Gay Man Su, Claimg Halloween Store Boss Used Homophobic Slurs and Threatened Him

Contents:

• SPIR HALLOWEEN HAS TO KEEP APOLOGIZG FOR THIS HILAR, FAKE “GAY GUY” STUME
• NO, SPIR HALLOWEEN DON’T SELL ‘GAY GUY’ STUM. COMPANY RPONDS TO VIRAL POSTS
• GAY MAN SU SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE CHARLTON AFTER MANAGER LLED HIM A GAY SLUR
• GAY MAN SU, CLAIMG HALLOWEEN STORE BOSS USED HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AND THREATENED HIM‘IT’S RUINING MY LIFE’LGBTQ+ ADVOCY GROUP FAIRNS WT VIRGIA FILED A LAWSU ON TREVOR ANRSON’S BEHALF AFTER HE SAYS A MANAGER AT A SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE THREATENED HIM, G ANTI-GAY SLURS.NI LANGUPDATED APR. 21, 2022 2:13PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 20, 2022 8:12PM EDT FAIRNS WVTREVOR ANRSON DON’T REGNIZE HIMSELF ANYMORE. HE HASN’T FELT HAPPS SUCH A LONG TIME THAT HE MISS SG. ANRSON’S IENDS OFTEN TELL HIM THAT THEY N SEE HIS PA RADIATG OM HIS BODY, AND HE NFS OVER THE PHONE THAT HURTS HIM TO “KNOW THAT THEY N SEE.” WHEN HE LEAV HIS HOE, ANRSON VERS UP WH A MASK AND A BASEBALL P SO NO ONE N GET A GLIMPSE OF HIS FACE. HE DON’T WANT ANYONE TO REGNIZE HIM AND THK TO THEMSELV, “OH, THAT’S THE GUY I SAW ON THE NEWS.”“IT’S G MY LIFE,” HE TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “IT’S G MY IENDSHIPS. IT’S G MY RELATNSHIPS. I’M NOT TREVOR ANYMORE. I N’T BELIEVE THAT ONE MAN HAS PLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE, TO WHERE I DON’T EVEN REGNIZE MY FEELGS AND MY MD.” LGBTQ+ ADVOCY GROUP FAIRNS WT VIRGIA FILED A LAWSU ON ANRSON’S BEHALF MARCH AFTER HE SAYS A MANAGER AT A SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE CHARLTON BERATED HIM WH HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AND THREATENED HIM. THE ALTERTN BEGAN, ANRSON SAYS, OCTOBER WHEN HE WAS RETURNG SOME EMS PURCHASED THE DAY BEFORE. ANRSON HAD BEEN ASSEMBLG A STUME FOR A CLUE-THEMED HALLOWEEN PARTY, AND HIS SPIRATN WAS MR. GREEN, PORTRAYED AS A CLOSETED GAY MAN A 1985 FILM ADAPTATN OF THE BOARD GAME.AS A QUEER PERSON HIMSELF, ANRSON CID TO LIBERATE MR. GREEN BY GIVG HIM A G OUT PARTY F FOR 2022. AIMG FOR A MORE GENR-FLUID TERPRETATN OF THE CHARACTER, HE PURCHASED A PLAID MI-SKIRT AND A BELLY SHIRT, AMONG OTHER RANDOM ACCSORI. SOME OF THE EMS DIDN’T F, AND HE HAD HOPED TO EHER GET HIS MONEY BACK OR RECEIVE STORE CRED. BUT AFTER APPROACHG THE ONT UNTER, ANRSON SAYS HE WAS NONTED BY A MANAGER WHO REFED TO ALLOW HIM TO RETURN THE PURCHAS. INTIFIED THE LAWSU AS THELMON PENN, ANRSON REGNIZED THE MAN IMMEDIATELY: PENN WAS ONE OF SEVERAL SPIR HALLOWEEN EMPLOYE WHO HE ALLEG FOLLOWED HIM AROUND THE STORE THE PREV DAY WHILE HE CID WHAT TO BUY. ANRSON SAYS HE WONRED AT FIRST WHETHER THE STAFFERS THOUGHT HE WAS STEALG, BEFORE HE REALIZED THAT THEY JT WANTED TO GAWK AT HIM.AS ANRSON ATTEMPTED TO HAVE A NVERSATN WH PENN, HE SAYS THE STORE MANAGER RAPIDLY BEME ENRAGED, VES PULSG HIS FACE. “MAYBE YOU JT SHOULDN’T BE TRYG ON WOMEN'S CLOTHG,” PENN ALLEGEDLY BARKED.THGS ONLY FURTHER LATED OM THERE. WHEN ANRSON MAND PENN’S NAME AND NTACT RMATN TO FILE A PLAT, HE REPORTEDLY REFED TO GIVE OUT HIS PHONE NUMBER. “I’M NOT GIVG MY NUMBER TO A FAGGOT,” ANRSON RELLS THE MAN SAYG. NOT WANTG A FIGHT, ANRSON SAYS HE BEGAN TO LLECT HIS THGS TO LEAVE WHEN PENN BEGAN TO CHASE HIM OUT OF THE STORE, SCREAMG: “GET OUT, GET OUT, FUCKG FAGGOT.” “I ULD FEEL HIM BREATHG DOWN MY NECK. I ULD FEEL HIM THAT CLOSE. I RAN LIKE THE WD. I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I WAS NNG. I JT RAN.”