Page 27 - Seattle Gay News

Musicians, Gay choruses offer

musical tributes to Orlando victims

by Albert Rodriguez
ally Christina Aguilera penned the single At her Tuesday performance in Detroit, Church.
SGN A&E Writer
"Change," along with co-writers Who is Beyoncé dedicated the ballad "Halo" to the On Friday, June 24, due to the over-
Fancy and Flo Reutter, and released it this families of those killed. "This next song is a whelming response to their performance,
week as a download with all proceeds going song about love," she said to the thousands On June 12, the world woke up to one of the London Gay Men's Chorus (LGMC)
to the National Compassion Fund, bene t- of ticketholders at Ford Field. "And I'd like the worst tragedies to ever happen on Amer- will release a charity single, their cover ver-
ting the victims' families. "Though there is to dedicate it to all of the family members ican soil, a killing spree that left 49 people sion of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over
such heavy sadness, I believe that there is that had family that lost their lives in Flori- dead and dozens more injured inside a Gay Troubled Water." This digital-only release
much more love in the world than we know," da."
club in Orlando. It was a deliberate attack will be available to purchase or stream on
she stated in a press release. "We need to on the LGBT community that shocked and That same evening, Selena Gomez dedi- all major platforms including iTunes, Am-
learn to love again, we need to learn that saddened all of us. But soon after, the hate cated a cover of Hillsong's "Trans guration" azon Music, Google Play, Spotify, Deezer
one person does make a difference; we need was overshadowed by love from every cor- while appearing in New Orleans. "The next and Tidal. Proceeds from the sale of the
to keep love in our hearts." The emotional ner of the globe. Among those who reacted song I'm going to sing is actually one of my charity single will be split between the Or-
pop ballad sounds a bit like another one of to the news with tributes were some of the favorite worship songs, and I think there's so lando Victims Fund, organized by Equality
The Voice coach's hits, "Beautiful," but the world’s top musicians.
much craziness that's going on and it's im- Florida, and Galop, the UK's leading LGBT
lyrics are speci c to the Orlando tragedy. portant to recognize how people should love anti-violence and abuse charity.
Melissa Etheridge wrote a song called
"Change" is available now on iTunes and people and it's actually O.K."
"Pulse," after the venue where the incident A multitude of musicians took to social
an accompanying video has been posted on took place, and released it on June 15. She Many Gay choruses on both sides of the media to offer their support, including rock
YouTube.
wrote the song while on tour, telling Rolling pond gathered at community memorials legend Paul McCartney, who posted a sel-
Stone that writing music is how she deals Adam Lambert and Queen belted out and vigils to lend their voices for support, e on Twitter with a rainbow ag draped
with things such as this. "I feel called to "Who Wants to Live Forever" at a headlin- including the New York City Gay Men’s around his shoulders and the words "We
speak; to do what musicians do," Etheridge ing set Sunday night in the U.K.. "This song Chorus, which performed "Light" from the stand together with Orlando #OneOnOne,"
told the magazine. “We’ve been the town is dedicated to those who lost their lives last Broadway musical Next to Normal on ABC- and Queen Latifah, who posted double
criers for hundreds of years. We’re mirrors night in Orlando, Florida, and anyone who TV’s Good Morning America at Times Tweets to her followers. The rst read "My
of society. We want to try to make sense. We has been a victim of senseless violence or Square on Monday. The London Gay Men's [heart emoji] Breaks for the LGBTQ com-
want to try to heal. We want to bring some hatred," Lambert said to a large audience at Chorus sang a stirring rendition of Simon & munity in Orlando! We are 1! You Touch
meaning, some purpose. We also want to the Isle of Wight festival.
Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" one of us you Touch All of us! Freedom ain’t
put it down forever in history. That’s how to huge crowds packing Old Compton Street Free! STAND UP AMERICA!" She then Adele appeared shaken up when she an-
I’m coping." It wasn't immediately clear if in the U.K. capital on Monday as well – tweeted, "You don't have to Kill somebody nounced to concertgoers in Antwerp that
"Pulse" would be available as a download, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTHo- to Be somebody! That just makes you no the show was being dedicated to the Or-
but Etheridge will likely introduce it to fans 6ZLshqM And the Orlando Gay Chorus de- ‘Body’! I pray for all the people who feel lando victims. "The LGBTQ community,
on her current tour, which lands at Sno- livered uplifting versions of "True Colors" that Alone!"
they’re like my soulmates since I was really
qualmie Casino on August 28.
and "You'll Never Walk Alone" Monday young, so I’m very moved by it,” she told ev-
at the city's Joy Metropolitan Community
Singer-songwriter and longtime LGBT
eryone at the start of her performance.

