NOVEMBER 2014 ® ISSUE 133 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community

Interview with Ivy Winters ANNIE Blows into Alberta LENNOX

Colby Melvin Voter advocacy, political power

PLUS: Mark Meer • Raphael Sbarge Theo Tams • Garrett Wang DJ Shane Stiel • Moist ...and more! Lisa Kudrow Scan to Read on Mobile Devices On Valerie’s return Business Directory Community Map Events Calendar Tourist Information STARTING ON PAGE 55 Calgary • Alberta • Canada www.gaycalgary.com 2 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Table of Contents NOVEMBER 2014 ® 5 Publisher’s Column Publisher: Steve Polyak Growing Forward Editor: Rob Diaz-Marino Copy Sales:Editor: Steve Janine Polyak Eva-Trotta Sales:Design Steve & Layout: Polyak 8 11 Years of GayCalgary... and Counting Rob Diaz-Marino,Design & Layout: Ara Shimoon A writer’s perspective Rob Diaz-Marino, Steve Polyak Writers and Contributors MercedesWriters Allen, Chris and Azzopardi, Contributors Dallas Barnes, 9 Whistler Pride in the Snow ChrisDave Azzopardi, Brousseau, Dave Sam Brousseau, Casselman, Constable Jason Clevett, Andy Same festival, new name Buck,Andrew Jason Collins, Clevett, Emily Rob Collins, Diaz-Marino, Rob Diaz-Marino, Janine Eva- Trotta,Janine FarleyEva Trotta, Foo Foo, Jack Stephen Fertig, Glen Lock, Hanson, Lisa Lunney, Joan SteveHilty, Polyak, Evan Kayne, Romeo Stephen San Vicente, Lock, NeilJim Scott,McMullen, Krista 10 The Calgary Chinook Fund Sylvester,Allan Neuwirth, Mars, Tonic, Steve V.N. Polyak, Winnick, Carey and Rutherford, the LGBT 14 PAGE CommunityRomeo San of Vicente, Calgary, Ed Edmonton, Sikov, Nick and Vivian Alberta. and A gift that keeps on giving the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and PhotographyAlberta. 12 We Wish You A Measha Christmas Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Mars PhotographyTonic, Farley Foo Foo Opera Singer Measha Brueggergosman releases holiday album Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, VideographyB&J Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino 14 The Talented Mark Meer Videography The voice of Commander Shepard from the game series Mass Effect Steve Polyak,Sales Rob Diaz-Marino Steve Polyak [email protected] 15 Wish Upon A Star North Hill News/Central Web Raphael Sbarge and Green Wish Printers DistributionWeb exPress Calgary: Gallant Distribution 16 A Droplet Does Not A Sea Change Make GayCalgaryDistribution Staff The Synod of Catholic Bishops’ Response to Homosexuality EdmontonCalgary: GayCalgaryClark’s Distribution Staff EdmontonOther: :Canada Farley FooPost Foo Other: Canada Post 17 Discussing Community Safety 18 PAGE Legal Council Reporting Sexual Assault Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors SalesGeneral & General Inquiries Inquiries 18 Theo Tams Finds Happiness in his GayCalgaryGayCalgary and Edmonton® Magazine Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Back Pocket Calgary,Calgary, AB, Canada AB, Canada T2T 0G3 [email protected] 0G3 Alberta-born singer/songwriter returns with new EP OfficeOffice Hours: Hours: ByBy appointment ONLY ONLY 20 Mickey Wilson Phone:Phone: 403-543-6960403-543-6960 On collaborating with the Alberta LGBT Chamber of Commerce, fund raising, TollToll Free: Free: 1-888-543-69601-888-543-6960 Fax:Fax: 403-703-0685403-703-0685 and the essential role of the Pride Centre gazine E-Mail:E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected] This Month's Cover 22 Deep Inside Hollywood This Month's Cover ma CherMain: and Annie Christina Lennox, Aguilera photo by courtesy Robert Sebree, of Sony Naked Nick Jonas. We repeat: naked Nick Jonas TopPictures; Right: IvyAnnie Winters, Lennox Mid Right:courtesy Colby of Melvin,Mike Owen; Bottom Right: Lisa Kudrow, photo by Gilles Toucas Rex Goudie. 23 Parenting Proud Proud Members of: 29 PAGE Proud Members of: It Takes a Village… People 24 Wildlife Spotted in City Oshawa’s Rising Stars Play the Province this Month

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association 26 From Greys To Gays Garrett Wang speaks about ‘Others’

International Gay & Lesbian 29 Ivy Winters Blows Into Alberta Travel Association Season 5’s Miss Congeniality Coming for Battle Of The Seasons 31 San Diego’s DJ Shane Stiel

National Lesbian & Gay Gay European Tourism on DJing at the recent HoneyPot Production’s Wild Pride in Calgary Journalists Association Association PAGE 36 PAGE Continued on Next Page  www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 3 Table of Contents

 Continued From Previous Page

34 Out of Town ® Napa Valley: Wine Country 36 Colby Melvin Magazine Figures Voter advocacy, political power and the dirty business of oil Monthly Print Quantity: 2,000–3,000 copies Guaranteed Circulation: 2,000 copies 38 A Comeback to Cherish Bonus Circulation: up to 1,000 copies Lisa Kudrow on Valerie’s return, ‘superhuman’ gays and the future of Romy and Michele Readership Readers Per Copy: 4.9 (PMB) Print Readership: >9800 40 The Sweet Dreams of Annie Lennox Avg. Online Circulation: 310,000 readers Estimated Total Readership:

PAGE 38 PAGE Icon on her legacy, the ‘nostalgia’ of youth and why Beyoncé is ‘feminist lite’ >319,800 readers 42 Time to Get Moist Frequency: Monthly Proof of monthly figures are Band Reunites With New Album and Tour available on request. 44 Queer Eye Distribution Locations: Please call us if your establishment would 51 A Couple of Guys like to become a distribution location. History 52 News Releases Originally established in January 1992 as Men for Men BBS by MFM Communications. 54 Mr. GayCalgary November 2014 - Name changed to GayCalgary in 1998. Independent company as of January 2004. Rob Diaz-Marino First edition of GayCalgary.com Magazine published November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary 55 Directory and Events and Edmonton Magazine. February PAGE 40 PAGE 2012 returned to GayCalgary Magazine. 60 Classified Ads February 2013, GayCalgary® becomes a registered trademark.

Disclaimer and Copyright Opinions expressed in this magazine are specific to the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of GayCalgary staff and contributors. Those involved in the making of this Scan for this Issue: Scangazine for Latest Issue: publication, whether advertisers, contributors, or the subjects of articles or photographs, are not necessarily gay, ma lesbian, bisexual, or trans. This magazine also includes straight allies and those who are gay friendly.

No part of this publication may be reprinted PAGE 42 PAGE or modified without the expressed written permission of the editor or publisher.

Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. http://www.gaycalgary.com/RSS GayCalgary® is a registered trademark. Articles • Recent News • Prize Draws • Events • Travel Info DECEMBER 2014 Print Deadlines http://www.gaycalgary.com/Twitter Ad Booking: Wed, Dec 3rd Follow us on Twitter for articles, weekly news and updates! Submission: Fri, Dec 5th http://www.gaycalgary.com/Facebook In Circulation: Thu, Dec 11th http://www.gaycalgary.com/FacebookFan Please contact us immediately if you think you may have missed the Join us on Facebook for articles, weekly news and updates! booking or submission deadline. http://www.gaycalgary.com/i133

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4 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Editorial Publisher’s Column Growing Forward

By Rob Diaz-Marino, MSc. precious little time in my life to do many things that I love, Greetings everyone! It’s your friendly publisher Rob here. and precious little room for me to grow as a person. So a few It has been exactly a year since I last wrote a column, months ago I made a decision and put a plan in motion to but it became necessary to do so once again this month finally give myself the time and room that I need in orderto because we have some important announcements. move forward in my life. First of all, this edition marks the 11th anniversary of A big part of that plan is my decision to bring my work GayCalgary Magazine, adding another year to our already with GayCalgary Magazine to a close as of this edition. The impressive decade of operation. Of course, Steve and I can’t magazine will continue running in my fellow publisher Steve’s take all the credit for this when there have been so many capable hands. In fact, for the past 2 editions I have gotten writers, contributors, and advertisers that have made this long away with minimal magazine work as a practice run for when run possible. So much hard work goes into the magazine every I’m “gone” altogether next month. Janine Eva Trotta has done a month – just ask our writers Jason Clevett and Stephen Lock, fine job of managing my editing duties during this time and will who have written for us since day one! Jason wrote a touching take over for me as Copy Editor, with Nick Winnick as Assistant retrospective for this edition, and I don’t think I can sum the Copy Editor. However, we are still looking for a capable graphic experience up any better than he does. All Steve and I can do designer to handle in-house ad design in my absence, as well is give our most humble thanks to the writers, photographers, as a dedicated sales person to take some work off Steve’s plate. artists, advertisers, and readers who have filled in the pieces of And more writers are always welcome too! GayCalgary Magazine every month. Doing something as intensive as the magazine is wonderful Now, I have something of a personal announcement. when you are hitting your stride because you love it. But truthfully, I have no stride to hit in the publishing industry, From my perspective, the years of working on the magazine so I have just been wearing myself out trying to keep up with have molded me into a skilled generalist. Every month I have Steve’s. That is not a pace I can maintain forever, and there switched gears from graphic design to writing to proofreading needed to be a stopping point. After doing this for more than to print layout, then video editing, accounting, and occasionally 10 years, I can’t be ashamed for bailing too soon or not giving website development. The work never seems to end. Between it my all. this and my day job as a software developer, there has been Continued on Next Page 

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 5  From Previous Page

Now seems like the ideal time for me to step back. The business is stable and running smoothly, turning enough of Online Last Month (1/2) a profit that it can stay ahead of its bills. Our readership and social media presence is booming and we continue to be the Edmonton MLA Crusades most popular Canadian LGBT publication online. We’ve got a for Gay Rights group of amazing writers and contributors that we can count Bill 202 - What you can do on to keep a steady stream of content coming in each month. to help this get passed Honestly, I couldn’t be leaving this magazine in much better Alberta is an evolving province but on shape. September 2, 2010, it did a very backward As you can probably imagine it was a tough decision but, it thing. It granted parents the permission is one that I’m glad I made. In my publisher’s columns from our first year or two of operation, I expressed some trepidation to withdraw their kids from any “courses about my role here. The publishing industry has never been of study,... my passion and so I was reluctant to let myself become a fixture http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4333 of the magazine. Still, I ended up resigning myself to it for the Screen Queen sake of helping Steve pursue his passion. Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, Y Tu Mamá I wouldn’t necessarily say that I felt unhappy for the past 11 years, just that I was uncomfortable. I wrote several times También, Birdcage, Grand Budapest in my columns about feeling like my own identity was slipping Hotel, Normal Heart, All That Jazz away and being blurred in with Steve’s. Despite my struggles Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me Even as her to distinguish myself, to talk about myself and my unique waning health led to her final bow this views in my column, I didn’t feel like I ever truly succeeded in past July, thespian fireball Elaine Stritch showing people the “real me”. So the discomfort came from remained an open book... my identity as a magazine publisher – not a bad identity, but http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4336 not one that fits the person I want to be. My true self would only shine through when I found occasional shreds of time to XELLE Breaks A Sweat exert my independence and explore my own interests outside of Summer may be over but XELLE aims to the magazine. But it was never enough time to do something make this September the hottest month sufficiently noteworthy for people to see me as something other of the year with their exciting new single than a publisher. release. “Sweat” is a little bit dirty, a I can’t say I regret the past 11 years. It is ample compensation little... to know that my work made a difference in many people’s lives, http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4339 and indeed to the face of Alberta’s LGBT community. I certainly don’t regret meeting all the amazing people that I did, and with The Frivolist my newfound time and freedom I hope to now form proper 7 Ways to Stick It to Etiquette By friendships with a few of them. Even the people I clashed with Wearing White After Labor Day taught me some valuable lessons that I don’t regret learning. (and Still Look Smashing) Over the past decade +1 with the magazine, I have witnessed I’ve never been a fan of clothing etiquette many people step back from their roles in the LGBT community, wherein somebody somewhere once some less gracefully than others. Hopefully I can say I’m joining decided when I can wear this and when the ranks of those who are still able to hold their heads high in I can’t wear that. The most annoying rule the community they worked in – those who didn’t piss in their own pool, so to speak. I will still be here in Calgary and you will of them all? No white... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4343 still occasionally see me out in the community when something catches my interest, or if I just feel like hanging out. Hear Me Out Personally, without the experience of running GayCalgary Melissa Etheridge, Lee Ann Womack, Lady Magazine, I would not have become the strong, balanced, and Gaga and Tony Bennett, Lucinda Williams capable person I am today. Now I am practically bursting at Melissa Etheridge, This Is M.E. Since the seams with creativity and the desire to express myself in going indie, Melissa Etheridge must be my own ways. The past two months of partial freedom have already been exhilarating, so I’m excited to see where all this feeling as free as when she first came momentum is going to take me! out gay two decades ago. Throughout the If you see me out, don’t ask where my camera is - from now punny, super-charged... on I intend to be in front of the camera, not behind it! *grin* http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4345

GayCalgary Magazine - Going Forward EDM IN A GLASS Glowing Mix Drink Electrifies I would be lying if I said my departure from GayCalgary Gay Dance Floors Magazine won’t cause any ripples. That is why Steve and I made The dance floor is about to get a little plans for how to continue operating the business in a way that brighter. XUVO (pronounced ZOO-VOH) he can manage on his own, and possibly even have some time for himself. This means some changes are coming in the New is an effervescent tablet that when added Year that we are now announcing officially. (Just remember, I to vodka or rum, creates a delicious sweet am using the business “we” from this point forward, and so I’m drink that... not necessarily saying I will be involved.) http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4348 You can still expect to see a print edition next month, however The Frivolist it will be labeled our December/January edition. This issue will stay on shelves for a period of two months, and as you likely 15 TV Shows with LGBT Characters gather, will contain community information for both December That You Should Be Watching and January. While summer 2014 is cooling down, This will be our final issue in print before we transition the fall TV season is just starting to heat GayCalgary Magazine to be 100% digital. What this means is up. Bittersweet, ain’t it? At least there’s that new articles will be posted in full, as our writers complete

6 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com them, on the GayCalgary.com website. At the end of each Online Last Month (2/2) month, Steve will put together a magazine layout which, just like our print editions, will be available as a downloadable PDF or as an electronic flipbook via http://www.ISSUU.com. This a silver lining to trading in lazing in the will mean that advertisers continue submitting their ads in the sand for... same format they always have, while we continue distributing http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4349 through online magazine channels. Hear Me Out The contents of these online-only editions will be slightly Jennifer Hudson, Tim McGraw, different from what you are used to seeing in our print editions. It will be a digest of news, articles and event photos that went Perfume Genius, Broods online over the past month, minus features such as Find Out Jennifer Hudson, JHUD Jennifer Hudson (maps, directory listings, event listings) and Classified Ads - has never needed the post-studio polish these will be taken care of exclusively by our website. her contemporaries depend on. Hudson Speaking which, our website will also be undergoing some proved she had the pipes on American changes in the New Year. The structure will be adapted Idol, and then later,... to facilitate browsing of news and articles by category, http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4340 independent of magazine edition. Furthermore, other sections of the website will receive a slight overhaul (business directory, Fundraiser for Critical Cause photos, classifieds), be reinstated (events calendar), or removed Martyshuk Housing Raises Money for (subscriptions). Edmonton’s Queer and Straight Homeless I know a few of our readers might not be happy to hear this In business for seven years now news, especially the ones who prefer reading a hardcopy to an Martyshuk Housing takes a unique electronic one. I myself have never owned an iPad, tablet or approach to tackling homelessness E-reader, and prefer reading from paper rather than a computer in Edmonton, combining the agility screen – and I’m a Computer Scientist by trade! Yet hardcopies of a private company with the social have been very costly for us to produce and distribute, and had conscience... an environmental impact once people were finished with them. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4350 Furthermore, being able to publish articles immediately as they come in makes us a lot more agile than we would be if we A Beautiful View had to continue waiting for the next print interval. So we can Distinctively Canadian tale reveals two respond to breaking news and other time critical information women awkwardly falling in love before it goes stale, and additionally build in richer multimedia How do two women put into words the content and interactivity. Our page count was also bound by feelings they are having for each other the amount of advertising dollars coming in, forcing us some when neither has spoken these kind months to put off numerous articles we didn’t have room for. of words before? A Beautiful View is Now, we’ll be able to expand our page count as needed with no extra cost. Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor’s... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4351 This is the way the publishing industry is going, and hundreds if not thousands of publications have already made 7 Gay-Friendly Fall Getaway this transition before us. At one time we published and Destinations That Are distributed 10,000 copies each month to meet demands, and Easy on the Wallet there is barely demand for the 2,000 copies we print today – Summer just bid us adieu, but that’s yet online readers are in the ballpark of 310,000 per month and growing. Also users to the website have an average stay of no reason to put your luggage away. around half an hour where typical online magazines have users There are lots of great LGBT-friendly staying for about 1 to 2 minuites. So with the aforementioned destinations to consider this fall, many of changes afoot, now is the time that makes the most sense for which are more affordable... us to take this step forward. In essence we are returning to our http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4352 roots because GayCalgary started as a website long before the magazine. NSFW - Cazwell Is the “Hot Homo” That being said, there are still options for diehard “printies” The Notorious G.A.Y. Rapper Aims (to coin a term) to get their hands on a physical copy - just to Top Bobby Shmurda with Free not for free. Readers can still order past print copies from our Digital Download of New Rap Jam online magazine store for $6 CAN per issue (plus shipping and “Hot Homo”, the latest record from the handling) at http://www.gaycalgary.com/magazinestore, and indie gay hip hopper Cazwell, is a freestyle hardcopies of our newer digest editions will be available on parody of the summer’s biggest rap jam, order for a somewhat steeper price, since they would be printed Bobby Shmurda’s “Hot N*gga”. Like... and bound individually. (We ordered some sample copies in http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4353 this format and they look gorgeous!) Change can be scary and even painful but it is a big part of Stylish Subscription Services to life, not to mention business. Certainly there are times when Wake Up Your Fall Wardrobe strength means holding your ground but, when standing up to There’s more to autumn than apple pie the test of time, strength is more often about the ability to adapt this and pumpkin spice that. One of the and evolve. best things about fall, in fact, is that we Sign up for a free digital subscription at www.gaycalgary.com/signup, get to unpack the sweaters, scarves and plus follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gaycalgary) other cool-weather... and Twitter (https://twitter.com/gaycalgary). http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4354

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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 7 Editorial 11 Years of GayCalgary... and Counting A writer’s perspective

By Jason Clevett The print industry is changing constantly. From e-books to websites Few businesses of any kind survive the first five years. For any like the Huffington Post, media is constantly at our fingertips and we organization to reach over a decade is truly a remarkable feat. are connected to news and events instantly like never before. It is with While GayCalgary has been a forum for many writers to cut this knowledge that GayCalgary is undergoing a transformation that their teeth, gain experience and tell stories, this journey would will see the concept of a print magazine evolve into a more up to date not have existed if not for the tireless efforts of Steve Polyak and frequent online publishing model. This is great for us. We will no longer be challenged by trying to get interviews before deadlines and Rob Diaz-Marino who have been the heart and soul of this but can provide content immediately prior to an event. I, for one, am publication. excited for the next step in GayCalgary.com. It does not seem like 11 years ago that I first met up with Steve. It Eleven years: of memories; of moments; of blood, sweat and tears. was a cold November day and we connected at North Hill Mall to head What a ride it has been. I want to thank Steve and Rob for everything across the street to SAIT to interview Ms. Rhonda about her annual they have done over the past decade plus. Few truly understand Crowns for Kids drive. The magazine had just released its first issue, everything that has been involved with this company and the tireless, and I would be featured in the second, and have been lucky enough and often thankless, work that they, as the face of the magazine, have to be part of nearly every issue since. At first it was primarily local put forth. Without them, and the magazine, the LGBT community in content – interviewing bar owners and community members. As the Calgary would be a very different place. magazine began to get a reputation for quality writing more doors So here is to a remarkable 11 years. I am excited for the new vision opened. Theatres asked us to review their shows. In August, 2005, for GayCalgary and many more years of bringing the community, arts we scored our first major celebrity interview with a cover story on Bif and the world to you, the reader, and of sharing Calgary with the Naked. Since then, through music labels as well as our relationship world. with the Comic Expo, we have been lucky to interview many top celebrities. Jann Arden, Dolly Parton, John Barrowman, Lily Tomlin, Melissa Etheridge, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Bill Paxton, Wil Wheaton, Bruce Campbell, Dallas Green, Nick Carter and Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys are just a few of the major interviews that I personally http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4356 have been lucky enough to do. And it is all because of the magazine. View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments Looking at the past 11 years our community has changed so much. We have said goodbye to bars like Boyztown and The Rekroom, Detours and The Calgary Eagle. We have seen Pride grow from a small parade down 17th Avenue and a street fair in a Tompkins Park to a massive event drawing over 30,000 people. Bars like Cowboys and Flames Central have hosted drag shows and pride events, which is something that would have been unthinkable in 2003. We have seen the fight for equality continue in the States, watched acceptance continue to grow in Canada, and seen our friends fall in love, get married, and have kids. We have grieved through the death of community members while celebrating their lives. Through it all, the magazine has been there. This has long been a labour of love for everyone involved. The amount of hours and time and money used to promote local events and organizations cannot be measured. But everyone who has been on this journey – whether from the first issue or having signed on in recent years – is incredibly proud of the legacy that has been created. Young members of the LGBT community can look through our archives and learn about important members of our history, of the community groups and bars and people that may no longer be around but live on in our memories and are immortalized in the pages of the magazine.