— TREVOR ANRSON “THE MUTE I LEFT THE STORE, HE WAS STILL BEHD ME,” ANRSON SAYS. “I ULD FEEL HIM BREATHG DOWN MY NECK. I ULD FEEL HIM THAT CLOSE. I RAN LIKE THE WD. I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I WAS NNG. I JT RAN.”BEE WAS RAG THAT DAY, ANRSON TOOK SHELTER THE ENTRANCE OF A NEARBY DMV WHILE HE LLED HIS PARTNER, JONATHAN PEREIRA, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN PRENT DURG THE CINT. AFTER PEREIRA PHED HIS WAY THROUGH A CROWD OF PEOPLE WHO HAD GATHERED ONT OF SPIR HALLOWEEN, ANRSON WALKED TO MEET HIM AT THEIR R. THAT’S WHEN ANRSON SAYS PENN SPOTTED HIM THROUGH THE MASS OF SPECTATORS AND BEGAN CHARGG AT HIM ACROSS THE PARKG LOT.ANRSON SAYS THE IMAGE OF PENN RACG HIS DIRECTN WAS “SURREAL.” “HE DIDN’T HAVE A SHIRT ON,” HE RELLS. “IN THE HOLLOW I GREW UP , IF SOMEBODY’S ANGRY, THEY RIP THEIR SHIRT OFF. THAT’S RAGE.”ALTHOUGH ANRSON SAYS HE AND HIS PARTNER WERE ABLE TO MAKE TO THEIR VEHICLE AND SPEED OFF BEFORE PENN WAS ABLE TO TCH THEM, THAT MOMENT STILL HNTS HIM MONTHS LATER. HE SAYS THAT PENN BEGAN BEATG ON THE TNK AS HE SCREAMED AT THE UPLE, THREATENG VLENCE AGAST THEM. PEREIRA WAS SO PARALYZED WH FEAR THAT ANRSON SAYS HE HAD TO START THE R HIMSELF OM THE PASSENGER’S SEAT, PHG PEREIRA’S FOOT DOWN AND THEN PULLG BACK THE GEAR SHIFT AS THEY SHOT ACROSS THE PARKG LOT.ANRSON IS SEEKG DAMAG FOR THE PA AND SUFFERG HE ALLEG THAT HE EXPERIENCED AS A RULT OF THAT EVENG. IN THE SIX MONTHS SCE THE CINT TAILED HIS LAWSU, HE SAYS THAT HE HAS BEE A “MISERABLE PERSON TO BE AROUND.” HE CRI EVERY SGLE DAY. HE SAYS HIS PARTNER HAS DISCSED LEAVG HIM AND MOVG BACK TO VIRGIA BEE HE N’T AL WH ANRSON’S OVERWHELMG TRMA. “I WANT TO FEEL SAFE. I JT WANT TO HOLD MY BOYIEND’S HAND AND BE THE MOMENT. THAT’S ALL I’VE WANTED MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I’LL NEVER, EVER GET THAT HERE.”— TREVOR ANRSON PERHAPS WORST OF ALL, ANRSON SAYS HE DON’T HAVE MUCH HOPE LEFT FOR HIS HOME STATE. WHEN HE WAS HIS 20S, HE SAYS A PANY WT VIRGIA ASKED HIM TO RIGN AFTER HIS SUPERRS FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS GAY AND PAID HIM TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT . NOW AT 37, HE FEELS LIKE THGS HAVEN’T CHANGED.“I WANT TO FEEL SAFE,” HE SAYS. “I JT WANT TO HOLD MY BOYIEND’S HAND AND BE THE MOMENT. THAT’S ALL I’VE WANTED MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I’LL NEVER, EVER GET THAT HERE.”ANRSON’S ATTORNEYS HOPE THAT THE SE N HELP MAKE WT VIRGIA A STATE WHERE S LGBTQ+ RINTS N FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED. WT VIRGIA HAS YET TO PASS A STATEWI LAW BANNG ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN, MAKG ONE OF 18 U.S. STAT WH NO STATEWI PROTECTNS ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY AREAS LIKE HOG, HEALTH RE, TN, AND PUBLIC ACODATNS.BEN SALANGO, WHO IS REPRENTG ANRSON URT, TELLS THE DAILY BEAST THAT HIS LEGAL TEAM IS CHALLENGG THE LACK OF PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ+ WT VIRGIANS PLAC OF PUBLIC ACMODATN, CLUDG RTRANTS, HOTELS, AND RETAIL STOR. TWO YEARS AGO, THE SUPREME COURT LED THAT CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS PROHIBG SEX-BASED DISCRIMATN ALSO BAN WORKERS OM BEG FIRED BEE OF THEIR LGBTQ+ INTY, AND SALANGO SAYS THE SAME STANDARD MT APPLY TO ANRSON’S SE.“THERE'S NO LEGIMATE OR LEGAL BASIS TO NOT APPLY PLACE OF PUBLIC ACMODATN,” SALANGO SAYS OF THE LANDMARK BOSTOCK V. CLAYTON COUNTY CISN. “THE FN OF SEX N'T TAKE ON DIFFERENT MEANGS PENDG UPON WHERE THE PERSON WAS DISCRIMATED AGAST, WHETHER WAS AN EMPLOYMENT SETTG, PUBLIC ACMODATN, OR HOG. IT HAS TO HAVE THE SAME FN.”FAIRNS WT VIRGIA, WHICH IS HELPG TO SPEARHEAD ANRSON’S LEGAL SE, HAS BEEN FIGHTG FOR THE PROTECTNS FOR S. WHILE THE STATE HAS YET TO ENACT VIRTUALLY ANY STATEWI LGBTQ+ CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, THE GROUP HAS ENJOYED TREMENDO SUCCS AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL. AT LEAST 14 CI AND TOWNS WT VIRGIA HAVE LOL ORDANC ON THE BOOKS BANNG SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY BIAS, CLUDG CHARLTON, MANTOWN, AND WHEELG.BUT ANDREW SCHNEIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FAIRNS WT VIRGIA, SAYS THE REALY IS THAT THE VAST MAJORY OF THE STATE’S LGBTQ+ CIZENS REMA UNPROTECTED. HE TIMAT THAT LOL NON-DISCRIMATN ORDANC VER JT 11% OF THE WT VIRGIA’S POPULATN, TOTALG APPROXIMATELY 200,000 PEOPLE A STATE OF 1.8 LN.