FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE 100 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community
ONE ON ONE WITH MADONNA
Joan Rivers Takes off the Face
RuPaul Back to the Races
PLUS: Glenn Close Pride at Work Schools and LGBT Youth Scan to Read on ...and more! Mobile Devices Meryl Streep http://gettag.mobi Iron Ladies Business Directory Community Map Events Calendar Tourist Information STARTING ON PAGE 55 Calgary • Alberta • Canada www.gaycalgary.com 2 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Table of Contents FEBRUARY 2012 5 One Hundred Publisher: Steve Polyak Editor: Rob Diaz-Marino Publisher’s Column Sales: Steve Polyak Design & Layout: 8 Back to the Races Rob Diaz-Marino, AraSteve Shimoon Polyak RuPaul and her queens return for season 4 Writers and Contributors Mercedes Allen, Chris Azzopardi, Dallas Barnes, DaveDave Brousseau,Brousseau, SamJason Casselman, Clevett, Andrew Jason Collins,Clevett, 10 Living Positive brings Jeffery Straker to RobAndrew Diaz-Marino, Collins, Emily Janine Collins, Eva Trotta,Rob Diaz-Marino, Jack Fertig, JanineTodd Hamilton,Eva Trotta, Glen Jack Hanson,Fertig, Glen Joan Hanson, Hilty, Evan Joan Edmonton Hilty,Kayne, Evan Richard Kayne, Labonte, Stephen Stephen Lock, Neil Lock, McMullen, Allan Neuwirth,Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford,Carey Rutherford, Romeo 12 The Power of Pariah 8 PAGE SanRomeo Vicente, San Ed Vicente, Sikov and Ed Sikov, the LGBT Nick Community Vivian and of the GLBTCalgary, Community Edmonton, of Calgary, and Alberta.Edmonton, and Star and out director talk coming-of-age film – and how other LGBT Alberta. Photography teens can relate Steve Polyak,Photography Rob Diaz-Marino Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, VideographyB&J 14 Joan Rivers Takes Off the Face Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino Legendary comedian on her ‘other’ self, gay crushes and going lesbian Videography Steve Polyak,Printers Rob Diaz-Marino again with Babs Transcontinental Printing Printers 17 Rebranding, Fundraising, and North HillDistribution News/Central Web Calgary: Gallant Distribution, GayCalgaryDistribution Staff Celebrating EdmontonCalgary: Gallant: Clark’s Distribution Distribution AIDS Calgary Takes Steps towards a Greater Future OtherGayCalgary: Canada Staff Post Edmonton: Clark’s Distribution OtherLegal: Canada Council Post 18 Making a Better Workplace for Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors Legal Council 12 PAGE CourtneySales Aarbo, & General Barristers Inquiries and Solicitors LGBT Workers GayCalgary Magazine Sales2136 & General 17th Avenue Inquiries SW GayCalgaryCalgary, andAB, CanadaEdmonton T2T Magazine 0G3 20 100 issues, Thousands of Dreams [email protected] 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB, Canada Office Hours: ByT2T appointment0G3 ONLY 22 The Iron Ladies Phone: 403-543-6960 Out filmmaker directs Meryl Streep, who talks gay icon status – of OfficeToll Hours: Free: By 1-888-543-6960 appointment ONLY both herself and Margaret Thatcher Phone:Fax: 403-703-0685 403-543-6960 E-Mail:Toll [email protected] Free: 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 24 Schools and LGBTgazine Youth – E-Mail: [email protected] Month's Cover Main: Madonna, photo by Shaun Mader/ PatrickMcMullan.com,This Month's Top Right:Cover Joan Rivers, Making Itma Better photoCher and by Charles Christina William Aguilera Bush, courtesy Middle of Right: Sony RuPaul,Pictures; photo Annie by Lennox Mathu Andersen,courtesy of Bottom Mike Owen; Right: 26 2011: The Year for Trans Canadians Meryl Streep, photoRex Goudie. by The Weinstein Co.
Proud Members of: 28 The OutField 14 PAGE Jim Provenzano explores sports, sex and paraplegia
Edmonton Rainbow 29 Hear Me Out Business Association Kathleen Edwards, Joyful Noise 30 Deep Inside Hollywood HOW TO BE AN
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Houdini is happening with Hugh 31 Cocktail Chatter ALLY The Kir Royale
National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association PAGE 18 PAGE Continued on Next Page www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 3 Table of Contents
Continued From Previous Page 32 PUMPS UP THE JAM America’s Six Inch Obsession 34 Equal Marriage Equal Divorce Magazine Figures Monthly Print Quantity: 7,000–9,000 copies 36 GayTravel Guaranteed Circulation: 7,000 copies Ogunquit: Vacationland’s Glorious Little Gay Getaway Bonus Circulation: up to 2,000 copies
Readership 38 Jasper Comes Out To The Whistle Stop Readers Per Copy: 4.9 (PMB) Print Readership: >41,650 40 Glenn, Close Up Avg. Online Circulation: 150,000 readers Estimated Total Readership: PAGE 32 PAGE Albert Nobbs actress talks gender-bending role, her unexpected >191,650 readers bisexual turn and the possibility of her going lesbian – in real life Frequency: Monthly Proof of monthly figures are 42 Madonna Expresses Herself available on request. Gay icon relates herself to ‘strong women’ in new film, talks being an Distribution Locations: outsider and the latest era of her career Calgary: 160, Edmonton: 120 Other Alberta Cities: 15 Other Provinces: 35 46 Book Marks United States: 15 Jack Holmes & His Friend and Franky Gets Real Please call us if your establishment would 50 Queer Eye like to become a distribution location. History 52 Chelsea Boys Originally established in January 1992 as Men for Men BBS by MFM Communications. 53 A Couple of Guys Name changed to GayCalgary in 1998. PAGE 38 PAGE Independent company as of January 2004. First edition of GayCalgary.com Magazine 54 Bitter Girl published November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary 55 Directory and Events and Edmonton Magazine. February 2012 returned to GayCalgary Magazine
60 Classified Ads Disclaimer and Copyright Opinions expressed in this magazine 62 Q Scopes are specific to the author, and do not Keep your eyes open, Libra! necessarily reflect those of GayCalgary gazine staff and contributors. Those involved in the making of this ma publication, whether advertisers, contributors, or the subjects of articles Scan for Scan for or photographs, are not necessarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans. This magazine this Issue Latest Issue also includes straight allies and those who PAGE 40 PAGE are gay friendly. http://gettag.mobi No part of this publication may be reprinted or modified without the expressed written http://www.gaycalgary.com/RSS permission of the editor or publisher. Articles • Recent News • Prize Draws • Events • Travel Info Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. GayCalgary is a registered trademark. http://www.gaycalgary.com/Twitter MAR 2012 Print Deadlines Follow us on Twitter for articles, weekly news and updates! Ad Booking: Fri, Feb 24th http://www.gaycalgary.com/Facebook Submission: Mon, Feb 27th http://www.gaycalgary.com/FacebookFan In Circulation: Thu, Mar 1st Join us on Facebook for articles, weekly news and updates! Please contact us immediately if http://www.gaycalgary.com/i100 you think you may have missed the booking or submission deadline. PAGE 42 PAGE More articles and exclusive content online!
4 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Editorial One Hundred Publisher’s Column
By Rob Diaz-Marino, MSc. as we did with Edmonton would be even more awkward. When Steve and I were going through the early Rather than naming ourselves something ridiculous like stages of running GayCalgary.com Magazine, the “GayCalgary and Edmonton and Lethbridge and Red Deer notion of making it all the way to our 100th edition and Banff and Grande Prairie Magazine”, or changing our branding completely to something else, we decided to return was daunting to say the least. As a monthly magazine, to our company name and trademark in its simplest form 100 editions equates to 8 years and 4 months of (GayCalgary™) tagging on only the product suffix (Magazine). publishing. So still being around today to reach this We are GayCalgary Magazine and www.GayCalgary. milestone is no small achievement. com because we operate out of Calgary, and Calgary is our We can’t say the time went by unnoticed; the years of primary market. Our slogan is still “The Voice of Alberta’s doing this have definitely worn on us in different ways. A LGBT Community” because our scope of coverage and milestone of this magnitude made us seriously think, do our target audience are still across Alberta. Edmonton is we want to keep going with GayCalgary? We gave it hard included in that scope along with many other Alberta cities, thought, and even in light of some of the rotten situations but is no longer explicitly mentioned in the name of our we have been faced with, we decided that yes we want to product. continue. …And Edmonton? The other necessary question we considered was whether we have the energy to keep going exactly like we have been, For over 5 years, we have been going to great lengths to for another 100 issues? For us, the answer was definitely treat Edmonton as a pillar city of our publication – trying no. So we had some conflicts to reconcile. We needed to to interface with them seamlessly, as if we were operated as consider making changes, in some cases sacrifices, to keep much out of Edmonton as we are out of Calgary. Keeping things sustainable for us. this up was often exhausting if not impractical, especially In last month’s column I talked about some of the as event coverage was concerned. drawbacks of being so committed to your work, and hinted So we won’t lie. Moving forward, Edmonton is going to see that we would be announcing changes to our business a slight reduction in what we do for the LGBT community in strategy in this edition – changes that will allow us to move their city. Realistically we can’t make ourselves as available forward without breaking our own backs. for Edmonton events as we are for Calgary’s, simply for the 6 hour round trip drive. Reducing our commitment to GayCalgary Magazine Edmonton and bringing it in line with our commitment to One major alteration that is evident from the cover of this other Alberta cities is one change we are making to work edition is that we have returned to our original name - well smarter rather than harder. nearly, since we have left out the redundant “dot com” that Edmontonians will be seeing less of us personally was originally part of our logo. We will be moving forward because we will be making trips a lot less frequently to their with this slightly refreshed logo that reads “GayCalgary city. We’ll only be coming out to cover a few major annual Magazine”, dropping the awkward “and Edmonton” subtext. community events and any others that we have a personal GayCalgary Magazine is what most people have been calling interest in attending. us throughout our whole existence anyway. Otherwise we will be relying on the initiative of event I know there are some Edmontonians out there right now organizers and other individuals to notify us about giving a cheer because they felt a little insulted that our logo upcoming events and submit photographs for us to consider made Edmonton seem secondary to Calgary; though our for publication. So in most cases, as with other cities, options were restricted, we can understand that sentiment. the amount of Edmonton content that we publish will be We want GayCalgary Magazine to be flexible in its directly proportional to the amount of input we receive from ability to cover LGBT topics across Alberta, and not appear Edmontonians. limited to just Calgary and Edmonton. But to give other In the past we have relied on local photographers to help cities equal representation in the title of our magazine us out, in some cases regularly volunteering their time
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 5 like Jeff Park, Brian Baker, and Karen Hofmann; and in Online Last Month (1/2) other cases asking us to pay for their professional services like Jackson Photografix. We continue to be willing to pay Book Marks Edmonton-based photographers and writers to provide 96 Hours Edmonton coverage, and we’re still looking for people to 96 Hours, by Georgia Beers. Bywater step forward. Books, 224 pages, $14.95 paper. The plot Just a note on photo taking: to be considerate of individual is standard stuff. Erica is an emotionally... privacy concerns we ask that anyone taking photos with the intent of submitting them to us, ensure that they inform http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2685 everyone in their photographs of this intention, and respect any requests for their photos not to be used. Creep of the Week: David Usher Marriage between same-sex couples has, Furthermore, our sponsorship of Edmonton events will likely be a bit more selective. While endeavoring to to say the least, become a complicated support all non-profit groups in Edmonton is a noble idea, social issue. Mind you, it shouldn’t be... realistically there are too many for us to manage all at once. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2687 We need to concentrate on building stronger relations with groups that bring the most mutual benefit and exposure, Deep Inside Hollywood and leave it up to Edmonton businesses and individuals Is a major network ready to get behind the causes that they feel provide critical for Sarah Silverman? community support for their city (assuming the two sets are Did you ever watch The Sarah Silverman even different). Program? That thing was so gay it wound Finally, we made an executive decision to reduce the up on Logo after Comedy Central... Edmonton map in the Directory and Events area. With the changes that have occurred in the Edmonton community http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2691 since we first started publishing this map, today the majority of the space it occupies is unused. Hear Me Out Rihanna, Mary J. Blige Other Changes to the Magazine Rihanna, Talk That Talk Rihanna doesn’t We have been experiencing a general trend that our online beat around the bush – and that’s not downloads of the magazine are increasing while our pickups meant to be a dirty-minded pun, though... of print copies are proportionally decreasing. As the first http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2692 Canadian LGBT publication to offer full iPad support through our ISSUU flipbook reader, we expect to see this The OutField trend continue. The Year of the Gay There is no sense in printing copies in excess of the demand In schools, in the military – and especially for this format, and for that reason we have decreased our in sports – 2011 was The Year of the Gay. guaranteed monthly print quantities to 7,000 from 8,500. High school, college, even professional... Further, this reduction saves us a fair bit of money at the printers, enabling us to keep our prices affordable for print http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2694 advertisers. Creep of the Week: Rick Perry Being at the leading edge sometimes means we have to You don’t have to be a political scientist to cut our own paths through the jungle, so I feel it necessary recognize that Texas Governor Rick Perry to make a brief but important comment about the condition is an ignorant prick. But I’ve got to... of the publishing industry today: Much like how the Titanic made a grave error judging http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2688 the size of an iceberg only by what was visible above water, there are many consumers and agencies out there today who Thinking Out Loud: Holiday Outing continue to judge the value of advertising in a publication MTV Real World’s Ruthie talks with Abby purely on the number of print copies they circulate. Dees about surviving your family holidays. This is a problem when it comes to the direction that the If you ever watched MTV’s Real World: publishing industry is heading. While having a print edition Hawaii, then you know the out and rightly brings business clout, online circulation needs to be fabulous Ruthie Alcaide. Ruthie is a taken into consideration and given proper value too. Until poster child for the idea that being... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2695
Hear Me Out: Special LIVE Edition Adele, Beyoncé, Tegan & Sara Adele, Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall (CD/DVD/Blu-ray) Adele sings sad love songs, but when she speaks? The British... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2693
Book Marks 98 Wounds 98 Wounds, by Justin Chin. Manic D Press, 122 pages, $14.95 paper. Fierce. Funny. Filthy. Chin’s fiction debut... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2686
6 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Online Last Month (2/2) this happens, advertisers will continue to be lead on board with sinking ships – media that are going extinct because Creep of the Week: Chuck Norris they fail (or refuse) to innovate. It’s no secret that Chuck Norris is a We’ve witnessed it ourselves when submitting our physical force to be reckoned with. So if magazine details to large and respected media registries you’re gay, stay out of his way. Because that don’t allow us to factor in our online readership, even he doesn’t like you very much... though these statistics are just as provable and perhaps more accurate indicators of readership than the print http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2689 statistics that they require. This is just not acceptable in today’s world. Creep of the Week: Gov. Rick Snyder That off my chest, you’ll also notice some minor Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gave the rearrangements of our regular features. Most noticeably, middle finger to gays and lesbians in the the Find Out section has been shifted closer to the back state when he signed a bill on Dec. 22 of the magazine to be adjacent to the Classified ads and that yanks domestic partner benefits... cartoons. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2690 The GayCalgary.com Website Love and Intrigue the Canadian Way This is one way that we are returning to our roots. A 19th Century Tale is Revived GayCalgary started out solely as a website, and as we have at Pumphouse with Inspiration been concentrating on maintaining the print branch of our from Dan Savage business we haven’t been able to make much progress with “What happens when the boys at St. our web side of things. Mark’s and the girls of St. Anne’s join up We are changing that by making our website and to present a classic French tale...?” Joe online edition of our magazine the primary focus again, Slabe, artistic... with the print magazine being supplementary to it. Our website provides valuable services for LGBT businesses http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2696 and community groups across Alberta, many of them complimentary. We want to continue improving the CAST OF STARTREK: THE NEXT accessibility of what we currently offer, while developing GEN will come together for a special useful new interactive features. By doing this, we drive more reunion at the Calgary Expo traffic to our website and more readers to our publication, IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO that Star Trek: benefiting the advertisers that sustain us. The Next Generation ® revived... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n446 Continued on Page 48 Jake Andrews Uncensored: Andrew Christian’s Sexy New Model Andrew Christian’s newest model is Adult Star Jack Andrews. Below we have included the behind the scenes YouTube (Censored Version) and below that... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n445
KYLIE MINOGUE IS MARKING 25 YEARS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WITH A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS K25 BEGINS TOMORROW WITH A SPECIAL GIFT TO FANS ON KYLIE.COM Can you believe it has been a quarter of a century since Locomotion... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n444
IT’s Back!! Fake BBB Complaint Email makes Rounds in 2012 It’s back! An email scam using Better Business Bureau’s name and ‘Start With Trust’ tagline is flooding inboxes in Calgary this week. Emails purport... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n443
BEHIND GREGG HOMME’S PHOTO- SHOOT THE EYE CANDY SELECTION The power of seduction of the Montreal’s men strikes again: the GREGG HOMME’s fans recently discovered the new model Nick Gross and many comments... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n442
And more...
