13/06/2026
Ten Years Since Pulse
Today marks ten years since the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, where 49 people were murdered and 53 others injured simply for gathering in a space where LGBTQ+ people could be themselves.
A decade later, we remember those who were taken, those who survived, and the families, friends and communities forever changed by that night.
Ten years on, many of us hoped the world would be safer, kinder and more accepting. Instead, LGBTQIA+ people continue to face growing hostility, political attacks and attempts to roll back hard-won rights. Recent events remind us that progress is never guaranteed and that visibility, solidarity and community remain as important as ever.
This week, many have been moved by Tip Toe, a powerful reminder of the realities facing LGBTQIA+ people in Britain today. And here in Brighton, as a far-right march takes place in our city, we are reminded that hatred has not disappeared. It has simply changed its shape.
The answer, now as it was in 2016, is community.
Check in on your friends. Reach out to someone who may be struggling. Stand beside those who feel targeted or afraid. Challenge prejudice when you encounter it. Look after your neighbours.
Pulse was an attack on a community. The response was a community refusing to be broken.
Today we remember. Today we mourn. Today we stand together.
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