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Content warning: This email reflects on the June 2016 massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. If this is too much to read, we understand. Take care of yourself and skip the rest of this email. Here are some mental health resources that you may find helpful. John, On this day in 2016, our country was forever changed when a shooter fired more than 200 rounds of ammunition inside Pulse nightclub, taking 49 lives and wounding 53 more people in Orlando, Florida. It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history and a targeted hate crime against the LGBTQIA+ community. Queer folks were attacked in what was supposed to be a safe space for celebration and acceptance during Pride. Make no mistake: Gun violence is an LGBTQIA+ rights issue (and vice versa). When guns fall into the hands of people filled with hatred and bigotry, it’s a deadly combination that harms our most vulnerable communities. It is no surprise that the surge in anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation these last two years has coincided with people showing up to drag story hours with guns. Hatred begets violence. That is why the freedom to live free from discrimination, homophobia, and transphobia goes hand in hand with the freedom not to get shot in public spaces. In solidarity, March For Our Lives
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