Illinois has made history by banning the “gay panic defense,” which allows a violent offender to blame his or her crimes on a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. But it’s still applicable in 48 states.
On Monday, three years after California banned the defense, the bill signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner went into effect, spurring hope among activists that similar measures will be taken nationwide.
Here’s how the defense is used: A person commits a violent act toward a gay or transgender person, then claims the victim’s sexual or gender identity provoked them to either self-defend, commit a crime of passion, or enter a state of temporary insanity.
The defense has never been written into law, but according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, since the 1960s gay panic and transgender panic defenses have been used in approximately 25 states in the hopes of having defendants receive reduced sentences.
What a stupid fucking excuse for hurting or killing somebody.
"They're sexuality forced me to beat them unconscious." Seriously?
To me this seems along the same lines as claiming that you raped a woman because she turned you on.
I have to say that if seeing somebody who seems gay to you makes you feel angry or violent towards them, you probably ought to have a long hard talk with yourself about your own sexuality.
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