Gaycalgary and Edmonton Magazine

January 2008 Issue 51

FREE of charge

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>> STARTING ON PAGE 16

GLBT RESOURCE • CALGARY & EDMONTON 2 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 3 4 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Established originally in January 1992 as Men For Men BBS by MFM 12 Communications. Named changed to GayCalgary.com in 1998. Stand alone company as of January 2004. First Issue of GayCalgary.com Magazine, November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. Publisher Steve Polyak & Rob Diaz-Marino, [email protected] Table of Contents Editor Rob Diaz Marino, editor@gaycalgary. com 7 Resolutions 11 Original Graphic Design Deviant Designs Letter from the Publisher Advertising 10 Newslets Steve Polyak [email protected] Contributors Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Jason 11 The Dish On Alberta Clevett, Jerome Voltero, Kevin Alderson, Allison Brodowski , Mercedes Allen, Stephen 16 Lock, Benjamin Hawkcliffe, Andrew Collins, Beef Felice Newman, GayRealEstate.com, Mike Stansberry, Romeo San Vicente and the 12 BASH’D! Gay and Lesbian Community of Calgary and Hip Hop Homos Hit High Performance Rodeo Edmonton Photographer Steve Polyak and Rob Diaz-Marino 13 Credit on the Line? Convenience of Pre-Paid Cards Videographer Steve Polyak and Rob Diaz-Marino 14 Out of Town Please forward all inquiries to: Unusual Tours to Great Destinations GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine Suite 403, 215 14th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2R 0M2 16 Map & Event Listings Find out what’s happening Phone (403) 543-6960 or toll free (888) 50 543-6960 23 Some New Year Musings Fax (403) 703-0685 E-mail [email protected] 25 Q Scopes “Economize sensibly, Capricorn!” Print Run Monthly, 12 times a year Copies Printed Monthly, Over 10,000 copies. 26 Adult Film Review Masthead continued on page 6 Out on Vacation, Mutiny, College, Vanished 28 Deep Inside Hollywood 29 Whole Lesbian Sex What Do Butches Want? 30 Tobacco Reduction Act Alberta Gets Tougher on Second-Hand Smoke

Continued Next Page gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 5 From Previous Page 31 Fundraising Photos 34 A Bitter Girl 36 High Performance Rodeo OYR’s 22nd Annual Event has Arrived Continued from page 5 Distribution points up to 200 points in 36 Letters to the Editor Calgary, largest number of distribution points for any Gay publication in Calgary. 37 Real Estate Sales Tips for Winter 2008: Up to 150 points in Edmonton, largest 5 tips to keep your listing active as the market cools in winter. number of distribution points for any Gay publication in Edmonton. Also distributed coast to coast across Canada in select 38 The Pursuit of Muscle locations in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and other 40 A Year Of Transgression places across Canada and the United The Quest to Pee, Searching For a UnitedENDA, Transphobia Strikes Even the States. Please call us if you would like to be a distribution point. Hetero World 49 Distributed by Gallant Distributions 43 The Distress Centre (Calgary), Clark’s Distribution (Edmonton), Canada Post (rest of Canada and USA) Spread Some Late Holiday Cheer and by GayCalgary.com 45 Alpha-Q Volleyball Deadline for Ad Bookings 25th of the month (unless otherwise stated) 46 Snowballs! Deadline for Ad copy 28th of the month A Gay Ski Weekend in Banff (unless otherwise stated) Legal Council Courtney Sebree Aarbo, 47 Where Else Can I Dance? Barristers and Solicitors Alternatives for Calgary’s LGBT Dance Crowd Printers North Hill News This Issue Cover Model front Chris 49 Movie Review Craddock and back Nathan Cuckow. Photos Blades of Glory, Testosterone, Kinky Boots by Ian Jackson, of Epic Photography. The opinions expressed in this magazine are 50 Music Review not necessarily those of GayCalgary.com or Adagio, Songs of Mass Destruction, Sex Party the contributors of the magazine. 52 Queer Eye - Calgary & Edmonton People photographed or interviewed, 37 writers, advertisers, contributors and Community Events this Month anyone else involved with this publication are not necessarily gay, lesbian, bi, 59 A Couple of Guys bi-curious or trans gendered. They can be straight people that are gay friendly. February 2008 60 Classifieds Ads No part of the publication may be reprinted without the expressed permission of the Press Deadlines editor-in-chief.

Copyright 2008 AAdd SpaceSpace BookingBooking - FridayFriday JJanuaryanuary 25th25th 20082008 Member of Canadian Gay & AAdd SubmissionSubmission - Lesbian Chamber MMondayonday JanuaryJanuary 28th28th 20082008 of Commerce Member of International Gay & IInn CirculationCirculation - FridayFriday FebruaryFebruary Lesbian Travel Association 11stst 20082008

PPleaselease contactcontact usus rightright awayaway ifif yyouou thinkthink youyou maymay havehave missedmissed tthehe BookingBooking oror SubmissionSubmission DDeadlineseadlines Member of Edmonton Rainbow Member of Tourism Calgary. Business Association.

6 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Resolutions Letter from the Publisher

down to what the queens are wearing…and it’s a little By Rob Diaz-Marino hard for the regulars to show off a new outfi t every week. We even joked about printing photos from months prior New Year’s resolutions are defi nitely the recurring to see if anyone would notice. In Edmonton, we are not theme of this month’s magazine. My resolution even sure if there will be drag shows any more, since The for this year is to get myself a little better orga- Roost is no longer operating and, last we heard, Buddy’s nized than I currently am, both in my work and was debating on cancelling their shows. From now on, in my personal life. I am fi nally wrapping up my for-profi t weekly drag shows will only receive coverage in Master’s thesis at well over 125 pages and look the magazine if they are part of a special event, or if we are notifi ed of special circumstances. forward to fi nally accomplishing this goal that has been 4 years in the making. Strangely, the magazine layout although electronic, Christmas with the Polyaks goes through a lot of wear and tear over the course of the Since I’ve known Steve, we have followed a similar year as we duplicate, delete, and move design elements schedule each December – I spend a peaceful Christmas around. The fi rst month of the year is our time to clean Eve and part of Christmas day alone with my mom and things up again, review comments and suggestions from dad, and then join Steve (by his own insistent request) our readers and makes changes to the content and lay- for “moral support” as he visits with his own family on out of the magazine. the 25th and 26th. There is never a dull moment thanks to family drama, and it takes a toll on him to keep smil- One very large change has been in the Classifi eds area, ing as some of his more where we fi nally found the time to make it all a little colorful relatives do and more user friendly. We assembled a completely new list say outrageous things. of categories better suited to the needs of our readers, and headings are now color coded to easily identify their First off, Steve’s mom got subject. Also, when multiple classifi eds appear under a a free Christmas tree as single category, they are no longer divided by redundant a gift from a friend of the category headings – hooray for saved space! family. Unfortunately the thing was as wide at the We have several new articles and columns starting top as it was at the base, this month. Since we have porn reviews for the men, we containing about 8 branch- decided to take on a monthly Lesbian sexuality column es concentrated at the top for the women. Trust me ladies, I’m going to dread and bottom - a concave cyl- proofi ng these so I truly hope you enjoy them! Also inder, as opposed to a cone. by reader demand, we have taken on a monthly travel Still, they didn’t want to be column to showcase gay destinations outside of Calgary rude and so this tree was and Edmonton. Lastly, I’ve decided to spin off a number put up in the living room of topics I usually discuss in the Publisher’s column into and decorated. Steve and I a news clips section I call “Newslets”. I wanted to do this couldn’t help making snide so that I can write about them in a reporting capacity, jokes about using dead rather than mixing them in with my personal experience squirrels as ornaments, but and perceptions. I may still make mention of some of the Mom secretly had a chuckle topics from my own perspective here in the Publisher’s over it all the same. Steve’s column, if I have something subjective to mention. older sister just about died We are making an amendment to our photography laughing, as she admitted policy for the upcoming year in order to make things that she had coincidentally fairer. Although it has been our policy to concentrate encountered squirrel road on special events and fundraisers, we have been making kill round about the time exceptions in the case of weekly for-profi t drag shows. the Christmas tree arrived. Call this a grandfathered guideline from the days when Then there’s Steve’s aunt we photographed the drag shows at Metro Boyztown and who, when he was a child Detour alternating weekends, but it is time to retire this told him that he should exemption. Sadly, even though weekly shows may vary kill himself if he was gay. in song selection, getting distinctive photographs boils Since then she has come

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 7 a complete 180 degrees, telling us at Steve’s brother’s wedding two years ago that she accepted us and gave her blessings. This year we were all pre-warned that she was experiencing some emotional problems directed toward grandma and other relatives, and though none of us sought to breach the topic, she was more than happy to bring it up on her own. I can see that there is a good person inside her, but her high-strung behavior sadly rubs people the wrong way, and receiving disapproval from them only seems to make things worse. She is receiving help, and we defi nitely hope she can work things out. Also there is a friend of the family who comes to visit each boxing day, who is constantly gifting religious and fad diet literature (and sometimes a bizarre combination of the two) to family members. Every year it is a new thing – last year it was eating particular foods according to your blood type, this year it was about the evils of pas- teurized and homogenized milk. Steve’s younger sister I didn’t even know the name of. We were forewarned and her fi ancée are now expecting, and they received that the meal would be served at a relaxed pace, which a gift from her which was a book about the benefi ts of I found to be a good strategy - I couldn’t possibly have feeding their child unpasteurized milk. This sounds like eaten everything if not for the time between courses to a stunningly bad idea, since pasteurization is required to digest and socialize. eliminate ecoli and salmonella. Still she insists that the Similarly, Money Pennies sold out for their New Year’s pasteurization process eliminates powerful healing prop- Eve dinner. I arrived to take photos at around 10pm erties of milk, and hopes to team up with like-minded to fi nd the place chocker-block full, and DJ Curtis was people to buy their own cow (since it is illegal for farmers keeping the dance fl oor hopping. I don’t normally do to sell unpasteurized milk products). We just hope she crowd shots as I can’t ask everyone’s permission, but I isn’t going to make herself sick…or do we? managed to get a good one where only the face of a staff After three Christmas dinners, Steve and I fi nally got member was visible. a chance to spend time at home again, and play with The Calgary Men’s Chorus held their annual concert, some of our gifts. I bought Steve the latest Dance Dance this year entitled “Guitarra”, back at the Rosza Centre at Revolution game with fl oor dance mat, so that we can the University of Calgary. They took on a Spanish theme occasionally have a fun and physically active break from which proved to be a challenge, however the show went working. We coordinated this so that Steve bought a over very well. One of the attendees, a former member of second mat as a gift to me, this way we can play simul- the chorus, believed it to be their best turnout ever. taneously. We’ve been having great fun with it and are amazed at what a workout we get even at the beginner Steve tells me that many of the gay, lesbian, and level. straight parents who have regularly attended the Roost’s annual Children’s Christmas Party event were having So even though we didn’t get a chance to put up a trouble not feeling depressed that this was the last year Christmas tree in our own home, we still had a good (and it was going to occur. The Roost closed its doors at its interesting) holiday season.

Community Banter Momma G’s annual Christmas dinner at The Calgary Eagle was sold out once again this year, but attendees (including Steve and myself) were treated to something way beyond turkey and mashed potatoes. We all received a ﬁ ve-course meal including French onion soup, garden greens in an edible cheese-bowl, turkey-mush- room medallions, and several other delicious things

8 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 account is easy and takes no more than 10 minutes of your time as we verify your E-mail address. Visit the Signup page to get started – www.gaycalgary.com/Sign- up.aspx. Additionally, I got the website search feature up and running. You can search the GayCalgary.com Business Directory, Events Calendar, and even Magazine articles with the click of a button! Photo and user searches are planned for the future. Unfortunately a website form for adding events to the calendar is still not ready. Phew, I tell you, the calendar is no simple thing to program, and I don’t yet have it at a level of user friendliness that I would want to expose to the general public. For the time being, please continue to send us event information by E-mail and we will add them to the calendar appropriately. Food for Thought current location after New Years Eve, bringing a 30 year I would like to leave you with an allegory that I recall legacy to a close. Already rumors are circulating madly learning all the way back in Elementary school. It is of about what is coming to take its place. So far we have fairy tale stock, but has an interesting moral not just for been unoffi cially informed of two separate plans, both the gay community, but humanity in general. from capable Edmonton residents, and both not happening for a little while still. The ad for one appears in this Once upon a time there were two villages that had magazine, the second is said to be tentative. For now been at war with one another since before anyone could we have been asked to keep all additional details under remember. One village obtained a magical object that wraps, pending future updates. granted them a single wish, on the condition that whatever they chose would be given in double to their rivals. With war-like intentions on their mind, they knew they Looking Forward into 2008 couldn’t wish for weapons, but were quick to scheme up This year is going to see changes in the usual schedule the idea that half of their own village should be destroyed of yearly events. For one, Apollo Western Cup occurs in a fi re, so that they could fi nally be rid of the people on Easter long weekend which has the event placed in they had fought with for so long. But not everyone was March instead of April. March is typically the month of prepared to withstand such unbearable hardship to be the Vagina Monologues, Calgary Cares and the Differ- rid of their enemies. Some of the more level-headed vil- ent Strokes Mardi Gras Dance. However, because of the lagers suggested instead that they should wish for peace proximity to Western Cup, Different Strokes has opted to and prosperity, and an end to the greed and jealousy cancel their dance this year in order to focus on compet- that had started the villages warring in the fi rst place. ing in the tournament. Even though the other village was twice as peaceful and prosperous as their own, they themselves benefi ted from The ARGRA Rodeo long weekend falls entirely in June their humble generosity and spirit of cooperation, and this month, which for us, puts it together with Calgary they all lived happily ever after. and Edmonton Pride. Leading into this busy month is We want to hear what YOU have to say about the topics in this article, and any the 10th annual Fairy Tales Film Festival, at the end of other articles in our magazine. Visit the chat forums at www.gaycalgary.com and May. write your heart out! Or write us a letter to the publisher by E-mailing publisher@ gaycalgary.com, and we may respond to it in the magazine!

GayCalgary.com Website This month, as promised, I completed the online form to submit new listings for our free business directory. The listings link into the new user login system, so businesses and non-proﬁ t groups must create a user account before they can submit or edit their listing information. Unfortunately this leaves all of the listings from the previous incarnation of the site orphaned. We are encouraging any organization that wishes to update their old listing, to create a user account and get into contact with us so that we can return control of their listings. Whenever possible, we recommend creating an account speciﬁ cally to be shared by the group, rather than using a personal account. Creating a user

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 9 Newslets

By Rob Diaz-Marino Community | News Toys 4 Tots raises $14,000 A huge mountain of ity Fare said it all. “Since I heard the roost was closing a toys formed at Money couple weeks ago…I’ve heard nothing but people bitching Pennies last month for and complaining that the bar is a dump, and it’s old and Dr. Richard Denney’s it’s about time, blah blah blah. But I just want to say, 12th Annual Toys for none of you in this room come to the Roost for the décor… Tots Christmas toy drive you guys all come to the Roost for the people. The Roost to benefi t less fortunate is about the gay people of Edmonton…it’s the people and children. Fred Udey the patrons who made it what it was for 30 years. It’s go- and a Country Furniture ing to leave a huge hole in the gay community…” Rumors driver donated their time are already circling, speculating about the potential of the and resources the morn- Roost reopening elsewhere, and new bars surfacing to take ing after the event to haul its place. the toys to their destina- tion. Dr. Denney estimates that the event accumulated a Twisted Backpedals Replacement ISCCA Event Night total value of $14,000 in toys and donations. Twisted Element club owner RayJean Fafard made a pointed statement on the microphone in his club last Living Christmas Tree a Painful Success month during the ISCCA’s CandyCane Queens Christmas The Calgary Eagle’s 2nd annual Living Christmas tree show. He claimed that GayCalgary and Edmonton Maga- fundraiser saw two people volunteer to be Christmas trees, zine “lied” in a recent article that mentioned the cancella- and one more to be a fedora. These three brave individu- tion of the ISCCA’s Wednesday Night “Starlight Nights with als had their bodies painted with green latex body paint, a Twist” fundraising shows, announcing that it has instead and decorated with ornaments on plastic pinch-clips. been re-formatted as “Karaoke with the Court” Wednes- Bar patrons made donations to attach the ornaments to days. But members of the ISCCA board confi rmed that the the volunteers, and to be involved with the painting and former show had indeed been cancelled indefi nitely with peeling process. The event raised close to $1200 for the no known alternate plans, and that the concept for the SHARP Foundation, on par with their total from last year. new Wednesday night court shows were not seriously dis- cussed until several days after the article was published. As of press, details about the new event have not yet been released by either Twisted Element or the ISCCA, however a representative of the ISCCA stated their fi rst show in the new format is scheduled to occur on January 2nd. GayCalgary Writer Barred for Door Policy Article GayCalgary and Edmonton writer Allison Brodowski was barred indefi nitely from the Twisted Element while enter- ing the club for casual reasons earlier last month. Club owner RayJean Fafard personally intercepted, and kicked her out along with a group of friends, citing no other reason but her recent article that criticized the bar’s selective cover charge and questionable door policy. Also banned was Sig Moser, a member of the Pride Calgary board, for no stated reason other than his attendance as a director at last month’s controversial Pride AGM. In addition, 7 other people were barred just for being associated with the two. Brodowski stated that she wasn’t surprised about this re- action from Fafard, but isn’t worried about the ban placed on her friends – she doubts Fafard and staff will remember Roost Closes After 30 Years them all or maintain the decision without specifi c reason New Years Eve was the last day of operation for The to keep them out. Roost nightclub in Edmonton. Last month the bar, which is touted Canada’s longest surviving dance club at an age of 30 years, suddenly announced its planned closure. During their last Sunday night drag show, performer Van-

10 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 The Dish On Alberta Beef

