CW: Colorado Springs shooting, Queer/Trans Violence, Gun Violence, Death.
The bar team at Buddies honours the victims of the Club Q shooting and stands with our queer community in Colorado, and around the world.
Buddies has a long-standing history of being a space for joy, for celebration, for community and acceptance and family and always, always, love. We know how important spaces like Club Q can be to our community. Every week, our bar team hosts events just like Club Q does, and every week, we welcome our queer family in. The attack on Club Q – especially on Trans Day of Remembrance – has shaken us deeply, because those were our people.
It also makes us wonder… what if it was us? Canada is not America, but violence and hatred live here too. The October 2022 election cycle saw some of the highest numbers of openly homophobic and transphobic candidates running for – and winning – municipal and provincial elections all across the country we call “Canada”. As anti-trans sentiment grows across the border, we see an increase in hate crimes here. Every day, queer and trans folks risk our lives just by existing, and we must continue to fight for our safety: to honour the memory of those who fought before us, and to build a future in which our queer descendants can live joyfully, without having to fight.
We are sending all of our love to the victims and their families, and Club Q. We stand in solidarity with every queer person who woke up with heavy hearts. We see you, we love you, and today and every day we welcome you at our bar. Buddies will continue to work in and with our community, to be a space worthy of the beautiful queers of the world.
And to Daniel Davis Aston, Ashley Paugh, Kelly Loving, Raymond Green Vance, and Derrick Rump – may you rest in power. May we never forget your names. May your memories be for a revolution, and may we continue to honour your memories by fighting to protect our queer and trans community every single day.
With love and respect,
Vishmayaa Jeyamoorthy, Neta Rose, Charlee Boyes, Richard Bell, Ronnie Légère, Andrew Desabrais, Brawk Hessel, Daniel Hoang, and Sky Ravinn Ffrench
Photo of Buddies bar by Connie Tsang
