LGBTQ+ Center, Office of SEED mourn Orlando shooting victims, warn against Islamophobic bias

We are heartbroken during this time of devastating loss in Orlando, Florida. We send love and aloha to the countless people affected by the tragedy. 

“This is horrifying news that at least 50 people, including many queer and trans people of color, were killed or critically injured in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the U.S.,” said UH Mānoa LGBTQ+ Center Director Camaron Miyamoto.

As we mourn the lives that were lost and hold our loved ones even more closely, we are also questioning, yet again, what safety means to us — whether we are a transgender person of color, queer or Muslim, or any ally for peace. 

“We at UHM want to reaffirm our support for all of those impacted by this devastating tragedy, especially those who belong to LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities,” said Dr. Christine Quemuel, interim assistant vice chancellor for diversity and director of the Office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity (SEED).

The LGBTQ+ Center and SEED implore our community and allies to refrain from using discourse that attributes responsibility to any one group of people. We uphold the dignity of all individuals and work to counter discrimination on campus and in Hawaiʻi, including Islamophobic rhetoric. 

Further, we urge members of UH Mānoa and news agencies to stand with us in rejecting the unjust narrative that Islam or the Muslim community, as a whole, is homophobic and transphobic. 

“This is an important time to increase our capacity for love and tolerance — not fear or hatred,” said Miyamoto. 

— From the UH Mānoa LGBTQ+ Center and the Office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity

Resources

To talk with someone or for additional support, please contact: 

• UH Mānoa LGBTQ+ Center: (808) 956-9250
• UH Mānoa Counseling and Student Development: (808) 956-7927