Before the Pulse shooting of 2016 claimed 49 lives, the largest attack on the LGBTQ+ community was the Upstairs Lounge fire. In 1970, the Upstairs Lounge opened on the second floor of a building on a street corner in the French Quarter. It was located at the top of a wooden stairwell with carpet that would not have passed fire codes that were put in place in later years. An unknown person started a fire at the bottom of those stairs on June 24, 1973, and the carpet acted like a wick, quickly bringing the flames into the bar and trapping the gay patrons. Bars on the windows prevented their escape. Unlike at Pulse, the city and community didn't care about the 32 victims. Most were unable to be buried, and few bodies were identified or claimed. Just last week, New Orleans city officials passed a motion to try and identify the victims via DNA testing or other methods. They will also be allowing the victims to finally receive a proper burial.
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Will Drag Queens Become The Next HRC In Fight Against Censorship
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