Beaten up for beg gay - stunt left vered blood after homophobic attack Liverpool | ITV News Granada

Contents:

• BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY
• YOUNG MAN LEFT WH SICKENG JURI AFTER BEG BEATEN UP ‘FOR BEG GAY’
• 'THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY STROYED ME': THE MEN BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY
• MAN SAYS HE WAS BEAT UP FORT LRDALE BEE HE’S GAY
• BEATEN BY HIS CHURCH FOR BEG GAYFIGHTG BACKMATTHEW FENNER CLAIMS MEMBERS OF THE NORTH CAROLA-BASED THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP SUBJECTED HIM TO A BTAL ATTACK. NOW THE SE IS GOG TO URT.JT JONUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 1:19PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 16, 2014 5:45AM EST WSPA“I DIDN’T THK I WAS GOG TO E OUT ALIVE.”THIS IS HOW 21-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW FENNER SCRIBED TO THE DAILY BEAST A TORTURO TWO-HOUR “LIVERANCE” SPEARHEAD BY MEMBERS OF HIS FORMER NORTH CAROLA CHURCH—THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP. THEY WANTED TO EXPEL THE MONS WHICH THEY BELIEVED ED IMPURE THOUGHTS. FENNER HAD BEEN OPENLY GAY FOR YEARS.I SPOKE TO FENNER DAYS AFTER A GRAND JURY DICTED JT BROCK COVGTON, BROOKE MCFADN COVGTON, ROBERT LOUIS WALKER JR. AND ADAM CHRISTOPHER BARTLEY ON SEND GREE KIDNAPPG AND SIMPLE ASSLT. SARAH COVGTON ANRSON FACED THE SAME CHARG, WH AN ADD ASSLT BY STRANGULATN.“I HAD AT LEAST 15-20 LLEGE AGE MEN AROUND ME, SCREAMG, SHAKG ME, PUNCHG ME, HTG MY CHT, GRABBG MY HEAD, TELLG ME TO REPEAT DIFFERENT PHRAS,” FENNER, A JUNR AT THE UNIVERSY OF NORTH CAROLA-CHAPEL HILL, STATED THE AFFIDAV FILED WH RUTHERFORD COUNTY. “DELIVERANCE SOON ENSUED (WHICH MEANT EXTREMELY ROUGH PHG, LOUD SCREAMG, AND OTHER VLENT MEASUR TEND TO ‘BREAK ME EE OF THE HOMOSEXUAL “MONS” THEY SO VICLY SPISED), AND I WAS AT ONE POT GRABBED BY MY THROAT BY SARAH AND SHAKEN, PUNCHED, AND BEATEN,” HE SCRIBED THE AFFIDAV. “I RECEIVED MANY BIS ON MY LLARBON, NECK, CHT, AND SHOULRS.”FENNER’S SE AFTER YEARS OF SPECTED CULT-LIKE BEHAVR ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH. SCE 1979, WHEN THE SPDALE, N.C.-BASED WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP WAS FOUND, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF AN VTIGATIVE EXPOSé ON ABE, SEEN PREV LAWSUS REGARDG THE HARSH TREATMENT OF S MEMBERS AND, ACRDG TO FENNER, BEE A FEARED ANIZATN WH THE MUNY WHICH OPERAT.FENNER’S VOLVEMENT WH THE CHURCH BEGAN 2010 WHEN HIS MOTHER AND GRANDPARENTS CID TO ATTEND A SERVICE. HIS GRANDFATHER, A PASTOR, HAD VISED THE CHURCH S BEFORE— THE 1980S—WHEN THE CHURCH WAS POPULAR WH THE MUNY.BUT, BY 1995, AN INSI EDN VTIGATN HAD EXPOSED THE CHURCH’S RADIL (AND QUE HORRIFYG) “BLASTG” TECHNIQU—SUBJECTG MEMBERS TO SCREAMS AND HIGH PCHED NOIS.THE SSNS, WHICH THE CHURCH WAS STILL G DURG FENNER’S ATTENDANCE, RANGE OM A UPLE MUT TO A FEW HOURS. “ALLEGATNS OF CHILD ABE, SEXUAL MOLTATN, UNLAWFUL IMPRISONMENT, AND CULT-LIKE MD-NTROL TECHNIQU,” WERE RAISED DURG THE SHOW’S VTIGATN, AID BY DALLAS-BASED TRY FOUNDATN.“YOU HAVE TO LIVE WH THE GUILT OF THE THGS YOU ALLOWED TO GO ON AND THE THGS YOU WNSED AND NEVER SAID ANYTHG ABOUT,” A NCEALED FORMER MEMBER SAID THE SEGMENT. RUMORS OF THE ALLEGATNS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, ACRDG TO FENNER.“SEVERAL FORMER MEMBERS MA ALLEGATNS TO THE SENSATNAL, TABLOID JOURNALISM SHOW,” A STATEMENT OM THE CHURCH’S ATTORNEY, JOSH FARMER, SAID. “THE NORTH CAROLA STATE BURE OF INVTIGATN AND THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVIC VTIGATED THOSE FALSE CLAIMS AND TERMED NO WRONG DOG HAD OCCURRED.”HIS MOTHER “NEVER REALLY BELIEVED ,” FENNER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST OF THE MORS. “SHE WAS ALWAYS POSIVE AND TRIED TO GIVE THEM THE BENEF OF THE DOUBT.” FENNER ALSO HAD THE SAME MDSET. “I DIDN’T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THEM BEE I DIDN’T KNOW THEM OR IF WAS TE.”HE WAS ALSO TRYG TO AMEND HIS RELATNSHIP WH HIS MOTHER: SCE G OUT AS GAY AT 14, THEN AGA AT 16 (SHE DISMISSED AS A PHASE IALLY), THEY HAD BEE SLIGHTLY DISTANT. HE SAID THAT SHE HAD VOICED HER DISAPPROVAL AND SHAME, STATG HE WAS “GOG TO HELL” AND THAT SHE “DIDN’T WANT GAY CHILDREN.” SHE HOPED THE CHURCH, WHICH RERCED HER VIEWS, WOULD BE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR HIM, HE EXPLAED.