By Allison Brodowski Community | Spotlight It seems appropriate that a drag king troupe would form around a gender theorist, even though no one would have guessed that the successful Alberta Beef formed at the urging of LF Crawford in the bowels of the U of A. Taking inspiration from Judith Halber- stein, renowned gender theorist, performer, and author of the “Drag King Book”, how could they go wrong? ‘There were a couple kings in Edmonton performing on their own but it was more of start from scratch,” explains LF Crawford, Founder and Performer with Alberta Beef. The call out to the community for performers yielded eight participants who strutted and swaggered for a surprisingly packed crowd at Prism Bar and Grill on January 25th of last year. Since then they have packed the house for two more full performances, one in June of last year as part of Pride month, and this past November as part of the Exposure Festival. show, there are motivations behind the mustaches that drive Both events took place at Prism. “It’s one of the only these gender deconstruction workers. [woman-oriented] places in the city so we do want to con- “There is something really radical about acting, and we try tinue to support them.” to push the boundaries of what is drag and what is trans,” The performers have changed over the year, as members Crawford explains. move to other cities, or move on in life. The current six ”Drag Kinging seems so impossible to a lot of people but regular performers include: Lawrence of Alabia, LJ Steel, I’d like to encourage people to give it a try at home, just start Buzz E. Brator, Lil’ Mak, Randy Packer, and Master B. experimenting with it, it’s really exciting. No matter how The troupe works well together - as Crawford puts it, ”We much you want to challenge other people, you always end inspire each other.” They have lent smaller performances to up challenging yourself and the way you think of gender.” other events, participating in the Exposure festival costume Societal expressions of gender are linked so closely to the ball, and smaller gigs around the city. This gives the per- legal category of sex in North American culture that we often formers the opportunity to spends a lot of time together and overlook the markers of behavior that betray the perfor- grow closer. mative nature of gender. Maleness is used as a base for An eclectic mix of personalities, backgrounds and ideas behavior and humanness, (for example you can call a female helps to bring passion, politics and fun to their numbers. actress an actor but never the other way around). Therefore Some members participate in the Edmonton Court – the Im- the inherent power in exposing masculinity is explosive in perial Sovereign Court of the the little conservative sphere that we call Albertan. Wild Rose (ISCWR); others Crawford has high hopes for expanding the drag culture in the Edmonton Pride Center Edmonton. Tentative plans for the coming Pride celebrations or the University of Alberta. involve creating a combination of women and trans identi- Because of this, the group ﬁ ed performance nights or sex parties, which they hope to tries to involve as many host in one of the bath houses in town. It is an opportunity people as possible in their to challenge ideas about sex, public expressions of sex, and large performances, includ- give performance spaces to community members – and it is ing groups that are trying to incredibly exciting! raise funds for charities, and alternate performers rang- Until then, grab ﬁ ve bucks and support your local gender ing from spoken word, belly deconstruction worker as they tear down gender stereotypes dancers, and more. for all of us. Aside from the thrill of the

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 11 BASH’D! Hip Hop Homos Hit High Performance Rodeo

By Jason Clevett Preview | Theatre In September 2006, BASH’d! exploded onto the Edmonton scene with a successful engagement at The Roost nightclub. With a buzz that reached all the way to Calgary, those who couldn’t make the trek up north to catch the show will now ﬁ nally have their chance. BASH’d! runs as part of One Yellow Rabbit’s High Per- formance Rodeo from January 22nd – 26th. BASH’d! is the story told by two gay male hip-hop artists who chronicle the tale of a pair of lovers. One out of the couple is gay bashed, prompting his boyfriend to take revenge - he decides to reverse the “discrimination” and go out and bash innocent heterosexuals. The story is fueled by the streak of gay bashing that happened during Premier Ralph Klein’s re- fusal to legalize gay marriage in Alberta. BASHd! explores as- sumptions about distinct categories of race, gender and sexual orientation, while exposing the discrimination and oppression on both sides of the coin as we try all try to co-exist in a free and equal society. Catching back up with “Feminem” Nathan Cuckow, co-cre- Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and returned to ator of the show, and Chris Craddock (T-Bag) we asked, “what the city a decade later with success. took you so long to get to Calgary?” “When I left New York City for Canada back in 1998, I ”Both Chris and myself are pretty busy guys with lots of remember thinking to myself ‘One day I’ll be back with a show other professional responsibilities. Chris is Artistic Director of of my own’ and that’s exactly what I did. It was 10 years in one of Canada’s premiere improv groups, Rapid Fire Theatre, the making for me, so it was incredibly rewarding. A highlight and I am Co-Artistic Director of an Independent Theatre of being there for me was when a woman approached me in company in Edmonton, Kill Your Television Theatre, so that Greenwich Village and told me that she had just seen the certainly takes up a lot of our time. Outside of that, we’re both show with her daughter, and they wanted to thank us and working on other writing commissions and different gigs here congratulate us on the success our show. That was certainly and there.” something that I daydreamed about during my time studying in New York, and was a very exciting dream to have realized. The show has also kept them busy as they went out on tour I’m still kind of dumbfounded that it all happened.” in 2007 to Fringe Festivals in Toronto, Winnipeg and New York City. That woman was an example of the type of reception the show received in ‘The Big Apple’. “Our show was very well “It was expensive and exhausting, but we were thrilled at received in NYC. It was unbelievably exciting. Reviews were the response and were very favorable across the board and the audience response was excited to be getting our through the roof. RuPaul saw our ﬁ nal show and wanted to show out there,” Cuckow meet us afterwards. Of course Chris and I were thrilled. We recalled. “There were lots of were approached by an agent at ICM who wanted to represent mishaps along the way, we us and who worked very hard at getting a lot of producers out shipped our set/costumes/ to see the show. Somehow it all cosmically came together and promotional materials to now we have an Off-Broadway contract in the works for our NYC through U.P.S and show, which is tentatively scheduled to open in New York at they lost everything! But the same time as the Pride festival June 2008.” as the old saying goes, the show must go on, and we The result of the tour: critic acclaim across the board and did whatever needed to be multiple awards. Named by Theatremania.com as one of the done to make it happen. top shows in New York City in 2007, BASH’d! has also been Fortunately we had a great awarded Outstanding musical at the NY Fringe, Now Maga- team of friends around us zine’s and Patron’s Pick at the Toronto Fringe, and receiving to help us out with things.” four nominations and winning the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes award in Edmonton among others. It was a huge accom- plishment for Cuckow, who studied at the American Continued on Page 51 12 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Credit on the Line? Convenience of Pre-Paid Cards

By Rob Diaz-Marino Review |Product Before the invention of credit and debit cards, you could see exactly how much cash you were spend- important to shop around for the card with features that best ing. You might have taken out a certain budgeted fi t your needs, incurring the fewest fees. In some cases, pre- paid card fees can be more expensive than regular credit card amount of money to do your Christmas shopping, and fees. Read up on the terms and conditions before committing, better chosen your purchases to be within that limit. and be mindful that most cards have limits on how much mon- Nowadays with large sums of money at your fi ngertips ey you can load them with. Also be aware of expiration dates in plastic form, you probably found it all too easy to on non-reloadable cards, as you may not be able to retrieve any overspend during this past holiday season. Credit remaining funds after the card becomes defunct. cards are a dangerous thing, especially for the spon- Pre-paid cards can give you all the convenience and fl ex- taneous buyer - you are spending money you may not ibility of a credit card with the ability to cap your spending and actually have. Then you have to deal with the con- avoid accumulating debt. sequences of paying it all back, racking up interest if More information is available from the Financial Consumer you delay, or being hounded by a collection agency if Agency of Canada (FCAC) at: www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/ you become too far overdue. Or maybe you screwed publications/Prepaid/PrepaidCards_e.asp up in the past and can’t get a credit card at all due to a bad credit rating. You are probably already familiar with the idea of a gift- card, which contains a certain amount of money that you can only use in a particular store. But Visa and MasterCard have introduced pre-paid cards (aka “stored-value” cards) that are accepted anywhere a Visa or MasterCard credit card would be – even outside of Canada! Pre-paid cards are not credit cards because you are using your own money to purchase them, or load them up. You cannot improve your credit rating by using them, but you don’t need to go through a credit check in order to get them. You can buy them as non-reloadable which are basically disposable, or multi-purpose which you can reload and reuse. Some credit card companies provide travel cards which you can load up with large amounts of money, on the idea of using the card instead of traveler’s cheques. Some businesses are even using payroll cards to replace paper cheques when paying salaries, benefi ts, or expenses. There are many more advantages. Pre-paid cards can be handy if you don’t have a bank account, or don’t want to carry cash; but if you need cash, you can withdraw funds from a multi-purpose card at a standard bank machine. You can use them in situations where a credit card is required, such as online/phone purchasing, renting a car, buying a plane ticket, booking a hotel room etc. If you are concerned about the se- curity of your credit card information when making payments over the internet, or accidentally racking up recurring charges that you didn’t agree to, a pre-paid card can be used to com- partmentalize just enough funds for what you mean to spend. Visa and MasterCard branded pre-paid cards have zero-liability protection, which means if your card is stolen you are not held responsible for fraudulent purchases in most situations. You can even use them to keep your regular credit card statements clean of any “naughty” purchases that you don’t want others to see. The downside is that you pay fees instead of interest, so it is

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 13 Out of Town Unusual Tours to Great Destinations

by Andrew Collins Travel If you’ve come to associate organized tours with massive chartered cruise ships, packed buses, accommodations, and they start at around $5,500 per person, double-occupancy and onerously large groups of fellow travelers, you might want to give this concept a fresh look. Stroll Through Northern New Mexico, Tuscany, or New Zealand Today’s organized-travel options include a tre- We live in a super-speedy, boom-boom world, and it’s in part for this reason that so-called “walking” vacations have mendous variety of companies offering intimate, become increasingly popular in recent years. One company upscale, customized adventures. In many cases, that has tapped into this market with great success, offer- the method of transportation - canal barges, bi- ing tours to a variety of stunning and gay-popular destina- cycles, vintage trains - are part of the excitement. tions around the world, is The Wayfarers, whose intimate and pleasingly slow-going 4- to 12-day rambles cater to Many upscale tour companies that cater to rela- educated, independent-minded, and curious adventurers tively small groups are also extremely gay-friend- who are fi t enough for extended walks but still appreciate ly, attracting educated and sophisticated travel- upscale accommodations and superlative food. On Wayfar- ers who appreciate a diverse mix of participants. ers vacations, during the day you’ll hike with a guide and Here’s a look at fi ve exceptional tour operators, your small group of fellow travelers, maintaining a leisurely clip through some of the world’s most picturesque terrain. At four of them mainstream and one specifi cally gay- night, you stay in distinctive accommodations, from adobe oriented, but all offering guests unusual ways to inns in Santa Fe to posh resorts in the South of France to experience some of the most intriguing destina- seaside villas on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. tions in the world. Wayfarers offers tours in several regions, including such Ride the Rails Through the Rockies European destinations as the British Isles, Italy, Slovenia, With its accepting and tolerant attitude toward gays and Croatia, Austria, the South of France, and Spain. In the lesbians, Canada continues to generate plenty of interest United States, you can tour the Maine coast, New Mexico, from GLBT travelers. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that parts of Utah, Washington’s Cascades and Olympic Peninsula, and this country rival just about anywhere in the world for stun- Santa Barbara. In a few destinations (Italy’s lakes, England’s ning scenery - the Canadian Rockies, a region best explored Cotswolds, New Mexico) you can choose between women- by luxury rail, are especially breathtaking. Gay-friendly only and mixed-gender tours. These trips are great for Royal Canadian Pacifi c offers cushy, distinctive rail excur- couples or groups of friends traveling together. They’re well- sions from late spring to early summer. Transportation and suited to outdoorsy types, but they’re also accessible and accommodations are inside beautifully refurbished 1920s enjoyable to globetrotters who don’t get outside much yet and ‘30s railcars, where large windows afford dazzling views still enjoy occasional opportunities to commune with nature. of snowcapped mountains and pristine lakes. At a number Prices vary a bit according to the itinerary - the 5-day New of points, passengers leave the train for touring, hiking, golf- Mexico trip is about $2,300 per person, the 6-day Tuscany ing, fl y-fi shing, and horseback riding through the country- adventures cost $3,500 per person, and the 12-day New side. Zealand treks cost $4,200 to $4,500 per person. The 6-day Royal Canadian Rockies Experience starts and Pedal Across Provence, Adalucia, or Iceland ends in Calgary, Alberta (you spend the fi rst night at the Of the many gay-oriented (i.e., open to gays and lesbians historic Fairmont Palliser Hotel), a modern and lively city as well as friends of the community) tour companies out with an intriguing gay scene (and, in late June, the Cana- there, few have earned a more stellar reputation over the dian Rockies International Rodeo - the world’s largest such years than Alyson Adventures, which offers a slew of soft-ad- gay event). The route winds west through Canmore (where venture getaways that focus on such invigorating activities Brokeback Mountain was fi lmed), Banff National Park, Lake as canyoneering, rock-climbing, hiking, kayaking, rafting, Louise, and the Columbia River town of Golden. Then the and scuba diving. In particular, Alyson offers wonderful bike train heads south through the Rockies before cutting east tours through some of the world’s most fascinating places. at Cranbrook and venturing into the Canadian Prairie and These tours typically last about a week; are led by knowl- the city of Lethbridge, before fi nally heading north back to edgeable guides; include accommodations in well-chosen, Calgary. The 6-day Royal Culinary, Wine, and Music Experi- mid-range hotels; include all breakfasts and some lunches ence is another great itinerary - it begins in Calgary and and dinners (for others you’re on your own); and use of a continues through Banff, Yoho, and Glacier national parks, bike. The trips are geared toward all levels of biking experi- before ending at beautiful Kamloops, with a side trip to ence (they average 25 to 40 miles of travel per day, depend- the stunning Kelowna and Okanagan Wine Country. Royal ing on the route), as participants are free to go at their own Canadian Pacifi c tours include fantastic food and ultra-posh pace, and you’re as likely to meet single travelers on these

14 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 adventures as you are couples or groups of friends. Alyson offers about a dozen itineraries, most of them in France (Provence, the Dor- dogne River, the Loire Val- ley, etc.), but others through Tuscany, Spain’s Andalusia, Iceland’s volcano and hot- springs country, Vietnam, and Arizona’s Mission Trail. There are tours from mid-spring through mid-fall, and prices range from about $1,700 to $2,800 per person, double-occupancy. This helpful company has even created a website, www.gay-bike.com, ﬁ lled not only with further information on the tours it offers but also with tips on traveling by bike. If you’re keen on other types of adventure, consider some of Alyson’s similarly intriguing getaways, such as rafting the Grand Canyon, diving off the Caribbean island of Saba, or eco-touring Costa Rica.

Cruise the French Canals Photo caption: African penguins amble about the beach at Cape Town’s Boulders French Country Waterways offers travelers an intimate, National Park, a popular spot on the tours offered by Premier Tours. (Photo by Andrew upscale way to traverse some 4,800 miles of navigable rivers Collins) and canals throughout the Gallic countryside. This is not your conventional cruise adventure. These leisurely and romantic excursions are offered in four regions: Champagne Victoria Falls, and Swaziland. (a short distance east of Paris), the Upper Loire, Burgundy, The company’s many different types of tours cater to and Alsace-Lorraine. If you’re planning a gay vacation to a wide range of interests and capabilities, as you can try Paris and its hip Marais District, consider tacking on one anything from a rugged adventure trip that includes hiking of these boat trips after your city stay. The company uses and camping to cushier trips where you spend the night in fi ve beautifully outfi tted barges, which accommodate from fi ne hotels and posh game lodges. Premier Tours provides 8 to 18 passengers, and whose staterooms and suites all accommodations, many of the meals, airport transfers, have private bathrooms and individual climate control. Each game-viewing experiences, and other daily tours. Tour prices barge has a large wooden sundeck, ample lounge space and start around $1,300 per person, double-occupancy, for the bars stocked with complimentary beverages and snacks, and 7-day Cape Town & Safari tour. This is a pretty amazing richly furnished dining rooms in which you’ll be treated to deal, when you consider the once-in-a-lifetime chance to superb classic French cuisine and fi ne wines. Special meals see elephants and leopards in the wild, not to mention the are also planned at a number of restaurants along each itin- swank restaurants and lively gay nightclubs of Cape Town. erary. French Country Waterways cruises last a week, are offered April through October, and cost from about $5,000 Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA and per person, double occupancy. eight additional travel guides. Trek Through the African Bush The Little Black Book (all prices quoted in the article are in Among the many companies out there offering African U.S. currency): safari adventures, Philadelphia-based Premier Tours earns kudos for its distinctive and well-planned itineraries, which Alyson Adventures (305-296-9935 or 800-825-9766, www. provide participants a nice mix of in-the-bush adventure alysonadventures.com). French Country Waterways (781- and sophisticated big-city and wine-country diversion. The 934-2454 or 800-222-1236, www.fcwl.com). Premier gay-friendly company has a huge range of trips covering Tours (800-545-1910, www.premiertours.com). Royal several African nations - Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Canadian Pacifi c (403-508-1400 or 877-665-3044, www. Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Gay travelers royalcanadianpacifi c.com). The Wayfarers (401-849-5087 or should book a trip that includes some time in the scenic and 800-249-4620, www.thewayfarers.com). vibrant city of Cape Town, South Africa. For instance, the 7- day Cape Town & Safari excursion includes Cape Town and nearby wineries as well as safari experiences in Kruger Na- tional Park and the stunning Elephant Plains Game Lodge. There are also much more extensive 15- to 17-day South Africa tours, some that include Johannesburg, Zambia’s

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 15 Events Listing Find out what’s happening

Money-Pennies 9 Businesses See our ad on page 30 Calgary Listings See our ad on page 19, 29 and 43 Barristers & solicitors A Little More Interesting 51 1742 - 10 Ave SW • (403) 263-7411 See our ad on page 28 Chronos Apollo http://www.money-pennies.com 1501B, 17th Avenue SW •(403) 475-7775 #520 922 5th Avenue SW • (403) 237-2353 Accommodations Texas Lounge 6 http://wwww.alittlemoreinteresting.com Physician directed skin care and more Westways Guest House 13 See our ad on pages 4 Cruiseline 216 - 25 Ave SW • (403) 229-1758 308 - 17 Ave SW • (403) 229-0911 Adult Depot See our ad on page 64 http://www.gaywestways.com Open 7 days a week, 11am-close 140, 58th Ave SW •(403) 258-2777 (403) 777-9494 trial code 3500 http://www.goliaths.ca Sex toys, and Straight, Bi, Gay video rentals, largest Bars and Clubs Gay video rental collection in Alberta http://www.cruiseline.ca Phone chat room & talking classifieds for 18+ BackLot 3 Twisted Element 33 B & C Financial Services See our ad on page 44 1006 11th Ave SW • (403) 802-0230 9298 Horton Road SW • (403) 250-55785 Deva Dave Salon 32 209 - 10 Ave SW • (403) 265-5211 http://www.twistedelement.ca See our ad on page 13 Open 7 days a week, 4pm-close Insurance See our ad on page 4 910 12th Avenue SW • (403) 290-1973 Calgary Eagle Inc. 4 http://www.devadave.com See our ad on page 47 Bathhouse and Sauna’s Brian Mahoney & John McNeill eXude Productions 424a - 8 Ave SE • (403) 263-5847 Goliath’s 6 #10, 6020 - 1A St SW • (403) 259-4141 http://www.exudeproductions.com Open Wed-Sun 5pm-close See our ad on pages 62 Re/Max Reality Professionals http://www.calgaryeagle.com 308 - 17 Ave SW • (403) 229-0911 First Class Flowers Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day Courtney Sebree Aarbo 24 Elbow and Heritage Drive SW• (403) 255-2239 http://www.goliaths.ca 1138 Kensington Road NW • (403) 571-5120 http://www.csalaw.ca Inside Corner of Blackfoot Trail & 34th Avenue SE• (403) 241-8550

