PEI acclaims 1st gay premier

P.E.I. acclaims
1st gay premier
The
Occasion
For the LGBTQ community
of southern Alberta
February 2015
Vol. 23, No. 2
Pretty, Witty, Gay
cabaret Feb. 28
It’s a Lethbridge tradition, after more than a
decade of artistry and humour. Once again, talented volunteers have auditioned to take part in
the Pretty, Witty & Gay cabaret.
It’s set for Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Sterndale
Bennett Theatre at the Yates Centre downtown,
and seating is definitely limited. To avoid disappointment, hopeful attendees can buy tickets online at www.theatreoutre.com
Director once again is Jay Whitehead, who has
been the event’s sparkplug from the start. He also
finds time, between teaching drama classes, to
welcome members to Club Didi.
Showtime is 8 p.m., with doors open at 7:30.
Guests are invited to remain for a social event
afterward, with Lethbridge PrideFest popping the
corks.
AGM in March
for OUTreach
OutReach Southern Alberta, the region’s longest-serving LGBTQ organization, is inviting all
interested to attend its annual meeting on Thursday, March 26, with doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The location will be the boardroom at the Lethbridge HIV Connection, 1206 6 Avenue S.
As well as reporting on the group’s links,
achievements and finances, the meeting will be
open to suggestions for new events, projects and
initiatives. New board members and/or volunteers will be welcome as well.
Reflecting the recent break in OutReach activities, the board will recognize recent membership
cards while also offering new or longer-term
residents an opportunity to buy a membership
before the meeting begins.
Refreshments will be served.
Inside
Toller “pushed the limits”
City-wide GSA group soon
Danger of “hillbilly” image
Coming out helps teens grow
Gay cop battles bullying
Q entrepreneurs invited
Baird fought for Q rights
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Charlottetown — Canada now has its
first openly gay premier. Wade MacLauchlan was acclaimed leader of the Prince
Edward Island Liberals and became
premier this month.
Last summer, Ontarians elected Premier Kathleen
Wynne — the first lesbian premier — after she won
the Liberal provincial leadership contest there.
MacLauchlan, a former president of the University
of P.E.I, is a political newcomer who was unopposed to fill the shoes of premier Robert Ghiz, who
resigned in late fall.
The MacLauchlan, 60, holds degrees from UPEI,
the University of New Brunswick and Yale, and
served as president of UPEI from 1999 to2011. He
is the son of Harry MacLauchlan, a P.E.I. entrepreneur whose ventures include construction, property
development, retail, fuel services, tourism and telecommunications.
MacLauchlan’s campaign website points out his
partner, Duncan McIntosh, is the founding artistic
director of a local theatre company.
Island LGBTQ activists say MacLauchlan’s success is a sign of changing attitudes in P.E.I. The
small province, home to just 140,000 people, was
the last in Canada to pass human-rights legislation
covering sexual orientation and one of the last to
accept same-sex
marriage.
“When I first
came here and
was fighting for
human rights, I
was recognized
everywhere because I was in the
media for that,”
says Nola Etkin,
one of the founders of Abegweit Rainbow Collective, one of the
Island’s early LGBT groups.
“It was pretty rare for somebody to be that out.
Things have changed a lot, so that’s great.”
In contrast, Etkin says that MacLauchlan’s candidacy hasn’t seemed to cause any homophobic
backlash.
“I think because he comes from a very prominent, respected family of P.E.I. . . . that gave him
a power and credibility not to face those challenges. I think 15 years ago, the situation would have
been different,” she says.
Now community members hope MacLauchlan
will become the first premier to march in the
Island’s Pride parade. It’s scheduled for the last
week of July.
Albertans back GSAs
Edmonton — Just one Albertan in five remains
opposed to the creation of gay-straight alliances in
schools. But nearly half the province supports them.
A recent Leger survey released by the University of
Alberta’s Institute for Sexual Minorities Studies and
Services showed that 47.8 per cent of Albertans
polled support the creation of gay-straight alliances,
formed by students as a voluntary support system for
LGBTQ teens.
Only 20.7 per cent opposed GSAs, while 31.6 per
cent were neutral or had no opinion. Support was
highest in the Edmonton area, where 56.4 per cent
supported GSAs and 18.1 per cent opposed them. In
the Calgary region, 51.2 per cent supported GSAs
while 18.6 per cent opposed. Rural Alberta had the
lowest support for GSAs, with 35.9 per cent in favour and 25.3 per cent opposed.
The poll also found a wide gulf in attitudes based
on gender. Men were most likely to be opposed —
27.4 per cent against and 43.6 per cent in favour.
Only 13.8 of women polled opposed GSAs, while
52.1 per cent were in favour.
The Leger survey polled 1,002 Albertans in early
December, after Premier Jim Prentice shelved a
Liberal MLA’s bill in support of GSAs, calling
instead for more public consultation.
The government bill, introduced to counter Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman’s Bill 202, could have
forced alliance meetings off school property if
local school boards objected. Blakeman’s bill
would have mandated GSAs at a student’s request.
Shortly after Prentice’s decision, the U of A
institute released other data from the same poll,
indicating that 52 per cent of 210 Catholic respondents supported the alliances. Eighteen per
cent were opposed and 30 per cent were neutral or
did not have an opinion.
PrideFest plans advance
It’s still four months — and a few snowfalls —
away. But plans for Lethbridge PrideFest 2015 are
well underway.
A high-energy organizing committee, chaired this
year by Levi Cox, has completed arrangements for
many of the key events. (Look for more details in
our next edition.)
This year’s Pride Parade, afternoon party (and
beer garden) in Galt Gardens, and gala dance at
Casa will be held Saturday, July 4. Groups and
businesses hoping to have a display table under the
pergola that afternoon are stepping forward now/
The evening before, as last year, will see the
“President’s Martini Night” at Casa. It’s a no-
charge event, with a cash bar that will offer other
beverages as well.
Plans are also proceeding for other well-received
events including the Pride Awards Dinner, flagraising at city hall, an all-ages “family” dance and
more. But with Canada Day in the middle of the
week, some timing changes may be required.
The PrideFest committee is also lining up event
sponsorships, but it’s not too late for first-time
expressions of interest from firms or individuals.
Committee members are working on other events
as well, including a splashy show at the Lethbridge
Casino. For updates, check LethbridgePrideFest
on Facebook.
Our WORLD
Greece ready
to recognize
Athens — Greece's new left-centre government has vowed to recognize gay couples in response to a 2013 international
court decision condemning the country for
discrimination.
