An LGBTQ activist and candidate for office is standing up against homophobia.
Justice Horn is a former NCCA wrestler from Missouri. After retiring from sports, Horn has set his eyes on politics and serving his community. Specifically, Horn is running to serve Jackson County’s first district on the Jackson County Legislature. If elected, Horn would be the first openly gay person of color elected to local office in Kansas City. Some have seen this as exciting news, but not everyone’s happy.
My name is Justice Horn, and I’m a young Missourian running to be the first openly gay person of color elected to local office in Kansas City.
We’re less than a year out from the election! Watch the video below, retweet, and follow! 🏳️🌈💙🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/il9a80O42e
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) August 5, 2021
On Monday, July 4, Justice Horn shared on Twitter that one of his banners had been defaced. The banner, which shows Horn in front of the inclusive Pride flag, was hung on the 4600 block of Campbell Street. Vandals, however, found the banner and sprayed the F slur across the campaign sign.
“I’ll admit, this one hurt because like so many of us who experience this, this word is used to harm us,” Horn wrote on Twitter. “Either way, I’m not going to back down and I’m holding my head high.”
Today I learned that my campaign banner was defaced with a homophobic slur here in Kansas City.
I’ll admit, this one hurt because like so many us of who experience this, this word is used to harm us. Either way, I’m not going to back down and I’m going to hold my head high. pic.twitter.com/6geqENOFro
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 3, 2022
Horn planned to hold a press conference for Tuesday, July 5, at the site of the banner. Justice Horn’s campaign asked for community members and LGBTQ+ folks “to come out and stand with me against this hate.” Unfortunately, that conference was never held. The campaign sign was “ripped off and stolen” prior to the meeting.
This Tuesday, July 5th at 9 AM, I plan to have a press conference at the sight of the defaced banner at 4644 Campbell St. Kansas City, MO 64110 to address any concerns or questions.
I invite the community, especially LGBTQ+ folks to come out and stand with me against this hate. pic.twitter.com/zqUyvUapr5
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 3, 2022
Talking to The Kansas City Star, Horn noted: “It’s a big eye-opener to what it’s like running openly as a queer person. This stuff is hard and we’re gonna face push back from folks who don’t change.”
Thankfully, Justice Horn hasn’t had to bear the situation alone. Many Kansas City residents have backed up the political candidate by placing campaign banners on their front lawns.
After hearing that my campaign banner was defaced with a homophobic slur, neighbors all along that street stepped up to put their own yard signs down to show that hate has no place in Kansas City! 🏳️🌈
You can do the same! Buy a yard sign and donate here: https://t.co/KXupFpnuwt pic.twitter.com/5HuKOwgBef
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 6, 2022
Then this morning, two community members came forward as witnesses to the initial vandalism. Thanks to this, Justice Horn has decided to report the incident to the hate crimes division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Kansas City office.
After hearing from 2 community members who witnessed the individual who defaced my campaign banner with a homophobic slur, I have decided to report this week’s incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Kansas City office, specifically their hate crimes division. (1/3)
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 7, 2022
Lastly, I want folks to understand that this issue is bigger than myself. We have to call out, challenge, and hold accountable those who seek to do harm to our community. This can become a slippery slope that’ll lead to more egregious anti-LGBTQ+ acts. We have to stop this here.
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 7, 2022
“First, I want to thank the two community members who came forward and stated they’d help identify the individual who targeted not only me, but the entire LGBTQ+ community,” wrote Horn on Twitter. “I have immense faith in the FBI’s work to ensure that this is a fair and thorough process.”
He added, “Lastly, I want folks to understand that this issue is bigger than myself. We have to call out, challenge, and hold accountable those who seek to do harm to our community. This can become a slippery slope that’ll lead to more egregious anti-LGBTQ+ acts. We have to stop this here.”
As the story continues, Instinct Magazine has reached out to Justice Horn for comment. We will update this article should he or his campaign team respond.
Source: The Kansas City Star,
Thank gawd you blurred the word written on that banner. I don’t know if my heart could have handled it.
Seriously… are we that fragile?!
No, but censors are and people report gay magazine sites all the time for the littlest things that may appear on Facebook
Sad that gay men are still targeted with homophobia , hope he ends up winning.