16 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Jane Doe Marketplace & Cafe 50 MFM Communications Sol Sourced Weddings communities but open to members of all See our ad on page 7 See our ad on page 44 See our ad on page 51 communities. We currently have more than 400 311 17 Avenue SW • (403) 245-5263 (403) 543-6970 (403) 270-9480 members and are growing fast! The primary focus Calgary’s Only Marketplace featuring Women http://www.mfmcommunications.com http://www.solsourcedweddings.com of Apollo is to provide our membership with well Entrepreneurs. Coffee Shop too! Web site hosting and development. Computer Wedding Commissioner organized and fun sporting events and other Hardware and Software. activities to allow them to participate and interact in La Fleur 41 Z-Group a positive social framework. See our ad on page 4 More Better Buses Voice over IP (VOIP) phone service and long #103 - 100 7th Avenue SW (403) 651-1692 distance Join us Easter Weekend, Thursday evening, March (403) 266-1707 Providing unique, comfortable & affordable (403) 770-1940 20 to Saturday, March 22, 2008 Florist Shop transportation. Charter us for: High School Absolutely Smashing! Badminton - The 2007 Graduations, Senior Groups, Pub Crawls and Lammle’s Western Wear Community Groups and season for Badminton runs from Sunday, October Sporting Events Chinook Centre •(403) 255-5292 14, 2007 to Sunday, December 16th, 2007. Crowfoot Crossing •(403) 547-9808 Priape Calgary 16 Organizations Sessions are 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Please note Deerfoot Mall •(403) 275-6877 See our ad on page 16 there is no badminton on Sunday, November Aids Calgary 2 Market Mall •(403) 247-9224 1322 - 17 Ave SW • (403) 215-1800 11th (Remembrance Day). Bookings for 2008 will 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW • (403) 508-2500 Marlborough •(403) 273-2233 http://www.priape.com be notified by December 5th. Location: Western http://www.aidscalgary.org Stephen Avenue Walk •(403) 266-5226 Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, Canada High School (641 17th Ave. SW) Schedule: Westhills Town Centre •(403) 249-2822 movies and magazines. Gifts. Saturday, March 29, 2008 - Calgary Cares Sunday afternoons in the MAIN GYM, 1:30 p.m. 2008: Sweet 70s at the EPCOR CENTRE, Calgary to 3:00 p.m. Lorne Doucette /CIR Realtors Rev. Nadene Rogers – The much anticipated event returns o the Jack See our ad on page 4 Curling - The 17th season of Apollo Curling will (403) 247-0602 Singer. Calgary Cares offers a heart pounding (403) 461-9195 begin in October 2007, with the same general http://www.weddingsmyway.com evening packed with music, theatre, dance, http://www.lornedoucette.com format as last year. Games are at the North Hill Marriage Commissioner and interpretation, in support of AIDS Calgary’s Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street N.W.) with two draws Marcy Calberry /CIR Realtors Reymark HIV/AIDS awareness, education, prevention and on Saturdays: 2:20 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and at (403) 291-4440 or (866) 859-4440 See our ad on page 24 support programs. Visit www.calgarycares.ca for the Inglewood Golf and Curling Club, Saturdays at Able Craftsman, Your home renovation specialist more information. Online ticket sales available in See our ad on page 39 12:30 p.m. (403) 478-2411 • [email protected] November. Squash - Location: University of Calgary. Day: Marnie Campbell /Maxwell Realtors R. Cobalt 45 Apollo Calgary Friends in Sports Mondays. Time: 6:45 - 8:15 p.m. (90 minutes). (403) 479-8619 See our ad on page 3 http://www.apollocalgary.com Date: Sep 17 - Dec 10 (Fall Session) except October 735 12th Avenue SW • (403) 228-7822 See our ad on page 3 Apollo Friends In Sports is a volunteer-operated, 08th - Thanksgiving Day - No Squash. Weeks: 12 Hair & Aesthetics http://www.marniecambell.ca non-profit organization serving primarily members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered Apollo Volleyball - Sunday Intermediate/

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 17 Competitive at the YWCA, 320 – 5th Avenue SE, Calgary Gay Fathers and are fun and entertaining. The group meets http://www.miscyouth.com from 4:30pm – 7:00pm. Friday Recreational [email protected] the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month from 7 pm [email protected] at Langevin School, 107 – 6th Street NE, from http://www.geocities.com/calgaryfathers to 9 pm. A benefit show for the Miscellaneous Youth Network, 7:00pm - 9:00pm. Email [email protected] Fake Mustache is guaranteed to please! Come see Peer support group for gay, bisexual and - Illusions Calgary to confirmation dates. our boys strut their stuff at Soda, the first Thursday questioning fathers. Meeting twice a month Social group for Calgary and area transgender of every month. $5 cover. $2 cover under 18. Rainbow Riders Bowling League - Let’s 10 Pin community members (cross dressers, transvestites, Calgary Humane Society Advance tickets available at Barbies Shop. Bowlerama, 2916 5 Avenue NE, Wednesday’s at drag kings and queens). Illusions provides a safe, (403) 250-4455 6:30pm. Season is from September to April. League discrete and welcoming atmosphere, in which All Ages show starts at 7:30. 18+ show starts http://www.calgaryhumane.ca fees are $15.00 per Night. Shoe rental is $2.00 transgendered people can meet others of like mind. at 10:15. Animal Adoptions and for Prevention of Cruelty to Illusions offers discretion, acceptance, compassion Outdoor Pursuits - In attempting to meet our Gay Prairie Alumni Animals and a safe place to express your gender. Cross- members requests for diverse sporting activities we http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gayprairiealumni/ dressing is the purpose of the group, but is not have formed the Apollo Outdoor Pursuits League! Calgary Men’s Chorus This group is for all gay/lesbian/transgendered mandatory. If it’s done outdoors we do it! (and occasionally http://www.calgarymenschorus.org alumni of Prairie Bible Institute and/or Prairie we venture indoors too). This summer we will be Rehearsals are held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Inside Out High School in Three Hills, Alberta. It’s purpose hiking, biking, rock climbing, rafting and a whole at the Old Y Centre for Community Organizations, Peer-facilitated youth group for GLBTQ ages 15-25. is twofold: First, social -- to renew old friendships bunch more. If you’re interested in any of these located at 223 12 Avenue SW. The group aims to let youth know they are not and make new ones. Second -- to talk about or something else completely, get in touch with alone, and to connect them with their peers. Every our common experiences as gay people at a us. Tired of playing alone outdoors? Well this is Calgary Sexual Health Centre Monday, 7 pm to 9pm at GLCSA. It is a funky and fundamentalist school. Any other questions, please a GREAT opportunity to participate in events you 304, 301 14th Street NW safe environment with a variety of resources and feel free to ask. enjoy doing with other interested members of the (403) 283-5580 activities. Girl Friends community. To be added to the distribution list for http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca - New Directions http://members.shaw.ca/girlfriends regular updates please email outdoorpursuits@ Calgary Sexual Health Centre is a pro-choice Drop in peer-support group to provide support and apollocalgary.com. organization that believes all people have the right Saturday, February 9th, 2008 - Chinese New Year resources for individuals who identify as transsexual and ability to make their own choices regarding Celebration - details to come Golf - Contact [email protected], Or by their sexual and reproductive health. Calgary or inter-sexed. The group meets every 3rd Friday of phone 276-8094 Sexual Health Centre started as a volunteer based, the month from 7 pm to 9 pm at GLCSA. Girlsgo Productions (403) 510-2502 Lawn Bowling - For more information, please grassroots organization and has been providing If you are transsexual, or know of someone who http://www.girlsgo.ca contact Chris or Phil at lawnbowling@ comprehensive sexuality education and counselling is, please contact our office for information and Event production and promotion in Alberta for apollocalgary.com. programs to the Calgary community since 1972. assistance. You are not alone! There is support! women. Check online for fun things to do! Slow Pitch - Friday Nights - Slo Pitch League, Co-Ed Calgary Outlink Formerly know as GLCSA - SHEQ Soulful Healing Ego Quest GLASS, Gay & Lesbian Association of Students * Rec * Drop-In, Every Friday at 7:00pm - starts - Gay And Lesbian Community Services A workshop for women that want to be themselves and Staff May 11, 2007 (tentative – based on weather), Association 1 in a supportive, safe environment. It is a chance 279R Student Union Club Spaces West Hillhurst Community Centre, 18 Street & 5 #4, 1230A 17th Avenue SW to grow and share their experiences related to University of Calgary Avenue NW (East Field) (403) 234-8973 women’s sexuality. Runs for a ten week period on http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass http://www.glcsa.org Thursdays at 7pm. Call Trudy or Krista at 585- Yoga - Have you always wondered about yoga? (403) 220-6394 7437. To participate, please call the exclusive What really is down-dog? Do you think touching Peer Support and Crisis Line - Front-line help service SHEQ line at 585-7437 (you may leave a voice HIV Peer Support Group your feet with your legs straight is just humanly for GLBT individuals and their family and friends, or message for Trudy or Krista) or leave your name (403) 230-5832 impossible? For the second year, Ki Essentials is anyone questioning their sexuality. and a contact time/number with the Gay & Lesbian [email protected] offering an exclusive yoga class to Apollo members Library - A great selection of resource books, fiction, Community Services Association at 234-8973. and friends. This class comprises of 12 weekly ISCCA – Imperial Sovereign Court of the non-fiction, videos and everything in between, all 90- minute sessions that focus on basic poses and - Womynspace Chinook Arch with a queer perspective. proper alignment, and are conducted in a fun and Peer social/support group for women providing an http://www.iscca.ca supportive environment. This is a multi-level yet Drop-In Center - A safe and supportive environment evening of fun, bonding, discussion and activities. Every Saturday Shooters with the ISCCA @ the beginner friendly class. No previous experience is for one-to-one peer counseling for many issues Meets every first and third Friday 7pm to 9pm at Bunker/Texas Lounge 7pm - Midnight required. surrounding family, coming out, homosexuality, GLCSA. All monies raised go to Charity: Agape Manor, ARGRA – Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo loneliness and other issues. Deer Park United Church and Wholeness Beswick House, HIV Peer Support, Artists for Quality Association - Between Men and Between Men Online Centre of Life, Children’s Wish Foundation Hotline: (403) 541-8140 Peer support, sexual health education for gay 77 Deerpoint Road SE - (403) 278-8263 http://www.argra.org or bisexual men, as well as those who may be http://www.dpuc.ca Integrity Calgary Worship Time - 10:00am Sundays http://members.aol.com/DWFrancis/integrity.html January 12th, 2008 January Dance More Info uncertain or questioning their sexuality. Discussions range from personal relationship or life issues, to February 16th, 2008 (anti) Valentines Dance Different Strokes NO SERVICES TILL FURTHER NOTICE See our ad on page 2 sexual health and well-being. http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org Meetings at GLCSA Tuesdays 7:00pm to 9:00pm Swim Club. St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, at 1121 - 14th Artists for the Quality of Life Avenue S.W., is a very welcoming community that - Calgary Networking Club Check website for current schedule (403) 890-1261 you may consider going to, they worship every http://www.afqol.com Calgary Networking Club (CNC) is back.... after a Don’t Buy In Project Sunday morning at 8:00 am (traditional prayer 5 year hiatus, CNC is meeting again in Calgary on http://www.dontbuyin.ca book service) and the contemporary worship service Calgary Frontrunners Running Club the first Thursday of every month. The networking This Calgary Police Service Initiative aims to at 10:30 am. Or try. When: 9 am on Saturdays, meetings are open to all individuals who would encourage youth to working towards an inclusive Where: Update! Coffee Junkies -795 1 Avenue SW Knox United Church like to promote their businesses or who would like environment in which diversity is embraced in their (no longer meeting at Eau Claire Y) 506 - 4th Street S.W. • (403) 269-8382 to meet new people - no business affiliation is schools and community. What: Walkers and Runners between 5 km – 15 necessary. http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca/ km from sub 5 min/km pace to 10 min/km pace. Fake Mustache Knox United Church is an all-inclusive church Who: All are welcome - Typically about 15-20 men - Heading Out Calgary’s ONLY Drag King Show located in downtown Calgary. A variety of facility and women depending on the weather conditions Peer group for men who are looking for an Soda Lounge: 211 - 12th Ave S.W. rentals are also available for meetings, events and Contact: E-mail [email protected] or alternative social activity to the bar. Activities vary (403) 923-3953 call Tim at (403) 660-6125 concerts. 18 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Worship Services Ave. .S.W. Doors open at 4:00pm Urban Sex Wednesdays - Communion Service 12:10 pm http://www.cjsw.com Restaurants Jan. 8 - Card Night at Bryce & Jim’s. If you would Calgary Eagle Inc. 4 Sundays - 11:00 a.m. September to June like to attend please call them at 281-2637. Radio Show – Every Wednesday from 9-10pm. See our ad on page 27 Sundays - 10:30 a.m. in summer July and August. Jan. 9 - Free Pool at the Eagle Focus on sexuality; gay bisexual lesbian trans 424a - 8 Ave SE • (403) 263-5847 http://www.calgaryeagle.com NETWORKS Jan. 12 - Coffee at Midtown Co-op 1130- 11 Ave. gendered and straight issues here in Calgary and [email protected] around the web. Listen on CJSW FM 90.9. S.W. Meet at 10:00 am - ARGRA Dance Jane Doe Marketplace & Cafe 50 Western Canada Bigmen and Admirers See our ad on page 7 Positive Space Committee at Mount Royal Jan. 15- Pumphouse Theatre production “Camelot” http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ 311 17 Avenue SW • (403) 245-5263 College Showtime 7:30pm Meet at MoneyPennies for dinner WesternCanadaBigmenGroup/ Calgary’s Only Marketplace featuring Women 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW before show. also Executive Meeting Entrepreneurs. Coffee Shop too! Phone: 403-440-6383 Jan. 16 - Free Pool at the Eagle [email protected] Web: www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace Jan. 19 - Coffee at Midtown Co-op 1130- 11 Ave. Vigor Calgary Money-Pennies 9 Email: [email protected] S.W. Meet at 10:00 am (403) 255-7004 See our ad on page 19, 29 and 43 1742 - 10 Ave SW • (403) 263-7411 The Positive Space Committee at Mount Royal Jan. 22 - Stitch N’Bitch at Len’s. If you would like http://www.vigorcalgary.ca/ College works to raise awareness and challenge to attend , please give him a call at 229-3717 Violence in Gay Male Relationships (VIGOR) is a Theatre and Art the patterns of silence that continue to marginalize Jan. 23 - Free Pool at the Eagle committee of professionals dedicated to increasing lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gendered, two-spirited the awareness of gay men’s domestic violence and Alberta Ballet Jan. 26 - Coffee at Midtown Co-op 1130- 11 Ave. and queer (LGBTTQ) individuals. the services available to them. http://www.albertaballet.com S.W. Meet at 10:00 am Making Positive Space at Mount Royal Jan. 16 on DANGEROUS LIAISONS - February 7 - 9, 2008 Jan. 27 - Vertigo Mystery Theatre production “Yeah... What She Said!” Main Street Positive Space MIXER Jan. 31 4p.m. to in Calgary Mystery Of Snake in the Grass. Director’s Every Monday evening from 8:30-9:00pm 8p.m. in the Lincoln Park Room free admission, free MOZART’S REQUIEM - March 27 - 29, 2008 in performance only $10.00 Curtain Time 7:30pm. CJSW 90.9 FM food & beverages, music, fun and community [email protected] Calgary - Be there an hour early to be assured a seat. GISELLE - September 13 - 15, 2007 in Calgary Pride Calgary Jan. 30 - Free Pool at the Eagle YouthSafe (403) 262-3410 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects 36 Rainbow Community Church http://www.youthsafe.net http://www.pridecalgary.ca Phone: (403) 294-7402 See our ad on page 25 Alberta’s website for youth with sex-and-gender http://www.ATPlive.com Pride Calgary Annual General Meeting - Wednesday, Hillhurst United Church differences. Youthsafe.net lists the resources, January 09, 2008, 7:00 pm. Knox United Church, 1227 Kensington Close N.W. information and services to help youth find safe and OLIVER TWIST OR, THE STREET BOY’S PROGRESS 506 Fourth Street SW, Calgary Website: http://www.rainbowcommunitychurch.ca caring spaces in Alberta. - By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Michael O’Brien, E-mail: [email protected] November 22 – December 27, 2007 Military Ball - Saturday June 07, 2008 at the Calgary Eagle The Rainbow Community Church is an all-inclusive church. Everyone is welcome (and we mean it!). Pride Parade and Street Gala - Sunday June 08, Services are held every Sunday afternoon at 4:00 2008 Stephan Avenue Walk and Olympic Plaza PM. Pride Dance Event - Saturday June 14, 2008 Rocky Mountain Bears Location TBA http://www.rockymountainbears.com Pride Rainbow Project Monday, January 14th - 7:30pm - Coffee Night at [email protected] Good Earth Cafe (1502 11th Street SW) Kick off the http://www.priderainbowproject.com New Year with Friends over Java The Pride Rainbow Project was started in Fall 2003 Saturday, January 26th - Bear Bar Night at the by 4 youth of the Unitarian Church of Calgary. Calgary Eagle, (424A 8th Avenue SW). Bears are at The Pride Rainbow Project is a project designed the Eagle after 10:00pm. to show support for same-sex marriage in Canada and elsewhere. It is a fabric rainbow banner Sunday, January 27th - Bears do Banff. Join a approximately 5 feet wide, and the goal is to make group of friendly Bears for a day trip to Banff, lots it 3.2km (2 miles) long, in order to break the world of great food, and a dip in the hot spring. Details record (set by a group in Florida at 1.25 miles)! regarding car pooling and where to meet will be It contains the 6 colours of the pride flag: Red, posted later. Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. The project Safety Under The Rainbow is youth run, but anyone can help!. http://www.safetyrainbow.ca Primetimers Calgary E-mail: [email protected] Mission: To raise awareness and understanding of http://www.primetimerscalgary.com same-sex domestic violence and homophobic youth bullying. Prime Timers Calgary is designed to foster social interaction for its members through a variety of Sharp Foundation social, educational and recreational activities. It is Phone: (403) 272-2912 open to all gay and bisexual men of any age and E-mail: [email protected] respects whatever degree of anonymity that each http://www.thesharpfoundation.com member desires. Travel Masters - Need a vacation?, Ed Smith at Jan. 2 - Free Pool at the Eagle Travel Masters has agreed to donate 25% of his profit from WestJet bookings to The SHARP Jan. 5 - Coffee at Midtown Co-op 1130- 11 Ave. Foundation. So before you plan your next trip with S.W. Meet at 10:00 am WestJet, email Ed at TravelMasters Jan. 6 - Monthly Gathering at the Old “Y”223-12