Justice Minister Nikolaos Paraskevopoulos told parliament that civil unions, introduced in 2008, would be extended to gay
couples — but did not say when.
In 2013, the European Court of Human
Rights ruled that Greek legislation on civil
unions was discriminatory and ordered the
country to pay damages to the four gay
couples who filed the case.
Expulsion protested
Vienna — Thousands of people gathered
in front of a renowned Vienna cafe to
demonstrate against the expulsion of a
kissing lesbian couple.
Police estimated around 2,000 people
participated in the protest, forcing the
closure of one downtown street. Some of
the demonstrators exchanged long kisses.
The manager of Cafe Prueckel has apologized for telling the couple to leave. But
the pair — Anastasia Lopez and Eva Prewein — say the demonstration is meant to
draw attention to the general prevalence of
discrimination against gays in Vienna.
Vienna hosts several events each year that
attract gays, bisexuals and cross-dressers
from across Europe, and Austrian singer
Conchita Wurst has become the figurehead
for Europe’s non-straight community.
Rights demo in India
New Delhi — Nearly a thousand gay
rights activists marched through central
New Delhi to demand an end to discrimination against gays in India’s deeply conservative society. Holding balloons, flags
and placards, activists and their supporters
sang songs and danced to the beat of Indian
drums as they held hands and walked in the
rally, which has been held annually.
India’s gays are demanding that the government remove a colonial-era law banning
same-sex relations. India’s Supreme Court
last year reversed a lower court order that
decriminalized gay sex. Gay sex is still
punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Historic U.S. ruling soon
Washington — The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to
hear arguments on whether same-sex couples have a
right to marry everywhere in the nation sets the stage for
a potentially historic ruling on one of the country’s most
sweeping social issues.
The court said it will take up gay-rights cases that ask it
to overturn bans in four states — and declare for the
entire nation — that people can marry the partners of
their choice, regardless of gender. The cases will be
argued in April, and a decision is expected by late June.
The court chose not to decide this issue in 2013, even
as it struck down part of a federal anti-gay marriage law
that paved the way for a wave of lower court rulings
across the country in favour of same-sex marriage rights.
But the momentum has shifted dramatically in the
United States in recent months in favour of gay marriage. Same-sex couples now can marry in 36 states and
the District of Columbia.
“The country is ready
for the freedom to
marry today,” said
James Esseks, leader of
the American Civil
Liberties Union’s same
-sex marriage efforts.
The appeals before
the court come from
gay and lesbian plaintiffs in Kentucky,
Michigan, Ohio and
Tennessee. The federal
appeals court that
oversees those four states upheld their same-sex marriage bans in November, reversing pro-gay rights rulings
of federal judges in all four states. It was the only appellate court to rule against same-sex marriage since 2013.
Toller ‘really pushed the limits’
Legendary figure skater
Toller Cranston, a six-time
national champion whose
unique artistic vision
forever changed the sport,
has died.
Cranston,
who won
bronze medals at the 1974
world championships in
Munich and the 1976 Olympics, died at his home in Mexico from an apparent
heart attack, age 65.
“It’s sad to hear that,” former Canadian champ Mike
Slipchuk said. “Toller was the face of skating. What he
did for skating in Canada and skating in the world is
where we are now — really forcing the creative side of
the sport.”
“He was the one who really pushed those limits forward.”
Born in Hamilton. Cranston later lived in Montreal. He
wrote about his early years and professional development in his memoir, “Zero Tollerance,” in 1997.
Though quietly “out,” he continued as an expert com-
mentator on CBC Television coverage of figure skating
competitions for many years.
“He was one of a kind,” said Brian Orser, a former
Canadian and world champion, Olympic silver medallist
an in-demand coach—and out.
“Nobody will ever be like him. And such a great contribution to figure skating but me, personally, (it was) just
his sense of humour and his outlook on life and (his) free
spirit ... (he was) somewhat of a rebel. Always spoke his
mind, wasn't always so accurate but he spoke his mind.”
Cranston was 26 when he reached the Olympic podium
at the 1976 Winter Games. He was later inducted into the
Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, Canada’s Sports Hall of
Fame, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
in 1977. He also received a Special Olympic Order from
the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Toller lived a unique life, cycling in and out of the
public eye after his skating career. In his 2000 book
“When Hell Freezes Over, Should I Bring My Skates?”
he wrote of knocking hockey star Wayne Gretzky off a
bicycle, chasing jazz singer Nina Simone down a Montreal street trying to recover a fur coat, and of his costume
sticking to the ice on the Rideau Canal.
He was also an illustrator, designer and choreographer.
Dancing ‘parts’ - not progressive?
Stockholm — In socially liberal Sweden, an
educational video for children featuring dancing
genitals has become an online hit — and even
drawn criticism for not being progressive enough.
The one-minute animated video by public broadcaster SVT, promoting a television series about
the human body, has been seen by more than 4
million YouTube viewers. Producers say many
parents found it a great way to explain about
“private parts” to children, though some called it
inappropriate for a program aimed at children 3-6.
Programming director Peter Bargee said the clip
also drew “unexpected” criticism from some
Swedes, who said portraying the penis with a
moustache and the vagina with long eyelashes
reinforced gender stereotypes.
Bargee said the video was meant to be fun and
not a “statement on gender politics.”
26 men acquitted after raid
618 3rd Ave. S.
403-327-4555
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Cairo — An Egyptian court has acquitted 26 men arrested in a televised raid by
police looking for gays at a Cairo public
bathhouse — a ruling that set off deafening cheers and jubilation inside the courtroom as some of the defendants uncovered
their faces and wept openly in relief.
Others, however, kept their faces hidden
behind jacket hoods and scarves, still
traumatized by the humiliation they and
their families had endured during the
highly publicized case, which caught the
public’s attention after a TV network aired
scenes of half-naked men being pulled
from the bathhouse by police.
The ruling was a setback to Egypt’s
ongoing crackdown on the gay community, and also recently on atheists — a
crackdown that goes hand in hand with a
wider campaign against all forms of dissent and diversity in a country gripped by
rising nationalism and a militant insurgency.
Same-sex relations are not explicitly
prohibited under Egyptian law but homosexuality is a social taboo in the conservative, Muslim- majority country and samesex marriage is unheard of. Only in recent
years have movies and fiction included
gay characters.
February 2015
City-wide GSA group starts Lethbridge
A surprise announcement — a new, city-wide Gay/
Straight Alliance group for Lethbridge teens — was
a highlight of a public forum earlier this month.
Practicum student Megan Fester broke the news
during a question period during a recent session of
the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs.
