A very fine line

There can be a very fine line between free speech and hate speech but there are times when it can be difficult for the audience to determine whether the speaker crosses that line. In some cases, the listener’s perception is shaped by their personal views on the topic being discussed.

Last week a woman named Megan Murphy spoke at a public library in Toronto, and then later in the week, spoke at a venue in Vancouver. Both events were met with protests by the LGBT community regarding the content of her speeches. From what I could find on the website for her magazine, it appears she is very anti-trans, if not anti-LGBT in general.

Full disclosure here: I’m a transwoman. According to Ms Murphy, I am therefore not a woman by any definition. From articles I’ve read, she persists upon misgendering transmen and transwomen. But what really upsets me about her attitudes and pronouncements is that she has stated that when Ottawa passed Bill C-16, which, in essence, made trans people equal, in all ways, to the rest of the population, it diluted the rights of ciswomen. I could find nothing on her site to support her claim.

I spoke with two women on this issue. One said that I now had the same rights as she, and it in no way weakened her legal protections. The other said the following: Giving trans women, or trans people in general, doesn’t take away my rights; in fact, it does the opposite, because by pushing for the rights of another group of people, I am pushing for the rights of ALL people.

There you have the views of two women, one an artist and one a chef. That I now enjoy the same legal protections – and by extension, the same responsibilities – as do they, makes no difference to their lives.

Members of the transgender community already face discrimination on a frequent, if not daily, basis. There is enough violence directed toward the LGBT community and we don’t need people like Megan Murphy stirring up more animosity toward us, which her views have the potential to incite.

I have always been a proponent of free speech. It is because of that right I’m able to write some of the things I do in these blogs. At the same time, I am aware that using that right can be a balancing act because, as I wrote above, the perception of the reader can determine whether or not my words are hateful, or just mean-spirited. In my opinion, if Ms Murphy wasn’t guilty of hate speech in her presentations in Toronto and Vancouver, she was certainly skating very, very close to that fine line between free speech and hate speech and needs to be taken to task for her words and actions.

Cat.

His brother’s keeper

The Ford Follies continue and once again little brother City Councillor Doug is rushing to the defence of big brother Mayor Robbie.  And once again, Doug is looking like an idiot in doing so.

First, this past weekend, Rob, mayor of all subway-loving Torontonians,  was in Vancouver on personal business.  While there, our Robbie got himself a $109 ticket for jaywalking.  According to articles I have read, Robbie walked into traffic on Lougheed Highway.  This roadway, as the name would imply, isn’t some sleepy sidestreet.  I’ve been to Van and Lougheed Highway is probably the last location in the Greater Vancouver Area I’d choose for jaywalking.  In an interview with CBC News, one lady said some people just ran out in front of her and has she been going any faster, she would have hit them.  Another article stated that the authorities are concerned over the number of vehicle/pedestrian incidents and have asked the police to crack down on jaywalking in the area Robbie was nabbed.  This all makes sense.

According to Doug, who is letting his paranoia show again, his brother was targeted.   Um, Doug?  Everybody who crosses the street illegally in that area is being targeted, not just  your brother.  Unless of course you think that Bill Blair (Toronto Chief of Police and someone with whom the brothers Ford have a less than cordial relationship) called his counterpart in Vancouver and asked for a “favour”.  In fact, I’m rather surprised Doug didn’t suggest exactly that.

Second, in a debate of all the mayoral candidates last night, when asked, Robbie said he wouldn’t be attending World Pride in Toronto this coming summer.  Again, he’ll be at the family cottage, but you can bet money on Robbie being in the city the weekend following Pride for the Caribana festival (or whatever they call it now).

Once again, we have Doug rushing to defend his brother, stating that his brother is not homophobic.  Uh-huh.  Since being elected mayor, Robbie has consistently avoided any event that even remotely seems part of the LGBT community, the sole exception being the raising of the flag on IDAHO last year.  And I wouldn’t doubt that was only through a misunderstanding on his part – “Idaho , that’s one of the states isn’t it?  Yeah sure.”  During his first year as mayor, Robbie was even offered the use of a helicopter to fly him from the cottage to the Pride parade and turned it down.  The man may not admit to being homophobic, but as the adage puts it “actions speak louder than words”.

As for Doug, you would think he learned his lesson last fall when he was vigorously defending his brother (“my brother does not use drugs”) while across town Robbie is admitting to having smoked crack cocaine.  Doug looked as if he’d been hit by a truck when he heard that one.  Doug, your brother is an adult, well – he’s reached the age of majority – so let him handle his own messes before he drags you down as well.

Cat.

All those years ago

Last night I watched a CTV special on the Cuban missile crisis.  You can look it up in the history books or online if you’ve never heard of it.  All I’ll say, to pique your curiosity, is that those events are the nearest the US and the USSR ever came to World War III.

But, watching that drew my mind back to October 1962 and the events in my life during that month.  I was in Vancouver B C during the early part of October at the army personnel depot awaiting my discharge papers (medical discharge).  Just before Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving – early October), Vancouver was visited by Pacific hurricane Freda.  The depot had its own power station, but for some reason, the only form of energy available in the kitchens was steam.  Worked out great in some ways – I could have all the tea and coffee I wanted – not so great in others. I swear I’ll never eat steamed sausages again: once was enough.  On the Monday I decided I’d go into the downtown area.  Later in the afternoon, knowing all they had at the depot was steamed foods, I decided to stop at a coffee shop for something to eat.  Counting my money, I realized all I could afford was coffee, so that is what I ordered. It wasn’t until I saw all the turkey dinners being brought in from the kitchen that I even remembered it was Thanksgiving. No turkey for me at Thanksgiving 1962.  My dinner consisted of a cup of coffee.

A couple of days later my papers arrived and I was soon on a train back to Toronto. It was during this trip the Cuban missile crisis began and quickly escalated.  By the time I arrived home, the Soviet freighters carrying the missiles were headed straight for the US blockade and the world was simultaneously holding its breath and crossing its fingers.  Keep in mind that during this time I was still technically in the army, but on final 30 day leave.  My stepfather was also in the army, member of the Royal Canadian Regiment (I had been in the Royal Canadian Engineers) and we were both aware that the telephone could ring at any time ordering him to his post and me to the nearest army base.  Fortunately, the confrontation at sea never happened, but it was a very nervous time for my mother, my stepfather and myself and we’d jump every time the telephone rang.  In early November I finished that final leave and was officially out of the armed forces.

If you ask people in their mid to late sixties, I’m sure you would get some fascinating stories  of their October 1962.  Mine isn’t that fascinating, but I still remember it clearly.  And every Thanksgiving, I have a cup of coffee and reflect on what might have been all those years ago.

Cat.