Gay panic defense is a legal strategy in which a defendant claims they acted in a state of violent, temporary insanity, committing assault or murder, because of unwanted same-sex sexual advances. A defendant may allege to have found the same-sex sexual advances so offensive or frightening that they were provoked into reacting, were acting in self-defense, were of diminished capacity, or were temporarily insane, and that this circumstance is exculpatory or mitigating (Wikipedia). 

This means that in some places, it is legal for someone to harm or harass members of the LGBTQ+ community and claim that they were frightened of the victim engaging in (mild or serious) sexual same-sex acts or being transgender.

In some cases, a transgender person could be seriously injured but their assailant could claim that they were caught off-guard by the victim’s orientation and have their sentence reduced because of it. 

This is an issue that needs to be addressed; many, many people are in danger because of it. I would greatly appreciate your support in making the USA a safer place for the LGBTQ community by doing some research on this topic, signing this petition and sharing it with your friends.