> I’m some places “Hate Speech” can be treated as a criminal offense (Bill C16 in Canada)
Let's talk about this one because I'm Canadian and I'm a union representative in a public university so deal with these legal concepts a lot.
Jordan Peterson's -entire public speaking career- is based off of the idea that misgendering someone will land you in jail in Canada as a result of C16. That's what he stood up against and what got him his celebrity.
Bill C16 is three years old now and nobody has gone to jail, or been arrested, or fined, or whatever for violating this law. Treating trans people with the same protections that gay people get is not an assault on free speech.
Canada does have hate speech laws but they are very rarely invoked and are isolated to cases of someone who is publishing open calls for violence against protected groups. It is 100% legal to be a racist, a transphobe, a homophobe, or whatever other bigotry of the day you prefer in Canada. We have LOTS of transphobes here. They aren't going to jail.
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My point in all of this is that I feel that the hate speech debate is often one based on false pretenses and bad faith. The people clamouring for free speech are less interested in free speech, but instead consequence-free bigotry.
