GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine - April 2010

April 2010 ISSUE 78 The Only Magazine Dedicated to Alberta’s LGBT Community

FREE Interviews with:

Korn RuPaul Little Boots Barenaked Ladies

Dangerous Dames Full Contact on Four Wheels

Comics are so gay

An Outsider’s Take on Comic Enthusiasts

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

LGBT Resource • Calgary • Edmonton • Alberta

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Table of Contents

April 2010

Videography

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino

Printers

North Hill News/Central Web

Distribution

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

Legal Council

Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors

Sales & General Inquiries

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 0G3

Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Phone: 403-543-6960 Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com This Month's Cover Derby Girls Photos by Claudia Katz Design by Rob Diaz-Marino

Proud Members of:

8 Korn’s Gay Konnection 11 All In Good Time

Barenaked Ladies Regroup and Return with New Album and Tour

13 Chelsea Boys 14 Gay Travel

BULGARIA — THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL

17 Directory and Events 24 A Shadow across the Throne of St. Peter Renewed Sexual Abuse Allegations Plague the Papacy

26 Calgary International Spoken Word Festival

PAGE 11 PAGE XXX

Photography

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Karen Hofmann

Publisher’s Column

Giving Voice to Those Underrepresented

27 The GAYmazing Race Pride Calgary Plans Scavenger Hunt

27 Q Scopes

“Go back to basics, Gemini!”

28 Deep Inside Hollywood Jackman taking road to Selma

29 A Look Back at His Reign

Emperor 33 Joey Hailey-Boink Reflects Upon the Past Year

30 Out of Town

Charleston, South Carolina

32 Sociopolitics of Identity

Hope Resides in the Genderqueer and Transgressive

33 A Taste for Life

PAGE 26 PAGE XXX

Writers and Contributors

Chris Azzopardi, Dallas Barnes, Dave Brousseau, Jason Clevett, Andrew Collins, Rob Diaz-Marino, Jack Fertig, Glen Hanson, Joan Hilty, Stephen Lock, Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Pam Rocker, Ara Shimoon, Romeo San Vicente, Kyle Taylor of GayTravel.com, Matthew Teur, Dan Woog, and the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta.

Avoiding Death by Design

PAGE 8 PAGE XXX

5 Publisher: Steve Polyak Editor: Rob Diaz-Marino Sales: Steve Polyak Design & Layout: Rob Diaz-Marino, Ara Shimoon

SHARP Foundation Wants You to Eat Well!

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

33 Letters to the Editor 34 Fundraising Photos 37 Canadian Rockies International Rodeo Reloaded for 2010

38 Queeries

Transgender Disclosure, Gay Speed-Dating and Lesbian In-Laws

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

PAGE 29 PAGE XXX

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

Continued on Next Page  GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

39 The OutField

Prodigal sons return to Montana

PAGE XXX 37

41 Bitter Girl 42 A Couple of Guys

43 Comics Are So Gay! An Outsider’s Take on Comic Enthusiasts

44 Empress Rhonda

Young Boy from Ireland Came a Long Way

44 Jim Shafer

In Memory of a “Private and Proud Man”

45 Sex Virus Vaccination Now For Boys

46 Music Review

PAGE XXX 51

Jónsi, Bitch

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47 2010 Artists for Life: Edmonton

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47 Just Being Herself

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.

HIV Edmonton and JTMF West join forces for inaugural event Toni Vere on CD Release Tour

48 Classified Ads

51 Small talk with Little Boots

Electropop princess on arriving in the U.S., her shoe size and being a gay matchmaker

History

Disclaimer and Copyright

52 Start your Engines!

Opinions expressed in this magazine are specific to the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of GayCalgary staff and contributors.

56 Dangerous Dames

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. This magazine also includes straight allies and those who are gay friendly.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Returns for Season 2

PAGE XXX 52

Magazine Figures

Full Contact on Four Wheels

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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Editorial

Avoiding Death by Design Publisher’s Column

By Rob Diaz-Marino Designers (with a capital “D”) are people in whom a following of consumers place their trust to satisfy what they want or need out of a product. Most of us know about Designers from the area of fashion, but the concept also exists in other industries even though the D-word is not commonly applied. For instance, Apple would be considered a Designer in the Computer industry, perhaps garnering as much blind faith in the quality and prestige of its products as would a handbag by Prada, or shoes by Louis Vuitton.

However, design is the natural process that goes hand in hand with the implementation of just about anything manmade – an object, a process, an idea. A design can be the result of meticulous planning, or it can take shape purely as a consequence of its needed function. A good design satisfies its objective with relative ease, while a bad design perhaps defeats its own purpose. Designs are solutions to specific problems, and thus can never be perfect for all applications. However they can be gradually improved and expanded through an evolutionary process of use, feedback, and renewal.

So many, if not all of us are designers (lower-case “d”). In our everyday lives we may rely on other people’s designs a great deal, but there is still room or requirement for us to create our own designs in order to solve unique and unexplored problems.

Informally, a designer can collect and combine other designs to be used as pieces in a larger design of their own. For instance, a drag queen or drag king designs their performance as a patchwork of outfits, makeup, songs and props, all weaved together by their own stylings.

In business, where we stand to profit from design, we have an obligation to purposely reject exact existing designs to come up with something distinctive enough to call our own. For instance, as a business, GayCalgary fills the role of magazine and website while still striving to maintain a unique identity from other magazines and websites. It would be wrong for one business to impersonate or copy exactly the identity or design of another business; exact designs can become an identifying characteristic of those who created them, so to copy them too closely is, in a way, identity theft. For businesses to coexist in the same industry, they must each design their own distinct identities and fill their roles in different ways.

But design isn’t limited to things external to us. When you think about it, we are also designing our own lives and identities through the decisions we make (or avoid making), the friends we keep, and the actions we commit.

So it is all a revolving cycle: situation affects choices, decisions affect situation. It starts with the situation that your parents design for you, and doesn’t end until you die. The trick to living a better life, it would seem, is going with the choices that aren’t the easiest way out; the decisions that aren’t just the best solutions for you at that moment in time, but rather the ones that will be good for you many years into the future.

Things that are worthwhile take effort, and making decisions that commit you to making an effort will open up more choices down the line, if not immediately.

People often do start off with such tragic situations, and/ or make such poor decisions that their lives can spin out of control. True, bad things do happen to good people, but most good people that I know, naturally accumulate others who truly care about them, and can help them get through tough times. The whole concept of bad Karma is an accumulation of consequences from past decisions that strangle your ability to move forward – it is how people guarantee their own failure for the rest of their lives.

In reality, Mother Nature’s safety net, when you can no longer meet your minimal requirements for life, is death. Of course, even making all of the right decisions can’t put it off forever – we are designed to die. Nevertheless, the simple brutal rule of life is to either adapt, or die to make room for those who can.

But in the society that we know, while people may deserve many things, dying is not one of them. Even when a person wrongs us in the most grievous way, I think it is safe to say that most of us would rather see them live and change, than see their life extinguished, and their memory languishing in error for eternity. This is what we try to do to keep them away from Mother Nature’s solution to weakness, even if it means taking away control by force until they are no longer a danger to themselves and others. Even if it just means patching them up so that they can make all the same bad decisions over again.

But as long as a person is alive, there is still time for them to change, to make up for mistakes, to start making better decisions, to cast off the people they think are their friends but keep dragging them down, and embrace the ones who can help them be stronger, better people.

I write this for those I often see spiralling out of control in the community, but don’t know how to help. You, and only you, are the designer of your own life – no matter what materials you start with, there is always a way to shape them into something beautiful. It’s time to start collecting the tools and accessories

Continued 

Designing for Life Hardest to make are the decisions that greatly impact our lives where there is no clear best - no right or wrong answer.

These are the free decisions which rarely come our way, such as: which courses do you take in school, do you stay put or move to another city, what sort of career do you pursue, or do you start a business; do you avoid making a decision and end up working a menial job only for the sake of surviving, or simply spend your time sulking in your parent’s basement for as long as they will let you.

The rest of your life is built on the direction that you set with these free decisions, because down the line the choices only get narrower. More often than not you will find that your current situation will limit your options, even decide for you by twisting you arm toward the one that requires the least effort or personal change.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

 Editorial - Cont’d you need to pull this outfit off, and discarding all that sweet nonsense that is weighing you down.

March 2010 We spent a good deal of time with Steve’s sister this past month, helping her getting settled in Edmonton for her new research position at the University of Alberta. While she’s still hunting for a good place to rent near the University, she has been staying in a fully furnished suite for the time being. That means that Steve and I had, and will have a proper place to stay when we visit Edmonton...no offense to the bathhouses but loud music is a difficult thing to train yourself to sleep through.

Sadly we had to miss the Alberta Weekend of Leather while we were in Edmonton to cover Woody’s 8th anniversary. The weekend after was the Bearbash, where I opted to let Steve take care of photographing and have a little fun without the ball and chain...settle down, I’m just referring to the camera bag.

