feature image via weareorlando.org
How are you doing today, friends? My heart is still heavy thinking about the victims and loved ones of the victims of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL. When I woke up yesterday morning and saw the news, I was in disbelief. As more and more mainstream news outlets glossed over the fact that Pulse is a gay club and it was Latin Night and focused instead on the religious beliefs and nationality of the shooter, I found myself getting angry. I was so grateful for Yvonne’s smart and sincere words on the tragedy.
I spent some of the day connecting with my queer family and much of it trying to make sense of it all. I engaged in some self-care by allowing myself to stay home and watch the Tony’s instead of going into the streets. I wasn’t ready to grieve publicly.
Today, I have to go to work and pretend it’s a normal day. Orlando will definitely be in my thoughts. Mainly, I’m focusing on standing in solidarity with Latinx queer and trans folks, who lost their family and who deserve to be centered in this mess of grief. I’m also keeping Muslim queer and trans folks, who are stuck in the impossible place where homophobia and transphobia meet Islamophobia, close to my heart. I’m thinking of you all.
I hope you are doing what you need to do today to be OK. Take care of yourselves and each other.
You Should Go or Do or Give
+ Equality Florida has set up a GoFundMe for the victims of the Orlando shooting and you can find vigils and actions and ways to help in your area here.
Queer as in F*ck You
+ How the Orlando Shooting Shattered LGBTQ Safe Spaces by our own Audrey White
+ Blood, faith unite Muslims, LGBT and others after rampage
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+ Logo TV to Raise Awareness of Anti-LGBT Issues by Censoring Itself
+ Finding Dory’s Lesbian Couple and How Disney Keeps Failing Its LGBT Fans
+ “Nonbinary” is Now a Legal Gender, Oregon Court Rules
Doll Parts
+ This Duo Wants to Turn the Most Reliable Voters—Black Women—Into Candidates
+ Photos of Forbidden Female Catholic Priests and Feminist Spirituality
+ Let’s Get Physical: How Women’s Sport Can Conquer Body Image
+ Here’s the Real Reason Women Smile at Men Who Sexually Harass Us
Saw This, Thought of You
+ Hamilton took home 11 Tony awards last night and actors of color won all four musical acting categories for the first time and Lin-Manuel Miranda gave this really heartfelt speech that made me tear up.
