#LOVEWINS
Today is the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. I grew up with friends who came out, sometimes only to me. I have cousins who held their secrets for long. It pains me to see how much fear they had for just existing, for just being alive. Many of them didn’t feel safe, not even with their families. That’s why I promised to always have space so that someone out there could always have somewhere to feel safe and loved. Everyone needs to feel loved. It hurts to know that there are so many people who absolutely refuse to do so.
Regardless of the politics of the situation, so many people died. The story that gets me the most is when first responders came to the club, they could hear all the cellphones ringing of all the families trying to reach their loved ones inside. I think about how many hundreds of times I came to these nightclubs to let loose and feel free in the safety of others trying to do the same. After Orlando, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it could never be safe again.
My best friend Brian and I went to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas shortly after the shooting. We plotted rendezvous points, noted all the raceway exits, and made escape plans. I hated that we felt like this was necessary. But worst case scenario, we would be together. On the second night, we made our way to the front of the Above & Beyond show. Partway through their set, they played “A Thing Called Love,” and the screens behind them lit up with rainbows all across the CircuitGrounds in honor of the brothers and sisters we just lost. I looked around and saw that everyone had tears in their eyes. All the fear we were trying to hold back to enjoy this weekend was suddenly right in front of us.
But with the music, all the playfulness, and over a hundred thousand people dancing with each other it was hard to have fear and anger in our hearts. Instead there was caring, openness, and a common understanding of each others’ pain. We were all here to enjoy every minute of however much life we have left. Above & Beyond then ended their set with a simple message, to take care of each other. Brian and I knew it would all be ok.
Happy Pride to everyone this year. Let’s take some time to celebrate love, life, and each other.
