Devastated. Heartbroken. Outraged.
As we absorb the news of another mass shooting — this time at Club Q in Colorado Springs — we reflect on the lives of those lost and the harm done to us all.
What had been a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and their guests became a place of unimaginable terror as a gunman attacked the nightclub patrons, killing five and injuring more than two dozen people. The shooting was stopped by two heros. But no one – and no one’s child – should have to be a hero.
Words matter. When anti-gay and anti-trans rhetoric and policies are normalized, violence easily follows.
There have been more than 300 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in legislatures across the country this year; most target transgender children, youth and adults. This nation’s epidemic of violence is increasingly fueled by hatred and made lethal with easy access to weapons that can gun down dozens of lives within seconds.
We offer our love, compassion, and solidarity to everyone touched by loss of and injury during the attack at Club Q.
From our organizational ally, Quieer Asterisk:
National Victims of Violent Crimes: 1-202-467-8700
Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-TALK (8225)
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
The Trevor Project: Text START to 678-678; 1-866-488-7386
LGBTQ+ National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
Click here for a list of local LGBTQ+ counselors and allies offering free therapy sessions at this time.
Click here to donate to the victims and their families.