Is Canada Really more gay-friendly???

[GoinStag]

I've heard this before. I mean, if so, I'm in Michigan, that wouldn't be a huge distance to move. I'm pretty sure gay marriage is legal there too. Can someone help me on all of this lol.

[NickT]

I'm curious about this too. The less appealing American Politics (on any issue) become, the more Canada seems appealing, though I know every country has its idiots and bigots.

[Eric]

I'd say as a Canadian that it is much more gay-friendly. We have legalized same-sex marriage and there aren't many of the far right-wing nuts that I see on CNN. Also, I'm not sure about other parts of Canada hut where I live, you don't get Fox News unless you subscribe to it. There are still some homophobes but I'd like to think we're more open-minded as a country.

The only downfall really is that we have a conservative federal government and our PM is opposed to same-sex marriage but he's only got a minority and all of the other parties support it so that's never going to change.

[Rikudo]

Originally Posted by EC057

I'd say as a Canadian that it is much more gay-friendly. We have legalized same-sex marriage and there aren't many of the far right-wing nuts that I see on CNN. Also, I'm not sure about other parts of Canada hut where I live, you don't get Fox News unless you subscribe to it. There are still some homophobes but I'd like to think we're more open-minded as a country.

The only downfall really is that we have a conservative federal government and our PM is opposed to same-sex marriage but he's only got a minority and all of the other parties support it so that's never going to change.

lol you think CNN is bad go watch Fox for half an hour and try not to pull your hair out.

Here's a chart on LGBT Rights by Countries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_ri...y_or_territory

[GoinStag]

Man, all I want is to be 25, working at an office job as an accountant in the city, and have a hubby to come home to. All I want.

Originally Posted by GoinStag

Man, all I want is to be 25, working at an office job as an accountant in the city, and have a hubby to come home to. All I want.

Same for me. Right down to the job.

Originally Posted by Myke

Here's a chart on LGBT Rights by Countries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_ri...y_or_territory

Seeing all the red x's makes me sad.

[Nitro]

"Is Canada Really more gay-friendly???" Depends where you go. Going to a larger center that isn't in Alberta would be a good first bet. Here is a link to a witty blog covering GLBT news with special focus on what happens in this country: http://www.slapupsidethehead.com/

With over 34 million people you are bound to meet some crazies. Some politicians don't hold us in high esteem either. Is Canada more gay friendly than your part of Michigan, Palm Springs, or Massachusetts? By what metric would one measure friendliness? You will have stronger legal protections here and I am sure the hate crime stats look better this side of the 49th, but then again if you get assaulted in a hate motivated crime the judge might really throw the book at your assailant(s) and give a two year sentence with time off for good behaviour and double-time credit for time already served before trial. In the states you could at least find a more permanent 9mm solution to your attacker with a zero percent chance of recidivism.

Solution: make a trip here and see for yourself.

[alan t]

I was in Montreal last month and Omg I couldn't believe how many same sex couples I saw holding hands walking around right in downtown. And almost no one bats an eyelid at it.
It must be something new, it wasn't like this when I lived there just a few years ago.

[xequar]

Legally speaking, Canada is much more gay friendly than is Michigan. Marriage is legal, there are legal protections in terms of hate crimes and hate speech, and all of that. Culturally speaking, Canada is not one monolithic bloc, much like Michigan is not one monolithic bloc. In Southeastern Michigan, people are pretty liberal and pretty gay friendly. In Western Michigan, people are super conservative and very anti-gay. In the UP, the next closest person is 12 miles away, so they're more concerned with survival than they are whether you're gay or not. Similarly, if you're in Toronto or Vancouver or Montreal, it's pretty cool. If you're in rural Alberta, you're essentially in Canadian Texas. If you're in the Northwest Territories, I imagine they're more worried about staying warm.

One thing I will say, as someone that was beginning the process of moving to Canada a couple of years ago, is that it's not just a question of jumping across the border and living in Canada. You have to either have a sponsored job offer that's been approved by the government, or you have to demonstrate that you have language competancy, sufficient education, and marketable job skills on their National Classification of Occupations (Types 0, A, and B, which are skilled trades and management-type stuff, are acceptable. Types C and D, which are more uneducated and unskilled roles, are unacceptable). On top of all that, you also have to prove that you have the means to support yourself for at least six months, which means having at least $12,000 CND in the bank (that was what held me back). Marrying a Canadian citizen does NOT automatically get you citizenship, either. You still have to prove that you're a worthwhile human being.

Do mind that since 2006, Canada has been under the rule of the evil despot Stephen Harper, who is ideologically pretty similar to George W. Bush, but much more intelligent and evil, and his Conservative government. The cetrists and liberals are split up there, in terms of parties, with the Liberals occupying the ideological space of what we would call centrist Democrats (think Barack Obama) and National Democratic Party covering the progressives and true liberals (think Dennis Kucinich or Bernie Sanders). That split on the left allows the Conservatives to win elections despite the fact that a minority of Canadians are conservative, but in accordance with the number of seats they're able to win, they keep getting minority governments.