“UNLIKE MANY STAT, WE DON’T HAVE MANY CI,” SCHNEIR TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE A LLECTN OF SMALL TOWNS. WHEN WE GET MUNI TO ADOPT THE PROTECTNS, THEY’RE TYPILLY ON THE SMALLER SI.”THIS PIECE-MEAL APPROACH HAS PROVEN TO BE A HEAVY LABOR WT VIRGIA, THE UNTRY’S MOST MOUNTAO STATE. THE TOWN OF KEYSER, WHICH ENACTED A NON-DISCRIMATN ORDANCE 2021, IS HOME TO JT UNR 5,000 PEOPLE, AND SCHNEIR SAYS WOULD TAKE “FOREVER” TO GET EVERY LGBTQ+ PERSON PROTECTED IF THEY WENT MUNY BY MUNY. THURMOND, WT VIRGIA’S SMALLT MUNICIPALY, PASSED S OWN LGBTQ+ PROTECTNS 2015. IT HAS A POPULATN OF JT FIVE PEOPLE.WHOUT PREHENSIVE STATEWI PROTECTNS PLACE, SCHNEIR SAYS ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN REMAS MONPLACE WT VIRGIA. IN 2010, GAY AL MER SAM HALL SUED SPARTAN MG CO., ALLEGG YEARS OF HARASSMENT, TIMIDATN, AND ATH THREATS. ACRDG TO SCHNEIR, HALL LEFT THE POSN FOR A LOWER-PAYG JOB AT DOLLAR GENERAL BEFORE EVENTUALLY MOVG TO FLORIDA.SADLY, HALL ISN’T ALONE BEG FORCED OUT OF THE STATE. CENS DATA SHOWS THAT WT VIRGIANS ARE FLEEG DROV: BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, WT VIRGIA EXPERIENCED THE LARGT CLE POPULATN OF ANY STATE, A DIP OF 3.4%. ALTHOUGH THOSE NUMBERS CLU PEOPLE SEEKG BETTER ENOMIC OPPORTUNI AND IMPROVED TER ACCS OTHER STAT, SCHNEIR SAYS MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY WILL BE FORCED TO KEEP TAKG PART THE EXOD UNLS THEY KNOW THAT WT VIRGIA IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM. “WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NAME FOR : WE LL THEM ‘MISSED MOUNTAEERS.’”— ANDREW SCHNEIR “WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NAME FOR : WE LL THEM ‘MISSED MOUNTAEERS,’” SCHNEIR SAYS OF WT VIRGIANS MOVG AWAY OM THE STATE. “IT’S NOT JT ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO LEAVE. IT'S ABOUT THE FAY THAT THEY LEAVE BEHD, THE LOVED ON WHO N’T SEE THEIR CHILDREN ANYMORE, BEE THEY’RE ALL THE WAY FAR ACROSS THE UNTRY.”LGBTQ+ ADVOT SAY THERE ARE SIGNS THAT WT VIRGIA ULD BE HEAD THE RIGHT DIRECTN. ITS GOP ERNOR, JIM JTICE, SAID A 2020 GUBERNATORIAL BATE THAT HE WOULD SIGN AN LGBTQ+ NON-DISCRIMATN BILL IF WERE TO REACH HIS SK, AND SENATE PRINT MCH CARMICHAEL, ALSO A REPUBLIN, EXPRSED SUPPORT FOR SUCH LEGISLATN 2019. BUT EVEN THOSE HOP ARE TENTATIVE: CARMICHAEL BACKTRACKED ON HIS STATEMENT JT OVER A MONTH LATER, AND JTICE APPROVED AN ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BAN 2021.FOR HIS PART, ANRSON SAYS THAT ALL HE IS LOOKG FOR IS AN APOLOGY. HE SAYS THAT SPIR HALLOWEEN NEVER REACHED OUT TO HIM TO EXPRS REGRET OVER THE ALLEGED CINT, AND HIS ATTORNEYS ASSERT THAT THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF PENN FACG DISCIPLARY ACTN. (THE DAILY BEAST HAS REACHED OUT TO THE PANY FOR MENT AND WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF A REPRENTATIVE RPONDS.) “IT N’T BE FOR NOTHG. THERE’S GOG TO BE SOMETHG POSIVE.”— TREVOR ANRSON ANRSON SAYS HE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. HE DON’T WANT TO LEAVE WT VIRGIA, BUT ’S DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO PICTURE WHAT THE RT OF HIS LIFE LOOKS LIKE IF HE STAYS. HE HAS STGGLED TO FD STEADY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THE STATE AND PICKED UP SMOKG TO HELP HIM AL WH HIS ANXIETY. FRIENDS TELL HIM THAT HE NEEDS TO BE MORE REFUL AND TO RRY A GUN WH HIM AT ALL TIM, AND HE SAYS THEIR NCERN FOR HIM JT MAK HIS NER TURMOIL SO MUCH WORSE.BUT THROUGH ALL, ANRSON IS LOOKG FOR HIS SILVER LG. AS HE WATCH THE WD BLOW THROUGH THE TRE OUTSI HIS WDOW, HE SAYS THAT HE IS HOPEFUL THAT SHARG HIS STORY MAK A DIFFERENCE — WHETHER ’S BY AFFECTG STATEWI POLICY OR JT HELPG SOMEONE OUT THERE FEEL LS ALONE.“IT N’T BE FOR NOTHG,” HE SAYS. “THERE’S GOG TO BE SOMETHG POSIVE. SOMETHG GOOD IS GOG TO E OUT OF .” NI LANG

