London's LGBT Latinx community remembered the victims of Orlando last night
- Text by Theo McInnes
- Photography by Theo McInnes
On 12 June 2016, a small club in Orlando bore witness to a tragedy: the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman ever recorded in the United States, the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in U.S. history, and the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the 11 September attacks in 2001.
At first we were shocked, and then we were thrown into mourning. At Dalston Superstore last night, in the heart of East London, queer Latinxs came together to celebrate the strength and diversity of their community, and to raise funds to support the victims and families affected by the Pulse shooting.
Music, spoken word and emotional speeches filled the dance floor, as lives were remembered and celebrated.
“This violence happens everyday”, explains Emlyn, one of the organisers of the evening. “It’s so prolific in our countries of heritage, but we don’t have the space to speak about it. We are erased and we are whitewashed.”
The word Latinx has been adopted by many as a gender neutral identifier -The “x” makes Latino, a masculine identifier, open to describing people of any gender.
On the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, where New York’s LGBT community stood up to institutionalised and regular homophobia, there’s a powerful sense of togetherness and resistance in the room. Drag queens address the crowd, people sing, dance and cry. With a news cycle that’s so quickly changing, as we watch the world go by through our social media timelines and rolling 24 hour news, creating a space to remember and to reflect feels powerful.
“Since Brexit there has already been a sharp rise in fascist attacks on LGBT people, and people read as people of colour and migrants,” says Danny, who will later play a set mirroring the music played on that fatal night at Pulse. “It’s important that we fight back, we’ve a proud history of that in our queer history.”
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As salmon farming booms, Icelanders size up an existential threat
Seyðisfjörður — The industry has seen huge growth in recent years, with millions of fish being farmed in the Atlantic Ocean. But who benefits from its commercial success, and what does it mean for the ocean? Phil Young ventures to the remote country to find out.
Written by: Phil Young
In west London, Subbuteo is alive and flicking
London Subbuteo Club — The tabletop football game sees players imitate vintage teams with tactics and tiny painted replica kits. Ryan Loftus takes a trip to Fulham to meet a dedicated community and witness a titanic Brazil vs Coventry City showdown.
Written by: Ryan Loftus
Activists hack London billboards to call out big tech harm
Tax Big Tech: With UK youth mental health services under strain, guerrilla billboards across the capital accuse social media companies of profiting from a growing crisis.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: The boys of the Bibby Stockholm
Bibby Boys — A new exhibition by Theo McInnes and Thomas Ralph documents the men who lived on the three-story barge in Dorset, giving them the chance to control their own narrative.
Written by: Thomas Ralph
‘We’re going to stop you’: House Against Hate tap Ben UFO, Greentea Peng and Shygirl for anti-far right protest
R3 Soundsystem — It takes place on March 28 in London’s Trafalgar Square, with a huge line-up of DJs, artists and crews named on the line-up.
Written by: Ella Glossop
