editorial

Rachel MorganWith the start of a new year, OutWords has taken a huge step that we expect to be controversial in the queer community – we are no longer running ads for Cruiseline and Squirt.  It was a decision that was a long time in the making and one that was debated with some emotion by staff and board members.  We know that some people will cheer this move while others will condemn it. Either way, readers deserve an explanation.

Rachel MorganThe tricky issue of coming out has become even more complicated with the recent deaths of gay teens in Canada and the U.S. In September, a gay Buffalo, N.Y., teenager killed himself after being bullied online.  In early October, gay Ottawa teenager Jamie Hubley took his own life after being bullied in school. These were only two of a string of suspected gay teen suicides, but they were the most public.

Rachel MorganIs it a crime to distribute pamphlets denouncing homosexuality? Or is it fair comment to call homosexuals sinners? That’s the question the Supreme Court is weighing. In mid-October, the court heard a landmark case involving a Saskatoon man named William Whatcott who distributed thousands of pamphlets railing against homosexuality.  The case pits free speech rights against anti-hate laws. The result will affect all of us.

Rachel MorganA year from now, Americans will cast their votes for president. Already, Republicans are gearing up for the 2012 election. This one could prove to be weirder than the last.

Rachel MorganGay political candidates are becoming commonplace in Canadian elections.  But it’s still unusual to see two openly gay candidates face off against each other. That will be the situation in the riding of Fort Rouge in Winnipeg on October 4 when Manitobans choose a new provincial government.