Its hard to believe it has been 19 years since the September 11th, 2001 attacks that in many ways changed our entire world in the early hours of that Tuesday morning. I can vividly remember where I was when I heard what had happened. High School Biology class, second period. I remember how everyone was glued to the TV screens for days after it all happened. I remember the stories of how passengers on Flight 93, that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, had stormed the cockpit to take the plan back from the hijakers.
But I hadn’t heard this story. I hadn’t heard of Mark Bingham. I suspect many of us haven’t. That should change. Mark should be celebrated.
Mark Bingham was one of those passengers on Flight 93 that stormed the cockpit. He was also out and proudly gay.
Mark was a rugby player and had a partner of 6 years, Paul.
About 30 minutes after hijackers had taken over the plane, Paul along with Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick rushed the cockpit overthrowing them. All 44 passengers perished when the plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania but saved hundreds more. The believed target of the hijackers was either the White House or the U.S. Capitol Building.
Too often our stories, the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals, aren’t told. It is important to learn and know LGBTQ+ history and the people that were of our community who contributed so much.