There has been a shooting in a gay club in Orlando. 50 dead, 53 injured.

First things first: Homos, I fucking love you!

It's surprising we don't have a topic about this on Backstage yet. Maybe because the politics behind the attack are such a touchy subject?

The gunman said he did it for ISIS and ISIS, as usual when anything terrible happens, said that yup, we're behind that, sure. Maybe it's true. Maybe not. I don't know. Authorities don't know if there is a direct link yet. It doesn't really matter to me, to be honest.

We live in a homophobic culture. We use the word "gay" to describe things we don't like. "Faggot" is a cutting slur. You can be "accused" of being gay and for your reputation's sake you better refute it and make sure no one else gets that idea about you. The idea that gay people are dangers to children is shockingly wide-spread.

Homophobia is everywhere and even homophobic violence is sadly common! The scale of this shooting is unprecedented and it's what makes the attack an outlier. The sentiment behind the shooting, however, is sadly common!

That's why I don't care all that much if this gunman really was a Muslim terrorist on top of hating gays. I also don't care about his Afghan heritage. The Afghan president immediately and severely condemned the act.

So. Can we treat this attack as an explosive outburst of homophobic hate for now and worry about political implications at another time?

I would like to. On that note, if you are reading this and you are gay, out or not: For what it's worth, I love you.

When I heard about this on the radio today I got so angry! It's so fucking frustrating to hear someone hates others so much that he doesn't want them to even live, just because they are men who love men. Where is the sense in that? <:c

I'm utterly powerless in this. I can't resurrect people, obviously, I can't even shake sense in the perpetrator! I can't make homophobia go away. Not even in the people around me. I would like to help! Believe me, my gay friends and friends to be! But all I can do for now is tell you that if you have any doubt that maybe the world is against you - fuck that! I love you.

:big, tight hugs, that aren't carefully timed so as not to be "gay" but that last as long as they have to for it to sink in: I love you.: