NO to Quebec Provincial Bill 94!

Will you allow your government to deny essential services to women based on what they wear?

Take Action on December 3rd! Say NO to Bill 94! Participate in the action wherever you are.

Bill 94 is proposed legislation in Quebec, which if approved, would deny essential government services, public employment, educational opportunities, and health care to Muslim women who wear the niqab (face veil).

Take Action to defend women’s access to public services. Take Action to support women’s rights and freedoms in Canada. Take Action to stop Bill 94 from becoming law.

Find out how to get involved at:

http://nonbill94.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/may-10-to-may-18-week-of-action/#more-196

Ottawa Trans Day of Remembrance

[francais version sous l'anglais]

Ottawa Trans Day of Remembrance

November 20th, 2010
1:30pm
Minto Park, Elgin Street, Ottawa

The eighth annual Ottawa Trans Day of Remembrance will be observed on Saturday, November 20th, 2010 starting with a rally at Minto Park on Elgin Street between Lewis and Gilmour at 1: 30 p.m. The rally will be followed by a march to Parliament Hill in recognition and support of Bill C-389 that will add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act and to the hate crimes and sentencing provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada. Later in the evening, there will be a Candlelight Vigil at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin and Lisgar at 7pm.

We are offering the rally at Minto Park an alternate meeting point for all those who are not comfortable attending a flag-raising rally at the police station organized by members of Gender Mosaic at 1pm, out of respect for trans sex workers, street-involved trans people, trans people of colour (who make up a significant portion of people honored through the “Remembering Our Dead Project”) and other people who have been the target of police brutality and oppression. It also failed to acknowledge the current political climate between the Ottawa police and the queer community due to the police boards’ position on HIV non-disclosure and resistance to constructive dialogue.

The rally is also to recognize and in solidarity with all diverse voices, identities, and experiences of our community, as we cannot sit idly by while many people in trans communities are being excluded and neglected for the sake of media publicity and political convenience. It is the right of every trans person to be included and empowered by an event established to memorialize loved and lost ones and recognize the challenges faced through transphobia, discrimination, intolerance, hate and potential death because of our gender identity, gender expression or transition experience/status.

On this day we have the opportunity to help trans people of all backgrounds to raise awareness, to encourage dialogue, to celebrate the lives of trans people and to mourn for our loved and lost ones. We encourage everyone interested in supporting the lives of ALL trans people to join us in a rally, a march and a vigil. In the meantime, please spread the word and let everyone you know! Write to your MPs to support Bill C-389! Bring your friends and family!

For updated information about the rally and march as we near November 20th, please visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160851957278283. We can also be reached at ottawatransdayofremembrance@gmail.com

In solidarity,

Organizing Committee for the Ottawa Trans Day of Remembrance 2010

-----

Journée du Souvenir Trans d’Ottawa

20 Novembre 2010
1:30pm
Parc Minto,Rue Elgin, Ottawa

Le huitième rapport annuel Journée du Souvenir Trans d’Ottawa sera observé le samedi 20 Novembre 2010 à partir d'un rassemblement au parc Minto sur la rue Elgin entre Lewis et Gilmour au 13:30. Le rassemblement sera suivi par un mars à la Colline du Parlement, en reconnaissance et le soutien du projet de loi C-389 qui va ajouter l'identité sexuelle et expression sexuelle à la liste des motifs de discrimination interdits par la Loi canadienne sur les droits de l'homme et aux crimes haineux et les dispositions des peines du Code criminel du Canada. Plus tard dans la soirée, il y aura une veillée aux chandelles au Monument des droits de l'homme sur la rue Elgin et Lisgar à 19:00.

Nous offrons le rassemblement au parc Minto comme un point de rencontre alternative pour tous ceux qui ne sont pas confortables à un rassemblement de lever du drapeau au poste a la station de police organisée par des membres de Gender Mosaic à 13:00, par respect pour les travailleurs du sexe trans, de la rue les personnes transsexuelles, transgenres de couleur (qui forment une partie importante des personnes honorées par la «Remembering Our Dead projet ») et d'autres personnes qui ont été la cible de la brutalité policière et l'oppression. Il a également omis d'accuser le climat politique actuel entre la police d'Ottawa et de la communauté queer en raison de la position de la commission de police sur le VIH non-divulgation et de la résistance à un dialogue constructif.

