I suppose I could have asked for one more thing to make yesterday an even more perfect day.I could have asked the Great Polar Bear God of the Great White North to make it stop raining, and make spring feel like spring not winter.But that would have bee…
Continue readingTag: LGBT rights
The Cracked Crystal Ball II: An Open Letter To Jim Prentice
Dear Mr. Prentice, In responding to MLA Laurie Blakeman’s Bill 202 as you did, you have just thrown LGBT students under the political bus AGAIN. Let me be abundantly clear here. Clause 11.1 one of the Alberta Human Rights legislation does not “protect” the rights of anyone. It creates an
Continue readingMontreal Simon: WorldPride 2014 and the Shadow of the Deathly Con Regime
Well it wasn't the yellow brick road, it was just the rainbow crosswalk in Toronto's gay village.But it did lead to an amazing place. A celebration so big that two million people are expected to attend, and at one point 25 city blocks will have to be closed off.And all I could think was,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and the Con Bigots
It's International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. A day to remember the millions of LGBT people in the world who are being oppressed, hurt, and even murdered for the "crime" of being who they are.A day to remember that even in Canada, the hatred that kills is still a problem.For
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Britain, Gay Marriage, and the Tragic Legacy of Homophobia
I almost wish Margaret Thatcher was still alive so she could have seen the rainbow flag flying over government buildings in London today.Because her infamous Section 28 anti-gay law, which was similar to the one in Russia today, crushed a generation of young LGBT people.So the sight of those flags
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Fred Phelps: Why I’m Celebrating the Death of a Bigot
It seems only right that the day Spring finally arrived, was also the day that Fred Phelps finally departed.Fred Phelps — the founding pastor of a Kansas church known for its virulently anti-gay protests at public events, including military funerals — has died, the church said Thursday.And I must admit
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Day Rob Ford Was Exposed as a Bestial Bigot
When I went past Toronto's City Hall today I was happy to see the beautiful rainbow flag flying, like it is in so many other Canadian cities from St John's to Vancouver.As a gesture of solidarity with the brutally oppressed LGBT people of Russia.So you can imagine how angry I
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Quebec Charter and the Religion that Kills
I think I can safely say that in the icy heart of this Harperland winter, just about the last thing I want to think about, talk about, or write about is the Quebec's Secular Charter.I've written about it before, and no doubt I'll write about it again. But not tonight.Tonight I'll
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: A not so progressive inauguration speech
There is a lot of buzz going on, from all sides, that Obama has used his presidential address as some big pivot towards progressivism. The main debate seems to be on whether Obama is just saying some lofty rhetoric, perhaps to try and cement the kind of legacy he hopes for,
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Transphobia is alive and well in Ontario
As a follower of both US and Canadian politics, but a Canadian resident, it is a source of national pride that much of the most abhorrent aspects of the culture wars in the US are, thankfully, absent in Canada. For all our faults, our elections don’t seem to have an
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Why Boy Scouts of America is allowed to discriminate: Comparing US and Canadian human rights laws
I recently expressed outrage over the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to continue banning members who were LGBT or atheists/agnostics. Ideally, groups like BSoA would be able to figure out for themselves that this homophobic and discriminatory policy is not acceptable. But there is also a legal question as to
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Boy Scouts of America’s despicable anti-gay policy and the suffering of LGBT youth
The ever convoluted path towards full LGBT equality took another turn for the worst: “The Boy Scouts of America on Tuesday said the organization would continue to deny gay people membership, saying that the policy “is in the best interest of Scouting.” Not to mention its long standing ban on
Continue readingThumbs Up Canada: Identity, Migration & Politices: Journeys of LGBTQ+ Newcomers
I am co-organizing this panel discussion event on LGBTQ+ Newcomer issues on June 19, 2012 in Toronto. If you are in this area, come join the discussion!
Continue readingThumbs Up Canada: Identity, Migration & Politices: Journeys of LGBTQ+ Newcomers
I am co-organizing this panel discussion event on LGBTQ+ Newcomer issues on June 19, 2012 in Toronto. If you are in this area, come join the discussion!
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Obama comes out in support of same sex marriage
Years back, when Barack Obama first told us that his views on gay marriage were “evolving”, I predicted that he would support gay marriage before the next election. That day has now come, and Obama has evolved to join his supposedly progressive base by supporting gay marriage. Good. For the
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: On Feminism
I am proud to call myself a feminist. I take it as a first principle needing no further derivation that all people deserve equality of freedom and opportunity, and that it is both morally right and morally obligatory to fight for this in society. Feminism, to me, is simply the
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: On unnecessarily codifying specific freedoms such as the freedom of religion
Should there be explicit protection for the freedom of religion in the founding documents of society? This question may at first seem to be an obvious ‘yes’ since almost everyone – including most atheists such as myself – consider it to be abundantly clear that people should have the freedom
Continue readingOne Town’s War on Gay Teens | #uspoli #lgbt
One Town’s War on Gay Teens | Politics News | Rolling Stone: “Asked on a radio program whether the anti-gay agenda of her ilk bore any responsibility for the bullying and suicides, Barb Anderson, co-author of the original “No Homo Promo,” held fast to her principles, blaming pro-gay groups for
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: LGBT clubs in Ontario Catholic schools get neutered
After a protracted battle over the issue of whether so called ‘gay-straight clubs’ must be allowed in Catholic schools, many LGBT allies thought a legitimate victory had been attained when Queen’s Park ruled that such groups must be tolerated. Delaying far past the required deadline, an associated Catholic think-tank has
Continue readingThis drama with the Catholic school system reminds me of a Mel Brooks moment
I’m sorry, I just can’t help it sometimes.It’s probably not the most famous or best-remembered scene from Blazing Saddles (and in truth, it’s got a lot of competition), but in light of the Catholic school system’s way of dealing with gay and lesbian st…
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