“Orlando’s Unnamed Victims,” by Delaney Davis opened my eyes to a situation I hadn’t considered. Delaney speaks about the tragic Orlando shooting that occurred at a gay nightclub in the first weeks of June. It was one of the deadliest events that touched the LGBTQ community and many were affected, including the 49 lives that were lost, the injured, and the mourning family and friends of the lost. She also voices how there were many more affected, the ones who have not come out yet. As I registered this, I began to sympathize for them, realizing how much courage it took to reveal their identity and how much scarier it would be after such an incident.

I found Delaney’s piece to be quite sad, considering, as she said, how much progress has been made in the LGBTQ community with the legalization of gay marriage. However what shook me most was how, even in this time of tragedy, people would still go as far as to spread more hate and fear. As Delaney mentions, “In one example, a member of the U.S. Marines posted a Snapchat with his gun pointed toward the camera and the caption ‘Coming to a gay bar near you.’” I was appalled by this action, especially coming from a member of the honorable U.S. Marines. With this type of hate targeting the LGBTQ community, many fear for the safety of their lives and may even exchange their identity for this safety. We must overcome this hate by encouraging them to be happy for who they are and I hope others will unite to help this movement.