Lesbian beaten by thugs for ‘boyish’ looks and left with broken ribs
A lesbian student was reportedly attacked at Northwestern High School in Maryland, USA. (Google Maps)
A lesbian student was reportedly beaten up and left with three broken ribs, which her mum believes may have been because of her “boyish” appearance.
The 11th grade lesbian pupil was assaulted in March 2017 by around four male students at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville in Maryland, reports LGBT+ newspaper Washington Blade.
An investigation launched by the school was unable to identify the perpetrators of the attack.
The lesbian student’s attackers have not been caught.(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Lesbian student suffers three broken ribs after attack
The attack came to light after the mother of the lesbian student, Lidia Reyes, contacted Washington Blade to complain about the school’s response to the incident.
The mother said the assault happened inside the school auditorium on March 23 2017.
However, the school said the auditorium was closed on that date and that it could not confirm where the attack happened.
“We did the best we could. We gathered all the information we could gather.”
—Principal Elaine Carlene Murray
Principal Elaine Carlene Murray told Washington Blade: “It was brought to our attention the next morning. We did a thorough investigation”
She added: “We did the best we could. We gathered all the information we could gather.”
Lesbian student’s mum believes daughter may have been targeted because of “boyish” looks
Reyes told Washington Blade that she believed her daughter, who is openly lesbian, could have been targeted because of her “boyish” presentation.
The school carried out an investigation after the lesbian student was attacked. (Stock image via Pexels)
She said that she moved to the US from Guatemala with her daughter a few years ago and that her daughter’s English is limited.
The mother said this could have been an issue when her daughter was explaining the attack to school teachers.
Murray said that she did not believe the lesbian student would have been targeted because of her clothing because all pupils wear the same uniform.
A spokesperson for the Prince George’s County Public Schools, which includes Northwestern High, said school officials and police had not managed to identify the student’s attackers.
He said the school has a strong anti-discrimination policy, which includes sexuality and gender identity.
