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MarPosts-01
Awareness
8 March 2023

International Women’s Day honours and celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political accomplishments of women and girls. It’s also a moment to increase awareness of the efforts still needed to achieve gender equality as well as the progress made in that direction.  

In honour of this day, here are some great GSRD women who have impacted Canada:

Carole Pope 
Carole Pope first gained notoriety as the lead vocalist of Toronto-based 80’s rock band Rough Trade. The band’s 1980 song “High School Confidential” overtly alluded to same-sex desires and included controversial lyrics like “It makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way,” but Canadian listeners embraced Pope. The 1981 Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year award and the 1983 and 1984 Best Female Vocalist Junos were given to the new wave legend. Unquestionably pushing the limit, Pope helped open doors for gay representation in the Canadian music business. 

 Michelle D. Douglas 
In 1963, Michelle D. Douglas was born in Ottawa. She continued her education at Carleton University where she studied political science and law before enlisting in the military in 1986 at the age of 23. This was the start of a brief but distinguished military career; two years later, she was one of the first female officers in the Special Investigation Unit. But in 1989, she lost her job because she was thought to be a homosexual by the military police. Douglas’ activist career was spurred by this. She filed a lawsuit against the Canadian Armed Forces, claiming, “this is not simply for me. It’s for the people who are still in the Canadian Armed Forces and for those who never had the chance to take this to court.” She successfully challenged the military’s discriminatory policy, and ever since, she has supported numerous groups working to ensure the GRSD population is treated equally. 

Jane Rule 
Jane Rule released Desert of the Heart five years before homosexuality was technically decriminalised in Canada, at a time when same-sex sexual conduct was still punished by a lengthy prison sentence. It was an important work of lesbian literature that set the bar high for how positively and audaciously it portrayed a lesbian romance. “I became, for the media, the only lesbian in Canada,” said Rule, who turned to the newfound fame to promote GSRD rights in Canada. 

Mary-Woo Sims 
Mary Woo Sims, who arrived in Canada as a student, was born in Hong Kong in 1970. She decided to become an activist for human rights. She was the co-chair of the Campaign for Equal Families during the battle to enact Bill 167, the Ontario law that would recognise same-sex couples, and she played a significant part in the struggle for same-sex spousal rights. 

Susan Ursel 
Since being admitted to the bar in 1986, Susan Ursel has practised labour and human rights law. She was a founder and director of the Foundation for Equal Families, which introduced Bill C-23, ending discrimination against same-sex relationships on the federal level, and she battled for Bill 167’s passage in 1994, which would have recognised same-sex couples. She remains an GSRD rights activist and resides in Toronto with her partner Lucy McSweeney.  

Chris Bearchell 
Chris Bearchell started a significant media career in 1975 as the lone lesbian contributor to Toronto’s Body Politic, which ran from 1971 to 1987. The magazine became the voice of the gay liberation movement in Canada as one of the earliest GSRD periodicals in the country. She also got involved with a lot of significant groups and organisations at the time, including the Coalition for Gay Rights in Ontario, the Lesbian Organization of Toronto (LOOT), and the defence of John Damien, a racing steward who was sacked wrongfully because of his sexual orientation. 

Shawna Dempsey & Lorri Millan 
Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, a Winnipeg-based duet, gained attention when they released the educational music video “We’re Talking Vulva” about female genitalia. The performance artists inject queer and gender politics into popular venues where they are generally not present. They were the driving force behind the 1997 One Gay City initiative, which featured bus shelter advertisements that mocked Winnipeg’s previous city slogan, “One Great City.” The agency in charge of the shelters objected to the ads, so they were never put up. This forced the artists to replicate the idea as a series of postcards (the dispute was the subject of a human rights challenge that ended in settlement). You may also be familiar with the performers from Lesbian National Parks and Services, an ongoing performance piece in which the two dress as forest rangers to parody the Canadian tourist stereotype of visiting national parks. 

By Admin
mar3
Awareness
3 March 2023

The goal of Bisexual+ Health Awareness Month is to increase knowledge of the social, economic, and health disparities that affect the bisexual+ (bi, pansexual, fluid, queer, etc.) community, advocate for resources, and motivate activities to enhance the wellbeing of bi+ individuals. 

Despite making up the majority of the GSRD population, the bisexual+ group suffers from much higher rates of physical, sexual, emotional, and social violence and disparities than gay and straight persons, as well as from worse physical, mental, and social health. For transgender persons and bi+ people of colour, the health disparities are significantly more severe. 

Did You Know? 

