LGB Alliance Wants Gay Saunas, Clubs Shut Down Over Monkeypox Outbreak

LGB Alliance Wants Gay Saunas, Clubs Shut Down Over Monkeypox Outbreak
Image: LGB Alliance. Image: Facebook

Ahead of pride month celebrations across the world in June, anti-trans group LGB Alliance has come up with its plan to deal with the monkeypox outbreak – shutting down gay saunas and other queer businesses. 

The organisation, known for its transphobic stances, has asked government and local authorities in the UK to “protect gay and bisexual men” by closing down all gay saunas, strip clubs, massage parlours, fetish events and clubs with dark rooms for a month.

The UK-based LGBT Alliance’s statement singling out gay businesses invited a swift backlash from LGBTQI advocates who called out the organisation for its homophobia and hateful statements. The LGB Alliance’s statement on social media was deemed offensive, with Twitter taking down the post for violating its guidelines. The organisation’s post on Facebook remains on its page at press time. 

‘Monkeypox Is Not A Gay Disease’

Monkeypox Is Not A Gay Disease, Says WHO

LGB Alliance claimed that its call to close gay businesses with regard to the monkeypox outbreak was similar to the response to the HIV epidemic in the 1980s and calls by activists like the late Larry Kramer that gay sex clubs and bathhouses be closed. 

Terming gay men as “canaries in the mine”, the group added, “We cannot let fear of accusations of homophobia delay action to prevent the spread of this virus.”

Last week, World Health Organisation had very emphatically clarified that monkeypox was not a sexually transmitted disease or a “gay disease”. A senior health expert at WHO said that the recent reports of monkeypox among gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men in Europe and the US could be because the LGBTQI community was very vigilant when it came to monitoring and testing for sexually transmitted infections. 

Many social media users pointed that while LGBTQI organisations were advising the community to look out for symptoms, the LGB Alliance was showing its homophobic cards by attempting to spark a scare about gay businesses. 

“Reminder that the LGB Alliance is a homophobic, transphobic, queerphobic hate group masquerading as pro-gay advocacy.  They conned their way into being viewed as a charity, but nobody credible believes they deserve it. This is their latest pathetic phobic stunt,” said one social media user. 

Another user said that “LGB alliance saying gay saunas and darkrooms should be shut down is how I know it’s run by cishets.”

Group Has A History Of Making Anti-LGBTQI Statements

The anti-trans group has a history of making transphobic statements. Last year, soon after the organisation was granted charity status in the UK, the Charity Commission said it was in touch with the group over its hateful “bestiality” comment on social media. 

The group’s tweet that said “Adding the + to LGB gives the green light to paraphilias like bestiality – and more – to all be part of one big happy ‘rainbow family’. Wake up policy makers,” was taken down for hateful conduct by Twitter. 

Last month,  the London Community Foundation (LCF), suspended a grant to the group for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. LGB Alliance has also taken credit for the UK government’s U-turn on a ban on so-called conversion therapy. 

 

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