Summer 2013 Queer Ontario Newsletter

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NEWSLETTER
queerontario.org

Queer Ontario is a provincial network of gender and sexually diverse individuals

Summer 2013

ueerOntario
Legislative Changes
It will go down in History as major victories for the LGBTQ communities when two legislative bills passed in the provincial legislature, with Queer Ontario having a hand in both.

Other Accomplishments
Queer Ontario worked hand-in-hand with private citizens in Toronto to persuade the Toronto Transit Commission to make its Request Stop Program available to all individuals in need, regardless of sex or gender. It worked! The Toronto Transit Commission announced its expansion of the program on October 13, 2011. In December 2011 we commemorated the 25th Anniversary of 'sexual orientation' being included in the Ontario Human Rights Code where we also resurrected the John Damien Award which was awarded to St. Joseph's GSA and Catholic Student for GSAs. The Queer Liberation Theory Project is now in post-production! It is a feature documentary that is part historical narrative, part think piece, and part socio-political education regarding the state of the LGBTQ movement and where it's heading.
The first Queer Ontario Salon was launched on November 22, 2012 where Queer Ontario examined the state of LGBTQ health in Ontario with Anna Travers, the Director of Rainbow Health Ontario.
See it on film here:

Over the past 12 months there is

much we can be proud of in light of the numerous accomplishments we achieved, much that we can be grateful for in terms of the commitment of talented volunteers and activists and the excitement of new ideas as Queer Ontario continues to expand and look to the future.

On June 5, 2012, Bill 13: Accepting Schools Act, passed into law to strengthen anti-bullying measures, including the right for Ontario students to organize LGBTQ student groups regardless of their enrollment in the public or Catholic school system. On June 13, 2012, Bill 33: Toby's Act: (Right to be Free from Discrimination and Harassment Because of Gender Identity or Gender Expression), amended the Ontario Human Rights Code to include 'gender identity’ and ‘gender expression' as protected grounds in the Province of Ontario. The Vital Statistics Act was revised by ServiceOntario to permit transgender individuals the right to change the gender on their birth certificates without sex reassignment surgery; we recognize that this is a step in the right direction, but we feel there is much more the government needs to do to more adequately recognize gender as a non-binary concept and be more inclusive of all gender fluid people.

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Join us on Visit us at queerontario.org
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1st Salon Part 1 1st Salon Part 2 1st Salon Part 3 1st Salon Part 4

http://youtu.be/sY25mM_2ENE http://youtu.be/iJst5tbn2hA http://youtu.be/T5JPwjuPq_E http://youtu.be/-cnE2pgXZXM

OUR VISION
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To foster a society free of social and systemic oppression where gender and sexually diverse people have the freedom and autonomy to live their lives as they see fit; a society that celebrates and protects diversity of expression and choice.

Our second Salon, May 9th, 2013, featured guest speakers Lisa Schofield and Richard Dalton from OCAP. Also available online. QO will continue to host future Salons that will engage in critical political discussion on topics important to queers. It is a free accessible social (including livestreaming), that will have plenty of networking opportunities.

On March 20, 2013, the House of Commons passed Bill C-279, which will add gender identity to the prohibited Much time and hard behind the scenes work went grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act, also amending the Criminal Code to outlaw into the passing of these legislative changes. A hate crimes against groups distinguished by gender. theme that runs through these political This bill is now in senate at third reading; although accomplishments are the success Queer Ontario senate has recessed for the summer it will resume experienced working in coalition with various debate in the fall and then vote on passage.
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individuals, groups and organizations. We also want to thank the innumerable individuals and organizations we were never able to connect with who also contributed their time and energy to these efforts -- some long before we did! You know who you are.

QO Think Tank
Check out and contribute to Queer Ontario's Think Tank! Do you write, draw, sing or make other art with a radical queer sensibility? Challenge us and others at the QO Think Tank: http://thinktankqueerontario.org.

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N E W S L E T T E R
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Queer Ontario is a provincial network of gender and sexually diverse individuals

Summer 2013

Left: The Queer Ontario picnic from 2011

Right: Queer Ontario members hold up the banner at Parliament Hill after the 40th anniversary ‘We Demand’ protest.
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Left: A collage of many of the events, protests and victories that Queer Ontario was instrumental in.

OUR GOALS
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OUR MISSION
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OUR OBJECTIVES
To host a virtual think tank via the Queer Ontario website that promotes a queer liberationist discourse ● To preserve the legacy of Queer Ontario's predecessor, the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (CLGRO), as an archive on the website ● To create a network of queer liberationists across Ontario as individuals or local chapters ● To engage in advocacy, lobbying and political action efforts to address legal and social justice issues affecting queer Ontarians ● To collaborate with other anti-oppression groups to support mutual social justice goals


To provide a queer liberationist voice in Ontario and beyond ● To critically examine, deconstruct, analyze and provide alternative solutions to issues and laws affecting queer populations ● To provide public education to the general public on issues of importance to queer communities and the queer movement through a queer liberationist lens ● To undertake political actions of various means to advocate for changes that will benefit the lives of queer people ● To engage in coalition building with other groups involved in anti-oppression work towards social justice


Queer Ontario is a provincial network of gender and sexually diverse individuals — and their allies — who are committed to questioning, challenging, and reforming the laws, institutional practices, and social norms that regulate queer people. Operating under liberationist and sex-positive principles, we fight for accessibility, recognition, and pluralism, using social media and other tactics to engage in political action, public education, and coalition-building.

POSITION STATEMENTS
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We use the term “queer” both as a way to critique foundational norms pertaining to identities and in a more popular usage as inclusive of a wide range of varying and fluid gender and erotic expression. Queer people, as members of the gender and sexually diverse populations, include but are not limited to 2-spirited, agender,

Non-Monogamy

Queer Ontario’s work towards queer liberation includes advocating for people in non-monogamous romantic and sexual relationships. We call upon all supporters of non-monogamous relationships to join Queer Ontario in creating a freer and more pluralistic society.
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OUR USE OF THE TERM 'QUEER'
ambigender, androgyne, asexual, bigender, bisexual, cross-dresser, drag queen, drag king, fluid, gay, gender fluid, genderqueer, intergender, intersex, intrasex, kink, lesbian, nongendered, omnisexual, pangender, pansexual, polysexual, transgender, transsexual, and transvestite,

Sexual Violations
Queer Ontario’s values include the recognition and affirmation of gender and sexual diversity. We support everyone’s freedom to have feelings, including love for, desire for and fantasy about anyone or anything. We support sexual activity where everyone involved gives informed consent. QO's Steering Committee Chair: Nick Mulé Vice-Chair: Davina Hader Treasurer: Richard Hudler Secretary: A.J. Lowik Members At-Large: Alana Boltwood, Brian De Matos,
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Visit our website to read more on our Position Statements: queerontario.org

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We are not just definable by our sexual orientation or gender identity!
I believe Queer talents go much deeper; our resilience, and those of us who have endured countless adversity through our lifetime to be where we are …and survived, most certainly understand and are testament of this.
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Volunteer Coordinator: Peter Morris on funds provided to us by our generous and capable supporters. Your donation will be channeled directly into our projects and operations, which will help us continue our educational and reformist work.

Queer Ontario is a not-for-profit organization operating

Many times I have argued that our differences, obscurities, and uniqueness are really gifts that should be revered by ourselves and others and we should never be made to feel shameful of these features but rather allowed to be proud!
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Click here to Support Us

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It is these differences that bring us together as 'Queers' and by standing collectively and celebrating these unique characteristics as a community we are pushing the envelope on public awareness, acceptance and finally change!
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~Davina Hader -Vice-Chair

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