I have been very stressed out this week, which meant mostly avoiding my feed reader and writing. I suppose you could say I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s rage night.
Fred Phelps, of “God Hates Fags” (but not shellfish!) fame, was supposed to be in Toronto today to protest a stage production that I’m sure would be mocking him. Apparently he was also going to protest outside the funeral of the man murdered on the Greyhound bus.
He didn’t show. I heard he was stopped at the border. I don’t want to talk about him any more than needed.
There was a counter protest today at the theatre. I hadn’t kept up on the news or Facebook to know about it beforehand and attend. I did walk into it without knowing what was going on. I spotted Enza Supermodel, who I fangirl shamelessly. I tend to run away from people I’m starstruck by, so, uh, I ran.
There is no other point to this post except to say that I need to constantly think about where I stand as a queer woman of colour in this city. While Toronto has its fair share of homophobia on all levels, I am very proud (and very privileged) to be living in a city with strong queer communities that go across race, class, gender, ability, etc. Often Toronto propaganda touts “a queer community” when the truth is we have many, some more accessible to certain people than others. I know that living in a major city as an able-bodied, cis-gendered bi person who can speak English and is university educated grants me privileges (which should be rights, if you ask me) that many LGBTQ people do not and cannot enjoy. On the other hand, I know that being a working class woman of colour means I have less opportunity to access services that exist and that some organizations do not want to see my race or class.
I often forget to reflect on this except when I am being forced to choose between my identities. They all inform one another. Oh, well. I suppose that means there will be more to come tomorrow.
They stopped him at the border? Really? Wow, I am SO.DAMN.HAPPY. Your brief mention of it was very calm and civil, and I have to admire that because when I heard we was going to protest the funeral of the guy killed on the bus (which has no connection to anything Phelps might want to protest) I was filled WITH SO MUCH RAGE.
To be honest, I think I’m now used to his particular brand of protesting that I just can’t find the energy to feel rage. I laughed SO hard when I heard he was held at the border.
I hear he was going to protest at the funeral because the gruesome nature of the murder was God’s way of giving Canada a hint about its homosexin’ practices.
I think that’s the part that really gets to me. If the murder on the bus had ANYTHING to do with the rights of gay people I would feel only a slightly smaller level of rage simply because at least they’d be voicing an opinion on a relevant issue (nevermind the fact that funerals are STILL not an appropriate place for that sort of protesting, and proclaiming “GOD HATES YOU” isn’t a mature or reasonable way of expressing beliefs). The whole idea of protesting a funeral and causing such hurt to the family because apparently this random act of human violence shows that the ultimate deity hates a nation is just so ridiculous, even for this group.
I dunno if I explained that at all properly… I am blind with rage and agony.
I find it difficult to take them seriously anymore. I don’t even know what they’re protesting for these days. I *almost* understand why they protest at soldier funerals, but this is REALLY out there. I really hope that the people who will show up to support the McLean family will be enough to drown out these assholes.