|
The struggle for and celebration of equality rights in the LGBTQI community Some historical milestones:
1965: Everett George Klippert is questioned by police and admits having sex with other men. He is declared a “dangerous offender” and sentenced to life in prison. He is released in 1971. 1967: The federal government decriminalizes homosexual acts for consenting adults over 21, under then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau utters his famous "the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation" statement. 1971: Ontario’s first Gay March takes place in Ottawa. 1978: The Immigration Act is amended to prohibit banning of immigrants based on sexual orientation. 1986: Sexual orientation is included in the Ontario Human Rights Code. 1991: Toronto proclaims Pride Day after the Pride Committee files a complaint under the Code. This strategy had to be taken in a number of other cities in Ontario. 1994: By 1994 over 400,000 people attend the Toronto Pride March and Marches and events take place in many communities around Ontario. 1995: The Supreme Court of Canada rules that “sexual orientation” should be “read in” to Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, passed in 1982. This decision has a wide impact on future challenges of discriminatory practices against LGBTQI communities. 1996: First Dyke March takes place in Toronto with 5,000 participants; by the next year that number doubles. 1999: The Supreme Court rules that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as common-law couples. 2003: Ontario makes same-sex marriage legal; The Government of Canada passes the Civil Marriage Act in 2005, making same-sex marriage legal across the country. Some facts: - Approximately 10% to 15% of women in Canada identify themselves as lesbian.
- Violence by lesbians in relationships is a result of misogyny (hatred of women) and heterosexism (fear and hatred of LGBTQI communities). It also intersects with other forms of oppression: racism, ableism, class inequality and so on. Lesbians in abusive same-sex relationships may find little support within communities, even in some women’s services.
- Lesbians and Trans women in the sex trades experience high rates of male violence.
- Currently, there is no method of collecting ongoing statistics on hate crimes against the LGBTQI community in Canada. According to Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE), however, one New Brunswick Study found that “82% of respondents had been verbally abused for being lesbian or gay, 34% had been chased or followed because of their sexual orientation and 10% had been spat upon. 19% had had their property damaged because of homophobia. 17% had had objects thrown at them, and 18% had been punched, kicked, hit or beaten because of their sexual orientation. 23% of New Brunswick gays or lesbians had been harassed or assaulted by the police.” (1994 Submission on Hate Crime Bill C-41)
What you can do: - Oppose any attempts to backtrack on the rights fought for over so many years.
- Learn more about the contributions and work of LGBTQI communities in your area and share the information in your workplace, school, community and faith groups. Some websites are included below as a place for you to start.
- Violence against LGBTQI communities is a hate crime in Canadian law. Organize to demand action against ongoing discrimination and “gay-bashing” in your community.
- Support events and issues identified by the LGBTQI community in your area and especially by lesbians in abusive relationships.
For more information and links: Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives at http://www.clga.ca/ Get involved in Pride Week events: Check your local area for groups and events celebrating Pride Week! Here are just a few websites around Ontario with information on events: www.pridetoronto.com/ www.pridetoronto.com/dyke www.hamiltonpride.com www.windsorpride.com www.sarniapride.ca www.kingstonpride.org/ www.prideottawa.com/ www.niagarapride.com/ |