“IT WAS REALLY HARD NOT HAVG THE ACCEPTANCE,” HE SAID, “AND WAS REALLY HARD FEELG OSTRACIZED BY HER BEE WE WERE ALWAYS REALLY CLOSE.”FENNER’S FIRST VIS TO THE CHURCH ENGENRED MIXED EMOTNS. THE NGREGATN WAS WARM, IENDLY, AND WELG—TRAS, HE SAYS, HE LATER ME TO BELIEVE THEY ED TO AX MEMBERS . BUT, GROWG UP, HE HAD NEVER ASCRIBED TO ANY KD OF RELIGN, ALWAYS DOUBTG AND QUTNG . HE DIDN’T PLAN ON GOG BACK.YET, AS TEENAGERS OFTEN DO TO GET THGS THEY WANT, HE SUCCUMBED TO A AL WH HIS MOTHER. HIS HIGH SCHOOL PROM WAS AROUND THE RNER, AND HE HAD BEEN HANGG OUT WH A BOY THAT HE HAD A CSH ON. IN ORR TO GO TO PROM, AND SEE HIS IEND, FENNER HAD TO GO TO FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICE AT THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP.SO HE WENT.“THEY WERE ALL VERY ACCEPTG AND IENDLY,” HE SAID. “IT FELT GOOD.” HE MA SOME IENDS AND ATTENDG DIDN’T SEEM SO BAD. SO, HE CID TO GIVE THE CHURCH A CHANCE, IF NOT JT FOR THE SAKE OF MENDG HIS RELATNSHIP WH HIS MOTHER.SOON, HE CLAIMS, HE WOULD START SEEG, LTLE BY LTLE, THE ALLEGED ABE THAT OTHERS HAVE CLAIMED HAPPENS BEHD THE FORTIFIED WALLS OF THE FELLOWSHIP.THE CHURCH’S YOUTH, ACRDG TO FENNER, LIVE ALMOST PLETELY SEPARATE OM THE WORLD. KIDS ARE VERY LIMED THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE THAT HAVE THE OUTSI MUNY, HE SAYS, CLAIMG THE ADULTS DON’T WANT TO “EXPOSE [THEM] TO THE UNCLEAN” OR THGS THAT MIGHT “MAKE [THEM] WANT TO LEAVE” THE CHURCH.THEY AREN’T ALLOWED THE LUXURI OF TELEVISN, MIC, MOVI, AND VIO GAM, HE SAYS. THOUGH, SOME WOULD STILL DULGE, EVEN WH THE RISK OF PUNISHMENT. THOSE UGHT WOULD BE BEATEN, FENNER SAID.“I NNOT REERATE ENOUGH THAT THERE IS SO MUCH ABE THAT GO ON THIS PLACE,” HE ASSERTED. “ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE CHILDREN.”FENNER SAYS HE SAW A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY ISOLATED OM HIS PARENTS FOR WEEKS BEE HE WAS BEG “REBELL.” HE WAS KEPT A DORM-LIKE BUILDG, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED OTHER ALLEGATNS.THE CHURCH WOULD “KEEP PEOPLE SEPARATED OM THEIR FAI,” FENNER SAYS, WHILE “BEG ALT WH FOR SEXUAL SS.” IT CLUD MOSTLY MEN, THERE FOR MASTURBATN, TRYG TO SLEEP WH THEIR WIV WHOUT PERMISSN OR HAVG THOUGHTS OF PEOPLE NSIRED “UNCLEAN.”STUNTS AT THE CHURCH’S UNACCREDED SCHOOL WERE BEATEN, HE SAYS. FENNER CLAIMS THAT TUTORS—VOLUNTEER CHURCH MEMBERS—WERE STCTED TO H KIDS THE HEAD TO “BREAK WCHCRAFT OFF THEIR MDS” FOR MOVG TOO SLOW WH THEIR STUDI. HE WAS STCTED SEVERAL TIM TO ABE THE KIDS, HE SAYS, OR HE WOULD SUFFER THE ABE.“YOU ULD HEAR JANE [WHALEY, THE PASTOR] AT THE END OF THE HALLWAY SCREAMG AT PEOPLE ABOUT HOW THEY ARE WICKED AND GOG TO HELL AND FULL OF THE VIL,” FENNER SAID.IN 2012, MICHAEL LOWERY, ANOTHER MEMBER WHO FILED A LAWSU AGAST THE CHURCH, ALLEGED HE HAD BEEN HELD AGAST HIS WILL FOR MONTHS THIS DORM-LIKE AREA WHILE BEG PHYSILLY AND EMOTNALLY ABED BY THE CHURCH’S LEARS. ALL, HE SAYS, BEE HE TOLD THEM HE WAS GAY.LOWERY LATER RENTED HIS STORY, G THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JTICE TO DROP THE HATE CRIME VTIGATN, BUT NOW LOWERY CLAIMS HE WAS PERSUAD TO CHANGG HIS STORI.A EARLIER, THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP WAS VOLVED A URT SE AGAST FORMER MEMBER SHANA ME, WHO HAD RECENTLY RETURNED OM TREATMENT AT WELLSPRG RETREAT, A UNSELG CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF SPIRUAL ABE.ME WAS LOOKG TO REGA CTODY OF HER FOUR CHILDREN—JT, SARAH, PATRICK AND RACHEL. SHE CLAIMED THE CHURCH FORCED HER TO SIGN OVER THE CTODY OF HER KIDS TO BROOKE COVGTON WHEN SHE LEFT THE NGREGATN WH NO MONEY OR JOB SECURY. BROOKE, JT AND SARAH ARE THREE OF FENNER’S ACCED. BROOKE IS THE DGHTER OF HEAD PASTOR JANE WHALEY.THE FOUR CHILDREN WERE TAKEN TO CTODY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVIC. JUDGE RANDY POOL HAD LED THAT THE CHURCH’S PRACTIC NSTUTED ABE AND NEGLECT.BY THE END OF THE TRIAL, “THE PRIDG JUDGE FOUND MS. ME TO BE UNF AND FOUND THE COVGTONS TO BE F AND PROPER PARENTS AND AWARD CTODY OF THE BOYS TO THE COVGTONS,” ACRDG TO A STATEMENT MA BY FARMER, THE CHURCH’S ATTORNEY. “THE TWO GIRLS WERE LEGALLY EMANCIPATED AND RETURNED TO THE COVGTON HOEHOLD.”PATRICK, WHO IS OPENLY GAY AND PED THE CHURCH WH FENNER, IS G TO THEIR FENSE.