Though there were a few sombre moments at Boots as people felt the absence of owner Jim Shafer who had passed away earlier in the month. I didn’t know him too well myself, but I found myself glancing over at his spot at the end of the bar to see if, and who else, was occupying it throughout the night.

This month we published a small piece on his life, which you can read on page 44.

There are some months where coincidence has us bumping into particular people an abnormally frequent number of times.

This month, hands down, it was the GLBT Police Liaison, Lynn MacDonald, who was present for virtually every Calgary event that we made it out for. She MC’d at the Coming Out Monologues, spoke at the GLBT Violence discussion panel, sat beside me on the Queers on Campus discussion panel, attended the FairyTales “Reels on Wheels” movie night, had a booth at the Apollo Casino Night, and at the end of it all, took a night off at the Western Cup dance. Now that’s commitment!

Speaking of Apollo Western cup, we were really impressed with the turnout this year. Even the organizers of many of the sports told us they had noticed more people coming to watch.

The Casino Night must have had twice the attendance of last year, and we were told they had pre-sold close to 600 tickets for the dance.

We did a pentathlon of our own, darting between Curling, Bowling, Running, Dodgeball, and Volleyball. The big difference, and saving grace this year was that we were driving. This made it a great deal easier for us to get to all the sporting venues scattered across the city, and even return a second time in some cases. For running however, I did have to jog a good distance the opposite way around the circuit to catch the runners as they made it to the home stretch for the 10K jog. Whew.

April 2010 The big attraction this upcoming month is, of course, Coronation week! Coronation 34 is happening on April 17th – tickets are on sale at participating businesses, see their ad in this issue for further details. We have an interview with Emperor 33 Joey Hailey-Boink about his experience over the past year on page 61.

But before the Coronation happens, we as a community must first vote in the new monarchs. Voting day has been set for April 10th from noon until midnight at the Backlot. The candidates for Empress this year are Makayla Quinn and Malibu Stacey, and once again we will be having a yes/no vote for our sole candidate for Emperor, Fred.

If you ever found reason to complain about the monarchs this past year, then consider it a duty to put in your vote! The candidates have been performing at a number of Candidate Shows leading up to Coronation week, so hopefully you have had the opportunity to meet them and get a feel for who they are and what they hope to accomplish during their reign.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Interview

Korn’s Gay Konnection

By Jason Clevett “Day, is here fading. That’s when I’m insane. I flirt with suicide, sometimes kill the pain. I can’t always say ‘It’s gonna be better tomorrow.’ Falling away from me, falling away from me.”

– Falling Away From Me I remember the first time I was introduced to the music of Korn. Their 1999 album Issues had just been released, with the single Falling Away From Me and my brother had quickly become a fan. He played me an acoustic version of the song, and lyrically something resonated. As I listened to the album more, as well as previous albums Korn, Life is Peachy and Follow The Leader I felt a connection to the band in a way that I hadn’t with many others. The feelings I had from being teased throughout school, the part of me that had always felt different, suddenly was brought to life in musical form. I became hooked.

“I have met a lot of our gay fans. They are always so thankful. Thank you for singing the music that you sing, it helps me and makes me feel like I am not alone,” Korn’s lead singer Jonathan Davis told GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. “It makes me feel really good about what I do in music because I am helping somebody, I am touching someone’s heart with my music, emotionally striking up some feelings and helping a person feel better about themselves. It means the world to me. I am not one to judge anyone, so I think it’s amazing.”

“I wish there was something. Please tell me there’s something better. I wish there was something more than this saturated loneliness.”

- Tearjerker In a Canadian media exclusive, we spoke to Davis on the phone before his March 31st show at the Big 4 Building on the Stampede Grounds in Calgary. He, guitarist James “Munky” Shafer, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and drumer Ray Luzier, are currently crossing the country as part of the Jagermeister Music Tour.

“I’m sick and tired of people treating me this way everyday.

Who gives a fuck right now I got something to say to all the people that think that I’m strange and I should be out of here locked up in a cage. You don’t know what the hell is up now anyway. You got this ‘pretty boy’ feeling like I’m enslaved to a world that never appreciated shit. You all can suck my dick and fuckin’ like it!”

- Faget One song that truly resonates is Faget from their first album. I had a disagreement with a friend about Korn, who he accused of being homophobic for having the song. If you listen to the lyrics, it is anything but.

“It was a term I heard my whole life from a very early age. It really started kicking in when I was in high school in the 1980’s. I was really into the nu-romantic scene like Duran Duran. I wore eyeliner and had my hair weird. It was all fun but some of the bullies felt that it was not cool I guess, and I got my ass beat a lot and picked on. I still get called a faggot. I was labelled it my whole life pretty much, so I wrote a song about how much it hurts.”

There is something incredibly cathartic about being at a Korn concert and screaming out the word in defiance with thousands of other people.

“Every time I scream faggot it is just getting that hurt out. It is a hurtful word, and it is sad that people are so closed minded and think that being gay, or being different is a bad thing. You can’t help the way you feel, the way you are built, fucking dumbass people don’t understand that.”

“A place inside my brain, another kind of pain. You don’t know the chances, I’m so blind.”

- Blind Korn admittedly has a large, aggressive male following. In many ways, the band’s support of LGBT rights, and songs like Faget may turn heads.

After all, if Jon Davis accepts gay people, why shouldn’t they?

“That has happened and it has opened a lot of people’s eyes. I am not saying all of them because there are a lot of meatheads out there who are closed minded. There are also people who like the band and don’t get

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

 Korn what I am talking about. For the most part this is a band for people that are different, who have been picked on for this or that, and really hold onto it and find hope in it.”

“Hypocrites! I’m gonna do it blind. Hypocrites! Your messiah was never mine. Weeping rose of Jeremiah, purity unlike no other offers hope to those who need it. Don’t forget care to thy brother.”

- Hypocrites “God told me, already got the life” – Got The Life A topic frequently touched on by the band is organized religeon.

Former member Brian “Head” Welch left the group after becoming born again Christian, while Fieldy is also born again, but still with them.

“Fieldy became Christian, he reads the bible but doesn’t try to assimilate you into the Christian fold. He reads books about Buddhism, Hinduism, all the religions. He is more of a spiritual person and he accepts everybody. The biggest problem I have had with organized religion is how they say if you are different you are wrong, if you are gay you are going to hell, if you are this, you’re that. To me it doesn’t ring true in my heart. If God or Jesus or whoever you believe in, if he loves you so much why if you are gay is it bad? Love is love, and that is how it should be. I have always had a hard time, I have watched it since I was little. I watched my gay friends get persecuted. When I was five my parents were heavily involved in theatre and I grew up around a lot of gay people. I watched the hell they went through from being in a hick town and being persecuted by religion, or just people’s opinions of it. I think that is why I turned out the way I did, because I saw it at an early age.”

“You really want me to be a good son, why you make me feel like no one? You want me to be something I can never ever be.”

- Dead Bodies Everywhere The themes of Korn’s music – loss, abuse, being teased, feeling alone, death – can at times be lost in the guitars and drums. Some simply write off the music as loud angry metal. It could be said that they are underappreciated lyrically. Davis doesn’t feel that way.

“I don’t ask for that. I am not going to say my lyrics are the greatest in the world, there are lots of better lyricists then me. I just get out what I need to get out and lay it on the table really simple. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, you don’t.”

Korn III – Remember Who You Are is set to be released this summer.

The album is produced by Ross Robinson (who also produced the first two Korn records) and features the band “returning to their roots.”

“After Life is Peachy we experimented more and more in different directions. We felt it was time for us to come back full circle and start over with a more raw, emotional record. We recorded it in a little 12x12 room called the catbox and recorded it as a four piece, vocals, one take to tape. The previous albums I stacked my vocals three or four on top of each other and this one was very simple, it was all about being simple.

Ross took us into the studio and made us remember who we are and where we came from. Once we got in there all the memories came flowing

back from when we weren’t this big band Korn, it was just us writing music and having fun and not caring about the business or singles or any of that kind of stuff. It was just us purely bitching and getting our emotions out and writing the music that we love.”

“Ya’ll want a single say fuck that. Fuck that shit.”

- Ya’ll Want A Single Initially Korn did not have a record label for this album. It relieved a lot of pressure, such as trying to write “a single” and allowed them to focus on the album as a whole.

“We just write the music. If the song comes out [as a] single, it is a single. We don’t sit there and write a single, because you can’t. We found ourselves in that situation with the last two records, with the record company going we need that single, we need this and that. It messed with our heads a bit. When we did this record we didn’t have a record company, no management was allowed in the studio, it was just us.

When we got done we let them hear it. It is what it is, this is what you’ve got to work with guys, go for it. It started out as being a concept album but it turned into something different.”

“This state is elevating as the hurt turns into hating.

Anticipating all the fucked-up feelings again” – Here To Stay Back on the road, Korn’s current tour is one of their strongest. Instead of focusing on songs that fans haven’t heard yet, the show in Calgary featured fan favorites from all of the albums as well as Oildale from the new album.

