Mayor Rob Ford has missed every opportunity extended to him to attend any events relating to the Queer community.

To date he missed:

• October 18, 2010 chance to speak to the community during the election campaign at the 519 but backed out at the last minute.
• May 12th, 2011 he was absent for the Proud of Toronto invitations handed out by Drag Queens and others at City Hall, Ford’s staff claimed he was in a meeting.
• May 16th, 2011 he missed the Proud of Toronto event in the rotundra which was attended by several councillors.
• May 17, 2011 he was absent from the flag raising ceremony at City Hall to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (this took place during council session’s lunch break, though clearly we know how he values meal time).
• He delayed signing a declaration for Toronto Pride and had to be pressured by councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and the community.
• He will not be attending the Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall on June 27th, 2011 - instead sending Frances Nunziata as his representative.
• When asked if he will be attending any pride events he has stated his family comes first, even though the event runs for 9 days and will only be at the cottage for the long weekend.
• He will not be attending or marching in the parade on Sunday July 3rd, 2011.

Then when people within the community call him homophobic we’re lambasted by his brother because “He has gay friends”. Well whoopty fucking doo. You know who else has gay friends? Stephen Harper - he’s buddy buddy with John Baird. Hell even Hilter’s right hand man was gay until Hitler saw him as a threat turned on him and every other gay person in Germany in 1936. Now I’m not saying that Rob Ford is like Hitler. But saying you have gay friends doesn’t mean you’re not homophobic it just means you either think these people are your friends but really they’re just nice to you to your face or that they are so self depricating they can allow themselves to be friends with someone who doesn’t think that we should have the same rights as everyone else (Ford was an outspoken opponent to same-sex marriage). If Ford believed that Jewish people shouldn’t be allowed to have their marriages legally recognized there would be no question that he is anti-semitic. So why then is it wrong to call him homophobic? The answer? Isn’t not. It’s just that the people defending him don’t have a proper understanding of what homophobia is nor do they have an understanding of what it feels like to be discriminated against due to their sexual orientation.

Rob Ford is homophobic - there are no ifs ands or buts about it. However Rob Ford is also the Mayor of Toronto and Toronto Pride is one of the city’s largest events that brings in over $100 million to the city and brings over 1 million people into the downtown core. Not showing up to this is just bad form all around. Were he simply a councillor yeah no problem. But Rob Ford knew what he was getting into when he ran for mayor. If he didn’t like it then he shouldn’t have run. While it’s not mandated it’s still seen as the mayor’s duty to show up to major city events.

While it doesn’t surprise me that Mr. Ford is not going to be attending any events what does surprise me is that a) some people are surprised and b) that some people are offended that people are calling him homophobic - because he his. Hell he won some votes because he is homophobic. The man has tried to revoke city funding for Pride for christsake.

Sigh - I’m just looking forward to a fun filled week of events now. Where we and really everyone can take pride in the achievements we have made and remember those who fought so hard to make those achievements possible.