Category: Homosexual

Where's the line of hate speech?

9/23/2013

The Supreme Court of Canada has drawn the line between what counts as 'hate speech' - and is therefore prohibited - and what is protected 'free speech'. In Saskatchewan v Whatcott, Whatcott had circulated pamphlets saying things like "Keep Homosexuals out of schools" and "Keep Sodomites Out of Schools".
The court said that free speech, including free speech about political issues, and freedom of religion are protected rights -- but subject to the limitation that it not be hate speech.
How do you tell if speech is hate speech? The court said that the test is an objective one: Would a reasonable person, aware of the relevant context and circumstances, find the speech to expose or likely to expose people to detestation and vilification. Speech which merely ridicules someone is not hate speech. Speech in private is not hate speech; and speech directed personally at an individual is not hate speech.

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Wonderful resource for gender training

9/5/2013

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Sam Killerman has just published a wonderful resource for people doing training about gender (and other oppressions).
He is making the pdf of his book available for free. Check it out - I especially like the genderbread person!
The Social Justice Advocate's Handbook: A Guide to Gender

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Southpaws - what you have always known

12/5/2012

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I'm sure you have noticed that more of your friends are left handed than you would expect...well, it's true.
A Canadian study found that if you are queer, you are much more likely than heterosexuals to be left-handed. And the association is stronger for lesbians. In fact, if you are gay, you are 34% more likely to be left handed; if you are lesbians, 91% more likely! Ray Blanchard, one of the authors of the study published in the Psychology Bulletin, says that this is evidence that at least some part of your sexual orientation is genetically or biologically determined, perhaps in the womb. Thanks to Gay Today and Jesse's blog for this tidbit.

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November 02nd, 2012

11/2/2012

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In a progressive judgement, the Federal Court of Canada has decided that there is an an obligation upon the Refugee Protection Division to specifically discuss why the Applicant, as a homosexual living in a place where it has been demonstrated that homosexuals are harassed, would not be subjected to persecution as she cannot live her sexual orientation openly. Some GLB refugee claims are thrown out because a person cannot prove that they are queer. Here the applicant proved that, and also proved that in her home country queers faced persecution. This is an important case because it says that it is up to the government to show she would be safe returning home, rather than up to her to demonstrate that she would be in danger. C.C.F. v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2012] F.C.J. No. 1346

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Mistaken Identity: when a woman is read as a man

11/1/2012

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Sheila Gilhooly has published a fabulous new book, "Mistaken Identity" , stories about her life being (mis)taken for a man. Though cisgendered Sheila is read as male about 70% of the time.
The stories are chilling, hilarious, triumphant.
There will be a launch at Little Sisters - we'll keep you posted. And the book is available for preview - go to Sheila's website
http://sheilagilhooly.wordpress.com, and click at the bottom of the page.
Full disclosure: I am Sheila's partner and wrote the afterword.

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The uphill battle for queer HIV+ refugee claimants

6/6/2012

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A refugee claimant from Malaysia disclosed first his HIV status, and only later acknowledged he was gay. The Senior Immigration Officer (SIO) concluded that Ng was not protected as a refugee because he could get HIV medicine for free without charge; and though there was stigma against gay and HIV+ people in Malaysia, that same was true in Canada.
On judicial review (a kind of appeal) of that decision, the court said that the SIO was wrong because the particular kind of medicine that Mr. Ng required was not available for free; and because it was improper to compare the homophobia in Malaysia to that in Canada as the SIO had done. The case was sent back to be heard by a different SIO. Ng v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2012] F.C.J. No. 598, the Federal Court of Appeal

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Where's the line of hate speech?

Wonderful resource for gender training

Southpaws - what you have always known

November 02nd, 2012

Mistaken Identity: when a woman is read as a man

The uphill battle for queer HIV+ refugee claimants

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