This Man Crawled His Way Out of Pulse, Then Helped Others
Christopher Hansen has repeated his harrowing story to media all over the world.
www.advocate.com/crime/2016/6/13/man-crawled-his-way-out-pulse-then-helped-others
Daily Archives: June 13, 2016
That Moment When You Aren't Sure About Going to Pride (Video)
That Moment When You Aren't Sure About Going to Pride (Video)
The Advocate was following one woman’s visit to L.A. Pride when news broke of the shooting. Here’s what happened, in her own words.
www.advocate.com/pride/2016/6/13/moment-when-you-arent-sure-about-going-pride
London Drops Everything to Remember Orlando Victims
London Drops Everything to Remember Orlando Victims
Thousands of people poured into the streets for a vigil, bringing other city activities to a standstill.
www.advocate.com/world/2016/6/13/london-drops-everything-remember-orlando-victims
Outside the Stonewall Inn
LA Pride, Barbra Streisand, Vigils, The Abbey, Frank Langella, Cuba: NEWS
LA Pride, Barbra Streisand, Vigils, The Abbey, Frank Langella, Cuba: NEWS
LOS ANGELES. Carly Rae Jepsen and Hailee Seinfeld closed out LA Pride on Sunday night.
TONYS. Barbra Streisand made her first appearance at the Tonys in 46 years last night.
HATE SPEECH. The connection between right-wing nuts and the Orlando shooting: “Every anti-gay politician, every bigoted preacher, every self-hating bully has blood on his hands. Make no mistake about it, the shooting in Orlando which targeted the LGBT community was the end result of decades of anti-gay hate speech and gay bashings.”
SEARCHING FOR A SILVER LINING. Comparing the firebombing of New Orleans’ Upstairs Lounge in 1973 and the attack on the Pulse: “…it’s worth noting that hope and progress, however fragile, are also present today. We can take some solace in that. When those 32 people died in New Orleans, law enforcement officials did not respond with the humanity and professionalism we saw in Orlando last night. No flags were lowered in their honor and no elected official, least of all the President of the United States, offered condolences to their families and the LGBT community.”
BEAUTIFUL DISTRACTION. Male Model Monday hunk, Gilberto Fritsch.
PRIMARY. On Sunday, Bernie Sanders announced he would not concede the Democratic campaign.
#WEAREORLANDO. Vigils held around the world for victims of Orlando shootings.
CONGRESS. Gay congressional candidate Bob Poe (FL) comes out as HIV-positive: “Poe says that he was diagnosed with HIV 18 years ago, but until now had only shared that with a few family members. He says he’s making it public now because of a recent encounter with a woman who is also HIV-positive.”
WEST HOLLYWOOD. Iconic bar The Abbey considering hiring armed guards to protect patrons: ““It’s something we’re looking at moving forward. We’re going to talk more with the sheriff and City Hall to figure out the appropriate safety precautions.”
CELEBRITY SIGHTING. Modern Family‘s Ed O’Neil didn’t recognize Britney Spears when he met her.
ICYMI. Frank Langella gave a moving speech at the Tonys on Sunday in honor of the victims of the Orlando shooting.
CUBA. Commercial airlines cleared for takeoff to Cuba: “American and five other U.S. airlines received U.S. Department of Transportation approval Friday for the first regularly scheduled flights to Cuba in more than half a century.”
A WELL REGULATED MILITIA. Gun shop owner who sold the Orlando shooter the guns he used to kill 49 people spoke out today.
Owner of store where Orlando shooter bought guns: “I’m just sorry he picked my place. I wish he picked no place.” t.co/fb03uOts28
— ABC News (@ABC) June 13, 2016
The post LA Pride, Barbra Streisand, Vigils, The Abbey, Frank Langella, Cuba: NEWS appeared first on Towleroad.
Donald Trump Claims He is Friend to LGBT Community in Speech Politicizing Orlando Massacre: WATCH
Donald Trump Claims He is Friend to LGBT Community in Speech Politicizing Orlando Massacre: WATCH
In a speech in Manchester, New Hampshire today, Donald Trump used the massacre of dozens of LGBT people at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub to promote his bigoted immigration policies and attack Hillary Clinton, claiming he is a better friend to women and the LGBT community.
