Wednesday, June 12th, 2019 is Pulse Night of Remembrance; the 3rd anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016. That morning, a gunman entered the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and injuring over 50 more. Pulse is now a memorial site, and on each anniversary, we honor those who were lost that day and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights nationwide.

It’s easy to think that LGBTQ+ issues are behind us, but occurrences such as Pulse remind us that we still have a long way to go. LGBTQ+ teens are still facing a high suicide rate, conversion therapy is still legal in 36 states, and 2018 saw a rise in hate-crime rates for LGBTQ+ people, especially that of trans women of color. We may not fully understand, but our support for LGBTQ+ rights is crucial; the community has been incredibly resilient in facing a harrowingly harsh world.