Content warning: This email reflects on the events at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016. If this is too much to read, we understand. Take care of yourself and skip the rest of this email. Here are some mental health resources that you may find helpful.
John,
Today marks nine years since a horrific act of hate shattered Pride Month. On June 12, 2016, a gunman attacked Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and injuring 53 more.
This was more than a tragedy. It was a targeted hate crime, fueled by loose gun laws and a climate of bigotry that continues to be amplified by extremist leaders today.
Pulse remains the deadliest attack on LGBTQ+ Americans in history.
Gun violence is deeply intertwined with LGBTQ+ rights. Hatred becomes even more lethal when armed. LGBTQ+ youth already face increased risks of violence and mental health struggles. More than half of all gun deaths are suicides, and LGBTQ+ youth are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
Pride Month is supposed to be about celebrating progress, community, and joy. Nine years ago, hate tried to take that away. We won’t allow it.
We remember Pulse not only in grief but in resolve. We honor the lives lost by demanding action, safety, and dignity for all LGBTQ+ people and by fighting relentlessly to end gun violence and bigotry. We will never forget and we will never stop fighting.
True pride means liberation and safety. And we cannot know true liberation until we eradicate gun violence. We can’t be safe until we’re all safe.
For Pulse, and for every victim of hatred and gun violence, we continue forward.
In unwavering solidarity,
March For Our Lives
Today and every day we honor the lives lost at Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.
Stanley Almodóvar III, 23 |
