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Gay Post November 29, 2017

Justin Trudeau issues apology to the LGBTQ community

In a bold, historic and heartwarming moment, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered an apology to the LGBTQ community after decades of discrimination. Trudeau made the apology in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov 28.

The chambers held a lot of emotion, as even Trudeau wiped away tears at the end of his speech. Trudeau was able to express the regret, shame, and sorrow the Canadian government has taken responsibility for in the discriminatory treatment of LGBTQ Canadians. The rejection and treatment of the LGBTQ community was a state-sponsored and witch-hunting event to purposely exclude people from society based on their sexual orientation.

“You are professionals. You are patriots, and above all, you are innocent. And for all your suffering, you deserve justice and you deserve peace. He said ” It is our collective shame that you were so mistreated. And it is our collective shame that this apology took so long— many who suffered are no longer alive to hear these words. And for that we are truly sorry.”

Many LGBTQ Canadians faced such discrimination and harsh treatment from others that were not willing to understand nor accept people with non-conforming sexual orientation and desire. Between the 1950’s to the 1990’s thousands of federal workers were fired based on their sexual orientation. This was part of a “national security’ purge. In the 1960’s alone, there was a database collected by the RCMP of over 9000 suspected gay and lesbian federal workers and suggestions of demotion and denial of promotion.

In June of 2016, members of the advocacy group Egale Canada released a report on the systematic discrimination members of the LGBT community has faced over the years. This prompted them to issue ways in which the treatment and viewpoint of the LGBTQ community can be changed in Canada. One of the recommendations was a formal apology issued by Ottawa. In May of 2017, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that he will issue a formal apology on Nov 28, and as he promised this was delivered to a packed house.

However, there are still some people who thought the apology was not enough to make up for years of hurt and damage caused in many communities. The fact is, this ‘purge’ was a systematic event that lasted longer than necessary and changed many lives.

In 1969 the House of Commons voted to pass a bill that decriminalized homosexuality and in 1967 the bill was first introduced by the acting Justice Minister at that time, and future Prime Minister, the late Pierre Trudeau, who said, “The view we take here is that there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”

Now 50 years later, his son has taken the opportunity to offer an apology for government actions that were truly vile, invasive, discriminatory and un-Canadian.

This is yet another historic moment in the LGBTQ community in Canada. Comment below.

Gay Post November 21, 2017

Remembering lives lost due to anti-transgender violence

Transgender Remembrance was marked on Nov 20, a day in which to reflect on the 325 transgender people around the world who have lost their lives between Oct 2016 and Sept 30 of this year.

Statistics Canada tracks the number of hate crimes based on sexual orientation, and in 2014 there were 155 reported cases and in 2015 there were 141 instances. This number is alarmingly high, as most transgender people suffer in silence when dealing with hate related issues.

From people using the right pronouns to challenges in school and healthcare, transgender youth face a large number of challenges. In a national survey in 2015, over one-third of transgender Canadians between ages 14-25 attempted suicide. Transgender Remembrance Day does not normally count the number of deaths by suicide ,but if it did, the number in remembrance would be even higher.

Transgender Remembrance is all about reflecting on an often bullied and low profile community. During different remembrance ceremonies around the world, the names of those who lost their lives to anti-transgender violence are marked. Members of the trans community all pay respect and come out to attend this somber occasion.

Transrespect.org issued the full list this year of all the names of people around the world who have lost their lives. The list is a report of all transphobia issues and murders worldwide. There was one Canadian listed, Sisi Thibert, a transgender sex worker who was found stabbed in her apartment in Montreal just a mere two months ago.

Many trans-advocates do not just honour all those who have lost their lives, but as well victims and survivors of transgender targeted violence. Transgender remembrance started in 1999 in the United States by a transgender woman to mark the murder of another victim. During the reading of the names, there is often a moment of silence and a candlelight vigil. In Canada, there was a memorial held at the University of Winnipeg on Monday evening with over 100 people in attendance, and at Toronto Police Headquarters in downtown Toronto, Toronto police raised the transgender flag for the first time to mark Transgender Remembrance Day.

Gay Post November 15, 2017

Australia votes to legalize same-sex marriage

More than 12.5 million Australians took part in a non-binding postal vote to decide whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalized. The results were overwhelming, with 61.6 per cent of respondents voting in favour of legislation by Christmas.