Le rassemblement est aussi de reconnaître et en solidarité avec toutes les voix diverses, des identités et des expériences de notre communauté, que nous ne pouvons pas rester les bras croisés alors que beaucoup de gens dans les communautés trans sont exclus et négligés pour des raisons de publicité dans les médias et les convenances politiques. C'est le droit de toute personne trans d'être inclus et habilités par un événement créé pour commémorer aimé et perdu des êtres et de reconnaître les défis auxquels font face grâce à la transphobie, la discrimination, l'intolérance, la haine et la mort potentielle en raison de notre identité de genre, l'expression de genre ou de l'expérience de transition / état.

En ce jour vous avez la possibilité d'aider les personnes trans de tous les horizons afin de sensibiliser, d'encourager le dialogue, afin de célébrer la vie des personnes trans et faire le deuil de nos êtres aimés et perdus. Nous encourageons toutes les personnes intéressées à soutenir la vie des gens tout-trans à nous rejoindre dans une manifestation, un mars et une veillée.

Pour plus d'informations à jour sur le rallye et mars alors que nous approchons 20 Novembre, s'il vous plaît visitezhttp://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160851957278283. Nous pouvons également être atteint à ottawatransdayofremembrance@gmail.com.

En solidarité,

Comité d'organisation de la Journée du Souvenir Trans d’Ottawa

Vigile contre la violence homophobe

Tous et toutes sont invites à participer au vigile pour mettre fin à la violence homophobe ce jeudi, le 21 octobre.
Comme avec les autres vigiles d’envergures dans les villes canadiennes, cet événement est organisé dans le but de se souvenir des vies perdues à cause de l'intimidation et la haine homophobe et de se souvenir et de reconnaître toutes les expériences de violence fondées sur les sexes et la sexualité.

Ce vigile est organisé pour se souvenir mais aussi afin de reconnaître que l'homophobie n'est pas seulement tolérée, mais hors de contrôle et même encouragé dans notre société. Les sucides récents rapportés dans les médias ne sont pas isolés et ils ne sont pas les seuls suicides queer qui ont lieu dans nos collectivités – les individus queers sont surreprésentés quand il s'agit de suicide et de l'itinérance à cause de l'homophobie. Les suicides queers sont un crime haineux commis par la société.

Si nous voulons être en solidarité avec les jeunes homosexuels, nous avons besoin de contester la transphobie l'homophobie et l'hétéronormativité dans tous les aspects de nos communautés; dans les services de santé, dans le système juridique, dans les écoles, chez la police et l'armée, dans les médias populaires et entre nous même.

Ça veut dire le rétablissement du nouveau programme d’éducation sexuelle de l'Ontario, la fin de la criminalisation du VIH-sida, du support et de la dignité pour les jeunes qui se retrouvent dans la rue à cause de l'homophobie, cela signifie du contenu queer dans les curriculum scolaires, l'accès sans crainte aux services sociaux et de santé peu importe leur statut d'immigration et, surtout, ça veut dire l'écoute des voix queers qui sont au front de cette bataille importante.

Le vigile débutera avec des discours à 20 heures au Monument commémoratif de droits de la personne au coin de la rue Elgin et Lisgar (nous marcherons jusqu’à la colline du Parlement pour les discours de clôture et un moment de silence.)

Pour vous impliquer, pour plus d'information, ou si vous voulez prononcer un discours, s'il vous plaît contacter Nicole ou Georgeanne au 613-562-5755, ou par courriel électronique à queer.faction@gmail.com

INFO:
Quand: jeudi 21 octobre, 20h00
où : Monument commémoratif des droits de la personne au coin de la rue Elgin et Lisgar (nous marcherons jusqu’à la colline du Parlement pour les discours de clôture et un moment de silence.)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126072067446749

*Besoin de soutient? Les travailleurs formés à l'appui anti-oppressif de la Carleton Coalition for a Sexual Assault Support Centre seront identifiable par des brassards et seront disponible pour offrir du soutient 1 à 1 à tout moment, avant, après ou pendant le vigile.

Cet événement est appuyés par:
- fAction Queer
-GRIPO (Groupe de recherche d’intérêt public de l’Ontario) –Ottawa
-Le Centre de ressources des femmes de la Fédération étudiante de l'Université d'Ottawa
-Le Centre de la fierté de la Fédération étudiante de l'Université d'Ottawa

Ottawa Vigil to End Homophobic Violence

Everyone is invited to attend the Ottawa Vigil to End Homophobic Violence this Thursday, October 21st.