“Usually I write the setlist but this time Munky had a little poll on the website for the songs they want to hear, and they put the set together.

It is a really cool set, I like it a lot. A lot of older stuff mixed with newer stuff and one new song. It’s exciting,” he explained.

“Fans always love classic Korn that is what they want, but a lot of them like the new stuff. We are playing the newer stuff that we think the fans like, and the song off the new album - they are really digging that.”

“Sometimes I cannot take this place. Sometimes it’s my life I can’t taste, Sometimes I cannot feel my face. You’ll never see me fall from grace.”

- Freak on a Leash Davis is an interesting contrast. On stage there is this dark, charismatic frontman, preaching to his followers with long hair flailing as he thrashes around. In conversation, he is soft spoken, intelligent, and almost shy. Married to former porn star Deven Davis, with two sons, there seems to be two sides to Jonathan Davis.

“It is a trade off. Our fans are really energetic and they go off on the music, and in turn so do I. I see girls and guys crying and singing every word, that makes me go even harder. There is a really emotional connection to the crowd for me,” he said of his stage presence.

“I call the aggressive one Jonathan Davis. When I go on stage that is how I get my aggression out, I turn into that monster. All that hate and rage and bullshit from my whole life, from me seeing all kinds of crazy shit, that is the guy that comes out. When I am home and offstage I am completely different, and it seems to be working for me.”

Korn will continue to spread their message to the masses, and Davis has one message in particular to the gay community.

“I love you, thanks for being great fans. Don’t let anyone put you down - fuck em!”

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

10

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Interview

All In Good Time

Barenaked Ladies Regroup and Return with New Album and Tour

By Jason Clevett It has been a rocky few years for The Barenaked Ladies.

Initially things seemed great, with the release of their children’s album Snacktime in May 2008, but in July, singer Steven Page was arrested in New York for cocaine posession. A month later, co-singer Ed Robertson survived a plane crash, and in February 2009 Page announced his departure from the band.

As a foursome, singer Robertson, bassist Jim Creeggan, keyboardist Kevin Hearn, and drummer Tyler Stewart went forward. The band snagged a Juno for Snacktime and began recording their new album. On March 7th, 2009 the band played its first show without Page in Orlando for 14,000 fans, an important step in moving forward.

“It was a big public concert so there were a lot of people there who were aware of the change, and perhaps some that weren’t as aware of the inner goings on of the band,” Hearn recalled. “Before we went on, we hadn’t rehearsed. Ed and I were out of town. So we picked what songs we knew we could pull off and went out. The audience was really excited and cheered loud, and it gave us the confidence to do our show. It was fun.”

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine spoke with the keyboardist over the phone from Toronto just prior to the release of All In Good Time, the band’s twelfth studio album. A subsequent tour brings them to Calgary April 8th, and Edmonton April 14th.

“We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t believe we had something to offer. The fact that people have been rallying for us and showing up for our shows, the new song is doing well on radio, it has been really nice. It is a bit of sunlight after a dark time.”

One suspects that the band members must start to dread interviews since so many of them seem to focus on Page’s departure. It is however a topic that does need to be brought up in discussing the current version of BNL and how they endured a period that would have destroyed many other bands.

 The Barenaked Ladies at the Junos adventurous musical tangents. But you will find more serious songs on the records. We recorded it in the summer and we worked with Michael Phillip Wojewoda who produced records in the past for BNL - so we were on familiar ground. We were forced to try new things and reinvent ourselves. It is a bit of a different sound but it is still Barenaked Ladies.

We had a lot of fun making it, and you can hear that on the record. We are really pleased with it. “ Fans and the music industry have been very supportive of this new album.

“It has been huge and means an awful lot to us. We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t believe we had something to offer. The fact that people have been rallying for us and showing up for our shows, the new song is doing well on radio, it has been really nice. It is a bit of sunlight after a dark time.”

It shouldn’t be a surprise that BNL pulled through. They have had many ups and downs in the 20+ years that the band has been entertaining Canada, as has Hearn personally. In 1998 he was diagnosed with Lukemia. Treatment, and a bone marrow transplant from his brother, resulted in the cancer going into remission, enabling him to return to the band. As a cancer survivor, it means a great deal to Hearn to give hope to others who have faced this disease, as a public figure who fought and won.

“Honest communication would be a big part of it: a commitment to make the best decision for each of us, whether that was letting us be for awhile, or continuing. We decided to continue because the four of us wanted to keep working together, we enjoy it.”

“Whereas before I had cancer, perhaps my talent and my good luck were taken for granted. I had a pretty full-on reminder of how quickly your life could be over and how lucky I am to do what I do. I decided to take things more seriously, in that I shouldn’t waste time and I should be very thankful.”

A frequent question is whether consideration was given to adding another vocalist.

He often gets to mingle with fans as a result of the VIP Meet and Greet packages available at shows.

“Neal Diamond said no. We asked him, we pleaded, he wouldn’t do it. So we decided that bringing someone new into the fold at this point - because we had another lead vocalist in Ed, and Jim and I sing as well - we felt we had enough to offer and to work with as it was.”

“You meet different people who act differently in that situation.

Sometimes you can have a really intelligent, enlightening conversation in a short amount of time. Sometimes they are excited or nervous and it’s not really possible, so it is just nice to meet them. I meet a lot of people who have been touched by cancer and I commonly end up chatting with people about that. Others chat with Tyler about hockey or drumming.

We all connect differently with our fans on a personal level.”

Hearn sings lead on three of the album’s tracks - Another Heartbreak, Jerome, and Watching The Northern Lights. Lead by the single You Run Away, the album is more glum than some of the band’s more familiar singles like One Week and If I Had A Million Dollars.

“I think just given what the band was going through when we made the record, it balances more towards the somber, raw emotional type of song. There is still some humor on the record and certainly some more

It should be an interesting experience for those getting to see the band live for the first time without Page. The challenge became what songs to pick, and how to change up numbers that previously focused on Page as a vocalist.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

11

 Continued “We have the Jonas Brothers filling in, all three of them,” he quipped.

“Over the course of the fall after we made our record, we started getting together three times a week and rehearsing. We were listening to the records and made a list, ran through everything and tried songs different ways. We have divided up some of Steven’s parts amongst us. There isn’t just one person replacing him and singing all of his parts. Another aspect of it is that Ed co-wrote most of those songs, they are his as well and he can sing them without feeling like he is covering them.”

There are a handful of Canadian bands that achieved popularity in the 1990’s and are still actively recording and touring. It is a testament to their talent that BNL is still here, and with that in mind it should really be no surprise that these two turbulent years didn’t stop them.

“We enjoy it. We have a great audience. Those are two things that really are key. If you look at the history of this band, it has been through a lot, as a band and individuals. I have struggled with cancer so for me (Page leaving) is just small potatoes.”

The Barenaked Ladies All in Good Time - now in stores www.barenakedladies.com Calgary Jubilee Auditorium - April 6th Edmonton Jubilee Auditorium - April 14th http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1628

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12

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

13

Travel

Gay Travel

BULGARIA — THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL By: Kyle Taylor of GayTravel.com

THE CAPITAL CITY & GAYBORHOOD “You know, Bulgarians are the first European people in the world,” the older gentleman tells me just minutes after stepping off of my bus. “We also invented the saddle and horseback riding.” These first few moments are telling of the national pride and history this once mighty and now re-emerging Eastern European nation possesses. Nowhere is that past more apparent than in the country’s bustling capital - Sofia. Having only recently become the capital city in Bulgarian terms (nearly 1,000 years ago), a weekend here means a near endless supply of “Wait, this is how old?” moments. Sofia has also emerged as one of the most religiously tolerant cities in the world, as a mosque, synagogue, evangelical church and Orthodox cathedral have managed to co-exist for hundreds of years within 100 yards of each other. Charming lanes, a bustling market culture and lovely parks make this city the perfect jumping off point for a Bulgarian adventure. The gay scene is booming as well.

With five gay bars and one world-class dance club, there is no shortage of gay nightlife. As most gay venues are clustered near Place Pozitano, this part of the city may very well be Eastern Europe’s first real gayborhood. Whether you’re after ancient relics, cool cafes or an all-night party, Sofia has got it all.

14

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

THE LAY OF THE LAND Bulgaria is squeezed nicely between Romania, Turkey, Greece and Serbia. Sofia - the capital - is located in the west central portion of the country. The world famous Rila monastery is roughly 100 miles south, deep in the magnificent Rodopi mountains. From there, head east for some of the best-preserved Roman relics in Europe in Plovdiv. Continue north and you’ll end up in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria’s medieval capital complete with castles, old city walls and teeny tiny lanes. At this point, it’s time to hit the world class Black Sea Coast in Varna - the country’s summer capital. Tiny beach towns and resorts dot the entire eastern edge of the country along the coast, so give yourself ample time to explore the empty beaches.

