June 2, 2010
My video-game forum fosters real political discussion. No, really.
Online communities bring together people who would never talk in real life. Illustration by Matt Daley. Though you can count the joys of graduate school on one hand—without even using all of your fingers—spending an evening with like-minded friends just chatting is definitely one of them. As the drinks flow and discussions stretch late into the night, it’s easy to feel the glow of both comfort... [More >>]
April 26, 2010
Don’t save the economy. Make a better one
The golden age of the welfare state wasn’t that golden. The real solution is economics that actually promotes equality Remember the good old days when Canadians used to think the government was supposed to help everyone share in economic prosperity and prevent anyone from shouldering the brunt of economic adversity? We thought we’d learned the bitter lessons about the perils of the free market... [More >>]
January 25, 2010
“I think I might be a little bit racist. And I’d like to change.”
When one writer found herself sinking into a mire of prejudice and resentment, she set out to find a cure. But maybe 12 steps aren’t enough. The first step to getting help, they say, is admitting you have a problem. That part took me years of halting, painful introspection and self-doubt. Later, I told friends—just a handful at first. They weren’t surprised; some of them even admitted to... [More >>]
October 1, 2009
In the developing world, fledgling queer rights have a long way to go
Out of the country, back into the closet. Illustration by Don Charles. I am on a gay beach, surrounded by half-naked, toned, tanned, Speedo-sporting gay men. Somewhere a random diva is belting out a dance hit. The tropical sun has ensured all bodies are dripping. At the makeshift beach bar, ice is plunked into orange and incarnadine cocktails, and the bartender screams, “Cheers to queers,” kissing... [More >>]
September 14, 2009
Honeymoon’s over: what’s next for the gay rights movement
Marriage certificates in hand, middle-class gays and lesbians have drifted away from the fight for queer rights. Underfunded and burnt out, the activists left behind say there’s still plenty of work to do. Last January, Helen Kennedy sat behind the Hockey Night in Canada desk with CBC’s Ron MacLean, explaining why her organization, Egale Canada, had filed a complaint about sports commentator... [More >>]
