Stars pay their respects in wake of Orlando gay club shooting

In a cacophony of solidarity, celebrities have taken to social media to express their shock, sorrow and outrage over Sunday’s massacre in Orlando.

Gay American Idol contestant Adam Lambert tweeted:

My thoughts and prayers are w my brothers and sisters who were at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub. RIP to those who lost their lives.

— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) June 12, 2016

Echoing the sentiments of much of the LGBT community, Ricky Martin, who is gay and Latino like most of the victims of the horror at Pulse said:

I am gay and I am not afraid. Love conquers all. #PrayforOrlando

— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) June 12, 2016

Boy George expressed his heartbreak, poetically tweeting:

50 dead
53 wounded
lives ended
lives shattered
The full horror of this shooting is only starting to hit us all
I feel unconsolable sadness

— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) June 13, 2016

Lady Gaga, well-known for her support for the LGBT community, tweeted her solidarity with thoughtful words, and the rainbow, a symbol of LGBT commonality:

Stand strong w/ ur pride, it belongs to u. Love is opposite of hate. My sincerest mourning 4 LGBTQ’s suffering 2day pic.twitter.com/0n3A143GEg

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) June 12, 2016

It’s a traumatizing & emotional time for a many people. I dream of the world reflecting on what we can do to change this violence. #Orlando

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) June 12, 2016

Allies of the community also sought to show solidarity. Justin Timberlake tweeted:

What gives? My heart is breaking right now for the victims and families of this heartless act. I just don’t get it.#PrayForOrlando

— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) June 12, 2016

Hillary Clinton, who has in recent years reneged on her anti-LGBT rhetoric in favour of a more enlightened view, said:

“To the LGBT community: please know that you have millions of allies across our country. I am one of them.” —Hillary https://t.co/MmaGjrSufr

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2016

The murderer, Omar Mateen, who was shot dead by police after his rampage, was said by his father to be homophobic, being ‘disgusted’ by the sight of two men kissing. The revulsion certain people feel for LGBT people is not new, but attack stings as keenly as if deadly homophobia was a shock. Ellen DeGeneres summed up by dispensing with eloquence in favour of a simple verb:

Sobbing.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) June 12, 2016

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