SPIR HALLOWEEN HAS TO KEEP APOLOGIZG FOR THIS HILAR, FAKE “GAY GUY” STUME

Over the weekend, a seri of tweets showg fake "gay guy" stum that look like they were beg sold by seasonal stume retailer Spir Halloween went viral on social media. The stum varied om "gay guy" to "gay loser" to "gay person terrible outf.

NO, SPIR HALLOWEEN DON’T SELL ‘GAY GUY’ STUM. COMPANY RPONDS TO VIRAL POSTS

Simply tled “Gay Guy, ” the stume qutn picts a cute guy wh buzzed and bleached hair wearg a tank top tucked to some light-wash jeans, draped a Pri flag. But the “Gay Guy, ” particular, found s way to Twter where ’s quickly taken on a life of s own.

As the “Gay Guy” ntu to make the rounds, has spired yet another wave of fake stum om photoshop-enabled jokters—many of which are holdg a mirror up to the queer muny. “Gay Loser” has bee an pecially popular sub-genre of the meme, but we’ve got to hand to this one, noddg to Our Flag Means Death, one the year’s bt (and surprisgly queert) edi:.

And, fally (for now), someone cid to drag our favore pop star Lil Nas X to , referencg the orange look he wore to the Variety Hmaker Bnch 2019 wh the stume name “Gay Person In Terrible Outf. Subscribe to Queerty for a daily dose of #life #gayguy #halloween stori and more. The spooky seasonal retailer is assurg ctomers that they have never sold a 'Gay Guy' outf.

GAY MAN SU SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE CHARLTON AFTER MANAGER LLED HIM A GAY SLUR

And Lil Nas X had a hilar reply to beg turned to the mol for the “gay person terrible outf” stume.

But the populary of fake getups that clud “Gay, ” “Lbian” and “Bisexual” the scriptn led to some nfn — and headach for Spir Halloween self.

One Twter er, apparently believg a phony “Gay Guy” stume they’d seen onle was real, mand an explanatn om the rporate acunt.

