In the hours following Sunday morning’s devastating mass shooting at Florida gay club Pulse, the LGBT community is responding with an outpouring of grief, rage, and support for survivors.
While the FBI has not confirmed the shooter’s motive, many people are interpreting the attack as a homophobic hate crime. Speaking to local news, Orlando LGBT Center director Terry DeCarlo described the mass shooting as “an attack on the LGBT community.”
Terry DeCarlo, LGBT Center Orlando director: "this just makes no sense." "This was an attack on the LGBT community" pic.twitter.com/Y8oEGUBhpS
— Paul Brinkmann (@PaulBrinkmann) June 12, 2016
This shooting was in a Latino gay bar in Pride month, affecting Latino, PRicans & LGBT communts. We mourn today this tragedy #PrayforOrlando
— Samy Nemir Olivares (@Samynemir) June 12, 2016
The Pulse shooting is a tragic meeting point between America’s long history of homophobia, and the nation’s ongoing struggle with gun violence. Along with demands for better gun control laws, LGBT celebrities and activists are asking people to respect Pulse’s status as a gay bar, rather than simply referring to it as a popular nightclub—as the New York Times did in its original report.
This may be one of the deadliest attacks on an LGBT space since the Upstairs Lounge arson attack in 1973, when a New Orleans gay bar was set on fire, killing 32 people.
The @nytimes should have called Pulse what it is: a nightclub catering to LGBT patrons. It's an essential detail.
— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) June 12, 2016
The @nytimes, thankfully, edited their story about the Orlando mass shooting to include this. pic.twitter.com/esTvKIrZZk
— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) June 12, 2016
Truly devastated. A gay bar is a place the LGBT community can go to feel safe. My heart goes out to the victims & families.😔 #PrayForOrlando
— Scott Hoying (@scotthoying) June 12, 2016
June is Pride Month in the U.S., making this a particularly devastating blow. People are already sharing ways to support those affected by the shooting, such as donating blood, or donating money to Orlando’s LGBT Center or the LGBT youth support organization Zebra Coalition. The LGBT center is also offering counseling services to locals.
My thoughts and prayers are w my brothers and sisters who were at Orlando's Pulse Nightclub. RIP to those who lost their lives.
— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) June 12, 2016
— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) June 12, 2016
Our hearts break for the victims and families of this horrific act of violence. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in #Orlando.
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 12, 2016
Heartbroken about the shooting in Orlando. My prayers and thoughts are with you all in America. I pray for this world to change!
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) June 12, 2016
Celebrities, activists, and allies have continued to speak out throughout Sunday, offering words of support and condolences for all affected by the tragedy.
Update 2:51pm CT, June 12: Additional LGBT organizations have issued public statement, including the Trans United Fund, Equality Florida, and National LGBTQ Task Force.
National LGBTQ Task Force
Trans United Fund
Crowdrise has additionally launched a fundraising campaign to benefit those injured in the shooting as well as the families of those who passed away. “Monies raised through this fundraiser will go towards helping with medicals bills and the funeral costs of the victims,” the We Stand With Pulse fund reads.