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 7 Back to the Races RuPaul and her queens return for season 4
RuPaul, photo by Mathu Andersen
By Jason Clevett drag makeover. Ru says she isn’t surprised that things have I was in San Diego in a restaurant back in January exploded from the show. 2011 enjoying some food and drinks, when the season “I have to admit yes. I am actually surprised that this premier of season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race came on hasn’t happened before. …Drag really breaks the fourth wall; the big screens. The bar was packed, and drag queens if this life we are living is a play that we are all playing roles, hosted and gave away prizes during the show. More drag breaks the fourth wall and says, Madam you know you than just a TV show, RuPaul’s Drag Race has become a are not who you are pretending to be. I am surprised more community event. people don’t embrace drag but I know why, because it tells on the ego. If you are in drag around a baby in a stroller, “I have to tell you I am most proud of that, to have a portal babies are so enthralled with the colour and shiny things, for these young kids to become famous and make money and the shapes and forms of drag. We are innately attracted to for bars to celebrate drag. The show was born of our love dressing up and colour.” of drag and the need to show people the art of it. I grew up with it and for a good time there it wasn’t celebrated, it Fans get invested into the queens on the show. Who can was the ugly stepchild of the gay movement,” RuPaul told forget Ongina’s emotional breakdown as she revealed she us. “To have these things happening on the night that it airs was HIV positive in season 1, or laughing at the celebrity is just brilliant for me. I love that it is creating revenue and impersonations in the “snatch game.” Everyone has their awareness, but on a deeper level I love that drag exemplifies favorite moments and react in different ways. When Raja what we are doing on this planet. We are actually, for lack of a was crowned champion in Season 3 my reaction was “What?! better word, god in drag pretending to be human beings. That No!!” based on her attitude and behind the scenes treatment is part of the reason why for years people wanted nothing to of others. do with drag because it shines a light on the fact that we are “Every year people are very emotionally invested and some all playing a charade.” are very upset with me. Some live and love the winner and GayCalgary Magazine caught up with RuPaul on the phone others like you are like no no no! There are a lot of reasons to get back up to speed on all things drag. RuPaul’s Drag for why the winner is chosen. A lot of the behind the scenes Race airs Monday nights at 9pm Eastern/Pacific, and the stuff, like in the interior illusions lounge, I don’t see until I show has also lead to two spinoffs: Untucked, a behind the watch it on TV. I am surprised sometimes by some of their scenes look inside the interior illusions lounge and goings behavior as you. It is solely based on how they work the on, and RuPaul’s Drag U which features women getting a challenges out and what ends up on stage, and my expertise of who has what it takes to take it to that next level. We are
8 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com looking for superstars,” Season 4’s cast may be Ru explained, adding that the craziest yet: unique she is often surprised looks from The Princess when she watches the and Sharon Needles to show. “When I see the classic beauty like Kenya girls they are always like, Michaels and Leshauwn Hey Ru!!! Hiii! When I see Beyond to comedic the dark side of the moon performers like Jiggly in the interior illusions Caliente. It shows the lounge it is like, Whoah, variety in the community. I didn’t know you had all “I don’t know how of that! There was one much we are representing point in last season when the gay community; we Alexis Mataeo and Yara are representing the Sofia both almost left the different genres of drag. show. I didn’t know that We are introducing happened. Watching Yara drag to people who have be her own saboteur, never heard of it or seen I saw it onstage when it. Each time we put she collapsed and just together a cast it has to couldn’t go any further. represent many different But on the actual body factions. In the case of of the show I could see this current season it is her own inner saboteur a little edgier then we’ve working on her earlier in done before. The kids the show and doubting this season are kind of herself. It was a very fearless in a way that painful study in the they are not concerned human psyche. That is with looking girly-girl but what makes the show with making a statement. so wildly incredible to We are going to get a watch, is that this is all lot of Gaga influenced about the human spirit performers in attitude and its need to shine and towards show business have colour and love and – a sort of fearlessness. beauty. That is ultimately They are crunchier and what keeps audiences more ‘monstery’ and coming back.” not afraid to be ‘not so It is fun to also see who pretty’, but still pretty will appear as judges on amazing.” the show. On a recent Season 4 kicked off tour stop in Calgary, with the “RuPocalypse” Henry Rollins talked featuring zombies and a about his experience RuPaul, photo by Mathu Andersen post-apocalyptic runway judging the show and look. The challenges are how he found himself unique, nervy, and take a attracted to one of the queens. This season has a list that lot of talent. Behind them lay lessons not only in being the includes the likes of Elvira, Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Love next drag superstar, but in a lot of ways, life. Hewitt, Kelly Osbourn, and Dan Savage. “The challenges always start with what is underneath the “The judges as with all people in show business understand hood psychologically. Every single thing the girls have done that we are all drag queens – once you get onstage you are on our show I have had to do in my career to make it work. one character and offstage another person, the one who Beneath it all we are looking to create situations where a wipes the babies nappies and gets the dry cleaning. The psychological process happens and see who these people are judges get to share their experience and expertise in the art and what they are working with. At my house I have a lot of of duality. I have known Henry Rollins for many years and he games nights and new people come. One of the reasons I love is one thing onstage in Black Flag and offstage a lovely, lovely to play charades is because on the spot, with a timer going, a human being. Talk about duality and knowing how to judge person has to make the choice whether or not they are going what it takes to have a career where you are one thing on and to make a fool of themselves and win at this game, or hide something else off stage. By the way I am sure the queen he in their insecurities and let the time go by. We are creating was talking about was me!” situations on the show which challenge each performer to With the show’s success they get thousands of video really go for it or not. In this world if you are going to be applications. Few actually make the cut for consideration. here you have got to be willing to make a fucking fool out of “It is very easy. Everyone who has a wig and a pair of high yourself to get what you want done.” heeled shows thinks they can be on the show. The truth is we are looking for showgirls who have already proven themselves in clubs with the ability to become producers, artists, visionaries, marketing people, designers, because if RuPaul’s Drag Race you are a showgirl you have to be all of those things. That really narrows it down. Once we get a good 20 people which Monday Nights on OUTtv is very easy to do, then it becomes about what the ensemble will look like as a whole. There are times when we have had http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2698 someone who didn’t work in the ensemble and we brought [them] back the next season.” View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 9 Event Living Positive brings Jeffery Straker to Edmonton
By the Board and Staff of Living Positive
Living Positive (LP) has been around for a very long time. It has had a long history within the LGBT community; both members and supporters have come from within it. Living Positive has faced internal and external challenges during the past decade. The darkest hours left LP with no ongoing support from ACCH (Alberta Community Council on HIV/AIDS). With casino revenues being the only ongoing source of funding, the fiscal constraints required downsizing to a size that could be accommodated within a sub-let space. LP partnered with Planned Parenthood Edmonton, now called OPTIONS, who provide a new space to offer its key service and focus on rebuilding. But the struggle was not yet over for LP, as it was still unable to engage its members and supporters to rebuild. OPTIONS took a non-intervention approach in attempts to support the re-generation process. This meant it would advise and support but not intervene in the organization’s decision making processes. When LP was stricken from Alberta Registries Corporate Registry for failing to report, Larry Brockman, Executive Director of Options Sexual Health Association, stepped in to the Position of President to provide direction and stability for Living Positive. Although Larry sees his involvement as temporary, he is committed to seeing Living Positive through, in his words, a rebirthing process. Living Positive’s mandate and mission has always been - and continues to be - to provide support, education, and outreach to HIV positive people through and by HIV positive peers. For over two years, Curtis Branston filled the roles of program coordinator, educator, peer support and outreach person, until a few years ago when he left Edmonton to pursue other endeavours. Unable to fill his role but being committed to Living Positive, Curtis stepped into the role of Vice President of the Living Positive board. It is Curtis’ goal as an active member of the board to revive the former newsletter of Living Positive, to help build the Jeffery Straker membership, to continue as a HIV positive educator and to offer valuable support and insight to the current LP staff and volunteers. Maggie McGinn was a former Executive Director for Living Positive, to create a membership as well as volunteer base to be able to handle who has and is still committed to the rebirthing process of Living demand. Living Positive is working to maintain stability and consistency Positive. She now sits on the board of the organization while pursuing through offering regular office hours throughout the week. Phone educational goals to further her career. The newest member to the Living calls are also forwarded whenever possible, after hours, so that Living Positive board is long-time HIV activist within the Native communities, Positive is accessible when needed. If you have questions, concerns, Ken Ward. Ken has joined the board on the condition that he is actively want to volunteer, or join Living Positive, please call Carl the Program involved in the rebirthing process, that he be able to continue to make a Coordinator. His office is located at Options and he can be reached by difference and continue to be a voice in the HIV positive community as phone at 780-423-3737 (ext. 209). Ask for either Carl or Living Positive. well as for Native people. Living Positive has survived this long due to the commitment of Early last year Living Positive put out a call for a program coordinator, many people past and present, and it will continue as long as there which was answered by Jordan Tarini. Jordan worked hard in a lot are committed members. HIV and AIDS is still a global concern and of areas, most notable was his involvement in the Scotiabank AIDS there are many people living with HIV/AIDS in Edmonton who need to walk with HIV Edmonton, where Living Positive became the top non- work together to support one another. Working together is necessary corporate fund raiser for Edmonton. Jordan also created the current to achieve the eradication of stigma and discrimination, and to prevent Living Positive Facebook page, which has over 300 members and still the spread of HIV through awareness and positive prevention. Living continues to grow every week. It has been Living Positive’s biggest way Positive is a place of hope and support for HIV positive people and PLWA of communicating as of late. Due to personal circumstances, Jordan (People Living With AIDS). chose to leave Living Positive, causing a vacancy that has only recently been filled. Carl Scott joined Living Positive as the Program Coordinator with a lot of vision, passion, and energy. His focus and mandate is to build an HIV Living Positive positive peer support network and community with a speakers bureau #50, 9912 - 106 Street and support and outreach groups and teams, all to evolve as needed Monday to Friday, 1:30pm to 4:30pm and as LP is able to support. Carl has continued the work started by Jordan and is building on it and creating new vision and direction for Carl Scott: 780-423-3737 (ext. 209) Living Positive. Identifying as an Aboriginal Canadian and as a gay man, Carl hopes to reach out to these two populations, but also seeks http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2699 to create and maintain support for all positive people in Edmonton, as is needed, or as peers are able to offer. Currently Living Positive is working View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
10 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com
January 19, 2012 Dear Steve and Rob, GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine Wow, 8 years later and here you are! I do recall when you started this magazine those many 2136 – 17th Avenue SW years ago, you set out to make it a community magazine that would talk about the happenings in Calgary, AB T2T 0G3 Calgary, and later you included Edmonton too. Dear Steve and Rob: Both of you raced from one event to another to make sure that you got coverage for the community to see what was going on. Earlier on you did this all on FOOT.Talk about Congratulations on your 8th Anniversary and also on the celebration of your 100th edition! Community spirit! The Edmonton Pride Festival has been proud to work together with GayCalgary and Edmonton From the inception of GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine one thing you have always made Magazine as a sponsor of the Festival. We appreciate your support and your assistance in sure of was that you included all Community organizations and the ISCCASA has been there promoting our event and also the community year after year -- it certainly shows in your with you from day one. unlimited coverage of the numerous events held in Edmonton and around the province.
th On Behalf on the College of Monarch of the ISCCA and the 35 Imperial House, TMISM We wish you continued success and all the best! Emperor 35 Chris Tron and Empress 35 Makayla Quinn St Asia, TMISH Imperial Crown Prince and Princess Royale 33 Bull Dozer Bishop-Towers and Ruby Harte Bishop-Towers, TMISG Imperial Grand Duke and Duchess 23 Darktier Knight and Lucy Fur along with this years Entertain of the Year HISM Empress 32 Nina Tron Sanoir we would like to congratulate GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine on the 100th issue of your magazine. Colleen Sutherland and Warren Becker, Co-Chairs We wish you many more successful years of publication! Edmonton Pride Festival Society
Signed, President of the Board 2011 – 2012 Decade Emperor 26 of Calgary Emperor 35 ½ of Calgary Emperor 21 ½ of Regina Saskatchewan Dion Boink Bishop-Towers Sanior Aka Dion Belanger
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 11 Interview
Focus Features
in that, but her struggle is how to be. Her struggle is a more nuanced struggle of gender identity within the queer The Power of Pariah community. She’s not the same person that (her friend) Laura is, neither is she this pink princess that her mother wants her to be. She falls somewhere in between. Finding Star and out director talk coming-of-age the courage to carve out that space is her journey. It’s a story that people will be able to relate to. film – and how other LGBT teens can relate Adepero Oduye: It’s a very specific story, but it’s so universal. You don’t have to be young, black or gay to get By Chris Azzopardi something from this film, and, since Sundance, that’s what we’ve been seeing from these screenings and Q&As. For Just a girl looking for her place in the world isn’t an all- people who are either black or gay, I think they’re excited too-uncommon tale. But Alike is black. And gay. to see themselves reflected up on the screen. That’s always It’s a minority double whammy that singles out the powerful and exciting. Brooklyn teen from the rest of the world, so she seeks GC: What’s your advice to young people who, like Alike, acceptance in gay bars – and, because she’s not definite are struggling with their sexuality? in her identity, doesn’t find it. Alike (pronounced “ah-lee- DR: That it’s OK to be yourself; that people can change. kay”) is the epitome of a Pariah, the name of out director When I went through my coming out process, even though I Dee Rees’ personal – and very powerful – indie film. A hit was an adult – I was paying my own bills, I was independent on the festival circuit, Rees’ real-life-inspired story finds – but my parents weren’t accepting, and we had a tough the universal thread in navigating Alike’s journey to self- time for a couple of years. I never thought they would turn actualization and the power of loving yourself first. around, but they saw this film and said they loved me and Rees and Adepero Oduye, who plays Alike, spoke recently that they were proud of me. about their advice to LGBT teens, getting into character at a So people can actually change, and in the interim, find lesbian bar and the reason “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” was other people who love you. During that time is when I found perfectly inappropriate for the film. the closest friends in my life now. Maybe I wouldn’t have GC: How would you break down Pariah and the character been open to those friendships if I hadn’t been going through of Alike? such a tough time. It was an experience that transformed Dee Rees: It’s just, of course, a story about identity. me. Alike’s a woman who knows she loves women, and is sure
12 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com AO: Yeah, the process of accepting and loving yourself GC: So you don’t believe in labels, and neither does Alike. is the most important thing. If you can do that and find DR: No, no. This film is about not checking a box and people who support that, it’s amazing what will happen not having a label. To the extent that someone identifies when you get to a place where you truly do love and accept and feels a certain way, absolutely feel free to call yourself yourself. People will turn around and things – they might whatever is true for you, but it’s also OK not to. be challenging and the road might be a bit rocky – but they GC: How did Dee’s coming out experience inform your will get better. character, Adepero? GC: Dee, the hardest part of coming out for you was AO: We just talked. She made it very clear that anything finding acceptance within the gay community. You struggled I had on my mind I could ask her. I asked a whole bunch with finding your place, right? of questions and she was very awesome at answering and DR: Yeah, when I first came out it was weird. I would go talking about things that, I don’t know, might not have to the clubs and have on a turtle neck and jeans, and I felt been super comfortable (both laugh). But I never got that like I wasn’t hard enough to be butch, and then I wasn’t soft sense, because I just kept on asking! Doing that developed enough to be femme. So I’d go and felt ignored – and like this relationship based on trust, which allowed me to go to I needed to identify a certain way. Other women I met who places that aren’t necessarily the most comfortable as an were like me were different on the gender identity spectrum, actor and just as a person. too. GC: What question made you most uncomfortable, Dee? I think the community is more open to this idea that we DR: (Both laugh) I don’t remember. Oh god. I think, you don’t have to check a box, we don’t have to create these know, we talked about Alike’s level of sexual experience and binary roles from hetero culture, and so that for me was an that Alike is a virgin and how she might be feeling and I don’t opening experience. I’ve met a lot of women along the way know – there was nothing that was totally uncomfortable. I who feel free to express themselves however is authentic for mean, as an actress I’m asking her to do something that’s them, and that’s what I had to discover and what Alike, in very uncomfortable. It’s probably more uncomfortable to do this movie, comes to discover. Continued on Page 47
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 13 Joan Rivers Takes Off the Face Legendary comedian on her ‘other’ self, gay crushes and going lesbian again with Babs
Joan Rivers, photo by Charles William Bush By Chris Azzopardi GC: You’ve been doing press interviews for a long time. You must get Joan Rivers has never been one to question her actions. the same questions. What are you sick of talking about? But today, she’s doing just that: “I’m listening to Katy JR: No, you get different questions because they come from different Perry and I don’t know why.” people. It’s like an audience: always different every night. That sounds Besides being a firework herself, Rivers has little in common with funny, but it’s true. the ubiquitous pop tart. There’s this, though: They’ve both kissed a GC: What are we in for with the second season of Joan & Melissa: girl and – as the legendary queen of snark (and facial reconfigurations) Joan Knows Best? admits in our recent chat – liked it. So much, in fact, that she’d be up JR: There’s an uber-WASP friend of ours who turns Jewish; Melissa for some more lez loving. But for now Rivers is focused on promoting breaking up with the boyfriend; taking (my grandson) Cooper to New her wacky reality show, Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?, now in its York, and he gets lost. All of which is true. Things happen that are just second season on WE tv. fabulous. If you liked the first season of Joan Knows Best?, you’re going In our interview, Rivers dished on the new installment (what if her to love the second season. daughter Melissa actually were a gay man?), how her humor’s always GC: You get more plastic surgery during the first episode, been “gay,” and her face – before she redid it. Skintervention. And Melissa does not approve. GC: I’m a big fan – but I’m sure every gay man tells you that. JR: No, she totally doesn’t. But you know, it’s a business where we JR: No, no. No gay men tell me that. all have to look good. You look at anybody – I mean, Jane Fonda running GC: I don’t believe you. around with a whole new face and body and pretending she’s done that JR: Well, every now and again. through eating apples? You wanna go, “Oh stop it!” GC: You know, I’m glad this isn’t a face-to-face interview because, GC: You didn’t get that face from eating apples? since you’re a member of the Fashion Police, you wouldn’t approve of JR: I got this face from eating artichokes and apples and having a my outfit today. great diet. Yeah, right. All the above – plus a great doctor! JR: You wouldn’t approve of what I’m wearing right now, either! I’m GC: And the freebies you take from hotels. wearing a stolen hotel bathrobe. One of those white bathrobes that say, JR: That helps, too. That makes you happy. “Don’t take these.” Somewhere along the line I did. GC: What do you think you’d look like without plastic surgery? GC: Do you always take things from hotels? JR: I imagine I’d look a lot like my sister, and that worries me – JR: Yes. Always those little shampoos, little soaps, all those cute little because she looks good! (Laughs) things. Sewing kits – you can’t get enough of those! (Laughs) GC: You’ve wasted all that money, Joan. GC: Which celebrity needs a little more gay fashion influence, and a JR: It could well be. I could have myself really nice outfits. little less? GC: What don’t they tell you about plastic surgery? JR: Oh, I don’t know. Every week it changes so much and Melissa (Rivers), the exec producer, throws a hundred pictures on the table and JR: Oh, I don’t know. I don’t listen. I have a friend who wanted to know you start from scratch again, so it’s always changing. everything the doctor was going to do. I don’t want to know. He doesn’t
14 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com ask me how I write jokes and I the wrong business. Go work at don’t ask him how he operates. The Kmart and no one will care and less I know, the better. you can have the most private life GC: Right. That’s with a lot of of anyone in the world. things. Like Katy Perry. GC: In the ’80s you became JR: I’m trying like hell. She’s the permanent guest host on The very pretty but I don’t get the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. music. Why don’t we have a woman hosting a late-night talk show on a GC: You’re not in a teenage major network currently? dream? JR: Because there just isn’t JR: No, not in a teenage dream. anyone good enough. Somebody (Laughs) that was great would be on. I don’t GC: What do you listen to? know what that means, but that’s JR: I hate to tell you: show what it means. tunes. You could sing it and I could GC: How about Kathy Griffin or tell you where it’s from. Yeah, Chelsea Handler? show tunes my whole life. My Chelsea: I’ve never seen housekeeper goes, “Ew, here comes JR: so I have nothing to say about the score of Bells Are Ringing. Err!” her. Never watched the show but GC: Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows once and I thought, “This sucks.” Best? is in its second season and – And I don’t know if Kathy would JR: It’s done. Thank god! But want to do it, or even has the things never stop happening, that’s right equipment for it. It’s a very the trouble. different hat to put on. GC: With you they don’t, GC: So you’re saying it has because you’re a workaholic. nothing to do with gender but JR: Yeah, you’re right. I just rather talent? went down to Williamsburg, Va. JR: It’s the talent. That’s why I with Judge Judy and I thought, think Jimmy Fallon is genius. He’s “Where are the cameras?” It might got what Carson had. He’s a fan, he be in the third season. Things are lets his people be funny; he doesn’t always happening. compete with his guests, and he GC: You recently joked about just sits back and lets the guest do wishing you could replace Melissa it. He’s amazing. with a gay son. How would the GC: What about Ellen reality show be different if that DeGeneres? were true? JR: Ellen is the most boring JR: Well, it’d be a lot of different. white woman in the world. We’d have a whole episode devoted GC: But the most exciting to Judy Garland. There’d be lesbian in the world? nothing to discuss here. JR: Oh, that’s right. I forgot GC: Maybe even a whole season. about that. One of the funniest JR: A whole season on, “Was episodes of her sitcom was when Judy happy?” she announced it by mistake over GC: What does Joan know best? the microphone. JR: Being a good grandma. GC: When I saw your 2010 (Cooper) will appreciate me after documentary, A Piece of Work, I I’m dead a lot more. Right now I’m was really surprised by how much grandma, but later on when he’s of a softie you can be. in college with his friends, he’ll get JR: Everybody is. You show so how fun grandma was. She was… many different things on stage. My not cool – that’s the wrong word – act is one kind of talk. In real life, I but she was crazy. can be something else. We’re all so GC: Is anything off limits when different in different ways. the cameras are rolling? GC: So what’s Joan like off- JR: No. If you’re going to do a camera? reality show, you have to show your JR: I like to cry a lot. real reality, otherwise it’s gonna be GC: What makes you cry? stupid. And they know, people are What doesn’t? Christmas not that – well, I shouldn’t say that, JR: carols make me cry. because look at the Kardashians. So people are not, usually, that GC: In Driftwood, you played stupid. Barbra Streisand’s – GC: Anyone you won’t make fun JR: Lesbian lover! of? GC: Would you go lesbian JR: No. If you’re in the public again? eye, you’re in the public eye. And JR: If Babs is available. She was you have no right to say “I’m off an amazing kisser! We still both Joan Rivers, photo by Charles William Bush limits.” Nonsense. Then you’re in
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 15 laugh because that was our first scene – for both of us. She was still in high school. GC: You were aware of your gay following early on, while performing at clubs in Greenwich Village. Why did you connect with gay people so instantly? JR: I didn’t purposefully connect with them. It was always there. I worked all through college decorating Lord & Taylor windows, and all the window display men were gay. We loved each other. I think my humor has always been a gay kind of humor. Gay humor is the smartest humor in the world. And gay audiences make a show. If I look out in an audience and there are six gay men in the front row, I know we’re going to have fun tonight. GC: You used to get a lot of flack for some of your jokes – especially ones about AIDS. Is it easier to joke about taboo topics like that now? JR: Oh, of course. But that’s the way you get people to pay attention. You know, I did the first AIDS benefit when it was still called “gay pneumonia.” We were in such danger that we had men on stage carrying guns because we got death threats. GC: You ruffled some feathers recently when you told the Advocate that gay actors should stay in the closet because they were committing career suicide. JR: You are. If I knew Tom Cruise was gay when I was a 7-year-old girl, that would’ve been it. I would’ve put my fantasies on somebody else. GC: Tom Cruise is gay? JR: Oh, I don’t think so. Do you? GC: You tell me. You’re the celeb guru. JR: I don’t know. You hear so many rumors circulating. But I think in certain professions you can’t come out and be America’s romantic idol. Ricky Martin was brilliant in how he handled his career.
GC: But with the social climate changing, do you still believe that to be true? JR: You’re not talking about that. You’re talking about somebody that young girls are going to pay money to see and fantasize about. I think it’s a very difficult position for somebody to be put in. It’s unfortunate, but it’s life. When I was a child, I was madly in love with an actor named Van Johnson – mad about him, had his picture up. In third grade I did a whole notebook on Van Johnson. Then I grew up, he was still adorable but he was gay and he was wearing mascara and I thought to myself, “If I had known then, I wouldn’t have loved Van Johnson. I would’ve fallen for John Wayne.” So I think it’s a very difficult choice for an actor to make if he’s going to make his living as a romantic lead for young girls to adore. Or women. Well, men like to challenge women. Men love to challenge a lesbian: “Oh, I could turn her around.” That’s a good challenge for a man. GC: As someone who’s had a gay following for years, what do you think of people claiming that Lady Gaga and Kathy Griffin pander to gay audiences and aren’t actually genuine? JR: I don’t know and I don’t care. How about that? Couldn’t care less. I worry about myself. I love my gay audiences. They’ve been with me forever, they’ll stay with me forever, and I’m very happy. It’s that simple.
