There’s a bit of controversy brewing in the UK press, as a result of a letter from academics and activists (including noted LGB activist Peter Tatchell, as well as some recognized trans-exclusionary reactionaries) published in The Observer (“We cannot allow censorship and silencing of individuals“). In it they call for
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Dented Blue Mercedes: “A little free speech for me, and a little shut-up-and-take-it-like-a-man for you.”
There’s a bit of controversy brewing in the UK press, as a result of a letter from academics and activists (including noted LGB activist Peter Tatchell, as well as some recognized trans-exclusionary reactionaries) published in The Observer (“We cannot allow censorship and silencing of individuals“). In it they call for
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Leelah Alcorn’s Suicide, Parents’ Rights… and Kids’ Rights.
On Sunday, December 28th, 17-year-old trans* Ohio teenager committed suicide by stepping in front of a tractor-trailer on the interstate. She was killed instantly. Her tragedy says something profound which has been almost completely missed in the discussion about LGBT-inclusive education and Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) currently wafting across Canada. Before
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Leelah Alcorn’s Suicide, Parents’ Rights… and Kids’ Rights.
On Sunday, December 28th, 17-year-old trans* Ohio teenager committed suicide by stepping in front of a tractor-trailer on the interstate. She was killed instantly. Her tragedy says something profound which has been almost completely missed in the discussion about LGBT-inclusive education and Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) currently wafting across Canada. Before
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Legislatively “Balancing” Human Rights
There is a simple, time-honoured rule about attempting to “balance” human rights classes in legislation so that it works out a particular way every time, and it goes like this: You can’t. That is a court’s role. When two human rights classes are put into conflict in a way that
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: BDSM, Gender, Entitlement, and Jian Ghomeshi
Whether anybody wanted the conversation right now or not, it’s become time to have a conversation about BDSM, gender and entitlement. Over a week ago, Jian Ghomeshi, the then-popular then- CBC commentator, appeared to be coming out of the closet about engaging in what he referred to as “rough sex
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Sodom: Review of a Russian Anti-Gay Documentary
On Tuesday, October 28th, Peter LaBarbera re-entered Canada for an immigration hearing, then to speak at an anti-LGBT conference, and finally on Thursday to face charges for mischief (which stem from an arrest while distributing anti-LGBT leaflets at the University of Regina). LaBarbera (nicknamed “Porno Pete” by bloggers because of
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Our destinies are bound together (even if our needs are diverse and sometimes at odds)
Monica Roberts at TransGriot is exploring the future of the trans* movement: “One of the things I was pondering recently was triggered by me seeing a pic of a five year old trans girl. I began to ponder what her Trans World that we 2K10’s activists are fighting tooth and
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: On conscience-based medical exemptions
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is currently reviewing its Human Rights Code policy on conscience-based exemptions for medical professionals, and their effect on access to medical services. This review was sparked by a number of news reports of doctors in Ontario and Alberta refusing to prescribe birth
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Paths of Pain, and the Ownership of Language.
Marc Maron recently ran a follow-up interview with fellow comedian Todd Glass, who had come out as gay on Marc’s podcast, WTF. Marc’s podcast has often been strikingly introspective, and a moment came up that epitomized this. Glass started talking about language, the way that words can be weaponized, and
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Google Trends on “Transgender”
Posted for discussion and interest value. Out of curiosity, I plunked the word “transgender” into Google Trends. It’s not my terminology of choice, but it’s what most people use and what the general public is most likely to search for. Here’s what I got: The numbers aren’t an exact value
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Google Trends on “Transgender”
Posted for discussion and interest value. Out of curiosity, I plunked the word “transgender” into Google Trends. It’s not my terminology of choice, but it’s what most people use and what the general public is most likely to search for. Here’s what I got: The numbers aren’t an exact value
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Could Canada’s Anti-Sex Work Bill C-36 Also Stifle LGBT Speech?
Slightly over a week ago, Canada introduced legislation to replace the anti-prostitution laws that had been struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada. The Conservative government has been trying to race Bill C-36 through both the House and the Senate simultaneously, at breakneck speed. But the text of the
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Could Canada’s Anti-Sex Work Bill C-36 Also Stifle LGBT Speech?
Slightly over a week ago, Canada introduced legislation to replace the anti-prostitution laws that had been struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada. The Conservative government has been trying to race Bill C-36 through both the House and the Senate simultaneously, at breakneck speed. But the text of the
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: C-36: Conflating sex work with human trafficking
I recently asked whether the vague definition of “sexual services” and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it’s a question worth
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: C-36: Conflating sex work with human trafficking
I recently asked whether the vague definition of “sexual services” and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it’s a question worth
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Keeping safe at the corner of trans* and BDSM
Somewhere at the intersection of trans* and BDSM, this happened: “Three people have been arrested for allegedly keeping a transgender woman as a slave in the Ajax area of Natchitoches Parish. “… NPSO received a report Saturday night from a Robeline assistant town marshal that he had come in contact
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Keeping safe at the corner of trans* and BDSM
Somewhere at the intersection of trans* and BDSM, this happened: “Three people have been arrested for allegedly keeping a transgender woman as a slave in the Ajax area of Natchitoches Parish. “… NPSO received a report Saturday night from a Robeline assistant town marshal that he had come in contact
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act: an overview
I recently asked whether the vague definition of “sexual services” and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography somehow. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it’s a question
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act: an overview
I recently asked whether the vague definition of “sexual services” and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography somehow. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it’s a question
Continue reading