#WeAreOrlando: Powerful images emerge as the world mourns Orlando tragedy

www.glaad.org/blog/weareorlando-powerful-images-emerge-world-mourns-orlando-tragedy

President Obama: Orlando Massacre Was Not A Foreign Plot (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/6/14/president-obama-orlando-massacre-was-not-foreign-plot-video

PHOTOS: Key West Marches in Solidarity

www.advocate.com/pride/2016/6/14/photos-key-west-marches-solidarity

Stories from the E.R.: Orlando Victims Struggle to Survive (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/6/14/stories-er-orlando-victims-struggle-survive-video

Students At Oxford University Drown Out Antigay Hate With Music And Love

As the world began to process the terribly sad news that 49 people, mostly gay and many persons of color, were killed as they socialized and danced in Orlando, a fraction of a minority of humanity’s darkest corners thought the opportunity was right to celebrate.

Around the campus of Oxford University in the U.K., some of these unfortunate souls chose to exercise their right to be heard; preachers set up shop on Cornmarket Street in Oxford’s main pedestrian area to cry out to anyone who would listen that the victims of the Orlando attack deserved their fates because of who they were.

But if there’s one positive takeaway from the days following this devastating loss, it’s that love trumps hate, always.

It didn’t take long for word to spread around the college town, and counter-protesters showed up in droves to drown out the hate with hope. What was the scene of vitriol and fear became one of music and love.

Jack Remmington (above left, posing in front of his new best friend), a participant in the impromptu demonstration, tells Queerty, “There were four of five of them — a couple of Americans, a Scot and a Brit I think. They had microphones and placards. We became aware as word spread and people posted photos. There were then opposition demonstrations from queers with accordions and trumpets to drown them out.”

That was enough to get the preachers to leave their first position.

“They moved location due to the small protest so a group and I walked over to where we thought they would be and I suggested we all sit on the steps where they were speaking,” Remmington explains. “We then began singing some songs like ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ and ‘Wonderwall.’ I also shared a photo of us dancing with the location so others could come and join. I would say eventually over one hundred people were involved, and it steadily grew as word spread around Oxford.”

Too often the fervent and fearful, whose numbers pale in comparison to everyone else trying to live their peaceful lives in pursuit of connection, suck up all the oxygen in the room by virtue of their seemingly bottomless well of passion. It’s nice to see the equation flip.

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/BBGDEz2GawM/students-oxford-university-drown-antigay-hate-music-love-20160614

Nick Jonas Accused Of ‘Queer-Baiting’ At New York Vigil For Orlando

He’s performed at Pittsburgh Pride, made several shirtless appearances at gay clubs, acted all sultry-like in the occasional gay sex scene, and claimed he’d be “lying” if he said he’d never had sex with men. A handful of editorials published today pointedly suggest Nick Jonas‘ “queer-baiting” hit a fever pitch with his speech at New York’s vigil for the victims of Orlando on Monday night.

Related: Nick Jonas Doesn’t Deny Hooking Up With Guys; Hope Is Alive.

Op-eds from the likes of Huffington Post and Bullett claim his very appearance at the event was nothing but part of a publicity blitz for his new album Last Year Was Complicated, which dropped three days ago.

Related: New Doc Finds Nick Jonas In His Birthday Suit Acting Sheepish In The Shower

In a column titled “Dear Nick Jonas, There’s A Way To Be A Straight Ally. That Wasn’t It,” The Huffington Post‘s Queer Voices deputy editor JamesMichael Nichols writes:

I don’t want to draw too many conclusions about Jonas’ and his team’s intention with this aggressive “queerbaiting.” But one thing is certain: this is not a time for straight allies to take up space — especially if you’re an ally who just dropped an album three days ago.

Now is a time when we, as a community, are mourning the loss of 49 queer and trans brothers and sisters, many of them people of color.

Writing for Bullett, Justin Moran shared a similar sentiment:

You could make the weak argument, here, about the importance of allies like Jonas, but this vigil was in response to a LGBTQ hate crime—the biggest mass shooting in American history—which took place during a latinx night. So having the archetypal all-American Jonas stand before us and express how he’s “humbled” and “grew up on Broadway” was a total insult to the brilliant minds of those we lost—the survivors who have to now live with horrific memories.

Several attendees took to Twitter last night to voice similarly disparaging opinions about Jonas’ appearance:

Y’all will literally let a straight white man take center stage over the graves of queer latino victims before letting QPOC have the floor.

— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) June 14, 2016

Nick Jonas is speaking at the Stonewall Vigil? Part of being a good ally is knowing when to yield your platform for real LGBTQ people

— Sam Stryker (@sbstryker) June 14, 2016

Nick Jonas spoke at the Stonewall Inn vigil b/c he’s SO passionate about queer equality but his feed is mostly about his new album. Hmm.

— jayson flores (@gayonabudget) June 14, 2016

Ah yes you know who we need to speak at stonewall it’s queerbaiting Nick Jonas what a great ally his words are so important

— John J. Salomone (@DudeNdaEaseOnUp) June 14, 2016

People asking why Nick Jonas officiating at Stonewall is an issue. pic.twitter.com/XRVnvBlXm0

— Sid (@Sidderz) June 14, 2016

CNN: the Stonewall Inn will host a vig—
Nick Jonas: pic.twitter.com/JwCBkWzm0H

— Jon (@octojon) June 14, 2016

Nick Jonas officiating Stonewall vigil shows how much we need an increase in representation + celebration of LGBTQ people within the media.

— Harry Clayton-Wright (@HClaytonWright) June 14, 2016

the lack of out & proud gay celebs that led nick jonas to speak at stonewall is a symptom ofthe same illness that produced a closeted gunman

— ortuist (@ortuist) June 14, 2016

At stonewall. Gov. Cuomo spoke then Nick Jonas took the stage. LGBT crowd is pissed. When do our people speak?

— Mary Emily O’Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) June 13, 2016

Why the fuck is @nickjonas speaking at the Vigil for Orlando at Stonewall??? Could they not find a famous gay person??? In NYC????

— Sam Branman (@blamsamran) June 13, 2016

Why is gay baiter nick jonas at the stonewall vigil?

— Gabe Gonzalez (@gaybonez) June 13, 2016

Nick Jonas threw the first brick at Stonewall.

— Alex Hubbard (@hellohubbard) June 13, 2016

literal groan as Nick Jonas was announced as the next speaker at Stonewall #SayTheirNames chants

— E. Alex Jung (@e_alexjung) June 13, 2016

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/8POzp8MQil0/nick-jonas-accused-queer-baiting-new-york-vigil-orlando-20160614

Orlando Shooting Survivors Speak Out and Share Their Stories: WATCH LIVE

Happening now, survivors of the mass shooting at Orlando gay nightclub Pulse are speaking to the media.

Watch a live video courtesy of PBS Newshour, below.

The post Orlando Shooting Survivors Speak Out and Share Their Stories: WATCH LIVE appeared first on Towleroad.

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