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Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence • BADinTO • Savoy Howe esented by PinkPlayMags www.thebuzzmag.ca Pr EuroGames Copenhagen’s Pride in Sports Olympics For daily and weekly event listings visit Toyko’s history in the making AUGUST 2021 / SEPTEMBER 2021 *** free *** 2 August 2021 / September 2021 theBUZZmag.ca theBUZZmag.ca August 2021 / September 2021 3 Issue #044 The Editor Publisher + Creative Director Greetings and Salutations, Antoine Elhashem th You’re about to delve into our first ever Sports issue. Unlike MEGA 30 EDITION CELEBRATION Editor-in-Chief other sports magazines, we’re here to spotlight the queerer Bryen Dunn MAJOR WORLD-RENOWNED LGBTQ PARTY FESTIVAL side of the games. Our two main features are on major Art Director sporting events taking place this summer, the EuroGames, Mychol Scully and the Olympics. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the games General Manager must go on. Kim Dobie The EuroGames are happening in Copenhagen, and are Sales Representatives exclusively queer in nature, Although competitive, there Carolyn Burtch are plenty of apres-sport activities as well, as WorldPride Events Editor happens simultaneously. Aaron Rothermund had the Sherry Sylvain opportunity to chat with the organizing committee, as well Counsel as some of the competitors. In our second feature, Melissa Jerry Herszkopf Law MacMullin takes a look at how diversity and acceptance are Feature Writers championing change in the once staunch atmosphere of Aaron Rothermund, Melissa MacMullin the Olympics. As athletes gathered in Tokyo this summer, Columnists many queer sports fans were tuning in to watch history Sister Teen LaQueefa, Cat Grant, Boyd Kodak, in the making as this year’s competition hosted the most Rolyn Chambers, Jon Pressick openly-queer number of participants ever, including the first Cover Photo: Chelsea Wolfe ©2020 Chelsea Wolfe transgender competitor. Published by We have a special Wigged Out guest columnist, Sister Teen INspired Media Inc. LaQueefa, the Reverend Mother of the Victoria House, Operating: INspired Creative, Publishers of one of the Canadian Chapters of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. As well, we welcome Rolyn Chambers as our BLACK&BLUE The Pink Pages Directory, PinkPlayMags, theBUZZ, and The Local Biz Magazine. Producers of On the Couch newest writer, who brings his long-standing, and much loved, MAIN EVENT ALL-NIGHT IN THE SAME VENUE www.theBUZZmag.ca Deep Dish column to theBUZZ. In keeping with our theme, he www.PinkPlayMags.com takes a look at the various queer films out there that reflect SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2021 www.thepinkpagesdirectory.com LGBTQ+ participation in sport. CANADIAN THANKSGIVING WEEKEND www.onthecouch.ca In our regular columns, Cat Grant spoke with local Toronto STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING DETAILS! STAY SAFE! Mailing address boxer and sports advocate, Savoy Howe, Boyd Kodak chatted 205-1691 Pickering Parkway with trans sports advocate Stephanie Shostak, and Jon WWW.BBCM.ORG Pickering, ON L1V 5L9 Pressick provides an insightful look into the world of Toronto’s PARTNERS AS OF APRIL 2021: 416.926.9588 queer badminton league, BADinTO. Finally, as Toronto begins IN THIS ISSUE to reopen for business, we’re hoping to have our Events listings return to the magazine in the near future. Until then, please continue to check online for the latest happenings. 06 EuroGames – Aaron Rothermund 09 Olympics – Melissa MacMullin We hope you enjoy our first ever Sports issue, and we’ll be 14 Wigged Out: Sisters of Perpetual back in October with a second issue as well! Indulgence – Sister Teen LaQueefa Bryen Dunn 16 She Beat: Savoy Howe – Cat Grant Editor-in-Chief 18 Deep Dishi: Queer Sporting Flicks graphisme et vidéo – Rolyn Chambers multimédia 20 A Kodak Moment: Stephanie Shostak TO BECOME AN OFFICIAL PARTNER, COMMUNITY rd – Boyd Kodak EVENT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION, 3 EDITION ORGANIZED OR VOLUNTEER : 22 Beyond the Village: BADinTO BY – Jon Pressick [email protected] INCLUDED 24 BUZZPicks Online – Sherry Sylvain ALBUM SOUVENIR XXX: SEND US YOUR BEST MOMENTS AT [email protected] 4 August 2021 / September 2021 theBUZZmag.ca theBUZZmag.ca August 2021 / September 2021 5 encourages other Asian LGBTQ_ athletes to live openly, and how just being visible can be a revolutionary act.” LêThi shares her story of feeling isolated during her immigration process at world-wide leadership Photo: Kelly Hansen Photo: Photo: Kelly Hansen Photo: conferences. It was a natural progression for her to then create multiple awards and scholarships as an alternative to college, providing career path training aimed to inspire under-employed, at risk youths. Her work includes educating and examining erasure culture within queer