The sickening attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando is a stark reminder that anti-LGBTQ bigotry and violence is far from a thing of the past. The important and hard-fought democratic gains won by the community for legal equality in some areas of life have been met with a reactionary wave of discriminatory laws, with more than 200 anti-LGBTQ laws introduced in the past year, and countless violent attacks motivated by outright hatred.
Both the right wing and the liberal establishment are attempting to divert blame for the Orlando attack by further demonizing Islam and focusing on ISIS, but the reality is that the inspiration, support and reinforcement for anti-LGBTQ violence can be found domestically.
How does the attack in Orlando fit into the history of anti-LGBTQ violence and oppression in the United States, where does it come from and what has been the legacy of struggle against it? How can we build unity to stand against homophobia, Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry? What can we do to advance the struggle for LGBTQ liberation today? Party for Socialism and Liberation member Sarah Sloan discusses these questions and more.