THE GAY Homosexual acts have been legal since 1968, though public attitudes toward homosexuality are mixed and the gay scene stays primarily to itself. That said, gays and lesbians are allowed to serve openly in the military and the nation’s constitution bans all discrimination based on sexual orientation. This is Western Europe light, so tread lightly. Still, a number of highprofile gay celebrities and athletes have made a splash in this nation of nearly 9 million and attitudes are changing. For now, leave your leopard print leotard at home but hit up the half dozen venues in Sofia for a great night out.

THE MUST-SEES AND MUST-DOS 1. Find out just how great Bulgarians are at the National History Museum (take a taxi from city center). Set outside the city, the museum claims to be the largest in the Balkans.

2. Be inspired by the level of religious tolerance by visiting the Synagogue of Sofia (Ekzarkh Yosif 16), Banya Moshi Mosque (Mariya Luiza), St. Nedelya Cathedral (Pl. Sveta Nedelya), St. George’s Church (Suborna) and St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Pl. Alexander Nevsky). They’re all within a few steps of each other and each claims to be the first, the biggest or the “most gold” of their respective faiths in Europe.

3. Wander the weekend book market (Pl. Slaveykny), the Central Market (Maria Luiza) and Vitosha Street for divine food, a good read and the latest in Bulgarian fashion.

4. Venture outside the city for a serene visit to Boyana Church (take a taxi from city center and have the cab wait while you explore. Located near the National History Museum, so perfect for a one-two punch). A UNESCO World Heritage site, the religious artwork inside is out of this world.

5. Eat Bulgarian food as much as possible. Try Divaka (William Gladstone 54) for what this writer considers one of the best meals he has ever had. Do not leave Bulgaria without eating a Shopska Salad and Spicy Meatballs. Mains $4 and up, Shopska salad $2.

THE NIGHTLIFE In short, Sofia’s gay scene rocks. Whether you’re after a quiet lounge, ruckus bar or all-out nightclub, this city delivers. Give these a try:

Continued  GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

15

 Gay Travel - Cont'd.

• I.D. Club (19B Karnigradska Street, http://www.idclub. bg/) State of the art sound and light system, light-up dance floor, go-go boys and drag queens make this a near flawless nightclub. Drink prices aren’t over the top and cover is pretty standard for this part of the world. DO NOT miss this place if you’re in Eastern Europe. Drag shows on Wednesday and Thursday feature the wildly famous Madame Elza Pariny (www.pariny. com). She is divine.

• Why Not? (31 Alexander Stamboliysky Blvd.) An excellent bar and mini-disco that features shirtless bartenders and very flattering light.

• Discreet (41-43 Skobelev Blvd.) Located underground in the center of the city, the main attraction of this so tiny but so cute bar is the dance pole that no doubt leads to some wildly entertaining moments.

The bar hosts regular shows of all sorts as well.

THE ROAD TRIP Bulgaria - like so much of Eastern Europe - is best seen by car. Rent from a local company (try www.carrent.bg) and make sure you’re not in a hurry. There is just one major highway and it’s about 20 miles long. Still, the slower speeds mean more time to take in the drop dead gorgeous scenery.

• Koprivshtitsa - Set in a valley surrounded by massive snowcapped peaks, Koprivshtitsa is a quintessential Bulgarian village. Believe it or not, this town of just 6,000 is where Bulgaria’s revolution began. In addition, several homes have been turned into museums that allow for an inside look at how life “used to be.”

• Rila Monastery - Perhaps one of the world’s most wellknown monasteries, Rila is set deep in the Rila Mountain Range of the Rodopi Mountains along a soothing river.

If for no other reason, make a stop here for a few moments of serenity.

There is also a church, museum and book shop inside if stepping out of the real world isn’t enough for you.

Interestingly enough, the monastery lets rooms to weary travelers at more than reasonable rates.

Just arrive after 2pm and before 6pm and stop in at Room 170.

• Plovdiv - Once a mighty Roman city, Plovdiv is most certainly Bulgaria’s most laid back mountain city. Open-air bars, trendy cafes and quite possibly one of the most well-preserved 2nd Century Roman amphitheaters makes Plovdiv a must-see.

• Veliko Turnovo - Bulgaria’s medieval capital, this town of just 70,000 offers fortresses, cobblestone streets and an impressive sound and light show that is certain to “wow” visitors.

• Varna - The capital of Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast, Varna is one giant party all summer long. Outdoor discos, delicious restaurants and never-ending beaches in one of Europe’s bestkept secrets means less crowds than Spain or Italy but the same beautiful sand, rock formations and water.

THE TIPS AND TRICKS • Driving in Bulgaria is not for the faint of heart. Drivers have no regard for any other vehicle but their own. Be aware of speed limits as well. They change often and usually seem to be oddly slow. If you get pulled over do not pay any fines directly to the officer. This is out and out corruption in a truly Eastern European way. Just take the citation and go on your way.

• Taxis are remarkably cheap. A ride across town will run you $3. Indulge.

• Wifi Internet access is available free of charge in McDonald’s across the country. If you’re looking for and quick and easy place to check your email or to Skype back home, this is sadly your best option.

For more information on gay friendly destinations throughout the world, please visit www.gaytravel.com

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1630

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Directory & Events 24

DOWNTOWN CALGARY

43 41 37

55 9

34

2 33

52

56

16

4

35 36

3

5 6

1

N

13

1 2 3 4 5 6

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

Find Out!

One Yellow Rabbit-------------------- Theatre ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects-------- Theatre Pumphouse Theatre----------------- Theatre La Fleur-------------------------- Retail Stores Lisa Heinricks----------Theatre and Fine Arts Sandra G. Sebree-------------------- Services

Calgary

LGBT Community Directory GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine is the go-to source for information about Alberta LGBT businesses and community groups—the most extensive and accurate resource of its kind! This print supplement contains a subset of active community groups and venues, with premium business listings of paid advertisers.

✰. ..... Find our Magazine Here

35 36 37 41 43 52

......... Wheelchair Accessible

Spot something inaccurate or outdated? Want your business or organization listed? We welcome you to contact us!

 403-543-6960  1-888-543-6960

 magazine@gaycalgary.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/CalgaryTravelRss http://www.gaycalgary.com/EdmontonTravelRss

Local Bars, Restaurants, and Accommodations info on the go! http://www.gaycalgary.com/Directory

Browse our complete directory of over 540 gay-frieindly listings!

of Sinatra” on Fri. and varied entertainment on Thurs. Please call for details.

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

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

Wingate by Wyndham

 400 Midpark Way SE  www.wingatehotels.com

55 Marquee Room--------------- Bars and Clubs 56 Sacred Balance Piercing-------- Retail Stores 58 Theatre Junction--------------------- Theatre

 403-514-0099

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

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

Alternative night every Wednesday.

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

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

Bar and restaurant.

 209 - 10th Ave SW

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

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

4 Calgary Eagle Inc.----------------------- ✰  424a - 8th Ave SE  403-263-5847

33 Twisted Element

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230

 http://www.twistedelement.ca

Bars & Clubs 3 Backlot----------------------------------- ✰  403-265-5211  Open 7 days a week, 4pm-close

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

Club Paradiso

 1413 - 9th Ave SE, upstairs  403-265-5739  www.villagecantina.ca

Dance Club and Lounge.

Bathhouses/Saunas 6 Goliaths-------------------------------------✰

 308 - 17 Ave SW  403-229-0911  http://www.goliaths.ca  Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Carly’s Angels on Sat. Billy Schmidt’s “Sounds

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

17

Directory & Events CALGARY EVENTS Mondays

ASK Meet and Greet----------------  7-9:30pm See Alberta Society for Kink Inside Out Youth Group----------------  7-9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink Yoga-----------------------------  7:45-9:15pm See Apollo Calgary Jan11Apr5 Radio Show-------------------------  8:30-9pm See “Yeah...What She Said!”

Tuesdays

Steak Night-----------------------------  All Day At 9 Money Pennies Calgary Networking Club--------------  5-7pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  1st Tues Between Men---------------------------  7-9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  2nd, 4th Rehearsals--------------------------  7-9:30pm See Calgary Men’s Chorus Jun Karaoke------------------------------  8pm-1am At 5 Texas Lounge Wednesdays

Communion Service------------------  12:10pm See Knox United Church Women’s Healing Circle---------------  1:30pm See AIDS Calgary Wing Night------------------------------  All Day At 9 Money Pennies Free Pool-------------------------------  All Day At 4 Calgary Eagle With Prime Timers Calgary Badminton------------------------------  7-9pm See Apollo Calgary Jan6Mar31 Bowling------------------------------------ 7pm See Apollo Calgary Mar3 Radio Show----------------------------  9-10pm See Urban Sex Radio

Community Groups 2 AIDS Calgary---------------------------- ✰

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

Alberta Society for Kink

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

group.albertasocietyforkink Apollo Calgary Friends in Sports

 http://www.apollocalgary.com A volunteer-operated, non-profit organization serving primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to members of all communities. Currently have more than 400 members! Primary focus is to provide members with well organized and fun sporting events and other activities.

