Geo Vaughn

By Chanel Winn

September 5, 2008

Geo Vaughn attacked and beaten in New York city

A friend sent me a video that horrified me. It was yet another attack on a gay male simply for being gay. I again became outraged that in this day and age in a city that I assumed was forward thinking and a safe place for all people still had this kind of ignorance and violence going on.

Geo Vaughn, was born on Oct 12, 1986 in Hoboken, NJ, a small 1 square mile town in the outskirts of NYC, where he later grew up in poverty. After being abused as a child, he was later diagnosed with Epilepsy, Bi Polar Disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Living on his own, and homeless since the tender age of 14, he became interested in multiple forms of art, as they were his only escape from the misfortune he knew to be real.

During his early teen years, Geo decided that instead of just viewing, and listening to other people's art, he wanted to create, and manifest it. His career began in 2001, on the streets of NYC, working at one of the city’s most prominent nightclubs. After growing fanfare, he later began hosting his own weekly party at that very same club. Week after week his creative and controversial ideas, and stage presence managed to attract enough patrons to fill the club past maximum capacity. Soon enough both gay and straight nightclubs were requesting Geo Vaughn to promote, guest host, or simply appear at their venue. He headlined events such as "Beach Fest", "Liquid Dream Fridays", and "Heaven Saturdays", "Blow", and "Dollhouse".

Later on, he broke into the industry as an entertainer. He was also featured in "Next Magazine", "HX Magazine", "SPANK", "The Advocate Magazine", and in Jan 2008 he graced the cover of "2bexposed Magazine".

Geo is also known for serving as noted fashion photographer George Caceres's muse. George has photographed Geo over a dozen different times, and has used those images in some of his own ad campaigns, and galleries.

In Feb 2008, He co-produced, wrote and released a promotional test debut single titled "Fuck Like Whoa". It has since received over 160,000 plays on Myspace.com, and the remix of "FLW" has received over 70,000 plays. "FLW" also put Geo Vaughn at the top of the Myspace.com music chart for 7 weeks in a row under 2 different categories. He performed it at many events in the NYC area, most notably headlining "Dizzy", a sold out event by Producer "DJ Larry Tee", who has collaborated with other chart topping artists such as "Amanda Lepore", and "Princess Superstar".

On August 24th 2008 Geo asked a group of men for directions to a club. One of the men informed the others that this was a gay club it was at that time they starting calling him names and taunting him which escalated in under a minute to him being attacked in the streets of New York by these men. While being punched in the face, chest and ribs he was knocked to the ground the whole time they were laughing. Once on the ground they desended on him and continued this beating stomping and kicking and laughing the whole time. When the the initial beating ended they stole his cell phone. Someone was compassionate enough to call 911 and as he is on the phone with the emergency operator one of the men see that he is on the phone getting help for his injuries and the crime that has happened and comes back to confront him and hits him in the face a few more times.

How much nerve did it take for them to decide first that it was ok to beat another human in the streets the way that this young man had been and then to get the audacity to get upset that he had the nerve to seek help? What does that say about how mainstream America views the LBGT community? There are laws on the books that will have people sitting in jail for this same kind of beating if Geo was a dog, such laws should be also on the books to apply to all people.

My interview with Geo was brief but aside from this one person that decided that what was going on I wonder how many other people decided to turn a blind eye to the senseless attack of this young man. I find it unfathomable that on a majorly populated city like New York where people always know someone is watching that these men didn't seem to care who saw what. To me it's the mainstream attitude about the LBGT community that we are a disposable people that made these attackers feel I can do what I want to him and no one would care. Geo was not attacked in some dark alley, some park or some out of the way place. This was in the streets of New York so yes I find that quite shocking.

New York is one of the cities that does have hate crime laws in effect and the detectives working on his case are being instrumental in the capture and the conviction of those offenders.

There is a Peace Rally that will be held in New York that will be on September 17th, 2008. It is starting at 3pm and ending at 6pm. The list of speakers is currently under development and Kevin Aviance, Geo Vaughn amoung others will be performing as well. This rally will be held at City Hall Foley Square in New York. I encourage all residents of the city that are able to attend. Come let your voices be heard.

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