sports, providing a role model for other Asian athletes, of Brynne Courtesy Photo: Levy and breaking down boundaries regarding gender roles, specifically in bodybuilding. As the first Vietnamese internationally published health and fitness author, and the first Asian ambassador for Athlete Ally, LêThi provides her own positive narrative to mainstream media. “I’m excited to be an Athlete Ally Ambassador because it means I’m able to further amplify the message of respect, inclusion, and equality in sport,” LêThi says. “In partnership with Copenhagen 2021, we want to continue the work of eradicating homophobia and transphobia, which begins with in-depth programs aimed at educational institutions providing resources for EuroGames coaches, teachers, and mentors.” Copenhagen 2021 will be the host to the largest By Aaron Rothermund EuroGames ever presented with more than 5,000 male, female, and non-binary athletes competing, regardless of their level of skill or their nationality. Two of the most notable feats are the official mandate of trans athletes Physical sport is often the best careful consideration and flexibility in planning during competing in the category that matches their lived gender, Commonly referred to as “Silver Fish” by cheeky club a pandemic, the newly reimagined festival is expected and that various recreational categories include leagues members, Wollaston was recently acknowledged as the way to cross cultural barriers, to welcome thousands of participants advocating for for mixed-gender teams. 2020/2021 Blackhorse Catch of the Year for outstanding allowing individuals to make LGBTQ+ rights. Out of necessity, the organizers have also skill or leadership by a competitive athlete. The silver fox developed socially distant happenings, while navigating Sports to the People is an all-encompassing sports by design, and lawyer by trade travelled to Stockholm, group connections without new ways to engage audiences on virtual platforms. program taking place throughout the event, that Sweden to participate in Eurogames 2015. He was also encourages amateur and professional athletes to team captain when Triggerfish won a gold medal in the necessarily sharing a spoken A wide-ranging cultural program will be at the heart experience diverse sporting activities. These include recreational division in Rome for EuroGames 2019, and language. of Copenhagen 2021. The opening ceremony features Drag and gender performance, bicycle maintenance he was named MVP when they competed in Melbourne, speeches on human rights, debates on gender politics, and workshops, and roller-skating throughout the city to Australia for the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics and lectures on creating equitable spaces for refugees. Although pursuing athletics can communicate values and amplified electronic music. TheGood Morning Run, every Championships in 2020. activate communities, it frequently remains troublesome Athlete activism should also be expected, including morning from August 14th to 20th, will be a family- to queer players. mobilizing individuals and teams to voice their opposition friendly guided jog through Copenhagen, to introduce In fact, before becoming a member of Triggerfish, to laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ visitors to the city. Wollaston travelled to Denmark for another water- based Both Denmark and Sweden have been ahead of the curve people. The customarily expansive, WorldPride Parade has sport. “The last time I went to Copenhagen I was rowing regarding human rights, including the decriminalization been replaced by a series of six smaller marches to follow The Sports Leader Conference is a space for over 200 for the World OutGames in 2009,” Wollaston enlightened of homosexuality, legalizing same-sex unions, removing safety guidelines and celebrate queer visibility. sports leaders to share experiences, develop inclusive me. “I never felt welcome in many team sports, but “transgender” from the list of mental illnesses, and policies, and encourage political action. The conference I’m pretty comfortable in the water, and part of the fun providing gender confirmation surgery without prior When LGBTQ+ advocate and cultural change leader, will give LGBTQ+ organizations around the world, is being physical and social surrounded by my gay medical approval. Amazin LêThi, entered bodybuilding at age six, she concrete tools to improve their day-to-day operations teammates.” quickly noticed that the sport was dominated by CIS- Copenhagen 2021, taking place this month, is the through better understanding of the challenges that gendered white males. “I had very low self-worth and LGBTQ+ athletes are currently facing. For a sport that is traditionally dominated by white first timeWorldPride and EuroGames have been I lacked confidence, because as a child I never saw athletes, Triggerfish is a proud spectrum