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Tuesday, November 14

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e Islam Awareness Week will hold a workshop on Shahaada in Shatner 107 from 14h30 to 16h.

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Comment THE SAME UNIQUENESS

Queer, Dyke, Fag, Bi. Labels. These days, we tend to rely on them more and more, to lump people together, to cat- egorise and define them. Granted, labels help to unify oppressed groups of people. They can pro- vide the means to form a power base and to speak out from it. But at the same time, by dividing people into “special in- terest” groups, itis much easier to ignore the is- sues that these groups bring up than to actually address them.

Bisexual and Transgendered (TG) is- sues have been treated in this way. They have been marginalized in mainstream society and in the gay and lesbian community. It has been and still is a case of “Bi- sexual issues only for bi- sexuals” and “Transgendered issues only relate to transgendered people”. But these issues speak to more people than that.

Transgendered is- sues arent just about hormones, drag, and SRS (see glossary). These is-

sues challenge socicty’s

preconceived notions of

gender roles, gender traits and gender, pe- riod. They point to how

we all embody a mix of

“masculine” and “femi- nine” traits and more im- portant, to how arbitrary these distinctions actu- ally are. Beyond physi- cal differences, the dif- ferences in mental, emo- tional and sexual differ- ences are slowly disap- pearing, as are society’s artificial gender roles that place women as gatherers and men as hunters. The roles that society assigns to people are those created by a male-dominated, sex- phobic soceity where not everyone has been given the chance to define themselves. All these val- ues and roles that soci- ety holds as truth need to be reconsidered in light of transsexuality. Bisexual politics also emphasise that you can't categorise people. Bisexuality challenges the dichotomy that you are either heterosexual or homosexual. But even more than that, it chal-

THE MSGILL DAILY Special Issue

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

Volume 85 number 27

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Cover by Derek Fung

Special Issue Coordinators: Derek Fung and Kevin Siu

All contents ©1995 Daily Publications Society. All rights reserved. The content of this newspaper is the responsibility of the McGill Daily and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University or the Students’ Society of McGill University. Products or companies advertized in this newspaper are not necessarily endorsed by the Daily staff. Printed by Interhauf Developments Inc.,

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THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

lenges the notion of “ei- ther/or.” Bisexual peo- ple represent the full spectrum of human ex- istence: from practically hetero to almost homo, from kinky to vanilla, from. monogamous to polyamorous, Every sin- gle permutation exists within the scope of bi- sexuality and that is the beauty of it. To try to reduce everyone to these categories is to try to cover up and hide the natural and evolved va- riety of human existence. Bisexual people reflect the diversity within any given group and shows that these little black boxes to which people have been assigned to just don’t work.

The bisexual and transgendered move- ments both suggest that people cannot be classi- fied into rigid “either/ or” categories and roles. Instead it suggests that continuums Of sexuality, of gender, of race, of age exist. Each person exists somewhere along these continuums, not defined by limits, but by arange of possibilities. Each per- son is at some point of human experience and it is this diversity that cre- ates the lattice of life.

The danger in con- stant labelling and cat- egorising is that it will reduce the rich tapestry of life to a single thread. Instead of trying to de- fine each and every sin- gle second of human ex- istence, why not revel in the differences that makes each person unique and remember what makes us all hu- man: the capacity to love, empathise and destroy. What a boring world this would be if we were all the same.

In the end, I hope that this issue will help celebrate the different ways of existing in this world. And though there are differences, remem- ber that we are morealike than we are unlike. We are all human.

Derek Fung

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 4: What do they mean?: A glossary of terms used to describe gender identity

Page 9: Lesbian Bisexual Gay Transgender McGill: The evolution of LBGTM

Page 6: Where is McGill’s policy on sexual orientation?: Students and faculty look for an answer

Page 7: Queer in Ontario: Ontario’s right wing darling, Mike Harris doesn’t do much for the queer community.

The Triangle Programme: Toronto sets up separate classes lor gay and lesbian students

Page 8: Biphobia in Montréal: Does the city’s gay and lesbian community exclude bi- sexuals and transgendered people?

segregation in the LBGT community: Looking at the riftbetween men and women

Page 9: Lesbian rights: Sexual orientation clause deleted at the UN World Conference on Women

Pages 10-11: Talking about the bisexual movement: An Interview with San Francis- co’s Maggi Rubenstein, one of the first out bisexuals in North America

Page 12: Thoughts on gender identity: An interview with McGill’s Olivia Jensen

Page 13: Changing your sex: The sex reas- signment process

Page 14: Anti-gay legislation in the US: Colorado’s Amendment 2 is brought to the Supreme Court

Page 15: Looking for a gay gene: Does the nature versus nurture debate really mat- ter?

Page 16: The question of equality: Two documentaries recently shown at the Im- age & Nation film festival

Page 17: Coming out: The stories of two McGill students

Page 18: The strange customs of Canada:

Border guards continue to detain LBGT literature

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

8 SEXUAL IDENTITY AND

GENDER IDENTITY GLOSSARY

he following isa glossary

of some basic terms used

in describing gender and sexual identity. These meanings, however, are continually changing and are used differently by different individuals in different contexts. The definitions assume the existence of only two sexes and genders which many people consider closely related or overlapping. In this way, they may presenta limited view of a much richer reality,

Despite these caveats, many people find the terms listed here useful in varying degrees, even if only as a Starting point for describing how their view of the world differs from that represented here,

Bearin mind that gender identity refers to whether one thinks of oneself as a man (masculine) or as a woman (feminine), gender/sex is whether one has a vagina ora penis and gender roles are society's arbitrarily prescribed rules for how people are supposed to behave based on their sex,

Sexual identity refers to Whom one is sexually and romantically attracted, When

one’s sex and gender identity

are different, sexual identity can be based on either one. Alternatively, one may have lwo sexual identities, one as a man and one as a Woman,

Androgeny: !he quality of

simultaneously exhibiting ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ characteristics,

Benjamin Standards, The: | lic international guidelines developed by Dr. Harry Benjamin regarding requirements of applicants for hormone andsexual reassignment SUTYCTY,

Bigendered: One who switches between masculine and feminine gender roles periodically.

Biphobia: The oppression or mistreatment of bisexuals, especially by lesbians and gay men.

Bisexual: One who has Significant sexual and romantic attractions to members of both the same and the other sex, or who identify as members of the bisexual community.

Butch: |. ‘Masculine’ or macho dress and behaviour,

regardless of sex or gender

identity. 2, A sub-identity of lesbian or gay, based on ‘masculine’ or macho dress and behaviour.

Come out: |. To disclose one’s own sexual identity to

therapy

another, 2. To discover that one’s own sexual identity is different than previously assumed, 3. To deal with one’s own and others’ reactions to the discovery or revelation of one’s sexual identity. \

Drag: 1.Clothes, often unusual or dramatic, especially those considered appropriate to the other sex. 2. Can be applied to any recognisable ‘look’ (¢.g. “I see you are in corporate drag today”).

Dyke: Keclaimed derogatory slang. Refers to lesbians, or to lesbians andbisexual women,

F2M: I'emale to male. Used to specify the direction of a sex or gender role change.

Femme: |. ‘feminine’ or effeminate dress and behaviour, regardless of sex or gender identity. 2. A sub- identity of lesbian or gay, based on ‘masculine? or macho dress and behaviour.

Gay: One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the same sex, or who identifies as a member of the gay community, Can refer to gay males or both gay males and /esbians. Although some use the term gav community to refer to all sexual minorities, lesbians and bisexuals often do not feel included by it,

Gender (identity): A psychological gender role (i.c. ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’),

Gender (identity) community: People who identify as transvestite, transsexual, or transgendered, Members of the gender community do not necessarily identify as members of the sexual minority community.

Gender dysphoria (GD): Unhappiness or discomfort experienced by one whose sexual organs do not match one’s gender identity.

Gender neutral: Clothing, behaviours, thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc, Which are considered appropriate for members of both sexes,

Gender role: Arbitrary rules assigned by society, that define what clothing, behaviours, thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc. are considered appropriate and inappropriate for members of each sex. What is considered ‘masculine,’ ‘feminine,’ or‘neutral' varies according to location, class, occasion, and numerous other factors.

Genetic male/man (GM): Onc

who was considered male

NovemBer 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

from birth, regardless of one’s present sex or gender

identity. Genetic female/woman (GF/ GM): One who was

considered female from birth, regardless of one’s present sex or gender identity.

Hermaphrodite: One who has both a penis and a vagina. Considered derogatory.

Heterosexual (het): One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the other sex,

Heterosexism: The assumption that identifying as heterosexual and having sexual and romantic attractions only to members of the other sex is good and acceptable, and that other

sexual identities and attractions are bad and unacceptable. The

assumption that anyone whose sexual orientation is not known must be straight. Homophobia: Originally, afear of sexual attraction to the same sex. Developed into a term describing all aspects of the oppression of lesbians,

gays, and _— bisexuals (sometimes does not include bisexuals).

Homosexual: l'ormalor clinical term for gay, usually meaning gay male, but can refer to lesbian or bisexual. Homosexual and homosexuality are terms often associated with the proposition that same gender attractions are a mental disorder (homophilia). The terms are distasteful to some people.

Hormone therapy: Used to change secondary sex characteristics, including

breast size, weight distribution, and facial hair growth.

Identifyfied (as): To think of oneselfas having a particular sexual identity or gender identity (e.g. “l identify asa bisexual” or “He is bisexual- identified). To emphasise that an identity term refers to one’s internal reality, as opposed to what others perceive,

Identity: How one thinks. of oneself. One's internal self, as Opposed to what others perceive,

Kinsey scale, The: An cqual- interval scale with continuous graduations between heterosexuality (0) and homosexuality (6) used as a measure of sexuality.

Label: How someone else sees or thinks of one.

Lesbian: A woman who has Significant sexual and

romantic attractions to members of the same sex, or who identifies as a member of the lesbian community. Bisexual women often do not feel included by this term.

M2F: Male to female. Used to specify the direction cfa sex or gender role change.

Monosexual: One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of one sex (i.e. straight, gay, lesbian).Someone whois not bisexual.

Neuter: |. One who has neither a penis nor a vagina. 2. Occasionally used to mean androgynous.

Other sex/gender: [he other sex or vender than the reference person’s own (¢.g. “She has an other sex partner”).

(To be) Out: To be open about one’s sexual identity with someone or in a situation.

(To) Out (someone): |. [0 disclose a second person’s sexual identity to a third person, particularly without the second person’s permission, 2. To disclose one’s own sexual identity, sometimes inadvertantly.

Pre-operative transsexual (Pre-op TS): One who is actively planning to switch physical sexes, mostly to relieve gender dysphoria.. Probably, but not necessarily, cross dresses, takes hormone therapy, and gets electrolysis.

Primary sex organs: Penis (male) or vagina (female). Queer: Reclaimed derogatory slang for the sexual minority community (e.g. Queer Nation), Not accepted by all the sexual minority community, especially older

members,

Same sex/gender: The same sex or gender as the reference person’s own (e.g. “She has a same sex partner”),

Sex: male or female, depending onone’s primary sex organs,

Sex role: See gender role.

Sexual identity: How one thinks of oneself, in terms of being significantly attracted to members of the same or the other sex, Based on one’s internal experience, as opposed to which gender one’s sexual partners belong to.

Sexual identity/minority community: A formal term which includes Jesbians,

bisexuals, gays, and sometimes members of the gender community.

Members of the sexual minoritycommunity usually do not identify as members

of the gender community. Sexual orientation/ preference: Hoi one thinks of her/himself, in terms of being significantly attracted to members the same or the other sex. Sexual orientation implies the inability to control or influence the development of one’s sexual and romantic attractions, Conversely, sexual preference implies the ability to control or influence the development of one’s sexual and romantic attractions Sexual reassignment surgery (SRS): A surgical procedure which changes one’s primary sexual organs from one sex to another (i.e. penis to vagina or vagina to penis). Stonewall: A pivotal event in 1969, which basically involved queers revolting against discrimination, that many attribute to having spurred the modern queer movement Straight: Colloquial for heterosexual, Because straight has connotations of “unadulterated,” “pure,” and “honest,” some members of the sexual identity community object to the implication that one who is not straightis “bent,” “adulterated,” “impure,” or “dishonest.” Straight has connotations of ‘narrow,’ ‘straight-laced’ or ‘conservative,’ and some heterosexual-identified people find it distasteful. Transgender community: Formal term for gender community. Transgendered (TG): One who switches gender roles, whether just once, or many times at will. Inclusive term for transsexuals and transvestites, Transsexual (TS): One who switches physical sexes (usually just once, but there are exceptions), Primary sex change is accomplished by sexual reassignment surgery,

Hormone therapy, electrolysis, additional surgery, and other treatments that change secondary SCX characteristics,

Transvestite (TV): One who mainly cross-dresses for pleasure in the appearance and sensation. The pleasure may not be directly erotic. May feel comfortable in a focused transgender role while cross dressed. May occasionally experience gender dysphoria.

\ 4 ) THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

LBGTM expands its

By Roberta Laucke

t Was only four years ago that queer McGill students created a new student-run service to ensure that their needs would be addressed. In 1991 the group was

called Gays and Lesbians at :

McGill. The group has since expanded its name to Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered Students of McGill (LBGTM) in order to include more members of the queer community rather than just gays and lesbians.

“The role of LBGTM is to offer a safe space in and outside of McGill. It is a place to talk to people,” explained Sean Addis, | LBGTM’s administrator.

“Here you can get to know people with the same concerns and political aspirations. You can receive counseling. We have dances and general discussion groups,” he continued,

Many students at’ McGill have found the group extremely helpful in encouraging them to deal with their sexuality. This safe environment has made them feel comfortable to be themselves.

“Tcame out my second year at McGill University. It’s nice knowing that something is out there... that we have a community and support so we do not feel alone,” stated Karen Tamaki, LBGTM's social co-coordinator.

Membership numbers were low when the group first started, and the group

expanded to include bisexuals during the 1992-1993 school year. Last summer a discussion group was held to make the group even more inclusive by adding transgendered people to the name, These changes were made to make all students feel welcome within the group.

“Last year we discussed offering more space for everyone. In our constitution it states [that] we represent all issues and all people. We added transgendered people to make them feel included. The key is solidarity. We want transgendered people to feel accepted,” stated Addis.

The group’s expansion has been beneficial to many students, “This expansion has made people address gender issues... There’s a lot more interest from women and trangendered people,” stated Chris Carter, political co- coordinator at LBGTM,

“This has been beneficial for everyone. The main thing we wanted to do is raise awareness and we have,” he added.

But even with these changes, some people still feel marginalised by LBGTM. “Most of the people who are active in the leadership of the group are men. Men have paid a lot of lip service in getting women involved... [but] it is the old boys’ network,” said Cherie Payne, a recent McGill graduate and past LBGTM member.

community

“I found membership the women’s level of involvement is low...

There is definitely room for

women to improve [their] Status in LBGTM,” Payne added.

Tamaki agreed with Payne and stated that changes are necessary. “I thinkitis a tricky situation. There is separation between the men and the women because the group is male-dominated, so the women feel marginalised because theyare the minority. The general discussion group has 20 men and only three or four women. The situation can be improved.”

According to Jeanna Steele, a U3 Arts student and past member of LBGTM, it is not only women but other groups who feel isolated as well.

“Tfelt marginalised because [ am bisexual. I could not identify with the issues in the general discussion group. We had a separate group that was better. It identified more with bisexuals. I think itwould have been better if we had more group activities,” she said.

Carter agreed with Steele, but stressed that the situation

is slowly improving. “Lots of

groups feel marginalised, [like] blacks, people of colour, bisexuals and women, [but] it is getting better. There have been problems with this situation and we are working on it,” he said.

“Women in the past had low representation and we have addressed these issues.

in terms of

Now gender parity is required by the constitution for everything that LBGTM does. There are more women volunteers for higher positions. We are getting events at Sisters, the lesbian and bisexual bar. There has been the creation of the

Women's group. The situation

is improving,” he continued.

LBGTM has also been trying to change policies at McGill. Members of the student-run Organisation feel the University is not sensitive to issues affecting the queer community.

As such, LBGTM coordi- nators and Students’ Society VP University Affairs Lisa Grushcow have been working together on a questionnaire addressing problems of sexuality in relation to student life Seat? McGill. The questionnaire will be given out to students and faculty across campus exi semester.

“The questionnaire will be modeled after the one Concordia gave out. We will be looking at heterosexuality and homophobia,” stated Grushcow. “We want to know if people are experiencing homophobia from peers and student services. We want to know if LBGT students are well served at McGill or if there is discrimination. We are looking for some direction to see what it is that we need to work on.”

The questionnaire will provide specific facts to help McGill develop queer- sensitive policies and provide

a safe space for everyone on campus. "Everyonc on campus should feel at home,” said Grushcow, but as of this moment not everyone docs. “Right now homosexuality is seen as a disease in some quarters. People are called ‘faggots’ and people have been beaten up. We want homophobia, sexism and other forms of discrimination to be addressed in McGill’s harassment policies. These are student issues and we need to raise awareness,” she stated, Carter concurred with Grushcow. “McGill's administration is behind every other university on harassment and discrimination policies. There are no gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered policies.

These issues have to be taken

into consideration. There are benefits for opposite sex employees. There is nothing for the same sex.”

Interested students can go to the following events: Bisexual group Wed. 17h30 pm, Shatner rm 423. Womyn's troup: Thurs. 18h Shatner 425. Coming Out group Fri. [7h50 United Theological College at 3521 University. General Group Fri. 19h in the basement of the United Theological College. Coordinating committee mecting Wed, 18h30 Shatner 455. There is also an LBGTM library available to all students. For more info: 398- 6822,

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE ( 5 ) November 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

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By Jacqueline Reis

In 1991, the Québec Human Rights Commission found that there was an atmosphere of homophobia at McGill.

Raynald Lepage, president of Lesbian and Gay Employ- ees of McGill (LAGEM) re- counted one instance in which “A supervisor told an e@m- ployee that had that person known thatthe employee was gay, he would have never been hired.”

He added, “It was a com- ment that went a long way.”

When asked about McGill's response to discrimination on the basis of sexual orienta- tion, Sean Addis, administra- tor of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered students of McGill (LBGTM), said “I think it’s an issue that they Lry to neglect. [Us something that they try to blind sight... [But] we know that it’s present.”

Addis cited the events sur- rounding a recent LBGTM dance at Gert’s as one exam- ple. According to Addis, many of the people who were in the bar before the dance made homophobic comments and POSLUTCS,

“Sometimes people don't say much, but it is present,” said Addis.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories and I believe a lot of stories,” said Lisa Grushcow, Students’ Sociely vp university affairs, Grushcow listed several forms of heterosexism on campus, including gay bashing, homophobic slurs and a cur- riculum that teaches homo- sexuality as a deviation.

“It happens,” said Chris Carter, a political coordina- tor alLBGTM, referring to dis- crimination on the basis of sexual orientation. “A proactive administration on this issue would be great.”

But when asked if he ex- pected to see this happen, his response was “In a word, no,”

Where's the policy?

The words “sexual orienta- tion” are mentioned only once in the entire forest of paper work that makes up McGill policy.

“Every student has a right to equal treatment by the University; this right must not be impaired by discrimina- tion based on race, colour, ethnic or national origin, civil status, religion, creed, politi- cal conviction, language, sex, sexual orientation, social con- dition, age, personal handi- cap” ete. (Charter of Students’

Novemser 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

Rights, Part 1, 2.1).

This excerpt applies only to students. Faculty members fall under McGill’s equity policy: “McGill University is committed toemployment eq- uity and in particular to pro- viding equal employment op- portunities consistent with the provisions of the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Charter of Rights and lrecdoms.”

Honora Shaughnessy, di- rector of the Employment Equity Office, said that Eq- uity does not have a spe- cific mandate to deal with issues of discrimination on the basis of sexual orienta- lion.

“Noone has ever come to me specifically complain- ing [about] sexual orienta- tion... The Equity Office doesn’t have a mandate,” she said, adding that no equity office in Canada does. “That's just the way it is.”

According to the office of the principal and vice- principals, Shaughnessy is the administration’s spokesperson on this issue,

Fortunately for staff members, the Quebec Char- ter was the first human rights document in Canada lo specifically entrench the right to freedom from dis- crimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

McGill’s scanty policies on this issue are considered inadequate by members of both the student and faculty communities.

from scratch

Groups work toward

sexual orientation policy

“T haven't kind of grouped harassment on the basis on any of those things, but there continue to be a number of students who will bring these issues forth, in terms of either remarks faculty or teachers made that they find offensive,” said Estelle Hopmeyer, ombudsperson for students.

“] think it would be very helpful if there was a more [comprehensive] policy on any kind of harassment,” she added.

‘I know from hav- ing talked

to other universi- ties, McGill is behind the times,”

Sean Addis, admin- istrator of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered stu- dents of McGill (LBGTM).

”

“There is no official policy, said Carter. “To have it worded out, specifically, would make sure someone goes ahead [with filing a grievance].”

Addis commented that “A lot of times LBGT issues are neglected, are put to the side... I know from having talked to other universities, McGill is be- hind the times.”

Good for a trip to the den-

tist, but...

One measure of an institution's attitude toward homosexu- ality is the extent to which itoffersitsemployees same- sex benefits.

According to Lepage, McGill extends monetary benefits, such as Medicare and the dental plan, to Same-Sex spouses as per the Québec Charter.

To qualify for these rights, the employee and his/her partner must meet the same standards a com- mon-law heterosexual cou- plewould, thatis, they must have lived together for three years. Lepage men- tioned that a letter is ad- equate proof of this.

However, McGill does not extend same-sex benefits in terms of time if an employ- ee’s partner becomes sick or if one of their in-laws dies.

“To me, being gay is be- ing human, and! don’t see why we should be denied what has been granted to everyone,” said Lepage. “It’s inconsiderable that some kinds [of people] would be denied the right to funeral

rights,”

Lepage added that LAGEM is

not a highly visible organisa-

tion on campus (the Daily talked to several people who were not sure it still existed).

“We are made up of people involved in various organisa- tions anyway,” said Lepage, who keeps a list of phone num- bers to help members find as- sistance.

“We don’t feel the need of making a big display,” he con- cluded.

Making “a big display” is particularly difficult when your members don’t always want to be seen. Lepage would not say how many members LAGEM has and mentioned that it is often easier for stu- dents to ‘come out’ than em- ployees.

“The younger people are much more confident, and there are more resources for them to know that they are not alone,” said Lepage. “Employ- ees tend to keep a low profile. Usually, if they get along with people, they might open up, but they keep it very quiet...

“You don’t give any lead to it, but you don’t deny or con- firm,” he added. “I think the higher they go into the hierar- chy, especially at McGill, the less you're going to hear about its.

Taking action

Students at McGill are taking steps to find out to what ex- tent the “atmosphere of homophobia” still exists at McGill and how it can be ad- dressed.

Members of LBGTM and the Students’ Society plan to ask students to fill out a question- naire about heterosexism on campus,

“McGill’s behind the times in a lot of things,” said Addis. “Now it’s time to just show the Dean of Students, this is what we got through our question- naire.... It’s an actual fact, it’s not just people whining.”

Addis and Grushcow hope that the questionnaire will give students and administrators specific areas on which to fo- cus, like residence life, Stu- dent Services, the Students’ Society or course curricula.

“I think we need a policy and I think we need to get directions,” said Grushcow.

Grushcow expects the ques- tionnaires to be available at tables around campus in the third week in January.

For more information on Les- bian and Gay Employees of McGill (LAGEM), call Raynald Lepage at 398-4711, or write to LAGEM, c/o Raynald Lepage, Department of Rare Books, McLennan Library.

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

= Worried about dp

Harris cuts hit queer com-

EL a ~

by Idella Sturino

Ithough Ontario Pre- A mier Mike Harris has

taken no official stance

on gay and lesbian rights in the province, recent decisions made by the Harris government have members of the queer community wonder- ing,

A decision not to re-intro- duce legislation to give same- sex couples equal benefits as opposite-sex couples — an ini- tiative the Rae government tried unsuccessfully — seems to reflect the Harris govern- ment’s general attitude.

“(Same sex benefits are) not a priority for the government, not something they were elected on,” said David Lan- caster, a special assistant to Rosedale Conservative MPP Al Leach, the attorney-general.

Asimilar decision was made in July, when the government decided to pull out of a court challenge initiated by the pre- vious NDP government against the federal Income Tax Act. The intervention was made on behalf of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which argued that the Act’s defini- tion of spouse was unconstitu- tional because it referred to heterosexual couples only.

In addition, the government recently reversed the prov- ince’s position on a ruling on

the provincial Fam- ily Law Act. Marian Boyd, then attorney- general, had tried unsuccessfully to change the Act’s definition of spouse to include same-sex |". couples and later ar- | =)

gued that the defi- AOR RS AE oats aye ES

the law’s validity as itstands in asubmission to the court in September,

Other ominous signs that affect Ontarians both within and outside the queer com- myinity include cuts to social services, cooperative housing and community-based centres,

Micheal Shapcott of the Co- operative Housing Association of Ontario talks about the re- cent Harris decision to kill 385 new subsidised housing

* # lawyer, Robert Charney, ef- fectively sided with

projects, including a gay and lesbian co-op in Toronto. Ac- cording to Shapcott, these kinds. of housing initiatives have been particularly impor- tant for gays and lesbians. Like single mothers, people of col- our and people with disabili- ties, “gays and lesbians have long been marginalised by the private housing market and the only good housing for them has been co-op housing,”

Shapcott said,

He added that com- munity initiatives within co-ops have set aside many of the ex- isting units for people living with AIDS. Those who did not f find housing under these initiatives, how- ever, Will have a diffi- cult time finding ad- equate housing be- cause of a July deci- sion to freeze the con- struction of new units.

“What (the Harris government) has ) done is frozen exist- ing stock, and there's no hope they'll be new stock in coming years for the growing de- mand, which is very strong,” said Shapcott.

In addition to cuts to housing, hospitals and special health services, the government recently an- nounced.a $1.7 million cut to an HIV assistance programme and a further $77 000 trimmed from an AIDS pre- vention and control program. While these cuts affect all Ontarians, the proportion of people living with AIDS is higher among the gay male community than within. the province as a whole, However,

munity hard

the group that is currently contracting AIDS at the fast- est rate is general population between the ages of 18 and 25.

Harris’ cuts may hit people living with AIDS the hardest. Finance Minister David Tsbouchi’s infamous $90-a- month diet, for example, is not adequate for anyone, let alone someone living with an illness like AIDS and has spe- cial nutritional needs. Accord- ing to advocates, poverty is a reality for many people living with AIDS.

Cuts to community centres may also have an impact on AIDS-related services, In early October, the government an- nounced a total of $6.3 mil- lion in cuts to neighbourhood community-based centres, ef- fective as of Januaryl. Sev- eral of these centres have had up to 80 per cent of their funding cut. Many provide AIDS-related services, suchas outreach, counseling and pre- ventative education,

Summarising the effects of the Harris cuts, Toronto City Councilor Kyle Rae told eye weekly magazine earlier this month, “The Tory govern- ment doesn'tcare about street youth, HIV-positive youth, the poor or the City of Toronto.”