• Western Cup Largest LGBT Sporting Competition in North America

18

Thursdays

Country Night-------------------------- Evening At 4 Calgary Eagle Swim Practice---------------------------  6-7pm See Different Strokes Fake Mustache Show---------------  7-9:45pm See Miscellaneous Youth Network  1st Fridays

Leather Night-------------------------- Evening At 4 Calgary Eagle Illusions--------------------------------  7-10pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  1st Womynspace----------------------------  7-9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  2nd

Church Service----------------------------- 4pm See Rainbow Community Church Swim Practice---------------------------  5-6pm See Different Strokes Free Pool-------------------------------  All Day At 4 Calgary Eagle Thursday, April 8th

Friday, April 9th

Friday, April 16th

Gender Bender---------------------------- 7pm Queers on Campus Tickets: $5 in advance, $7 at the door

Out of Town Show

By ISCCA at TBA Saturday, April 17th

Saturday, April 10th

Coronation 34----------------  4:30pm-1am  Grand Ballroom - Westin Hotel

Heading Out-----------------------  8pm-10pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  4th

Hottub Party------------------------------- 8pm See Rocky Mountain Bears

Saturdays

Monthly Dance------------------------- 8pm See ARGRA

Curling------------------------------------- 7pm See Apollo Calgary Feb13 Karaoke------------------------------  8pm-1am At 5 Texas Lounge Tuned Out Music Trivia----------------  Evening At 9 Money Pennies  1st, 3rd Sundays

Worship Time----------------------------  10am See Deer Park United Church Worship------------------------------  10:30am See Scarboro United Church Worship Services-------------------------  11am See Knox United Church

• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing)

 St. Martha School (6020 4th Avenue NE)  badminton@apollocalgary.com Fees Per session: $4 for Apollo member, $5 for nonmembers. Season’s pass $75.

• Boot Camp

 Stone steps, SE corner of Crescent Park Crescent Road & 2nd Street NW  bootcamp@apollocalgary.com Dress in layers and running shoes, bring plenty of water, bring payment in cash to first session.

Registration has closed.

• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League)

 Let’s 10 Pin Bowlerama, 2916 - 5 Ave NE  bowling@apollocalgary.com • Curling

 North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW)  curling@apollocalgary.com • Golf

 golf@apollocalgary.com

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Farewell Show----------------------------- 7pm

By ISCCA at 5 Texas Lounge In-Town Show -----------------  10:30pm-2am

By ISCCA at 4 Calgary Eagle

New Directions--------------------------  7-9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink  3rd

25¢ Wings-------------------------------  All Day At 9 Money Pennies

Information Session-------------  7pm-8:30pm

By GLBTHousing  Richmond/Knobhill Community Association 2433 – 26 Avenue SW

Candidate Show-------------------------  10pm

By ISCCA, at 5 Texas Lounge

Candidate Elections---------------  12pm-12am

By ISCCA at BackLot

Coffee------------------------------------  10am See Prime Timers Calgary

Thursday, April 15th

Sunday, April 11th

Sunday, April 18th

Victory Brunch---------------------------  11am

By ISCCA  The Westin Survivor Party----------------------------- 3pm At 4 Calgary Eagle

First Meeting------------------------------  3pm

By Calgary Dyke March  The Old Y Centre

Tough Drag Show------------------------- 8pm At 4 Calgary Eagle

Monday, April 12th

A Taste For Life------------------------ Evening Participating Resaurants

State Dinner------------------------------- 7pm

By ISCCA at 9 Money Pennies Tuesday, April 13th

First Meeting------------------------------- 7pm

By Calgary Gay Car Club At 9 Money Pennies Imperial Roast----------------------------- 8pm

By ISCCA at 5 Texas Lounge Wednesday, April 14th

Wednesday, April 28th

May 2010

Monthly Dance------------------------- 8pm See ARGRA May29 September 2010

Pride Dance-----------------------------  TBA

Sep4 Pride Parade/Street Festival----------  TBA

Sep5

Cosmic Cocktails--------------------------- 5pm

By ISCCA at BackLot Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range/Future),  = Sponsored Event

• Lawn Bowling

 Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club 1235 - 8th Avenue SE

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com • Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@apollocalgary.com • Running (Calgary Frontrunners)

 Hillhurst United Church, 1227 Kensington Close  Tim 403-660-6125  calgaryfrontrunners@shaw.ca  Tues, Thurs, Sat at 8am Calgary Alcoholics Anonymous Group For Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgendered People. A safe place to find help for problems with alcohol.

• Slow Pitch • Tennis • Volleyball (Intermediate/Competitive)

 YWCA, 320 - 5th Avenue SE  vb@apollocalgary.com  www.apollocalgary.com/apollo/volleyball This is for seasoned players. You can sign up for the season or drop-in.

• Volleyball (Recreational)

 Langevin School, 107 - 6A Street NE  vb@apollocalgary.com  www.apollocalgary.com/apollo/volleyball Volleyball League, Co-Ed, Recreational, Drop-in.

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA)  www.argra.org

 403-541-8140

• Monthly Dances-----------------------------  Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association 1320 - 5th Avenue NW Artists for the Quality of Life

 403-890-1261

 www.afqol.com

Cabin Fever

 The Soda Women’s dance and social night.

Calgary Gay Fathers

 calgaryfathers@hotmail.com  http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca

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

Directory & Events Calgary Men’s Chorus

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

• Rehearsals

 Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW Calgary Sexual Health Centre---------- ✰

 304, 301 14th Street NW 403-283-5580   http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca A pro-choice organization that believes all people have the right and ability to make their own choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

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  1-877-OUT-IS-OK (1-877-688-4765) 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 Peer support, sexual health education for gay or bisexual men, as well as those who may be uncertain or questioning their sexuality.

• Calgary Networking Club

 Ming, 520 - 17th Ave SW 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 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). A safe, discrete and welcoming atmosphere, in which transgendered people can meet others of like mind.

• Inside Out Peer-facilitated youth group for GLBTQ ages 15-25.

Aims to let youth know they are not alone, and to connect them with their peers. Safe environment with a variety of resources and activities.

• New Directions Drop in peer-support group to provide support and resources for individuals who identify as transsexual or inter-sexed.

• SHEQ Soulful Healing Ego Quest

 Trudy or Krista, 403-585-7437 Workshop for women—a chance to grow and share their experiences related to women’s sexuality. To

participate, please call or leave your name and a contact time/number with Calgary Outlink.

• Womynspace 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)

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre  403-278-8263

 77 Deerpoint Road SE  http://www.dpuc.ca

Different Strokes

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

• Swim Practice

 SAIT Pool, 1301 - 16th Ave NW  No practices on long weekends 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.

Gay Singles in Calgary

 http://www.gaysinglesincalgary.org

Girl Friends

 members.shaw.ca/girlfriends Girlsgroove

 http://www.girlsgroove.ca

GLBT Housing

 http://www.glbthousing.ca HIV Peer Support Group

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

ISCCA Social Association

 http://www.iscca.ca Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch.

Charity fundraising group..

Knox United Church

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

• Worship Services

 10:30am in July and August.

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

• Fake Mustache------------------------------  The Soda, 211 - 12th Ave SW Calgary’s ONLY Drag King Show. $5 cover. $2 cover under 18. Advance tickets available at Barbies Shop.

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) NETWORKS

 403-293-3356  sanpfeif@telus.net A social, cultural, and service organization for the mature minded and “Plus 40” LGBT individuals seeking to meet others at age-appropriate activities within a positive, safe environment.

Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

 Sean: 403-695-5791  http://www.pflagcanada.ca

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.

Positive Space Committee

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

Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals.

Pride Calgary Planning Committee

 403-797-6564  www.pridecalgary.ca Pride Rainbow Project

 prp@planet-save.com  http://www.priderainbowproject.com 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 Designed to foster social interaction for its members through a variety of social, educational and recreational activities. Open to all gay and bisexual men of any age, respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member desires.

• Free Pool

 4 Calgary Eagle • Saturday Coffee

 Midtown Co-op, 1130 - 11th Ave SW 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.

• Coffee Night

 2nd Cup, Kensington Rainbow Community Church

 Hillhurst United, 1227 Kensington Close NW  roneberly@shaw.ca  http://www.rainbowcommunitychurch.ca

The Rainbow Community Church is an all-inclusive church; everyone is welcome.

Rocky Mountain Bears  bearcoltr@shaw.ca

 http://www.rockymountainbears.com

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

An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT people is essential to our mission and purpose.

