Same-Sex Marriage and the Problem of Apodictic Reasoning

“It’s very dear to me, the issue of gay marriage. Or as I like to call it: “Marriage.” You know, because I had lunch this afternoon, not gay lunch. I parked my car; I didn’t gay park it.” ~Liz Feldman

I shall endeavor to write this article without making it sound too much like a formal philosophy essay. This means I may not give as much support or background for the claims I will set forth. My goal is to make this article easy to read and understand, and even though those reading it may not necessarily agree with my arguments, I hope it at least serves to spark a further interest in philosophy and/or some key LGBTQ issues- particularly the issue of same-sex marriage.  … Continue Reading

Combating Heteronormative Language

The Oxford Dictionary definition for “heteronormative” is:
“Denoting or relating to a world view that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation.”

While in the LGBT community the term “heteronormativity” is spoken often, we must remember that it is not a commonly used term in the workplace or classroom (unless you’re studying women’s studies or queer studies).  It is also not uncommon for you to hear aunts, cousins, or elderly people talking to young girls and teasingly asking “so, have you got a boyfriend yet?” and it’s often difficult in the workplace or classroom to speak up when someone says something about advertising to “women looking for a man” or things like that.

So what can we do in times these situations? Do we speak up and out ourselves in a potentially non-queer friendly environment, or do we stay quiet and allow the teacher to keep speaking about “traditional” heterosexual sex and relations?

… Continue Reading

Gay Blood Ban: Canadian Blood Services

Steven has been happily married to his wife for over 10 years. What his wife doesn’t know, however, is that Steven is sexually active with a dozen other women. The one good thing, in all this, is Steven practices safer sex with condoms.

John, like Steven, has also been happily married for over 10 years; however, John is unlike Steven in that he is fully committed in a monogamous relationship. Yet, there’s one other way Steven and John differ: Canadian Blood Services will accept a donation of Steven’s blood, yet, they’ll actively ban John from donating blood.

… Continue Reading

Out in the Office

Out in the Office is an exciting initiative brought to you for a second year by Pride Western and The Student Success Centre. This series of events is intended to provide a safe space for students to dialogue about the challenges and opportunities associated with being open about your sexual orientation and gender expression/identity in the workplace and in future educational or career pursuits. It is our sincere hope that this program allows students – not only from Western, but all of London’s educational institutions – to explore their own education and career paths and network with professionals who have found success as their authentic selves. … Continue Reading

Rapid HIV Testing at UCC: Your Status in 60 Seconds

Fact: rapid HIV testing can determine your HIV status in just under a minute, with 99.9% accuracy. All that with just a painless prick of your finger for a drop of your blood. … Continue Reading

2 Girls 5 Gays

Have you ever had questions for your gay friends that you just weren’t comfortable asking? #2G5GUWO … Continue Reading

Where Do I Go for LGBT News?

When trying to find a trustworthy news source, it’s hard to tell what is fact, and what is rumour. Likewise, all news is subject to bias based on who runs the show. When political or international events happen involving the LGBT community, every news station has their own take on whether the event is an “outrage” or “righteous.”  For example, when the news stories started to come out about the Canadian Government’s actions (or lack thereof) in allowing a queer couple to get a divorce, the link being passed around with the “breaking news” was from a blog. While blogs may be an entertaining and interesting way to keep up with what is going on, turning to real news sources is a more credible place to find facts. … Continue Reading

PrideWestern Discussion Group

Welcome back! This is the first discussion group of the year. Previous topics that have been discussed include being out on campus and homosexuality in the media. We had great attendance last year; hope to see you all this year too!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/164709920298845/

Get REAL

Get REAL is a new, student-run, initiative started by students to work towards eliminating homophobia, and creating a safe space for all, on campus, as well as in the broader London community. Get REAL is not affiliated with the USC, is open to anybody and is free to join.