PRESS STATEMENT For immediate release: Thursday, June 16, 2016

Statement from LGBTQ Allyship

on Orlando Mass Shooting

The act of one human being must not fuel oric, fear-mongering, scapegoating, and impact communities of color.
anti-Muslim sentiment in this country or violence.
around the world. It must not add re to an- Orlando has taught us how [such] detri-
ti-immigrant rhetoric. Not in our name. We “Many communities are mourning from mental national and local legislation fo-
as LGBTQ individuals represent intersec- this senseless act of hate. We as LGBTQ cused on hate can be a catalyst for trage-
tional identities that include LGBTQ Mus- individuals, Muslims, and Latinos deserve dies such as this. In solidarity with both the
lim and Latino communities. We recog- to be safe in our neighborhoods and plac- Latino and Muslim communities, we hope
nize that this act of homophobic violence es of worship, and experience fairness at that this tragedy will unite us in allowing
has uniquely impacted our LGBTQ Mus- work, at school, and in public. Our com- all people to live their truth openly and
lim and Latino family and elicits unique munities are interconnected, and we must safely regardless of race, religion, gender,
sorrow and targeted hate.
unite in ghting for justice for all,” states or sexuality.
LGBTQ Allyship executive director Deb-
“This tragedy highlights the fact that ho- bie Carlsen.
For more information, please visit our
mophobia and transphobia [cross] race, re- website at www.LGBTQAllyship.org, or
ligion, socioeconomic, and political back- Nationally there have been 200 an- contact Debbie Carlsen at 206-930-6668
Contact: Debbie Carlsen, debbie@ally- grounds. As a Latino transman, I can't help ti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legisla- or debbie@allyship.org.
ship.org, cell: 206-930-6668
but think that this could have been me, and tures, and 50 of these bills target transgen-
in a way it was, as the safety of our dance der and gender-nonconforming individu- *********
Muslims, Latinos, and LGBTQ commu- clubs and public gatherings have become als. In Washington state, conservatives are
nities must unite in tragedy
increasingly targeted for demonstrations of attempting to get I-1515 on the November LGBTQ Allyship is a social and eco-
misguided and misinformed hate,” replies ballot, an initiative that would prohibit nomic justice organization representing
Seattle, WA – LGBTQ Allyship wants to Shane Maldonado, LGBTQ Allyship board transgender and gender-nonconforming over 2,500 LGBTQ individuals in the
honor the 49 victims, mostly LGBTQ Lati- treasurer.
individuals from using the bathrooms at Puget Sound area. We work on access to
nos, who were taken away from us through work, at school, and in public that match affordable health care and housing, eco-
a mass shooting on June 12, 2016, in Orlan- Allyship believes this is a time for the the gender they live daily. Initiatives like nomic equity, and eliminating youth
do, Florida, at a gay club called Pulse. We LGBTQ community to build communi- I-1515 breed hate and misunderstanding homelessness in the LGBTQ community
send our support to the survivors and their ty and connection with our Muslim and toward the transgender community, which through education, advocacy, research, and
loved ones, and stand in solidarity with our Latino allies in shared unity against Is- already suffers from high rates of unem- community organizing. For more informa-
LGBTQ family in Florida. This homopho- lamophobia, xenophobia/anti-immigrant ployment, homelessness, discrimination, tion, go to www.LGBTQAllyship.org.
bic act of hate has affected all of us, and [sentiment], homophobia, and transphobia. and violence. These harmful and mis-
our whole community is deeply mourning.
Each of our communities is under attack guided policies sanction violence against
through harmful policies, political rhet-
LGBTQ people and disproportionately

Visit us online www.sgn.org
June 24, 2016
Seattle Gay News 27