GAY MAN SU, CLAIMG HALLOWEEN STORE BOSS USED HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AND THREATENED HIM‘IT’S RUINING MY LIFE’LGBTQ+ ADVOCY GROUP FAIRNS WT VIRGIA FILED A LAWSU ON TREVOR ANRSON’S BEHALF AFTER HE SAYS A MANAGER AT A SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE THREATENED HIM, G ANTI-GAY SLURS.NI LANGUPDATED APR. 21, 2022 2:13PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 20, 2022 8:12PM EDT FAIRNS WVTREVOR ANRSON DON’T REGNIZE HIMSELF ANYMORE. HE HASN’T FELT HAPPS SUCH A LONG TIME THAT HE MISS SG. ANRSON’S IENDS OFTEN TELL HIM THAT THEY N SEE HIS PA RADIATG OM HIS BODY, AND HE NFS OVER THE PHONE THAT HURTS HIM TO “KNOW THAT THEY N SEE.” WHEN HE LEAV HIS HOE, ANRSON VERS UP WH A MASK AND A BASEBALL P SO NO ONE N GET A GLIMPSE OF HIS FACE. HE DON’T WANT ANYONE TO REGNIZE HIM AND THK TO THEMSELV, “OH, THAT’S THE GUY I SAW ON THE NEWS.”“IT’S G MY LIFE,” HE TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “IT’S G MY IENDSHIPS. IT’S G MY RELATNSHIPS. I’M NOT TREVOR ANYMORE. I N’T BELIEVE THAT ONE MAN HAS PLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE, TO WHERE I DON’T EVEN REGNIZE MY FEELGS AND MY MD.” LGBTQ+ ADVOCY GROUP FAIRNS WT VIRGIA FILED A LAWSU ON ANRSON’S BEHALF MARCH AFTER HE SAYS A MANAGER AT A SPIR HALLOWEEN STORE CHARLTON BERATED HIM WH HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AND THREATENED HIM. THE ALTERTN BEGAN, ANRSON SAYS, OCTOBER WHEN HE WAS RETURNG SOME EMS PURCHASED THE DAY BEFORE. ANRSON HAD BEEN ASSEMBLG A STUME FOR A CLUE-THEMED HALLOWEEN PARTY, AND HIS SPIRATN WAS MR. GREEN, PORTRAYED AS A CLOSETED GAY MAN A 1985 FILM ADAPTATN OF THE BOARD GAME.AS A QUEER PERSON HIMSELF, ANRSON CID TO LIBERATE MR. GREEN BY GIVG HIM A G OUT PARTY F FOR 2022. AIMG FOR A MORE GENR-FLUID TERPRETATN OF THE CHARACTER, HE PURCHASED A PLAID MI-SKIRT AND A BELLY SHIRT, AMONG OTHER RANDOM ACCSORI. SOME OF THE EMS DIDN’T F, AND HE HAD HOPED TO EHER GET HIS MONEY BACK OR RECEIVE STORE CRED. BUT AFTER APPROACHG THE ONT UNTER, ANRSON SAYS HE WAS NONTED BY A MANAGER WHO REFED TO ALLOW HIM TO RETURN THE PURCHAS. INTIFIED THE LAWSU AS THELMON PENN, ANRSON REGNIZED THE MAN IMMEDIATELY: PENN WAS ONE OF SEVERAL SPIR HALLOWEEN EMPLOYE WHO HE ALLEG FOLLOWED HIM AROUND THE STORE THE PREV DAY WHILE HE CID WHAT TO BUY. ANRSON SAYS HE WONRED AT FIRST WHETHER THE STAFFERS THOUGHT HE WAS STEALG, BEFORE HE REALIZED THAT THEY JT WANTED TO GAWK AT HIM.AS ANRSON ATTEMPTED TO HAVE A NVERSATN WH PENN, HE SAYS THE STORE MANAGER RAPIDLY BEME ENRAGED, VES PULSG HIS FACE. “MAYBE YOU JT SHOULDN’T BE TRYG ON WOMEN'S CLOTHG,” PENN ALLEGEDLY BARKED.THGS ONLY FURTHER LATED OM THERE. WHEN ANRSON MAND PENN’S NAME AND NTACT RMATN TO FILE A PLAT, HE REPORTEDLY REFED TO GIVE OUT HIS PHONE NUMBER. “I’M NOT GIVG MY NUMBER TO A FAGGOT,” ANRSON RELLS THE MAN SAYG. NOT WANTG A FIGHT, ANRSON SAYS HE BEGAN TO LLECT HIS THGS TO LEAVE WHEN PENN BEGAN TO CHASE HIM OUT OF THE STORE, SCREAMG: “GET OUT, GET OUT, FUCKG FAGGOT.” “I ULD FEEL HIM BREATHG DOWN MY NECK. I ULD FEEL HIM THAT CLOSE. I RAN LIKE THE WD. I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I WAS NNG. I JT RAN.”