Auteur : diamondyao

Pakistan aid efforts in Canada call for solidarity, reparations

Communautés Asiatiques, Diaspora, Développement durable

Pakistanis living in Canada have watched the flooding of their homeland in horror, and worked to create solidarity initiatives to provide relief. Countless people have found themselves unable to contact family in Pakistan, amid electricity and telecommunications outages. Now questions have arisen over Canada’s contribution to climate change, as its CO2 emissions are more than 10 times that of Pakistan. Rich countries of the Global North, like Canada, should act to address their contribution to climate injustice. Damages from flooding are estimated at 30 billion dollars and Ottawa has pledged 30 million dollars in assistance. Among urgent concerns are the impacts to pregnant women and the lack of reproductive health products to those most impacted.

This article is published in The Breach.

Carleton University PhD candidate reunites with his husband after two years of detention in Turkey

Diaspora, Justice sociale

After 2 years of detention in Turkey, Carleton University PhD candidate Cihan Erdal is now reunited with his husband, Ömer Ongun, Erdal was initially imprisoned under on charges of inciting violent protests six years prior, before those being released on bail under constant watch when the charges were proven to be false. After walking hours to an undisclosed third country and seeking political asylum, Erdal was able to make his way back to Canada. Throughout his detention, Ongun led a tireless campaign to rally international support to bring Erdal back home. Turkish authorities have detained many individuals with alleged ties to political movements with questionable evidence and without due process.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

Miami-Dade school board won’t celebrate LGBTQ2S+ History Month, citing concerns over ‘Don’t Say Gay’

Justice sociale

Last week, the Miami-Dade school board voted against a proposal to recognize October as LGBTQ2S+ History Month. Proposed by Lucia Baez-Geller in an attempt to decrease the marginalization of LGBTQ2S+ people, dozens of parents and community members opposed the proposal on the grounds that it ran afoul of Florida’s parental rights law, also known by critics as “Don’t Say Gay.” Only Lucia Baez-Geller in favor of the proposal, with some members of the board citing the parental rights law as the reason behind their vote. The latest vote comes as LGBTQ2S+ people in Florida face significant mental health challenges—which appear to have worsened in the face of anti-LGBTQ2S+ legislation.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

India’s Supreme Court says LGBTQ+ families are entitled to legal protection in major ruling

Communautés Asiatiques, Justice sociale

The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex families are entitled to social benefits and legal protections. This was achieved through the expanding the legal definition of family to include “non-traditional” families: de queer couples, people in domestic unmarried partnerships, single parents, stepparents and adoptive families. This decision joins a list of reforms that are dismantling conservative rules that date from the colonial era. Building on this milestone, LGBTQ+ activists are advocating to legalize same-sex marriage and to allow same-sex couples to foster and adopt children.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

Toronto’s queer community denounces incoming police chief’s appointment, demands a public meeting

Justice sociale

Members the Toronto Women’s Bathhouse Committee, along with hundreds of other people and organizations, published an open letter demanding a public meeting with Mayor John Tory over the appointment of Myron Demkiw as Toronto police chief. Demkiv was involved in a 2000 raid of the Pussy Palace bathhouse, which was later judged to be a violation of the attendees’ charter rights. Mayor Tory offered a closed meeting with himself, Demkiw, plus Chanelle Gallant and JP Hornick of the Toronto Women’s Bathhouse Committee, which was rejected by the latter two. Members of the queer community wish to talk to the police service board to discern how this appointment came to be and address fundamental issues with the process.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

‘We are very happy’: Mexico just took a giant leap toward LGBTQ+ equality

Justice sociale

After two historic decisions, Mexico has moved closer towards LTBTQ+ equality. In an overwhelming 69-2 vote, the Senate of the Republic voted on October 12 to ban all forms of conversion therapy targeting LGBTQ+ people. The bill is now in the hands of the Chamber of Deputies for final vote. This would outlaw conversion therapy across the country; twelve Mexican states currently outlaw the practice. Additionally, the Congress of the State of Mexico, voted 50-16 to recognize same-sex marriage, making it the 29th Mexican state to do so.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

Slovenia becomes first post-communist country to legalize same-sex marriage, adoptions

Justice sociale

This week, Slovenia became the first country in Eastern Europe to legalize both same-sex marriage and the adoption of minor children by same-sex couples. In a 48-29 vote, Slovenian lawmakers voted to pass an amendment guaranteeing marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples on October 4. This move follows a decision from the Constitutional Court of Slovenia in July, which found in a 6-3 ruling that prohibiting same-sex marriage and adoptions violated a constitutional prohibition against discrimination. In contrast, Hungary passed a law banning the promotion of “homosexuality or gender change” to minors in media, banned same-sex adoption, ended legal gender recognition for trans people, and redefined marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. Poland has also been treading similar waters, with over 100 cities and municipalities passing symbolic ordinances declaring themselves “LGBT-free” zones.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

For queer Asians, community means family

Communautés Asiatiques, Diaspora

After more than two years of physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic many queer Asians feel that need to come together more urgently than ever before and are coming out in force. In Montreal, they gathered in July for the Lotus Festival, the city’s inaugural queer Asian art and culture celebration. In Toronto, they are running youth groups to help teenagers in the community go through the coming-out process. And, in Vancouver, they are having regular multi-generational Drag ’n’ Dim Sum events. Komodo, a Montreal-based burlesque and drag performer and co-organizer of Lotus, has spoken passionately and emotionally to the healing, validation, and support that events like Lotus bring to the community. Bringing people together after difficult years marked by violence, racism and illness was named as another motivation. Meanwhile, Toronto’s Asian Community AIDS Services and Vancouver’s Drag ’n’ Dim Sum events have been garnering increasing amounts of participants and interest.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

A record number of LGBTQ2S+ candidates threw their names on U.S. ballots this year

Justice sociale

For the first time ever, LGBTQ2S+ candidates are vying for seats in next week’s elections in all 50 states across the U.S. plus Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There is hope among advocates that this will lead to other historic firsts, such as the first openly lesbian governor in the country. These increasing numbers follow the “rainbow wave” that started in 2018, but in spite of these record numbers, LGBTQ2S+ people still remain underrepresented across all levels of government. In November, voters will have a chance to elect more LGBTQ2S+ people to office than ever before.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.

What you need to know about non-monogamy and mental health

Justice sociale

Today, as openness to non-monogamy grows, a number of people—queer and straight, cis and trans alike—are questioning whether monogamy is the ideal relationship structure and many have shifted towards non-monogamous relationships. While these relationships can be a source of joy, they also com with unique challenges, some exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article we speak with Laurie Bissonette to find out how LGBTQ2S+ folks in open relationships can take care of their mental health during the pandemic and beyond.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.