“I KNEW WAS A LIE OM THE BEGNG,” PATRICK TOLD WLOS. “BEE PECIALLY MY SISTER IS NOT PABLE OF DOG THE STUFF THAT HE IS ACCG HER OF DOG.”THE TWO ONCE LIVED TOGETHER UNR THE SAME ROOF, AFTER BROOKE ASKED FENNER TO LIVE WH THEM. HIS STEPFATHER HAD LEFT HIS MOTHER AND THEY ULD NO LONGER AFFORD THE HOE WHICH THEY LIVED. THEY WNSED AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYP OF ABIVE EVENTS, FENNER CLAIMS.“I WAS TREATED AS A SPECIAL SE,” FENNER SAID. THE CHURCH THOUGHT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLEVIATE PEOPLE’S NCERNS, FENNER SAID—TO NVCE PEOPLE THAT THE MORS WEREN’T TE. HE NEVER SUFFERED ANY PHYSIL ABE AND HAD GROWN CLOSE WH JANE, BROOKE, AND HER FAY.THEN, HE SAYS, EVERYTHG CHANGED.FENNER SAID THAT THEY REALIZED THAT HE HAD ONLY BEEN APPEASG THE LEARS AND FAY MEMBERS WH THEIR REQUTS. THE FAY’S ATTUS, AS HE SCRIBED, SHIFTED OM NCERN TO ANNOYANCE AND DISGT. “SHE [BROOKE] WOULD JT LL ME A SNAKE AND SAY I WAS DISGTG FOR ME BEG GAY,” AND NSTANTLY REPRIMANDG HIM FOR THE WAY HE WOULD S, STAND, AND TALK.“BROOKE KNEW THAT I WASN’T GOG TO CHANGE. THAT’S WHAT LED TO THE NIGHT WHEN ALL THIS STUFF HAPPENED.”AFTER A SUNDAY EVENG SERVICE ON JANUARY 27, 2013, FENNER SAYS BROOKE, SARAH AND SARAH’S HBAND, NICK, PULLED FENNER TO THE BACK OF THE SANCTUARY TO TALK ABOUT HIS SS OF BEG GAY. OTHERS OM THE NGREGATN BEGAN TO TRICKLE BACK.AFTER GOG BACK AND FORTH FOR A B, FENNER SAYS HE WAS SUBJECTED TO A UPLE “BLASTG SSNS” BEFORE ALLEGEDLY BEG SLAPPED BY SARAH, PUNCHED BY BROOKE—WHO IS “A VERY LARGE, STRONG WOMAN”—AND GRABBED BY THE OTHERS WHO SCREAMED AND SHOOK HIS BODY.HE SAYS HE WAS CRYG. HE ULDN’T BREATHE. HIS VISN WAS GOG AND OUT. “THE ONLY OPTN WAS TO GET THROUGH THE NIGHT AND N AWAY.”AND HE DID.IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, FENNER SAYS, HE AND PATRICK PED TO FENNER’S GRANDPARENT’S HOE WHO TOOK HIM AND ALERTED THORI. IT TOOK ALMOST TWO YEARS OF WORKG WH AND URGG ALONG THORI FOR FENNER, WHO HAS NO LEGAL REPRENTATN, TO GET HIS SE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.“THEY ARE NOCENT OF THE CHARG LEVELED AGAST THEM,” A STATEMENT ISSUED BY FARMER, WHO ALSO REPRENTS THE ACCED, SAID. “WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVG THEIR NOCENCE AND TO THEIR PLETE VDITN BEFORE A TRIAL URT.”“I KNOW ’S GOG TO BE A LONG PROCS, I KNOW ’S GOG TO BE AN EMOTNAL PROCS,” FENNER SAID OF THE PENDG URT SE. “IT’S GOG TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF PATIENCE BUT … I FEEL LIKE EVEN IF DON’T GET THE OUTE … WE SIRE, I KNOW AT LEAST I PUT MY TTH OUT THERE.”FENNER HAS SCE MOVED WH HIS GRANDPARENTS AND TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSY OF NORTH CAROLA-CHAPEL HILL WHERE HE IS MAJORG ANTHROPOLOGY AND ON A PRE-MED TRACK. HE HOP TO ATTEND COLUMBIA MEDIL SCHOOL AND SPECIALIZE ONLOGY. THROUGH A WORK-STUDY PROGRAM WH THE SCHOOL, HE IS A PROGRAM ASSISTANT AT THE UNC-CHAPEL HILL LGBT CENTER.“IT’S MA ME A LOT STRONGER AND … HONT ABOUT WHO I AM,” FENNER SAID OF THE EXPERIENCE AND HIS SEXUALY. “IT’S MA ME EMBRACE A LOT MORE … BEE OF THE THGS THAT I’VE HAD TO FIGHT THROUGH TO BE AS OPEN AND FORTABLE AS I AM.”DISCSG THE FUTURE OF THE SE, WHICH HE SAYS HAS S FIRST HEARG SCHLED FOR FEBARY 11, 2015, FENNER SAID THAT HE JT WANTS THE ABE TO STOP. THEY “N BELIEVE WHATEVER THEY WANT AS LONG AS [THEY] ARE NOT HARMG OTHER PEOPLE,” HE SAID OF THE RELIG ANIZATN. “I JT WANT THE ABE TO STOP AND I WANT THEM TO STOP TEARG FAI APART.” JT JON
• BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY - STUNT LEFT VERED BLOOD AFTER HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK LIVERPOOL
• MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR

BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY

Image source, Jam/ DaFifty years ago, gay sex between men private was crimalised England and Wal. Dpe this, hate crim agast gay people have persisted, and the number of attacks rerd by police has been risg.

There was a lot of aggrsn and shoutg of "gay boys". He swung for out more Jam, Da, Becky, Alex and Jenny tell their stori the TV programme Is safe to be gay the UK? The documentary is part of Gay Brannia - a season of programmg across the BBC to mark the 50th anniversary of The Sexual Offenc Act 1967, which partially crimalised gay sex between men England and I got groped, kicked and slammed to a street light.

We wouldn't attract attentn but beg wh Becky do bee she is so obvly gay. His sister Jenny, who is also gay, talks about the loss of her "separable lk" was the first born the fay and he was four years olr than I was. In our early 20s, I went to a gay party wh a girl.

YOUNG MAN LEFT WH SICKENG JURI AFTER BEG BEATEN UP ‘FOR BEG GAY’

" and om that moment we realised we were both gay.

" My brother turned round and said, "I may be gay but…" And then there was some kd of altertn. Thoands of people wh lights attend an extraordary g together of gay and straight people Trafalgar Square bee of what had happened.

Over the past 12 years, Pl Harfleet has planted hundreds of pansi across the world at spots where gay people have been subjected to homophobic abe - cludg lotns Atria, Swen, Turkey and the started Manchter 2005 when I experienced three separate stanc of homophobia one day. The first one I planted was lled: "I thk 's about time we went gay bashg aga.

'THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY STROYED ME': THE MEN BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY

Unfortunately everywhere I go there's ually a place where someone has experienced homophobia. " Every sgle pansy marks a story of someone who has experienced homophobia on the streets. Explag the spike, Greater Manchter Police say they have got better at rerdg crim, but also say the populary of the Gay Village, a 'toxic atmosphere' around trans rights, the re-openg of bars after Covid, and creased victim nfince reportg are factors.