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 19 AXIS Contemporary Art Edmonton Pride Week Society Northern Chaps 107, 100 – 7 Ave. SW • (403) 262-3356 Edmonton Listings http://www.prideedmonton.org http://www.northernchaps.com [email protected] Bars and Clubs ERBA - Edmonton Rainbow Business Northern Chaps is Edmonton’s original leather, Monday to Friday: 10am to 6pm Boots & Saddles 5 Association latex, fetish, uniform club. We have been in Saturday: 10am to 5:30pm 10242 106th St • (780)423-5014 #3379, 11215 Jasper Avenue • (780) 4915- existence officially since 1987 but have been in Sunday: 11am to 3pm 4458 existence originally around 1982 in Edmonton, Buddy’s Nite Club 6 http://www.edmontonrba.org Alberta, Canada. Everyone is welcome to join or First Thursdays (the First Thursday of each month): 11725 Jasper Ave • (780) 488-6636 attend events 10am to 8pm Our primary focus is the provision of networking Prism Bar & Grill 8 opportunities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and Pride Centre of Edmonton 1 Broadway Across Canada 10524 101st St • (780) 990-0038 transgendered (GLBT) owned or operated and 95A St. and 111 Ave. • (780) 488-3234 http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca http://www.prismbar.ca GLBT-friendly businesses in the Edmonton region. - Bears Movie Night Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Membership is open to all kinds of entrepreneurs, The Roost (Now Closed) 9 Bears club of Edmonton meets the last Sunday of http://www.cpo-live.com • (403) 571-0849 from tradespeople to professionals to commission 10345 104th St • (780) 426-3150 the month for movies 1- 6 pm in the TV room at the salespeople. Fairytales International Gay & Lesbian Film http://www.theroostniteclub.com Pride Centre of Edmonton 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: Festival Woody’s 12 The Edmonton Rainbow Business Association After (780) 488-3234 http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com Business Mixers. Held on the second Wednesday of 11725 Jasper Ave • (780) 488-6557 - Trans Education/Support Group every month 5:30 – 7:30 pm Lisa Hienricks (Artist) 43 Support and education for all transsexual, Art Central, lower level, 100 7th Ave SW Bathhouse and Sauna’s January 9: Garage Burger Bar & Grill, 10244 transgendered, intersexed, two-spirited and http://www.creamydreamy.com Down Under Baths 7 -106 Street questioning individuals meets 1st and 3rd Sundays 12224 Jasper Ave •(780) 482-7960 of each month, 2-4 pm at the Pride Centre See our ad on page 8 February 13: Prism Bar & Grill, 10524 – 101 Street http://www.gayedmonton.com/ of Edmonton 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: (780) March 12: Garage Burger Bar & Grill, 10244 -106 488-3234 Looks Could Kill Art Boutique Steamers 10 Street Art Central, lower level #11, 100 7th Ave SW • 9668 Jasper Avenue • (780) 422-2581 - Sunday Night Mens Discussion Group (403) 264-7576 April 9: Prism Bar & Grill, 10524 – 101 Street Mens social and discussion group meets every Steamworks 11 Sunday @ 7 pm at the Pride Centre of Edmonton One Yellow Rabbit 35 Edmonton STD 4 11745 Jasper Ave• (780) 451-5554 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: 488-3234, Contact: Rob Big Secret Theatre – EPCOR CENTRE for the 11111 Jasper Ave Wells - [email protected] Performing Arts • (403) 299-8888 Edmonton Vocal Minority http://www.oyr.org Businesses - Saturday Movie Night See our ad on page 44 B & D Emporium 13 Weekly movie nights, with themed movies and See our ad on page 4 http://www.evmchoir.com New City Compound, 10081 Jasper Avenue discussion afterwards at the Pride Centre of Phone: 780-479-2038 STORE HOURS FRIDAY 9 PM - 1 AM, SATURDAY Edmonton 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: (780) 488- Pumphouse Theatre 37 NOON - 6 PM, 9 PM - 1 AM Free To Be volleyball 3234. from 2:00 to 5:00 2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW • (403) 263-0079 http://www.bdemporiumedmonton.com Amiskiwcy Academy, 101 Airport Rd. (near the http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca - The HIV Positive Gay Men’s Group downtown airport) Cruiseline Drop in caring circle every Thursday, 1-4 pm @ 7- Skew Gallery Every Wednesday and Thursday night, 8pm-10pm. See our ad on page 64 9 pm in main area, at the Pride Centre of Edmonton 1615 10th Avenue SW • (403) 244-4445 Wednesday night recreational level: All players (780) 413-7122 trial code 3500 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: (780) 488-3234 http://www.skewgallery.com and skill levels welcome. Contact Marc for more http://www.cruiseline.ca Facilitator: Mark, HIV Outreach information: [email protected], Tel: (780) Stagewest Phone chat room & talking classifieds for 18+ The HIV positive Gay Men’s Group is a place for 445-0365. 727 42 Avenue SE • (403) 243-6642 Pride Construction gay men to come and share their feelings on http://www.stagewestcalgary.com (780) 239-9197 Thursday night intermediate level: Coaching and how it is affecting their personal lives. This is a drills provided. Contact Alex for more information: personal private time for them to express how it has Sweet Charity Nov. 22, 2007 – Feb. 10, 2008, Construction and Renovations [email protected], Tel: (780) 424-9984. (Please changed their outlook on life. As well to support and Sweet Charity is a musical look at one woman’s note that there is limited space on the intermediate help each other dealing with being HIV positive. belief that in the midst of adversity, that she will Community Groups and night) Whatever is said in the room stays within the room. find hope and strength to know that someday she Remember! You are not alone! will finally meet that nice young man who will Organizations HIV Network Of Edmonton Society 3 romance her away; and all of her dreams will come 11456 Jasper Ave - Youth Understanding Youth true. Sweet Charity features classic musical numbers Buck Naked Boys Club (Edmonton) http://www.hivedmonton.com Youth support and social group meets every such as the show stopping “If My Friends Could See Naturism club for men. Saturday from 7 to 9 pm at the Pride Centre of Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose Me Now” and “Big Spender”. Meets the second Saturday of each month. Edmonton 95A St. and 111 Ave. Ph: (780) 488- (780) 471-6993 http://www.gayedmonton.org 3234 Contact: [email protected] (www.members. Stride Gallery 47 http://www.bucknakedboys.ca Edmonton Illusions Social Club shaw.ca/yuy ) 1004 MacLeod Trail SE • (403) 262-8507 The Edmonton Illusions Social Club meets the http://www.stride.ab.ca Our club has been meeting continuously for over 10 - Womonspace years. The similar club in Calgary ceased to exist second Thursday of each month at the Roost (780) 482-1794. Theatre Junction several years ago. Naturism is being social while Bar&Grill, 10345-104St, Edmonton, in the upstairs see our ad on page 50 http://www.theatrejunction.com everyone is naked, and it does not include sexual boardroom at 8pm. For info go to http://groups. [email protected] yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions/ or call Truck Gallery 46 activity. Therefore participants do not need to be www.gaycanada.com/womonspace 780-387-3343. 815 1st Street SW (Basement) • (403) 261-7702 gay, only male, but almost all participants over the A non-profit lesbian organization established for http://www.truck.com years do self-describe as being gay or bisexual. Living Positive through Positive Living Society Edmonton and surrounding areas. Organized of Alberta 2 activities include: licenced non-smoking dances; Vertigo Mystery Theatre 34 Camp fYrefly (780) 488-5768 coffee houses; family events; games nights; golf 161, 115 – 9 Ave SE • (403) 221-3708 7-104 Department of Educational Policy Studies http://www.edmlivingpositive.ca tournaments; and more. Memberships available, http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com Faculty of Education, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5 Providing confidential one-on-one peer support for which also includes confidential bi-monthly http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca infected or affected individuals…. Internet support Newsletters. [email protected] See our ad on page 23 20 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 January 18 At Prism Bar & Grill, 7pm $2 Pool - Parents Rock the World Workshops welcome. Salsa, Rhumba, Waltz, Jive. Begins TENNIS - Dates to be determined. Tennis is Tournament Entry PFLAG Canada: Edmonton Chapter - Workshop Sunday December 2, 7:30pm-8:30pm Phone: 469 currently looking for a new coordinator for the - Prime Timers Series Tuesdays, Pride Centre (95A St. and 111 - 3281 [email protected] fall. If you are interested, please contact Norm at Ave.) 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. Ph: (780) 488-3234 [email protected] (EPT) is a group of older gay men and their BOOTCAMP - Monday at 7:00- 8:00pm. St. A series of workshops for Parents of Gay, Lesbian, admirers who come from diverse backgrounds but Alphonsus until Dec 10. 11624 - 81 St. $30.00 fee VOLLEYBALL - Free to Be Volleyball resumes on Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning children. have common social interests. We meet on the for the season. [email protected] October 10th and 11th, 8 to 10pm. Wednesday Each session will feature a 30 – 45 minute second Sunday of most months at the Unitarian Recreational [email protected]. topic specific presentation, followed by a group BOWLING Northern Titans Bowling resumes on Church of Edmonton (10804 - 119th Street) at Thursday Intermediate volleyball@teamedmonton. discussion. Social time for sharing and networking Saturday September 29. Every Saturday 5 to 7pm, 2:30 pm for a social period, a short business ca. Fees to be determined. 101 Amiskiwacy will follow at the end of each session. Call the Pride GATEWAY LANES at #100 3414 Gateway Blvd meeting and then either a guest speaker, discussion Academy (the former Municipal Airport Terminal just Centre to register or for more details. $15.00 per person. [email protected] panel, or a potluck supper. Special interest groups off Kingsway) meet for other social activities throughout the - GLBT Seniors Drop IN CURLING WITH PRIDE - Resumes Mondays at 7:15. YOGA (HATHA) - Lion’s Breath Yoga, Every month. In July and August we have a BBQ or picnic Every Thursday Pride Centre (95A St. and 111 Oct 15 2007 to Mar 17 2008. Granite Curling Club Sunday 2:00 to 3:30. Beginning September in lieu of a meeting and in December it’s replaced Ave.), 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm 8620 - 107th Street. [email protected] 9th, 2007. Fee: Free. This is an introductory with a Christmas party. EPT is affiliated with Prime The Pride Centre is thrilled to introduce a new CYCLING - Wednesdays 6:30 Various locations in level class. No previous experience with yoga is Timers World Wide. If you would like to know more program serving our GLBT seniors. Hosted by Jeff Edmonton. [email protected] required. Bring: Yoga mat or beach towel & water. about our group, email [email protected], Bovee, contact the Centre at 488-3234 for more Wear Comfortable sweats or shorts & t-shirt. To visit http://www.primetimersww.org/edmonton/, or info. KICKBOXING - Dates to be determined. Location to confirm your participation please contact yoga@ attend a monthly meeting. be determined. [email protected] Team Edmonton teamedmonton.ca - Suit Up and Show Up Big Book Study http://www.teamedmonton.ca OUTDOOR PURSUITS - January 25-27 2008, Soccer - will be on the South field of the Oliver Saturdays at 12 noon. At Pride Centre Ski/Snowboard Trip to Banff and Lake Louise School every Thursday from 7 - 9pm. 10227 -118 For more information contact outdoorpursuits@ - Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Cocaine Team Edmonton is hosting their annual mixer on Street. (weather permitting) For more information teamedmonton.ca Anonymous meeting February 23 2008 from 7-11pm at the Amber contact [email protected] Thursdays 7-8pm CA Hotline 425-2715 Brewery located at 9926-78 Avenue. This free RUNNING - Arctic Frontrunners. Sundays, Tuesdays - Youth Drop-in public event is an opportunity for to raise awareness and Thursdays. Times and locales vary running@ Every Wednesday at 5:00pm and promote sports and recreational activities within teamedmonton.ca Theatre and Art the GLBT community in Edmonton. Open to all youth 25 years and under STEP AEROBICS - Resumes in September. Every Alberta Ballet Contact [email protected] or BADMINTON - Women’s Drop-In Recreational Tuesday Night. Meet in the Aerobics Studio at http://www.albertaballet.com call 488-3234 for more info. Badminton, Oliver School Gym 10227-118 Street. 5pm. Kinsmen Sports Centre 9100 Walterdale Hill. DANGEROUS LIAISONS - February 15 - 16, 2008 - Men’s HIV Support Group Begins October 3, and then every Wednesday [email protected] in Edmonton 6 to 7:30pm. Levels: Beginner, Intermediate Will be meeting on each second Monday of the SWIMMING - Making Waves Swimming resumes MOZART’S REQUIEM - April 4 - 5, 2008 in and Competitive. Fees: $30.00 for the season or month. At the Pride Center, Edmonton Starting in September 6th. Tuesdays 8 to 9pm. Thursdays 7:30 Edmonton $5.00 drop in Phone: 465-3620. badminton@ April, from 7pm to 9pm. to 8:30. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology GISELLE - September 18 - 19, 2007 in Edmonton teamedmonton.ca (NAIT) pool. 11762 - 106 Street. swimming@ BALLROOM DANCING - All gender combinations teamedmonton.ca gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 21 Broadway Across Canada Community Groups and http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca Exposure, Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Organizations Festival http://www.exposurefestival.ca/ Alberta Transgender Support and Activities Group http://www.albertatrans.org Lethbridge Listings A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of GALA/LA - Gay and Lesbian Alliance of where they may be on the continuum. Lethbridge and Area Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition / Coalition (403) 308-2893 (live on Mon. and Wed. evenings santé arc-en-ciel Canada until 11 p.m.) P.O. Box / C.P. 3043 http://www.newgaylethbridge.ca Saskatoon SK Canada S7K 3S9 The Gay & Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area 306-955-5135 dance season begins Saturday, August 25 with toll -free / sans frais 1-800-955-5129 the next to follow the last Saturday of each month fax/ télécopieur 306-955-5132 (except December) until May. For more information http://www.rainbowhealth.ca on dances, monthly Pot-luck Dinners (all ages) and http://www.santearc-en-ciel.ca other programs, visit the GALA/LA website at www. Egale Canada newgaylethbridge.ca. Also our Support Line (403) #310, 396 Cooper 308-2893 is open Monday OR Wednesday 7 pm Ottawa, ON K2P 2H7 -11 pm (leave a message any other time). PFLAG 1-888-204-7777 toll free offering support through Parents & Friends for Stephen Lock – Regional Co-Director (Male) Lesbians and Gays is available as well, call us any Prairies/NWT/Nunavut time for more information. (403) 708-5302 cell phone http://www.egale.ca Red Deer Listings [email protected] Affirm Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby Composed of LGBTQ people, their friends, family organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and allies. No religious affiliation necessary. trans-identified people and our families. Activities include support, faith and social justice Membership fees are pay-what-you-can, although discussions, film nights, and potlucks! Affirm pre-authorized monthly donors are encouraged (and meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7PM at get a free Egale Canada t-shirt). Egale has several Sunnybrook United Church, (403) 347-6073. committees that meet by teleconference on a regular basis; membership on these is national with National Listings members from every region of Canada. Theatre and Art Businesses Brothers TV Entre Nous http://www.brotherstv.com 1-866-467-5252 http://www.entrenousnetwork.com OUTtv See our ad on page 63 Love and Pride http://www.outtv.ca Gay and Lesbian themed Jewelry http://www.loveandpride.ca If you would like to add your business or non-profit group to the list above, please call (403) 543- Squirt 6960, or toll free 1 (888) 543-6960 or E-mail See our ad on page 62 [email protected]. You can add your Dating and hookups website information to the GayCalgary.com directory on the http://www.squirt.org website for free. Wega Video Adult DVD’s GayCalgary.com endeavors to have the information http://www.wegavideo.ca here as accurate as possible. Events and listings can change at any time so it is recommended that you check with the establishment before you head out.

Non-Profit groups get free listings. Business receive a listing once an ad has been placed. The business listing will last 1 year after the appear up to ad has been placed unless there is a GayCalgary.com service located at that business.

22 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Some New Year Musings

By Stephen Lock Politics The beginning of a new year is a time to refl ect; to look inward, and maybe think about what we, as made it happen on so many different levels. It wasn’t just the “handful” of activists in Toronto and Ottawa that won individuals and as a community, can do to make the all us queer folk the right to marry the person we love, if we coming year a bit better than previous ones; to think chose to - although in many ways those activists were on the of ways we can improve our approach to life and to forefront of the struggle and received very little of the glory others around us. and a lot of the fl ack – it was individuals. Of course, all such musings tend to be on the idealistic side It was the quiet gay or lesbian couple down the street who of the graph – we all wish for world peace, better/healthier decided that their lives together were every bit as valid as lives, dignity, comfort, safety and prosperity, just to name a the heterosexual couple across the street and who decided few. Like many New Year’s resolutions, of course, they never to start presenting themselves as a couple; married in all but actually come to pass or don’t come to pass in quite the way name and being clear that they believed they deserved to be we had envisioned. Perhaps the point is the envisioning of married in name. them to begin with, because nothing can come to fruition It was our parents who looked at the life we had with our without fi rst creating it in our minds. respective life partners and saw a refl ection of the life they Setting aside personal resolutions, perhaps it would be had with theirs. It was our friends and, yes, the activists useful to think about what we, as a community, can resolve in our midst, who spoke out when some bozo started going to try and do in the next 12 months. on about how the sanctity of marriage was under attack by ‘them radicals.’ It was a myriad of different constellations Every year we hear complaints about how “community” of people, coming together in a common struggle to make it doesn’t really exist, or how superfi cial it is if it does exist, happen. And it did. how “political” it can be, etc. I think “community” does exist. It may not be quite the warm, welcoming, open and sup- I look further back and see how a community made a portive environment we all assume it would be as we start to difference in the face of a terrifying, deadly and devastating come out into it, but it is there and, like so much in life, it is disease; how that community stood its ground, in so many - by and large - what we make of it. fi elds and on so many levels, and demanded we be listened to, respected, and dealt with properly. Looking back over the last few years, I can see some sterling examples of ”the community” creating something worth- Much of today’s support and education networks for HIV/ while. Not just this macrocosm of GLBT, but local commu- AIDS sprang from the gay men’s community responding to a nities made up of the individuals who, in turn, created and threat when nobody else would. Those networks didn’t come make up the organizations, bars, cafes, social networks, and out of some governmental agency, or some Congressional or organize events, both small and large, in a particular city, or Parliamentary directive; it came from those whose lives were work on issues of importance to the community as a whole. being directly impacted by a disease nobody wanted to talk about, let alone do anything about. It was, literally, a bunch The fi rst thing that springs to mind is equal marriage. of concerned men and women, gathering around kitchen The “community” pushed that forward, made it happen. We

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 23 tables and in community centre drop-ins, and coffee houses profoundly, ‘who’ they were. Being formed for and by homo- and bars who asked ‘what are we going to do’ and then com- sexuals, thereby consciously carved out a certain ethos, an ing up with some answers to that question and implement- atmosphere, which declared in no uncertain terms “this is ing them. It was individuals losing lovers, friends, chosen gay territory.” family, and other people around them, or at risk of becoming The 1980’s saw the birth of the Gay Village in areas such infected and dying themselves, who created something posi- as The Castro in San Francisco, West Hollywood in Los tive out of something so horribly negative. Angeles, Christopher Street and, to a certain degree, Green- I look further back still and see the formation of what we wich Village in New York City, St. Catherine’s in Montreal, know today as “community” rather than just a collection Centretown in Ottawa, and the West End in Vancouver. of individuals with nothing more in common than a sexual Community was being created, not by happenstance, but interest in other men or other women. Think about that consciously. for a minute: Building community involved creating an in- We, as a community, are capable of accomplishing so frastructure where none existed; setting up counseling and much, of improving the lives of our brother and sister queer support centres, information phone lines, sports leagues, folk – and therefore our own - of making a difference not just social networks, resource libraries, discussion groups, activ- for ourselves, but for society at large. ist groups, and social groups of all descriptions. Even more than that, however, it involved a truly radical mind set shift But, like any community, there are internal stresses and from secretive, furtive, illegal activity undertaken by isolated confl icts that sometimes overshadow the accomplishments individuals and creating a mind set that understood who we and the potential. It is diffi cult in our day-to-day lives to were in terms of “orientation” and of recognizing a common- step back and avoid those confl icts. It is easy to emotion- ality that included, but went beyond, sexuality. ally engage and get caught up in them. It is part of being human. In some urban centres a simultaneous phenomenon was emerging that had hitherto been unheard of – neighbour- No community is immune, be it a community based hoods whose over-arching characteristic was they were on orientation and gender identities, a community based primarily populated by homosexuals choosing to congre- on ethnicity or race, a small town somewhere, a religious gate and live their lives openly in a specifi c geographic area faith…all communities, like all families, experience confl ict rather than trying to blend into the society and culture and upset and struggle and varying degrees of acceptance of around them by hiding not only ‘what’ they were but, more others within that community. Is there an answer to avoid- ing, or at least resolving, such undermining of what community means? Sure…like the creation of community itself, it starts with each of us, as individuals, resolving to contribute what we can for the greater good; each other. It’s not easy. Every one of us sees the world – and community – in terms of how it relates to us and not so much in terms of how we relate to the world/community. That, too, is part of being human. But another part of being human, history shows us, is being able to reach beyond our limitations, to create things of beauty and ideas of sparkling construction that will endure and enrich not just our own lives, or the lives of others, but Life itself. The creation, and maintenance, of what we know as ‘community’ is an amazing thing, something to be treasured and nurtured and built upon. Perhaps, as we move into a fresh new year, full of promise and potential and possibility, we can all resolve to add to the building of community so that all have some place to feel safe, respected, and secure.

