but children especially should be protected. We must remember we have a responsibility as bystanders to confront strangers if we witness harassment. And as Robbie suggested, allies should strive to “shut down this rhetoric everywhere”. Until individuals no longer feel they can attack others with hate, homophobia must be actively combatted.

Robbie responded to the critical comments by defending his family yet again

Image credits: Robbiepierce

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