Hate and Love

For the past few weeks I have been preparing to write a paper on Matthew Shepard, this has been a rather difficult undertaking, as I am not all that prepared or sure as to how I can speak in a affective voice that is also academic on Matt and the culture of mourning that surrounds him.

For the last couple days I have been reading a lot of stuff about anti-gay violence and homophobia - naturally this has impacted my mood quite a bit.

There are hundreds of quotes from the materials I have been reading that I want to put here, dozens of statistics that I want to share, numerous thoughts and personal stories that people have expressed to me. But they would fill this blog space infinently.

I think any one that identifies as queer, gay, lesbian, trans-gendered, non-gendered, intersexed can testify to the culture of pain and fear that we still operate within. It is getting better - at least I like to think so - but the fact remains that homophobia and hate crimes against gay and lesbians occur still today - in our urban centers and in our rural communtities. There will always be an Aaron Webster or a Matt Shepard... but we should also try to remember the nameless individuals who fall to the violent acts of hatred and fear. The ones who go unnoticed in the media and the legal systems of our contries.

At the same time we should celebrate places like the 519 Center in Toronto, The Center in Vancouver, The Harvey Milk School in New York, and the (horribly underfunded) Triangle Project School in Toronto. These are just some of the places where hate can be combated - this is a horribly small list, there are dozens others that I cannot name here. But they exist and I say thank you to them.

I want to remember Matt Shepard (died 1998). I want to remember David Buller (died 2001). I want to remember Aaron Webster (died 2001). I want to remember John Clarke died 1996). I want to remember Henry Drosdevech (died 1993). I want to remember David Curnick (my grade 8 French teacher - died 1994). I want to remember the hundreds more both named and unnamed. Remember not as just people who died because of hate, but because of people who loved - whose love was cut short.

thank you.
matt

Stick Figures and Diamonds

So today I had to venture into the horrible horrible area that is Yorkville. This is an area of Toronto that I normally avoid at all costs - it is one of the yuppiest and richest areas in the city. Located in the blocks north of Bloor in between Avenue Road (not joking) and Yonge street - it is filled with people that look like they belong on Santa Monica Blvd and not the freezing streets of Toronto.

I had to find an IDA drug store there that had a post office to pick up a package - now where do you think it was? Oh in the center that houses Whole Foods. Don't get me wrong, I love Whole Foods - but this place is SO Pretentious. After wandering the streets of Yorkville for a while, I finally found the address I was looking for, horrified that I was about to enter the Whole Foods... I threw back my shoulders, took on a queer air and walked in.

The people in there are NOT NORMAL!

As I was wandering the hallways, I saw this woman, at first I thought it was just a shadow but on a second look I realized that no, it was flesh and blood (or should I say bones and botox) in all black - hence why I thought she was a shadow. She was dressed in an outfit that clearly cost her twice my monthly rent. I snorted slightly at the sight. Her hands were covered in diamond rings - I am surprised that the sheer weight of them did not make her fall over.

Finally I found the IDA and got my package - I now understand that everyone who works in Yorkville DOES NOT LIVE THERE. The girls in the IDA probably live in the east end of the city, namely the wrong side of the tracks. They are all bitter and angry at having to deal with the Yorkies that lives around there (these Yorkies are not to be confused with people who go to York University). The girl at the post office looked at me with a gaze of disgust. I wanted to tell her that I am a poor starving student (ok not that poor or starving, but still) and sympathize with her.

As I was making my way out of the building (aka walking very fast) I saw a woman, at least I think it was a woman) who was dressed in this insane parka - the hood had so much fur on it that you could barely see her face... just the bottom end of her cell phone sticking out. I also encountered another stick woman who was clearly coming from the Yoga center in that "mall". She was wearing nothing but Lululemon... and here I thought I had left the lululemon people behind in Van.

If you want a good picture of Yorkville - for the vancouverites who read this - think of West Van, Kerrisdale, Kits, and the West End and combine them together... there you go.

Unless I have a need for a $1000 scarf, I won't be making a trip back there too soon.

Fucking Capitalism...

We Don't Stop, yo.

This is fucking funny! There is not a hint of irony in it - totally serious in every way possible.

It will make you laugh and brighten up a bad day...

I give you the MDA Management Rap.