Inching their way out of the mainstream

by Sonia Verma

usual in September.

This year, the Toronto Board of Education launched an innovative pro- gramme to specifically address the educational and emotional needs of gay and lesbian youth.

The Triangle Programme provides an alternative school for students aged 16-21 who have experienced physical or emotional abuse in main- stream schools because of their sexual orientation.

“The Triangle Programme is designed to respond to the failure of mainstream schools to beinclusive,” explained John Campey, an openly gay To- ronto School Board Trustee who helped to initiate the pro- gramme,

It is hoped that the pro- gramme will offer vulnerable students a refuge from the homophobia and harassment present in mainstream schools. “These kids have endured ver- bal harassment, been beaten- up and have been denied rep- resentation in the curriculum,” Campey explained.

The Triangle Programme is one of several specialty schools opened as an extension of the

ot all Toronto students N went back to school as

Oasis alternative schools pro- gramme. Oasis was created under the Rae government (1990-1995) in order to ac- commodate students who have fallen out of the mainstream system. The schools offer spe- cialised curricula based on spe- cific needs of individual stu- dents.

This existing institutional framework meant that the Tri- angle Programme and the Nighana Programme that ad- dresses the needs of black stu- dents were initiated with little difficulty. The implementation of these programmes was Car- ried out on an exclusively ad- ministrative level in order to avoid a potential right-wing backlash.

The classes, which are lim- ited to 25 students and one teacher each, focus on indi- vidual learning and independ- ent study. Supporters of the Triangle Programme say that gay and lesbian students’ spe- cificneeds are more effectively addressed in a student- friendly learning environment

than in what Campey called

the “educational factory” of mainstream schools. But some critics of the pro-

Separate classes for gays and lesbians in Toronto

gramme claim that it may do more harm than good. They say it isolates gay and lesbian students by placing them on the periphery of the greater student body.

The programme is not in- tended to actively segregate students. Those who have en- rolled are unable to cope in mainstream schools. Many had dropped out or had been frus- trated enough to consider it. The Triangle Programme is designed to offer them a choice.

The programme provides these students with an oppor- tunity to succeed in a gay- positive environment. Classes are taught by an openly gay teacher in a space donated by the Metropolitan Community Church, which has a large gay congregation.

David Rayside, vice-presi- dent of University College and founder of the University of Toronto’s Committee on Homophobia maintained, “It

is not an attempt to take peo- ple out of school, it is a transi- tionary stage aimed at people who have already dropped out of school.”

Rayside, however, acknowl- edged that the reintegration of Triangle Programme stu- dents is an important chal- lenge. “It is a difficult issue. It may be hard to re-integrate these students when they leave such a secure environ- ment,” he said.

There is also the risk that creating separate classes for gays and lesbians will reduce the pressure for mainstream schools to accommodate the needs of marginalised stu- dents.

However, both Campey and Rayside argued the contrary. “The programme makes gay and lesbian issues more vis- ible, creating a higher aware- ness right across the board,” Campey said.

The Triangle Programme is only one elementinaseries of

curricular and policy reforms executed by the Toronto Board of Education to reflect the diverse educational needs of its students. Changes in curriculum, an inclusive sexual harassment policy, sup- port groups and equity work represent a significant reas- sessmentof less accommodat- ing Board procedures.

Because the programme is still in its initial phases, the impact of students returning to mainstream schools and, toa greater extent, the overall success of the programme won’t be known for years to come.

According to Campey, com- prehensive change as demon- strated by the Triangle pro- gramme has been “quite suc- cessful.” However, the fight for gay and lesbian rights in the school system is still an uphill battle. “Change tends to occur in inches,” Rayside commented,

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE ( 7 ) NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

a Coming to grips with diversity

by Melanie Newton

he Gay and Lesbian

Community Centre of

Montréal. The Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Diffusion gaic et lesbienne. Association gaie et lesbienne d'UQAM.

Once upon a time, organisations like the ones listed above stood out as symbols of queer unity and activism. Now they are just as noticeable forsomething which they don’t say — bisexual.

Many activists see this omission of bisexuals as a reflection of ignorance about bisexuality at best, and blatant biphobia (prejudice against bisexuals) at worst.

“There’s a sort of classic argument that bisexuals only need recognition in so far as they are gay. The other [straight] aspect of their personality is covered by the greater society and we don’t need to cater to that,” says David D’Andrea, facilitator of LBGTM’s bisexual discussion group,

According to D’Andrea the term “gay” once genuinely included all non-heterosexuals. llowever, as the movement gained strength there was a move toexclude “embarrassing elements” -- like feminists, bisexuals and transgendered people -- from the struggle.

LBGTM'S Political Coordinator Chris Carter says this neglect has limited the

ee nimes sn ee = ms ee

number of services to bisexuals.

“Discussion groups, support groups, bars, magazines are not available to bisexuals. The Montréal community has never done political action directly pertaining to bisexuals at all,” says Carter.

Controversy surrounded last year’s Divers/Cité march,

catering

Montréal’s gay pride pass

when Ki Namaste, the only bisexual or transgendered person scheduled to speak, was cut from the programme at the last minute.

groups, these [older] people didn’t come of age in a time when bisexuality was an issue. They don’t understand it...,” says D'Andrea.

The lack of bi-positive organisations places overwhelming pressure on the few that exist. Montréal bisexuals lost an important forum this year with, the demise of Bi-The- -Way! the

city's only other. bisexual

“just as $ lesbians and: gay men ™ 23) refuse the narrow options of. compulsory heterosexuality, we

services are available from one year to the next. But given that Québec’s queer community is allegedly the province’s largest minority group, these points don’t fully explain the absence of a bisexual movement in Montréal.

Another explanation may be the lack of communication between campus queer organisations — where most

of the

movement’s OL theoretical issues are discussed — and the wider Montréal

Carter pointsto refuse to be trapped by ahetero/ community. the Image and i And then Nation Gay and’ homo man/woman split.” — there is the Lesbian Film language Festival; organised ‘Bisexual and transgender, activist. divide. Chantal,

by Diffusions gaic etlesbienne,as one of the few non- university queer events which deals with bisexual issues.

Explaining the silence Why are there so few services for queer people and why has no bisexual movement developed here?

D’Andrea says there is an age division across North America’s queer movement.

“Certainly in a lot of gay

Ki Namaste...

discussion group besides LBGTM’s.

Bi-The-Way facilitator Caroline Coté had to end the group because of the enormous strain on the yroup’s organisers. Côté looked for someone to take it over, but could find no one willing.

The constant turn-over makes it hard to know what

a francophone “bisexual and a feOnrameenr Université de Montréal student explains, “You’d have to be an anglophone student to find out about [LBGTM’s bisexual discussion group]....” Recently, queer groups at French and English universities and CEGEPs in Montréal tried to form a Queer Federation. But language problems and the issue of bisexuality ultimately contributed to the plan’s

THE BISEXUALITY DEBATE IN MONTREAL

failure.

According to Carter, one of the francophone organisations was unwilling to include bisexual rights in the federation’s Constitution.

Signs of the timesat McGill In 1992, the Gays and Lesbians of McGill (GALOM) was one of the city’s first organisations to change its name to include bisexuals, becoming the Lesbians, Bisexuals and Gays of McGill. To overcome biphobia and sexism, LBGM also introduced a non- discrimination clause in their Constitution.

This year the name was changed again to Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Students of McGill.

“It’s unmistakable that it’s getting better just in the few years that I’ve been at McGill. But it used to be accepted to question, within LBGM (then called GALOM), whether bisexuals actually exist and whether we need to accept them,” says D’Andrea.

According to D'Andrea, the bisexual discussion group was also started “because, if you go to the general discussion group, it’s mainly homosexual as opposed to bisexual...”

Opinion differs on how LBGTM’s reforms have changed’ gay and lesbian members’ attitudes towards bisexuality.

A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE

by Karen Tamaki and Chris Carter

any suggest that the

lesbian, gay,

bisexual, and transgender community is merely a convenience, a temporal community united by the pursuit of a few common goals and our status as second class citizens.

But some, like Peter Wallet, an LBGTM facilitator, believe this union is necessary.

“We [lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people]

should take other groups under our wings,” stated Wallet.

“Weare all not liked, we are all discriminated against and

we all have to deal with gender

and sexuality issues,” he added,

However, because discrimination is so pervasive throughout society, it is inevitably a part of the queer

community.

In interviewing students, . saw. this sort Of:

many.

marriage of

segregation manifested in community bars and discussion groups. Chris M, peer support referral coordinator of LBGTM, noted “There is segregation with clubs. Even supposedly mixed clubs are dominated by men. Therefore, women prefer to go to women-only clubs.”

The desire for segregated groups can also be found in the organisation of LBGTM’s social groups, which recently added a women’s group due to the large percentage of menin the general discussion group. Is this reinforcing the gap between men and women?

Chris M. saw this segregation as inappropriate. But Wallet explained that, “Women area neglected sector of society. [Discussion groups] provide a forum solely concerning [women’s] issues. Sexism is inherent in the gay community, unavoidable dite to our society.’ ane

Novemser 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

and it is.

Meredith Cohen, an LBGTM general discussion group facilitator, added to this sentiment.

“It is not that lesbians [and bisexual women] are uncomfortable around gay [and bisexual] men or vice versa, it’s just that women feel strange ifthey walkintoa club or room that is dominated by... the opposite sex.”

Cohen continued to acknowledge that sexism, misogyny and male-bashing is a problem within the community. She said, however, “I don’t expect to walk up to gay men and have them be sexist. It’s notaspecial problem within our. community. Comparing ourselves to other factions, we are much more healthy. We have all gone through an analysis of

ourselves, ourcommunity, and: the world in which we live,

and we are therefore much better at understanding these

~~ elements, Therefore, we expect

amore enlightened view (from queer people],”

For Hannah Rogers, a political coordinator at LBGTM, the separation between men and women in forums such as discussion groups is notso mucha matter of sexism as a lack of common interests,

“|The rift between men and women] partly is a result of sexism, and partly it’s due to the fact that gay men and lesbians have few common interests, What do lesbians and gay men really have in common?” —

Rogers went on to note that she often felt like a token female offering opinions on gay male issues at the general discussion group

“The women’s groupis there because women specifically wanted a group. If men wanted

one, there would be a men’s

group. It's not a matter of

segregation. LBGTM speaks to the needs of the people in its

The rift between men and women in the queer community

organisation,” said Sean Addis, LBGTM’s administrator.

“We're trying to meet everyone’s concerns. It’s the same as the bisexual group. We still have the general group as an option for the entire community to DERE together.”

Addis noted that the most important thing is to provide a safe environment for all members. He also pointed out thattheinclusionofawomen's group in LBGTM has definitely increased the female membership, as Was demonstrated by the high proportion of women (over 50 per cent) at LBGTM’s most recent dance at Gert's.

As a community composed of people of all races, religions, and genders, it is necessary to recognise differences. However, as gender roles become less rigidly defined, it is increasingly true that

everyone's issues are creryone else's issues, - skh madi |

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL SUE

i ?

pr “on

—_—" = — ne

Jen Mooney, a bisexual, said her experience has been good. “It was really, really positive, very accepting — no pressure to say that! was biorstraight or lesbian,” said Mooney.

Eric, a 20 year old student who neither defines himself as bisexual nor straight, feels differently. He agrees that LBGTM has changed a lot but finds that they have catered to stereotypes and have “played down diversity.”

Weredowegofromhere? Most people agree that the movement has made some steps forward on the issue of bisexuality, but say more must be done.

D'Andrea says there have been bi-positive improvements to Montréal’s queer services, particularly help-lines for people who are questioning their sexuality or just need to talk about it,

But D’Andrea is critical of the queer Montréal media, Which he says is “not really cognizant of diversity.”

Meanwhile, John Rioux of the Gay and Lesbian Community Centre of Montréal (CCGLM), the only one of its bind in tha city elaime that

A LURDIL clin. Lees LUE, LU bea that, within the community, there is diversity.”

However, some sce the CCGLM as unwilling to represent the whole community.

“Last year, a friend of mine asked a representative of the CCGLM specifically what their line on bisexuality was. [The representative] said he doesn’t think that bisexuality exists, that you’re either gay or Straight,” says bisexual Concordia student Tamara Vukov.

D'Andrea says more queer Organisations need to accept responsibility for addressing bisexual issues. He sees open discussion, with knowledgeable bisexuals present, as a necessary first step. In Carter’s opinion, more organisations should take a “zero tolerance” stand against biphobia.

In the speech which she was to read at Divers/Cité, Montréaler Ki Namaste says “... As bisexuals and transgenders... [w]e do not just offer new or different names to call oneself.

“We pose a fundamental challenge to the ways in which gender and sexuality are organised in this society. Just as lesbians and gay men refuse the narrow options of compulsory heterosexuality, we refuse to be trapped by ahetero/homo man/ woman split.”

GETTING THE BALL ROLLING és

Lesbian presence felt at world conference on women

by Anup Grewal

n Sept. 8, women

sitting through a key

plenary session at the UN Beijing Conference on Women were confronted bya banner reading “Lesbian Rights are Human Rights.”

The plenary ground to a halt and guards quickly removed the disruptors — lesbian participants — who had wanted to call attention to the lesbian presence at the conference.

This event is telling of the dynamics played out in both the Non-Governmental Organisations conference in Huairou, Chinaand the official conference in Beijing. Women from more than 189 countries gathered for the first two weeks in September to discuss the Platform for Action, hailed by many as a groundbreaking document for recognising the diverse lives of women everywhere.

