GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine - September 2009

September 2009 ISSUE 71 The Only Magazine Dedicated to Alberta’s GLBT+ Community

FREE Scales and Claws

Exotic Pets for the LGBT Community

Alberta’s top ten

glbt figures

In depth interview with

Joyce DeWitt Sandra Bernhard

Community Directory • Map and Events • Tourism Info >> Starting on Page 17

GLBT Resource • Calgary • Edmonton • Alberta

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Photography

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino and contributors Karen Hofman, Jason Omelian.

Videography

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino

Printers

North Hill News/Central Web

Distribution

8

Keeping Company with Joyce DeWitt

Publisher’s Column

Exotic Pets for the LGBT Community

13 Chelsea Boys 14 Out of Town Berlin, Germany

17 Directory and Events 23 Creep of the Week Nassau County School Board

24 Gay Killings in Tel Aviv 26 Adult Film Review

“Humongous Cocks #1” and “Double Barrell”

27 Q Scopes

“Talk it out, Gemini!”

Calgary:.........................Gallant Distribution . .....................................GayCalgary Staff Edmonton:......................Clark’s Distribution Other:........................................Canada Post

28 Deep Inside Hollywood

Legal Council

29 Cocktail Chatter

Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors

Sales & General Inquiries

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 0G Office Hours:.............. By appointment ONLY

Haynes and Winslet bring Mildred Pierce back to life A Sopping Wet Martini, Please and Ice, Ice, Crabby Baby

30 Artists for Quality of Life “It’s a Communities Charity”

31 The Calgary Eagle’s Chili Cook-Off A good meal in support of Beswick House

Phone:................................. (403) 543-6960 Toll Free:............................ 1-888-543-6960 Fax:..................................... (403) 703-0685 E-Mail:.............magazine@gaycalgary.com

32 Letters to the Editor

This Month's Cover

32 So Your Child is Gay…

Peter Z and Buffy the Snake (courtesy of Calgary Reptile Parties). Photograph by Steve Polyak.

Continued on Next Page 

PAGE 8

11 Scales and Claws

PAGE 11

Mercedes Allen, Chris Azzopardi, Dallas Barnes, Antonio Bavaro , Camper British, Dave Brousseau, Sam Casselman, Jason Clevett, Andrew Collins, James S.M. Demers, Rob Diaz-Marino, Jack Fertig, Glen Hanson, Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Boy David, Stephen Lock, Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Pam Rocker, Romeo San Vicente, Diane Silver, D’Anne Witkowski, Dan Woog, and the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta.

Meeting Half Way

PAGE 28

Writers and Contributors

5

33 Look What’s Back 34 Thank You Mr. Presley A Tribute to the King at Jubilations

38 The 2009 Scotiabank Walk for Life Pound the Pavement with AIDS Calgary and HIV Edmonton

www.gaycalgary.com

PAGE 28

Publisher:................................. Steve Polyak Editor:................................ Rob Diaz-Marino Graphic Design:................. Rob Diaz-Marino Sales:........................................ Steve Polyak

Continued on Next Page 

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

Proud members of:

39 This is No Secret (But it Will Make You Wet!)

40 A History of Gender Variance in Expression and Identity

PAGE 46

Part 6A: Toward the Future (1996 - 2006)

43 Fundraising Photos 45 Welcome Home: Building the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival A “Visual Poem” of an often private space

46 Music Review

Golden, POPular, Tonight  Continued from Previous Page

47 The OutField

Magazine

‘Stronghold’ stands up for wrestling

PAGE 47

50 Children Suffer When the Religious Right Wins A Personal Story

51 Alberta’s Top Ten GLBT Figures Part One

History

54 Bitter Girl

Originally established in January 1992 as Men for Men BBS by MFM Communications.

Name changed to GayCalgary.com in 1998.

Independent company as of January 2004.

First edition of GayCalgary.com Magazine published November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine.

55 A Couple of Guys

PAGE 62

56 Classified Ads

Ad Submission Thursday, October 1st, 2009 In Circulation Monday, October 5th, 2009 Please contact us immediately if you think you may have missed the booking or submission deadline.

62 Hey, world

Big-mouthed comedian Sandra Bernhard has tackled a lot in her 30-year career. Now it’s time for global domination.

64 Queer Eye - Community Events

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Distribution Locations

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An Overview of Leather History

Ad Booking Monday, September 28th, 2009

Proof of monthly figures can be requested.

Alberta:...................... ~300 Drop-off Points

53 The Leather Soul

October 2009 Print Deadlines

Print Circulation:.................. ~10,000 copies Pickup Density:....................~3 readers/copy Online Circulation:........... ~125,000 readers Total Readership:............. ~155,000 readers Frequency:.................................Every Month

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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 publication, whether advertisers, contributors, or the subjects of articles or photographs, are not necessarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans. GayCalgary also includes straight allies and those who are gay friendly.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

GayCalgary is a registered trademark.

Editorial

Meeting Half Way Publisher’s Column

By Rob Diaz-Marino, MSc. From my view on the gay side of the fence, it has often seemed like the GLBT+ community has gone on doing what they’ve always done, waiting for straight people to get caught up with us. But this month it became very clear to me that GLBT culture has been changing too, and indeed we still have a few lessons to learn ourselves.

GLBT individuals have been seriously wronged throughout history by the dominant heterosexual culture, where this behaviour toward people who were different in certain ways was accepted as justified, even expected. In reaction to this, gay people who valued their safety, but still desired to be themselves, were compelled to live their lives secretively in underground isolation where a unique subculture developed. Metaphorically we put up a wall between us and the straight community in order to protect ourselves. If a straight person were discovered amongst us during these times, we might have panicked that we had been discovered, dispersed as quickly as possible and known that it would not be safe to assemble again at this location for some time.

Contrast that to today, where we see straight people joining us at gay bars and willingly participating in our culture. A few days prior to me writing this article, I was in Edmonton to witness the step down of Empress 33 Marni Gras of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose – a straight man, dressing in drag, and serving as a public figurehead for a gay organization. At the beginning of her reign she faced some harsh criticism from members of the gay community, all of whom, she was happy to report, had come around since then. During her year as Empress, she shattered all previous fundraising records for the Edmonton Court, raising $35,000 dollars for her charities: the NICU unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, the University of Alberta AIDS Research Centre, and Camp fYrefly.

Truthfully I believe heterosexual people would not have enacted these terrible things on us without the presence of a culture that condoned it.

Examples like Marni Gras show us beyond a doubt that straight culture is changing. The straight allies of today may just be the spray before the flood.

But don’t forget, we are changing too, and perhaps experiencing just as many growing pains as straight culture. For older generations, it is difficult to break the habit of concealing ourselves and our culture from the straight community. So when these straight allies come along with a genuine interest in us that we’ve never experiences before, it may raise suspicion – are they really able to accept us, or is this just a Trojan horse to hurt us yet again?

So while straight culture is shifting toward learning and understand-

ing us, at the same time we are shifting toward opening ourselves to them – tearing down that metaphorical wall that we put up to protect ourselves years ago. They can move no faster and no further than what we are willing to give them, and we are only willing to give them as much as we are comfortable revealing about ourselves. So progress happens in little steps, and eventually we will meet half way.

After pushing so hard for straight culture to change, to teach straight people about ourselves and our culture, and why it is not right to hate us, belittle us, or discriminate against us, I notice we often forget that we’re not the only ones with a lesson to teach. Our straight allies have a lot to offer, and a lot to teach us also. Marni Gras certainly showed the Edmonton Court a new trick or two when it came to fundraising. Not only that, but she brought a greater awareness of the group in government and in mainstream media. So straight allies are powerful catalysts toward bringing knowledge and understanding across the barriers that still exist between GLBT and straight cultures.

At the AIDS Calgary Annual General Meeting this month, we were treated to a speaker from the Sheldon M. Chumir foundation - an organization that advocates for human rights, and certainly an ally to our community’s causes. Among the many interesting things she had to say about the delicate process of making these advances, she also spoke of one of the common pitfalls for minorities that often damage their own cause: overcompensation.

Compensation is being granted the equality and respect that we deserve. Overcompensation is feeling entitled to give the straight community a taste of their own medicine, to make them experience firsthand the kind of hatred, ridicule, and discrimination that gay people have gone through.

This is a problem that we have reported on in the past happening right here in Calgary, the idea of reverse discrimination and retaliation toward the straight community, in revenge for past wrongs.

For instance, if a gay bar or other public venue were to charge cover only for straight people (assuming you can judge with 100% accuracy who is gay or straight just by looking at them – a unique and freakish ability to say the least), or outright refuse straight people entry, this would be an example of discrimination in that it is designed to penalize, tax, or discourage someone based on their sexual orientation. The truly homophobic straight people that such a gay bar might be out to teach a lesson probably wouldn’t come out to a gay bar in the first place. Such a policy would mostly be hurting our straight allies...and they may take that message back to their culture: “gay people feel it is okay to discriminate based on sexual orientation, so how can they criticize straight people for doing the same in the past.”

It’s easy to see how such actions can put us back. As the kindergarten saying goes, “two wrongs don’t make a right”. The law can help us gain equality, it can decide how those who have wronged us can be fairly punished. But despite the injustices some of us and our predecessors have suffered, we cannot be elevated above the law to dole out our own punishment. If we had that kind of power, we would unfailingly go too far with it, and create new wrongs in others that would in turn catch up to us someday.

So let’s not become the very thing that we are fighting against. The temptation is there, but we must not let ourselves become Gay Supremacists, Heterophobes, or Straight Haters. Let’s not follow personal or business practices that work to segregate ourselves, and not implement policies that we would object to seeing mirrored in the straight world – i.e. “gay dollars only for gay businesses” as was brought up in other news this month. When straight individuals make a step in the right direction, even a small one, we should be commending them for it and not throwing it back in their face. In return, we should hope to receive similar reassurance the more we share.

Marni Gras, during the cheque presentation ceremony at the Edmonton Coronation, reminded us that “sick babies are not a problem faced only by straight people, nor is AIDS a problem faced only by gay people.” During her final step-down, she brought her son Alex onstage, the one of her two premature-born sons that survived. Though I’m gay and may never have a child of my own, I was unable to contain the deep sympathy I felt for her, as I’m sure was the case with every single member of the audience there

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Editorial that night: Drag Queens and Leather Men from all over Canada, Marni’s wife, and a number of straight couples (I inferred from seeing some kiss) – all brought together for something or someone they cared about, and all sharing that same powerful sentiment.

Yes, we in the GLBT community have come a long way, but straight people have too. So when you go out to celebrate Pride this month, I hope you invite all of the straight people who have been allies to you, because this celebration is as much theirs as it is yours.

Upcoming Events Here’s a brief list of major upcoming events in Alberta this month: • • • • • • •

Calgary Pride Dance – Sep 5th Calgary Pride Parade / Street Festival – Sep 6th AFQOL: Cut-a-Thon (Calgary) – Sep 7th Aids Calgary Walk for Life – Sep 20th HIV Edmonton Walk for Life – Sep 20th Great Chili Cook-off (Calgary) – Sep 20th Calgary International Film Festival – Sep 25th to Oct 4th

For more information about these events and others, visit our online events calendar at www.gaycalgary.com/events, or peruse our business directory on page 17 of this magazine.

We would also like to congratulate PLAY Nightclub in Edmonton on their first anniversary this month – it’s almost surprising that the club is so young considering all that they’ve been doing for the community.

That’s it from me for this month, leaving Calgary with the hopes that you have a safe and happy Pride.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Celebrity Interview

Keeping Company with Joyce DeWitt

By Jason Clevett When I was in junior high school, my ritual every day after school was simple. Park myself in front of the television and watch reruns of Three’s Company on RDTV. Even today, the shenanigans of the apartment originally housing Jack Tripper, Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow still exists in rerun form despite going off air in 1984. It is with a great deal of excitement for the show’s many fans that Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet Wood, is in Married Alive kicking off the new season of Stage West.

DeWitt has chosen to avoid the spotlight since the TV show ended, yet still has a very loyal group of fans.

“People transfer their love and affection for those characters to us.

It is a great gift in life to have people open their hearts and sound massive amounts of love to you. For the show’s legs to have lasted thirty years have kept me in the public eye. The affection people have for that show and me being a part of that keeps me there because it is so joyful. Those feelings get transferred to me. She is someone that people haven’t forgotten and thus they haven’t forgotten me,” DeWitt told GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine.

“I have had women in their 30’s come to me and say I became a lawyer because of you. I knew women could be smart and have a way in the world. I knew it was ok to be regular looking, in high school I could still be cool and hot too. I am shocked but I am also grateful. I loved playing her and I did fight hard to play her the way I wanted to play her. I never imagined that all these years later people would remember me because they remember her. But I am delighted, if I had to leave a calling card I would happily leave that character.”

Janet was a strong female character, a polar opposite from ditzy blondes Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) and Cindy (Jenilee Harrison).

“Janet was a good girl who was fighting to find her way and figure out who she was supposed to be. The blue jersey nightshirt I wore had an 88 on it. I asked to change it to zero because it is a subliminal message that Janet is just like anybody else. There are days when she feels like she is worthless and days where she thinks she can actually do something. I would spray the hair up in the back straight. We would have a temporary assistant hair person who would stop me on the way to the set to fix it. It is an obvious flaw and if you have small obvious flaws people will forgive your big ones.

I just wanted to make Janet human and I think I lucked out and was able to do that. As an actor when you get the opportunity to create laughter in the world it is a great healing factor for all people. It is a great gift that actors get to do great comedy. To still have it doing that thirty years is a fantasy you can’t make up. You can’t even hope that your work might still create a giggle thirty years later.”

“I would spray the hair up in the back straight. We would have a temporary assistant hair person who would stop me on the way to the set to fix it. It is an obvious flaw and if you have small obvious flaws people will forgive your big ones.”

Now 60 (but looking in her forties) DeWitt carries Janet with her, and is often called by the characters name. While this would bother some actors, she takes it in stride. ”John (Ritter) and I always got called the characters names and figured it was because both names began with J. I have gotten so used to being called Janet that two women will be shopping in a store and one will be named Janet and I will turn and say what? and then duck down behind the racks and hide. I will have interviewers in the middle of the interview say Janet and keep on going with the interview. I recognize that they have that imprinted. I live such a private life out of the limelight that it isn’t like my name is being shoved in their face. So I have no problem with that whatsoever. For me it is always about the work. When I read a piece I ask what is the gift?

What are you sending them home with? That is what is important to me, what you are taking home. If I think that is of value that is what it is about to me. The fact that I have gotten older, people seem to have made that transition very gracefully. They don’t seem to mind that the adult settled into the young girl.”

After Three’s Company ended, she walked away from Hollywood, something she has no regrets about. ”Regrets are a dangerous thing. I am very fortunate that in my life I have only twice regretted something and that was 10 or 15 years later. If I had to do it over again I couldn’t change it. I was going to

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Celebrity Interview take 6 months off just to chill out. I saw Hollywood and the way it behaved and it was not a moral code that was natural to me. If this was the way the game was played I wasn’t sure I wanted to play it.

I took some time off and started meeting and studying with different spiritual teachers around the world. I thought it would be six months not 12 years. It evolved into this spiritual philosophy that I was seeking. In western civilization you are raised that if you are a good person, good things will happen to you, if you treat people fairly and tell them the truth they will do so in return. When you find out that you can be betrayed in those ways you can be shattered and fall to your knees. I am not a person who is willing to become jaded or bitter. So I needed to find a philosophy that encompassed everything – the good and bad things that happen in life, to walk with both of those things and keep walking. To be ok and find peace with that.”

Don’t be surprised to see DeWitt start appearing more regularly. ”I have chosen to do theatre and film and not television. I am thinking about next year maybe making an assault on Hollywood again. I would be really happy if there was a place for me. I don’t know if there will be. It was very difficult to decide to have a potentially very public life again. Being innately a hermit, that is a choice but I would really like to participate. I think it is important for people in my generation to participate, there is a balance when you have an old fogie on there again.”

As a private person she admits some nervousness about being back in the spotlight in an internet tabloid era.

“It is scary. I am aware of that concern. When I first felt that I should go back it was more of an intellectual awareness so different parts of my personality I would negotiate with. Only take work where I can work two days and fly home to New Mexico for five. If it is something worth bringing to people let’s do it. I am really attached to being at home.”

DeWitt is charming, sweet and a pleasure to speak to. The way her face lights up when she talks about the cast of Three’s Company makes you realize that despite the trials and tribulations, she loved it as much as we loved watching it. ”Norman Fell was the worst he would tell me things and I would say you’re kidding Normie! and he would say yes! I can’t tell you how many thousands of times he got me. John Ritter would do anything for a laugh. He had patience with it. We rehearsed in a hall and he would go over the coffee table if he wasn’t in the scene we were rehearsing and shove a napkin up his nose. He would just stand there until somebody saw him. Honey I worked with amazing men and women. The girls weren’t witty we were wonderful. The guys were actually funny. Richard Kline who played sleazebag Larry, what a good guy. John was the best of the best; precious to the depth of his being. The part of himself that he used to play Jack Tripper was the part that wanted to make sure everybody had a good time and was taken care of. With Don (Knotts) and John and Richard, or with Norman, … you would go home with your face sore from laughing. I think it is possible to have death by laughter.”

Look for an review of Married Alive online soon at www.gaycalgary.com

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Married Alive

  



August 27th – November 1st Stage West (403) 243-6642 www.stagewestcalgary.com

10

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Lifestyle

Scales and Claws

Exotic Pets for the LGBT Community

By Benjamin Hawkcliffe The LGBT community loves their pets. Many include dogs and cats as an important part of their family (often referred to as “fur kids”) but some people prefer their pets sans fur. Reptiles, amphibians and insects are becoming more and more popular amongst people both gay and straight. These unique pets can be low maintenance, entertaining, and a great addition to your home.

“Reptiles have really become popular in recent years as people lose their fear of them and realize how cool they really are,” said Jason Clevett, president-elect of The Alberta Reptile & Amphibian Society (TARAS) and owner of Calgary Reptile Parties, which does educational programs for kids. “People do need to realize that they are a responsibility though, and do require specialized care such as lighting, supplements, and heat to name a few. Education is a major part of TARAS’ mandate, as well as why I started Reptile Parties. Hopefully people will realize that the cute little snake or lizard they see in a store could grow to be 7 feet or longer, depending on the species, and live up to forty years.”

Rich Wylder got into reptiles through friends. Two years ago he went to a reptile show in Red Deer and came home with a bearded dragon.

A year later at the same show he left with a crested gecko. These two lizards are very common and popular in the pet trade, and appealed to Wylder for a number of reasons.

“As soon as I saw the dragon I couldn’t resist her. She was so cute. I hadn’t really had an interest in them before I saw her. My nephew had a snake and a veiled chameleon and I thought they were pretty cool but didn’t think I would ever have one of my own. A year later I got a harlequin crested gecko. They are nice and soft and pretty neat. Really, just going to the shows every year, the different animals and experiences…it is a bonus having an animal that is less care. I purposefully got ones that require less care so that it would be easier. It is nice to take care of them and make sure they have a good home but it is nice to have freedom with my social life and work.”

Erica Allerdings has an affinity for snakes, owning a corn snake and a boa constrictor.

“I have always been really fascinated with reptiles and bugs. It has intrigued me how they moved, lived, their whole being basically,” she said. She adopted the snakes from her girlfriend’s sister two years ago.

The couple also owns a bearded dragon. “They are a lot more independent and I like that about them. They are not as clingy and needy as a dog or a cat would be. I just dig them.”

Mack Pahl’s interests lie primarily in animals with more legs - 6 to 100 to be exact. While he has a snake and a gecko, his collection is primarily made up of tarantulas, scorpions and centipedes.

“I have always been really fascinated with reptiles and bugs. It has intrigued me how they moved, lived, their whole being basically,” “My earliest memories are of me collecting centipedes, spiders, frogs and snakes. I was never allowed to keep them for more than an hour. I was fascinated by this little world that everybody else had just passed over and treated like it was gross and disgusting. It felt like my own space, that people misunderstood and I was able to understand in a way that nobody else wanted to partake in. It was a way to express

myself and expand my mind to learn more.”

Pahl’s face lights up when asked to describe some of his favorites of the 200 to 300 animals that are in his collection at any one time.

“I mostly have communal species. I have a Tanzanian flag tail centipede with two little flags on its back legs. They make a rattling noise when they are startled or scared; it is a really neat sound - some people can’t pick up on the frequency and hear it. I used to have a red knee tarantula that was over 35 years old. She died of old age a few months ago. I have a couple of scorpions that are about half a centimeter to a centimeter when fully grown. Though there are some extremely venomous scorpions like death stalkers and fat tails, the species I keep are more prone to playing dead because their venom is not potent in any way whatsoever - if they are startled they will act like they are dead. I have a couple of different communal tarantula species. One is a Trinidad Olive Dwarf Tarantula, and I have a tank with three generations and probably about 100 tarantulas in there right now.”

“The hobby has a long way to go in really getting [the average person] accustomed to reptiles,” said Clevett. “I’ve done public festivals and had people literally scream when they saw the snake on display.

I was taking a photo for someone and a person behind me said ‘I just want to kill that thing. It is disgusting.’ You try and let it roll off your back, but it’s hard because it is a member of your family that they express disgust over. You just have to bite your tongue and accept they are not for everyone.”

For Wylder, Allerdings and Pahl it has been a similar experience.

Allerdings’ girlfriend is at a point where she accepts the snakes in the house but wants nothing to do with them.

