CN: Orlando/Pulse, 9/11
To any cis/het people who are wondering why queer people, and especially Latinx and African-American queer people, are responding so strongly to the attack on Pulse in Orlando:
Did you grieve over 9/11, even if you didn’t personally know anyone who was killed? Did you feel frightened, angry, in shock? Did you feel that the attack was an attack on all of us? Did you realize it could easily have been you, or people you knew? Did it make you fear for your own safety? Did you wonder if there would be follow-up attacks, copycat attacks, or simply more attacks by people who hate us? Did you feel rage and bafflement at the idea of people having that much hatred towards you and people like you?
If so, you need to SIT THE FUCK DOWN and listen.
Note: I am not going to be patient in the comments.
Basically, it’s an attack against all that has ever been civilized or has tried to.
I am not wondering at all. I was never more aware than after paying attention to what some local bar owners, interviewed on CBC after that Sunday, were saying about their sanctuaries and safe places for their patrons to just be themselves and have a bit of fun. To love each other without stares and judgement. It was both moving and horrifying that these people have to live in fear because of our bigotry and hate. There are a lots of wonderful and caring people in our world but not nearly enough. I am ashamed that our mainstream society is so fucking mean.
Is this really a thing? Do non-LGBT people not understand why the LGBT community would be upset about the largest mass-murder in U.S. history being directed at them?
No offense, but I can only think that the most cold-hearted and/or self-absorbed individuals, regardless of gender or orientation, could view such a hateful tragedy and not understand exactly what someone would feel when such violence and anger is directed at them.
Everyone should be upset about this. This is exactly why “beliefs” are not just private things. This monster chose to murder nearly 50 people (and intended to kill more) because his beliefs taught him that he should hate people based on (most likely religious) bigotry.
As a cis/het, I just want to publicly share my support for the LBGT community. If you are one of the people that thinks only homosexuals/trans individuals should be upset about this, I hope you reconsider and realize that all humans are affected by such violence.
There’s also the desperately misinformed. Some media outlets are covering this as an ISIS attack and completely ignoring the choice of target. ISIS only, no homophobia or racism or toxic masculinity involved. If it really were an attack on all Americans, it would be odd for LGBTQ Americans to feel particularly targeted.
And then there’s the wilfully misinformed. If you mention Islamic homophobia, people might mention Christian homophobia, and that would be deeply uncomfortable. People might even start talking about the many, many similarities between the ISIS and the American religious right. They have the same attitudes to women, gays, and anyone who doesn’t share their religious or political beliefs. Much more comfortable if we don’t go there.
Remember the guy who shot up the cinema showing a feminist film? He ranted on his local talk radio about how evil women were, his mother, (ex?)wife and daughter all had restraining orders against him, and the local police chief said he had no idea as to motive. Humans are awfully good at ignoring the uncomfortable bits of reality.
I really hope I’m not that blind, but of course f I were, I’d be the last to know.
Megamoya @ 1:
Sorry, but this reminds me of #AllLivesMatter .
This attack was not targetted at some generic “all that has ever been civilized.” It was not an attack against, say, the Mona Lisa or Pachelbel’s Canon.
It was an attack targetted at a particular group within US society whom it is fashionable to hate. To pretend otherwise is to ignore the way hatred of LGBT people has become fashionable and respectable in US society at large and is being explicitly promoted by the most powerful groups in the land (the Republican Party and the Roman Catholic Church, among others.)
I have no doubt that this atmosphere of hatred gave him the impession that he had a legitimate reason to gun down all those people.
And in the same way that we like to say that good Christian Germans who did nothing to oppose Hitler at any point share some moral responsibility for what he did in their name, I say that those cis-het people who do nothing about the way hatred of LGBT people is honored and respected share some responsibility for what was done in their name in Orlando. (Cf.: HB2)
[…] the most impact. People I know or follow. Social media. Greta Christina has written a great post To Cis/Het People Wondering Why Queers are Freaking Out About Pulse/Orlando. Here’s a […]
This. Just…… this. All of it. Every word. 🙂