May 17, 2021
Members of the Union family,
I am writing to inform you about the May 17th, 2021, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
Currently around the world we are all living in a with a very difficult time, as COVID-19 causes havoc. I wanted to recognize that this has also had an increased negative affect on marginalized groups. One way to mitigate the negative effects is to have safety nets, areas or groups of people that are able to provide comfort and safety. These safety nets have grown more difficult to maintain in this virtual world we have been thrust into. We are aware that this time has affected all of us, but there is a need to realize how this has affected many even more.
I have over the last year taken some time to realize the privilege I have and the supports I have access to and how I am able to maintain my networks. These tools are not readily available to everyone. Not everyone has access to housing, internet, family, safe drinking water, food and even more.
I have looked at my learned history, my current biases and my privilege to see what I can do, what I can learn and tools that are out there to help me retrain, adapt and reprogram what programing I have received from a lens of privilege, culture and history. To start, I want to say that we are all human beings, the social constructs set up around the work are only there because we allow them. Rights are there because people fought for them and continue to fight for them and even to keep what they may have. We have been taught that rights are finite and that for others to have rights we need to give something up. This is not correct. Rights are not a piece cake. Those that have the whole cake do not need to give up slices of their cake so that others can have rights. I do not want a piece of your cake. I want my own cake. By giving me a whole cake does not make your cake worth less either. This type of past programing needs and can be changed. Marginalized groups have been told that they need to compete with every other marginalized group to gain time to be heard and to be able to state their case for inclusion and equity. I ask that as marginalized groups we take the time to link arms in solidarity to find common ground to move forward through our intersectionality. We are stronger, louder and better organized if we all work together in solidarity. Let’s make real change.
Across the world there has been an increase of hate and violence. The 2SLGBTQ+ community has been a major focus of that hate. This includes increased conversion therapy organizations, countries creating LGBTQ+ free zones, countries with concentration camps for LGBTQ+ people and countries changing law to reduce protections for LGBTQ+ people. There are currently 6 countries in the world where being LGBTQ+ is punishable by death, 27 countries where being LGBTQ+ would get 10 years to life in prison and 43 countries with no protection at all. This is all because of Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. The definition of Phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.
Here in Canada, we work hard to ensure that our laws protect. One such positive move forward is Bill C-6 (An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy)). Conversion therapy refers to any of several dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, that could mean attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation from lesbian, gay, or bisexual to straight or their gender identity from transgender or nonbinary to cisgender. And it could include efforts to change a person’s gender expression (to make a person act more stereotypically masculine or feminine, for example), or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward a person of the same gender.) This bill has passed second reading in the House of Commons and is working towards Royal Assent. This is a great move to inclusion, safety and equity within this great nation of Canada. Bills like this one are something we all need to know about and support so that small groups of loud people do not cause them to fail.
I hope that on this May 17th, 2021 you take the time to reflect on privilege, your biases, your lives and your knowledge. Remember that privilege does not mean that you have not had a difficult time, what it does mean is that you may not have had to experience adversity because of who you inherently are. You may not have had to experience life from the world of someone who is racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, a woman, Indigenous or a person with access needs, and others).
Take the time to look at some of the amazing resources out there and help make a positive change for the lives of those who are struggling for the basic rights that we have. Here is one of those resources.
Christopher Little-Gagné
UNE National Equity Representative for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People