“Some freak out about it and are uncomfortable, I can’t bring them out. My girlfriend is actually terrified of snakes. If I bring one out when she is around she starts to jump around and freak out until I put it back. So the reaction isn’t really positive. I constantly remind her that it’s ok, he is not going to hurt her. I am not going to do anything to him to make him hurt her.”

Pahl has unfortunately had some difficult experiences due to his pets. While on the dating scene, the reaction from potential boyfriends has varied.

“Sometimes I won’t even tell someone I have the bugs at first because I have had people completely blow me off and call me a freak.

I have had some rumors made up about me because of the animals I keep as pets. It is quite shallow and fickle that these people, before they even get to know me or understand my hobby automatically judge me and take what society has taught them. Instead of having an open mind they go ‘this guy is a freak.’ It has been a great conversation starter in other instances. Some people have been very intrigued by it, and want to see my entire collection or feedings. I have gotten mixed reactions, mostly negative, but a few people have really impressed me

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

11

Lifestyle with how open minded and positive they have been.”

With the more “acceptable” lizards, Wylder says it hasn’t been an issue.

“So far I have found most of them are pretty cool with it. There are a few that are pretty skittish, they don’t understand them or the basics of what they need to be taken care of. So there has been some adverse reaction but nothing severe. Usually people are quite interested and just want to know what they are about, ask some questions and learn more about them.”

So why get a reptile or insect as a pet? The reasons given by all four that we interviewed seemed to follow a common theme – they’re unique, easy to care for, and fit their lives.

“It’s an addiction. I have over 50 animals, and that is in part because I need variety for my business, but in truth I love each and every one of them,” said Clevett. “I worked in a dog kennel once and trying to care for 50 - 100 dogs is brutal. But you can spend an average of an hour or so per day doing maintenance and feeding with a number of animals and continue on with other things in your life. They each have their own unique personality. I like that about them.”

“They are great pets but you can become very attached to them. The fact that you can go away and they will be ok as long as someone can come by and water them. It is convenient to have them and fits in my lifestyle,” added Allerdings.

“I am at school or work all the time which makes bugs a good fit.

They are very economical. A small dog is going to cost you $30 - $40 in dog food every month. A Tarantula will probably cost you the same over a year. When you are feeding them five bugs a week, misting the tank for ten seconds every night, there is really not much more you need to do,” said Pahl. “Most tarantulas live in burrows to begin with. A small tank, food dish, water dish, clean it every few months and feed them once a week and they are good. You don’t have to walk them or socialize with them. You don’t need to pay attention to them they are very low maintenance.”

Wylder echoed everyone else’s thoughts, but also felt the learning process was a great motivator.

“It is a good learning experience, to know more about not only the animal and its care but to show other people and help them learn too.

As well they are cute, sweet, adorable and fun to play with, just like me.”

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TARAS will hold its annual Fall Show and Sale September 12th and 13th at the Ogden Legion

 www.albertareptilesociety.org

The Edmonton Reptile & Amphibian Society will hold its annual Fall Show and Sale October 3rd & 4th at the Sands Hotel

 www.edmontonreptiles.com Calgary Reptile Parties

 www.CalgaryReptileParties.com 12

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

13

Out of Town

Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial, in the Mitte neighborhood, is one of the city’s most popular - and poignant - attractions.

By Andrew Collins It wouldn’t be a stretch to declare that Berlin has evolved into first major gay city of the 21st century - it rivals London, Paris, and New York in sheer enormity, cultural importance, and it factor, and more than any of other prominent world capital. Its gay scene is defined less by clusters of discos and drag bars and more by the remarkable degree to which GLBT residents and visitors permeate the fabric of numerous neighborhoods.

To be fair, plenty of other big cities - including those mentioned above - have seen a trend away from gay ghetto-ization, and Berlin has a Gay Village (around Nollendorfplatz, in Schoneberg) that bears a striking resemblance to Sydney’s Oxford Street, West Hollywood’s Santa Monica Boulevard, and countless others. But outside of this still highly charming district of campy bars and cafes festooned with rainbow flags, your “gaydar” is likely to detect critical mass all over the city, in areas that fall both west of the former Berlin Wall, and east of it.

Particularly among the younger generation of queer Berliners, there’s a sense that every intersection blessed with a few sidewalk cafes and diverting boutiques qualifies as miniature anchor of gay society. And yet in the most buzz-worthy of these areas - such as Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg, Schonhauser Allee in Prenzlauer Berg, and Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain - people care not a lick about one’s sexual orientation.

Berlin is an expansive city with excellent, though sometimes a bit complicated, public transportation (a legacy from the city’s Cold

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

War-era division). One highly enjoyable way to acquaint yourself is to choose a different neighborhood each day, and explore it. Here’s a look at a few of the city’s most alluring districts, and the exact streets and squares where you’re likely to find the great concentrations of noteworthy shops, galleries, restaurants, nightspots, and attractions.

Mitte This is Berlin’s city center, home to many smaller sections, a considerable number of international hotels and restaurants, and dozens of prominent attractions. Plan to focus a good bit of your time here, exploring Museum Island (home to the Old Museum, New Museum, Old National Gallery, and Pergamon Museum), as well as Brandenburg Gate and the nearby Holocaust Memorial, a moving and incredibly striking site. Across the street, on the edge of Tiergarten park, you can also view the small but poignant Holocaust Memorial that specifically honors the plight of gays and lesbians. Many other prominent museums are located here.

Tiergarten Just west of Mitte, you’ll find Tiergarten, which is the name of both a neighborhood and the huge park for which it is named. First, let’s point out the exciting part: the area of grassy lawns and light woodland just southwest of Siegessaule (Victory Column), just off of Hofjageralle, is a notorious haunt of gay sunbathers. And in Berlin, you’re perfectly welcome to laze about

Travel in public parks completely nude. Tiergarten also abounds with noteworthy attractions, such as Germany’s key institutions of government, which include the Bundestag, occupying the infamous Reichstag building. The park is beautiful to walk through and is also home to a mix of classic and postmodern monumental buildings, from Berliner Philharmonie concert hall to Neue Nationalgalerie (modern art museum).

Schoneberg Southwest of Tiergarten and adjoining the swanky Charlottenburg neighborhood, Schoneberg is itself a rather upscale district with wide, tree-lined streets and handsome homes and apartments. Shoppers flock to KaDeWe, a massive department store comparable to Herrods and Bon Marche. Within Schoneberg, chiefly along the streets just west of Nollendorfplatz (the former home of W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood), you’ll find Berlin’s lively and cruise-y Gay Village. You’ll find the majority of the gay bars and sex shops along Motzstrasse, but be sure to venture along Fuggerstrasse and Eisenacher Strasse, too. If you can’t get into trouble (in the fun sense of the word) in this part of Berlin, you may as well pack it in and go home.

cocktails.

Hotel Art Nouveau. Mod rooms with either international or colordriven themes are the draw of this antiques-filled boutique hotel about a 10-minute walk from the Schoneberg gay scene. A great choice if you’re seeking upscale digs at fair prices.

Frauenhotel Artemisia. Catering exclusively to women, this lesbian-friendly property is well-maintained with simple but airy rooms.

Breakfast is included, and there’s even an art gallery on premises.

A very safe, economical option.

Mini Loft Mitte. The slick design of this modern apartment-loft hotel contains 14 chicly furnished units with high ceilings and full kitchens. Given the reasonable rates and central locale near Tiergarten, it’s no wonder this place books up fast.

Pension Elefant. With seven highceilinged, charming rooms, this affordable, gay-owned B&B occupies a grand 19th-century building in the heart of the Nollendorfplatz Gay Village.

Prenzlauer Berg Creative spirits and a slightly at-odds mix of self-conscious hipsters and anti-establishment artists favor this enormous swath of handsome 19th-century apartment blocks northeast of Mitte, in the former East Berlin. Although teeming with gay hangouts, Prenzlauer Berg is the least gay-ghetto-ized of any Berlin neighborhoods - along such fashionable streets as Schonhouser Allee, Kastanienallee, and Greifenhagener Strasse, you’ll find cosmopolitan cafes, notable art galleries, fashion-forward boutiques, and elegant boutique hotels. There are few genuine attractions in this neighborhood, but much to see for fans of dining, shopping, and neighborhood exploring.

Kreuzberg Just south of Mitte, Kreuzberg was a lower-income immigrant district of West Berlin during the pre-reunification days, but it’s steadily developed cachet in recent years as a haunt of radical activists (queer and otherwise). This is especially the case near the Kottbusser Tor metro station, where you’ll find arty bars, authentic Turkish restaurants, and bohemian bookstores and cafes along Oranienstrasse. The more gentrified SW61 section, around Mehringdamm metro station, is home to the Schwules (Gay and Lesbian) Museum as well as several gay-popular eateries and bars, and an exceptionally good food market, called Marheineckplatz (considered by some to be the finest in the city).

Friedrichshain Like Kreuzberg, which it was administratively joined with in 2001, Friedrichshain is a somewhat hardscrabble neighborhood that’s lately become fashionable, at least in certain sections. It’s the area around Boxhagener Platz that has the greatest concentration of indie shopping and dining. It’s also worth walking along Karl-Marx-Allee, which leads into the district from Mitte, and is lined with imposing Stalinist architecture. One of these buildings contains Klub International, a retro-fabulous cinema that morphs into a gay disco the first Saturday of each month.

Westin Grand. A sophisticated, elegant hotel with a wonderfully central location along fabled Unter den Linden near Brandenburg Gate, this posh property has a beautiful gym and pool, excellent restaurants, and tastefully contemporary rooms.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1379

View additional pics/videos. • Share with a friend. • Post your comments.

Andrew Collins covers gay travel for the New York Times-owned website About. com and is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA.

The Little Black Book

 Ackselhaus & Bluehome (www.ackselhaus.de). Arcotel Velvet (cc.arcotel.at). Axel Hotel Berlin (www.axelhotels.com/berlin). Berlin Tourist Office Gay Travel Site (http://www.visitberlin.de/english/ zielgruppen/e_zg_gay.php). Frauenhotel Artemisia (www.frauenhotelberlin.de). Germany Office of Tourism Gay Travel Site (http://www. cometogermany.com/ENU/infocenter/gay_berlin_and_the_east.htm).

Hotel Art Nouveau (www.hotelartnouveau.de). Mini Loft Mitte (www. miniloft.com). Pension Elefant (www.pension-elefant-berlin.de). Westin Grand (www.westin.de/berlin).

Where to Stay in Berlin Here’s a sampling of GLBT-popular hotels in Berlin, from affordable B&Bs to luxury palaces: Ackselhaus & Bluehome. Comprising two stunning Victorian boutique hotels and the trendy Club del Mar restaurant, this fab hostelry is steps from the bohemian cafes and funky bars of Prenzlauer Berg. Rooms mix vintage, even rustic sensibilities with modern luxury - like staying with friends with impeccable taste.

Axel Hotel Berlin. New and earning plenty of buzz, the “heterofriendly” Axel (there are others in Barcelona and Buenos Aires) sits smack in the middle of the Schoneberg gay scene. Rooms are compact but smartly done with fabulous showers, and amenities include a hip restaurant, sexy lounge, and full-service spa.

Arcotel Velvet. The dramatic design of this smart, contemporary, gay-friendly hotel along a trendy street in the Mitte delights styleconscious travelers. Each of the 85 rooms and suites has a wall of windows, and the on-site Velvet Lounge is a snazzy spot to enjoy

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Directory and Events Legend

• Fetish Night  Fri Sept 5th

 Closed Mondays.

Bar and restaurant.

O ur Magazine Available Here---------------- ✰ Wheelchair Accessible Venue------------------

• Pride Celebration  Sat Sept 6th

CALGARY

• Rubber Night  Sat Sept 12th

• TNT Pride Explosion

 Sat Sept 5th, 9:30pm Nina Tron, Justine Tyme, guest Bianca LaBouche

13 Westways Guest House------------------- ✰

 216 - 25th Avenue SW  (403) 229-1758  1-866-846-7038  westways@shaw.ca  www.gaywestways.com

5 Texas Lounge------------------------------ ✰

 308 - 17 Ave SW  (403) 229-0911  http://www.goliaths.ca  Open 7 days a week, 11am-close

Club Paradiso

 1413 - 9th Ave SE, upstairs  (403) 265-5739  www.villagecantina.ca Carly’s Angels Sat., Classic movie Thurs, and no cover Live Sinatra tribute Fri.

3 Backlot---------------------------------- ✰

 209 - 10th Ave SW  (403) 265-5211  Open 7 days a week, 4pm-close 4 Calgary Eagle Inc.---------------------- ✰  424a - 8th Ave SE  (403) 263-5847

• Vamp Thursday  Sept 17th, 10pm A live cabaret show with Joseph Gabereau.

55 Marquee Room---------------------------- ✰

 612 - 8th Avenue SW  http://www.marqueeroom.com

 http://www.calgaryeagle.com  Open Wed-Sun, 5pm-close Leather/Denim/Fetish bar.

Alternative night every Wednesday.

• Military Party  Thurs Sept 4th

Community Groups

• Post Parade Party

 Sept 6th

• Leather/Gear Night  Sat Sept 26th

Bars and Clubs

• Dance Party  Sept 5th, 6th, 12am-8am $7 entry fee, 8 hour stay (no locker/room required). $3 day memberships available these days only.

(Proceeds from day pass go to charity)

• Pride Kick-Off Party

 Aug 30th, 8pm Kate Reid plays LIVE!

• Great Chili Cook-off  Sun Sept 20th, 6pm  johnf777@telus.net  http://www.calgaryeagle.com/form.html Entry forms available at the bar.

Accommodations

 Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

9 MPs (Money Pennies)------------------ ✰

 1742 - 10th Ave SW  (403) 263-7411  http://www.money-pennies.com

33 Twisted Element

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  (403) 802-0230

 http://www.twistedelement.ca

Dance Club and Lounge.

Bathhouses/Saunas 6 Goliath’s----------------------------------- ✰

 308 - 17 Ave SW  (403) 229-0911  http://www.goliaths.ca

2 Aids Calgary---------------------------  110, 1603 10th Avenue SW  (403) 508-2500  info@aidscalgary.org  http://www.aidscalgary.org

• Walk for Life

 Eau Claire Plaza  Sun, Sept 20, 10am-2pm Registration/Check In: 10am, Opening Ceremonies: 11:30am-12pm, Walk: 12pm-1pm, Lunch/ Entertainment: 1pm-2pm.

• GLBT-A Conference

 Fort Calgary (806 - 9th Ave SE)  Oct 23rd, 8:30am-5pm 5pm-7pm Reception • Volunteer Activity Nights

 AIDS Calgary Training Room  403-508-2500, ext.116  volunteer@aidscalgary.org

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DOWNTOWN CALGARY

58 37

43 41

55 9

34 33

56

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48

4

35

2

52

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5 6

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Calgary Outlink---------- Community Groups Aids Calgary------------- Community Groups Backlot------------------------Bars and Clubs Calgary Eagle Inc.------------Bars and Clubs Texas Lounge-----------------Bars and Clubs Goliath’s--------------------------Bathhouses

✰

9 MPs (Money Pennies)--------Bars and Clubs 13 Westways Guest House----Accommodations 16 Priape Calgary----------------- Retail Stores 24 Courtney Aarbo-----------------------Services 33 Twisted Element--------------Bars and Clubs 34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------------- Theatre

35 36 37 41 43 48

One Yellow Rabbit-------------------- Theatre ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects-------- Theatre Pumphouse Theatre----------------- Theatre La Fleur------------------------- Retail Stores Lisa Heinricks--------- Theatre and Fine Arts Barbies Shop------------------- Retail Stores

52 55 56 58

Sandra G. Sebree--------------------Services Marquee Room---------------Bars and Clubs Sacred Balance Piercing------- Retail Stores Theatre Junction--------------------- Theatre

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

17

Directory and Events  Wednesday, August 19, 5-7pm  Thursday, September 17, 5-7pm  Wednesday, October 21, 5-7pm  Wednesday, November 4, 5-7pm Bring a friend, have a laugh, make a difference!

Registration required 2 weeks prior.

• Women’s Healing Circle

 AIDS Calgary Training Room  403-508-2500, ext.200  Wednesdays, 1:30pm Topics Covered: Safer Sex & HIV/AIDS, Living with HIV/AIDS, Challenging Stereotypes.

Alberta Society for Kink

 (403) 398-9968  albetasocietyforkink@hotmail.com  ca.groups.yahoo.com/

group.albertasocietyforkink  Meet and Greets: Mondays, 7pm-9:30pm • Kinky Flea Market

 Forest Heights Community Centre 4909 Forego Ave SE

 Sat, Oct 17th, 11am-5pm Apollo Calgary Friends in Sports

 http://www.apollocalgary.com Apollo Friends In Sports is a volunteer-operated, non-profit organization serving primarily members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered communities but open to members of all communities. We currently have more than 400 members and are growing fast! The primary focus of Apollo is to provide our membership with well organized and fun sporting events and other activities to allow them to participate and interact in a positive social framework.

• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing)

 St. Martha School (6020 4th Avenue NE)  Wednesdays, 7pm-9pm (Season has ended) Fees Per session: $4 for Apollo member, $5 for nonmembers. Season’s pass $75.

• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League)

 Let’s 10 Pin Bowlerama, 2916 - 5 Ave NE  (Season has ended) • Curling

 North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW)  Saturdays: 2:20pm and 4:30pm (Season has ended) • Golf

 golf@apollocalgary.com See website for details.

• Lawn Bowling

 Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club 1235 - 8th Avenue SE  Tuesdays, 6-9pm

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com See website for details.

• Outdoor Pursuits See website for details.

• Running (Calgary Frontrunners)

 Coffee Junkies, 7th Street and 1st Ave SW  Tim (403) 660-6125  calgaryfrontrunners@shaw.ca  Saturdays at 9am Distance varies. 8km-15km. Runners from 6 minute/mile to 9+ minute miles. During the summer we attempt to have evening runs during the week.

• Slow Pitch See website for details.

• Volleyball (Intermediate/Competitive)

 YWCA, 320 - 5th Avenue SE  www.apollocalgary.com/apollo/volleyball  (Season has ended) This is for seasoned players. You can sign up for the season or drop-in.

• Volleyball (Recreational)

 Langevin School, 107 - 6A Street NE  www.apollocalgary.com/apollo/volleyball  (Season has ended) All are welcome. This is for all skill levels, including recreational players and beginners. You can sign up for the season or drop-in.

• Yoga Season has ended.

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association

 (403) 541-8140  www.argra.org • Annual General Meeting

 Old Y (223 - 12 Ave SW)

Main Floor Common Room  Wed Sept 9th, 7pm • Monthly Dances-----------------------------  Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association 1320 5th Avenue NW  Sept 26th, Oct 18th, Nov 15th, Dec 6th Doors open 8pm. $6 ARGRA Members, $10 non-members.

Artists for the Quality of Life  www.afqol.com

• Days of Disco Party

 The Backlot (209 - 10th Ave SW)  Fri Sept 4th • Cut-a-Thon

 Tomkins Park (17th Ave, 8th Str SW)  Monday, September 7th, 10am-5pm Cabin Fever

 Calgary Eagle, 424a 8th Ave SW

 3RD THURSDAY every month

Women’s dance and social night.

Looking for Something?

Browse over 450 listings in our Online GLBT Business Directory, and our complete Online GLBT Community Events Calendar.

www.gaycalgary.com 18

Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning fathers. Meeting twice a month.

Calgary Men’s Chorus

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

• Rehearsals

 Old Y Centre, 223 - 12 Avenue SW  Tuesday nights, Sept-Jun, 7pm-9:30pm Calgary Sexual Health Centre---------

✰

 304, 301 14th Street NW  (403) 283-5580  http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca

• Tennis See website for details.

 (403) 890-1261

discrete and welcoming atmosphere, in which transgendered people can meet others of like mind.

Illusions offers discretion, acceptance, compassion and a safe place to express your gender. Crossdressing is the purpose of the group, but is not mandatory.

Calgary Gay Fathers

 calgaryfathers@hotmail.com  http://www.geocities.com/calgaryfathers

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Calgary Sexual Health Centre is a pro-choice organization that believes all people have the right and ability to make their own choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Calgary Sexual Health Centre started as a volunteer based, grassroots organization and has been providing comprehensive sexuality education and counselling programs to the Calgary community since 1972.

1 Calgary Outlink---------------------------- ✰

 #4, 1230A 17th Avenue SW  (403) 234-8973  http://www.calgaryoutlink.com

Formerly know as the Gay And Lesbian Community Services Association (GLCSA).

• Peer Support and Crisis Line Front-line help service for GLBT individuals and their family and friends, or anyone questioning their sexuality.

• Library A great selection of resource books, fiction, nonfiction, videos and everything in between, all with a queer perspective.

• Drop-In Center A safe and supportive environment for one-to-one peer counseling for many issues surrounding family, coming out, homosexuality, loneliness and other issues.

• Between Men and Between Men Online

 Tuesdays 7pm-9pm Peer support, sexual health education for gay or bisexual men, as well as those who may be uncertain or questioning their sexuality. Discussions range from personal relationship or life issues, to sexual health and well-being.

• Calgary Networking Club

 Ming, 520 - 17th Ave SW  First Tuesday of every month, 5pm-7pm The networking meetings are open to all individuals who would like to promote their businesses or who would like to meet new people - no business affiliation is necessary.

• Heading Out

 2nd and 4th Friday of every month, 7pm-9pm Peer group for men who are looking for an alternative social activity to the bar. Activities vary and are fun and entertaining.

• Illusions Calgary Social group for Calgary and area transgender community members (cross dressers, transvestites, drag kings and queens). Illusions provides a safe,

• Inside Out

 Every Monday, 7pm-9pm Peer-facilitated youth group for GLBTQ ages 15-25.

