Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow: We Need Media to Fight "Homophobic Bullshit"
Spencer Macnaughton | Uncloseted Media Weekly Newsletter
“Canada, we are well-known to build equality, caring, and we stand up for each other, and that is so special,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow told a room of over 100 prominent Canadian queer people and allies last Tuesday at Uncloseted Media’s first Canadian fundraiser at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club.
“Right now, people are not really reading news. … So you have to cut through a whole lot in order to capture people’s imaginations. You have to really dig deep because truth matters. That’s why journalism matters,” she told the crowd.
“If we don’t have truth, we have this,” she said, pointing to Uncloseted Media stories covering anti-LGBTQ movements on a TV screen. “Can I call it bullshit? Homophobic bullshit!”
In a time when so many politicians have ditched LGBTQ rights or watered down their support, Mayor Chow’s unfiltered remarks were refreshing.
And I think that’s a core element to what makes Canada stand out on human rights issues.
As a born and raised Canadian and someone who has now lived in the U.S. for 12 years, I have a deep understanding of the nuances of how each country approaches LGBTQ rights. And this event represented those differences.
From a national identity standpoint, people around the world see Canadians as polite, practical and cautious. And to a certain extent, that’s true. But I remember learning in my “Introduction to Canadian Studies” course at McGill University that the most integral aspect of the Canadian identity and the pride we feel for our country is that we are not American.
After hearing that at first, I remember it sounding a bit pompous. But years later, I get it. There are many things that just work better in Canada: more equitable healthcare, better public education and more nondiscrimination protections.
All of these things contribute to a society that treats underprivileged groups with more dignity and respect. “The U.S. is a melting pot of ethnic groups. Canada is a multicultural mosaic,” I remember my prof saying.
And it’s true: The social programs we offer for immigrants, racial minorities and—yes—LGBTQ people, are much stronger than those offered south of the border. The Canadian ethos aims to celebrate the cultural independence of all groups rather than have them assimilate to one identity.
And don’t get me wrong: Canada is far from perfect. Racism, queerphobia and xenophobia are unfortunately alive and well in many pockets of the country. And we have to be wary of avoiding the stories that make us look bad.
But I think the priorities outlined above, coupled with the pride that we are not American, fuels a collective national identity that involves standing up for the underdog even when it isn’t popular, or speaking out against adversity when there could be consequences.
That may be why over 4,000 LGBTQ Americans contacted the nonprofit Rainbow Railroad about moving to Canada in the first eight months of 2025. Or why there was a nationwide movement called “Elbows Up” to resist Trump’s tariffs and insults towards the country last year.
For all of the reasons above, starting a nonprofit arm in Canada was a no-brainer. We’re a global leader in LGBTQ rights, and when queer people face adversity, we show up.
If you’re in Canada and would like to contribute, you can make a charitable tax-receipted donation here:
If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:
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If you couldn’t make it out to the event last week, you can find all of the photos here:
Our journalist Sam Donndelinger appeared on Fierce Healthcare’s podcast to talk about her latest investigation looking at the broken pipeline of mental healthcare for LGBTQ teenagers! You can listen here: https://omny.fm/shows/podnosis/the-broken-pipeline-of-mental-healthcare-for-lgbtq-teenagers
Murdered trans student identified as Juniper Blessing, a “gifted singer with a transcendent voice” (LGBTQ Nation)
The alleged killer’s identity has also been made public.
Trump’s ATF Takes Aim at Trans Gun Rights: What It Means and How To Fight Back (Trans News Network)
The federal firearms agency has proposed new background check rules that will restrict trans people’s constitutional right to legally purchase a gun.
“Christ-centered” therapists sue Wisconsin governor to end conversion therapy ban (LGBTQ Nation)
It’s one of the first of many lawsuits that will be spawned by the Supreme Court’s decision against conversion therapy bans.
Franklin Graham Attacks ‘Transgenderism,’ Gay Marriage at Rededicate 250 (Newsweek)
Evangelical preacher Franklin Graham used a speech at a prayer festival backed by President Donald Trump on Sunday to warn that “America has become morally rotten, completely sick with sin.”
Former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank dies at age 86 (NBC Boston)
Barney Frank had been in hospice care in Maine, being treated for congestive heart failure.
Over the next week, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting:
🆕 SATURDAY: Focus on the Family is one of the most long-running and influential groups on the anti-LGBTQ Christian right. Uncloseted’s Nico DiAlesandro has the organizations complete track record on LGBTQ issues.
🆕 TUESDAY: On the next episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” I have the great pleasure of speaking with Miss Peppermint. You may know her as a runner up on RuPaul’s Drag Race, or for her stint as the first trans competitor on the runaway hit The Traitors or for her LGBTQ activism. Now, Peppermint is getting set to be the Grand Marshall of NYC Pride.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to email me with questions, complaints and story ideas!
Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chief — spencer@unclosetedmedia.com
If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:
