Tennessee Republicans have expelled two young Black colleagues for protesting in favor of gun reform after a school shooting in Nashville. This has drawn attention to the ongoing debate over gun control in the United States. The expelled representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, along with Gloria Johnson, protested against the state’s failure to ban assault weapons, which they believe would protect children. Jones stated during the floor debate to expel him, “We called for you all to ban assault weapons and you respond with an assault on democracy.” Pearson told the New York Times that gun reform “is personal when you lose your friends, when you lose loved ones.”
Gun Violence Against Children in America
The United States has experienced 144 mass shootings from January 1 to April 8, 2023, with at least 13 K-12 school shootings so far. The Nashville school shooting, where six people died, including three children, was the deadliest mass shooting since May 2022. It is a tragic reminder of the ongoing problem of gun violence in America. While the mass shootings receive much attention, there are other children who are victims of gun violence, including suicides. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that one in four teenagers who identified as LGBTQ+ said they attempted suicide during the first half of 2021.
Child Abuse and Homophobia
Children are not only victims of gun violence but also abuse at the hands of their own families. The catalyst for this violence is often homophobia, where the child is or might be LGBTQ. In March, a Los Angeles County Superior Court found Heather Barron and Kareem Leiva guilty of murdering and torturing Anthony Avalos, a 10-year-old boy who came out as gay before his death. Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy in Palmdale, California, was similarly abused and killed in 2013, with his mother and her boyfriend convicted of his murder. The reason why these children were targeted due to their sexual orientation has never been fully explored or explained.
Media Coverage and LGBTQ Visibility
The media has a responsibility to report on these tragedies and bring attention to the impact of homophobia on children. Maer Roshan, the editor-in-chief of Los Angeles Magazine, was fired by the new owners who wanted to move the magazine’s direction towards celebrity covers. Roshan was the first and possibly the last out gay editor-in-chief at the magazine. He assigned LGBTQ-related stories and helped tell a fuller story of our community. It is important to see positive images and media coverage of LGBTQ lives to counter self-loathing and hate.
The tragic connection between the murder of LGBTQ children and gun violence is a reminder of the urgent need for gun reform and greater protection for marginalized communities. While the issue of gun violence and homophobia can seem insurmountable, it is essential to keep the discussion going and bring attention to these critical issues.