8 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Event

 Winter Pride 2014 by GayCalgary Magazine Whistler Pride in the Snow Same festival, new name

By Krista Sylvester This year Nelson expects more women and lesbians to attend The name might have changed but the ever-expanding the festival with headliner comedian Margaret Cho making a Whistler Pride and Ski Festival is bigger and better special appearance. than ever. Formerly Gay Whistler’s WinterPride, this “Margaret Cho is amazing. We’re really excited to have her year the 23rd annual week-long event will take on a here and she’s excited to be coming out here. I think you’ll see a new name as it celebrates pride both on and off the lot more women this year and we have a lot more programming ski hill, according to longtime festival producer Dean for them,” he says, adding that a film component has been Nelson. added to the roster too. The name change was due to a rise in the number of This year there is no shortage of fun events including a ‘winter pride’ events across the world and, in order to prevent Cowboy Party, Night of Comedy with Margaret Cho, Splash confusion, the organizers decided to create a new name. But Pool Party, women events, and mega dance events like don’t worry; everything that made people fall in love with the Furrocious, WhiteOUT and the closing party Snowball. Other festival is still the same, if not better. events include snowmobile tours, zipline tours, snowshoe tours, inner tube sliding, spa treatments, culinary adventures “The Whistler Pride and Ski Festival is more than just a and, of course, some incredible skiing and snowboarding. gay ski week; it’s an eight-day festival that combines sports, culinary, wellness and spectacular social and cultural events,” With the festival just around the corner, there are still great Nelson says. “It’s a lot of fun and I think we have made deals but Nelson says people need to take advantage of them something [where] there really is something for everyone, soon. especially the last couple of years. We’re continuing to grow the event and it has been really successful.” Whistler Pride and Ski Festival runs from January 24th until the 31st at the award-winning Whistler Blackcomb, which boasts over 8,000 acres of terrain, with the biggest and The Whistler Pride and Ski Festival longest vertical mile in North America. Every year about 75 per cent of the festival’s 3,000 annual http://www.gaywhistler.com attendees return for another year of celebration, which is a testament to just how much the festival has to offer, Nelson says. The Whistler Pride and Ski Festival “Travel writers and guests from around the world regularly Whistler – January 24 to 31 refer to this event as the friendliest on the planet. We have a lot of people that travel here from all over the world and make it their big winter vacation. People come and stay for five or http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4357 six days and get a taste of everything the festival has to offer.” View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 9 Community The Calgary Chinook Fund A gift that keeps on giving

By Lisa Lunney KE: Having a fund that gives exclusively to gay and lesbian The Calgary Chinook Fund was established by a group projects is unique. It ensures that some support to LGBT of donors whom intend to make this world a better, people will forever occur in the community. Our community more accepting place for the next generation. Kelly faces very unique needs and, if we don’t support ourselves, Ernst, treasurer for the fund, was delighted to chat with we cannot guarantee others will. In the past others did not GayCalgary about the dynamics of the Chinook Lesbian and we could easily move back to this time without our own and Gay Endowment Fund. community being vigilant about our rights and supporting one another. For example, this year we funded Outlinks’ GC: For readers not familiar, can you explain what the LGBT program for recent immigrants and refugees. No one Chinook Fund is and whom it benefits? else in Calgary was doing this, but the needs are great for KE: The Chinook Lesbian and Gay Endowment Fund is a LGBT refugees especially. We are also helping to fund Gay fund of the Calgary Foundation designed to support gay and Straight Alliances. GSAs in schools will likely forever be lesbian charitable projects, community and causes. It is the needed for youth. Again, who else is funding such things? only fund of its kind in Alberta and unique in Canada. Very few people and funders. So, someone has to pave the GC: What sparked the idea to implement the Chinook way. fund? GC: Can you tell readers a bit about the minds behind KE: A group of former presidents of the Gay and Lesbian such a great cause? Community Services Association (now Calgary Outlink) and KE: The founders of the fund were Gord Sombrowski, Kelly a couple of its supporters decided to create the endowment. Ernst, Kevin Allen, Gael McLeod (former city counsellor), While on the GLCSA’s board, we realized that no funder in Martin Harvey and Stephen Franklin. Our current chairperson Calgary would give it, or any project of it, any funding. So is Chris Post and additional advisory members are Sue we created a fund that would start funding LGBT services in Cress, Troy Mayes, Michel Bourque and Gary Courtney. No Calgary. one person can be credited for the fund – it has truly been a GC: What have been some the greatest accomplishments? team effort in so many ways. KE: Times have changed in Alberta. Funding GLCSA allowed GC: Moving forward into 2015, what changes do you hope others in the community to look closer at what was going to see? on in the city. Although the initial funding was very small, KE: For the fund, we hope to keep increasing the amount it helped, and GLCSA was able to leverage funds originally of the asset. Because only the interest on the fund is used, from the United Way and then through a Casino. Funders the fund will give forever. So, we would like to increase the in Calgary now don’t shy away from gay or lesbian causes. fund assets to far greater amounts so that the grants we Our fund has grown, and we have been able to fund GLCSA/ award are increasingly substantial. Oulinks, Fairytales Presentation Society, Calgary Sexual GC: What exciting events are already in the works for the Health Centre and others – all gay and lesbian projects. new year? GC: What have been some of the biggest obstacles that you KE: Our cabaret this year was a great success. Part of have overcome? the appeal for annual events is to have one event each year KE: When we first got started it was a tough slog getting where people can have fun and mingle. This won’t change. people to give. The biggest barrier was fear of discrimination. Next year we will likely be having more food at whatever is Many people said ‘no’ because they did not want to be outed. planned. We are already starting to plan our 2015 event, so We often got asked to find a way to accept funds without keep in touch with greater details to come later. having any mention of ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’ attached to any GC: How can Albertans reach out and get involved? cheques. This has changed, and now people want to give, KE: People can give to the fund at any time through and we no longer have this issue. Now the barrier is acting the Calgary Foundation. The easiest way is online. Just responsibly. We have to act as extremely good stewards remember to designate your Calgary Foundation donation to of people’s money. It is a responsibility that we take very the Chinook Lesbian and Gay Fund. If people want to host an seriously, and we have been very careful to establish a ambassador party they can do this too. Just contact us and granting review process, creating review guidelines, and then we will help ensure the event is a success. being very careful to direct the use of the money for good causes. GC: Where do you see the Chinook fund in five years? GC: How do members of the group interact with one KE: I hope that we can say we help sustain LGBT another? organizations in Calgary and that the community knows we exist for them. That would be a great success. KE: Our advisors meet monthly to plan the next event, review the fund, and address issues as they arise. We also try to keep on top of what is needed in the community. We try to encourage people to have their own parties, hosted in their homes, as ambassador parties. A small get together can go a long way to raising funds for the endowment. The biggest way to keep funds flowing into the endowment is holding an annual event. We started with a dinner at Fleur de Sel. In the Calgary Chinook Fund last few years we have had annual dinners and, in October http://www.calgarychinookfund.ca 2014, we held a cocktail cabaret with live performers. This year we raised over $40,000 in one evening – people we very generous. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4358 GC: Why is the Chinook fund so important to the success of the community as a whole? View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

10 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 11 Interview We Wish You A Measha Christmas Opera Singer Measha Brueggergosman releases holiday album

By Jason Clevett

One of the planet’s most acclaimed and loved opera singers hails from right here in Canada. Fredricton, New Brunswick born soprano Measha Brueggergosman has toured the world and amazed audiences in opera and concert performances. On October 27th she released Christmas – an album of holiday songs. The singer performs in Alberta for three dates as part of a tour behind the album: November 22nd at Festival Place in Sherwood Park; November 27th at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat; and November 29th at the Eric Harvie Theatre in Banff, the place where the concept initially began. “I was invited by the Banff Centre to do a concert in July, 2013,” she says. “They gave me carte blanche of the facilities and Aaron Davis, who co-music directed the album with me, we decided to start thinking about a Christmas album. As I go deeper into non-classical projects I think I still like to maintain a foothold on pre-existing repertoire, and Christmas “In a concert I can choose what I get to wear. In opera I have to be music seemed like a good intersection. Maybe that sounds more clerical in a specific place at a specific time, and wearing very specific things. than just gee, I love Christmas music. Because we started conceiving the The repertoire – whether it is a classical concert like I am doing here in album in July we were only interested in picking songs we could live with Holland or opera, which I was doing in Madrid – it is a different life. You for a long time that, to us, had compositional and musical merit, and settle in with opera. I am looking around my hotel room and have two that we felt we had something to say in arrangements and interpretation. suitcases that look like they have thrown up. I am not an unpacker; I just throw everything on the floor to find things and then I am out the “It is great because it is a renewable resource but it is also, for me, door. In opera you take an apartment, you set up shop for two or three a repetoire that touches a large portion of the population and a time months. The daily grind is like having a job where you go to the same of year that varies from person to person. I celebrate Christmas in the place every day. When I do a concert I have to make sure I get enough Christian tradition with my family. We also wanted to acknowledge that sleep, that I get enough vocal rest between rehearsals. And the show there are people for whom it isn’t a Christian holiday, or people for whom and the audiences are also different. The operatic audience is there for a Christmas isn’t a time of joy or peace or celebration. The tune I co- different journey from the concert audience. The concert has a ‘greatest wrote with Royal Wood (“Let Joy Reign”) addresses that. It can be a very hits’ feel to it.” difficult time for people, and we didn’t want to not serve them in this album simply because the banner of Christmas has some preconceived The Christmas tour will feature a band, which is a recent addition to notions, when it is more varied than we think.” her solo career. Recorded in Madrid, Spain and Claremont, Ontario in the spring and “It is still as challenging and I am invested just as much. The energies summer, it was an odd time to be thinking about Christmas Carols when are just redirected in ways I have not had to exercise before. In opera, the sun was blazing outside. you don’t have to think about repeats or key changes or arrangements or how long a solo is going to be. It is preconceived – you are the vessel “I wouldn’t say that we focused on getting into the merry spirit,” there to bring it to life, but it had a life before you and will have a life after Brueggergosman says. “We sketched out the rough ideas and, in the you. The thing that I really respect about non-classical live performance spring of 2014, I was singing at the opera in Madrid for four months. is it can’t be the same twice. In classical music, that score and the notes So Aaron and our producer, Michael Phillip Wojewoda, came to Madrid are the same once I put it back in my library. But I can look at a score and we started working in this tiny apartment. We kind of came together of a song and know what the notes are but realize, if I see this chord with songs we like, and wherever we intersected we started throwing sheet, it is not indicative of what our version of that tune sounds like. around ideas. Aaron and I have worked together for close to a decade Depending on the day – how Aaron plays his introduction, what my so we have a shorthand when it comes to arranging and figuring out monitors are doing, what hall we are in – it can be very different. It has where a tune is going to go. I have never worked with the concept of been humbling to have been able to experience this amount of variety in demos – in classical music you show up and sing it. So I was like press one lifetime all under the umbrella of being a singer.” record this will probably be a take that we keep. There are a lot of takes on the album that are original that we recorded in Madrid. A couple of When the tour wraps up December 20th in St. Johns Brueggergosman months later we lived in the chalet out in the Ontario countryside. I had will celebrate Christmas with her family, including husband Markus and heard about people who lived in a house and recorded and ate together. two-year-old son Shepherd. Seeing the holidays through the eyes of her For me this album represents a methodology of album making that I son and nieces and nephews brings the singer back to her own holiday had never been privy too. My friends like Jann Arden and Leslie Feist memories. and Ron Sexsmith – who create from scratch and need as conducive “[Shepherd] is two, so neither Christmases are ones he will remember. an environment as possible to do their work. I felt richly blessed to be But my siblings’ kids are older and I see the effect Christmas has on given this kind of freedom and space to embark on this kind of project. them. For my sister, brother and I, it is still very fresh in our memory It represents a time that I knew we were really trying to serve the music the excitement you have waking up at the crack of dawn. We have and say what we wanted to say. The result is this album.” strong traditions and adding the Swiss component to my family is a Brueggergosman was on the line from Utrecht, Holland where she whole other set of traditions. Wild game and everything celebrated on was preparing for an opera concert. She has adjusted to the differences Christmas Eve, and lit candles on the tree. It is a whole other kettle of in performing in a concert setting as compared to a traditional opera. fish celebrating Christmas in Switzerland. It is nice to have that breadth

12 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com of experience. Es Ist Ein’ Ros’ Entsprungen is really a tip of the hat to is done from hardship. Sometimes you have to come to the realization my Swiss-Germanic Christmas experience. For anybody who likes the that you are morbidly obese and you have to do something about it. holiday you are regressed to a time when you, yourself, were feeling this Sometimes your aorta explodes and there is not much you can do about excitement. I still feel it because I know my family will be in one place it, but you feel like your body has betrayed you. Who hasn’t struggled and the dynamic that creates. My family is 16 strong, and I have now through a relationship, or grief, or loss, or all of these things that – if I moved to the country in Nova Scotia, so we can make as much noise as am asked a question, and am in a unique and humbling position that we want.” sometimes the words that I say can reach more than a few people – I Brueggergosman is instantly likeable and talking with her is like think it is very important to impress upon people that they are not alone. catching up with a friend. She asked about Mayor Nenshi and chatted It never feels ok or is a joyous thing to lose babies. There is no benefit to a bit about her trip early in the interview. On stage – whether hosting a being part of that club. It is just horribly painful. Juno awards gala dinner, performing a concert, or judging Canada’s Got “When you come out, the other side, it is a part of being human – that Talent she is both charming and hilarious. It seems to be a trait among we can decide how we feel about things... I have my son Sheppard and Canadians. Artists like Jann Arden, Michael Buble, Dallas Green, and we long to continue growing our family. The only genuine truth in this Tegan and Sara are known as much for their sense of humour as their life is nothing lasts forever – good or bad. Finding the balance between stage presence. helps me weather the storm. I remain rooted in my faith, and my family, “That is a group I am extremely proud to be a part of! I feel like we and in the fact that I have people that love me despite my myriad of are willing to tell the truth and sometimes the truth is hilarious. In its flaws... There have been storms and laughing and crying, anger and devastation it can be a real head scratcher and belly acher, and make ecstasy. The extremely good and extremely bad have to be tethered by a us feel that much closer to each other. If there is one thing these artists core of consistency. Otherwise, you are just going to be tossed to and fro, have in common it is a desire for a sense of intimacy with their public, and always wonder where up is.” and there is real humanity in a sense of humour. I would think that humour is probably rooted in the very genuine humanity of what it means to be Canadian.” Brueggergosman has had many challenges in her 37 years. She lost over 160 pounds, nearly died from a dissected aorta, lost twin children, Measha Brueggergosman Christmas Album Tour and had a year-long separation from her husband (they reconciled prior http:// www.Measha.com to the birth of her son.) Through everything she has faced her struggles head on, coming through stronger. Sherwood Park - Festival Place - November 22nd Medicine Hat - Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre - November 27th “It is funny, in the same way that somebody who does not have to follow my schedule and [would] look at mine and think it is totally Banff - Eric Harvie Theatre - November 29th insane, I would look at the life of somebody else and think wow that is tremendously impressive or something I can’t relate to, but am inspired http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4359 by. I feel like we are all superheroes in our own realm. I am trying to carve out an existence that allows me to learn and expand. That, sometimes, View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 13 Interview

 photo by J. Linto watch the video interview   photo by Matt Villeveuve  photo by Ian Jackson The Talented Mark Meer The voice of Commander Shepard from the game series Mass Effect

By Mars Tonic drag. Oh Susanna! was a monthly variety talk show hosted No one has really just ‘heard of’ Mark Meer. They either by Mark as the titular character, Susanna Patchouli, and know exactly who he is or haven’t the foggiest idea. ran at Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre for 14 seasons. “It was Despite the fact that he is very much Alberta-centric, he a combination of a talk show and a variety show. We had has accrued a very international fan base, which tends jugglers, animal acts, puppets – all kinds of things. We usually to happen when you’re involved in something as big as taught the audience how to make a cocktail and then handed Bioware gaming. that cocktail out to the audience. It was a lot of fun.” Unable to commit to the show any longer, Oh Susanna! While Meer has voiced many characters, Commander has since been replaced by That’s Terrific!, which runs with a Shepard in the popular video game series Mass Effect is different set of hosts, still on a monthly basis. probably one of his most well known roles, as he knows too. A couple of years back, when a friend of his made him a set More recently Meer has been involved in live recordings of a of Commander Shepard’s space-age badass astronaut armour, sketch comedy show called The Irrelevant Show. “Almost every Meer wore it gleefully to Dragon*Con, no less. Dragon*Con is comedy show on CBC always had something to do with current one of the largest geek conventions in North America, and the events and politics. All great shows – but we wanted to do a four day outing has managed to turn into a six day party by show where, say, I wanted to do a sketch about Darth Vader its members. There is a well-documented moment on YouTube getting a performance review from his boss; sketches that where a fan, videotaping the costume parade, realizes that it’s weren’t tied directly to Canadian politics.” Meer cosplaying as his own character, and freaks out. Meer’s sense of humour is full swing; he is also one of “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t have that bookmarked, the principal characters on Canadian TV Show Tiny Plastic because it is pretty awesome,” Meer admitted. He is a striking Men, a sketch comedy surrounding the lives of three toy and and angular man, but affable enough that you almost don’t game testers. The show involves madcap adventures, many notice it. He emanates friendly vibes, and is enthusiastic about references to ninjas, and general self-mockery of fandom and what he does and the industry he is in. He is a nerd, first and its subcultures. For those interested, don’t fret: episodes, foremost, and he says he’s lucky to be in the position where promos and much more are available on Tiny Plastic Men’s work and pleasure overlap. “I have been going to Dragon*Con official YouTube channel. since 1998 as a fan. A few years ago, I started going as a guest.” Suffice it to say, Meer has certainly accumulated a varied When we asked him about his main draw in going to resume. He has donned both armour and lipstick in his line of conventions, and if he looks forward to the other guests, he work, and so naturally we wanted to know how it was learning answered that he has “always been more of a merch guy. In to get into the dress. “Usually it was a miniskirt,” he corrected. my first years of Dragon*Con I would hit the dealer room. Now “I had to show off my legs. The least comfortable, hardest part of that I’ve got this gig I’m fortunate enough that I get to share the it was definitely the shoes. Luckily, Susanna Patchouli mostly green room with the other guests, and I get to meet them that sat down and interviewed the guests.” way. I do still line up for comic creators’ autographs.” While pop culture and comics are all well and good, maybe http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4360 that’s not where you know Meer from. You might know him from a couple of years back, when he had a monthly stint in View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

14 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Interview

watch the video interview  Wish Upon A Star Raphael Sbarge and Green Wish

By Mars Tonic I’m painfully aware of how precious the resources we have are. I have to say, Jiminy Cricket is a moral compass, forever aiding Pinocchio Canada is much more thoughtful about the environment than the States in his quest to become a real boy, by urging him away from are, in general. Anything that people can do, even the small things, really wrong and towards what is right. In ABC’s Once Upon a Time, adds up. If you can buy a hybrid, turning off lights when you go out of the that character – portrayed by Raphael Sbarge – is given a bit room, recycling, buying local... There are 75,000 people here: if a quarter of a makeover. Jiminy is written a soiled past that he does his of them all made the decision today to make a whole series of decisions that were conscious about the planet – that would be a huge thing. And best to correct. it would continue to offset what is essentially a troubling trend, which is You will find that Raphael Sbarge isn’t all that different from his going in another direction. What I’m trying to encourage is not perfection, character. Not to say his past is soiled, or that he would even think to but progress.” pretend that he knows all about what everyone should and should not do, With the Edmonton branch just set up, it is a careful balance between but he certainly has concerned himself with the state of the world. When spreading further internationally, and expanding too fast. “We just had a he attended Edmonton Expo this year to meet his fans, he gave people request from Hawaii, and got a request from Mexico. It’s a little bit more the option to pay for autographs or photos with him. All of these moneys difficult, internationally, at the moment. There are certain laws, obviously, went straight to the new Edmonton chapter of Green Wish, a non-profit [for non-profits] that don’t translate from the States to Canada, but we are organization he started up in the US. While Green Wish has been spreading figuring that out. When we call and saythe board has identified you, so-and- through the States, it has finally made its way to Canada. so non-profit, and we want to give you money – and these are the small non- Green Wish operates differently than other non-profits in that it seeks to profits who really need the money, who don’t have the big shiny buildings spread funding to local charities already in place. Volunteers set up shop in in London, the ones who are really doing community work and spending a city, seek out local organizations that are already hard at work, and aim to 70 per cent of their time fundraising – they literally burst into tears in some fund them. It is a very grassroots approach, which was important to Sbarge. cases.” “We have figured out a way to be able to give people the ability to work In this way, Green Wish is providing funds to people that they know are within our infrastructure, and set up chapters around the country,” he passionate about what they are doing. They don’t pick ‘favourites’, either – says. “We have them now all over the States, and [Edmonton] is our first every 24 months they rotate through to a whole new slew of non-profits to international chapter. Once a chapter is formed, the board identifies a help fund. bunch of local, green non-profits. Earth, air, water, sustainable education Green Wish could always use more helping hands. Edmonton’s chapter are all being supported. It’s community helping community, and that is was, after all, set up in part by a local fan whom was interested in what what this Green Wish chapter’s going to do.” Sbarge was doing. Information can be found on the official website, as In this manner, less of the money goes to operating costs for the charity well as on Sbarge’s Twitter feed and Facebook page, where he posts fresh – most of it funnels straight back into the community. updates about what Green Wish is doing. Sbarge will never take a salary for Green Wish. “I have got my day job. It “Whatever you do,” he says, “if you can’t give money, give time.” keeps me plenty busy,” he says. His drive to spread awareness comes from personal passion, not monetary gain. “The concept is somewhat simple, but answers that itching feeling we all Green Wish have if you read the paper or go online and read the news. There is a lot to feel uncomfortable about. It’s very easy to get to a place where you sort of http://www.Greenwish.com or [email protected] go Oh, to heck with it. It is all so bad, why do anything?.” It’s easy to get to a state of apathy, Sbarge says, and his hope is that with Green Wish people are able to see, feel and know tangibly that they are giving back directly. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4361 “I never imagined myself as being an environmentalist. I mean, I planted View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments a garden, I composted, I recycled, biked when I could – all those things. But

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 15 Politics A Droplet Does Not A Sea Change Make The Synod of Catholic Bishops’ Response to Homosexuality

By Stephen Lock Even under Benedict and previous popes the state of being Perhaps it is a Sign of Armageddon, and there are those homosexual was not a sin; it was acting on it. That has not who would argue it is, or perhaps it is symptomatic changed. of a Church that, however slowly and ponderously, What did the Synod say about homosexuality then? In Part is moving into the current century. Or maybe – if one III of the official document of Synod 14 - Eleventh General adheres to such ideas – it is divine revelation through Assembly entitled Relatio post disceptationem, beginning at an enlightened Pope but, regardless of its origins, the paragraph 50, it states: recent announcement from the General Assembly of the Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Synod of Bishops that homosexuals may have an unique Christian community. Are we capable of providing for these gift to give to the Church is a revelation. people, guaranteeing [...] them [...] a place of fellowship in our communities? Oftentimes, they want to encounter The previous Pope, Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal a Church which offers them a welcoming home. Are our Joseph Ratzinger, caused quite a stir, at least within the communities capable of this, accepting and valuing their LGBTQ community and amongst supportive liberals when, sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine in his then-capacity as head of the Congregation for The on the family and matrimony? Doctrine of The Faith, he issued an official statement stating that homosexuality was “intrinsically disordered” and a “grave The question of homosexuality requires serious reflection depravity” incompatible with a Catholic way of life. on how to devise realistic approaches to affective growth, human development and maturation in the Gospel, while The statement, as I recall, was part or was to be part of integrating the sexual aspect, all of which constitute an the catechism of the Catholic Church and had the effect of important educative challenge. Moreover, the Church being, in essence, ‘official policy’. It was a particularly nasty affirms that unions between people of the same sex cannot and condemnatory piece of work. It certainly coloured my be considered on the same level as marriage between man own perceptions of Cardinal Ratzinger and, later, Benedict and woman. Nor is it acceptable that the pastor’s outlook XVI as a cold, doctrinaire individual who existed in a realm be pressured or that international bodies make financial of policy and ‘Church teachings’, and totally out of touch with aid dependent on the introduction of regulations based on anything approaching humanity or compassion and love for gender ideology. his fellow beings. Neither position was the whole picture. There Without denying the moral problems associated with is no doubt more to the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI/Joseph homosexual unions, there are instances where mutual Ratzinger than what his public persona would have us believe. assistance to the point of sacrifice is a valuable support Pope Francis I, on the other hand, quickly established his in the life of these persons. Furthermore, the Church pays pontificate to be quite different from the previous one. Afar special attention to [...] children who live with same-sex more outreaching, caring, compassionate and, dare I say, even couples and stresses that the needs and rights of the little loving one. He appears to have gone out of his way to reach out ones must always be given priority. to the disenfranchised, including the LGBTQ community or, This is what caused the uproar amongst conservatives in more specifically, to gay men. Early in his pontificate, during general and conservative Catholics specifically; the suggestion a media scrum aboard the Papal plane, he stated it was not up that homosexuals could possibly possess “gifts and qualities to to him to judge homosexuality. He appeared to be distancing offer to the Christian community” and that the Church should himself from his predecessor’s position, both as a sexual entity “accept and value” a homosexual orientation. To even suggest, as well as a cultural and social one. as it does in paragraph 51, any accommodation is an ‘educative This declaration from the Synod, which caused some of the challenge’ for the Church. To conservatives homosexuality was more conservative bishops within it to predictably throw a fit, a sin. Full stop. It was not up to the Church to educate itself really doesn’t amount to much. It may be somewhat indicative around homosexuality, it was up to the homosexual to turn of a growing awareness within the Church that homosexuality, from sin and embrace the Church. Paragraph 51 seemed to be and therefore homosexuals (by which the esteemed Fathers suggesting the Church not only needed to learn and adapt but usually mean gay men – like Queen Victoria it is reported they to “integrate the sexual aspect” in that process. Good Lord! have once said they simply cannot imagine what lesbians do, This was all balanced out, with pressure from conservative and so lesbianism is rarely considered – it’s all about sodomy bishops it has been rumoured, by reinforcing that such and the other things gay men do with each other) should be acceptance of homosexuals does not and cannot be on the same respected and treated better by the Church. It does not mean, level as the acceptance of truly married heterosexual couples. however, the Church doesn’t continue to see what we do as a In other words, the Church continues to reject the whole idea ‘grave sin’ and ‘against the natural order’. of ‘equal marriage’ and, while appearing to accept the ‘union’ of two people of the same sex as “a valuable support in the life of these persons”, flat out refuses to see it as being on the same level as a marriage between a man and a woman. No surprises there. The section isn’t particularly radical or extraordinary, at least not to those who live outside the confines of the Vatican walls (and here I refer not just to the physical parameters Continued on Next Page  16 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Community Discussing Community Safety Reporting Sexual Assault

