In this space, we will post responses to the shooting last night/early this morning at Club Q in Colorado Springs: From Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah: “We are watching the news unfold from Colorado with horror and anger.
Our hearts are breaking, once again, as our community is being targeted by a senseless act of hate and violence. We send our love to the victims and their families. “This tragedy has unfolded on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, when we honor those who have died by violence around the world. “Violence of this magnitude does not arise in a vacuum.
For the past two years, we have watched our community face a new wave of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation designed to generate moral panic.
Politicians have given an audience to these fearmongers, and have stoked hysteria throughout the country, falsely asserting that transgender children would “destroy” women’s sports, and that drag queens are “grooming” children. “This dangerous rhetoric is alive here in Utah as well, and it needs to stop now.