As with other heavily attended vigils in Canadian cities, this event is being held to remember the lives lost due to homophobic bullying and hate and to remember and recognize all experiences of gender and sexuality based violence.

This vigil is being held for remembrance but also to acknowledge that homophobia is not only toler...ated, but rampant and even encouraged in our society. The recent suicides reported in the media are not isolated, nor are they the only queer suicides that are happening in our communities - queer people are overrepresented when it comes to suicide and homelessness, as a result of homophobia. Queer suicide is a hate crime by society.

If we are going to stand up with queer youth, we need to challenge homophobia transphobia, and heteronormativity in all aspects of our communities; in health services, in the legal system, in schools, in the police and military, in popular media and amongst each other.

This means reinstating the new Ontario sex ed program, this means an end to the criminalization of HIV-AIDS, this means support and dignity for youth who find themselves living on the streets due to homophobia, this means queer content in school curriculums, this means access without fear to health and social services regardless of immigration status and most importantly it means listening to those queer voices on the frontlines of this important battle.

The vigil will begin with speakers at 8pm at the Human Rights Memorial on Elgin @ Lisgar and will march to Parliament hill for closing speeches and a moment of silence.

To get involved, for more information, or if you wish to speak, please contact Nicole or Georgeanne at 613-562-5755, or queer.faction@gmail.com.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126072067446749#!/event.php?eid=126072067446749


*Need support? Trained anti-oppressive support workers from the Carleton Coalition for a Sexual Assault Support Centre will be wearing arm bands and will be present to offer 1 on 1 support listening at any time before, after or during the vigil.


This event is supported by:
-Queer fAction
- OPIRG-GRIPO (Ontario Public Interest Research Group Ottawa)
-The Women’s Resource Centre of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa
-The Pride Centre of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa

Voices Against 377

[Français ci-dessous]

Voices Against 377: Decriminalizing same-sex activity in India
A Presentation by Delhi-based legal rights activist Ponni Arasu

Wednesday October 20th, 2010
Alumni Auditorium, 85 University, University of Ottawa
Reception at 6:30pm, Talk starts at 7pm
Free
For more info: http://www.opirg-gripo.ca/ or 613 230 3076
Event is in English. Contact us for French / ASL translation
Notify us 48 hours in advance for child care.

Ponni will speak to her experiences as one of the core activists who worked on having gay sex decriminalized in India. Ponni will focus her
talk on the legal aspects of queer rights struggles in India, and will
reflect on how effective this approach is, both in India and
internationally.

This panel is a co-presentation with Outlaw (an LGBTQ law
group at UOttawa), Queerfaction (a radical queer group at UOttawa) and OPIRG-Ottawa.

Bio: Ponni Arasu is a queer feminist activist from New Delhi, India. She has
worked with the Alternative Law Forum in Bangalore, India, as well as with
the Law and Society Trust in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her work involves a range
of human rights issues including gender, sexuality, labour and conflict.
Since 2003, Ponni has worked with Voices Against 377, a coalition of
women’s groups, child rights groups, human rights groups and sexuality
groups formed to initiate discussions on sexuality and the law. Voices Against 377
filed an affidavit to strike down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the section that
criminalizes gay sex.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Voices Against 377: décriminaliser les activités de même-sexe en Inde
Une présentation de Ponni Arasu, militante pour les droits légaux basée à Delhi

Mercredi le 20 Octobre
Alumni Auditorium, 85 Université, Université d’Ottawa
Réception á 18h30, Présentation commence á 19h00
Gratuit
Pour plus d'info: http://www.opirg-gripo.ca/ ou 613 230 3076
L'événement est en Anglais. Contactez-nous pour obtenir une traduction en français.
Pour la halte-garderie, veuillez nous notifier 48 heures d’avance.

Ponni discutera de ses expériences comme l’une des militantes les plus
importantes dans la lutte pour la décriminalisation des relations
sexuelles gaies en Inde. Ponni va se concentrer sur les aspects juridiques
des luttes queer en Inde et va revenir sur l’efficacité de cette approche
en Inde et à l’échelle internationale.
Ce panel est une co-présentation de Outlaw (un groupe
LGBTQ d’étudiant-e-s en droit à UOttawa), Queerfaction (un groupe radicaux queer) et le GRIPO-Ottawa.