By Constable Andy Buck question. In other words, you freely agree this is something you Well the clocks have gone back – the temperatures have want to do. dropped – yes, winter is on the horizon. I have just In May of 2008, the ‘age of consent’ was changed to 16 got back from vacation, having been lucky enough to years old, meaning that a person under the age of 16 cannot spend two weeks in Mexico, so I am finding it hard to legally consent to sexual activity with anyone else unless the readjust. Just the thought of those sun-kissed beaches individuals are within five years of age and the sexual activity is and lazy days are driving me crazy! That should serve as consensual. A person who is under the age of 14 years cannot motivation to get back in the swing of things and earn consent to sexual activity with another person who is two or enough money to be able to go back. more years older than them. This month I want to provide information about a subject There is no consent when: that is sometimes hard to talk about but we all know that it can You don’t freely or directly agree to participate in the sexual and does happen: sexual assault. This is a horrible crime that activity. can have long-term physical and emotional effects on people. It is never okay, and anybody who is unlucky enough to be a You are not capable of consenting to the activity; for example, victim should be encouraged to report to police. you have had too much to drink or have passed out. Sexual assault occurs if you have been kissed, fondled, The offender abuses their position of trust, power or authority groped or forced to engage in sexual activity without your and influence, or convinces you to participate in sexual activity permission or consent. It is an assault that is committed in with them. circumstances of a sexual nature in which the sexual integrity Through your words or actions you don’t agree to sexual of the victim is violated. Sexual assault is not defined by contact activity with that person. with any specific body part, or whether or not the victim and You consent to engage in the sexual activity but then, offender are known to each other, nor is it based on the gender through your words or actions, you don’t want to continue to of the individuals involved. Instead, the Criminal Code of participate. Canada has identified three levels of sexual assault based on Now you can see that this offence is not limited to being a the circumstances of the case: crime committed by a stranger. Someone you know and trust 1. Sexual assault with a weapon: occurs when one is sexually can sexually assault you. Do not be naïve, and do not accept assaulted by someone who has a weapon or imitation weapon excuses. You have the right to say “no”. Feel free to contact me and threatens to use it against them; the offender threatens to with any questions, comments or concerns. harm a third person, for example a child or a friend, if one does As always stay safe, stay warm and look after each other. I not consent to a sexual act with them; or the offender harms look forward to talking with you again soon. you or more than one person assaults you in the same incident. 2. Aggravated sexual assault: takes place when one is wounded, disfigured, beaten or in danger of losing their life Constable Andy Buck while being sexually assaulted. 3. Sexual assault without consent: occurs if one has 403-428-8154 • [email protected] been kissed, fondled, groped or forced to engage in sexual activity without one’s permission or consent. Consent means http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4363 you voluntarily agree to participate in the sexual activity in View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

 Politics - From Previous Page of Vatican City but to the emotional walls surrounding the can bring to the Church our unique perspective. It is because of cardinals, archbishops and bishops who follow the dictates of our gayness that we hold an unique perspective and approach the Vatican). There is a perceptual difference between those and this is something that should be honoured and welcomed, who look at the issues from outside the circle those walls make not vilified and rejected as has so often been the case in not just up and those who examine them from inside. the Catholic Church but within society itself. A friend of mine years ago repeatedly tried to enter a variety Western society has made some major advancements in of monasteries. He felt called to be – not a priest – a monk. He recent years in its acceptance of homosexuality. The Church, was particularly attracted to the Franciscans, although at one on the other hand, is a ponderous thing when it comes to point he did join a Dominican order. He never got beyond the change. It does evolve, but at a much slower rate than the postulant stage and was repeatedly rejected as ‘unfit’. To his society around it. Perhaps this Synod has heralded the minute credit he was always openly gay during his novitiate, believing beginnings of change in regards to homosexuality. If so, it is he could be so while still accepting the requirement to be chaste a tiny droplet into the Church sea, but even a small drop can and celibate. The various abbots and Superiors did not see it ripple a process of change. that way. This individual was an intelligent, loving, gentle soul – someone any order should have welcomed. His orientation should have been recognized and accepted as any other aspect http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4362 of his personhood. This is what the Synod statement seems to View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments also now be saying, that gay men (and it is assumed lesbians)

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 17 Theo Tams Finds Happiness in his Back Pocket Alberta-born singer/songwriter returns with new EP

By Jason Clevett know if I was willing to compromise my own artistic integrity enough It has been nearly six years since Theo Tams was in the national to be the product they were looking for,” he said, adding that pursuing spotlight. The final Canadian Idol winner in 2008 has seen his music independently is a lot more satisfying. “It is a bit harder of a path post-Idol life take him to Toronto, where he now resides, and to take, but it is a lot more gratifying. I don’t have the cloud of a label to continues to make music. His newest release is a six-song EP answer to, and can do my own thing, and tell my own stories while still called Back Pocket, which was released in September. having a team to take advice from. But it is a team I get to choose – not [be] thrust into. It has been a more organic process.” GayCalgary.com last spoke to the former Albertan with the release Being without a label has been made easier by the Internet era. The of his debut album Give It All Away in 2009. A lot has has happened to ability to release individual songs through iTunes and engage fans Tams since then. through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been the key to success “It has been, in a way, just this incredible journey from Idol,” he for multiple artists in the past few years, and Tams has utilized these says. “Idol was such a personal thing for me, being on that show, it is tools to keep on the radar. ultimately my coming out story really. I was touring for a couple of years “It is the new way. Record labels are becoming less and less of a and performed for the troops in Afghanistan – which was insane. Then machine these days because the art of self-promotion has gone rampant. I took a good year and a half off doing no music at all and reconnecting There definitely is something to be said about that. It is such a balance with who I was before the show. I was reconnecting with friends and between marketing your music, and also how far you want to go with family I had lost touch with. Being on a show like that – and getting letting people into the depth of who you are as a person, outside of a thrust into the industry so quickly – it is very easy to lose yourself a little performer and a songwriter. That is what makes it really special and bit. It was important for me to reconnect with myself, and then start the cool.” process over again, but on my own terms. I have been writing my own material and working with producers and a team that I was able to hand With the release of Back Pocket and the first single “Stay” Tams pick. The strongest and most personal music I have released to date is is keeping busy, working in the studio with other projects while also the EP that just came out.” promoting the new songs. Tams is now an independent artist, no longer affiliated with Sony “It has been in the works a good two and a half to three years and it Music which released Give It All Away. Leaving a label can be a difficult is only six songs!” he says of the EP. “There were so many times when I decision, but one that Tams was ready to face. thought it was done and was like Ok, I am ready. Let’s go. There was this insecurity that it wasn’t quite finished yet. Then I wrote the song “Hang “For me it wasn’t necessarily a decision – it was the only decision. On For Tomorrow”, which was the final track we did. When that song They were a big part of the first couple of years of my career, but the was written, I felt we have the six songs that best represent where my decision to leave was 100 per cent mutual. They weren’t, necessarily, life is at. Out of the six songs on that record five are about one specific willing to let me grow artistically in the way that I needed to, and I don’t

18 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com person, and it tells the arc of this story that was important for me to tell. my music let’s talk about the music; that is why I do it. It was a mountain It was nice to do a project that is smaller and more intimate. When you to climb right after I won because, not only was I the winner of Canadian do a full-length record you end up with six of seven really strong songs Idol, I was the first ‘openly gay winner of an Idol anywhere’. It was this and the rest are just filler. I don’t want to release that kind of project. I role that I had to assume. If we are going to be promoting this record, want every song I release to have its own life and breath, and not release and I am pushed into the role, how much attention is going to that something to meet a time commitment to a full release.” instead of the music? That is just a balance, which is what has been so With six years having passed since the final season of Canadian great about this project. It isn’t spoken so much about anymore because Idol, aside from Jacob Hoggard, who was runner up in Season 3 and it is just known, which is more comfortable for me, and hopefully the now fronts Hedley, Season 4 winner Eva Avila and Season 5 third place listeners as well.” runner up Carly Rae Jepson have had mainstream success. Others With more and more artists out, like Sam Smith and Adam Lambert, continue to make music independently or have had success in musical Tams feels that there is a shift of perception of LGBT artists. theatre. Tams looks at the positives of that experience and what he “I think that is what every gay artist out there is working towards learned from the show. – it being much more socially acceptable. Those little pro-noun shifts. “For me to say that expectations were met – whether mine or the Why shouldn’t we be able to say ‘he’ instead of ‘she’? I think public public’s – would be a bit of a stretch. I had five seasons before me and acceptance is starting to shift, but we aren’t entirely there. But the start I had seen what those winners had done, and [what] their career path of the shift is a positive thing.” looked like, and I knew that mine most likely wasn’t going to be that While currently in studio with Slaight finishing off some Christmas different. Idol was simply a very small stepping stone into this crazy songs, Tams is hoping to tour in 2015. Aside from an opening spot on industry. For me, that is what it was, and it fulfilled its purpose that way. tour with Matt Dusk and some appearances at the Lethbridge Exhibition, It is hard to look back in hindsight and wonder if I didn’t do the show Tams hasn’t played his home province much and is excited to return. where would my career be? Would it be better or would I have not even “We probably won’t consider it until February. The band is releasing have had the opportunities I have now? It is almost a waste of energy to a project as well at that time and we are thinking of touring as well. look back. It was such an incredible experience, for me personally, and To be able to combine the two tours would be ideal. That is definitely I have to look back on it that way. Some of the friendships I made and on the horizon. We would probably split it into three smaller tours. Do the experience alone; being on a show like Idol or X-Factor is a crash Ontario and Montreal as one, and an East Coast tour, and then a prairie course on being in this industry. If you accept it for what it is, rather tour. I love playing back at home; it has always been such a welcoming than the glorious expectations that are not only suggested to the viewing audience. It is a shame that I haven’t been able to do it more. The focus audience but the participants of the show, if you strip it down to what has been on the EP. To be able to go back and showcase these new songs you can learn being on it, then it becomes the program it was intended will be such a privilege, so I hope it will happen for sure.” to be: to recognize talent and give it even the smallest kick start into the industry.” Having built a life in Toronto, leaving his friends and partner to hit the road is also something he is readying for. Tams’s 2009 album Give It All Away was one of the strongest releases from an Idol participant. Despite not rushing the album, and Tams “That is definitely something that I don’t know if it is a worry. It isn’t getting a number of songwriting credits on the album, it didn’t end up so much mentally preparing myself as preparing my partner for the fact being the success that it should have been. that I am going to be gone. Just the foundation of any great relationship is communication. I know I am supported and encouraged by him in a “I would say that there are a few factors. Just being branded as an ‘Idol way that I don’t think I ever have been. We are both really excited that winner’ immediately discredits the talent and artistry behind a product. this EP is out and seeing the single starting to chart. To have someone I was the sixth winner and Sony Canada was contracted to do eight in my life for the last three and a half years, and having built this project winners of the show. They see you as a priority for maybe nine months together in a weird way, and celebrate the success of it is really exciting.” and that’s it. Since I took nine months to make the record, I don’t know that it got the momentum and marketing behind it that it deserved. It Back Pocket is an upbeat and positive record. Often piano-driven had a couple of really great singles that established me on A/C radio. To music can be quite somber, but there is an energy to the songs that will ask myself the ‘what ifs’ about that record, I don’t know how helpful that make you smile. Talking to Tams, it is clear that he is in a very good is for my sanity or career moving forward. Focusing on this project – and place, and very happy with his career and life. projects in my future – is a much better use of my time.” “I listen to songs that I wrote ten or twelve years ago and there is this Tams is busy not only with the new EP but also with his band Beyond underlying darkness and sadness to them. There is nothing wrong with The Mountain. Along with Kyra Crilly (cello/viola/melodica), Jacob that – it was a vice for me. I still think that I have a bad day and the first Mouka (vocals/guitar), and Rafael Rodriguez (percussion), the bands thing I want to do is sit down at the piano and turn the lights off and sound is very different from his solo music. light candles and have a glass of wine and meditate with this instrument – try and find a way to sort through these emotions. What I have done, “I have never been in a band before, and while I definitely have over the past couple of years, is to challenge myself to not just do that experience co-writing, co-writing for a band is so different because in challenging times, but also when I am feeling amazing and excited every single opinion has to be validated and heard. Some of the songs and really happy to sit down and express those feelings through music. in Beyond the Mountain would never be on my solo records. I think that It isn’t something I instinctually do, and something I feel I accomplished is what makes them so special in both projects. It is interesting to see on this EP. With songs like “When You’re Not Around” and “Mojave Sun” where my instincts as a solo artist takes me, compared to what I can I kind of dove into a different way of approaching songwriting. I think contribute to other artists, and see what happens when we all put our I am much more secure in who I am as an artist and a person than I own flair onto these songs. It is the exact same thing with Ali (Slaight, was six years ago, and I hope that is something that resonates with the who Tams has released Christmas singles with). Her songwriting people who listen.” instincts are so different then mine. We wrote an original Christmas tune this year and I just heard the first mix of it and am really excited. It is so different, but that is what makes it really fun – to see where someone else is coming from, and mix it with where I am coming from, and find that sweet balance.” Theo Tams Before Adam Lambert made headlines on American Idol, Tams won his season and was the first gay winner of the show. He paid homage with a Back Pocket EP available now same-sex couple in the video for “Lazy Lovers” and was not closeted, but http://www.TheoTams.com in interviews and with media his focus was more on the music and he http://www.BeyondTheMountainMusic.com did not discuss his sexuality much. “It is because I had just won the show. It was never about being not as comfortable, but about trying to shift the focus, which is still something http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4364 I am constantly trying to do. I am 100 per cent open and very proud, and in a great relationship that I love speaking about. But when it comes to View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 19 Community Mickey Wilson On collaborating with the Alberta LGBT Chamber of Commerce, fund raising, and the essential role of the Pride Centre By Lisa Lunney Alberta’s beloved Mickey Wilson, executive director of the Pride Centre of Edmonton, took a few minutes break from his busy schedule to chat with GayCalgary about his role and LGBT politics GC: When did you start to become such an influential and powerful voice within the Edmonton and area LGBT community? MW: There are a many influential and powerful voices in the local and regional LGBTQ community and if I am able to add to that just a little, then I am happy to be part of an amazing team. I am committed to bring the Pride Centre’s important GC: Can you tell readers about the alliance between the Pride role and message to tables and forums where it has not been Centre and Chamber of Commerce? in the past. The LGBTQ lens is critical in so many areas: MW: I have been friends with the Canadian LGBT Chamber youth homelessness, addiction and mental health, violence, for a number of years and he has been interested in getting education, seniors, refugees and settlement and so much more. something active in Alberta for a while. I simply facilitated There is so much to be done, so many needed supports, so that by contacting some folks and helping facilitate some much change and acceptance to mobilize that we need many initial meetings. I am the one of the board members that was voices speaking. I think I am just doing my part. appointed as we work to get all the details worked out and GC: What have been some of your greatest struggles? get a strong provincial business network mobilized. And I MW: Struggles exist both personally and professionally do believe the centre should be part of the Chamber. As the for most people. My personal struggles are not unlike those primary community resource and support provider, we play of many people today, although as an open trans and queer an important role in both Edmonton and the Alberta region. I person that brings extra layers of struggle sometimes. Trans also believe that the centre can only benefit from the potential people often do struggle to find places to belong and feel valued relationships and networks that will unfold through our and accepted. But I am also acutely aware of the many ways participation in the Alberta LGBT Chamber of Commerce. It is that I am privileged as well… Professionally I can say that I have a very exciting venture. a great job, working with a great team, for an organization that GC: How have audiences responded to Queer Lens? is doing great things. I don’t know if it gets much better than MW: Queer Lens is our weekly in-house education program. that! The biggest challenge I think I have is getting people in It was the first program I initiated after joining the Pride Centre Edmonton’s LGBTQ community to take ownership of the Pride as executive director. It has been well received and remains Centre’s sustainability. There are so few available grants and one of our most popular programs. Queer Lens is a weekly funds for LGBTQ organizations, and even less dollars available education evening that features LGBTQ public talks about to pay for core costs/operational expenses. The rent, lights relevant issues, stories and histories from Edmonton and and heat, administration, even the paper, ink and bathroom beyond, documentaries, community art projects and sometimes supplies. These expenses are not optional and yet extremely supports events as opportunities for education. Every difficult to fund. I have said for two years that if every LGBTQ Wednesday at 7pm, the program is free and open to everyone. person and ally in the Edmonton area were to make a monthly Some examples of different topics have been domestic violence, commitment of just $20 it would cover our core costs and then LGBTQ sexual health, Legacy series featuring Murray Billett, some. And as Dr. Seuss would say, oh the places we would go! I Michael Phair and others, suicide, politics and pride, election get excited thinking about the work that could happen. forums, dying with dignity, queer and trans 101s, all about bears, and more. I hope to add a lunch and learn program by early 2015 that will be brown bag bring your own lunch with a 45 minute talk once a week for $5. GC: Can you tell readers the background behind the idea of Giving Tuesday and what it pertains? MW: It was first launched in the US in 2012 and thenin several other countries, including Canada in 2013. The idea is that there are two big, well-known days where consumerism is the focus: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And so Giving Tuesday was born, a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 2, 2014 charities, families, businesses, community centers and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give. We hope that many Edmontonians will choose the Pride Centre as one of their charities for a year end donation in 2014 or, better yet, take the leap and start giving monthly. GC: What is most rewarding about working hands-on with the community of Edmonton as a whole?

20 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com MW: Edmonton is an amazing city (in spite of the fact that are… Those things that draw us together when the times get winter simply dominates the annual calendar). There are so tough, when what matters is that in some strange, inexplicable many great people, great initiatives and so much innovation. and wonderful way, WE ARE FAMILY! And right now Edmonton is a happening place. Downtown is GC: If readers want to get involved and volunteer, what is the exploding with major construction projects, the arts community best direction to take? is thriving, the music scene is fabulous, and the festivals are MW: The best thing to do is come by the centre and fill out unbeatable! And Edmonton’s LGBTQ community is still thriving a volunteer application. We can then get you interviewed, get a and growing. Pop up parties, a growing drag scene, many events record check ordered and find the best fit for you. Support your and groups. I have spent most of my adult life volunteering in queer community. So many lives count on it. the queer community and now, to be able to wake up everyday and get paid to work in this community, feels like I am living the dream. I get to participate in so many great projects and work to try to provide services that meet the vast array of needs that an LGBTQ presents to us on a daily basis – it’s a gift! Alberta LGBT Chamber of Commerce GC: Both November and December have quite a full roster of https://www.facebook.com/LGBTChamberAB events; which are you anticipating most? MW: I think two of my favourites are the Transgender Day of Remembrance, on November 20th, and World AIDS Day on http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4365 December 1st. These days allow us to remember lives that were lost due to hate, stigma, violence and marginalization. They let View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments us remember those that blaze trails – that courageously stand up to be authentic and pay too often with their lives. They are from years gone by and yesterday. They remind me that we tread on a precious history of lives, stories, pain and courage. They remind me of how far we have yet to travel to reach true equality in so many places, and even here. GC: What changes do you hope to see in 2015? MW: There are so many things I hope for. Strong, meaningful community partnerships; sustainable funding from the government; better supports for our LGBT refugees; great education moments; an influx of monthly donations from the community. Most of all a community that cares about each other, gives to support each other, desires to learn and understand about each other, and values every part of who we

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 21 Gossip

Tom Hardy as The Gay & The Straight Kray If you’re American, it’s understandable if you aren’t quite familiar with Reggie and Ronnie Kray. They were identical twins, one of whom was gay, and they were also notoriously violent British gangsters. In the U.K. they are the stuff of pop- culture legend. Morrissey wrote a song about them. A 1990 film called The Krays, starring Spandau Ballet’s twin brothers, Martin Kemp and Gary Kemp, won awards. So it was time to bring back their story for another go-’round with a film, now- shooting, currently titled Legend. It’s from writer-director Brian Helgeland and stars Tom Hardy (along with some prosthetic teeth and digital twin-making tricks) as the brothers, alongside Emily Browning, Christopher Eccleston and David Thewlis. Hardy is really the perfect choice for these roles, having proven he can play gay (RocknRolla) and also romance Reese Witherspoon (This Means War); he can simmer with barely restrained rage (The Drop) and he can explode in similar fashion (Warrior). Versatile folks, that’s what actors are supposed to be. This one’s due in theaters sometime in 2015, enough time to go catch up on the lyrics to “The Last of the Famous International Playboys.”

Keanu Reeves and Rolan Emmerich will take you to New Angeles Did you ever think you’d read the words “Stephen King” and “Lifetime Original Movie” in the same sentence? Well, you just did. And on Saturday, Oct. 18, you’ll get the chance to see how that peanut butter responds when it’s got Lifetime’s chocolate all up in it. Big Driver is the name of the project and it’s based on one of King’s short stories. It stars the fairly recently un- heterosexualized Maria Bello, lesbian rock ’n’ roll icon Joan Jett and Olympia Dukakis in a thriller about a mystery novelist (Bello) and her battle with a drifter/serial killer. After her car breaks down and she’s sexually assaulted by the man and left for dead, she fights back revenge-horror style, a la I Spit On Your Grave. Except about 7000 percent less offensive and gruesome. Because Lifetime Original Movie. In other news, they have not run out of Stephen King stories to turn into films and they probably never will.

