Comments on: How Do You Prove Your Gayness To Canada?

By: wiggly50

wiggly50 — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:18:29 +0000

I believe that our conservative government will continue to keep making these kinds of policies for immigration. I don’t know how the decision makers can apply these vague rules about rating someone’s sexuality. I think this story is the tip of the iceberg and that many more of these kinds of stories are out there, the people are just not being heard. Who would ever want to try to prove how gay or straight they are? WTF. You would think that this would be Charter challenge based on discriminatory grounds. But I guess you need to be a Canadian before you can make this a human rights issue in Canada anyway.

By: A.

A. — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 01:51:00 +0000

I absolutely love InSite, so thanks for bringing them up here. The Conservative government in many cases has used the legal system that you’re citing as a protector of our rights against us. They’ve challenged rulings and lost, in many cases, but those tactics hold things up for yeeeaaars and subjects pretty much anyone cops don’t like to raids/harassment. Or they just raid anyway (ex. Pussy Palace/Women’s bathhouse raid that happened 10-ish years ago.) They’ve also challenged the ruling on sex work in Ontario, which is holding up decriminalization for escorts and non-street sex workers–which is awful. And! And! street/visible sex workers are still going unprotected, which is some bullshit.

Even our provincial and municipal governments aren’t much to write home about. The provinces have been cutting social services since what feels like the beginning of time. Many municipalities barely tolerate methadone clinics, let alone safe injection sites (like InSite! Our beloved InSite!)–which, by the way, have been recommended for Ottawa and Toronto, but have come up against massive opposition.

As for gay marriage? Truths: the idea of not having it available really scares me. HOWEVER. Queer and trans folk (RIP Kyle Scanlon) are still killing themselves and/or getting kicked out of their homes, pushed out of school and disproportionately prone to addiction, depression and suicide. So, while marriage offers some legal protection to the folks who actually make it to marriageable age, there’s a lot of social ills it doesn’t resolve.

And the NDP–god love us–just ain’t what it used to be. We went from a party whose platform specifically promised to ban terminator seeds, to electioneering on keeping corporate tax rates competitive with those of the US (to give folks a reference point, corporate tax rates in Ontario have been lower than those in US for a number of years. Yeesh).

So, at any rate, hay grrrl. I’m glad I’m here, I’m glad you’re here (TO-Van love! What’s up, skyrocketing housing prices?), but shit could get better in a hurry on this section of Turtle Island.

By: A.

A. — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 01:16:47 +0000

GASP! The horror.

By: Hoodie Lai

Hoodie Lai — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:57:43 +0000

There is a movie relevant to this. Fremde Haut, a German movie about an iranian lesbian who sought refugee status after she was found out having a relationship with a married women. Things got complicated as at first she claimed she is persecuted by political reasons and then when they discover her lying they refused to believe the reason of being a lesbian. Then she pretended to be a male friend who just died to stay longer in Iran because his application was more successful… very interesting movie. Try searching for it in Tudou.com with English subs (though not the full movie is there)

By: RHGAL

RHGAL — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:44:12 +0000

I have heard this one!

How do you prove your gayness to canada?

Pass the citizen test!!!

By: Malaika

Malaika — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 02:09:17 +0000

Thanks Alison! I look forward to checking out the Iyer reading.

By: Codename V

Codename V — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:45:19 +0000

I was feeling depressed and frustrated but then I got to the graphic and I just couldn’t feel bad anymore. I want to form a house and have it as my coat of arms I like it so much.

Ok, I do still feel bad. Just less bad. And strongly wishing for a world where no one needs to seek refuge from their government. Until that world happens I will continue to meditate on the unicorn/battle dolphin graphic and feel both strong, amused, and zen.

By: velvetjesus

velvetjesus — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:43:40 +0000

fair enough point…but for anybody with the motivation and resources to fight unjust policy, our courts do a great job of upholding the charter.

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:44:13 +0000

Canadian legal scholars have done a lot of good work challenging the way that the law forces people to caricature themselves under a neoliberal/rights framework. You should check out “Categorical Denials: Equality Rights and the Shaping of Social Identity” by Nikita Iyer, Assistant Professor of Law at UBC. I think you’d like it. There is more work that specifically deals with with immigration law and refugee claimants but I can’t find it. Look around though!

By: Snugglor

Snugglor — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:23:57 +0000

Isn’t it awful that even though I’m not allowed to marry in my own country (Ireland), or that my friend can legally be fired from his teaching job because of his sexuality, I’m actually grateful that it’s not legal to stone me? Sometimes I get mad at myself for being appreciative of things that shouldn’t be in the first place >_<

By: Ric

Ric — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:00:23 +0000

I blame our asshole Prime Minister. This is terrible.

By: Sharks

Sharks — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:46:21 +0000

Oh, Canada… you’re better than this.