24 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Q Scopes “Economize sensibly, Capricorn!”

By Jack Fertig Lifestyle | Astrology The Sun aspecting Neptune and Eris makes us question our place vis-a-vis others, creating confrontations help you see where you do stand. between the real and the ideal. In the gap, you could fi nd discouragement or opportunities to improve on SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Yes, you reality. A subtle, sensitive approach should work best. need to focus on details now, but stay mindful about how the parts relate to the whole. Family wisdom, or Wiccan-style goddess traditions, can help you keep perspec- ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Worries about tive, seeing the forest along with the trees. social obligations can make you uncertain about your goals and your standing. Accept that as an opportunity to seek counsel and to make adjustments. Remaining clear SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): with your friends while you change tack can be hard, but it’s Don’t let money problems upset you. You are a necessary! champion problem-solver. Listen to advice from a friend. Don’t follow it, but consider it a step toward fi guring out an approach that neither of you would have come up with alone. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You live very much in the real world, but realms within and beyond are tugging at your attention. You need time out from your CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Happy routines to reassess your career path and to remember that birthday? Ha! At your age, you should be richer work serves larger goals - which would be...? and better established in your community. Not really, but we all feel that way sometimes. Give yourself full credit, surround yourself with friends, but do economize sensibly! GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): You could strut around, enjoying and exploiting your heightened erotic charisma - but is that all there is, my dear? Explore AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Keeping new realms in art and music to add further depth to your a journal would help provide keen insight. If you pleasures. fi nd that dull and tedious, keep a journal as a fi ctitious char- acter. Even that will reveal some deep inner truth.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Feeling tested by colleagues at work is all right if you rise to the PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Politics, or just challenge and prove yourself through competency and dedica- entertaining friends, can be an expensive hobby. tion. Avoid lowering yourself when baited, or throwing back Getting involved - perhaps with your pals - in some volunteer attitude, no matter how much of it you’re getting to start with. work will be cheap and effective. For bargain entertainment, Be professional! churches and synagogues often have secular concerts and programs.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): Accept any criticism graciously (no matter how stupid it is!), and be Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is based in very reserved about offering your own. Agree to disagree and San Francisco. He can be reached for consultations at 415-864- otherwise avoid petty controversies. Try to delay important 8302, through his website at http://www.starjack.com debates. Arguments now just sow trouble and confusion.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): You have brilliant opportunities for playful adventure. Some risks may be necessary, but many can be avoided. Don’t get suckered into druggy or otherwise unsafe situations. You’ll have more fun if you keep a clear head and take sensible precautions.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Questions of familial structure make you wonder about your own status, perhaps even about where your loyalties should lie. Some simple fun and games should lighten things up and

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 25 Adult Film Review Out on Vacation, Mutiny, College, Vanished

By Jerome Voltero Review | Adult Male “Out on Vacation” by AlphaMale Media, Cour- Captain Matthew Green tesy of Adult Depot runs a very tight ship – so tight that the crew CAST: Steve Cruz, Dillon is starting to get restless. Buck, Dan Vega, Trojan Nothing is good enough Rock, Jake Ryder, Mar- to satisfy him; not Jake tin Mazza, Dean Monroe, Corwin’s repairs to the Carlo Cox, Marcus Troy, engine, not Tim Rusty’s Butch Grand. job swabbing the deck. Steve Cruz and his Despite these efforts, the buddies Dillan Buck and ship is an absolute dump Dan Vega go on a tropical – dirty and covered in graf- island vacation together. fi ti. The crew’s uniforms What else is there to do in seem ridiculously white for the tropics but get up to this setting. naughty business? Jamal, a young and Unfortunately Buck and slender African-American Vega ditch Steve to go cruising for cock, leaving him alone boy, steals Rusty away on a bar patio…some friends they are! So Cruz resolves for a little buggery below deck. My jaw dropped as Jamal to make his own fun, and he doesn’t have to go far – he unzipped his pants and had to still reach down to pull out merely steps inside the bar and fi nds bar tender Jake his meat. Rusty goes at it eagerly, but is quickly unable Ryder and starry-eyed Martin Maza making out across the to swallow the full length and breadth. In the end there’s counter. really only one place to put that…in the end. Cruz apologizes for interrupting, asking what there is to Meanwhile Captain Green is keeping himself entertained do…perhaps he was hoping to get in on this action but in- as he plays dom to Ian Alexander, stepping on his face and stead Ryder sends him on a boat tour. Cruz takes off but making him lick his boots. Green has an enormous PA we get to stay behind and see things getting hot and heavy that he wraps in a condom along with the rest of his junk between the two. before ravishing the passive crew mate. Owen fi nishes but takes Alexander down to the engine room for further The boat tour doesn’t turn out too badly for Cruz disciplining, and this is when it really starts to get kinky. however. He is the only passenger on the small vessel, He uses a chain to hang the young lad upside down by his and Captain Trojan Rock enjoys his company very much ankles, completely naked, and proceeds to fl og him. After – especially when Cruz puts on a swimsuit stroking show. witnessing this, Corwin and Gonzales begin to get worried At fi rst the two gawk at one another through an open for their own safety. Rusty insists on trying to reason with window into the cockpit – conveniently it is head height for the captain, but the other two start planning a mutiny. Cruz and crotch height for Rock. Eventually Rock comes around and the two make whoopee to the breathtaking The actors are generally buzzed and waxed, with the ocean scenery. exception of Corwin’s sexy patch of chest hair – the rugged look is fi tting for his role as a mechanic. This fi lm does go To follow are some very sexy beach and poolside scenes. more into the kink/fetish side of sex, with a water sports Every actor in this fi lm has an attractive build and is and fi sting scene to follow. nicely hairy, some tanned, some tattooed. But if you won’t look at a guy unless they get a body wax, then perhaps the next two fi lms will be more to your liking. “College Cocks 2” by High Octane, Courtesy of Priape

“Mutiny: Shipmates Revenge!” by Dark Alley Media, CAST: Lucio Maverick, Flavio Valentino, Rod Stevens, Courtesy of Adult Depot Tim Black, Chris Hacker, Geoffroy Garcia, Steve Hunt, Rogerio Matteo, Fred Fele, Rick Bauer, Ian Lynch, Alex CAST: Jake Corwin, Owen Hank, Rick Gonzales, Carlos Lynch, Sanjoy. Marquez, Tim Rusty, Ian Alexander, Matthew Green, Ja- mal. Well ﬁ rst of all, a lot of these guys look far too old to

26 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 be in college, but while Next he encounters Matthew Ford enjoying his caged they’re wearing their slave Bo Matthews. Matthews is wearing an odd iron old-school uniforms I head-cage with a mouth hole for – you probably guessed guess we can pretend. it. Ford is a hot beefy daddy, and even though I’d be terri- The porno starts off with fi ed in Dakota’s position, I would want to join in as Dakota Rod Stevens shamelessly does. cruising Tim Black at the Dakota and Ford were by far my favorites, but the rest urinal, which leads to of the cast ranged from smooth and muscular (Andrew some steamy bathroom Justice, Rodrigo DeLeon and Tyler Saint) to pale and action. scrawny (Wolf Hudson, Bo Matthews, and Jay Armstrong). Chris Hacker unwit- I would not recommend this fi lm to anyone with a weak tingly walks in on Stevens stomach for kink. They get into harnesses, slings, latex, and Black. He is stunned leather masks, gas masks, rape, and approach fi sting with and doesn’t know what to an oversized dildo – though not to worry, the guy’s insides do until Black yells at him remain inside. to get lost – I got a chuckle from Black’s impatient yell as he bobs up and down Priape Calgary on top of Stevens. Hacker Canada’s Favorite Gay Store hastily runs out and shuts the door. 1322, 17th Avenue SW – (403) 215-1800 http://www.priape.ca At several points during the previous scene they cut to Steve Hunt sitting quietly, reading, under the shade of a Adult Depot tree. His peace is short lived as Lucio Maverick emerges Over 3000 Gay Titles for Sale or Rent from the bushes with horny intentions. 140 – 58th Ave SW – (403) 258-2777 Personally the whole school boy look doesn’t do anything [email protected] for me, perhaps because I never attended a school with such a strict dress code. Still, it’s a fetish that I’m sure many others have – how can you not get randy at an all- guys college? Factor in boyish curiosity and the appeal of many cast members’ Italian sounding names and you have College Cocks 2 in a nut shell.

“Vanished” by Mus- tang, Courtesy of Priape CAST: Jake Dakota, Ty- ler Saint, Andrew Justice, Ryann Wood, Jay Arm- strong, Wolf Hudson, Bo Matthews, Matthew Ford, Rodrigo DeLeon. Jake Dakota is on a mission to ﬁ nd his friend Tyler Saint who mysteri- ously vanished weeks ago. His phone is disconnected, his E-mail no longer valid – but Dakota ﬁ nds a lead by breaking into his colleague’s house and re- visiting the internet book- marks on his computer. He is taken to a website for a heavy kink/S&M club called MEAT, which runs in the basement of an abandoned meat processing plant every Sunday. Dakota visits a store to gear up in leather wear so that he can blend in. As he wanders the halls of this abandoned industrial basement, he witnesses a number of men indulging their fetishes. He walks by Wolf Hudson using a pump-dildo on Ryan Wood, the both of them wearing ass-less latex body suits. Dakota stops for a moment to watch and touch himself before moving on. gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 27 Deep Inside Hollywood

By Romeo San Vicente Celebrity | Gossip Jake Scores Joe It’s not a given that multiplex turnpike, or maybe, like egg fertilization itself, it’s Hollywood’s hottest actor all an accident. Either way, the U.K. shoot wrapped in early who recently played gay 2007, and the fi lm is on the festival circuit now with American would be cast in the lead of distribution soon to follow. a biopic about a fl amboy- Jarmen Explored by Julien antly nonconformist-yet- British fi lmmaker Isaac Julien is one of 30 directors to be still-hetero football star. awarded a Sundance grant for his latest work, Derek, a combi- But it does make a kind of nation documentary/biopic about the life of experimental fi lm- sense that Jake Gyllenhaal maker Derek Jarman, who died in 1994. Best known for his has been chosen to play controversial 1977 punk rock-themed fi lm Jubilee - a movie 60s gridiron icon and sex starring Adam Ant that imagined Queen Elizabeth II time-trav- symbol Joe Namath. The eling to a dystopian future - Jarman was one of the few openly legendary sports fi gure gay directors working in England in the 1980s. Julien, director and 1969 Super Bowl hero of Young Soul Rebels and the queer fi lm-fest favorite Looking was also a pop culture for Langston, worked with executive producer - and longtime phenomenon known for his Jarman collaborator - Tilda Swinton (Chronicles of Narnia) to fl ash: wearing fur coats on bring the project to life and ensure that Jarman’s cinematic the sidelines and accept- legacy isn’t forgotten. The fi nished fi lm debuts at the 2008 ing endorsement deals Sundance Film Festival in January. from pantyhose companies (check out that vintage Beautymist commercial on YouTube George Takei Treks to New Frontiers if you’re too young to remember). And thanks to Brokeback Forget what they say about coming out ruining an actor’s Mountain and subsequent drag appearances on Saturday career. Given the nonstop forward motion of Star Trek’s Night Live, Gyllenhaal is known for being game to go where George Takei’s work schedule, it’s probably an understate- lots of young actors won’t. So when the writers’ strike is over, ment to say that the actor wishes he’d done it even sooner. the fi lm’s script and production schedule can get on track. The man has no fewer than fi ve projects taking shape right now: a video game based on the hit animated series Futurama, L Word’s Kirshner to Buy Borrow Steal and four live-action roles in fi lms, ranging from the sounds- When The L Word shuts down production at season’s end, like-it’ll-open-at-a-drive-in-theater-in-1978 Ninja Cheerleaders star Mia Kirshner goes back to work: on feature fi lms. Her and American Summer (a comedy about prostitution) to the latest project, after recently co-starring in The Black Dahlia, war drama, The Red Canvas. But playing himself in The Great is Buy Borrow Steal alongside Heather Graham. Graham Buck Howard might prove to be his biggest comeback vehicle plays a young professional in London who learns that she has to date. The movie co-stars John Malkovich, Tom Hanks, and very little time left in which to get pregnant. Her unreliable Colin Hanks, and concerns a magician and his young assis- boyfriend refuses to assist in the science experiment, so she tant. Sounds like the 70-year-old actor is working some magic enlists the help of best friend Kirshner to help her fulfi ll the of his own. mandate of the fi lm’s title. Maybe the success of Knocked Up means more pregnancy-themed comedies coming down the

28 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Whole Lesbian Sex What Do Butches Want?

By Felice Newman Lesbian | Sexuality Butches, bois, stone butches. A sexy brew of masculinity in a female body. Do they, well, you know, In any case, the butch directs the action, deciding how far to go and when to quit - no judgments. get done? Heels in the air or on their knees, do butches give it up? And if they don’t, what do they Receptivity is an energetic quality that can be cultivated - it isn’t neces- like? sarily about who’s doing what to whom. In fact, you can be stone through and through and be receptive. How? Well, you can be open and inviting of That was the question a femme, newly smitten with her fi rst butch the pleasures of the senses rather than closed or defended. partner, asked me recently: “What do butches want?” So what do butches want? Well, a lot of things - a classic hand job or Many butches like strap-on sex. Some like clitoral stimulation and blow job. Your butch may put her heels in the air in her own rendition of some like cunnilingus. Others like rimming and anal penetration. And yes, Bend Over Boyfriend. She may even invite your fi ngers, hand, or mouth some butches like vaginal penetration. to explore her body inside and out. When she’s packing for you, dear femme, she wants you spread before her, your body wrapped around her If getting a partner off is central to lesbian sex, it’s paramount to butch sex. However that butch likes to get off is good - because that truly is sex. Often what a butch wants most is to drive a silicone dildo - or fi ngers what she wants. or a hand - into the place that will please a partner most. When your butch is bringing you to orgasm, her body becomes a conduit for sexual energy. Felice Newman is a founding publisher of Cleis Press and the author of “The Whole Lesbian Sex Book: A Passionate Guide for All of Us.” Of course, let’s not assume your butch requires direct genital stimula- Visit her at www.cleispress.com. tion to get off. Just the visuals of that dildo thrusting in and out of you may be enough to push your butch over the edge. The base of the dildo rubbing against her clitoris (perhaps with the help of a well-placed egg vibe) may provide the stimulation she needs. Many butches slip a hand under their harness and take care of themselves. The real question is this: Is there something wrong with a partner who doesn’t want you paying attention to her genitals. Is that a hurdle to be overcome or a preference, thank you very much? Don’t assume that every stone needs to be melted. That butch’s sexuality is her business. For some, it is indeed a preference. Others may go to great lengths to explore the source of their disinclination to receiving touch, much less vaginal penetration. They may examine all the nooks and crannies of their histories and turn every rock in their psychic gardens. They can work through past trauma and come to terms with gender dysphoria. And then decide - you know what? - it was a preference all along. Not everyone wants to get f**ked. But some do. Some butches want to explore receptive sex. It’s an individual choice. If a butch decides she wants to explore receptivity, there are many ways to go about that. (For starters, it helps to have a partner who accepts her exactly as she is.) Here are some suggestions: Femmes, don’t run out and buy a sparkly red patent leather strap-on. Take it slow. Butches, bust your own myths. Many butches believe that “real” butches don’t get penetrated. (“Well, maybe in the butt. But if you eroti- cize your female genitals, you’re not really butch.”) Not true. By opening up the subject with your partner, you, as the butch, are not agreeing to give up your identity or your lifelong sexual practices. It’s just a conversation. You don’t have to change a thing. Don’t confl ate receptivity with “bottoming.” If you’re into power play, you can construe a scene where the butch “orders” the femme to “service” her.