And woe be unto Canada if Harper ever gets a majority government. Then the United States will be surrounded by two third-world nations.

[Just Adam]

i always loved Canada...

cant wait to set foot on such loving soil XD

[GoinStag]

Originally Posted by alan t

I was in Montreal last month and Omg I couldn't believe how many same sex couples I saw holding hands walking around right in downtown. And almost no one bats an eyelid at it.
It must be something new, it wasn't like this when I lived there just a few years ago.

omg that's amazing I honestly don't think I've ever even seen same sex couples holding hands in public.

[Swamp56]

Originally Posted by ER73

lol you think CNN is bad go watch Fox for half an hour and try not to pull your hair out.

Or MSNBC. They are just as bad as Fox. Many people here might disagree since MSNBC's political lean is towards what the majority of members here are (liberal).

[Rikudo]

Originally Posted by Swamp56

Or MSNBC. They are just as bad as Fox. Many people here might disagree since MSNBC's political lean is towards what the majority of members here are (liberal).

Oh yeah no doubt but Fox is by far worse with there opening lying then contradicting themselves.

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by ER73

Oh yeah no doubt but Fox is by far worse with there opening lying then contradicting themselves.

Please note, its not ALL of Fox. It's just a few programs, like Glenn Beck.

[xequar]

Originally Posted by Shevanel

Please note, its not ALL of Fox. It's just a few programs, like Glenn Beck.

No, it's all of Fox. Watch what news they cover and don't cover, and the verbiage they use when covering that news and the slant is obvious. The viewpoints espoused by the "Talking Heads" that have their own shows can be dismissed as just that-viewpoints. Fox obviously has conservative talking heads, like Beck and Hannity and O'Reilly. MSNBC obviously has liberal talking heads, like Olbermann, Maddow, and Schultz. What Fox does that MSNBC does not do, however, is slant the actual news coverage. Fox will do things like run a story about John Kerry's name being French as though it's actual news and will mix the news, the ideology, and the commentary. MSNBC at least keeps its news coverage mostly straight.

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by xequar

No, it's all of Fox. Watch what news they cover and don't cover, and the verbiage they use when covering that news and the slant is obvious. The viewpoints espoused by the "Talking Heads" that have their own shows can be dismissed as just that-viewpoints. Fox obviously has conservative talking heads, like Beck and Hannity and O'Reilly. MSNBC obviously has liberal talking heads, like Olbermann, Maddow, and Schultz. What Fox does that MSNBC does not do, however, is slant the actual news coverage. Fox will do things like run a story about John Kerry's name being French as though it's actual news and will mix the news, the ideology, and the commentary. MSNBC at least keeps its news coverage mostly straight.

I've seen Fox talk about plenty of things that CNN and MSNBC don't cover too. There's no moral high ground when it comes to news channels, they're all the same biased shtuff.

[Kenko]

xequar seems to have it bang on.

Legally, yeah, we're good, but cultural acceptance changes VASTLY depending on where you are. I'm in a decent sized city, much better than the rural areas, but you still find bigotry.

As far as FOX news, they have at times reported stuff that was made up. I'm talking actual "reporting" not opinion pieces.

And yes, MSNBC does have a noticeable left wing bias.

[FrostedLemon]

Originally Posted by Myke

Here's a chart on LGBT Rights by Countries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_ri...y_or_territory

What bothers me is not only the fact that some countries do not allow same-sex actions, but that some allow it for women only...? Wtf?

[GoinStag]

Originally Posted by Shevanel

Please note, its not ALL of Fox. It's just a few programs, like Glenn Beck.

Ugh I hate Glenn Beck. To Be honest I don't pay attention to half the shit he says but he always has to make stupid little jokes out of things.

Originally Posted by FrostedLemon

What bothers me is not only the fact that some countries do not allow same-sex actions, but that some allow it for women only...? Wtf?

What bothers me is the fact that America is yes AND no for most of the shit. It's really ridiculous when you think about it. I'm guessing most of the people who are against gay marriage, and gay couples having children are straight people. Now, nothing against straight people but how the hell would gay marriage effect a straight person? It doesn't. What are those types of straight people doing for themselves? There are always gonna be gay people either way. I honestly don't understand it's so fucking childish. Grown adults laughing at 2 guys holding hands like what are they gonna do next steal their lunch money and give them wedgies? It's like 2nd grade.

Canada sounds much easier. I know people are always gonna talk shit no matter what but either way Canada sounds better and according to that movie "Bowling For Columbine" it's waaaaaaay safer.