MAN SAYS HE WAS BEAT UP FORT LRDALE BEE HE’S GAY

At the time, police said the cint was beg treated as a 'homophobilly-aggravated asslt'. The pair were set on by a group of men, masked balaclavas, who, they claim, lnched vile homophobic slurs at them before attackg them wh a hammer. "I jt thk there is a very small mory of people who n’t seem to accept the fact that people are gay and that ’s okay to be gay.

The people who attacked knew exactly me and Max were gay and wouldn't fight back - and they ed that to their advantage. The amount of homophobic attacks I have heard of where nothg is done is disgtg. "And after people have had a drk, the first thg that uld e out of someone's mouth is gog to be a homophobic or transphobic slur along wh whatever other offence is mted.

BEATEN BY HIS CHURCH FOR BEG GAYFIGHTG BACKMATTHEW FENNER CLAIMS MEMBERS OF THE NORTH CAROLA-BASED THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP SUBJECTED HIM TO A BTAL ATTACK. NOW THE SE IS GOG TO URT.JT JONUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 1:19PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 16, 2014 5:45AM EST WSPA“I DIDN’T THK I WAS GOG TO E OUT ALIVE.”THIS IS HOW 21-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW FENNER SCRIBED TO THE DAILY BEAST A TORTURO TWO-HOUR “LIVERANCE” SPEARHEAD BY MEMBERS OF HIS FORMER NORTH CAROLA CHURCH—THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP. THEY WANTED TO EXPEL THE MONS WHICH THEY BELIEVED ED IMPURE THOUGHTS. FENNER HAD BEEN OPENLY GAY FOR YEARS.I SPOKE TO FENNER DAYS AFTER A GRAND JURY DICTED JT BROCK COVGTON, BROOKE MCFADN COVGTON, ROBERT LOUIS WALKER JR. AND ADAM CHRISTOPHER BARTLEY ON SEND GREE KIDNAPPG AND SIMPLE ASSLT. SARAH COVGTON ANRSON FACED THE SAME CHARG, WH AN ADD ASSLT BY STRANGULATN.“I HAD AT LEAST 15-20 LLEGE AGE MEN AROUND ME, SCREAMG, SHAKG ME, PUNCHG ME, HTG MY CHT, GRABBG MY HEAD, TELLG ME TO REPEAT DIFFERENT PHRAS,” FENNER, A JUNR AT THE UNIVERSY OF NORTH CAROLA-CHAPEL HILL, STATED THE AFFIDAV FILED WH RUTHERFORD COUNTY. “DELIVERANCE SOON ENSUED (WHICH MEANT EXTREMELY ROUGH PHG, LOUD SCREAMG, AND OTHER VLENT MEASUR TEND TO ‘BREAK ME EE OF THE HOMOSEXUAL “MONS” THEY SO VICLY SPISED), AND I WAS AT ONE POT GRABBED BY MY THROAT BY SARAH AND SHAKEN, PUNCHED, AND BEATEN,” HE SCRIBED THE AFFIDAV. “I RECEIVED MANY BIS ON MY LLARBON, NECK, CHT, AND SHOULRS.”FENNER’S SE AFTER YEARS OF SPECTED CULT-LIKE BEHAVR ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH. SCE 1979, WHEN THE SPDALE, N.C.-BASED WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP WAS FOUND, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF AN VTIGATIVE EXPOSé ON ABE, SEEN PREV LAWSUS REGARDG THE HARSH TREATMENT OF S MEMBERS AND, ACRDG TO FENNER, BEE A FEARED ANIZATN WH THE MUNY WHICH OPERAT.FENNER’S VOLVEMENT WH THE CHURCH BEGAN 2010 WHEN HIS MOTHER AND GRANDPARENTS CID TO ATTEND A SERVICE. HIS GRANDFATHER, A PASTOR, HAD VISED THE CHURCH S BEFORE— THE 1980S—WHEN THE CHURCH WAS POPULAR WH THE MUNY.BUT, BY 1995, AN INSI EDN VTIGATN HAD EXPOSED THE CHURCH’S RADIL (AND QUE HORRIFYG) “BLASTG” TECHNIQU—SUBJECTG MEMBERS TO SCREAMS AND HIGH PCHED NOIS.THE SSNS, WHICH THE CHURCH WAS STILL G DURG FENNER’S ATTENDANCE, RANGE OM A UPLE MUT TO A FEW HOURS. “ALLEGATNS OF CHILD ABE, SEXUAL MOLTATN, UNLAWFUL IMPRISONMENT, AND CULT-LIKE MD-NTROL TECHNIQU,” WERE RAISED DURG THE SHOW’S VTIGATN, AID BY DALLAS-BASED TRY FOUNDATN.“YOU HAVE TO LIVE WH THE GUILT OF THE THGS YOU ALLOWED TO GO ON AND THE THGS YOU WNSED AND NEVER SAID ANYTHG ABOUT,” A NCEALED FORMER MEMBER SAID THE SEGMENT. RUMORS OF THE ALLEGATNS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, ACRDG TO FENNER.