It’s Day of Pink tomorrow, April 11, 2019. I have seen the rows of pink shirts on display at my daughter’s school, with words of encouragement and advice on how to be more caring. I hope that these are words that go beyond the assignment and the t-shirt slogan, and show up out loud on the …
transphobia
The Dangers of Ignorance in Positions of Power
You have undoubtedly, by now, read or heard about MP Rob Anders petition against bill C279 and why he is opposed. *sigh* Let's all take a moment to review: - Transgender individuals currently don't have human rights in Canada. This is a disgrace. - Bill C279 is about rectifying this so that Trans …
[Continue reading] The Dangers of Ignorance in Positions of Power
The Power of a Name
This week in Ontario, Bill 13 (the Accepting Schools Act) passed. This Bill addresses bullying and includes clear reference to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia as types of bullying. Hooray! Naming is powerful in fighting oppression. One of the aspects of the Bill that has received much …
Making things better for LGBTQ youth
Every once in a while I'm touched by the commitment and compassion of an organization to make the world a better place and create spaces where people are and feel valued for who they are. TD has been on my list of exemplary companies around LGBTQ issues, and the launch of their new "It Gets Better" …
International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia – tomorrow May 17th!
Tomorrow is the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. If you're in the Toronto area, and want to get involved, here are a few things to consider: Egale Canada is hosting a FREE breakfast at the Sutton Place Hotel (8:00 - 9:30am). Come and start your day with some food and …
[Continue reading] International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia – tomorrow May 17th!
LGBT-Inclusive Workplaces
This week’s article in the Toronto Star about the changes in Canadian workplaces for LGBT employees is encouraging. It is good to hear from large corporations who are making a difference in the daily lives of their LGBT employees. In our quest to further inclusion, invisible diversity is often …
Family Stickers
A little levity on a Friday afternoon....with a message, of course. I walked into the pet store earlier this week and was confronted with a large cardboard marketing campaign for Family Stickers – the new thing in advertising who we are through our vehicles. You may have seen them – they are stick …
Gender Identity & Human Rights
We're lucky in Canada to have a Human Rights Code that recognizes the inherent right to fair and equitable treatment, regardless of who we are...well, almost. Gender Identity is still not specified as a prohibited ground for discrimination under the Code. Most of us probably haven't given this …