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 29 Tobacco Reduction Act Alberta Gets Tougher on Second-Hand Smoke

By Rob Diaz-Marino Community News It has been a year since the Smoke Free Places Act was introduced, ridding Calgary bars and year, all retail displays promoting tobacco products will be prohibited, and January 1st of 2009 will see the prohibi- restaurants of second-hand smoke, and forcing tion of the sale of tobacco products in health care facilities, smokers to take their butts outside. By now, public post-secondary campuses, pharmacies, and stores many don’t even notice the absence, or miss the that contain a pharmacy. presence of cigarette smoke in Calgary’s gay bars. For more information about the Tobacco Reduction Act, But as promised for the beginning of 2008, the visit: next step of the Alberta government’s wellness http://www.health.alberta.ca/SmokeFree/Tobacco- agenda came into effect January 1st. Reduction_FAQ.html

The newly touted Tobacco Reduction Act is designed to For information on how to quit smoking, visit: replace the Smoke Free Places Act, eliminating exceptions http://www.albertaquits.ca such as casinos and First Nations reserves. Now the use of tobacco products (including smokeless products such as chewing tobacco) is prohibited in public places and workplaces regardless of whether minors are permitted; the only exceptions are privately owned vehicles, private residences, and aboriginal rituals that involve tobacco. Furthermore, smokers will have to venture a little further outside in order to light up. The regulation distance from a doorway, window that opens, or an air intake of a public place or workplace has been increased from 3 to 5 meters, which may put a damper on the loopholed use of outdoor patio space for some bars. The fi nes for not abiding by this new act are much steeper than they were prior. An individual caught smoking in a prohibited place may be fi ned up to $1000 for a fi rst offense, and up to $5000 the second time. Managers are responsible for ensuring that people in their establishment abide by the rules, and are also liable if someone is caught committing an offense – up to $10,000 for fi rst time, and up to $100,000 the second time. For now the act will be enforced by police offi cers and peace offi cers, but additional inspectors may be appointed by the Minis- ter down the line. The act is supported by 80% of Albertans, according to the Ipsos-Reid poll conducted in January 2007. The Al- berta Tobacco Reduction Strategy (ATRS) benefi ts Albertans according to statistics that indicate Tobacco as the number one preventable cause of premature death in Canada, and that Tobacco usage costs Alberta’s economy over $1.8 billion each year in lost productivity and direct health care costs. Despite these tightened regulations, there is no plan to go so far as banning the sale of tobacco products alto- gether. The Alberta government acknowledges that change has to happen gradually, and does not want to create a demand for contraband cigarettes. More changes are yet to come. On the fi rst of July this

30 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Fundraising Photos

Photos by Steve Polyak and Rob Diaz Marino of GayCalgary.com Magazine

Misc Youth Fake Moustache Drag King Show at Soda - Calgary

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 31 Living X-Mas Tree at the Calgary Eagle - Calgary ARGRA X-mas Dinner and Dance - Calgary

32 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Dr. Richard Denney’s Toys for Tots at Money Pennies ISCCA Candy Cane Queens Show at Twisted Element - Calgary - Calgary

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 33 34 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 High Performance Rodeo OYR’s 22nd Annual Event has Arrived

By Jason Clevett Preview | Theatre It’s a new year, and with the dawning of 2008 comes one of the highlights of Calgary’s theatre A heartbreakingly beautiful documentary by fi lmmaker Andrew Connors combines rarely-seen footage of Keno City’s season, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Ro- boom time with contemporary images of the derelict mines. deo. Truly a “something-for-everyone” event, the With the fi lm as a backdrop, Juno-nominated musician Kim Rodeo is one of the most eclectic theatre events in Barlow performs live, crafting an exquisite portrait of Keno’s Calgary. 20 remaining denizens in a folk-music soundscape of mixed blessings and rugged eccentricity. “The High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Fes- tival of the Arts, is dedicated to entertaining as wide an au- Tubular Bells – January 18th to 19th dience as imaginable, while remaining fertile ground for the In 1972, a 22 year-old record-store owner, Richard Bran- progressive and the wild. That’s why you will fi nd Gryphon son, met a 19 year-old musician, Mike Oldfi eld. Branson Trio, the 10-Minute Play Festival, spanking new work from wanted to start a record label; Oldfi eld wanted to record an Alberta Ballet and the queer hip-hop music theatre smash album. After a one-week session in Branson’s Manor House, hit BASH’d side by side on the same playbill,” said Rodeo both wishes were granted. The label: Virgin Records. The curator Michael Green in a statement on the OYR website. album: Tubular Bells. Oldfi eld’s album was an explosion of sound and style, featuring more than 20 layered instru- With 30 different shows on the Calendar, there is lots to ments. The music leaps across genres, from an eerie piano choose from. In addition to BASH’d!, (see article page 12) opening (made famous as the theme from The Exorcist) to here are some of the other shows that may be of interest to a gently resonating glockenspiel to a bluesy electric guitar GayCalgary readers. shuffl e. It stayed on the UK charts for 279 weeks, sold over 15 million copies worldwide, went gold in the USA and re- Sylvia Plath Must Not Die – January 8th to 12th ceived a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. One Yellow Rabbit’s newest original work presents a se- ductive look at the poetry and passions of Sylvia Plath and Fast-forward to the present: acclaimed Calgary composer Anne Sexton, two intense souls who attempted to escape the and concert pianist Marcel Bergmann, fuelled by his teen- straitjacketed social norms of their time through a cathartic age passion for the album, arranges the fi rst side of Tubu- fl ow of ink and emotion. Sylvia Plath Must Not Die offers a lar Bells into a dynamic four-piano composition. Now, in a compelling glimpse into the lives of two of the 20th century’s massive collaboration commissioned by One Yellow Rabbit, most prolifi c and complex literary fi gures, confl icted women Bergmann’s arrangement will sound out on four Steinway whose sexual and intellectual appetites were often at odds grand pianos, performed by The Bergmann Duo and special with their prescribed roles as mothers and wives. Despite guests Jeroen Van Veen and Hong Xu – and, in the Tubular enjoying remarkable success in their fi eld, both would even- Bells spirit of daring juxtaposition, four company dancers tually succumb to their demons and commit suicide; Plath from Alberta Ballet, choreographed by Yukichi Hattori, will in 1963 and Sexton in 1974. perform a startling contemporary ballet synchronized to the pianos’ innovative harmonies. Garden Cities of Tomorrow – January 15th to 16th Dolores loves dirty dishes, and her husband, Morton Midway: Carnival of the Macabre – January 10th to 12th “Showstopper” Calhoun, can’t dirty them fast enough. She Duck under the Big Top to feast your eyes and ears on solicits neighbours’ dishes, strangers’ mail-in dishes, even the freaky, creepy and carnivalesque. Step into the darker adopts dish-dirtying orphans to quench her domestic ad- side of strange, as the Centre Court is transformed into a diction – but is it enough? This eccentric portrait of Kansas high-fl ying carnival. Chomp on a gourmet hot dog and steal City matrimony is built around the music of Lullaby Baxter’s a smooch at the kissing booth while testing your ick-factor two critically-acclaimed albums, Capable Egg and Garden with extreme piercers and contortionists. Daily scheduled Cities of To-morrow, with songs like Mr. Powder-Blue Bread- events turn a spotlight on the bizarre, with sword-swallow- box and Cardboard Armoured Car. Part three-penny Opera, ers, tarot card readers and aerial acrobats, and the Midway part urban fable, this world-premiere musical play tosses Stage features circus musicians, spoken-word artists and the term ‘kitchen-sink drama’ on its ear–and fi lls yours with dancers that delve into the twisted depths of your imagina- sultry-smooth folk-jazz. tion. No single tent can contain the boiling chaos of a circus, and that’s where Freak Show comes in (8pm-10pm). The Luckyburden – January 22nd to 23rd Swallow-a-Bicycle Performance Co-op hosts a cavalcade of For over 70 years, Keno City was the epicentre of Yukon Calgary’s freakiest emerging artists in an interactive tour silver mining. People fl ocked there from around the world to through the bowels of the EPCOR Centre, from the Ledge to live and work, building a fl ourishing community in the Gus- the Hall of Pillars. tavus Range, four hundred kilometres north of Whitehorse. Then, in 1989, the mines closed. Continued on Page 51 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 35 Letters to the Editor

By GayCalgary.com Staff Letters Dear GayCalgary, every day across Canada and converted into offi ces or lofts or Artists for Quality of Life parking lots - as it happened to Flash Back, which closed in (AFQOL) has cleared over 1989. $10,000! Talk about the little engine that could!! The Roost will be missed. I would like to thank Dow the owner for his dedication of 30 years, giving the gay community 2007 was a banner year. a place to call home. I will always have many memories of The Between immense commu- Roost and Flash Back - I could not have done it without the nity support, our premiere two of you... fundraiser, (the 4th An- nual Donnie Peters Memori- Love to all of you in Edmonton from the coast, al Cut-a-thon), and cash donations, we exceeded the $10,000 Allen Ross mark. This money enables us as a 3rd party charity to help support the nutritional needs of those living with HIV/AIDS. From this money, $6700 will be used for the Positive Living Dear GayCalgary, Lunch Program, as well as Xmas hampers and emergency As I was present at the recent Pride Calgary AGM, I felt it nutritional needs. pertinent to cover a few aspects that escaped attention with all An additional $3000 has been earmarked for the fi rst of the dramatics that were present. I think it would be better AFQOL Weekend Retreat, which will offer those with HIV/ to discuss things in a more positive light. AIDS a chance to get back to nature while enjoying tai chi, - Pride allows us to stand up for ourselves, fi ght when we counseling and the company of others - once again boosting need to, no matter win or lose. the quality of life. - Pride gives us a way to demonstrate our achievements in We still need cash donations to assist us with the retreat, so life and celebrate with others. please contact David Patten (Finance) @ (403) 560-3119 if you - Pride is not a representative of the community it is a re- are able. fl ection of it. - Pride is not diminished by the differences of others. Also, we are proud to announce that the 4th Annual AFQOL - The pride of those before us gave us the equality of today. Celebration and Awards Gala will be held at 7pm on Sunday - We only need our own approval to have pride. February 17th 2008 at Money Pennies. Come one come all and celebrate another successful year while we kick off 2008. Now admittedly I am new to working with Pride Calgary, Best wishes to everyone and Happy New Year!! and as such have been blissfully ignorant of what politics have plagued the organization. Truthfully, I would rather Linda Eckess remain that way and focus on going forward. One of the few Executive Chair things I am aware of is that as an organization Pride Calgary Artists for Quality of Life is suffering from a lack of manpower, volunteers, members and board directors alike. We are all responsible for making Pride happen, not entitled to it because of the efforts of a few. Dear GayCalgary and Edmonton, Pride does need the support of the people it supports in turn. I hope there are those who can fi nd their Pride and aid Pride On Dec 31st the Roost closed its doors… Calgary. There are many ways people can do it, not all of it re- I remember the Roost opening in Edmonton in 1978. Oh quires a two year term of dedication. By being a member and those were the days - the original name was The Cock Roost, offering your opinion, by going to events and enjoying yourself, ha ha, and after a few months the name was changed to The by getting involved, volunteering and simply speaking up and Roost. being proud. I remember dancing to Star Wars with my 1st lover Rick. I would like to thank all those agencies and businesses who I was 20 years old. Today Rick and I are the best of friends. have helped Pride to succeed up to this point and those that He was the one who told me about the Roost closing its doors, will in the coming years. At this point I am going to work my and I was sad to hear the news. greatest to help Pride be the spectacle it deserves to be, prefer- ably with the rest of the community at our side. With a little The Roost gave the Gay community in Edmonton a good work, Pride 2008 can be even greater than previous years and 30 years of fun and dance, and brought the gay community it will be our own efforts that make us proud. together hand in hand. Now the question is, will the Roost open again? Sig Moser Director, Pride Calgary More of the older warehouses and buildings are bought

36 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Real Estate Sales Tips for Winter 2008: 5 tips to keep your listing active as the market cools in winter.

By GayRealEstate.com Real Estate Although winter is notoriously sluggish in terms of real estate shopping, the downtime provides a subprime golden opportunity for homeowners to enhance their mortgage property’s marketability. Here are fi ve simple ways mess. To help potential buy- to pump-up your listing, even during the winter lull: ers who visit Calculate your estimated heating costs going forward for the rest of the your home winter. come up with Heat rises, and so does the cost to keep a house warm a mortgage, while energy prices escalate. So you may want to offer a enlist the discount to your potential buyers in exchange for a prompt help of a local sale. For example, one owner of a large antique house faced lender. Many combined utility bills of $900 a month for the upcoming mortgage four months, for a total of $3,600. He advertised that he loan offi cers would contribute $2,000 in closing costs to a buyer, and one will appre- jumped at the chance. He closed within 30 days, saving him- ciate the opportunity to work with your potential buyers, self more than $2,500. because it gives them a chance to generate fresh leads for possible loans. Provide a Home Warranty. Especially if you are selling an older home, consider buying Visit your lenders, talk to them about ways they might be home warranty insurance and giving it to your buyer. A home able to provide mortgage information to your buyers, and warranty policy offers coverage for repair or replacement of then provide their contact info to buyers. If you hold an open items such as appliances, heating and air conditioning units, house event, have the mortgage professional set up a table in electrical systems, and clogged plumbing. your living room and advise visitors regarding various types of mortgages and current interest rates. The cost of the policies varies, but most average between $250-$500. But the reassurance they provide to a homebuyer Clean out the Clutter and Make Minor Repairs usually far outweighs the expense of paying for the policy, so Concentrate on clearing out closets, the garage, and the a home warranty can sometimes give you a competitive edge attic. Remove any unnecessary personal belonging and fur- as a seller. niture. Emptying closets and rooms makes them look bigger, and buyers will feel like they are getting more space for their Host a Broker’s Open House money. While public open houses are common – and we see lots of balloons tied to listing signs during spring and summer There is no need to go into debt over minor repairs, but a months – the broker’s open house is a more specifi c market- strategic approach to fi xing up your house can pay for itself ing tool. And Realtors generally agree that a broker’s open in a faster sale at a better price. For example, if your doorbell house is much more effective in terms of generating a sale. does not work and there are cracks in your windowpanes or rips in your screens, buyers will notice and deduct points. Rather than invite buyers, you invite only Realtors, so Maybe the bathroom needs a coat of cosmetic paint, the for every person who attends you generate many potential kitchen faucet leaks, or the gutters need to be cleaned. You contacts with qualifi ed buyers who are looking for a home. may be accustomed to these minor inconveniences, because Realtors visit your home, tour it, pick up information sheets as we live in a home we adapt to its quirks. But to a skeptical on the property, and keep it in mind for possible showings to buyer they stand out as evidence that the rest of the property their own clients. is not well maintained and may have major hidden problems. To host a broker’s open house, contact local real estate Use the winter months to spruce-up your home and enjoy brokers and invite them to attend. Schedule the event for a the pride of having a home that shows well and looks its best. weekday, because weekends are busy for Realtors and they Buyers and Realtors will notice and appreciate the effort, and will have more time to attend during normal working hours. A attention to small details is often the difference between a good idea for a broker’s open house is to host it on a Monday languishing listing and a closed transaction. or Tuesday from 12 to 2 p.m., and offer a simple lunch of deli sandwiches, coffee, and soda. Because winter months are To fi nd mortgage and real estate professionals committed to slower for Realtors – and because the entire event is hosted exceptional service to the GLBT community, check out www. indoors – winter is a great time for a broker’s open house. GayRealEstate.com and www.GayMortgageLoans.com. Or call their toll Free phone number 1-888-420-MOVE (6683). Enlist the Expertise of a Reputable Mortgage Lender One of the biggest obstacles to a successful sale is fi nanc- ing, and this has never been truer than it is now, during the

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 37 The Pursuit of Muscle

By Kevin Alderson, Ph.D., R. Psych. Queer Quest “The big issues for me in being gay have been of many contemporary ac- coming out and then what you look like. How am I tion fi gures actually exceed gonna fi t in? You get these messages that you have the muscularity attained by to be like that or you don’t count” (Todd, 1999). [1] world-ranking bodybuilders. Furthermore, even comic Most of us have thought about setting New Years Reso- book heroes now make me lutions as year end encroaches. I try to set goals in several pant as they are drawn in life areas, including the physical. Would I like bigger amazing detail with razor-de- muscles in 2008? You bet I would, and I am not alone in fi ned chests and nipples (they desiring the perfect male physique. While I continue what never used to draw nipples in at times feels like a frantic attempt at the gym to develop comic books) and ripped ab- this, I am aware that many more women than men are dominals. Male strippers are ashamed of the story told when they look in an undistort- also a new phenomenon, and ed mirror. I wrote in Queer Quest (July 2006 issue) about their look is generally every- body image and its effect on eating disorders. This month, thing you could ask for in an I want to look closer at the pursuit of muscle and body ideal. Lastly, have you noticed that the male mannequins sculpting in general for men, women, and adolescents. are more muscular compared to the 1990s? [10] God, I Who wants more muscle? It turns out that both men can’t even walk past the gay store, Priape, without wanting and women want greater musculature [2] – however, the to rip the clothes off their very realistic mannequins and ideal body is different for men and women in North Ameri- devour them in every way (I’m sure there is a name for this can cultures. The ideal male body is thin, muscular, and mental disorder). hard. [3, 4] In one study, about 90 percent of the college The media is often blamed for the changes that are oc- men wanted a more muscular frame and none wanted to curring in our perceptions of what we fi nd attractive, but be less muscular. [5] the media is as much a refl ection of the times as it is a The female heterosexual ideal has been changing over creator of them. I remember watching the Beatles on the the years and the thin and soft look of yesteryear has been Ed Sullivan show back in the 1960s and thinking that replaced with a look that is lean and toned. [6] Although they caused guys to start wearing their hair longer. The muscularity is desired by women, most do not pursue fact is, longer hair became symbolic of a rebellion that was maximum bulk. Even in female bodybuilding, the Inter- already long underway in the US, Canada, and Britain. national Federation of Bodybuilders recently asserted that Other factors occurring besides the infl uence of media maximum muscularity – which is an ideal for male body- helped shape the current physique craze and sexualization builders – does not apply to women. [7] of men – for example, the growth of the men’s movement and the gay liberation movement. [11] Women had already Men’s bodies are increasingly being objectifi ed and sexu- long been sexualized both in media and in general by a alized, largely through the use of “young, bare-chested, male-dominated culture, but the emergence of viewing lean, and muscled male bodies in fashion magazines and men as sex objects was clearly a new phenomenon devel- advertising.” [8] oping in the latter part of the 20th century. The print media does portray men’s bodies as vehicles Does the objectifi cation of men and women have a nega- for selling everything from fi tness memberships to cars. tive effect on our mental health? Although the research is Movies and television also include far more lean muscular correlational, meaning it cannot tell us anything about the characters in less clothing than in past years. The men in causal relationship, there is evidence that men, women, pornographic fi lms also need to be buff (a sharp contrast and adolescents are becoming increasingly dissatisfi ed to the porn stars of the 1970s) and well endowed. Even ac- with their bodies, and some developing a condition called tion fi gures have become increasingly muscular. In 1964, muscle dysphoria, meaning they are never happy with if the GI Joe dolls were morphed to become a 5-foot, 10- their bodies, regardless of how much muscle they have al- inch tall man, he would have 12-inch biceps and a 44-inch ready developed. [12] A large-scale 1997 Psychology Today chest. In 1998, the GI Joe doll then being marketed would survey found that 43% of the men were dissatisfi ed with have a 27-inch bicep and a 55-inch chest when morphed their overall appearance and more than half wanted a bet- as a man (no wonder I wanted these dolls more than my ter abdomen. [13] One study found that 17 percent of the son)! [9] men reported that they would give up three years of life to Research has shown that the chests, biceps, and abs look like the ideal, and 11 percent would even sacrifi ce fi ve years! [14]

