In the wake of a shooting attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which left 49 people dead and another 53 injured, the hashtag #TwoMenKissing has emerged as a symbol of defiance against homophobia.
The LGBTI community across the world has been shaken by the attack, which came during the country’s Pride Month and on the day of the LA Pride parade.
The father of Omar Mateen, the gunman at the centre of the attack, said his son had recently been offended to see two gay men expressing affectionon a Miami street.
“We were in downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music,” Mir Seddique told NBC News in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
“And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid, and he got very angry.”
The hashtag has been used as a symbol of support and hope — and defiance in the face of an attack on a gay space.
#TwoWomenKissing, #LoveIsLove and #LoveWins — which was initially used when the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of same-sex marriage last year — have also gained traction since the shooting.
This post originally appeared on ABC News.
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