Orlando Massacre Inspires Some to Come Out as Gay; New York Times, 6/21/16

Julie Turkewitz, New York Times; Orlando Massacre Inspires Some to Come Out as Gay:

"On Tuesday, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch visited some of the people injured in the attack and the relatives of some who were slain. She spoke of those who might choose to hide their sexuality out of fear of such violence in the future.

“Let me say to our L.G.B.T. friends and family, particularly to anyone who might view this tragedy as an indication that their identities — their essential selves — might somehow be better left unexpressed or in the shadows: This Department of Justice — and your country — stands with you in the light,” she said."

World Leaders Show Their Support After The Mass Shooting In Orlando; Huffington Post, 6/12/16

Nick Robins-Early, Huffington Post; World Leaders Show Their Support After The Mass Shooting In Orlando:

"World leaders and politicians around the globe expressed their support Sunday for families and victims of the deadliest U.S. mass shooting in modern history.

Earlier that day, suspected attacker Omar Mateen killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens more at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Authorities are investigating the killings as an act of terror, as information continues to emerge on the attack.

Many of the leaders offering solidarity following the shooting in Orlando are from countries, such as France and Belgium, that have suffered their own horrific attacks recently."

Nick Robins-Early, Huffington Post; World Leaders Show Their Support After The Mass Shooting In Orlando."

The Orlando Massacre: A Reminder of the Dangers LGBT People Live With Every Day; Huffington Post, 6/12/16

Michelangelo Signorile, Huffington Post; The Orlando Massacre: A Reminder of the Dangers LGBT People Live With Every Day:

"Hatred against LGBT people is clearly something we’ve lived with for decades, and even in these days of big victories we see a ferocious backlash playing out which is also motived [sic] by bigotry. Many of us often take for granted the freedoms we’ve won, and certainly we don’t think twice about going out for a good time, dancing and enjoying ourselves — and we might not want to think about the dangers that still face LGBT people. And the American media, too, seems complacent; early on major news organizations reporting on this mass shooting, like The New York Times and CNN, weren’t reporting the fact that Pulse is a gay club, or were downplaying that fact — a relevant fact, especially if this turns out to be a terror attack or a hate crime.

Hate crimes against LGBT people haven’t dissipated since the arrival of marriage equality and have in fact been on the rise in recent years. While we still know very little about this morning’s brutal massacre at Pulse in Orlando, this terrible tragedy is a reminder of the threat of violence against LGBT every day, and that we must always remain vigilant."

Mass Shooting At Orlando Gay Nightclub: What We Know; NPR, 6/12/16

Merrit Kennedy, NPR; Mass Shooting At Orlando Gay Nightclub: What We Know:

"A gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday, killing at least 50 people and wounding at least 53 others. It's the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The death toll far exceeded initial estimates. Orlando Police Chief John Mina had initially told reporters that "around 20" people succumbed to gunshot wounds inside the Pulse Orlando nightclub. He later said police found far more victims once they gained full access to the scene. The suspect is also dead, he says.

The suspect has been tentatively identified as Omar Mateen, two law enforcement officials tell NPR's Carrie Johnson...

Authorities say it is not clear whether Pulse Orlando was targeted specifically because it is a gay nightclub. "We don't know that that had any specific impact on the actions taken this evening, at least not yet," Hopper says.

Terry DeCarlo, head of the GLBT Center Of Central Florida, told WMFE reporter Catherine Welch that they're opening crisis hotlines to help the LGBT community.

"We can't confirm — and I've talked extensively with the police department — that it was a direct hate crime against the LGBT community, it could have just been a person looking for a packed nightclub to go in and start shooting. We can't confirm that yet," he says. He adds that his main concern now is providing support for community members and their families.

The Human Rights Campaign says it has lowered its flag to half mast.

"This tragedy has occurred as our community celebrates pride, and now more than ever we must come together as a nation to affirm that love conquers hate," HRC President Chad Griffin says in a statement."