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Twitter reacts to Orlando shooting with compassion, outrage; others tweet hate

users take to social media to voice opinions

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Twitter, gay news, Washington Blade

Twitter, gay news, Washington Blade

Twitter erupted with reactions from celebrities, politicians and the LGBT community following news of the shooting at gay club Pulse in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday morning.

While many expressed compassion towards the victims and their families, others took to social media to praise gunman Omar Mateen and to share their homophobic views.

Daily Mail reports Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick tweeted “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Galations 6:7″ hours after the shooting.Ā Patrick’s social media handler, Allen Blakemore, says the tweet was scheduled ahead of time and not connected to the shooting.

The tweet has since been deleted.

ā€œThe Lt. Governor is traveling out of the country, but our social media team has deleted the posts and graphics,” Blakemore said in a statement. “We regret the unfortunate timing of these posts and ask everyone to join us in praying for the people of Orlando in this awful time.ā€

Others took to social media to express their frustrations and sadness about the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history, which specifically targeted the LGBT community.

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More than 1 million people attend Madonna concert in Rio

Free event took place on Copacabana Beach on Saturday

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Madonna performs on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach on May 4, 2024. (Screen capture via Reuters YouTube)

An estimated 1.6 million people on Saturday attended Madonna’s free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.

The concert, which was the last one as part of Madonna’s Celebration Tour, included a tribute to people lost to AIDS.

Bob the Drag Queen introduced Madonna before the concert began. Pabllo Vittar, a Brazilian drag queen and singer, and Anitta, a bisexual pop star who was born in Rio’s HonĆ³rio Gurgel neighborhood, also joined Madonna on stage.

Congresswoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker, and Rio Municipal Councilwoman MĆ“nica BenĆ­cio, the widow of Marielle Franco, a bisexual Rio Municipal Councilwoman who was assassinated in 2018, are among those who attended the concert.

“Madonna showed that we fight important fights for the human rights of Black (people), young (people), women and LGBTQIA+ people, and against all injustice, discrimination, and violence,” saidĀ AssociaƧao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association ofĀ TravestisĀ and Transsexuals), a Brazilian trans rights group known by the acronym ANTRA, on itsĀ X account.Ā “What they call identitarianism’ is our subversion to the retrograde and conservative tackiness that plagues the country.”

The Associated Press reported the concert was Madonna’s biggest ever.

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PHOTOS: Gay Day at the Zoo

Smithsonian observs International Family Equality Day

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Gay Day at the Zoo (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The DC Center for the LGBTQ Community, SMYAL and Rainbow Families sponsored Gay Day at the Zoo on Sunday at the Smithsonian National Zoo. The Smithsonian observed International Family Equality Day with special exhibits and an event space.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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PHOTOS: Taste of Point

Annual fundraiser held for LGBTQ youth scholarship, mentorship organization

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Taste of Point DC (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Point Foundation held its annual Taste of Point fundraiser at Room & Board on May 2.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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