Rob Ford's Toronto

[GraphicMatt]

The mayor skipping the parade to spend Canada Day weekend with his family would be entirely defensible if not for his skipping every other event related LGBT issues, even stuff that was happening literally ten feet from his office door. Hell, the PFLAG ceremony was hosted by Brian Burke -- who Ford should get along with great -- and took place on the roof of City Hall and Ford still couldn't be bothered to make an appearance.

Pride doesn't need the mayor, but it would be a nice show of support for the community. While the mayor may have received some boos at the event, I think a greater number of people would respect his having the courage to show up in "enemy territory" to show his support for a broad community of Torontonians.

Mel Lastman didn't tend to get the support of the gay community on many issues, but he was deservedly given a ton of props for showing up at Pride after earlier expressing reservations.

 

[Filip]

I don't understand this vehement support for Pride anyway. I'm gay, and I avoid it like the plague when it's on!

When it was a march for gay rights and inclusion, you bet your ass I would go and march for my rights, but what does it stand for now? 3 years ago I went with friends just to see what it's like, there was a float with young men with raging boners in speedos bobbing their hips back and forth, right in the middle of the parade! All it does is reinforce that stereotype that gays are oversexed sluts picking up STDs at every corner.

 

[js97]

bigot - a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion

Seems to be a fair share of bigots here. People are not entitled to their own beliefs or opinions if they run counter to the ones you hold dear... it's ironic that some of the most hate-filled, intolerant people in the world are those that claim moral superiority over others. Part of being a grown-up is accepting that not everyone agrees with you.

Reason is not one of the strong points here.

Seems like anti-ford supporters will find anything and everything to start a witch hunt.

All this does is galvanize his supporters and the religious right. If anything, this only drums up sentiments of 'us against them', moves it backwards instead of forward.

Just because he doesn't morally support it, doesn't mean he necessarily is against it - but this has always been more about politics than 'gay rights'.

If anything, the LGBT should go on with their celebrations. The bigger the issue becomes, the more you justify the religious right (which i'm no way part of).

At the end of the day the less you divide and distinguish (among lifestyles) the less people will discriminate.

 

[Eug]

But that perplexes me even more ... if you get it ... why defend Ford's right to be a bigot so vehemently?

I don't actually support Ford. While I did like some of his ideas about saving money in the city, I didn't actually think he could accomplish them, and even if I did, I would never vote for him because I do not agree with his views. However, he has a right to his own views, as long as he is not harming anyone.

Attending Pride IMO just isn't part of his job. The mayor attending Pride has become somewhat of a tradition, but that's all it is, a tradition. When Mel came along I didn't think he should be there either. It's nice he got over it and did actually go, but I think it should be his choice, not Pride's.

I'm pro-choice.

I don't understand this vehement support for Pride anyway. I'm gay, and I avoid it like the plague when it's on!

When it was a march for gay rights and inclusion, you bet your ass I would go and march for my rights, but what does it stand for now? 3 years ago I went with friends just to see what it's like, there was a float with young men with raging boners in speedos bobbing their hips back and forth, right in the middle of the parade! All it does is reinforce that stereotype that gays are oversexed sluts picking up STDs at every corner.

Heh. Yeah, these days a lot of it is just a big excuse for a party. Then again, there's nothing wrong with a party.

Anyways, I don't usually go any more either just because it's kind of become old hat for me. Been there, done that. Oh I should also mention that I was pissed off to see in the parade a condo ad for a "float" a while back. WTF? Maybe the condo developers misrepresented their intentions for the parade, but I was still pissed at the parade organizers for allowing it to go in the parade once they saw it. It was just a truck with a great big condo ad on it. Nothing else.

 

[JasonParis]

I don't understand this vehement support for Pride anyway. I'm gay, and I avoid it like the plague when it's on! When it was a march for gay rights and inclusion, you bet your ass I would go and march for my rights, but what does it stand for now? 3 years ago I went with friends just to see what it's like, there was a float with young men with raging boners in speedos bobbing their hips back and forth, right in the middle of the parade! All it does is reinforce that stereotype that gays are oversexed sluts picking up STDs at every corner.

It's still about inclusion, particularly interationally, but also in a city where there's still gay bashings almost every week. Yes, I'm talking about Toronto. If all you took from Pride Toronto was simply some bonery guys on floats then you are using a selective vision to see what you already intended to see before you went. Moreover, yes, in many ways it is a celebration of sexuality, but we are generally no longer a prudish orange city. And why are you so worried about "what the hell the straights must think?" You are hanging with a strange straight crowd or are blind to straight sexuality that is pretty-much everywhere one turns.

 

[nfitz]

Hell, the PFLAG ceremony was hosted by Brian Burke -- who Ford should get along with great -- and took place on the roof of City Hall and Ford still couldn't be bothered to make an appearance.

Has that happened? I thought that was still to come.

I don't understand this vehement support for Pride anyway. I'm gay, and I avoid it like the plague when it's on!

Hey ... I avoid it like the plague too ... Caribana as well. Not my thing. But I'm not the mayor.

While I did like some of his ideas about saving money in the city, I didn't actually think he could accomplish them, and even if I did, I would never vote for him because I do not agree with his views.

