Toronto is a city famed for Diversity.  On any given day you can leave your home and hear the sounds of four or five different languages as you make your way to your destination.  You can look around and see the representatives of these cultures in the traditional dress of their countries mixed with Western garments to ward off the Canadian winter or breathe in the spices of different world cuisines competing with hamburgers and fries as you walk through a food court.

For many people of many cultures Toronto is home, a refuge for those fleeing war or poverty or just looking for the freedom to not only survive but thrive in a new world.  We welcome different religions and celebrate different cultures cheering on the Chinese Dragon boat races or moving to the beat of the Caribbean festival as the brightly clad dancers hit the streets.

For members of the LGBTTIQQ2SA* community Toronto is also home.  They come from all cities of Canada and the world, also seeking inclusion in a Diverse community allowing them the freedom to be treated equally with the same rights and freedoms as everyone else.  They come from countries where living their personal truth is not only illegal but can lead to imprisonment and death.  They come from cities where their human rights are often ignored and communities where admitting to who they are can lead to being cast out of the family.

Every year for one week in June the LGBTTIQQ2SA* community celebrates Pride Week, coming together to celebrate who they are, their histories, their struggles, their families and friends, their losses and gains.

Toronto’s first Pride Parade had its beginnings in February 1981, when police raided four bathhouses and arrested 300 men as “found-ins”.  This sparked a march of 3,000 people on Toronto’s 52 Division and led to the establishment of Toronto’s Lesbian and Gay Pride Day in Toronto, which attracted 1,500 participants.  This year the parade is expected to attract 1.5 million participants.

As the Pride Parade has grown, the rights of the LGBTTIQQ2SA* community have expanded in Canada. In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 15 of the Charter — which guarantees the “right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination” — should include sexual orientation and in 1996, sexual orientation was added to the Canadian Human Rights Act, which covers federally-regulated activities.  It was not until 1998, that the Supreme Court ruled that Alberta’s human rights legislation must be considered to cover sexual orientation.

In 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples must be afforded the same rights as opposite-sex couples in a common-law relationship. In 2002, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that prohibiting same-sex marriage was a violation of Charter rights. In 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, and Michael Leshner and Michael Stark became the first same-sex couple to marry in Canada.

In 1998, Glenn Murray was elected mayor of Winnipeg, becoming the first openly gay mayor of a major city in North America.  In 2013 Kathleen Wynne became the first openly gay or lesbian premier as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, then the first openly gay or lesbian premier elected to office in Canada.

May 17^th was the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and the statement issued by President Obama, reaffirms the human rights of the LGBT community to live “free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love.”  In Toronto there was a proclamation by mayor John Tory promising “working to create and secure communities in which all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, two-Spirited and intersex people can live their lives free from any form of homophobic, biphobic or transphobic discrimination and be empowered with dignity and respect.”

In 2015 the struggle for equality and acceptance continues to address violence and discrimination in the community, at work and at school. Bullying continues in schools although publicly-funded schools are lawfully required to accept student-organized gay-straight alliances. Many still experience verbal threats, sexual and physical assault and hate crimes because of their identity. Trans people are struggling for the inclusion of gender identity in existing legislation and continue to face stigma, harassment, and discrimination when seeking stable housing, employment, health or social services.

Worldwide, seventy three countries still have laws criminalizing homosexuality with punishments from fines and imprisonment to whipping, castration and execution by stoning.  This was the focus of 2014 World Pride in Toronto, which included a human rights conference with international Gay Activists Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Frank Mugisha and Edie Windsor.

This year, come out and join the LGBTTIQQ2SA* community to celebrate Pride Week from June 19^th to June 28^th.  Nellie’s will be at the Dyke March on Saturday June 27^th and as always we will have a booth where you can learn more about Nellie’s and take photos to celebrate your Pride. We celebrate the amazing courage, determination and strength of the LGBTTIQQ2SA* community and through education and advocacy, we support their right to be treated with equality and respect.

* Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, 2 Spirited, Allies

Sources:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-rights-in-canada/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/16/statement-president-international-day-against-homophobia-and-transphobia

http://ontario.cmha.ca/mental-health/lesbian-gay-bisexual-trans-people-and-mental-health/

http://visiwww.pridetoronto.com/

Tonie Walsh*, Cree Plains Alberta, will be lighting the candle at the AIDS Vigil on June 23 rd for all Aboriginals who have passed away from HIV in 2014. She has had HIV for many years and says she has done more positive things since being diagnosed than at any other time in her life

National Aboriginal History Month is celebrated all across Canada every June. It was passed by a unanimous motion in the House of Commons in 2009 and provides an opportunity to recognize and honour the history, heritage, contributions, customs and cultures of Inuit, Métis and First Nation communities all across Canada.

Throughout the month, a number of special events are planned to celebrate Aboriginal Peoples and these events often include traditional teachings and activities, but they also focus on creating an inviting space for non-Aboriginal people to learn and participate. The focal point of the month is National Aboriginal Day, which occurs on June 21^st. In Toronto there are many celebratory events and activities to choose from, including:

• Those offered through the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, the Toronto Public Library, and hosted by the City of Toronto
• The Na-Me-Res (Native Men’s Residence) traditional outdoor Pow Wow at Fort York

If you are organizing or aware of more great events in Toronto celebrating National Aboriginal History Month or National Aboriginal Day, let us know here. Follow @nelliesshelter on Twitter and look for our daily Tweets on #MMIW, #highwayoftears, #StolenSisters, #FirstNations, #Aboriginal, #IndigenousLivesMatter.

Nellie’s has always taken a strong stance supporting and advocating for Aboriginal women’s rights and speaking out against the violence they experience. Nellie’s is committed to bringing awareness to these issues, many of which are deeply rooted in Canadian society and structure through years of colonialism, racism and genocide of Aboriginal peoples.

Previous blogs from the Social Justice and Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Committee have focused on: remembering murdered and missing aboriginal women, human rights and the treatment of Aboriginal women and girls, and the connection between Aboriginal women and the topic of our upcoming position paper: criminalized and incarcerated women.

Nellie’s also has an Aboriginal resource page with links to key organizations and services.

*Windsong Woman Who Carries the Medicine (Spirit Name)