MORRIS, Man. - When Dave Claringbould and his partner opened a restaurant in rural Manitoba, they knew some people might have a problem with them bein...
A new anti-homophobia campaign launched by the provincial government is asking Quebecers if they are really open to sexual diversity. The...
Dear Supreme Court of Canada, While I personally find Mr. Whatcott's message repugnant, I am nonetheless in favour of his being able to peacefully express his religious and political opinion without being silenced by the government and forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages. (I'm a little like Voltaire that way, though your decision has moved me to blog rather than to put my life on the line.) Canada, which will lose more in the breadth and honesty of public expression and debate as a result of your opinion than you seem to realize.
OTTAWA - A Saskatchewan anti-gay crusader says he'll ignore a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that he violated human-rights rules when he distributed p...
The Supreme Court of Canada is set to release a decision Wednesday morning in a Saskatchewan case that has pitted advocates of free speech against law...
OTTAWA - An evangelical organization that describes homosexuality as a "perversion" and a "sin" is receiving funding from the Government of Canada for...
Tim Knight writes the regular media column, Watching the Watchdog, for HuffPost Canada. Two hundred and thirty-seven years ago the people of the Unit...
A public service announcement launched by the University of Alberta as part of their No Homophobes campaign questions why homophobic language is still...
Some conservative Muslim leaders, like their Christian counterparts, are disseminating a letter expressing the right of parents to withdraw their children from course content that conflicts with their understanding of faith. The letter expresses concerns about introducing children to sex-education and the realities of queer families.
Earlier I was called out for using the words "retarded" and "handicapped" in a couple of tweets which referenced Yunel Escobar, the Blue Jays shortstop in hot water for writing the words "Tu ere maricon" ("You are a faggot") in his black eye. I offended someone. I apologized, and after an honest, open, and level- headed conversation concluded that I should be more conscientious. I wasn't foolish enough to write the words across my face, but still, for what I did in the first place, I suppose I'm pretty stupid as well.
Imagine walking into your workplace tomorrow morning, grabbing a marker from the supply closet, walking into the boardroom and writing the words "You are a Faggot" on the company white board. How do you think the boss would react? The Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escoba wrote those words in his black eye and received a three-game suspension. Three games? For offending every homosexual watching at home? For telling every athlete out there that even in 2012 you shouldn't feel comfortable coming out of the closet? The Jays should be ashamed of themselves.
A single murder or suicide of a queer youth is way too many. Fortunately, across the globe, both progressive and conservative Muslims, while differing on same-sex unions, have come out to strongly condemn homophobia in all its ugly forms. Muslim law has always contained majority and minority opinions especially on controversial issues. As such, in contrast to conservative Muslims, progressive Muslims fully support same-sex unions. For them, the Islamic emphasis on justice and compassion outmatches classical rules any day.
Many queer activists rise above their circumstances and assert their voice for justice that is not limited to LGBT issues. Belonging to a vulnerable minority, they understand prejudice and can empathize with "others." Queer Muslim activists, despite facing immense prejudice, continue their work quietly and with dignity. Their work ends up helping the very Muslim communities that so strongly shun them. They truly know the meaning of spiritual chivalry, to practice good without expecting the same in return.
Muslims for Progressive Values, like affirming Christian and Jewish denominations, have broken the consensus espoused by conservative Muslims that Abrahamic faiths prohibit same-sex unions. Online Islamic forums and are increasingly framing the issue as one of desire, if not sexual orientation.
Another Canada Day, another successful Pride Parade along the streets of downtown Toronto. As in previous years one of the largest parades of its kind saw hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets. The Parade itself covers less than a mile or two of Toronto's streets but the geography is far less important than the message it sends. It was only 30 years ago this February that Toronto Police raided the city's gay bathhouses, arresting more than 300 innocent men.
The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival has just begun and this year marks a significant shift in queer filmmaking: a movement away from the simple "coming out" story, and away from films that play up gay stereotypes because it really is no longer "fine" if we do it ourselves. Films with LGBT content are becoming just that: films with LGBT content, versus "gay movies."
In cottage country, and even on Toronto's beaches up to the mid 1950s, it was common to see signs that read "No Dogs or Jews Allowed." Though we, as a nation, have made great strides in the name of human rights for all, we cannot be complacent. There cannot be justice for Jews if there is not justice for everyone.
The World Championships of figure skating start on Wednesday, but figure skating's gender roles are running far behind the times. Women skaters were forced to wear skirts in competition until recently, and the women's long program is thirty seconds shorter than the men's, which has real implications in terms of the scoring.
The Supreme Court of Canada on Wednesday heard arguments in the case of a man accused of hate speech for distributing flyers in Saskatchew...
I should be grateful that my government cares enough to protect me (at least this aspect of me; they seem far less concerned about homophobia). But instead, I feel singled out. It's especially awkward since I didn't feel that unpopular in the first place.
The word 'gay' gets thrown around so much, there is perhaps a valid argument that most people aren't even fully cognizant that it's homophobic anymore.
Those who oppose rights for gays will claim religious freedom and they are, in fact, entitled to it. Ultimately the question of gay-straight alliances in Catholic schools is not about religion or sexuality. It is about the right to feel safe in publicly-funded schools and in their own skin.
Discrimination takes the form of harsh anti-lesbian talk that creates and sustains a climate of intolerance and fear. And in some countries, such discrimination can spark deadly violence and loss of life. Maybe Canada can contribute to this struggle, as it will host the 2015 Women's World Cup.
For a man who declared upon his election that "Toronto is now open for business" -- Pride, with its plethora of corporate donors, is one of the few events that does just that -- opens our city's doors for businesses and tourists alike. After all -- did we not elect Rob Ford because of his supposed knowledge of fiscal responsibility?