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16 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Event Rebranding, Fundraising, and Celebrating AIDS Calgary Takes Steps towards a Greater Future
By Dallas Barnes Outreach and referrals and advocacy. The Bow Valley Cares AIDS Calgary is in the process of taking a crucial step Centre, located in Banff, offers prevention information and towards showing its patrons and partners what services referrals, free condoms for men and women, workshops and they provide and how they evolved since their inception outreach. in 1983. By rebranding themselves in time for their AIDS Calgary is looking for some help in its rebranding estimated rebrand launch at the AGM in June, AIDS process and would love to hear from clients, partners, and Calgary is hoping that the name will reflect the current community partners about their thoughts on the transition. status of its services and to appeal to everyone connected There is currently a survey on the AIDS Calgary website to them. that asks the public questions that will be useful to the On their website they state, “We can’t ignore the fact that organization. The survey runs until the end of February, HIV/AIDS exists, and that there is still no cure for this and serves an integral role in AIDS Calgary’s mandate. disease. But there are many things we can do to prevent “We would like to take a look at the third-party run survey its spread and make life better for those who are infected to guide our decision making process and enhance our and affected. At AIDS Calgary we promote the healthy visibility,” says Carter. “We will use this information and choices people can make to reduce their risk of getting or the focus groups that we are planning to create to determine spreading HIV/AIDS. We provide information and resources where we need to be.” on practicing safer sex, wearing condoms and avoiding AIDS Calgary has another first coming up in February, behaviors or situations that could put you at risk. We also hosting its first annual Mardi Gras event named Le Carnaval work to reduce the harmful effects of HIV and AIDS by Rouge, on February 25th at the Metropolitan Centre in providing programs and services that help people living with Downtown Calgary. “Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness HIV/AIDS make healthy choices and enjoy a better quality of our organization and issues,” says Carter. “We would also of life. We act as their advocates in promoting awareness of like you to have fun.” HIV issues and battling misunderstandings and prejudice. Through partnerships with others in the community, we The evening has a ton of things to make it a success. strive to develop a caring and compassionate society.” There will be musical talent from well known Canadian Saxophonist Pat Belliveau as he gives you a taste of the New AIDS Calgary has been the leader in advocacy, education, Orleans musicality while you eat some amazing Cajun food. and support to those living with HIV and AIDS in the Calgary region. With this responsibility they have also taken In the Carnaval spirit, there will be a place for you to hear on the responsibility of supporting all individuals involved your fortune. Erin Taylor will amaze you with her tarot card with people with AIDS/HIV and also have evolved to include readings and her fortune telling. support for individuals facing all sorts of issues related to And, nothing says Mardi Gras like a little fire breathing both physical and mental health. and fire eating, as well as some scandalous dancing Roseline Carter, Team Leader of Prevention and and contortionism. Arcfire Entertainment, a troupe of Engagement took some time to discuss the rebranding professional fire and circus performers, will not disappoint with GayCalgary Magazine. “Our geographical location has as they tempt fate in order to please a crowd. expanded and the name AIDS Calgary no longer fits, first Topping off the evening is the talent of The Rhinestone and foremost.” The area represented by the organization Affair and Visa Loo. The Rhinestone Affair, a Calgary now includes Bow Valley and Medicine Hat. Burlesque troupe is bound to offer a little va-va-voom to “AIDS Calgary was incepted in 1983, and the soul focus your evening. Visha Loo...well if you have never seen her, was on AIDS and HIV as it was such a prevalent issue at the you must. She is an entertainer like none other. She will time. As time went on, and the disease evolved into one of fascinate you with her contortionism, fetish model prowess, the many components that the organization was beginning and performance. to deal with,” states Carter. “We are focusing on all of our client’s issues, and what they are facing.” Not only are people with HIV/AIDS dealing every day with medication and other factors, they are also dealing with many stigmas in the public sphere related to religion, culture, income, sexual orientation, etc. There is also a high risk of abuse. This leads to a slower reception of medical help, according to the AIDS Calgary website. Mardi Gras 2012: La Carnaval Rouge AIDS Calgary has expanded to include both the Medicine Presented by AIDS Calgary Hat and Bow Valley areas, as well as maintaining other February 25th @ 7pm branches such as SHIFT (for sex trade workers), Calgary The Metropolitan Centre Cares Centre, Outreach Programs such as HEAT, and the African Communities Project. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2702 The Medicine Hat Cares Centre, like that of Calgary Cares, is a centre for all sorts of needs. There is a Drop-In Centre, View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments Counselling Centre, a Needle Exchange program as well as
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 17 HOW TO BE AN ALLY
legal protections we have, when discrimination will still take Making a Better Workplace place in the workplace...there’s degrees of it that we’ll find in the workplace and everywhere.” Pride at Work Canada was inspired by a similar group for LGBT Workers in the United States (Out and Equal). However, while Out and Equal may be pushing for rights in the States, here in Canada where equal rights are enshrined in law, Pride By Evan Kayne at Work decided to focus on motivating businesses and organizations to create a workplace culture that recognizes While technology changes at a breakneck speed, societal LGBT employees as an important part of a diverse workforce. changes can take years. So while the gay, lesbian, Even with equal rights for LGBT citizens, a need still bisexual, and trans-identified people in Canada - for exists to work towards creating a positive workspace, Calvin the most part - have all the rights of their straight tells me. “Especially in Alberta, it seems people don’t always neighbours, it is only a recent change to which our feel comfortable being out in the workplace.” Often people society is still adjusting. For LGBT folk, many will be feel if they do come out it will limit their career options. open at home but closeted at their place of employment Pride at Work Canada is working on changing this attitude. because of this uncertainty. “We want them [LGBT employees] to come out and bring their whole selves to work because that’s when they’re most For this reason, Pride at Work Canada was founded in productive”. 2008 by a group of dedicated individuals who sought to improve the climate of inclusiveness for LGBT employees Thankfully, for the most part it’s not that companies in the workplace. Their mission is to put the case for LGBT are homophobic or discriminatory. Unfortunately, what diversity and inclusion on the mainstream business agenda is happening is sometimes that potential allies of LGBT by winning the support of corporate partners, who currently employees are nervous when it comes to speaking up. include Telus, RBC, Scotiabank group, Bell Canada, Ernst “They’re worried they might offend someone or say the & Young LLP, Xerox, and IBM among others. wrong thing and that prevents them from being involved.” This is why Pride at Work Canada recently launched their Calvin Campbell, Director (Calgary Lead) for Pride at Ally Campaign. Work Canada, told me because equal rights are still a novel concept, having an advocacy group for working LGBT folk The campaign, which includes distribution of posters is a smart idea. “It’s easy to get complacent, having all the and post cards, is a very simple yet effective way to assist allies. The posters list several points a potential ally can
18 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Toronto, and also asked major oil companies to participate. “It seems like everyone...is realizing that Alberta is a big growth place, and we want the best talent. For a corporation, that means understanding they need the best talent from ...every community,” Calvin said. I was surprised about the participation of energy companies, because as I told Calvin, on the whole they have been a bit shy in the past when it came to associating with the LGBT community. Calvin told me they are starting to come on-board. At the Pro-Pride event in September, they had Shell, Husky, Enbridge, Imperial, and Trans-Canada show up – among others. Some of them are even starting to build LGBT resource groups in their organizations. Pride at Work Canada isn’t just another networking club; after attending one of their meetings it is clear they are dedicated to furthering a conversation we, as a society, are having on LGBT rights. By telling others of their challenges, successes, and best practices, the corporate supporters and members are helping to build a more open, welcoming work environment for all of us.
Pride at Work http://www.prideatwork.ca
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understand and then put into action. The posters also send a clear message that this workplace is striving towards respecting diversity. The benefits? “When there’s a lot more people who are open about diversity and inclusiveness and equity for everyone...and just having a strong community whether it be in the workplace or your own personal community in the city, then the people who are truly more bigoted and intolerant and prejudiced, they’re not going to be as quick to open their mouths.” As well, although Pride at Work Canada has been in existence for several years, Calgary has recently become the focus for LGBT Rights and workplace diversity, Calvin mentioned. One of the things that came up when the group reviewed their efforts was their successes in cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; with Calgary being identified as an area where work needed to be done. One of the steps they took was to push the presence of Pride at Work Canada at the Calgary Pride festival this past September. They had some of their executives fly out from
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 19 Editorial
Jason Clevett (Centre) with Nickleback Jason with Jann Arden Dallas Green
attended three Juno Awards and been praised for articles on artists like Dallas Green, Howie Dorough, and Jann Arden. 100 issues, Thousands I never in a million years thought that I would pick up the phone to hear Dolly Parton’s drawl on the other end, or speak to members of bands that I grew up listening to like The Tea of Dreams Party, Our Lady Peace and The Barenaked Ladies. By Jason Clevett I do hope that some of our articles on newer talents like Jeffrey Straker, Serena Ryder or Laurell resulted in our I still remember my first conversation with Steve Polyak, readers giving them a listen. For every Madonna or Gaga publisher of then GayCalgary.com Magazine. I had there are 100 artists trying to break out and I am ecstatic been asked to do some writing for another project that that we’ve been able to help you discover them. I’ve reviewed ended up dying on the vine pretty quickly, and in that hundreds of concerts and theatre productions in Calgary conversation Steve mentioned that he had just launched and have enjoyed bringing Calgary’s Arts and Entertainment a new magazine. My first byline was in issue #2 – stories scene to you. on Crown’s for Kids and a profile on Boyztown. Human beings are dreamers. Some of us dream of pulling Ninety-nine issues later others have taken over the off a spectacular drag look or a performance that brings the community event coverage while I’ve focused on Arts and house down. We dream of being actors, singers, parents, Entertainment. I am one of the few that has been a part business owners. Non-profits dream of successful events that of this magazine since (almost) day one. Although it has allow them to continue the incredible work that they do. In changed format and look, grown to include other cities, and Alberta, GayCalgary has been an integral part of that dream been through ups and downs, at it has stayed the same in for so many people. There are many times that I have had the respect that two guys named Steve and Rob have worked to pinch myself because of an interview or something else tirelessly to provide something for the LGBT community. happening that came about from working for this magazine. It wasn’t until August 2005 that we snared our first celebrity For over 8 years we’ve worked hard to bring these dreams interview – a cover feature on Bif Naked. It speaks to how to you. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have loved respected this magazine and its readership have become, that doing it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you each and we now feature celebrities on the cover so consistently. We’ve every one of you for reading my articles and supporting the magazine and its advertisers. Most importantly thank you Steve and Rob. You’ve given me and others so much, and continue to do so. I look forward to what the future brings, and the next 100 editions.
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20 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com February 1st, 2012
Rob & Steve,
Congratulations on reaching your 100 issue milestone with GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. We know that the growth and strength of our community is largely dependent on having strong members, such as yourselves in it, and recognize the contribution you make to organizations like ours every year.
Thank you for providing us with a local voice and source for GLBT news and information. Here’s to many more years of success with GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine.
All the best,
Pride Calgary Planning Committee
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 21 Photos by Alex Bailey
Look at that: something Meryl Streep can’t do. The recent Golden Globe winner for Best Actress in a Drama, for Iron Lady, is supposed to be the Queen of Can, the thespian superwoman who can effortlessly slip into character: head-turner in Death Becomes Her, doubtful nun, Julia Child (she’s so remarkable, in fact, that she can work those chameleon skills within just one movie, as she did with 2003’s Angels in America). She’s such a persona-transcendent pro that when she’s sitting right in front of you, you’re asking yourself: Is that really Meryl Streep? At this point, even Meryl Streep doesn’t The Iron Ladies look like Meryl Streep. Heck, after being so outside herself, does Meryl Streep even know Meryl Streep? Out filmmaker directs Meryl Streep, who talks gay She’s the rare actress who never plays herself in a movie. Iron Lady, then, is a made-for-Meryl movie, from the prosthetics icon status – of both herself and Margaret Thatcher that afford an uncanny transformation into Britain’s first female prime minister to the heart that she finds among all that, well, iron. Meryl Streep, photo by The Weinstein Co. “The biggest challenge for me was accomplishing the long lines of thought that she would launch into without taking a By Chris Azzopardi breath,” Streep recalls. “Even with all the drama school that I’ve had, I had a lot of trouble managing that. Just the galvanizing Nothing can stand in the way of the almighty Meryl energy and the drive and the capacity to follow through with a Streep – except on this particular afternoon. At a New conviction all the way through to the end of your breath until York City hotel, in front of a room full of journalists from you can’t go any further,” she says, breathlessly in character, mainstream press, she braces herself for what could be “and not to let anybody interrupt! the ultimate career challenge. The mission? Answer a “It was masterful the way she could manage these “gay” question. interviews.” She lets out a hearty laugh. “I’m taking notes on With mock surprise, Streep dramatically throws her arms that.” up and whips back in her chair, pretending it’s something she Thatcher was a strident figure of polarizing effect, a loved- – Oscar winner, recent Kennedy Center honoree, the “devil” and-hated political icon admired not necessarily for her ideas herself – isn’t sure she can pull off. but for the way she was able to execute them – in the face of “OK,” she says, sarcastically, “let me get ready. All right, class and gender prejudice. go.” “The array of obstacles that stood before her in England at And so we do, citing mentions of the fierce Margaret that time were enormous,” Streep notes, “and I think she did Thatcher, whom Streep doesn’t just play but becomes in The a service for our team (women) by getting there – even though Iron Lady, as a gay icon. So, is she? you might not agree with the politics. Her determination, her stamina, her courage to take it on. Anybody that stands up Streep deliberates, working out the answer in her head and is willing to be a leader, who is as prepared as she was and before she lets go of it: “You know, I… I don’t know. I just as smart as she was, is admirable on a certain level, because recently found out that I am a gay icon. It’s flattering, of you really sacrifice a great deal. All of our public figures do.” course,” she says, noting the all-male tribute Streep Tease in West Hollywood (of which she says, “I haven’t gotten the The film spans three days in Thatcher’s post prime, well nerve to go”). “But I think (Margaret) stirs very strong feelings into her 80s, after dementia wipes out her memories and she even today, 20 years after leaving power. And she remains tries to capture whichever ones she has left. For as political- divisive. The film will enter a landscape of a world where she minded as she was, the film isn’t very political at all. And it continues to cause controversy. I can’t answer the question wasn’t meant to be. about whether she’s a gay icon. That’s a difficult one for me.” “All of us understood what we were wanting from this piece,” Streep says. “It was not going to be chronicling Margaret
22 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Thatcher’s political life; it “I loved working with would be a particular look her… the first time,” the back through her own actress razzes. “We had eyes at selected memories shorthand (on Iron Lady), – not in chronological and we had to – because we order, but in a jumble had $14 million to shoot a of memory, regret, glory movie that takes place over days. It would all be a part the course of six decades. of a reckoning.” And that’s basically no The film is facing intense money. That’s less than a scrutiny for breezing past 10th of what Hugo cost.” the political turmoil that She hands it to Lloyd Thatcher stirred and, for strongly conveying her instead, focusing on her vision prior to shooting, personal life. “We have which allowed Streep come under criticism for a sense of security in portraying someone who knowing just how to find is frail and in delicate Thatcher’s mind, body and health,” Streep admits. spirit. “Some people have said “I’m playing a Margaret it’s shameful to portray Thatcher no one has this part of a life, but if seen or really knows, and you think that debility, we can’t know – it’s an delicacy and dementia are imagined journey that we shameful, if you think that were taking – so I felt a lot the ebbing end of life is of freedom. I did,” Streep something that should be says. “I felt completely free, shut away – if you think and that’s a testament to that people need to be the director.” defended from that, from But it wasn’t all Lloyd. those images – then yes, Though she’s never met it is a shameful thing. But Margaret Thatcher, Streep I don’t think that. We are wore the prime minister’s naturally interested in our many hats, learning leaders, and we tell stories that the woman wasn’t a about ourselves through slacker and that her father the stories of important saw Thatcher as the man of people.” the house. “He discovered, Out director Phyllida of his two daughters, one Lloyd elaborates: “We was uncommonly bright thought of the film as and uncommonly curious, something of a King Lear and maybe this could be for girls, a Shakespearean his boy,” she says. “That’s story – not a political what I think. She fulfills a story. So, in that sense, promise, and he infused in we spoke to a number her the courage to get up of Margaret Thatcher’s and out. She had a lot of closest associates, who promise, and she wanted described her story in to live up to it.” Shakespearean and When did Streep realize operatic terms. I’d worked the same for herself? in opera a lot and to me, this did have some of the “I never really decided. elements of a tragic opera. I’m still ambivalent.” She The movie is a combination laughs at the notion. “But of the political world and no, being an actor lets pure imagination. It’s two me be a million different very distinctive worlds.” things, so I don’t have to decide.” This isn’t the first time Streep and Lloyd have bridged two worlds. 2008’s Mamma Mia! united the actress’ singing and dancing, with Lloyd directing. “I think it’s always easier the second time working together,” the Photos by The Weinstein Co. and Alex Bailey filmmaker admits. “In fact, you should start with the second time.” Looking at her, pretending to be offended, Streep laughs: “What do you mean?” http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2705 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 23 Editorial Schools and LGBT Youth – Making It Better
By Evan Kayne instruction or exercises include subject matter that deals The editors of GayCalgary Magazine and I have been primarily and explicitly with religion, human sexuality, or watching the increasing awareness of the impact sexual orientation.” On written request from a parent or bullying has on LGBT youth. We’ve seen Dan Savage’s guardian, a teacher is required to exclude a student from “It Gets Better” campaign grow beyond what we would a teaching situation that deals primarily and explicitly with have expected. We’ve seen other campaigns and one of these topics. It is important to note that Section 11.1 discussions evolve out of it, and we are heartened by the of the Alberta Human Rights Act does not apply to incidental or indirect references to religion, human sexuality or sexual increase in awareness and by the fact many institutions orientation. and governments are now putting mechanisms and What this means for LGBT issues is that, when a CALM procedures in place to stop or sharply reduce harassment class has a speaker or discusses this subject matter, of LGBT youth. parental permission is required. Consequently, some The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) oversees 200 parents have the right to ask that their child not be part of schools and 100,000 plus students. Diane Roulson, the discussion. “However...our former minister of Education Manager, Diversity, Learning Services and Nancy Lukey, was very clear that GSAs do not fall under Bill 44.” Basically, System Principal, Learning Services agreed to discuss with extra-curricular activities and groups are exempted from us what they are doing to make schools better for diversity, the aforementioned regulations. for respect, and for the individual. What’s even more interesting is the current Education Admittedly, with the sheer number of students, you can’t Minister (Thomas Lukaszuk) has explicitly spoken up on the create procedures to fit every situation, as Nancy tells us. issue of bullying LGBT youth, and how respecting diversity “It’s hard to isolate because our resources are about the is important for everyone. His videos challenged everyone – safety and well being of all students, regardless of the issue school boards, youth, parents, teachers, government, and that a student might come forward with. We would hope school districts to make it better now. In these videos, they that our schools are safe and caring places for everyone. made a point of showing LGBT youth and posters of Gay/ And part of our responsibilities…no matter what age we’re Straight alliances in schools as an effort to put it above the at, is that our students have a relationship with adults radar. “I think he set a really strong example for us in this in that building, where, should any issue arise, they are province.” comfortable, they have a couple of people they could go and For LGBT youth, they may not want to come forward to talk to.” teachers/mentors/councillors to discuss any questions they Having said that, she did tell me there are some formal have regarding their sexuality – as they may be afraid this positions like mentors and guidance councillors available to information will get back to their parents. In a counselling help students. “It really is about having a caring adult in a situation, if a student shares that they are beginning to building where kids can go and discuss issues that they are question gender identity issues, I was assured it is kept struggling with,” be it bullying, cultural issues, sexuality, between the student and the adult at the school. There is abuse or any other issues where an adult’s help and advice a duty to inform in situations where the student is using is required. drugs, alcohol or doing anything which endangers their life That being said, there are specific ways schools deal with or the lives of others, but “if it’s not a safety issue, then LGBT youth issues. “We recognize that this is a particularly that’s not something we would need to disclose.” vulnerable group,” Diane states. Beyond the aforementioned Regarding issues of sexuality, while a teacher may suspect support networks, one of the things they have noticed is the child is experiencing some questions surrounding their youth often create their own support network, “so some of sexuality, they must wait for the student to approach the our schools...have a gay/straight alliance. Basically that’s issue – they aren’t permitted to imply or lead the student. a student-run, but teacher-sponsored or teacher-supported Nancy affirmed this process, and added that there are group. The purpose for it would be to create a safe, caring, ways to let the student know a conversation on sexual and respectful little community for sexual gender minorities orientation can be opened with a teacher/mentor at the and their allies.” school. There are Safe Spaces posters available from the Other schools may provide the support in a different way – Alberta Teachers Association. These posters indicate that they may have links with various community organizations a classroom or an office is a spot where human rights are which visit the school frequently so the student can then be respected and LGBTQ students, teachers, family, friends linked directly with this community support. and allies are welcome and supported. “If you’re hanging a Furthermore, within their “Communication and Life Safe Space poster in your classroom, it would indicate you Management” (CALM) classes, LGBT topics are discussed, are open to a conversation.” and many teachers will often invite a guest speaker in to One tricky scenario that we discussed was where discuss particular subject matter. The guest speakers will bullying can arise from family members or parents. Again, often bring in resources from their support group, or let the Nancy and Diane were careful on this subject, telling me kids know about other community support networks, (e.g. what CBE is allowed to do “...depends on the nature and Calgary Outlink, MYN, and Mosaic). intensity of the bullying that the child has disclosed to us... Unfortunately, there are some limitations: specifically, Bill if in our assessment it’s bordering on emotional abuse, 44. Quoting directly from the Calgary Board of Education’s then we would report that to Child Family Services. We are website: obligated...if there is an indication that this child is being emotionally abused for any reason, then we are obligated to On September 1, 2010, Section 11.1 the Alberta Human make that information available to Child Family Services.” Rights Act came into force. The section requires Calgary This includes emotional, physical and sexual abuse, of Board of Education to notify parents where “courses of course. study, educational programs or instructional materials, or
24 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com This is regardless of any religious or cultural views the family may have on the topic. Now to be clear, a discussion has to be held between the child and the teacher/counsellor at the school, at which point those adults can then decide to notify the authorities depending on the case, who will Resources then further investigate. It’s not a black and white area, it Calgary Board of Education is imperfect, however there exists a possible rescue for the child http://www.cbe.ab.ca Adolescents have another recourse available to them Calgary Board of Education takes action on through the Children’s Advocate program. An adult or protection of sexual minorities teacher can’t contact the Advocate, but “a student can http://www.gaycalgary.com/u401 phone the Children’s Advocate if they are feeling their rights are not being protected in whatever environment they’re Minister of Education Thomas Lukaszuk videos in.” The Advocate has a number of services available for “Diversity in Alberta Schools”: http://www.gaycalgary.com/u408 children, including free legal services. “Make It Better”: http://www.gaycalgary.com/u415 Finally, to reassure me further, Diane and Nancy told me the CBE continues to look at themselves on an organizational Alberta Teachers Safe spaces level and their responsiveness as a system when it comes http://www.gaycalgary.com/u422 to diversity and inclusion. They’re aware there is greater Children’s Advocate visibility and awareness happening now with sexual and gender minorities and they want to build on that. They’re http://www.gaycalgary.com/u429 working with other school boards to formulate their best Report – Every Class in Every School practices; they’re examining what current research is out http://www.gaycalgary.com/u436 there and generally not standing still on this issue. What is encouraging to me, as someone who grew up in a system where there was no support, is that this issue is now being discussed, and the level of support for LGBT youth is growing. I hope it will prevent any more incidences of bullying, or suicides due to bullying. I have heard from several teachers and their partners about suicides that have happened here in Calgary and they, if not ALL OF US wish we could have helped the ones that are gone. It’s not enough http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2706 just to tell the kids “It gets better” - it’s up to all of us to View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments make it better.
