Porn star Michael Lucas: Canadian border agents are "homophobic"
BORDER AGENTS / Lucas says he was held at border for two hours while on his way to Toronto bathhouse performance
BrentCreelman / National / Monday, April 20, 2009
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HASSLED AT THE BORDER. Porn star and producer Michael Lucas says dealing with Canadian border agents was like being put through Guantanamo.
(lucasentertainment.com)
Porn star and producer Michael Lucas says he was held up for two hours at the Canadian border this weekend because of "homophobic" border agents.

Lucas flew from New York City to Toronto on Apr 18 for a performance at St Marc's Spa, a gay men's bathhouse.

"It was instigated as I went through the first passport control zone," Lucas wrote Apr 20 on his blog, lucasblog.com. "The unpleasantly bored man started off with the usual questions: What are you doing in Canada, eh? How long will you be here? Then the survey went a little deeper, probing at what I did for a living. What kind of company is it? Is it softcore or hardcore? His obnoxiously tired act turned abrasive and superior. His agenda at this point was to get my porny ass back to America."

Lucas says the border agents then picked through his luggage piece-by-piece.

"Of course I had my movies on me, a stack of nude pictures to sign and lube. The essentials," he wrote. "Homophobia was running rampant with these captors and they were highly offended by said essentials. They questioned why I had so many images that depict me nude — I told them it was for my friends who enjoy my movies."

Canadian border agents have a history of targeting gays and lesbians at the border.  In Jun 2008, Canadian border agents seized a gay couple's laptop because it contained "questionable material" — gay porn. Vancouver's Little Sister's bookstore has also fought a long battle with border officials over unfair seizure of gay and lesbian material.

Lucas says dealing with Canadian customs was like the "Canadian re-envisioning of Guantanamo."

"In all seriousness, I have travelled extensively around the world, I have stepped foot in the most strict and forbidden countries yet I have never felt the homophobic and anti-pornographic force of the Canadian border patrol," he wrote on his blog.

This is not the first time Lucas and the Canada Border Services Agency have shared headlines. In February, Xtra.ca broke the story that the CBSA banned two of Lucas Entertainment's films, Piss! and Farts!, from entering Canada because it found them to be "obscene."

In the CBSA's "Policy on the Classification of Obscene Material," the "ingestion of someone else's urine... with a sexual purpose" is listed as an indicator of obscenity.

CBSA considers the act of urinating into someone "degrading and dehumanizing, with a risk of substantial harm."

Lucas called the obscenity rules "old-fashioned" and weeks later announced his plans to visit the Toronto bathhouse for a performance.


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Reader Comments


 
It's true
A few times a year, there's a report in our local paper about some new guy or another who enters Canada with a laptop or a sex toy or magazine or photo or something like that. Based on what I read in the paper, it seems anything that might be gay triggers additional searches until they find something they decide to label illegal pornography. I don't know if it's the biased searching or the biased reporting (likely both) but it seems to be focused on creating a feedback loop where gay men are targeted and then represented as criminals who should be targeted.
Randy, Windsor ON
04/20/09 7:35 PM EST
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Maybe..........................
....they stopped you to make sure you didn't have any of your prohibited titles in your possession given the amount of press you have given to the subject. That's taking into consideration that they actually knew who you were. Most likely they didn't, and given your reason for coming to Canada, they most likely were checking to see that you weren't a professional prostitiute (instant inadmissibility) which is more common than folks would believe. As for homophobic, LOL! You haven't really looked at the diverse make up of officers in the GTA have you? The population of gay officers is astounding!
Gadget, Windsor ON
04/20/09 7:56 PM EST
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too bad so sad...
Maybe the Border Agent, wasn't homophobic but had read this self-professed former hooker, turned (self assorbed) porn producer's... book called "Naked"... and wasn't impressed... hence the hold up...
Mattie, toronto on
04/21/09 11:20 AM EST
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Not surprised
Sadly... this is very common at any Canadian airport... Fortunately or unfortunately this happened to Michael and for the fact that he is a public figure this came in to our e-mail inbox and Xtra Magazine. Sadly... a non public figure person from our LGBTTQ community face this kind of discrimination, harassment and even worse; they are not even allow to come into Canada and they are send back to their Country of origin, regardless if they are coming to visit a friend, just for vacation, seeking asylum (protection), etc… Join NO ONE IS ILLEGAL movement. Leo
Leonardo, Toronto Ontario
04/21/09 11:34 AM EST
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a little bit of power...
I did a couple of brief stints in the student summer job program in Immigration at the airport, I've seen first hand how a little bit of power can turn otherwise decent people into raging assholes who get off using their little bit of power to the maximum. Not all were like that of course, some went out of their way to help people but that seemed rarer amongst the custom people who tended to be very enforcement oriented, nothing made their day quite like being able to catch someone who had done something wrong, major or minor didn't matter it was the thrill of the catch. Its a tricky situation, I found the job was beginning to bring out some unpleasant personality characteristics of mine I didn't like so I never pursued a job there beyond the summer months. I can easily see how such a job can warp an otherwise decent person into a raging asshole slowly over time, its the culture of the job and its neccesity of looking at everyone as a potential criminal or terrorist. It doesn't make it right though but I can understand how it can happen. There may be many gay/lesbian folk in customs and immigration however no one should have to count on the chance of getting a queer officer for a fair examination at the border. I've also seen people sent for extra thorough exams because it was a slow day and they didn't like the person's attitude, also not right, I suspect that sort of thing lead to Lucas's unfortunate experience at the border.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
04/21/09 12:22 PM EST
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thanks Michael
thank u michael for taking time to come to canada, what an fantastic show. u are a very personable and fun man. i heard different things about you but now i know it was jealous haters...
Edward, toronto toronto
04/21/09 1:06 PM EST
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Pornophobic or Homophobic
Gay marriage is legal in Canada...bad gay porn may not.
Young, Vancouver BC
04/23/09 10:03 PM EST
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Gay Eh?
It is not surprizing whatsoever to discover discrimination and homophobia at the borders when there are gays themselves which are homophobic. The courts and borders should take some time to re-evaluate who the real criminals are and take action. But then again its always hardest to point that accusing, critical finger to analysis yourself first. Years of denial, self hatred and closed minds are still prevalent in our society, including law makers and border controls etc. Are we not after all "Proud" to be Canadians as the saying goes? Perhaps NOT as proud as we think or claim to be. We need new laws, new borders, new definitions of antiquated laws but first we need to find us some heros to champion our rights. This is the way to better all our borders for all Canadians and all individuals. How many stories like this go UNREPORTED? Dreadful to think about it really? How many of us "proud" people are losing our jobs first in this global crisis, anyone interested? ...."oh, Canada, we stand on guard for thee, but will you do the same for me?
papa, calgary ab
04/25/09 7:12 PM EST
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I don't think so...
I travel extenseivley and always find our border agents very pleasant when returning home. They are there for a reason, sorry you seemed hassled, but that is their job. To get to the nitty gritty and exact nature of your visit. I thanks the CBSA for all their efforts despite a few bad apples that you will find EVERYWHERE in ANY job.
Mike in Van, Vancouver BC
05/03/09 2:46 PM EST
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Officer working that day
Haha i remember a Officer coming into the ready room talking about mike. I peek out the window and sure enough Lucas is there, looking upset but otherwise calm and compliant. Like others have echoed the concern is regarding obscene material, hence why a secondary examination as conducted to verify your deceleration. While it doesn't' specifically state on the deceleration card if any obscene material is being imported, the bona fides of the visitor may warrant a closer look to ensure compliance with the act.
toolman, mississauga on
06/24/09 1:39 PM EST
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