By Mike Ott
June 12th marks the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub Shooting in Orlando, USA, and one of the darkest moments in LGBTQ2S+ history of the last decade. There are many days in the year to remember and celebrate the achievements of the queer community and its progress toward equality and acceptance, but there are also times when we must reflect and mourn for the days that have been dark.
Seven years ago, on June 12th, 2016, a lone gunman opened fire in the Orlando nightclub, killing 49 people and wounding 53 more. The venue was a popular queer space, and many of the victims were young LGBTQ2S+ people of colour. The shooting marked a tragic loss for the community, and it would be a chilling reminder to the world at large that anti-gay hate was still going strong.
While debate surged over whether the shooter intended to target a queer club amid the ensuing legal trials and investigations, the fact remains that Pulse is where he ended up, and many young LGBTQ2S+ lives were taken away.
With the ongoing rise of hate against the queer community — especially drag performers and transgender folks — it’s important to look back and remember that this is not new. Time and time again, we have been targeted or otherwise harmed on our march to progress. The Pulse shooting was a very dark day, but we need to let it serve as a reminder that there is still work to do. We must use the tragic events in history to remind ourselves of what still needs to be done. Among the many takeaways from a day like this, here are a few lessons to remember as we mourn and continue moving forward:
● There is strength in community. Members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and their allies in Orlando opened their doors to one another, taking in those fleeing the violence and those who survived afterward. The people of Orlando came together and embraced one another with love.
● Even the most accepting places can see violence and hate directed toward the queer community. Orlando was (and is) considered an extremely welcoming city for the queer community. Even here in Toronto, we do not live in a queer utopia, and there is still much work to be done every day.
● We can’t take progress for granted. Despite it being one of the best times in history to be part of the LGBTQ2S+ community, there are still many problems we face. This is especially true for LGBTQ2S+ people of colour, who face higher rates of violence and prejudice. It’s vital that we recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the progress we do make.
In the aftermath of the Pulse shooting, rainbows and messages of support blanketed the city. Among them was one extremely-prevalent message of support: Keep Dancing. This is an important reminder to us all.
Even though we face discrimination and violence, if we hold our heads high, show the world that hatred cannot hold us down, and keep dancing, we will always win. June 12th is a dark day in history, but it can be a driving force behind our mission to make the world a more accepting place.