38 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Although both gay and heterosexual men want bodies References: that are thinner and more muscular, body dissatisfaction 1) Padva, G. (2002). Heavenly monsters: The politics of the male is greater with gay men. [15] Compared to straight men, body in the naked issue of Attitude magazine. International Journal of Sexu- gay men are more critical of their appearance and they feel ality & Gender Studies, 7(4), 281 292 [quote from p. 289]. shame when they believe themselves to be physically lack- 2) Gray, J. J., & Ginsberg, R. L. (2007). Muscle dissatisfaction: An overview of psychological and cultural research. In J. K. Thompson & G. ing. [16] Cafri (Eds.), The muscular ideal: Psychological, social, and medical perspectives (pp. 15-39). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Adolescent boys are not immune to desiring a better body either, and underweight boys experience the most 3) Tiggemann, M., Martins, Y., & Kirkbride, A. (2007). Oh to be lean and muscular: Body image ideals in gay and heterosexual men. Psychology appearance-related pressure and teasing from their peers. of Men & Masculinity, 8(1), 15 24. [17] Recent studies have shown that about a third of teen- 4) Martins, Y., Tiggemann, M., & Kirkbride, A. (2007). Those spee- age boys want bigger muscles and another third want to dos become them: The role of self objectiﬁ cation in gay and heterosexual become thinner. [18] Interestingly, gay and bisexual boys men’s body image. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33(5), 634 reported less interest in having bigger muscles compared 647. to their heterosexual counterparts. [19] 5) Gray & Ginsberg (2007). The pursuit of increased muscularity and ﬁ tness is a 6) Gruber, A. J. (2007). A more muscular female body ideal. In J. K. Thompson & G. Cafri (Eds.), The muscular ideal: Psychological, social, and healthy well-intentioned quest for most teens and adults. medical perspectives (pp. 217-234). Washington, DC: American Psychological The problem occurs for those who suffer emotionally or Association. abuse themselves physically because of it. The number 7) Ibid. of boys who have used anabolic steroids is estimated at 8) Tiggemann, Martins, & Kirkbride (2007). [quote from p. 15]. between 1 percent and 12 percent. Furthermore, between 9) Gray & Ginsberg (2007). 0.2 percent and 9 percent of teenage girls have used steroids as well. [20] Severe enough, body dissatisfaction can 10) Luciano, L. (2007). Muscularity and masculinity in the United States: A historical overview. In J. K. Thompson & G. Cafri (Eds.), The also lead to the development of eating disorders (see Queer muscular ideal: Psychological, social, and medical perspectives (pp. 41-65). Quest, July, 2006). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Steroid use is common in competitive bodybuilding. 11) Martins, Tiggemann, & Kirkbride (2007). Interestingly, too much steroid use in men results in an 12) Gray & Ginsberg (2007). overproduction of testosterone, and the excess actually 13) Martins, Tiggemann, & Kirkbride (2007). converts into estrogen. In turn, this results in excessive 14) Gray & Ginsberg (2007). pectoral development that looks feminized. The result is 15) Tiggemann, Martins, & Kirkbride (2007). known in bodybuilding circles as “bitch tits.” [21] The female bodybuilding scene is about having the right com- 16) Martins, Tiggemann, & Kirkbride (2007). bination of steroids to produce muscular development, 17) Ricciardelli, L. A., & McCabe, M. P. (2007). Pursuit of muscularity but their success is also contingent on having the right among adolescents. In J. K. Thompson & G. Cafri (Eds.), The muscular ideal: Psychological, social, and medical perspectives (pp. 199 216). Washington, combination of “breasts, makeup, and hairstyle.” [22] Ste- DC: American Psychological Association. roid use in women results in breast shrinkage, and breast 18) Ibid. implants are taken for granted in female bodybuilders. [23] 19) Ibid. Serious bodybuilding can lead to numerous health prob- 20) Ibid. lems. The high protein diets combined with dehydration 21) Schippert, C. (2007). Can muscles be queer? Reconsidering the can lead to kidney problems. The actual lifting of heavy transgressive hyper built body. Journal of Gender Studies, 16(2), 155 171. weights is associated with increased injury to muscles, 22) Ibid. [quote from p. 161]. tendons, and ligaments. Steroid use in both sexes is associated with acne, heart problems, hypertension, tumours, 23) Ibid. irritability, aggressiveness, and poor judgment. [24] 24) Gruber (2007). If developing a better physique is part of your New Year’s 25) Martins, Tiggemann, & Kirkbride (2007). resolution, plan a strategy for yourself that is healthy and well-intentioned. The ideal male body is unattainable for most men [25] and it will simply ruin your mental and physical well-being if you push yourself too hard. If you are new to body sculpting, consider paying for at least a consultation with a personal trainer (most gyms have them) to get instruction on how to begin at an appropriate pace for you. I will forever want the ripped abs, but I also am not going to deny a glass of beer with a friend to achieve it. “All things in moderation” still strikes me as a good motto to follow in life. Dr. Alderson is an associate professor of counselling psychology at the University of Calgary who specializes in gay and lesbian studies. He also maintains a private practice. He can be contacted by confidential email at [email protected], or by confidential voice mail at 605- 5234.

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 39 A Year Of Transgression The Quest to Pee, Searching For a UnitedENDA, Transphobia Strikes Even the Hetero World

By Mercedes Allen Trans Identity This past year saw a diverse number of events in which gender variance made news. The roller- Women) – banded together in virtual unanimity: employment protection that did not include transgender people was simply not good enough, coaster ride shuttled between extremes of bigotry and selective inclusions were no longer an acceptable political tactic. and enlightenment at a breakneck pace. The 368 organizations that formed UnitedENDA.org sent a strong mes- ENDA sage about the validity of the transgender community as part of the gay community as a whole. Federal legislators attempted to make some civil rights strides, despite being under the shadow of a probable veto. One such bill sparked Incidentally, the single exception was the Human Rights Campaign, a debate that spilled out in ripple effect through the GLBT community which has had a long history of transgender exclusion. One HRC even beyond American borders. The Employment Non-Discrimina- President, Elizabeth Birch declared that transgender inclusion in the tion Act (ENDA) became noteworthy because transgender people were then-fl edgling ENDA would happen “over my dead body.” The HRC dropped from the bill at the eleventh hour, before it was taken to a vote. has since embarked on its “Project Win-Back,” enlisting spokespeople The bill’s sponsor, Barney Frank, argued that there would not be enough such as Susan Stanton, in an attempt to regain the veneer of being votes to pass the bill if it included transgender people, and that incre- transgender-supporting. mental progress was better than nothing. The transgender community More Trouble In The South feared, meanwhile, that “incremental progress” would mean that (as has happened often in the past) they would be left behind indefi nitely. • In Riverdale City, Georgia, incumbent transgender Councilmember Michelle Bruce was sued by opponents who claimed that she defrauded Most signifi cantly, the debate raised a number of sub-debates about the public by identifying herself as a woman. The judge tossed the transgender peoples’ place in the GLBT community. Some highlights: lawsuit out, but the accompanying press coverage was enough to cause • AmericaBlog’s John Aravosis wrote on Salon.com: “I don’t think Bruce to lose her re-election bid. the T was added because there was a groundswell of demand in the gay • Three state representatives made headlines when they made com- community that we add T to LGB. I think it happened through pressure, ments during a debate on the house fl oor in which they compared trans organizational fi at, shame, and osmosis,” an argument which forgets individuals to animals, among other things. that transsexuals were among those who touched off the Stonewall riots and the beginning of the gay rights movement, and were even politi- • 2007 saw a dramatic movement on both sides of the border among cally active before then, such as at Compton’s Cafeteria (1966). schools and universities to develop transgender-friendly policies and gender-neutral housing and washrooms. Fearmongers likewise retali- • Susan Stryker pointed out that there was a defi nite overlap in need ated, especially regarding washroom accommodations, raising the spec- between issues of sexual orientation and gender identity due to societal ter of young boys and girls peeing together and/or harassing each other emphasis on “heteronormativity, the idea that whatever straight people – even in those cases in which the “gender neutral” washrooms would do is really what’s what, and that whatever anybody else does is deviant be single-stall, with locking door. Safe2pee.org emerged as a catalogu- to some degree. To want to have sex with somebody of the same gender ing resource of gender-neutral washrooms everywhere. violates heteronormative expectations of gender behavior as much as it does heteronormative expectations of sexual behavior.” • The State of California opened a Pandora’s box of controversy with Senate Bill 777, which adapted the Education Code to accommo- • Lambda Legal wrote, following a reading of the non-inclusive date already-existing anti-discrimination laws and policies regarding version of ENDA, “We fear that defence counsel will argue, and some transgender students. Following a massive petition and political action, courts may rule, that a lesbian, gay or bisexual plaintiff was ’really‘ opposing lawyers for Advocates for Faith and Freedom and the Alliance being discriminated against based on gender nonconformity…in just the Defense Fund fi led a lawsuit in San Diego in order to prevent the legis- same sort of ways that courts have treated national origin discrimination lation from taking effect. Equality California and the Gay-Straight Al- as ’only‘ language discrimination that is not prohibited, race discrimi- liance Network then fi led a counter-motion to defend SB 777 and other nation as ’only‘ hairstyle discrimination that is not prohibited, and sex statutes that prohibit discrimination and harassment in public schools. discrimination as ’only‘ pregnancy discrimination that at the time was not prohibited.” The Media Goes Trans? But ENDA’s legacy to date is not in the legislation that passed The year saw an explosion of transgender representation on televi- congress and seems likely to die when it reached the President, but in an sion, particularly on the ABC network. Returning characters on overwhelming groundswell of support for the transgender community, Ugly Betty and The L Word were joined by new characters on All My both in America and further into the Western world. With one notable Children, The Riches, Dirty Sexy Money, Big Shots and Entourage. But exception, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and multi-inclusive there was much more: organizations all across the United States (plus some additional non-of- • Barbara Walters brought the struggles of transgender children to fi cial support from organizations such as the National Organization of light in a 20/20 news special entitled “My Secret Self.”

40 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 • MSNBC followed with “Born In The Wrong Body,” which also • Khadijah Farmer, a lesbian who had just participated in the New focused on transgender youths and was tied in with a Newsweek special York gay Pride parade was ejected from Caliente Cab Company by a on “Rethinking Gender.” bouncer who refused to look at her identifi cation. This occurred after someone complained that a man was in the ladies’ room. She later sued • Oprah Winfrey and Larry King both ran several episodes on the popular Greenwich Village restaurant. transgender people and related issues, lending a sympathetic ear. • An offi cial at the at Treorchy register offi ce accidentally entered • Quizzically, the news program 60 Minutes aired a dubious news newborn Ieuan James Jones’ gender as female rather than male, spark- item that focused on discredited author J. Michael Bailey and his latest ing a dispute which eventually involved the local MP. The event drew researches, which try to reinforce stereotypes of gay men as effeminate attention to some remaining diffi culties in permanently changing gender and transsexuals as being misguided gay men, by equating the two in a markers on birth certifi cates in the U.K. number of behavioural studies. The Canadian Connection • In the music world, rock band The Cliks released their debut album, launching out female-to-male frontman Lucas Silviera into the • A federal human rights tribunal ruled the Canadian Forces discrimi- spotlight. nated against transwoman Micheline Montreuil when they dismissed her application to become a grievance offi cer with the Forces in 2003. • Catherine Crouch’s short fi lm, The Gendercator, which predicts a future in which women undergo gender transition as a “cure” for • On December 12, possibly inspired by the ENDA debate in the lesbianism, raised controversy and was eventually pulled from the San south, NDP MP Bill Siksay introduced private member’s bills in the Francisco International LGBT Film Festival because of concerns of House of Commons to add gender identity and gender expression to the transphobia. hate propaganda section of the Criminal Code, and to add them as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Closets Are For Clothes • Ironically, the aforementioned bills were introduced by the NDP at The following people came out in the transgender world, or were roughly the same time that the party ejected Micheline Montreuil from outted: candidacy in Quebec, claiming that she was not a team player. Mean- • Julie Nemecek (formerly John), an ordained Baptist pastor and pro- while, she countered that the action was the result of other candidates’ fessor, was fi red from her job at Spring Arbor University in Michigan complaints of association with the well-known transgender activist. after obtaining her legal name change. She had been employed by the Into 2008 private Christian university for 16 years. With the riotous ride of 2007, it’s hard to know what the general • Susan (formerly Steven) Stanton, the city manager of Largo, Flori- direction will be for transgender and overlapping gay and lesbian issues da for 14 years, made news after it was leaked that she planned to soon this year. Positive media still appears likely, with development in even begin living as Susan Stanton. Despite Mayor Pat Gerard’s support, the the usually-tawdry world of reality TV – transgender activist Calpernia city commission voted to terminate her employment. Addams is set to appear in Transamerican Love Story, and promises to • Los Angeles Times sportswriter Mike Penner announced that he show more dignity and taste in the treatment of transgender people than would be returning from vacation in “yet a new incarnation, as Chris- has historically happened in that genre. But still, the ENDA debate is tine [Daniels].” not over, and closer to home some have asked whether EGALE Canada will take up the same supportive and determined stance as its American • Ann Gordon, a pastor at St. John’s United Methodist Church of counterparts. Baltimore City, made a decision to change gender from female to male, changing his name to Drew Phoenix. During the annual conference, Phoenix was reinstated and Bishop John Schol stated that The Book of Discipline did not prohibit transgender clergy from serving in the pulpit. • Olympic pole vaulter Yvonne Buschbaum quit athletics in order to begin hormone replacement therapy to become a man, boldly saying “I am aware of the fact that transsexuality is a fringe issue, and I do not want to be responsible for it remaining on the fringe.” The 27-year-old German athlete added that a recent injury had contributed to her decision. • Paul Schum, principal of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, PA was charged with prostitution-related offences after police found him dressed in women’s clothing, including fake breasts and fi shnet stockings, while on the way to a Halloween party. Though he was later cleared, the school board accepted his resignation. It’s Not Just About Transgender People Anymore 2007 saw a number of instances in which non-transgender persons were affected by issues of gender expression. • In Washington DC, Virginia Grace Soto, born biologically female, was deemed to be transgender based on what were assumed to be masculine features. She was housed with male inmates for several days before the error was corrected (despite having been strip-searched).

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 41 42 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 The Distress Centre Spread Some Late Holiday Cheer

By Allison Brodowski Community | Spotlight It is a sad thing to realize that the highest yearly suicide rates fall around Christmas. While the hol- The Distress Center relies on community donations, and the funds raised from their yearly Rocky Road Ride which in- idays can bring extreme happiness to those gifted vites motorcycle enthusiasts to try their luck at winning the with family and friends of any variety, for others it motorbike of their dreams. is a reminder of elements that may be lacking in You won’t hear a cry for help unless you take the time to their life. Factor in possible ﬁ nancial trouble and listen. Simply lending an ear or offering some sound advice the cold weather, it can prove to be an extremely could make a huge difference to those who are struggling to depressing – even fatal - combination. January cope with the pressures of life. has been shown statistically to be the second most The Distress Centre depressing month of the year. It is one of the cold- Main Crisis & Addictions Line - (403) 266-1605 est, and after the hype of Christmas it can leave Teen Line - (403) 264- 8336 individuals drained and yearning for the warmth Youth Drug Line - (403) 269- 3784 Men’s Line - (403) 266- 4357 of spring, or wallowing in ﬁ nancial woes Seniors Line - (403) 264-7700 At times like this it is important to remember that options Out is OK Line - 1-877- 688-4765 are available to help relieve the stress by offering a sympa- Family Violence Info Line – (403) 310-1818 thetic ear. www.distresscentre.ab.ca The Calgary Distress Center offers a variety of programs and hotlines to help in times of need. Their work has been changing the lives of Calgarians since 1970, allowing them to form long term partnerships with other community assistance based programs and organizations, forming a large resource center. The Distress Center now offers seven separate lines to meet the needs of various individuals in the community. The newest addition to the group is the Out is OK line, designed to serve the greater GLBT community. The line is primarily for peer support and counseling, and is not a community information hotline outside of related services. The program is still in its pilot year and is looking for volunteers. While it is manned 24/7, general volunteers often have to take over when peer volunteers are not available. Their goal is to gain a peer volunteer base to handle the line fully. Currently, Out is OK is manned by members of the community on Monday from 12pm to 5pm, Thursday from 6pm to 11pm, Saturday from 10pm to 2am, and Sunday from 5pm to 10pm. In order to volunteer with the distress center you are required to go through an interview process. During this, you can specify which group you are interested in working with, and your in-interview training will be directed for that stream. The Distress Center also offers counseling services which are accessible through their main line. The counseling offered is short term, focusing on the current situation of the client and moving forward. Counseling is offered in 12 languages and also serves three area high schools outside of the main building.

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 43 44 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Alpha-Q Volleyball

By Stephen Lock GLBT Sports One of the defi ning characteristics of the Calgary GLBT community is the way it has organized itself ous tournaments, including the Queen Vicky, throughout along recreational and social lines. Compared to other North America. urban centres in Canada, the Calgary community can “In San Diego there were four divisions, with 17 teams boast about having perhaps the most organizations playing in our division,” said TJ. Divisions are broken - over 60 at last count. down as AA (ex-National Team players and university players, therefore the elite division), A (University players And like any community, as a need presents itself, outside of the AA Division), BB (Intermediate level competi- someone forms a new group. tive players) and B (competitive). Alpha-Q is a BB level For many years, much of the sports aspect was covered team and came in fi fth out of 17 teams at the San Diego by Apollo: Friends in Sport. This enduring organization tourney. continues to fi ll much of its niche and has gone on to be- The team has six players, four of which live in Calgary. come well known throughout Canada and the US, especially with its annual Western Cup Tournament. Apollo has “We have a member who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, who also long included a volleyball league, Innercity Volleyball, we met at the Outgames, and another member who lives in which operates on a ‘drop-in’ basis every Sunday. Saskatoon,” TJ said. TJ Fedyk, a member of Apollo, the organization’s Social “The neat thing is, even though many teams in NAGVA Director, and Western Cup Director, along with a handful play in leagues all year round, and we obviously can’t all of other volleyball enthusiasts, thought a competitive in- practice together and just meet up at tournaments – it’s termediate team able to travel to out-of-town tournaments a killer commute from Phoenix and Saskatoon to Calgary was needed. Though they appreciated what Apollo had to –,we are able to read each other really well. We just seem offer when it came to volleyball, this was something the to have that connection with each other,” he said. Apollo ‘drop-in’ teams didn’t have. The result was Alpha- So far, Alpha-Q is a gay men’s team. However, this is Q. more by chance than design. “The drop-in is great, and a good way to meet new “It’s not easy fi nding women in volleyball, although at people and have fun,” said TJ, who is Alpha-Q’s organizer the Apollo Innercity drop-in we now have three women who and team captain. “But…Apollo’s infrastructure just isn’t come out to that,” he said. “And they’ve fi t right in with able to support traveling to places like San Diego or out to the guys who have been there forever.” TJ pointed out Vancouver.” that many of the NAGVA tournaments are mixed gay/les- “A few of us were able to go down to the Montreal bian/trans. Outgames last year and had so much fun there we decided Currently, the team is practicing for at least four up- to form a team that was competitive and could travel, coming tournaments and plans to go to the US Nationals hence Alpha-Q.” being held in Miami in May 2008, where between 200 and Whenever a new group is created that mirrors the func- 250 teams from throughout Canada and the US will be tion of an existing group, sadly one often wonders if it was competing. formed for some sort of “revenge”. Alpha-Q’s primary sponsor is Manhunt.net, a gay men’s “Not at all!” TJ is quick to point out. “All the guys cur- contact website based out of the US. rently involved with the team are also Apollo members, al- “We went with them because [similar outfi ts] already though Alpha-Q is a separate entity from Apollo. We also carry a pretty heavy sponsorship load and are always be- promote Western Cup when we are on the road.” ing hit up for sponsorships. We wanted to kind of stand Alpha-Q, while still a new team, has already gone to the out a bit, too. Manhunt has been great with supplying us Queen Vicky Volleyball Tournament in Vancouver, which is the t-shirts we wear and great swag to hand out like tees, held just before that city’s Pride. As well, they have com- and towels, and stuff.” peted in tournaments in San Diego, with plans to travel to Actual travel expenses such as air travel, accommoda- Irvine, Miami, and attend the Outgames in Copenhagen tion, the $400US tournament fee, renting a van, and food next year. and entertainment expenses, all come out of the members’ The team is also a member of the North American Gay own pockets. Volleyball Association (NAGVA), which sponsors numer- Continued on Page 45 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 45 Snowballs! A Gay Ski Weekend in Banff

