Mercedes Allen

Mercedes Allen is a graphic designer and advocate for transsexual and transgender communities in Alberta. She writes on equality, human rights, LGBT and sexual minority issues in Canada, and the cross-border pollination of far-right spin. She blogs at Dented Blue Mercedes and operates a trans information website at http://www.albertatrans.org/

Free speech and the cruel shackles of empathy and mutual respect

Mercedes Allen

| October 23, 2016

In Canada, we tend to value freedom of speech very highly, and it's often said that the best way to counter objectionable speech is with more speech.

That's the first thought that crosses my mind in the case of University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson, who declares in a series of YouTube videos that he will not honour trans* peoples' chosen pronouns, and opposes trans* human rights protections, all in the name of combating "political correctness."

A trans woman's perspective on the disconnect between law enforcement and marginalized communities

Mercedes Allen

| July 15, 2016

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One of the sticking points that has arisen from Black Lives Matter Toronto's protest and delay of the march at Toronto Pride has been the participation of police in an institutional capacity, rather than simply as LGBTQ and allied individuals. It brings to mind an odd experience a few years ago, which taught me a lot about the nature of the interplay between authorities and marginalized, policed communities.

Canada's forthcoming 'drop your pants' trans blood donation policy

Mercedes Allen

| June 23, 2016

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Here's how you can help as the Fort McMurray fires continue to rage (updated)

Mercedes Allen

| May 4, 2016

Seeing the evacuation and devastation from the fires threatening Fort McMurray brings back wrenching memories of displacement from the High River flood in 2013. Our thoughts are with everyone who has evacuated the region.

Indiana put the lie to 'religious freedom.' But Canadian Evangelicals hope you didn't notice.

Mercedes Allen

| April 20, 2015

Everyone's familiar with the old adage, "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it."

Which is why the Evangelical leaders who held a press conference on Parliament Hill calling for greater religious freedom laws and schmoozing with Conservative politicians last month might do well to remember Indiana.

"Unfortunately, Christians in this country find themselves under attack. This is a violation, and we are calling on the Canadian government to stop this type of violation across this country..." -- Charles McVety

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Change to trans* rights bill endorses washroom bans

Canada's trans* human rights bill C-279 was amended by a Senate committee in a way that makes it legal to ban trans* people from washrooms.

Related rabble.ca story:

Canada's trans* rights bill now endorses washroom bans

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trans human rights trans transsexual transgender fearmongering Bill C-279 washrooms

Canada's trans* rights bill now endorses washroom bans

Mercedes Allen

| February 26, 2015

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Canada's trans* human rights bill C-279 was amended by a Senate committee, in a way that makes it legal to ban trans* people from washrooms and gendered spaces appropriate to their gender identity.

Leelah Alcorn's suicide demands respect of kids', not parents', rights

Mercedes Allen

| January 4, 2015

On Sunday, December 28, 17-year-old trans* Ohio teenager committed suicide by stepping in front of a tractor-trailer on the interstate. She was killed instantly.

Her tragedy says something profound which has been almost completely missed in the discussion about LGBT-inclusive education and Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) currently wafting across Canada.

How to legislatively 'balance' human rights: You can't.

Mercedes Allen

| December 4, 2014

There is a simple, time-honoured rule about attempting to "balance" human rights classes in legislation so that it works out a particular way every time, and it goes like this:

You can't.

That is a court's role. When two human rights classes are put into conflict in a way that creates hardships for both, a court becomes the arbiter, weighing the context of a given situation in order to determine which party has experienced the most undue hardship.

Legislating in such a way that one party's rights always supersedes the other creates a hierarchy of rights, and defeats the whole purpose of equal rights legislation.

Bill 10

BDSM, Gender, Entitlement and Jian Ghomeshi

Mercedes Allen

| November 2, 2014

Whether anybody wanted the conversation right now or not, it's become time to have a conversation about BDSM, gender and entitlement.

Over a week ago, Jian Ghomeshi, the then-popular then-CBC commentator, appeared to be coming out of the closet about engaging in what he referred to as "rough sex (forms of BDSM)," and claimed to have been fired because of workplace discrimination. The post read as sincere and from the heart (and badly timed because of his father's passing), so we wanted to believe him. For anyone who cares about sex and gender minorities, there was a temptation to circle the wagons and voice support. There was a lot of discussion about the human right to one's own sexuality, but then...

"Wait, what was that about allegations...?"

Mercedes Allen

Change to trans* rights bill endorses washroom bans

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