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 25 Trans-Identity 2011: The Year for Trans Canadians
By Mercedes Allen Regarding transsexuals, most Canadian provinces require The Harper Conservatives recently made a revision to the evidence of genital reconstruction surgery (GRS) before allowing Aeronautics Act which potentially affects many trans (and cis the change of gender markers on foundational documents (all of / non-trans) Canadians... and could even ban some from air them, when it comes to birth certificates), and some provinces travel. From the revised law: do not fund this surgery. There is a limited use passport option Sec 5.2(1) An air carrier shall not transport a passenger if available which may help. • (a) the passenger presents a piece of photo identification There is a medical exemption which could provide an and does not resemble the photograph; allowance for specifically transsexual individuals (although • (b) the passenger does not appear to be the age indicated by it unclearly refers to the photo requirement, rather than the the date of birth on the identification he or she presents; gender marker requirement), though not all transsexual men and women are medically able or willing to undergo a major • (c) the passenger does not appear to be of the gender invasive surgery - others may forget, be unaware of the indicated on the identification he or she presents; or requirement or be unable to afford to pay the fee for a sufficient • (d) the passenger presents more than one form of doctor’s letter (my doctor would charge $100 for such a letter identification and there is a major discrepancy between those under his current fee structure). Additionally, requiring a forms of identification. medical document is a reversal of onus in which trans people (2) Despite paragraph (1)(a), an air carrier may transport a are expected to prove that they’re not terrorists in ways that passenger who presents a piece of photo identification but does other travelers don’t. not resemble the photograph if There are also transgender-identified and other gender non- • (a) the passenger’s appearance changed for medical reasons conforming people to consider. Bearing in mind that the gender after the photograph was taken and the passenger presents the marker is being measured against a subjective assessment of a air carrier with a document signed by a health care professional person’s gender, lookism has potentially entered the equation. and attesting to that fact; or Scan-or-search procedures could also unfairly single out visibly • (b) the passengers’s face is bandaged for medical reasons intersexed people, who haven’t previously needed a medical and the passenger presents the air carrier with a document letter for anything. signed by a health care professional and attesting to that fact. Trans people understand the necessity of air travel security 5.3 (1) If there is a major discrepancy between the name on and screening. But why a gender marker comparison must the identification presented by a passenger and the name on be a requirement in addition to all other screening criteria (i.e. the passenger’s boarding pass, an air carrier shall compare the photograph comparisons) in order to determine an individual’s name, date of birth and gender on the identification with those identity remains unknown. of persons specified to the air carrier by the Minister under Canada’s Parliament passed human rights legislation to paragraph 4.81(1)(b) of the Act. include transsexual and transgender Canadians, but it died at (2) If the name, date of birth and gender on the identification the election call [1], before the bill could be given Royal Assent are the same as those of a person specified to the air carrier, the by the Senate. An identical bill has been reintroduced into air carrier shall immediately so inform the Minister. Parliament and could be coming up for Second Reading in 1-2 Of particular concern is Sec 5.2(1)(c). This regulatory change months (people have been indicating support to their Member went into effect as early as last summer, and so far, it doesn’t of Parliament [2], right?). This change comes as trans issues appear that there have been any reports of transsexual or are becoming better known to the federal government and in transgender people being refused passage on an airline because mainstream society. of this change. It’s premature to call this a ban. However, with The nation has been under pressure from the U.S. the way the legislation is worded, it could easily become one. government to tighten screening and restrictions on Canadian Especially because by the letter of the law, if an airline allows a travelers, including the introduction of full-body scanners, person to board whose appearance “does not appear to be of the which also single out transsexual and transgender people for gender indicated on the identification he or she presents,” they special scrutiny. In September 2003, the U.S. Department could be in violation of federal law. of Homeland Security issued the first of several warnings [3] that potential Al Qaeda terrorists might be changing tactics to
26 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com avoid scrutiny, such as departing from airports in Canada and Mexico, or dressing as women. Some have speculated that the stress on appearance was also intended to target women who wear the niqab and hijab [4], making such an assessment impossible, and potentially also banning Muslim women who adhere to this tradition from boarding a plane. Traditional coverings of this sort have already been flashpoints of controversy regarding citizenship ceremonies [5] and court testimonies [6]. Although one of the motivations for these bans is supposed to be the status of women, punitive legislation targeting full face and body coverings have a horrible tendency to target women [7], rather than provide any viable solutions informed by them. Anyone wishing to do so is welcome to contact the Minister. Copy to your Member of Parliament as well, and remember to keep it civil but clear that the amended wording of the Aeronautics Act is a serious concern. Letter mail tends to be more effective, where possible.
Hon. Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport E-mail: [email protected] P: 613-996-6236 F: 613-996-6252 Mailing Address (postage free) : Hon. Denis Lebel, Chambre des communes/House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Transport Canada Email: [email protected] P: 613-990-2309 Toll Free: 1-866-995-9737 TTY: 1-888-675-6863 Fax: 613-954-4731 Mailing Address: Transport Canada, 330 rue Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N5
References: 1) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u352 2) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u359 3) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u366 4) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u373 5) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u380 6) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u387 7) http://www.gaycalgary.com/u394
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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 27 Sports The OutField Jim Provenzano explores sports, sex and paraplegia
By Dan Woog It may not be the traditional format for a winning novel: cross-country running. Lacrosse. Wheelchair basketball. Gay romance. But Jim Provenzano’s Every Time I Think of You works. The author – whose previous books focus on wrestling, AIDS and the lust-filled world of bicycle messengers – has crafted a novel about young adults that may not make the list of most librarians’ recommended “young adult novels.” There’s a bit too much sex – gay sex – in this one for some educators’ tastes. And it’s graphic. Yet Every Time does what good literature should. It opens readers’ eyes, minds and hearts to corners of the world they may never have realized existed. Confession: Although I am a high school soccer coach, I’d never thought about the impact a devastating sports accident could have on an athlete. Especially one who was in a torrid, but meaningful, gay relationship. The story is set in Pennsylvania, in 1978. Reid Conniff is a high school student serious about running, academics and masturbating in the woods. One wintry afternoon, near his favorite tree, he comes across (in every sense of the term) Everett Forester, a privileged, lacrosse-playing boarding school boy. As is true in most adolescents’ lives (and every novel), stuff happens. There is sexual exploration (Everett has had a lot more experience than Reid), the resultant embarrassment of getting caught, and the arc of both lovers trying to be at the same place at the same time (emotionally as well as physically). Jim Provenzano There is not, however, a lot of angst about being gay. Provenzano set this story – and PINS, his wrestling book – in what he calls “a bubble of time.” Stonewall had already jump- (the predecessor to “The OutField”), he had what he calls “an started the gay rights movement, but AIDS had not yet reared awkward conversation” with Gallagher. its ugly head. The author calls those years “a halcyon moment, “I read his book, and hated it. The dual narrative format when for a teenager it was not horrible to be gay.” was very difficult to follow,” Provenzano recalls. “But I admired In fact, both Reid and Everett’s parents are relatively accepting him greatly. He was an inspiration to me. I wanted to write a about their sons’ sexuality. It doesn’t hurt that Provenzano has romance Ed would have appreciated.” created what he calls “two smart, well-educated and self-aware” Gallagher was outspoken about the physical needs of protagonists – boys for whom acting on their urges brings more paraplegics, and Provenzano addressed the topic head-on too. joy than fear. “They’re 18,” he says of his characters. “I didn’t want to dodge What Provenzano did not set out to create, he says, is a novel the fact that they want to have sex – and they do. But I really about disability. Though PINS – written in 1999 – includes a wanted to get the facts right. It couldn’t be just nudge-nudge- debilitating neck injury that nearly kills the main character, wink-wink.” Everett’s paralysis (he’s clobbered by a lacrosse stick) is less The first reviews are strong. Author Andrew W. M. Beierle metaphoric, more an opportunity to explore the effect of called it “a rare combination of delicacy and power (that) disability on two growing boys who just happen to be gay. rekindled faded memories of the intensity of youthful desire.” “I took two corny genres – coming out and bildungsroman Ray Aguilera, former editor of Bent Voices, a magazine for (coming of age) – and at one point, I just realized the disability disabled gay men, lauded Provenzano for “daring to show that was going to happen,” Provenzano explains of the writing disability and sexuality aren’t mutually exclusive, and that process. “Sometimes your characters’ paths don’t go where you crips can be just as good in bed (or elsewhere) as their non- expect.” disabled counterparts.” Once he saw the path his book was taking, Provenzano It’s not easy to write a novel about sports, gay teenagers and did a prodigious amount of research. He studied spinal cord sex in (and out of) wheelchairs. Jim Provenzano has done it, injuries, the growth of wheelchair sports, and the ins and outs with grace and power. All readers – disabled or not – can stand of paraplegic sex. and applaud. In the back of his mind, always, was the story of Ed Gallagher. Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, gay activist, and author In 1985 Gallagher – a 27-year-old former University of of the “Jocks” series of books on gay male athletes. Visit his website at Pittsburgh football player – tried to commit suicide by throwing http://www.danwoog.com. himself off a dam. That was better, he thought, than to die “a fag with AIDS.” (He was not, despite his fears, HIV positive.) While Gallagher did not succeed in killing himself, he was paralyzed for life. In 1994 he wrote a semi-autobiographical book, Johnny http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2708 in the Spot. When Provenzano was writing a sports column View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
28 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Music Review Hear Me Out Kathleen Edwards, Joyful Noise By Chris Azzopardi Father. Together, the divas vocally throw down on the uplifting love-is-all “Not Enough,” a choir-lifted whopper that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Sister Act movie. To cover its bases, like the country crowd that Parton pulls, the Voyageur legend does “From Here to the Moon and Back,” a stripped- By: Kathleen down orchestral charmer, with Kris Kristofferson. It’s a fine Edwards song that’s basically a more subdued “I Will Always Love My Rating: You.” On “In Love,” Kirk Franklin preaches to the choir, literally, and Latifah’s “Fix Me Jesus” is one of her most understated performances ever. The rest just feels like
Glee in God’s house: bombast nearly butchers the end of Her songs have “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Nickelodeon star Keke Palmer does generally been a decent but forgettable job with her Disney-fed rendition outside herself, of “Man in the Mirror.” The music from Joyful Noise isn’t but Kathleen nearly as sinfully bad as the movie is said to be. What does Edwards isn’t that mean? You can listen and not go to confession the next writing about other day. people anymore. She’s writing about herself. Voyageur is the Canadian alt-folkie’s most personal work, a 10-song Also Out musical catharsis after the tumultuous end of a five-year marriage. For all the doubt, soul-searching and heart-shattering sadness, though, it’s off to a surprisingly carefree start: “I’m Feel the Sound moving to America,” she asserts – following it with the punch By: Imperial Teen line: “It’s an empty threat.” Her wingman/new boyfriend, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, adds just enough of his trademark soft- Such a breezy listen that it goes down too easy, the 16-year- rock euphoria to shake up Edwards’ girl-with-guitar sound. old cult foursome – two of which are queer – pull together Plainspoken and brutally honest, the words, however, are all hum-worthy hooks on their first album in five years. Like Edwards – regrettably recalling her wedding day (dire “Pink Scissor Sisters for rock radio, the co-ed collective from San Champagne”), seeking solace (sprawling beauty “A Soft Place Francisco leans on chompy guitar riffs and enough melodic to Land”) and rebounding on the redemptive rocker “Change sing-alongs to write a book on the science of sound (see: the Sheets.” Her fragile drawl whirls into a mesmerizing dream 1999’s “Yoo Hoo,” used in Jawbreaker). Giddiness rides out that’s really more of a nightmare on the hauntingly solemn “Runaway,” a mindless piece of illuminated pop; the rest “House Full of Empty Rooms,” a standout so in touch with its follows similarly and sounds like more beguiling versions feelings of uncertainty and isolation that it could’ve only been of songs by the Shins. The refrain during the last tune, a written in the midst of her own hell. She picks herself back musically transcendental highlight, sums up the album up on ’90s-esque “Sidecar,” a buzzy breather that’s uniquely best: “It’s overtaking, it’s overtaking us.” hopeful and upbeat. Simple and direct, working in context of the rest of the downer album with that ditty, is all Edwards needs to be. That straightforward voice, in every sense, is what The Lion’s Roar makes Voyageur an insightful and fulfilling journey. By: First Aid Kit
Deep-rooted Americana from the depths of… Sweden? Besides a Stockholm nod, there’s nary a hint that this sibling act are from Robyn soil, especially when Johanna Joyful Noise and Klara’s sophomore CD is back-roads folk with an soundtrack affinity for the genre’s legends. Proof: “Emmylou,” a hat-tip My Rating: to traditional tropes that also features an adorable refrain. And then there are those voices, instruments that recall the greats in how enchantingly throwback they are. “To a God and Glee walk Poet” works into a mesmerizing chorus that’s pure country into a recording heartbreak, harmonized beautifully in a high-sung lament. studio and… no, Handclaps and horns round out this gem of an album on the it’s not a joke. It’s boisterous hootenanny “King of the World” – and if anyone Joyful Noise, the rules the world this year, let’s hope it’s First Aid Kit. churchy musical that’s about as campy as pitching a tent. Speaking of tents, it stars Dolly Parton, a good enough reason to invest in this gospel lovers’ gay dream come true. The other? Queen Latifah, turning a soulful, if short, take on “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” during http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2709 the otherwise hilariously cornball mash-up “Higher Medley” View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments that also replaces Usher’s sexisms with call-outs to the
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 29 Gossip
Hugh Jackman, photo by DreamWorks
Directors In Flux: Peirce Talks Carrie, Van Sant Replaces Damon Deep Inside Hollywood Post-Columbine, it’s been impossible to get a high school outcast- gets-revenge movie anywhere near a studio’s production slate. But then there’s Carrie, a project that’s almost magically exempt from any Houdini is happening with Hugh discussion of media blame when real kids go on real life murderous rampages. Based on the modern horror classic written by Stephen By Romeo San Vicente King, the original film starring young Sissy Spacek was a deep dive into a terrifying world of religious mania, telekinesis and involuntary Hugh Jackman can’t stay away from Broadway. The part-time Real manslaughter (lots and lots of it). Naturally, a remake is in the works Steel/Wolverine tough guy is, apparently, incapable of curing his song- and Boys Don’t Cry director Kimberly Peirce is in talks to take the helm. and-dance lust. So now that The Boy From Oz is a distant memory and Hope she gets it; she’d be a great fit. Meanwhile, on the boys side of he’s finished up with Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, he needs a Hollywood, Gus Van Sant looks to be stepping into Matt Damon’s shoes new reason to belt out the big numbers for matinee audiences. Enter as he takes over an untitled production that Damon was scheduled to Houdini, in the works for a couple years now with Jackman in mind direct. Co-starring with John Krasinski is still on tap for Damon, who for the lead and, at one point, set to feature music from Danny Elfman. also co-wrote the script – one that people who’ve read it are calling Jackman is still the man in the title role but now the score will come “Capra-esque” – in which the two actors play rival corporate executives from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), the script from Aaron Sorkin (The whose values and greed are called into question. And Van Sant was the Social Network) and Jack O’Brien (Hairspray) will direct. And rather first and only director Damon called to take over, a no-brainer since the than a straightforward biography approach, Houdini will tell the story pair have worked together off and on ever since Good Will Hunting. of a conflict the legendary magician encountered in the form of atrio of women known as “Spirtualists.” The women had convinced scores 2012 takes on new meaning for 2012 director of followers, including editors at Scientific American and The New York Gay director Roland Emmerich’s end-of-the-world thriller 2012 Times, that they could communicate with the dead. Houdini, on the other ended with humanity’s final survivors fleeing for safety in giant arks, hand, was less than convinced. If audiences believe – and they probably so it’s not like he’s ever at a loss for outlandish outcomes, but which will – this could be the big hit of the 2013 season. Start planning your candidate will be safely ensconced in the White House – not just in real New York visits now. life, but in make-believe TV-land, too – when the director’s new 2012 Franco’s gay streak continues Presidential campaign-themed TV series wraps up its first story arc? That’s the first question you might ask about this pilot, picked up by James Franco is no stranger to playing gay. On screen he’s been James ABC, which focuses on a young astrophysics student (why not?) whose Dean, Allen Ginsberg, Hart Crane, Harvey Milk’s boyfriend Scott Smith destiny becomes linked with the election. The next question might be and an ambiguous stoner in the comedy Pineapple Express. So here he what it’s going to be called, because there’s no title just yet. And that’s goes again, this time tackling the role of legendary contemporary artist just the start. Who’s going to star? How fast can they get it moving and Robert Mapplethorpe for an upcoming biopic. The controversial artist, on the air? And most importantly, what’s going to happen to the story who died of AIDS in 1989 and whose frankly homoerotic photographs after the January 2013 inauguration? Stay tuned as this game of TV caused a firestorm of censorship efforts among cultural conservatives in dice-rolling shakes out. the late 1980s, is almost tailor-made for a big screen story. And given Romeo San Vicente plans to vote early and often. the artist’s huge personality and bravado, the actor who plays him should be equally unafraid, which makes it a perfect fit for Franco. The upcoming film, among the first to receive grants through Tribeca Film Institute’s “All Access Program” and directed by documentarian Ondi Timoner, will be produced by Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Eliza Dushku http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2710 and her brother Nate Dushku, who was, at one time, expected to play Mapplethorpe. More news to come as production rolls on. View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
30 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Lifestyle Cocktail Chatter The Kir Royale
By Ed Sikov Imitation of Life: ‘The Faux de Vie’ Dan and I got married on Saturday. This news may be surprising, given my little peccadillo with Jack Fogg and the From the mailbag comes this gem-like nugget: “You’re a really great uproar when my stunned partner – now husband – found out. writer, Ed. You’re also a mess.” I say: True on both counts! I don’t But it led to the talk we should have had years ago, a discussion think I’m bragging when I agree with the first part. I’m sure most of too personal even for me to write about. Let’s just say that we you have something you know you’re good at, whether it’s managing came to an understanding, then made up, then out, and finally staff, making ceramic bowls, salesmanship or cooking. It’s good for came in a very different sense of the word. your state of mind; it builds confidence tohave confidence. As for the We’re beyond being best friends. My faults still register with second point, I acknowledge that, too. I used to be more of a mess Dan, but there’s a trace of a smile on his face when I tell the than I am now, but I’m still neurotic. Hey, I’m a gay Jew from a cruddy same jokes I always tell. And I’m proud of being married to the little town in western Pennsylvania. I got called vicious names every world’s greatest klutz. (Life with Dan: bang, crash, “shit!”) We’re damned day until I escaped to college. What do you expect? genuinely intertwined in ways we weren’t four years ago, when The message writer was referring to a specific column – the “Yankee I…. Mint Julep” one, in which I respond to Kyle and Robbie’s acoustically Well, the fact is that I have Parkinson’s disease. I haven’t vibrant and (to me) demoralizing sex romp upstairs at the beach mentioned it before because it hasn’t been part of any of the house by swigging from a magnum of Jack Daniels. It was a pretty stories I’ve told. It’s no fun, but I live with it, and if you saw good column, I think, but the response brought up a fact I’ve not me you’d never guess I had it unless you happened to catch made a point of stating directly. As I near the end of my second season me doing the last three reps of a weightlifting set. That’s when as “Cocktail Chatter” columnist, it’s time to set the record straight (so I tremor. to speak): Dan has been there for me throughout the whole bad trip, Except for the recipes, “Cocktail Chatter” is pure fiction. I make and I’ve been there for him, too. (The six months leading to his this stuff up, people. There is no Kyle, no Robbie, no Craig, no Jack promotion to V.P. at CogniTech was practically as traumatic Fogg…. There’s sort of a Dan, but that’s not his real name, and he as my PD.) So when New York granted gay people marriage doesn’t work for a pharmaceutical company. Some of the characters equality, we went for it. The scene: the beach house. The were originally based on people I know, and some are purely my own characters: our friends Gary and Heath, Dan and me. The state creation. But their origins are irrelevant because they all grew into legislature was taking its time. I checked the news just after different, fully formed (albeit fictional) people the more I wrote about 11 p.m. them. These nonexistent folks don’t let me put words in their mouth “It passed!” I yelled. We toasted with what was left of the they don’t think they’d really say. It’s like I’m channeling them, and dinner wine. Then: when I add a word they don’t like they make me delete it. A novelist friend of mine was not at all surprised when I mentioned this bizarre Me: “We gettin’ married?” situation to him. He can’t force his characters to do or say what he Dan: “Yeah.” wants them to do or say either. They, too, have their own voices and Me: “When?” personalities, and he can’t control them either. Dan: “December.” In that spirit, or perhaps in those spirits – or maybe even in We’re clearly not into the top-of-the-Empire State Building the spirit of those spirits who drink spirits – I created an original stuff. cocktail: “The Faux de Vie.” As you may know, Eau de Vie is a clear, double-distilled brandy that has the flavor of the fruit from which it So we got married. There were eight guests, including the is distilled. Varieties include pear, raspberry, plum and peach. Eau judge who married us, who happened to be Dan’s father. de Vie translates as Water of Life, but a fineEau de Vie is pricier than We got the private dining room of a terrific restaurant in our even the most expensive bottled water. It can run you $120 or more. neighborhood. The ceremony was one minute long. We said we loved each other, and Dan’s father said, “I now pronounce you So forget the real stuff and make yourself a Faux de Vie! Get yourself married.” Then lunch. a copy of the extraordinarily gorgeous and superbly entertaining Imitation of Life, the 1959 tearjerker directed by the great Douglas We left immediately for the beach, arriving rather late. Sirk and starring the inimitable Lana Turner, and you’ve got yourself I brought a rack of lamb to grill, some vegetables and two a perfectly “faux” evening. cupcakes. But yechhh: the only champagne in the refrigerator was bad not very good. (We keep some in there all the time – like The Faux de Vie Mary Richards and her can of artichoke hearts – “just in case”.) “I hate that swill,” Dan said. “There’s no need to fear,” I replied. 1 jigger Absolut vodka “Underdog is here!’” A couple drops of the liqueur of your choice We had Creme de Cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur. Undrinkably sweet on its own, it’s the perfect solution to bad mediocre Get a small glass and carefully pour just a few drops of Chambord, champagne. I grilled the rack of lamb, roasted some fingerling Cointreau, or any fruit liqueur into it. Add vodka. Sip. Don’t potatoes and sauteed Brussels sprouts in butter. We drank two overwhelm the vodka with liqueur; the drink should have just a hint bottles of bad bad champagne transformed into Kir Royales. of fruit to it. The rest of the night I’ll leave to your imagination. The Kir Royale If you’re not able to try these recipes at home, then ask your favourite bartender to make them for you! 1 bottle of bad champagne Crème de Cassis
Add a few drops of Crème de Cassis to each glass, then fill with http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2711 champagne. Use cheap champagne. Don’t ruin a good bottle of View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments bubbly by adding anything at all. www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 31 PUMPS UP THE JAM America’s Six Inch Obsession
By Todd Hamilton GC: Can you understand why one might be obsessed with On any given night at Mr. Black in Los Angeles, ten or Stilettos? more men can be seen traversing the dance floor in a E: I can definitely understand. I mean, have you seen my pair of pumps. No, they aren’t drag queens. They’re closet? gay men sporting the latest GC: Are you surprised by the trend to hit the states: men success of your new song? - otherwise dressed in men’s E: I’m excited about it. The clothing - in heels. song is about celebrating the They’re not cheap heels either. little things in life that make Gay men love their labels and us feel sexy and empowered. It many are happily shelling out encourages us to walk the walk, $3,000 and more for the sexiest strut our stuff, and be thankful from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and proud of whatever we are Yves Saint Laurent, and yes, rocking. Louboutin. GC: What’s your take on the In a way, the men are trend of men in heels? repeating history. Until E: I remember being a kid, Napoleon banned them, high watching a video of Prince heels were considered a sign of rocking a hot pair of heels. It nobility in France; Louis XVI didn’t seem crazy to me then, donned five-inch red-accented and it doesn’t seem crazy to me heels depicting wartime battle now. Men are just as entitled to scenes. fashionable forms of expression There’s even a new anthem for as women are. The more stilettos the movement. Emii’s “Stilettos” the better! stomps over Jennifer Lopez’s GC: Does wearing heels make ode to Louboutin with a shoe- one feel more powerful? obsessed high-kicker that adds fist pumps to the foot pump.