The first meeting, she said, has been scheduled for
Thursday, March 12. It will be held at the Boys and
Girls Club on 8 Avenue N., at one corner of Adams
Park. (For details, call the club at (403) 327-6423).
The impetus for the group, she said, is the difficulty
students in the city’s Catholic schools — or others
without their own GSA — face in finding a place to
talk with others who may be in the coming-out process.
Lethbridge’s public high schools — LCI, Chinook
and Winston Churchill — already have groups going.
A community-wide meeting, meanwhile, was announced for Feb. 22 to make further plans.
Fester’s information was presented during the public forum’s discussion of the positive impacts GSA
groups make in their schools. The speaker was
University of Lethbridge professor Robert Cey, a
clinical psychologist and researcher who’s teaching
counselling psychology to graduate students in the
education faculty.
Cey told his audience recent research at the University of British Columbia has shown GSA groups have a
positive effect on straight students as well. After the
group has become active, stress levels in the school are
reduced — allowing all students to do better in their
classes.
Without GSA groups, however, studies have found 70
per cent of LGBTQ students in Canadian high schools
report hearing verbal abuse there every day. And 20
per cent have experiences some kind of physical abuse.
“That’s a startlingly high percentage,” he warned.
On the positive side, he reported 40 per cent of British Columbia’s high schools have GSA groups. Ontario is next at 37 per cent.
But in Alberta and the Prairies provinces, that number
was recently estimated at about 15 per cent.
Commenting on the provincial government’s stalling
tactics on legislation mandating GSA group formation,
Cey said no law would be required — in an ideal
world. But in reality, it’s still required.
“To me, the legislation would be enhancing their
freedom without hurting anyone else.”
Members of the SACPA audience spoke in strong
support of GSA groups’ work in Lethbridge.
McKillop celebrates 5 years
Today, you’ll find United Church congregations
across Canada — in 10 provinces or territories —
which are officially “Affirming” of their local LGBTQ
communities. They welcome queer people as members
or -- after completing university courses — as ministers within the uniquely Canadian denomination.
In Alberta alone, 18 are now Affirming — almost all
in metro Calgary or Edmonton.
But in Lethbridge, members of McKillop United
voted five years ago to stand up for equal rights. And
on Sunday, April 12, the congregation will celebrate
the fifth anniversary of that public declaration. The
Affirming program will be celebrated at both the 10
a.,m. (traditional) and 11:30 (contemporary) services.
The record shows McKillop has been supportive
much that that. It became one of the first churches to
celebrate same-sex weddings once they became possible in Canada a decade ago.
Over recent years, members of McKillop have also
hosted dinners, speakers and other events for its
LGBTQ members, friends and the community.
It’s also taken part in PrideFest events at Galt Gardens — and the McKillop banner has flown in the
Pride Parade since its beginning.
As a follow-up to last year’s festival, McKillop presented a concert by gay singer-songwriter Jeffery
Straker. This year, he’ll return for a Pride warm-up
concert on June 18.
Long-time supporter passes
The southern Alberta community has lost a good
friend. Dennise Two Spirit Sage Walker, who frequently played the Native American flute at PrideFest
flag-raisings and other events, died in late fall in Calgary at age 59.
Born in Edmonton, Dennise served in many roles
after moving south, becoming a massage therapist and
offering intuitive bodywork. Volunteer roles included
Neighbourhood Watch and the Stirling Fire Department.
Known earlier in life as Eric Neilson, the new resident of Stirling helped raise five children with Marilyn
Rice.
After transitioning, Dennise wrote a best-selling book,
“Inch by Inch: Growing in Life.”
In Lethbridge, Dennise volunteered in many capacities, and was a friend to all.
She is survived by 11 grandchildren as well as five
children, a brother and her former spouse.
A celebration of life was held in Stirling.
FORWARD!
It’s a new day for OutReach
Southern Alberta, and you’ll
want to be a part of it!
All welcome!
Memberships
available from 6:30
February 2015
Attend our Annual Meeting,
March 26, and help your community set some new directions!
Mar. 26, 7 p.m.
1206 6 Ave. S
PW&G week
at Club Didi
It wraps with a fun-filled cabaret at
the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. But Pretty, Witty & Gay events are scheduled all
week at Club Didi.
A drama, “How to Leave,” will run
Feb. 24-27, with doors open at 8 p.m.
It’s priced at $15 for students, $20 for
others. On Feb. 25, the show will be
preceded by a no-charge screening of
the documentary “Mavericks.”
And on Friday, Feb. 27, Didi will present “Cocktails with Maria,” billed as a
“gay sex drag opera featuring eight
original songs, drawn from transcripts
of real life sexual experiences.”
Doors open at 10 p.m. and there’s a
$10 cover charge.
Tickets for the Saturday finale, in the
smaller theatre at the Yates, are being
sold on-line at Theatre Outre.
Reid saluted
by Alta. mag
He’s a longtime volunteer in Lethbridge — but they named him “Mr.
GayCalgary December.”
Reid Hollander, past president of Lethbridge PrideFest, was the magazine’s
pick for its monthly salute.
“Reid paved the way for youth groups
and social spaces,: the editors point out
— “he is there when people need him.”
He’s known as southern Alberta’s
“gay godfather,” they add.
Pride warm-up
concert set
He was so well received last year, he’s
heading back to Lethbridge.
Well-travelled gay singer/songwriter
Jeffrey Straker will present a pre-Pride
concert on June 18 at McKillop Church.
Based in Regina and Toronto, Straker
has just competed another concert tour
in South America. Closer to home, he’s
heard often on CBC Radio.
The Lethbridge event will provide an
opportunity for PrideFest committee
members to giver everyone a final update on all of this year’s events.
Tickets, priced at $15, will go on sale
later this spring at the McKillop office.
To hear some of his music, check out
jeffrey.straker.music on Facebook
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Here, there. .
City council
backs youth view
Edmonton— City council has added its
voice to the chorus calling for changes to
provincial gay-straight alliance legislation.
Councillors agreed to have Mayor Don
Iveson write to Premier Jim Prentice and
Education Minister Gordon Dirks on behalf
of the Edmonton Youth Council. The youth
want amendments to Bill 10, so students
have the right to set up GSA groups.
The bill now allows school boards to refuse the alliances, but Alberta Education
could instead establish them off school
property. This is unacceptable when gay
students already face bullying and harassment, youth council chairperson Claire
Edwards said.
“Now is the time to tell LBGTQ youth that
they are loved.”
Edwards, a constituency assistant for New
Democrat MLA Brian Mason, said she
doesn’t know any youth organization involved in consultations on the bill.