But as the conference drew to a close in the wee hours of Sept. 15, a much-anticipated clause recognising the right to sexual orientation was deleted from the Platform because more than 30 countries remained in opposition to it.

While this was a disappointment for lesbians and other women, some felt that all was not lost. Julie Dorf

Lesbian Human Rights Commission in San Fransisco commented on the important achievements in terms of visibilityand participation that lesbian women made at the conferences. “No one who was at either conference could have been there without thinking about sexual orientation,” she stated. mo

Canadian initiative

The inclusion of the term sexual orientation:was a point of debate from the start: Canada had introduced the term at the final preparatory

meeting for the’ Beijing”

conference in New York at the

end of April. | Sheila Reghr of Status of

Women Canada said that this

is “entirely consistent with. voices like Hayes’. were definitely a minority at the conference. Dorf remained»

Canadian policy.”

According to Reghr, Canada requested a “descriptive paragraph [which included the term sexual orientation] to recognise women’s diversity” in the conference’s Platform. This request was supported by the 54 countries of the Economic Commission of Europe.

However, there was not enough time to discuss the inclusion of sexual orientation, so the Commission put the term in brackets in four places in the document, leaving the decision for the actual conference.

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

According to one Canadian official quoted in the Globe and Mail Sept.9, the fact that “sexual orientation” was not included is not surprising: “Recognition of this form of discrimination is not an easy one for many countries.”

Yet, as Reghr pointed out, Canadaand 30 other countries, including the European Union nations, Australia, Cuba, Israel, Slovenia and South Africa supported including the term “sexual orientation.” This,

also been at the Nairobi women’s conference in 1985, was “outstanding,”

These nations all added supplementary clauses to the conference report stating that in their individual countries they will recognise sexual orientation as unacceptable grounds for discrimination.

Give and take

There was some disagreement Within the Canadian delegation. Sharon Hayes, a Reform MP who attended the conference, left early. “I was perturbed by Canada’s support during the conference for defining. women’s sexual

rights, including the right to

choose their. sexual

orientation.”

But, according to Dorf,

positive. “We did not manage

to retain the language, but we.

did manage to have a full discussion

end of the conference.”

Dorf added that the vocal lesbian presence at the conferences aided the “radical end of the progressive parts of the document” and allowed unprecedented measures to be adopted.

Pointing toa clause defining women’s rights, Dorf said, “There were positive gains on

“on sexual. orientation for one houratthe

sexual autonomy. We can do what we want with our bodies: we have the right to say ‘no’.”

The clause Dorf refered to asserts that women’s human rights include the rights to control and decide matters related to their sexuality, free from coercion, discrimination or violence. There is also a clause which notes that “various forms of the family exist.”

lor Rachel Rosenbloom, also of the International Gay and

Commission, this clause is “very good.” In an October interview with the Advocate, Rosenbloom said she was hopeful thatlesbian rights will be recognised at the next UN women’s conference. The trend seems to be positive: At the Nairobi conference in 1985, only one nation openly

- supported lesbian rights, while

over 30 did in Beijing.

In the meantime, Dorf hailed the opportunity the Beijing conference provided for lesbians to network and educate. Dorf said she was “pleased with the large lesbian caucus, as wells as the demonstrations and the tent lesbian women were given to hold any events they wanted. There were only seven of these “diversity tents” and lesbian organisers, who had lobbied

for one all year; were

encouraged by the fact.tha they were given one. |

According to Dorf, the tent was “constantly filled,” with ad-hoc workshops and social events, 2 ~ “It was such a place for an exchange of ideas and there were many women who came just because they wanted to know more about lesbians,” she said.

Dorf added that it was “inspiring to have organised Our visibility with such minimal opposition.”

“We left excited about the

presence of and solidarity for lesbians in the women's movement,” commented Dorf.

Impossible to ignore

For Dorf, the dynamics at the Beijing conference reflect the changes in the women's movementinthelastien years. Despite the presence of such individuals as Hayes and continued opposition from Orthodox Catholic and orthodox Islamic representatives, Dort asserted

show overt lesbophobia.”

She explained that “There are still some clear difficulties with homophobia in the women’s movement, but it is changing. It was pretty amazing how the couple of incidents of intolerance were ignored, were hissed at: It was not an okay position.”

Dorf said that the -involvementoflesbian women in reproductive health work, peace work and women’s issues makes it difficult to ignore women’s right to express their sexual orientation.

She noted that another important development is the internationalisation of the lesbian movement.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission released a document at the conference entitled “Unspoken Rules: Sexual Orientation and

~ Women’s Human Rights.” This

is a compilation of stories by 31 lesbian women, from as many countries, documenting lesbian life and marginalisation around the world,

It is no longer only North American or European lesbian women who are speaking out. Pointing to the growing voice of African, Asian and Latin American lesbians, Dorf said that it is becoming “impossible” to ignore their presence.

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

by Derek Fung

An inte

aggi Rubenstein is a sex

ologist and dean of stu

| L dents at the Institute. for.

the Advanced Study of Sexuality i in. San Francisco. She was also one of the first people to Speak out on |

bisexual issues.

In 1976, Rubenstein co founded:

San Francisco’s BiCenter with Harriet

Levy and David Laurier. It.was the

first centre devoted - but not lim- ited to - bisexuals. There was world-

wide interestin and support for this.

ground-breaking community cen- .

tre, which was the first to provide

counseling services to bisexuals. . When the rise of AIDS in the early

‘80s forced many people back into

the closet, the BiCenter:lost a size-

able proportion of its membership.

_. Larger community centres and sup-.

port groups, having begun to recog-

nise the existence of bisexuals; ex panded to meet their needs.:The: BiCenter eventually closed down in. 1984 due to financial problems and

volunteer burn- ~out.

In 1987, Rubenstein par ticipated in the creation of the Bay Area Bi-*

sexual Network after an inspirational’.

meeting with the East Coast* BiNetwork. Today, the BABN pub-:. lishes Anything that Moves, a maga-) zine with worldwide distribution ° that is produced by and for bisexu- :

als and their family and friends. Rubenstein is still a vocal partici-

A ; pant in the bisexual movement and: :

: WaShonouredas Grand Marshall of

ve the LBGT pride parade i in San Fran-:.

: ‘cisco. in 1992. The Daily had the {à Opportunity to talk with her on July

+183 1995 about. Where the: bisexual. | movement is now vand how far it has:

come.’ Wed NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

Daily:Whatinspired you to come out in 1970,at

atime when there wasn’t

much to identify with,

: when there wasn’ta real

community? And how did this lead to the forma- tion of the BiCenter?

Maggi Rubenstein: The Stonewall riots against the police [in 1969, which raised the issue of discrimination against queer people] really made me realise that the is- sue of sexual rights was go- ing to have to be addressed at some point... I’ve started other organisations, and you know, why not do something for bisexuals? [So I asked myself] “how dol start doing that?” Well, | gotta put my ass on the line... [But] “What can I say? Where do |] say it? How do | say it? What do | talk about?”... So, I decided that the Center was the obvi- ous place to begin... | thought, “Gee we should all join together.”

I didn’t think there would be such turf issues - “This is us [lesbians and gays] over here and that is you [bisexu- als] over there.” I have had some people actually say, “Well, why don’t you do yon own pa-

rade?” ; “Why don’t vol Lo over there and/do your movement?” Well I said | don’ t believe | sa in séparate but |. equal, J think we alt neced?to support hey, each’ other: The fn more: We are to- [ly gether,” ‘the, More parallel we: are)’

You talk apo how you don’t like the idea of | separate but equal, so what do you think of the bicentric move- mentin Washington D.C. where they just fight for bisexual rights?

[ feel that there are some peo- ple who need to just be with their own group in order to get

\o/

a sense of power and impor- tance. Certainly that is hap- pening in the civil rights and the women’s rights move- ment...

I know a lot of people need to get a power base, get a sense of their own pride and a sense of their own community and to speak from that. I support that, but] think in the bisexual movement thatis a rather nar- row view, because... it is im- portant to support all people’s rights. Ifanybody is oppressed, we are all oppressed and what- ever the struggle...

[ think sometimes that it has been easier and more com- fortable, in a crazy kind of way, to hang out with the gay and lesbian community and push for our rights there, than to [fight for our rights] in the general community... There are a lot of bisexual people; but being bisexual is not just about getting it on: There are some bisexuals thatdon’t want to think about oracknowledge the sexual aspect of being bi- sexual. Some people get too political, but, well, “Let’s not talk about the sex part be- cause we don’t want people to think thatthe all bisexuals are obsessed with sex”.

| have; been looking à at athe

too. We’re not all just com- pletely and absolutely female or male. We all have female- ness and maleness in.us; emo- tionally, intellectually, and physically sometimes... As Marjorie Garber says in her book, Vice Versa, it is a new way of looking at human sexu- ality. It turns everything up- side down.

About this idea of con- tinuums. Do you see it as areal scale? Do you think that we really can put a scale to sexuality?

don’t want to put a scale on sexuality;

would. rather not use any la- bels at all. :Ifwe were not oppressed, | we wouldn't need to use any labels. There*\:

wouldn’t need to have a WY gay rights movement or ¢ a women’s rights move- ©

ment or a bisexual move- ment, or any other rights movement if there wasn’t op- pression. If everybody ac- cepted everybody else as they are and celebrated their differences as well as their Similarities, there wouldn’t be a need for ps bels.

My feeling is thats the

1 more people understand

that we all fit along [the

/\q continuum] somewhere,

the less people will con-

cL Ne eg ete jtinte!. to” dichotomise,.,

i. Ay

continuum of ender the con- tinuum of race, the continuum of sexuality. I think we all fit on those continuums some- where. In the transgender com- munity, I have become more sensitised to the fact that we are all along the gender scale

e AK aN

“Even among the bisexual: 4 community, [people say] 2 YOu guys are in the mid-: 1 die.” No. We are... the Kinsey scale from 1 to 5S... Garber’s book, Vice Versa, quoted me as say- ing that 80 per cent of | the population could be | bisexual if we acknowl- cage our fantasies, our A eee oir interests, our crushes. ' normal curves hold true, then maybe 10 per cent of the population is totally gay and lesbian and maybe 10 per cent is totally heterosexual and maybe eve- rybody else is potentially

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

E STATUS QUO

vith Maggi Rubenstein

bisexual...

I think a lot of it has to do with the monogamy bias we have in this country... All bi- sexuals are seen as non-mo- nogamous people, people that just getitonwith anything,

that moves... The myths and the

themselves... If people can see that we are all in this together, that we are all mul-

tira-~ cial, we are all os multisexual, that es &\ we are all

soon multigendered, that we are all along these

stereotypes [continu- about bi- Los eave ee u m sg] sexu- sis sy RS some- ) ne a we oe where, ue x then |

abound. They certainly abounded in the '70s: All bisexual peo- ple can’t make commit- ments, they are fence sitters, they can’t make up their minds, they are sneaky liars. The monogamous bias [says that] non-monogamous peo- ple — and I am a non-mo- nogamous person — can’t make serious commit- ments. | have people in my life who I have known § for 20 years and we are

î " still good friends and get BiA \: À it on and have a good D | A & time... PA DE) “When. people undér.

stand: the: fact: that: most \ people have same-sex feel-\ à

ings and other-sex feel- |: ings — whether or not | *%

they talk about it or do anything about it — this Will help people break down their prejudice about bisexuality and about gay and lesbian people. | think that if peo- ple can see that piece of

ity still

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL/ISSUE

og. \ think that

à)

OPES \

as SL

Aor eaks down prejudice,

You were one of

the first outspoken bisexuals to stand up for bi rights. What has

»Kepteyou involved with qe movement for solong?

| think some of the things that have kept me involved — not only in, the bisexual commu- nity but\in the women’s com- munity, and the lesbian/gay community — isto look ahead, to not give up, to not get dis- couraged}To not agonise, but organise, To not [resort to] violence‘and say it is all nOpes

ay UNITY ¥

NA/ LS OUR BI À WORD 4

Wt bok 1044 . à

less what is the use. To just keep struggling and having a lot of fun. That’s the impor- tant thing: to have a good time while you are doing your poli- tics. You gotta really enjoy it. You're doing the work you love to do, and that’s what makes it work for you, and that is why people like me and others have hung in for all these years...

Seeing that you have the unique perspective of

having seen the bisexual

movement grow from its birth to whatitisnow,§ can you tell us how it has changed? Are peo- à\ ple more receptive to Ne now? If so, to whatk CE 4

Officially there is we much more recognition,

ways, about our sexuality. Peo- |

ple like us [bisexuals] are al- ways going to be viewed with Suspicion by someone, the Jesse Helmses of the world. The right wing wants to see bisexual people done away with in some fashion... In fact, we are even Seen as more aber- rant because they believe that we could make a choice and have not. But we have made a choice: We are bisexual. [wantto talkabout the word queer for a minute. | like the word queer, | like it because it

but on a personal level Fi

there is still some resist- & ance, Gay and lesbian l& people still have some in- |

ternalised biphobia. Among bisexual people therearestill people who À are trying to figure out whatit all means. [A com- mon question is] “Can I

have a relationship with [FA

someone and be monoga- mous if I am bisexual?” Sure you can if that is what vou Want to do, and more.

Do you think that bisexu- als are really visible yet in the world?