Franco’s wants to “Crash” into Fight Club’s Pahlaniuk James Franco, who keeps directing indie film after indie film – when he’s not busy jumping out of Jimmy Fallon’s birthday  Nick Jonas. Photo by Shutterstock cake with a shirtless Seth Rogen – is going to make another indie film. He’s acquired the feature film rights to Fight Club author Chuck Pahlaniuk’s 2007 novel, Rant. He also may take the title role in the movie as Buster Rant Casey, a demolition Deep Inside Hollywood driver who participates in something called the Party Crashing derby, where drivers intentionally crash into each other for the Naked Nick Jonas. We repeat: naked Nick Jonas physical thrill of it (recalling J.G. Ballard’s novel and David Cronenberg’s film adaptation,Crash , about people who become involved in auto accidents as part of a sexual fetish). Filmmaker By Romeo San Vicente Pamela Romanowsky (Adderall Diaries, co-produced by Franco) may write and direct. It’s early days for this one, so expect Now you know why Nick Jonas has that body: he’s about to more details to follow. Also expect to see Franco direct/write/ star on Kingdom, a series for DirecTV about MMA fighters. produce/star in several other projects in the meantime. Who The show, also starring Frank Grillo (Captain America: needs sleep, anyway? The Winter Soldier), Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights) and Romeo San Vicente jumps out of birthday cakes on request, at reasonable Jonathan Tucker (Parenthood), is about the lives and rough rates. times of MMA fighters living in Venice Beach. Another thing Jonas wants you to know is that he’s going to be naked on the show – a fact he recently dropped in very close proximity http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4366 to another expression of gratitude for his gay male audience View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments – and his character may well turn out to be gay or bisexual. So, to recap: a series about sweaty guys stripped to their shorts, beating each other up, where at least one of them is having sex with both genders. Send thank-you cards to the entertainment professional of your choice for this one, and prove your love for DirecTV by watching it all go down very soon, on Oct. 8.

22 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Editorial Parenting Proud It Takes a Village… People

By Jim Scott here’s the link to the information for guardianship: http:// With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, the humanservices.alberta.ca/guardianship-trusteeship/child. first snows on the ground, and an ever growing list of Another type of family situation that is unique to our family obligations to meet before the arrival of 2015, it community is that of the recently divorced with kids from a suddenly has me thinking about how very different our heterosexual marriage. For many, coming out doesn’t happen lives are now than they were just a short 19 months ago until later in life. These people often find themselves pariahs when our son arrived. The time has flown by so fast that not just in their own families, but in both the gay and straight it’s really hard to grasp the gravity of the life altering communities. It’s unfair, and can add untold additional stress changes, which have reshaped our household from the and anxiety to the already overwhelming experience of coming out. There are many support groups online like Calgary Outlink foundation up, and given us exciting opportunities to at http://www.calgaryoutlink.ca/ and, for Calgary men in forge new connections with like-minded families. particular, a local group has monthly meetings and a help line It is a fascinating world we live in today where, at the click of you can access at http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca. a mouse, you can access an endless world of information and Finally, if you’re serious about starting a family, what’s communities to help new parents with any topic imaginable. stopping you? These days all you need is the love for a child, We have used so many now that I’m constantly finding sites I a willingness to take them in, and a little bit of determination. had forgotten about and always say I need to get back to but, of With all the resources and tools available to anyone who takes course, never do because, if I did, I would never actually spend the time to research them, starting your family could be right any time parenting. It has also been my observation that, in around the corner and easier than you thought. It just takes large part, nothing can replace actual experience, but having a our village… people. few ‘go to’ places for advice and support can be a real relief at times too. Now, more than ever, our community has the ability to reach http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4367 out, teach its own, and help guide our families through the View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments unique issues we all face sooner or later in a society. Even though we fought for decades to gain equal rights, many are still grappling with what they view as rapid change. The current baby boom in the LGBT community isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon so, if you have kids, or are planning on starting a family, here are some helpful resources. From the beginning: looking for information about the various ways to start your journey? The LGBTQ Parenting Connection has information about adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, insemination and a wide variety of mental health topics for moms and dads to be. I have used their resource page on several occasions and come back to this site on a regular basis. Here’s the link: http://www.lgbtqparentingconnection. ca/. Another option you might be considering is foster care. Something you may not know is that the gay community has been a kind of unsung hero to the foster care system in the US, Canada, and Europe for many years now. It can be an inexpensive road to permanent adoption, depending on the local laws where you live, and for those who don’t mind giving up a few weekends or evenings to qualify for your local system, you could be well on your way to creating a permanent family in hardly anytime at all. A friend of mine has written a wealth of information on this topic. Check out Rich Valenza and his foundation called Raise a Child, at https://www.raiseachild. us/. Here in Alberta, as well as other provinces, in addition to adoption, fostering, or surrogacy there is still another option available to potential parents and that is permanent guardianship of a child. This is actually how my husband and I are going through the process and we have found the Queens Bench Family Court to be fair, easy to access, and really fast too. If you think you might find yourself in this situation

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 23 Interview

The band’s last album was produced by Peter Katis (Interpol) and Gus Van Go (The Stills). The group has played with acts like Hollerado, The Giant, and Boy & Bear, and joins Lights on this tour. Though he wouldn’t say they are on the verge of an explosion, he would say more people are listening to their music. “It’s great having people who might not normally see your band come out because of that.” Povinsky believes its always the least expected that actually happens. In fact, the entire album is writ with the lessons the singer has been learning along the way, namely looking for the positive within all the “shitty”. Usually he would describe the band’s sound as ‘romance and violence’, but he wouldn’t say that now. “[On The Heart] is a push and pull of pairing really dark things with really promising things, and showing that there is always good stuff in the bad  Photo by Alyssa Reid stuff, and you can learn from every mistake that you make. There is always hope, and you just have to stay true to your heart and you can figure it out.” If this sounds mature for a rock star, we might credit his upbringing. Povinsky didn’t list big name artists or an extensive record list when asked Wildlife Spotted in City who his musical inspirations are. He named his parents. “Especially early on my parents were pretty big musical inspirations,” Oshawa’s Rising Stars Play the Province this Month he said, reflecting on a childhood full of mom’s piano playing and dad strumming the Everly Brothers on his acoustic guitar. His mom taught him to play when he was young, and she still sits down to hammer through the By Janine Eva Trotta same repertoire she has been playing for the last 30-odd years. “They are definitely rock starts in their own kind of way; their retired, Oshawa kind They have been in the industry almost ten years but many of of way.” us are just hearing of Ontario band Wildlife now. Their track Working hard and staying true to his roots have kept Povinsky grounded, “Lightning Tent” hit top 10 charts and won them the SiriusXM and a voice worth listening to. “I really like non-preachy lesson-orientated Indie Award for Rock Artist/Group or Duo of the Year 2014. songs,” he says. Their sound is very Canadian: anthemic, with the lyrical sensibility of He knows better than to take anything for granted, and appreciates all Metric and the kind of rockiness that makes Kings of Leon so popular. Their he has. Where his first album came from a place of naivety and youth, his 2013 sophomore album On the Heart is a pleasant listen and, if heard live, latest comes from a place of lessons learned. lead singer and guitarist Dean Povinksy promises an energetic experience. “Always be conscientious of what your doing and how that’s having effect “We always make sure we’re pouring as much into it as we can; we never on other people,” he says. “Never expect that your experiences are the same go cavalierly into a show,” he says. “We’re just actually playing music and as everyone else’s… There are a lot of people, at any point, that would trade jumping around and sweating buckets because we love it.” places with you in a heartbeat. In two seconds.” Founded in 2005, the friends who started Wildlife, while in Glasgow He’s acceptant of the flux that has been his career. “Certainties aren’t actually, have managed to maintain their amicability; something Povinsky always the best things,” he admits. “Knowing that you have got a few things says has contributed to their longevity. in your life, like friends and love, and those things are the most important… “That’s gotten us through a lot of heavy times,” he says. Though bass As long as you are balancing those things out, you should be ok.” player Graham Plant is taking a break in Vancouver, the group has worked That said, don’t expect the same sound in the album Wildlife has slated collectively to achieve the sound they bring on tour today. for release next year. After wrapping this current tour the band will take a “[Song writing] definitely changed from something that was me doing break, re-group and start recording some tracks they are really excited to the majority of the writing to, now, I generally come with a main idea, or lay down. a song idea, that I have and want to make happen and the other [guys “[We want to] tackle some stuff that we have talked about doing the last contribute]… whether its lyrics or melody…we basically argue about it for few years that we haven’t really gotten around to,” he says. This means two months and then there’s a song.” going bigger, adding instruments, more guest musicians, and exploring “It is very collaborative now.” genres. We are warned to expect the unexpected. That sense of working together is also what the band wants their fans to Povinsky concedes that being a Canadian musician it can be easy to feel when they listen to their music. get sort of stuck on the same circuit, playing the same kind of music with the same people, and though that hasn’t worn thin yet it would be fun “to “We always really hope that [listeners] come away with a sense of reinvent what we can do as a live band.” inclusion,” Povinsky says. “That there’s not a lot of separation between the band and them… “Almost any kind of song could be on one of our records within reason,” he says. The band has talked about doing gospel, country or soul. “ They’re aloud to let loose and have fun.” Embracing some of those different things I think is where we’re going to That feeling of abandonment – getting lost in the rawness of the music – go with it.” is enhanced at a live show. Povinsky wants the audience to leave with “that As for a message for their gay fans, Povinsky says just one thing: “Bring sort of just raw feeing of remembering that they were there.” the party.” For Albertans that experience will be possible when Wildlife’s fall tour brings them to Red Deer’s Memorial Centre November 22nd, Edmonton’s Myer Horowitz Theatre November 24th, and Calgary’s Mac Hall November 25th. Wildlife Despite the newfound fame, and the release of a documentary on the making of On The Heart entitled Born To Ruin, not a shred of arrogance can http://www.wildlifemusic.ca be found in Povinsky’s character. He’s honest, friendly, and astoundingly Red Deer - Memorial Centre, November 22nd humble about the up and down path his music career has taken over the Edmonton - Myer Horowitz Theatre, November 24th years. Calgary - MacEwan Hall, November 25th “It has definitely been gradual – I’d never call it a consistent – crescendo,” he says. “We had a lot of luck and a lot of cool opportunities over the last http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4368 few years.” View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

24 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 25 Interview From Greys To Gays Garrett Wang speaks about ‘Others’

By Farley FooFoo

For veteran Star Trek Voyager actor Garrett Wang, life has been a journey of exploration. From his earliest days as a young actor, challenging himself to understand and portray characters that may have seemed vastly different to him, to his travels around the world, meeting fans of his work and critics of his nation’s government. Indeed his years portraying the role of Ensign Harry Kim aboard the star ship Voyager have ultimately brought Wang one thing; an ineffable sense of perspective. And, when trying to understand a person of a different race, culture, sexuality or an alien species, perspective is the answer to not simply viewing them as an ‘other’. We had the chance to talk about this perspective with him. GayCalgary: One thing I wanted to talk to you about today is, have you spoken to Kate Mulgrew about the whole controversy over her voice work He’s not looking for a relationship, he’s just looking for sex. And he is very on the geocentrism documentary? aggressive and rough, but my character falls in love with him. And once GW: No I haven’t. I first found out about it via Twitter. One ofmy he tires of me he dumps me and I follow him back to the same restroom followers had it posted. where we met, and he is in there for hours and hours, and it drives me GC: I haven’t heard her part, but I know she has come out after, and crazy and I end up shooting him. That play put me on the map, for being said she was very much misled about what the project was about. She straight and playing a gay character. To play this character of John Lee, I didn’t know that those were the kind of claims they were going to be really had to step it up. making. GC: And this was early in your career before Voyager, so it was GW: I would honestly say she didn’t even know what she was getting probably a hard decision for you to make. There had to have been some into. It probably snuck up on her in a way. I don’t fault her for that at fears that you could be labelled as a ‘gay actor’ for playing a gay role, and all. It’s just unfortunate that it happened. Who, in this life, has not been you might get passed up for future opportunities. So was there some inner duped? Everybody has dealt with it in one shape or form. I don’t think monologue happening for you before playing that role? anyone should hold that against her. She was hired as a voice over; she GW: Most definitely but, for me as a young actor, I was very much was a hired hand. The views of the people doing it [don’t reflect hers]. open to exercising my acting abilities and stretching myself as much That’s wrong for people to [be upset with her]. as possible. And up to a week before the opening the plan was for my GC: Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that – where wardrobe to be nothing! So it would have been an hour a half of me butt you were offered work or a role and there was something that felt like naked on stage! Literally one week before the play opened the director everything wasn’t on the up and up? says to me We are now dressing you in white pants and a white shirt to GW: Well yeah – years ago when I was on Voyager there was talk of this convey your virginal, youthful side. The subject matter is so hardcore that German production company interested in me in feature film and I started we decided that you being nude is absolutely hitting the audience with way reading through [the script] and it was about playing a Buddhist Monk, too much. The play itself will be strong enough to move the audience and, and there were scenes where he was masturbating, and I was thinking at this point, the nudity is gratuitous. So they took it out. But I don’t have Oh my God, what am I doing? It was really graphic. It was like and then any issues with playing a character with a different sexual orientation the camera pans from there to there and I thought No. I don’t think so. So I than myself. kind of backed out of that one. That would have given my mother a heart GC: Well gay fans will be sad they didn’t get to see you masterbate attack! [laughs] on film or naked on stage! [laughs] So I was wondering, when youare GC: Aw, well, Garrett Wang fans will have to live without seeing you as watching the news and see these stories like the missing Malaysian a Buddhist monk masturbating. airlines plane, do you go to thinking of Voyager episodes, like that Amelia Earhart episode where it is portrayed that her disappearance was due to GW: Yeah – as a Tibetan monk in a cave! It was in a cave [laughs]. an alien abduction? Other than that, I haven’t really been offered anything too outrageous. But I’m definitely not afraid of controversy, especially if it has a basis in GW: Yes because you also have to understand that even before Star truth. One of the first plays I did was a play called Porcelain. Porcelain is Trek I believed that the universe is way too big for us to be the only written by a Singapore-Chinese playwright named Chay Yew, and in this intelligent life form. The 37s [is the episode] where we find Amelia Earhart. play I played a gay Chinese teenager living in London who – the play itself And with the Malaysian airlines plane, for something that big to vanish mirrors the structure of Equus, because Equus is about this boy who kills without a trace... could it have been some type of alien abduction? Yes it all these horses and you see a psychologist interviewing him. did cross my mind, or some kind of Bermuda Triangle-like force. With that story though, I really do hope they find closure because those families are Porcelain is really interesting because, as the audience files in for absolutely devastated. the play, I’m the only actor in the center of the stage and the ground is strewn with hundreds and hundreds of red origami cranes, and I’m sitting GC: Do you find with other news stories you mentally make aVoyager there folding them one by one, then throwing them on the floor. So once reference or connection? everyone is in the house they turn the lights down, and all the actors GW: Often it is in the back of my mind, but yes there is occasionally come in, and they turn the lights up and we’re sitting on five stools. I’m some correlation at times [between news stories and episodes]. Have you, in the centre and there are two actors to my left and two to right, and yourself, ever had any experiences that you have personally had with your all the other actors are playing three to 11 other characters, and I only own eyes that makes you consider the possibility of extraterrestrial life? played one. I played John, the main character. John is the gay Chinese GC: Me personally? I have not, no. But I still believe that we are not the teenager. And the criminal psychologist in our play is interviewing me only life form [in the universe]. because in the play I meet an older blue- collar Irishman in a bathroom GW: Well I’ll tell you mine! It happened about, probably my guess is in England, when gay men meet in public restrooms for sex. It’s called around the late ’90s. I was invited to the Celebrity Sports Invitational in ‘cottaging’. So basically I meet him cottaging, but he’s just experimenting.

26 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Puerto Rico. It was an event that ended up on ESPN2, and it was basically “The Reptoids”, and she said they are not good. And I ask What do they a bunch of celebs invited to compete in beach volleyball, wave runner do? and she explains that they are all around us but that we can’t see races, tennis, basic little fun things to have a little competition among them because they project a psychic projection of another human. And I the different celebs. There were Olympic athletes – Buzz Aldrin was there, ask her Why are they bad? and she tells me that they basically are energy as well as a slough of TV and movie actors, and some musicians. And we vampires – meaning they suck the energy and life force from human were staying at a hotel that was away from San Juan by about an hour. beings. That when we are in our natural state – meaning when you wake It was located on the beach, but right next to the El Yunque Rain Forest, up and are conscious – you have a natural aura around you that protects which is the largest rainforest on US territory. And they say that if you’re you basically, but when you drink alcohol, when you take any type of hiking in the El Yunque rainforest, if you hike too deep you’ll come upon mind altering drug, that puts your natural aura down and these Reptoids armed guards that are dressed in all black; no insignia, no patches; very can go to any concerts, bars etc. where people get drunk off their butt, and similar to Area 51. And this area, there’s a lack of light pollution from they stand right next to you and they suck your energy out. That, when San Juan, so you could see a lot of stars. l remember looking up at the you wake up the next day and have a hangover, it is really because you sky and all of a sudden I saw one star move! Now it wasn’t like a drifting have been sapped of your energy. thing, where I could have been deceived by the clouds. No. It was this one She then tells me the Greys are here to help us from these aliens from point of light, and it moved in one direction and then went completely off the deepest reaches of the galaxy that are on their way, and they are called in an opposite 320 degree different direction, and then shot off in a flash. “the Dark Ones” and she says they are like the Borg in Star Trek – they try It looked like it was going 40 mph one way, 100 mph the other way, and to take over every part of the universe – and that we have to repel them to then 5000 mph at a right angle, and was gone. It wasn’t moving at a curve, the best of what we can. So I ask her Can anything can be done? and she or a bend, so it wasn’t an airplane, fighter jet or helicopter. So there was says Oh yes! All the answers lie within your episodes! [laughing] no technology known to man that has the capacity to move at those angles GC: [laughing] So there we are! Everyone needs to go back and watch and those speeds. It was like it literally went to warp and was gone and I all the old Voyager episodes just in case! was like what the hell? I was beside myself with regret that no one else was with me to corroborate that. It could have been the El Yunque Rain Forest GW: [laughing] Exactly! And the thing is, I know that with Star Trek, base – or whatever was in there experimenting – or maybe an alien craft when you watch an episode there is an actual story. Like we meet an observing El Yunque going OK, what are those guys doing down there? So alien race, and they have a problem, and we help them, or whatever, but that is my one and only view of a UFO. It was definitely an unidentified because of the way Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, it’s all about the flying object that I observed in Porto Rico. underlying messages. That legacy has continued through from past Star Treks. The writers stayed true to [the idea of] dealing with these other If we are being observed by some alien race, what do you think GC: issues like racism, classism – not just what you see. So I have always their intentions would be? Do you think they would be nefarious or do you known that to be true, but in terms of knowing about “the Dark Ones”... I think they would be altruistic? don’t know that to be true. [laughs] But if everyone was to be of one mind, GW: I think that there are both out there. Can I tell you another in terms of taking on all the messages of Star Trek to be better humans, story? This is stuff I cannot make up. [laughing] I was in a metaphysical then we would be unified and be better able to repel evil. If there was a bookstore in Sedona, Arizona. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Sedona, unification of mind and spirit, and the abolishment of money, then all the but other parts of Arizona can be insanely hot, but Sedona is actually deaths and murders and wars would disappear without profit. If we have 20 degrees cooler, always, than any other part of Arizona. Sedona has the universal consciousness to do good, that will make us stronger. This all these beautiful rock formations, but it’s also known for its energy is also touched about in The Fifth Element. So maybe she is right in that vortexes. Some people think it has an extraterrestrial reason and others regard. say it is just the way it is there. So I am walking around the bookstore, GC: That speaks to one of the things that I have always loved about the looking for stuff, looking for a book, when I noticed this woman starring at Star Trek cannon; that they did kind of have hopeful messages that were me and eventually she comes up to me and tells me that she works there dealt with nicely and wrapped up, and we were given an inspired feeling at and that she is a dimensional clairvoyant. So she is clairvoyant across the end. So I was wondering what you think of the shift to some of these dimensions. So I sit down with her and she says, Can I look at your hand? shows today like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, where it is the She says I just want to look at your energy vibrations. So I said ok and exact opposite, and all is not hopeful? she looks and says, Oh! You have been visited by aliens before in your subconscious. And I said Wow, so you believe that there are aliens out GW: What that tells me is that people need to watch more reruns of there? And she says Oh yes, there are. So I ask her, are there one specific Trek shows [laughs]. No, but you have got to balance out the views. It can’t type, and she says there are more than one type of species out there. So I all be these fatalistic shows where every week somebody dies and it all ask her what are the different species? And she tells me about “The Greys” starts to feel the same. We have this morbid fascination with death. I don’t who have no mouth and those big kind of eyes, the ones that are in [the know if you have been in L.A., but any time there’s a horrific accident on movie] Close Encounters of the Third Kind and that we see everywhere. So the freeway, all traffic goes to a standstill because people want to see the she tells me they are on our side; that they are friendly and very much gore. It’s ridiculous. We have this crazy fascination with death but it has known by the government. She says that they are trying to help us, and to be balanced out. You have got to balance out the fatalistic view. So I said help us with what? and she says with what is coming! [laughs] And someone always watching those shows, along the same lines, they need to I ask her Other than the Greys, who else is kicking around? and she says watch one episode of Star Trek for every three episodes of Walking Dead to balance [their] soul. [laughs]

