ABOVE: A Club Q vigil Nov. 20 at the Pulse Interim Memorial. Photo by J.D. Casto.
ORLANDO | The LGBTQ community and its allies are reacting to the shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs where five people died and at least 25 more were injured late Nov. 19.
Confirmation of the shooting came early Nov. 20, also Transgender Day of Remembrance. “Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the venue shared via social media. “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
The shooting is the first in an LGBTQ nightclub since Pulse, which devastated Orlando and the world June 12, 2016. The onePULSE Foundation – the nonprofit which formed after the tragedy to honor and preserve the legacy of those killed and more – responded early Nov. 20.
“We are deeply saddened and horrified by the mass shooting at the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs that killed five people and wounded [at least 25] others,” the organization shared in a press release. “Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the victims and their families, as well as the wounded and those affected by this tragedy.
“We are grateful to the brave patrons whose heroic actions undoubtedly saved lives and to the first responders who rushed to the scene,” they continued. “While details will emerge in the coming days, violence directed at members of the LGBTQIA+ community must come to an end.”
The One Orlando Alliance, the region’s coalition of LGBTQ-serving organizations which also formed in the aftermath, reflected on the news and TDoR. Its vision is to transform Central Florida into a community where all members of the LGBTQ community can belong and thrive.
“Central Florida knows intimately the painful experience of violence against LGBTQ+ safe spaces,” OOA said in their release. “Violence against our community is not new, as a matter of fact, the Colorado Springs attack happened on the weekend of Transgender Day of Remembrance. As we are getting ready to honor at least 32 members of the trans community violently killed, we are now also mourning 5 people taken too soon at Club Q.”
OOA Board Chair Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet called on elected officials to respond with action.
“Violence against our LGBTQ+ community is often invisibilized and it perpetuates a paralyzing fear in many, Sousa-Lazaballet said. “As a community that intimately knows the painful experience created by an attack on our safe spaces, we call upon our elected officials to act by creating common sense gun safety legislation.”
“As we can see hate is hate whether it is in politics or inaction,” OOA Board Secretary Shea Cutliff added. “It is important that all of us stand together so we are creating community for one another so when violence happens we stand with each other.”
The LGBT+ Center Orlando also announced community members would gather at the Pulse Interim Memorial Nov. 20. Participants came together “to stand together for the families of the victims, the survivors, first responders and the LGBTQ+ Community of the Colorado Springs shooting at Club Q.”
Community members spoke, signed a banner outside of the memorial with messages of solidarity and more. It will be sent to Club Q as Orlando continues to showcase its support. Photographer J.D. Casto was on site to capture photos, seen below.
Photos by J.D. Casto, used with permission.
The Center also shared a statement Nov. 21, noting that the organization “stands in solidarity with the people of Colorado Springs & all those affected by gun violence and hate. We can not and will not, allow hate to win. We must end this in our time.”
Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf, also the press secretary for Equality Florida, also reacted to the news. “Oh god,” he shared Nov. 20 via social media. “My heart is broken and I’m transported right back … my heart aches for a community waking up to the hate-fueled hell we went through. Orlando is with you.”
Colorado Gives 365, which supports the Colorado Healing Fund, is accepting donations to help victims of the Club Q shooting. Visit ClubQOnline.com and visit this website to donate and learn more.
You must be logged in to post a comment.