July 12 marked one month since the horrific mass shooting that claimed the lives of 49 LGBTQ people and allies at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Most were young and Latinx. Those who lost loved ones are just beginning to try and make sense of the senseless and start the healing process. While the initial shock experienced so acutely by LGBTQ people and people of color may have started the process of grief, the collective trauma lives on.
The need for inclusive LGBTQ-specific health centers equipped to address the unique experiences of our community is particularly acute in the aftermath of Orlando. Our community faces violence and trauma every day. The most recent report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs showed that 2015 “was once again a deadly year for LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities. There were 24 reported hate violence homicides of LGBTQ people, a 20 percent increase from the 20 reported anti-LGBTQ homicides in 2014. Continuing an alarming multiyear trend, people of color and transgender and gender nonconforming people made up the majority of victims of hate violence.”
[For more of this story, written by Dr. David A. Guggenheim, go to http://www.advocate.com/commen...ritory-if-youre-lgbt]
Comments (0)