
Thousands of people on social media are sending messages of support to a lesbian couple who were hospitalised for facial injuries and covered in blood after being attacked by a group of men for kissing on a night bus in North London.
Melania Geymonat, a 28-year-old cabin crew member from Uruguay shared a photo on Facebook in which she and her girlfriend Chris are covered in blood.
They had been travelling home from Camden after a date on 30 May when they were attacked by a group of four men after they refused to kiss for their entertainment.
Melania said: “We climbed upstairs and took the front seats. We must have kissed or something because these guys came after us. I don’t remember if they were already there or if they got on after us.”
“They described sexual positions [...] the word ‘scissors’ stuck in my mind,” Geymonat added.
Ms Geymonat said she tried to "calm things down" by "making jokes", while Chris pretended to be ill. She then describes how the attack escalated, with the gang of men punching them both in the face until they were covered in blood.
“The next thing I know I’m being punched,” Geymonat wrote.
I got dizzy at the sight of my blood and fell back.
Geymonat said she can’t go back to work, that her nose may have been broken in the assault, and her belongings, stolen.
The violent assault has left people online furious, and they took to Twitter to share their outrage – and support for the two women
Horrified to see this homophobic attack against two women simply trying to enjoy a night out in West Hampstead. The… https://t.co/H1o1kDDViO— Tulip Siddiq (@Tulip Siddiq) 1559898793
in our history, queer women have shown up for gay men in our most desperate chapters. sending love and solidarity t… https://t.co/hCd6Z6C91m— Louis Staples (@Louis Staples) 1559899778
@ryanjohnbutcher Absolutely shocking. Much love to them both. Hope theyve caught the monsters who did it. Throw the book at them— sandie cooper 💙NHS (@sandie cooper 💙NHS) 1559896778
@melaniageymonat Hey, I hope you and Chris are recovering ok and have good people around you (esp. as the media att… https://t.co/4u4FvZPB2E— Wei Ming Kam isn't here right now (@Wei Ming Kam isn't here right now) 1559896948
Other people have criticised those claiming that members of the LGBT+ community have special privileges - quite the opposite
'but it's easy to be gay nowadays - you can get married! you can have kids! why do you even need pride!? rubbing it… https://t.co/UkWZGl3Kr7— ryan john butcher (@ryan john butcher) 1559893850
And people claim that we have LGBTQ+ privilege? This is so upsetting. Until we live in a world where people can lo… https://t.co/KVGI42KwFQ— luke waltham (@luke waltham) 1559901752
And there is renewed criticism against attempts to create a "Straight Pride"
there's been lots of chat on here, jokes even, about 'straight pride' this week. but this is what straight pride, a… https://t.co/SQKd04hIDa— Louis Staples (@Louis Staples) 1559900637
The attack wasn't just homophobic - it was also explicitly misogynistic
One person pointed out the hypocrisy of being shocked at the homophobic attack, but promoting the idea that normalising LGBT+ people through education is "dangerous" to children
"How could this horrific homophobic attack happen in Britain in 2019?!" shriek people who also insist it's "dangero… https://t.co/2Bj4RBltdX— Richard Butler (@Richard Butler) 1559899780
“I’m tired of being [seen] as a sexual object [...] these situations are usual for gay friends who are beaten up just because [of their sexuality]," Geymonat later said of the incident.
We have to endure verbal harassment and chauvinist, misogynistic and homophobic violence because when you stand up for yourself shit like this happens.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD737/30May. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
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