“SEVERAL FORMER MEMBERS MA ALLEGATNS TO THE SENSATNAL, TABLOID JOURNALISM SHOW,” A STATEMENT OM THE CHURCH’S ATTORNEY, JOSH FARMER, SAID. “THE NORTH CAROLA STATE BURE OF INVTIGATN AND THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVIC VTIGATED THOSE FALSE CLAIMS AND TERMED NO WRONG DOG HAD OCCURRED.”HIS MOTHER “NEVER REALLY BELIEVED ,” FENNER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST OF THE MORS. “SHE WAS ALWAYS POSIVE AND TRIED TO GIVE THEM THE BENEF OF THE DOUBT.” FENNER ALSO HAD THE SAME MDSET. “I DIDN’T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THEM BEE I DIDN’T KNOW THEM OR IF WAS TE.”HE WAS ALSO TRYG TO AMEND HIS RELATNSHIP WH HIS MOTHER: SCE G OUT AS GAY AT 14, THEN AGA AT 16 (SHE DISMISSED AS A PHASE IALLY), THEY HAD BEE SLIGHTLY DISTANT. HE SAID THAT SHE HAD VOICED HER DISAPPROVAL AND SHAME, STATG HE WAS “GOG TO HELL” AND THAT SHE “DIDN’T WANT GAY CHILDREN.” SHE HOPED THE CHURCH, WHICH RERCED HER VIEWS, WOULD BE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR HIM, HE EXPLAED.“IT WAS REALLY HARD NOT HAVG THE ACCEPTANCE,” HE SAID, “AND WAS REALLY HARD FEELG OSTRACIZED BY HER BEE WE WERE ALWAYS REALLY CLOSE.”FENNER’S FIRST VIS TO THE CHURCH ENGENRED MIXED EMOTNS. THE NGREGATN WAS WARM, IENDLY, AND WELG—TRAS, HE SAYS, HE LATER ME TO BELIEVE THEY ED TO AX MEMBERS . BUT, GROWG UP, HE HAD NEVER ASCRIBED TO ANY KD OF RELIGN, ALWAYS DOUBTG AND QUTNG . HE DIDN’T PLAN ON GOG BACK.YET, AS TEENAGERS OFTEN DO TO GET THGS THEY WANT, HE SUCCUMBED TO A AL WH HIS MOTHER. HIS HIGH SCHOOL PROM WAS AROUND THE RNER, AND HE HAD BEEN HANGG OUT WH A BOY THAT HE HAD A CSH ON. IN ORR TO GO TO PROM, AND SEE HIS IEND, FENNER HAD TO GO TO FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICE AT THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP.SO HE WENT.“THEY WERE ALL VERY ACCEPTG AND IENDLY,” HE SAID. “IT FELT GOOD.” HE MA SOME IENDS AND ATTENDG DIDN’T SEEM SO BAD. SO, HE CID TO GIVE THE CHURCH A CHANCE, IF NOT JT FOR THE SAKE OF MENDG HIS RELATNSHIP WH HIS MOTHER.SOON, HE CLAIMS, HE WOULD START SEEG, LTLE BY LTLE, THE ALLEGED ABE THAT OTHERS HAVE CLAIMED HAPPENS BEHD THE FORTIFIED WALLS OF THE FELLOWSHIP.THE CHURCH’S YOUTH, ACRDG TO FENNER, LIVE ALMOST PLETELY SEPARATE OM THE WORLD. KIDS ARE VERY LIMED THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE THAT HAVE THE OUTSI MUNY, HE SAYS, CLAIMG THE ADULTS DON’T WANT TO “EXPOSE [THEM] TO THE UNCLEAN” OR THGS THAT MIGHT “MAKE [THEM] WANT TO LEAVE” THE CHURCH.THEY AREN’T ALLOWED THE LUXURI OF TELEVISN, MIC, MOVI, AND VIO GAM, HE SAYS. THOUGH, SOME WOULD STILL DULGE, EVEN WH THE RISK OF PUNISHMENT. THOSE UGHT WOULD BE BEATEN, FENNER SAID.“I NNOT REERATE ENOUGH THAT THERE IS SO MUCH ABE THAT GO ON THIS PLACE,” HE ASSERTED. “ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE CHILDREN.”FENNER SAYS HE SAW A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY ISOLATED OM HIS PARENTS FOR WEEKS BEE HE WAS BEG “REBELL.” HE WAS KEPT A DORM-LIKE BUILDG, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED OTHER ALLEGATNS.THE CHURCH WOULD “KEEP PEOPLE SEPARATED OM THEIR FAI,” FENNER SAYS, WHILE “BEG ALT WH FOR SEXUAL SS.” IT CLUD MOSTLY MEN, THERE FOR MASTURBATN, TRYG TO SLEEP WH THEIR WIV WHOUT PERMISSN OR HAVG THOUGHTS OF PEOPLE NSIRED “UNCLEAN.”STUNTS AT THE CHURCH’S UNACCREDED SCHOOL WERE BEATEN, HE SAYS. FENNER CLAIMS THAT TUTORS—VOLUNTEER CHURCH MEMBERS—WERE STCTED TO H KIDS THE HEAD TO “BREAK WCHCRAFT OFF THEIR MDS” FOR MOVG TOO SLOW WH THEIR STUDI. HE WAS STCTED SEVERAL TIM TO ABE THE KIDS, HE SAYS, OR HE WOULD SUFFER THE ABE.“YOU ULD HEAR JANE [WHALEY, THE PASTOR] AT THE END OF THE HALLWAY SCREAMG AT PEOPLE ABOUT HOW THEY ARE WICKED AND GOG TO HELL AND FULL OF THE VIL,” FENNER SAID.IN 2012, MICHAEL LOWERY, ANOTHER MEMBER WHO FILED A LAWSU AGAST THE CHURCH, ALLEGED HE HAD BEEN HELD AGAST HIS WILL FOR MONTHS THIS DORM-LIKE AREA WHILE BEG PHYSILLY AND EMOTNALLY ABED BY THE CHURCH’S LEARS. ALL, HE SAYS, BEE HE TOLD THEM HE WAS GAY.LOWERY LATER RENTED HIS STORY, G THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JTICE TO DROP THE HATE CRIME VTIGATN, BUT NOW LOWERY CLAIMS HE WAS PERSUAD TO CHANGG HIS STORI.A EARLIER, THE WORD OF FAH FELLOWSHIP WAS VOLVED A URT SE AGAST FORMER MEMBER SHANA ME, WHO HAD RECENTLY RETURNED OM TREATMENT AT WELLSPRG RETREAT, A UNSELG CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF SPIRUAL ABE.ME WAS LOOKG TO REGA CTODY OF HER FOUR CHILDREN—JT, SARAH, PATRICK AND RACHEL. SHE CLAIMED THE CHURCH FORCED HER TO SIGN OVER THE CTODY OF HER KIDS TO BROOKE COVGTON WHEN SHE LEFT THE NGREGATN