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 27 GC: Maybe it should be the opposite. For every one Walking Dead my back yard for security purposes? No; we don’t like that. We’re going to episode you need to watch three episodes of Voyager! [laughs] try and get you out. GW: [laughing] Doctor’s orders! Take three episodes of Trek and call I personally think for the US to get a better image there needs to be me in the morning. What I was going to talk about was, do you remember a president or a secretary of state that can speak every major language. the movie Galaxy Quest? So Galaxy Quest is funny in that there is that Think about that – that is something that has always been a dream of one scene where they are talking about... everything on that ship operates mine. I speak a lot of different languages: I speak Mandarin and Chinese, according to what the processes of the buttons that they pushed on their I speak Russian and some German, a little French and Spanish. If I could own TV show was, including the driving of the ship and transporting of get Arabic down pat, and I was secretary of state or president and could people, and so on. When I watched that I was like Oh my Lord! If aliens walk into these countries and speak their language fluently – everyone ever watched Voyager and thought that that is how you re-route energy would turn their heads and be like Whoa! That would be the most from one relay to another... I did that stuff all the time, so if they copy respectful thing to do. They would say the American president talks just what I did, I’m screwed! [laughing] When I pushed buttons I would push like us! That’s the thing – you don’t want to kill people that are like you. buttons and make designs. Like little Christmas trees and happy faces, And, at that point, I would shut down every overseas military base if I was and there was never any consistency with my button patterns. So if aliens president. I would bring all those soldiers back home and put them in ever abducted me and expected me to know what buttons to push, I would construction jobs, rebuilding all the damage from say, Hurricane Katrina. probably set off the self-destruct sequence! [laughing] We spend billions and billions of dollars overseas yet we can’t fix some of GC: That would be a really funny way to go back and watch episodes: the problems in our own country. to watch for the various patterns you’re making when operating the ship! GC: I can’t help but draw a connection between that woman you met What do you think about the concept of a possible colonization of Mars? in the bookstore talking about “The Dark Ones” coming to take over, and GW: I think it’s necessary the way the population is increasing. One that maybe – for a lot of other people in the world – the Americans were day there will not be enough room on Earth; it will be so overpopulated like these dark entities coming from far away to take over their lands, that it will be rough. There needs to be a moon base and Mars colony. Any quite often for exploitation of resources or to install puppet governments other planet that we can get to and put a colony on, we need to. The only for their benefit. other way is if we, say we pick a lotto ticket and at birth it’s random, like GW: Oh definitely! The most insightful thing I ever saw was on a cable who gets to live on the surface and who has to live in subterranean cities. television show, and it was a live satellite feed between two high school There are just too many people on the planet. groups. It was a group of 20 American high school students and 20 Iraqi GC: It could be an opportunity to do things more sensibly – where we high school students – and this was back during the Persian War when don’t have a huge bounty of resources and where everything matters. It Saddam Hussein was still alive – so the U.S. had already invaded and all has to be renewable. had troops in Baghdad and all over the place in Iraq. The students were talking, and the American students said that we had to come over there GW: They would have to use solar and wind turbines – anything other because they had ‘weapons of mass destruction’ and the Iraqi students than burning fossil fuels. That would be the most green residential area were like, What weapons of mass destruction? We don’t have anything! known to man; just environmentally friendly and utilizing what you’ve got They said You Americans don’t understand what we are going through. there. Totally. How would you feel if all of a sudden 500,000 Iraqi soldiers were posted GC: I saw that you completed a project called “Alongside Night”. Could in every major U.S. city? And they’re on every street corner with a machine you tell us what that was like? gun. As you’re going to school, going to the grocery store to buy some food, GW: Alongside Night may turn out to be a project which I don’t share there are dudes with guns from another country just looking at you as if the views of the writers. The movie is based on the book that the director you were guilty, as if you might be a terrorist. How would you feel? It was also wrote. A lot is anti- government – how the government is doing this an eye opener to the American students. Because, as Americans and and that and talking about having to go to the gold standard, and going Canadians, we have not experienced having foreign troops in our lands. It back to gold because of the riots that are going to happen in the streets, is such an invasion of space. You fear for your life as an innocent civilian. because of all kinds of negative economic forces. It’s a bit conspiracy It is always a perspective that people need to see. Too often people look theorist but it definitely warns people against the ‘Big Bad Government’. at one side of the coin but not the flip side of the coin. That’s why I feel GC: You can understand why that speaks to people today – with all the people should travel as much as they can and live in another country economic instability on the planet. at some point. Then you get to see it’s not just about you and your little neighbourhood. There is a whole world out there, and you get to see the GW: In a way there are parts of it that I definitely agree with, because other side with a different perspective. When you see things from another I agree with the notion that power definitely corrupts. Because if you talk perspective you gain wisdom. about Russia and the Crimea and you talk about mainland China – these were the two most pre-eminent communist countries: China and Russia. GC: That’s really what empathy is. Being able to put yourself in And the concept of communism is valiant. It says – unlike in India where another’s position. it’s a caste system, where if you’re born to the wrong caste you can’t own a GW: Yes! And we still have issues with people not allowing themselves store; if you’re born to a family of beggars, you stay a beggar – communism to be empathetic with gender and sexual orientation issues. You know erases that crap. We are on the exact same level, and that basic tenet is what I’m saying? We still have issues where people can’t see the other amazing, but, unfortunately, over time power corrupts. The ruling party, side or another’s perspective. When Voyager came out in 1995 we had a communist party leader of a province or of a major city, there is no bomb threats. People could not stand that we had a woman in command. way they are equal to the peasant who is in the rice field plowing and And that’s 1995! And when it comes to issues of sexual orientation, there doing just hard, hard, farm work. You cannot tell me that guy is the same are still people getting beaten and killed because of their sexuality! Gay as the communist party leader. And if you look at Putin, my God. He is bashings are something that is still happening in 2014. It’s ludicrous! It’s practically a dictator at this point. It is just sad how governments have like God dang it, everyone needs a dosage of perspective. I would love to just completely lost it and don’t get it anymore. It’s all about How can we take every single bigoted person that is racist and make them live with a make more money or profit right now? It is so sad, and makes me so upset black family or an Asian family or in another culture for a few months. that that’s the way it is. I wish there was some type of way to change that... Take every person who is anti-gay and make them live with a gay couple It’s like when Bush was in office. Everywhere I went overseas people would for a few months. Then you understand what these people are like. That look at me, after I told them I was American, they would be like Oh, we they are like you. Perspective is the key to everything – whether it’s world don’t really like what you guys are doing. I would be like, I’m sorry but I am peace, or understanding between people of different genders or sexual not part of that. I don’t agree with the fact that he is president. Don’t put this orientations. It’s all about perspective and understanding how the other crap on me. I feel that a lot of these terrorist activities are brought upon half lives. That is the answer. America. Nobody grows up and just wants to kill Americans, it just doesn’t GC: I think so too. Thank you for your time. happen that way. But when you see some of the foreign policies the US government has undertaken, or how they treat people, or how they bring troops in and strong-arm people, then people get pissed. You know what http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4369 I’m saying? Like, Wait a minute – you’ve got a hundred thousand people in View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

28 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Ivy Winters Blows Into Alberta Season 5’s Miss Congeniality Coming for Battle Of The Seasons

By Jason Clevett three announcement and the finale. It is worse for the queens You could almost hear the collective gasps of Alberta’s who have to agree to confidentiality and can’t tell anyone what drag race fans on November 3rd when the bomb was happened. It can be almost a year between filming and the finale dropped by Pure Pride and Union Events. For the first which makes it difficult, Winters said. time ever in our province seven of RuPaul’s fiercest girls, “Oh my god that was the hard part! I was gone for a month along with Michelle Visage, will be together under one and it was hard because you had to completely forget about Drag roof. RuPaul’s Drag Race – Battle of the Seasons: The Race during the time between filming and when it airs. You really 2015 Condragulations Tour will invade Flames Central have to keep quiet and can’t say anything to anybody, so I tried in Calgary February 13th, and heat up Encore West to forget about it until they announced who was on that season. I can’t even remember when we filmed it feels like ten years ago. Edmonton Mall on Valentines Day, February 14th. From the time that we film it, we come back to our regular lives, GayCalgary will be presenting interviews with most of the and no one knows that we were on. You get thrown back into queens that will grace the stage these evenings, and Ivy Winters society after and are like what just happened? What did I just do? was the first to call in despite fighting a cold. The whirlwind 30- It is almost a year until it is done and you have this huge chunk plus date North American tour gives an idea of the whirlwind of time to mentally prepare yourself for what is going to happen. that is the life of one of the Drag Race stars post-show. You have to prepare yourself for gigs and traveling. I was lucky “My life has completely changed. Before Drag Race drag, for at that time – I had Manila and Zahara and Jiggly and Milan me, was more of a hobby. It really wasn’t a money maker at all. that were on past seasons on Drag Race that were helping me Since the show I get to travel and do it full-time, which I never out in getting myself prepared. Waiting every episode – because in a million years thought I would be able to do. To share my we don’t know how they are going to edit us and how we are talents around the world was a dream of mine and Drag Race going to look in each episode – and you kind of forget what had made that happen.” happened. You are watching it with millions of people chewing For Drag Race fans it is torture watching the show unfold your fingernails off. It was stressful, and the wait was hellish” and waiting for the winner, especially when they often slate Ivy Winters is a unique performer. Her background in circus two-week breaks, including a recap show between the final work and clowning has lead her to possess a different style from

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 29 other queens. We got a glimpse of her talents on the season when everyone was like duh! When all of us came out my parents were she walked the runway on stilts. She also includes juggling and cool with it. My mom worked at a travel agency and two of her fire-eating in her stealthy talent repetoire. best friends were gay so they were fine with it. I was very lucky “I have been doing it for 12 years now. I started when I was and blessed with my family.” eight-years-old, learning different skills in different stages while While supportive of their gay children, when Winters began his I was young. I learned to stilt walk, juggle and eat fire. I used drag career his parents were unaware of what drag entails and, to do magic tricks and was a clown for eight and a half years. initially, had reservations. The circus and performing and theatrical stuff always inspired “When I came out to my parents as a drag queen they were me. I had the worst grades in school because I was constantly really worried about it, and didn’t care for it because they didn’t practicing tricks and stunts. When I was 18 I started doing drag know a lot about it. They didn’t know what it meant or if I was and I wanted to stand out. I wasn’t the best dancer, and wasn’t a getting ready to have a sex change. They weren’t educated on comedy queen or a host. A friend said why don’t you do all your what drag is, and what it meant to me. I told them it is just clown stuff in drag and stand out that way? and I was like that is like clowning: I am putting on make up, a face and a costume, the best idea! So it has clicked ever since.” and am being paid to entertain people; I am just entertaining It certainly garners a reaction when Winters eats fire on stage adults. Instead of being a funny character I am trying to convey a in drag. woman. It is very much the same thing. When they came to their “[The audience] loves it. Either they get really nervous and first drag show to see me perform they completely understood back away or have this blank look on their face like, what is why I wanted to do it and what an artistic outlet it was for me.” happening?! It is fun, especially in drag. You don’t see a lot of With gay siblings and accepting parents Winters had quite the drag queens doing it. There is a lot of danger with hairspray and cheering section. wigs, and pretty much everything we wear being flammable. It is “It was funny; my brother and his boyfriend, at the time, a big thrill to do.” would watch Drag Race every week before my season. When they As a boy, Dustin Winters had a great deal of support when he found out I was on they freaked out and had viewing parties came out. He was the first of three siblings to do so. every week.” “I am the middle child, but I came out first at 16 as a freshman Although eliminated from the show, Winters was crowned in high school. About a year later my sister, who is two years Miss Congeniality on the finale. younger, came out, and then a couple of years after that my “It was an amazing feeling. There were a lot of really nice oldest brother came out. My parents were like, whoah – we knew queens on my season so I was very honoured to get that – it Dustin was, we didn’t know you two were! My parents were was nice. I hate confrontation and am happy that people saw really cool with it. When I came out it was super late at night that in me. I don’t want to be recognized as a bitch. The drama and I told my mom, and she pretty much knew, but we had this was really hard to. We know the producers love drama and it is heart-to-heart conversation. She was crying and worried about air time for the girls, so a lot were kind of making shit up and me going through high school and being made fun of; she was picking fights just to get air time. I was like you are going to go just worried about me. It was completely fine – when I came out home and watch and realize how stupid you are going to look. That was hard for me to decipher: … what was important for me to be a part of regarding confrontations, and knowing what was worth speaking up for.” Winters had a big tip for queens looking to achieve drag stardom in future seasons. “The biggest thing for auditioning is to show as much personality as possible. You could be the most amazing, talented drag queen but, if you don’t have a personality to go with those talents, you won’t make it on. It is a reality show. They are not going to have someone who doesn’t have a personality, so make sure that is the first thing they notice... How do you survive the show itself? Pure luck. You can still be nice and have a personality, just not a negative one.” The Battle of the Seasons tour is playing large venues, allowing Winters to really bring her A-game. “This is my fun time to really do what I like to do... We get to perform on these huge stages and I am able to bring my stilts and giant props, and a million costume changes... A lot of the time I am not able to bring my stilts to clubs so I go for the big extravagant numbers that I love to perform. A lot of people have asked me to sing live, but a lot of girls sing live and do comedy in the show and the girls are really good at what they do. So I stand out by doing my circusy tricks, so you will see a lot of that.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Battle Of The Seasons http://www.PurePride.ca http://www.RuPaulBots.com Calgary - Flames Central - February 13, 2015 Edmonton - Encore West Edmonton Mall - February 14, 2015

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30 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Interview

San Diego’s DJ Shane Stiel on DJing at the recent HoneyPot Production’s Wild Pride in Calgary

By Farley Foo Foo appreciate the things I had, and the lessons I learned as a child. I moved If you were one of the lucky partiers who made it through there because I had to take a break from the rave scene and figure the massive lineup outside and into the Pint for HoneyPot out my life as an adult. I chose to join the Navy and clean my life up Production’s first foray into Calgary, then you likely found a bit. Once I joined I successfully graduated from boot camp with high yourself dancing the night away to the delicious beats of San honours and proved to my parents, as well as myself, that the lessons I Diego’s own DJ Shane Stiel. Stiel was here for the Wild Pride learned from them really sunk in. I was then shipped off to the beautiful city of San Diego, California as an aviation electrician at a helicopter event that took place last August, Not one to jump on the squadron and attached to the U.S.S. Lincoln aircraft carrier. I was current mainstream EDM bandwagon, Stiel took time out from honourably discharged in 2008 and moved back to Denver for a short his hectic touring schedule to express his thoughts on what time before returning to San Diego after an extremely cold and snowy is currently missing from the electronic dance scene and its winter. Now I am planning on moving from San Diego to Los Angeles. musical offerings, his future plans – including relocating and GC: I understand you first got into electronic music going to raves in stepping away from the decks and into the studio – and his time Denver at the age of 15. What was it about the rave scene that first drew spent in Calgary. you into it, and how did you handle yourself being around a somewhat GC: Can you tell us a little bit about your past and your upbringing? older crowd? SS: Ever since I came out of my mothers’ womb I knew I was destined SS: Yes I got into the rave scene at 15 years of age, which some to be a DJ! Just kidding. I was born in Colorado in June of 1980. My might think is quite young. However I always associated myself with an upbringing was one of a lot of love, and I was continuously surrounded older demographic, but there were also kids my age as well. What drew by music. My parents were not rich but not poor either. They worked me in was the sense of love and unity that you experienced at these extremely hard to provide the best for my sister and I. A lot of [my] parties. Everyone knew each other and everyone cared about each other hard work and determination I learned from my parents. My mother has just the same. Peace, love, unity and respect – or PLUR – was what we shared stories with me that they had to do the most odd jobs in order were all about. Being [that] my astrological sign [is] Cancer, I found the to send us to school and have a happy life. My mother worked so hard community and energy around me matched what I believed in. I believe at the bank that she went from a position as a teller to a vice president that a lot of that good energy is lost in the events these days, which is position without ever receiving a college degree. My dad was a car quite sad to see. It wasn’t about being commercial or trying to be the salesman and extremely good at it. He worked numerous hours in order hottest person there; it was about having a good time to music that we to make sure we had food on our plates every night at dinner. Now that all shared a special bond with. I would give anything to go back to those is hard work! I was the typical kid: played baseball and soccer, played days and live them once again. the trumpet and French horn, and also sang in choir. I loved music so GC: Do you ever spin at parties now and see 15-year-olds dancing much and it showed. I just wish I still had that Michael Jackson record to your music? player that I used to listen to 45s with! As a teenager I enjoyed hanging SS: I don’t really see many of the younger generation at my events, as with friends, learning to drive, and also attending raves, which my mom they are mostly 21 and up events. I go to the occasional “massive” and called “boom boom music”. All in all I had a wonderful upbringing full of see the young kids and think to myself, when I see the girls, did their love, respect and learning how to become the man I am today. parents approve of the way they look?. It has turned into who-looks-the- GC: Where were all the places you moved around to growing up? skankiest and Jersey Shore fist pumping. The uniqueness is lost, but What made you finally decide to choose San Diego as your home base? when I find that rare dancer that is popping and liquid dancing I give SS: We moved around a lot as I grew up until we finally settled in him or her much props on keeping it real. Lakewood, Colorado in 1991. I lived there for about 11 years until my GC: You were dating a woman for a long time before you came out family decided they wanted to live in a very small town called Lewellen, and became a DJ. When did you come out, and did you find it hard to Nebraska. This was a town with a population of only 280 people. This come out while you were still serving in the US Navy? was a huge change for me, but an extremely good lesson to completely

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 31 SS: I was dating a few women before I came out – poor girls! LOL! the night was disappointing. He played nothing but dubstep to the fist Although I did not fully come out until I came to San Diego and sought pumpers that were in front of him. I was so pissed that we had to leave it out. My first club I went to, as an out gay man, was Rich’s in San so I didn’t have to listen to that noise any longer. I give credit to Skrillex Diego. Boy was that a time in my life I would never forget. I was so for creating a different sound but for Dieselboy to sell out to it was nervous, and immediately ran up to the closest bartender to get a drink. utterly disgusting. Disappointed! His name is Kekoa, if that is how you spell it. He was so sweet and had GC: You have spoken before about moving from the DJ side of the the biggest smile on his face. I immediately was drawn to him and he industry into the production side. Can you give us an update on how introduced me to a lot of people I still call friends today. At first I was that’s going and when/where we might be able to hear some Shane Stiel afraid to be out and in the Navy but I quickly found a large amount of originals? gays in San Diego who were also in the military that I could relate to. I SS: Yes, I have been DJing for 16 years now and it is time for me to never actually came out to my commands but they knew and didn’t care take it to the next level. This is why I am moving to Los Angeles, so that in the slightest. I did my job and did it well so they never said anything. I can engulf myself around musicians, and really expand the creative In fact, over time, many of them joined me at the gay bars and enjoyed genius that lives inside of me. I have a great deal of support as well from being part of my lifestyle. names such as Paulo, Abel and especially Alyson Calagna. I was going GC: Do you think the American military has come a long way since to attend a school to get some more education on it, but I have found the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell? Or is it still, in your opinion, often a someone that is going to teach me one-on-one. I’d rather spend $17,000 very homophobic institution? on an amazing studio than have to pay that off the rest of my life. I am SS: It is hard to answer this question as I was already out of the Navy planning on having my own original mixes out some time next year, so once that ridiculous law was abolished. As I stated before, I never had be on the lookout for my label, STIEL REKORDZ! any issues, however I know many people whom were either discharged GC: Any artists you would really love to work with or remix, and for being gay or used being gay to get out of the Navy themselves. I why? think that the military is somewhat still homophobic, but not based on SS: Oh man that is a hard question. There are so many artists I a written standard, but in the mindset of many of the military members would really love to work with. A few are Chus and Ceballos, Jerome who do not agree with our lifestyle. Although I think this younger Robins, Deko-ze, Hazzaro, Hot Since 82, Mark Knight and DJ PP. There generation is growing up to be more comfortable with the gay lifestyle, are also a few singers I would love to work with including Lisa Shaw, and that should help to change the way things are currently in the Samantha James, Jes from Motorcycle, and my dear friend Luciana. I military. am looking forward to so much more in the future! GC: For those who may not have heard you play before, tell us a little GC: As one of the most sought after DJs for gay parties and festivals bit about your sound. People might be surprised to learn that you’re right now, you have done a lot of traveling. Is that something you not the biggest fan of the current EDM that has become so mainstream. enjoy as opposed to a residency? Any places or parties you consider as SS: I originally started playing progressive trance and eventually favourite? developed into house. Currently I spin a variation of styles, from house SS: I have been so very blessed with the travels and experiences I to tribal to circuit to tech house. I like to keep it unique and interesting have had. I thoroughly enjoy the travel and getting to see friends in so that everyone can enjoy himself or herself. I am not a fan of EDM other cities, as well as spreading my love for music around the world. and I have been involved in many debates about this. The acronym Although I travel a lot I still hold residency in a few clubs in the states EDM spelled out is electronic dance music. There are many genres of including Beatbox in San Francisco, Hydrate in Chicago, and Heretic electronic dance music, and I believe a lot of those genres have been in Atlanta. I also loved being part of the legendary White Party in Palm lost once this EDM culture came about. I have found it quite sad that Springs, One Mighty Weekend in Orlando, WILD in Vancouver, Lazy many of the DJs and producers I once loved before have sold out of their Bear, and the one and only gay and lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, original styles to play this form of music in order to play the big events Australia – to name a few. I have some huge announcements to make and to make the big money. Now I know that I said that my sound coming up for NYE and 2015, so people can keep their eyes open for transitioned from trance to house, but those are two separate forms that on my website and Facebook page. of electronic dance music. Also when you go to these EDM events, as Did you enjoy playing Wild Pride? Any particular experiences or I said before, it’s nothing but a bunch of fist pumping, and I believe it GC: recollections from Calgary you remember most? has lost the whole feel of dance. I say this because, quite honestly, you cannot even dance to it at all. It’s just a bunch of shit noise that is way SS: Are you kidding me? I think you know that I had a blast that overproduced. I am a true house head at heart and I plan to remain weekend. Gingerbear Todd and the HoneyPot Productions crew are loyal to my sound. some of my favourite people in the world and have become some of my best friends and supporters. Calgary was such a fun city, and the GC: Where would you like to see electronic sounds go moving people there were quite lovely! I think my best experience there was the forward? What do you think the future of electronic music will look like? Friday night at The Pint for Wild Pride. Todd put together that event in SS: Honestly it is hard to say where electronic music will go. only three weeks and it went off extremely successfully. I had such a Computers do everything digitally, so I suppose the sky is the limit. fun time spinning that room and I sure hope everyone else did as well. However I would like to see dance music come back to its roots. I would For anyone who wants to check out your mixes and sets, where like to see the kids these days get a real experience [of] what the scene GC: can they find you, both online and live, at upcoming gigs? If weask was like 15 plus years ago. Many of them have no understanding or nicely, would you consider coming back to Alberta again? respect for where this lifestyle was created from, and that would be a great education for them all. SS: Anyone who wants to hear me can go to my website at http:// www.shanestiel.com as well as my SoundCloud page at http:// GC: The progression from disco to house was a very important soundcloud.com/djshanestiel. 2014 is wrapping up in Atlanta for HAUS step in electronic music. House built upon disco but definitely took OF STIEL with my wifey, the one and only beautiful bearded bitch Grace that sound in a novel direction. Do you find that the current genres of Towers! As far as my upcoming gigs for NYE, you will have to keep an electronic music haven’t really evolved, or haven’t been as innovative? eye on my site for 2015 to be announced! Let’s just say my future is That trap and glitch and EDM are really just a slight variant of techno, looking quite like a Purple Pit Bull! dub, garage, breakbeat and house? Thanks for having me Farley. BIG LOVE to all my Alberta haus hedz! SS: I would say you are exactly right on that point. I can give you an Keep haus’n! example of an experience I had with this. There was once this amazing jungle DJ named Dieselboy that I once loved to see every time. Now jungle wasn’t my first choice in dance music, but I loved the way he used to throw down those records and create some of the most amazing sounds I have ever heard. A group of friends and I caught wind that he was performing here in San Diego recently at a venue called 4th and http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4371 B. We were so excited and decided to go check it out. I was so excited to hear him and dance like I used to while listening to his sets. [But] View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

32 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 33 Out of Town Napa Valley: Wine Country

 Tasting at prestigious Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of the wineries that helped launch Napa into viticultural stardom in the 1970s. Photo by Andrew Collins

by Andrew Collins and its attractively landscape waterfront. A 6.0-magnitude earthquake Northern California’s Napa Valley (visitnapavalley.com) is by shook downtown in late August 2014, causing extensive damage to no means solely about wine-touring. You’ll find soothing hot dozens of downtown buildings as well as more than 200 injuries, but the springs spas and smartly furnished B&Bs, scenic opportunities majority of Napa’s businesses have reopened. Still, as some businesses for hiking and biking, and some of the country’s most celebrated were still making repairs as of this writing (October 2014), it’s best to call restaurants. This sunny, temperate valley bracketed by rugged ahead to confirm hours. ridgelines is first and foremost simply a gorgeous place to Beyond downtown, there are a couple of notable arts-related attractions. spend a relaxing weekend. Of course, having an appreciation Out on Carneros Highway a few miles southwest of downtown, di Rosa is a dramatic lakeside art museum and wildlife preserve on some 200 for Napa’s world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and acres of carefully tended grounds. You can visit the indoor art galleries, Chardonnay doesn’t hurt. wander the sculpture meadow, and tour the 125-house on this former Just a 50-mile drive north of San Francisco, the region’s largest winery and estate. Also well worth a visit is the Hess Art Collection, a fine community, Napa (population 80,000) also lies just 15 miles east of the assemblage of contemporary art at Hess Winery, where you can also taste town of Sonoma. The Napa and Sonoma valleys both compete with and the acclaimed Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gewurstraminer. complement one another. Collectively, they’ve become favorite destinations For some fresh air and exercise – always a good idea to offset all that among LGBT travelers for everything from spa- and epicurean-themed time you spend drinking fine wines and eating delectable meals – consider getaways to destination weddings. And they’re close enough to each other visiting Skyline Wilderness Park, a breathtaking 850-acre wilderness a that it’s easy to spend time in each valley over the course of a weekend. few miles southeast of downtown. You’ll find some 25 miles of trails for Highway 29 runs north through the Napa Valley, starting in Napa itself biking, hiking and horseback, and when the weather is clear, you can and then linking the smaller, charming towns of Yountville, Rutherford, St. see as far west as San Francisco Bay and Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais. Helena and Calistoga. Each of these communities contains an abundance Beyond Napa, each of the towns in the valley has a wealth of wineries. of prominent wineries, plus stylishly rustic restaurants and romantic Yountville and Rutherford are small, quaint communities with a handful country inns. You can drive the entire 30-mile valley in an afternoon, but of notable restaurants and inns, and bustling St. Helena has a lively it’s best to set out early to give yourself time for tastings – and lunch – at downtown with a particularly robust and sophisticated business district. a few wineries along the way. At the northern tip of the valley, unpretentious and low-Calistoga is A scenic alternate route, the Silverado Trial provides a more visually famed for its curative hot springs – it also cultivates a somewhat more alluring introduction to the valley – this winding road through the foothills countercultural vibe than the rest of Napa. About 10 miles north of town, passes a number of fine wineries and avoids much of the traffic along well- you can visit one of the county’s best spots for outdoor recreation, Robert traveled Highway 29. One other way to explore the region is by booking a Louis Stevenson State Park – the 5-mile hike to the 4,343-foot summit of trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train, which offers lunch and dinner rides Mt. Saint Helena offers spectacular views. from Napa to St. Helena in 1952 dome trains, classic 1915-17 Pullmans, As for the most popular exercise in Napa County, wine-touring can and – in summer – open-air railcars. These 36-mile round-trip excursions involve anything from dropping by one token tasting room during your through the beautiful valley take about three hours and include first-rate visit to planning each day around stops at four or five wineries (anymore food and wine. than that tends to become exhausting). Regardless of how many you visit, Napa has a relatively compact and easily strolled downtown that consider appointing a designated driver or even booking a trip with one of abounds with diverting fashion boutiques and specialty food stores, the region’s many winery-touring companies – you can view a full list at winery tasting rooms and bars, the historic Napa Valley Opera House and http://www.visitnapavalley.com/transportation_tours.htm. Uptown Theatre, and several lively cafes and restaurants. Much of the action is along Main and First Streets, which intersect near Napa Creek