Said Trump:
“This shooter, and amazingly, in Orlando was the child of an immigrant father who supported one of the most repressive regimes on earth. Why would we admit people who support violent hatred? Hillary Clinton can never claim to be a friend of the gay community as long as she supports immigration policies that bring Islamic extremists to our country and who suppress women, gays, and anyone else who doesn’t share their views or values.”
Adding:
“Ask yourself who is really the friend of women and the LGBT community. Donald Trump with actions, or Hillary Clinton with her words? I will tell you who the better friend is and someday I believe that will be proven out bigly.”
Watch:
Trump went on to add Obama to that list:
Here’s Trump saying that the Obama administration’s policies are “a disgrace” to LGBT community: pic.twitter.com/uU19pUwz3H
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) June 13, 2016
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin lashed out at Trump on CNN following the speech:
“He is no friend to the LGBT community. He is no friend. And at a moment like this when a leader should put their personal ambitions and their partisan differences aside, or just shut up, but if they choose to speak out, they should be speaking from a place of unity and a place of sympathy and talking about building bridges. And I would tell you, Wolf, I bet there is not a single family member or friend or brother or sister or girlfriend or boyfriend that is suffering from this great loss that found any comfort in what Donald Trump had to say today. Instead, he was up there bragging about the fact that he claims he predicted this.”
Watch:
The post Donald Trump Claims He is Friend to LGBT Community in Speech Politicizing Orlando Massacre: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
LGBTQ Groups Call For Unity in the Wake of Orlando Shooting
LGBTQ Groups Call For Unity in the Wake of Orlando Shooting
Today, HRC joined over 50 other LGBTQ groups from across the country to call for unity following yesterday’s tragic shooting in Orlando.
“This national tragedy happened against the backdrop of anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeping this country and we must not forget that in this time of grief. Unity and an organized response in the face of hatred is what we owe the fallen and the grieving. Collective resolve across national, racial and political lines will be required to turn the tide against anti-LGBTQ violence,” they wrote. “Our response to this horrific act, committed by one individual, will have a deep impact on Muslim communities in this country and around the world. We as an intersectional movement cannot allow anti-Muslim sentiment to be the focal point as it distracts from the larger issue, which is the epidemic of violence that LGBTQ people, including those in the Muslim community, are facing in this country.”
The horrific attack occurred during Latin Night at the LGBTQ-nightclub, Pulse. Forty-nine people died and 53 others were injured.
The letter was also published in Arabic, French and Spanish.
To learn more about how you can help in the wake of the shooting, click here.
Karam
LA Pride 2016
LA Pride 2016
Feddal Nora posted a photo:
LA Pride attracts upwards of 400,000 revelers. This inclusive festival is a huge party, even by LA standards, and stands out as one of the biggest pride events in the country.
BREAKING: Orlando Shooter Was A Regular At Gay Club Before Attack, Witnesses Say
BREAKING: Orlando Shooter Was A Regular At Gay Club Before Attack, Witnesses Say
No fewer that four regular customers of Pulse, the Orlando nightclub that was the scene of last weekend’s horrific attack, say they recall seeing the shooter, Omar Mateen, drinking at the bar in the past.
“Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent,” Ty Smith, who also uses the name Aries, told the Orlando Sentinel.
He added that he saw Mateen at the club dozens of times before last weekend, when Mateen murdered 49 people and injured another 53.
“We didn’t really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times,” Smith said. “He told us he had a wife and child.”
Orlando Police say they do not have any information about these visits.
Another regular, Chris Callen, who performs under the name Kristina McLaughlin, told the Canadian press, “It’s the same guy. He’s been going to this bar for three years.”
Unclear in the reports is whether they think Mateen was there simply as a patron, or if he was possibly scoping out the scene of his future massacre.
Much ado has been made of the story that Mateen saw two men kissing in Miami a few months ago, and that the experience had shocked him in some way.
“That’s bullcrap, right there. No offence. That’s straight-up crap. He’s been around us,” Smith said Monday in an interview at the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida.
“Some of those people did a little more than (kiss) outside the bar…. He was partying with the people who supposedly drove him to do this?”
Neither Smith nor Callen said they could speculate on Mateen’s sexuality, but they were both doubtful of the version of the story put out by Mateen’s father.
We’ll bring you updates as they come.