The vote took a long eight weeks, with the results announced Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australians were asked the following question: “Should the marriage law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?” Participation in this survey was voluntary, which is why the 79.5 per cent response rate was shocking.

The survey, which participants had to mail to their representatives, took place because there were twi previous failed attempts by the government to hold a national vote. The debate has been controversial, with many Coalition party members being whipped into voting against the legislation. Instead of holding a national vote, the government created a loophole and spent $122 million sending out voluntary surveys to all residents in order to gauge public opinion.

A bill was introduced to the Senate on Wednesday and will be up for discussion and amendments. Australia’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has said that he will support the public’s preferences and hopes to get the bill passed before the New Year.

“[Australians had] spoken in the millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality,” Turnbull said at a press conference. “They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love. And now it is up to us here in the parliament of Australia to get on with it, to get on with the job the Australian people asked us to do and get this done.”

Those opposed to same-sex marriage may try to tack on an amendment that will enact “religious freedom protection” for commercial businesses who oppose same-sex marriage, but Turnbull said there is little change an amendment like that would pass.

As the results were announced, hundreds, if not thousands, of people flooded the streets, waving rainbow flags, singing, dancing, and hugging their partners. While the vote isn’t binding, it proves with incredible clarity that the Australian people want this change in legislation. If the government ignores this vote, there is bound to be backlash.

Same-sex marriage was banned in Australia in 2004 when the Marriage Act was amended to define the union as being between a man and a woman. The government has received a lot of pressure to change the Act, especially after Ireland voted to legalize same-sex marriage in 2015.

What do you think? Will the government pass the bill or will amendments cause delays?

Gay Post March 29, 2014

WATCH: What if ‘heterophobia’ was a real thing?

Filmmaker Kim Rocco Shields and actress Lexi DiBenedetto have flipped the script on the traditional coming out story with the short film “Love Is All You Need?”

In an attempt to show homophobes just how hard it can be for gay people to face adversity from bigots in their lives she has created a parallel universe where being gay is the norm and a girl coming to terms with her (hetero) sexuality is the one who faces sneers from friends, tears from parents, and vicious attacks from bullies.

This short film is stunning in its depiction of the horrors that gay kids can experience and the depression and isolation that can be brought on by bullying and intolerance.

Dedicated to “any child who has ever felt such darkness due to others’ hatred and misunderstanding,” this film is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever felt excluded and shine a light on the very real and serious pain experienced by many gay teens coming to terms with who they are.

For anyone who has ever wondered why gay kids need love, support and acceptance, this short film is a must-see.

Gay Post March 27, 2014

WATCH: NASA made an ‘It Gets Better’ video and it is amazing

Just in case you haven’t cried today, here is the NASA answer to the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign started by columnist Dan Savage.

Proof positive that no matter who or what you are you can reach for the stars.

Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.

Gay Post January 18, 2014

GAYPOST: Toronto’s Downtown Gays vs. Toronto’s Uptown Gays

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who accused me, and not for the first time, of being a “downtown gay.”

This label wouldn’t bother me – after all, I live fairly close to the Village and am in a relationship with another man — but it seemed to be loaded with judgment. As I thought about where this judgment was coming from, I remembered my own mindset from when I lived, for many years, in the Yonge-Lawrence neighbourhood.

Related: 12 reasons you know you are a Toronto gay

Living uptown, I believed (perhaps subconsciously) that somehow I was better than those who lived in and around the Village. I had a clear image in my mind of what I thought these gays were like, a caricature of the negative stereotypes surrounding gay men. I, on the other hand, felt I was somehow holding on to more of my masculinity than they were by choosing to be outside that world, venturing in on occasion but never truly being a part of it.

I think this notion came from a part of me that deep down inside still felt unhappy to be gay; a part that felt being gay was something that would prevent me from being a man. Of course, years later I’d realize that there is a big difference between sexuality and masculinity.

I’m certainly not accusing my friend as being a self-loathing homo, but in my conversation with him he made it clear that he saw me as “immersed” in the Village and that he, on the other hand, doesn’t “fit in with the downtown gays” and lives in a “different world” from me.

This judgment of the entire gay populous living below Bloor saddens me. We, as gay people, have fought hard to prove to the rest of the world that we can take many forms — masculine rugby players, lithe go-go dancers, and everything in between – and that one little part of our lives is not what defines us individually.

