Open season

Playing catch-up: 10 days ago, Ipsos-Reid released a survey on how "many Canadians (39%) believe the recent debates over same-sex marriage have increased discrimination towards gays and lesbians."

The survey is about perceptions. What's the reality? Tough to say given that there are so few available resources when it comes to hard numbers. But queer news in the mainstream often hikes anti-gay violence. Toronto benefits from the 519 Church Street Community Centre, located smack in the middle of the Gay Village, and its Anti Violence Program focuses on bashing and conjugal assault.

Here's program coordinator Howard Shulman's response to my question: "When there is increased attention on the LGBT community, there is usually an increase in the numbers of reported bashings. This was especially evident in 2003 in the wake of the Ontario Court of Appeals decision in favor of same-sex marriage -- there was a spike in the number of bashings." (I think that with that court ruling, same-sex marriage actually began to be taken seriously as a threat by the bigots.)

"U.S. cities had similar spikes whenever their state legislature or courts were debating same-sex marriage. Having said all of that, so far this year there was not a notable rise in the number of bashings when Parliament began its debate [in February]... this may have to do with the time of the year, and only time will tell." Howard means that it's easier to beat up fags and dykes when it's warmer outside. One theory is that big winter coats make it harder to jump around and hit people, and it's also harder to hurt someone through all the layers they're wearing. So bashing stats go up in the summer. Or maybe there's just more public canoodling when it's warmer, which of course is an affront to heterosexuals....

There is some good news. Says Howard: "The stats do not always show an increase in the number of bashings when there is mainstream discussion about LGBT issues. For example, when Ellen came out in 1997; or when [the Canadian] Parliament included sexual orientation under the Charter of Rights [making anti-gay discrimination in the provision of services like housing illegal]. There was a dramatic rise in bashings in Toronto (and most North American cities) in 1991 (which lead to the creation of the AVPs in many cities including here) that may have had a correlation to the recession, the increasing impact of AIDS and HIV."

If only homos would hide away... we'd be so much safer.