34 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com At last count, there were more than 450 wineries in Napa Valley. Some brews, and the Model Bakery for mammoth cinnamon buns, gooey cookies favorites, both for the quality of wine and the experience of visiting the and chewy pizzas. tasting room and grounds, include: In the county’s northern climes, Longmeadow Ranch Winery & • Beaulieu Vineyard, Rutherford: founded in 1900 and set in a stately Farmstead (http://www.longmeadowranch.com) is one of the most building offering full tours and tastings. romantic special-occasion restaurants in the valley, and Tra Vigne • Castello di Amorosa, Calistoga: the owner of esteemed V. Sattui (http://www.travignerestaurant.com) in downtown St. Helena serves Winery opened this incredible 121,000-square-foot castle in impeccable modern Tuscan food. Up in Calistoga, both JoLe (http://www. 2007. The artwork and architecture makes for a truly memorable jolerestaurant.com) – a lively farm-to-table bistro in the center of town – experience. and brunch favorite Calistoga Kitchen (http://www.calistogakitchen.com) should be on any foodie’s “must-try” list. • Chimney Rock, Napa: set in an ornate white building in northern Napa along the Silverado Trail. Where to stay in Napa Valley • Clos Pegase, Calistoga: Michael Graves designed this striking, A great base for exploring the entire region, Napa is home to a mix of contemporary winery that produces high-caliber wines. upscale resorts and artfully restored small inns. Among larger properties, • Domaine Chandon, Yountville: one of Napa’s preeminent the inviting River Terrace Inn (http://www.riverterraceinn.com) is close destinations for sparkling wine. to downtown but with a quiet setting along the Napa River (it’s within • Franciscan Estate, St. Helena: among the prettiest of the wineries walking distance of Oxbow Public Market). Rooms are handsomely along Highway 29, with tastings offered in the tranquil courtyard decorated, and some have balconies overlooking the river and whirlpool during the warmer months. tubs. The sleek, five-story Andaz Napa (http://napa.andaz.hyatt.com) – • Rutherford Hill Winery, Rutherford: occupies a handsome barnlike part of Hyatt’s rapidly growing luxury brand – is right in the heart of building; bring a lunch to enjoy an alfresco meal at the winery’s downtown and contains 141 cushy rooms with hickory-hardwood floors, lovely Olive Grove Picnic Area. It’s just up the lane from the plush linens and waterfall showerheads. sumptuous wine country resort, Auberge du Soleil. Two neighboring B&Bs of particular note are the Beazley House • Stag’s Leap, Napa: beautiful patio and gardens, famous for its (http://www.beazleyhouse.com), a hip-roofed beauty with blue-and-white Cabernet Sauvignon having beaten out several top French wines in a awnings and 11 warmly appointed rooms, and the gay-owned Inn on First blind taste test in 1976. (http://www.theinnonfirst.com), an Arts and Crafts-style mansion with 10 sophisticated rooms, marvelous gardens and spectacular breakfasts. • Sterling Vineyards, Calistoga: the experience here involves taking an aerial tram up to the hilltop villa and winery. Calistoga has several wonderfully romantic, gay-owned inns, including the Chanric Inn (http://www.thechanric.com), which has seven Notable Napa Valley restaurants luxuriously furnished rooms, a landscaped pool area and a tranquil massage room. Gracious Chateau de Vie (http://www.cdvnapavalley.com) The unassuming village of Yountville is home to one of the most famous overlooks gardens of lavender and rose and contains four opulent rooms restaurants in the United States – book far in advance for the opportunity with such classy perks as L’Occitane bath products, iPod docks and to dine at Thomas Keller’s peerless French Laundry (frenchlaundry.com). Cabernet Sauvignon made from grapes grown on vineyards surrounding You can also opt for a meal of classic French bistro fare at Keller’s less- the property. spendy and more casual Bouchon (bouchonbistro.com/Yountville). Another favorite, located just off the main village street, is Luxe Calistoga Downtown Napa is packed with superb restaurants. A high-ceilinged, (http://www.luxecalistoga.com), a stately 1873 inn that mixes old- chatter-filled space on Main Street, TORC (http://www.torcnapa.com) fashioned elegance with modern convenience. Note the iPads (with menus serves beautifully plated contemporary American fare. Carpe Diem from local restaurants bookmarked), gas fireplaces and flat-screen TVs in (http://www.carpediemwinebar.com) is one of the most inviting wine bars each of the five roomy accommodations. If you prefer a more countrified in town, offering up an eclectic menu of eminently noshable small plates, setting, consider Kurt Stevens’ and Richard Flynn’s Meadowlark Country from flatbreads to ostrich burgers. Swanky Tarla (http://www.tarlagrill. House (http://www.meadowlarkinn.com), a 10-room hideaway located on com) serves flavorful Mediterranean cuisine in a compact, stylish dining 20 serene and secluded acres a few minutes’ drive from town. Rooms room, while Celadon (http://www.celadonnapa.com) turns out exquisitely at this cushy retreat have marble whirlpool tubs and private decks, and prepared, globally inspired fare, like five-spice duck breast and Moroccan- amenities include a clothing-optional mineral-fed pool, hot tub and dry style braised lamb. sauna. It’s an idyllic setting for unwinding after a day of exploring this For a quick lunch, stop by cozy Melted (http://www.meltednapavalley. gorgeous valley. com), a mod cafe serving creative sandwiches (try the one with pork Andrew Collins produces the website GayTravel.About.com and writes about travel for a loin, apple cider butter, wasabi slaw and bourbon cheddar). Or take a variety of LGBT and mainstream publications. stroll through Oxbow Public Market (http://www.oxbowpublicmarket. com), with its bustling array of small restaurants and fine food vendors, including Gott’s Roadside for gourmet burgers and garlic fries, Hog Island http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4372 Oyster Co. for fresh seafood, Ritual Coffee for single-origin artisan-roasted View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 35 Colby Melvin Voter advocacy, political power and the dirty business of oil

By V.N. Winnick GC: You have been pretty heavily involved in turn-out-the-vote “Here I am,” says Colby Melvin, “just a man in his campaigns recently. Tell us a bit about your big push. underwear. But I still have a voice, and I can still reach CM: It’s a bigger campaign that we’re doing – there are many facets people... It doesn’t matter who your are – what your to it. The overall campaign is called Clickbait. This specific project circumstance is – you do have a voice, and it does matter. for it was called ‘I Love to Vote/Fuck’. The whole idea of Clickbait is, You are absolutely entitled to share it. And fight for it.” nobody voluntarily is, yeah, let’s talk about voting... It’s taking the He has come a long way from the young man working in things that people are spending time [on] when they’re online, when Alabama’s oil and gas industry to the model, advocate they’re on Facebook – they look at pictures of cats, and hot guys, and progressive idealist he is today. I had a chance to and stuff like that – so finding a way to make these topics appealing, through baiting them with things that they already like. speak with Colby Melvin recently, on how he threaded the needle from conservative industry to progressive GC: Not to be a wet blanket, but it doesn’t look like it worked too well. This was the worst voter turnout for an American midterm community, and what he has learned along the way. election since the Second World War.

36 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com CM: Yeah, it was not good. I think, in general, the buzz around this In what world... would it be okay to say, because of who you love, election... people just haven’t been talking about it. I don’t even think you cannot do this job that you’re good at? That doesn’t sound like the candidates were campaigning as much. That, and everything else freedom to me. that’s currently going on news-wise and in the world, people just get GC: Let’s switch gears a bit. You have spoken before about how you distracted. Or they... feel helpless or overwhelmed by everything else overcome chronic fatigue through physical activity and exercise. How politically. does that manifest every day for you? GC: Do you think a lot of it has to do with voter disenfranchisement CM: Being a professional party boy, if you will, it does take a lot too? There is a prevailing attitude that voting doesn’t really change of energy. It’s days and days of high, intense energy, and dancing... anything. it’s a lot. It is definitely a lot different from sitting behind a desk. But CM: I think a lot of times people just feel that they’re going to get I’ve been doing it for so long it’s kind of like stamina training. [I am] the short end of the stick no matter which way they vote. Because I do constantly active. People always ask me, Oh, I hate working out, I hate think that our political system has gotten turned into this monopoly, cardio, what should I do? Honestly, find any activity that is enjoyable this machine that runs on its own, and people [will say], Okay, I’m for you…I love dancing. Whenever I do it I can do it for hours and going to vote for this candidate because this is what they stand for – hours and hours. It doesn’t feel like I’m working out – it’s not such a this is what they do. Well, they get into office, and all that goes out the struggle. Now, when it comes to running? I hate running. I have flat window. I think there’s a lot of distrust in the system. feet, and it’s really painful, and it is just not my thing. But... there GC: Is that justified? are so many different ways to stay active and make it still enjoyable. CM: Oh, absolutely... but I think that... information is so free- GC: For those who haven’t seen you in person, what is a Colby flowing now that people can share ideas, can share these grievances, Melvin appearance like? can talk about these things, and realize that they’re not alone. But CM: High energy. It’s one of those check the attitude at the door, when it comes to Washington and politics... it’s not that what needs we’re all here to have a good time type of experiences. It’s about to get done is getting done. It’s a power struggle. People feel like the everybody being friends and coming out together. It’s one of those government has forgotten that they are supposed to be protecting the southern ideals that I picked up on growing up. They can expect a people, not just their careers. lot of crazy fun – I know it’s going to be a lot of dancing, smiles, and GC: It’s pretty well-known that the industry you used to work in probably a lot of pictures. – oil and gas – is part of the problem as far as that’s concerned. They GC: What do you do that makes you happy? have a lot of money that they can, and often do, use to hold lawmakers CM: Surrounding myself with people who are happy, and driven, over a barrel. Did you have to swallow your politics when you first and motivated in their own regard, but also will be supportive and started working in that sector, or did your political consciousness will encourage me. When I moved to California I realized how little evolve after you left? support structure I had. I moved out here and all my friends, behind CM: I kind of just fell into the industry. I had family connections my back, took a bet about how long it was going to take me to do porn. that allowed me to get my job, and once I [had it] I worked my way up. And, you know, that was really hurtful – that the people that I thought Now that industry, it’s very dirty. I saw a lot of things and was asked would be there for me weren’t there. And now whether it’s one person, to do a lot of things that weren’t exactly legal, or moral, and that’s ten people, or a hundred people, I’m a lot more mindful of who I let around the same time that I also figured out I was gay. So I was going into my life. It’s not having friends for the sake of having friends, it through this sort of identity development of my own, about what I is having friends for the sake of them actually adding to your life. actually stood for, and who I was as a person. It was really challenging my character. And then one day, it was like, this was not me, and this was not the person that I want to be, no matter how much money I’m making. This is not life, because I was miserable! I was surrounded by very toxic and devious people. When I was fired I said...I need to make it my mission to not let this sort of world take over. Colby Melvin GC: Speaking of that, you mentioned in other interviews that you were outed pretty violently by your employers. How did that go down? Find Colby on Facebook at facebook.com/colbymelvinmodel and on CM: The people I was working for found out, and they told me that Twitter @colbymelvin it was not acceptable. They had... obtained my phone records and text records, and threatened to send it to my family if I didn’t go quietly, Colby Melvin Presented by Evolution that they would out me and embarrass me and my family. You can’t take anything, you can’t work in this industry, you just have to go. And Edmonton - Friday, November 21st,10pm that was it. And after I helped turn that company from a one million dollar company to a ten million dollar company in less than a year. It http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4373 wasn’t because I wasn’t doing my job. The even more fucked up part is, it’s completely legal. There’s no workplace protection in Alabama. View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 37 A Comeback to Cherish Lisa Kudrow on Valerie’s return, ‘superhuman’ gays and the future of Romy and Michele

 photos by Gilles Toucas

By Chris Azzopardi episode where Karen’s at a theater and she throws her flask and it hits Ten years without our favorite cupcake-wearing gonzo, Valerie someone in the head, and there’s this joke that gay men wouldn’t care Cherish, is 10 years too long. But the wait’s over. You were heard. because, “Eh, all in a day.” (Laughs) Getting, like, smacked with something is “all in a day.” So I wonder if that’s what it is – because Valerie gets, you A decade after The Comeback first premiered, the hilariously cringe-y know, humiliated – or humiliates herself – all the time. And it’s like, “Yeah, HBO trailblazer that lasted just one season in 2005 – and starred Lisa well, that’s the world.” Kudrow as Val, a D-lister reaching for (everything underneath) the stars – returns to the network with the Friends actress back as our beloved hot The other thing that I love about Valerie is, “All right, someone said mess. something not nice, but you know what, can’t use that. Got this other thing I gotta do.” She just ignores that that happened and keeps going. GC: Lisa, you don’t know how tempting it is to say “hello” three times to you right now. How often do people quote Valerie in your presence? And GC: That’s what it is too: She perseveres. how often are they gay men? LK: Completely perseveres! You can agree with her goal or not, but LK: (Laughs) Frequently and frequently. You know who the next group she’s got it and nothing is getting in her way. There’s something admirable is after gay men? College students. about that; there just is. Except, you know, she’s willing to put up with a lot. GC: Are you surprised by that? When was it first apparent to you that gays were on board withThe LK: I was surprised… until I got used to it! But it’s fantastic. That’s GC: Comeback? Did you know instantly? really thrilling, and then it struck me: “Well, of course! They grew up with Housewives of everywhere, and people humiliating themselves on LK: Yeah, pretty much. (The Comeback co-creator) Michael Patrick King reality TV.” When The Comeback first came out, I think that gay men were said, “You understand how this will go: First it’s gonna be the gays, then the only ones who were like, “Yes. I understand. I get it. It’s great, and I the women, then everyone else.” understand.” (Laughs) GC: RuPaul makes a cameo in the pilot episode… You know, those are the people I care about the most – the people who LK: I know. Oh my god – so good! really loved the show. That was my only fear after it was all done. Doing GC: This means that Valerie could appear as a guest judge on RuPaul’s it, writing it, shooting it, it was, “Yeah, this is right, this is right.” Then Drag Race, right? afterwards, “Uh oh, what if it’s not?” LK: You know, I’ve been asked to, but I don’t know how Valerie works GC: When it comes to Valerie Cherish, what is it about her exactly that on a talk show or as a judge. I don’t know. I’m thinking about it. I’m trying we gay men are so drawn to? to figure out how it works. I don’t wanna say no! LK: I’ve been asking myself that too – not cause it’s a mystery, but I GC: And you obviously shouldn’t. All I’m saying is that I see many wonder why. I was watching Will & Grace once and there was this hilarious opportunities for you to say, “Note to self: I don’t need to see that!”

38 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com LK: (Laughs) But she could by having to do something about say all kinds of – I don’t know that. what we’re allowed to (say on Drag GC: Which is exactly a Val Race). I mean, she’s indelicate characteristic. and gets things wrong and, you LK: Right. And then it’s just know, I don’t know how offensive exaggerated and heightened in she’s gonna be. her. GC: Valerie is surrounded by GC: Could you ever imagine gays, and so much of your career turning your own life into a reality has been gay adjacent. You did show? Happy Endings. You turned Meryl No. (Laughs) The closest Streep into a gay conversion LK: I came was doing an episode of therapist for Web Therapy. And Who Do You Think You Are? then, of course, there’s The Comeback. Are you as immersed GC: Do you watch reality in the gay community as your shows? Are you a fan at all? career would lead us to believe? LK: I do watch them. They’re LK: Yes and no. The people I so fascinating to me. I like Top work with are gay. I don’t know Chef, Project Runway – still like who I’m going to offend by leaving that. I watch America’s Next them out, but I need to say that I Top Model. And then I watch think gay men are superior beings the Housewives. I watch certain in my mind. I do believe that. Housewives of places. GC: I would love to hear why. I am fascinated with the level of criticism young people can LK: It’s all so tricky. I studied handle. I could not have handled it. I think I would’ve shriveled up in a biology and the brains are anatomically different. They just are. There’s a ball, so on one level I really admire the Teflon part of them that’s able stronger connection with the corpus callosum (in gay men). The two sides to say, “OK. Thank you. Good note.” I constantly try to work against of the brain communicate better than a straight man’s, and I think that that judgmental part of me, and it’s not (easy), especially when it’s the has to be really important. They’re not women – they’re still men – and judgmental part that gives you your sense of humor. women also have thicker corpus callosums, so I think it’s the combination of those qualities that makes them like a superhuman to me. GC: And all this is research for The Comeback, of course. GC: Even more apparent during this season of The Comeback is LK: Well, yeah, I can’t really say that. (Laughs) It’s not research, but the inherent commentary on celebrity culture and age and gender I am fascinated. I also do have this other theory that, thanks to those discrimination. When it comes to ageism in the industry – the fact that Housewives, we finally do have a point of reference for how women behave. there are so many talented older actresses not getting starring roles – what We need to. It can’t just be reasonable, good behavior, because that’s how do you hope The Comeback accomplishes in spotlighting that issue? we depict the downtrodden so that no one thinks we’re sexist or racist, so you end up with all of these subgroups in our society that have to be LK: I don’t know what to say about that. It’s something that just is. I dull. They’re not allowed to have any flaws, otherwise whoever wrote (that think it’s gonna be a much longer process. I’m really not a revolutionary- depiction) is accused of having bad feelings about them. To me, that’s when type personality, you know what I mean? I’m not the activist type, but things are finally OK – when everyone’s allowed to have flaws depicted in mmm, my god. I’m really bad at this – communicating this stuff. But we entertainment. still… we still… (Laughs) Women still have a different place in our society, and it’s changing slowly but it’s still real slow. Because we’re so interested GC: Mira Sorvino recently brought up a sequel to Romy and Michele’s in the male audience more than the female audience, the requirement High School Reunion. What are your thoughts on one, and do you think it’ll for women in entertainment is that she turn men on. That really hasn’t happen at this point? changed much. LK: I have no idea. Robin Schiff wrote and produced Romy and Michele, GC: That’s particularly the focus of the third episode when – spoiler and we all did get together years ago with a great idea: Romy and Michele alert – you simulate oral sex on Seth Rogen. Get Married. And yeah, Disney wasn’t interested in it at the time. Now, I don’t know what it would be. My worry is, you know, wouldn’t it involve LK: Right! And then you have the two (completely naked) girls standing plastic surgery? (Laughs) there for an uncomfortably long time. With a sequel like Romy and Michele Get Married, does that mean GC: Did it feel uncomfortable for you on set? GC: they end up being lesbian lovers because of the pact they made to marry LK: Well, the girls seemed OK. But, you know, (it’s) always just about each other in the original? making sure everyone’s being treated with respect, right? LK: No, they’re not, but that’s always the other meaning. Because that’s GC: Have you ever experienced the ageism that Val experiences in your the relationship. That is the relationship. But I think by now it’d have to be own career? Roles you didn’t get because of your age? Romy and Michele Get Divorced… Again. LK: Not that I know of. I don’t know how to put it, but one of my biggest GC: In the spirit of the meta show a la The Comeback, if you could play failings is that I accept things the way they are, and then I just try to adapt. a version of yourself playing Phoebe from Friends years later, what would I think it’s incredible people who say, “No, no. It doesn’t have to be this that character be like? way, though.” It’s like, “Oh. Well, wow.” LK: Well, I did play a version of myself playing Phoebe. (Laughs) Phoebe GC: Have you worked with someone like Valerie Cherish? is a version of myself. Valerie’s a version. And Fiona Wallice (of Web LK: Yes! These people exist. There were people who were like, “Oh, I Therapy) is a version. And, well, Michele Weinberger is not a version, I have think I know who this is,” and the answer is, “You don’t know who this is, to say. I don’t know. I have a feeling if Phoebe had to be revisited, she’d be because this isn’t one person.” closer to me. GC: Did you have anyone in mind when you created the character? GC: Why do you say that? LK: No, not one person, because it’s an amalgam of people – men and LK: I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna see a woman my age women. saying “floopy,” trying to be cute. No, uh-uh. It’s too Baby Jane. GC: What do you have in common with Val? LK: Well, a lot. I think I do have a thing where, if something negative is happening and it’s not serving me, then I’m really not gonna let it in http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4374 and address it because I gotta keep going. If something’s happening that’s negative, I try to think, “What’s OK about this?” so that I don’t get distracted View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 39 The Sweet Dreams of Annie Lennox Icon on her legacy, the ‘nostalgia’ of youth and why Beyoncé is ‘feminist lite’

 photos by Robert Sebree

By Chris Azzopardi AL: I don’t know if I’m attracted to darkness. I couldn’t say They don’t make hearts bigger than the one beating inside of “attracted.” I pick up on that because it is interesting, isn’t it? Annie Lennox. Maybe we are drawn to it. Maybe it’s already a prerequisite Despite the icon’s legendary recording career, dating back to within ourselves. I mean, humans have this capacity to be so the late ’70s, music has taken a backseat to another passion: joyful and so full of love, and sweet and light and all of those people. While still dedicated to philanthropic work focused on innocent things – like when you see children, you see how we causes like HIV/AIDS and global peace, the singer-songwriter are before we become adolescents, and we’re different. returns with her first disc in four years, a covers album called I see children every day because they pass my house as they Nostalgia. go to play in the park – 6 year olds who are skipping, and they’re On the heels of its release, Lennox called from London for a dancing and they’re singing and they’re playing together. If frank conversation about loathing her “gender bender” label, you saw adults doing that, you’d think they were mad – you’d the reframing of feminism (Beyoncé is “feminist lite,” she says) think they were completely bonkers! That joy should be our and being uneasy with the superficiality of the music business. inheritance, but a lot of that gets hammered out of us, I think, because the world is a fucking dark place – excuse my French – During a recent Q&A in London, you mentioned that you GC: but it truly, truly is. But there’s also beauty in it. stopped writing because, and I quote you, “I’m too happy.” GC: It sounds like you’ve found a lot of beauty in your own I said a lot of things that night! To be honest, looking AL: life lately. Why not a write a joyous album? back on being creative and what that was about and where the impulse lies to express yourself – there was a lot of darkness in AL: (Laughs) Ehh. It’s funny; it’s really strange. You’re talking my life. For everyone, we have our own darkness and our light, about this thing called the “muse” in a way. There’s something and I even wrote about that. called the muse that people refer to – writers and poets – and I don’t know what that is. It’s kind of an urge, an itch you have to You know, I’ve been through a lot. It’s coming up on my sixth scratch, and right now I’m very inspired – truly inspired – and decade now, and I have less of the impulse to express myself in this album for me has been an absolute pleasure and a real joy. that way. I feel as if I express myself very well in other ways. I I love the songs. I love the music. I love translating them into branched out, you know? Since I started campaigning a decade my own kind of arrangements and sounds. ago, I’ve got this need to voice myself and place myself into a certain kind of activism. I find that so inspiring and such a Recently, when we went to LA, I made nine really amazing great thing to do, but for the last year I’ve also decided, “OK, I performance videos with this wonderful filmmaker, Natalie wanna make some music and that is Nostalgia.” So, I haven’t Johns, and I’m so proud of what Natalie has done with me been able to be as proactive (philanthropically) this year as I collaboratively. I think it’s beautiful, and I’m a bit like, “Wow, normally am. I’m one of those people who, when I do something, getting the chance to still do this, it’s great.” Like I said, I I have to do it all the way. struggle a lot. And life – it just never stops being interesting in a way. GC: You mention “the darkness,” something you seem to have been attracted to for a good part of your musical career, GC: While we’re talking about life and Nostalgia, what about and also one of the reasons people are drawn to you. your own life makes you feel nostalgic?

