Rob Ford opts out of attending a “gentle” and “welcoming” gay outreach event
Rob Ford has remained non-committal about whether or not he’d forgo all Pride events this year (we believe his exact words were “We’ll see”), but he has confirmed he won’t be attending an outreach event leading up to the festivities. Ford’s office told organizers that he simply can’t squeeze in a flag raising at city hall on May 17 to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The event had seemed like the safest bet for a mayoral appearance since it’s usually quite low-key (and Brian Burke would be there, so they could talk about hockey if Ford felt uncomfortable). Kristyn Wong-Tam, who has suggested the mayor is just shy, not homophobic, told the Globe and Mail that the mayor’s presence at the “gentle” and “welcoming” event “might have taken the question away about whether or not he supports the LGBT community.” Instead, skipping out on the flag raising, plus keeping silent while Sun News Network host David Menzies makes bizarre comments about George Smitherman’s sexuality on Ford’s radio show, is keeping those questions very much alive. [Globe and Mail]
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Rob Ford has remained non-committal about whether or not he’d forgo all Pride events this year (we believe his exact words were “We’ll see”), but he has confirmed he won’t be attending an outreach event leading up to the festivities. Ford’s office told organizers that he simply can’t squeeze in a flag raising at city hall on May 17 to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The event had seemed like the safest bet for a mayoral appearance since it’s usually quite low-key (and Brian Burke would be there, so they could talk about hockey if Ford felt uncomfortable). Kristyn Wong-Tam, who has suggested the mayor is just shy, not homophobic, told the Globe and Mail that the mayor’s presence at the “gentle” and “welcoming” event “might have taken the question away about whether or not he supports the LGBT community.” Instead, skipping out on the flag raising, plus keeping silent while Sun News Network host David Menzies makes bizarre comments about George Smitherman’s sexuality on Ford’s radio show, is keeping those questions very much alive. [Globe and Mail]){kind=link}
Is anyone really surprised by this decision? Ford is a homophobe, and I think he’s made that pretty clear.
If he thinks homosexuality is a sin and doesn’t want to condone this lifestyle then he is free to have to uphold his principles.
the mayor is “shy”??? that’s a new one.
But he had time to oversee the removal of a pile of sand.
What a joke of a mayor. Actually, as a Torontonian, it’s pretty depressing.
I like how bigots equate homosexuality = “lifestyle choice”, as if people choose to be insulted, discriminated against, gay bashed, not allowed to marry, prevented from adopting children, accused of pedophilia, etc
let him be…i don’t know another gay person that wants him there. i certainly have no love for this man but no amount of public humiliation or name calling is going to change his (or anyone elses) beliefs on this. pride should be fun and informative, but preachy and belittling should not be in the mix. we, as a community, have gained much over the years, we still have a way to go but forcing someone from a tolerant stand to 100% acceptance is asking a bit much. should a mayor be held to a higher standard-perhaps and perhaps in time we will move to acceptance. right now there is a wall built on animosity that will take more than bullying and taunting from our side to get him to climb over that wall.
I don’t think anyone believes that Ford’s presence or lack thereof will make the Pride events better or worse. I think the most basic point on this issue is that Ford, no matter how his supporters (i.e. Doug) try to couch it otherwise, is obviously uncomfortable with Pride and what it represents. I think at this point we can safely say his behaviour more than supports this belief.
What I think is sad, really, is that the Pride community is trying its darndest to roll out the welcome mat for him – I’m talking about the people officially in charge of Pride events – and yet, he still can’t find that little dollop of maturity that would allow him to get over his discomfort and show some “official” support for Pride and what it has meant to this City. That’s what is so troubling, since Ford clearly isn’t otherwise all that picky about what other events he goes to or supports- this guy would attend the opening of a door, if it were in Scarborough.
His abject refusal thus far to even allow the Mayor’s office to formally acknowledge Pride (and no, sending Councillors in his place doesn’t cut it) is truly insulting, and shows a lack of maturity that is not befitting of someone holding the office of Mayor of Toronto.
At this point, I don’t think anyone expects him to attend the parade, but geez – he can’t find time for a SINGLE event? Really?
At the end of the day, this isn’t about Rob Ford and what he believes – its about what we should be expecting from the Mayor of our City. And once again, he is failing to meet those expectations, even given how low they’ve fallen since he’s taken office.
Once again, I’m forced to wonder how we allowed ourselves to elect a Mayor who doesn’t even like the city he represents.