32 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com E: Definitely! It is an empowering feeling to walk like a diva six inches above every one else in the room. Maybe it’s the height, maybe it’s the fashion statement, maybe it’s simply magic. Whatever it is, it works! GC: Are wearing stilettos a form of drag? E: No. Shoes are only an accessory to the outfit. Even if they are the showstopper of what you’re wearing, and they should be, they don’t define the outfit. Being a drag queen involves more than heels. GC: Women wearing men’s clothing is normal. Is it time we consider men in women’s clothing as normal? E: Absolutely! It’s time to do away with all double standard standards. It’s fashion, people. Chill out and let us go crazy. GC: Would you ever let your man step out in pumps? E: If stilettos are good enough for Prince, they sure as hell are good enough for my man. GC: What is your message to men who want to wear Stilettos? E: Wear them and love them! It is your right to express yourself. GC: Are you loving that your song has become the anthem for men in heels? E: Oh yes, I love it! I hope the song helps to inspire everyone to feel free to express themselves and kick all double standards to the curb. In heels, of course.
Emii http://emii.net
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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 33 Politics Equal Marriage Equal Divorce
By Stephen Lock It’s not like the possibility of divorce hadn’t already hit the During the heady days of striving for equal marriage to public radar. Back in 2004, when the debate around equal be made legal in Canada, I remember some discussion marriage was still raging, a Toronto lesbian couple, known at Board level at Egale Canada, and with Canadians for only as M.M. and H.H., filed for divorce. The women married Equal Marriage, that not only will we need to enshrine on June 18, 2003, a week after the Ontario Court of Appeal the right to marry for GLBTQ folk, but the right to divorce legalized same-sex marriage. They separated five days later. as well. Clearly, similar discussions were never held in The couple had been together for almost 10 years. A petition for divorce was filed in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice in cabinet up on Parliament Hill. June 2004. Now we have a situation where a lesbian couple married, Madam Justice Ruth Mesbur, the presiding judge in this legally they believed, in Canada in 2005 now wish to legally case, approved the couple’s application on September 13, divorce. While they were prepared to return to Canada from 2004 ruling the definition of spouse in the Divorce Act was their respective domiciles in Florida and Europe to do so, unconstitutional. The Act defined “spouse” as “of a man or they were informed that because they have not fulfilled the woman who are married to each other.” one year residency requirement, and their own jurisdictions do not recognize the marriage as valid, they were not, in fact, At the time of M.M. vs H.H. equal marriage was not actually ‘legally married’ at all! yet enshrined in federal law but courts in three provinces (Ontario, B.C. and Quebec) and the Yukon had ruled lesbians One of the concerns I expressed back then, but realized and gay men had the freedom to marry under the Charter there was probably not much one could do about it, was the of Rights. That caused a rush to the altar by thousands of number of individuals coming from outside Canada for the homosexual couples. express purpose of getting married. I couldn’t articulate the concern, apart from a vague discomfort “Getting Married Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin said at that time he In Canada” was being treated like some sort of trip to would introduce a bill, likely in October 2004, to rectify the DisneyWorld and being made an Honourary Mouseketeer, legislation and to put it to a free vote in Parliament. However, but I was uncomfortable with it and somewhat concerned he warned, it could take up to a year after that for same- what might happen if, after the first flush of excitement sex marriage to be legal nationwide. Martin also stated the faded, these people woke up one morning and went “oops... Divorce Act had to be overhauled to reflect the changes to the don’t want to be married after all!”. Naturally, one assumed Marriage Act. as adults, individuals wouldn’t enter into such a commitment “It may take awhile to resolve the issue,” Nicholas Bala, lightly and would understand what we were saying all along; a professor of family law at Queen’s University, said at the marriage is marriage. time. “There are many issues at stake here: what happens In fairness, such individuals would naturally assume all if a partner dies and what happens if one of the partner’s is the i’s had been dotted and all the t’s crossed. I guess we from another province where there is no gay marriage. There missed some stuff that, in retrospect, would appear obvious. is nothing to reference.” Like having the right to divorce enshrined right alongside the Apparently, it never got resolved. right to marry. Mind you, at the time, those of us working to bring in equal Predictably, once this omission came to light, the Harper marriage were busy counteracting the outrageous attacks government came under attack. from the Right. We often felt we were being pulled off course Paul Dewar, a candidate for the leadership of the New to deal with accusations our ‘true’ agenda was to legalize Democrat Party following Jack Layton’s death, has accused pedophilia or to create an environment in which marrying the Harper government of attempting to “roll back” equal ones daughter or son would also be legal. That details such marriage in Canada and “betraying the trust of thousands of as what would happen should a same-sex marriage, like any same-sex couples who came to Canada looking for equality” marriage, fail never got fully addressed is not surprising after the government intervened in a divorce case of two since our focus was on the success of the initiative. A few non-Canadian women who married in Canada, saying the voiced some foresight and talked about ‘what if’ scenarios, Canadian marriage was never valid because their home but there was so much work to be done, such scenarios were, countries do not recognize same-sex marriage. According sad to admit, overlooked or shelved. The view was, we would to Dewar’s website, the government move effectively rules deal with those issues once equal marriage was made law thousands of Canadian marriages null and void. It also sets but for now, the focus was lobbying to have equal marriage a precedent that if a home state does not permit a marriage, legalized. In retrospect, it was a major oversight with serious Canada will not recognize the marriage either. ramifications for those individuals who trusted us and, quite logically, assumed everything was in place as it should be. Besides, who thinks of divorce when you are standing before a marriage commissioner preparing to exchange vows of eternal love with the person you fully intend to spend the rest of your life with? Romance and hope tend to wash out practicalities. Gilles Marchildon, then the Execituve Director of Egale Canada, one of the principle organizations involved in the fight for equal marriage, urged Canadian legislators to move on the divorce issue. “There’s a legal vacuum in this country,” he said at the time. “The court will need to make a decision based on current law [but] it also has latitude in terms of the statutes involving common-law partnerships.”
34 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com
In 1999, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that it was unfair that a Toronto lesbian had no rights to sue a former partner for support. The following year, Ottawa passed Bill January 27, 2012 C-23, which ruled that same-sex couples were entitled to the GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine same federally legislated benefits, obligations and status as 2136 17th Avenue SW heterosexual common-law couples. Under that law, there Calgary, AB was no sharing of property when a common-law relationship T2T 0G3 ended, with the exception of jointly-owned property. The same rules do not apply, however, to divorcing couples. In Dear Rob and Steve, the instance a marriage ends, there are certain settlements On behalf of The SHARP Foundation, I wish to congratulate you on your 100th edition of and property divisions that need to be dealt with legally. GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. Following the Mesbur ruling, the federal Justice Department Your support and commitment of SHARP through sponsorship (promoting, attending and conceded that excluding lesbians and gay men from the photographing events), and even your personal fundraising efforts (Rob makes a great living Divorce Act was unconstitutional. Christmas tree…) are truly appreciated. Your enthusiasm around A Taste for Life has helped to This all seems relatively clear, as legalities go, but it build this into a marquee event in Calgary. applies only to residents of Canada. Those coming into I remember providing you a tour of Beswick House to show you the facility, but also discuss the Canada to be married from jurisdictions and countries that impact our work was having on a highly vulnerable and stigmatized part of our community – did not recognize same-sex marriage - and many instances people living with HIV. That is a tour that continues to be reflected in your business and personal support of The SHARP Foundation and the connections you have provide within the still don’t - seemed to have slipped through the cracks. GBLT community that are so important to our work. It is ridiculous to now tell them, ‘oh, well, since your Again, on behalf of SHARP’s Board, Staff, and most importantly the Clients we serve, I wish to country doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage, you aren’t congratulate you on your 100th edition, and thank you for your ongoing support of our actually married.’ Did the thousands who came to Canada to organization. be married only experience some phoney but oh-so-romantic All the best, rite? That’s not what they were told then. They were told if you marry in Canada, the marriage is valid and recognized as such in Canada and by other countries that recognize same- sex marriage, even if one’s own country doesn’t recognize the validity of the marriage. Does that lack of recognition render Gerry Hart the marriage any less valid? The answer back then was no, it Board President is a legal and valid marriage. Now they are being told it isn’t The SHARP Foundation and never was. That cannot be allowed to stand. If residency stipulations were waived or not required in order to be married in Canada, then residency stipulations for divorce should mirror that. As it stands now, one has to be a resident in Canada for a year in order to divorce in Canada. Of course, safe guards need to be in place to ensure divorce is not being taken lightly or entered into trivially. But so, too, should marriage have such safe guards in place. Perhaps some, back in those heady days of early legalization, did in fact get married and didn’t think it through or consider just what it was they were getting into, legally. Legal rights and responsibilities cut both ways, as they should. Just as the state has responsibilities towards the individual in such matters, so too does the individual have responsibilities and amongst those, one would assume, is the understanding
‘getting married’ is not like going out to buy a flat screen TV.
However, couples married in Canada essentially entered January 18, 2011 into a contractual agreement with us. We have an obligation to them to ensure that contract is honoured in all its nuances, Dear Steve and Rob: including the right to divorce. If, in fact, nonresidents cannot On behalf of Team Edmonton we would like to congratulate you and your contributors on the 100th obtain a divorce in the same country in which they married issue of Gay Calgary and Edmonton Magazine. in good faith, then we need to fix that. Now. To leave people Your publication has played a vital role in providing information about GLBTQ sports and recreation in some legal limbo is, quite clearly, just not right. opportunities in Alberta and supporting our mandate. Since our inception in 2006 you have worked This is not about ‘revisiting’ the equal marriage debate. collaboratively with us and our affiliated activities to provide accurate information and coverage to the We’ve had that and equal marriage is law. This is about community and partners across the province. fixing what went wrong. This is about setting things right. We wish you success on your next 100 issues and look forward to seeing your website, social media and This is about fairness. print publications continue to expand and develop.
Regards
http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2713
View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments Keith Andony
President, Team Edmonton
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 35 GayTravel Ogunquit: Vacationland’s Glorious Little Gay Getaway
Ogunquit
By GayTravel If you’re a sucker for art, there are incredible galleries You have to wonder why New Englanders choose to live featuring the work of local artists, including The Barn Gallery much of the year in the cold, snow, ice and darkness. One and Art & Soul Gallery, both located on Shore Road. The great hypothesis, they live for the summer! There’s nothing thing about Ogunquit is that most of the shops, museums, quite like that short window of time between spring and hotels and restaurants are located within walking distance to fall. For gay and lesbian travelers around the world, the beach. Trust me, this is a blessing because parking can be Provincetown is paradise found. This small stretch of a nightmare and if you time your entrance or escape out of town Cape Cod is the most famous gay getaway destination in at the wrong time, it could take the better part of an hour to get the region, but it’s certainly not the only one. Drive just back to the highway. four hours north and you’ll find the crown jewel of LGBT A cloudy day is also the perfect time to check out John Lane’s Maine, Ogunquit. Ogunquit Playhouse. Located just a few miles outside of the The town has a year-round population of less than two center of the action heading back to the highway, this is a great thousand residents, but it’s in the summer and early fall that venue to enjoy popular shows like Avenue Q, The Music Man this quaint, charming beach community comes alive, catering or Chicago. to gay and lesbian travelers. Ogunquit differs from other resort towns in Maine in that most of the restaurants, galleries, hotels and dance clubs … that’s right … dance clubs, are gay-owned and operated. Whether you live in nearby Portland or Boston, or you’re vacationing, your day starts the same. You lather on the sunscreen, put on your sexiest speedo and strut on down to the beach. The beginning of the beach is where the heteros station themselves, but if you walk less than a half mile beyond that you’ll find family. Cruisy older gents, sexy college studs playing volleyball and ladies frolicking in the waves, that’s the quintessential sunny day on Ogunquit Beach. Bare in mind, this is New England and the weather can go from sunny and gorgeous to rainy and miserable at any given moment. So if you do have to make a quick exit from the beach, don’t fret, there’s a variety of other ways to occupy yourself.
36 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com If anything can redeem a lackluster cocktail, it’s a night out on the town. Don’t be fooled by Ogunquit’s size, the clubs are incredibly fun and get packed. Front Porch is a great place to start your evening. It’s a piano bar filled with locals, Bostonians and visitors from points beyond. Even if you aren’t a singer, the mood is infectious, the waiters … adorable and the drinks are potent. Next, head across the street and pick your poison, you have two options to choose from to prolong your buzz and dance the night away. First is the staple of gay and lesbian Ogunquit, MaineStreet. Dance music, drag shows, pool and sexy bartenders, all the prerequisites are here. There’s also a spacious porch located outside if you want to have an audible conversation with some friends. Oxygen is close to MaineStreet. It’s that gay bar in town that’s been in business for years but constantly changes ownership. It’s a great place to end your night, whether you’re still in the mood to dance or want to grab a drunken bite at the rooftop café. Remember ladies and gents, Maine isn’t just lobster and lighthouses! If you’re that gay or lesbian traveler who wants a change from Provincetown, Key West, Fire Island and the other typical LGBT summer haunts, Ogunquit is a refreshing option. It offers all of the trappings of most other gay resort towns with smaller crowds and lower prices.
http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2714 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
Ogunquit-Gazebo
Ogunquit may be a small town, but most of the local businesses thrive on tourist dollars, so there’s no shortage of dining options for gay and lesbian travelers looking for a quick bit or extravagant romantic meal. Angelina’s is a charming restaurant and wine bar if you’re looking for something tres romantique, Cape Neddick Lobster Pound is great if you want to experience local cuisine. Keep in mind, not all of these establishments are created equal. On a recent visit I dined at a restaurant which will remain nameless and had to tell the
bartender how to make a Mojito. Something I never would
have expected to happen in a town fueled by the gay dollar. Dear Steve and Rob, After explaining the recipe, the bartender handed me a glass containing seltzer, rum and mangled brown mint leaves, #fail! On behalf of the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association we would like to congratulate you on their 100th edition of the GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine.
You have demonstrated your entrepreneurial spirit and your ability to succeed in a very difficult industry.
Your generous spirit and the donations you make to the Gay Community are second to none as you cover the non-profit associations, businesses, activities, and meaningful issues with clarity and fairness.
ARGRA would like to thank you for all of your help and insight into our organization and especially the Canadian Rockies International Rodeo.
Congratulations Steve and Rob for your 100th edition and for a major milestone.
Board of Directors Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 37 Jasper Comes Out To The Whistle Stop
By Carey Rutherford or it wouldn’t be as welcoming and friendly as it maybe Toto, I don’t think we’re in...waitaminute, we are in should be, if it were changed.” Alberta! And there’s now an LGBTQ-friendly pub in “But Rod (Zelles, the now consultant) said, if you let Jasper that has already put on their first drag show. people know that they’re welcome, they’ll come.” Vanessa Hugie, General Manager of Whistler’s Inn of “So we held our inaugural event on January 14th, called Jasper, isn’t surprised - it’s her doing! our ‘Loud and Proud Party’, and we basically turned the “Whistler’s Inn is coming up on 20 years (in Jasper), and Whistle Stop Pub into a dance bar for an evening, complete the Whistle Stop has been part of the hotel since before with disco balls, a lightshow, a dancefloor (and) a drag it had even become Whistler’s Inn. We’ve been building it queen show. It was probably one of the best events that into the locals’ pub/hangout for the last 15 years, really we’ve had in the pub, bar none.” bringing up the quality of the product and service, building “It was extremely well attended, by people from out-of- up our clientele, etc.” Coincidentally, 15 years is the same town as well as our locals, and overwhelming [were] the length of time she has been with them. support levels, and the good [feeling] in the room...[it] was In 2010, an LGBTQ-centred publication came through her phenomenal.” Vanessa was clearly smiling so hard she hotel looking for her business, and Vanessa was concerned could hardly get words out. about “pitching my hotel to the community, because I didn’t Vanessa mentions seeing many locals at the party that know that I could guarantee that we can deliver...on being normally didn’t frequent the Whistle Stop, and she was LGBT friendly just because I said we were.” And she would congratulated many times by clientele who were delighted know, as she’s been active in the Jasper rainbow community, with the successful welcoming effort. working with HIV West Yellowhead and supporting OUT “It was probably the most amazing feeling I’ve had in a Jasper. long time!” So when the salesman came back as a consultant, working She points out that their intention is not to change the with organizations like hers that wanted to learn about and pub over into what is traditionally called a ‘gay bar’, but promote themselves to this $7-billion Canadian market, she simply to enhance what they already do. Hugie explains, was the perfect person to speak with. “so one weekend every month will be dedicated to our LGBT “We took some new pictures of the hotel, did some customers, combined with promotions through the hotel. education with the staff, and talked about the pub. It is a So were there any spoilsports that complained? locals hangout, one of the most popular pubs in town; it’s “Not directly to me. A couple of my bartenders heard some not a nightclub... The bartenders all know you by what you people cracking some not so appropriate jokes, and they drink, when you walk in they all go hey there, so I was a said hey, everybody’s welcome here, and put a halt to it. little concerned because some of the clientele is very much ...No-one has said they’re going to stop coming (because of ‘repeat’, some of them are very comfortable because they’ve the changes), I haven’t heard of anyone being [offended].” been coming for so long, and can be very opinionated. I was a little worried that maybe the ambience wouldn’t be right, She had been more concerned about the out-of-towners, that she knows less about and who come in on weekends, 38 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com having an unpredictable reaction. “But I don’t think anyone who really has any issues will be put out: we’re not doing anything to make them feel uncomfortable, we’re just doing things to make others feel more comfortable.” “So in February, in support of Jasper Pride, the February 10-11th weekend, we’ll be hosting a group of local musicians from the LGBT community who’ll be performing at the official Apres-Ski on the 11th.” “Then on the second weekend in March we’re going to have a Passion Party, and there’s a girl from Edmonton’s clubs who will come out and DJ for us.” Passion Party as in sex toys, if you’re wondering. For trivia buffs, this is the third year Jasper has had a Pride, and “they decided to go with February, because they wanted to tie it in with winter and skiing, take advantage of marmot Basin and the great conditions that we have in February.” Vanessa, being hotel manager, a wife and a mother, demonstrates that she also has balls: “I personally would like to challenge Tourism Jasper to follow my lead. I think that they have shied away from looking at the LGBT community specifically, which, in my mind as a business operator, is short-sighted. It’s a $7-billion market, and for a town like Jasper that is resort-based and extremely seasonal, relying on a lot of regional support (like Calgary, Edmonton, and even smaller B.C. communities like Kamloops and Prince George). Without looking at all the markets I think they’re missing out... As of right now, Tourism Jasper has said they’re ‘interested’ in what I’m doing, but they haven’t stepped forward.” Oooh, looks like the rhinestone-covered gauntlet has been thrown!
