God Save the Queens...



For those of you who are following Queer as Folk's final season, you've noticed that the token lesibian couple, Melanie and Lindsay, are trying to move to Toronto. Their motives are pure. While they love their native country, they want desperately to raise their children in a safe place, free of the hate crimes, discrimination, and stigma that many of us in the red states have come face to face with.

While QAF is obviously just a TV show, the issues that these characters are dealing with are very real on THIS side of the television screen. And with all the talk (and some of the action) of queers heading north of the border, I'm not sure how I feel. So, I've decided to look at a few of the reasons why some of the fabulous types have pondered permanent relocation:

1. Marriage Laws
On June 10, 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeal made it official, Canada's marriage laws were unconstitutionally heterosexist, and redefined it as "the voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of others". Since that change was made, couples from Canada (and from the rest of the world) have flocked to Canadian Judges, Justices of the Peace, and willing clerics to make their love and commitment known and (at least in Canada) legal!

Along with legal and binding documentation of their commitment, these marriage contracts also open the door to all other priviliges and responsbilities that are tied to nation's marriage laws. This includes health benefits, end-of-life choices, inheritance, child custody, and, as I said, ALL OTHER priviliges and responsibilities that are applicable to any heterosexual marriage. God bless Canada.


2. Hate Crimes
In a survey conducted by the Canadian government, there were 928 hate crimes committed north of the border between 2001 and 2002. Of these hate crimes, 95 were attributed to sexual orientation-related hate. In contrast, a study conducted by the US government shows over 5,500 hate crimes committed in the year of 2003. Of these, roughly 16% (over 700) cases were attributed to sexual orientation-related bias.

While I cannot guarantee that these numbers are completely accurate (found 'em on the web), if they are anywhere near realistic, the number of US hate crimes directly committed against the LGBT community (and/or straight allies) is at least 80% higher than the number of similar crimes committed in Canada. An interesting point.


3. Political Tendencies
Its common knowledge that our brothers and sisters to the north far more commonly lean to the the left politically than those of us in the USA. While I'm not going to make a list of voting records, bills, and laws that support the LGBT community, I think we can agree that Canada is traditionally more liberal than the good ole US of A. And while, by no means, you cannot place a label on the whole LGBT community as flaming liberals, much of the community will tend to take a liberal stance on many of the issues that we deem important (i.e. gay rights, diversity protection, etc.).

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All of these things said, I'm not filling out my application for permanent residency just yet. I am an American, and I love my country. If they'd let me fight in the military as an openly gay man, I would serve my country. I love and respect our history and the rich culture that we have developed. I have faith that things are getting better. I have the courage and the passion to help MAKE things better.

But would I feel the same if I had a child? Would I want my child to grow up in a place where his peers place judgment on his daddies? Would I want my child to grow up in a place where people like his daddies are hurt and killed every day because they have chosen to accept their god-given right to love? Further more, as a resident of the Red South, no way in hell could I expect to adopt a child with my partner. No way in hell could we share legal custody of a child.

I'm not sure what the future holds, but I do know that if it brings promises of more injustice, I will eventually start questioning whether I'm where I should be. If we become a nation of prejudice and divisiveness, my patriotism may waver. If we become a nation led by men who hate and declare war against my freedom and governed by courts that interpret and fudge the constitution to please the religious right, I may begin to dream of greener pastures. If I ever become the father that I've always felt I could be, I may want better for my child. I don't know.

For now, I will still sing "God Bless America" and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at baseball games. But I am definately watching for a turn in the tide...for better, hopefully.