| The article, "The collapse of queer activism" (by Hugh Graham, Cover, April 1 — April 7, 2004) indicts Calgary’s queer community as apathetic and apolitical. This is false. As homosexuals, we have gained unprecedented rights in the last decade, and Calgarians have been important players in the liberalization of our country and province.
The three largest provinces in Canada are granting same-sex marriage licences. As much as Ralph sputters, most Albertans understand that gay marriage is a fait accompli, given changing social mores and broad support for marriage equality from younger voters. As for the Goliath’s raids, people have been outspoken about it – it was appalling. The police are dragging the trial out because they know they made a mistake; I suspect they want it to have never happened more than we do.
I would argue that the form of queer activism has evolved as society has changed. Perhaps some Fast Forward readers remember the gay pride parades of the early ’90s. They were dismally attended, often picketed, scary, exhilarating, political affairs – far from the situation we find ourselves in today. The Fairy Tales international gay and lesbian film festival used to screen hate calls as well as films, now they get mainstream media promotional coverage.
Was it not the mobilization of the queer community in Calgary Centre that defeated Alliance MP Eric Lowther in the last federal election? Every politician you can throw a stick at in the inner city, at every level of government, courts the queer community. Indeed one candidate in the last municipal election basically ran his platform on his homosexual orientation and garnered 887 votes.
Perhaps as we have become mainstreamed we lost the "fabulousness" that old-school activism was a part of. However, now that we have tasted equality, we have developed an appetite for it that is insatiable. What is underground about that?
Kevin Allen
Executive Director, NUTV
|
Copyright ©2004 FFWD. All rights reserved.