Warning: The images in this post are extremely graphic.
This is what the face homophobia looks like.
Wilfred de Bruijn was beaten unconscious in Paris one night, when holding hands with his boyfriend. Unknown assailants kicked him to the ground.
De Bruijn’s boyfriend said that he heard a group of about four men yelling, “Hey, look they’re gays,” before the couple was launched upon.
Wilfred was beaten to the ground, and only woke up once he was pulled into an ambulance.
The next morning on April 7, he took a photo of his face, and posted it to his Facebook page.
This is the photo he shared.
And this is what he said:
“Sorry to show you this. It’s the face of Homophobia. Last night 19th arr [arrondissement] Paris, Olivier and I were badly beaten up just for walking arm in arm. I woke up in an ambulance covered in blood, missing tooth and broken bones around the eye. I’m home now. Very sad. Olivier takes care of me. Forbidden to work for at least 10 days.”
After Wilfred shared the photo, the reaction on social media was immediate. It was shared thousands upon thousands of times.
Three days later, by April 10, protests were being held in Paris to support gay rights – and condemn violence against gay people — and Wilfred’s became a symbol of the rallies.
De Bruijn received overwhelming support and kind messages on social media, and a few days later posted a thank you on Facebook, with a picture of his partner.
Top Comments
This is the face of Muslim intolerance. He was walking through a Muslim populated part of the city. How typical of MM to leave that out.
I'm pro same sex marriage & I wish Australia would take a leaf out of NZ's book and get with the times.
I'm anti violence & physically or verbally hurting others. It's distressing to see Wilfred beaten up because he was holding hands with his boyfriend.
I suspect though that the perpetrators actions are not just about homophobia, I believe it's a reflection of how angry they are about their place in the world. People look to hurt others when they're hurting inside, and vulnerable targets are like a magnet (no excuse though).
I tend to believe that if an affluent couple that obviously werent locals, were wandering through the neighbourhood, or a woman on her own, they equally could have been targets. I think this is a greater issue than homophobia, it's about a disenfranchised society, where those who are struggling economically are angry and will lash out. Paris is not all as we see in the picture books, and it kills me to say it as I love that city, but speak to a Parisian (my French teachers are from there) and they'll open your eyes more. And of course this happens in society in general in any city, in any country.