Open letter published in Vancouver by a dozen community organizations

On December 15th, the Vancouver Sun published an article with a quote from a Sikh religious leader that was clearly homophobic. The framework and premise of the article, however, was clearly racist, implying- including through its headline- that immigrants are eroding Canadian values. It attempts to relegate homophobia to immigrant communities only and also attempts to stereotype an entire community based on the statements of one individual.

As we know well, homophobia is endemic to Canadian society- including white settler Canadians- and the Canadian government.  Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister, who has his roots as the policy chief for the Reform Party of Canada, has and continues to express vehement homophobia, for example in his statements on same-sex marriage.

As anti racist and queer positive communities, including South Asian and other racialized/immigrant queers and GLBT's who struggle against homophobia and racism, we are outraged at the racism exhibited in this article. We do not see the intent of this article as attempting to address or ally with queer/GLBT struggles or to raise awareness on homophobia.

Rather, we see this as part of a growing racism that attempts to characterize immigrant and racialized communities as being more 'backward/lacking in progressive values' than so-called 'liberal' white Canadians. In the particular climate, we also see it as operating to defame and paint a derogatory picture of the entire Punjabi and Sikh communities that have engaged in a movement of resistance to defy the deportation order of Laibar Singh, and we understand it as a direct form of racist retaliation.

Racism and homophobia are deeply connected systems of oppression and acting against them should be part of everyone's community. This should be done in a way that does not erase the presence of LGBTQ people of colour or continue to feed into the oppression that racialized communities face.

Signed,
Queer People of Colour Network, Trikone Vancouver, Salaam Vancouver, Canadian Muslim Union, Siraat Collective, Network of Progressive South Asians, Coalition of South Asian Women Against Violence, No One Is Illegal, Chalo Desi, University of Victoria Queer & Trans Studies Collective, Queers for Peace & Justice (Vancouver & Victoria), Solidarity Across Borders Montreal, UBC Law Students of Colour United, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Steve Houston (LGBT Coordinator, Public Service Alliance of Canada BC Regional Council)