Councillors voted to support the youth
council’s position rather than simply pass
along the group’s message.
Mayor Don Iveson said the alliances can
affect such city responsibilities as policing
and social services — 40 per cent of homeless youth are LBGTQ, he noted.
“An inclusive city is not just about tolerance. It’s about embracing and celebrating
diversity,” he said.
VP quits Wildrose
Calgary — A constituency vice-president
with the opposition Wildrose is resigning
over the party’s refusal to pass a definitive
statement on equal rights for all.
In his resignation letter, Terrence Lo says
that as an Asian, atheist, and parent of a gay
son, he can’t in good conscience stay with
the party.
“It’s a very powerful minority that is shaping the culture of the party, unfortunately,
that is not only LGBTQ unfriendly but also
ethnic unfriendly as well,” he said.
“I still don’t believe it is a majority, but I
do believe that there is an undercurrent
there that is actually very much pro-lake-offire.”
Party members last fall voted against
adopting as policy a statement supported by
then-leader Danielle Smith that affirmed the
rights of everyone regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and other differences.
Lo said that vote was the breaking point.
Albertans speak up
GSA bill now in limbo
Edmonton — Facing province-wide protest, Premier
Jim Prentice put on hold a bill that triggered widespread scorn and outrage among critics who saw it as
opening the door to segregation of Alberta’s LGBTQ
teenagers.
Prentice said the mistakes are his to bear.
“I accept personal responsibility for that as the premier,” Prentice said. “I’m most disturbed that our gay
and lesbian youth are caught in the middle of a very
divisive debate,” he told reporters in December.
The government bill, a response to one submitted
earlier by Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman, would have
spelled out how gay-straight alliance (GSA) groups
could be started in Alberta’s schools
“This they didn’t ask for, and for the most part these
are young people trying to find their way in life and in
our province.”
While his Bill 10 remains on the books, the premier
said he wants to hear more from all sides before proceeding with it. He wouldn’t say if or when the bill
would be back — before or after an expected election.
“Many Albertans have expressed the view that this
should not be done in haste,” he said.
There are now 94 GSA clubs in schools in Edmonton and Calgary, three or four in Lethbridge — but
none in rural areas or faith-based schools.
Catholic school officials have resisted the clubs,
saying they already have supports to make all kids
feel included.
Last spring, the Tories were criticized as bigoted
when some of their members joined forces with the
Danger of ‘hillbilly’ reputation
Calgary — Responding to the controversy over GSA
groups in Alberta’s high schools, Mayor Naheed
Nenshi blasted the Tory government.
Albertans risks being portrayed as “hillbillies” if the
government tries to limit students’ rights to establish
the support groups in public and Catholic schools.
“This damaging and hateful debate that we’ve been
having in the provincial legislature around Bill 202
and Bill 10 does nothing but reinforce negative stereotypes,” Nenshi told several hundred business leaders
during a Calgary Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
The mayor described the entire debate as “ridiculous, with politicians spending two weeks discussing what clubs Alberta students can join. He argued
GSAs help keep students stay safe and prevent suicide
among a vulnerable group of kids.
“What was happening was dangerous,” Nenshi said
of the proposed legislation. “By saying not all rights
are absolute, the government seemed to be saying that
The Occasion
Published occasionally for subscribers, members of OUTreach
Southern Alberta, and progressive advertisers
Editor: Dave Mabell
OUTreach Communications Committee: Dave Mabell,
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4
Wildrose party to kill a
motion urging schools to
adopt GSA groups.
The issue resurfaced in
the fall legislative session when Blakeman
brought forward a private member’s bill to
require all schools to
accept GSAs.
In response, Prentice
brought in Bill 10, knocking Blakeman’s bill off the
order paper because it was similar subject matter.
It was a bid to recapture the political initiative. Instead it blew up in the Tories’ face.
In its original form, Bill 10 gave the final say for
GSAs to the school boards and told students to go to
court if they wanted to challenge it. Prentice said this
was the best way to balance the rights of kids, schools
and parents.
When public outrage grew on social media and
elsewhere, the Tories passed an amendment allowing
the government to set up GSAs at unwilling schools,
possibly holding meetings off the school grounds.
Critics pounced on the amendment as institutionalized segregation of gays akin to “separate but equal”
Jim Crow laws used to debase African- Americans
more than a generation ago.
While the legislature is due to resume sitting shortly,
the focus is now on an austerity budget reflecting low
oil prices. Or, Prentice could call a snap election.
our children don’t have the right to be safe. That’s not
right. That’s not fair.”
Gay-straight alliances are typically formed by students as a voluntary support system for LGBTQ kids.
But opponents have argued that forcing schools to
approve them would be a breach of school board
autonomy and infringe on parental rights. Bill 10 also
could have forced students to head to court to press
for approval, if turned down by school boards.
During his fiery address, Nenshi likened the bill to
an infamous 1925 trial in which the State of Tennessee accused a high school teacher of violating a law
prohibiting the teaching of evolution in publicly
funded schools.
“If we say that we live in a city where we were
thinking it would be OK for a 15-year-old to appear
before a judge to … start a club in his school, a club
that no one would be forced to belong to, well folks,
that would be the Scopes Monkey Trial of Alberta.”
‘Stop hiding,’ Notley demands
Edmonton — The PCs must stop
hiding and tell Albertans what they
are going to do about GSAs before
heading into an election, says New
Democrat leader Rachel Notley.
“Alberta is a modern, forwardlooking province, but this PC government continues to lag far behind. We
saw the Premier stall on this important issue and then go into hiding. It was wrong then and it is
wrong now,” Notley said.
“Albertans deserve to know where
government stands on gay-straight
alliances before they are asked to
vote on who should lead them going
forward.”
“People across this province have
made it clear that it is time for action
on this issue of fairness and equality.
“When the legislature resumes on
March 10th we should act and act
firmly,” she said.
“There is no good reason for delay. My fear is the merger of the PCs
and the majority of Wildrose MLAs
has pushed Jim Prentice even farther
away from doing the right thing.”
February 2015
on need for GSAs
Coming out beneficial
Phoenix — Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adolescents who come out at school have
higher self-esteem and lower levels of depression
as young adults, according to a new study led by
University of Arizona researcher Stephen Russell.
Published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, it is the first-known study to document the
benefits of being out during adolescence, despite
the fact that teens may experience bullying when
they openly identify as LGBTQ.
Researchers examined data from the Family
Acceptance Project, a research, intervention, education and policy initiative at San Francisco State
University designed to prevent risk and promote
well-being of LGBTQ children and adolescents.
