Pride Toronto once again stands in solidarity with LGBTTIQQ2SA communities around the world with its human rights program, called Global Human Rights for Queers: What OUT is About 2010. This program promotes awareness of queer human rights abuses around the world, ranging from anti-sodomy laws to the death penalty in a number of countries.
“This is the fifth year since we introduced this annual program,” says Frank Folino, Human Rights Coordinator. “The 2010 program includes a wide variety of events, as well as several exhibits throughout the festival.”
Highlights of Global Human Rights for Queers: What OUT is About 2010 include:
Tuesday, June 29th – Bridging Queer International Human Rights at Home and Around the World: A panel discussion at the historic Gladstone Hotel in the heart of the Queer West Village, the event will feature panelists Arsham Parsi, Marilyn Byers, Kim Vance, and Kenji Tokawa led by moderator Andrew Vail. 1214 Queen Street, at 6 pm
Friday, July 2nd – Trans After Party: Annual performers Funkasia pay tribute to the Trans community through the edgy and the underground by hosting the official after party for the Trans march. At the Phoenix, 410 Sherbourne Street, 10pm
Saturday, July 3rd & Sunday July 4th -What OUT is About Exhibits: Visitors can learn about the civil and human rights violations faced by queer communities around the world and what can be done to support the continuing movement for equality. Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm – Church Street, north of Wellesley and Queen’s Park.
Sunday, July 4th – YogaPalooza – Peace, Love & Pride in Queen’s Park: Toronto’s Biggest Yoga Class ever is free on Sunday in Queens Park. Join in the unique celebration of music, movement and meditation for Human Rights led by renowned Yogi, Salimah Kassim-Lakha. Queens Park, mainstage, 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Register at http://yogavision.com/yogapalooza.
More information on all events can be found at www.pridetoronto.com/events.
About the Moderator and Panelists:
Andrew Vail: the creator/writer of The Middle Edge, which can be read on www.gayguidetoronto.com. He has also written for Xtra! as well as a variety of local and national publications. Andrew joined the group Lesbian and Gay Youth Toronto in 1982 and became a youth activist for queer rights, marching in many Pride parades over the years.
Arsham Parsi: is a founder and Executive Director of Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees – Also Coordinator and Cultural Ambassador of the Stockholm-based International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network (ILGCN), official member of the Brussels-based International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the Toronto-based Rainbow Railroad group, and the Berlin-based Advisory Committee of the Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation for LGBT Human Rights.
Marilyn Byer: is proud to be one of the founding members with Barbara & Tom Beattie of PFLAG Canada-York Region On. (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgendered). Marilyn’s son “came out” to her in 1994, and this chapter was started in 1996. PFLAG’s mission is to support and educate- to cope with an adverse society; to enlighten an ill-informed public; to end discrimination and to secure equal human rights. She does by giving workshops, presentations and speeches for corporations, churches, and clubs and frequently in high schools on “How to end Homophobia”. Marilyn spoke at the “RISE” conference (respectful, inclusive and supportive education).
Kim Vance: is a founder and Co-Director of ARC International, based in Canada and Switzerland. ARC International is an organization which uses a unique community leadership development model to: facilitate international coordination and networking among organizations working to advance human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity; develop and facilitate the use of tools to engage in international advocacy (particularly within the UN); and foster the relationship between grassroots organizations and governments and/or human rights mechanisms. Before founding ARC, Kim served as President of Egale Canada, and is a seasoned activist within the LGBT communities at the national and local level in Canada.
Kenji Tokawa: is a founder and coordinator of a program attempting to make arts and activism more accessible to trans people of colour – GenderFOC: writing workshops for trans/gendervariant people of colour. GenderFOC is only a seed project with funding from the Community One Foundation to run a small series of pilot workshops, and we are waiting to hear back on more funding to continue it. She has been a facilitator with the Trans Access Project out of the 519 Church Street Community Centre since spring 2008; we are a team of trans people who train social service providers how to make their services more accessible to trans people.
