ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)
The LGBTQ+ community across the country is reacting to a mass shooting and suspected hate crime in Colorado.
In Mid-Missouri there are several businesses that cater to the LGBTQ+ community, one of them being the Dandy Lion Cafe in Ashland. The owner, Caitlin Cunningham, said the mass shooting in Colorado has shocked the local community.
Dandy Lion regularly hosts drag events such as breakfasts and readings. The restaurant is closed this week for Thanksgiving.
“It hits even closer to home when it’s a space that’s specifically designated for you to feel safe,” Cunningham said. “That’s very much the mission of Lion Dandy is to create that safe space.”
The restaurant is designed to be a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, a community currently reeling after an alleged hate crime was committed at a gay club in Colorado.
“In a queer community, hosting events, especially a brunch,” Cunningham said. “These are many of the descriptors that match what you could say about the Dandy Lion Cafe and that’s terrible.”
Cunningham said Dandy Lion has a close relationship with local law enforcement and feels the business should keep an eye on hate crimes.
“We see when something small happens,” Cunningham said. “So if a person drives by and yells a gay slur out the window a few times a month, to most people that’s minor. And to us, that’s the start of something violent.”
Dandy Lion preaches tolerance and education on marginalized communities at this time.
“Until action steps are taken to very carefully and purposefully challenge the ignorance that exists in our communities, it’s hard to feel like it’s just not going to happen again,” Cunningham said.