Whistler’s Inn / The Whistle Stop 105 Miette Avenue, Jasper
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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 39 Glenn, Close Up Albert Nobbs actress talks gender-bending role, her unexpected bisexual turn and the possibility of her going lesbian – in real life
Glenn Close, photos by Patrick Redmond
By Chris Azzopardi GC: People aren’t sure how to define Albert Nobbs. I’ve heard Man, Glenn Close feels like a woman, but she sure both transgender and lesbian used to describe her. What do doesn’t look like one in her new gender-bending movie. you think? In Albert Nobbs, the actress – known especially to gay G: I don’t think she is either, and that’s what fascinates me audiences for her role in the 1995 filmServing in Silence: about this character. She disappeared when she was 14 and The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story, about a real-life she emerges 30 years later. She’s never been in a home, she’s lesbian soldier – drops her voice a few notches, wears a never had any intimate human contact, and she’s never been top hat and wraps her torso in a girdle, all to keep her loved by someone. Everything, in a way, is new and unexplored. job while living in late-19th-century Ireland. She does not have, when you first see her, a hugely active regretful longing in her life. She counts her money, she wants Recently nominated for an Oscar, the role – originated by to be left alone, she wants to have the security of her job so that Close on stage nearly 30 years ago – also earned her a Golden she won’t end up on the street – and that’s fine with her. She’s Globe nomination. Nods also went to costar Janet McTeer for lower-class and working, and it’s only when Hubert comes into playing Hubert, a cross-dressing lesbian who’s living the life her life and she’s revealed that – first of all, she fears life as she that Albert so desperately wants. knows it ending, but when she hears Hubert’s story, naturally, In a recent one-on-one, Close revealed her proudest part of she thinks, “Can I do that?” But she doesn’t have the tools; she the film, how she thinks Albert identifies sexually and looked just doesn’t. Hubert’s one mistake is that she thinks Albert is back at her unexpected bisexual role on Will & Grace. much more capable of forging a life, but she just isn’t. GC: How was it getting in touch with your masculine side? GC: One of the best lines in the film comes from Hubert, G: (Laughs) It’s funny, because I never think of Albert as who tells Albert that “you can be whoever you are.” That’s such a man. I always thought of her, even as Albert, as a woman, a powerful mantra for all of us, but the gay community can kind of wearing a mask. As far as getting in touch with her definitely relate. What effect do you hope that line, andthis movement and her voice and all that, I would think back on the film, has on the LGBT community? reality of what she must have gone through when she first had G: I hope that line makes them really happy. You’re absolutely the idea to disappear as a waiter. The shoes would’ve been too right to pick out that line, because it comes after a scene where heavy and too big, the pants would’ve been too long. Waiters in Albert, in the dress, realizes that’s not who she is either – and Victorian times who were very formal weren’t supposed to look that’s when Hubert says, “Albert, you can be whoever you are. anybody in the eye – they were seen, not heard – and so she Look what you’ve done.” It’s a wonderful moment. couldn’t have chosen a better way to disappear.
40 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com GC: What about the film, and the role of Albert Nobbs, makes G: You’ve all come a long way as far as rights, and I think you most proud? mentally ill people, many of them, lead secret lives. I don’t know G: Moments in the movie when I think people honestly forget how I got on that. what they’re looking at. It’s not two gay men and one confused GC: With the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” how do you other woman; it’s two people in a loving and passionate reflect on your role in Serving in Silence and the progress gay relationship, being kind to a third person. And gender really, people have made in the military? at that point, doesn’t matter. I know that it does matter, but in G: Incredible. I was in touch with Margarethe Cammermeyer some ways, if you look at it from some angles, gender should be when it happened, and we saw it back, what the situation was irrelevant. People should be able to love whoever they have that when we made that movie, and it was amazing. It didn’t ruin safety and connection with. That’s a basic human need. And her life but it certainly stopped her life on a trajectory that she that’s what Albert takes on. What she longs for is that sitting wanted it to go on – she wanted to be a general and that’s a loss. room. Those two chairs in front of the fire represent everything She was a great soldier. She was remarkable. So I’m very proud that she wants. And it’s basically a safe place with someone of that. I was honored to try to walk a little bit in her shoes, across the room. It’s as simple as that. which was impossible. But I’m very proud. GC: The film, though it’s set in a different time period, is GC: And that kiss: I remember you saying that for 30 seconds still very relevant to how people nowadays are resisting you felt what it was like to be attracted to the same sex. labels and gender identity. People no longer want to be called G: Yeah, absolutely. gay and lesbian. Queer is now being embraced. Do you see parallels between the film’s resistance of labels and the LGBT GC: If you weren’t an actress, do you think you would’ve ever community? been inclined to see what that felt like? Oh lord. I don’t know. That’s hard. Obviously it depends G: Absolutely. I always have. I think it’s why this simple story G: is so powerful. What Janet brought to the part of Hubert is on the individual. I can’t answer that. If I wasn’t an actress, I absolutely fantastic, because Hubert defies labels. She doesn’t don’t know what kind of life I’d have. care about labels. She’s happy with being Hubert, and it’s a great thing to see. No big deals made out of it. But here’s somebody who, even though she has to masquerade as a man, http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2716 is actually who she is. She’s comfortable with that. Like Janet has said, Hubert doesn’t want to be in a dress, but she’ll do it View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments for Albert. But nah, she’s happy if she never gets in a dress. GC: Let’s talk about all the gay cred you have – and not just with Albert Nobbs. You played a lesbian soldier, and kissed Judy Davis, in Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story. But you also dry humped Debra Messing on Will & Grace. G: (Laughs) Oh my god, that was so funny! GC: I didn’t forget about that, Glenn. G: Too funny. I went out there thinking I was going to be a marriage counselor. They said, “No, no – you’re going to be this bisexual international photographer.” And I go, “Oh, OK!” GC: You know, many consider you a dykon. When did you first feel embraced by the gay community? G: Oh, that’s so nice. I’m so flattered. Well, you can’t be in my profession and not have wonderful, important gay friends. I guess you can’t be anywhere in life now and not have wonderful, important gay friends. So it’s just a no-brainer. I started this organization to fight stigma around mental illness, and that’s one kind of frontier – are you saying “queer community” now? What are you saying? GC: Sure, queer works.
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 41 “Please don’t throw those tired, old clichés at me,” Madonna playfully insists, nodding her head at me in half-kidding agitation. (Hey, at least it wasn’t hydrangeas.) Her annoyance is marked with cheekiness – and a smile – that only the First Lady of Pop can pull off, and has for three decades. This is a new chapter in the indelible diva’s run, as she drops her hyped 12th album, MDNA, in March via a three-disc deal with Interscope; plans to launch an extensive world tour; does, perhaps, the gayest Super Bowl halftime ever; and releases her feature-length directorial debut W.E., a pet project that recently won her a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. And she – sexpot, spiritualist, Material Girl – really only has one word to define herself at the moment: “Busy.” Always unpredictable, she’s not interested in breaking down the details of what’s to come. All she cares to talk about is the film, a semi-biopic on Wallis Simpson (played by Andrea Riseborough) and King Edward VIII dovetailed with a modern-day love story centered on fictionalized damsel-in- distress Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish). Seated with Madonna at a Waldorf-Astoria suite in New York City on a December afternoon, one writer tells her he has a question to kick off the interview. “I’m sure you do,” she quips all-knowingly, as if to acknowledge the fact that she’s aware how much gay men go gaga over her. This is, after all, the room reserved for a small group of gay press, her first stop after a tardy arrival – “It’s all too Madonna Expresses Herself much. That’s why I’m late! I’m late for everything now.” – and the one her longtime publicist, Gay icon relates herself to ‘strong women’ in new film, Liz Rosenberg, insists will put her in a good mood for the rest of the day. Madonna agrees, talks being an outsider and the latest era of her career sighing: “Let’s start with levity.” Madonna’s in her groove Photos by The Weinstein Co. and Shaun Mader/PatrickMcMullan.com around us. She knows we get her even when she’s wielding snarky cracks. Ask her if she By Chris Azzopardi knows how to do the twist like the characters in her film and she responds: “Yes.” Hard pause. “Pretty simple.” Reminisce on With all of Madonna’s metamorphoses throughout her when you last interviewed Madonna and she won’t care. “All balls-out career, slipping in and out of cultural zeitgeists right, let’s get down to business,” she insists, done with small- (and accents), the queen chameleon is still the master of talk. reinvention. Just don’t tell her that. And so we do. Looking stunningly flawless, not at all her 53 years, in a deep blue dress with her now-infamous black
42 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com gloves and a bracelet of M: No. They’re held four crosses to represent under a microscope and each one of her children, judged and measured in a she gives us exactly what different way. That’s just we want: Madonna. No the law of the universe pretense. No filter. No right now. warm-and-fuzzy. In the GC: The film is driven by interview, she talks about a contemporary woman’s the challenges of being view of this historical a strong woman in a figure. Do you see anything man’s world, teaching her in your story that may, or children to be unique and that you hope one day may, how outsiders can relate to do the same for someone her new film. else? M: The Duchess is really What similarities do you Wally’s spiritual guide, see between Wallis and so to speak, and even Evita? though she (the Duchess) What they have in came from a different era common is what many where women didn’t have people have in common the same kind of choices who are public figures, who and opportunities, we as become iconic and who women still are all raised have some kind of historical on this fairytale idea that impact, especially women no matter how many – strong women. People opportunities we have have a tendency to feel education-wise or job-wise, intimidated by the strength your knight in shining of these women, and in armor is going to arrive on order to accept – actually, his beautiful white stallion the word “accept” is wrong, and sweep you off your feet because I don’t think and take you off into the they’re actually accepted. twilight, and you’re going I think in order to deal to live happily ever after. with them, a lot of people This is something that we who write history books, all have to deal with when and humanity in general, we grow up. But one person has a tendency to diminish isn’t going to be all of those women or undermine their things to us; ultimately, accomplishments or try to we have to make our own portray them as heretical happiness, and when we or as someone with an evil can own that and take possession of some kind of responsibility for our own sorcery, or undermine their happiness, then we can strength or intelligence, so find a mate for ourselves, I think they have those or companion or significant things in common. Now I’m other or whatever you want not saying that Eva Peron is to call it. That’s certainly without flaws or that Wallis what the Duchess imparts Simpson was this perfect to Wally, and I hope that holy human being, but I do I can inspire other women think they were both dealt to think that way with my with in a very unfair way in own life and behavior. the history books. GC: What’s the thing that GC: Have you felt that surprised you most about way? Wallis Simpson while doing M: (Laughs, expecting your research? the question) Well, yeah, M: The discoveries that sure. Yes, of course. I Wally makes in her journey mean, I don’t think it’s just and her investigations were me. It’s strong women in essentially mine. When general. I heard about the story GC: Why? – what a magnanimous, generous romantic gesture M: Why? Because… (hesitates) Edward VIII made toward Wallis Simpson – I thought GC: You’re a threat? the same thing that Wally M: No. It’s just the says when she’s looking nature of the universe. It’s in the mirror trying on the the nature of the world that necklace: “What must it we live in. We live in a patriarchal society and strong women feel to be loved that much?” have to… As I started to unravel the story and read the letters and go on GC: Challenge that? the journey that I went on to write the script, I realized that, in
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 43 fact, it wasn’t this fairytale intellectual and an artist romance as I had imagined and he doesn’t fit in; the it would be. I found that Duchess doesn’t really fit Wallis Simpson tried to into this aristocratic world avoid the actual marriage that she’s found herself in, from taking place and how and Edward doesn’t really she saw the writing on the fit into the Victorian world wall and how she tried her that he was raised in. So best to get Edward to see it’s how all these people the writing on the wall. who feel like outsiders try She was very astute in her to come to terms and find observations, but obviously their way in the world. she couldn’t talk him into GC: Is that something her point of view. He was you draw from your own just cunt-struck, as they experience? say in England. (Laughs at M: Yeah, but I think a her choice of words) Sorry! lot of people can relate GC: Did you ever think of to it. A lot of us feel making the movie without like we don’t fit into the the contrasting modern-day conventional norm or what story of someone reflecting society expects from us. on a historical figure? More and more, people M: No. I wasn’t interested are redefining what makes in making a straightforward a family, what makes a biopic. I don’t think it’s couple, what makes love, possible to tell the story of what romance is, what a one person from beginning union is, what soul mates to end in two hours. I are – all of these things think that’s actually an we’re reinventing, because unfair challenge to give family is what you make it. oneself. And also, truth is It’s funny how things turn so subjective and each of out that way. Sometimes us could read the same five your parents aren’t really books about the Duke and the people who nurture Duchess of Windsor and you. You have other role we would walk away with models in your life that a different interpretation. become your mother and It would impact us in a your father. It’s unusual different way, and so it when the family you’re was important for me to born into is actually the establish that. As much people that feel like your research as I did, and as family. close as I tried to stay to GC: Growing up, the truth and as authentic you rebelled against as I wanted to be, it was your upbringing and important that I be clear convention, becoming a that it is a point of view. I major trailblazer. How is never intended to just tell it different being a mother the story of Wallis Simpson. with kids who will not have GC: What’s the to fight the same battles importance of telling this that you fought? story from your point of M: Not that this has view? anything to do with my M: Most of the film, but it’s an interesting perspective on the story is, question. I don’t think “Look what he gave up for that I’m a conventional her,” and it’s told from the parent. I realize that, to a male point of view. I think certain extent, my children that when Wally starts to are raised with privilege; make all these discoveries they have housekeepers, about the Duchess, she I didn’t. There are a lot of appeals to Mohamed Al differences. On the other Fayed (keeper of the Duke hand, my parents raised and Duchess’ letters) as an me in a very conventional outsider, because he lives way and I rebelled against as a foreigner and as an it, and now my children outsider in England, not come to me and they often really accepted by society. want to do things because Really, in my movie, each everybody else does them, character is an outsider. and I say to them, “That’s Wally is living in alienation in the Upper East Side, where just the worst reason I’ve ever heard for doing something.” she doesn’t fit in; (Wally’s love interest) Evgeni is a Ukrainian I encourage them to question things. Question their behavior, immigrant working as a security guard, but he’s really an take responsibility for their behavior, think outside the box.
44 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com And they will have a different set of challenges. They will be compared to me. I will be some kind of a benchmark that they have to live with and deal with, and they are going to have to find their way in the world. We are all born with, and into, our challenges, so I don’t think for a second that life is going to be so simple and easy for them. GC: Do you feel like all your years of research on Wallis Simpson is over with, or are you still invested in her? M: I’m done with my deep research, but I still feel a strong connection to her. She’s always going to be a part of me. I am still uncovering little gems about her. People come to me and say, “Oh, look at this little note that we found in this handbag that was auctioned off 20 years ago.” People are still bringing me bits and bobs and memorabilia, so I’m still discovering things about her – and I’m sure I will for the rest of my life. I was actually going through my papers in my files the other day and found an astrological reading that someone had done for me 30 years ago. I was reading it, and the woman was talking about some aspect of my personality and she quoted Wallis Simpson: “All for love and the world well lost.” I thought, “How weird, she was already a part of my life.” That was a little foreshadowing. That happened 30 years ago, so who knows what’s going to happen 30 years from now.
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February 2012
A MESSAGE FROM MAYOR NENSHI
On behalf of my City Council colleagues and the citizens of Calgary, I would like to congratulate Gay Calgary and Edmonton magazine on printing its 100th edition.
Our community strives to be a welcoming place for all citizens, and the fact that Gay Calgary and Edmonton magazine has reached this milestone demonstrates that. Calgary’s diversity is one of my favourite things about this city. I wish the publisher and editors many years of success.
Sincerely,
Naheed K. Nenshi MAYOR
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 45 Book Review Book Marks Jack Holmes & His Friend and Franky Gets Real
By Richard Labonte
Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots: Flaming Chal- lenges to Masculinity, Objectification, and the Desire to Franky Gets Real Conform By: Mel Bossa edited by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore. AK Press, 224 pages, Bold Strokes, 236 $17.95 paper. pages, $16.95 paper. “My business is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” it’s said that social activist Mother “Mary” Jones once said (though a polemical Five old friends, a long 19th-century journalist is often cited as the original source). In this third weekend at the lake and anthology, after Nobody Passes and That’s Revolting, Bernstein, herself 15 years of fear, regret, something of an activist and polemicist, honors both of his antecedents. disappointment and denial With a sharp editor’s eye, she has collected 29 visceral essays celebrating – that’s the volatile mix defiant nonconformity and subversive flamboyance – writing that afflicts of Bossa’s bravura third the gay mainstream while comforting the outcast rebels, fierce queens and novel. Charismatic Wyatt’s gender-redefining queers who birthed Queer Lib but are now forsaken by it. marriage is falling apart after D. Travers Scott dreams of a less fetish-rigid drop-down Internet; CAConrad an unexpected reminder of offers body fascism-defying delight in his fat self; Lewis Wallace recalls youthful sexual pain; law youthful trans lust; James Villanueva writes about his spunky presence as student Holly, the most level- a queer Latino in a straight, white cowboy bar. These contributors and their headed of the lot, is pregnant sisters and brothers are flipping their middle finger at both LGBTQ-phobia and blissfully in love with a and the manifest intolerance of mainstream gays for their sort with candid solid, stolid man; brainy but cockiness and glamorous gutsiness. naive Nevins, swindled by a hooker, is stealing to cover his debts; Wyatt’s baffling younger brother, Alek, is coping with J. Edgar Hoover & Clyde Tolson: Investigating the Sexual disease; and Franky – who 15 years earlier rebuffed Alek’s Secrets of America’s Most Famous Men and Women gentle, desperate offer of love – is torn between his strained by Darwin Porter. Blood Moon Productions, 576 pages, $19.95 relationship with a woman and his nascent desire for men. paper. Blending the melodrama of the 1983 movie The Big Chill with the unsettling drunken confessions of a high school reunion, Tightly closed closet doors haven’t got a chance when it comes to the Bossa has crafted a textured novel that captures the drama fiercely tabloid tendencies of prolific biographer Porter. In earlier books, he of complex, realistic characters confronting the secrets and has chronicled the same-sex hijinks of the likes of Marlon Brando, Howard lies that threaten to fracture their friendship – and, in the end, Hughes , Katherine Hepburn, Steve McQueen and many more, mining learning to strengthen the ties that bid. Hollywood lore for the scandalous and the salacious. And though the focus shifts from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, in this explicit depiction of FBI honcho Hoover and Tolson, his BFF (and way more), there’s no shortage of Hollywood cameos – Hoover sent his G-Men minions to ferret out the sexual Jack Holmes & His secrets of the likes of Fred Astaire and Ramon Novarro, even as he and Tolson Friend were frequenting boy bordellos and ogling sex acts in Havana in the 1930s. In anecdote after anecdote, many sourced in the text (though there is no By: Edmund White bibliography of books used as reference), Porter leaves no doubt that the two Bloomsbury USA, 400 men were more than bachelor friends; this breathless biography goes way pages, $26 hardcover. past the innuendo of Clint Eastwood’s film depiction of J. Edgar and Clyde.
