We Remember Orlando

Two years ago a guy walked into the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in US and began shooting. There were around 300 people in the club at the time.

The gunman, who was carrying an AR-15-type assault rifle and a handgun, killed 49 people. Most of those who died were young and they were gay.

Attacks on LGBTQ+ people are happening all the time, both here in UK and in US. 
In 2018 there were 26 deaths of transgender people in US, most of them black transgender women and so far in 2019 there have been at least 8 transgender deaths as a result of shooting or other violent means. https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2019

Only recently 2 lesbian women were subjected to a homophobic assault on a London bus by several youths and 2 other women were hit by stones thrown from a passing car.

June is #LGBTQ+ #Pride month which marks the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Greenwich Village in US. Pride parades are held in town and cities around the world in support of #LGBTQ+ people.

Yet day in and day out gay people are subjected to attacks, assaults, abuse, imprisonment and more. Whilst many of the  anti-gay laws have been abolished here in UK, there are still many LGBTQ+ people who face homophobic attacks and bullying and many are still afraid to be open about their sexuality for fear of the repercussions.

I have always been an LGBTQ+ ally – I have several friends who are gay.

Last year something happened that I never thought would – Bute held its first #Pride event. The island is quite small and relatively close minded but a recent newcomer to the island who runs a local pub/diner decided it was time to drag this island into 21^st century.

Check out the blog post I did last year about #ButePride https://thehippyhen.blogspot.com/2018/06/bits-of-bute-part-2.html

It angers me so much that people are attacked, assaulted and even in some cases killed because of who they love.

I will continue to wave my rainbow flag for everyone regardless of where they are on the LGBTQ+ rainbow spectrum because it is no ones business but yours who you choose to love. 

Kaz 😉