I'm with you 100% there. Some of his ideas are great ... anything that cuts unnecessary bureaucracy.

However, he has a right to his own views, as long as he is not harming anyone.

First of all, I don't think one does have the right to hold bigoted views. Would you say the same if he appeared as anti-black or pro-slavery as he appeared to be anti-gay. And secondly, it does tremendous harm. We still see anti-gay violence in this country. People have been slaughtered in this country simply for being gay. The mayor creating a situation where there is even the slightest hint of intolerance only perpetuates the myth among some people that it's okay to kill gays.

Attending Pride IMO just isn't part of his job.

It's a HUGE part of his job. This is what mayors do ... cut ribbons, talk to people, make public appearances. Ford knows this - this is why he's appeared at every other similar event since he became Mayor.

I've been reading some other stuff now ... seems to be quite a reaction to this. I expect that Ford will do an about-face and at least make an appearance at one of these events. Which might be good for the city and society ... but it won't change what are seem to be his beliefs (though perhaps a good parade might just start do to that ...).

 

[doug]

Has that happened? I thought that was still to come.

Ovr a month ago, and Burke mentioned in his speach how disappointed he was that none of the media showed up either.

 

[nfitz]

Ovr a month ago, and Burke mentioned in his speach how disappointed he was that none of the media showed up either.

I'm not familiar with it ... but sounds like some kind of screw-up to me. None of the media showed up? That's unusual in this city ... without knowing anything about it, I'd tend to think there may have been some communication problems. Hard to blame Ford for that I'd think.

 

[doug]

I saw the press release that was sent to all media, well in advance of th eevent,...one camera showed up, global I think it was.

 

[Irishmonk]

Ford is doing the impossible--making Mel Lastman look like a level headed statesman.

Whatever the media outcry amounts to, I don't expect Tweedledum to make an about face and appear even if Tweedledee does. RF is as stubborn and bigoted, as he is classless and ignorant. I just wonder when the business community decides to give up on this pair of oafs and make their feelings known to the Ford entourage at City Council.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Yeah, it was well-publicized. Here are some photos: http://torontoist.com/2011/05/scene_pflag_raising_at_city_hall.php

Media coverage probably would have been better had the mayor made an appearance.

The Toronto Star today reports that the very busy mayor has found time to attend the opening of a Medical Supply store in Etobicoke.

Also, former mayor Mel Lastman:

When Pride invited him in ’98, Lastman agonized until his son Dale sat him down and said: “You have to go, you’re the mayor of all the people, you made a promise.’ He was right and I figured I should go.”

His trepidation arriving at Church St., and waiting beside a float full of gyrating and waving “Southern Ontario Bears”, quickly evaporated.

“I didn’t know how I’d be treated. But everybody was so receptive, everybody was having a good time and here were people proud of what you are.

“I told a kid: ‘Who’s better than you? No-o-o-body! You’ve got to feel that way about yourself. That’s what Canada’s about.’ That’s pride.”

via http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1013782--lastman-urges-ford-to-go-to-pride

 

[Filip]

It's still about inclusion, particularly interationally, but also in a city where there's still gay bashings almost every week. Yes, I'm talking about Toronto. If all you took from Pride Toronto was simply some bonery guys on floats then you are using a selective vision to see what you already intended to see before you went. Moreover, yes, in many ways it is a celebration of sexuality, but we are generally no longer a prudish orange city. And why are you so worried about "what the hell the straights must think?" You are hanging with a strange straight crowd or are blind to straight sexuality that is pretty-much everywhere one turns.

I have yet to see erections in public, unless I'm at a strip club.. Then again...

Why should it be a celebration of sexuality? What is there to celebrate about sex? It's out in the open now, kids know everything about it and nearly everyone does it! It's human nature, nothing to be celebrated. Guys dry humping each other with boners on a float is just classless and does nothing to quell gay stereotypes. I'm gay and that makes me uncomfortable. Ford would probably keel over if he saw that (I'm sure most of you would celebrate that!)

 

[Eug]

First of all, I don't think one does have the right to hold bigoted views. Would you say the same if he appeared as anti-black or pro-slavery as he appeared to be anti-gay.

I don't think there should be any requirement for him to go to Caribana (or whatever it's called now) either, quite frankly. Like I said I don't agree with his views and wouldn't vote him, but I also think he shouldn't be forced to go to Pride if he doesn't want to because personally I don't think it should be the Mayor's job to do so.

Anyways, for racial stereotyping, he's already stereotyped Asians publicly.

It's a HUGE part of his job. This is what mayors do ... cut ribbons, talk to people, make public appearances.

Actually, that was one of my beefs with Barbara Hall. She seemed to be at every single event where there would be media coverage, but the bureaucracy at City Hall stayed as thick as ever.

 

[nfitz]

Anyways, for racial stereotyping, he's already stereotyped Asians publicly.

While his language about Asians was very odd, and not at all what you'd expect from someone in their 30's ... I'm not sure that makes him anti-Asian - or even prejudiced. Simply very ignorant and out of touch.

 

[grey]

Joe O’Connor (National Post): Rob Ford should be at Pride. It’s his job. http://natpo.st/jZ6Z8u