More so in cosmopolitan ar- eas, but I still think that a lot of people haven’t gotten the message yet. A lotof | people don’t read very much. A lot of people have a belief system that is hard m to challenge, and this isacountry that 1H promotes Christian- ity to the Nth de- gree... This isacoun- try that promotes complacency and discourages people for challenging so- Mass values. We are a nation of 8 iene, in a lot of

is all inclusive. The only thing that I don’tlike about the word queer is that some people who would otherwise call them- selves bisexual might call themselves queer as a way of aligning themselves with the gay and lesbian community instead of having to define who they are, I think it is im- portant [that] as long as bi- sexual is a word that people don't like, we have to speak out about it, say... “But I am not just queer, | am a bisexual queer,”

We will always have to be spoken about; it will be forgot- ten about if it isn’t. I want people to read Marjorie Garber’s book and I want peo- ple to read Martin Weinberg’s book [Dual Attraction], even though it had some flaws... I want people to begin to talk to each other, questioning and challenging some of the val- ues that run society, false val- ues that white is best, that marriage is best, that mo- nogamy is best, that hetero-

sexuality is best, and so forth. Challenge those values...

It’s all about the existential angst that we all feel inside not knowing who we are. If we can come to terms with who we really are as bisexual people and not be afraid, then our lives will work a lot better for US...

We are raised to distrust people who are different. That Starts in daycare centres and continues through grammar school and middle school and high school. Remember those few years in middle school? | think [that's] the toughest age of all for kids. | You hit puberty, your sexual feclings are all over the place, you may have some feel- ings for men, you may have some feel- ings for women, you may act on them, you may not. Confusing time. Remember also AT Chat alot of kids who

eee) con't get support kill Sage) themselves, or live sees) lives that don’t work Ed for them, which tears

M4 up families.

Childhood is when kids need to get information about the goodness of sexual- ity. | think the more informed a child is, whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight, the more informed they get. The more permission they get, the better they will be able to make conscious choices, and the more assertive they are going to be in asking for what they want from a partner instead of just going along with what their partner wants, A lot of people don’t get that support and sometimes they die.

As advice to future gen- erations of activists, what do you think is the best way to challenge the val- ues that are in place and the way society is set-up?

Read, Write, Talk, Act. You can theorise about a lot of stuff, but it has to be taken into action.

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

# A LOOK BEYOND

TRANSSEXUALITY AND MY CONVERSATION WITH OLIVIA JENSEN

was sitting in the Faculty

Club a little past 7:00 pm

Wailing for Olivia Jensen, a McGill Professor. Thinking Over the questions on transgender issues which I had prepared, | didn't notice the striking woman standing right in front of me. Very tall and stately, with an air of self- confidence, she had, arriving just before me, gone to put her things in the coat room.

Introductions out of the way, we walked into the lounge and Olivia called up for two pints of beer. Then we sat down and began to talk.

And so began one of the most fascinating = and entertaining Conversations | have ever had,

Olivia, who has been teaching in the department of geophysics since 1973, has been known at MeGill both as A man and a woman. These days, after undergoing hormone therapy and sexual- reassignment surgery (SRS) In the early ‘90s, Olivia makes her Way in the feminine form. Prior to this, Olivia was married lor 13 years and has two Children, 13 and 16 vears old.

| asked if the departments of Engineering and Geophysics had reacted awkwardly to the change, Olivia assured me that everyone had been relatively accepting,

“My colleagues at McGill have been proper and good. [But] they haven't gone out of their way to accommodate me... [IS a very + TM i {bh Uh x discrimination... It's never neglected, it is factored into Who lam. In a strange way, it’s okay, | want them to factor it ins) justi = not negatively,” she said.

Most people, she said, once put in the situation of having to deal with a transsexual, simply take it in stride.

“l expect to be treated well. | don’texpect to be humiliated, discounted, harassed... But it does happen at some level,” she said, adding that most instances have been temporary with people that she won't see again,

“(Such instances] are part of the woodwork of life,” she noted.

by Derek Fung

| am a transsexual woman

Transition is an essential part of adjusting to a new gender

“L want [people] toreada transsexual woman that commands immediate respect. That's what | want, that Is the deal I try to make with the world. | don't want to be hidden.”

role. The process involves hormone therapy and SRS, The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association has set strict guidelines for candidates who apply for the treatment,

These include getting Written approval from a certified therapist after atleast three months of counseling and living full-time in the

‘| think lesbians, gays, bisexuals,

and transsexual people are the

healthy variations of humanity.

Only some moralists don't like it and that’s a small reason [for

discrimination],”

sought-after gender for atleast a year. The association also specifies that potential candidates cannot be married. Once you start transition, you can turn back, but after surgery itis next toimpossible.

Like adolescence, transition isa time tocome to terms with a Whole new identity. The process should not be rushed.

“The statement you make on transition is where you are going to live in the world,” Olivia explained.

Many transsexuals want to

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

—— ns

change their sex À and slip into the mainstream. They don’t want to be “read” (that is to have people Fr discover that they | 38 have had sex reassignment),

Olivia, who is very open about her transsexuality, doesn’t share this view. 2

“Iwant [people] | to read ar © transsexual woman that commands]. immediate hos respect. That's what I want, thatis the deal I try to FA make with the Et world. Idon’twant #5 to be hidden. That ss doesn't do Bigeee anything. That Es doesn’t make ag statement, notthat § Iwantmy life tobe ff astatementeither, | really,” she stated, | “My truth is this, It isn't that I ama female woman Who has finally been fixed. That's not the issue at all.”

Related to this, is gender etiquette. One inevitable question is what terms to use when addressing transsexuals —heorshe, Mr. or Ms., manor woman?

For Olivia, it’s important to respect the Dems Ones decisions and refer to their Diréers ent gieoned ie rz. Usually though, she said this hasn’t been a problem.

“The world is SO good, so positive, that even if [people read me], they know how | want tobe read, That's gender etiquette,” she said.

Who's normal? These days, everyone seems to be trying to explain transsexuality and homosexuality. Some scientists look for genes and others compare the size of the hypothalamus,

But it is important not be caught up with the ‘norm’. Normal isn’t necessarily

i eaten ae ee

ieee aoe pone ee eee

better.“normal is only a statistical measure. It is only what most people are doing. It isn’t good or bad.”

As Olivia observed,

Different sexualities —homo/ bi/transsexuality — arose naturally. They have evolved as part of human experience — but haven't always had an outlet for expression in society.

“[But lately] the world has opened the door wider for us... I think lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transsexual people are the healthy variations of humanity. Only some moralists don’t like it and that’s a small reason [for discrimination],” said Olivia.

She did acknowledge,

“Normal is only a

statistical measure. It is only what most people are doing. It isn’t good or bad.”

me) (a)

“aia

+ «0 CON Pm el)

dads....would say that it is wonderful [to havea transsexual child]. They would jump to abortion and that is disappointing.”

But no one has the right to take away possibilities for a person's future, simply because they are different. It may justbe that transsexuality, as well as homo/bisexuality, is seen as a disease or disorder by many because they lack experience with it and are scared of it.

=ToËfindÆ=acure for transsexuality means thatitis bad or a disease. It [undermines] the evolution of one’s transsexuality. It would be a tragedy to me to remove that possibility. Itdenies a future. That is immoral.”

Despite the lack of awareness, Olivia remains positive and proud of her transsexuality, “For along time, I wished

however, that many people still dismiss transsexuality as aberrent, She commented that if à pre-natal screen for transsexuality were ever developed, “Not many momsand

| that] had been born a female, It’s not the case any more. It’s not the way I would have liked my past to have been. | like my past to be exactly as it was because that brings me here... exactly where I should be.”

12 THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

Olivia Jensen

PE ont Rass er re Pi ES

sas"

aa free

HELPING THE BODY? FIT THE MIND

THE SEX REASSIGNMENT PROCESS

by Kevin Siu

n individual who

wishes to undergo sex

reassignment must follow the guidelines dictated by the Benjamin Standards. Initially approved in 1979 at the Sixth Gender Dysphoria Symposium, the Benjamin Standards were intended as a “statement of the standard of care to be offered to dysphoric patients.” The standards have been widely accepted.

First, the applicant must obtain the written approval of a certified therapist after no less than three months of consultation. During the year before the actual sex reassignment surgery (SRS), the individual must undergo Real Life Training, in which he/she presents himself/ herself full-time in the other gender role. The presentation extends itself to previously unconscious activities such as bathroom usage and the choice of title (i.e. Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss).

During this preparation period, the individual will also likely undergo hormone therapy to prepare the body for the SRS.

Male to female, female to male

During the estrogen therapy, the male-to-female (M2F) candidate will immediately experience faster hair and nail growth, the growth of softer and thicker hair, and moodiness as his body adjusts to the female hormones.

The genetic male will gradually lose muscle mass and develop more fat tissue in the breast and hip areas. The penis will lose its ability to function and the testicles will Shrink. The individual’s sex drive will also decrease dramatically. Though the male’s bone structure and voice will not be altered, physically, the applicant will appear almost completely female after one or two years.

For female-to-male (F2M) candidates, androgen therapy (depo-testosterone is commonly used) will immediately induce muscle growth, particularly in the chest area. The genetic female will also experience facial and body hair growth accompanied by outbreaks of

the F2M candidate

-acne. Like M2F candidates

undergoing hormone therapy, will experience mood swings during the initial adjustment period.

After a year of hormone

therapy, the candidate’s voice

will have deepened. The clitoris will lengthen by about two inches, and there will be beard growth and male pattern baldness. The F2M candidate will probably have stopped menstruating. Apart from the primary sex organ (vagina) and secondary sex organs (breasts), the individual will appear almost completely male.

Although hormone therapy can be reversed, some effects are permanent. Most M2F candidates are permanently infertile after six months of taking estrogen. For F2M candidates taking androgen, the facial hair growth and deepening of the voice are irreversible. Breast growth is also permanent. Most other body changes that occur during hormone therapy will disappear eventually if therapy is discontinued,

Making the move to surgery The financial costs of SRS being so high (between $6 000 and $50 000), many transgendered lack the means to complete the sex reassignment process. Some transgendered also find themselves psychologically unprepared to face the irreversibility of the surgery. For an M2F candidate, SRS involves four main steps. First, the testicles are removed. The penis is then inverted to create an opening resembling a vagina. The remaining scrotum is used to line the opening, creating a labia. Finally, a portion of the penile tissue is restructured to form the clitoris. The nerve endings from the penis are left intact so that the transsexual is capable of having orgasms. For a F2M candidate, the procedure is more complex, requiring surgery on both the primary and secondary sex Organs, First, the individual must undergo a double mastectomy. Both breasts are

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

removed, but the nipples are retained and repositioned. This procedure can be performed during the preparation period. After at least a year, the candidate can undergo the hysterectomy, in which the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed,

New procedures forcreating a penis are being developed,

but phalloplasty and metoidioplasty are currently the most common.

Metoidioplasty involves using the enlarged clitoris as the basis for the penis. It is a less complex and less expensive procedure than phalloplasty. However, because the resulting penis is only about two inches long, metoidioplasty is not feasible for penile penetration.

The second option ‘is phalloplasty. After a period ot electrolysis on the abdomen; the skin.the.area is used ta form a-tube of skin. Because the clitoris is positioned underneath the resulting penis, sexual stimulation is still possible but not easy.

A more extensive form of phalloplasty involves the transplant of a forearm nerve into the skin tube. Running into the nerves of the clitoris, the transplanted nerve allows a wide range of sensation, To erect the constructed penis after phalloplasty, there are a number of pumps and inserts that vary in effectiveness.

Gender definition

After SRS, the transsexual must continue hormone treatment for the rest of his/her life. Although certain effects of hormones are permanent, if a

transsexual stops therapy, his/ her features will largely return to their original state. Some transsexuals, in particular M2F transsexuals, attend finishing schools after surgery to improve their adoption of the chosen gender role,

The sex reassignment procedure — the preparation, surgery, and post-operation considerations — raises many questions. The Benjamin Standards were developed partially in response to the high correlation between suicide and sex reassignment during the period when SRS Was first introduced.

However, there are objections in the transgender community to the stringent guidelines imposed by the Benjamin Standards. Arguments are increasingly being made over the right of transsexuals to determine for themselves when they are ready for surgery.

The debate also questions whether the medical establishment should dictate the behaviour and lifestyle of sex reassignment candidates during the preparation period. Some feel that being required to act a certain way (i.¢. take on a dictated gender role) reinforces socially defined distinctions between males and females that may not be valid toa particular individual.

As surgery edges closer to being able to fully reconstruct the body, the legal and health care implications also become more salient. When is an individual considered legally and medically one sex or the other?

INTERNATIONAL

Queer

ew Zealand gets first transsexual mayor

Georgina Beyer was elected as the first transsexualk

ayor of the Wiararapa

ownship in New Zealand.

cuts

There have been other examples of transsexual politicians. One of Canada’s own transsexual politicians was forced to resign after

threats of violence.

Asking whether gender distinction is important in the first place emphasises the fact that transgender issues go beyond just the sex reassignment procedure. As social perceptions of gender roles continue to shift, the process of the mind trying to understand the body becomes a process of helping the body fit the mind.

Sources for this article include: The New Yorker, July A) Uy 1994, the ali. transgendered newsgroup and the most recent draft of the Benjamin Standards.

nade the

rans ge rganisations in ontréal area:

FACT-Quebee

Fact,c/o Mrs. Patricia Fishes

Box 293, Cote-des-Neiges ost Office

5858 Cote-des-Neiges Blvd.

Montréal 13S 256

Fact-Québec is a support :roup for transsexuals, their Jartners, relatives, friends and yrofessionals in the field. Fact- Juébec can also provide speakers to the public.

Club Met

4113 Dorion St.

Montreal H2K 3B8

528-8874

Club Met is a non-sexual support eroup for ransgendered and their Jartners. Club Met also Jublishes its own news nagazine.