— TREVOR ANRSON “THE MUTE I LEFT THE STORE, HE WAS STILL BEHD ME,” ANRSON SAYS. “I ULD FEEL HIM BREATHG DOWN MY NECK. I ULD FEEL HIM THAT CLOSE. I RAN LIKE THE WD. I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I WAS NNG. I JT RAN.”BEE WAS RAG THAT DAY, ANRSON TOOK SHELTER THE ENTRANCE OF A NEARBY DMV WHILE HE LLED HIS PARTNER, JONATHAN PEREIRA, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN PRENT DURG THE CINT. AFTER PEREIRA PHED HIS WAY THROUGH A CROWD OF PEOPLE WHO HAD GATHERED ONT OF SPIR HALLOWEEN, ANRSON WALKED TO MEET HIM AT THEIR R. THAT’S WHEN ANRSON SAYS PENN SPOTTED HIM THROUGH THE MASS OF SPECTATORS AND BEGAN CHARGG AT HIM ACROSS THE PARKG LOT.ANRSON SAYS THE IMAGE OF PENN RACG HIS DIRECTN WAS “SURREAL.” “HE DIDN’T HAVE A SHIRT ON,” HE RELLS. “IN THE HOLLOW I GREW UP , IF SOMEBODY’S ANGRY, THEY RIP THEIR SHIRT OFF. THAT’S RAGE.”ALTHOUGH ANRSON SAYS HE AND HIS PARTNER WERE ABLE TO MAKE TO THEIR VEHICLE AND SPEED OFF BEFORE PENN WAS ABLE TO TCH THEM, THAT MOMENT STILL HNTS HIM MONTHS LATER. HE SAYS THAT PENN BEGAN BEATG ON THE TNK AS HE SCREAMED AT THE UPLE, THREATENG VLENCE AGAST THEM. PEREIRA WAS SO PARALYZED WH FEAR THAT ANRSON SAYS HE HAD TO START THE R HIMSELF OM THE PASSENGER’S SEAT, PHG PEREIRA’S FOOT DOWN AND THEN PULLG BACK THE GEAR SHIFT AS THEY SHOT ACROSS THE PARKG LOT.ANRSON IS SEEKG DAMAG FOR THE PA AND SUFFERG HE ALLEG THAT HE EXPERIENCED AS A RULT OF THAT EVENG. IN THE SIX MONTHS SCE THE CINT TAILED HIS LAWSU, HE SAYS THAT HE HAS BEE A “MISERABLE PERSON TO BE AROUND.” HE CRI EVERY SGLE DAY. HE SAYS HIS PARTNER HAS DISCSED LEAVG HIM AND MOVG BACK TO VIRGIA BEE HE N’T AL WH ANRSON’S OVERWHELMG TRMA. “I WANT TO FEEL SAFE. I JT WANT TO HOLD MY BOYIEND’S HAND AND BE THE MOMENT. THAT’S ALL I’VE WANTED MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I’LL NEVER, EVER GET THAT HERE.”— TREVOR ANRSON PERHAPS WORST OF ALL, ANRSON SAYS HE DON’T HAVE MUCH HOPE LEFT FOR HIS HOME STATE. WHEN HE WAS HIS 20S, HE SAYS A PANY WT VIRGIA ASKED HIM TO RIGN AFTER HIS SUPERRS FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS GAY AND PAID HIM TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT . NOW AT 37, HE FEELS LIKE THGS HAVEN’T CHANGED.“I WANT TO FEEL SAFE,” HE SAYS. “I JT WANT TO HOLD MY BOYIEND’S HAND AND BE THE MOMENT. THAT’S ALL I’VE WANTED MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I’LL NEVER, EVER GET THAT HERE.”ANRSON’S ATTORNEYS HOPE THAT THE SE N HELP MAKE WT VIRGIA A STATE WHERE S LGBTQ+ RINTS N FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED. WT VIRGIA HAS YET TO PASS A STATEWI LAW BANNG ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN, MAKG ONE OF 18 U.S. STAT WH NO STATEWI PROTECTNS ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY AREAS LIKE HOG, HEALTH RE, TN, AND PUBLIC