Kevin Aviance Brutally Beaten just weeks before Gay Pride
Aviance is best known for his chart-topping singles "Din Da Da" and "Cunty", both of which were dedicated to his origins in the New York City house ball scene.Last night at Andre Chanel and Ross Infiniti's much anticipated Summer Celebration ball at The Lab (Brooklyn, New York), I was notified that performance artist KEVIN AVIANCE (known for hits "Cunty" and "Din Da Da", both of which have become anthems in the ballroom scene) was brutally beaten yesterday morning in the Village by 4 black men. Aviance is currently hospitalized after suffering severe damage to his jaw and head. He is listed in stable condition.
CBS reports that Aviance was walking home from "The Phoenix", a popular bar in the East Village, after meeting with friends for drinks when he was attacked. CBS also reports that "a 16-year-old male, a 20-year-old Bronx man, Akino George, and a 20-year-old Newark man, Sears Jarell, were arrested Saturday for the alleged hate crime."
According to the news report, Aviance's publicist has announced that he will be unable to perform in the upcoming gay pride parade because his mouth is wired shut.
Aviance's beating comes exactly one year and 5 days after Dwan Prince, a 28 year black gay man from Brooklyn, New York was nearly stomped to death outside of his home on June 5, 2005 by a 22 year ex-convict and gang member, Steve Pomie.
Just one week ago I received tthe following message from Dwan's mother, who says the family is still in need of financial and emotional support:
"TO ALL OF THOSE CARING AND LOVING ONES I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW DWAN STRUGGLES DAILY TO LIVE DWAN TRIES VERY HARD DAY BY DAY TO RETURN TO HIS NORMAL IT IS HARD BUT DAY BY DAY IT IS A PROCESS HE IS ALIVE AND SENDS HIS LOVE TO ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO CARE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO HELP OR SEND A DONATION PLEASE EMAIL vprinez@yahoo.com
THANK YOU MOTHER OF DWAN PRINCE."
The brutal attacks of Prince, Aviance as well as Nuyorican poet Emmanuel Xavier are apart of an increase in hate crimes in the past two years targeted specifically against queer people of color.
CBS reports that Aviance was walking home from "The Phoenix", a popular bar in the East Village, after meeting with friends for drinks when he was attacked. CBS also reports that "a 16-year-old male, a 20-year-old Bronx man, Akino George, and a 20-year-old Newark man, Sears Jarell, were arrested Saturday for the alleged hate crime."
According to the news report, Aviance's publicist has announced that he will be unable to perform in the upcoming gay pride parade because his mouth is wired shut.
Aviance's beating comes exactly one year and 5 days after Dwan Prince, a 28 year black gay man from Brooklyn, New York was nearly stomped to death outside of his home on June 5, 2005 by a 22 year ex-convict and gang member, Steve Pomie.
Just one week ago I received tthe following message from Dwan's mother, who says the family is still in need of financial and emotional support:
"TO ALL OF THOSE CARING AND LOVING ONES I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW DWAN STRUGGLES DAILY TO LIVE DWAN TRIES VERY HARD DAY BY DAY TO RETURN TO HIS NORMAL IT IS HARD BUT DAY BY DAY IT IS A PROCESS HE IS ALIVE AND SENDS HIS LOVE TO ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO CARE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO HELP OR SEND A DONATION PLEASE EMAIL vprinez@yahoo.com
THANK YOU MOTHER OF DWAN PRINCE."
The brutal attacks of Prince, Aviance as well as Nuyorican poet Emmanuel Xavier are apart of an increase in hate crimes in the past two years targeted specifically against queer people of color.
this shit is horrible...i'm at a loss for words, honestly...i had a convo with a pastor of a "radically inclusive" black, pentecostal church yesterday who said that he's seen radical change in the past 10-15 years where there is more acceptance of black queers...
but i think it's coming with a cost...there seems to be an increase in violence against queers as well...i think there is a struggle right now with folks that think they are "losing" a battle of sorts...so there is this need to exercise machismo at all costs, particularly when one feels their OWN sexuality is somehow implicated...
it's interesting...judith butler talks about how the word "gay" has a similar effect of implicated men regardless which is why it is "excitable speech..." but i think it's more than just words...i think that gestures, clothing and the very existence of queers implicate the sexuality of those that are "straight," particularly when it drives them to violent acts as such...
this is what worries me when we have members of our own queer community that segment ourselves (e.g., no fats, no fems..."i hate fem dudes," or "if i wanted a chick, i'd be with one...") based on the gender-identity performance...we gotta be unified...
i ramble...i'll pray for kevin and his family...
Posted by
AC |
6/11/2006
very sad - considering some people seem to think that no one EVER gets attacked in the Village ...
Posted by
Clay |
6/11/2006
i just do not understand and at a lost of what to say.
Posted by
C. Baptiste-Williams |
6/12/2006