| In the wake of the outrageous
raid on the Pussy Palace and the ensuing legal case which has
been before the courts since October 22, 2001.. the Canadian
Unitarian Council calls on the Toronto Police Force to bring
on sensitivity training for its officers, and to build bridges
to the BiGayLesbiTrans community.
"We are concerned that the choices that
the five male police officers made that night are part of the
systemic discrimination that BGLT people face daily,"
said Rev. Dr Mark Morrison-Reed, CUC president.
The raid at the Pussy Palace event is cause
for concern, said the CUC, "not only for the event
organizers and the women in attendance, but for the democratic
process itself."
The Canadian Unitarian Council/Conseil
unitarien du Canada (CUC), an association of forty-four
congregations and fellowships plus six emerging groups
scattered from coast to coast, represents about 5,200
individual members. Arising out of the work of outspoken
reformers and dissenters within the Christian tradition five
centuries ago, the Unitarian movement today flows in a broad
religious stream augmented by Universalist, Humanist, Pagan
and other progressive contributions
For more information, contact:
Rev Dr Mark Morrison-Reed, President;
416-656-8745 MarkMR@firstunitariantoronto.org
or Mary Bennett, Executive Director,
416-489-4121 executivedirector@cuc.ca
December 11, 2001-
A Statement in Support of Pussy Palace Event
Organizers and Participants
The principles of the Canadian Unitarian
Council affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every
individual, and justice, equity and compassion in human
relations, and the free and responsible search for truth and
meaning. Unitarian Universalists have a strong history of
affirming and supporting the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered and transsexual people.
More specifically, in 1978, at the Canadian
Unitarian Council Annual General Meeting, delegates encouraged
"all societies and individual members to support all
efforts to modify federal and provincial codes of human rights
to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation."
In addition, the Unitarian Universalist
Association Board and numerous General Assemblies have
affirmed the rights of gay, bisexual, and lesbian persons to
participate fully and equally in the life of their
communities; (UUA Board of Trustees B/G/L/T Resolutions,
1997).
Therefore, we wish to express our concern
with regard to the event of September, 2000, when five male
plainclothes police officers searched the premises of the
Pussy Palace women's bath house in Toronto, particularly given
that the ensuing legal case has been before the courts since
October 22, 2001.. We believe that the action taken by the
police was a breach of the democratic process and violated the
rights of the women in attendance, as well as the event
organizers. Our liberal religious movement welcomes gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual people into
our communities as equals. We are committed to justice that is
enacted with compassion and dignity and recognizes the
inherent worth of every individual. Gay, lesbian, bi and trans
people have often suffered discrimination at the hands of law
enforcement officers. We are concerned that the choices the
five male police officers made that night are part of the
larger systemic discrimination that gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered/transsexual people face daily. We strongly
encourage the Toronto Police Services, and police services
nationwide to foster better relationships with the BGLT
communities and to work actively in sensitizing police
officers to the diverse needs of all the people they serve.
per:
Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed, President
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