They found in the project’s survey of 245 nonLatino white and Latino LGBTQ young adults,
ages 21 to 25, that respondents experienced victimization and bullying in high school because of
their identity, whether they came out or not.
However, those who were open about their sexual
orientation or gender identity in high school reported higher self-esteem and life satisfaction as
young adults than those who did not disclose, or
who tried to conceal, their sexual orientation or
gender identity from others at school. Those who
came out at school also reported lower levels of
depression as young adults. The results were the
same across genders and ethnicities.
The findings are significant as youth are coming out
at younger ages, Russell said. LGBTQ adolescents
often are counseled by adults not to disclose their
sexual orientation and gender identity in an attempt to
protect them from harm, he said. But the new research
suggests that may not be the best advice.
“Until now, a key question about balancing the need
to protect LGBTQ youth from harm while promoting
their well-being has not been addressed: Do the benefits of coming out at school outweigh the increased
risk of victimization? Our study points to the positive
role of coming out for youth and young adult wellbeing,” said Russell, director of the Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth and Families in the
UA’s John and Doris Norton School of Family and
Consumer Sciences.
Caitlin Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance
Project and study co-author, said the finding has important implications for how adults and caregivers
support LGBTQ youth.
“We know from our other studies that requiring
LGBTQ adolescents to keep their LGBTQ identities
secret or not to talk about them is associated with
depression, suicidal behavior, illegal drug use and risk
for HIV. And helping them learn about and disclose
their LGBTQ identity to others helps protect against
risk and helps promote self-esteem and overall
health,” Ryan said. “This study underscores the critical role of school environment in influencing LGBTQ
students’ risk and well-being into young adulthood.”
‘Kissing’ mural stirs controversy
Onoway, Alta. — A high school student’s mural
of two young men kissing is causing some controversy at the small school north of Edmonton.
The mural was approved in advance by both the
principal and the art teacher at Onoway Junior/
Senior High School before it went up in the hallway.
Kaela Wilton, 16, said she designed the mural to
show support for people who are gay, or who are in
the closet and afraid to come out.
The school has a long tradition of allowing art
students to empress themselves on school walls.
But the school says that soon after the mural went
up, it received complaints, although it did not indicate whether the complaints originated from stud-
ents or parents.
When students arrived at school, the mural had been
eclipsed by a bulletin board.
Principal James Trodden, who originally approved
the mural, said the school does not allow kissing in
the hallways.
Therefore a mural that depicts kissing should not be
allowed.
“At the time we should have put more thought into
the bigger picture,” he said.
Trodden says Wilton’s mural was only covered up
for a day, because students ripped the bulletin board
down to reveal the mural.
There will be further discussion with students, parents, and the community about what to do about it.
Trans folk protected in Saskatchewan
Regina — Saskatchewan legislators have passed a
bill that clarifies its human rights code, and explicitly
protects transgender people under law. The amendments to the code include prohibiting discrimination
on the grounds of gender identity.
Justice Minister Gordon Wyant said the changes
bring Saskatchewan in line with other provinces.
“Gender identity was always included in the code
under the general definition of sex and sexual orientation,” he said, adding that this offered the transgender community implicit protection. “We’ve really
made explicit what was otherwise implicit in the
code to begin with,” he said.
Wyant said the bill sends a message that
transgender rights are enshrined in law. “This really
gives them the comfort that they have the protection,” he said.
Jai Richards, who identifies as transgender, said
February 2015
there was previously too much room for interpretation under the code before making the amendments.
“It’s really important to me that this change in the
human rights code was finally brought into law,”
he said, adding that the issue first came to light
almost a decade ago.
Richards, a counsellor in Saskatoon, says there
still needs to be education on transgender issues.
“We always know that laws pass first,” he said.
“I certainly transitioned in a place of privilege, but
that doesn’t happen for most people and so most of
the people that I work with, that has not been the
case.”
The legislation also repealed an exemption that
had allowed landlords to refuse to rent a suite in
their home or the other half of their duplex to
someone based on the prospective renter’s sexual
orientation.
.. and elsewhere
Calgary bishop
backing Bill 10
Calgary — Calgary’s Roman Catholic Bishop
Fred Henry, joined by the Archbishop of Edmonton, has come out in support of controversial Bill
10, limiting GSA group formation.
Henry wrote a letter to be read to parishioners
across southern Alberta, scheduled to be distributed to congregants supporting the bill — which
could have forced GSA groups off school property if Catholic school boards objected.
Henry called Bill 10 was a “win-win for everyone” because it enshrines parental rights, recognized the autonomy of local school boards and
student rights.
“The mandating of Gay Straight Alliances is
problematic for a number of reasons,” says his
letter. “It infringes parental authority over their
children, the freedom to instruct one’s children in
a manner consistent with their faith, and citizens
rights to manifest their religious beliefs by worship practice in the absence of coercion or constraint by government.”
Although the letter opposed “mandating” the
support groups in schools, there was no such
provision in the Prentice government’s bill.
Bill sparks parody
Calgary — Serious as it was, the debate over
Bill 10 triggered humour as well as anger.
National TV star Rick Mercer mocked a recent
comment from Prentice that “rights are never
absolute.” Mercer, on Twitter, said that should be
Alberta’s new licence plate slogan.
A cartoon that went viral welcomed incoming
airline passengers to Alberta, “where the local
time is 1963.”
But anger mounted as well. Tory party members
and executives quit or called the bill out while a
handful of PC MLAs voted against it. Calgary
Stampeders star running back Jon Cornish labelled the bill a blot on an otherwise progressive
nation.
Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman said “Once
again, Albertans have shown when something is
really meaningful to them, they will make themselves heard. (But) I’m not willing to let go of
this one until we know that we have looked after
getting peer support groups for at-risk groups.”
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5
Other views
Defies gov’t
Kenyan writer
dares to come out
Nairobi — African literary light Binyavanga Wainaina says he’s known he was
gay since he was five — though he did not
have a same-sex date until he was 39.
To celebrate his 43rd birthday, the prizewinning Kenyan has published an online
essay telling the world that he is gay. His
story contributes to an increasingly fierce
debate about gays in Africa and is a protest
against laws that seek to further criminalize homosexuality.
It is illegal to have gay sex in most African countries. Gays in many parts of the
continent face severe harassment, physical
threats and judicial punishment. Kenya has
a law banning sodomy. Uganda, a neighbour to the west, recently passed legislation that calls for life in prison for some
gay acts.
Wainaina’s essay, painful to read, announced what he wishes he had told his
mother before she died 14 years ago: “I am
a homosexual, mum.”
