Gay bars and nightclubs are supposed to be safe spaces for gay people. But with the horrific mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the illusion of safety has been shattered for many LGBTQ Americans today — especially since this attack happened during LGBTQ Pride Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the equality and rights of gay people and others in the LGBTQ community.
Gay clubs are meant to be safe spaces. Now one is the site of the worst US mass shooting.
On Twitter, Daniel Leon-Davis captured the sentiment of so many as he wrote about his experience with Pulse:
What people might not understand is that Pulse is a safe space for so many people.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
Pulse was the first gay club I ever went to.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
Pulse was where I learned to love myself as a gay man. To love my community.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
People go to Pulse to be free from the hatred that exists in the world.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
While a lot of people turn to churches, LGBT communities are often forced to use nightclubs as our safe haven.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
My identify as a gay, latino immigrant raised in Florida has never been more prevalent.
— Daniel Leon-Davis (@LeonXDavis) June 12, 2016
This is a very common sentiment within the gay community. As a gay, Latino immigrant myself, gay spaces like bars, nightclubs, and even the internet gave me a place to feel like I was safe and accepted in a world that I perceived as intolerant, bigoted, and even dangerous. Unfortunately, a mass shooting makes it just a bit more difficult to believe that these places really are safe spaces.
