'F*** Your Straight Pride': Halsey pays tribute to lesbian couple attacked on London bus
'When Pride is over, it’s not safe to be gay anymore'
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Your support makes all the difference.American singer Halsey has paid tribute to the lesbian couple who were attacked on a London bus last week.
On Monday, the artist took to the stage at the Electric Ballroom in Camden wearing a T-shirt that featured a photograph of the two women on the front and the words “F*** Your Straight Pride” on the back.
The couple displayed on her top were Melania Geyamont and her girlfriend Chris, who were hospitalised with facial injuries and left covered in blood after being attacked by a group of men in a homophobic attack in north London.
In a powerful speech captured on video, Halsey spoke about the “vicious” attack that was made on the couple before taking a moment to address the fear many members of the LGBT+ community can feel when out in public.
“When the glitter is being swept out of the streets, a lot of people get on those trains and on those buses, and they try to wash the rainbows off their bodies,” Halsey said in fan-captured footage which was shared on Twitter.
“Because when Pride is over, it’s not safe to be gay anymore.
“They are worried that someone is going to viciously assault them or viciously attack them.”
The fan captioned the video of the singer, writing: “Halsey getting a room full of queer kids to scream ‘I WILL NOT BE AFRAID’ after two women were beaten for being gay in the exact same town she’s performing in.”
Halsey went on to call out those who are proposing a “straight pride” parade in Boston for their ignorance.
“So when the people around the world ask: ‘Why isn’t there a straight pride parade?’” the singer said.
“The answer is because if there was one, you wouldn’t have to get on the bus and be terrified of being f***ing beaten or killed afterwards. That’s why there’s not a straight pride parade.
“Because every f***ing day on public transport is a straight pride parade.”
Halsey then wrapped herself in a Pride flag on stage, before asking her fans to remember how lucky they are to “have a safe space like this”.
Geymonat, a 28-year-old Ryanair cabin crew member from Uruguay, shared the photo from the assault on Facebook.
The couple were travelling home to Camden after a date, in the early hours of 30 May, when they were attacked by a group of four men for refusing to kiss for their entertainment.
On Friday, Scotland Yard said four men aged between 15 and 18 were arrested on suspicion of robbery and aggravated GBH, while a fifth arrest was announced on Saturday morning.
The Metropolitan Police has appealed for witnesses and information about the attackers, who ran off the bus.
Speaking of the assault, Laura Russell, director of campaigns policy and research at Stonewall – an organisation that campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people across Britain – told The Independent: “This attack is an upsetting reminder of how much we still have to do for LGBT+ equality.
“It’s tempting to think that in 2019, we are safe from attacks like these, and indeed we all should be. But sadly, this isn’t the reality.”
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