There goes the neighbourhood…

I can’t say it was exactly unexpected.  When we moved across the streets from the city’s largest (geographically, anyway) rent-geared-to-income housing project, we were worried about crime and gun violence.  So much so that we actually interviewed neighbours and the police before putting an offer in on the house.  But, it turned out that the area wasn’t as bad as it’s reputation would lead you to believe.  Well, until this week.

Saturday: a guy was shot in the leg outside a nearby apartment building.  

Monday: in the same area, a guy got shot in the leg during a carjacking.  At first I thought it was just a different report of the same incident – the victim was the same age, the area was the same, the “shot in the leg part” was the same – but it was a different day. 

Wednesday: an afternoon standoff between the police and an armed guy in a house on a nearby street. He apparently dumped some ammunition when being chased by the cops before he ran into the house – I don’t think it was even his house.  Police closed off the streets and a nearby school. A few hours later, it was all resolved and 3 guys were arrested.

Thursday: A guy got shot in the arm around 4 am on a nearby street.  When police responded to the call, a guy shot at them and the EMS.  Roads around us were closed off while they searched for the guy and collected evidence (lots of shell casings).  The shooter wasn’t found.

So – waaay too much with the shootings here.  Hopefully it will die down – especially before S’s mom hears about it.  Then I’ll have to listen to her telling us that we need to move to Alberta, or somewhere else she thinks is safe.  Ummm – no thanks.  Why would a couple of dykes want to move to Canada’s version of Texas?

Happy Pride

It was Pride this weekend.   I’m lucky to live in Toronto, where its fairly safe to be gay, especially to be a dyke.   The parade does bring out vocal bigotry, however. Take the online Globe and Mail today, and the comments section. People write in to talk about how disgusting the Parade is, and why can’t gays just be gay and shut up about it.   They say that gays are tolerated now, so what do we need Pride for?   That’s not what I’d call tolerance.

It reminds me that although weve come a long way, its still a scary world out there. One person who commented on the Globe site even mentioned that he was tempted to chase a few of them with a baseball bat. These comments are vetted by the Globe before being posted. His comment was #15. By the time 109 comments were posted, number 15 was removed. It was too bad, because I thought it was good to let people see that sort of thing to remind them what ordinary people say about us, and how easily it passes the vetting process. 

I have to say, though, that Pride events are becoming tiresome, old hat.  It’s just that I dont like being a spectator to Pride. As far as I know, individuals are not permitted to be in the Pride parade on Sunday. Its too bad. I marched in the Dyke March on the Saturday. I think its wonderful to be able to do this. I’m just surprised to see so many dykes on the sidewalk watching, instead of marching. 

The Saturday (Dyke day!) is the better day. Fewer people in general, and they’re mostly women.  It was not without flaws this year, though. After the march, we lined up for the 519 beer garden for an hour (!  WTF??), to pay $6 for beer with too much head poured into plastic cups (with, presumably the other half of the beer thrown away), just to sit around and chat with people that we hang out with anyway. I’d prefer to do all that in my backyard. Maybe next year we’ll see if there’s any interest in a post-march nosh in our backyard .

And the Sunday - the main Parade day-  well, there are just too many people there. I even know gay men who avoid it because it’s too crowded. Some are talking about coming by on the Saturday because the crowds are smaller. I have mixed feeling about that. The reason we have a Dyke day (something I was initially against…but having experienced it, I’m all for it!) is because of the strong male presence at Pride and the consequent marginalization of the women. Now that Saturday is becoming the better day, will the men take it over?

Hard rockin’ granny?

I was talking to a colleague this afternoon.  Somehow the conversation got onto pot, and I said I’d never done pot (or any other non-drugstore drug for that matter).  She didn’t believe me at first…then said this changes her whole image of me.

Apparently, she thought I was this “hard rocking” person, and now she thinks I’m a little old granny that goes to bed at 9.    Must it be that polar?  And I bet there are a lot of little old grannies who were hard rocking in their day.  Besides, I go to bed at 11!  Ha. (ok, 10 if I can).