So I was on the silly quiz show, Test the Nation, on CBC, as a member of the blogger team (the questions were on 21st C trivia, with a focus on tech, gossip and news … guess which team won?).
It was nice to meet some new cyber scribes from around the country, and I had a good time talking to the fellow-misanthrope cab driver Gord at the pub afterwards. But I just read this review of the experience from James Viloria, a Montrealer with the blog, Gay Person of Colour. It’s strange when you live in one sort of environment, and realize that others – because of who/what they are and who/what the rest of the world is like – have such a different experience of the universe. Says James:
I was apprehensive about wearing a t-shirt that had printed on it the words “gay persons of color,” but I managed to muster up the courage to wear the garment on the show and enter proudly for the first time in my life into a situation where everyone would be immediately aware of the fact that I was gay. Wow! For me, this was significant, and even more important than my insecurities that were somehow resolved was the fact that I was welcomed by so many of my fellow bloggers and other contestants on the show as their equal, as a human being, as me.
I didn’t talk much to James, but I’m glad he had the kind of experience I would expectmost of us take for granted – but clearly is not a given even in liberal cities like Montreal.
[via Teamakers]
test.
I too was very moved by those remarks.
Our friend appears in a photo I took for the Tea Makers blog, sitting next to Jesse who’s reading a book.
He looks so pleasant and easy-going, who knew he was having extra anxiety.
Hugh, you’ll remember the young lady in curlers and bathrobe. I read where she said that she felt like a fool being the only one dressed in “costume’, and I didn’t get the opportunity yet to tell her how proud I was of her for “representin'” all of us who were too proud to show ourselves in our more likely attire.
Another reminder of what little we really perceive of others despite all of our self-proclaimed psychic abilities.
Glad you made note of those remarks as did my dear friend Ouimet.
thanks allan. … i wanted to comment on jules’ blog about the curlers, but her comments were closed.
Keep up the good work.