Dented Blue Mercedes

Free speech and the cruel shackles of empathy and mutual respect

Mercedes Allen — Sun, 23 Oct 2016 20:24:20 +0000

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 — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 18:17:14 +0000

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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 — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 17:07:22 +0000

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

Mercedes Allen — Wed, 04 May 2016 17:02:28 +0000

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 — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 21:17:44 +0000

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

Canada's trans* rights bill now endorses washroom bans

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 14:37:40 +0000

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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 — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 06:42:31 +0000

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 — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 05:19:12 +0000

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 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 23:37:00 +0000

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...?"

Sodom: Review of a Russian anti-gay documentary

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 03:09:05 +0000

On Tuesday, October 28, Peter LaBarbera re-entered Canada for an immigration hearing, then to speak at an anti-LGBT conference, and finally on Thursday to face charges for mischief (which stem from an arrest while distributing anti-LGBT leaflets at the University of Regina).

LaBarbera (nicknamed "Porno Pete" by bloggers because of his penchant for filming pride parades and gay BDSM events in the name of "research") has returned to Canada at the invitation of Bill "Anal Warts" Whatcott (so nicknamed because of his fondness for distributing graphic depictions of anal cancers and other deliberate shock leaflets).

On conscience-based medical exemptions

Mercedes Allen — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 02:38:36 +0000

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is currently reviewing its Human Rights Code policy on conscience-based exemptions for medical professionals, and their effect on access to medical services.

This review was sparked by a number of news reports of doctors in Ontario and Alberta refusing to prescribe birth control because of their religious beliefs. In some of those cases, patients were refused in clinics where there was only one doctor on duty.

C-36: Conflating sex work with human trafficking

Mercedes Allen — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 18:51:28 +0000

I recently asked whether the vague definition of "sexual services" and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it's a question worth asking.

I also looked at the obvious aspects of C-36 that have sparked outrage from sex workers, and occasionally even from abolitionists.

Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act: An overview

Mercedes Allen — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 18:38:58 +0000

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I recently asked whether the vague definition of "sexual services" and definition of the Internet as a public space could be used to make the anti-prostitution Bill C-36 ban pornography somehow. Regardless of how one feels about porn, such a thing would certainly require a debate, and it's a question worth asking.

Could anti-prostitution Bill C-36 also ban porn?

Mercedes Allen — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 17:18:26 +0000

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One of the concerns that has been raised about Bill C-36 is that "sexual services" is not defined.

'Fair elections' and ending impartial voter drives

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 18:57:53 +0000

"Instead, the official reiterated the government's position that political parties and candidates, not Elections Canada, would be responsible for increasing voter turnout under Bill C-23."

That's the altogether revealing comment that might have slipped past you in a Hill Times article last month which showed that a 2008 Elections Canada ad which was seemingly critical of industry -- and which Conservatives had pointed to as evidence that Elections Canada needed to be stripped of the ability to encourage people to vote -- never actually aired in the first place.

Six answers for the public consultation on sex work

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:47:48 +0000

The Department of Justice Public Consultation on sex work closes March 17, 2014.

Although the questions appear to be stacked, it's important that people who support decriminalization participate. There's certainly no shortage of people filling out the forms and calling for new criminalization. The questionnaire is here, and Maggie's Toronto provides some advice on answering positively, here.

If you're still on the fence about whether you support decriminalization, then please consider answering questions 1-5 with the following:

On the Detention of Trans People

Mercedes Allen — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:24:56 +0000

"... in a way that is not inconsistent with one's gender identity."

Remember that phrase. It's going to simplify something that might otherwise seem like a complicated issue.

So this British comedian walks into Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

Some of you have heard this one before...

Across the left divide over sex work.

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 19:53:57 +0000

I'm putting on my op-ed hat for this. This is prefaced at my blog with a preamble about my own experiences in sex work, and how the contrast between them informs my perspective on the issue. I won't burden readers with that here, but they're welcome to look further if they want the context.

Uganda passes its Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Mercedes Allen — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 18:01:40 +0000

Uganda has passed its Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009. A Parliamentary spokesperson, Helen Kawesa, has confirmed it. The bill now goes to Ugandan President Yowari Museveni, for a signature.

