Two weekends ago, tragedy struck not only with the murder of Christina Grimmie but with the loss of 49 of the LGBTQA+ community. In one weekend, 50 families were impacted so greatly that it’s hard to even fathom how we could live in a world that brings so much sadness to people. In a time where prayers, thoughts and actions are needed: it is also important to find hope wherever one can. While there is an abundance of violence and tragedy, there is also something greater than that can be found. Hope and love conquer all and can be found in many places. If you cannot seem to find any, I have taken the liberty of finding true examples of these two important ideas that I hope make you realize that love > fear.
1. #twomenkissing
This hashtag started to trend shortly after the Pulse shooting when the media found that the attacker looked disgusted awhile back when he saw two men kissing. Hundreds of pictures were posted of two men kissing including the hashtag proving that even when there is fear and hate, there is still love. The thing that “disgusted” the attacker is a rebellion for the people.
2. Orlando GoFund Me.
In a time of crisis, it is important that, we, as civilians, reach out, not just in prayer but in action. The families of these 49 individuals need not only our love but also our support. As of June 16th, the GoFundMe account was able to raise $4,950,740 by over 100,000 people. While money isn’t everything, the generosity of the people during this time is something truly magical.
3. Adam Levine.
After the tragic murder of upcoming star Christina Grimmie, Adam Levine, Grimmie’s former The Voice coach offered to pay for Grimmie’s entire funeral. After she was murdered, an outpour of support came from celebrities and communities alike. It’s absolutely amazing to see someone love what they do and when it’s taken away, it’s heartbreaking. Levine’s generosity leaves many gushing and speechless.
4. Youtubers reaching out.
Two video’s in particular have caught my attention by youtubers and friends: Tyler Oakley and Hannah Hart. Both of these youtubers are a part of the LGBTQA+ community and took the loss of their brothers and sisters extremely hard. Instead of keeping quiet, they used their large Internet platform to spread a message. These videos reach people who are still in middle school to young adults. They tell their viewers that they CAN make a difference even if they just do small acts. I would recommend watching both videos, which are extremely powerful. It’s amazing knowing that youtubers use their Internet fame to spread important messages to their viewers.
5. #Twitter Hashtags
While media and twitter have already been mentioned, I think it is extremely important to recognize many of the other hashtags that trended shortly after the news told the world that the attacker may have been homophobic. Hashtags such as #QueerAndStillHere as well as #WeAreOrlando trended for hours after the attack, showing once again that love is stronger than hate.
6. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Awards Speech.
Instead of taking the time to thank everyone after winning his Tony for Hamilton, he decided to read a sonnet he had written before the show. In it he recites the beautiful line and shows an important message when he states: “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot killed or be swept aside.” The emotional sonnet and the Tony awards showed many successful men and women of the LGBTQA+ community succeeding and being proud to be who they are (something we desperately need in a time when people are killed for doing just that).
