Mother punches son, says he's too feminine, gay

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Neighbors of Jacqueline Alexander are shocked any mother would beat her son for acting "too feminine and too gay."

According to police, Alexander punched her son in the face around 11 p.m. Tuesday at their home on Mt. Moriah Road.

"No, that's not right. I mean that's her flesh and blood, her son," said neighbor Tamika Heard. "No, that's not right."

Police say Alexander's son was lying in bed when she accused him of "being too feminine and gay."

One neighbor said, "You don't know who you are living around. It's just terrible."

It is not clear how old Alexander's son is, but he appears to live with his mother.

"It's shocking every time it happens, but it's not new to us at the center," said Will Batts, who runs the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Center. "We hear a lot of stories about people who are assaulted by family members. Young people who are kicked out of their houses when they come out to a parent."

Alexander is charged with domestic assault and is in jail on a $1,000 bond. Her first court date is set for Thursday, Feb. 19.

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