Maclean’s Magazine and the LGBT Community
August 27th, 2009
On August 13th, Maclean’s broadcasted a twitter message which read “Transsexual killer to B.C. government: Pay for my penectomy”, with a link which lead to a short article on their website.
In our view, the article was purposefully and unnecessarily provocative, and written with a bias which was clearly transphobic. Gender pronouns were used inconsistently and quotation marks were applied as though to discredit or question the individual’s identity and gender.
While arguing a loss of liberties and trying to make a case for the purchase and sale of reproductive fluids, Mark Steyn manages to be not just transphobic, but also racist and homophobic at the same time. His attacks on our right to self-identify, upon queer parenting and upon first nations tradition distorts and overshadows his argument. The article is so far into the realm of offensive that one could mistake it for satire. In fact, Steyn’s writing is so ridiculous that it almost isn’t worth responding to. By responding, do we give him attention that he doesn’t deserve? It begs the question – why care?
Maclean’s claims a readership of 2.8 million Canadians, that’s why. 2.8 million people are influenced by this writing and those 2.8 million Canadians need to know that treating members of our communities in this way is not acceptable.
We wrote this letter to the Editor of Maclean’s. We will continue to inform the community of Maclean’s willingness to publish transphobic and otherwise hateful language, and we encourage you to share your thoughts by sending your own letter to the Editor.
What do you think? We welcome your comments below.
Tags: Activist, Advocacy, Homopobia, LGBT, Maclean's, Mark Steyn, Rights, Transgender, Transphobia, Two-Spirited
Posted in Activism, Media | 25 Comments »
Sometimes I take for granted what we have in Canada. Amazing that a national publication like Maclean’s is still willing to publish this kind of dribble. I sent my letter!
The words”queer” and “parenting” do not belong in the same sentence.
I am a bit confused. Wouldn’t Mr. Steyn be a raciphobe? Perhaps he is really a transgenderist? Homosexualist? Or is that Hetrosexualist?
I am attempting to understand this article but the used adjectives are not clear. Doesn’t Steyn also “fear” people of other races? Doesn’t he hate the transgendered, bless their hearts, and not only fear them? Perhaps Transgendephobiaist?
You have the right to be freaks. And we have the right to laugh at you for being freaks. Get over it.
Wow. You dare come to our community centre’s website and spread your hate? Congratulations and Thank You to The 519 for standing up for our community, for standing up to these hateful people, for speaking out when others can’t.
Thank you.
It just goes to show how much more work needs to be done in order for us to realize our rights and our role in the community.
I worry for those who have said such horrible things here. I don’t know what they have to be so afraid of.
I’m a proud lesbian mom, and I tell you that queer and parenting fit together SO well.
Thank you 519.
Your jargon-filled letter makes us a laughingstock.
“The article is so far into the realm of offensive that one could mistake it for satire.”
I thought the same thing about your blog.
I thought the Steyn article was light hearted teasing and quite funny.I’ve heard far worst things from gay comedians like Scott Thompson.Plus I think you missed the point of the article which was really to point out what a complicated bureaucratic nightmare it is when we try to put a label on every specific sexual preference.
Steyn’s ‘light hearted teasing’ was not based in a respect for people’s identities. His view was couched in an adherence to binary gender identity and heteronormative perspectives.
Much of the dissent above comes from people who agree with him, or people who do not know his work and history.
First he came for the muslims, and now he’s come for us. His shock-jock journalistic style is meant to create this kind of discussion – meant to raise the profile of Macleans for good or for bad.
It’s sad that people don’t see that. He’s no better than a young teasing boy in the school yard.
“clearly transphobic”
“binary gender identity and heteronormative perspectives”
etc, etc.
LOL-parodic language.
Dear sports, this site of yours is an even better parody and satire hub than The Onion. Brilliant ridicule of the Marxist product sodden PC multiculti identity politics of the leftard liberal. Uncanny realism. Spot on. Bravo and five stars. You’ll probably love this stuff too. It really shreds the neurotic logical fallacy world of the mostly university grad white left, who live in an affluent spineless fantasy life completely supported by the system they despise. Again, thanks for the MOST excellent laughs. I CAN’T stop laughing! Colonel Robert Neville blogspot com.
ANY P.J O’ROURKE [Left] Liberal Fascism J.Goldberg The Death Of the GrownUp D.West zombietimecom lookingattheleft com drsanity blogspotcom thepeoplescubecom dissectleft blogspotcom roadsassycom The Capitalist Manifesto A.Bernstein Hitler&Stalin A.Bollock. Culture of Corruption M.Malkin. Liberty&Tyranny M.Levin America Alone Mark Steyn The Case Against Obama D.Fredosso therealcubacom The Real Che Guevara&the Idiots who idolise him H.Fontova Babalublogcom trenblindad com hfontovacom colonelrobertneville blogspotcom
zombietimecom Culture of Corruption M.Malkin lookingattheleft com drsanity blogspotcom thepeoplescubecom dissectleft blogspotcom roadsassycom The Capitalist Manifesto A.Bernstein Hitler&Stalin A.Bollock. ANY P.J O’ROURKE [Left] Liberal Fascism J.Goldberg The Death Of the GrownUp D.West Liberty&Tyranny M.Levin America Alone Mark Steyn The Case Against Obama D.Fredosso therealcubacom The Real Che Guevara&the Idiots who idolise him H.Fontova Babalublogcom trenblindad com hfontovacom
Oh yes, I’d love to be a bored member. By the way, I’m a transiberian, crossed utopian first, second, third and fifth nation thespian and a lifetime member of the Black and Matching Plaid Panthers. I live with my eight partners, not all of whom are carbon based life forms, [ when will the descrimination end? Go Hopenchange!] with our 73 completely normal adopted children who are all proud junior ACORN, Weathermen and [if onlly!] Obama Van Jones STORM members. All the best, Colonel Neville. [Ps. proudly neither male female or newt but I retain the right to be all three simultaneously.]