Putting the heat on Costa Rica

The Magnus Hirschfeld| Center for Human Rights has filed acomplaint with the Inter- American Commission on Human Rights against Costa Rican police and media harrassing queer people,

The commission has a mandate to enforce the American Convention on Human Rights, an agreement between countries in South and North America. making its decisions have the force of law,

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

8 Hate legislation visits

by Meredith Cohen

ou are walking down

the street clad in fire engine red bell-bot-

toms. Shocking is the

word. Fiendish. Apparently someone perceives your vin- lage style as a bit too subver- sive and offensive for this black and white world. This some- one, in a gallant act, rallies up bunches of friends to protect this world and its posterity from this most garish display. Organisations form (ooh), platforms form (ahh), and with incredulous heads whirling, agendas form (gasp). Sud- denly, out vapid hatred and disgust, anamendmentis born. Itlegislates this hatred by con- structing legal barriers to all and any members of bellbottom donning clan. If you partake in this heinous crime, then you will have no

Se A

ability to seek legal repercus- sion if you are discriminated against or even physically harmed. The new legislation prevents you from doing so.

Surely Colorado's Amend- ment 2 is much different; but itis also quite similar. Replace queer human with human in bellbottoms, and the similari- ties will be striking, garish even. lam not certain which is more ludicrous,

A powerful signal

Soon alter its birth, Amend- ment 2, the brainchild of the organisation Colorado for Family Values, went straight to the Colorado court system Where it was repealed as un- constitutional based on its breach of the First Amend- ment. Just as quickly, however itwas appealed and sent to the Supreme Court where it was heard on October 10.

NovemBer 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

the

Vigils, rallies, press conferences and teach-ins dominated the Colorado. land- scape; and that of many otherstates, the day before the Supreme Court Hearing,

The Amend- ment, reproduced above, was.a first of many attempts by the radical right to besiege local and state governments. It has recently been followed by simi- lar initiatives in Maine, and will be attempted in Idaho and Oregon in 1996.

Should the Su- preme Court re- peal the Colorado court decision, any member of the queer community — les- bian, gay, or bisexual — resid- ing in the state of Colorado Will be stripped of any ability to seek legal redress for dis- crimination or anti-gay vio- lence.

This would set a precedent of singling out one specific group and drastically limiting their legal and political power. Aruling such as this would not only be detrimental to the queer community, but to the civil rights movement in gen- eral,

According to Melinda Paras, executive director of the Na- tional Gay and Lesbian Task

AM ENDMENT 9

Neither the State of Colt through any branches or departments, nor any of its agencies, political sub- divisions, municipalities or school districts, shall enact, adopt, or en- force any statute, regulation, ordi- nance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, con- duct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of or entitle any person or class of per- sons to have or claim any minority status, quota preferences, protected status, or claim discrimination.

Force, “Amendment 2 doesn’t just impact Colorado, As al- ways a Supreme Court hear- ing sends a powerful signal. In this case the court can stand in defense of equal participa- tion and fair play for all, or it can codify discrimination

against a targeted group. If

the Supreme Court overturns the repeal, it will be hailed by the radical right as justifica- tion for ongoing efforts in other states.”

“Special rights” unde- fined

Do all Americans have the

THE

samerighttobe a part the na- tion’s democ- racy? Thisisthe question which the Supreme Court will an- swer, when it hands down its decision some- time between January and June,

Those who support Amendment 2 contend that through gay rights legisla- tion, the queer

seeking “spe- cial rights”. But when asked to specify the “special rights” being sought, Gale Norton, at- torney-general of Colorado re- plied, “We don't really know exactly.”

She did, however, offer the example of work quotas which would force anti-gay groups into hiring queer individuals. This could be construed as the

accusation of “special rights”.

The lack of an adequate definition for what the “spe- cial rights” in question are, formed an important part of the defense as it violated the “rational basis” of the amend- ment. The defense highlighted the fact that dislike is not a rational basis for discrimina- tory treatment in the face of the law.

Reuicious Alen

ce SAILS ()N

community is.

the US Supreme Court

Suzanne _B. Goldberg, staff attorney at Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, which along with the Ameri- can Civil Liberties Union worked to defend the Colo- rado Supreme Court injunc- tion of Amendment 2, said “Amendment 2 is an outra- geous violation of the Consti- tution, and sets out to erect special barriers for the queer community.”

It is not always accurate to predict the outcome of a hear- ing based on its oral argu- ments. But court observer Kevin Sherrill says he expects the decision to support the original injunction ruled by the Colorado Supreme court.

A ruling in favour of the injunction would be a good one for the civil rights move- ment in the US. In the ’60s, similar legislation was used to

limit the representation of Af- rican-Americans.

A ruling against the amend- ment would also be positive for the Queer Community by sending a signal to the radical right that their legal attempts are unconstitutional.

It will also provide legal precedent for the “Don’t ques- tion, Don’t tell” policy of the military that is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court next year.

For those objecting to Amendment 2, things look hopeful. But the forces pro- posing such legislation are just as confident. In his resigna- tion statement, the former di- rector and founder of Colo- rado for Family Values stated “The passion of protecting our children, our lives and, our future from homosexual ag- gression burns deeply within me.” It could be a close battle.

z \ia/ THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

: SSeS 1 =

Whydo we need a gaygene?

Taking a closer look at the nature vs. nurture debate

S scientists search for a biological explanation for homosexuality, many express concern about the necessity of locating a “gay gene” —

and the possible consequences arising therefrom,

As recently as 1974, homosexuality was listed by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder. Even today, more thanafewwould characterize it as ‘deviant’ behaviour at best, willful evil at worst.

As such, the possibility of discovering biological proof that homosexuality is a naturally occurring trait has been welcomed by some members of the LBGT community,

However, some object to the direction of recent Studies, saying they don’t need “justification” for being pay,

Investigative research on the topic has encompassed everything from DNA linkage to tracing fingertip ridges.

Dr. Simon LeVay, a neuroanatomist at the Salk Institute in La California, has been noted

for his studies comparing.”

brain size in deceased AIDS Victims.

LeVay claimed to have

discovered innate biological differences when he found notable discrepancies in the sizes of the hypothalomi of homosexual and heterosexual men.

Significant evidence has shown, however, that the experience of an individual can affect and alter brain development. As such, many question his assertion that the difference in brain Structure is a cause, rather than an effect, of homosexuality.

Above all, the biggest shortfall of LeVay’s study was the fact that all the subjects were dead, making a clear assertion of their sexuality impossible,

And the shows... Research looking into the possible genetic aspect of homosexuality has yielded more plausible results.

In 1991, researchers Michael Bailey and Richard Pillard discovered the high probability (52 per cent) of

research

Jolla, .

by Mera Thompson

one identical twin being homosexual if the other one Was.

They also uncovered similar findings that were lower, but still significant, for non-identical twins, non-twin siblings and adopted brothers (22, 9, and 11 percent, respectively).

But several questions were raised by their findings.

Firstly, if homosexuality

were exclusively. linked to

genetic make-up then identical twins — who share allofthe same genes — would both be homosexual or heterosexual all of the time. secondly, the fact that adopted brothers were more likely to both be gay than non-twin siblings, supports the theory that environment and upbringing may have more to do with sexual arientation than genetics. Dr. Dean Hamer and colleagues from the American National Institute of Health performed DNA analysis on

gay brothers. They found a *

significant linkage betiveen homosexual orientation and markers in a region of the X Chromosome, known asXq28, wasdetected in 82.5per cent

“of ‘examined homosexual!

brothers.

Discarding the slight probability that such co- inheritance happened by Chance alone (approximately l per cent), the report concluded that “it appears that Xq28 contains a gene that contributes to homosexual orientation in males.”

Dr. Hamer himself does not see his study as tantamount to the discovery of what “causes” homosexuality.

“Sexual orientation is too complex to be determined by a single gene. The main value of this work is that it opens a window into understanding how genes, the brain and the environmentinteract to mold human behaviour,” Hamer explained. |

Yet to be determined, is exactly howa gene may effect sexual orientation: directly, by shaping specific parts of the brain, or indirectly, affecting temperament that predisposes a boy towards homosexuality.

Equal rights or excuses? Reactions to this trend of scientific research have been

gay ‘gene.

mixed, both in and outside of the queer community.

Robert Bray, head of public information for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Was encouraged by these studies. “It points out that gay people are made this way by nature. It strikes at the heart of people who oppose gay rights and who think we don’t deserve our rights because we're choosing to be the way we are.”

Gregory iT’ King, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, Fund in Washington, D.C., concurs. “Fundamentally, it [genetic research] increases our understanding of the origins of sexual orientation, and at the same time we believe it will help) increase-public support for lesbian and gay rights.” |

‘Others, like David D'Andrea, anactive member

of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and ” Transgender Students of McGill (LBGTM), fault the” research movementfor being

a defensive maneuveron the

_ partof the queer community. ~ssUsing the studies to prove

that homosexuals are normal functioning hümans, there is

—an almost apologetic tone to

their findings,” he said;

He said’ the general:

population: should just learn to “live with. it [the reality that homosexuals exist],”

7 D'Andrea dismissed those who, believe that locating a would erase prejudice against homosexuals. “Using that

argument, there would be no».

discrimination against blacks and other. ethnic groups or people with diseases,” he said.

“I find it worrisome that this seems to be feeding into a societal trend, with people

using [the research] to justify

their own prkjudices, ” he added.

“If that’s the way we're born...” |

Many people worry that the genetic research will be interpreted as justification, Or an excuse, for being homosexual.

Darrell Yates Rist, in à recent New York Times article, stated that he: had once used the “born that way” defense as an olive branch for his parents, who “wanted to exonerate themselves for creating a home that might

be thought by some to have contributed to perversion,”

There is still a lot of ambivalence about research trends which may provide a genetic “excuse” for homosexuality. Some gay rights leaders have denounced studies such as Dr. Hamer’s as “yet another attemptaatos Mara ven a reductionist and implacable line between homosexuality and heterosexuality.”

John Fisher, executive director of Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE), went as far as’to state that such research is “irrelevant to any purposes [his] organization has.”

But scientists such as LeVay, who himself is gay, claim to/have ventured into biological and genetic research in order to make society more accepting of homosexuality.

“If it’s shown that that’s

~the way we're born, it would

undercut-the idea that we're just misbehaving,”. LeVay said.

Fisher, ~ however, questioned what:effect such

—-résearch Would have on those

who strongly _ resist

acknowledging homosexuals. as equal human beings. “I * shave limited confidence that

~itwill:change anyone’s ideas

if they:-are- steadfastly opposed to homosexuality.”

Still, some continue to believe that the research will help the gay and lesbian community, if only in their legal maneuverings within the justice system.

In a 1993 press release from the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical . Professionals (NOGLSTP), they reiterated theirhopes thatinthe debate

over same-sex marriages, for example, discrimination}

based on a genetically immutable ‘trait would be ruled a civil rights violation on a minority group.

In search of a “cure”?

Rist, who is also co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, remains uninterested insuch studies. “Intellectually, what do we gain by finding out there’s a gay gene? Nothing except an alttemptto identify those people who have it and then open them up to all

DAILY GRAPHIC BY MAX FRANCISCO

sorts of experimentation to change them.”

D'Andrea agreed. “The scary thingis not the research --it’show it’s being used and interpreted,” he said,

Indeed, anxieties regarding the ethical questions arising from the location of a gay gene have been the dominant concern during the course of the research.

The prospects of screening fetuses for genetic traits, and the possibility that marriage or childbearing might be restricted to “genetically desirable” people have

alarmed the LBGT communily. AclivistS stress the

importance of avoiding potential geneticenginecring and the science ofattempting ta “fix” homosexuality, perhaps through gene therapy or similar methods.

One all gay activist with the Traditional Values Coalition was somewhat encouraged by thesuggestion that homosexuality may be biologically based, believing that medicine and science should now seek to genctically alter lesbian, gay,

and bisexual people.

Sois homosexuality caused by a specific gene? Or does it stem from upbringing, environment and individual personality? Perhaps a combination of all of these points? The consensus seems to be that it’s up to us all to decide for-ourselves.

But perhaps.itcan best be summed up by John Fisher’s response when asked what he thought causes homosexuality. “I can’t

explain itand | don’t feel that I need to.”

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE ( 15 ) NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

8 THE QUESTION OF EQUALITY?

By Meredith Cohen

‘ omosexuality can happen to you. It can happen to anyone.

What will you do if your

parents find out? And they

Will find out because you will

get caught. If someone else

does not catch you, then you

Will be caught by your own

mind.”

Imagine that the year is 1966. You and your peers are assembled in a school auditorium and a man stands before you, He is not a preacher, but he is preaching and this is what you are hearing. If you were an American youth in 1966, it could have happened to you.

Imagine that you are queer in 1995 and some Reverend tclls you that reparative therapy could help rectify your gender identity problem. After all, that’s what homosexuality is—a gender identity problem

and therapy has helped thousands geton the “straight” and narrow path. It could happen to vou. I may have. It happened to Lyn Duffin in

LOO lima Wi Ole tte liSae was

institutionalised by her mother

after she told her that she was

ore te

nme SOR eR ey

a lesbian. Lyn ran away.

But her story is told, along With many others, Amongst Stories mclipsmMof#iriots: interviews, anti-queer propaganda and court trials, Hollow Liberty and Generation (2 , the first two productions in, The Question of Equality, a series of hour-long documentaries, weave an intricate tapestry of history. Together and separately, they present a collage of modern queer Culture and history.