Bio :
Ponni Arasu est une militante queer et féministe de New Delhi. Elle a
travaillé avec l'Alternative Law Forum en Bangalore ainsi qu’avec le Law
and Society Trust de Colombo, Sri Lanka. Son travail inclut une variété
d’enjeux en droits humains qui incluent le genre, la sexualité, le travail
et le conflit. Depuis 2003, Ponni collabore avec Voices Against 377, une
coalition composée de groupes de femmes, groupes pour les droits
d’enfants, groupes pour les droits humains et groupes de sexualité créée
pour initier des discussions sur la sexualité et la loi. Voices Against
377 a fait une déclaration par écrit et sous serment pour abolir la
section 377 du code pénal indien qui criminalise les relations sexuelles
gaies.

CUMPLETELY QUEER

A totally cute alternative to the gaystream!

On this 25th Anniversary of Capital(ist) Pride it is time we act out against the assimilationist agenda of "Ottawa's most colourful festival"! Cumpletely Queer aims to create an accessible alternative to Ottawa's Pride Week, while building coalitions amongst queers, radicals, and radical queers. In so doing, Cumpletely Queer hopes to revive the radical roots of Pride.

Join us as we re...ject gentrification, corporate sponsors, apartheid, assimilation and celebrate gender-bendin, sex positivity, queer histories, and much more!

Note to Allies: Straight-identified allies are welcome to join us, but please recognize that "Pride" is a queer space. Furthermore you should expect to be perceived as queer at these events.

***

Tentative Schedule of Events:

Saturday August 21st:
QUEERS IN RADICAL STRUGGLES: Panel Discussion
Organized by No One Is Illegal Ottawa
Ottawa Public Library Auditorium
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151333401546904&index=1

Friday August 27th:
CUMPLETLEY TRASHED: Queer Dance Party
SAW Gallery
Doors 9PM
PWYC// $7 Suggested Donation

Saturday August 28th:
CUMPLETELY INFORMATIONAL: Day of Workshops

TELL ME HOW YOU WANT TO FUCK: Learn how to ask for what you want in a fun and safe environment
@ 3PM

HIV CRIMINALIZATION
@ 5PM

University of Ottawa Campus
UCU 301
3PM- 7PM
PWYC
With Snacks!

Saturday August 28th:
DYKE MARCH
Elgin and Lisgar @12 PM
Followed by performance and lunch in Minto Park (2PM-4PM)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116770895041453&ref=nf

Sunday August 29th:
CUMPLETELY POLITICALl: Queers Against Apartheid Contingent in Capital(ist) Pride
Departing from Wellington St.
1PM-3PM
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149489425061959&ref=ts

**If you would like to help organize, have other ideas to bring to the table, or have an event organized anytime from August 20-29th that you wanna incorporate, give us a shout at queer.faction@gmail.com or just write on the wall**

CBC News - Ottawa - Ottawa barbershop to serve all after complaint

CBC News - Ottawa - Ottawa barbershop to serve all after complaint

Imperial Barber Shop announced Friday evening that it will offer its services to everyone at its Glebe location after an Ottawa woman complained she was refused a haircut there.

Co-owner Nancee Hunter said in a release that the barbershop on Bank Street has received an amendment to its lease that her business partner said forbid the shop from cutting women's hair. It will now offer services to all customers at the location as it has been doing at all its other Ottawa locations.

Hunter says the shop "regrets the circumstances leading to CBC's report."

Last month, Jayda Kelsall said she was riding her bike along Bank Street when a sign promising a cheap haircut caught her eye.

She said she went inside the Imperial Barber Shop and was told to go somewhere else.

"I was pretty shocked," she told CBC News. "I have really short hair. I have a mohawk. I was just looking for the sides to be shaved a little bit and trimmed up, and they flat out said no."

Imperial co-owner Gilles Lemenoise said his staff turned women away all the time.

Pointing to the hair salon above his barbershop, he said Thursday that to avoid competition his landlord bans him from cutting women's hair.

But the landlord, Minto Group, said Imperial misinterpreted the agreement.

"However, exactly it's written in the lease I don't know," said Greg Rogers, executive vice-president. "But the spirit of the agreement is that he deliver men's-style haircuts."

