Posted without permission from the Canadian Press news service as printed
in the Charlottetown Evening Patriot, Wed. Nov. 16 1993.

- COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

_Gays protest violence_

    MONTREAL (CP) - Violence and discrimination are a routine part of the
lives of many homosexuals in Montreal, the opening session of an inquiry
into prejudice against gays and lesbians was told Monday.
    The investigation is the first public inquiry in Canada to examine the
problems faced by gays and lesbians.
    In 1977, Quebec became one of the first jurisdictions in the world to
ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.
    But briefs presented to the Quebec Human Rights Commission inquiry by
Gai Ecoute and Gay Line, the city's two telephone information and
listening services for gays and lesbians, suggested that much remains to
be done.
    Gregg Blachford gave as examples several calls logged by Gay Line
volunteers.
    One man told how a stranger followed him from a bar, called him a
faggot and punched him.  He pushed the stranger back and ran away.
    Another man called to say he had been sworn at and slapped by two
strangers who ran off.
    A third told Gay Line how he had been taunted by strangers on the
street.
    The violence, however, goes far beyond gay bashing, he said.
    "Gays are still being murdered for being gay," Blachford said.
    The three-member inquiry was set up after two men who were homosexual
or perceived to be were killed late last year in the Montreal region.
    Its opening Monday coincided with the funeral in Toronto of Rev.
Warren Eling, who was found slain in his Montreal rectory last week.
Montreal's gay community claims Eling is one of 14 men killed in Montreal
since 1989 because they were homosexuals.
    Volunteers for the listening services told the inquiry they are
frequently the first point of contact between troubled gays and the gay
community.
    "Often we're a safety valve for people who are afraid to discuss their
homosexuality with anybody else'" said Laurent McCutcheon of Gai Ecoute.
    Elderly and handicapped gays and lesbians face special restrictions,
he said.
    "Many live in terrible solitude."
    Because of pressures from family, school, church and the workplace, a
large number of youngsters who face a growing awareness of their
homosexual nature become depressed.  Up to 40 per cent attempt suicide,
McCutcheon said.
    "It's hard enough for young heterosexuals to come to terms with
themselves," he said.  "Imagine the state of mind of young gays and
lesbians."
    Blachford described a call from a 16-year-old who told her mother she
was a lesbian.  The mother dismissed it as a phase.  The teenager wanted
to discuss her situation with someone but was afraid.

panda cub (Leith Chu)       | You know you live in a small town when
dizzy Chinese leather Smurf | you go out on a weeknight and every man
lchu@stu1.cs.upei.ca        | you've slept with in months is there.
valchu@atlas.cs.upei.ca     | S7 b+ g+(-) l(-) y/ z n+ o x+ a+ u v+ j++
Charlottetown, PEI, Canada  | B0 h f- t rv c++!d g++! k+ sv p