The group aims to let youth know they are not alone, and to connect them with their peers. It is a funky and safe environment with a variety of resources and activities.

• New Directions

 Every 3rd Friday of the month, 7pm-9pm Drop in peer-support group to provide support and resources for individuals who identify as transsexual or inter-sexed. If you are transsexual, or know of someone who is, please contact our office for information and assistance. You are not alone!

There is support!

• SHEQ Soulful Healing Ego Quest

 Trudy or Krista, (403) 585-7437  Runs for a ten week period on Thursdays, 7pm A workshop for women that want to be themselves in a supportive, safe environment. It is a chance to grow and share their experiences related to women’s sexuality. To participate, please call the exclusive SHEQ line or leave your name and a contact time/number with Calgary Outlink.

• Womynspace

 Every first and third Friday, 7pm-9pm Peer social/support group for women providing an evening of fun, bonding, discussion and activities.

Calgary Queer Book Club

 Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)

Look us up on Facebook.

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre

 77 Deerpoint Road SE  (403) 278-8263  http://www.dpuc.ca  Worship Time - 10am Sundays

Different Strokes

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

• Swim Practice

 SAIT Pool, 1301 - 16th Ave NW  Thursdays 7-8pm July 2009 to Aug 2009 (one/week only) Don’t Buy In Project

 http://www.dontbuyin.ca

This Calgary Police Service Initiative aims to encourage youth to working towards an inclusive environment in which diversity is embraced in their schools and community.

FairyTales Presentation Society

 #4 - 1230A 17th Avenue SW  (403) 244-1956

 http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com

Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

• DVD Resource Library Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership is $10.

Femme Fatale Carnivale

 Fluid (1213 - 1st St. SW)  Fri Aug 14th, 8:45pm

Directory and Events Gay Singles in Calgary

 http://www.gaysinglesincalgary.org

Girl Friends

 members.shaw.ca/girlfriends

Girlsgroove

 http://www.girlsgroove.ca

• Wine & Cheese Event

 Blowfish Sushi Lounge (625 11 Avenue SW)

 Sept 11th, 6pm-9pm OPEN event to both women and men.

HIV Peer Support Group

 (403) 230-5832  hivpeergroup@yahoo.ca

ISCCA Social Association

 http://www.iscca.ca Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch. All monies raised go to Charity.

• Shooters at Texas Lounge

 Sept 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, 8pm-11:30pm • BBQ and Shooters at the Backlot

 Sept 4th, 11th, 18st, 25th, 5-9pm

the mature minded and “Plus 40” gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals seeking to meet with others at age-appropriate activities within apositive, safe, non-threatening and nurturing environment.

• Vertigo Theatre Night

 Vertigo Theatre  Sept 20th, 6pm

Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

 Sean: (403) 695-5791  http://www.pflagcanada.ca PFLAG Canada is a registered charitable organization that provides support, education and resources to parents, families and individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual orientation or gender identity.

Queers on Campus--------------------- ✰

 279R Student Union Club Spaces, U of C  (403) 220-6394  http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students and Staff.

Positive Space Committee

 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW  (403) 440-6383  http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace

The Positive Space Committee at Mount Royal College works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of silence that continue to marginalize lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gendered, two-spirited and queer (LGBTTQ) individuals.

Pride Calgary Planning Committee  www.pridecalgary.ca

• BBQ and Shooters at the Calgary Eagle

 Sept 12th, 26th, 10pm-Close

 (403) 797-6564

• Drag Show at the Calgary Eagle

 Sept 27th, 10pm

 Belgo (501 - 8th Ave SW)

 Sat, Sept 5th, 8pm

• Onyx 24th Mardi Gras Birthday

 Texas Lounge

 October 2, 8pm

• Pride Parade

 Start: 8th Avenue and 8th Street SW

 Sun,Sept 6th, 12pm-1pm

Knox United Church

 506 - 4th Street SW  (403) 269-8382  http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca

• IGNITE Pride Dance

• Street Gala & Beer Garden

 Olympic Plaza

 Sun, Sept 6th, 1pm-6pm

Knox United Church is an all-inclusive church located in downtown Calgary. A variety of facility rentals are also available for meetings, events and concerts.

• Rocky Horror Pride Show

 The Plaza Theatre, Kensington

 Sun, Sept 6th, 11:30pm

• Worship Services

 Wednesdays - Communion Service 12:10pm.

Sundays - 11am. September to June.

Sundays - 10:30am in July and August.

 prp@planet-save.com  http://www.priderainbowproject.com

Miscellaneous Youth Network  http://www.miscyouth.com

• Fake Mustache------------------------------  The Soda, 211 - 12th Ave SW  1st Thursday, 7pm-9:45pm Calgary’s ONLY Drag King Show. $5 cover. $2 cover under 18. Advance tickets available at Barbies Shop.

• Annual General Meeting  Calgary Outlink (#4, 1230A 17th Ave SW)  Sun Sept 13th, 2pm Mystique

 mystiquesocialclub@yahoo.com Mystique is primarily a Lesbian group for women 30 and up but all are welcome.

• Coffee Night

 Second Cup (2312 - 4th Street SW)

 TBA NETWORKS

 (403) 293-3356  sanpfeif@telus.net A social, cultural, and service organization for

Pride Rainbow Project Youth run project designed to show support for same-sex marriage in Canada and elsewhere. A fabric rainbow banner approximately 5 feet wide - goal is to make it 3.2km (2 miles) long, in order to break the world record.

Primetimers Calgary

 primetimerscalgary@gmail.com  http://www.primetimerscalgary.com

Prime Timers Calgary is designed to foster social interaction for its members through a variety of social, educational and recreational activities. It is open to all gay and bisexual men of any age and respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member desires.

• Monday Walkers

 Every Monday • Lawn Bowling

 Every Tuesday • Free Pool at the Calgary Eagle

 Every Wednesday • Saturday Coffee

 Midtown Co-op, 1130 - 11th Ave SW  Every Saturday, 10am

Sharp Foundation

 (403) 272-2912  sharpfoundation@nucleus.com  http://www.thesharpfoundation.com

• Lawn Bowling Jitney

 Sept 19th, 2pm

• Coffee Night

 2nd Cup, Kensington.

 Every Tuesday, 7pm.

Rainbow Community Church

 Hillhurst United, 1227 Kensington Close NW  roneberly@shaw.ca  http://www.rainbowcommunitychurch.ca  Services: every Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm The Rainbow Community Church is an all-inclusive church; everyone is welcome.

Rocky Mountain Bears  bearcoltr@shaw.ca

 http://www.rockymountainbears.com • Hot Tub Party

 Brad & Gerry’s

 Sept 12th, 8pm

Unity Bowling

 Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE)  sundayunity@live.com  New season begins Sept 13th.

Urban Sex Radio Show

 CJSW 90.9 FM

 http://www.cjsw.com

 Every Wednesday from 9-10pm Focus on sexuality; gay bisexual lesbian trans gendered and straight issues here in Calgary and around the web.

Western Canada Bigmen and Admirers

 groups.yahoo.com/group/

WesternCanadaBigmenGroup/  bigpaul41@yahoo.com Vigor Calgary

 (403) 236-4264

• Bear Coffee Night

 Good Earth Cafe (1502 - 11th Street SW)

 Mon Sept 14th, 7:30pm THis will be the last coffee night of the summer.

• Bar Night

 Calgary Eagle

 Sat Sept 26th, 10pm • Potluck Dinner

 Terry Bryant’s

 Oct 17th, 7pm

• Bowling for Beswick

 Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club 1235 - 8th Ave SE

 Sat Aug 8th, 12pm Registration: 12pm, Game: 1pm. $15 per person.

 (403) 697-3042

• General Meeting

 Money Pennies

 Oct 22nd, 7pm • Halloween Bar NIght

 Calgary Eagle

 Oct 31st, 10pm Safety Under the Rainbow

 http://www.safetyrainbow.ca

Mission: To raise awareness and understanding of same-sex domestic violence and homophobic youth bullying.

Scarboro United Church

 134 Scarboro Avenue SW  (403) 244-1161  www.scarborounited.ab.ca  Sunday Worship: 10:30am Scarboro United Church is a caring community for risk-takers, adventurers, and explorers in contemporary Christian living. Scarboro is an affirming congregation, which means that the full inclusion of LGBT people is essential to our mission and purpose. Scarboro United Church welcomes all to our spiritually enriching Sunday Service at 10:30am. Afterwards, all are welcome to join us in fellowship downstairs over coffee, tea, juice, and home-baked treats.

 (403) 255-7004

 www.vigorcalgary.ca Violence in Gay Male Relationships (VIGOR) is a committee of professionals dedicated to increasing the awareness of gay men’s domestic violence and the services available to them.

“Yeah... What She Said!” Radio Show

 CJSW 90.9 FM

 yeahwhatshesaid@gmail.com  Every Monday evening, 8:30-9pm

Restaurants 4 Calgary Eagle Inc.--------------------- See Calgary - Bars and Clubs.

✰

Halo Steak, Seafood & Wine Bar

 Canyon Meadows Plaza

13226 Macleod Trail SE  (403) 271-4111  www.halosteakseafoodandwinebar.ca 9 MPs (Money Pennies)----------------- See Calgary - Bars and Clubs.

✰

Retail Stores Adult Depot----------------------------- ✰  (403) 258-2777 Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys.

 140, 58th Ave SW

48 Barbies Shop--------------------------- ✰

 1313 16th Avenue SW  (403) 262-8265  http://www.barbiesshop.com 41 La Fleur------------------------------------  103 - 100 7th Avenue SW  (403) 266-1707

Florist and Flower Shop.

The Naked Leaf---------------------------  305 10th Street NW  (403) 283-3555  http://www.thenakedleaf.ca

Organic teas and tea ware.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

19

Directory and Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

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5

7 11 6 12

1 Pride Centre------------- Community Groups 3 HIV Network------------- Community Groups 4 Edmonton STD---------- Community Groups 16 Priape Calgary------------------------- ✰

 1322 - 17 Ave SW  (403) 215-1800  http://www.priape.com

Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies and magazines. Gifts.

• Summer Splash Sale

 Until August 16th Save up to 60% on Selected Items.

Wares & Wear Ventures Inc. See Canada - Retail Stores.

Services & Products Calgary Civil Marriage Centre  ca.ca@shaw.ca Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace - JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths.  (403) 246-4134

24 Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

 1138 Kensington Road NW  (403) 571-5120  http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca

GLBT legal services.

Cruiseline

 (403) 777-9494 trial code 3500  http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. DevaDave Salon & Boutique

 810 Edmonton Trail NE  (403) 290-1973

Cuts, Colour, Hilights.

20

3

Duncan’s Residential Cleaning Residential cleaning. Free estimates.

Interactive Male

 (403) 261-2112 trial code 8873  1-800-777-8000  www.interactivemale.com

Jeff LeBlanc, Century 21

 #1, 4600 Crowchild Trail NW  Cell: (403) 542-6926  Pager: (403) 509-2121  Fax: (403) 509-2130  jeff@homeswethometeam.ca  www.homesweethometeam.ca

Keith Hill, North Hill Mazda

 1211 Centre Street NW  Cell: (403) 614-7359  Phone: (403) 276-5962  Fax: (403) 276-7361  khill@northhillmazda.com  www.northhillmazda.com

Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)

 (403) 461-9195  http://www.lornedoucette.com Marnie Campbell (Maxwell Realtors)

 (403) 479-8619  http://www.marniecampbell.ca

MFM Communications

 (403) 543-6970  1-877-543-6970

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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4

5 Boots Bar and Lounge-------Bars and Clubs 6 Buddy’s Nite Club------------Bars and Clubs 7 Down Under Baths---------------Bathhouses

 Jim Duncan: (403) 978-6600

13

8 Prism Bar & Grill-------------Bars and Clubs 11 Steamworks----------------------Bathhouses 12 Woody’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs  http://www.mfmcommunications.com

Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware and software.

Rick Grenier (Invis)

 (403) 862-1162

 rickgrenier@invis.ca

Mortgage solutions.

56 Sacred Balance Piercing

 1528 - 17th Avenue SW  (403) 277-4449  www.sacredbalancetattoo.com

Tattos and body piercing.

SafeWorks Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.

• Calgary Drop-in Centre

 Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE  (403) 699-8216  Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm

• Centre of Hope

 Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE  (403) 410-1180  Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm • Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

 1213 - 4th Str SW  (403) 955-6014  Sat-Thu: 4:15pm-7:45pm, Fri: Closed

• Safeworks Van

 (403) 850-3755  Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am 52 Sandra G. Sebree, Lawyer

 1610 - 17th Ave SW  (403) 228-8108  www.sandrasebree.com

13 PLAY Nightclub---------------Bars and Clubs

TherapyWorks

 (403) 561-6873  ckorol@therapyworks.ca  http://www.therapyworks.com

Take back your life from stress, sadness, and worry.

Youth Juice

 (403) 686-7714  dianevp@shaw.ca  http://www.ourworldnetwork.com/dianevp

Theatre and Fine Arts 36 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

 (403) 294-7402  http://www.ATPlive.com

AXIS Contemporary Art------------------- (403) 262-3356  www.axisart.ca

 107, 100 - 7 Ave SW  rob@axisart.ca

Fairytales See Calgary - Community Groups.

Jubilations Dinner Theatre  Bow Trail and 37th St. SW  (403) 249-7799  www.jubilations.ca 43 Lisa Heinricks (Artist)---------------------  Art Central, 100 7th Ave SW, lower level  http://www.creamydreamy.com 35 One Yellow Rabbit-------------------------  Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE  (403) 299-8888  www.oyr.org 37 Pumphouse Theatre------------------  2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW

✰

Directory and Events  (403) 263-0079  http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca Stagewest-------------------------------

 7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies

• “Love Me Forever” Film Presentation

 Prism Bar & Grill  Wed, Aug 26, 8pm

Faculty of Education, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5  http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca

• In Town Show

 PLAY Nightclub  Thurs, Aug 27, 8pm Protocol: 8pm, Show: 10pm. $5 cover.

Camp fYrefly ✰

 727 - 42 Avenue SE  (403) 243-6642  http://www.stagewestcalgary.com 58 Theatre Junction----------------------- ✰  Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW  (403) 205-2922  info@theatrejunction.com  http://www.theatrejunction.com 34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------------------  161, 115 - 9 Ave SE  (403) 221-3708  http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com

EDMONTON Bars and Clubs 5 Boots Bar and Lounge----------------- ✰

 10242 106th St  (780) 423-5014  http://www.bootsbar.ca/ 6 Buddy’s Nite Club------------------------- ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  (780) 488-6636 13 PLAY Nightclub---------------------------- ✰

 10220 103 Street  (780) 497-7529  info@playnightclub.ca  http://www.playnightclub.ca 8 Prism Bar & Grill---------------------- ✰

 10524 101st St  (780) 990-0038  http://www.prismbar.ca 12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  (780) 488-6557

Bathhouses/Saunas 7 Down Under Baths------------------------ ✰

 12224 Jasper Ave  (780) 482-7960  http://www.gayedmonton.com 11 Steamworks------------------------------- ✰

 11745 Jasper Ave  (780) 451-5554  http://www.steamworksedmonton.com

Community Groups BEEF Bear Bash

 Boots Bar and Lounge

 www.bearbeef.org

Edmonton Pride Week Society

 Boots Bar & Lounge

Edmonton Prime Timers  edmontonpt@yahoo.ca  www.primetimersww.org/edmonton EPT is a group of older gay men and their admirers who come from diverse backgrounds but have common social interests. Meetings include a social period, a short business meeting and then either a guest speaker, discussion panel, or a potluck supper. Special interest groups meet for other social activities throughout the month. In July and August we have a BBQ or picnic in lieu of a meeting and in December it’s replaced with a Christmas party. EPT is affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.

• Hospitality

 Coast Edmonton Plaza, 22nd floor  Sat, Aug 29, 11am-3pm  Sat, Aug 29, after Coronation

• Monthly Meetings

 Unitarian Church, 10804 - 119th Street  2nd Sunday of most months, 2:30pm Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

 3379, 11215 Jasper Ave  (780) 429-5014  http://www.edmontonrba.org ERBA’s primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) owned or operated and GLBT-friendly businesses in the Edmonton region.

Membership is open to all kinds of entrepreneurs, from tradespeople to professionals to commission salespeople.

• After Business Mixers

 Garage Burger Bar (10244 - 106th St.)  2nd Tuesday every month 5:30–7:30pm Edmonton Illusions Social Club

 Boots Bar & Grill  (780) 387-3343

 groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions  2nd Thursday of each month 4 Edmonton STD

 11111 Jasper Ave

Edmonton Vocal Minority  sing@evmchoir.com

 (780) 479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

Bar night for hairy men and admirers.

• First Rehearsal

Book Worm’s Book Club  Second Cup, 11210 Jasper Ave  bookworm@teamedmonton.ca  Wed Sept 16, 7:30pm Embracing the Wide Sky by Daniel Tammet

 Sept 14th

Buck Naked Boys Club

 (780) 471-6993  http://www.bucknakedboys.ca  2nd Saturday of every month

Naturism club for men. Our club has been meeting continuously for over 10 years. The similar club in Calgary ceased to exist several years ago. Naturism is being social while everyone is naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Therefore participants do not need to be gay, only male, but almost all participants over the years do self-describe as being gay or bisexual.

• Meet and Greet

 http://www.prideedmonton.org

Exposure 2009

 Nov 13th- 22nd, 2009 3 HIV Network Of Edmonton Society---- ✰  11456 Jasper Ave  www.hivedmonton.com

• AIDS Walk for Life

 Sir Winston Churchill Square

 Sun Sept 20th, 11am-4pm

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

 http://www.gayedmonton.org

• Ball Week Kick-off Party

 Buddys Nightclub

 Sat, Aug 22

• State Dinner

 Prism Bar & Grill

 Wed, Aug 26, 6pm

 Fri, Aug 28, 8pm

• Coronation

 Coast Edmonton Plaza  Sat, Aug 29, 5:30pm • Victory Brunch

 Prism Bar & Grill Tickets: $20.

 Sun, Aug 30, 11am

OUTreach

 University of Alberta, basement of SUB  outreach@ualberta.ca  http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer, Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group.

1 Pride Centre of Edmonton------------ ✰

 95A Street, 111 Ave  (780) 488-3234  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org

• Bears Movie Night

 TV room, Pride Centre of Edmonton  Last Sunday of the month, 1-6pm • Community Potluck

 Main Space – Upstairs

 tuff@shaw.ca

 Last Tuesday, 7-9pm

A potluck open to all members of the LGBTQ community. A time to get together, share a meal and meet people from the community.

• Free School

 Main Space – Upstairs  monika_penner@shaw.ca  2nd and 4th Sunday, 11am-5pm Free School provides workshops on a variety of topics related to local activism.

• Get Straight – Cocaine Anonymous

 Downstairs Couch Area

 Thursdays, 7-8pm Cocaine Anonymous: Support group for anyone struggling with cocaine or drug addictions.

• Get Tested for STIs

 Last Thurs of Month, 3pm - 6pm Free STD testing for anyone interested. For more information please contact the Pride Centre.

• GLBT Seniors Drop-In

 Main Space – Upstairs  tuff@shaw.ca

 Every Tuesday & Thursday, 1-4pm A social and support group for seniors of all genders and sexualities to talk, have tea and offer each other support.

• Trans Education/Support Group

 Green Room – Upstairs

 2nd Tuesday, 7:30-9:30pm

Transgender Education and Support Group: Education and support for transgender, transsexual and questioning people in any stage of transition.

• Men Talking with Pride

 Main Space – Upstairs

 robwells780@hotmail.com  Every Sunday, 7-9pm A social discussion group for gay, bisexual and transgendered men to discuss current issues and to offer support to each other.

• Men’s HIV Support Group

 Green Room – Upstairs  huges@shaw.ca

 2nd Monday of the month, 7-9pm Support group for people living with HIV/AIDS. • PFLAG

 Red room - Downstairs  780-436-1998  edmontonab@pflagcanada.ca  1st Wednesday, 7-9pm Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays: A support group for family members and friends of GLBT people. An excellent resource for people whose family members and friends have just come out.

• Prime Timers See Edmonton Primetimers.

• Queer Youth Sport & Recreation night

 Alex Taylor School Gym, 9321 Jasper Ave  Brendan, (780) 488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org  First Tuesday of every month, 4:30pm • Suit Up and Show Up: AA Big Book Study

 Downstairs Couch Area

 Saturdays, 12-1pm Discussion and support group for those struggling with an alcohol addiction or seeking support in staying sober.

• TTIQ

 Green Room – Upstairs  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org  1st and 3rd Sunday, 2-4pm TTIQ is mixed gender open support group addressing the needs of transsexual and transgendered individuals. Brunch at a local restaurant on the last Sunday of each month at 12:00.

• Womonspace Board Meeting

 Main Space – Upstairs  wspresident@hotmail.com  1st Sunday, 10:30am-12:30pm Womonspace is a Social and Recreational Society in Edmonton run by volunteers. They provide opportunities for lesbians to interact and support each other in a safe environment, and to contribute to the broader community.

• Youth Movie

 Main Space – Upstairs  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org  Fridays, 6:30-8:30pm Movie chosen by youth (aged 14 – 25), usually with LGBT themes. Popcorn is served.

• YouthSpace

 brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org  Tuesday to Thursday, 3-7pm Fridays, 3-6:30pm Saturdays, 3-6:30pm A safe and supportive space for GLBTQ youth aged

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

21

Directory and Events 13–25. Video games, computers with internet, clothing bank, and more.