One of the many charms Featured Excerpt of White’s latest novel We are all failing: the intoxicating visions of gay liberation have given way to is that there is nothing an obsession with beauty myth consumer norms, mandatory masculinity, pretentious about it. The objectification without appreciation and a relentless drive to police the bor- writing is sensuous and ders. And yet, what might we conjure, create, and cultivate with our dreams stylish, the story is sexy that remain. Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots? reinvokes the anger, and straightforward, the flamboyance, and subversion once thriving in gay subcultures, in order to characters are cultured imagine something dangerous and lovely: an exploration of the perils of as- and always ready to cavort similation; a call for accountability; a vision for change. We are ready. sexually – though not with each other. Handsome, well- – from Why Are Faggots Afraid of Faggots?, by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore hung Jack, who escaped his rigid Midwestern upbringing with a porn star name that belies his initial reluctance to live a queer life, falls hard at first sight for Will, the well- bred sophisticate who becomes his colleague at an upscale literary magazine in the late 1960s – but who is, alas, irredeemably straight. Turns out that a promiscuous gay man in pre-AIDS Manhattan and a (for a time) suburban family man can at least be friends. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2718 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
46 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Interview - From Page 13 it on camera, to really expose herself, so I had no right to be redefine happiness for himself. I just want to tell stories that uncomfortable because I’m asking so much more. You can’t are meaningful and get people to think about themselves ask your actors to open up if you can’t open up with them. and the world differently. GC: How did you find those feelings of pain and isolation, GC: How about the HBO project with Viola Davis? Can and that journey to self-acceptance, in the character of you say anything about that? Alike? DR: I can’t! I’m just excited about it and thrilled to be AO: That process of accepting and loving yourself and working with this amazing actress and, again, I think this not fitting in and just wanting to break away from all the is going to be another character people are going to be expectations that people put on you, I wanted to clear up all interested in. of that and really figure out who I am and what I want to be. GC: Adepero, I imagine this character isn’t going away I really just related to all of that. I felt like I didn’t belong, so any time soon. What parts of Alike will stay with you? that’s what I brought to the table. AO: Oh, no, no. It will always be an absolute pleasure GC: What was going to a lesbian club for research like? to be associated with that character. I think it’s Alike’s AO: We just had to show up to this club in character, resilience. She just never gave up; she tries, gets knocked so me and Pernell (Walker), who plays Laura, met up at down and tries again. She, at a young age, makes the choice this club. Dee was watching us, not interacting with us at to live the life that she wants to live. That will always stay all, and just dropped me into this world, specifically Alike’s with me. world. And how uncomfortable! I didn’t fit in, and no one paid attention to me because I wasn’t butch or super femme. I felt invisible. I felt like I was on the outside looking in. I felt http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2700 like I was pressing my nose against this bubble. View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments GC: Tell me, Dee, about the song you chose for that opening scene in the club, Khia’s “My Neck, My Back (Lick It).” DR: My first time at a lesbian club, when I first came out, I was like, “Oh my god, I’m going to hell.” And so for this film, it was very important that the first song be very provocative. Just as Alike is pushed into this hypersexual environment, so are we. So she’s uncomfortable, we’re uncomfortable and we’re immersed in her perspective and feelings. GC: Do you think Alike’s mom, Audrey, is a bully? DR: Audrey (Kim Wayans) doesn’t intend to be. From her perspective, she’s just trying to do what’s right by her daughter. She’s just misguided. She really wants to connect with Alike and buy her dresses, but there’s this growing distance and she’s not sure how to connect, so she doesn’t mean to be. She’s just a lonely, vulnerable person who wants love, and with everything she does she ends up bringing about the very thing she’s trying to avoid. So she doesn’t mean to bully Alike. She’s trying to love her, and sometimes January 31, 2012 love can be misguided. People are flawed. GC: One choice she makes, to separate her from Laura and unite her with a colleague’s daughter, actually works Dear GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine, against her. The girl fosters Alike’s sexual becoming. We at Calgary Outlink are glad to congratulate you on your 100th edition. GayCalgary has DR: Yes, I thought it would be ironic. I think that in life consistently provided resources, enjoyment, and information to Alberta’s LGBTTQQI2SAA we sometimes bring about the very things we try to avoid. population. These services have been vital in helping to foster our diverse community. So by steering Alike from Laura, whom she feels is not the GayCalgary’s coverage of and presence at community events is invaluable. It provides a kind of friend she wants her daughter to hang out with, and platform for discussion, participation, and documentation that is valuable for grass roots turning her to Bina, she actually brings about Alike’s sexual organizations such as Calgary Outlink. consummation and the experience she’s been trying to steer At Calgary Outlink we pride ourselves in our commitment to meeting the needs of all in our her away from. That’s the irony. community, and providing strong resources and referrals to those in need. GayCalgary is a perfect aid in this mission. GC: Before the feature film, Pariah was a short in 2007. What initially drew you to Alike? We know that GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine will continue to thrive as a representation of our community, and look forward to the next hundred editions. More importantly, we look AO: I just felt it was going to be this really awesome forward to continued work in serving Alberta’s LGBTTQQI2SAA population for years to come. experience, so I wanted to be part of it. I submitted myself to be an extra, not to be the lead, and I got the call from Dee Sincerely, to read for Alike. Call backs and call backs later, I got the role. It was just so exciting to sink my teeth into a character Britt Aberle & the Board of Directors that was very meaty. GC: You’ve done extra roles before: You were the “Crack Smoker,” as listed on IMDB, in Ryan Gosling’s Half Nelson. AO: (Laughs) Yeah! That’s not what my role was called when I got it, but I was like, “Oh, they changed it… to ‘Crack Smoker.’ Thanks!” GC: What’s next for you, Dee? DR: I finished a script called Bolo, set in the South. It’s more a thriller but still a chance to explore interesting
characters and worlds. And another spec script called Large Calgary Outlink Old Y Centre Print, about a 50-something interest investor who’s recently #303, 223 12 Ave SW Calgary, AB T2R 0G9 divorced and living in another continent and having to For general inquiries: [email protected] 403.234.8973 For Britt Aberle, Executive Director: [email protected] www.calgaryoutlink.ca
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 47 Editorial - From Page 7
Advertisers will need to seriously consider including web • The Calgary Eagle is holding their 10th Anniversary advertising as part of their budget with us, if they are not party on Saturday, February 18th. The Calgary Eagle has already doing so. We currently receive an average of 5,000 been an instrumental business partner for us, and indeed visitors to our website on a daily basis, and existing banner a pillar of Calgary’s LGBT community. We will be joining advertisers have seen statistics for exposure and interest them to celebrate, and we hope you will too. that exceed expectations. As our improvements to the • February 10th to 12th are packed with things to do website stimulate further growth, this will only get better. as part of Jasper Pride Weekend. Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, if you’re able to make the trip you’re bound to Retro Tweets have an excellent time. Rather than taking you down memory lane by republishing • Team Edmonton is hosting their Annual Mixer on old articles in this edition, we will continue our practice Saturday, February 25th. If you’re in to playing sports, of what we call “Retro Tweeting” with renewed vigor. Our this is a great opportunity to network with other likeminded website has an archive of every edition since Issue #1 folks. If you’re not into sports, it’s still a fun night with available for download, so we use Twitter and Facebook to some great people. See their ad in this edition for more send out links to old articles that range from fun to mind- details. blowing when read today. • AIDS Calgary is hosting a special Mardi Gras themed Visit http://www.gaycalgary.com/twitter to be directed event on Saturday, February 25th: Le Carnaval Rouge. See to our Twitter page, or http://www.gaycalgary.com/ their ad in this edition for more details. facebookfan to be directed to our Facebook fan page, and sign up to also receive updates about the latest magazine, Final Thoughts on “Turning 100” articles, news releases, prize draws, and more. As founders and owners of GayCalgary Magazine, it’s Our Cover impossible to point to a product like ours and say, “I did this”. Without the help of writers and contributors, we This month we were able to get an interview with perhaps would have nothing to fill our pages. Without the help the ultimate gay music icon, and no doubt you have already of individuals in the community, we and our writers and recognized her on our cover: Madonna. Only a few years contributors would still have nothing to fill our pages. ago the thought of interviewing such a big name seemed We’d like to personally thank Jason Clevett and Stephen impossible, but by some stroke of luck and some great Lock who have been writing for us virtually from the timing, she is gracing our 100th cover. It’s surreal! beginning. In addition we’d like to thank numerous others who have shown a strong commitment over the course of This Month years and are still writing or contributing today: Mercedes There are a number of major community events coming Allen, Evan Kayne, Dallas Barnes, Janine Eva Trotta, Carey up this month that you should be aware of: Rutherford, Chris Azzopardi, Dave Brousseau (A Couple of
48 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Guys), Joan Hilty (Bitter Girl), Andrew Collins (Travel), Jack Fertig (Astrology), Glen Hansen and Allen Neuwirth (Chelsea Boys), Romeo SanVicente (Deep Inside Hollywood), Ed Sikov (Cocktail Chatter), Richard Labonte (Bookmarks) and Dan Woog (Sports). I’d like to thank the multitude of others Congratulations to GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine not mentioned here for their contributions over the years, on the historic milestone of your 100th Edition. and I’d like to remember Nico Hofferd, a contributor who tragically passed away in July of 2007. I would like to thank you for your activism, insight and reporting on many issues affecting our community. I also admire that over the years you continually support the GayCalgary Magazine is literally the outcome of thousands GLBT organizations locally to your Province and give us a unique perspective on and thousands of people. Even if all you did was pose for community issues. a photo that made it into print, you still helped us fill our pages and made a positive impact on us. Even if all you Your support and promotion of the Court System in Alberta and across the country is one that I treasure. In Surrey about 10 years ago we needed someone to host our website and did was take one of our magazines from a newsstand or you stepped up to the plate and have continued to host the website for the community and download it from our website, you made a positive impact court of Surrey, for which I thank you. on us. We are grateful. Also I would like to congratulate Steve and Rob on being two of the inaugural recipients In turn, we hope that something we have done or something of the Royal Order of the Maple Leaf, the highest honor that the International Court that you have experienced through us has somehow made a System can bestow on a Canadian Citizen. Thank you for your continued support of positive impact on you as well. issues that affect all of us, for keeping the pressure on community groups and organizations to present an honest and mature approach and keep them responsible to the communities they purportedly represent. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2697 I look forward to a continued dialogue and partnership with GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine for many years to come. View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments I remain Martin Rooney Aka Emperor Martin Storm International Court Council Corresponding Secretary & Minister for Canada Heir Apparent to Empress Nicole the Great, Queen Mother 1 of the Americas
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 49 Photography
Les Girls White Party at Club Sapien - Calgary
Jasper First Monthly Gay Bar Night (photos by Rod Zelles)
50 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Photography
F@#ked Up Follies at the Texas Lounge - Calgary
Underwear Party - Calgary Eagle
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 51 52 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 53 54 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events
24 DOWNTOWN CALGARY
43 41
37 4
9 60 34 36 2 35 33 3
5 6 16 1
13 N
1 Calgary Outlink------Community Groups 6 Goliath’s------Bathhouses 33 Twisted Element------Bars and Clubs 41 La Fleur------Retail Stores 2 Aids Calgary------Community Groups 9 FAB------Bars and Clubs 34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------Theatre 43 Lisa Heinricks------Theatre and Fine Arts 3 Backlot------Bars and Clubs 13 Westways Guest House----Accommodations 35 One Yellow Rabbit------Theatre 58 Theatre Junction------Theatre 4 Calgary Eagle Inc.------Bars and Clubs 16 Priape Calgary------Retail Stores 36 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects------Theatre 60 Club Sapien------Bars and Clubs 5 Texas Lounge------Bars and Clubs 24 Courtney Aarbo------Services 37 Pumphouse Theatre------Theatre
33 Twisted Element------✰ 1006 - 11th Ave SW 403-802-0230 FIND OUT! CALGARY www.twistedelement.ca LGBT Community Directory Accommodations Dance Club and Lounge. 13 Westways Guest House------✰ Bathhouses/Saunas 216 - 25th Avenue SW 403-229-1758 6 Goliaths------✰ 1-866-846-7038 [email protected] GayCalgary Magazine is the go-to source for information about 308 - 17 Ave SW 403-229-0911 www.gaywestways.com Alberta LGBT businesses and community groups—the most www.goliaths.ca extensive and accurate resource of its kind! This print supplement Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day contains a subset of active community groups and venues, with Bars & Clubs premium business listings of paid advertisers. 3 Backlot------✰ Community Groups 209 - 10th Ave SW 403-265-5211 2 AIDS Calgary------✰ ✰...... Find our Magazine Here ...... Wheelchair Accessible Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW 403-508-2500 Spot something inaccurate or outdated? Want your business or 4 Calgary Eagle Inc.------✰ 424a - 8th Ave SE 403-263-5847 [email protected] organization listed? We welcome you to contact us! http://www.calgaryeagle.com www.aidscalgary.org Open Wed-Sun, 5pm-close Alberta Society for Kink Leather/Denim/Fetish bar. 403-543-6960 1-888-543-6960 403-398-9968 60 Club Sapien------✰ [email protected] [email protected] 1140 10th Ave SW 403-457-4464 http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/ http://www.clubsapien.ca group.albertasocietyforkink Dance Club and Restaurant/Lounge. Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports 9 FAB------✰ www.apollocalgary.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/CalgaryTravelRSS 1742 - 10th Ave SW 403-263-7411 www.myapollo.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/EdmontonTravelRSS www.fab-bar.com Closed Mondays. A volunteer operated, non-profit organization serving Bar and restaurant. primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to all Local Bars, Restaurants, and Accommodations info on the go! members of all communities. Primary focus is to provide 5 Texas Lounge------✰ members with well-organized and fun sporting events and 308 - 17 Ave SW 403-229-0911 other activities. http://www.gaycalgary.com/Directory www.goliaths.ca Browse our complete directory of over 600 gay-frieindly listings! Open 7 days a week, 11am-close www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 55 Directory & Events
Thursdays Saturdays Free Pool------ All Day Calgary Events At 4 Calgary Eagle Lesbian Seniors------ 2pm Running------ 9am Mondays Kerby Center, Sunshine Room 3rd See Apollo Calgary Friday, February 10th 1133 7th Ave SW ASK Meet and Greet------ 7-9:30pm Coffee------ 10am That’s Entertainment------ 9pm Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE) Swimming------ 6-7pm By Prime Timers Calgary By ISCCA at 33 Twisted Element Inside Out Youth Group------ 7-9pm By Different Strokes Midtown Co-op (1130 - 11th Ave SW) SAIT Pool (1301 - 16 Ave NW) Jun Dark Knight Party------ 9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink Curling------ 2:20 & 4:30pm At 4 Calgary Eagle Karaoke------ Evening Lesbian Meetup Group------ 7:30-9pm See Apollo Calgary At 1 Calgary Outlink 1st Saturday, February 11th At 60 Club Sapien Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm Pool Tournament------ 7-10pm Tuesdays Fake Mustache Show------7:30pm Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) By ARGRA at Club Sapien By Miscellaneous Youth Network 1st 1227 Kensington Close NW Calgary Networking Club------ 5-7pm Quincy’s (609 7th Ave SW) 80s Dance Party------ 9pm Go-Go Boy Competition------ Evening See 1 Calgary Outlink 1st At 4 Calgary Eagle Fake Mustache Show------ 9pm At 60 Club Sapien Between Men------ 7-9pm By Miscellaneous Youth Network 3rd Saturday, February 18th Sundays See 1 Calgary Outlink 2nd, 4th At 60 Club Sapien Pool Tournament------ 7-10pm Worship Time------ 10am Karaoke------ 8pm-1am Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm By ARGRA at Calgary Eagle See Deer Park United Church At 5 Texas Lounge Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 10th Anniversary Party------ 9pm 1227 Kensington Close NW Worship------ 10:30am Fetish Slosh------ Evening At 4 Calgary Eagle At 3 Backlot 2nd Fridays See Scarboro United Church Saturday, February 25th Leather Night------ Evening Sunday Services------ 10:45am Alcoholics Anonymous------8pm Le Carnaval Rouge------ 7pm Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) At 4 Calgary Eagle See Hillhurst United Church By 2 AIDS Calgary 1227 Kensington Close NW Rec Volleyball------ 7pm Worship Services------ 11am The Metropolitan Centre (333 4 Ave SW) Wednesdays See Apollo Calgary See Knox United Church Pool Tournament------ 7-10pm Communion Service------ 12:10pm Illusions------ 7-10pm Int/Comp Volleyball------ 12:15-1:45pm By ARGRA at 4 Calgary Eagle See Knox United Church See 1 Calgary Outlink 1st See Apollo Calgary White Party------ 8pm Women’s Healing Circle------ 1:30pm Womynspace------ 7-9pm BBQ Social Sundays------ 2pm By ARGRA See AIDS Calgary See 1 Calgary Outlink 2nd At 4 Calgary Eagle Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall 1320 - 5th Ave NW Free Pool------ All Day New Directions------ 7-9pm Church Service------ 4pm At 4 Calgary Eagle with Prime Timers Calgary See 1 Calgary Outlink 3rd See Rainbow Community Church Cowboy Night------ 9pm At 4 Calgary Eagle LGBT Coffee Night------7pm Heading Out------ 8pm-10pm Swimming------ 5-6pm See CAANS 1st See 1 Calgary Outlink 4th By Different Strokes SAIT Pool (1301 - 16 Ave NW) Jun Mosaic Youth Group------ 7-9pm Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW) Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) Women’s Volleyball------ 7-8:30pm 1227 Kensington Close NW See Apollo Calgary
Calgary Contd. Legend: = Monthly Reoccurrance, = Date (Range/Future), = Sponsored Event
• Western Cup 30 • Running (Calgary Frontrunners) Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA) • Calgary Lesbian Ladies Meet up Group www.westerncup.com YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW) www.argra.org • Between Men and Between Men Online Easter long weekend, 2012. [email protected] East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances • Monthly Dances------• Heading Out • Badminton (Absolutely Smashing) vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association • Illusions Calgary 6020 - 4 Avenue NE 9+ minute miles. 1320 - 5th Avenue NW • Inside Out [email protected] • Slow Pitch Calgary Gay Fathers • New Directions • Biking [email protected] [email protected] • Womynspace [email protected] http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca • Squash Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning • Boot Camp Mount Royal University Recreation fathers. Meeting twice a month. Calgary Queer Book Club Platoon FX, 1351 Aviation Park NE [email protected] Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW) [email protected] All skill levels welcome. Calgary Men’s Chorus http://www.calgarymenschorus.org Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre • Bowling (Rainbow Riders League) • Tennis 77 Deerpoint Road SE 403-278-8263 Let’s Bowl (2916 5th Avenue NE) [email protected] • Rehearsals http://www.dpuc.ca [email protected] Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW • Volleyball (Beach) Different Strokes • Curling [email protected] Calgary Sexual Health Centre------✰ http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW) 304, 301 14th Street NW [email protected] • Volleyball (Int/Comp) 403-283-5580 FairyTales Presentation Society 403-244-1956 Will return in September 2010. Sign up at myapollo.org West Hillhurst Community Center http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com to receive updates. 1940 6th Avenue NW A pro-choice organization that believes all people have the Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. [email protected] right and ability to make their own choices regarding their • Golf sexual and reproductive health. [email protected] • Volleyball (Recreational) • DVD Resource Library 235 - 18 Ave SW 1 Calgary Outlink------✰ Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership is $10. • Lawn Bowling [email protected] B1, 1528 16th Avenue SW [email protected] 403-234-8973 • Volleyball (Women’s) Gay Friends in Calgary • Outdoor Pursuits [email protected] http://www.gayfriendsincalgary.ca YWCA Calgary (320 - 5th Avenue SE) http://www.calgaryoutlink.com [email protected] [email protected] Organizes and hosts social activities catered to the LGBT If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all • Peer Support and Crisis Line people and friends. summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow • Yoga 1-877-OUT-IS-OK (1-877-688-4765) shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on World Tree Studio (812 Edmonton Trail NE) Girl Friends Front-line help service for GLBT individuals and their family [email protected] the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to Robin: 403-618-9642 and friends, or anyone questioning their sexuality. lead events. [email protected] members.shaw.ca/girlfriends $120 (10 sessions); $14 Drop-ins open to all levels. Apollo Girlsgroove membership is required. http://www.girlsgroove.ca
56 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events
Calgary Contd.
