It has been just over a week since the tragic murder of forty-nine people in Orlando and the injuring of many others. This tragedy saddened the country and even the world. But LGBT people, like myself, and our allies are more deeply saddened because it happened to our own community, people just like us were killed simply for being who they are. However, though we may be saddened, we are not broken. The resilience and willpower to keep fighting have always been proven strong for LGBT people.
June is Pride month, a time that is specifically set aside for the LGBT community to celebrate who they are and who they love. Pride festivals are held all over the nation, creating a safe space for those who would otherwise feel judged by society on any other given day. But when I found out about the Orlando shooting and how it took place at a gay bar, I did not know what to do with myself. I did not realize how the world would keep turning and how people would just continue to live their lives. I went to work the day I found out about the news, and everyone there just seemed normal and happy in the midst of all this tragedy.
I failed to understand why the media stopped talking about it just a few days after it occurred. Maybe all the stories surrounding it have already been told. But I know that the stories of LGBT people are not done being told, and they need to be talked about more than ever. It is even more important now that our community comes together and lets our voices be heard. We need to be resilient.
We need to be resilient because of our past. The 1969 Stonewall Riots happened when police raided a bar, as they often did, where LGBT people gathered. However, that time, they fought back against the police, consequently forming what is known today as the community. This event provided a spark that would lead to the first pride parades in 1970, and opened the doors to future progress for LGBT rights. Our community has had the privilege of witnessing so many legislations that work toward equality. However, there is still so much work that needs to be done.
We need to be resilient because of our present. Some people say the fight for equality is over now that same-sex marriage is legal, and that more people than ever are tolerant to people like us. But people like us need more than just tolerance. We need full-on support, something we have yet to achieve. People like us are still being mocked, bullied, threatened, and killed because homophobia is still prevalent. This horrible fact almost seemed to be pushed to the back of people's minds until the shooting in Orlando took place. Now it's more evident that the expression and activism of pride is still so important.
We need to be resilient because of our future. It's not an if, but a when. When will the next tragedy happen in our community? How many people will have to die this time? These are questions we need to ask, but we also need to look ahead. How can we stop more tragedies from taking place?
For decades now, LGBT people have been fighting for rights, and they have not done so silently. So we can't get silent now. Go to pride parades. Wave those rainbow flags. Hold your lover's hand where the world can see it. Get in touch with your local government and ask them what they are doing to further LGBT rights. We could show the world that we are just like everyone else, but we aren't like everyone else. We are resilient.
