Mike Morrison has made a name for himself across Canada through his Mike’s Bloggity Blog website. While his postings typically focus on arts and entertainment, when Morrison is passionate about something on any topic he speaks out. This week, with the PC government’s introduction of Bill 10, which would effectively eliminate Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) from schools where the board or school didn’t want one, Morrison took to social media to respond.
The response from Albertans has been enormous and mostly positive.
"Fully acknowledging I have a good voice in the media, [with] 14,000 followers on Twitter and [a spot] on radio stations every week – if I have all this stuff and I don’t do something good with it, what is the point in having it?" Morrison told GayCalgary.com. "I talk about trips and entertainment, but I am a person and have beliefs and am going to use those channels I’ve developed to share those beliefs."
On December 4th members of the LGBTQ community and their supporters gathered on the steps of the McDougall Centre to celebrate pride and equality in opposition to the bill. Morrison created the event just hours earlier and was floored by the response.
"It really means a lot. I can tell you, when I thought about it, I thought it would be me and four friends. I was ok with that because, in Canada, we are afforded the right to stand here and discuss. The fact that other people cleared their schedules and took time to come, and that the media saw this as a worthy story, means a lot to me. I am going to go home and warm up, and process that maybe I was able to do something today."
The bill – sponsored by Sandra Jansen – was especially upsetting to some because many of those voting for the bill, as well as Prentice, have marched in Pride events and previously expressed support for the community.
"Every day is different," Morrison says. "I have used terms like ‘stabbed in the back’. It is nice that people see that the Pride Parade is an avenue that people have to go to. Now what Pride has to do is step back and say who is in the parade? Do they share our beliefs or values? I have no idea how Pride could decide who could or could not be part of the parade... I do believe that Sandra Jansen has the best interests and isn’t speaking on behalf of herself. She is between a rock and a hard place. I know what I would do in her position, and she hasn’t."
Morrison has never made his sexuality a focus, but is open about his life as a gay man and his relationship with partner Richard Einarson. He explained why, as a public figure, he has been so open in recent years.
"To help normalize it," he says. "It was a conscious decision, and I did think about it a lot. What I wanted to say more was: as a person who happens to be gay this is my opinion. If I want to bring up my boyfriend, like someone would bring up their wife, that is what I want to do. I don’t think my opinions are different because I am gay that was sort of the line."
Growing up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Morrison didn’t have clubs like a GSA to attend, and feels school would have been a different experience for him had they existed.
"I think every kid has a different high school experience. I got teased, but I honestly thought everyone was. I graduated in 2000 and I don’t recall there being anything specifically for gay students. This is a pretty new movement in the last four or five years. I think with [gay] education my life would have been different. It would have been different in my early 20s if I knew what gay was and wasn’t. Everyone has a different coming out story. If I had known it was ok, and there were lots of different types of gay people, that would have helped me for sure."
Hours after the gathering Prentice announced that the bill has been tabled. Morrison can definitely take pride in his actions spreading the word about the bill and the outrage that has followed.
"We have PC MLAs that speak out and then, when it comes time to vote, back away. They have been painted in a light that many of us have known for many years, but now is very public. I don’t think anyone believes the PCs truly believe in equality, and if that comes out of Bill 10, fantastic. It is a dirty secret that has been around for a long time and I am glad that it’s out. I have my issues with Wildrose, but people were upset about one line during the election a candidate said. Well here is what people in government are doing. It was this week that people finally got mad."
