My heart, my prayers, & my thoughts are with Orlando, L.A, LGBTQ+ members.

Some words on today’s event. Don’t be nervous, be proud. Don’t run, be bold in the face of hate. There will be no porn posted today or tomorrow.

Yesterday I had a wonderful time at DC Capital Pride here in the capital city of the United States. I met strangers who, for a moment, were my friends, as we celebrated our pride, and our history. When I say “our” I don’t just mean the G, I mean LGBTQ+ – too often members of the LBTQ+ community (and people of color or varying sizes) are left out. But last night, the gunman singled no one out. In fact, he targeted everyone in the bar. The fact that this was a gay bar cannot, and should not be overlooked. His mind, and his heart, has ossified toward hate, instilling fear in so many of us today. 50+ lives lost, 53 injured, hundreds affected. The phones still ring, vibrating with text messages from loved ones. The dance floor became a graveyard.

The issue – in my opinion – weaves together so many issues here in the US: terrorism, gun rights, gay rights, and America’s thoughts on people of the Islamic faith, or who look Arab. The event instills fear and hate in Americans towards radical Islam – but instead of targeting ISIL, we target each other. Arab and Islamic Americans are indeed Americans, worthy of the dignity and respect of any white American. Gun owners should not feel threatened when the president calls for common sense reform. REFORM does not mean REVOCATION of the 2nd Amendment. Demagogues take over the news and call for nonsensical, bombastic, slapdash retaliation. It would appear that our lives as members of the LGBTQ+ community is continually marred by death and tragedy.

We’re celebrating Pride, June is our month to be ourselves, to celebrate, all over the world, our beauty, what makes us unique, what brings us together, and at least for a moment, come together in the name of pride.

My heart sinks, tears fill my eyes. We are attacked, some of us, by family members, strangers, members of radical expressions of peaceful religions, Westboro Baptist Church says this was the work of God, we are kept from donating blood, our state legislatures deem us a threat and move to blatantly take away our rights.

But … but my faith in the resolve and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community is unwavering. We stand up to injustice, we drown out with pride the cynics, we overcome hate with love, we flood the darkness with our own light. That’s our history – Stonewall, the Upstairs Lounge attack in 1973, AIDS epidemic, our right to marriage and to adopt and civil rights. The world wont give us what we deserve, we have to fight for it. We have to be united – we cant go on saying “No fems, no fats, no blacks, no Asian” that’s bullshit. We cannot forget where we came from, the thousands that died before us, the many who led the way, led marches in the face of being arrested or put in conversion therapy. They paved the way for us to be who we are today – more free, more to be, more free to love.

Don’t be scared, be proud. Don’t throw in the towel, throw in your hand and say you’re a part of the team that will push for full equality and the safety of LGBTQ+ citizens. This is why we have Pride festivals. For those who are closeted, my heart goes out to you as well. Unable to vocalize how sad, or frightened you are. It will be okay. Our flags on federal buildings hang in half-mast, and my heart hangs low today, but my head held high. Continue to live, laugh, and love. Be proud, be love, be the future of what we need in this world. The enemy is planning his next attack, we cannot stop for one moment.

Be safe, my friends.

Sincerely yours,

The Happy Trail

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