Jean-Sébastien Bourré
Having had the chance to get involved as an activist in LGBT + communities in recent years, I have been able to observe different facets of the community. My main finding: the community is far from gay! If, at the beginning, the gathering was to be inclusive, speaking of « LGBT + community », we must now recognize that we are forming several clans who do not see combat in the same eye and no longer agree on the demands to defend and to wear publicly. How to explain these divisions within the troops? In large part by internalized violence, competition between different organizations and victim speeches that do not take into account advances.
In addition, anyone who tries to found a new organization to make a positive difference in their living environment does not receive the honors of a benevolent host committee: they make war on it. Why not join forces and show respect for each other? Why does it seem necessary to destroy the initiatives of others and harm them? Because they must protect the subsidies that support them! I noticed that some organizations take them for granted, these grants. One only has to look at the last years’ grants from a certain government body dedicated to LGBT + causes to understand that the wheel does not turn often and that it is always the same ones who get the big money. Having met several members of the previous government, between 2014 and 2018, I learned that the homophobia and transphobia round tables, which bring together many community organizations from the LGBT + community, are more like child care centers.
Everyone plays with the others to be the strongest and get his agenda. Yet everyone has a purpose similar to that of others! We all have the same goals for our communities! It is to ask how some have become so picky and could close their minds so much, while they ask more openness to the rest of society in their regard … Is this really how we want to achieve our purposes? What is more, is this how we want to be represented and perceived? Now that our struggles have pierced the majority of heterosexual and cisgender people, the way to carry the message must change.
First, let’s stop victimizing ourselves constantly. Yes, there are situations that must be denounced. We must support those who need help. On the other hand, we must recognize that things are going well and build on that. Then I would like to see more collaboration between these organizations and more respect for the work of others. An organization in which I get involved – not labeled LGBT + by choice – has understood this for a long time and no longer addresses the issues for which it was founded in a negative way. His public message has changed over the years. This same organization values partnership work and does not believe in silo work. Our LGBT + communities, those that the general public sees as our immediate representatives, would benefit from making space for others and enhancing the initiatives of outsiders. The wind of freshness certainly does not come from extremists who have taken more space and power in recent years. These are also not the norm to follow. And if we become a united community again? The survival of our communities is at stake.