Progressing to Intersectionality

In 2019, while volunteering for a music festival in Ottawa, I was told by festival staff to remove my small rainbow sticker from my volunteer ID badge because it was considered “branding”. I wore it as my way of visibility identifying as a gay man. The sticker wasn’t hiding the fact I was a volunteer, nor covering any other text or graphic. The festival was promoting diverse, including Queer, artists. The festivals actions were undignified and homophobic and I was put back into the closet. The rainbow symbol is a general umbrella symbol encompassing 2SLGBTQ+ persons, i.e., Queer persons. Under human rights codes this would be on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression..

Even though what happened to me was Queer specific I believe the solution must include identities based on all the enumerated grounds of the relevant human rights code.. This would address intersectionality in all of us.

Contact your local elected officials and ask what have they done to protect persons in their jurisdiction the right to wear items reflecting their individual identitie(s) based on the protected grounds of the relevant human rights code.

Gilbert Baker designed the iconic pride flag in 1979. Building on that in 2018 Daniel Quasar redesigned the flag to include trans, black and brown people, creating the Pride Progress flag. By including it on the inside of the capital D in diversity, symbolizes the fact that any progress for diversity is good, including dignity.

“If we want to be included, we must be inclusive”.
Peter Zanette.

Canada Council for the Arts Annual Public Meeting, 2018-01-23 Question and Answer Section. This relates to transparency by having anti-harassment policies on an organizations website. Peter Zanette is asking a question.