Through examination of the ship USS Norton Controversy and the notorious Hardwick case, Hollow Liberty implies that itis a series of events that were collectively part of an upward climb,

The chronology begins in 1980, the year that women were first allowed to serve in active duty in the navy. Norton was one of the first integrated ships. What ensued was awitch hunt of sorts, Of the 68 women crew members, 40 were removed for questioning and subjected to psychological testing. 24 women were eventually “honourably” discharged. No hard evidence Was ever documented to prove their performance was inadequate. In many ways the

nine 4 . Titre

FAN HE phréid sait US mari bred Wed i seri rit ek.

Generation Q

INTERNATIONAL

Queer cuts

Zimbabwe goes

another step too far

Zimbabwe MP Acneas Chigwedere said that “[Gay people are] like tuberculosis patients, they should be hibernated [sic] in anisolation hospital until they are treated.”

This statement was made in support of a motion made by President Robert Mugabe's anti-gay Campaign.

Mugabe has been attacking queer people since August 1, when the Gay and Lesbians of Zimbabwe were banned from a state funded book fair.

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

Hollow Liberty and Generation Qat

Image & Nation festival

incident served as the harbinger to the current plea, still pending, for the rights of gays and lesbians to serve in the military.

The 1980 outrage was closely followed by another in 1982, when Georgian resident Michael Hardwick was arrested for sodomy after a policeman barged into his bedroom and, as they say, caught him in the act. What sounds more like a farce actually did occur. In a crowd-pleasing moment (granted the audience was a bit biased, and perhaps the reaction would have been different had we been members of the moral majority), then-Attorney General of Georgia Bowers says, in a thick Georgian accent, “I believe the ‘sodomy rules’ serve the morality of the people.”

The accompanying vintage anti-homosexual propaganda from the ‘50s and ‘60s is even more amusing (“he was a healthy and athletic boy, he played football and he wanted to grow up to be areal man.”), Also featured is a short army propaganda film overflowing with homo-erotic undercurrents. The irony is cleverly placed.

Hollow Liberty is not a joke, however, and poignant scenes of police brutality are

interspersed with a clip of

Bowers stating with all the glee that hisaccentcan muster that gays are no less second class citizens than individuals who commit rape or incest. Juxtaposed is footage of President Clinton, shown in a campaign speech saying that he would be lifting the military ban, and then shown in his speech during the first months of his presidency saying that

Tokyo has its second

pride parade

2 200 marched in the second gay-pride parade in Tokyo, Japan. The march wound through the streets of the Shibuya neighborhood. Parade coordinator Kayoko Shirakawa said it was important for the parade to “be political, not just about having fun,”

The day after the parade,

NOLL :

the ban would remain in place.

Generation Q recounts a group of Massachusetts teenagers’ efforts to pass a bill protecting queer students against discrimination in schools. This video centers around interviews with the teenagers and with another group of queer youth that attend the Eagle Center, a school in Los Angeles.

The school was founded by Jerry Batty to provide a safe place of education for lesbian and gay students who would have otherwise dropped out of school due to discrimination and harassment by their former peers. Ina particularly funny scene, a lesbian couple at the school is hosting a radio show. A Reverend Sheldon calls and comments that all queer culture centers around sex. One of the women answers,

toto

the prime minister’s office released the results of a poll saying that an overwhelming majority of Japanese citizens disapproved of anti-gay discrimination and discrimination against HIV- positive people.

In the streets of

Verona...

5 000 queers marched through the streets of Verona

With great aplomb, “I’m here with my girlfriend tonight to do this show, and I’m speaking with you, and I’m not fornicating as well.”

From fornicating in | the bedroom to not / fornicating at a radio

station, Hollow Liberty

and Generation Q

create a provocative synthesis. While the first video leaves the viewer beguiled by the lunacy of rampant injustice, the second video offers a more optimistic picture of the strength of progressive youth,

In Hollow Liberty, U.S. Congressman of Massachusetts Barney Frankstates “The queer community is doubly plagued with legal discrimination and cultural pulverisation. This occurs to such an extent that ‘coming out’ is a political act; in fact anything we do that is culturally expressive is considered a political act.”

If thisis true, and! do believe it is, then the achievement of these films is two-fold as well. They recuperate some of what is lost and buried of our history and accomplishments, and bring us together to viewthem, In your face, Bowers.

wht des : ‘ ; t

Mi ir SRE Michael Hardwick, from Hollow Liberty

in protest of the Catholic dominated City.Council's resolution that calls homosexuality a “depraved behavior”. The march was organised by the Arcigay- Arcilesbica and the Verona Gay and Lesbian Movement. The City Council’s resolution was made in response to the European Parliament’s resolution urging all European Union member nations to grant queers equality.

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE

=. ln. un € mt =-

à _—

ES ee CPU msn =

Father, brother, teacher, friend ée

anonymous

efore this past July, I believed myself to

be an open-minded straight girl with a

“normal” straight life. I was — and still am — a social person with lots of good friends, two of whom! can relate to on all levels and call my best friends. I love being involved in soci- ety, and this past summer — quite randomly, in fact — I decided to fight any and all homophobia I came into contact with;

Although I lived in what I knew was a relatively sheltered, straight world, [had some gay acquaintances and realised that homophobic behaviour was still accepted and even encouraged by too many people. I de- cided to expose myself to gay literature and film and promised to “get to know as many gay people as possible so I could better under- stand their culture.”

Before I make it sound like lam condemning myself for my own naiveté, allow me to assure you that I have no problem with what my attitude was this summer. On the contrary, | believe that it was my interest in sexuality, gay culture and gay rights that encouraged one of my closest friends, Bill, to come out to me one day in July.

Nothing could have made me feel more honoured and touched than his trust in me and I was genuinely happy that he came out. The experience which has so greatly influ- enced me and shaped my attitudes however, is not this one, but an incident that occurred the

by Jen Mooney

ost of the coming-out stories I have

heard are about a queer rejected by

her/his family and friends, The indi- vidual is left alone to deal with the anxiety, depression and pain of not being the status- quo “heterosexual.”

While this is the sad truth for many people, I was fortunate that this is not my story. For me, coming out was one of the most self-affirming, beautiful and liberat- ing experiences of my life. |

Like many queers, I assumed I was straight for the majority of my life, though growing up within a liberal family and among liberal peers, | had never had a problem with homo- sexuality,

Bisexuality, however, was another story. | remember being 14 and arguing with my father about whether or not bisexuality was “real.” He, like many straight and gay peo- ple, felt that you had to be one or the other;

I argued fiercely against this, without ever questioning why I felt so passionately. about bisexuality.

From theory:to,reality | In Montreal — which was relatively accepting,

compared to therepressed, conservative town:

in which I spent most.of my. life — ]'began to

explore what it would be like to kiss another

woman. te BARTS RE Bo I eventually got up the courage to.do-so;

and I started accepting that I could find other.

women sexually attractive.

Harbouring jan ‘unrequited: crush on’ a.

woman in one of my classes,,] looked deep

within to find out why my feelings for this:

woman were “different”: from: those:] had

following day.

One of the two best friends I mentioned earlier is a guy I'll call Dan, who I had been in love with for.well.over a year. I do not use the term best friend lightly, and honestly felt, and still feel, that Dan is my perfect match.

We have been best friends for more than three years and havea relationship made up of intense conversations and ‘concern for each other. Although I could not understand why we were not going out, I knew without a doubt that there was no one who was nearly as close to him as I was.

Having said all that, there was one thing! did not know about Dan until July, less than four months ago today. On a beautiful summer night in Toronto's College Park, in a conversa- tion charged with emotions and filled with tears, Dan told me he was gay. I suddenly found myself caught in a situation in which I would never have wished to find myself, but Which has shaped my attitudes more than any other experience in my life.

Nothing hurts more than not being able to have the person you love, and the pain and shock I went through was one of the most difficult. experiences of my life. What is more important now, however, is that nothing has changed between Dan and I since he came out.

I finally understand everything about him and no longer need to wonder why we are so perfectly matched. and yet not going out to-

COMING OUT...

gether, There is nothing different about him or about us now, which brings me back to reflect upon my original mission — to “get to know more gay people so I could better understand their culture.” It makes me laugh when I think of my statement now, but | guess sometimes one is too close to a situation to see it clearly.

| do not think I realised how true it is to say that gay people are your co-workers, your doctors, your friends, your children. Although | knew of my gay classmate, my gay professor and my gay colleague, I perceived my own little sheltered world as straight. | would never have thought the person | consider to be most similar to me, who | love the most in the world, to be gay.

By knowing a gay individual, | do not neces- sarily understand gay culture. Furthermore, if I knew twenty gay people, I would not likely be able to classify them as a uniform group of people. This is the naiveté that I possessed before and that [laugh at now.

I wanted to know what gay people were like and to discover how interesting | thought they must be. In reality, ] would find as much diversity, if not more, in this culture as in any other.

Homophobia is a fear of homosexuals, a fear of someone who is too different to accept, When you open your eyes, the reality is that there is no fundamental difference at all.

AND BEING ACCEPTED

for other women. | realised — with surprise — that I wanted to get to know her, to ask her outon areal “date,” and to see if a relation- ship could develop.

This thought terrified me. It signaled an awakening I knew could not be silenced or ignored. What would my boyfriend think? My family and friends? What about the marriage and kids that I’d always wanted?

So much for having “no problem” with queer sexuality! What the fuck was I going to do?

An ear to listen

The logical answer was to seek out people who had the same feelings that! did, sol went to the LBGM (now LBGTM) office’ for the Peer Counseling I had seen advertised.

There I was, welcomed by a non-judgmen- tal counselor who advised me that LBGM was a place where I wouldn’t be asked to label my

sexuality unless I wanted to. 1 started going

to the biand women’s discussion groups and finally found other people who felt the same angst and-attractions that 1 did,

I was relieved and overjoyed atthe variety of

people ‘in. the: queer. community, My naïve preconception of what it meant to be “queer” was shattered very quickly, and] realised that

being queer was whatever J wanted it to be.

[ started coming out to my friends, boy-

friend and siblings, all of whom were amaz- ingly accepting. 1 — like many queers — was

so afraid that people would desert me when

they knew THE: TRUTH. Luckily it didn't

happen, Letting people I: loved see this part

of'me helped to further my own self-accept-: “ance: GY

THE MSGILL DAILY SPECIAL ISSUE (177 NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

Subtle hint... The only people left were my parents — ack! I’ve always had a very intimate and open rela- tionship with my parents about everything except sex. | knew telling them was something had to do as the final stage of my coming out. | kept putting it off untilone day my mother found my copy of The Penguin Book of Lesbian Short Stories. That weekend, | asked my par- ents if I could talk to them about “something important.” They, my sister Maureen and |, gathered on their big bed — the location of all of our important family talks.

After beating around the bush for a while, | finally said the words “I’m bisexual.”

[was shocked at my physical reaction. Burst- ing into tears, | cried out, “I can’t believe I've finally told you.”:1 immediately felt myself being embraced by my mother and my sister, and my father held my hand. | silently thanked “God” (despite my agnosticism) and knew then

“that “everything would be alright.”

My identity

This:is hardly the end of my story. My straight boyfriend andihave had an extremely difficult time trying to deal.with my bisexuality.

I question myself all the time'and still buy into the idea that I have to be either gay or straight. ] often wish I could “go back” to being straight or else devote myself to being a “true”

dyke. 2

Now I’m carving out my own definition of what bisexual means for me. Although my life is definitely more complicated, itis much richer than before 1 came out. Jam living my life the only way | can-~ my way.

8 Little ¢;.

Imost one year and over

a quarter of a million dollarsin expenses later, Little Sisters Bookstore in Vancouver is still waiting to hear the verdict in its case against Canada Customs,

The precedent-setting court case in which Little Sis- ters challenged the right of Customs Lo seize so-called ‘ob- scene’ literature was heard in the BC Supreme Court from October to December 1994,

Little Sisters, Which carries literature for Vancouver's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendercommunities, has had its shipments seized re- peatedly since 1985, {& The confis- cated arti- a cles some- |,& times in- à cluded pub- | lications al- lowed into mainstream bookstores,

Little Sis- ters decided lo take ac- lion — last vear, Fed up with having to chailenge each seizure Se On a case by case basis, the store is questioning the legal- ity of Customs’ powers of de- lainment,

The store argued that Cus- toms’ use of the term “ob- scenity” is unclear and critcised Customs for target- Ing gay and lesbian authors and bookstores while being more tolerant of heterosexual literature,

According to Kim Mistysyn, from the Glad Day bookstore in Toronto, one of the big problems is that Customs of- licials receive little training in pornography and free speech issues. The only guid- ance they are given is a two

hy -

hour seminar on literature. During the triallast year, many Witnesses from Customs ad- mitted to this scanty training and still others said they found homosexuality “repulsive,”

“Customs obviously does not have the experience or edu- cation to deal with books. They have repeatedly demonstrated their inability to keep things consistent, ‘” declared Mistysyn.

The mistakes are revealing, Mistysyn pointed to a recent mishap surrounding the veg-

etarian cookbook The Politics

of Meat. Border guards glanced at the cover, assumed the book

depicted gay sex, and seized

it.

“They would have realised if they had read a little of the book like they are supposed to,” noted Mistysyn.

And then there is the dou- ble standard. Books depicting gay sex are routinely detained, Whereas literature involving heterosexual sex is allowed through without any difficulty. According to Fuller, Gay Sex was seized, while the heterosexual equivalent, The

Joy of Sex, can be found on the

shelves of virtually any Cana-

INTERNATIONAL

Queer cuts

Potential victory in New

South Wales The state of New South

the state cabinet with a series —

of reforms that will recognise Same-Sex couples and trans-

Wales, Australia, might be the | gecxuals:

next region to approve same=* sex unions. is Jeff Shaw, New South Wales

attorney-general, will présents |

Says Shaw, “Society ‘has.

changed, and the community is ready to accept that rela-

tionships as to be dealt tions at the United Nations

NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBRE, 1995

The Joy of

lers s Ol q

dian bookstore.