He came out, he explains, to help preserve his dignity.
“All people have dignity. There’s nobody
who was born without a soul and a spirit,”
he said. “ There is nobody who is a beast
or an animal, right?
Wainaina, whose hair is dyed in rainbow
colours, lashed out at recently passed laws
against homosexuality in Nigeria and
Uganda. He also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces criticism
over Russia’s law banning “gay propaganda” aimed at youth.
“I can’t sleep at night because there are
people who I may know or who I don’t
even know ... who may be dying or being
beaten or being tortured right now in a
Nigerian cell or three weeks ago in a
Ugandan one,” he said.
Dennis Nzioka, a gay right activist in
Kenya, welcomed Wainaina’s public announcement and said his prominence may
influence other gay people in Africa and
Kenya to come out publicly — particularly
the older professionals who have been
living a double life.
Nzioka said Wainaina’s announcement
was both inspirational and courageous.
“Courageous, because to do this in the
Kenyan society knowing very well what
he can face; ostracization and rejection.”
He said the reaction of most people was
negative and is symptomatic to the homophobia that exists in Kenya.
In Kenya, homosexuality is not a crime,
but the law forbids sodomy, and partners
of the same sex are likely to receive extra
attention from police. Wainaina said he is
not afraid to come out. He accused weak
leaders of politicizing sexual orientation.
In Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan
signed the new law as his own party fractured over his perceived desire to run for
re-election next year.
“You are like, mmm, what’s a cheap,
easy way to score points, because you
always need gangs right? Every human
being has a bit of gangster in him.”
Wainaina said. “You should press the
right button.”
6
Editor’s view
Here’s your opportunity . . .
Two decades ago, life in Lethbridge was
very different. Not a single LGBTQ group
was operating.
For many people, the only real options
were Highway 2 — or Highway 23? — to
Calgary. That’s where you’d find gay bars,
and meet some friends.
But there were people in Lethbridge who
decided to step forward and make a change.
Backed by friends at the Lethbridge AIDS
Connection (the name’s been changed since
then) they met, planned and then formed
GALA/LA — the Gay and Lesbian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta.
And Lethbridge started to come alive.
Dances were the big thing initially, but as
the organization grew it took on projects
like informational forums, bursaries, fundraising (with the Connection) as well as
entertainment and social events.
In time, with the “climate” changing in
Lethbridge, other groups took root as well.
After a few years of hit-and-miss operation,
the student group at the University of Lethbridge got on its feet and started making a
big difference for young adults there.
One of its spin-offs was a film festival
Group, which ran for several years.
At the same time, students at Lethbridge
College were working to for a group there
as well. And downtown, some of the community’s more seasoned members started
to hold social events in such amenable surroundings as the patio at Mocha Cabana.
More recently, of course, GALA/LA
spun off the Lethbridge PrideFest committee, an energetic group that works all year
to put together a week-long celebration.
Through all those years, the board and
members of GALA/LA had to consider:
What is our role today? What does our
community need us to do? (One of those
needs was to change the name to something much more inclusive!)
And that’s where we are today. Once
again, it’s time to consider new opportunities, new needs, new directions.
And you should be a part of that process.
When OutReach Southern Alberta holds its
annual meeting on March 26, come along
and bring your ideas. We’re living in a
more inclusive city today, but there’s still
much more we can accomplish together.
Can we count on you?
Gay cop battles bullying
from an
officer
sacked by
the RCMP
for speaking
out on the
issue
A gay police officer who travels the country to prevent bullying says the Calgary Police Service is
among the most progressive in Canada.
“I think it's absolutely no secret that Calgary Police
Service is light years ahead of other many other agencies around the world when it comes especially to
youth initiatives,” said Const. Tad Milmine.
Milmine moved to Calgary last year. Growing up in
Ontario, he was neglected at home and severely bullied at school.
“I used to be really, really shy and I used to cry a
lot,” said Milmine.
“The kids learned at a very young age that I had this
trigger that all you had to do was call me a couple of him an ultimatum: policing or presentations.
bad names and it didn't matter where I was or who It was his dream job but Milmine quit, choosing to
continue reaching out to kids. He didn’t go long withwas around me, it was uncontrollable.”
His early life was lonely and painful and Milmine out a badge, though.
Calgary police welcomed Milmine and his program
says he lacked the confidence to pursue his dream to
into the service last summer.
Calgary’s police chief says the new recruit is a positive addition to both the service and the city.
“There’s) all kinds of benefits that occur when a person
like Tad can stand up in front of a group of people and
explain firsthand what kind of damage can be done
when intolerance occurs,” said Chief Rick Hanson.
“We know that we will be a better police service by
ensuring that we have more people with diverse backbecome a police officer — until he was in his 30s.
grounds coming to the police service.”
That’s when he joined the RCMP, stationed in Sur- Milmine says working with the CPS is a dream come
rey, B.C.
true. He says feels more supported in Calgary than
Hoping to save kids from the pain he had experi- anywhere else he has been.
enced as a child, Milmine developed an award“It really is the way that I envisioned policing to be,”
winning anti-bullying program, Bullying Ends Here.
He presented it at schools across the country. Even said Milmine. “On my days off, I can continue doing
though Milmine was doing the presentations on his what I believe to be important ... I truly have to pinch
myself every day to realize my dream is happening.”
own time, last year, he says the Mounties gave
“We know that we will be a
better police service”
- - Calgary Chief Hanson
February 2015
Business woos Q market
More companies and organizations than ever are
learning the power of reaching out to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and intersex people and all
their friends and allies.
But there is still much confusion about the importance of this market and the best ways to run
“gay advertising” or LGBTQ marketing and sponsorship to deliver return on investment.
For those who haven’t realized the potential —
or need help persuading colleagues — here are
some facts and figures from recent surveys and
reports:
— Government figures suggest there are up to 420
million LGBTQ people in the world, more than the
population of the U.S.A.
— Lesbian and gay people often have higher incomes: In the U.S. they are twice as likely to have
an income above $250,000.
— They spend their extra disposable income on
high-end products, travel, going out, fashion and
technology.
— The worldwide LGBTQ travel market alone is
worth $175 billion.
— They are less likely to change their spending
plans during the global slowdown than other consumers
— Gay and trans people are early adopters, more
Marketplace
likely to own laptops,
tablets and smartphones.
— They spend less time
on radio and TV than
others and more time on
digital media.
— LGBTI websites are
more popular than mainstream or LGBTI newspapers and magazines
with gay and trans consumers.
