Activists in Orange County have held vigils, rallies, and talks in the wake of Sunday’s massacre at an LGBT Orlando nightclub. But tonight, a unique rally is planned at VLVT Lounge in Santa Ana: over 50 faith leaders will show up at the gay lounge to show solidarity with Orlando and stand against homophobia.
Organized by Kaleidoscope OC, a interfaith group of faith leaders who, as they put it, “affirm” the LGBTQ community, the event is scheduled for 7 p.m. Per their Facebook message:
We come to this location because this place represents the sanctuary of the LBGTQ community — the “club”. The club has been the church of this community and the place of safety and acceptance. It is also the place where those through ignorance and even indirect support, have attempted to take away the only place the LGBTQ community has had to be authentic. We come to this sacred space to offer our support and affirmation. We collectively are working to make spiritual homes safe and another place of celebration and affirmation.
As faith leaders and communities, we seek to take responsibility and right the wrong done to LGBTQ through the demonizing and rejection by our ignorance and fear. The “club” is where many first come to find themselves in community. How to be and where to go is “the club”. Orlando is an example of a history of what has been attempted in continuing to take away the sanctuary of the LGBTQ people.
Kaleidoscope OC – An Alliance of 56 Orange County Faith Leaders’ Affirming the LGBTQ Community. The group has representatives from the following faith traditions: Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Episcopal, Jewish, Center for Spiritual Living, Unitarian, United Congregational Church, The United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ (DOC), Progressive American Baptist Churches USA and the United Church of Christ.
Find out more information here.
