Gay bashing is an expression used to designate verbal confrontation with, denigration of, or physical violence against people thought to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) because of their apparent sexual orientation or gender identity. Similar terms like "lesbian bashing" or "queer bashing" may also be formed. A "bashing" may be a specific incident, or one could also use the verb "to bash" e.g. "I was gay bashed."

As there is no foolproof way to detect a person's sexual orientation, people sometimes fall victim even if they are not LGBT, should they be stereotypically perceived as such.

A verbal gay bashing might take place on any street corner and use sexual slurs, expletives, intimidation, or threats of violence — or, it might take place in a political forum and include one or more common anti-gay slogans. Passionate invective fits more closely into the general idea of gay bashing than does a calm, intellectual justification for anti-LGBT attitudes or policies. However, some people would include any expression of anti-LGBT sentiment in one or another category of "bashing".

See also

• Hate crime
• Violence against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and the transgendered

Sexual orientation and society | Pejoratives | Abuse | LGBT terms

Gay-bashing