2Bmag online

After months of waiting, the Justice Ministry finally announced the names of the 24 non-profit organizations that were awarded funds by the newly created Bureau de lutte contre l’homophobie. The rights and advocacy groups were altogether granted $590,000 over two years.

Though his name and face may be unfamiliar to you, Roger Noël has been a long-time ally to the LGBT community and is about to become our new favourite civil servant (Eat your heart out Quentin Crisp! RIP).  As the new coordinator of the new government office set up to fight homophobia (Bureau de lutte contre l’homophobie), this LGBT activist–come-civil servant will be heading the government`s official fight for social equality.

Though the announcement was made last May, Premier Jean Charest was nonetheless on hand at the Écomusée du Fier Monde Monday (Nov. 28) to announce the creation of a Homophobia Research Chair. The Chair will be led by Line Chamberland, professor of sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), and will first research homophobia`s effects on health and how it contributes to social exclusion.

When Québec’s Minister of Justice Marc Fournier finally announced his government’s anti-homophobia action plan in May, it was praised for including a $7.1 million injection of cash over five years. Of this overall total, an amount of $400,000 has been set aside for the first year, with individuals and community groups invited to apply for up to $50,000 in funding by Dec. 1st.