Homophobia Begins at Home - This weekend my partner and I went to visit my folks in the States. On our way there, at the very first rest stop we hit in the good ol' USofA, something that I haven't had happen since I moved to Canada did: a group of three women in the restroom started making comments about me (you know the usual shit, "You're in the wrong restroom...," "Oh, my isn't this the women's room?").

Now, I'll be the first to admit, I ain't even vaguely girly. But it's amazing to me how for as many public bathrooms that I've used thus far north of the border, no one has yet mistaken me for "a guy" and made rude remarks to me about my gender expression or my sexuality. Yet, in the States, it seems to happen with as much frequency as those freaking Christian radio stations that are more plentiful than a plague of locusts.

This leads me to ask, are Canadians more tolerant? More observant? Less observant? or simply more focused on the task at hand in the restroom?

Lemma tell ya what I think is partly responsible (can we stop her is the better question?). I think that because of the number of equal protections built into the legal system, including marriage, the larger social culture has its "tone set" already. Even if you're homophobic, you know you're going more against the fabric whereas in the States, expressing and acting on your homophobia is practically patriotic.

Now, I'm sure there are places "out west" in Canada that aren't so keen on the queers. But hell, at least they're full of "rural gals" who look just as butch if not more so than me!!!