By Mike Stansberry Community | Spotlight Gay-themed ski trips are rapidly gaining in popularity as gay men and women head for the roommate. hills for snow, shopping and socializing. Snow- How much for all this excitement? Well for $370 (taxes balls! is your chance to get away during January included), you get round trip transportation, two nights of 25-27, 2008. accommodation, and lift tickets at both hills. Your meals; drinks; ski equipment rentals or instruction, if needed are Organizers wanted to offer a low-cost weekend get- not included (although you will get a coupon for discount away right here in Alberta, as opposed to a week-long rentals). There are a few places remaining so sign up ski trip where costs might be higher. The fun begins on soon. Final payments are due January 10th, 2008. the round-trip party bus (yes, they have a liquor license), with movies, prizes, and entertainment. The bus leaves Snowballs! Edmonton on Friday evening with a quick stop in Calgary, For more information: and returns Sunday evening. Join the group for a week- [email protected] end in Banff, a leading ski resort with plenty of activities Mike - (780) 905-8180 for non-skiers, too. You’ll stay in comfortable 2-bed rooms Aaron - (780) 908-5151 at the Banff Inn, walking distance from restaurants, shop- Darren - (780) 235-4378. ping, and downtown Banff. Or visit the Snowballs! Facebook group. Downhill skiers will have two hills to enjoy. Lake Louise Mountain Resort has been awarded Gold in the ski/snowboard resort category in the 2007 Calgary Herald Readers’ Choice Awards. Sunshine Village offers over 3,300 acres of terrain on three mountains, with an average annual snow- fall of over 30 feet! Try your hand at snowboarding or even sign up for a lesson. Ski all you want, and there’s still time for other activities. Relax in the hot tub, visit Banff’s art galleries and shops, and then enjoy a terrifi c dinner with new gay friends. Saturday night, the group can dance the night away at the Aurora Nightclub with special guest DJ Jay Alpha-Q Volleyball - From Page 45 Toonfl ash. The team is, at the moment, “pretty much set” in re- “I remember my fi rst gay ski trip… it was a blast! I met gards to membership, said TJ. a great group of people, many of whom are still my friends today,” says Aaron Churchill, an organizer of the event. “However, if another team was interested in traveling we would absolutely lend a hand with that however we could,” Is it the right vacation for you? Skiers of all levels will he added. fi nd plenty of challenges and excitement in Banff, on both downhill slopes. Non-skiers who enjoy other win- While the arrangement with Manhunt, the details of ter activities, or who simply prefer a relaxing week in the which are confi dential, is “pretty good,” TJ said the team is mountains to the usual hectic holiday rush, are equally always open to additional fundraising efforts, and are will- welcome. ing to distribute promotional items, business cards, and swag for any group or business interested in having them Travelling alone? So are some of the people who have do so when they are out-of-town. already signed up. Prices are per-person, based on double occupancy, and they’ll do their best to pair you with a “We promote Calgary, and the Western Cup Tournament of course, like crazy when we’re on the road,” TJ noted. “Anything we can do to bring more people to Calgary, we’re open to doing it.” For more information on Alpha-Q, TJ can be contacted through the Apollo website www.apollocalgary.com or through the Western Cup website (www.westerncup.com).

46 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Where Else Can I Dance? Alternatives for Calgary’s LGBT Dance Crowd

By Allison Brodowski Community | Spotlight Not too many years ago there were a number of choices for gays and lesbians that wanted age” show - an opportunity for Calgary’s queer youth to come out and have fun even if they aren’t yet old enough to go out for a night on the dance fl oor. Metro to be permitted into 18+ establishments. However, a sec- Boyztown was the spot for men, Indulge was the ond show for the 18+ audience starts at 10:15pm, with a spot for women, and Detour had a good balance DJ spinning in between. All funds raised from cover go to of everyone. Nowadays the obvious choices are the Miscellaneous Youth Network, who works to provide few, and the question has been posed, “Where safe spaces for queer and trans identifi ed youth. The Soda else can I dance?” lounge itself features constantly changing acts from local band, to DJ’s and artists. For more information visit www. Let us begin our list with the closest event coming up miscyouth.ca or www.thesoda.ca. right away, this January 12th. The Alberta Rockies Gay Did you know that the basement of The Warehouse used Rodeo Association (ARGRA) holds monthly dances at the to be a bath house? The Warehouse has been the offi cial HillHurst-Sunnyside community center (1320 5th Ave NW) host for Pride Calgary’s after-hours dances for many years, – only a few blocks walk from the Sunnyside C-Train sta- and the club is considered an alternative bar in some tion. The building has a sizeable gymnasium used as the LGBT circles. The Warehouse features a large dance fl oor dance fl oor, with the whole set-up of lights and DJ. If you and a variety of music: Friday is electro, Funky Techno want to take a break, you can hang out in the main hall and house music, Saturdays the mix moves to Indie Rock, to chat with the other hot cowboys/cowgirls, or partake in Britpop, Retro and New Wave. The Warehouse remains the free food prepared by MP Catering. These dances help open until 7am with a DJ swap happening at 3am to put to raise funds to support the yearly rodeo, and occasion- some new music on More information is available on their ally feature costume themes. More information about website: www.warehousenightclub.ca. ARGRA and their future events, visit their website: www. argra.org. Broken City has events every day of the week with music ranging from hip-hop, reggae, indie, punk, jazz, and tech- The Eagle (424A 8th Ave SE) recently started hosting no. They have often been a friendly venue for LGBT bands Cabin Fever: a lesbian-run night of local DJ’s spinning to play, and also offer a full menu. Mondays feature DJs from 8:30 until 12:30pm every Thursday night. The con- PJ Party and Dynomite Dan; Tuesdays are Irie Tuesdays tact information for the group is available on Facebook. with Hip Hop, Drum ‘n Bass, Reggae, and Break Beats; Also keep an eye out for special dance nights with DJ Thursdays and Fridays have Live Music, and Saturdays WCDB, where all are welcome. Check the Calgary Eagle’s are jazz themed from 3-6pm. list of events advertised in this magazine for more information, or visit: www.calgaryeagle.com. Yes, the Eagle does The Republik is emerging in the Calgary scene as a serve food, but the kitchen usually closes 10pm at the queer positive space and alternative music haven, offering latest. local DJ’s and music. Some may still have fond memories of the old Republik which existed at the current location Money-Pennies (1742 10th Ave SW) is continuing with of Tequila, however they recently reopened in the Detour/ karaoke and dancing on Friday nights along with Name Arena space at 318 17th Ave SW. That Tune and more dancing on Saturday; DJ Curtis spins both nights. The kitchen is open until 9pm if you have the There are many opportunities within the community munchies. For more information about special events, see to go out and have a great time with friends, dancing the their website at www.money-pennies.com. night away. Supporting a local non-profi t dance can turn out to be a lot of fun, and a chance to meet new people. Apollo’s well known and well attended annual Western Change is good - it stops you from getting sick of your Cup Dance is happening March 22nd this year, with a regular hangout. So mix things up a little this 2008: try a dinner the previous Friday, but members of Apollo are also new venue, or revisit an old favorite. privy to smaller meet and greet dances outside of the main fare. This is a fun opportunity to meet and mingle with Calgary’s LGBT athletes and sportsmen, even if you’re just a fan. Visit the Apollo website for more information about upcoming dances and events: www.apollocalgary.com. The fi rst Thursday of the month features Calgary’s only drag king troupe, Fake Mustache dancing it up at the Soda (211 12th Ave SW). The fi rst show at 7:30pm is an “under

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 47 48 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Movie Review Blades of Glory, Testosterone, Kinky Boots

By Rob Diaz-Marino Review | Movie Blades of Glory (2007) This over-the-top slap- fi re, and tackling a severe stick comedy takes a look case of writer’s block, Sea- at the wonderful world of grave is desperate for clo- fi gure skating. It has the sure more than anything style of humor typical to – and it is eating him up Will Ferell movies – good inside. When he runs into for you if he makes you Pablo’s supremely bitchy laugh, but mostly he made mother at a comic art exhi- me groan in embarrass- bition, the woman attempts ment. to ignore him and then Self-proclaimed “sex on laughs in his face when he ice”, Chazz Michael Mi- demands answers. She chaels (Will Ferell) and boy does say, however, that prodigy Jimmy MacElroy she and Pablo are return- (Jon Heder) are competing to Argentina and that ing skaters in the men’s Seagrave will never see him singles. With infl ated egos, again. Hah, we’ll see about it is too much for the two that! of them to bear when they Seagrave takes time off receive the same scores at the championship and tie for fi rst work to travel to Argen- place. A brawl erupts between the two of them as they stand tina to track down his lost on the award podium – a public embarrassment that sees the lover, but his attempts to breach the house where Pablo’s two of them banned for life from men’s singles skating. mother is staying are met with speedy police and hired goons. After some much needed soul searching, MacElroy thinks He develops a wary friendship with the enigmatic Sofi a, of a loophole to get back into skating, but he needs Michaels’ who works in the restaurant across the street from Pablo’s help. The two of them are forced to get over their differences mother’s house. She seems to know something about Pablo as they make the outrageous move to compete together, in that she is not letting on. Little does he know that he is pairs skating. This shift of division puts them in the same becoming hopelessly entangled in an elaborate plot to keep arena with some stiff competition, namely the incestuous him from his past love – but for what reason? Getting to the brother and sister duo played by Will Arnett and Amy Poehler bottom of this mystery may very well be what Seagrave needs who are bent on keeping their title. to get the juices fl owing again, if he does not lose his sanity in the process. Michaels and MacElroy take advantages of their male on male team, inventing all sorts of crass and painful looking Additional perks to this fi lm are that Sutcliffe appears par- manoeuvres – everything from crotch-grabbing spins to skat- tially or fully naked at several points in the story, and we even ing 69’s. It’s uncomfortable even for a gay man to watch. If get an unimpeded glimpse of Antonio Sabato Jr.’s substantial you’re not in tears from all the silly humor, keep an eye out for manhood. Yowzers! cameos by famous fi gure skaters.

Kinky Boots (2006) Testosterone (2004) This heart-warming, feel- This gay-themed comedy/thriller showed at the Toronto good English comedy is a Film Festival. The ﬁ lm has several laugh-out-loud moments story about understanding but its convoluted plot will leave you guessing right to the end. one another and working together – a great view for Dean Seagrave (David Sutcliffe), a comic book illustrator, audiences both straight accidentally fell in love with and gay. Pablo (Antonio Sabato Jr.) who voluntarily swore to never Charlie Price (Joel Edg- leave him. This made the erton) is thrust into the disappearance of Seagrave’s job of running his father’s Argentinian lover that much shoe factory when the man more mysterious. passes away. The factory manufactures good-quality Cast out of his house by a men’s shoes designed to

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 49 Music Review Adagio, Songs of Mass Destruction, Sex Party

By Rob Diaz-Marino Review | Music “Adagio” by Dr. Draw I must admit that I Annie Lennox if it weren’t didn’t think this one looked for their frequent use in terribly promising, though drag shows. For instance, judging a CD by its cover is “Walking on Broken Glass” just as wrong as doing so is archetypical for me, but with a book. Adagio is an the containing album was absolute gem, and I really released all the way back mean that – my track rat- in 1992. After doing a little ings should be indication. bit of research I realized she The songs on this CD are has released a number of mostly instrumental, often albums since then, which I dark and haunting, lead by a masterfully played violin. The have been totally unaware music has an eerie depth to it, as if played in an empty con- of. However, Songs of Mass cert hall or a valley tightly enclosed by mountains. Rain sets Destruction is a hard-hitter the tone for the album with a tragically beautiful melody and that is burning onto the charts with a new vigor! overlaid voice clips that tell a simple but sad story. My favorites on this album were the more upbeat tracks like I got very excited when I heard Poleshko Pole…no, not “Love is Blind”, “Ghosts in My Machine” and “Coloured Bed- because there was a “pole” involved! This is their rendition spread”. The exception is “Dark Road”, which starts out slow of a very famous melody that I recognize, though I unfortu- and sentimental but bursts into a powerful bridge. “Coloured nately don’t know the name or composer of the original. I’ve Bedspread” is very sexual, as Lennox sings about “all the also heard the melody in Marc Almond’s “So Long the Path”, things I do on my coloured bedspread.” but Dr. Draw makes gives it quicker tempo, set the beat of a “Sing” was released as a single charity record for World marching drum. AIDS Day last month. She teamed up with 23 of the world’s Siberian Sonata creates an amazing atmosphere that made most acclaimed female superstar voices to raise money and my skin crawl. It is cold, dark, and lonely, but has an element awareness for the HIV/AIDS organization, Treatment Action of urgency. I visualize someone traveling through an oppres- Campaign (TAC). It’s catchy but quite different from the other sively cold winter landscape at night. tracks with a sound of gospel. Surprisingly, a number of tracks break the dark and de- This will make a ﬁ ne addition to the gay man’s music col- pressing theme. 6AM Vegas is joyful, Nostalgia brings back lection, and I’m sure we will also see the songs on the stage fond feelings, and The Party is upbeat leading to a frenzied pretty soon. climax. Track List: If I don’t stop now I might talk about every single song; each 1) Dark Road is so distinct and striking. If you have any inclination toward 2) Love is Blind classical or theatrical music, this album is an absolute must- 3) Smithereens hear! 4) Ghosts in My Machine 5) Womankind Track List: 6) Through the Glass Darkly 1) Rain 7) Lost 2) Poleshko Pole 8) Coloured Bedspread 3) Siberian Sonata 9) Sing 4) 6AM Vegas 10) Big Sky 5) Night 11) Fingernail Moon 6) Nostalgia 7) The Party 8) La Main “Sex Party” by Sex Party 9) Dancing on Tables This self-titled album is really not my cup of tea. The band 10) Head Cleaning classiﬁ es themselves as electro/indie, and has played gigs at 11) Adagio The Soda in Calgary and New City in Edmonton, along with 12) The Last Race making it onto CJSW and being featured in Edmonton’s See and Vue Weekly papers. “Songs of Mass Destruction” by Annie Lennox A youngin’ like me might not be familiar with the works of Despite these credentials I found the music and cross-talk lyrics to sound cacophonous, the beats hyper and irregular

50 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 and the electronic instru- last a man a lifetime, but alas, retailers are more interested in ments just plain annoying. the cash grab from cheap shoes that need to be replaced each If I had to compare them year. To make matters worse, Charlie fi nds that the buyer of to any other band I know, I a large order has gone into receivership, forcing him to lay off would say they sound most several loyal employees. like Le Tigre - particularly in “Deceptacon”. But fate hits Mr. Price over the head...literally. When leaving the pub one night, he comes to the rescue of what he Sadly I couldn’t listen believes to be a woman who is being surrounded by a group of to most of the tracks from punks with malicious intentions. In a fl urry to defend herself, beginning to end – the fi rst the drag queen swings her boot at the attackers, scaring them few minutes were enough off but accidentally knocking Price out cold in the process. to turn me off. Call me a square but I have trouble He wakes up in the drag room of Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), appreciating music when the large sassy drag queen rescued thanks to his chivalry. A there is little recognizable structure - though I can agree that brilliant idea dawns on him, as Lola complains about how it does make for an excuse to go ape-shit crazy on the dance women’s shoes are not built to hold the weight of a man. fl oor! Though Price’s lack of knowledge about Drag Queens is obvious, he enlists the help of Lola to develop a new line of boots I give the band extra points for their clever method of nest- for a niche market – sturdy, long lasting shoes for women... ing their bonus track. It is preceded by 57 blank, 4-second who are men. tracks to push the last track up to number 69. On the other hand, this makes it a nightmare for anyone who wants to rip There are many obstacles along the way. Meeting Lola’s the music to their MP3 Player (and I point to myself). Naughty demands are the easy part – getting the factory workers’ re- band, no track listing for you…sorry to say it would look spect and support is slightly more diffi cult, especially as Price pretty abysmal anyway. himself is unsure of his leadership. But the bigger trials are yet to come as Price’s fi ancée reaches the end of her patience, If this style sounds like something you might like, defi nitely and Price suffers a relapse of understanding for Lola’s drag check out their myspace page for more info and some rather lifestyle. bizarre pictures. Sex Party Movie rental courtesy of Zip.ca. Online DVD rentals carrying http://www.myspace.com/sexxxparty a huge selection of GLBT themed DVD’s as well as standard brand new releases, TV shows, classics and more. No Late Fees, No Due Dates, and 57,000 Titles. http://www.zip.ca BASH”D - From Page 12

“BASH’d! has a lot of elements that an audience can re- High Performance Rodeo - From Page 35 spond to. It’s a high-energy ’rap‘ opera, it’s a comedy, it’s a drama, it’s political, it’s a gay love story, etc. So we would have Ground Zero Theatre’s 10-Minute Play Festival – January 5th a variety of responses from our audiences. One minute they’re For the ninth year, Calgary’s rising theatre stars dive laughing, the next second tears are streaming down their headﬁ rst into 24 hours of caffeine-crazed, adrenaline- faces.” charged performance creation, emerging dazed but trium- This year marks the return for both Cuckow and Crad- phant with ten minutes of theatrical mayhem. The intrepid dock to One Yellow Rabbit. Cuckow’s amazing one-man show artists start with a single prop and a line of dialogue, and STANDupHOMO was a hit in 2005, while Craddock appeared fold them into snapshots of pathos and hilarity. Anything in 2005’s Faithless and his solo show Moving Along in the goes in this test of artistic masochism. The festival is hosted 2006 OYR season. Cuckow expressed excitement for both to by Doug McKeag and featuring the mad talents of the Down- be returning to The Big Secret Theatre. stage Performance Society, Ground Zero Theatre, Obscene But Not Heard, the Swallow-a-Bicycle Performance Co-op “We are thrilled to be back. Performing STANDupHOMO at and more! Brought to you by the company that brought you the 2005 rodeo was a career highlight for that show and me. I Urinetown, The Full Monty, and CockTales! was fortunate to work with OYR Co-Artistic Director, Michael Green, on some of the re-development of STANDupHOMO and One Yellow Rabbit was elated when he asked me to be involved in the festival. High Performance Rodeo OYR audiences are sophisticated and hungry for a challeng- January 2008 ing theatrical experience. They really got me and my show www.oyr.org bigtime and we really had a blast. Plus, I’m from Calgary originally and most of my family lives there, so it was a great opportunity to get some of them and my friends out, who normally wouldn’t make the trip up to Edmonton, to see my work,” he concluded. BASH’D! January 22nd – 26th, 2007 OYR High Performance Rodeo www.oyr.org www.homohiphop.blogspot.com

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 51 Queer Eye - Calgary & Edmonton Community Events this Month

Photos by Steve Polyak and Rob Diaz-Marino of GayCalgary.com Magazine Children’s Christmas Party at The Roost - Edmonton

52 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 EVM X-Mas Concert - Edmonton Guitarra - Calgary Men’s Chorus

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 53 Christmas Dinner at the Calgary Eagle Snowball Envy Dance - Edmonton

54 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 New Year’s Eve - Calgary Texas Lounge, Money Pennies, Twisted Element, Backlot, Calgary Eagle

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 55 New Year’s Eve - Edmonton Prism, Boots, Buddys, Woodys

56 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 Last Drag Show at The Roost - Edmonton

gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 57 New Years Closing Party at The Roost - Edmonton

58 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 gaycalgary and edmonton magazine #51, January 2008 59 Classified Ads

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