The difficulties in remembering Rosa

Mercedes Allen — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 23:59:59 +0000

In the early morning hours of November 24th, the body of a possibly trans person was found in Edmonton, Alberta.

I say "possibly trans" because it's unclear how this person identified, and to my knowledge, no one in the trans community has met them or would be able to shed light on who they were. And unfortunately, for this reason, I need to open with the following preamble:

Janice Raymond, and healing old wounds

Mercedes Allen — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 22:15:36 +0000

This post is a personal reflection on Janice Raymond's visit to Vancouver during a memorial for the victims of the massacre of women at L'École Polytechnique, which took place in Montreal 24 years ago. For an overview of the controversy, why Janice Raymond's presence (as well as some other aspects of that day's program) drew anger from trans and sex work communities, and the different facets to that situation, please refer to my article at rabble. What follows is my personal reflection, recorded separately.

Trans kids, washrooms and the new harassment

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 21:10:17 +0000

On October 13th, a story appeared at the Christian Broadcasting Network about girls being harassed by a trans youth in the washroom of a Colorado-area school. Soon afterward, the story was picked up by the Daily Mail, the Examiner, FOX News, and several webmedia outlets. One even embellished it with a claim that the girls were threatened with hate crime charges).

Leaving High River

Mercedes Allen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 04:23:19 +0000

On September 20, 2013, we started moving into our new home. It was further away from Calgary (where I work), making for a longer commute. But the home was dry, and it was ours. We were exceedingly lucky.

Three months from the day that my partner and I were first evacuated, we were leaving High River.

REAL Women of Canada, and the naked far-right truth

Mercedes Allen — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 22:47:57 +0000

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
-- Matthew 7:15 - 20

Porn opt-ins, soft censorship and 'buttbuttinating' personal responsibility

Mercedes Allen — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:34:26 +0000

On Monday, British Prime Minster David Cameron announced that Internet service providers in the U.K. would be required to filter out online porn as part of several new rules to come into effect by the end of the year. Adults will still have the ability to opt in to view porn, but filtering will be the "unavoidable choice" default that ISPs will need to provide. The same day, Twitter announced that it would be implementing a tagging system to fight porn, apparently at the British government's urging.

Nova Scotia extends health care coverage for gender reassignment surgery

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 03:34:02 +0000

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After originally saying that it would not fund gender reassignment surgery, the Nova Scotia government has now said that it would extend health care funding coverage for the procedure.

Health Minister Dave Wilson is quoted as saying, "This is the right thing to do."

Facts about trans youth

Mercedes Allen — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 02:50:12 +0000

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Several in the Canadian media and the general public have become interested in trans youth. It's probably inevitable that many opinions and emotions have circulated as a result. I'm concerned that some of the attention surrounding trans youth and kids is distorted by the (perhaps unintentional) omission of some important distinctions.

Criminalization by any other name...

Mercedes Allen — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:12:42 +0000

In Meghan Murphy's Globe and Mail op-ed of June 3rd, A prostitution solution: Outlaw the customers, not the hookers, she presents what is often referred to as the Swedish or Nordic model of legislation -- removing penalties for those who sell sex but prosecuting the buying of it -- as a compromise between the arguments for criminalization and those for legalization of sex work. Ironically, she phrases this as decriminalization, when it's actually more of a lateral or distal form of criminalization... but one which still retains the pressure on sex workers to avoid the law and live in marginal circumstances.

Harper's theological crossroads

Mercedes Allen — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:19:13 +0000

Right from when it was first proposed during the May 2011 federal election, the Office of Religious Freedom (ORF?) was met with the accusation that it was an attempt to pander to its base, concerns that it would overstep the boundary of what Canada should be doing in foreign nations, and skepticism that it could be instituted in any kind of way that would be fair and balanced for all religions. As it turns out, it's becoming not very popular among Evangelicals, either.

Treaties are between nations: An #IdleNoMore solidarity post

Mercedes Allen — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:59:01 +0000

When I first started blogging, I mentioned something that I've only talked about occasionally, since.