November 22, 2022

We are devastated and outraged by the shooting this weekend at an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado, which took the lives of five people and injured many others. We extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the victims and grieve alongside the wider community.

Those who died had futures that were senselessly cut short. Each of them should still be alive today.

In addition to those who lost their lives, there are many other victims of this tragedy, including those who witnessed the shooting, those who were shot and survived their injuries and those who are mourning the loss of someone close to them.

No one should have to fear violence or fear watching their loved ones be attacked during a night of celebration and joy. This hateful act threatens the sense of safety and community Club Q has long provided to many queer people in Colorado Springs.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Discrimination & Hate Is Embedded in Our Country

This was not an isolated incident. A symptom of the transphobia and homophobia that is embedded into our country’s history, it was perpetrated amid a spike in anti-LGBTQ+ violence in recent years.

Transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) people are specifically being targeted, with women and Black, Indigenous and people of color most at risk. In 2021, the number of trans and GNC people killed in the United States was the highest on record.

Yet this violence goes largely ignored and unrecorded. Trans Day of Remembrance – which occurred just hours after the Colorado Springs shooting – was created to honor those who have been killed and make sure they are not forgotten.

We must also call out the direct role that hate speech plays in fueling hate crimes. A rise in vicious rhetoric and lies by politicians and other leaders has further incited violence and led to an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

In 2022, more laws have been introduced and passed that threaten the lives of trans people than at any other time in our nation’s history – with trans youth being the most harmed.

The following resources are designed to provide education around our country’s long history of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, the current violence queer communities are experiencing, and ways to take action against this hate:

+ Anti-Trans Violence & Rhetoric Reached Record Highs in 2022
+  Human Rights Watch: U.S. State Readies First Anti-Transgender Bill of 2023
+ Trans Legislation Tracker: Take Action to Protect Trans Youth
+ Roots of Anti-Trans Violence Against Indigenous Communities
+ Colorado Springs Shooting Is 42 Years to the Day After 1980 Massacre
+ ALOK: This is About Compassion, Not Comprehension

Resources to Support Children, Youth & Families

We recognize that you and your family may be experiencing stress and trauma as a result of these events and so many others. We know repeated, ongoing trauma has adverse effects on mental and physical health, and undermines our communities as a whole.

The following resources are designed to support youth and families amid the traumatic events happening throughout our communities.

We hope you’re finding ways to care for yourself. If you need support accessing mental health services for your family, please get in touch with us at info@macmh.org.

+ Minnesota LGBTQ+ Therapists’ Network
+  Resources for Queer & Trans Youth
+ LGBTQ Youth Stories of Pride
+ Resources for Queer & Transgender Black, Indigenous & People of Color
+ ‘Heartstopper’ on Netflix: Celebrating Friendship & Young Love

Brandon Jones, He/Him
Executive Director
Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health