Sharp Foundation

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

Unity Bowling

 Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE)  sundayunity@live.com

Urban Sex Radio Show

 CJSW 90.9 FM

 http://www.cjsw.com 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

 403-255-7004

 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

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

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 #78, April 2010

19

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

8

5

7 11 6 12

1 Pride Centre------------- Community Groups 3 HIV Network------------- Community Groups 4 Edmonton STD---------- Community Groups

3

 http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca

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

 403-777-9494 trial code 3500  http://www.cruiseline.ca

T&T Honda

 888 Meridian Road NE  403-291-1444  sales@tandthonda.ca  www.tandthonda.ca

Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

• Kelvin Hur

 403-990-9080 New Vehicle Sales Manager

Duncan’s Residential Cleaning  Jim Duncan: 403-978-6600 Residential cleaning. Free estimates.

• Lawrence Wong

 403-870-5001 Sales Consultant

Interactive Male

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

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

Services & Products Bad Romance Entertainment  www.badromance-entertainment.com 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

20

GLBT legal services.

Cruiseline

DevaDave Salon & Boutique

N

4

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

16 Priape Calgary------------------------- ✰

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

13

8 Prism Bar & Grill------------- Bars and Clubs 11 Steamworks---------------------- Bathhouses 12 Woody’s----------------------- Bars and Clubs

MFM Communications

 403-543-6970  1-877-543-6970  http://www.mfmcommunications.com

Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware and software.

Rick Grenier (Invis)

 810 Edmonton Trail NE  403-290-1973

 403-862-1162

Cuts, Colour, Hilights.

56 Sacred Balance Piercing

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

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

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

 rickgrenier@invis.ca

Mortgage solutions.

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

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

52 Sandra G. Sebree, Lawyer

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

TherapyWorks

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

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

Theatre & 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.

• Centre of Hope

 Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE  403-410-1180  Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm

Jubilations Dinner Theatre  Bow Trail and 37th St. SW  403-249-7799  www.jubilations.ca

• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

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

43 Lisa Heinricks (Artist)---------------------  Art Central, 100 7th Ave SW, lower level  http://www.creamydreamy.com

• Safeworks Van

 403-850-3755  Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am

35 One Yellow Rabbit-------------------------  Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE  403-299-8888  www.oyr.org

Directory & Events 37 Pumphouse Theatre------------------  2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW  403-263-0079  http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca

✰

Stagewest-------------------------------

✰

 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

Edmonton Pride Week Society

 http://www.prideedmonton.org

✰

34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------------------  161, 115 - 9 Ave SE  403-221-3708  http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com

Edmonton Bars & Clubs

Edmonton Prime Timers  edmontonpt@yahoo.ca  www.primetimersww.org/edmonton Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from diverse backgrounds but have common social interests. Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

 3379, 11215 Jasper Ave  780-429-5014  http://www.edmontonrba.org

Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities for LGBT owned or operated and LGBTfriendly businesses in the Edmonton region.

Edmonton Illusions Social Club

 5 Boots Bar & Grill  780-387-3343

 groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions 4 Edmonton STD

 11111 Jasper Ave

5 Boots Bar and Lounge----------------- ✰

 10242 106th St  780-423-5014  http://www.bootsbar.ca/

 780-479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

6 Buddy’s Nite Club--------------------------✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6636

Exposure 2010

 TBA

13 PLAY Nightclub-----------------------------✰

 10220 103 Street  780-497-7529  info@playnightclub.ca  http://www.playnightclub.ca

3 HIV Network Of Edmonton Society---- ✰  11456 Jasper Ave  www.hivedmonton.com

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

Edmonton Vocal Minority  sing@evmchoir.com

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

 http://www.gayedmonton.org

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.

7 Down Under Baths-------------------------✰

 12224 Jasper Ave  780-482-7960  http://www.gayedmonton.com

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

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

11 Steamworks--------------------------------✰

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

• Community Potluck

 Main Space – Upstairs

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

Community Groups Alberta Bears

 www.bearbeef.org Altview-Strathcona County LGBTQ Group

 #44, 48 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB  www.altview.ca Book Worm’s Book Club  Second Cup, 11210 Jasper Ave  bookworm@teamedmonton.ca Buck Naked Boys Club

 780-471-6993  http://www.bucknakedboys.ca

Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is naked, and it does not include sexual activity.

Participants do not need to be gay, only male.

Camp fYrefly

 7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies

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

• Free School

 Main Space – Upstairs  monika_penner@shaw.ca Free School provides workshops on a variety of topics related to local activism.

• Get Tested for STIs Free STD testing for anyone interested. For more information please contact the Pride Centre.

• GLBT Seniors Drop-In

 Main Space – Upstairs  tuff@shaw.ca A social and support group for seniors of all genders and sexualities to talk, have tea and offer each other support.

transgendered men to discuss current issues and to offer support to each other.

• Men’s HIV Support Group

 Green Room – Upstairs  huges@shaw.ca Support group for people living with HIV/AIDS. • PFLAG

 Red room - Downstairs  780-436-1998  edmontonab@pflagcanada.ca 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.

• Suit Up and Show Up: AA Big Book Study

 Downstairs Couch Area Discussion and support group for those struggling with an alcohol addiction or seeking support in staying sober.

• TTIQ

 Green Room – Upstairs  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org TTIQ is mixed gender open support group addressing the needs of transsexual and transgendered individuals.

• Womonspace Board Meeting

 Main Space – Upstairs  wspresident@hotmail.com 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 Movie chosen by youth (aged 14 – 25), usually with LGBT themes. Popcorn is served.

• YouthSpace

 brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org A safe and supportive space for GLBTQ youth aged 13–25. Video games, computers with internet, clothing bank, and more.

• Youth Understanding Youth See separate listing.

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.

• Badminton (Mixed)

 St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

 coedbadminton@teamedmonton.ca New group seeking male & female players.

• Badminton (Women’s)

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

 badminton@teamedmonton.ca 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 • Blazin’ Bootcamp

 Lynnwood School  bootcamp@teamedmonton.ca • Bowling (Northern Titans)

 Gateway Lanes, 100 - 3414 Gateway Blvd

 bowling@teamedmonton.ca $15.00 per person.

• Cross Country Skiing  crosscountry@teamedmonton.ca • Curling with Pride

 Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  780-463-5942  curling@teamedmonton.ca • 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 Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00 per session.

• Hockey  hockey@teamedmonton.ca • Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@teamedmonton.ca • Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

 Kinsmen Sports Centre, front entrance  running@teamedmonton.ca All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to join this free activity.

• Samsara Yoga

 Korezone Fitness, #203, 10575 -115 Street  yoga@teamedmonton.ca • Slo Pitch

 Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave  slo-pitch@teamedmonton.ca Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players from the 2008 season.

• Men Talking with Pride

 Main Space – Upstairs

 robwells780@hotmail.com A social discussion group for gay, bisexual and

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

21

Directory & Events EDMONTON EVENTS Mondays

Boot Camp------------------------------  7-8pm See Team Edmonton Men’s HIV Support Group-------------  7-9pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd Curling---------------------------------  7:15pm See Team Edmonton Mar Tuesdays

GLBT Seniors Drop-in------------------  1-4pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton TTIQ-------------------------------------  2-4pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd Youthspace------------------------------  3-7pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton Community Potluck---------------------  7-9pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  Last Swimming------------------------------ Evening See Team Edmonton Wednesdays

PFLAG---------------------------------  12:10pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  1st Youthspace------------------------------  3-7pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton Youth Sports/Recreation------------------ 4pm See Youth Understanding Youth Women’s Badminton---------------  6-7:30pm See Team Edmonton Mar Youth Understanding Youth------------  7-9pm See Youth Understanding Youth • 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 Season has ended.  spin@teamedmonton.ca 7 classes, $28.00 per registrant.

Mixed Badminton---------------------  8-10pm See Team Edmonton Jan13End of May

AA Big Book Study--------------------  12-1pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Thursdays

GLBT Seniors Drop-in------------------  1-4pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Monthly Meeting-----------------------  2:30pm

By Edmonton Primetimers  2nd  Unitarian Church, 10804 - 119th Street

Get Tested for STIs----------------------  3-6pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  Last

Youthspace--------------------------  3-6:30pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Youthspace------------------------------  3-7pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Bowling------------------------------------ 5pm See Team Edmonton

Youth Sports/Recreation------------------ 4pm See Youth Understanding Youth

Sundays

Youth Understanding Youth------------  7-9pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton Intermediate Volleyball--------  7:30-9:30pm See Team Edmonton Swimming------------------------------ Evening See Team Edmonton

Running------------------------------  10-11am See Team Edmonton Free School----------------------------  11-5pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd, 4th Womonspace Meeting---------  12:30-1:30pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton  1st

Fridays

Samsara Yoga----------------------  2-3:30pm See Team Edmonton

Edmonton Illusions-------------------------- ???