  • Less than 1% of the funds used to promote GSRD advocacy go to the bisexual+ group, despite making up the bulk of the GSRD population. 
  • Compared to their gay and straight peers, bisexual+ people frequently face higher levels of mental health difficulties, including suicidality, substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety. 
  • Only 29% of people claim to directly know a bisexual+ person, compared to 73% of people who claim to know a gay or lesbian person, even though bisexual+ people make up over half of the GSRD population. 
  • Bisexual+ youth make up 8% of those aged 18 to 34, compared to 3% of their gay and lesbian counterparts, but are less likely than their gay friends to come out to their loved ones. 
  • One study found that 37% of gender-expansive kids experience verbal harassment at school, and another found that 44% of bisexual youth experienced bullying regarding their weight or physical attractiveness at least once in the previous month. 
By Admin
mar1-1
Awareness
1 March 2023

March 1st is Zero Discrimination Day, a chance to celebrate diversity and advance inclusivity. It is also an opportunity to consider how discrimination impacts people and communities and to take steps to make the world more just and equal. The occasion serves as a reminder that everyone is entitled to respect and dignity. 

Discrimination is the unfair or unfavourable treatment of various groups of individuals, frequently based on racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual identity. Although discrimination might be covert and difficult to spot, it can have a profound effect on the lives of individuals who are subjected to it. Zero Discrimination Day aims to raise awareness of the harmful effects of discrimination and inspire people to oppose it. 

Zero Discrimination Day has become an important symbol of the need to promote and protect fundamental human rights, such as the rights to life, liberty, equality, and dignity. It is a day to recognise that the power of collective action can bring about positive change. 

  1. Increase Awareness of Discriminatory Laws
    Call attention to it if your local government is considering adopting a discriminatory law or if your existing laws have holes that permit discrimination. Utilize social media to raise awareness of these regulations among more people.
  2. Defend Against Discrimination
    Call it out if you see discrimination in your regular life, whether it’s at work, at school, in the gym, or in a public place. It’s crucial for discrimination victims to have outspoken allies because they might not always be able to advocate for themselves.
  3. Donate
    You can support volunteer-run organizations by giving your time, money, or a special talent like photography or graphic design.
By Admin
Feb22
Awareness
22 February 2023

After a new student at their school in Berwick, Nova Scotia was harassed for sporting a pink shirt, two grade 12 students bought 50 pink shirts and inspired their peers to jump on board. To their astonishment, most of the students showed up wearing pink the day they went to hand out the shirts! Since then, Pink Shirt Day has grown across Canada and throughout the world. 

Bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment put a child’s mental, emotional, and physical health at danger and undermine their ability to learn. You or someone you know is probably a victim of bullying, as it affects one in five pupils. Contact a helping hand if you’re unsure of what to do. And keep in mind that compassion and kindness can go a long way. 

The key to eradicating bullying behaviour is education. How can you, as an educator, ensure your students have a safe space to seek guidance and support? Below is a list of questions to help you evaluate your current bullying prevention measures in your classroom environment. 

  1. Are the students’ behaviour expectations clear, consistent, and fair? 
  2. How do you handle the problem of kids and young people who are bystanders? 
  3. Is there a means for students to report bullying situations in an anonymous manner? 
  4. Do you have specified policies and procedures that are perfectly clear to assist adults in properly intervening with cases of disrespectful behaviour (bullying and harassment)? 
  5. Have you given staff members training that specifically covers assisting GSRD, disabled, or adolescents of varied ethnicities? 
  6. Do you discuss bullying and harassment in lectures, seminars, and gatherings while offering clearly understood, age-appropriate information? 
By Admin
Feb13
Awareness
12 February 2023

A person changing their name has been a concept for a very long time. It has been said that Abraham, a notable character in the three major global faiths of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, had his name changed from Abram, which meant “exalted father,” to Abraham, which means “multitude.” Name changes tend to take place following a big incident that changes one’s life. 

Changing one’s name is frequently a cause for celebration, such as when a woman does so after getting married. But nowadays, a lot of women are either maintaining their original names or adding hyphens. In certain relationships, the husband may even adopt his wife’s name as a sign of equality. 

Another situation where a name change might be positive is when a family adopts a child, the youngster often receives the family’s last name. 

Or, when their present name doesn’t adequately reflect their current gender or personality traits, some people want to alter it. 

Get a Different Name Day is observed in recognition of how adopting a new name may support the affirmation of a new identity. 


How to Choose a New Name 

Many individuals ask themselves a set of questions like these while thinking about a new name: 

  • At this point in my life, who am I? 
  • What about me has changed? 
  • Which would you prefer, a more distinctive name or a more common one? 

You can find names in several places. Choose one from a children’s book, a favourite movie, or even a well-liked fantasy book. Take a name from a favourite video game character if you’re a serious gamer! 

By serving as role models or mentors, so many people can encourage others in life. When selecting a new name, drawing inspiration from them may be just what is required. 

A new name, no matter where it appears, is the ideal way to honour Get a Different Name Day! 

By Admin
randomacts
Awareness
11 February 2023

Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 12 through 18) is a celebration of all the different ways that we may make a difference in one another’s lives. Someone may be extremely grateful for even a single modest act of kindness. Sometimes the world may be cruel and egotistical and not everyone gets the support they require. It is crucial that we are continuously reminded to be kind to one another and to give them hope whenever we can in such a world. A little bit of random kindness can go a long way. 