Yet here is my friend, categorizing an entire group of gay people as a group of people he definitely wouldn’t fit in with; a snap judgment based solely on their location. And he’s not alone in this outlook of Uptown Gays vs. Downtown Gays. However, as an uptown- gay-cum-downtown-gay, I can tell you what has changed for me in my venture to the dark side.

I can now walk to the Eaton Centre, I seldom have to cab it home after the bar, and yes – I do now find it a pain in the ass to meet you for a drink at Jack Astor’s on Don Mills. Apart from that, pretty much everything else is still the same about me and I didn’t magically end up with high heels and a coke problem by moving close to the Village.

So go ahead, call me a downtown gay, because that’s what I am. But if I hear you say it in a way that suggests you think you’re somehow better than me, I will fill a sock with all the change I’ve saved from rarely having to use the TTC and I’ll hit you with it.

Follow Simon on Twitter: @ScottishGuy

Gay Post January 5, 2014

Toronto man proposes to his boyfriend online

Prepare to get your cry on when you watch this beautiful viral video of Toronto couple Michael and Dave (with a little help from friends, family, and even pets) recounting their history together and plans for the future in the lead up to Dave proposing.

And, while we live in Canada where the issue has long been put to rest, this is a great example of the amazing love that two people can share regardless of their gender. To anyone who might argue that gay people don’t deserve to get married, take a look at this video and tell me that there isn’t a tear running down your eye right around the four minute mark. Yep. That’s love.

From Women’s Post and Gay Post here is wishing Michael and Dave nothing but the best and many years of happiness in their lives together.

Uncategorized December 21, 2013

REAL ESTATE ETHICS: Dealing with property stigmas and dark pasts

One year ago, almost to the day, the entire nation was rocked by the discovery of 33-year-old university student Jun Lin’s torso in a suitcase behind a Montreal apartment building. Luka Magnotta, 30, now faces first-degree murder charges with allegations that Lin was actually killed and dismembered in his apartment.

That bachelor apartment sat vacant for more than six months following the international manhunt that led to Magnotta’s arrest. The building’s superintendent, Eric Schorer, confirms that it has now been rented to a man he describes as a foreigner who may not know anything about the past of his current home.

I don’t know how I feel about this. As a Realtor, current legislation requires that I disclose to potential buyers or renters any physical defects of a property that may be hidden from view. That’s not a choice or a business decision. That’s the law. But there is no law that requires that I disclose any stigmas or dark pasts and revelations about a home. So do I let the new owners know that the property was the site of a murder? A suicide? It has nothing to do with the structure of the property itself, but even my appraiser agrees that certain events will impact a property’s value, even if it doesn’t impact the physical structure.

Talkative neighbours could impact future sales, and prospective buyers who aren’t even suspicious of any negative events could pull up an old news story just by Googling the address of a property. The financial impact is real, but even foregoing that element of a Realtor’s duty, in metropolitan cities like Montreal and Toronto, the number of buyers and renters with cultural backgrounds that could make them sensitive to these stigmas has to be taken into consideration.

I started this article unsure of how I felt about this topic. There are financial realities that impact both sides, and I suppose it comes down to a case by case issue as to what needs to be disclosed – the murder last year vs. the neighbourhood kids think the place is haunted. But in reality, it comes down to a pretty simple rule that should be guiding every decision I make in business.

It is my duty as a Realtor to do right by my clients and the individuals that I work with, and that includes following the letter of the law in addition to staying true to my moral compass and disclosing what I think needs to be disclosed to the young couple renting their first condo, the young family buying their first home, the business partners buying another investment property, and everyone in between. All hands on deck and all cards on the table – people deserve to know all the details behind what will most likely be the single largest transaction of their lives, and I have an obligation as a professional and as a good person to make sure that that happens.

Follow Chellie on Twitter: @ChellieMejia

Gay Post November 27, 2013

13 reasons why Cher’s new video ‘Take it Like a Man’ is the gayest thing ever

Queer car wash, underwear models, lifeguards, and a twerking dance off. Yup, gayest thing ever.

As if Cher could get any gayer, her new video for Take it Like a Man has proven that the Queen of the Queers not only still has it, but has set the standard of gay for another generation. Here’s why:

13. The video opens with a group of men wandering around the hood in nothing but underwear.

12. There is a big gay car wash where most of the soap and water ends up on the boys.

11. There is a rival group of guys, also in their underwear, who are scandalized in the gayest way possible: sassy lollipop removal from mouth.