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton  2nd

Men Talking with Pride----------------  7-9pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Youthspace--------------------------  3-6:30pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton

Ballroom Dancing--------------  7:30-8:30pm See Team Edmonton

Youth Sports/Recreation------------------ 4pm See Youth Understanding Youth

Monthly Meetings---------------------- 2:30pm  Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) See Edmonton Primetimers  2nd

Youth Movie Night------------------  6:30-8:30 See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton Youth Understanding Youth------------  7-9pm See Pride Centre of Edmonton Saturdays

Saturday, April 10th

A NAKED!! Ode to Spring-------------  All Day

By Buck Naked Boys Club Edmonton  Labyrinth Lake Lodge Apr 1012

Thursday, April 15th

Book Club Meeting----------  7:30pm-9:30pm

By Book Worms  Howard and McBride Chapel of Chimes 10179-108 Street Friday, April 16th

Heterophobia-----------------------  7pm-9pm  Mill Woods United Church 15 Grand Meadow Crescent Saturday, April 17th

2010 Artists for Life-------------------  6:30pm By 3 HIV Edmonton  Catalyst Theatre, 8529 - 103 Street Saturday, April 24th

Turnabout--------------------------  8pm-10pm

By ISCWR at 13 PLAY Nightclub Spring Fling Dance-----------------  9pm-1am

By Womonspace  Bellevue Community Hall, 7308 - 112 Avenue Sunday, May 2nd

Drag Queen Garage Sale----------  2pm-5pm

By ISCWR at 8 Prism Bar & Grill Saturday, May 7th

Her Sons were Born NAKED!!--------  All Day

By Buck Naked Boys Club Edmonton  Labyrinth Lake Lodge May 79 Saturday, May 15th

Red Party---------------------------  9pm-11pm

By ISCWR at 8 Prism Bar & Grill

Naturalist Gettogether---------------------- ???

See Buck Naked Boys Club  2nd

Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range),  = Sponsored Event

• Swimming (Making Waves)

 NAIT Pool  swimming@teamedmonton.ca

• Volleyball, Free To Be Intermediate

 Amiskiwacy Academy (101 Airport Road)  volleyball@teamedmonton.ca

• Tennis

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

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca

• Volleyball, Free To Be Recreational

 Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave)  recvolleyball@teamedmonton.ca  Outdoor season, Sundays, 3-5pm

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

• Women’s Lacrosse

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

Womonspace

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

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

Youth Understanding Youth

 Edmonton Pride Centre, Main Space Upstairs

 yuy@shaw.ca  www.members.shaw.ca/yuy

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

Restaurants 5 Garage Burger Bar & Grill---------------  10242 106th St  780-423-5014 8 Prism Bar & Grill---------------------- See Edmonton - Bars and Clubs.

Retail Stores Rodéo Drive

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

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

Products & 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

Robertson-Wesley United Church

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

People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT events include a monthly book club and 22

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

✰

Directory & Events LETHBRIDGE EVENTS Fridays

Friday Mixer-----------------------------  10pm See GALA/LA

Friday, April 16th

Saturday, April 17th

Sunday, April 25th

Queeraoke: Hello Summer!------  10pm-2am

By GALA/LA at The Mix

Pretty, Witty & GAY!---------------  8pm-11pm

By GALA/LA  David Spinks Theatre, U of L

Rainbow Potluck-----------------  5:30pm-8pm

By GALA/LA  McKillop United Church, Lane Lounge 2329 15 Ave S

a bi-monthly film night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have you join us!

Please bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your own beverage.

• Soul OUTing

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

• Support Line

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

• Film Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

• Book Club

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Same Gender Speed Dating Ltd.

 780-221-8535  www.samegenderdating.com An LGBT-focused alternative worship.

• Gay Male Speed Dating

 Boston Pizza Private Party Room, Whyte Ave

 TBA Must pre-register to attend - please contact us.

• Lesbian Speed Dating

 Boston Pizza Private Party Room, Whyte Ave

 TBA Must pre-register to attend - please contact us.

Theatre & Fine Arts Exposure Festival

 http://www.exposurefestival.ca

Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.

The Roxy Theatre

 10708 124th Street, Edmonton AB  780-453-2440  www.theatrenetwork.ca

Banff/Canmore Community Groups Mountain Pride

 BOX 4892, BANFF, AB, T1L 1G1

 Brian, 403-431-2569  1-800-958-9632  mountainpride@gaybanff.com  www.gaybanff.com

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

Lethbridge Community Groups GALA/LA

 403-308-2893  http://www.galalethbridge.ca Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area.

• Monthly Dances

 Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S) Bring your membership card and photo ID. • Monthly Potluck Dinners

 McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest.

• Friday Mixer

 The Mix (green water tower) 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S  Every Friday at 10pm Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge  galia@uleth.ca

GBLTTQQ club on campus.

• Movie Night

 Room C610, University of Lethbridge Gay Youth Alliance Group

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

Lethbridge HIV Connection

 1206 - 6 Ave S PFLAG Canada

 lethbridgeab@pflagcanada.ca  www.pflagcanada.com

Pride Lethbridge

Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet

 http://www.albertaballet.com

Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.

Canada Community Groups Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group

 http://www.albertatrans.org A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of where they may be on the continuum.

Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

 P.O. Box 3043, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3S9  (306) 955-5135  1-800-955-5129  http://www.rainbowhealth.ca

trans-identified people and our families.

Membership fees are pay-what-you-can, although pre-authorized monthly donors are encouraged (and get a free Egale Canada t-shirt). Egale has several committees that meet by teleconference on a regular basis; membership on these is national with members from every region of Canada.

Products & Services Squirt

 http://www.squirt.org

Website for dating and hook-ups. 18+ ONLY!

Theatre & Fine Arts Broadway Across Canada

 http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca

OUTtv

 http://www.outtv.ca

GLBT Television Station.

Egale Canada

 8 Wellington St E, Third Floor Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C5  1-888-204-7777  www.egale.ca Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals,

 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  www.eventmasterinc.net YouthSafe

 http://www.youthsafe.net

Alberta’s website for youth with sex-and-gender differences. Youthsafe.net lists the resources, information and services to help youth find safe and caring spaces in Alberta.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

23

Politics

A Shadow across the Throne of St. Peter Renewed Sexual Abuse Allegations Plague the Papacy

By Stephen Lock All eyes are, once again, on Rome as the most recent round of sexual abuse scandals cast their shadow across the papal throne itself.

The Roman Catholic Church has been struggling with instances of sexual abuse of minors by priests for years, starting with allegations against the Christian Brothers order in Newfoundland almost two decades ago. Dioceses and archdioceses throughout North America have been rocked by allegations of cover-ups by bishops and archbishops and in some instances financially ruined by lawsuits.

Like spilled ink across vellum, the stain of sexual abuse against minors by those responsible for ensuring their charges lead good and decent lives, spread: to South America, where the church still holds considerable sway; then to Ireland and the UK; the Netherlands; and has now crept into the Catholic institutions of Germany, the current pope’s homeland.

The scandal, long a concern of the Holy See with both Benedict XVI and his predecessor John Paul II attempting to deal with it by making overtures of “reconciliation” towards victims, has taken a personal turn.

Benedict’s brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, was the choirmaster of the famed Regensburger Domspatzen, the thousand-year-old male choir and boarding school affiliated with the Cathedral of Regensburg, Bavaria.

Reports of abuse, both physical and sexual, first surfaced in February when three Jesuit-operated schools in the Regensburg diocese were investigated following allegations.

The scandal then surfaced in connection with the Cathedral choir. While denying any knowledge of sexual abuse during his tenure, Monsignor Ratzinger has publicly stated that, while choirmaster, he did discipline boys by sometimes slapping them across the head.

The allegations coming out of Regensburg are particularly noteworthy, and profoundly awkward for the current papacy, because the Pope and his brother spent much of their careers in senior positions at Regensburg. Georg Ratzinger became choirmaster in 1964. Benedict, the former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, taught theology at the prestigious University of Regensburg when a bishop in the 1970s.

It is inevitable, then, that questions concerning what was known and what was done (or not done) will be aimed directly at the pope.

As Cardinal, Ratzinger headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith whose mandate was, in part, to investigate such allegations within the church. He and his brother have both denied knowing or hearing anything about clergy abusing minors during their time in Regensburg.

This seems doubtful, given their positions of authority and that any such allegations would have, at the very least, crossed Bishop Ratzinger’s desk.

The Regensburg allegations emerged just weeks after Benedict publicly criticized Irish bishops for failing to deal with the “heinous crime” of abuse and called on Catholic bishops to approach and deal with the allegations with “honesty and courage”. While the Vatican supports a full investigation of the allegations, the Pope has been personally silent on the matter. His brother, on the other hand, has promised to fully cooperate in any investigation but denies any knowledge of wrongdoing on the part of priests and has said that any such abuse was before his time as choirmaster.

In discussions about sexual abuse and the Roman Catholic Church, two themes tend to emerge. One is the role homosexuality plays within the hierarchy and the other is anti-Catholicism. Both are difficult themes to avoid and there is a tendency to become bogged down, having either one or both becoming the focus.

It is easy to attack the Catholic Church. That it is a powerful, autonomous, even controlling entity goes without saying. There is a centuries-long antipathy by many towards “those papists” and such antipathy has often turned violent, on both sides.