ACODATNS.BEN SALANGO, WHO IS REPRENTG ANRSON URT, TELLS THE DAILY BEAST THAT HIS LEGAL TEAM IS CHALLENGG THE LACK OF PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ+ WT VIRGIANS PLAC OF PUBLIC ACMODATN, CLUDG RTRANTS, HOTELS, AND RETAIL STOR. TWO YEARS AGO, THE SUPREME COURT LED THAT CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS PROHIBG SEX-BASED DISCRIMATN ALSO BAN WORKERS OM BEG FIRED BEE OF THEIR LGBTQ+ INTY, AND SALANGO SAYS THE SAME STANDARD MT APPLY TO ANRSON’S SE.“THERE'S NO LEGIMATE OR LEGAL BASIS TO NOT APPLY PLACE OF PUBLIC ACMODATN,” SALANGO SAYS OF THE LANDMARK BOSTOCK V. CLAYTON COUNTY CISN. “THE FN OF SEX N'T TAKE ON DIFFERENT MEANGS PENDG UPON WHERE THE PERSON WAS DISCRIMATED AGAST, WHETHER WAS AN EMPLOYMENT SETTG, PUBLIC ACMODATN, OR HOG. IT HAS TO HAVE THE SAME FN.”FAIRNS WT VIRGIA, WHICH IS HELPG TO SPEARHEAD ANRSON’S LEGAL SE, HAS BEEN FIGHTG FOR THE PROTECTNS FOR S. WHILE THE STATE HAS YET TO ENACT VIRTUALLY ANY STATEWI LGBTQ+ CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, THE GROUP HAS ENJOYED TREMENDO SUCCS AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL. AT LEAST 14 CI AND TOWNS WT VIRGIA HAVE LOL ORDANC ON THE BOOKS BANNG SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY BIAS, CLUDG CHARLTON, MANTOWN, AND WHEELG.BUT ANDREW SCHNEIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FAIRNS WT VIRGIA, SAYS THE REALY IS THAT THE VAST MAJORY OF THE STATE’S LGBTQ+ CIZENS REMA UNPROTECTED. HE TIMAT THAT LOL NON-DISCRIMATN ORDANC VER JT 11% OF THE WT VIRGIA’S POPULATN, TOTALG APPROXIMATELY 200,000 PEOPLE A STATE OF 1.8 LN.“UNLIKE MANY STAT, WE DON’T HAVE MANY CI,” SCHNEIR TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE A LLECTN OF SMALL TOWNS. WHEN WE GET MUNI TO ADOPT THE PROTECTNS, THEY’RE TYPILLY ON THE SMALLER SI.”THIS PIECE-MEAL APPROACH HAS PROVEN TO BE A HEAVY LABOR WT VIRGIA, THE UNTRY’S MOST MOUNTAO STATE. THE TOWN OF KEYSER, WHICH ENACTED A NON-DISCRIMATN ORDANCE 2021, IS HOME TO JT UNR 5,000 PEOPLE, AND SCHNEIR SAYS WOULD TAKE “FOREVER” TO GET EVERY LGBTQ+ PERSON PROTECTED IF THEY WENT MUNY BY MUNY. THURMOND, WT VIRGIA’S SMALLT MUNICIPALY, PASSED S OWN LGBTQ+ PROTECTNS 2015. IT HAS A POPULATN OF JT FIVE PEOPLE.WHOUT PREHENSIVE STATEWI PROTECTNS PLACE, SCHNEIR SAYS ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN REMAS MONPLACE WT VIRGIA. IN 2010, GAY AL MER SAM HALL SUED SPARTAN MG CO., ALLEGG YEARS OF HARASSMENT, TIMIDATN, AND ATH THREATS. ACRDG TO SCHNEIR, HALL LEFT THE POSN FOR A LOWER-PAYG JOB AT DOLLAR GENERAL BEFORE EVENTUALLY MOVG TO FLORIDA.SADLY, HALL ISN’T ALONE BEG FORCED OUT OF THE STATE. CENS DATA SHOWS THAT WT VIRGIANS ARE FLEEG DROV: BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, WT VIRGIA EXPERIENCED THE LARGT CLE POPULATN OF ANY STATE, A DIP OF 3.4%. ALTHOUGH THOSE NUMBERS CLU PEOPLE SEEKG BETTER ENOMIC OPPORTUNI AND IMPROVED TER ACCS OTHER STAT, SCHNEIR SAYS MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY WILL BE FORCED TO KEEP TAKG PART THE EXOD UNLS THEY KNOW THAT WT VIRGIA IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM. “WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NAME FOR : WE LL THEM ‘MISSED MOUNTAEERS.’”