November 12, 2009
Homophobia in Canada, U.S. is topic of roundtable
The Impact of Homophobia on LGBT Citizens: A Comparative Canada-US Perspective is the title of a roundtable with special guest Douglas Janoff slated for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17 in the Parrington Hall Forum.
Janoff is the author of Pink Blood: Homophobic Violence in Canada. He will provide an overview of the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Canada. In spite of impressive political gains, homophobic violence persists.
The discussion will be on the impact of homophobia on LGBT citizens on both sides of the border. Legislative staff from Olympia, as well as a volunteer attorney on LGBT Issues from the ACLU, will also be on hand to discuss homophobia emerging from recent voter referenda and legislation.
Janoff works as a senior policy advisor for the Government of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. He has degrees in political science, creative writing and criminology and is a doctoral candidate in Canadian Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa. His current research interests include violence against transsexuals and transgendered people, as well as the different forms of homophobia and transphobia that occur throughout the Americas.
In addition to his academic research, Janoff has published several articles for newspapers and magazines. Over the years, these articles have covered a broad range of queer-related topics: AIDS in Brazil, AIDS in Toronto, gay marriage, AIDS in Vancouver, drag queens, and homophobic violence in Vancouver, Mexico, and Istanbul. For more information on Doug’s research, visit www.pinkblood.ca.
