As I’ve mentioned before on the blog, the Bruce McArthur case is one that has hit fairly close to home for me. As a queer man of colour, and one who fits the profile of some of his alleged victims, I have found myself angered by the way the case has been handled by both law enforcement and in the media. This anger was persistent enough that I felt the need to write about it, and so I submitted the following piece to The Huffington Post:

Society Made Queer Men Of Colour A White Killer’s Prey

It’s a very personal and emotional piece for me, and one that isn’t couched in humour.

Some folks have asked why I do not mention Dean Lisowick in the article. I can only speak to my own experiences as a POC, which is what this particular piece is about, and I didn’t think it appropriate to assume the experiences or perspective of a street-identified person. There are multiple travesties in this case and in the general treatment of the community by law enforcement (including the treatment of transwomen like Alloura Wells or cis women like Tess Richey, for instance), and my article never certainly presents itself as exhaustive.

It’s told from a specific perspective about a specific injustice. But if you are able to speak to the experience of street-identified persons or sex workers in the city, I encourage you to write a piece. There’s room for all of these voices to be represented, and I want to hear them.