It doesn't matter whether a man or woman gets the cut, but it has to be a men's style, Rogers said.

Ottawa human rights lawyer Nigel McCready said it is a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code to deny someone service based on gender, whether or not the landlord has a contract with a business owner.

"The rights that are enshrined there are important enough that you shouldn't be able to make a private agreement that you're going to disregard someone's human rights," said McCready.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/07/15/ottawa-imperial-hair.html#ixzz0txm0QF4S

HAIRFIGHT! Free Haircuts to Fight Gender Oppression

FREE HAIRCUTS, FIGHT GENDER OPPRESSION
Show some solidarity for your family and
CUM GET YOUR HAIR DID! : D


Recently a friend and active (not to mention, loved) member of our queer and radical community was denied service at a barbershop because of hir biological sex. You may have heard that Jayda tried to get hir haircut- not a complicated hair cut, a simple, sophisticated although traditionally considered men’s haircut- no great task for a barbershop that only does men’s haircuts.

“WOAH! And she was denied because she had boobs!?”

No, Jayda was not asking for a beard trim on a beard glued on with spirit gum- sie wanted a very simple haircut- the kind of haircut I as a male-bodied person have gotten from the same establishment in under ten minutes.

But for Imperial Barbershop on 275 Slater Street, Ottawa, that was too long. Heavens to BETSY- why, our friend’s very BEING in their fine, traditional establishment offended their intentions! From their website:

“For generations fathers and sons have visited neighbourhood barbershops not only forthe distinctively male haircuts and shaves, but also for the casual atmosphere in which they were able to relax and discuss the day's sports events and political topics. Many of these cultural icons have disappeared and have been replaced by trendy salons catering primarily to women.”

Those pesky women, always butting their heads in to ask what I want with my roast when I’m TRYING to talk about sports and politics! Am I right, guys?

I think that’s enough forced sarcasm.

In response to Imperial Barbershop’s discrimination, the TENTH OF JULY, a Saturday, Queer Faction intends to host a cut-in where our friend was cut-out because of hir biology. Show up to Imperial and ask for a men’s hair cut if you’re female-bodied, show up in drag (doesn’t have to be full drag) for a haircut if you’re male and SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY!


What’s with charging female bodied people more for the same haircut, anyways? Every woman with simple hair knows a fag with a complicated cut getting in for a fraction of what she pays for her trim every month or two. Forget this gender disparity!

WE’LL DO IT FOR FREE IF THEY WON’T DO IT FOR WHAT IT’S ACTUALLY WORTH.
Two ‘X’ chromosomes do not a sixty dollar haircut make, when your hair is a couple inches long!

We will be offering FREE HAIRCUTS outside of Imperial Barbershop (at the colloquially ‘anti-imperialism’ cutters) on the curb. EVEN IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GO INSIDE, OR COME IN DRAG- CUM GET YOUR HAIR DID! YEEEAH!

Check out the Facebook event here!

The Lady Gaga Debate…Can we just fuck to her songs and be done with arguing about her?

Originally posed on Fierce and Fabulous on May 20, 2010

The Lady Gaga Debate

DISCLAIMER: So we thought that we’d lighten up this site with some light reading/humour, i’d love to continue this pointless debate with anyone who wants to challenge the points i make here….

by: justin timberdick

So yeah, its obvious…Lady Gaga is clearly not an anarchist, and not queer positive, well she’s not rad. queer positive at least. She’s a fucking celebrity who makes millions and millions of dollars, she’s an assimilationist asshole just like every other celebrity, but even still i have a hard time even calling her assimilationist at all…im tempted to say that she’s the exact opposite but i know better.

The question that i think is important to ask is whether or not she fucks with/challenges the gender binary, societal norms, and what it means to be obscene/perverse. Whether or not she does these things intentionally or not doesn’t really matter. Its also interesting how much she has been coming up in conversation/debates within the anarchist community. In my experience the only folks that i’ve gotten into debates about her with is cis-gendered, straight, male, anarchists. Thats also something thats really interesting (but not surprising at all) to me. Most queer/trans identified anarchists i know love her! All the cissy straight anarcho boys seem pretty upset, furious and just generally disgruntled over the fact that queers could like her. Ya know.. usually when i start pissing off straight cis boy anarchists i know i’ve been doing something right…. i mean really the fact that she’s getting this sort of  repulsed response from anarchists is hilarious! Lady Gaga pisses off cissy anarchist straight boys like she pisses off Fred Phelps and any conservative, just for different reasons. Ya sure she’s a sell out and has marketed herself to make millions, but seriously guys im sure you never listen to any artist that has sold out….right? Only crust and D.I.Y folk punk….mmm hmm sure.

