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Ottawa warns LGBTQ travellers they could be hit by U.S. state laws – CBC News
Global Affairs Canada has updated its travel advisory for the United States by warning LGBTQ people that some state laws may affect them on their travels.
“Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws,” said the new advisory, posted Tuesday morning.
The advisory sends visitors to a government web page providing broad information on how members of the community could be targeted while travelling to foreign countries.
That advice tells travellers to beware of laws that criminalize same-sex activities and relationships, or target people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
That advice also warns travellers that laws to curb vagrancy and public nuisance incidents could also be used to target them in an effort “to criminalize 2SLGBTQI+ people.”
LGBTQ travellers heading to the U.S. should pay attention to state and local laws, Global Affairs Canada warned in its updated advisory. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she supported the decision to update the travel advice.
The updated advice does not mention any specific law or state policy, nor does it suggest staying away from a particular state. When asked for details, a department spokesperson pointed to laws targeting the transgender community.
“Since the beginning of 2023, certain states in the U.S. have passed laws banning drag shows and restricting the transgender community from access to gender affirming care and from participation in sporting events,” the spokesperson said in a media statement.
“The information is provided to enable travellers to make their own informed decisions regarding destinations. Outside Canada, laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics can be very different from those in Canada.”
Speaking in Moncton, N.B. on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she supported the decision to update the travel advice but would not comment on whether U.S. President Joe Biden was informed before the update was made.
“Every Canadian government, very much including our government, needs to put at the centre of everything we do the interests and the safety of every single Canadian, and of every single group of Canadians,” she said. “That’s what we’re doing now. That’s what we’re always going to do.”
Freeland said that as a former foreign affairs minister, she’s confident that travel advisories appearing on the Global Affairs Canada website are “done very professionally.”
“We have professionals in the government whose job is to look carefully around the world and to monitor whether there are particular dangers to particular groups of Canadians,” she said. “That’s their job and it’s the right thing to do.”
A growing number of anti-LGBT laws
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says it is tracking 494 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. that are working their way through state legislatures.
Of those bills, the ACLU says 230 will affect schools and education policies, 130 affect the provision of health care, 40 affect civil rights — such as equal treatment under the law — and eight affect public washrooms and other shared facilities.
Other bills at the state level being tracked by the ACLU would ban or censor drag shows, prohibit gender information from being included on government identity documents or limit access to books about LGBTQ people and issues.
The updated travel advice comes after the largest LGBT rights organization in the U.S., the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), joined other civil rights organizations in issuing a travel advisory for Florida in May.
That warning said newly passed laws and policies might pose risks to minorities, immigrants and LGBTQ travellers in the state.
HRC was joined by the NAACP, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and Equality Florida in issuing travel or relocation warnings for the Sunshine State, one of the most popular U.S. states for tourists.
The HRC notes that Florida’s recently passed bathroom law could subject transgender people to criminal penalties for refusing to leave a bathroom when asked, if the bathroom is in a publicly owned or leased building.
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Beginning a guitar lesson will likely start off by asking about their goals and what they would like to learn, before teaching basic chords and the universal strumming pattern.
Understanding that mastering any instrument takes time is crucial, but consistent practice will yield tangible results within weeks or two.
- Know the Instrument
As you embark on your guitar journey, it is crucial that you establish the essential foundational knowledge. This includes becoming acquainted with your instrument and how it operates; having this understanding will allow for improved playing performance and lessen frustration.
Study the names and placement of strings on the fretboard, as well as chords; chords are groups of notes you strum together to produce harmony; more chords you know means more songs you can play! Open chords such as Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd or Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival are easy-to-play examples of open chords that use open strings with fretted ones on the first three frets; these chords may help get you started playing more advanced songs!
Fretting and unfretting each chord to become familiar with its shape will help build strength and confidence in your fingers, making chord playing more natural and intuitive.
- Know the Basics
Once you arrive for your first lesson, your instructor will ask for some information about yourself to gain a sense of what goals and learning styles you wish to accomplish through guitar lessons.
At first, you’ll learn to hold and number each string on the guitar; picking individual strings while developing an understanding of how much pressure must be applied in order to play each note is also taught during these early lessons.
Soon you will start strumming along to songs and developing an understanding of rhythm. While this process can seem cumbersome and time-consuming, keep in mind that professional guitarists spend hours each day working on developing their rhythm skills! Once you find your groove with playing chords you will soon be on your way to creating music that uplifts and motivates! Although this might take a while it will ultimately pay off!
- Set Goals
Once you’ve built rapport with your instructor, it is crucial that you discuss what your goals for guitar are. This will enable them to tailor a practice routine just for you that will help realize your musical ambitions.
Beginner students of guitar can sometimes have unrealistic expectations that can undermine their motivation to practice guitar. Expectations such as effortlessly smooth chord changes or effortless strumming can become discouraging when they don’t come immediately.
Your first objective should be getting your fretting hand fingers to form simple chords together with ease, taking time and practice. Your fingertips may hurt until calluses form; don’t be discouraged though as without hard work there will never be success in anything!
Setting specific guitar goals will enable you to monitor your progress and achievements more easily. A good goal can be as straightforward as “Improvise a slow blues song using Eric Clapton’s style within 3 months”. Tying these goals to rewards and discussing them with your instructor will keep you accountable and help ensure success.
- Practice
No matter whether it’s scales, chord progressions or songs – knowing your goals and practicing to reach them is key to reaching them. Achieve success requires having a clear image of what success looks like (such as being able to improvise over a slow blues in Eric Clapton’s style within three months) as well as tracking progress towards that goal.
To ensure you meet your goals, it’s essential to create a detailed plan and set aside specific times each week that you can dedicate to practicing. Discuss your objectives with your instructor to establish what a realistic timeline might look like for achieving musical aspirations.
Take steps outside your comfort zone during practice sessions to keep motivated and expand your guitar abilities in novel ways. Try playing songs in different keys than usual or adding some advanced chords to your repertoire. This may keep your practice sessions interesting and help to keep you moving forward!
Begin your musical journey with guitar lessons and discover the joy of playing your favorite songs on this versatile instrument. With expert instruction, you’ll learn the skills you need to play your favorite pieces and express yourself creatively through music. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned musician, guitar lessons can help you take your playing to the next level.
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