As much as we preach about being yourself, about sticking out from the crowd, it is dangerous to be different.
The attack at the Orlando nightclub, Pulse, was an attack on the LGBTQ+ community. It was not an attack brought on by homophobia, but an act of pure hate. People may hate their fears, but hate and fear are not directly synonymous. I think people often get confused with homophobia, and pure hatred (although perhaps now, homophobia includes pure hatred, and not just fear as a phobia is described as). Psychologically, a phobia is something that gives you an irrational sense of fear, and hate is an intense dislike of something. Sure you can be afraid of something, and hate it at the same time, but I feel like if you are so afraid of something, you wouldn’t go near it. This goes to say that if Omar Mateen was homophobic, he would more than likely go to great lengths to avoid his fear. Instead, he visited the club multiple times, and even had a dating profile catered to homosexuals.
This would not describe the behavior of a man with a phobia. This was a man filled with pure hatred. I cannot confidently say that he learned his hatred from his religion, or his elders, but like many of our elders who preach their religion, especially in the hatred and condemnation of homosexuals, and attempt to pass their beliefs onto their children or grandchildren, it’s somewhat safe to assume this is where he learned it from, and in return, he used this hatred to orchestrate the largest mass shooting America has seen. This shooting was an attack on this community, a devastating hate crime that will hopefully help us to rewrite some major legislation.
Approximately 20 percent of all hate crimes (as of the FBI’s report, found for 2014 here) have been geared towards people in the LGBTQ+ community. Certainly, due to lack of reporting such crimes, the number is expected to be much higher. Though the Supreme Court of the United States granted marriage equality throughout all of the US, the community many other forms of protection regarding discrimination. Our community needs help, beyond sharing a picture on Facebook and just typing "Amen." We need more than just a parade or a day dedicated to our pride.
We need to not be targeted and hunted. The largest mass shooting in America happened in (what was supposed to be) a safe haven for those in the community. Instead, an individual, armed not only with dangerous firearms, but also heavily armed with hate, entered the club, and killed 49 members of our community. In addition, many men and women (who identify as more than just gay, lesbian or transgender) have been assaulted on the streets, or even pushed to the verge of suicide, because of who they are. No individual, gay or straight, deserves to be treated in such a manner that harms them, or pushes them to harm themselves.
We need to be taken seriously. We need to not be invalidated. Bisexuals, trans men and women, and all other identities are just as valid, and real as lesbians and homosexuals. The spectrum is wide, unlike some people’s minds.
We need not to be be told we should be happy with gay marriage. All members of the community should have basic human rights.
We need legislature. We need there to be pieces of legislation put into effect that criminalizes discrimination against those in the community. We shouldn’t need places where we feel safe, we should feel safe on the streets, not fearing who is going to strike one of us down simply for being who we are. We need there to be no discrimination in workplaces, on the streets, or in the military. We shouldn’t fear harassment, or what may come of someone with such intense hatred that he would kill dozens of people just for dancing and having a good time with their community. Not only do we need legislature regarding our protection, we need legislature regarding the laws for firearms in our country, for the protection of everyone. The shooting in Orlando highlights many problems faced not only by the LGBTQ+ community, but for many Americans as well. It shouldn't have been that easy for Mateen (or for anyone for that matter) to acquire firearms, especially those to such a dangerous caliber. Everyone deserves to be safe, and feel safe, no matter where they are, at any time of day. If millions of people are being discriminated against, why won't congress do anything beyond the right to marry? Shouldn't everyone have the same basic human rights as everyone else? You would think these questions are simple, but so many more people than just our community have had to fight for themIf one failed shoe bomb led to us taking off our shoes at the airport, why are we not considering stricter gun laws after dozens upon dozens of mass shootings?
