The openly gay manager who lost his life in Sydney’s Lindt Café siege is being hailed as a national hero for helping other hostages escape after the terrifying 17-hour ordeal.
News.com.au reports that Tori Johnson, 34, was attempting to wrestle the gun from hostage-taker Man Haron Monis, who had begun dozing off, when the weapon discharged early Tuesday morning, killing Johnson along with another hostage, Katrina Dawson, 38.
Australian police believe the manager’s heroic efforts allowed the other hostages to escape after the tense and prolonged stand-off. The gunman was then killed when police stormed the café after hearing the shots that killed Johnson and Dawson.
Johnson’s parents released a statement saying, “We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son, and brother we could ever wish for.”
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Friends of Johnson — who is survived by Thomas Zinn, his partner of 14 years — described the him as “a loving, placid, and very gentle soul” and “a true gentleman.”
A former colleague posted the following on Facbeook: “R.I.P. Tori Johnson, at times we both hated each other, and at other times we’d be hysterically laughing. You gave me so many chances even when i was a little s*** eating all the lindor balls and pretending I was a barista. You had a good heart, and I knew you were in there protecting everyone.”
Blackceo
I wondered if he was gay when I heard the family statement use the phrase “life partner”. I know some heterosexual couples who do use the term “partner” or “life partner” to be inclusive of all kinds of couples, but its few and far between. It is also being reported that one Sydney news station omitted “life partner” in their coverage of the family statement, and that NBC and CNN are not mentioning his partner when discussing surviving family members. Shame because this man is a hero and his entire life should be acknowledged.
Trippy
Regardless of his orientation, he was incredibly brave. Not everyone would have worked so hard to protect other people in that circumstance. God bless him and his family.
Saint Law
@Blackceo: If that’s true then it is profoundly depressing. He and his man were together seventeen years.
Desert Boy
Tori Johnson is a genuine hero. RIP, good man.
demented
May this brave man RIP, and my condolences to his partner and parents.
Leonard Woodrow
I salute this brave man, and lament the belief which produces such deranged killers.
transiteer
Doesn’t this show the value of gay people who know decency and compassion, and the hate and uselessness of religion that only knows judgement, hate and violence towards others.
Cudos to him – a bona fide hero. Condolences to his Partner, Friends and Family. He should get a medal.
Zodinsbrother
It’s rather depressing that when talking about the other victim all of the mainstream press mention her husband but none of the mainstream press mention Tori’s parter of 14 YEARS!!!
His family deserve recognition that they included his partner in the statement.
But I thought society had progressed beyond this point. I mean seriously it’s just spitting on his grave and his family, in which I include his partner.
rom
Oh yes, here we go again, the religion of peace at its favorite pastime, …..the killing of innocent people.
He was a good man, and a australian heroe. He should always be remembered as such.
Condolences to his partner and family.
RIP Tori
Garrett
@Zodinsbrother: I agree. More should have been made about his partner’s loss. Didn’t the same thing happen to one of the heroes on Flight 93? (the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11.) I think one of the heroes on that flight was gay and the media tried to ignore it and pretend he just some single eunuch or something. A few gay bloggers called them out on it.
Ladbrook
@Garrett: Yes. His name was Mark Bingham. He has a Wiki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bingham
Bryguyf69
@Garrett: Well, yes and no. Because he wasn’t in a relationship, this having no surviving partner, simply putting in the “gay” descriptor would have been awkward. It’s like saying, “Mark Bingham, who is Catholic,” or “the diabetic Mark Binghmam, or “middle-classed Mark Bingham.” None of those attributes, which I arbitrarily made up, had anything to do with his heroism or the fact that he was a hostage. Had the hijackers called him, “faggot,” or he was flying to a gay rugby match (he was actually flying for a [heterosexual] wedding], or he used self-defense techniques learned in a gay watchdog group, etc, you can arguably mention that he was gay. But none of that was true. And later more extensive bios did mention that he was part of a gay rugby team. That’s appropriate. But initial coverage was brief on everyone, including the other heroes, i.e. Todd Beamer.
As for treating him like a “single eunuch,” that’s unfair. First of all, he was indeed single. There was no significant surviving partner in his life at the time. At most, he had an ex. But do mention the exes of heterosexual victims? Generally no, so why should we mention his ex? And calling him a eunuch is just, well, stupid. Not mentioning his IRRELEVANT sex life does NOT imply that he was asexual. Do you make that assumption of any of the [presumed] straight passengers, whose sexual activity were similarly omitted? Indeed, how do you know that Bingham was sexually active at that period of his life? Should we also mention whether he was a top or bottom, and whether he liked s/m, etc?
LGBTs have argued for decades that sexual orientation is a private matter, and that other than who they love, they’re just like mainstream heterosexuals. And of course, there’s no desire for special treatment — just equal treatment. Adding a needless gay descriptor runs counter to all that.
Bryguyf69
It’s remarkable that he’s had the same partner for 14 years — since age 20. Such a durable relationship is unusual enough, but to have began the relationship at 20 is remarkable. At that age, most gays are just beginning to explore being gay. That usually means lots of sexual partners and an unwillingness to settle down. It looks like JOhnson has dispelled more than just one gay stereotype.
Bryguyf69
As far as I know, Australia does not confer the same rights to domestic partners as they do to married couples. It’ll be interesting to see if LGBT activists can use Johnson’s heroic death to further same-sex marriage (as the US did with the Winsdor case). He’s an ideal symbol not only because of the reported heroism, but because he’s been with the same man for 14 years, since he was 20. That’s more stable that most heterosexual couples!
TampaBayTed
We need some gay heroes. It breaks the stereotypes of gay men being limp-wristed, screaming, effeminate, cowards. He was a real mensch. Now maybe Australia will finally approve marriage equality?
mgkbus
@TampaBayTed: Unfortunately, not with this government. Abbott is a jackass.
qrtywaswayoff
@Brguy69. Australia recognises same sex domestic partners exactly the same as heterosexual domestic partners. We are automatically considered a de facto couple after living together for 12 months. Same sex marriage is not recognised, but this mainly relates to the definition of marriage, not the rights, which are the same as de facto.
myboyrat
RIP Tori Johnson — my fellow gay Aussie. Continuing sadness that some of our right wing media conveniently ignore your partnership
Bryguyf69
@TampaBayTed: Nothing wrong with being effeminate or limp-wristed (as long as it’s not an injury). Or hairdressers, for that matter. The last thing we need is sexism from gays toward gays.