10. One of the guys gets picked up and used to scrub a car.

9. The boys somehow get shipwrecked, also in their underwear.

8. Only to be saved by a group of hunky lifegueards wearing the tightest bathing suits imaginable

7. There are so many lingering crotch shots.

6. Back at the car wash the boys are actually just washing each other.

5. There is a dance off

4. Between guys in their underwear.

3. They are twerking.

2. One of the teams is called the Hot Bottoms.

1. It’s Cher for God’s sake.

Follow Travis on Twitter at @TravMyers.

Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.

Gay Post July 19, 2013

GAYPOST: Terrifying threat letters sent to Kingston lesbian couple

In a disgusting display of the hatred for gay and lesbian people that still boils under the surface of many communities two letters to a lesbian couple in Kingston surfaced on image sharing website Imgur on Thursday. One would assume that in Canada, a country that has long since legalized sodomy and more recently gay marriage, this level of intolerance would have been all but stamped out — instead we see the same level of vitriol one might expect in Kill-the-Gays Uganda.

The letters include threats, slurs, and a menacing tone that is downright chilling. The letters demand that they [sic] “leave this city, before it is too late, for you” and informs them that this group has been “following” them for “several months.”

The first letter informs them that they will “strike” and that these are not “empty threats.”

Most terrifying of all is the assertion that the couple being harassed should not bring this matter to the police because the hate group has contacts within the Kingston Police.

As of press time the Kingston Police have not responded to our media inquiry on the matter.

The second letter contains explicit threats of chasing gay people with BB guns, lamenting the fact that real guns are difficult to acquire in Canada as they would prefer to use lethal force.

Below is a transcript of the two letters along with the photos of the originals sourced from Imgur. Be warned that these letters contain explicit language and disturbing depictions of hate-based violence.

“Lesbian bitches,

We are a small but dedicated group of Kingston residents devoted to removing the scourge of homosexuality in our city. We know you and have been following you for the past several weeks and we wish for you to leave this city, before it is too late, for you. This will be the first of many reminders, each escalating to higher and higher levels of harassment and derailment. Since we have nothing personal against you, only against your sexuality, we suggest you move to more conductive climes like Vancouver, or preferably San Francisco.

Our base, head office in Deep South, has been energized by the recent US Supreme Court decisions legalizing same sex marriage. We feel that unless homosexuals reconvert to heterosexuality that life under this planet, under the umbrella of our Lord Jesus Christ, will become unbearable. Having observed you, we feel that you are committed lesbians unlikely to convert, hence this (first and only) gentle attempt to make you move.

If you do not, and take this letter to police, as we expect, we will know about this, since we have contacts in Kingston Police. Our efforts to relocate you will escalate. We wish to avoid this scenario. We are primarily non-violent, but use violence surgically to persuade people. We hope you understand without us painting to lurid a picture.

In the last several years we have relocated a few people like you from the Kingston area, through a set of incentives and effective persuasion. Please join their ranks ASAP. We will watch and wait, and then strike, at home and office, as need arises. These are not empty threats. MOVE, or else!

Thank you for your attention. We await effective action on your part, ASAP> You are not going to be safe at home, office or anywhere else if you ignore this message! However if you take this seriously, and make attempts to move, someone from our organization will contact you to make your relocation easier financially. If, additionally, you persuade another couple like yourselves to move, we will provide them financial assistance and yourselves a bonus for your help. We are a committed bunch and come hell of high water, we will move you out. Best under congenial circumstances, don’t you think?

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our saviour.”

The second letter:

“lesbos:

As a followup, we had a group meeting yesterday on how to best deal with you. Some of our younger members want to have some fun chasing “lesbos”. We have brought them some BB guns and today they are doing target practice, so that they can hunt you down. It is regrettable that in Canada, real guns are hard to find, so BB it shall be. I can assure you BB pellets hurt!!

This is thrilling for the youngsters not so much to older members who would rather see serious action rather than playing with BB guns. However youngsters also want to have their fun, and what better targets than you?

Take our previous letter seriously or fun and games will turn into deadly serious action.

Below are the photos of the original letters posted online, click for full size:

You can follow Travis on Twitter at @TravMyers for more information on this story as it becomes available.