Antigay Hate Crimes Second Highest Category in Nation

Hate crimes against gay people are up 2.6% over last year, while the number of hate crimes is down overall across the U.S.

Out of 6,222 hate crimes reported nationwide, half were racially motivated, but antigay crimes account for the second highest category. According to the report, 1,572 crimes (20.4%) were reported on the basis of sexual orientation.

HRC President Chad Griffin commended the FBI's reporting.

"The 2011 FBI hate crimes data is a sad reminder that even as we make great strides toward equality under the law, LGBT people in face dangers in America," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "We must rid our country of the violence that has devastated our community for far too long."

A breakdown of hate crimes according to sexual orientation:

• 56.7% were victims of an offender's anti-male homosexual bias.
• 29.6% were victims of an anti-homosexual bias.
• 11.1% were victims of an anti-female homosexual bias.
• 1.5% were victims of anti-bisexual bias.
• 1.2% were victims of an anti-heterosexual bias.

The FBI does not report the rates of hate crimes against transgender people, and gender non-conforming people, but that will change when the FBI begins collecting that data in 2013.