I CHOOSE to spell discrimination with an e. Correct spelling is a patriarchal concept and so discriminatory. Keep up the great work you do, whatever it is. Go the Obamessiah Revolooshun! Colonel Robert Neville blogspot com
I CHOOSE to spell that nasty word with an e. Correct spelling is a patriarchal concept and so discriminatory. Keep up the great work you do, whatever it is. Go the Obamessiah Revolooshun! Colonel Neville.
Unfortunately for the looney LGBTT.. whatever … left, nature only recognizes “binary” sexual identity. It’s either XX or XY. Anything else is a genetic mutation. So gender “identity” is a concept made up out of whole cloth. It’s ironic that you should demand the freedom to pursue whatever sexual pecadillo you choose, but wish to deny the other 99% of society the freedom to comment on it.
In defense of Steyn here, if you please, while certainly there are some things offensive, methinks you missed the plupart of his message:
All manner of liberation on the matters of hearth, home, and flesh are available to the masses, and yet step outside the bedroom, and not counting the rights of agitation (which you certainly have) on most other fronts personal freedoms are being stanched as if they’re evil.
The bizarre prioritization of sexaul freedoms, or identity crises management, or chips on the shoulders of the Native peoples (our term in the States) is odd considering that much else is also at stake. This ranges from the foods you eat to the gas pedal and the ability to get your kids a real education outside the gladiator-in-training public schools, and real choices on healthcare rather than yet more bureacratic oversight. The list is endless on those issues that need addressing. But what takes the cake?
Who we’re screwing, and the very definition thereof…
As Edith Effron, Aldous Huxley, and others even more sympathetic to whatever cause have said, we live in the ironic situation that while we can’t figure out on some occasions whether we need to sqaut or stand to take a leak and public bathrooms are causing all manner of confusion, the rest of culture is falling apart and even now we’re importing or sending sperm vials off to make babies with the turkey baster method.
No problems here?
In any case, as one commentator over on McClean’s said in response to both the article and the regular flock of boo birds:
It seems to me that there are two types of people in the world: those who divide themselves into obscure communities with acronymic titles that read like the serial number on the Nebuchadnezzar, and those who don’t.
Chances are, if I need a team of military codebreakers, an MTV-to-English dictionary, and C-3PO to decipher your title, you are just a little too specialised to be of anyone’s concern.
I’m not unsympathetic to the plight of those with differing sexual identities and feelings.
And I’m appreciative as a straight man that most members of other communities don’t go around saying ugly things about heteros.
They say what we all do when people marry–they’re “married”. They don’t take the quip of “wow–that’s a wonderful meat injector unit she got married to”. Even when all attendees at a straight wedding know that if the youngsters hadn’t done the deed already, they will be soon, of course.
I imagine it’s true that gays and lesbians could think of some ugly things to say of this effect if they wanted to, to us straights.
Your point is taken. No one should be name-called. Though I notice Steyn used the very terms the groups themselves do. Perhaps you don’t like how he placed the issue in total.
But on that note, I still think you missed Steyn’s larger ones.
I find the assumption that 2.8 million Canadians can’t think for themselves and are influenced by everything they read highly offensive. I demand an immediate apology for such a gross insult. LGBTTIQQ2S need to know that treating members of our communities in this way is not acceptable.
“…His view was couched in an adherence to binary gender identity and heteronormative perspectives.”
How can you take yourself this seriously?
“First he came for the Muslims now he comes for us”.
I find it very odd that you would mention muslims and the LBGTT in the same sentence.Steyn is making a little fun they just want to kill you.
“First he came for the Muslims now he comes for us”.
You beat me to that one. I find it strange that people like Steyn who, as advocates of free speach and libertarianism, are often the biggest targets for attack by the LBGTT simply because of their conservative politics. If Steyn is silenced by “muslims” how much longer do you think the LBGTT to live freely in that Canada?
Aren’t Steyn’s apologists fun to deal with?
I just read through the comments on this blog and I couldn’t believe the hatred and stupidity that homophobes have been posting in regards to the 519′s letter back to Macleans. The anonymity of the net gives idiots like this a place to throw their opinions and feel some kind of power.
The fact that you have this stuff on your website – while offensive – is important to leave up and remind us that while we have legal equality, there is still a lot of hatred out there – and there are those that would turn back the clock on progress.
They should fire the editor of MacLean’s for allowing this disgusting articlel to be published. For the posters on here who are showing their ignorance (you know who you are), shame on you. Your time will come when you find out that a friend or family member is part of the LGBT community. I only hope that then you will try to understand something outside of your sad little world.
Hey good stuff…keep up the good work!