To Whom It May Concern,

My heart aches after the tragedy of the attack on Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

How could one person harbor so much hatred?

For those of you who aren’t aware of what is happening – which shouldn’t be many of you, however, it’s still important to recognize it – recently, an armed gunman opened fire on a crowded nightclub in Orlando, Florida early Sunday morning. It turned into a hostage situation after police pursued the man, and ultimately, he ended up dead.

Pulse Nightclub is an extremely popular gay club in Orlando, and in last night’s case, was hosting a Latin Night with RuPaul’s Drag Race star, Kenya Michaels. Fans were distraught to hear of the news, and for many, it hit close to home knowing the name of someone who could have been attacked.

I have many thoughts running through my head as I write this, and it’s important that these discussions below are taken to be just the opinion of one gay male reflecting on a tragic event that unfolded unexpectedly.

Firstly, I refuse to acknowledge the perpetrators name. He doesn’t deserve the infamy that mass media so often ‘celebrates’; and no, I’m not saying that any reputable – or even non reputable – news source would celebrate such a large massacre of innocent lives, but the way in which media works is often odd. Why is it important that the shooter is white or not? Why does it matter that the shooter experienced a rough childhood, or that the weapons he used did or didn’t belong to him?

The media needs to stop glossing over the victims – they are people whose lives have been forever changed; we should be helping them, not glorifying the person who bestowed the change upon them.

Secondly, how for one second can someone believe that this is okay? People have differences. America is the land of the free; we’re free to live whichever lifestyle fits us, we’re allowed to love who we want, do what we want (within legal limits, of course), and celebrate that even though we’re all different, we’re still skin and bones just trying to make it through life. Isn’t life hard enough without those who bring us down, who purposely hurt others simply for their differences?

I refuse to change in order to please someone’s beliefs. I am me: unadulterated, nerdy, sarcastic, and yes…gay. It’s not going to change. I will not let fear dictate who I am as a person.

If you or someone you know is a part of the LGBT+ community, make sure that they are appreciated. Now is when we need your support the most. This senseless act of violence is tragic; if you, or someone you know is searching for answers, questioning their identity, or just needs a listening ear, I urge you to check out thetrevorproject.org, or call 1-866-488-7386. The line is open 24/7 for crisis intervention and anything related to the LGBT+ community.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, gun control needs to happen. The shooter in this particular case used an AR-15 assault rifle.

At the federal level, AR-15s are legal and considered the same as any other type of rifle.

Yes, there are purchasing restrictions when it comes to guns in America; however, they simply aren’t regulated enough. And yes, I know that people aren’t always going to acquire these in the means, but the background processes in order to purchase a gun simply don’t cover mental health enough. Why the hell does any civilian need a semi-automatic weapon for? I’m all for owning a gun; after all, they can and do protect people from home intruders, and are helpful in other situations such as hunting and whatnot, however, there isn’t a reason to own such a dangerous weapon.

I urge you today to take a moment of silence to reflect on the senseless violence that recently struck Orlando, Florida. May the victims rest peacefully.