WH NO MONEY OR JOB SECURY. BROOKE, JT AND SARAH ARE THREE OF FENNER’S ACCED. BROOKE IS THE DGHTER OF HEAD PASTOR JANE WHALEY.THE FOUR CHILDREN WERE TAKEN TO CTODY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVIC. JUDGE RANDY POOL HAD LED THAT THE CHURCH’S PRACTIC NSTUTED ABE AND NEGLECT.BY THE END OF THE TRIAL, “THE PRIDG JUDGE FOUND MS. ME TO BE UNF AND FOUND THE COVGTONS TO BE F AND PROPER PARENTS AND AWARD CTODY OF THE BOYS TO THE COVGTONS,” ACRDG TO A STATEMENT MA BY FARMER, THE CHURCH’S ATTORNEY. “THE TWO GIRLS WERE LEGALLY EMANCIPATED AND RETURNED TO THE COVGTON HOEHOLD.”PATRICK, WHO IS OPENLY GAY AND PED THE CHURCH WH FENNER, IS G TO THEIR FENSE.“I KNEW WAS A LIE OM THE BEGNG,” PATRICK TOLD WLOS. “BEE PECIALLY MY SISTER IS NOT PABLE OF DOG THE STUFF THAT HE IS ACCG HER OF DOG.”THE TWO ONCE LIVED TOGETHER UNR THE SAME ROOF, AFTER BROOKE ASKED FENNER TO LIVE WH THEM. HIS STEPFATHER HAD LEFT HIS MOTHER AND THEY ULD NO LONGER AFFORD THE HOE WHICH THEY LIVED. THEY WNSED AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYP OF ABIVE EVENTS, FENNER CLAIMS.“I WAS TREATED AS A SPECIAL SE,” FENNER SAID. THE CHURCH THOUGHT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLEVIATE PEOPLE’S NCERNS, FENNER SAID—TO NVCE PEOPLE THAT THE MORS WEREN’T TE. HE NEVER SUFFERED ANY PHYSIL ABE AND HAD GROWN CLOSE WH JANE, BROOKE, AND HER FAY.THEN, HE SAYS, EVERYTHG CHANGED.FENNER SAID THAT THEY REALIZED THAT HE HAD ONLY BEEN APPEASG THE LEARS AND FAY MEMBERS WH THEIR REQUTS. THE FAY’S ATTUS, AS HE SCRIBED, SHIFTED OM NCERN TO ANNOYANCE AND DISGT. “SHE [BROOKE] WOULD JT LL ME A SNAKE AND SAY I WAS DISGTG FOR ME BEG GAY,” AND NSTANTLY REPRIMANDG HIM FOR THE WAY HE WOULD S, STAND, AND TALK.“BROOKE KNEW THAT I WASN’T GOG TO CHANGE. THAT’S WHAT LED TO THE NIGHT WHEN ALL THIS STUFF HAPPENED.”AFTER A SUNDAY EVENG SERVICE ON JANUARY 27, 2013, FENNER SAYS BROOKE, SARAH AND SARAH’S HBAND, NICK, PULLED FENNER TO THE BACK OF THE SANCTUARY TO TALK ABOUT HIS SS OF BEG GAY. OTHERS OM THE NGREGATN BEGAN TO TRICKLE BACK.AFTER GOG BACK AND FORTH FOR A B, FENNER SAYS HE WAS SUBJECTED TO A UPLE “BLASTG SSNS” BEFORE ALLEGEDLY BEG SLAPPED BY SARAH, PUNCHED BY BROOKE—WHO IS “A VERY LARGE, STRONG WOMAN”—AND GRABBED BY THE OTHERS WHO SCREAMED AND SHOOK HIS BODY.HE SAYS HE WAS CRYG. HE ULDN’T BREATHE. HIS VISN WAS GOG AND OUT. “THE ONLY OPTN WAS TO GET THROUGH THE NIGHT AND N AWAY.”AND HE DID.IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, FENNER SAYS, HE AND PATRICK PED TO FENNER’S GRANDPARENT’S HOE WHO TOOK HIM AND ALERTED THORI. IT TOOK ALMOST TWO YEARS OF WORKG WH AND URGG ALONG THORI FOR FENNER, WHO HAS NO LEGAL REPRENTATN, TO GET HIS SE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.“THEY ARE NOCENT OF THE CHARG LEVELED AGAST THEM,” A STATEMENT ISSUED BY FARMER, WHO ALSO REPRENTS THE ACCED, SAID. “WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVG THEIR NOCENCE AND TO THEIR PLETE VDITN BEFORE A TRIAL URT.”“I KNOW ’S GOG TO BE A LONG PROCS, I KNOW ’S GOG TO BE AN EMOTNAL PROCS,” FENNER SAID OF THE PENDG URT SE. “IT’S GOG TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF PATIENCE BUT … I FEEL LIKE EVEN IF DON’T GET THE OUTE … WE SIRE, I KNOW AT LEAST I PUT MY TTH OUT THERE.”FENNER HAS SCE MOVED WH HIS GRANDPARENTS AND TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSY OF NORTH CAROLA-CHAPEL HILL WHERE HE IS MAJORG ANTHROPOLOGY AND ON A PRE-MED TRACK. HE HOP TO ATTEND COLUMBIA MEDIL SCHOOL AND SPECIALIZE ONLOGY. THROUGH A WORK-STUDY PROGRAM WH THE SCHOOL, HE IS A PROGRAM ASSISTANT AT THE UNC-CHAPEL HILL LGBT CENTER.“IT’S MA ME A LOT STRONGER AND … HONT ABOUT WHO I AM,” FENNER SAID OF THE EXPERIENCE AND HIS SEXUALY. “IT’S MA ME EMBRACE A LOT MORE … BEE OF THE THGS THAT I’VE HAD TO FIGHT THROUGH TO BE AS OPEN AND FORTABLE AS I AM.”DISCSG THE FUTURE OF THE SE, WHICH HE SAYS HAS S FIRST HEARG SCHLED FOR FEBARY 11, 2015, FENNER SAID THAT HE JT WANTS THE ABE TO STOP. THEY “N BELIEVE WHATEVER THEY WANT AS LONG AS [THEY] ARE NOT HARMG OTHER PEOPLE,” HE SAID OF THE RELIG ANIZATN. “I JT WANT THE ABE TO STOP AND I WANT THEM TO STOP TEARG FAI APART.” JT JON

