Accordion City has a reputation for its great blend of different nationalities, races and cultures, and it’s one of the reasons I love this place. However, there are times when the folks at City Hall, in their well-intentioned attempts to be inclusive, seem to be trying a little too hard. Case in point: how the stock photo, pictured below on the left, got photoshopped (and quite obviously, too) into the cover of the Toronto Fun Guide, pictured below on the right:
Speaking as a force of darkness – I much prefer being called that to “person of colour” – I find inclusivity-by-editing to be a little silly, if not condescending. C’mon, people! This is Toronto! If you really want a picture of an ethnically diverse family in this city, all you have to do is bring a camera to any busy public place – say any major shopping mall – and wait five minutes.
You could also just use the photo below, which features real Toronto people: a Filipino guy, an American Jewish woman and a giant pita from somewhere in the Mediterranean or Middle East. Three ethnicities, one pic!
The folks at Stillepost have been having fun re-photoshopping the Toronto Fun Guide. Here are my favourites, with my favourite one saved for last:
Photo courtesy of