Tucson gay bar shooting is reminder: anti-LGBTQ rhetoric kills
Wed. September 2, 2026 7:53 PM by Gerald Farinas
cameron davis capara and vincent anthony siquieros
photo credit // moms demand action
News column by Gerald Farinas. Opinions are not necessarily those of GoPride.com.
CHICAGO, ILL. -
Early Monday morning, two men, Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were shot and killed in the parking lot of Venture-N in Tucson, Arizona. According to a report from The Associated Press, local police confirmed the shooting was a targeted anti-LGBTQ hate crime. The gunman killed himself at the scene, leaving behind a note that spelled out his hatred and listed other gay bars and gathering spots around town.
Venture-N is just a neighborhood joint. For years, folks went there to catch up with friends, have a cheap beer, and relax without having to explain themselves. Having that torn apart outside its front door hurts, but it is not happening in a vacuum.
"[Cameron] was a photographer who was dedicated to his craft, the loved ones in his life, and equality for all. A friend said he 'always fought for and believed in a better future, for himself, for the community, and most importantly, for everybody.' He was 33 years old," Mom's Demand Action said on Instagram.
"[Vincent] was a regular at the bar for almost two decades. Community members remember him as 'a thoughtful, considerate person.' A friend says Venture-N was Vincent’s favorite place. 'For it to happen there is especially hard.' He was 42 years old," the organization continued.
Tucson is a clear warning about where things stand right now. It shows why staying loud, visible, and unapologetic about LGBTQ rights matters as much today as it ever did.
We are heading into an election season where anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is running hot across the country, and Illinois is far from immune. Candidates like Darren Bailey and running mate Aaron Del Mar, Republicans running on the gubernatorial ticket against incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, are tapping directly into this playbook, leaning into campaigns that single out queer and transgender people to rile up conservative voters.
Just across the state line in Wisconsin, it gets even worse. MAGA politicians like Rep. Tom Tiffany, Republican running to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, and his allies have turned anti-LGBTQ attacks into a regular campaign strategy, working overtime to strip away recognition, take down Pride flags, and roll back basic dignities.
From local school boards and county offices to state races and Congress, Republican hopefuls have turned our community into an easy target. They run advertisements and give stump speeches framing our neighbors, co-workers, and families as threats to traditional life and family values. Threats that must be stopped.
The hostility is sharpest when directed at transgender people, who face a nonstop stream of demeaning, derogatory slurs designed to erase their humanity and make them outcasts. This is not just campaign bluster. It drives high-level policy. Look at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose recent move to ask the Supreme Court to allow the administration to fire all transgender combat troops treats patriotic, dedicated service members as unfit simply because of who they are.
When our own government goes to the highest court in the nation to argue that transgender service members should be kicked out, it sends an unmistakable signal from the top that discrimination must be and is fully acceptable.
That kind of talk has real consequences. When politicians spend months telling people that a group of their fellow citizens is dangerous, someone out there takes the message to heart. Carrying a list of gay businesses is what happens when people start acting on that political anger.
What makes this climate tougher to watch is that everyday public backing is starting to wobble. After years of forward momentum on marriage, workplace protections, and visibility, recent reports show public support for LGBTQ issues is actually dropping. Between organized political attacks and steady online outrage, the acceptance a lot of people took for granted is slipping.
It is easy to think the battle is already won after a few major court rulings. That has never been how this works. Rights can be chipped away fast if people look the other way.
Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara ought to be alive today. The only decent way to respond to their deaths is to refuse to pull back. We cannot get quiet, and we cannot try to blend in to keep the peace. When people push us to the margins, the only choice is to push right back.
Venture-N is just a neighborhood joint. For years, folks went there to catch up with friends, have a cheap beer, and relax without having to explain themselves. Having that torn apart outside its front door hurts, but it is not happening in a vacuum.
"[Cameron] was a photographer who was dedicated to his craft, the loved ones in his life, and equality for all. A friend said he 'always fought for and believed in a better future, for himself, for the community, and most importantly, for everybody.' He was 33 years old," Mom's Demand Action said on Instagram.
"[Vincent] was a regular at the bar for almost two decades. Community members remember him as 'a thoughtful, considerate person.' A friend says Venture-N was Vincent’s favorite place. 'For it to happen there is especially hard.' He was 42 years old," the organization continued.
Tucson is a clear warning about where things stand right now. It shows why staying loud, visible, and unapologetic about LGBTQ rights matters as much today as it ever did.
We are heading into an election season where anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is running hot across the country, and Illinois is far from immune. Candidates like Darren Bailey and running mate Aaron Del Mar, Republicans running on the gubernatorial ticket against incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, are tapping directly into this playbook, leaning into campaigns that single out queer and transgender people to rile up conservative voters.
Just across the state line in Wisconsin, it gets even worse. MAGA politicians like Rep. Tom Tiffany, Republican running to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, and his allies have turned anti-LGBTQ attacks into a regular campaign strategy, working overtime to strip away recognition, take down Pride flags, and roll back basic dignities.
From local school boards and county offices to state races and Congress, Republican hopefuls have turned our community into an easy target. They run advertisements and give stump speeches framing our neighbors, co-workers, and families as threats to traditional life and family values. Threats that must be stopped.
The hostility is sharpest when directed at transgender people, who face a nonstop stream of demeaning, derogatory slurs designed to erase their humanity and make them outcasts. This is not just campaign bluster. It drives high-level policy. Look at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose recent move to ask the Supreme Court to allow the administration to fire all transgender combat troops treats patriotic, dedicated service members as unfit simply because of who they are.
When our own government goes to the highest court in the nation to argue that transgender service members should be kicked out, it sends an unmistakable signal from the top that discrimination must be and is fully acceptable.
That kind of talk has real consequences. When politicians spend months telling people that a group of their fellow citizens is dangerous, someone out there takes the message to heart. Carrying a list of gay businesses is what happens when people start acting on that political anger.
What makes this climate tougher to watch is that everyday public backing is starting to wobble. After years of forward momentum on marriage, workplace protections, and visibility, recent reports show public support for LGBTQ issues is actually dropping. Between organized political attacks and steady online outrage, the acceptance a lot of people took for granted is slipping.
It is easy to think the battle is already won after a few major court rulings. That has never been how this works. Rights can be chipped away fast if people look the other way.
Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara ought to be alive today. The only decent way to respond to their deaths is to refuse to pull back. We cannot get quiet, and we cannot try to blend in to keep the peace. When people push us to the margins, the only choice is to push right back.