Home > Releases > Queer Ontario Responds to the Misattributions Made by Joanne Cohen in her Video Interview with Xtra!

Queer Ontario Responds to the Misattributions Made by Joanne Cohen in her Video Interview with Xtra!

July 4th, 2011
.
It has been brought to our attention that a couple of political phrases have been attributed to Queer Ontario by a Joanne Cohen in a video interview published by Xtra! in its coverage of QuAIA’s banner drop on Pride Sunday.
.
Just to make sure everyone is aware of the facts, and the implications behind the unnecessary social anxiety around QuAIA’s messaging, the Queer Ontario Steering Committee has decided to issue a statement in response.
.

Queer Ontario Responds to the Misattributions Made by Joanne Cohen in her Video Interview with Xtra!

.
To clarify an ill-informed point made by Joanne Cohen in the Xtra! interview seen here: Queer Ontario did not march in the Dyke March this past Saturday.
.
As is the case every year, our many esteemed dyke and trans-identified members made previous arrangements to march alone or with other women or trans groups, independent of Queer Ontario (which we wholeheartedly support!). Ultimately, this left us with a non-marching cheering contingent of largely male-identified supporters who, year after year, have cheered the marchers on from the corner of Yonge and Wellesley.
.
Recognizing our status as an allied group in an all-women’s space, we deliberately refrained from making any political statements during our cheering session so as not to steal the spotlight away from the marchers; although it should be noted that we did display a message of support to all the marchers this year, which read “WE’RE HERE FOR YOU!”  This was the total extent of our ‘political’ messaging, which, unfortunately for Cohen, makes her accusations grossly inaccurate.
.
Having said that, we in no way condemn the phrases that were (allegedly) made during the Dyke March, nor do we support the attempts that are being made by Pride Toronto and the Ford Administration to deny queer individuals the right to express these otherwise legitimate views at the Pride Festival, or elsewhere. This includes Pride Toronto’s requirement that all marching groups provide a sample of their messaging so that it can be reviewed and approved by Pride Toronto staff (See Section 7 of this year’s Parade Terms and Conditions), and the Ford Administration’s threat to cut Pride Toronto’s funding if such messaging appears in the festival –- or anywhere near it. Indeed, we are pressed to remind everyone that this freedom to express so-called ‘controversial’ views and change public opinion is one of the beauties of the Canadian political economy, and that it is one of the harbingers of social change both nationally and around the world. So all the power to those individuals who spoke out in these increasingly censorial times. (That is, if individuals did, in fact, do so).
.
We call on Joanne Cohen, then, to redress, if not retract, her statements regarding Queer Ontario. Not for our sake, mind you, but for the sake of her own credibility.
.
Sincerely,
.
The Queer Ontario Steering Committee
Categories: Releases Tags: , ,
Comments are closed.