Customs officials also rou- tinely target independent bookstores while large chains such as Cole's are left alone. Mistysyn attributes this to the fact that border guards do not have time to look through the entire order of large shipments going to major chains.

Independent bookstores cannot afford to import books in bulk and suspicious offi- cials are care- ful to search Bi the shipments headed for stores such as | Glad Day or Lit- | tle Sisters. Just | last year, Glad Day’s shipment of the famous American au- thor Samuel Delany’s book a) Madman was eee! scized, while Se | che Cole’s down | the street re- ceived its cop-

Sa ies without any difficulty,

Fuller commented that other marginalised groups have also been systematically targeted recently. Pointing to problems with prominent US feminist bell hooks’ last work, Fuller said she believes Cus- toms is beginning to “widen its scope” of censorship be- yond gay and lesbian books to include the literature of femi- nists and people of colour.

But this phenomenon is not limited to Customs Canada.

The attack against gay, les-

bian, feminist literature has taken a new voice since 1992, when a Supreme Court of Canada ruling classified ‘de-

with equitably, whether they

are based on marriage or oth- crwise.”

In support of transsexuals, Shaw hopes to extend the pro- tection of the state’s Anti-Dis- crimination Act, as well as in- troduce a proposal to allow transsexuals to change their gender on their birth certifi- cates.

Argentina’sroleinWom- en's Conference criticised

_in Buenos Aires

Members of Lebianas a la Vista marched in protest of the Argentinean government's support of anti-lesbian posi-

liant

BOOKSTORES FACE ARBITRARY HARASS- MENT AT BORDER

By Andrea Mason

grading’ and ‘dehumanising’ sexual expression as criminal obscenity. That decision has been used continually by offi- cials and judges to declare that homo-erotic expression is de- grading as well.

In a recent interview with

the Advocate, Bruce Walsh of

the anti-censorship coalition Censorstop commented that, “Every gay bookseller in this country has attempted to sell their bookstores, but nobody wants to buy them.”

There is a lot of support for the Little Sister’s initiative, as Customs has a history of con- flict with gay and lesbian book- stores in Canada. According to Mistysyn, the fact that there are only three specifically gay and lesbian bookstores in Canada makes it easy for offi- cials to keep track of the ship- ments imported by these stores,

Glad Day has had its share of hassles with the border guards, After numerous in- stances of prolonged shipment detention without notification, the store was forced to start importing through a broker, Although this is an extra ex-

Fourth World Conference on.

Women in Beijing. Demonstra- tors were extremely displeased by the exclusion of lesbian rights at the conference and marched with banners read- ing “Lesbian Rights are Hu- man Rights.”

Youcan contact Lesbianasa la Vista at Piedras 1170 lero.B, (1070) Buenos Aires, Argen- tina and ales@wawani.apc.org.

Denmark’s Same Sex

marriage policy.

In a display of protest, two

leaders of Denmark's national queer organisation were mar- ried. The queer couple con- sists of a lesbian and gay HAT

pense, it ensures that officials will be forced to at least give notice when they seize a ship- ment at the Canada/US bor- der.

While Janine Fuller of Little Sisters said “There is less im- position of state will on the private domain” in Québec, the Montréal bookstore L'Androgyne has also been on Custom’s hit list in the past.

Fuller admitted that book- stores carrying gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered

literature are starting to buckle.

under the pressure. “We end up censoring ourselves,” said Fuller.

The resultis that some pub- lications, such as the lesbian erotic magazine Bad Attitude, have “effectively been banned in Canada,” said Fuller.

But Little Sisters continues to be defiant, because, as Fuller stated, “A gay and lesbian bookstore is one of the few places where gays can see their ideas and history repre- sented.”

The marriage was intended to protest provisions in Dan- ish law that withhold certain rights granted to opposite sex couples, such as adoption and access to artificial insemina- tion.

Denmark was the first country in the world to allow same-sex unions in 1989, a decision soon followed by many Other European na- tions.

In a related story, Eigil Axgil, part of the first couple

. to be legally married in the

world, died at the age of 71. He had been happily married

for six years with his lover

Axel Axgil, The couple’ had

been soccer for Gly peus :

“THE MCGILL DAILY Spcciail sue

_ _— aE ee 2 ee oe eS

Ed SEE ns — =

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Managers to $8.25/hour+bonuses. Wrappers to $7.15/hour. Full/Part une December 1-24. 416-538-

1-HOUSING

Role-Model req'd to live in close proximity to young mothers experienc- ing independent living. Free rent. Role-Model req'd to live in close Lachine duplex. Info: Carol Norman proximity to young mothers experienc- 482-2488. ing independent living. Free rent.

1} to sublet, clean, sunny & quiet. Lachine duplex. Info: Carol Norman Near St-Laurent tOmin” walk to | 482-2488.

McGill. Balcony, hardwd floors, security. $380/month 845-8637.

CRUISE SHIPS HIRING Earn up to $2,000+ per month

working for Cruise Ships or Land-Tour Companies. World Travel (Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, etc.). Seasonal and Full-Time employment available. No exp. necessary. For info call: (©

gee

Students Needed!

Cruise Employment Services (206) 634-0468 ext. C40052

TRAVEL ABROAD & WORK!

+ Teach Conversational English in Asia * Make up to $25-$45 per hour teaching basic conversational English abroad. Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Positions also available in Thailand, China, and Indonesia. Many Employers provide room & board plus other benefits. No teaching background or Asian languages required. For more information, call one of our representatives at International Employment Group: PM INTERNATIONAL (206)632-1146

we EMPLOYMENT f? e f2 6) Ue ext. J40052

FREE milkshake or soup

with purchase of an

sandwich with this ad. $1.80 value)

Les Cours oneal

(Food Court metro level

1455 Peel St.

(between de Maisonneuve and Ste. Catherine)

PEEL

EXPIRES: NOVEMBER 2795

Our Specialties are served with your choice of Salad or Fruits. Croque Monsieur: smoked ham, smoked gruyère on crusty

White breads Grid annee $3.73 Le Californien: smoked turkey on rye bread. $4.25 L’Italien: Prosciutto, light Provolone cheese on pumpernickle Loreen ch seer eerie Re tee tste $4.25 L'Original: Roast Beef, New Zealand Edam cheese on Kaiser bun? Grilled 2e Sea eae enr $4,25 Le Moulin Vert: French Brie on baguette... $4.85

[eS Ss ss Se Se ss

Personal trainer required in the Park Ave. & Prince Arthur area. Sessions 2 or 3 times per week in evenings & weekends. Knowledge of nutrition plus squash will be an asset. Please call on weekends or after 2100 on weekdays. Tel. 843-3502.

Do you like candles? Partylite fea- tures unique collection of candles & home decor accessories. Seeking consultants (party plan). No invest- ment. 727-4256.

Quebec Franchi$e magazine looking for graduate able to translate

eneral business text from French to : i Leth on contract basis. Call 287-

5-WorpD PROCESSING/TYPING

Success to all students. WordPerfect 5.1. Term papers, resumes, applications, transcription of micro-cassettes. Editing of gram- mar, 27 yrs. experience. $1.75/D.S.P, 7 days/week. Campus / Peel /

Sherbrooke. Paulette / Roxanne 288- 9638/288-0016.

McGill College/Sherbrooke quality word processing of term papers, theses, résumés, bilingual. Also diskette RTE EL at 600 dpi. Ginette 848-0423.

Word-processing term papers: theses, reports, etc. WordPerfect 5.1. Laser printer. Fast, professional service. Good Rates. 10 Ve expe- rience. Close to McGill. Brigitte 282-

Word Processing Fast professional typing apers, documents, resumes xecu-Centre 1200 McGill College 11th Floor 20% Discount for Students 393-1100

Professional wordprocessing. $1.50/page. Same-day service, downtown, editing, laser. For all your SRI EAN ETATS academic papers, CV, graphic, etc. M-F 1:00am- 6pm. Wendy 499-0140.

6-SERVICES OFFERED

Experienced editor/proofread- er/ writer/tutor. Help with your stu- dent papers, theses, manuscripts, résumés translation Spanish/French /English. Call Marian 765-9804 7 Days/week

Foreign students & visitors. DV-1 Greencard posent available. Tel: 818-772-7168 & 818-882-9681. rs Stagg st. Canoga Park

Post Office Varieté David Cho Closest to McGill 2001 University. Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm. We offer parcel service. Priority courier, xpress post, registered mail, money orders etc. Tel. 844-6455,

Translation from English to French, and editing, on WP5.1, by prof., member of Ordre des Traducteurs agrés du Québec. 257-1253,

Save Time and Money University application kits procurement service for any North American Graduate egree Tel. 486-4945 Fax. 486-2186.

Pet Care:

Looking for someone to feed and care for your pet over the holi- days? Call Jo-anne 524-1689,

7-FOR SALE Attn Architecture

gineering professiona “Norman Wade” drafting table com-

lete with “Vemco” drafting machine ’x3’ price negotiable 282-9557.

9-WANTED To Buy

Sound too good to be true. Make money while going to class. We

pay for your lecture notes: Call 936-6466 11-LOST & FOUND

Se ee Tabby-cat found. To give away.

Prya. 989-8516. 13-LESSONS/COURSES

Learn French with a qualified experienced teacher/ also tutoring children all levels. Atwater/de Maisonneuve 7 days/week. 932-9035.

Authentic School of

Esoteric Studies 25-week evening course totally free-of-charge to study oneself/life and awaken consciousness based on direct experience. All are welcome. Info session 16 Nov & 18 Nov, 1015 Atwater. U.C. Gnostic Movement: a non-profit, non-religious, humanitarian and int'l organization. (514)-384-1982:

14-NOTICES I McGill Nightline open 9pm-3am a confidential and anonymous line. We

offer listening, referrals and informa- tion. Call at 398-6246 398-MAIN.

sage

Department of Physical Education Faculty of Education WINTER 1996

434-392R.01: Nutrition & Wellness

Wednesday & Friday - 9:00-10:30 - Room 408, Currie Gym Bldg.

This course examines the role of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water in a balanced diet. Students will be introduced to the effects of nutrition on exercise, sport performance and wellness. The concept of wellness from an active living and stress reduction perspective will also be discussed,

434-502Y.61: Selected Iisues: Sport medicine

Wednesdays - 17:00-20:00 - Room 152, Currie Gym Bldg,

Are you interested in understanding the healing process of common sport injuries? À new course is being offered that focuses on these issues. Aimed at physical educators, coaches, trainers, and taught by sport medicine physicians, the course will review recent scientific developments in the rapidly growing field of sports medicine.

English Language Courses

December

Conversation (cight levels) TOEFL Preparation Writing for the CELDT

Registration Fee (non-refundable) Late Registration Fee (commencing November 28) ..

Monday to lriday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (40 hours)

December 4 to December 15

Days: Time: Dates: Registration in person before November 23 848-3608

1822 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.

Montreal, Quebec H3H 148

Call Now:

Centre for Continuing Education

“| Concordia

“wy UNIVERSITY

REAL EDUCATION FOR THE REAL WORLD

Sexual Assault Centre of McGill

Have you been sexually harassed or assaulted here?

ACCOMPANIMENT AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMME:

Trained volunteers from the Sexual Assault Centre of McGill Students Society, an organization made up of students who are committed to working together to stop sexual harassment and assault, will provide information, support and accompaniment services to members of the McGill community who are considering taking action against their aggressors through the university grievance procedures.

Students’ Society

Sexual harassment and assault are prohibited under the McGill University Code of Student Conduct Find out what you can do about it af McGill.

CALL US 398-2700 Mon-Fri, 9:30-5:30 398-8500, Seven days a week, 6:00 pm-12:00 am William Shatner University Centre, Room 430

YOUR DOWNTOWN A CCESS Info-Tecn EPSON SERL CE AE

IN STORE STUDENT FINANCING Tough on Fe Road, Easy on St en: the Budget.

FNEEOQ Association des Etudiant-e-s

Diplômé-e-s Employé-e-s de McGill

SCTIL

Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill

CSN Union Tour

è À ction N ote Coming soon to your department. In November, members of the coordinating 6 b () C 6 () LO [/ R committee and your local representative - Fast 486D.X2-66MHz Processor will be setting up a meeting in your building.

; | The meeting will include background on - Large 10.3" Passive Colour Display AGSEM, what is going on in bargaining

with Built-In Local Bus Video with McGill, the vacation pay issue and - SMB Ram , 340MB HDD, 3.5" FD any other questions you want to raise.

- Type III PCMCIA Slot Coffee and donuts will be provided. - Built-In Trackball We'll see you there. $79 permonth

LIMITED QUANTITY. CASH PRICE ONLY

r Room 12, Suite 2401, 2020 University Street, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2A5 444 Rene-Levesque West. 1120 DeMaisonneuve West y ; ; ; Conver Blears Corner Stanley Tel: (514) 398-2582. Fax: (514) 398-2623. email: agsem@facl.lan.mcglll.ca

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p d'Arts Tel.: (514) 288 - 6000 Tel: (514)288-6000 PEL

imprimerie — reprographie

= = COPIE EXPRESS

(corner of University & Ne 680 SH ERBROO KE WEST

| The all new digital printshop of the 90’s.

DON’T MISS THIS GREAT

ce py OPPORTUNITY . fe A it < cy Visit us and take advantage of our special

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UNTIL NOV. 30) NOV. UNTIL NOV. 30)

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Mon: Fri: . some 10: 00m

680 SHERBROOKE WEST corn ner of University & McGill) .

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