It’s a hard day for our community- it’s been one year since the Pulse nightclub attack. Through the devastation we came together, rallied world wide and pledged our commitment to building a stronger, more unified community in the face of hatred. That gut wrenching feeling after hearing the news that night hasn’t left me. It looms every time I pop into a gay bar, club or any queer gathering. But as we’ve demonstrated time and again, backing down is never an option.
To do right in a world of wrong requires strength, compassion and sheer determination. All of which were pillars of the final presidential address delivered by Barrack Obama earlier this week. ‘Change only happens when ordinary people get engaged and come together to demand it’, he said. And this is true not only in the political sense but especially so in our growing society of indifference towards each other.
So, it’s been a couple months since I posted anything new. My last post was the realest thing I’ve written and it felt great. What didn’t tho was all the negativity slung around by fellow gays about BLM TO and well, black folk in general. True colours were shown and it was nothing like the empowering colours of our rainbow.
Members of the Black Lives Matter movement stand amidst coloured clouds from smoke grenades at the annual Pride Parade, in Toronto on Sunday, July 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch
From Orlando to now I’ve gone through feelings of sadness and appreciation, a joyful abundance of Pride in who we are and how far we’ve come to now absolute fucking despair. The aftermath of last Sunday’s Black Lives Matter-Toronto protest at the Pride parade march shattered any false sense of community formed since Orlando. It’s sickening to read the multitudes of ridiculous anti-black comments and articles on social media from people who either have no right speaking on the topic i.e. straight people who felt inconvenienced by the 25 min delay and literally booed BLMTO marchers and the white privileged queens who can’t seem to understand or appreciate that non-white LBGT’s simply do not feel welcomed or valued in this community. If you’re already offended then this is especially for you.. Continue reading
I apologize for the length of this post but I need to get some things off my chest. It has been days since we heard about the horrific events in Orlando and I still can’t process it. I know there’s no logic to senseless acts so it’s difficult to reason in your heart and mind. I thought I was okay about it, but as days passed I realize I am in mourning. Mourning those that were murdered and injured but also for thinking that we were at a place with our humanity that this no longer happened. Continue reading
You know Pride’s here when you start seeing commercials from the most unlikely companies/corporations in a bid to snatch up our pink dollars. In the last week alone I counted at least three random ads- even one from a car company- with noticeably colourful rainbow-esque undertones and same-sex couples (even interracial ones) riding on queer hot topics like gay parenting, gay marriage and most recently trans issues-like the bathroom fiasco- all whilst reminding us to purchase with pride– cause they support us. Good to know the almighty dollar knows no gender or sexuality. I’m here for it- the increased visibly and all- BUT what’s the real motive and end game of this seasonal show of support? Does it really benefit us- the queer community- or just fatten the pockets of already filthy rich corporations? Continue reading
Transgendered communities across Canada can rest easily on this- the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia– thanks to new legislations to protect the rights of transgender Canadians. Bill C-16, proposed by probably the world’s greatest PM- JustinTrudeau- and introduced today will see the addition of gender identity as prohibited grounds for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Gender identity has now been added to the list of distinguishing characteristics of an ‘identifiable group’ protected by the hate speech provisions of the Criminal Code. In simple terms: to discriminate against a transgendered person for employment, health care or anything else is now illegal in Canada and any aggravated act motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on gender identity or expression is now officially punishable in court. Continue reading
