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Lesbian comic denied speaking date at Toronto Catholic school

CWN - June 08, 2011

A lesbian comic claims that she was blocked from an appearance at a Toronto Catholic high school when Church leaders learned about her same-sex marriage.

Dawn Whitwell had been considered as a speaker for an anti-bullying rally at Bishop Marrocco-Thomas Merton School. Whitwell says that she was disinvited. A spokesman for the local Catholic school board says that the comic had not received an invitation to speak, and that the board decided against her appearance because school officials were worried that she might fail to take the issue of bullying seriously.

Two factors in the Globe and Mail coverage are noteworthy. Although the comic’s claim is contradicted by the school board’s story, the Globe and Mail headline clearly endorses Whitwell’s version. And the Catholic school board appeared reluctant to say forthrightly that a Catholic school should not host a speaking appearance by an avowed homosexual.

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  • Posted by: BobJ70777069 - Jun. 08, 2011 9:00 PM ET USA

    Re: School board: When O when will we (Catholics) stop pussyfooting and just stand up and proclaim what's right or wrong? We now have few bishops who aren't afraid to speak out; let's hope their example will trickle down to the faithful.

  • Posted by: TheJournalist64 - Jun. 08, 2011 7:00 PM ET USA

    Comics appearing at Catholic schools? That sounds strange on its face. And let's say "same-sex attempted marriage", since that has to be the way we view it from a natural law perspective. Let's not fall into the habit of using the anti-life, anti-Catholic crowd's terminology.

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