There’s also another question that comes into play now that we’re talking about marketing yerself for money. I feel like having a job is the equivalent to this, you create a resume, you go to the interview and try to market yerself to a potential employer. Then you hope to get the job and make some cash by selling a service, sure its on a smaller scale, and ya there are some differences, but in the end its all the same. The way im feeling more and more of the time is that lady gaga is more queer positive, and is fucking with gender norms way more than most cis straight boys i know. Whether or not she’s a rich snob isn’t relevant to me, what is is that id still probably feel more comfortable sitting in a room with 10 Lady Gaga’s than 10 insurrectionary rhetoric spewing macho cissy straight anarchist boys. Maybe thats a problem?

TD Bank sends letter to Pride Toronto

FUCK corporate sponsors!

 

From: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1398780607937#!/group.php?gid=352762041138

Flag Wars [film screening and discussion]

Cum join Queer fAction for a screening of the documentary Flag Wars and a discussion about gentrification afterwards!

Thursday March 11th 4-6PM
Pride Centre [UCU 215-C]
University of Ottawa



Check out the website at: http://www.pbs.org/pov/flagwars/

Ottawa Israeli Apartheid Week 2010

Students Against Israeli Apartheid Carleton and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights uOttawa are very excited and proud to announce the confirmed speakers for Ottawa's Israeli Apartheid Week 2010:

Week Overview:

Monday (Carleton): Student-to-Student Solidarity in the Fight Against Apartheid
Featuring: Nada Elia, Haya Zaidan, Andrew Stachiw, Yafa Jarrar
Azrieli Theatre 301
7 pm

Tuesday (Carleton): Queer-Friendly, Multicultural, Green: Debunking Israel's Myths
Featuring: Natalie Kouri-Towe, Saron Ghebressellassie and Ilaria Giglioli
Mackenzie Engineering Building 3235
7 pm

Mercredi (Université d'Ottawa): La lutte pour l'autodetermination en Palestine
Sabrien Amrov et Denis Lemelin
Pavillon Colonel By B012
7:30 pm

Wednesday (Carleton): Cinema Politica presents Films Against Apartheid.
Have You Heard From Johannesburg?: Apartheid and the Club of the West
Carleton University, Tory Building 360
7 pm

Thursday (University of Ottawa): Fighting Racism, Fighting Apartheid
Featuring Naeem Jeenah, Gabriel Ash, and Nahla Abdo.
University of Ottawa, Fauteux Hall 147
7:30 pm

Friday (Carleton): Indigenous Sovereignty from Turtle Island to Palestine
Featuring: Dr. Jamal Zahalka, and Dr. Paula Sherman
Carleton University, Fenn Lounge, Residence Commons Building
7pm

To see a detailed schedule with bios Click Here

Sponsored by:
Agitate! Queer People of Colour
Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians
Books 2 Prisoners
Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Friends of Sabeel
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Carleton University Aboriginal Service Centre
Carleton University Womyn's Centre
Common Cause Ottawa
Faculty for Palestine-Carleton
Human Rights Program of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Carleton University
Canada Palestine Support Network-Ottawa
Collectif du chat noir
EXILE Infoshop
Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)
Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa
No One Is Illegal-Ottawa
Not In Our Name: Jews Opposing Zionism - Ottawa
NOWAR-PAIX
Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Carleton
Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Ottawa/Groupe de recherche
d'intérêt public de l'Ontario-Ottawa
Queer fAction
Socialist Project
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights-Ottawa
Students Against Israeli Apartheid-Carleton
Under Pressure//Sous Pression Coalition Against Poverty

http://ottawa.apartheidweek.org/

Open Letter to the Ottawa Citizen

This is an open letter is in response to this article.

