Sunday, May 17, 2009

Homophobia and a Flag for Michael Causer









Today people in fifty countries marked International Day Against Homophobia.

Which is pretty amazing for an event that began six years ago in Montreal.

And commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organization stopped classifying homosexuality as a mental illness.

There were all kinds of events like this Pink Day in Singapore.



















The first gay outdoor event EVER in that conservative country.

And this lie-down in Hong Kong...












But the event that most moved me was the one in Liverpool, England. Where for the first time ever, the rainbow flag of freedom flew over City Hall....and over all the police stations in the Merseyside.

To mark Anti-Homophobia Day and remember Michael Causer.

The kid I wrote about here.

But even that flag raising, as moving as it was, didn't lift my spirits as much as this poll.

When children were asked whether they thought being gay was normal, 71 per cent said yes, and 86 per cent said it's like any other sexual orientation.

"In a context in which may of these parents come from countries where homosexuality is oppressed, we have to celebrate the fact that their children find distance from those attitudes and adopt values of their new country."

Which says something really good about those immigrant kids ....and our precious Canadian values.

Yup.The present may be bleak.

So many of my brothers and sisters are brutally oppressed. Bullying and bigotry are still such a huge problem. And instead of being allowed to live our lives in peace we must fight FOREVER.

But they flew the flag for Michael today. Isn't that awesome?

And the future WILL be better...

4 comments:

sassy said...

Simon,
Interesting, and encouraging to see the results of that poll. From my experience with the young people around me, it seems accurate. Sexual orientation is simply not an issue with kids these days.

'berto said...

Simon --

If you liked that poll, you'll LOVE this:

America's Youngest Gay Rights Activist: 9-Year-old Ethan McNamee

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/americas-youngest-gay-rights-activist-9yearold-ethan-mcnamee.html

InJoy! :)

Simon said...

Hi Sassy...yes I've seen similar results with strictly age studies. But to see the kids of immigrants feel that way knocks down the walls of homophobia AND racism at the same time. And in my own city.
I don't think I've done anything to deserve this. But I must have done SOMETHING... :)

Simon said...

Hi 'berto...thanks a lot, that's SOOOO cute. I think I'm gonna have to use it... :)