• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox

Houston Gay Activist Shot In Apparent Hate Crime

John Wright March 10, 2015

Gaspari

Between events like this one and this one, Houston has seen its share of anti-LGBT hatred in recent months. So it's hardly surprising to see some of that hatred filtering down onto the streets. 

In fact, Houston has experienced a rash of anti-LGBT hate crimes of late. And amid all the rhetoric from opponents of the city's Equal Rights Ordinance, is anyone really surprised? 

In the latest incident, Houston gay activist John Gaspari (shown above with Mayor Annise Parker) is recovering after being shot in the stomach in an apparent hate crime in the city's Montrose gayborhood, Project Q Houston reports:

A gay Houston man was beaten, shot, robbed and called an anti-gay slur as he was attacked by three men while walking home from a Montrose gay bar.

John Gaspari was attacked near the intersection of Genesee and Cleveland – less than a half-mile from Meteor – as he walked from the bar about 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 15, according to KHOU and About Magazine. The robbers took his wallet, jewelry and cell phone, beat him and shot him in the stomach. Gaspari said the assailants yelled, "Get the fag."

More from KHOU-TV: 

"I'm just really grateful to be alive," said Gaspari, who spent nearly 2 weeks in the hospital. "My last memory was of them tackling me." … 

"I probably won't walk down the street alone anymore, I will wait for an Uber or drive," he says.

According to About Magazine, a witness called police and reported Gaspari lying on the ground as the three suspects kicked him. The witness was able to get the license number from the suspects' vehicle, which turned out to be stolen. Not surprisingly, police insist the incident was a random robbery, not a hate crime. 

Gaspari had recently lost his job, and supporters launched an Indiegogo fundraiser to help with expenses during his recovery, which could last 6-8 months. The fundraiser, which expired last week, raised $3,446: 

John has been so generous with his time and his money since moving to Houston several years ago. He has supported so many LGBT causes, organizations and events. Now its time for our community to rally in support of John.

As many of you know, John has had a string of bad luck since moving here. He faced constant gay-oriented discrimination and harassment at this job. And the Friday before the attack, he was laid off. But through it all, John has kept his sweet good humor and has been such an asset to our community.

It's been 24 years since gay banker Paul Broussard was murdered on the streets of Houston, in one of the earliest and most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in US history. When will it end? 

Topics: History, LGBT Rights, News More Posts About: gay rights, hate crime, houston, LGBT Rights, News, Texas, Texas

Related Posts
  • Wisconsin prison guard who allegedly threw gay woman into a fire will get hate crime charges dropped: report
  • Texas Republicans’ Platform Calls Your LGBTQ Life an “Abnormal Lifestyle Choice”; Declares Biden Election Illegitimate, Despite Evidence;
  • U.S. files hate crimes charges against white gunman in Buffalo shooting
  • Gorgosaurus tipped to fetch $8 mn at New York auction

    Gorgosaurus tipped to fetch $8 mn at New York auction

    Published by AFP An art handler looks at a Gorgosaurus Skeleton measuring 10 feet tall (3.04 meters) at Sotheby’s in New York, on July 05, 2022 New York (AFP) – A skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur …Read More »
  • Dave Chappelle Thwarts Housing Project In Ohio Hometown By Buying Up Land

    Dave Chappelle Thwarts Housing Project In Ohio Hometown By Buying Up Land

    Published by Radar Online APEX / MEGA Already a local hero in Yellow Springs, Ohio, comedian Dave Chappelle has solidified his standing with a most unusual real estate deal. Per the Daily Mail, Chappelle dipped into …Read More »
  • Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

    Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

    Published by BANG Showbiz English ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is getting a live special, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Oscar nomination. The beloved 1991 Disney classic was the first ever animated feature to earn …Read More »
  • Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur,  Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur, Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Not Backing Down Kansas City political candidate Justice Horn is currently on the home stretch of a Jackson County Legislature campaign that could make him the only out LGBTQ county official in the state, but the …Read More »
Previous Post: « The Other SCOTUS Case We Should Care About
Next Post: 10 Reasons Cambodia Should Top Your Gay Travel Wish List »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Labcorp becomes first lab in the U.S. to offer nationwide monkeypox testing

    Labcorp becomes first lab in the U.S. to offer nationwide monkeypox testing

  • No Justice, No Peace! Madonna Wants To ‘Start A Revolution’ After Overturn Of Roe V. Wade

    No Justice, No Peace! Madonna Wants To ‘Start A Revolution’ After Overturn Of Roe V. Wade

  • Keanu Reeves ‘Happily’ Responded To Young Kid’s Questions After Landing At New York Airport

    Keanu Reeves ‘Happily’ Responded To Young Kid’s Questions After Landing At New York Airport

RSS Partner Links

  • OMG, his butt: German actor Lion Wasczyk in ‘In aller Freundschaft – Die Jungen Ärzte’
  • A shirtless Orlando Bloom showed us his workout routine and it set the Internet on fire!
  • Khloé Kardashian Is Reportedly Done With Tristan Thompson (Again) And Is In A New Relationship
  • Wednesday Round-Up: Dan Benson; Angela Davis; Cynthia Erivo; Macy Gray & Bette Midler & more!
  • Monkeypox Cases On Rise In NYC + Florida School's Barbaric New Rule About Notifying Parents + Santana Scare + Red-Hot Robin + MORE!
  • OMG, Ray J gets his sister Brandy’s face tattooed on his leg: ‘I had to start with my best friend’
  • OMG, WATCH: Wendy Williams back catalogue of shows removed from Youtube after bizarre TMZ interview

Most Recent

  • U.S. funeral home owner who sold body parts pleads guilty to fraud

    U.S. funeral home owner who sold body parts pleads guilty to fraud

  • Gorgosaurus tipped to fetch $8 mn at New York auction

    Gorgosaurus tipped to fetch $8 mn at New York auction

  • Dave Chappelle Thwarts Housing Project In Ohio Hometown By Buying Up Land

    Dave Chappelle Thwarts Housing Project In Ohio Hometown By Buying Up Land

  • Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

    Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

  • Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur,  Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur, Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

  • Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

  • Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

  • New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in