Members of Sudbury's LGBTQ community have called the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, a sober reminder of the ongoing importance of pride events.
“This hurts like hell,” said Rita OLink, a member of the local transgender rights and education group TG Innerselves. “My fear levels have gone way up.”
On June 12, Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire in the Pulse Nightclub, one of the Florida city's largest LGBTQ nightclubs, and killed 49 people in the largest mass shooting in American history. Fifty-three more people were injured in the mass shooting that has shocked the United States, and much of the world.
OLink said it's important for people who may not be part of Sudbury's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community to show their support and denounce hate and discrimination.
“I would like to see everyone, all our northern neighbours, to get a little rainbow flag printout from their computer, or draw one with crayons, I don't care, and put it in your window where everyone can see you support and you stand with us against hate and discrimination,” she said.
Beth Mairs, director of Sudbury's upcoming Queer North Film Festival, said Sudbury is a progressive city, but Sunday's tragedy is a reminder that the freedoms LGBTQ people enjoy in Canada have been hard earned.
“For all of our achievements in progressive legislation, and changing attitudes in Canadian society, there still are some outliers and people with far-flung, dangerous attitudes,” she said.
To help the Orlando victims and their families, the Queer North Film Festival will collect donations June 23 for a support fund.
Katherine Smith, an organizer with Pride Sudbury, said her resolve remains as strong as ever to put on an inclusive event that helps further the freedoms of LGBTQ people in the community.
Smith said the mass shooting is tangible for many people in Northern Ontario who vacation in Orlando, a popular tourist destination and home to Disney World.
“I think it's important to remember that this was an isolated event,” she added. “A crazy person perpetrated an act of terror in the name of their beliefs.”
Smith said everyone is welcome to attend Pride Week events between Monday, July 18 and Sunday, July 24.
The Pride Parade will take place Saturday, July 23 at Memorial Park and starts at 1 p.m.
Monday evening members of Sudbury's LGBTQ community will host a vigil at Tom Davies Square to pay tribute to the Orlando victims. The vigil is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
