John,

Queer spaces are special. Queer spaces mean freedom to be who you are, to be unabashedly joyful. Queer spaces should be where queer people feel most safe from a too-often hateful world. 

But, on June 12, 2016, a gunman armed with a semi-automatic assault rifle entered Pulse, a queer nightclub in Orlando, FL, and killed 49 people and injured over 50 others in a spray of bullets. In mere moments, a space for queer people to feel safe and joyful was turned into a battleground where lives were lost and Orlando’s gay community – and the entire city – was changed forever. 

It’s hard to believe that eight years have passed since the massacre at Pulse Nightclub. It’s harder to believe that in eight years, Congress has still failed to ban assault weapons like the one used to kill and injure over 100 people at Pulse and used in other hateful attacks since. 

Add your name to Brady's petition urging Congress to ban assault weapons and save lives. >>

Hatred is an undeniably dark part of our world and in the United States, it’s made deadly with unfettered access to weapons of war. Hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community have risen in past years, while hate crimes against transgender and non-gender-conforming people nearly doubled. This threat of violence is part of the reason why queer spaces are so important. 

Queer clubs, especially ones like Pulse that exist as the only queer space in a city, are not just a place where people go to dance on the weekends, but one that personifies the queer experience. Nights are filled with joy and understanding in a place where queerness is rampant and palpable, and during Pride month, it’s magnified even more. Free and emboldened in clubs and queer spaces, I’ve met friends and learned to be vibrantly me, made memories both silly and beautiful. For many, going to a club like this could be the first time they feel comfortable, feel seen. It’s a space for us, filled with love because we need it in a scary world.

Today is a somber reminder of the struggle we face every day – both in protecting lives from gun violence and protecting queer people from violence and bigotry. As a queer person working in gun violence prevention, this day has many layers of sadness, but it is also a reminder of why we cannot stop fighting to keep each other safe in every way we can. 

Today, I am thinking of the 49 people whose vibrant lives were senselessly stolen by a gunman armed with a weapon of war. I’m thinking of the lives changed forever that day when the sacredness of a queer space was ripped away. Today, I am fighting to make change happen in their honor – will you join me? Add your name to our petition now and call on Congress to ban assault weapons and stop the next tragedy. 

Taking weapons of war off our streets will make us all safer. Thank you for taking action today.

In solidarity and pride,

Hannah Litman

Senior Digital Fundraising Manager