• Youth Theatre Project

 Downstairs Couch Area  will@pridecentreofedmonton.org  Every Wednesday, 7-8:30pm An opportunity for youth to address the problem of homophobic bullying through theatre. Write and rehearse skits, perform in the community, and help make a documentary.

• Youth Understanding Youth See separate listing.

• Youth Yoga

 Alex Taylor School Gym (9321 Jasper Ave)  Every 1st Thursday, 4:30pm Team Edmonton

 president@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.teamedmonton.ca

Members are invited to attend and help determine the board for the next term. If you are interested in running for the board or getting involved in some of the committees, please contact us.

• Annual General Meeting

 September 26th • Badminton

 Oliver School, 10227 - 118 Street  (780) 465-3620

 badminton@teamedmonton.ca  Wednesdays, 6pm-7:30pm Oct 7th-mid March 2010, 6-7:30pm Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season or $5.00 per drop in.

•Ballroom Dancing

 Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  Cynthia: (780) 469-3281  Oct 11th-Dec 13th, Sundays, 7:30-8:30pm • Blazin’ Bootcamp

 Oliver Community Hall (10326 - 118 Ave)  bootcamp@teamedmonton.ca  Every Mon + Thurs, 7pm-8:15pm  Mon Oct 19th at Lynwood School • Bowling (Northern Titans)

 Gateway Lanes, 100 - 3414 Gateway Blvd

 bowling@teamedmonton.ca  Every Saturday, 5pm-7pm Resumes Saturday January 3rd $15.00 per person.

• Curling with Pride

 Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  (780) 463-5942  curling@teamedmonton.ca  Begins Oct 19th, Mondays, 7:15pm.

• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)

 Various locations in Edmonton  cycling@teamedmonton.ca  Every Wednesday, 6:30pm • Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

 dragonboat@teamedmonton.ca • Golf  golf@teamedmonton.ca • Gymnastics, Drop-in

 Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue  gymnastics@teamedmonton.ca

Servicing Calgary, Edmonton & Red Deer exclusively.

 Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8pm-10pm Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00 per session.

• Volleyball, Free To Be Recreational Grass

 Kinsmen Sports Centre  recvolleyball@teamedmonton.ca  Outdoor season, Sundays, 3-5pm

• Outdoor Pursuits

 Sat, Sept 12th, 10am-12pm Zipline @ Birch Bay Ranch

 outdoorpursuits@teamedmonton.ca

• Women’s Lacrosse

 Sharon: 780-461-0017  Pam: 780-436-7374 Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome. Call for info.

• Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

 Emily Murphy Park, meet at West End  running@teamedmonton.ca  Every Sunday, 10am-11am All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to join this free activity.

• Roller Derby (Practices)

 eville@teamedmonton.ca  Mondays & Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm E-Ville Roller Derby is a community-wise sports initiative for adult females. Their purpose is for fun, friendly sports competition among like-minded women. You need no prior experience in roller derby. They’ll teach you everything you need to know, including how to skate!

• Samsara Yoga

 Korezone Fitness, #203, 10575 -115 Street  yoga@teamedmonton.ca  Classes resume Sun Sept 27th, 2- 3:30pm • Slo Pitch

 Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave  slo-pitch@teamedmonton.ca  Wednesdays, 7pm. Season resumes May 6th.

Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players from the 2008 season.

• Snowballs III

 February 5-7th, 2010  snowballs@teamedmonton.ca Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend.

• Soccer

 soccer@teamedmonton.ca • Spin

 MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness 109 St. and 104 Ave  Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45pm July 8th - Aug 19th  spin@teamedmonton.ca 7 classes, $28.00 per registrant.

• Swimming (Making Waves)

 NAIT Pool  swimming@teamedmonton.ca  Resumes Sept 4th • Tennis

 Kinsmen Sports Centre  Sundays, 12pm-3pm

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca • Ultimate Frisbee  Sundays Summer Season starts July 12th  ultimatefrisbee@teamedmonton.ca E-mail if interested.

• Volleyball, Free To Be Intermediate

 Amiskiwacy Academy (101 Airport Road)  volleyball@teamedmonton.ca  Thursday nights from 7:30pm-9:30pm

Robertson-Wesley United Church

Womonspace

 (780) 482-1794  womonspace@gmail.com  www.womonspace.ca

• Dance

 Bellevue Community Hall 7308 - 112th Ave NW  Sat Sept 12, 9pm Youth Understanding Youth

A place where LGBTQ youth under 25 can gather to have fun and learn about themselves and others in a safe, supportive, and caring environment.

• Sports and Recreation

 Pride Centre, 9540 - 111 Ave  Brendan: (780) 488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org  Wed/Thurs/Fri, meet at 4:00pm

Rodéo Drive

His and hers fetish wear, toys, jewelry, etc.

The Travelling Tickle Trunk

 9923 - 82 Avenue  (780) 469-6669  www.travelingtickletrunk.com Sex-positive adult toy store.

Wares & Wear Ventures Inc. See Canada - Retail Stores.

Services Cruiseline

 (780) 413-7122 trial code 3500  http://www.cruiseline.ca

Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. Interactive Male

 (780) 409-3333 trial code 8871  1-800-777-8000  www.interactivemale.com

Over the Top Designs

Exposure Festival

 http://www.exposurefestival.ca

Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.

BANFF/CANMORE Mountain Pride

 Brian, (403) 431-2569  mountainpride@gaybanff.com  www.gaybanff.com

Restaurants

 11528 - 89th Street  (780) 474-0413  brendalee@rodeodrive.ca  http://www.rodeodrive.ca

Theatre and Fine Arts

Community Groups

5 Garage Burger Bar & Grill---------------  10242 106th St  (780) 423-5014

Retail Stores

• Film Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

• Book Club

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

 Edmonton Pride Centre, Main Space Upstairs

 yuy@shaw.ca  www.members.shaw.ca/yuy  Every Wed/Thurs/Fri, 7pm-9pm

See Edmonton - Bars and Clubs.

People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have you join us!

• Soul OUTing

 Second Sunday every month, 7pm An LGBT-focused alternative worship.

Women’s social group, but all welcome at events.

8 Prism Bar & Grill----------------------

 10209 - 123 St. NW  (780) 482-1587  jravenscroft@rwuc.org  www.rwuc.org  Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am

✰

Serving the GLBTQS community in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Area.

• Coffee Night

 The Hub, 302 Buffalo Street  4th Tuesday, 7pm-10pm • Queer Cinema Night

 The Hub, 302 Buffalo Street  2nd Monday, 8pm-11pm • Calgary Pride Roadtrip  TBA

LETHBRIDGE Community Groups GALA/LA

 (403) 308-2893  http://www.galalethbridge.ca

Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area.

• Monthly Dances

 Airforce Veterans Hall, 517 - 5 Ave S

 Aug 29th, Sept 19th Oct 24th Nov 21st 9pm-2am Bring your membership card and photo ID. • Monthly Potluck Dinners

 McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S  3rd or Last Sat. every month, 5:30pm-8pm

Members/family/friends, and children are all welcome to attend. Please bring dish that will serve 4-6 people and own beverage (no-alcohol). Plates, utensils, and coffee provided.

 (780) 974-5269

Continued on Next Page  22

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Political Humour • Support Line

 (403) 308-2893  Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm Leave a message any other time.

• Parents & Friends for Lesbians & Gays Call us for information.

• Gay Youth Alliance Group

 Betty, (403) 381-5260  bneil@chr.ab.ca  Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm • Friday Mixer

 The Mix (green water tower) 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S  Every Friday at 10pm • Movie Night

 Room C610, University of Lethbridge  Thurs, Mar 26th, 6:30pm Movie called “Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker”.

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge  galia@uleth.ca

GBLTTQQ club on campus.

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

RED DEER Community Groups Affirm

 Sunnybrook United Church  (403) 347-6073  2nd Tuesday of the month, 7pm

Composed of LGBTQ people, their friends, family and allies. No religious affiliation necessary.

Activities include support, faith and social justice discussions, film nights, and potlucks!

ALBERTA Community Groups Central Alberta AIDS Network Society

 4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB  http://www.caans.org The Central Alberta AIDS Network Society is the local charity responsible for HIV prevention and support in Central Alberta.

Western Canadian Pride Campout July 31st - Aug 3rd   www.eventmasterinc.net

Add Your Listing!

Find out how to have your business listed in our monthly magazine directory:  (403) 543-6960  1-888-543-6960  magazine@gaycalgary.com.

Add your listing to our online directory for free:  http://www.gaycalgary.com

Creep of the Week Nassau County School Board

By D’Anne Witkowski In many places across the country, Gay-Straight Alliances are old news. I don’t mean “old news” as in “not needed,” I mean “old news” in that they hardly raise an eyebrow anymore.

Sometimes being a creep can also make you a loser. Or so Florida’s Nassau County School Board learned after their attempt to keep a Gay-Straight Alliance out of their Yulee High School failed.

When students at the school first tried to start a GSA they were told no. One of the reasons they were given was that it was not OK to use the word “gay” in the organization’s title. Why? Because having a group called the Gay-Straight Alliance violated the school’s sacred abstinence-only education curriculum. Because, you know, a GSA is a group of students who get together to have sex with each other on school property.

Actually, that’s not what a GSA is. According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, “Gay-Straight Alliances are student clubs that work to improve school climate for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.”

Basically, it’s a bunch of kids who want to stamp out homophobia, anti-gay harassment and discrimination in their schools. Some of the kids are gay, others aren’t, but all of them have been witness to or touched by anti-gay bias and want to do something to combat it.

Sounds pretty devious, eh? Well, to the Nassau County School Board it did. They rejected requests to form a GSA repeatedly at both the high school and middle schools.

In February, the students sued and the American Civil Liberties Union stepped in and was all, “Uh, you have to let the students form a GSA because of the federal Equal Access Act, which protects all extra-curricular clubs not just gay ones.” And the school board was all, “Well, then no extracurricular groups get to meet. I hope the gays are happy.”

Of course, no one was happy with this. In March a U.S. District Judge issued a preliminary injunction saying that the school had to let the GSA meet. On Aug. 14 U.S. district judge Henry Lee Adams issued a permanent injunction saying that the school couldn’t discriminate against the club and couldn’t put the smack down on people involved in the lawsuit.

“We started a Gay-Straight Alliance because we wanted a safe space where all students can talk about harassment and discrimination that LGBT students face,” said plaintiff Hannah Page. “We’re grateful that the court recognized that the GSA should be allowed to meet and be treated like any other club.”

“This is a victory for our clients, for the Yulee High GSA and indeed for gay and straight kids all across America,” said Robert Rosenwald, ACLU of Florida LGBT Advocacy Project Director and lead counsel for the students. “Time and time again, we’ve seen discrimination and intolerance struck down by the courts in these cases, and for every school that wishes to cross the line, we’ll be here to defend the students.”

And what did the school board have to show for its hissy fit? A lot of bad press and about $40 grand in legal fees to dish out. Discrimination is expensive, in more ways than one.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1381

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D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.

GayCalgary endeavors to keep our directory and events information accurate and up to date. If you notice anything incorrect or out of date, please contact us.

Non-profit groups receive free listings.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

23

Politics

Gay Killings in Tel Aviv

By Stephen Lock “Freedom fighters” who take an extreme position in the ongoing struggle for Palestinian self-government, blowing themselves up along with innocent bystanders both Jew and non-Jew, in pursuit of that goal is one thing (and here I am mindful that one person’s “freedom fighter” is another person’s “terrorist” - but this column is not about discussing that aspect); opening fire on teenagers congregating at a gay youth centre is something else.

Compounding the shock, at least for me, is the understanding that Israel as a country and as a culture has a profound understanding of the evils of persecution, of pogroms, of mass killing of a targeted group. Of course, just because a nation’s ethos is predicated on an ideal doesn’t mean everyone who is a citizen of that country shares that ethos.

Are there Jews who hate and despise homosexuals? Of course there are. The emotional reactions against Pride festivals being held in Jerusalem bear this out. Certainly Orthodox Jews, who hold considerable say in the workings of the state of Israel, are vehemently opposed to what they perceive as the perversion of God’s plan for His people and constantly attempt to block any progress in Israeli GLBTQ rights.

In 2005, an ultra-Orthodox protester stabbed three marchers during a Jerusalem Gay Pride parade.

According to the Associated Press, Shlomo Benizri, a member of Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, who sits for the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, was quoted as saying that earthquakes were God’s punishment for Israel’s tolerance of the gay and lesbian community. The last person to suggest that was the Sixth Century AD Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I. However, to their credit, leaders within the Shas Party were quick to condemn the attacks as well.

Such statements, however, are noteworthy primarily for their uniqueness. The true nature of Israelis was evidenced by the hundreds and thousands who took to the streets, in Tel Aviv and elsewhere, on both Saturday (the Jewish and Muslim Sabbat) and Sunday (the Christian Sabbath), to voice their outrage over the shootings.

Israel is not only a beacon of democracy in the eastern Mediterranean, surrounded as it is by Islamist theocracies and dictatorships (all of which are intent on “driving the Jews into the sea”), but it is one of the most GLBTQ-tolerant, one might even say GLBTQ-accepting, nations on earth.

Israel was on the forefront of establishing legal precedents in regards to GLBTQ equality rights, or at least lesbigay equality rights (to be honest, I am not sure of the status of trans rights in Israel).

The Israeli Supreme Court has passed much groundbreaking legislation, including recognition of gay marriages, the right of same-sex couples and individuals to adopt children, and other anti-discrimination laws.

In 1992, then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin introduced a law prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation.

This amendment was generally perceived as a major landmark in recognizing gay men, lesbians and bisexuals as equal members of society.

Then in 1993, he introduced another law abolishing sexual orientation discrimination in the Israeli military, during a period when the world’s other great democracy, the United States, was introducing its notorious “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

While local coverage, and coverage in North America generally, was

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limited, the Internet as usual is full of commentary and reports. Google “Tel Aviv Gay Killings” and over 2,200,000 hits pop up. Plus, Israeli politicians, regardless of political stripe, have been unanimous in condemning the attacks, which killed two and injured between 11 and 15 people (reports vary on the actual number).

Four of the 13 were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Pictures showing the blood-stained aftermath of the attack, perpetuated by a lone masked gunman, were widely distributed throughout Israeli media. Witnesses described seeing bodies strewn on the floor surrounding a billiards table and just inside the entrance to the centre.

Within hours of the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the centre after the attack to show his support, said of the killer, “We’ll bring him to justice and exercise the full extent of the law against him.” President Shimon Peres described the shootings as “despicable murder” that “a cultured and enlightened people cannot accept.”

Nitzan Horowitz, an openly gay member of the Knesset described the killings as a “hate crime.”

“We demand that the government put an end to this hate campaign and that the Education Ministry institute proper information and education at schools in order to prevent the recurrence of such shameful events,” Horowitz said, according to Reuters.

A “senior Tel Aviv police source” has stated a personal feud may have been the catalyst but caution the investigation is in its early stages and it is far too soon to make any sort of conclusions as to what prompted the attack.

There is no indication as to what proof the Tel Aviv police might have to suggest this allegation and it seems to me that the anonymous source was ill-advised to issue a statement like “[The GLBTQ community was] too quick with the rallies and the slogans. It’s not at all clear - the motive for the attack may have been personal, rather than a general targeting of the community.”

Within hours of the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the centre after the attack to show his support, said of the killer, “We’ll bring him to justice and exercise the full extent of the law against him.”

That in itself smacks of a homophobic reaction. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time it has been suggested that we are so unstable that we can easily turn homicidal over jealousy or some real or perceived slight.

Hmmm...spend a Saturday night in your typical gay bar and compare that to your typical night in a straight bar and then try and tell me gay men will “lose it” over being jilted, seeing an ex-lover with a new man, turned down, or “just because”. Compare this to your average straight male club clientele who seem to engage in constant yelling matches and fisticuffs in the parking lot or along neighbouring residential streets for little or no reason apart from a bad mix of alcohol and testosterone (and, I’ve long suspected, sexual frustration, but that’s just a suspicion).

The personal grudge theory doesn’t seem to hold up well when one looks at who was killed; Nir Katz, 26, a youth counsellor, and Liz Troubishi, 17.

Katz has been described as someone who “believed in his own way, lived for years with [his] boyfriend, [and whose] goal was to help people who were struggling and who were still in the closet. He considered it a mission.”

Troubishi has been described as “a closed off and introverted person” who didn’t make an issue of being lesbian at all.

Politics Neither of these individuals sound much like the sort of personality that would provoke someone into donning a black Ninja-like uniform, covering their face, and striding into a recreational centre and spraying the area with an automatic rifle. Being a raging little homophobe just might, however.

Naturally, various bloggers are firing off opinions right, left, and centre (both metaphorically and literally speaking). One blogger, veteran leftist politician and editor of the Middle East Journal of the Middle East Institute based out of Washington D.C., Yossi Sarid, made a particularly interesting observation in his August 3 blog. “...The Israeli media coverage has been heavy, but certain things are left unsaid, or rather are revealed in code. Two points to note in most of the reportage: officially it is said the incident was a hate crime and ‘did not have a terror motive,’ (translation: it’s an Israeli shooter, not an Arab), and the shooter used ‘an automatic weapon such as an M-16 rifle.’ (The M-16 uses 5.56mm ammunition. The AK-47 in common use by the Palestinian authority and other Palestinian groups is generally chambered for 7.62mm.) (The M-16 is standard issue for the Israel Defense Forces but is also widely held by reservists, which means most Israelis.) So the unspoken message of these code phrases is, this was an Israeli, not an Arab, shooter, and thus probably a fundamentalist Israeli opposed to open gay associations.”

This is interesting as it undermines any suggestion the attack on the youth centre has anything to do with the Palestinian issue or anything to do with the antipathy, to be polite, surrounding Arab nations have towards Israel. This clearly, then, was not an attack on Israelis but on queer Israelis, particularly on young queer Israelis, who are, by definition, the future of the GLBTQ movement in Israel. The attack, despite the meanderings of the anonymous “senior Tel Aviv police source”, has all the earmarks of a political act, albeit a perverted one.

How do we protect not only ourselves, but our future? Here in Canada, we feel pretty safe, by and large. Over the years, we have struggled for, and won, many equality battles. So did Israeli GLBTQ activists.

We believe ourselves to be living in a civilized, decent democracy. So do the Israelis, not withstanding bombardment from Hamas and other Islamists. We are free to come and go as we please. Overall, so are those who live and work in Tel Aviv, one of the most cosmopolitan and urbane cities in Israel, if not the world. And still, this sort of outrage can occur.

I don’t know how we can protect ourselves or our youth. Education? Certainly, and not just in our schools but of society in general.

Refusing to cower and hide? Absolutely, standing up to the bullies and tyrants of this world takes balls (or ova) but nothing, absolutely nothing, is accomplished by trying to meekly placate them, either. If they’re going to take us down, then they may as well take us down with us refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing us whimper.

This is something the founders of the modern state of Israel understood. They would no longer allow the perception of the weak, timid, bookish Jew hiding in his ghetto tenement or shtetl hovel refusing to fight back or stick up for himself to stand. In its place the strong and proud Jewish warrior, the Sabra, and his civilian counterpart, the Kibbutzim (communal farmers who developed so much of what is now Israel) defined the modern Jewish sensibility.

Did this prevent attacks against Israelis by those who wish to annihilate them? No. Will standing up and refusing to be intimidated by bullies and psychos stop the intimidation? No. But as someone far wiser than I once said, the meaning is in the doing. It is the act of standing up, of refusing to be intimidated, that counts and may lead to the intimidation eventually ending. Doing nothing and allowing it to continue only ensures it will continue.

The reaction of the Israeli GLBTQ community, and the nation’s leaders, speak clearly to their refusal to be intimidated ever again. Whether or not the perpetrator of this crime is ever found and brought to justice, and one hopes he will be, it is the act of refusing to be intimidated, of not allowing this act to slam shut the closet doors, that is important.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1382

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Adult Film Review

Adult Film Review

“Humongous Cocks #1” and “Double Barrell”

By Jerome Voltero “Humongous Cocks #1”

by Raging Stallion Studios, Courtesy of Priape Cast: Antonio Biaggi*, Michael Soldier, Arpad Miklos*, Taurus*, Rafael Alencar, Colin West, Michael Brandon, Bruce Jennings, Justin Christopher*, Huessein, Marcos David, Enrique Currero Okay, granted that most male porn stars are selected, at least in part, for the size of their penis. Raging Stallion Studios brought in a couple of their obvious choices like Arpad Miklos, Huessein, and the obscenely well endowed Antonio Biaggi. Aside from that, they scouted out a large cast of not so well known, moderately attractive stars, I suppose with the longest and thickest dongs they could find! (Still nothing compared to Biaggi, mind.)

They’re sure not gentle with those things! The sex is really frantic, rough and dirty, incorporating a couple of unique sexual positions that were new to me; some made possible by the sheer length of their cocks. For instance, in the 2nd scene, Colin West is shown screwing Michael Brandon while simultaneously giving Brandon head! The average person might have a little trouble pulling that one off at home.

The scenes tend to hit you with an early cum shot from one of the actors and then move on to new positions, taking their time to build up to a final, all inclusive cum shot. The porno is an obvious choice for size queens, but I’m certain still has “wide” general appeal…it’s not the length, it’s the girth.

“Double Barrell” by Titan Media, Courtesy of Adult Depot Cast: Dirk Jager*, Max Schutler, Marco Blaze, Alex Baresi*, Steve Carlisle, Coby Mitchell, CJ Madison*, Revel Milan, Chad Manning Put on your very best Elmer Fudd impression and say, “Be vewy vewy quiet, I’m hunting cwock!” In this porno, hunting with a double barrel rifle is just another excuse for men to be out in the woods together. But if they don’t handle their guns properly, they might get themselves shot in the mouth!

