A 29-year-old trans man was physically assaulted in what is alleged to be a hate crime at a bar in Switzerland by what is presumed to be a group of multiple men. The harmed individual is currently preparing to press charges while gathering evidence and recovering from the numerous injuries he sustained. The ongoing case reflects a perplexing rise in such prejudice-based offenses in the country.
Highlights
- 29-year-old trans man Morgan Zuli Bahon was allegedly assaulted in a hate crime at a Geneva bar.
- Morgan is recovering from severe injuries: fractured nose, concussion, damaged retina, sprained ankle, and various hematomas.
- The attack triggered migraines linked to Morgan's multiple sclerosis condition.
- Morgan suspects multiple men were involved in the assault, while the bar owner claims only one person attacked him.
Trigger warning: explicit photographs and description of a physical assault -- Morgan Zuli Bahon, a social media content creator who uses his platform to bring awareness to transgender issues, often with humor, is currently recovering from a fractured nose, a concussion, a damaged retina, a sprained ankle, and various hematomas.
The Swiss man, born and bred in Geneva, is also suffering from distressing migraines, linked to his underlying multiple sclerosis condition, which were triggered again by the traumatic attack.
The alleged hate crime occurred on Sunday (July 14) around the early afternoon. Morgan had spent the previous night partying, subsequently losing his backpack, containing around 200 Swiss Francs in cash (around $225), an iPhone charger, AirPods, electric cigarettes, house keys, a hat, and some sports gear.
“Fortunately, I had my phone and wallet on me,” Morgan told Bored Panda.
Morgan Zuli Bahon, a 29-year-old trans man, was physically assaulted in what is alleged to be a hate crime
Image credits: Morgan
Having not yet returned home, Morgan embarked on the elaborate rescue of his backpack, ending up in the bustling neighborhood of Cornavin in the city center of Geneva, Switzerland.
In Cornavin, an area known for its multiple ethnic restaurants and main train station, but also for drug dealing and prostitution, the LGBTQ+ advocate stumbled upon a woman, whom he described as being visibly unstable.
The woman in question pointed Morgan toward the Golden VIP, a bar nestled in the red light district, just a few blocks from Rue de Berne, a notable street in the city for its prostitution.
The suspicious woman hinted that the lost backpack might be found there. Exhausted from pulling an all-nighter and desperate to find his precious belongings again, Morgan followed the stranger’s advice and entered the bar.
Image credits: Morgan
The influencer, who has nearly 127,000 followers on TikTok and almost 63,000 followers on Instagram, asked the sole barmaid present if she had seen his backpack, which she allegedly denied.
Tired and disappointed, Morgan said he went on to order a beer, showing an identity card displaying an “F”.
The “F” stands for “féminin,” which is French for female. Morgan has yet to change his official documentation to align with his gender transition.
The barmaid, who had allegedly displayed an aggressive response to Morgan’s presence in the establishment, demanded he immediately leave.
Stunned, the TikToker questioned whether her poor attitude was related to his trans identity and whether she had recognized him from social media.
Morgan was allegedly assaulted at a bar in Geneva, Switzerland, by what is presumed to be a group of multiple men
Image credits: Morgan
The heated conversation allegedly escalated to the barmaid violently pushing Morgan away, who, in turn, “lightly tapped back,” he explained.
A group of men instantly charged toward him, pushing and dragging him out in the streets.
In broad daylight, the survivor was allegedly brutalized. “I’m sure there was more than one man beating me up,” Morgan recalled.
Since then, the Golden VIP’s boss has tried to convince Morgan that only one man had physically touched him.
“I still remember there being more than one man over me,” the victim told Bored Panda.
He explained: “I know for a fact I was beaten up while on the floor because the surgeon who will operate on my nose said my scans strongly suggested I had been kicked in the face.”
Security footage taken from inside the Golden VIP at the time when Morgan entered the bar, which has been reviewed by Bored Panda, showed at least three different men aggressively escorting him outside.
Golden VIP has declined to comment.
Morgan is now accusing the offenders of a transphobic-motivated hate crime, as he remembers repeatedly informing those present at the scene about his identity.
“When I was still conscious enough to express myself during the attack, I told these guys: ‘Aren’t you ashamed to be four men on one trans guy?’” Morgan recalled.
Morgan is currently preparing to press charges while gathering evidence and recovering from the numerous injuries he sustained
Image credits: Morgan
Still in recovery, Morgan will wait until next week before pressing charges and taking the appropriate legal action.
He explained: “I was in the hospital the whole week. I had to postpone a nose surgery, and with my multiple sclerosis (MS), I just needed to focus on feeling better.”
Morgan, who began documenting his gender transition on social media in the summer of 2021, when he started hormone replacement therapy, was officially diagnosed with MS in November 2023.
“But I’ve been living with [MS] for more than 10 years,” he told Bored Panda.
In people with multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers, causing communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.
Image credits: morgan.zuli
In the meantime, Morgan is to partake as an ambassador in the LGBTQ+ Pride March of Martigny, Valais, Switzerland, on Saturday (July 20).
“I’m still going to go. I promised, and I need it, mentally,” Morgan said.
At an average of almost three cases per week, reported anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in Switzerland reached a record level in 2022, SwissInfo reported in May 2023.
Two years ago, almost a third of the reports to a helpline last year came from trans people, most of them non-binary, various groups wrote on the International Day Against Homo, Bi, and Transphobia.
The rise in 2022 was reportedly partly due to increased hostility in politics and the media toward LGBTQ+ groups, especially toward non-binary people.
The ongoing case reflects a perplexing rise in such prejudice-based offenses in the country
Image credits: morgan.zuli
As per a report assembled by the LGBTQ+ organizations Lesbian Organization Switzerland, Transgender Network Switzerland, and Pink Cross, there was an alarming increase in reports of attacks on transgender people.
In Switzerland, home to major human rights international organizations, such as the United Nations and the Red Cross, very few hate crimes are reported, the LGBTQ+ groups stated.
Moreover, of all reported hate crimes, only about 20% were reported to the police. Those who reported them were frequently dismissed by law enforcement.
And just like in Morgan’s alleged discriminatory assault, the majority of LGBTQ+-related hate crimes in 2021 in Switzerland took place in public spaces, the report noted.
“The numbers have been clear for years: anti-LGBTQ sentiment is constant and widespread,” the advocates penned. “Anti-LGBTQ hate crimes are an everyday reality and have serious consequences for both the direct victims and the entire queer community.”
LGBTQ+ is the abbreviation for "LGBTQIA2S+", which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Ally, Two-Spirit, and Plus.