Instead of engaging with the issues at hand, Mr. Stern in his article “The dark side of a yearly ritual” focuses his criticism (six paragraphs in fact) on those who are supportive of Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW). From OPIRG, to Carleton’s Womyns Center, the Canadian Arab Federation to “gay and lesbian groups” Mr. Stern’s attacks on these groups, are misreprestative, and at times false. He reserves his hardest criticism for those who happen to be Queer. To Mr. Stern it is disheartening that some gays and lesbians are part of the quest for Palestinian human rights, because all of those queers just don’t seem to understand that Israel is a haven for homosexuals and celebrates LGBTQ culture, with parades and movies. Try doing that in Gaza, or Syria probes Mr. Stern. As queers, activists and academics this logic is not only insulting but flawed. We resist the idea that because there exists a place of relative safety for LGBTQ people in the Middle East, illegal occupation is justified. Mr. Stern fails to mention that Palestinian Queers are targets along side the rest of the population. We should be fighting homophobia everywhere, even in Muslim countries. However, Palestinian Queer groups have said the biggest threat to their organizing is the Israeli occupation, not homophobia, so that’s where we choose focus our energy. Occupation: not it our name.

Now that that’s settled, we need to return to the actually issues at hand, which is the illegal occupation which is exactly what Israeli Apartheid Week is bringing to the forefront.

The main problem with Mr. Stern charging that IAW is trying to “erase the distinction” between Jews and Zionists is that its blatantly false. Judaism is a religion, and Zionism is a political ideology. The example given by Mr. Stern is that the Ontario Public Interest Research Group’s refusal to work with Hillel on an event about development. Hillel, although it claims not to be a Zionist organization, has as part of their structure an Israeli Awareness Committee and their current participation in the Israeli public relations campaign “Size Doesn’t Matter” speaks to a different story, a Zionist story. It is important to note though, that IAW has Jewish members organizing, funding and speaking during the week, making Mr. Stern’s accusations of disconnecting “Jew” and “Zionist” completely ridiculous.

Mr Stern’s article exemplifies a typical defense tactic of the supporters of Israel, which is to say that any criticism or questioning of the action of the state is hateful and anti-Semitic. All that IAW is trying to do, is just that, to legitimately criticize the actions of the state. It maybe true that no other nation is subject to a weeklong event criticism the actions of their government, but that speaks to an important fact. This is that Israel claims to be a liberal democracy, which respects human rights, and demands that their actions be accepted on the international stage. Israel gets special status in the international community to violate domestic and international law, including the Geneva conventions. Yet, these same conventions if broken by other states, these states would face huge backlash in the international community. Again this is what Israel Apartheid Week is aiming to bring into focus.

The word Apartheid brings up strong images and emotions, as it harkens back to the racist ideology exemplified in South Africa during its Apartheid. Mr. Stern is absolutely correct that international law defines Apartheid as a crime against humanity. The Convention on Apartheid spells out conditions in which a state, if met, is considered an Apartheid State. Desmond Tutu- Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, John Dugard-a renowned Jewish South African international jurist, and Jimmy Carter –former President all agree that the occupation of Palestine amounts to Apartheid according to international law. If they can see it, why can’t Mr. Stern?

If Israeli actions do amount to apartheid, then we (Queer Faction and Agitate) do question and act to undermine this state. This is not anti-Semitic, nor is it unprecedented, because in fact in the Convention on Apartheid, which Michael Ignatieff cites, calls for that same action to be taken. To fight apartheid until it is gone. We will not stop until Palestine and Israel can agree upon a mutual beneficial solution that respects human rights for all.

Sincerely

Agitate: Queer People of Color and Queer fAction

Gay penpal seeking same!

The Prisoner Correspondence Project is a collectively-run initiative based out of Montréal. It coordinates a direct-correspondence program for gay, lesbian, transsexual, transgender, gendervariant, two-spirit, intersex, bisexual and queer inmates in Canada and the United States, linking these inmates with people part of these same communities outside of prison.

If you live in Ottawa and want to get involved, Queer fAction can help set you up with the Prisoner Correspondence Project and provide a central mailing address in Ottawa for you to use. Contact us for more info. (Queer.fAction@gmail.com)

Check out the project's website for the tips and guidelines for being a penpal: http://www.prisonercorrespondenceproject.com/

Market this!

Cum to the Qf meeting and screening of MARKET THIS!: Queer Radicals Respond to Gay Assimilation on Thursday Jan.14th, 4pm @ UCU205. Part of OPIRG week!

For more info check out:
OPIRG Week Jan. 11-15 2010!