Quebec will hold anti-homophobia day - The Canadian province of Quebec will hold its first Homophobia Day on June 4.
"We hope it will be like national suicide prevention week, which comes every year at the same date," said Alain Johnson, general director of Montreal's Fondation Emergence.
Johnson told a news conference the day will be marked with events to draw the attention of the public to the growing incidence of homophobia in Canada's second largest city.
"It is not a party or a picnic," Johnson said. "It is a moment in the year where we try to stop and talk about what is the situation for us in Quebec."
The foundation, one of Montreal's largest gay and lesbian groups, will also distribute documents to schools and community groups in Quebec to raise awareness about the problems gays and lesbians face.
"If there is more understanding there will be less prejudice and eventually less homophobia," Johnson said.
"In Quebec, we are a tolerant society. But it is like, 'I tolerate you but do not come too close to me.' What we want is to go from tolerance to real acceptance."