I attended a group discussion recently about beauty and image. The session was for gay men of all ages, however the majority of attendants were between 20- 35. A series of 6 questions were asked all focusing on the concepts of inner and outer beauty. The responses were shocking to say the least. Turns out that inner beauty is no longer an attractive trait. Most of the guys preferred to date someone who was physically attractive with no inner beauty than to date someone who was ‘ordinary’ looking with a beautiful inner personality… Superficial much??
Ageism
Age ain’t nothing but a number. But in the gay world, it can mean the difference between a warm welcoming smile and a nasty glare. Say hello to ageism. Ageism is discrimination against persons of a certain age group. Usually referring to the elderly. Now, you might be thinking that this issue isn’t unique to the gay community. And you’re right. It exists everywhere worldwide regardless of sexual orientation. But what makes it unique in the gay community is when you are considered to be “old” at age 40.. Some say 35!
Is Queer a bad word?
The word queer has been stirring up a lot of discussion lately. Is it a bad word? Is it too drenched in hate to be reclaimed in a positive light? There seems to be a divide in the LGBT community on this.
Pride Review
So the madness is over.. It’s been a hell of a week.. And weekend… but boy was it fun! From the looks of it, Pride 2012 was definitely a success. The community really came together to show why Pride Toronto is the largest parade in North America.
What does Pride mean to you?
With Pride Toronto 2012 less than three weeks away, it’s no surprise that the LGBT community is taking over all forms of media. After all, it is the largest gay parade in North America. In fact it’s the largest parade in North America PERIOD.
Equality At Work
A lot of companies talk a big game when it comes to diversity in the workplace but do they really understand the meaning of ‘diversity’? Off the bat when I hear the word diversity I think of difference. It could refer to difference in religion, difference in political views and of course difference in sexual preference just to name a few. “Preference”- that word doesn’t sit too well with me but we’ll touch on that another time. My issue is with LGBT inclusivity in the workplace.
Coming from a country in which diversity wasn’t an option, I really appreciate the effort that employers put into making the work environment more welcoming and comfortable for everyone but I think there’s still some more that can be done. I’m not saying that some or most companies don’t do a great job of being inclusive and supporting their LGBT employees. I’m just speaking from my point of view and from what I’ve experienced. Continue reading
My Queer Agenda 