Mississippi passed a bill in April allowing businesses to refuse service to same-sex couples. States like North Carolina have adopted restricted bathroom use laws for transgender Americans, essentially humiliating a subset of their taxpayers other states are considering following suit. Mateen was also not an unknown threat he had popped up on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s radar before and was interviewed several times in the last few years regarding (inconclusive) connections to other ISIS-linked American extremists.Īnd this isn’t just at the federal level. The New York-born son of Afghan immigrants, Mateen had pledged his allegiance to ISIS and expressed anti-gay sentiments to friends and family. Authorities quickly identified the shooter as 29-year-old Omar Saddiqi Mateen, according to the Associated Press. But that celebration has been clouded in mourning.Įarly Sunday morning, a heavily armed gunman opened fire inside Orlando’s famous Pulse nightclub, killing 50 people in the deadliest mass shooting in United States history.
With Pride parades around the country planned for today, millions of LGBT Americans are expected to spend their weekend in celebration of their identities. Participants show their support for victims of the Orlando shooting during the 2016 Gay Pride Parade in Los Angeles, California.
