Imagine if you had to apologize for being gay. Some of us have and we've seen it on tv where people say, "I'm sorry I'm gay, but it is who I am so deal with it." Done, end of story, we move on with our head held high.
Now imagine if you were forced to apologize for being gay until the people forcing you were satisfied with your pleas and sorrow.
Photography student Will Mayrick, 19, said he feared for his life as he was placed in a headlock and left struggling to breathe by two attackers on a Jubilee line train.
Mr Mayrick, from Clapham, was with four friends on the way to a fancy dress event at the O2.
Police said the suspects held him in a headlock, throttled him and demanded that he apologise for being gay. – standard.co.uk
Police said the attackers took Mayrick's phone and threatened to stab him.
The attackers as well punched and pushed to the ground one of the victim's 25-year old female friends when she came to his defense.
Mr Mayrick, president of the LGBT society at Ravensbourne design and digital media college in Greenwich, said: “We’d got a bit of glitter on and they obviously didn’t like that. They shouted ‘f***ing gays’ and ‘fag’, whatever they could think of.
“Then one grabbed hold of me and got my head in a headlock. The other grabbed my phone and tried to make me apologise for being gay.
I said that’s absolutely not going to happen, that’s not who I am. But he got me so tight round the neck that if I didn’t say something I wouldn’t have been able to breathe.
At the same time the other guy was pulling something out of his coat. I was so, so scared.” – standard.co.uk
Mr Mayrick added: “I’m proud of the fact that I’m gay, I would never want to change. I’m not sorry.
“But at the time I thought if I don’t apologise I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Possibly if homophobia was on their school curriculum it wouldn’t have happened.” – standard.co.uk
British Transport Police said they were treating the incident as a hate crime. Two 16-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of assault following a public appeal and have been released on bail.
We're very happy you are safe, Will.
Would you have done the same thing?
Have you apologized for your sexuality?
(1) If my life was really at
(1) If my life was really at stake and telling a lie was all that was required, I'd probably lie to protect myself.
(2) Fortunately no, I've never had to. Hopefully will never be in the position this young man was in.