In the first scene, Alex Baresi and Marco Blaze are

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intercepted by park ranger Steve Carlisle, who is asking for hunting permits. The two men don’t have the necessary paperwork - but is it really needed if they’re out solely for ulterior motives?

Luckily, the park ranger is willing to “work something out”. They start off outdoors, but as things get serious they decide to move their activities to inside of a cabin.

Later on, hunting buddies CJ Madison and Coby Mitchell are sitting in a camouflaged shelter, I suppose waiting for the wildlife to come to them. Madison polishes the barrel of his rifle with an oily rag, a motion that gives Mitchell some ideas. Save some gun oil, it might come in handy later! Madison is a major hottie in my books, and always a pleasure to watch, especially for his growly climaxes.

The bottom line: if you like mature, manly men, your gun won’t stay cocked for long.

Priape Calgary Canada’s Favourite Gay Store 1322 17th Avenue SW - (403) 215-1800 Adult Depot Over 3000 Gay Title for Sale or Rent 140 58th Avenue SW - (403) 258-2777 daiterj@telus.net

Astrology

Q Scopes

“Talk it out, Gemini!”

The Sun aligned with Saturn in Virgo makes us more serious and critical. Venus in Leo makes it hard to keep ego out of the way, while aspects from Uranus and Neptune can distort our sense of proportion. Modesty and meditation help.



ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Work isn’t getting

any easier, but bringing fun and creativity into your approach make it more productive and satisfying. Worries and doubts about your efforts can offer clues to making your work easier and more purposeful.

together with some creative friends and some of the more “important” people in your life could help your career. That could be an explosive mix, but if you pick the right folks it will improve your image.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Stress between

demands at home and at work is now at a breaking point.

Good! This can be the breaking point that pushes you to fix it. Talk it out with a good friend and find new solutions.

pragmatic look at philosophical and sexual questions that have been on your mind lately. Be ready to challenge longheld assumptions. Changing your mind can be a sign of growth!

LEO (July 23 - August 22): While there are more

serious foundations to a solid relationship, a little erotic variety would be nice, too. Honesty is most important.

Whether or not your playful curiosity gets full rein, at least discuss your desires.



VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Meditate on what you love about your partner and how he or she can support you. You may be stressing out too much on problems that could be easily resolved with some quiet time together and new approaches to communication.



SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Your

community and cultural background are important, but holding too tightly to them can blind you to the power they offer in a more universal vision. You can’t reach the top of a tree while clinging to the roots.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Your imagination can easily get the better of your

facts. If your narratives tend to fantasy, be clear about that! Keeping the nabobs entertained can be as good as keeping them informed, as long as everyone knows which is which.



CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19):

Resist the urge to correct everyone. As long as you know what’s right, does it really matter what other people say and think? Be sensitive to what’s important for them. You can open a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar.



CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Take a hard,



you can’t do enough for your friends. Of course, there’s always more to be done, but as with the oxygen mask on an airplane, make sure to take good care of yourself first – if only to be of better help to them.



TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Hosting a get





LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): It seems

By Jack Fertig

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18):

Looking hard and authoritative works for you, but if you can be sweet and gentle while looking tough, all the better!

Being all things to all people only works if you can stay true to yourself.



PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Your trouble in relationships is largely about being unsure of yourself.

Trying to please others is a lousy way to compensate.

Exercise, or decorating your workspace, can help bring you back to yourself.

Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977 teaches at the Online College of Astrology : http://www.astrocollege.com.

He can be reached for personal or business consultations at 415-864-8302 or through his website at http://www.starjack.com

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Celebrity Gossip

Deep Inside Hollywood

Haynes and Winslet bring Mildred Pierce back to life

By Romeo San Vicente Haynes and Winslet bring Mildred Pierce back to life One thing you can definitely say about visionary gay filmmaker Todd Haynes is that he’s unpredictable, bouncing from the chillingly unsettling acclaimed ’90s drama Safe to the Douglas Sirk homage Far From Heaven to the Dylan biopic fantasia I’m Not There. Now he’s tackling an old-school gay favorite, writing and directing an HBO miniseries of Mildred Pierce. The James M. Cain novel was indelibly brought to the screen in the 1940s with Joan Crawford in the lead role – it’s the movie that won Mommie Dearest her Oscar – and now Kate Winslet will play the striving greasy-spoon entrepreneur who’s brought down by a mean, ungrateful daughter. And it’s a safe bet that Haynes’ version will hew closer to the too-hot-for-the-Hays-Code novel than the first film, so Romeo is counting the days until this new Mildred moves into the pop culture landscape.

like she can sing. At least that seems to be the idea behind The Goree Girls, which will star Aniston in the true-life story of female prison inmates who formed a country-western ensemble in the 1940s. Aniston will do her own singing for the film, and the one-time Friends star will also learn how to play the dobro (a resonator guitar). If Sucsy could get a passable “Tea for Two” out of Barrymore and Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens, he’ll no doubt elicit some sweet vocalizing from Aniston for The Goree Girls, warbling its way onto screens in 2010 – and, with a little luck, taking Faith Hill down a peg or two on the country charts.

Will Young joins Ab Fab star in new Agatha Christie mystery Singer Will Young became a megastar in the United Kingdom (and a cult fave among American gays) as the first winner of that country’s American Idol-spawning Pop Idol. And while his coming out nabbed him even more headlines, it didn’t impact his pop career much. Next step was, of course, acting. (Because if Mariah can keep getting work in movies, anyone can, right?)

After his well-received appearance in Mrs. Henderson Presents, Young is now set to do his first Agatha Christie whodunit, starring in a new British TV production of The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side, opposite Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley.

Old movie fans will remember The Mirror Crack’d as a 1980 theatrical feature starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Kim Novak and Angela Lansbury (as Miss Marple). This latest incarnation of the mystery –about murders on a movie set – could air in the UK before the end of 2009.

Xandir returns for The Drawn Together movie

Photo courtesy The Weinstein Company

Aniston sings behind bars in Goree Girls If gay director Michael Sucsy could make Drew Barrymore sound exactly like “Little Edie” Beale in the acclaimed HBO movie Grey Gardens, then he can make Jennifer Aniston sound

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Since real reality-show celebs never seem to want to let go of their 15 minutes of fame, why should their animated counterparts be any different? Comedy Central has announced The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!, a direct-to-DVD feature about politically incorrect cartoon characters living in a Big Brother-style house. When one character notices they can now all curse without being bleeped, the cast realizes that the show has been canceled, leading them to fight to get back on the air.

The series’ cast includes gay actor Jack Plotnick (Girls Will Be Girls), who provides the voice of Xandir, a video-game prince who doesn’t seem quite ready to acknowledge he’s a homosexual, even though it’s painfully obvious to everyone else in both his universe and ours. The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! will hit your Netflix queue in 2010.

Romeo San Vicente once thought he had been cast on an unusually gay, X-rated season of Big Brother, only to realize that he had somehow wound up in one of those internet web-cam houses by mistake. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

Lifestyle

Cocktail Chatter

A Sopping Wet Martini, Please and Ice, Ice, Crabby Baby

By Camper English

A Sopping Wet Martini, Please You think you don’t like vermouth, and you are probably wrong.

If you only ever ate moldy cheeseburgers found in the dumpster you would think cheeseburgers are disgusting, and likewise that nearlyfull, dusty bottle of vermouth in your cupboard probably went bad a couple of years ago. Try a fresh bottle and you may change your tune.

Vermouth is a fortified and aromatized wine. The wine part is why it spoils once it’s opened. The fortified part indicates that has some higher-proof spirit added to give it a longer shelf life than table wine.

(Other fortified wines include port and sherry.) That vermouth is aromatized means that it has extra flavorings added, in this case herbs, flowers, spices, and bark, according secret recipes unique to each brand.

We generally speak of two types of vermouth: sweet/Italian/red, and dry/French/white. I sometimes forget which is Italian and which is French, so I remember that the sweet/Italian/red has the acronym SIR, and the other has the same initials as the Dallas/Ft. Worth international airport.

The red one (Thank you, SIR) usually pairs well with dark spirits like whisky and goes into drinks like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Americano. The white works well with clear spirits and goes into the vodka or gin Martini, of course, as well as newly popular old drinks like the Chrysanthemum and the Obituary Cocktail. When you request an Extra Dry Martini you are requesting one with less dry vermouth, not more, so perhaps it should be called the “Extra Vodka Martini” instead.

But long before anyone put vodka in a Martini, the drink (and its predecessor, the Martinez) was made with genever (a malty gin from Holland) and sweet vermouth. Over the years leading up to Prohibition, the London dry style of gin became increasingly popular, and dry vermouth is a better match to that. So the term “Dry Martini” may have first referred to dry gin and dry vermouth over the sweet versions of each. Nowadays it refers to using as little vermouth as possible, and that’s a shame because the wet version can be delicious.

To improve your Martini and Manhattan mixology at home, buy the smallest bottles of the most expensive vermouth you can find.

Look for boutique brands Dolin or Vya, but Noilly-Prat is a good and inexpensive dry vermouth and Martini & Rossi is a good sweet one.

Before you throw out your current bottle, buy a new one and compare the two. The old vermouth will smell like vinegar and rancid vegetation (kind of like that dumpster cheeseburger) while the new will have a crisp fresh aroma.

It’s not so crazy. I know people who carry cocktail bitters in their bags in case bars don’t have them when they want a Manhattan, much the way old ladies carry Sweet ‘N Low in their purses in case they should find themselves with only real sugar for their decaf.

That’s just wacky- I would never bring an extra bag just to carry bitters in, unless of course it matched my outfit.

But the ice thing seemed crucial at the time. I felt it was too early in the day for a mixed drink like a Gin and Tonic, yet not too early for a stately glass of whisky. (My complicated system of proper cocktail timing is best left for another column.) But if I were to order a whisky, the bartender would ask me if I wanted it neat (room temperature, no ice) or on the rocks. This is a trick question if you haven’t seen the rocks.

This bar had a limited selection of whisky- no good single-malts that I would take neat (eliminating the ice problem), thus forcing me to choose between a blended scotch and a bourbon made in the good old US of A. With both of these I like some ice.

If the ice were concave, Chiclet-shaped non-cubes you get in a lot of bars, then a glass full of them would melt very fast and soon I’d have more water than bourbon. This is exactly the kind of ice you want for a Mint Julep where diluted ice is actually an ingredient in the drink, but I actually want rocks in my scotch-on-the-rocks.

If the ice were regular -sized cubes then I could ask for just a few of them in the glass to achieve the proper dilution-cooling ratio. I knew better than to hope for the gorgeous, jumbo-sized ice spheres you only seem to get in very high-end bars, which make a glass of whisky last an hour without getting watery.

I realize that I sound like a crabby baby whining about ice cubes now, but really I’m a pleasant person. Case in point: At the airport lounge, I caught myself asking about the ice and stopped. “Actually, never mind,” I said. “May I please have a bourbon, neat, and also a glass of ice water?”

Back at my table I fished out the appropriate number of cubes from the ice water to add to the whiskey, and then drank both glasses.

After all, I was getting a plane and it’s good to stay hydrated.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1386

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Camper English is a cocktails and spirits writer and publisher of Alcademics.com.

After opening, keep your vermouth in the refrigerator to help it last longer. (This is especially important with dry vermouth.) The better and fresher the vermouth, the more of it you’ll want mix into your cocktails. Soon instead of crying for a dry Martini you’ll be begging the bartender to make it wet.

Ice, Ice, Crabby Baby “May I see your ice?”

I heard myself asking the airport lounge bartender this, while realizing I sounded like a complete bar snob. (I am, of course, but I prefer silent condemnation over verbal abuse.) But I wasn’t judging her or her ice; I merely wanted to make an informed decision about my drink, and to do that I would need to know what type of ice I’d have in it.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Community Event

Artists for Quality of Life “It’s a Community’s Charity”

By Sam Casselman Do you need a haircut? Perhaps something new for the season, or a trim to be rid of that summer hair. If that is the case, you should head to Tomkins Park to get your hair done for a fraction of the cost of a regular cut, while supporting a great charity. Artists for Quality of Life (AFQOL) is holding their 6th Annual Donnie Peters Memorial Cut-A-Thon on September 7th with proceeds going directly to feed people living with AIDS/ HIV, via the AIDS Calgary Nutrition Program.

“AFQOL consists of Calgarians volunteering their time and talents to produce high-impact fundraising events in order to donate much needed funds to make a difference in the quality of life of those living with AIDS/HIV,” says the front page of their website. The organization was formed in 1988 by Minni Carlson and her husband George by creating the Positive Living Lunch Program, not only serving a healthy meal to individuals living with HIV/AIDS, but giving them a chance to socialize with their peers and connect with other services that may benefit them at AIDS Calgary.

After Minnie retired in 1994, Patrick O’Neil and Doug Langille took over and now offer this lunch on bi-weekly Fridays from September until June. Each meal is generously sponsored, and is run solely by volunteers.

“No woman, man, or child living with HIV/AIDS should suffer from a lack of ‘Quality of Life’ - a good hot meal is only a start.”

Donnie Peters, whose name is remembered through the CutA-Thon’s full title, was its creator and executor before passing in 1999. He generously contributed to the Positive Living Lunch Program. It is with his contribution in mind that Linda Huston continued the tradition after he passed.

Huston’s goal for this year’s Cut-A-Thon is simple. The Lunch Program is in need of funds to assist with purchasing groceries and to have an ongoing supply of cooking essentials, equipment, and to provide tables and chairs. Huston’s goal to have this program run “every second Friday of every month of the year, as well as offering funds for the bi-weekly coffee and support program” can come to fruition with your support.

“We also want to honor the memory of Donnie and his hard

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

work with past Cut-A-Thon’s and works with the Artists for Quality of Life.” Donnie’s legacy has lived on, growing in participants, and becoming a yearly date that many look forward to.

This event is meant for the whole family, including children and pets! Cuts for adults and pets are priced at $20, while children only pay $10. That’s not a bad price to pay for a hair cut from any of the reputable stylists from all over the city. In the park there will also be clowns, face painting, food, and music – it’s a great way to spend your Labour Day! You can further support AFQOL and get a kick start on Pride weekend by heading to the Backlot on Friday, September 4th for The Last Days of Disco, promising to live up the fun of the Disco era. There will be a silent auction, shooters, prizes, and an award for best costume. Dust off your 70’s best for this party.

In an economically challenging time, individuals in need are always the first to feel the pinch, and rely on the support of the community to get them through it. The Cut-a-Thon is a great way for everyone to support a great cause, and get a great haircut for a great price!

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1387

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AFQOL Presents The 6th Annual Donnie Peters Memorial Cut-aThon

 All day Monday, September 7th  Tomkins Park (17th Avenue SW)

 www.afqol.com

Community Event

The Calgary Eagle’s Chili Cook-Off A good meal in support of Beswick House

 Trans Identity - From Page 41

By Sam Casselman As the leaves begin to change colour, the return of Fall is becoming apparent. Ads for Campbell’s Soup remind us year after year, there is never a better time to sit down, relax, and enjoy a warm bowl of soup. On September 20th, why not pass on that soup and come out for some amazing homemade chili, and make a difference supporting Beswick House?

The staff and patrons of the Calgary Eagle bring us this event for the 3rd year now. There are many culinary greats that frequent the Eagle and were more than happy to try these talents in a little friendly competition to raise funds for this worthy charity – the winner earns bragging rights.

September 20th is also the date of Calgary’s AIDS Walk for Life.

Jonathan, one of the owners of the Calgary Eagle is inviting everyone to come to the Eagle after the AIDS walk at 5:00 to “to drop by and give it a try.” He says it is important “to help raise money in support of the Beswick House on behalf of the SHARP Foundation.

Currently, the SHARP Foundation’s major needs for funding include installing a new floor for Beswick House and elevator repair, aside from their continued care giving, and programs to maintain physical and emotional health of their clients.

“Participation is open to everyone who loves to cook or eat chili,” Johnathan states. Volunteers, staff, and residents of the Beswick House get to judge the Chili on several different categories, including best tasting, most original, most spicy – not to mention, which cook has the best costume!

“All the contestants have not only donated their time, but also a small fee to support Beswick house. The chili is offered [in exchange for a nominal donation] with all the proceeds going to Beswick as well.“ In addition to the abundance of culinary creations and crazy costumes, there will also be a small silent auction during the event. Prior Chili Cook-Offs have received many generous donations from members of the community, including a signed hockey jersey from Sydney Crosby that was auctioned off last year.

“The winners of this event are definitely the SHARP Foundation and all the people who have entered and supported the event,” asserts Johnathan.

“We all benefit by the community spirit and enjoying a great early evening of great food, spirit, and knowledge of being there for each other.”

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1388

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The Calgary Eagle Presents The Great Chili Cook-Off

 Sunday, September 20th @ 5pm Pick up an entry form at the Calgary Eagle. See the ad in this magazine, or visit the bar for more details.

tude.” In his paper, the female-to-male Barres notes the differences in treatment of female scientists from male ones, drawing from his own experiences in both genders.

One of the directors of the “Matrix” movies, formerly known as Larry Wachowski, is reported by Rolling Stone Magazine to be transitioning to female. In the article, leather culture and associated personalities such as Buck Angel (an FTM porn actor) are used to generate an unflattering controversy. As a consequence, Lana remains out of the public spotlight and a bit of an enigma.

The State of Wisconsin passes the “Inmate Sex Change Prevention Act” to deliberately ensure that the state would not be responsible for the costs of GRS, also having the effect of completely stalling transition for transsexual inmates.

Cult favorite TV-show, “The L Word,” introduces a female-to-male transsexual. Max (Moira) is the first regularly-occurring FTM character in the history of television and the first transgender character to transition during the course of a show. Actress Daniela Sea is no stranger to performing as male, but some trans activists take issue with the early series portrayal, saying that it is “based on the stereotype that transmen are driven by and use testosterone as an excuse to become abusive, violent, and over-sexualized.” The producers listen, and the character of Max is later developed more fully.

Chinese surgeons perform the world’s first penis transplant successfully (however, the patient later has it removed at the request of his wife, who has psychological objections), raising a question about the possibility of developing a similar option for transmen. Such a development is still likely years away, however, because of the need to find ways to deal with the differences in the underlying infrastructure.

The 2005 documentary, “Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria,” written, directed and produced by Victor Silverman and Dr. Susan Stryker, is awarded an EMMY for “Outstanding Achievement, Historical / Cultural Program.” The film gives life to the early transgender (and wider GLBT) movement, and is one of the first true transgender-exploring works to be recognized with a major award (the closest previous trans-ish recognition is Jessica Lange’s 1983 victory in “Tootsie”).

Next month: Part 6B - Toward the Future (2007 - 2009) Partial Bibliography: Much of this had been compiled over time, and not all the sources have been recorded. Some online sources have been involved as well, although I search for more corroboration in these cases.

Bullough, Vern: Homosexuality: A History From Ancient Greece to Gay Liberation Califia, Patrick: Sex Changes: The Politics of Transgenderism Colapinto, John: As Nature Made Him: The Story of a Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl Currah, Paisley; Richard M. Juang and Shannon Price Minter: Transgender Rights Feinberg, Leslie: TransGender Warriors Fletcher, Lynne Yamaguchi: The First Gay Pope (and other records) Kessler, Suzanne; and McKenna, Wendy: Gender: An Ethnomethodological Approach Rudacille, Deborah: The Riddle of Gender Walker, Barbara: various works Williams, Walter: The Spirit and the Flesh

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1395

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Mercedes Allen is a writer who blogs at http://dentedbluemercedes.wordpress. com/, has been featured on bilerico.com, PageOneQ and others, and has also developed the website at AlbertaTrans.org as a resource for transgender information and support.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Letters

Community Event

Letters to the Editor So Your Child is Gay… Dear Readers, On behalf of the ISCCA, the Texas Lounge and myself, Emperor 32 Michael Myte, I would like to thank the community of Calgary once again for coming together for a cause! This time the cause was granting a wish for a dear friend who is entering chemotherapy for cancer.

Grand Duke 22 Kevin DunaNation started chemo on Aug 30th, and so he wanted to do a fundraiser for cancer research.

With the help of Calgary’s community, our little shave your head fundraiser netted $1321.00!! This is amazing and we thank everyone for their support of Kevin’s idea and bid to make this donation to the Alberta Cancer Society!

Special thanks to the Texas Lounge for hosting this event, Deva Dave for making everyone bald, the ISCCA for being on hand to sell shooters and, as Kevin is part of this organization, the funds will be a direct donation to the Alberta Cancer Society through the ISCCA; and of course GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine for photographing the event!

And just because charity cannot get enough cash, I’m sending a challenge out to all those who got their heads buzzed to pop out to the Donnie Peters Cut-A-Thon on Monday September 7, and although we don’t need a cut, a $20 dollar donation in lieu of your cut helps someone with HIV/AIDS benefit from the AIDS Calgary Hot Lunch Program.

I hope to see you all out there, and thank you again for you friendship and support of everything we do.

Sincerely, Michael Espeseth aka Emperor 32 of Calgary Michael Myte

Dear Readers, Thanks for playing with your balls!!!

The second annual “Lawn Bowling for Beswick”, held August 09, 2009 at the Inglewood Lawn Bowling Association was another HUGE success. We managed to more than double our fundraising dollars; we caught another great day of sunshine and managed to provide a refreshing bar and hot burgers from the ISCCA. I would really like to thank some of the people that made our event an even better success than last year: The Texas Lounge for your wonderful donation of bottled water, the volunteers who kept things on schedule and cleaned at the end of our day, and the Inglewood Lawn Bowling Association for donating their facility for a beautiful day of lawn bowling with friends and supporters of the SHARP Foundation and Beswick House. I would also like to acknowledge and thank GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine for your sponsorship of the event again this year. It was greatly appreciated by everyone involved in the planning.