  • Give food or clothing to a nearby shelter. 
  • Work in a food pantry or distribute meals to those in need as a volunteer. 
  • If you’re at a restaurant, tidy up after yourself or stack your plates for the waiter. 
  • Give the parking space to the driver of the automobile behind you. 
  • Tell someone you haven’t spoken to in a while how much you appreciate them with a polite email or text message. 
  • In the fast-food drive-through, pay for the customer in front of you. 
  • Make some cookies and distribute them to any staff of the fire department, police department, hospital, etc. who have to work on holidays. 
  • In the shopping centre, wrap gifts for donations to charities. 
  • Give someone you don’t know a compliment. 
  • Bring in a person’s shopping cart. 
  • Help someone take their shopping to their car at the store. 
  • On a public transit system, offer to let someone else take your seat. 
By Admin
feb7
Awareness
6 February 2023

The African, Caribbean, and Black Canadian HIV/AIDS Awareness Day will work to combat HIV-related stigma in Canada’s African, Caribbean, and Black communities by increasing awareness of the disease. The National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which has been honoured annually on February 7 since 1999, serves as the model for this memorial day. 

HIV prevention efforts in black communities have advanced significantly. However, whether or not Black people seek or receive HIV prevention services may depend on factors including racism, discrimination, and distrust in the healthcare system. These problems might make receiving HIV treatment and care less likely. People require adequate housing and transportation, work, access to culturally competent health treatments that are devoid of stigma and prejudice, and more in order to continue lowering the burden of HIV and other health concerns. 

When our communities Get Educated, Get Tested, Get Involved, Get Treatment, we make progress in our goal to stop HIV together. 

By Admin
feb5
AwarenessResearch Project
5 February 2023

On Thursday, February 5, 1981, just after 11 p.m., hundreds of Toronto Police Service officers, under the direction of the Morality Squad, conducted an operation known as “Operation Soap” to search four homosexual bathhouses in downtown Toronto. Three hundred men were detained; the magnitude of the arrests was startling. 

Numerous males who were held during the raids said that the police mistreated them severely, subjecting them to verbal abuse and physical assault. Detainees were typically herded into the venues’ bigger rooms—the showers or locker rooms—where they were made to stand undressed for hours. 

The GSRD community reacted less than 24 hours after the raids. More than 3,000 protesters marched to the streets on February 6, 1981. Chris Bearchell, a lesbian activist, reflects on the collective shock felt by the GSRD community and larger “progressive” community in the wake of the raids.  

“Women and men in the community went from disbelief to just rage.… Rather than letting that anger weigh us down—debilitate and demobilize us—we were able to channel it into a collective statement.” 
–Chris Bearchell 

Police were overrun by protesters, who forcibly occupied civic space without permission or predetermined agenda and vented their wrath. The GSRD community was done. After making their way across the city, the protesters turned their attention to the provincial legislature, where they nearly broke down the doors until police intervened and stopped them. 

We have a free lesson plan available about this event, suitable for grades 5 through 8. Share it with your teacher friends!

By Admin
jan27
Awareness
26 January 2023

Following the Red Army’s liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and death camp, which occurred on January 27 1945, the world began observing a memorial day. According to historians, 11 million Jews as well as other ethnic Poles, Soviet citizens, prisoners of war, Roma, deformed people, and political and religious dissidents perished during the Holocaust. 

Today, historians believe (the numbers are still subject to debate) that up to 15,000 gay men were taken to Nazi extermination camps, where up to 10,000 of them perished. Lesbians also faced discrimination and violence, though it was less common and less organized than it was for homosexual men. 

The public tagging with symbols was a component of this methodical persecution. Jews were required to wear a yellow Star of David, while homosexual men began to be associated with a pink triangle. The concentration camp inmates were required to wear the hand-sized fabric patches on the left breast of their garments allowing identification from both soldiers and the general public. 

By Admin
jan22
Awareness
21 January 2023

The inaugural Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity, which takes place on January 22nd each year, was in 2016. The day was created by transgender prisoner Marius Mason in Texas (USA) to draw attention to the prejudice faced by trans inmates. 

Transgender individuals who are incarcerated endure stigma, physical and sexual assault, denial of medical care, and legal repercussions. Simply because they are transgender, many transgender persons spend months or even years in solitary confinement. Typically, transgender inmates are housed in male jails, which greatly increases their risk of sexual assault. 

On January 22, there will be a day of action to recognize the experiences of transgender and other sex- and gender-minority prisoners. It is about working together. It is about breaking through the isolation of incarceration and establishing new relationships. It deals with opposition against state violence. It concerns solidarity between those who directly encounter the system’s violence and those for whom the state has not yet arrived. 

By Admin
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