WARNING: Violence, discussions of guns and trauma
Seven years ago, a gunman entered Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and opened fire, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others. The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history at the time and was the deadliest incident in the history of violence against queer people in the United States.
The shooter used a Sig Sauer MCX, a semiautomatic assault-style rifle that is similar in appearance and capabilities to the better-known AR-15. The MCX is known as a “piston gun,” meaning it uses gas piston technology to operate the internals of the rifle. He also used a pistol during the attack.
It absolutely sickens me that as of July 1, 2023, Florida has a new law that allows anyone who can legally own a gun in Florida to carry one without a permit. This means that training and a background check will not be required to carry concealed guns in public. While a background check and a three-day waiting period will still be required to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer, they are not required for private transactions or exchanges of weapons.
To purchase a firearm in Florida, one must be 21 years of age. Rifles and shotguns may be purchased by a person who is at least 18 when that person is a law enforcement officer or correctional.
I don’t want to discuss the shooter’s alleged activities on gay hookup apps (this has been debunked) or his allegiance to ISIS. Instead, I want to write about the 49 victims.
Today, on the seventh anniversary of Pulse massacre as well as National Red Rose Day and National Loving Day, we remember and honor these victims as we continue to advocate for gun reform in the US. The Pulse nightclub shooting was a tragic reminder of the need for common-sense gun laws that protect our communities.
The following are the names of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, along with their ages:
- Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
- Stanley Almodovar III, 23
- Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20
- Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22
- Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
- Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
- Luis S. Vielma, 22
- Kimberly Morris, 37
- Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30
- Darryl Roman Burt II, 29
- Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32
- Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
- Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25
- Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35
- Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50
- Amanda Alvear, 25
- Martin Benitez Torres, 33
- Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
- Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26
- Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35
- Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25
- Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31
- Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26
- Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25
- Miguel Angel Honorato, 30
- Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
- Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
- Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19
- Cory James Connell, 21
- Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
- Luis Daniel Conde, 39
- Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33
- Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25
- Jerald Arthur Wright, 31
- Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
- Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25
- Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24
- Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27
- Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
- Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49
- Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24
- Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32
- Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28
- Frank Hernandez, 27
- Paul Terrell Henry, 41
- Antonio Davon Brown, 29
- Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24
- Akyra Monet Murray, 18
- Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Pride 2023 is the Year of Resistance.
Click here to see how you can help, plus a list of organizations and indie queer doll creators that deserve your support.
Dollsexposed showcases queer erotica, kink, fetish, and activism through twelve-inch doll photography. Their adventures in the doll world began in 2011 before establishing a home on dollsexposed.com eleven years later.
Dollsexposed's works have been displayed at Seattle Erotic Art Festival and Los Angeles Leather Getaway.