— They are more
likely to have clicked on
an online ad in the last
week than others on line
— LGBTQ consumers also spend more money
online
— 85% of lesbians and gay men are more likely to
purchase products and services from companies they
see in LGBTI media.
— Consumer confidence and loyalty is significantly
enhanced when firms market directly to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and intersex people.
It shows companies are progressive, and boosts
their profile with millions more people – ‘straight’
friends, families and allies of LGBTQ consumers.
Q entrepreneurs invited
San Francisco — As a Mexican-American woman
who started her own consulting firm in Los Angeles,
accountant Sonia Luna has taken advantage of programs aimed at helping minority- and women-owned
businesses compete for government and corporate
contracts.
The fact that she’s a lesbian entrepreneur hasn’t hurt
either.
Federal agencies, organizations such as the National
Football League and more than one-third of Fortune
500 companies are now trying to expand their vendor
pools by explicitly encouraging bids from gay, lesbian and transgender contractors.
The little-known outreach efforts mirror longstanding “supplier diversity” initiatives aimed at
creating economic opportunities for businesses
owned by racial minorities, women and disabled
veterans.
“It allows me to be even prouder of who I am,” said
Luna, who hopes her firm, Aviva Spectrum, will
benefit from a new California law requiring large
utility companies to report how much they spend
with LGBT contractors. “And it allows the marketplace to acknowledge a class that has been denied
recognition as a minority group.”
The trend has not been without controversy. While
running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in
California, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly let his supporters know he voted against the ground-breaking
utility contract law that took effect Jan 1.
“Government-mandated discrimination in favour
of some market participants and against others is the
very antithesis of equal opportunity, fair play and
free competition,” Donnelly said.
Public agencies are prohibited under California law
from using race, sex or ethnicity in the awarding of
contracts, and the new law does not create any preferences or set-asides for LGBT-owned enterprises.
A growing number of firms — including IBM,
PepsiCo, ConAgra Foods, Marriott International and
American Airlines — have recently started tracking
how much they spend with LGBT contractors.
Denise Naguib, Marriott’s vice-president of sustainability and supplier diversity, said about 1 per
cent of the hotel giant’s $450 million “diverse
spend” last year was with gay-owned businesses that
supplied everything from technology and furniture
to translation services and flowers.
When it comes to winning a piece of the $500
billion worth of goods and services the U.S. government buys from private companies each year, federal law does not recognize gay-owned enterprises as
it does businesses owned by veterans, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian
-Americans, and Asian Indians.
In California, the NFL made history in November
when the league and the committee responsible for
producing the 2016 Super Bowl invited gay-owned
companies for the first time to a series of workshops
outlining how they might cash in on the action.
Church bans funeral video
Denver — Family and friends of a
lesbian woman were shocked by an
evangelical church banned then use of a
video during her memorial service. It
included included images of Vanessa
Collier kissing her fiancee.
Gary Rolando, a chaplain contacted by
the woman’s family to officiate the
service, said the service was abruptly
cancelled and moved to a nearby funeral
home after the cancellation.
Rolando, who is not affiliated with the
New Hope Ministries church, said the
family refused to remove the photos.
February 2015
So 200 friends and family were
asked to leave the church. The
woman’s casket was taken to a
nearby funeral home that had
arranged the church service, and
the memorial was held there with
the complete video, said friend
Jose Silva. “They asked the family to edit the video, and that was
like editing Vanessa’s life. It was
demeaning.”
Dozens of Collier’s friends
protested outside the church later
in the week, Silva said.
Here, there
Swim pool offers
‘neutral’ space
Stockholm — A public swimming pool near
the Swedish capital has reopening after building a
third changing room, for people with a “neutral
gender identity.”
The suburban city of Sundbyberg says it’s the
first LGBTQ-certified swimming pool in Sweden, a country known for its tolerance toward
lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.
Officials say the new changing room, designed
for one person at the time, can also be used by
people with disabilities or those who prefer to get
changed in private because of their religious
beliefs.
In Sweden, where people tend to have relaxed
attitudes about nudity, public swimming pools
typically have communal changing rooms and
showers without private stalls.
Cake conundrum
Denver — A dispute over a cake in Colorado
raises a new question about gay rights and religious freedom: If bakers can be fined for refusing
to serve married gay couples, can they also be
punished for declining to make a cake with antigay statements?
A baker in suburban Denver who refused to
make a cake for a same-sex wedding is fighting a
legal order requiring him to serve gay couples
even though he argued that would violate his
religious beliefs.
But now another case puts a twist in the debate
over discrimination in public businesses — and it
underscores the tensions that can arise when
religious freedom intersects with a growing acceptance of gay couples.
Marjorie Silva, owner of Denver’s Azucar Bakery, is facing a complaint from a customer alleging discrimination against his religious beliefs.
According to Silva, the man who visited last
year wanted a Bible-shaped cake, which she
agreed to make. Just as they were getting ready to
complete the order, Silva said the man showed
her a piece of paper with hateful words about
gays that he wanted written on the cake. He also
wanted the cake to have two men holding hands
and an X on top of them, Silva said.
She said she would make the cake, but declined
to write his suggested messages on the cake,
telling him she would give him icing and a pastry
bag so he could write the words himself. Silva
said the customer didn’t want that.
“It’s just horrible. It doesn’t matter if . . you’re
Catholic, or Jewish, or Christian, if I’m gay or
not gay or whatever,” she insists.
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in COLOUR?
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from your local websites:
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or LethbridgePrideFest.com
7
Breaking NEWS
Rome’s mayor
registers vows
Rome — The same-sex marriage debate arrived
on the doorsteps of the Roman Catholic hierarchy
when Rome’s mayor defied the Italian government by registering 16 gay marriages celebrated
in other nations.
Same-gender marriage is illegal in Italy, and
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano recently sent a
notice to local prefects saying any registrations of
foreign gay marriages would be voided.
Rome’s prefect vowed to do so immediately.
Nevertheless, Mayor Ignazio Marino received
thunderous applause upon arrival at the city hall
reception room where the couples and their loved
ones gathered to make the marriages official in
Rome’s city ledger. Marino transcribed the date
and locations of their weddings, including in
Spain, Portugal and the U.S.
Marino said it was an important day in the fight
for equal rights and that “the most important right
is to say to your companion “I love you” and to
have that be recognized.”
Outside, a few protesters held up signs saying
“Stop Marino” and “Transcriptions don’t make
families.”
Police said they blocked about 70 right-wing
protesters who didn’t have a permit.
