9 Reasons Canada Is Totally CRUSHING America At the Equality Game
There's way more to our northern neighbors than just hockey and syrup.
If there's one thing we're really good at in America, it's arguing.
In particular, we're really good at arguing over issues that, in most other developed nations, are already foregone conclusions.
"Are members of the LGBT+ community really human beings who deserve the same rights as everyone else?" Golly, that's a real toughie. Can America have a hint?
"Should we actually work to dismantle institutionalized racism and sexism and create a country where everyone truly IS equal?" Hmm, don't tell America. America knows this one. We swear.
"Would Donald Trump make a good president?" America did really like him on The Apprentice. Er- could America use a lifeline?
It's questions like these that are quickly making us into a laughing stock of the international community. This is especially true when, by contrast, our good neighbor to the North, Canada, seems making more progress towards equality every day.
We may only know them for J Biebs, Drake and maple syrup, and while their record is far from spotless, in the past several months Canada has made some astounding progress that your free-loving, hippie uncle, Tito would be proud of.
Here are just a few examples....
1. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed a gender-balanced cabinet simply "because it's 2015."
According to Huffpost, the decision has proven popular except among conservative men. What a shocker.
2. Canadians have offered asylum to more than 25,000 Syrian refugees.
While Americans have been busy arguing over whether or not we should let in Syrian refugees at all, (any Trump supporter will tell you approximately 100% of them are terrorists) Canada just went ahead and fucking did it. Not only that, but over 15,000 of the refugees relocated to Canada were sponsored by private Canadian citizens. Responding to one of the greatest human rights crises in the last 10 years with compassion and grace? What a novel idea Canada!
3. They changed the words of 'O Canada' from "all thy sons" to "all of us" and made their national anthem totally gender neutral.
We here in the states have been squabbling over the words "under God" and "In God We Trust" in our national anthem and on our currency for decades. Sure, according to the Pew Religious Landscape more than one-fifth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated, but c'mon we can't just change it. It's not like separation of church and state is enshrined in our Constitution or something.
4. Justin Trudeau became the first Prime Minister to march in a Gay Pride parade.
Can you imagine Trump doing this? The hyper-progressive, and hyper-awesome Trudeau is making LGBT+ rights one of the pillars of his administration, and from the look of things, he's having a blast doing it.
5. They flew the LGBT+ flag over Parliament in honor of Pride Month.
While it took South Carolina 54 years, and the senseless massacre of 9 African-American churchgoers to realize why flying the "Stars and Bars" over their Capitol was not a celebration of heritage, but, in fact, a horrible symbol of our country's entrenched racism, it took Canada just a couple minutes to decide to raise the Pride flag over Parliament Hill, in a small, but still significant affirmation of their support of the LGBT+ community.
6. They've taken the long overdue step of including women on their bank notes.
Months before the US announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill, Canada beat America to the punch by opening nominations to select an "iconic" Canadian woman to place on their currency.
It's a far cry from total gender equality (Canadian women still only make 73.5 cents for every dollar men make), but anything that gives Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette a shot at getting their faces on a dollar is fine with me.
7. The Vancouver PD released a training video to improve officers relations with the transgender community.
In response to complaints of mistreatment and discrimination on the behalf of Vancouver's transgender population, the Vancouver Police are retraining officers to properly interact with trans individuals.
Wait, wait you're telling me that you can actually make a given people group feel less affronted by the police by admitting there's a problem and taking steps towards better relations and accountability?
Hmmm.....are you taking notes America?
8. Mark Saunders, police chief of Toronto apologized for a horrific series of raids on gay bathhouses in 1981.
Wait, police can apologize for bad shit they've done? Even if it happened in the past?WHAAAAAATTT?!
Did the American police all call in sick to that day at the Academy or is this just some kind of elaborate hoax. No way. I don't buy. That pride flag has got to be photoshopped in.
9. Canada wants equal rights for everyone, even Nickelback.
In addition to being the first Prime Minister to strut his stuff on Pride Day, Justin Trudeau made history in an interview with the Daily Show for being the first person in history to defend Nickelback.
It might be awhile before we're ready to forgive Canada for the atrocity of unleashing the worst band ever on the world, but you still have to admire their commitment to equality for all.