Stochastic terrorism is when people in positions of influence repeatedly spread hateful or dehumanising rhetoric about a group, creating an environment in which violence against members of that group becomes more likely - even if they never explicitly tell anyone to attack.

And yes, this can and does include state actors.

Calling queer people “groomers”, “predators”, “degenerates”, “child abusers”, or some other invented monstrosity is not merely “words”. When those accusations are repeated often enough, they manufacture a target. They tell the public who supposedly deserves suspicion, hatred and punishment.

Words become permission. Permission becomes action.

That is why “it was just a slur” is such a grotesquely inadequate defence. A lie repeated often enough can become a weapon. And when powerful people keep handing that weapon to an angry crowd, pretending not to know what might happen next is simply dishonest.

We should take the words seriously, because history has shown us what can follow when we don't.

#QueerRights #LGBTQIA #TransRights #StochasticTerrorism #HateSpeech #WordsMatter