Dan Savage to Stephen Harper: Stop screwing with my marriage, motherfucker

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Georgia Straight sex columnist Dan Savage is understandably pissed about the Stephen Harper government pulling the rug out from under same-sex couples who came to Canada from abroad to get married.

      The Seattle-based journalist and activist, who wed his partner in Vancouver, has published a blog post titled "Canada's Conservative Government Turns My Husband Back Into My Boyfriend".

      He's been reading the Globe and Mail's coverage of today's (January 12) hot-button issue. The newspaper reports:

      The reversal of federal policy is revealed in a document filed in a Toronto test case launched recently by a lesbian couple seeking a divorce. Wed in Toronto in 2005, the couple have been told they cannot divorce because they were never really married – a Department of Justice lawyer says their marriage is not legal in Canada since they could not have lawfully wed in Florida or England, where the two partners reside.

      In response to the story, Harper has told reporters: "We have no intention of further re-opening or opening this issue."

      Savage calls that bullshit. And he has some choice words for Canada's prime minister:

      Sorry, motherfucker, but this "issue"—the civil equality of gays and lesbians—is wide open now and your fucking government opened it. The debate over same-sex marriage and the civil equality of gays and lesbians has been returned to the frontpages of Canada's newspapers and a renewed debate over same-sex marriage will dominate Canadian television and radio news programs. And Canada's religious conservatives will doubtless complain—loud and long—about their precious children having to hear about homosexuality every time they turn on the news. Stephen Harper's government reopened this issue, not the gays, and Stephen Harper's government deserves the blame.

      Harper is scheduled to make an announcement today at 3:30 p.m. at Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards (50 Pemberton Avenue) in North Vancouver, where he'll no doubt be asked to explain his government's latest attack on equality.

      And you can bet Savage will have something to say about it when he appears at the Vogue Theatre on January 21.

      You can follow Stephen Hui on Facebook and Twitter. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

      Comments

      61 Comments

      eric anthony

      Jan 12, 2012 at 1:32pm

      While he's @ Seaspan, he should swab a few poop-decks.

      Jessica Werb

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:00pm

      Maybe it's time to give "Harper" a new meaning, a la Santorum?

      Gary Dee

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:03pm

      Harper is the epitome of the Neo-Fascist Right-Wing Christian that is currently destroying the American economy...and we, Canadians all, elected this prick to office. His cronies are destroying Canada's reputation as an open-minded, friendly country that stands for equality, human rights and ethics. Harper has shit on us all since elected and needs to be removed.Since his recent conversion to Christianity, which , as many before me have said, is the Poison of Society, he has removed 5-6 decades of well fought rights and ideas that We, as Canadians, brought into law. His utter contempt and complete disrespect for the people of Canada makes him, in my mind, a traitor and and a horrible Fascist.

      sixofour

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:21pm

      This fucking Harper guy should open his god-damned eyes a bit to the world outside his little rosy bubble.

      NoLeftNutter

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:29pm

      Take a chill pill people. Harper hasn't done anything, a Crown lawyer aurgued against the vailidity of Canadian gay marriages for couples from jurisdictions where gay marriage is not allowed. This is not a Canadian marriage issue but one of the legality of marriage in other jusrisdictions. Dan, myabe your vitriol should be directed at lawmakers in your own state and country so your boyfriend can become your husband where you actually live, not just in Canada.

      jared mitchell

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:36pm

      Maybe this guy should take up issue with his own county and states policy of gay marriage instead of bitching about what Canada is doing. Gay marriage in canada was enacted as a human rights law by the canadian courts for canadian citizens.
      It was never intended to be an international loophole for others whose countries are stuck in the 19th century.

      DavidH

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:40pm

      It's refreshing to see Harper described as a "motherfucker".

      With any luck, Harper will sue ... and then attempt to prove in court that he "did not have sexual relations with that woman". Please Steve, go for it. We can't wait to hear about your real relationship with Mommy Dearest.

      Nobody grows up to be a Stephen Harper without some very serious "stuff" in childhood. Right Steve? Tell us all about it.

      Charlie R

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:41pm

      I agree with Dan, Harper is a motherfucker! He has no right to do this. Many people traveled long and far and planned elaborate costly weddings and now they were all for naught? WTF?? Is Harpo the new Hitler or what?

      Jacob Russell

      Jan 12, 2012 at 2:41pm

      This is not Harpers fault. It has to do with courts,trade relations and international laws. Of course all the liberals in Canada (I mean people who align themselves with us vs. them mentality) will get pissed off and blame Harper when the real enemy here is UN human rights (which does not recognize gay marriage yet) and international trade laws. There is a lot of shit you can blame Harper for so let's stick to the facts on this and blame the real enemy. No reason to pin it on Harper.

      You

      Jan 12, 2012 at 3:03pm

      Having sat down and read BC's guidelines for getting married, nothing indicates that Dan's marriage should be nullified.
      And what were people doing performing these ceremonies if they weren't real anyway?

      Something must have changed, because I'm sure that all of these couples that were fighting for these rights were reading the fine print all along.