Working The Largest Gay Club in Orlando in a Post Pulse Massacre World
- A.J. Voiles
- Jan 6, 2017
- 2 min read
Working security can be a tough job for anyone. You never know what you’re going to run into next. That was especially true for the tragic Pulse Nightclub shooting that took the lives of 49 individuals. At the moment, I am doing security at the Parliament House in Orlando, not too far from where the shooting happened. The Parliament House is a historic gay resort with multiple bars, regular shows, and a motel built in. In town it’s known as legendary due to it’s gaudy sign and over 40 year presence. Going into the job I was a bit nervous. I’m a straight guy who doesn’t usually care for confrontation. My friends and family were worried about another possible hate crime taking place while I was working, so I decided to ask people who know the club well.
Love Conquers Fear
Going into the Parliament House club area seems just like any club, with the exception of an abundance of Whitney Houston and Cher. You have people dancing, drinking, kissing and having an overall good time. I asked some coworkers how safe they felt and they were remarkably confident in our safety. My manager said “We have a full staff of security, and most nights we have off duty police on property. We are always in danger of course, but most people are here to just have a good time, “Fear is no way to live your life”. Another coworker remarked “We keep things pretty tight here, we know most of our patrons and when somebody looks out of place they usually are and end up off the property fast”. So far my personal experience has been mild. I’ve seen one fight that was quickly broken up and I’ve seen a lot of people just trying to party and/or get a hookup.
The Show Must Go On
We do some talent shows and other events at the venue. I got the chance to speak with some of the talent and patrons, and they seem to share the sentiment of the employees. One performer I spoke to said “Let some dude come in here thinking he’s gonna start something! Half of these people are from the streets; Some fool with a gun ain’t gonna stop my performance. I’ll snatch that gun out his hand and use it as a prop for my show.” A patron I spoke to happened to be at pulse the night of the shooting. He told me “As much fear as I live in at this point, I’m not going to stop being who I am. There will always be somebody with hate towards you for some reason and letting them prevail is just an insult to yourself”.
What I’ve seen working at this Mecca of homosexual nightlife, is that no matter what, people need a place to feel safe. And the threat of tragedy is nothing compared to the basic human need to be who you are.
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