— ANDREW SCHNEIR “WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NAME FOR : WE LL THEM ‘MISSED MOUNTAEERS,’” SCHNEIR SAYS OF WT VIRGIANS MOVG AWAY OM THE STATE. “IT’S NOT JT ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO LEAVE. IT'S ABOUT THE FAY THAT THEY LEAVE BEHD, THE LOVED ON WHO N’T SEE THEIR CHILDREN ANYMORE, BEE THEY’RE ALL THE WAY FAR ACROSS THE UNTRY.”LGBTQ+ ADVOT SAY THERE ARE SIGNS THAT WT VIRGIA ULD BE HEAD THE RIGHT DIRECTN. ITS GOP ERNOR, JIM JTICE, SAID A 2020 GUBERNATORIAL BATE THAT HE WOULD SIGN AN LGBTQ+ NON-DISCRIMATN BILL IF WERE TO REACH HIS SK, AND SENATE PRINT MCH CARMICHAEL, ALSO A REPUBLIN, EXPRSED SUPPORT FOR SUCH LEGISLATN 2019. BUT EVEN THOSE HOP ARE TENTATIVE: CARMICHAEL BACKTRACKED ON HIS STATEMENT JT OVER A MONTH LATER, AND JTICE APPROVED AN ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BAN 2021.FOR HIS PART, ANRSON SAYS THAT ALL HE IS LOOKG FOR IS AN APOLOGY. HE SAYS THAT SPIR HALLOWEEN NEVER REACHED OUT TO HIM TO EXPRS REGRET OVER THE ALLEGED CINT, AND HIS ATTORNEYS ASSERT THAT THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF PENN FACG DISCIPLARY ACTN. (THE DAILY BEAST HAS REACHED OUT TO THE PANY FOR MENT AND WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF A REPRENTATIVE RPONDS.) “IT N’T BE FOR NOTHG. THERE’S GOG TO BE SOMETHG POSIVE.”— TREVOR ANRSON ANRSON SAYS HE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. HE DON’T WANT TO LEAVE WT VIRGIA, BUT ’S DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO PICTURE WHAT THE RT OF HIS LIFE LOOKS LIKE IF HE STAYS. HE HAS STGGLED TO FD STEADY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THE STATE AND PICKED UP SMOKG TO HELP HIM AL WH HIS ANXIETY. FRIENDS TELL HIM THAT HE NEEDS TO BE MORE REFUL AND TO RRY A GUN WH HIM AT ALL TIM, AND HE SAYS THEIR NCERN FOR HIM JT MAK HIS NER TURMOIL SO MUCH WORSE.BUT THROUGH ALL, ANRSON IS LOOKG FOR HIS SILVER LG. AS HE WATCH THE WD BLOW THROUGH THE TRE OUTSI HIS WDOW, HE SAYS THAT HE IS HOPEFUL THAT SHARG HIS STORY MAK A DIFFERENCE — WHETHER ’S BY AFFECTG STATEWI POLICY OR JT HELPG SOMEONE OUT THERE FEEL LS ALONE.“IT N’T BE FOR NOTHG,” HE SAYS. “THERE’S GOG TO BE SOMETHG POSIVE. SOMETHG GOOD IS GOG TO E OUT OF .” NI LANG

It’s not the first time Spir Halloween had to disavow the “Gay Guy” stume, eher.

Another meme that picted actor Rhys Darby’s character the HBO seri Our Flag Means Death as a “Gay Loser” stume irrated his wife, Rosie Carnahan-Darby, who lled “” and said they would have to voice Spir Halloween for the e of his image. CHARLESTON – A gay man has sued Spir Halloween after he says he was nied service and harassed by a manager. The world has changed a lot for gay people over the past few years, and our cy is generally a pretty welg place.