I wish to extend an extra thanks to the queens from the ISCCA for daring to face the sunlight (and not go “poof”) while gathering a team to lawn bowl into a solid last place finish. You go girls!

Watch for us again in August 2010 and come out to take part in all the fun that you have been missing. Thank you everyone for coming out to play with your balls in support of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. Cheers, The Friends of Beswick

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1389

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

By James S.M Demers Being a parent is the single most thankless, demanding, and unpredictable path anyone can commit to. Yet it is an expectation for most people on the planet, that one day they will grow up to birth, raise, and set examples to influence their moral upbringing.

But the model family from many years ago is evolving into something markedly different. The modern family spends less time eating together, being together and connecting with each other; the latter being the root cause of miscommunication surrounding larger concerns and expectations from parent to child and vice versa. As their children begin to grow into young adults, parents envision the life and path that they want (and often expect) for their children, often including marriage and having children of their own.

Teenagers feel the stress of adolescence (an experience that their parents have fought hard to forget) which include new responsibilities, peer pressure and school work, and of course the awkward onset of puberty.

But few parents expect their child to sit them down and discuss with them how they see their life differing from their carefully drawn out blueprint. Most have not even considered the possibility that their child may turn out to be gay, bisexual, or trans.

Several reactions commonly take place: - Denial that their child is old enough, or otherwise has the capacity to know what their sexual attractions are.

- Dismissing what their child says, in favour of a theory that they are going through an immature phase and they will snap out of it in time.

- Becoming completely furious at the idea that their little boy/girl is different from what they expected, and feeling embarrassed or ashamed to face friends and family, usually resulting in a threat or actually kicking the child out of their home. (Statistically 30% of the homeless population in major cities are under the age of 18 and of these, a majority identify along the queer spectrum.)

- Admitting they already suspect their child may be gay and having prepared themselves for this possibility.

Some parents will grapple with one or more of these reactions. Some will be able to accept their child, and some will not.

The best way for any parent to cope and learn (of those who are willing to make the effort) is to find support with other parents and queer positive people who can help answer their many questions. One such opportunity coming up very shortly, is a seminar being hosted by the Women’s Health Resource Centre, called Your Child Just said that S/He is Gay – Now What?

The session will be taught by Jane Oxenbury, a registered psychologist, who has extensive work with families and queer youth. It will take place on September 24th from 7pm to 9pm at the Women’s Health Resource Centre located at 185, 1441 - 29th Street NW. Call 403-944-2260 to register – it costs $35 dollars but early registration is only $25 (financial assistance is available on request).

Don’t let this important opportunity pass you by - it will mean the world to you and your kids.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1390

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Health Advice

Look What’s Back

By AIDS Calgary What do dictator Adolf Hitler, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, gangster Al Capone and artist Paul Gaugin all have in common? All 4 were suspected of having syphilis and, ultimately, dying due to that infection.

With treatment for syphilis readily available today it is not nearly so common to hear about syphilis causing death. However, Syphilis infection rates are steadily rising in Calgary and throughout Alberta and is specifically a concern within the gay men/MSM (men who have sex with men) community.

The gay men/MSM community currently represents 28% of new syphilis infections in the Calgary Region. According to Alberta Health Services, 218 cases of infectious syphilis were confirmed within the province last year, with several cases still being investigated1.. [1] Syphilis first appeared in known human history sometime around the 14th to 15th century. Academics theorize that Syphilis first showed up in Europe in 1493, coinciding with Christopher Columbus’ return from the New World.

Infectious syphilis is completely treatable with antibiotics, although easier to treat early on. Since the painless syphilis sore may be difficult to identify, we encourage anyone who is sexually active to get regularly tested for both HIV and STI’s, including syphilis by contacting your family doctor, the Calgary STD Clinic; (403)-955-6700, or Calgary Safeworks; (403)-850-3755, for a syphilis blood test and follow up treatment if required. These services provide free syphilis testing and treatment and do not require identification and/or an Alberta Health Card.

For additional information on syphilis, the AIDS Calgary HEAT Outreach Program provides information to community members through community outreach, online outreach, and educational materials and programs. For further information, us at 403-5082500x115 or via email at HEAT@aidscalgary.org.

References: 1. Alberta Health and Wellness. February 2009. Sexually Transmitted Infections, January – December 2008, Preliminary Data.

Prevention to Alberta Advisory Committee on HIV and STI.

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An effective treatment for syphilis was discovered with the advent of antibiotics but even with effective treatment, we have not managed to completely wipe out the disease. The last spike in rates that many people remember occurred over 30 years ago.

Often thought of now as a disease of the 70’s, we saw rates of syphilis infections plateau in the 90’s. In Alberta, low rates of anywhere between 0.01 and 0.03 per 100,000 were common in the 90’s. Five years ago those rates started to rise. 74 cases in 2004, 147 in 2005, 218 in 2006, and 250 in 2007. It’s official, syphilis is back.

It’s been so long since the last syphilis outbreak that many of us probably don’t even know how to identify syphilis. Here is some handy information on syphilis symptoms, prevention, testing and treatment.

Symptoms Syphilis may present different symptoms at all three stages of infection. The primary infectious stage may include a single painless sore (ulcer) or multiple painful ulcers in the genital area.

The secondary infectious stages of syphilis may present as a generalized rash commonly found on the palms of hands or soles of feet, and could be accompanied by fever and swollen glands.

If left untreated syphilis could develop into its latent stages leading to serious complications including neurological or cardiovascular damage. Also, syphilis may expose individuals to an increased risk of HIV infection through sores or lesions present around genital areas and mucous membranes.

Prevention Infectious syphilis can be prevented through engaging in safer sexual practices including condom use for anal and oral sex.

Communicating with your partner, negotiating safer sex practices, and getting tested for sexually transmitted infections and HIV on a regular basis are important in maintaining your sexual health.

Testing and Treatment

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Theatre Preview

Thank You Mr. Presley A Tribute to the King at Jubilations

By Benjamin Hawkcliffe If you are a regular at Jubilations Dinner Theatre you have likely seen Joe Davies in action. He’s been involved with the company since the late 1980’s either performing in shows or writing scripts. For the first time, he acts in a show he wrote, Thank You Mr. Presley, playing until November 8th.

“I did a production back in the late 80’s in Regina where the whole concept of Jubilations began. It was a 1950’s musical review called I Like Mike. It was based on an election with the music of the 50’s.

Back then you were allowed to work at Jubilations at 12. And you could smoke during the show. Things were different back then. Anything goes in the 80’s that was the real recession,” he quipped.

Davies has been in many shows including Ranchers and Rustlers, 29, and last year’s Grey’s House of Anatomy to name a few. He has also written seven shows including Betwitched, Canadian Graffitti, Buddy Holly Birthday Bash, the upcoming Luck Be A Lady and of course, Thank You Mr. Presley.

Thank You Mr. Presley takes place in a hotel that is halfway between Memphis and Vegas called the Heartbreak Hotel. There are rumors that Elvis Presley used to stay there on his gigs between Memphis and Vegas. People go to the hotel to experience the spirit of Mr. Elvis Presley.

There are lots of rumors - that he is still alive and lives in the hotel, he owns the hotel, has been seen in the area. There are a number of couples that visit the hotel over the course of an evening and discover the true nature of love, with the music of Elvis Presley to move the story along.

”In the mid 90’s I had just moved out to Vancouver, and Randy Apostle had just taken over as Artistic Director. I had written a show based on Buddy Holly music and he wanted to use it,” he said. Performing in a show he wrote isn’t strange for him. “They are different disciplines. The scripts are finished so far in advance of rehearsals and you get removed from the process as soon as it is finished. You relinquish that involvement with the piece.”

“I get to play four different characters - the man in a young couple who is planning to have a family, a middle aged couple having a mid-life crisis and an older couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. I also, at the top of the show, play an Elvis Tribute Artist. So I get to explore difference aspects and facets of human relationships throughout the span of a lifetime. It is a lot of characters but that is what makes it fun for the performer and the audience.”

Davies has often incorporated tasteful gay themed jokes into his scripts.

So why see Thank You Mr. Presley? Davies makes a pretty strong argument.

”I think any kind of sexuality in itself, in light comedy entertainment, should be handled tastefully. Looking at how our shows explore heterosexual relationships you could say the same thing.

As a young man when I was writing a lot of corporate events with a producer in Vancouver he would always say that I had my ‘agenda.’

He meant in a very polite way that I was always trying to forward a message either of my own political beliefs or how I’d like to be viewed sexually, as a person who has relationships and the same trials and tribulations as any heterosexual couple. I don’t think I consciously go out to make positive role models in that aspect. I try to stay away from clichés with any kind of character that I create. The best thing to do is take interesting people in interesting situations and let it play out itself.”

“First of all, keep me employed! Come for the very attractive men in the cast and for Brandi Chemerika who is basically a gay man with boobs. It is a good time from the moment you walk in until you leave. It is loosely based on some themes from A Midsummer Nights Dream where Shakespeare says ‘The path to true love is never smooth.’ When you come into a theatre and experience this evening, you will see it is about human relationships. Our ideas of romantic love are never as romantic and ideal as we picture them. You will see parallels with the relationships presented, in the relationships people have with their own lover, in their parents, family and the people around them. The music is great and it is extremely funny. It is so funny if you don’t think it’s funny I’ll give you your money back!” he concluded, before adding “Just kidding! Well, about the refund. The show is that funny.”

That said, at times GLBT audience members have reacted strongly in a negative way, taking a light fun moment and feeling it is homophobic. ”I understand why people say that because there are perceived negative stereotypes of what makes a gay character. I have played them and I don’t like playing them or seeing them. If a gay person is in a movie, play or TV they always have to be flamboyant, can’t have a strong leading role, and are played up for camp effect. Those are the characters I saw growing up like Mr. Humphries on Are You Being Served or men dressing up as ladies in Monty Python. I can see why people get tired of that kind of representation of themselves because there are such a diverse variety of people. That said, pick your battles. There was a time when you couldn’t mention homosexuality let alone put it on a stage without people showing up with billboards and signs. Angels in America had a big stink about it when it was produced up in Edmonton. I did a gay piece in Edmonton in 2002 that got flak from straight media. With Jubilations, or any theatre company, you know your audience and you play to them.”

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Thank You Mr. Presley

  



September 5th – November 8th Jubilations Dinner Theatre (403) 249-7799 www.jubilations.ca

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Community Event

The 2009 Scotiabank Walk for Life Pound the Pavement with AIDS Calgary and HIV Edmonton By: Dallas Barnes “One person in Canada is infected with HIV/AIDS approximately every 2 hours.” In fact, it is estimated that 4000 Albertans are affected by HIV and AIDS. AIDS Calgary and HIV Edmonton would like these statistics to be on your mind as you walk and support The 2009 Scotiabank Walk for Life on September 20th.

Floyd Visser of the SHARP Foundation could not be more excited for this event. Although it is hosted by AIDS Calgary, “they have kindly allowed the funds that are pledged to the SHARP team walkers to go directly to The SHARP Foundation for its care programs.” These programs are consistent with the Foundation’s approach to wholisitic support to improve the health and quality of life for its residents. Currently, it cares for up to 18 residents in three facilities including The Beswick House, Scott House, and Project 2011, and others through outreach care. However there are still many individuals that are being referred to the SHARP Foundation that, for lack of funds, cannot be supported by the organization. This is why the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is so important. “The need is urgent!”

Visser is proud of his walking teams that are made up of supporters, residents, former residents, funders, volunteers, and Board members. Naturally they welcome more pledges and additional walkers. Visit their website to find out how to support their team, or choose the SHARP Foundation as your pledge recipient on the Walk for Life Pledge Form centerfold in this month’s magazine.

HIV Edmonton is just as excited. For the second year in a row, AIDS Calgary has challenged HIV Edmonton to what they call the Alberta Throwdown. “The agency that raises the most money for The 2009 Scotiabank Walk for Life will be declared tops in Alberta.” The loser will be subject to an embarrassing task as chosen by the winner. All in good fun, this is more reason to come out and support your city of choice.

HIV Edmonton “has been providing support, community education, advocacy, prevention and harm reduction education to the Edmonton community for twenty-one years.” Similarly AIDS Calgary “promote(s) the healthy choices people can make to reduce their risk of getting or spreading HIV/AIDS. (They) provide information and resources on practicing safer sex, wearing condoms and avoiding behaviors or situations that could put you at risk since 1983.”

There are two ways that you can participate at the walk in your city. You can either register as a team or as an individual; the goal for teams is to raise $2000 and individuals to raise $250. All of the proceeds go to help those programs in your chosen city. Simply register at either the AIDS Calgary website or the HIV Edmonton website.

The walk begins at Eau Claire Centre in Calgary, and Churchill Square in Edmonton. Even if you are not walking, you can still come down to these locations to cheer on the walkers. If you are walking, make sure you dress the part and bring your enthusiasm with you! Prizes include: Top Early Bird, Top Walker, Top Child, Top Youth, Top Corporate Team, Top Non-Corporate Team, and Top Dog. Make sure to stay after the event to enjoy food, fun, and entertainment.

The Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is a time honoured tradi-

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

tion that spans many years and is celebrated across the country.

Come out and support AIDS Calgary, HIV Edmonton, and the SHARP Foundation.

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For more information, check out the Walk for Life Pledge Form centerfold in this magazine.

The Scotiabank AIDS Walk of Life Edmonton

 www.hivedmonton.com The Scotiabank AIDS Walk of Life Calgary

 www.aidscalgary.com The S.H.A.R.P. Foundation

 www.thesharpfoundation.com

Concert Review

This is No Secret (But it Will Make You Wet!)

By Antonio Bavaro If I were to say “Alberta Queer Music”, the first person to come to mind is probably k.d. lang. Although this Edmonton native is the most celebrated queer artist to come out of this ‘redneck’ province, she is certainly not the only one.

It’s no secret that there does tend to be more gays in the arts scene, but let me whet your appetite with an interview withby interviewing one of Canada’s up &and coming musical acts.

We were blessed this year during Edmonton’s post-Pride parade celebration in Churchill square with an array of spectacular entertainment, including drag queens, singer/songwriters and stilt walkers, but a highlight was when the Wet Secrets took the stage.

“Our song ‘Secret March’ was just waiting to be played for thousands of dancing queers on a nice, sunny day,” says drummer and paint-can player, Trevor Anderson. “Luckily, when we asked the lovely Krystal Ball to help out on the triangle, she more than stepped up to the challenge with a fantastic solo! It didn’t hurt that [her outfit] matched the drum kit we got from local punk rock legends SNFU, either.”

They describe their work as fun-good-time-dance-in-your-underwear music. You can’t help but shake it up under the influence of their rockin’ energy and stage presence, once they start marching in their matching red and white band uniforms (which Trevor acquired from Red Deer College).

The fuzz/horn-y/indie rock band members are among Edmonton’s busiest and most prolific artists. The amount of involvement that the members of the Wet Spots have in other bands and businesses can get a little difficult to explain. On tuba, trombone and trumpet, we have Donna Ball and Kim Rackell, founding members of the classic and sexy Capital City Burlesque (some of you might remember Donna from her days bussing after you party animals at the Roost). Kim’s fiancée, bassist and lead vocalist Lyle Bell, is part of the Juno nominated Shout Out Out Out Out!. Pianist Paul Armusch, who works with Bell as the Whitey Houstons and Whit Sundays, is also in the band the Faunts. Anderson himself has produced and directed 5 short films with his company Dirt City Films which have played at GLBTQ film festivals around the world: Rugburn, Rock Pockets, Dinx, Carpet Diem, and The Island.

With super gay songs like “Mr. Rimjob 1999”, “Anal Rape Santa” and “The Chinball Wizard” (which is all about Trevor Anderson, surprise surprise), it’s no wonder that the homo-centric band has opened for another gay favourite, Metric. But although the whole band isn’t playing

for the same team, you can see them hanging with their homo homeys all over town.

“We joke that there are 3 gay men in the band, plus Lyle and Paul.

We have tagged the girls as 14 year old gay boys trapped in bodacious female bodies,” mentions Trevor.

The idea of a band first took seed when local writer Fish Grotowski took a picture of Lyle licking Trevor’s ear at a pub one night - a Wet Secret. The band officially formed in 2005 as an experiment between friends, seeing if they could write, compose and record a full 10 song album in a week. Thus they created the do-it-yourself album, “A Whale of a Cow”. The album became an independent favourite, and after playing at many venues and festivals here in the west, the Wet Secrets recorded their first studio album in 2008, “Rock Fantasy”. The album became widely popular, spurring a tour to the east and to the US…or was it spurred by their own appetites? Trevor Anderson explains: “We love meat! In Montreal there was smoked meat sandwiches to devour; in Austin, Texas, a huge BBQ every night where Donna, who’s been a vegetarian for years, ate nothing but steak! As long as a city is famous for meat, we’ll play there.”

Fans will be happy to learn that the band plans on going back to the studio this fall for an album to be released early next year.

“At first we started all this jokingly for our own amusement, but it’s evolved into something great. With our over the top costumes, they think this is all a joke, so we’re trying to make the music real and as mind-meltingly good as possible, so it will stand on its own and surprise everybody!”

A benefit of being in a wealthy part of the world is that people have money to go support local talent, and unfortunately our queer artists and allies sometimes get left in the dust by our community because people simply don’t know about the great stuff being produced nowadays. So next time you see the Wet Secrets in print, make sure you go and check them out; your ears (and your feet) will thank you for the workout. In the immortal words of one of their song titles, “Get Your Own Fucking Moustache, Asshole!”

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1394

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The Wet Secrets www.wetsecrets.ca “Rock Fantasy” is available on iTunes and at HMV stores.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Trans Identity

A History of Gender Variance in Expression and Identity Part 6A: Toward the Future (1996 - 2006)

By Mercedes Allen It is interesting that it really wasn’t until after Stonewall when the gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) and transgender (T) communities started to define themselves - that marked divisions occurred among them. From the earliest ages, gender variance and same-sex love were seen as connected and congruous, even if one aspect manifested entirely without the other. Before the oppression of the Middle Ages, both were also seen as equally innate and equally respectable. The rifts that began in the early 1970s (albeit with some earlier genesis in The Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis), deepening with third-wave feminism and other movements, would start to come closer together again as Western culture entered the new millennium, and as the various communities learned that they could distinguish themselves and still learn to understand and respect each other. The trans community would remain outside the longest, not seeing any protective civil rights legislation pass until 1993. But as inclusion would spread, so would protections.

1996 - JoAnna McNamera of It’s Time Oregon successfully convinces Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) that transsexuals are protected under existing Oregon labor law dealing with discrimination of people with disabilities and medical conditions. This made Oregon the third state to extend employment protection to transgender people, following Minnesota and Nebraska.

The Transgender Community Forum becomes a major hub of communication for America Online users, and eventually spawns a wealth of information and support websites. Gwen Smith, who later founds the Transgender Day of Remembrance, spearheads much of the TCF’s resources. The explosion of the Internet would ultimately spread awareness and access to information in ways like never before.

Notable descendents would include heartcorps.com (1997, originating earlier on AOL), drbecky.com (1998, originating earlier on Mindspring), tsroadmap.com (1999, originating in 1997 on AOL), transsexual.org (1999), annelawrence.com (1999, originating earlier on Mindspring - also notable for its controversial support of the theory of Autogynephilia), antijen.org (1999) and lynnconway.com (2000).

The 1995 deaths of transwomen Tyra Hunter in DC, and Chanelle Pickett in Boston, gradually bring to the spotlight several issues facing the African-American transgender community including race, justice, discrimination, and transphobia. They emphasize the point that the faces of transgender hate violence victims are increasingly people of color.

Michael Alig is arrested for the murder of “Angel” Melendez over a drug debt. The arrest draws national attention to the Club Kids, an often-cross-dressing troupe of wildly costumed teens in New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Club Kids fall from grace and eventually vanish. The story is later chronicled in James St. James’ memoir, “Disco Bloodbath,” and in a movie and documentary, both entitled, “Party Monster.” Of particular significance, the famous female impersonator RuPaul was discovered during the Club Kids’ tour of the talk show circuit, roughly around 1988, and later catapults to fame in a music video for the B-52s’ single, “Love Shack.”

1997 - Milton Diamond and Dr. H. Keith Sigmundson publish a

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paper that exposes John Money’s claims of success in the “John/Joan” case.

Sigmundson is David Reimer’s (see 1956 and 1972 entries) supervising psychiatrist at that time, and the two describe Reimer’s literal quest to regain his manhood. Diamond goes on to found the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

1998 - John Colapinto publishes “As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Girl,” telling David Reimer’s story in depth, on the heels of a pivotal Rolling Stone article on the subject. Ongoing troubles would plague Reimer, however, including divorce, the death of his twin brother, family strain and more - Reimer commits suicide in 2004.

Rita Hester is murdered in late November. Discussion about transphobic violence that caused her death, that of Tyra Hunter and many others inspires activists (including Gwendolyn Ann Smith, who curates the list) to catalogue and commemorate these deaths in the form of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. TDoR events now take place annually, usually between November 20th and 28th, in communities around the world.

Transgender activists once again protest exclusion from The Gay Games in Amsterdam, this time with modified rules from those previously rescinded in the last Games: that competitors require documented completion of sex change or two years on hormones before being able to compete. Female-to-male (FTM) transman, photographer Loren Cameron drops out of competition in protest, but Israeli MTF singer Dana International still performs at the Games’ festivities.

Japan allows the first legal gender reassignment surgery (GRS) in that nation to be performed on an FTM transsexual.