40 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com AL: If I look back at my GC: Our use of labels is own life, it goes right back evolving. So many people to the ’50s. I was 6 years old are resisting them or calling when it turned into 1960, themselves “queer” because you see, so I still have very it’s a broader term. strong memories of my AL: Even that – no. It’s childhood in Scotland – my diminishing. Broaden out. upbringing, how that was. And it will come. There was a lot of hardship, GC: As a longtime and my background – I don’t feminist, how do you feel come from a silver spoon. It about the way the term was never handed to me. It “feminist” has been reframed was working class, and you in contemporary culture? had to work damn hard; I’m talking about my parents AL: It’s a process. It and their grandparents continues to be reframed, before them. and necessarily so, because people’s relationship to I remember a time when the word has been a bit there were hardly any motor ambivalent over the last few cars on the road. I remember decades. According to who the man coming to light you speak to, they don’t the gas lights on the street. sometimes quite know what Stuff like this – it’s really to do with the word. I did one nostalgic. I don’t want to go event in particular called (Barclays) Women of the Year and back, obviously. Anyway, one can’t. There is no turning back, they select certain people for certain kinds of recognition, and but sometimes I just kind of yearn for a gentler time. I say it I was given an award not so long ago. I was so touched to have Nostalgia was “gentler,” but looking back through , through this this award. I felt like I’m with a certain kind of camaraderie American Songbook, I also understand that going back to the here and we’re all together in this room – 400 women from all ’30s in the United States and in so many parts of the world – walks of life – and I said at the podium, “I’m proud to be a this is pre-civil rights, before the movement had really got up feminist; let’s everybody stand up.” Half of the room stayed and running. It’s like the voice of the civil rights movement was seated. It was such a hard moment for me because I realized not being really acknowledged and the platform wasn’t as big as that some women, many women, still have issues with the word it became through Martin Luther King and all the work of these and almost distance themselves from it because they’re afraid incredible activists. it’s synonymous with hating men. If you think about it, it’s really not that long since people GC: Which is something you don’t believe to be true, right? were in the closet about gay rights. It’s been extraordinary. I think that it’s accelerating in the West. I think that things AL: Not at all. I think that what happened over the years, are changing radically, and some things – many things – for and quite rightly so, is that women had to be incredibly radical, the good. Other things I think will be challenging for people stringent and strident about the voice of feminism. They had because now we have a whole new paradigm and it’s complex, to do that, but I think that nowadays it’s a more subtle thing. as human beings are. There will be upsides and there will be But we need men to be onboard with us. That’s my view. Some downsides, and it won’t just be heaven on a stick. women might disagree with me. I’m not saying I hold the key to the absolute truth – I’m not saying that at all – but I also GC: Because you’ve always embraced your LGBT audience, feel very much that the LGBTQ movement and the women’s your music has been a safe place for many people who identify movement need to get together far more frequently because as such. What do you attribute to the loyalty of your gay fan we’re coming from the same place of human rights and civil base? rights. AL: You see, that’s a question you have to ask the people GC: So what do you make of someone like Beyoncé? She that you’re describing. I can’t answer for the gay community. I recently performed on the MTV Video Music Awards and truly can’t. I just make music, and I have no idea who is going proclaimed herself a “feminist” during her set. to listen to it. I’m just the person that I am. AL: I would call that “feminist lite.” L-I-T-E. I’m sorry. It’s When I was given this label of “gender bender,” I really felt tokenistic to me. I mean, I think she’s a phenomenal artist – I it was diminishing in a way. It was very simplistic. I wasn’t just love her performances – but I’d like to sit down (with her). bending gender; I was making a statement in a kind of subtle I think I’d like to sit down with quite a few artists and talk to way. I thought it was subtle, but to some people it might have them. I’d like to listen to them; I’d like to hear what they truly seemed overt. I was saying, “Look, as a woman I can be equal think. to a man,” and in this partnership with the Eurythmics, where I was in a partnership with a man (Dave Stewart), the two of us I see a lot of it as them taking the word hostage and using felt so connected that my gender didn’t matter. In a funny sort it to promote themselves, but I don’t think they necessarily of way, ultimately I was coming out to say, “Look, I’m not going represent wholeheartedly the depths of feminism – no, I don’t. to be what you think I am. I’m intelligent. I’m not a dancing doll I think for many it’s very convenient and it looks great and it just because I’m female and I’m singing. I’m not singing for your looks radical, but I have some issues with it. I have issues with pleasurable entertainment. It’s not about that. It’s cerebral and it. Of course I do. I think it’s a cheap shot. I think what they do it’s heartfelt and it’s intelligent.” with it is cheap and ... yeah. What can I tell you? Sex always sell. And there’s nothing wrong with sex selling, but it depends This is something I’ve been saying to a lot of my gay on your audience. If they’re 7-year-old kids, I have issues with compadres: One day we’ll get rid of this word “gay,” because it’s it. irrelevant. Of course it’s terribly relevant when you are trying to create a campaign. During a human rights movement, it’s GC: For years, you’ve resisted the “celebrity” moniker. You terribly important to have labels and to have platforms that don’t like to think of yourself as that. are very identifiable, but ultimately we should just be fine AL: No, I don’t. Again, I feel quite diminished by it. Obviously, with everybody no matter what our sexual orientation is. It’s I’m sometimes given that moniker, but every time it happens I nobody’s effing business. feel reduced by it. I cringe inside.

Continued on Page 43  www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 41 Interview

“We didn’t know what it was going to be going in. Our last record (Mercedes 5 & Dime) was painful to make. It was painful Time to Get Moist to write. We really focused on that being a ‘studio’ record and got away from the approach we had with Creature and spent an awful lot of time in the studio slaving over things. We were Band Reunites With New Album and Tour worried that this record would be a similar process. Having been away from each other for a bit, we were in a place where it felt By Jason Clevett really fresh, and there were a lot of ideas. It came together really smoothly and surprisingly quickly. We got together in Montreal For six years Moist ruled Canadian rock radio. Based on for a four or five day intensive songwriting junket and by the end the strength of singles like “Resurrection”, “Push” and of it we had eight songs. Of course we threw out half of those “Breathe” they released three albums between 1994 and songs, but we did a couple more sessions and the record really 1999. That period saw the band visit Calgary multiple came together. With this record we went in and recorded while times, headlining tours like Edgefest, playing large the songs were new and fresh, and it is the sound of a band arenas and even some appearances on the Stampede playing live. There are some overdubs and extra things on it, but it is quite a simple record that way. And I think that is what I like Coke Stage. But gradually Moist seemed to disappear. best about the newest record – we have gone back to that. When Singer David Usher stayed in the spotlight with multiple you spend a bunch of time and make a new record you have a solo albums while everyone else worked on other projects. certain sense of nervousness. The minute it comes out there is Then seemingly out of nowhere the band announced a a sense of release. We feel really good about it honestly. With few select concerts in December, 2013. Fifteen years Facebook and Twitter there has been a lot of immediate response after the release of their previous album Moist has and feedback from fans and the reception has been fantastic.” returned with a new album, Glory Under Dangerous The line-up for the band has changed as well. Drummer Paul Skies, and a tour that brings the band to the Grey Eagle Wilcox left the band in 2000 with a back injury and bassist Jeff Resort Centre in Calgary November 28th, Union Hall in Pearce, who reunited with the band for the initial tour and played Edmonton November 29th, and Better Than Fred’s in on some of the album, left earlier this year. Original members Grande Prairie December 1st. David Usher, Kevin Young (Keyboards) and Makoway are joined by guitarist Jonathan Gallivan, drummer Francis Fillion, and “All of us are in a really good head space,” guitarist Mark Louis Lalancette on bass to round out the current band. Makoway told GayCalgary recently on a break from rehearsals “It is hard to say goodbye to some of your brothers. We for the tour. “When we got together to do the shows at the end have always been a very close band. But, by the same token, of last year we didn’t totally know what to expect. Being out Jonathan, Francis and Louis are all great musicians and they and playing together again was really, really good and the fans’ all come with ideas that pushed in a few different directions and feedback was so positive. It pushed it forward and we are really positively moved us forward creatively. They are all really great stoked to go out on the road. It was so energizing, and the vibe guys. You live in close quarters on the tour bus and, seeing each was so positive, it really drove us. We all looked at each other other all the time, you have to be really tight as a unit in terms of at some point during the tour and went this thing is starting up the vision and the people. We are really fortunate that everyone again, this isn’t just a tour. We are definitely moving on to the next is on the same page and is a unit.” step. It is an all-consuming proposition. You come off a tour and go into writing and recording and the album cycle and media This year has seen the release of new albums from Moist, The – it takes over your life in the best possible way. I honestly felt Tea Party, GOB and Bush, among others, that first achieved that we would play together again and do more music; that was success in the ’90s. It seems that there is a desire for fans and always the intention. So I never really dealt with the idea that it artists to reconnect with music that defined a special era of their wouldn’t happen. I think if we had let it go any longer it might life. While Moist never officially broke up, it was a long 15 years not have happened, which is part of what brought us together as for fans who were longing to see the band again. well. Nobody was prepared to just let it die.” “I can only really speak for us, and the timing for us was With the success of the tour, the band reunited to create Glory personal. Over the years we have remained great friends and Under Dangerous Skies. Driven by the first single “Mechanical” we would get together and talk about is this the right time to do the style of the record is similar to 1994’s Silver and 1996’s a Moist record? and for some reason it never was. Just recently Creature. we all got together and there was no reason for us not to do it,

42 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com  Annie Lennox - From Page 41 and there was a sense that we had to do it now or it might never GC: When somebody sees you on the street and reacts to you happen. When we took our break it wasn’t with the intention in the way some people react to a “celebrity,” how does that of taking a 15 year break, it was just to step away and take make you feel then? a breather, and we all went in separate directions. There was AL: It depends on how it’s done. Sometimes people are so, so something cool going on in the ’90s that I think music has gotten sweet and it’s so touching, and it’s very human because they away from a little bit – an authenticity of it in some ways. I think approach me in a way where I don’t feel uncomfortable. It’s just fans are responding to that.” a human exchange. Of course I try to just go in the street and During their first run together, Moist almost literally played be like everybody else. I’ve always done that. I don’t want to everywhere in Calgary. From the Silver Dollar Action Centre be singled out, but of course being a person in the public eye, to the Saddledome, fans have seen them in many different from time to time, you will be. People will see the projection that environments. The 2014 Resurrection Tour saw the band play they know you to be. In that sense, I’m who I am as a person Flames Central, and they are one of the first bands to play the and I’m also this projection for people, so I cannot be tough on new event centre at the Grey Eagle. Makoway reflected on the people that recognize me because I’ve been doing this for years many fond memories he has of Calgary on stage and off. now. The only time when it becomes incredibly uncomfortable “We have had some fantastic times in Calgary just as a place is when people are just a bit thoughtless and invade in such a to go and run amok. It seems like for, whatever reason, we have way where they really don’t think. They kind of treat you like always had a day or two off around shows there. So aside from a species in a safari park, and really, it’s awful. It’s so terrible. live venues we have sampled much of what Calgary has to offer. I GC: Camera phones haven’t made things any better in that have fond memories of the Republik, a few places that I can’t even regard, have they? remember, so it was certainly a good time. We played in a roller AL: I think it’s far worse when people are paid to steal your rink once too if I remember correctly. One of our first shows was image. They pay money for that stolen image of you and you at Frank Sisson’s Silver Dollar. There was the Mercury Lounge have no control over it – but they’re making money out of it! I as well; it was a place we would run amok with martinis.” mean, I haven’t played into that paparazzi thing – I’ve just tried The tour also features a VIP sound check opportunity that to completely and utterly downplay it – but you can play it up includes merchandise, a vinyl copy of the new record, an intimate if you want. You can have them following you 24/7 if you want three song sound check and Q&A with the band, as well as a that kind of life. Some people do. I mean, bizarrely, people seem photo opportunity. It is a must have experience for Moist fans to want it. I’ve never understood why. and means a lot to the band as well. GC: Is it true that you may never write again and that this “The best thing about it is having the barrier down. You do a may be your last album? show, and you have interaction with the crowd, but you don’t AL: Who knows. I don’t know. I say this because I’m aware have that one-on-one interaction. At every VIP people are telling that I’m not a young person, but I’m so spirited in myself – personal stories and memories of how we have fit in their lives. it’s really strange. Just because I’m almost 60 now, it doesn’t It is amazing to have that kind of feedback and connection – it mean that I’m less passionate or less intensely curious about often doesn’t happen. The VIP this time around has the vinyl. It the world around me. In fact, I’m even more curious about it in is the first time we have done a proper vinyl release of an album. another kind of way. It is really special having that vinyl.” There’s this youth culture that is really, really powerful and After re-launching with a greatest hits type tour, Moist is really, really strong, but what it does is it really discards people excited to feature new material live on this tour. once they reach a certain age. I actually think that people are “People want to come out and hear their favourites. There will so powerful and interesting – women, especially – when they be old songs – you will still hear “Push” and “Resurrection” – reach my age. We’ve got so much to say, but popular culture is but to play this new stuff is quite a trip… Plus, creatively, we so reductive that we just talk about whether we’ve got wrinkles, want to change it up…We have designed a very different show, or whether we’ve put on weight or lost weight, or whether we’ve putting a bunch of new songs into the set really changes the changed our hair style. I just find that so shallow. Because it’s flavour of things in a way. We are looking at different outside the a shallow place, it’s one of the reasons the music industry and box things, like dramatic lighting, and a full-pressed show from the music scene is really not truly for me and never really has top to bottom. The new record is really about a band playing been. live and the songs really work well in the set. I think people will GC: Have you thought about the legacy you want to leave? be really surprised how it has changed and developed and will AL: I can’t think about legacy. I guess if you go onto the be a surprise. I am excited to get it out there and see what the Internet you can find many things that were created over all of feedback is like. It is very gratifying when you put out a record these years, and I guess that is the legacy. It is the music that’s and people really like it.” been made, the interviews, the video, the photo shoots, and there were so many creative things that happened and they’re there. I have no control over what people think about it. They Moist may love it; they may hate it. http://www.MoistOnline.com GC: But your legacy is more than just music. You’re a Calgary – November 28th, Grey Eagle Events Centre humanitarian. It’s beyond just creating albums and making Edmonton – November 29th, Union Hall videos, right? You’re part of the bigger picture. Grande Prairie – December 1st, Better Than Fred’s AL: Well, thank you; that makes me feel complete, because to feel like an intelligent, rounded person with integrity, I don’t think that you can just be an entertainer. I think there’s another http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4376 side – to me, anyway – that needs to be satisfied, and that is through contribution. I do it because I feel so despondent about View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments the world at times. I feel I must do something, otherwise I feel useless. I’m not going to ever save the world, but because I have resources, I can at least make a contribution.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4375 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 43 Photography

Calgary Chinook Fund Fruit Loop at Yellowhead Brewery, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa865 http://gaycalgary.com/pa875, photos by Farley FooFoo

44 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Photography

Joslyn Fox at Evolution, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa873, Photos by Farley FooFoo

Colton Ford at Evolution, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa874, photos by Mars Tonic

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 45 Photography

Banff Pride at Aurora Nightclub Wild Bill’s Saloon http://gaycalgary.com/pa866

46 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Photography

Once Upon a Drag at Cowboys Nightclub, Calgary Homo-cidal - Return of the Living Dead at Evolution, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa869 http://gaycalgary.com/pa876, photos by Farley FooFoo

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 47 Photography

Halloween SuperHeroes Pre-Party at the Backlot, Calgary Hot Mess Halloween with Milk at the Republik, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa870 http://gaycalgary.com/pa872, Photos by Farley FooFoo

48 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Photography

Halloween SuperHeroes and Villains Gala Party, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa871

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 49 50 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 51 News Releases

Brazilian Gay Sauna and Trending: New Country Hotel was included in Louis Love Song is the Cat’s Vuitton Travel Guide Meow... Literally!

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Flashdance - The Musical GLAAD launches #spiritday | Tour makes its Calgary app to support LGBT premiere at the Jubilee youth, powered by Toyota Auditorium Nov 18 - 23 Financial Services

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Palm Springs Pride GLAAD TV report: ABC Family, Weekend Entertainment HBO, MTV get excellent Line-up at Purple Room grade in historic first

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NSFW - Workout wars breakout WildBear Weekend Oct 10- in Steam Room Stories 13 - Charity Fundraiser for Camp Moomba http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1584 http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1597 NSFW - VIDEO ‘Penthouse’ by Cheapundies.com Naked Highway – “Cannibal”

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NSFW - New Andrew Christian Kickstarter Campaign Video! HOT N’ BOTHERED launched for Gale Harold and Van Hansis’ West http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1586 Hollywood murder mystery History Made In Las Vegas http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1603 - First International Gay New Year’s Eve Celebration New Halloween Creations and Ushering In 2015 Returning Favourite at LUSH

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Manila Luzon Releases The Notorious Cho sets off Debut EP ‘Eternal Queen’ an avalanche of laughter a song dedicated to the at Whistler Pride late Sahara Davenport http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1605 http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1590 Whistler Pride and Ski Festival Alberta Ballet Presents David celebrates 23rd Annual Gay Nixon’s the Three Musketeers Lesbian Ski/Snowboard week

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52 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com News Releases

Living Spirit United to NSFW - NEW Andrew join ‘affirming’ network Christian Video: BLOW! with Celebration Concert http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1627 by performer Kate Reid http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1611 NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Halloween National Coming Out Costume Competition Day Special- Surprising http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1628 a gay Texas Mormon http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1612 NSFW - NEW Andrew Christian Video! Forgive Me, Father. ABC Family stars go http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1632 purple for Spirit Day in support of LGBT youth Versatile Hunk Gabriel Clark http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1614 stars in I’m a Stripper Too! Premiering on OutTV Canada VIDEO: Great BEAR Movie http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1633 Trailers and Why Are Some Gay Men Called Bears? NSFW - Man Meadow http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1616 – Take It (All) Off

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1634 MOVIE REVIEW: This Is Where I Leave You MOVIE REVIEW: The http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1617 Imitation Game

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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 53 Rob Diaz-Marino is a born and raised Calgarian. He is first generation Rob has worked part time for over a decade as a publisher of GayCalgary Canadian – his mom and dad, of German and Spanish heritage, met in South Magazine, where he applied both his technical and artistic sides to help give Africa and travelled the world prior to settling in Calgary where he has lived all Alberta’s LGBT Community a voice in the media. As of this month he has his life. He is currently 33 years old and recently single. retired in order to pursue his own interests. While he was still in Elementary School, Rob took an interest in computer In his spare time Rob enjoys playing video games, staying fit by working programming with the goal of developing video games. He pursued a balance out and running, following his wide variety of creative interests, and exploring of both science and art throughout his education - and even in his spare time. nature both nearby and elsewhere. He says he feels a strong spiritual He graduated from the University of Calgary with his MSc. in Computer Science. connection with the ocean, although he rarely gets to see it. He is also an Today he works full time as a Software Developer at SMART Technologies, animal lover, and adores his 3 cats. where he has specialized in computer graphics and 3D rendering. http://gaycalgary.com/pa877

54 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events

DOWNTOWN CALGARY

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1 Calgary Outlink------Community Groups 5 Goliath’s------Bathhouses 9 Dickens Pub------Bars and Clubs 13 The Pint------Bars and Clubs 2 HIV Community Link----Community Groups 6 Twisted Element------Bars and Clubs 10 Flames Central------Bars and Clubs 15 The Blind Monk------Bars and Clubs 3 Backlot------Bars and Clubs 7 Broken City------Bars and Clubs 11 Local 522------Bars and Clubs 4 Texas Lounge------Bars and Clubs 8 Cowboys Nightclub------Bars and Clubs 12 Ten Nightclub------Bars and Clubs

8 Cowboys Nightclub------A volunteer operated, non-profit organization serving  421 12th Avenue SE  403-265-0699 primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to all FIND OUT!  http://www.cowboysnightclub.com members of all communities. Primary focus is to provide members with well-organized and fun sporting events and 9 Dickens Pub other activities. LGBT Community Directory  1000 9th Ave SW  403-233-7550  [email protected] • Western Cup 31  http://www.dickenspub.ca  http://www.westerncup.com GayCalgary Magazine is the go-to source for information about • Badminton (Absolutely Smashing) Alberta LGBT businesses and community groups—the most 10 Flames Central------ 219 8th Ave SW  403-935-2637  6020 - 4 Avenue NE extensive and accurate resource of its kind! This print supplement  http://www.flamescentral.com  [email protected] contains a subset of active community groups and venues, with premium business listings of paid advertisers. 11 Local 522------• Boot Camp  522 6 Ave SW  403-244-6773  Platoon FX, 1351 Aviation Park NE  [email protected] ✰...... Find our Magazine Here ...... Wheelchair Accessible  http://www.localtavern.ca 12 Ten Nightclub • Bowling (Rainbow Riders League) Spot something inaccurate or outdated? Want your business or  1140 10th Ave SW  403-457-4464  Let’s Bowl (2916 5th Avenue NE) organization listed? We welcome you to contact us!  [email protected] 15 The Blind Monk  918 12th Ave SW  403-265-6200 • Curling  403-543-6960  1-888-543-6960  [email protected]  North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW)  http://www.blindmonk.ca  [email protected]  [email protected]  Mon-Sun: 11am-2am • Golf 13 The Pint  [email protected]  1428 17th Ave SW  403-384-9777 • Lawn Bowling http://www.gaycalgary.com/CalgaryTravelRSS  [email protected]  [email protected] http://www.gaycalgary.com/EdmontonTravelRSS  http://www.thepint.ca/calgary • Outdoor Pursuits 14 Local Bars, Restaurants, and Accommodations info on the go! Vinyl & Hyde (CLOSED)  [email protected]  213 10 Ave SW  587-224-5200 If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all  http://www.vinylandhyde.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/Directory summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on Browse our complete directory of over 750 gay-frieindly listings! Bathhouses/Saunas the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to lead events. 5 Goliaths------✰  308 - 17 Ave SW  403-229-0911 • Running (Calgary Frontrunners) 6 Twisted Element  www.goliaths.ca  YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW)  1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230  Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day  [email protected] CALGARY  http:.//www.twistedelement.ca East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances Community Groups vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to Bars & Clubs (Gay) 9+ minute miles. Bars & Clubs (Mixed) Alberta Society for Kink 3 Backlot------✰ These venues regularly host LGBT events.  403-398-9968 • Slow Pitch  209 - 10th Ave SW  403-265-5211  [email protected]  [email protected]  Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close 7 Broken City  http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/ • Squash  613 11th Ave SW  403-262-9976 group.albertasocietyforkink 4 Texas Lounge------✰  [email protected]  Mount Royal University Recreation  308 - 17 Ave SW  403-229-0911  http://www.brokencity.ca Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports  [email protected]  Open 7 days a week, 11am-close  http://www.apollocalgary.com All skill levels welcome.  http://www.myapollo.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 55 Directory & Events

