In the colonies

Often portrayed as both a genius and a loony tune, big name anti-porn activist Catharine MacKinnon came up from the US for the Supreme Court Of Canada hearing into Little Sister’s.

MacKinnon sat next to Nancy Ruth, the Toronto lesbian philanthropist who helped found LEAF, the Women’s Legal Education And Action Fund.

Ruth has spoken out against the brief presented by LEAF, which suggests that lesbian porn should be viewed differently than straight porn. The group – instrumental in the Butler decision – has been wracked by internal battles over this new position. And MacKinnon is rumoured to have tried her own lobbying of LEAF directors to have the legal brief pulled; she refused to give an interview to Xtra’s Rory MacDonald.

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