Hayley Cropper, a transsexual character, first appears on the popular British soap opera, “Coronation Street.” It is the third time that a transgender character appears in serialized television (the first was Maxwell Q. Klinger in “M*A*S*H;” the second occurrence was in Australia in 1973), and the first time that the character is kept on as a regular in a daytime soap opera (she was originally planned to be written out of the show, and viewer response pushed them to bring her back). Cropper continues to be a regular (and sympathetic) character on the series.

Nong Toom, a Thai kathoey (female-to-male transgender person) enters professional kick-boxing - despite taking feminizing hormones - and becomes a legend. She would later go on to have GRS surgery, and her story is told in the subtitled movie, “Beautiful Boxer.”

1999 - Since the Michigan Womyn’s Festival (a noteworthy and popular lesbian community event) continues to exclude transwomen and refuses to acknowledge them as being women, Camp Trans is revived to protest.

Initially, post-op MTF transsexuals are allowed to attend, but confrontations occur. The exclusion and the protests would continue annually, through the time of writing.

The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) is formed as an advocacy organization across the US. In a Texas court, in Littleton vs. Prang, Christine Littleton (a post-op MTF transsexual) loses her case against the doctor who she contended negligently allowed her husband to die. As the defense argues, even though her birth certificate has been amended to denote “female,” it had originally read “male,” and since same-sex marriage is not permitted in Texas, she was not legally his widow or entitled to anything on behalf of his estate.

Trans Identity Dr. Scott Kerlin founds the DES Sons International Network, an online support and advocacy group for children exposed to Di-Ethyl Stilbestrol (DES) in utero, fighting the perception that DES is strictly a womens’ health issue. When DES Sons is only a few months old, a new member raises the issue that he had always felt that he was a girl, and was, in fact, transsexual. This initiates a flood of confessions about other members’ own gender identity issues, and quickly becomes one of the dominant themes raised by male children of DES births (although not all DES Sons experience transgender leanings). DES Trans is later set up by Kerlin and Dr. Dana Beyer as a separate support group for this discussion.

sexuals to compete as their reassigned gender if the surgery has taken place at least two years prior to the competition and if the athlete has been on a regimen of hormones equal to that of a person born to the gender. Despite this resolution and a promise to eliminate gender testing, gender testing continues to this day, and the participation of a transsexual in the Olympic Games uncontested has not yet been tested.

Pvt. Barry Winchell is murdered by fellow soldiers, resparking a questioning of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy of the U.S. Military.

He is murdered because of allegations that arise from his relationship with transwoman Calpernia Addams. Their story is retold in the 2003 movie, “Soldier’s Girl.” Addams later starts the TSroadmap website with Andrea James, and the two collaborate on several projects to assist transwomen.

The Centurion, a modified form of metoidioplasty is introduced as a surgical alternative for female-to-male transsexuals.

Mayor Georgina Beyer becomes New Zealand’s (and the World’s) first transsexual Member of Parliament. Beyer did so against the odds, having come from a background of sex work, then transitioning and rising to public office.

Robert Eads dies of ovarian cancer. A transman, Eads is denied treatment by more than two dozen doctors out of fears that taking him on as a patient might be an embarrassment to their practice. His story is told (in his own words) in the award-winning documentary, “Southern Comfort.”

After a few years of fighting with the British legal system, Petra Henderson, a UK citizen residing in Germany, puts forward a special case that is decided by the Lord Chancellor: she is allowed to change her name and gender status (despite Britain’s refusal to change Birth Certificates)... without affecting her marital status. Because the case is considered a unique case, authorities refuse to allow it to set a precedent. In 2002, with Henderson’s assistance, a British citizen in Paris approaches the consulate in France and wins a similar victory, thus defusing the “one-off” claim. This helps pave the way for the Gender Recognition Act in 2004 (although the GRA requires a divorce before a new gender is recognized).

The Transgender Pride flag is designed by Monica Helms, and is first shown the following year at a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. 2000 - Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) introduces a measure “expressing the concern of Congress regarding human rights violations against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and trangendered [sic] individuals around the world.” In doing so, Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to be elected to US Congress, introduces the first known transgenderinclusive resolution proposed on a national stage in the US. It does not pass, but paves the way for later attempts.

Jane Fee becomes the first openly transgender person to attend any political party’s national convention (the Democratic National Convention in LA).

2001 - Erin Lindsey begins producing Venus Envy, a popular ongoing webcomic strip focusing on the life of Zoe Carter, a young transsexual girl living in Salem, Pennsylvania.

Canadian cyclist Michelle Dumaresq enters the sport of downhill bike racing, six years after her SRS surgery. She would go on to win battles with Cycling BC and the Canadian Cycling Association to compete, win the 2002 Canada Cup series, win the 2003 Canadian National Championships and score additional victories. At the 2006 Canadian Nationals, a protest from one of her competitors during the podium ceremonies would bring renewed attention to Dumaresq’s participation in female sports: the boyfriend of second-place finisher Danika Schroeter would jump up onto the podium and help Schroeter put on a t-shirt reading “100% Pure Woman Champ.” Dumaresq later becomes the subject of the CTV documentary, “100% Woman.”

2002 - Gwen “Lida” Araujo is murdered by several partygoers, who had discovered her male genitalia. The three men who were charged alternately resorted to panic strategies during their defense, trying to minimize (i.e. to a charge of “Manslaughter”) or legitimize their actions because of their apparent shock at the discovery. Araujo’s mother and local activists would embark on a battle to address this tactic.

The International Olympic Committee amends policy to allow trans-

The Transgender Law Center is founded, and works toward protecting and entrenching the rights of transgender persons in California, as well as assisting legal activists elsewhere.

2003 - Calpernia Addams and Andrea James found Deep Stealth Productions. Deep Stealth produces video work providing advice on voice therapy and makeup / presentation, and supplements the TS Roadmap spectrum of MTF online written advice.

J. Michael Bailey publishes “The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender Bending and Transsexualism,” a horribly-researched text that heavily sexualizes transsexuals and popularizes Ray Blanchard’s theory of Autogynephilia, while dividing transsexuals according to sexual orientation. Bailey would later be reduced in status at his position at Northwestern University amidst allegations of not having disclosed to some of his interviewees that they were being recorded (one of whom also alleged that Bailey had slept with her), though the University denied that the allegations had anything to do with the demotion.

Northwestern University and Toronto’s Clarke Institute of Psychiatry (later the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health) would become inextricably linked by the associations and cliquish affirmations between Blanchard, Bailey, Kenneth Zucker, Anne Lawrence, Alice Dreger and others whose work sexualizes and stigmatizes transsexual, transgender and sometimes intersex people.

Mara Keisling starts the National Center for Transgender Equality.

The significant “Re Kevin” set of legal decisions comes down in Australia. They are cited in many cases internationally with regards to identification and access issues, stating that “There should be no escape for medical and legal authorities that these definitions (of man and woman) ought to be corrected and updated when new information becomes available, particularly when our outdated definitions bring suffering to some of our fellow human beings”.

Jennifer Finney Boylan’s memoir, “She’s Not There,” becomes the first-known best-selling work by a transgender American.

In Lawrence v. Texas, the US Supreme Court arrives at a 6-3 ruling that strikes down the prohibition of homosexual sodomy in Texas, and declares that such laws are unconstitutional. Several other states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, but they are now not frequently enforced.

2004 - The Gender Recognition Act of 2004 is passed in the UK, allowing transgender persons to legally change their sex and have it recognized for the purposes of marriage and other issues.

Dee Palmer (born David Palmer), former member of the rock band Jethro Tull, comes out as an MTF transsexual. Palmer had been born intersex and assigned male gender at birth.

2005 - Although homosexuality had been delisted as a mental disorder in 1973, transgenderism is still listed in the DSM-IV. However, a new wave of thinking has transsexuality and transgenderism linked to more biological factors, such as DNA predisposition, or DES. Books of the time begin to reflect this, including Deborah Rudacille’s “The Riddle of Gender.”

2006 - The Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act becomes law. The bill, fueled by the murder of Gwen Araujo and 2004 murder of Joel Robles (in which the defendant plea-bargained his way down to a 4month sentence), prevents defendants from using panic strategies and potential biases against the victim to minimize their actions.

Dr. Ben Barres writes a highly-noted article in Nature refuting an earlier theory by Lawrence Summers and others that there are fewer female scientists than male because of a difference in “intrinsic apti-

Continued on Page 31 

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Fundraising Photos ISCCA Drag Show at the Calgary Eagle

Fake Mustache Show at The Soda - Calgary

Bowling for Beswick - Calgary

Pride Calgary Art Auction at the Calgary Eagle

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

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Fundraising Photos

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ISCWR Candidate Show - Edmonton Photos by Karen Hofmann

Marni’s B-Day Fundraiser at PLAY - Edmonton Photos by Karen Hofmann

Shaving Heads for Hope at Texas Lounge - Calgary

Tits and Mitts Tournament - Edmonton Photos by Karen Hofmann

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Book Review

Welcome Home: Building the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival

A “Visual Poem” of an often private space

By James S.M. Demers “Michigan is a conscious experiment in living according to feminist principles, and what that means is very complicated.”

For the first time ever the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival is being visually documented by photographer Angela Jiminez. Officially released at the Festival in the summer of 2009, Jiminez’s photographic documentary chronicles three years of the “herstoric” festival.

Jiminez, a 34 year-old Brooklyn based journalist/documentarian photographer is a regular contributor to The New York Times and a contract photographer with the Getty Images Creative Department.

In 2003, while on assignment for Velvetpark Magazine, a lesbian publication, she first discovered the Michigan Womyn’s Festival, or Michigan as it has come to be known as. A little nervous about the unfamiliar idea of an all female environment, she left the event “deeply inspired to go back. Michigan is a major part of herstory. It is aging and its story has gone largely untold.”

Michigan was created in 1976 by than 19 year-old Lisa Vogel, her sister Kristie and Mary Kindig “as a response to perceived misogyny, sexism, and homophobia” of the time. These three women have witnessed too many female musicians and stagehands become victims of harassment at events run by heterosexual men. As a result, Michigan was, and still is feminist-minded women run musical event that allows women to just be, and finally feel at home without any heteronormative rules and restrictions.

a community form around this process.”

Each worker’s story has been documented on film. Photos depicting the sense of community and belonging show how strong the bond of women can be, and how powerful the sense of “coming home” to be oneself is. These women come every year and volunteer their time to ensure that the legacy of The Michigan Womyn’s Festival stays as true and pure as it was in 1976.

Although Michigan has met its fair share of controversy with its “womyn born womyn” policy, which mandates that womyn attending and working the Festival must be born a girl, lived as a girl, and presently identify as a womyn, it has largely been somewhat of a secret society. Jiminez tells a story with her pictures, and we can now have a sneak peak. When viewing these photographs, however, one comes to realize that not all is told. One can only know everything by being there. The sense of accomplishment that must come year after year, and the be-as-you-are environment could never be replicated on paper.

What Jiminez does do instead, is make us want to be there ourselves, and to yearn to be welcomed home.

Welcome Home: Building the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, and prints from the book are available online at www.thewelcomehomebook.com.

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The Vogels and Kindig purchased 650 acres of land in Hart, Michigan with funds raised by sponsors and fundraisers. “The Land” as it is lovingly referred to is now the permanent home to the Festival.

All of the stages, buildings, light systems, cooks, babysitters, and anything else facilitated are run by women. All decisions about the Festival are made by these women. All women are welcome to attend, and certain sub-cultures of women are made to feel welcome through various “healing communities” such as “Womyn of Colour” only spaces, special arrangements for women with disabilities, and sign language interpretation stations. No base is ever left uncovered.

On top of the musical performances with such past acts as Tracy Chapman, Melissa Ferrick, Tegan and Sara, and Sarah McLachlan, there are workshops, campfires, movies under the stars, drum gatherings, dances, and sweat lodges to name a few events. Perhaps this community-oriented, grass roots festival can only be told truthfully through photographs. This is what Angela Jiminez has done.

“Inspired by the Do-It-Yourself spirit of the Festival” Jiminez has not only captured the labour-of-love that goes into the project year after year. She has also documented her own journey at times in a very explicitly pure fashion of being a labourer for the Festival.

Each one of her photos evokes a feeling of community. The Land is returned to a natural state once the Festival is over. All the stages are taken down, the electrical components are removed, and everything is left as it once was. Jiminez has captured both the natural scene of the Land before the Festival, and compares it to what it is after. “I watched

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Music Review

Music Review

Golden, POPular, Tonight

By Rob Diaz-Marino “Golden” by The Pinup Saints We interviewed the Pinup Saints for the June edition – if you recall they are a dance group that features So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s winner Nico Archambault, but apparently they have some real musical talent behind them as well. This unconventional album comes as a one-size-fits-all black thong with the album’s name emblazoned in gold. Where does the music come from? Well put the underwear on and you’ll find out…that there’s a drop card attached with the information you need to download your album off the internet.

There are a great many upbeat songs on this album with some real character. My first big-time favorite is title track “Golden”, a manic number about a boy who lusts after a woman that he only knows in a magazine. It’s full of naïve excitement, with a brief but hilarious moment where he realizes how sad his obsession really sounds.

“Mister” is a sassy number dripping with clever innuendo. “I feel I’m misbehaving, I’m hungry too. You wanna make a sandwich?” It has a heavy-beat reminiscent of Madonna’s “Hanky Panky”, accompanied by a mischievous saxophone and gratifying electric guitar.

“Make Me Over” is dynamite! It has a catchy but quirky melody, and alludes to the hardcore bonus track that appears after it. The bonus track is a teardown of labels and gender barriers when it comes to sex: “What if I like girls, does that make me a dyke?

What if I like clit, isn’t that what you like? What if your girlfriend is my girl for the night? Am I a bitch?”

“POPular” Series by Centaur Music The POPular series takes many favorites from the last year or so, remixed for the dance floor. I received the first 3 volumes to review, and found the albums to be hit and miss.

DJ Corey King chose to reconstruct his selection of songs from scratch in Volume 1, rather than hunting down samples from the originals. Perhaps this gave him more freedom but I wondered, why bother starting from scratch when the final result is a big step down in quality from the original? On my list of tolerable tracks were “Pocket Full of Sunshine”, “Hot N Cold”, and “Sandcastle Disco”. By far the most disappointing track was “Disturbia” where it was like DJ Corey King recorded weak vocals, hastily laid down a beat, and then gave up. A total wet rag of a song, and a slightly weak album over all.

Thank goodness for Volume 2 by Eastside, who came along and

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showed how it ought to be done - a very professional job. I’m not certain whether they used the original vocals or recorded their own – nevertheless they were seamlessly mixed onto their own instrumentation. Aside from that, I found the selection impeccably compatible with my musical taste. Favorites were “Let It Rock”, “Circus”, “Right Round”, “Keeps Getting Better”, “Cry For You”, and “My Life Would Suck Without You”. Other good ones were “Sober”, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, and “I Hate This Part”. This album definitely gets my strong recommendation.

Volume 3 by DJ Bob Wolcott continued the professionalism, but had a really odd selection of songs. Most of them were unfamiliar to me, and frankly they didn’t grow on me whatsoever by hearing them here.

But he did have a couple of winners, for example, “Waking Up In Vegas” and “When Love Takes Over”. By far my favorite was “Second Chance” – a rock song that translated phenomenally well into a powerful dance number.

“Tonight” Single by Yuksek Well, this weird looking European guy has some pretty snazzy dance tunes. It’s a really simple lyrical concept, with the line “take my hand tonight, go ahead tonight, play my game tonight, keep your head tonight” repeated over a bed of percussion and electronica. The album version is catchy in itself, but the Edit version gives it a slightly different melodic tilt. In my opinion, the best dance mix included on the EP album is the RAC Remix, but I was quite smitten with the “Bewitched” cover that turns it into a folk piece. I’m definitely interested to see what else Yuksek has to offer on his new album.

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Sports

The OutField

‘Stronghold’ stands up for wrestling

By Dan Woog Wrestlers get erections.

That straightforward fact is the elephant in the wrestling room. And it’s just one of many controversial, often-ignored topics addressed by Victor Rook in his insightful new documentary, “Stronghold: In the Grip of Wrestling.”

Here are others: Vast numbers of men are sexually attracted to wrestling. As kids, they cut photos out of library wrestling books; as adults, they believe they must hide their interest.

Now – thanks to Rook’s film, an accompanying book and his WrestleMen.com Web site – wrestling fans are coming out of the closet.

Growing up near Buffalo, Rook did not wrestle. “I thought you had to be a short, thick-necked Italian,” he laughs. “I was tall and lanky. I played tennis.”

He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State, then worked as a technical writer for years. But in the late 1990s he realized two ambitions: He made a nature documentary for PBS, and he started wrestling.

After a wrestling cartoon he drew earned attention, he quit his job. Since 1998 WrestleMen.com has been his main source of income. Through conversations with thousands of men – gay and straight, single and married – he realized his attraction to wrestling was far from unique.

In 2004, he decided to make a film. He wanted to address sensitive subjects like wrestling homoeroticism, but in a way that straight and gay men could both respect. He also wanted to include every form of wrestling: amateur, professional, submission and “horseplay.”

He posted a request for interviews on the Web site of USA Wrestling, the umbrella organization for high school and college grappling. It was removed on the grounds of “solicitation.” However, a similar request for a fictional film was allowed to remain.

Rook says that USAW did not want to be associated with lightning-rod issues. He notes, “That’s unfortunate. Those same issues – boys’ shame about their bodies, and homophobia – ultimately prevent more kids from getting into wrestling.”

As he traveled the country filming interviews, Rook felt pressure from two sides. “Gays were afraid that this film may set back gay men who take wrestling seriously,” he says. “And straight audiences wanted nothing to do with anything that spoke of homoeroticism, even when kids make constant jokes about wrestling looking so ‘gay.’”

But clearly, interest was there. Every day for four years, Rook wore a wrestling T-shirt. That made people feel comfortable initiating conversations. “In bars, guys have dumped their girlfriends to talk to me all night about wrestling,” Rook says.

Compared with the rest of filmmaking, the interviews were easy; finding archival footage was especially arduous. Rook spent months searching for clips in the public domain, and obtaining rights for others. But the many black-and-white and sepia pictures of boys and men wrestling through the ages

provide graphic evidence that such activity has long been part of male life.

Rook spent enormous time organizing his material. “Before you can talk about one thing, you have to cover another,” he notes. For example, a section on “Masculinity and Wrestling” served as a lead-in to more sensitive discussions of arousal and eroticism later on.

Current events played a role too. When eBay banished all amateur-made wrestling videos to the “Mature Audiences” section – even those with no sexual content – Rook juxtaposed the decision with female and coed videos, which were not affected.

Cramming all that – while describing the stark distinction between scholastic and professional wrestling, the societal taboo against adult amateur wrestling and the underground world of wrestling for pleasure and gratification – into two hours was extremely difficult. Rook ended up including an hour of material on an “extras” disc.

Reaction has been very positive. Men tell Rook they no longer feel alone or odd because of their attraction to wrestling.

The film has been praised by coaches, too. Among the most compelling interviewees is a high school coach who seems surprised when he realizes he never addresses fears of erections, or the perception that all wrestlers are gay, with his young charges.

Rook hopes the video is seen by many scholastic coaches.

“Listening to adult men talk about their fears and shame around wrestling growing up may help coaches become more sensitive to their wrestlers’ concerns,” he says.

Until then, Rook will be sustained by a conversation he had with a teenager. Advising him to ignore the gibes of those who call wrestling a “gay sport” – and to concentrate on the selfconfidence, physical fitness and joy he takes from training and competition – Rook told the boy: “Don’t worry. It’s not about you.

It’s about everyone else, and what they’re feeling.”

For more information on “Stronghold,” visit www.wrestlingfilm.com.

(For further information, contact www.gaywhistler.com) Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, gay activist, and author of the “Jocks” series of books on gay male athletes. Visit his Web site at www.danwoog.com.

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Politics

Children Suffer When the Religious Right Wins A Personal Story

By Diane Silver For any mother, the day her child turns 18 is a milestone, but for a lesbian mom that particular birthday can be overwhelming.

The day my son turned 18 was routine, as birthdays go. I went to work. I made jokes about how I couldn’t possibly be old enough for him to be 18. A high school senior, Tony played trumpet in the marching band, and his friends surprised him that night with an impromptu concert on our front lawn. They stayed for cake and ice cream and then jammed in my living room.

It was a good day, but it was also odd. As much as I enjoyed it, I felt strange. It wasn’t that I felt bad; I felt relieved, but I couldn’t figure out why. Tony had always been healthy. He got good grades. He was a normal, rowdy teen. I couldn’t figure out why I was so incredibly relieved that he had turned 18.

Nothing made sense until I had a “eureka” moment in the shower the next morning. Tony had reached the age of adulthood. No one had the legal right to rip him away from his family anymore.

Tony is the biological child of my late life partner, who died of breast cancer more than a decade ago. As co-parent – particularly as co-parent in the very red state of Kansas – I was a legal nonentity.

I was there when he was born. I held out my hands for his first step. I heard his first words. I sat up all night with him when he had his first cold. I went to every single parentteacher conference. I paid for his doctor checkups and school fees, and I kept him in shoes. I held him when his birth mother died when he was just 7. I love him more than I ever knew you could love any soul. Despite all that, without the intervention of a court, I wouldn’t have had the legal right to be in the same room with him, let alone to be his parent.

We were lucky, though.

I was able to legally adopt him, largely because my partner’s family supported me. I might not have succeeded if they hadn’t.

