Final thoughts on CBC - Test The Nation: Trivia

Being on CBC's Test The Nation: Trivia was really a great experience for me, James, gay person of color. I was apprehensive about wearing a t-shirt that had printed on it the words "gay persons of color," but I managed to muster up the courage to wear the garment on the show and enter proudly for the first time in my life into a situation where everyone would be immediately aware of the fact that I was gay. Wow! For me, this was significant, and even more important than my insecurities that were somehow resolved was the fact that I was welcomed by so many of my fellow bloggers and other contestants on the show as their equal, as a human being, as me. Yes, I grew up in Montreal, a fairly liberal city. Nevertheless, I have often felt, as a double minority (and even triple if one considers my left-handedness!), apart from, rather than a part of, any collective endeavour. But for a fleeting moment of beauty, I was on a team of wonderful people with the same goal in mind - to take advantage of a fantastic opportunity and have fun on a little show called Test The Nation: Trivia. I am elated to be writing this because it approaches exactly what I have been trying to communicate through this blog. As a gay person of color, I felt like an intricate and necessary thread in the fabric of the microcosm of society that was my winning Blogger Team, and for this I will never forget the experience.

One last time, thanks Blogger Team:

Dan Arnold
Jon Arnold
Christopher Bird
Buzz Bishop
Rebecca Bollwitt
Ryan Couldrey
Ryan Cousineau
Katharine Hay
Jesse Hirsch
David Jones
Allyson Kenning
John Klein
Andree Lau
Lainey Lui
Amber Macarthur
John Martz
Hugh McGuire
Mark McIntyre
Patrick Metzger
Andy Nulman
Ryan Porter
Adam Schwabe
Craig Silverman
Julien Smith
Allan Sorenson
Rick Spence
Graeme Stewart
David Topping
Kate Trgovac
Rannie Turingan
Karen Whaley
Frank Yang

and our Blogger Team alternates:

Heath Slawner
Eden Spodek