Chief fired for
‘bestiality’ slur
Atlanta — Mayor Kasim Reed has fired Fire
Chief Kelvin Cochran for violating city policy by
writing a book that included comparing homosexuality to bestiality. Announcing his decision,
Reed reiterated the city’s non-discrimination
policy that prohibits bias based upon sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as race, color,
religion, and sex.
“His personal religious beliefs are not the issue
at all despite the number of comments and emails
I have been receiving on a daily basis,” Reed said.
“His judgment and ability to manage the department was the subject of this inquiry.”
Cochran was given the option of resigning but
refused to do so, he added.
“His actions around the book, his statements
during the investigation, eroded my confidence in
conveying that message,” Reed said.
“Certainly we agree with Mayor Reed’s position
on this and his rationale for it,” said Georgia
Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham.
Georgia Equality had called for him to be fired.
Couples can adopt
Vienna — Austria’s constitutional Court has
ruled that same-sex couples have the same right
as heterosexuals to adopt children.
Before that decision, same-sex partners could
adopt a child only if one of them was the child’s
biological parent.
Explaining the decision, chief judge Gerhart
Holzinger said there is “no objective argument for
a differing rule based solely on sexual orientation” of the parents.
The adoption restriction contravened antidiscrimination statutes of the European Human
Rights Convention, he added.
Lesbians and gays still cannot marry in Austria,
although couples formally registered as living
together enjoy many of the rights that married
heterosexual couples do.
8
Baird fought for rights
Ottawa — Canada’s voice for gay rights internationally has left politics. John Baird, the foreign
affairs minister in Stephen Harper’s cabinet, announced his decision in early February.
While differences between Baird and Harper have
been rumoured, he gave no reason for his decision
to quit during an election year.
“After 20 years of public office, I’m optimistic
about Canada’s future, and about the next chapter
in my life,” he said on Twitter.
Despite his reluctance to discuss his personal life,
Baird has not been shy about fighting for gay
rights, especially in the international arena.
In 2012 he clashed publicly with Ugandan parliamentary speaker Rebecca Kadaga at a Quebec City
conference, calling out her country for its proposed
“Kill the Gays” bill and its poor gay rights record.
Baird also spoke out when Nigeria, which already
criminalized gay sex, passed additional legislation
to ban gay advocacy groups and make same-sex
marriage punishable by a 14-year prison sentence.
He took other Commonwealth countries
to task for continuing
to have laws on their
books that criminalize
homosexuality, saying,
“We will not sit in our
far-off homes and
plead ignorance to
crimes against those
who seek the same freedoms we enjoy.”
While Baird has not been publicly forthcoming
about his sexual orientation, he was named as an
out gay politician on a CBC radio program by a
Conservative candidate running in an Ontario byelection in February 2010.
Three years later, playwright Brad Fraser was
told by a CBC producer not to use Baird as an
example of an out gay politician during a broadcast on the ethics of outing.
Mennonite couple is first
Osler, Sask., — A Saskatoon couple has made history in the Mennonite faith across Canada.
Craig Friesen and Matt Wiens are the first samesex couple married publicly in one of their traditional denomination’s churches.
“Our relationship doesn’t feel different, but our
relationship with our community and with our faith
has changed at least a little bit. It was really beautiful and freeing," Friesen said after the Dec. 31 event.
Now they’re hopeful other LGBT Mennonites will
learn from their example — they don’t have to
choose between their faith and their sexuality.
“Historically, the church has been oppressive to the
queer community,” Wiens said.
But for Wiens and Friesen, it was important to have
a Mennonite wedding, because it was the faith the
men grew up in.
“For us, a wedding is supposed to be a celebration
of our commitment to each other in front of our faith
communities, our other communities and
God,” Friesen said.
“It wouldn’t feel right if we didn't get married in
the Mennonite church.”
Mennonite Church Canada as a denomination
isn’t publicly welcoming of LGBT people or affirming of same-sex marriage. The denomination's
confession of faith states that marriage is between
a man and a woman for life.
But last year, the governing body in Saskatchewan announced that congregations could decide on
their own whether or not they would be welcoming
and the church would not take action against it.
This was decided, in part, to keep some congregations from leaving the denomination.
Friesen and Wiens attend Nutana Park Mennonite
Church in Saskatoon, which has been publicly
inclusive of the LGBT community for three years.
Co-pastors Anita Retzlaff and Patrick Preheim
married the couple in the church Friesen grew up
in, Osler Mennonite, combining both the church
communities that mean so much to them.
It was a bold move for the pastors, who say there
are vocal Mennonite congregations across Canada
that don’t agree. There’s a long road ahead, Retzlaff said, but she hopes vulnerable LGBT people
will find refuge in Mennonite churches.
Fired for refusing drag queen
Edmonton — A rookie taxi driver who refused to
pick up a drag queen last weekend has been fired.
Phil Strong, president of the Edmonton Taxi
Group, said the company tracked down the driver
and interviewed him about the incident.
“Unfortunately, we had to let him go. He had only
driven with us for a week,” said Strong. “We don’t
tolerate that sort of behaviour.”
The drag queen, who goes by the stage name
Binki, was trying to get home after a performance
at Evolution Wonderlounge. He called a Yellow
Cab, but the driver refused to take him.
Frustrated, Binki shared his story on Facebook.
When the company heard, it got in touch.
“Wow, I honest to God wasn’t expecting that,”
Binki said after hearing the driver was fired. He
asked not to be identified by his real name because
many work associates don’t know he dresses in
drag.
“I’m sad that this guy had to lose his job, but
everybody deserves respect,” he said. He said he
hopes it will be a teaching moment.
“Hopefully not just the other taxi companies will
get the message, but everyone will get the message.
Treat people with respect.”
Binki says since the incident, several friends
have shared similar stories with him. Drivers with
other taxi companies have denigrated what the
drag queens are doing, dropped them off in the
middle of nowhere once they realized they were
men, or hit on them. One said he was attacked.
In some of those cases, the men complained to
the companies, but their complaints went nowhere,
he said.
Garry Dziwenka, the city’s chief livery officer,
said drivers are allowed to refuse a ride if they fear
for their safety or fear the passenger would cause
harm to their vehicle. This is the first time he’s
heard of a drag queen being refused.
At Yellow Cab, Strong said every driver gets
three days of training, including about four hours
of sensitivity training, before they get behind the
wheel. The training material is reviewed and approved by the City of Edmonton.
Strong said he will be reviewing the material as
well and possibly working with the Pride Centre to
ensure all the material is appropriate.
He said cab drivers are only allowed to refuse to
take a fare if they are bleeding, intoxicated or have
no money.
February 2015