Hillhurst United Church • Coffee Night 24 Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors) 37 Pumphouse Theatre------✰ 1227 Kensington Close NW 2nd Cup, Kensington 1138 Kensington Road NW 2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW (403) 283-1539 403-571-5120 403-263-0079 [email protected] Scarboro United Church http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca www.hillhurstunited.com 134 Scarboro Avenue SW GLBT legal services. 403-244-1161 www.scarborounited.ab.ca Stagewest------✰ HIV Peer Support Group An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT Cruiseline 727 - 42 Avenue SE 403-243-6642 403-230-5832 people is essential to our mission and purpose. 403-777-9494 trial code 3500 http://www.stagewestcalgary.com [email protected] http://www.cruiseline.ca Sharp Foundation Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. 58 Theatre Junction------✰ ISCCA Social Association 403-272-2912 Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW http://www.iscca.ca [email protected] DevaDave Salon & Boutique 403-205-2922 Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch. Charity http://www.thesharpfoundation.com 810 Edmonton Trail NE [email protected] fundraising group.. 403-290-1973 http://www.theatrejunction.com Unity Bowling Cuts, Colour, Hilights. Knox United Church Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE) 34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------ 506 - 4th Street SW 403-269-8382 [email protected] Duncan’s Residential Cleaning 161, 115 - 9 Ave SE 403-221-3708 http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca Jim Duncan: 403-978-6600 http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com Knox United Church is an all-inclusive church located in Urban Sex Radio Show Residential cleaning. Free estimates. downtown Calgary. A variety of facility rentals are also CJSW 90.9 FM available for meetings, events and concerts. http://www.cjsw.com Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors) Focus on sexuality; gay bisexual lesbian trans gendered and 403-461-9195 Lesbian Meetup Group straight issues here in Calgary and around the web. http://www.lornedoucette.com EDMONTON http://www.meetup.com/CalgaryLesbian Monthly events planned for Queer women over 18+ such Vigor Calgary MFM Communications Bars & Clubs as book clubs, games nights, movie nights, dinners out, 403-255-7004 www.vigorcalgary.ca 403-543-6970 and volunteering events. Violence in Gay Male Relationships (VIGOR) is a committee 1-877-543-6970 6 Buddy’s Nite Club------✰ of professionals dedicated to increasing the awareness of http://www.mfmcommunications.com 11725 Jasper Ave 780-488-6636 Miscellaneous Youth Network gay men’s domestic violence and the services available Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware http://www.miscyouth.com to them. and software. 14 FLASH------✰ 10018 105 Street 780-938-2941 • Fake Mustache Wild Rose United Church MPs Catering [email protected] Club Sapien (609 7th Ave SW) 1317-1st Street NW 403-607-8215 Calgary’s ONLY Drag King Show. Early show 7:30pm, 5 The Junction------✰ late show 9pm. “Yeah...What She Said!” Radio Show SafeWorks 10242 106th St 780-756-5667 CJSW 90.9 FM Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing. http://www.junctionedmonton.com • Mosaic Youth Group [email protected] The Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW) • Calgary Drop-in Centre 12 Woody’s------✰ For queer and trans youth and their allies. Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE 11725 Jasper Ave 780-488-6557 Restaurants 403-699-8216 Mystique 4 Calgary Eagle Inc.------✰ Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm Bathhouses/Saunas [email protected] See Calgary - Bars and Clubs. Mystique is primarily a Lesbian group for women 30 and • Centre of Hope 11 Steamworks------✰ up but all are welcome. 60 Club Sapien------✰ Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE 11745 Jasper Ave 780-451-5554 1140 10th Ave SW 403-457-4464 403-410-1180 Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm http://www.steamworksedmonton.com • Coffee Night http://www.clubsapien.ca Good Earth Cafe (1502 - 11th Street SW) • Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre 9 FAB------✰ 1213 - 4th Str SW 403-955-6014 Community Groups NETWORKS See Calgary - Bars and Clubs. Sat-Thu: 4:15pm-7:45pm, Fri: Closed [email protected] Alberta Bears A social, cultural, and service organization for the mature Halo Steak, Seafood & Wine Bar • Safeworks Van www.beefbearbash.com 403-850-3755 minded and “Plus 40” LGBT individuals seeking to meet Canyon Meadows Plaza AltView Foundation others at age-appropriate activities within a positive, safe 13226 Macleod Trail SE Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am #44, 48 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB environment. 403-271-4111 403-398-9968 www.halorestaurant.com Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Theatre & Fine Arts [email protected] Sean: 403-695-5791 36 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects www.altview.ca http://www.pflagcanada.ca 403-294-7402 http://www.ATPlive.com For gender variant and sexual minorities. A registered charitable organization that provides Retail Stores Book Worm’s Book Club support, education and resources to parents, families and AXIS Contemporary Art------ Howard McBride Chapel of Chimes individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual Adult Depot------✰ 107, 100 - 7 Ave SW 403-262-3356 10179 - 108 Street orientation or gender identity. 140, 58th Ave SW 403-258-2777 [email protected] www.axisart.ca Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys. [email protected] Fairytales Positive Space Committee Buck Naked Boys Club 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW 41 La Fleur------See Calgary - Community Groups. 780-471-6993 403-440-6383 103 - 100 7th Avenue SW http://www.bucknakedboys.ca http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace 403-266-1707 Jubilations Dinner Theatre Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of Florist and Flower Shop. Bow Trail and 37th St. SW naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Participants do silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals. 403-249-7799 The Naked Leaf------ www.jubilations.ca not need to be gay, only male. 305 10th Street NW 403-283-3555 Pride Calgary Planning Committee Camp fYrefly 403-797-6564 www.pridecalgary.ca http://www.thenakedleaf.ca 43 Lisa Heinricks (Artist)------Organic teas and tea ware. Art Central, 100 7th Ave SW, lower level 7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies Primetimers Calgary http://www.creamydreamy.com Faculty of Education, University of Alberta [email protected] 16 Priape Calgary------✰ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5 http://www.primetimerscalgary.com 1322 - 17 Ave SW 403-215-1800 35 One Yellow Rabbit------ http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca http://www.priape.com Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE Designed to foster social interaction for its members Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS) through a variety of social, educational and recreational Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies 403-299-8888 www.oyr.org http://www.edmontonpride.ca activities. Open to all gay and bisexual men of any age, and magazines. Gifts. respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member desires. Services & Products Queers on Campus------✰ Calgary Civil Marriage Centre 279R Student Union Club Spaces, U of C 403-246-4134 [email protected] 403-220-6394 Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass - JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths. Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students and Staff.
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 57 Directory & Events
DOWNTOWN EDMONTON
5
6 4 N 11 12 14
4 Edmonton STD------Community Groups 6 Buddy’s Nite Club------Bars and Clubs 12 Woody’s------Bars and Clubs 5 The Junction------Bars and Clubs 11 Steamworks------Bathhouses 14 FLASH------Bars and Clubs
Book Club------ 7:30pm Saturdays Monthly Meetings------ 2:30pm Edmonton Events See BookWorm’s Book Club Naturalist Gettogether Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) Mondays 3rd See Edmonton Primetimers See Buck Naked Boys Club 2nd Boot Camp------ 7-8pm Martial Arts------ 7:30-8:30pm 2nd See Team Edmonton Saturday, February 25th See Team Edmonton Monthly Meeting------ 2:30pm Tuesdays Intermediate Volleyball------ 7:30-9:30pm By Edmonton Primetimers Annual Mixer------ 7-11:30pm See Team Edmonton 2nd By Team Edmonton Martial Arts------ 7:30-8:30pm Unitarian Church, 10804 - 119th Street Sawridge Inn (4235 Gateway Blvd) See Team Edmonton Fridays Bowling------ 5pm Saturday, March 10th Wednesdays Men’s Games Nights------ 7-10:30pm See Team Edmonton See Men’s Games Nights 7th Annual Gala------ 8pm GLBTQ Bowling------ 1:30-3:30pm 2nd, Last Sundays By Camp fYrefly See GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club Edmonton Illusions------ 8:30pm Running------ 10-11am Friday, March 16th Youth Sports/Recreation------4pm At 5 The Junction See Team Edmonton Jeffery Straker in Concert------ 7pm See Youth Understanding Youth 2nd Yoga------ 2-3:30pm By Living Positive McDougall United Church (10086 MacDonald Dr) Thursdays Youth Sports/Recreation------ 4pm See Team Edmonton See Youth Understanding Youth Youth Sports/Recreation------ 4pm Ballroom Dancing------ 7:30-8:30pm See Youth Understanding Youth See Team Edmonton
Edmonton Contd. Legend: = Monthly Reoccurrance, = Date (Range), = Sponsored Event
Edmonton Prime Timers HIV Network Of Edmonton Society---- ✰ • Free School • Suit Up and Show Up: AA Big Book Study [email protected] 9702 111 Ave NW 780-488-5742 10608 - 105 Ave 10608 - 105 Ave www.primetimersww.org/edmonton www.hivedmonton.com monika\[email protected] Discussion and support group for those struggling with an Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from Provides healthy sexuality education for Edmonton’s LGBT Free School provides workshops on a variety of topics alcohol addiction or seeking support in staying sober. diverse backgrounds but have common social interests. community and support for those infected or affected related to local activism. Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide. by HIV. • TTIQ • Get Tested for STIs 10608 - 105 Ave Edmonton Rainbow Business Association Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose Free STD testing for anyone interested. For more [email protected] 3379, 11215 Jasper Ave 780-429-5014 http://www.iscwr.ca information please contact the Pride Centre. TTIQ is mixed gender open support group addressing the http://www.edmontonrba.org needs of transsexual and transgendered individuals. Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities Living Positive Society of Alberta • GLBT African Group (Drop-In) for LGBT owned or operated and LGBT-friendly businesses #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-423-3737 [email protected] • Womonspace Board Meeting in the Edmonton region. http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz [email protected] 10608 - 105 Ave Living Positive through Positive Living. Group for ALL gay refugees and their friends and families, [email protected] Edmonton Illusions Social Club from all around the world. Womonspace is a Social and Recreational Society in 5 The Junction Men’s Games Nights Edmonton run by volunteers. They provide opportunities 780-387-3343 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) • GLBT Seniors Drop-In for lesbians to interact and support each other in a safe groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions 780-474-8240 [email protected] SAGE building, Classroom B environment, and to contribute to the broader community. 15 Sir Winstone Churchill Square 4 Edmonton STD OUTreach [email protected] • Youth Movie 11111 Jasper Ave University of Alberta, basement of SUB A social and support group for seniors of all genders and 10608 - 105 Ave [email protected] sexualities to talk, have tea and offer each other support. [email protected] Edmonton Vocal Minority http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach Movie chosen by youth (aged 14 – 25), usually with LGBT 780-479-2038 [email protected] Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer, • Men Talking with Pride themes. Popcorn is served. www.evmchoir.com Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group. 10608 - 105 Ave [email protected] • YouthSpace GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club Pride Centre of Edmonton------✰ A social discussion group for gay, bisexual and [email protected] 780-474-8240 [email protected] 10608 - 105 Ave 780-488-3234 transgendered men to discuss current issues and to offer A safe and supportive space for GLBTQ youth aged 13–25. [email protected] support to each other. Video games, computers with internet, clothing bank, http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org and more. • Men’s HIV Support Group 10608 - 105 Ave Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton [email protected] 780-474-8240 Support group for people living with HIV/AIDS. [email protected] • PFLAG Team Edmonton 10608 - 105 Ave 780-436-1998 [email protected] [email protected] http://www.teamedmonton.ca Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays: A support Members are invited to attend and help determine the group for family members and friends of GLBT people. An board for the next term. If you are interested in running for excellent resource for people whose family members and the board or getting involved in some of the committees, friends have just come out. please contact us.
58 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events
Edmonton Contd.
• Badminton (Mixed) • Swimming (Making Waves) • Book Club St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street) Monthly, contact us for exact dates. [email protected] [email protected] RED DEER New group seeking male & female players. www.makingwavesswimclub.ca Theatre & Fine Arts Community Groups • Badminton (Women’s) • Tennis Exposure Festival Oliver School, 10227 - 118 Street Kinsmen Sports Centre http://www.exposurefestival.ca Affirm 780-465-3620 Sundays, 12pm-3pm Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival. Sunnybrook United Church [email protected] [email protected] 403-347-6073 Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season The Roxy Theatre 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7pm or $5.00 per drop in. • Ultimate Frisbee 10708 124th Street, Edmonton AB Composed of LGBTQ people, their friends, family and Sundays 780-453-2440 allies. No religious affiliation necessary. Activities include •Ballroom Dancing Summer Season starts July 12th www.theatrenetwork.ca support, faith and social justice discussions, film nights, Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW [email protected] and potlucks! Cynthia: 780-469-3281 E-mail if interested. CAANS LGBT Coffee Night • Blazin’ Bootcamp • Volleyball, Intermediate BANFF/CANMORE 403-346-8858 (Jenn/Jill) Garneau Elementary School Amiskiwacy Academy (101 Airport Road) 10925 - 87 Ave [email protected] Central Alberta AIDS Network Society [email protected] Community Groups 4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB • Volleyball, Recreational Mountain Pride http://www.caans.org • Bowling (Northern Titans) Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave) The Central Alberta AIDS Network Society is the local Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall) [email protected] [email protected] www.gaybanff.com charity responsible for HIV prevention and support in [email protected] Central Alberta. $15.00 per person. • Women’s Lacrosse Serving the GLBTQS community in Banff, Canmore, Lake Sharon: 780-461-0017 Louise and Area. Western Canadian Pride Campout • Cross Country Skiing Pam: 780-436-7374 www.eventmasterinc.net [email protected] Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome. Call for info. • Curling with Pride Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW • Yoga LETHBRIDGE [email protected] Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street) ALBERTA [email protected] Community Groups • Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders) Various locations in Edmonton Womonspace GALA/LA Community Groups [email protected] 780-482-1794 403-308-2893 Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group [email protected] http://www.galalethbridge.ca • Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons) http://www.albertatrans.org www.womonspace.ca Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area. A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of where they [email protected] Women’s social group, but all welcome at events. • Monthly Dances may be on the continuum. • Golf Youth Understanding Youth Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S) [email protected] 780-248-1971 www.yuyedm.ca Bring your membership card and photo ID. Theatre & Fine Arts A support and social group for queer youth 12-25. • Gymnastics, Drop-in • Monthly Potluck Dinners Alberta Ballet Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue • Sports and Recreation McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S http://www.albertaballet.com [email protected] Brendan: 780-488-3234 GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton. Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to [email protected] bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00 own beverage. per session. Restaurants • Support Line CANADA • Hockey 5 403-308-2893 [email protected] The Junction------ Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm 10242 106th St 780-756-5667 Leave a message any other time. Community Groups • Martial Arts 12 ✰ 15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance) Woody’s------• Friday Mixer Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition 780-328-6414 11725 Jasper Ave 780-488-6557 The Mix (green water tower) P..O. Box 3043, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3S9 [email protected] 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S (306) 955-5135 [email protected] Retail Stores Every Friday at 10pm 1-800-955-5129 Drop-ins welcome. http://www.rainbowhealth.ca Passion Vault Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA) • Outdoor Pursuits 15239 - 111 Ave University of Lethbridge [email protected] Egale Canada [email protected] 780-930-1169 GBLTTQQ club on campus. 8 Wellington St E, Third Floor [email protected] Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C5 • Running (Arctic Frontrunners) “Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store” • Movie Night 1-888-204-7777 www.egale.ca Emily Murphy Park, west end Room C610, University of Lethbridge Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby [email protected] Products & Services organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans- All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to Gay Youth Alliance Group identified people and our families. join this free activity. Betty, 403-381-5260 [email protected] Cruiseline Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm • Slo Pitch 780-413-7122 trial code 3500 Products & Services Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave http://www.cruiseline.ca Lethbridge HIV Connection [email protected] Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. 1206 - 6 Ave S Squirt http://www.squirt.org Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players Robertson-Wesley United Church from the 2008 season. PFLAG Canada Website for dating and hook-ups. 18+ ONLY! 10209 - 123 St. NW 780-482-1587 1-888-530-6777 • Snowballs V [email protected] www.rwuc.org [email protected] Theatre & Fine Arts January 27-29, 2012 Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am www.pflagcanada.ca [email protected] People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT Pride Lethbridge Broadway Across Canada Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend. events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have [email protected] • Soccer you join us! OUTtv [email protected] http://www.outtv.ca • Soul OUTing GLBT Television Station. • Spin Second Sunday every month, 7pm MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness An LGBT-focused alternative worship. 109 St. and 104 Ave Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45pm • Film Night Season has ended. Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates. [email protected] 7 classes, $28.00 per registrant.
www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 59 Classifieds
Must be willing and able to conduct Event 140 interviews in person or by phone. Male Friends 455 Cleaning 517 Please have a writing sample ready. Hate Crimes Luncheon Sunday, Contact Steve at Seeking Companionship GET A LIFE...STOP Feb 26 @ Noon McDougall United [email protected]. Church 10025 101 Street Edmonton Youthful 50 year old gay male, CLEANING! Donation for lunch appreciated looking for a nice black/hispanic man Get a life and STOP Cleaning your www.mcdougallunited.com for fun times. I love to go clubbing, place. Let Steve do the dirty work for have quiet dinners, very passionate Sales Rep Wanted you. Cleaning your home or business. guy here, you be the same. Age is Prefer regular cleaning schedule. unimportant to me, but looking for Adult Oriented 210 GayCalgary Magazine is looking Flexable rates. for a part time sales rep. Income guys 35-45 plus, all responses will by commission, sales experience be answered. Please send email to getalifecleaner.com | 403-200-7384 required. Duties include contacting [email protected] new advertisers and maintaining existing customers. Contact Steve at Health 550 [email protected]. Models/Escorts 460 My CannaMeds Alberta Escort Listings Organic medical marihuana products, Sales/Rentals 305 shipped quickly, discreetly to your door. www.mycm.ca. Your #1 online Elizabeth’s Antique & Compassionate Club. Collectible Sale View profiles, watch greetings and Massage 560 share chest rashes and genital sores! PlentyofSyph.com, the hottest place Massage in Edmonton to meet local singles infected with syphilis. Check out www.Squirt.org for the Hot Escorts in Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta. Audition 215 New Improved Features. Free to Rediscover the past. Alberta Aviation Post and Browse. Videos, Pics, and Gay Talent Wanted Museum, 11410 Kingsway Ave., Reviews. Join Now! Code: GCEE Edmonton, AB. March 16-17, 2012. Registered Massage Therapist in Beauty & Mayhem Production Friday 2-8PM & Saturday 10-4PM. downtown Edmonton. Relaxation Agency is are looking for Gay Talent $5.00 Admission. Products/Services 500 and therapeutic massage. For to perform in Adult entertainment appointment phone Dwayne at 780- Productions. Call Pj @ 403 826 2670 483-3190 or 780-918-5856 E-mail: [email protected] Fabulous Gay & Lesbian Weddings. www.xxxbmpa.com Personals 400 Elopement or Scheduled. 365 days a year Rork Hilford MC. Labourer 50, searching for [email protected] relationship in area. Ranch hand (403)246-4134 Help Wanted 240 heritage. Don’t smoke. Healthy boundaries. Handwritten reply Writers and Photographers welcomed to Box 1, Kinsella AB, Adult Depot T0B-2N0. GayCalgary Magazine is seeking Large selection of gay DVDs from additional freelance writers and $9.95, aromas and toys. Open photographers from Edmonton, Mon-Fri 12-8pm, Sat 12-6pm, closed Lethbridge, Red Deer, and Medicine Sundays and holidays. Hat to accept monthly assignments. (403) 258 2777
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60 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com APOLLO – FRIENDS IN SPORTS Box 9, 223 – 12 Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2R 0G9 http://www.apollocalgary.com
February 3rd, 2012
Gay Calgary and Edmonton Magazine 2136 – 17th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2T 0G3
Dear Steve and Rob;
Apollo – Friends in Sport would like to congratulate GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine on a significant milestone – reaching your 100th issue! Your magazine has played a very important part in our community by promoting its events and happenings and by partnering with diverse organizations and businesses to realize their goals.
GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine has been a great partner of Apollo by being the main media sponsor for Apollo’s Western Cup for many years. You have been an important ingredient that has allowed Western Cup to flourish as one of the major events in Calgary’s LGBT community.
We look forward to continuing partnerships and to your continued success.
Best wishes and here’s to the next 100 issues!!
Regards, Craig Lewington President
On behalf of Apollo – Friends in Sports
“Apollo provides a positive and fun environment through sport and social activities within our community”
January 25, 2012
Steve Polyak Gay Calgary & Edmonton Magazine 2136 - 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2T 0G3
Dear Mr. Polyak,
On behalf of the staff and board of AIDS Calgary Awareness Association, please accept my congratulations on your milestone 100th edition. It is an outstanding accomplishment of which you should be proud.
AIDS Calgary has been honored to have Gay Calgary & Edmonton Magazine as a friend and sponsor at many events. Your yearly presence at the AIDS walk is an annual delight. Your recent support of our gay men’s social marketing campaign survey has been very beneficial to our gay men’s health initiatives. The support of our holiday hamper program has been much appreciated by staff and clients over the years, and we are continually grateful.
We are proud to have a regional LGBTQ publication that supports strong, positive health initiatives and we look forward to a continued working relationship in the future.
Sincerely,
Simonne LeBlanc Executive Director AIDS Calgary Awareness Association
110, 1603 10th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB, T3C 0J7 P: (403) 508 2500 F: (403) 263 7358 www.AIDSCalgary.org www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 61 Q Scopes Keep your eyes open, Libra! Venus is entering Aries, good for sports and trashy fun, not so much for emotional and financial investments. But then she aspects Uranus and Jupiter, so be open for some very fun surprises. ARIES (March 20–April 19): A new you is set to break into the open. It could be a daring new look or a talent that refuses to be hidden any longer. If you worry about that disrupting your relationships, holding it in will be even worse. TAURUS (April 20–May 20): Trust those instincts and intuitions. That little voice deep inside has some very important messages, and perhaps some lucrative ones. Friends will disappoint you. They’re only human, but are they really friends? Keep a shrewd eye on their motives. GEMINI (May 21–June 20): Showing off your intellectual brilliance can cause more trouble than it solves. If you want to shake things up, you could be very effective, but the only way you can make peace is to stay quiet. CANCER (June 21–July 22): In the struggle between body and soul remember the soul is eternal. Attend to material realities. Success could pull you away from home and family, but is that so bad? A little separation there doesn’t need to be a complete break. LEO (July 23–August 22): Whatever you say could sound more serious and heartless than you intend. Winning arguments by intimidation will cost you. Gaining allies takes lots of conscious effort and attentive listening. You can change your mind about strategy and details without sacrificing principles. VIRGO (August 23–September 22): Be very careful of nervous inflammations, especially as they may impact the bowels. Cleanliness, relaxation and a healthy sex life are the best care. Efforts to improve the work process will likely irritate colleagues. What do they want improved, and how? LIBRA (September 23–October 22): New efforts to start or refresh a relationship will open surprises that take you in directions you’re not ready for. Being a control queen will backfire horribly. Just roll with it and see where it goes. The adventure will do you good. SCORPIO (October 23–November 21): Nobody can be right all the time, but you can always correct your own mistakes. Did your friends really screw up, or were your expectations unfair? What’s right is always more important than who’s right. SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 20): You can’t hold back your rebellious streak, but if you can channel it creatively it can help boost your standing at work and invigorate your partnership (or chances for one!). Go ahead and take a chance! CAPRICORN (December 21–January 19): A little confusion is good for the soul, provoking you to examine yourself deeper and to improve your orientation. Changes at home should feel uncomfortable if they are to provoke real opportunities; and yes, the opportunities are there! Stay focused on the long haul. AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18): Your dazzling brilliance may offend some people. Don’t hold back, not much anyway. Just try to be sensitive and ready to apologize where necessary, or just politic. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, but arguing will make it one. PISCES (February 19–March 19): It’s too easy to say too much and give away the store. Rather than spouting off, letting people wonder how much you do know makes you look wiser. Set aside some money for an impulse purchase. Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977 teaches at the Online College of Astrology. He can be reached for personal or business consultations at 415-864-8302 or through his website at http://www. starjack.com
62 GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #100, February 2012 63