Gains and challenges for Queer Rights

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Socialist Action March 2011 9 Below are major excerpts from a Feb. 23 statement approved by the International Committee of the Fourth International.

The full statement appears at www. internationalviewpoint.org. S Fourth International in February ince the World Congress of the 2010, the consequences of climate chaos have become even more obvious. The worst floods in history in Pakistan, an intense heat wave and burning forests in Russia, chaos in Australia, floods in Sri Lanka, heavy rains and mud flows in Brazil—the summer of 2010 witnessed a record number of disasters caused by human-made climate change, or rather, by the capitalist mode of production.

What is more, the victims of those disasters are mainly the poor, women, and indigenous people—as in Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and more largely in the countries of the South.

The enormous oil spill in the Mexican gulf, caused by the greed of BP, new plans for exploiting shale gas in the never stopping race for fossil fuels and profits, clearly show that we are facing a growing ecological crisis....

We are faced with the reappearance of the food crisis which erupted in 2007-2008. This has led to a new increase in food prices and financial speculation on raw materials. This is one of the many causes of the explosion of the revolts and revolutionary process in the Arab world.

We support the struggles of peasant movements and rural communities against agribusiness and GMOs, in defense of local seeds and agroecological farming. We also support movements involved in local food production and distribution, including food production in urban “food TORONTO—Feb. 10 marked a signal victory for transgender rights when Bill C389 (barring discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression) passed third reading in the House of Commons. It next goes to the Senate. The bill, which amends the Canadian Human Rights Act, was sponsored by New Democratic Party Vancouver MP Bill Siksay.

Grassroots campaigning will be necessary to move the bill through the Senate before a federal election call, which could occur in March. Otherwise, dissolution of Parliament for an election would make it necessary to start the whole process again.

This victory may reinforce the impression that Canada is a kind of mecca for queer people in light of the many victories won in struggles over the years. But nothing could be further from the truth.

On the same day, a community meeting about numerous recent incidents of gaybashing in Toronto’s Church-Wellesley area, known locally as the Gay Village, drew upwards of 80 people to the 519 Church St. Community Centre. Testimonials of those present made clear that gay-bashing is far more common than most people may think.

Also clear is the fact that, despite anti-homophobia education efforts by the Toronto District School Board, homophobia is rampant in the school system. Young people at the meeting argued that educational efforts should start in elementary school, not just at the high school level. Just a short time ago, the Ontario Liberal (provincial) government retreated abjectly and totally from a proposed more progressive sexeducation curriculum as soon as Christian fundamentalists and bigoted parents made noise, amplified of course by the corporate media.

In January, an 18-year-old Mexican high school student was deported, despite an impressive demonstration held on the day of the immigration board hearing. The protest included many of his fellow students and an official of the Toronto District School Board. His sister, a lesbian, had been deported earlier. She is his care-giver. Her partner was murdered in Mexico in her younger brother’s presence. Federal immigration department honchos refused them refugee status, despite the fact that their lives are in obvious danger in Mexico.

Also in January, an uproar developed when the Halton District Catholic School Board refused to allow the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in its schools. Displaying the mentality of the board, Board Director Alice Anne Lemay stated at the time that “we don`t have Nazi groups either.” She emphasized that GSAs are contrary to church dogma.

Although the Catholic board did eventually rescind its decision, it is far from certain that a GSA actually will be allowed to form, despite impressive support organized by local students and their allies.

Casey Oraa, chair of Queer Ontario`s Political Action Committee, pointed out that GSAs are encouraged, officially, by the Ministry of Education. He demanded that the ministry enforce its policy. “Denominational rights end where Human Rights begin. Period,” Oraa wrote in a letter to the HDCSB.

Not surprisingly, the continuing public tax-dollar funding of Catholic Separate schools, given their opposition to the rights of queer students, is increasingly questioned and opposed by LGBT people. This is also the case inside the labour-based Ontario NDP. Ongoing efforts to change party policy in the direction of putting an end to public funding for any religious or private schools is spearheaded by the NDP Socialist Caucus.

So, while the victories gained for LGBT rights in Canada are impressive, enormous problems persist, and the struggle continues. Increasingly, people will begin to realize that the achievement of real liberation is organically incompatible with the present capitalist order, which perpetuates its outmoded rule by use of the old tactic “divide and conquer.” n

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Climate chaos and the global ecological crisis