Pulse Remembrance Day
[Content warning: Anti-queer violence]
On June 12, 2016, a violent attack was carried out on the popular LGBTQI+ bar "Pulse" in Orlando; 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured. On the day of the attack, Pulse was hosting an evening for queer latinx people.
Pulse was a queer bar in Florida with a varied program. There were regular drag shows, but also educational programs for the LGBTIQ+ community. Owners Barbara Poma and Ron Legler opened the bar in 2004. The name was inspired by the memory of Poma's gay brother, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1991 (Mettler, 2016; Wyatt, 2016).
“When Barbara had the opportunity to open Pulse, which was named for John's pulse to live on, she dedicated it to be a safe place to enjoy each other's company”, Pulse Bar Marketing Assistant Josh Garcia told Next magazine after the attack (Wyatt, 2016).
In response to the attack, a temporary memorial was initially created at the bar, where relatives and sympathizers still lay flowers and commemorate the victims. The owners of the bar founded the OnePULSE Foundation and are currently building the Pulse Memorial in collaboration with the city of Orlando. In addition to a permanent memorial, a museum is also to be built here. Both the memorial and the museum are due to open in 2022 (Huffpost, 2019).
In Florida, June 12 was declared Pulse Remembrance Day. Since then, the US state has held an annual minute's silence for the victims of the attack. The victims are also remembered online and attention is drawn to ongoing queer-hostile violence. The OnePULSE Foundation has created the hashtag #WeWillNotLetHateWin, under which thousands of tweets are posted every year on Pulse Remembrance Day. The attack on Pulse is proof of the queer hostility that still prevails in society. In the USA, Black trans* women are victims of fatal violence with striking frequency. In Germany, too, queer people are still exposed to everyday discrimination (Andrew, 2020; Human Rights Campaign, 2021).
In memory of the victims:
Stanley Almodovar III, 23
Amanda Alvear, 25
Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
Martin Benitez Torres, 33
Antonio D. Brown, 30
Darryl R. Burt II, 29
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
Luis D. Conde, 39
Cory J. Connell, 21
Tevin E. Crosby, 25
Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50
Deonka D. Drayton, 32
Mercedez M. Flores, 26
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
Juan R. Guerrero, 22
Paul T. Henry, 41
Frank Hernandez, 27
Miguel A. Honorato, 30
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
Jason B. Josaphat, 19
Eddie J. Justice, 30
Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25
Christopher A. Leinonen, 32
Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49
Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35
Akyra Monet Murray, 18
Kimberly Morris, 37
Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27
Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
Enrique L. Rios Jr, 25
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24
Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
Edward Sotomayor Jr, 34
Shane E. Tomlinson, 33
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
Luis S. Vielma, 22
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
Jerald A. Wright, 31
Last updated: 2021
Sources (in German)
Mettler, Katie (2016): "Orlando's club Pulse owes its name and spirit to 'loving brother' who died from AIDS." Washington Post. 13.06.2013. Last accessed on 10.06.2021.
Wyatt, Diego (2016): "The Pulse Of Orlando." Next. 03.02.2016. Last accessed on 10.06.2021.
"Orlando Unveils Designs For Pulse Memorial, Museum Honoring The 49 Victims." Huffpost. 31.10.2019. Last accessed 10.06.2021.
Andrew, Scottie: "Florida observes Pulse Remembrance Day on the fourth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting." CNN. 12.06.2020. Last accessed on 10.06.2021.
Human Rights Campaign (2021): "Fatal Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in 2021." Hrc.com. Last accessed on 10.06.2021.