Manchter's popular Gay Village.

"The victim maybe gets an apology, or the fendant n get some tn around the impact of homophobic abe agast someone and learn om . ' We talk to them about why homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is wrong and has no place our society. Inspector Broadstock went on to regnise that there are 'pockets of homophobia' wh natnal policg, but said the force's Pri Network is workg wh all new recs to help te them on the serns of hate crime the regn.

BEATEN UP FOR BEG GAY - STUNT LEFT VERED BLOOD AFTER HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK LIVERPOOL

"There's no nyg that there are elements of or pockets of homophobia wh natnal UK policg.

‘Pri In Our Future’, which heard om over 3, 000 people and key stakeholrs about the issu and challeng faced by the regn's LGBTQ+ muni, and creas homophobic and transphobic hate crim were intified as the top issue affectg LGBTQ+ people, along wh prejudice and discrimatn. A ee area for the discsn of issu facg those who intify as gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr, and all other sexual or nonsexual orientatns and/or genr inti. “He me up to me and asked me, ‘Are you gay?

MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR

Fenner had been openly gay for years. “Deliverance soon ensued (which meant extremely rough phg, loud screamg, and other vlent measur tend to ‘break me ee of the homosexual “mons” they so vicly spised), and I was at one pot grabbed by my throat by Sarah and shaken, punched, and beaten, ” he scribed the affidav.

”He was also tryg to amend his relatnship wh his mother: sce g out as gay at 14, then aga at 16 (she dismissed as a phase ially), they had bee slightly distant.