Blair Wilson’s bloody selfie. | Photo: Facebook
A Scottish man went viral when he posted a selfie of his smiling, but bloody face after he a man allegedly assaulted him in a homophobic attack.
Blair Wilson posted the photo just minutes after the man attacked him.
Wilson, 21, was in the small town of Neilston when the alleged attack happened. He posted the photo shortly after the attack at about 10.30pm on 29 June.
In the post Wilson sent a message to the man ‘that called me a faggot… then tried to attack me when i called him “hen”.
‘Trust it to be someone insecure with his own sexuality trying to take it out on someone secure in himself. Wish u well,’ Wilson wrote on Facebook.
Since then, Wilson’s post has received more than 2,000 reactions.
Wilson escaped the man’s attack but received a deep cut on his nose.
The 21-year-old was walking home from his mom’s house and explained why he posted the photo on Facebook.
‘I thought, clearly, this person doesn’t realize how close Neilston is and I just wanted to post something so that, when he sobered up, he might see how much love and support I have,’ he told Barrhead News.
‘I knew, as soon as it happened, that I could either keep quiet and feel embarrassed about it or I could shame him over Facebook. As soon as I posted it, even though my nose was still bleeding, I didn’t care.’
The selfie with a message
People from all over the world reached out to Wilson to show their support.
‘It’s amazing. I’ve heard from so many people I haven’t spoken to in ages and people I don’t even know telling me I’m an inspiration and stuff. It’s made me feel so good about myself,’ he said.
‘The message I wanted to get across is you need to stick up for yourself. Maybe don’t go getting yourself hurt, but show them you have friends, you are loved.’
Wilson said that he couldn’t believe homophobia like that existed in Neilston. But he wanted to show that even though he was injured, homophobic people were the real minorities.
‘I think some people think because you are a different sexuality from them you have no friends and everyone is in the same mindset of them, when the reality is they’re the minority,’ he said.
‘You can prove to them you’re much more loved than they will ever be if they live a life of hate.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told the local newspaper it had started investigating the assault.
