GenQ - For the not so straight individual

It has been revealed that Big Brother cowboy David Graham was the victim of a violent gay-hate crime earlier this year. He was allegedly attacked the night after he auditioned for the 2006 series of Big Brother in Brisbane.

The 26 year old farmer from Dalby was left for dead in a pool of blood in a side street of Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. After leaving gay perennial favourite The Wickham Hotel in the early hours of January 22nd, David was making his way to his parked ute when he was attacked by a gang of men throwing bottles and rocks.

He tried unsuccessfully to avoid the five men, "But before I knew it there were guys behind me and they were just beating the back of my head," he said.

"My mate said they just kicked me while I was on the ground until they thought I'd had enough or they were scared they had killed me."

David was taken to hospital, suffering severe bruising across his face and body. He was in and out of unconscious for two hours. His sister Linda, 32 of Brisbane, said the phone call informing her of her little brother's attack was ?one of the most horrific moments of my life?.

Since then, David has fully recovered from his injuries and has been strong to move forward taking only positives out of the experience. Even now with his time in the Big Brother house, he wants to create a positive role model for gay rural farmers in Australia.

The best thing is, David's conversations in the house with his housemates will be repeated at dinner tables and in living rooms all over Australia? bringing many gay and lesbian issues to be national arena to be debated. The public have been exposed to elements of David's life: gay stereotypes, suicide, same-sex marriage, gay-hate crimes and the ramifications of his family living in small town with an ?out? son.

In Australia, gay-hate crimes are rarely covered in the nations media. They do happen, but it is often put aside, making way for other headlines or simply just forgotten about. In stark contrast, David's attack has appealed to them this time ? but not withstanding the usual sensationalism that has become a regulated procedure in selling a paper or magazine.

A newspaper journalist reports, ?David paid an almost fatal price for his lifestyle?. Let's hope ABC's ?Media Watch? correct them that this is nothing less of an actual ?life? full stop ? not a choice of lifestyle thank you very much.

But I guess this doesn't come as much as a surprise, after all it is regarded as a sexual ?preference?, instead of a sexual orientation. Let's hope David's time in the Big Brother house educates all living souls that roam the planet.

Although being available, Big Brother's Little Brother has chosen not to publish the photos of David's bashing out of respect.