As a reader, I found this paper confusing. Not over content, but because of the scope. I feel that this paper focuses broadly on "queer" people, but then sometimes talks about the plight of one certain group (trans folks). I think that this paper would have been stronger if it had focused on a particular group or did a better job categorizing. My understanding of queerness is also different, and I found the use of "Queer" to reflect all of the LGBTQ+ folks confusing, especially since the keyword terms list so many different identities. Not sure if anyone else found this challenging while reading it!

I think something also needs to be said about the capitalism piece here. In some of my readings, it seems that corporations, after this ruling, started celebrating Pride Month because it was good for business. Many corporations gained more customers than they lost during this time period. After the tRump effect, we have seen many corporations roll back these initiatives because the government has made them so contentious. Similarly, we have seen the same thing happen at institutions. I bring this up because I question whether the intentions of these corps and institutions was meaningful, or because everyone else was doing it and it was good for business.

I think this would have been a good opportunity to mention 2 Spirit folks as well. I did not see any mention of 2 Spirit people throughout the article. Myra Laramee is a renowned Education researcher who helped define what is understood as 2-Spirit. I think missing her important work, very much so related to this topic, is unfortunate and could have made an interesting parallel in their paper.

I think there needs to be a cautionary tale here, and that this ideology must be done in a good way. In my opinion, there are times when white settlers use this as an estoppel. I am very cautious around "saviourism" for any group. One of my old colleagues would openly say that she should stay as the Director/Chair of Indigenous Learning because as a white settler, she could do more and be listened to. I am not accusing this person of that, but not every group needs to be saved by white, heterosexual people.

I really appreciate the large scope here. The last 30-40 years have brought many changes to LGBTQ+ rights in Canada. I only want to mention this because some new Canadians might not know the very troubled history of the LGBTQ+ community and the Canadian government.

So true! When I was in undergrad, there were limited resources available for LGBTQ+ students. I think this led to an environment of isolation. I can't help but also be reminded of the President Bush era policies of "don't say gay". Essentially, military members were not allowed to disclose that part of their lives and were kept invisible in their service. I think this change, and in society, has allowed for more space on campuses to highlight and celebrate LGBTQ+ people and voices.

I think, in some ways, we are fooling ourself to think that AI is the only evil and problematic entity. Many countries, including our own, have been founded and governed on racism and sexism. Many of my colleagues here highlighted a lot of the racist garbage that AI and Google searches show us. I think society should do better and really question where these LLM inputs are coming from; not only from WERID society but also WEIRD power structures. We the people need to be in charge of cultural production and not let AI decide how our culture looks.

Very important point! We are seeing a shift away from information to disinformation and lies being sold as "truths". These sites are full of conspiracy theories and anyone can write their opinions. A larger issue here, I believe, is also algorithms. These algorithms track what you read/view and soon that is all you see in online spaces. This creates huge divides because people get caught in bubbles where they do not see both sides of an issue or story: they become cocooned in their own version of the "truth".

Enough people need to stand up and deny capitalism for it to be unseated. I think this a great comparison for AI. At the end of the day, we are what give these companies and programs our business. Some may call it "voting with your wallet". When ABC cancelled Jimmy Kimmel's show, millions of people around the world cancelled their Disney + subscriptions in protest. It is an example of how an "agile and motivated force can topple an existing power structure": through the power of the purse.

I wonder what the harm is for cultures and communities who attach specific teachings to the language. Sure, we will have more people learning the language and how to speak it, but will they understand the nuances and teachings? Will this just create space for more harm or cultural appropriation?

I think it is hard to change, or unseat culture, when those in power use the systems to their advantage. After all, our governing structures like the Constitution, monarchy and Charter legitimize the power of those in charge. Systems are supposed to work for people; however, it seems that people are working for systems. We can sing our songs and label phrases, but we continue to give in to the power of these institutions and corporations.

I think this really highlights fear surrounding "othering" in AI. Many cultures still utilize oral histories and teachings. In some cultures, these have more implicit teachings than explicit. How can AI, colonial in nature and training, understand these unique teachings and experiences?

We are all but a cog in this capitalistic system. Billionaires, and now trillionaires, see the world through such a different lens. They want to extract as much wealth and resources as they can. They do not care about the cost human or environmental cost. We see media, and AI outputs, being manipulated to promote their own ideologies and wealth. AI can think: but it can't think critically. We as educators must teach this to our students and ourselves.

It is interesting to read this passage through an Indigenous lens. I see a resemblance in the Indigenous worldviews. These approaches, albeit colonial, highlight how controlling these facets of everyday society manipulate culture.