Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson made history over the weekend by flying to the edge of space in his Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane.
Even more, he did it while proudly wearing a rainbow flag pin in memory of the Pulse Nightclub victims.
I have dreamt about this moment since I was a child, but going to space was more magical than I ever imagined https://t.co/Wyzj0nOBgX #Unity22 @virgingalactic pic.twitter.com/grs7vHAzca
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) July 11, 2021
“Somebody who lost a loved one at the Orlando massacre asked if I would do that,” Branson told the Daily Mail. “We also have many, many friends who are gay and I know people who lost friends there.”
The former nightclub where 49 people were murdered on June 12, 2016 is now a memorial to the victims, most of whom were members of the LGBTQ community. Many of them were also Latinx.
Branson posted a video to Twitter showing off the Pride pin.
My mission statement is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality – for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone.
Watch the launch of the next space age at 6 am PT | 9 am ET | 2 pm BST on https://t.co/1313b4RAKI @virgingalactic #Unity22 pic.twitter.com/JpqXx8cy04
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) July 11, 2021
“My mission statement is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone,” he said. The “for everyone” part was punctuated with a close-up of the ribbon affixed to his chest.
The ribbon was created by Orlando Ribbon Project founder Ben Johansen following the Pulse nightclub shooting. In a Facebook post, he shared how the ribbon ended up on the flight.
A longtime LGBTQ ally, Branson is the first billionaire to make the journey to space. In 2019, he marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots by dedicating a Virgin Atlantic Flight to ferry celebrants across the ocean to World Pride in New York City.
He spent all that money to go to space. He wore a ribbon ln remembrance of the Pulse Night club. Ok, so what. Even if he had given just 10% of what he spent to go to space…… which he has still…… which I am sure is an extreamly large amount and donated that money to any LGBTQ+ community. Don’t you think that would have ment more to our community, then a ribbon? Just asking?