I didn’t know how close Tony came to being torn away until my late partner’s brother told me he considered taking my son after his sister died. He consulted a psychologist friend. That psychologist - bless him - told the man I still consider to be my brother-in-law that taking me away from Tony would mean that he would lose both parents and not just one, with the death of his birth mother.

Even though this good man had seen me with Tony for years and knew how close we were, it never occurred to him to think of me as Tony’s parent. To his credit, my brother-in-law saw the truth in his friend’s statement and supported the adoption.

Think about how close that was. What if my partner’s brother couldn’t see the wisdom of his friend’s words? What if he had talked to a different friend?

My son and I are blessed. Despite one tragedy, our family avoided another. We stayed together when so many other fami-

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lies have been forced apart. In the 1990s, 12-year-old Cassie was taken from her mother, Mary Ward, in Florida and given to her father – a convicted murderer. In 2006 and 2007, the children of Keri Jones of Utah and B.F. in Kentucky lost the right to even visit their co-parents. Today, Kathryn Kutil and Cheryl Hess of West Virginia are fighting to keep custody of the baby they fostered when no one else wanted a child born to a drug addict.

Despite our family’s good fortune, it wasn’t until my son became a legal adult that I realized how frightened I had been. I never knew whether the people who believe I’m an abomination would find a way to legally remove my son from the only family he had ever known.

This is just a taste of what it is like to be a lesbian or gay parent in the United States today. With the 2008 passage of the adoption ban in Arkansas and the Religious right’s continuing agitation for other bans, our families face repeated attacks.

If an adoption ban had been in effect when my partner died, it would have been impossible for me to adopt Tony.

What a tragedy that would have been.

Diane Silver is a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor, whose work has appeared in The Progressive, Salon.com, Ms, and other national publications.

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Community Spotlight

Alberta’s Top Ten GLBT Figures Part One

By Pam Rocker In this modern age where YouTube videos of panda’s sneezing seem to get more attention than, say, world hunger, it’s refreshing to recognize and acknowledge real human beings that are humbly making a difference day in and day out.

Gay Calgary and Edmonton Magazine asked you in their Reader Survey earlier this year, to nominate individuals who you thought deserved recognition for making a positive impact in their community through their personal efforts, or through their efforts within a business or community group. Your response was so overwhelmingly diverse that many of the nominations remained tied with only a handful of votes. It was definite that there was no clear winner, so instead we decided to celebrate the top ten people (in no particular order) that you selected, based on the best written responses given as to why they deserved recognition.

This month, the first five will be showcased, and we will conclude with the other half in October. So here is your first batch of everyday heroes, in no particular order:

Brendan Van Alstine A quick look at his involvement in the community makes one wonder if there is any room in Brendan’s calendar for the little things like eating and sleeping. Van Alstine is the Youth Program Coordinator at the Pride Centre of Edmonton and a founding member of the Queer Allied Network and the Transit Riders’ Union of Edmonton (TRUE). He is also a facilitator with Youth Understanding Youth (a local LGBT youth discussion/support group) and a regular volunteer with the Carrot Community Arts Café.

“I enjoy seeing my work and involvement create tangible change that has a positive impact on people’s lives,” says Brendan. His passion for creating this tangible change is evident in his running for Edmonton City Council in the newly created Ward 7, with his campaign launching on October 17th.

Transit regulars will appreciate Brendan’s involvement in the Transit Riders’ Union of Edmonton, which includes the annual Transit Challenge Week. “In the last week of November, TRUE will once again challenge Edmonton’s city Councillors to give up their private vehicles and rely entirely on transit for one week.” TRUE believes that to serve the needs of Edmonton’s transit riders, one must understand what it means to be transit dependent in Edmonton. They hope that Councillors will gain an appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of the transit system and be able to base their future decisions on first-hand experience.

As the Program Coordinator for YouthSpace, Brendan looks forward to re-launching the Peer Mentor Program in September.

The Pride Centre’s YouthSpace offers a chance for youth to interact, make new friends, pursue leadership opportunities, access a variety of resources and information or just hang out in a safe and accepting space.

“The Pride Centre is important because for many in our community there are not a lot of other places that they can turn to for resources or help. Particularly for groups such as youth and seniors who either aren’t able to go to other queer-friendly venues (i.e. bars) or don’t want to - but still want a safe place to come and be who they really are.”

Johnathan Finlayson Johnathan wears many hats in Calgary, one of them being an owner of the city’s only leather bar, The Calgary Eagle. In addition to this, his work as a community leader and volunteer runs deep and wide.

He is currently on the Board of Directors for the AIDS Calgary Awareness Association and a cofounder of the HIV Peer Support Group in Calgary, with which he has continued to serve as a volunteer since 1995. Johnathan supports and/or oversees organization of fundraisers for both of these organizations, as well as for The SHARP Foundation. The SHARP Foundation (Society Housing AIDS/HIV Restricted Persons) is a Calgary-based non-profit charitable organization with a mandate to provide a wholistic (medical, physical, psychosocial and spiritual aspects) continuum of care to people living with HIV or AIDS. On Sunday, September 20th, The Calgary Eagle hosts their third annual Great Chili Contest, with all proceeds benefiting the Beswick House on behalf of the SHARP Foundation. The Beswick House provides 24-hour long-term and palliative support for up to ten individuals. Contest entry forms can be picked up at the Eagle or filled out on their website.

When asked why he is passionate about being involved in the community, Finlayson responds with characteristic humility and vulnerability: “I never truly thought of why I’m involved, it has always seemed to be the right thing to do. I went through some very personal and challenging times in 1992 and through AIDS Calgary and their volunteer program, I found support and from there the rest is history. I began volunteering as a way to give back for what I received, and it has just become a natural part of my being ever since. My passion continues to grow all the time due to the continued overwhelming support that this community has offered time and time again. If we as a community change one life for the better, no matter our involvement, we have done the right thing.”

The values of unity and teamwork are a common theme in Finlayson’s words and actions. “Businesses and organizations are seen as leaders. We have a great responsibility to work with and listen to our community for enrichment. When we listen, we are in a better position to assist, advocate, inform, educate and to partner with those whom we are all responsible to; our community. This support for the community is not for specialized groups, ideologies or interests. It’s for everyone. We all have the opportunity to look to and build our futures together.”

Tyler Gschaid Tyler has been working with the Gay And Lesbian Alliance (GALA) since 1996 and currently serves as the Board Secretary for GALA in Lethbridge.

“Last year was a very productive year for GALA/LA. For the first time in several years, an operating budget was prepared. We obtained board insurance and moved the dances from a facility just

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Community Spotlight outside of city limits to one that is more accessible downtown,” Tyler states.

He is also a committee member for the Lethbridge Pride Fest and, as many may know, Lethbridge hosted their first Pride Festival this past June with great success. Gschaid was instrumental in reaching out to invite other community groups and volunteers to come on board in the support and planning of Pride events. He also worked with the Mayor’s office to secure permission to raise the rainbow flag at City Hall for the first time.

His fervent desire to support the community is rooted in his determination to involve himself with programs and organizations that allow people to be themselves. “I try to bring the perspective of those who are or may feel they are on the fringes of the GLBTTQ community; those that are perhaps less popular or not very outspoken.”

Tyler’s connection with GALA has a personal link: “Although as a teenager I knew I was attracted to other males it wasn’t until I was attending University in the early 90s that I made any real attempt to come out to anyone else. It did not last long, as there was no great welcoming and I didn’t feel that I fit in. So I went back into the closet. Then, around the time of Ellen’s coming out episode and Matthew Sheppard’s murder, I made more steps in coming out. I started attending the coffee nights that were coordinated by GALA/LA.” When asked what his influences are, Gschaid shares that his volunteering is sparked by the drive to make society a more welcoming place. “I know two gay men whose sexual orientation probably played a role in their suicide and another two gay men whose alcohol/drug addiction coupled with depression and isolation eventually lead to their deaths. They were wonderful people and society should have offered them help, but because of fear and ignorance, they are no longer with us.”

As a founding member of the Rhino In The Room Film Festival (September 17th and 18th) as well as the News Editor for GayLethbridge.com, it’s clear to see that Tyler always has an answer to his daily mantra: “What have I done today to make me feel proud?”

Michael Phair In his five terms as a City Councillor in Edmonton, Phair was a consistent champion of and advocate for the Arts, as well as a strong voice for Edmonton’s GLBT community. His work recently earned him the distinction of being inducted into the Arts and Culture Hall of Fame for the city of Edmonton.

Edmonton’s Arts and Culture landscape was very different when Phair arrived in 1979. His leadership and fearlessness in supporting and pioneering new initiatives (Edmonton Arts Council, Writer-in-Exile Program, Cariwest Festival, and many more) have played a huge part in the growth and diversity of the Art scene in Edmonton; a city which was named a cultural capital of Canada in 2007.

Phair founded the Exposure Festival two years ago and it was such a hit that it became an annual event. Exposure aims to uncover, highlight and celebrate queer arts and culture. The festival exposes queer artists to new audiences, and exposes Edmonton audiences to new art. By creating environments where artists can explore queer culture and take risks, the festival cultivates creative synergies, thought-provoking displays, social commentary, and new

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possibilities for inhabiting sexuality and gender.

Michael’s advocacy doesn’t stop at the Arts. His pivotal founding of HIV Edmonton means that this organization has been providing support, community education, advocacy, prevention and harm reduction education to the Edmonton community for twenty-one years.

For Michael, there is always more work to be done. He is currently a committee member for Pride Week, an honorary patron of Edmonton’s Vocal Minority and a member of Edmonton’s Pride Centre and HIV Edmonton. He is also involved with the Institute of Sexual Minorities Study and Services and Camp fyrefly at the University of Alberta.

He shares that the importance of these organizations resides in the impact that they make on the individual, as well as the larger community. “Organizations in our community that offer support, assistance, education, social, recreational and political opportunities, strengthen our community and change, for the better, the city of Edmonton.”

Keith Andony Keith is one of the many dedicated volunteer coordinators for activities affiliated with the Team Edmonton Sports Association.

He acts as a volunteer coordinator and instructor for Blazin’ Bootcamp, a twice weekly fitness bootcamp. “I share this responsibility with my partner Alex Mawanay, who is equally deserving of recognition,” he admits.

Andony also assists with the coordination of Samsara Yoga, a weekly GLBTQ yoga class taught

by Romeo Ripoli at Korezone Fitness. The donations they receive from offering this class have allowed them to create further activities for the community such as funding a self-defense expert to offer a workshop at Camp fYrefly.

He is also a big part of the Free To Be Volleyball league, with counterparts Al Ling, Jim Knoepflij and Chris Evans. This is the largest GLBTQ sports and recreation group in Edmonton and operates throughout the year. “We have all seen these groups grow and develop in recent years to be able to serve the needs of the community in a better way,” says Andony.

The passion and enthusiasm he exhibits for each of these organizations is contagious: “I have been involved in these activities because there is a demand for well organized sports and recreational opportunities that are inclusive of the GLBTQ community. Every time a new person shows up at one of the 28 different activities that Team Edmonton promotes, it is a tribute to the volunteer work and resources that the entire community puts into these various groups.”

Team Edmonton will be holding the annual general meeting and volunteer appreciation event on September 26th at Play Nightclub. It’s a chance to recognize and celebrate the success of their programs, volunteers and participants that are the heart of the organization.

“There is a need for the GLBTQ community to expand and diversify its range of activities to reflect a full array of interests. Team Edmonton activities provide healthy physical and social outlets that have not always been the most accessible or recognizable part of the community. It is critical that we ensure that we are visible and active in the community,” Keith states.

Keith puts his words into action, literally, on a daily basis and is a proud participant in the HIV Walk for Life on September 20th.

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Lifestyle

The Leather Soul

An Overview of Leather History

By Boy David Ask around the community about leathermen, and you will hear a number of different responses. We’ve been described as everything from self-hating perverts to hide-covered anachronisms, but regardless of opinion, leather has been an integral part of our collective LGBT history for the past 70 years or more. In this and future articles, I hope to explore a subculture of our community that is often misunderstood; without any kind of introduction, though, there isn’t much to explore. So when I saw that Mayor Bronconnier declared September to be Pride Month in Calgary, I decided that there was no better time to inform our community about this aspect of our shared history.

After returning from service in Europe in the years following World War II, gay men typically had nowhere to go. Unlike the public perception of homosexuals, they were not effeminate and had no trouble fitting into the service long before the introduction of DADT. These men, without wives or families to support, often became involved with the highly masculine motorcycle culture, joining clubs and connecting with other men who had similar experiences as themselves in the war. A fascination with the masculinity of bikers, along with influence from Hollywood with the movie, “The Wild One” (1953), compelled several gay men to embrace motorcycle culture. Eventually, in 1954, The Satyrs were created in Los Angeles as the first gay motorcycle club, and soon afterwards similar clubs were established throughout America.

Some of these motorcycle clubs, as the story goes, were operated in militaristic fashion. Seniority and merit won the respect of others. Junior members of the clubs were charged with the task of being in service to these senior members. These junior members would often be responsible for the care and maintenance of their seniors’ leathers and boots, as well as the sexual desires of the senior members. Over time, the junior members would earn their colors and would earn the right to have subsequent junior members at their disposal. The dynamic of dominance and submission, the meritocracy, the emphasis on experience, and other subtleties of the relationships between senior and junior members of the community are still common in leather culture today.

Through the 60s and 70s, the culture grew and evolved, as it always has. Cultural traditions evolved in some groups to embrace more stringent roles and greater militarism in the 1970s in what is often referred to as “Old Guard” leather. The release of “Leatherman’s Handbook” by Larry Townsend along with “Drum-

The dynamic of dominance and submission, the meritocracy, the emphasis on experience, and other subtleties of the relationships between senior and junior members of the community are still common in leather culture today mer” magazine exposed even more men to leather. Men flocked to gay villages to see and experience this culture, and had become so popular that at one point there were more than a dozen gay leather bars in San Francisco alone.

At the advent of the AIDS crisis, leathermen were hit especially hard because of their promiscuous sex habits; this has left a hole in our ranks which has since gone unfilled, resulting in many leathermen creating their own paths as opposed to falling in line with what an experienced mentor might require of them.

The commands of “You shall, you will, you must” have fallen to the wayside in favor of “You could, you can, you might”, making leather bars a much safer place for the curious outsider now than ever before.

Gone are the days when walking into a bar wearing the wrong attire could get your shirt torn off for being too “foofy” (and I won’t go into detail about what could have happened to a guy who dared to wear cologne), and questions are always welcome from interested parties. We’re always looking for somebody new to “corrupt”, after all.

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For more information on leather history, you might be interested in reading Urban Aboriginals by Geoff Mains, The Leatherman’s Handbook by Larry Townsend, and checking out http://www.cuirmale.nl online.

Shortly after the establishment of gay motorcycle clubs, the first leather bars were opened. By the late 50s, gay leather bars were established in LA, New York, and Chicago. This provided both a place for gay motorcyclists, as well as their admirers who were likely more interested in the dominance/submission dynamics, leather, and boots, than the motorcycles themselves.

By 1957, Touko Laaksonen, better known as Tom of Finland, was introduced to gay North America through his drawings in physique magazines whose depictions of hyper-masculine men wearing tall boots and leather became a hit, compelling even more gay men to seek out like-minded individuals. In 1964, Life Magazine ran an article about homosexuality with a page devoted to the Tool Box leather bar in San Francisco; by this time, leather culture had truly been established as a kinky lifestyle, as the article outright stated that its masculine patrons enjoyed S&M and other kinks, commonly referred to within the community as leathersex.

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Celebrity Interview

Hey, world

Big-mouthed comedian Sandra Bernhard has tackled a lot in her 30-year career. Now it’s time for global domination.

By Chris Azzopardi Sandra Bernhard, who’s been targeting celebrity culture and politics with a biting snap for over 30 years, always puts it all out there. We mean that in every which way – remember the nude 1992 Playboy pictorial? Now she has a different platform to do so: Twitter, where she rants on drug companies, plugs her new world-music LP – Whatever It Takes, out Aug. 25 – and talks booze with gal pal and fellow queer actress, Sarah Paulson.

When the comic pacesetter’s not tirelessly Tweeting, she’s performing “Without You I’m Nothing” shows during a 20th anniversary revival and pitching a New York-set project she co-wrote with Rip Torn’s daughter.

From her New York pad, Bernhard chatted about her world music album, Twitter freaks and her “weird” life.

I just started following you on Twitter – and now I feel bad.

I made you feel bad?

Yeah, because you’re a more diligent tweeter than me (laughs).

It’s summertime – I’ve got a little more time on my hands than usual.

Even when I’m busy, I run to the computer during the day and try to remind people of little things and ideas. It’s a nice creative outlet, but don’t let it make you feel bad (laughs).

Do you ever get any weirdos sending you messages?

I’ve gotten maybe a handful of negative off-the-wall responses, but I have to say, all in all, considering how out there I am, everybody’s been very cool. If it gets too weird, I’ll just jump off.

The new album is very liberating. I felt like I took a trip around the world without having to get on a plane.

That’s kind of the point of all of my work, but musically, this album kind of captures that without saying it so didactically. It’s just there in the music and the beats and the rhythms and the lyrics. I’m really excited about it.

Why did you decide to make a foray into world music?

It wasn’t really my idea. Ted Mason, the producer and co-writer, approached me. He wanted to do an album like this, and he was looking for somebody who had my kind of outlook on the world and my kind of

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view, and he said, “Would you be into doing this?” And I said, “Yeah, of course.” We started collaborating. He’s a very creative person, obviously, and he has access to all these people, all these world musicians. I mean, off the top of my head, it’s not the first kind of music I’m attracted to, but I feel like we kind of blurred the lines. It’s not so heavily African or Latin, but it has a lot of those influences.

Tell me what it was like working with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on “All Around.”

We’re very good friends, but she happened to be in town and we were in the studio those days. Chrissie’s like hardcore. She’s a no-nonsense, no-B.S. kind of person.

Just like you then?

Yeah. Well, she makes me look like a lightweight, to be honest with you (laughs).

You mention shopping in Kazakhstan on “We’re on Our Way” – do they have good deals there?

(Laughs) It’s just about stopping along the way and experiencing all the different cultures. I’m sure they do. I actually haven’t been to Kazakhstan. I can imagine they probably have a few good bargains.

Celebrity Interview Assuming you’ve been all over the place, which locations inspired you for this album?

Actually, I haven’t been in as many places as I’d like to. The most exotic place I think I’ve been to is Morocco, which I’ve been to three times.

It’s my favorite super-exotic locale, but I haven’t been to the major parts of Africa and I really haven’t been that far east, either. I’ve got a lot of traveling to do. I put my imagination to good work, but certainly I know a lot of people from various experiences who have been around, and what I don’t know, they fill me in on.

A lot of people who think world music think Yanni.

(Laughs) That’s really kind of the Dairy Queen of world music. I think world music has influenced everybody – hip-hop and rap and all of the R&B artists, there’s a lot of that in there. Without African and world music, there wouldn’t be the American kind of soul/R&B sound. Now it’s everywhere.

The last time I saw you live, when you closed with a song, I recall a sea of surprised faces. Are a lot of people shocked that you’re a trained singer?

I think less and less. I’ve been doing it now for so long. I was on the Lilith Fair Tour. I’ve gotten to collaborate with a lot of people, like Sheryl Crow. People who don’t know my work so completely, they always say, “Oh, I didn’t know you could sing.” They’re happy to hear it. I always get good feedback.

I remember watching you perform with The Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines in a YouTube clip.

She’s another great friend, and I think she has one of the greatest voices in the world. She’s the kind of person that opens her mouth, and it’s there. She’s a big talent.

I can see why you’d get along.

(Laughs) Yeah. Well, obviously, she’s another very, very outspoken and ballsy person.

So how about that Mariah Carey – I know that you and her are BFFs (laughs).

I happen to love her.

Really? You’re always raggin’ on her.

Oh, sure. You can’t deny Mariah’s talent. She’s eccentric, and anytime someone is really willing to put them self out there, for me, it’s an opportunity to find an ironic, funny way of talking about them. But there’s nothing about Mariah that I find offensive; I just think she’s crazy and funny and interesting.

Check out her “Obsessed” video, where she’s an Eminem lookalike.

Oh, Mariah. She’s a trip. I know Eminem gives her a hard time. We Michiganders don’t pull any punches.

What’s different about doing “Without You I’m Nothing” now versus two decades ago?

The Internet and the kind of exposure you get now as opposed to the ’80s, it’s so different. The whole world is different. The material that’s from the original show still holds up because it’s so personal, but the things I talk about around it obviously are more contemporary. And when you see the difference between what I talk about then and now, I don’t know – the world has just moved very quickly, and continues to kind of surprise me at different turns.

It surprises everyone.

It’s a lot to take in, and I don’t think it’s easy for everybody to do. I think that’s why so many people are freaked out. It’s just a weird time.

Sure is. It was a pleasure talking to you.

Great talking to you, Chris. Keep twittering! (Laughs) I’ll try to keep up with you (laughs).

Just don’t wear yourself out.

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Queer Eye - Community Events

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Bloke Grand Opening

Marylin Monroe Impersonator at MPs - Calgary

Vamp Night at Texas Lounge - Calgary

Toga Night at PLAY - Edmonton

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Queer Eye - Community Events ISCWR Coronation 33 - Edmonton

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Queer Eye - Community Events Photography ISCWR Coronation 33 - Edmonton

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #71, September 2009

Queer Eye - Community Photography Events AIDS Calgary Annual General Meeting

Calgary Fringe Festival

Queen of Hearts Show at Boots - Edmonton Photos by Karen Hofmann

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Queer Eye - Community Events Twiggy Show at Prism - Edmonton Photos by Karen Hofmann

Western Canadian Pride Festival

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