Race and the Rainbow

>>Queers of colour tackle tough questions at this year’s Ethnocultural Day

IDENTIFICATION A TRICKY PROCESS: Nada Raphael

by ANDREA ZANIN

“How do we identify ourselves?” asks Nada Raphael. “As a woman, as a person of colour, as a lesbian or bisexual or queer? How do you balance all that?”

These are some of the many questions that will be tackled at this Saturday’s Ethnocultural Day, a day of workshops and film screenings about the challenges facing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) people of colour, all coordinated by Raphael. Fittingly, this year’s theme is “In/Visible Identities.”

Other questions include refugee status, multiple discriminations, transgender issues and the coming-out process—which, as Raphael points out, can be particularly intense for people from ethnic backgrounds. “For people who come from a place where homosexuality is still a crime, coming out can be very difficult and dangerous. You can get killed. So we’ll be discussing this. Do we have to come out? Is there a right way to do it?”

Raphael was inspired to create the first Ethnocultural Day in 2005 when she returned from an international queer conference in Bulgaria. Now in its third year, the day has grown to impressive proportions. It boasts a 22-member organizing committee and features a cornucopia of speakers and films, as well as games, a short play and interactive information tables set up by over 25 community groups catering to the needs of GLBT people from a range of ethnic backgrounds.

Challenge from within

Since its inception, the day’s purpose has been dual—to show queer people of colour that they’re not alone, and also to educate the wider public about the particular issues they face. This year, the organizers have adopted a third goal as well: to reach out to ethnic communities and invite them to learn about the queers within their midst.

“The first challenge is to push them to hear a single word about homosexuality—I’m not even talking about education,” says Raphael. “Some people don’t even want to listen to the fact that there are homosexuals in their community. The next step is to invite them to come.” That, however, is a challenge in itself.

“We think that because people have left their countries to live in Montreal, they must have changed, and they understand differences and such,” says Raphael. “But people bring their values with them to their communities in Montreal. You find homophobic people here, more so even than back home.”

In addition, there’s no shortage of touchy topics on the menu. Among other things, Raphael points to a scheduled discussion about religion and homosexuality. “It will be the highlight of the day,” she says. “We’ve been calling imams and Sikhs and rabbis to invite them. Some people tell us we’re crazy and hang up on us, but now these people know there is a GLBT ethnocultural day. So it’s another step.”

Despite these struggles, Raphael is quick to caution against blanket assumptions about ethnic communities, queer or otherwise. “We have a lot in common, but we have many differences too—our traditions, our religions, our ways of thinking. You can’t put all ethnic people in the same bag.”

Multimondo comes out

In addition to its wide-ranging program, the day will feature two special events. The first: the premiere of Raphael’s own film, D’ici et d’ailleurs, a documentary about lesbian, bisexual and Two-Spirited women of ethnic backgrounds living in Montreal.

The other is the official launch of the Multimondo Coalition, a group that brings together representatives from Montreal’s many ethnocultural queer groups and their allies—such as Séro-Zéro, GRIS Montréal and Gay Line—to work on issues of common concern.

“The first Ethnocultural Day was really the catalyst that inspired many people to want to work together in a more official capacity,” says Alan Wong, co-president of Multimondo and coordinator of GLAM (Gay and Lesbian Asians of Montreal). After a series of meetings, the coalition was formed, and has been quietly operational since.

“This year, we decided we were ready to officially come out as a formal coalition, and announce ourselves to the world,” says Wong. “Our mandate is to promote the visibility of GLBT people from ethnocultural communities; to network, share our strengths and create synergy between us; and to fight against the homophobia and racism that people from GLBT communities confront.”

The Ethnocultural Day is free, and Raphael assures, “You don’t have to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual to come. Everyone is welcome.”

The Ethnocultural Day takes place Saturday,
May 5, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. at UQÀM’s Pavillon
J.A. De Sève (320 Ste-Catherine E). See the full
program at www.ethnoculture.org.