Canadian Trans Student Denied Access to School Bathroom

James Spencer, a transgender student at Clarke High School in Durham Region, Ontario, can't use the men's room at his school despite going through the demeaning chore of collecting signatures from half the student body, Metro News Canada reports:

He’s been granted access to the women’s washroom and a private washroom that needs a key from the main office — neither of which work for him.

“I thought, ‘They’re figuring it out, it’s temporary,’ but as time went on they’re portraying the message that transgender people are wrong and they need to be segregated. And I don’t sit well with that,” said Spencer.

Spencer was born Samantha De Graauw. He began transitioning in Grade 10 while at school in Cobourg. Then the rumours and bullying started. He moved in with his sister and enrolled at the new school in Clarington as James Spencer. Sex? Male.

During his first week and a half, he said he was asked to go to the bathroom at a Harvey’s beside the school while the administration found a solution. Officials deny sending the student off-site.

Spencer awaits a solution.

Toronto Archbishop Fights 'Gay' School Bullying Mandate

On Friday I posted about an amendment to an anti-bullying bill likely to pass in Ontario, Canada that would require all schools, including Catholic ones, to accept the name "gay-straight alliance" for anti-homophobia clubs.

Not surprisingly, Catholic leaders are fighting it, the National Post reports:

Cardinal Collins said the Church was taken aback by Friday’s decision because it believed it was on the way to negotiating a compromise. He said he is puzzled as to “why a piece of provincial legislation is being used to micromanage the naming of student clubs” and “why Catholics are not free to design their own methods to fight bullying?”

Cardinal Collins said he would not speculate as to the government’s motives, and was unclear about the role teachers might play in steering a club, regardless of its name, in keeping the club’s agenda in line with Catholic teaching.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says homosexual behaviour is “intrinsically disordered” and “under no circumstance can it be approved.” However, the Catechism also teaches that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”

Earlier Monday, Marino Gazzola, president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, struggled to express what the practical difference would be between a GSA or a “respecting difference” club, something his group has proposed.

“GSAs are externally developed and they don’t reflect the unique values our Catholic schools are based on,” he said.

But Education Minister Laurel Broten said it well in the Star article on Friday:

...proponents argue that allowing a principal, for example, to refuse to allow an anti-homophobia club to be called a “gay-straight alliance” is in itself a form of oppression that is inappropriate under the spirit of the bill. Broten has said gay students have been more prone to bullying, which is why they get specific mention in the bill.

“If we can’t name it, we can’t address it and we must address it,” she said.

Previously...
Ontario Poised to Pass Bill Mandating 'Gay-Straight Alliances' be Allowed in All Schools, Including Catholic Ones [tlrd]

Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty Releases Anti-Bullying VIDEO

Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty today released an "It Gets Better" video and announced the introduction of legislation as he met students at L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute in Toronto.

Details of the anti-bullying legislation:

Tougher consequences for bullying and hate-motivated actions -- up to, and including, expulsion; Requiring all schools to support any students who want to lead activities that promote understanding, acceptance and respect for all; Requiring school boards to develop policies and guidelines that include greater supports for students.

Watch McGuinty's excellent video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Lesbian Couple, Supporters Protest Ejection from Tim Hortons: VIDEO

Appproximately 20 people showed up to protest an incident that took place three weeks ago at a Tim Hortons restaurant in Blenheim, Ontario in which a lesbian couple was ejected from the restaurant for what they say was an innocent display of affection.

The couple was reportedly booted from the restaurant after complaints from a local pastor who was dining there. The pastor formed a prayer circle in the restaurant's parking lot as the couple left.

There has been some controversy over the protest. Sarah Fraleigh, the former president of Chatham-Kent Pride, said she would not attend the sit-in Thursday afternoon, and CK Pride has refused to support the protest. The PRride group has been accused of cowing to rampant homophobia in the area and not supporting the protest over concern that ties it has to local businesses would be broken.

Watch local videographer DanAge's report on the protest, AFTER THE JUMP...

And watch a CBC report, HERE.

Protest Planned After Canadian Tim Hortons Kicks Out Lesbian Couple

Dozens are reportedly planning to protest an incident that took place three weeks ago at a Tim Hortons restaurant in Blenheim, Ontario in whcih a lesbian couple was ejected from the restaurant for what they say was an innocent display of affection.

Riley Duckworth, 25, of London, and her partner Patricia Pattenden, 23 are not accepting an apology from the restaurant chain, the Globe & Mail reports.

Ms. Duckworth says she and her partner were outside drinking coffee with a group of family and friends and saw a man watching them from inside the restaurant.  She says soon after, the man went up to the counter, and a few minutes later the assistant manager came out and asked the couple to stop doing what they were doing and leave.

Ms. Duckworth says her partner had her hand around her waist, and had kissed her on the cheek once or twice but she denies they were groping each other.

“The manager said that our behaviour was inappropriate and that it was a family friendly establishment and it wasn't acceptable there,” Ms. Duckworth said. “We would need to leave within five minutes or the cops would be called,” she said they were told.

Duckworth and Pattenden say that as they departed this happened:

As the couple left, the pastor at a local church allegedly held a prayer circle with more than a dozen people in the parking lot to “pray for the couple's souls,” Ms. Duckworth said.

Tim Hortons released a statement earlier this week:

"The guests' behaviour went beyond public displays of affection and was making other guests feel uncomfortable. The management has apologized to Riley and Patricia and invite them back to their restaurant. We apologize if (they) were offended by the misunderstanding that occurred at our Blenheim restaurant last month on behalf of the owners and management. It was not the manager's intention to offend or target anyone based on their sexual orientation."

The planned protest has a Facebook page with almost 1,000 'Likes'.

It also has a dedicated page on the Kijiji website describing the incident.

Tim Hortons has been in trouble with gay activists in the past in the U.S. for its sponsorship of a National Organization for Marriage event opposing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island. The chain pulled out of the event after activists objected.

Campaign for Premier Job in Ontario, Canada Gets Homophobic

Canadian Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak, campaigning for Ontario's top job, is under fire for a homophobic campaign flyer that misleads voters about the education curriculum in place under Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty.

The Globe and Mail reports:

The Tories are quoting from a Toronto District School Board curriculum guideline that says, "Sending a school newsletter home at the beginning of each term is a best practice for keeping parents informed of all upcoming equity topics in the classroom."

Still, the PC flyer warns parents against classrooms that would introduce concepts such as “cross dressing for six year olds” and “reclaiming Valentine’s Day [by celebrating] sexual diversity with a kissing booth.”

The statements aren't based on what was proposed, however. The Valentine's Day example was an idea to give chocolates to students who complete a "school climate" survey. As for cross-dressing, the Liberals said "there is no such thing." The page cited in the PC flyer is a list of "Significant International" gay and lesbian individuals, including Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O'Donnell, Virginia Woolf and Harvey Milk.

Other candidates associated with the flyer are running from it, literally.