Wednesdays Womynspace------ 7-9pm Church Service------ 4pm Calgary Events See 1 Calgary Outlink  2nd See Rainbow Community Church Communion Service------ 12:10pm Mondays See Knox United Church New Directions------ 7-9pm Flashlight Night------ 6pm-6am See 1 Calgary Outlink  3rd At 5 Goliaths Buddy Night------ 6pm-6am Student Night------ 6pm-6am At 5 Goliaths At 5 Goliaths Heading Out------ 8pm-10pm Friday, November 14th See 1 Calgary Outlink  4th ASK Meet and Greet------ 7-9:30pm Mosaic Youth Group------ 7-9pm DJ Redneck Homo------ 9pm  Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE)  Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW) Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm At 4 Texas Lounge Inside Out Youth Group------ 7-9pm Thursdays  Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) Saturday, November 15th See 1 Calgary Outlink 1227 Kensington Close NW Lesbian Seniors------ 2pm Leather Night------ 10pm Saturdays Tuesdays  Kerby Center, Sunshine Room  3rd At 3 Backlot 1133 7th Ave SW Calgary Networking Club------ 5-7pm Coffee------ 10am Saturday, November 22nd See 1 Calgary Outlink  1st By Prime Timers Calgary Uniform Night------ 6pm-6am  Midtown Co-op (1130 - 11th Ave SW) Boy&GuRL Live!------ 10pm Beers for Queers------ 6pm At 5 Goliaths At 3 Backlot By YYC Badboys at 13 The Pint Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm Lesbian Meetup Group------ 7:30-9pm  Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) Friday, November 28th  At 1 Calgary Outlink  1st 1227 Kensington Close NW Student Night------6pm-6am DJ Redneck Homo------ 9pm At 5 Goliaths Alcoholics Anonymous------ 8pm Sundays At 4 Texas Lounge   Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) Between Men------7-9pm Worship Time------ 10am Saturday, November 29th See 1 Calgary Outlink  2nd, 4th 1227 Kensington Close NW See Deer Park United Church Crowns For Kids------ 10pm Karaoke------ 8pm-12:30am Karaoke------ 7pm 3 Worship------ 10:30am 3 At 4 Texas Lounge At Backlot At Backlot See Scarboro United Church Fridays World Aids Day Show------ 10pm  Fetish Slosh------Evening Sunday Services------ 10:45am At 3 Backlot At 3 Backlot  2nd ISCCA BBQs------Dinner See Hillhurst United Church By ISCCA at 3 Backlot  2nd  Sunday, December 7th Alcoholics Anonymous------8pm Worship Services------ 11am  Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) Illusions------ 7-10pm See Knox United Church 1227 Kensington Close NW See 1 Calgary Outlink  1st A Choral Christmas------ 7pm At St. Gerard’s Parish, (8944 Elbow Drive SW)  Calgary Contd. Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range/Future),  = Sponsored Event

• Tennis • Peer Support and Crisis Line Girl Friends Mystique  [email protected]  1-877-OUT-IS-OK (1-877-688-4765)  [email protected]  [email protected] Front-line help service for GLBT individuals and their family  members.shaw.ca/girlfriends Mystique is primarily a Lesbian group for women 30 and • Yoga and friends, or anyone questioning their sexuality. up but all are welcome.  Robin: 403-618-9642 Girlsgroove  [email protected] • Calgary Lesbian Ladies Meet up Group  http://www.girlsgroove.ca • Coffee Night • Between Men and Between Men Online  Good Earth Cafe (1502 - 11th Street SW) Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA) 2 HIV Community Link------✰  www.argra.org • Heading Out  110, 1603 10th Avenue SW NETWORKS • Illusions Calgary ✰  403-508-2500  1-877-440-2437  [email protected] • Monthly Dances------ http://www.hivcl.org A social, cultural, and service organization for the mature  Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW) • Inside Out • New Directions minded and “Plus 40” LGBT individuals seeking to meet • Telephone Support others at age-appropriate activities within a positive, safe Calgary Expo • Womynspace  M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm + 1:30pm - 4:30pm  http://www.calgaryexpo.com environment. Hillhurst United Church Calgary Gay Fathers Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Calgary Queer Book Club  1227 Kensington Close NW  Sean: 403-695-5791  [email protected]  Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)  (403) 283-1539  http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca  http://www.pflagcanada.ca  [email protected] A registered charitable organization that provides Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre  http://www.hillhurstunited.com fathers. Meeting twice a month.  77 Deerpoint Road SE  403-278-8263 support, education and resources to parents, families and  http://www.dpuc.ca individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual HIV Peer Support Group orientation or gender identity. Calgary Men’s Chorus  403-230-5832  http://www.calgarymenschorus.org Different Strokes  [email protected]  http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org Positive Space Committee • Rehearsals  4825 Mount Royal Gate SW ISCCA Social Association  403-440-6383  Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW FairyTales Presentation Society  http://www.iscca.ca  403-244-1956  http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch. Charity Calgary Sexual Health Centre------✰  http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of fundraising group..  304, 301 14th Street NW Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals.  403-283-5580 Knox United Church Pride Calgary Planning Committee  http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca • DVD Resource Library  506 - 4th Street SW  403-269-8382 Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership  403-797-6564  www.pridecalgary.ca A pro-choice organization that believes all people have the  http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca is $10. right and ability to make their own choices regarding their Knox United Church is an all-inclusive church located in sexual and reproductive health. Primetimers Calgary Gay Friends in Calgary downtown Calgary. A variety of facility rentals are also  [email protected] 1 Calgary Outlink------✰  http://www.gayfriendsincalgary.ca available for meetings, events and concerts.  http://www.primetimerscalgary.com  Old Y Centre (303 – 223, 12 Ave SW) Organizes and hosts social activities catered to the LGBT Lesbian Meetup Group Designed to foster social interaction for its members people and friends. through a variety of social, educational and recreational  403-234-8973  http://www.meetup.com/CalgaryLesbian activities. Open to all gay and bisexual men of any age,  [email protected] Monthly events planned for Queer women over 18+ such respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member  http://www.calgaryoutlink.com as book clubs, games nights, movie nights, dinners out, desires. and volunteering events. Queers on Campus------✰ Miscellaneous Youth Network  279R Student Union Club Spaces, U of C  http://www.miscyouth.com  403-220-6394 • Fake Mustache  http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students • Mosaic Youth Group and Staff.  The Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW) For queer and trans youth and their allies. • Coffee Night  2nd Cup, Kensington

56 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events

 Calgary Contd.

Safety Under the Rainbow Calgary Civil Marriage Centre • Safeworks Van FLASH (CLOSED)  www.sutr.ca  403-246-4134 (Rork Hilford)  403-850-3755  10018 105 Street  780-938-2941 A collaborative effort dedicated to building capacity  [email protected]  Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am  [email protected] and acting as a voice for the LGBTQ community, service Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace Wheel Pro’s providers, organizations and the community at large - JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths. UpStares Ultralounge (CLOSED) to address violence. For same-sex domestic violence  4143- Edmonton Trail NE  4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street information, resources and a link to our survey please see Christopher T. Tahn (Thornborough Smeltz)  403-226-7278 4 ✰ our website.  11650 Elbow Dr SW  403-808-7147  http://www.wheelpros.ca Woody’s------ [email protected] “Experts in Everything for Wheels”  11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557 Scarboro United Church  http://www.thornsmeltz.com  134 Scarboro Avenue SW Theatre & Fine Arts Bars & Clubs (Mixed)  403-244-1161  www.scarborounited.ab.ca Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors) An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT  3rd Floor, 1131 Kensington Road NW ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects These venues regularly host LGBT events. people is essential to our mission and purpose.  403-571-5120  403-294-7402  http://www.ATPlive.com  http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED) Sharp Foundation GLBT legal services. Fairytales  10704 124 St NW  403-272-2912 See Calgary - Community Groups. Craig Connell (Maxwell Realtors) 7 The Starlite Room  [email protected]  10030 102 St [email protected]  http://www.thesharpfoundation.com  403-253-5678 One Yellow Rabbit------ http://www.maxwellrealty.com/craigconnell  Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE  http://www.starliteroom.ca Spectrum Volleyball Calgary  403-299-8888  www.oyr.org 8 Yellowhead Brewing Co.  http://www.spectrumvolleyball.ca Cruiseline  Calgary: 403-777-9494 Pumphouse Theatre------✰  10229 105 St  [email protected]  [email protected] Join us for recreational, competitive or beach volleyball.  Edmonton: 780-413-7122  2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW  Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010  403-263-0079  http://www.yellowheadbrewery.com Unity Bowling  http://www.cruiseline.ca  http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca  Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE) Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. Bathhouses/Saunas  [email protected] Stagewest------✰ DevaDave Salon & Boutique  727 - 42 Avenue SE  403-243-6642 5 Steamworks------✰ Wild Rose United Church  810 Edmonton Trail NE  http://www.stagewestcalgary.com  11745 Jasper Ave  780-451-5554  1317-1st Street NW  403-290-1973  http://www.steamworksedmonton.com Cuts, Colour, Hilights. Theatre Junction------✰  Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW Restaurants & Pubs Ellen Embury  403-205-2922 Community Groups 10 Flames Central------ 403-750-1128  www.DBBlaw.com  [email protected] AltView Foundation  http://www.theatrejunction.com See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed). Fellow, American Academy of Reproductive Technology  #44, 48 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB Attorneys Third Street Theatre  403-398-9968 13 The Pint  [email protected] See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed). Hardline  #3 306 20th Ave SW  403-703-4750  Calgary: 403-770-0776  http://www.thirdstreet.ca  http://ww.altview.ca  Edmonton: 780-665-6666 For gender variant and sexual minorities. Retail Stores Vertigo Mystery Theatre------ Other Cities: 1-877-628-9696 Book Worm’s Book Club   161, 115 - 9 Ave SE  403-221-3708 http://www.hardlinechat.com  Howard McBride Chapel of Chimes Adult Depot (CLOSED) Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.  http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com  140, 58th Ave SW  403-258-2777 10179 - 108 Street Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys. Holiday Retirement Webster Galleries Inc.  [email protected]  812 11 Ave SW  403-263-6500 ✰  12 Deerview Terrace SE  403-879-1967 Buck Naked Boys Club Adult Source------ http://www.canyonmeadows.net  http://www.webstergalleries.com  10210 Macleod Tr S  403-271-7848  T-S: 10am-6pm, N: 1-4pm  780-471-6993  #102 2323 32nd Ave NE  403-769-6177 Hot Water Pools & Spas  http://www.bucknakedboys.ca  1536 16th Ave NW  403-289-4203  2145 Summerfield Blvd  403-912-2045 Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is  4310 17th Ave SE  403-273-2710  http://www.hotwaterpoolsandspas.ca naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Participants do  http://www.adultsourcecalgary.ca not need to be gay, only male. Interactive Male EDMONTON Best Health  403-355-3335 Camp fYrefly  206A 2525 Woodview Dr SW  403-281-5582  http://www.interactivemale.com Bars & Clubs (Gay)  7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies  [email protected] Faculty of Education, University of Alberta  http://www.besthealthcalgary.com Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors) 3 Buddy’s Nite Club------✰ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5  403-461-9195  11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6636  http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca La Fleur  http://www.lornedoucette.com  403-266-1707 6 Evolution Wonder Lounge Edmonton Expo Florist and Flower Shop. MFM Communications  10220 - 103 St  780-424-0077  http://www.edmontonexpo.com  403-543-6970  http://www.yourgaybar.com The Naked Leaf------ 1-877-543-6970 Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)  #4 - 1126 Kensington Rd NW  403-283-3555  http://www.mfmcommunications.com  http://www.edmontonpride.ca  http://www.thenakedleaf.ca Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware Organic teas and tea ware. and software. Priape Calgary (CLOSED) NRG Support Services  1322 - 17 Ave SW  403-215-1800  Suite 27, Building B1, 2451 Dieppe Ave SW  http://www.priape.com  403-471-0204  780-922-3347 Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies  [email protected] and magazines. Gifts.  http://www.nrgsupportservices.com Pushing Petals SafeWorks  1209 5th Ave NW  403-263-3070 Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.  http://www.pushingpetals.com • Calgary Drop-in Centre  Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE Services & Products  403-699-8216 6th and Tenth - Sales Centre  Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm  633 10th Ave SW  403-239-5511  http://www.6thandtenth.com • Centre of Hope  M-W: 12-6pm, R: 2-7pm, S-N: 12-5pm  Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE  403-410-1180  Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm Barry Hollowell • Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre  403-819-5219  http://www.bcbhcounselling.com  1213 - 4th Str SW  403-955-6014  Sat-Thu: 4:15pm-7:45pm, Fri: Closed

www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 57 Directory & Events

DOWNTOWN EDMONTON 1

8 6 N

4 2 5 3 7

1 Pride Centre of Edm.----Community Groups 3 Buddy’s------Bars and Clubs 5 Steamworks------Bathhouses 7 The Starlite Room------Bars and Clubs 2 Edmonton STD------Community Groups 4 Woody’s------Bars and Clubs 6 Evolution------Bars and Clubs 8 Yellowhead Brewing Co.-----Bars and Clubs

Counseling------ 5:30-8:30pm Martial Arts------ 7:30-8:30pm Bowling------ 5pm Edmonton Events See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Team Edmonton See Team Edmonton Mondays Knotty Knitters------ 6-8pm Intermediate Volleyball------ 7:30-9:30pm Sundays See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Team Edmonton Boot Camp------ 7-8pm Running------ 10-11am See Team Edmonton QH Craft Night------ 6-8pm Fridays See Team Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton TTIQ------ 7-9pm QH Youth Drop-in------ 3-8pm Yoga------ 2-3:30pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton  3rd Cycling------ 6:30-7:30pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Team Edmonton See Team Edmonton HIV Support Group------ 7-9pm QH Anime Night------ 6-8pm Men Talking with Pride------ 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd Yoga------ 7:30-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Team Edmonton Tuesdays Movie Night------ 6-9pm Ballroom Dancing------ 7:30-8:30pm QH Youth Drop-in------ 3-8pm Thursdays See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Team Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton QH Youth Drop-in------ 3-8pm Men’s Games Nights------ 7-10:30pm Soul Outing------ 7pm Martial Arts------ 7:30-8:30pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See Men’s Games Nights  2nd, Last  Robertson-Wesley United (10209 123 St)  2nd See Team Edmonton Youth Sports/Recreation------ 4pm Youth Sports/Recreation------ 4pm Monthly Meetings------ 2:30pm Swim Practice------ 7:30-8:30pm See Youth Understanding Youth See Youth Understanding Youth  Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) See Team Edmonton See Edmonton Primetimers  2nd QH Game Night------ 6-8pm Saturdays Friday, November 28th Wednesdays See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton Naturalist Gettogether GLBTQ Bowling------ 1:30-3:30pm Swim Practice------ 7-8pm See Buck Naked Boys Club  2nd BEEF------ 9pm See GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club See Team Edmonton At 6 Evolution QH Youth Drop-in------ 2-6:30pm QH Youth Drop-in------ 3-8pm Women’s Social Circle------ 6-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton Saturday, December 6th See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd, 4th Monthly Meeting------ 2:30pm ISCWR - Miss Mary Christmas Pageant-  9pm At 6 Woody’s Youth Sports/Recreation------ 4pm Book Club------ 7:30pm By Edmonton Primetimers  2nd See 1 Youth Understanding Youth See BookWorm’s Book Club  3rd  Unitarian Church, 10804 - 119th Street

 Edmonton Contd. Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range),  = Sponsored Event

Edmonton Prime Timers Edmonton Vocal Minority Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose for members of the GLBTQ community and for their families  [email protected]  780-479-2038  [email protected]  http://www.iscwr.ca and friends.  www.primetimersww.org/edmonton  www.evmchoir.com • Counselling Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from Living Positive Society of Alberta  780.488.3234 diverse backgrounds but have common social interests. Fellowship of Alberta Bears  #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-424-2214 Free, short-term counselling provided by registered Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.  www.beefbearbash.com  [email protected]  http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz counsellors. GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club Edmonton Rainbow Business Association Living Positive through Positive Living. • Knotty Knitters  3379, 11215 Jasper Ave  780-429-5014  780-474-8240  [email protected] Come knit and socialize in a safe and accepting  http://www.edmontonrba.org • HIV Support Group ✰ environment - all skill levels are welcome. Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities HIV Network Of Edmonton Society----  [email protected], [email protected]  9702 111 Ave NW 780-488-5742 for LGBT owned or operated and LGBT-friendly businesses Support and discussion group for gay men.  www.hivedmonton.com • Men Talking with Pride in the Edmonton region. Provides healthy sexuality education for Edmonton’s LGBT  [email protected] Support & social group for gay & bisexual men to discuss Edmonton Illusions Social Club community and support for those infected or affected Men’s Games Nights by HIV. current issues.  780-387-3343  Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)  groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions InQueeries  780-474-8240  [email protected] • Movie Night Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back, 2 Edmonton STD  [email protected] OUTreach Student-run GLBTQ Alliance at MacEwan University. relax, and watch a movie with us.  11111 Jasper Ave  University of Alberta, basement of SUB  [email protected] • Queer HangOUT: Game Night  http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach Come OUT with your game face on and meet some Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer, awesome people through board game fun. Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group. • Queer HangOUT: Craft Night Pride Centre of Edmonton------✰ Come OUT and embrace your creative side in a safe space.  10608 - 105 Ave  780-488-3234  [email protected] • Queer HangOUT: Anime Night  http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org Come and watch ALL the anime until your heart is content.  Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm We provide a safe, welcoming, and non-judgemental drop-in space, and offer support programs and resources

58 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com Directory & Events

Red Deer Events Wednesdays LGBT Coffee Night------ 7pm See CAANS  1st Friday, August 15th

 Edmonton Contd.

• TTIQ  [email protected] • Sports and Recreation Whistlers Inn A support and information group for all those who fall Drop-ins welcome.  Brendan: 780-488-3234  105 Miette Ave  1-800-282-9919 under the transgender umbrella and their family or  [email protected] • Outdoor Pursuits  [email protected] supporters.  http://www.whistlersinn.com  [email protected] • Women’s Social Circle Restaurants & Pubs  [email protected] • Running (Arctic Frontrunners) Community Groups  Kinsmen Sports Centre 12 Woody’s------✰ Women’s Social Circle: A social support group for all See Edmonton - Bars & Clubs (Gay). female-identified persons over 18 years of age in the GLBT  [email protected] Jasper Pride Festival community - new members are always welcome. All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to  PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0 join this free activity. Retail Stores  [email protected] Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton  http://www.jasperpride.ca  780-474-8240 • Slo Pitch Passion Vault  [email protected]  Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave  15239 - 111 Ave  [email protected]  780-930-1169 Team Edmonton Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players  [email protected] LETHBRIDGE  [email protected] from the 2008 season. “Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store”  http://www.teamedmonton.ca Members are invited to attend and help determine the • Snowballs V Community Groups board for the next term. If you are interested in running for  January 27-29, 2012 Products & Services the board or getting involved in some of the committees,  [email protected] GALA/LA Cruiseline  403-308-2893 please contact us. Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend.  780-413-7122 trial code 3500  http://www.galalethbridge.ca • Soccer  http://www.cruiseline.ca Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area. • Badminton (Mixed) Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.  St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street  [email protected]  [email protected] • Monthly Dances • Spin Robertson-Wesley United Church  Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S) New group seeking male & female players.  MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness  10209 - 123 St. NW  780-482-1587 Bring your membership card and photo ID. 109 St. and 104 Ave  [email protected]  www.rwuc.org • Badminton (Women’s)  Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am  Oliver School, 10227 - 118 Street  Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45pm • Monthly Potluck Dinners People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT  McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S  780-465-3620 Season has ended. events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please  [email protected]  [email protected] night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season 7 classes, $28.00 per registrant. you join us! own beverage. or $5.00 per drop in. • Swimming (Making Waves) • Soul OUTing •Ballroom Dancing  NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street) • Support Line  Second Sunday every month, 7pm  403-308-2893  Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  [email protected] An LGBT-focused alternative worship.  Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm  Cynthia: 780-469-3281  http://www.makingwavesswimclub.ca Leave a message any other time. • Tennis • Film Night • Blazin’ Bootcamp  Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.  Garneau Elementary School  Kinsmen Sports Centre • Friday Mixer  The Mix (green water tower) 10925 - 87 Ave  Sundays, 12pm-3pm • Book Club 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S  [email protected]  [email protected]  Monthly, contact us for exact dates.  Every Friday at 10pm • Bowling (Northern Titans) • Ultimate Frisbee  Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall)  Sundays Theatre & Fine Arts Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)  University of Lethbridge  [email protected]  [email protected] Summer Season starts July 12th GBLTTQQ club on campus. $15.00 per person.  [email protected] Exposure Festival E-mail if interested.  http://www.exposurefestival.ca • Cross Country Skiing Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival. • Movie Night  Room C610, University of Lethbridge  [email protected] • Volleyball, Intermediate  Amiskiwacy Academy (101 Airport Road) The Roxy Theatre • Curling with Pride  [email protected]  10708 124th Street, Edmonton AB Gay Youth Alliance Group  Betty, 403-381-5260  [email protected]  Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  780-453-2440  Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm  [email protected] • Volleyball, Recreational  http://www.theatrenetwork.ca  Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave) • Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)  [email protected] Lethbridge Expo  http://www.lethbridgeexpo.com  Dawson Park, picnic shelter  [email protected] • Women’s Lacrosse  Sharon: 780-461-0017 BANFF Lethbridge HIV Connection • Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)  Pam: 780-436-7374  1206 - 6 Ave S  [email protected] Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome. Community Groups PFLAG Canada Call for info. • Golf HIV Community Link  1-888-530-6777  [email protected]  [email protected] • Yoga  102 Spray Ave  www.pflagcanada.ca  Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street)  PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8 • Gymnastics, Drop-in  [email protected]  403-762-0690  Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue Pride Lethbridge  [email protected]  [email protected] Womonspace Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to  780-482-1794 help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00  [email protected] per session.  http://www.womonspace.ca JASPER Women’s social group, but all welcome at events. RED DEER • Hockey Accommodations  [email protected] Youth Understanding Youth  780-248-1971  www.yuyedm.ca Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Community Groups • Martial Arts A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.  Old Lodge Road  1-866-540-4454  Central Alberta AIDS Network Society 15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance)  http://www.fairmont.com/jasper  4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB  780-328-6414  http://www.caans.org  [email protected] Continued on Page 61  www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 59 Classifieds

Event 140 Employment 200 Help Wanted 240 Products/Services 500

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60 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com  Find Out - From Page 59

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www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 61 62 GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 www.gaycalgary.com www.gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Magazine #133, November 2014 63