The record of Holy Mother Church towards those who disagreed with Her tenets or sought to reform the Church is a bloody and often nasty one. The torture and burning of ‘heretics’, the Crusades to the Holy Land, the Inquisition (now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)...these are all part of history and speak to the absolutism of the Church. In modern times, the Church, while not violent, continues to adhere to a strict and unflinching orthodoxy, at odds with an increasingly secularized society, especially in Europe and North America.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

At the same time, the history of Protestantism (literally, the state of being one who protests against an established order) is rife with atrocities directed at priests and devout Catholics whenever “Protest-ants” gained power; be it in England under the Tudors or continental Europe after the Reformation. The destruction of monasteries and abbeys, the persecution of Catholics, the outlawing of the celebration of the Mass, forced conversions to the “new” Church; these are also legacies of those who sought to reform the Roman church.

One of the issues I have when reading or having discussions regarding the role of the Catholic Church in these sexual abuse scandals is the level of discourse. As I said, it is easy to go on the attack against “The Church” - and while that is understandable since “The Church” is certainly culpable in all this, having spent years covering the abuse up, moving suspect priests from one parish or diocese to another, and appearing to place the reputation of the church ahead of the pain of the abused - to me, there is a fine line between holding the church (or, more correctly, it’s hierarchy of monsignors, bishops, archbishops, and cardinals) accountable and launching off on an anti-Catholic tirade.

Anti-Catholicism is no different than anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, attacking Sikhs, or any other form of religious bigotry. Has the Roman Catholic Church a history of religious bigotry of its own? Absolutely, and it needs to be held accountable for that, both historically and in its current form, but to use such bigotry to condemn the bigotry or try and make one’s point about the abuses within the church now, is intellectually dishonest and accomplishes nothing.

As for the role homosexuality plays within the Church and what role that, in turn, plays in the sexual abuse of young males this too often simply degenerates into homophobic attacks.

When dealing with emotionally charged issues one needs to be very clear on terminology. We often read of “child sexual abuse” and that, naturally enough, conjures up images of very young children. This is not to at all suggest such abuse hasn’t occurred - it has, and it is outrageous.

Too often, however, what is being discussed is not pedophilia, per se, but pederasty or hebephilia...sex with teenage boys. This alters the issue somewhat.

Abuse is abuse when an individual, regardless of age, is coerced or does not consent to sexual activity. The argument then becomes, can a 14-year old or 15-year old truly consent to sex, be it with a peer, an older male, or one’s priest? Is it ‘abuse’ when a priest has sex, despite his vows of celibacy, with a 17-, 18- or 19-year old? Age of consent is a volatile issue and guaranteed to elicit strong reaction. That a priest has violated his vows is a whole other issue and, while serious, is something his bishop rightly needs to deal with - and is only peripherally related to this issue.

Does it matter if the sex was “only” masturbation or is it more serious if penetration occurred? As a society we can’t even agree on what constitutes ‘the sex act’; some see oral sex as sex while others don’t, especially (apparently) amongst young people. For others, anything other than full intercourse is foreplay or just messing around, but not actually “sex”…or it isn’t until it involves a younger person, and then it becomes “molestation.”

The issue is not about whether a particular priest is homosexual.

That many are gay will come as no surprise to anyone. The issue is about abuse; the abuse of authority, the abuse of position, the abuse of minors, the focus on one’s own desires and needs, and the total disregard of one’s actions on the emotional and psychological well being of another.

Years ago, when I was still “churched” and became involved with Dignity Canada, a gay Catholic organization (and one not supported by the church) I knew many gay religious - priests, seminarians and a monk or two - and they were all devout, caring, warm, loving men. Loving in the way the church wants its priests to be; agape as opposed to eros, although eros was sometimes a part of who they were too, and being gay was integral to how they responded to the world.

None of them, as far as I knew, were interested in young boys. To the church, however, their homosexuality was synonymous with being at the very least potential child abusers and, if found out, were removed from the diocese. While homosexuality was always an open secret, especially behind seminary walls, an environment of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ existed within the Church and its seminaries for years before the American military adopted it.

There also needs to be a distinction made between homosexuality and gayness. Being gay is not the same as being homosexual, although

obviously if one is gay one is a homosexual, but if one is homosexual it doesn’t necessarily mean one is gay.

Homosexuality is the orientation while gay is the identity and not all men with a homosexual/same-sex sexual orientation identify with the cultural and social identity we in the modern era refer to as ‘being gay.’

It is the difference, on one level, between what one does and who one is. This, too, elicits strong reaction and argument, and certainly within popular culture “being a homosexual” and “being a gay man” are perceived as synonymous. It’s just too complicated to get into the oftensubtle distinctions (let alone introducing what is commonly referred to as ‘bisexuality’, a continuum in itself, into the mix!) and so the culture understandably short-forms it all into “gay.”

So when we discuss sexual abuse within the church we need to be very careful we don’t tar everyone with the same brush. Sexual abuse, be it within the church or within society in general, needs to be addressed far more effectively than it is currently, and addressed objectively. It is an issue that pushes buttons for people. There is a major ‘ick’ factor involved, especially when it involves actual children, rather than teenage boys.

The focus needs to move away from protecting the church and more towards what the church refers to as ‘reconciliation’ with victims, many of whom left the church as adults and harbour considerable anger and hurt. However, reconciliation cannot happen in isolation – it is multifaceted and the church needs also to examine the root causes of abuse within its ranks and address them.

In recent years, to its credit, the church has begun that process.

However, it is still caught up in the mindset that in order to address the abuse, it needs to weed out those already in the hierarchy who are homosexual and somehow institute systems to prevent those who are homosexual, or who have “homosexual tendencies” from ever entering the church. I think this is totally misguided.

It is not having “homosexual tendencies” that is the problem.

It is a culture of repression, of denial, within the church that is the problem. It is not even about celibacy. One can be comfortably, even openly, homosexual or gay and be celibate. It is the culture of secrecy surrounding sexuality that creates a twisted expression thereof.

If one is in a culture where not only being sexual is condemned but also being homo-sexual is seen as anathema, one is going to push that aspect of one’s psyche down. We know the damage the closet does and

we are all aware of our own ‘walking wounded’ within secular life who for whatever reason cannot come to terms with their orientation, and therefore do not expose themselves in any way shape or form to positive ways of being gay. Push something down here and it will pop up there.

This is a basic law of nature, and it is no less so when dealing with the human psyche. And where it pops up is often not something within our control, and most certainly it will pop up where it shouldn’t.

If one has overwhelming needs and no way to channel them properly and believes one cannot - or actually is unable to - be part of a community that celebrates and supports who we are, be it our own GLBTQ community or the church community, one is going to seek to express those needs with what is available and, in one’s mind, not as likely to expose the activity. In too many instances this perversely translates into becoming involved with what psychologists would call “inappropriate object choices”; vulnerable youths.

Will the church ever be an environment in which being gay (or lesbian, bi or trans) is supported, let alone celebrated? Not in my lifetime. The current Pope has frequently demonstrated he is ill disposed towards our community.

As Cardinal and head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith he issued several documents highly condemnatory of homosexuality, calling it ‘intrinsically evil’ and ‘deeply disturbed.’ This hardly speaks to the Vatican reaching out and helping to create a welcoming environment in which all can work and support each other and deal with the issues and sub-issues of sexual abuse and the emotional isolation that can lead to abuse.

We have, however, seen this outreach in the United Church, The Unitarians, and other churches. And while the structure of these churches is markedly different from that of the Roman Catholic Church, being more congregational and ‘bottom up’ rather than hierarchical and ‘bottom down’, it does illustrate that creating a respectful and mutually supportive environment in which personal responsibility is not abdicated, is possible.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1632

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

25

Culture

Calgary International Spoken Word Festival Giving Voice to Those Underrepresented

By Dallas Barnes Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? And fittingly so, the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival makes its return this month. There will be 27 events and over 100 artists from all corners of the world performing in the cities Banff, Calgary, Canmore, and Edmonton.

The theme this year is Cabaret, to tantalize the audience with Moulin Rouge style performances. Sheri-D, Director of the Festival and a performer herself, is quick to remind us that Spoken Word Festivals originated in cabarets.

“I wanted to respect the past,” says Sheri-D. “We have really worked on bringing the performers from the past back to Calgary this year. Before it was just another cabaret act, and then it made a medium of its own. Spoken word has always been and an outside voice.”

The performers this year vary in many ways. Sheri-D is quite excited about this diversity, but was rather surprised at some similarities. “Most of the Festival is gay and I didn’t plan that! These individuals are hot artists. There is quite a bit of gender bending in the Festival.”

Baby Dee is one such performer. She is a performance artist, songwriter, classically trained harpist, circus veteran, and street legend. She has worked in the circus on Coney Island, and as an organist in a Catholic Church in the Bronx. She is definitely not to be missed.

Sini Anderson is another gay artist performing at the Festival. She is a performance artist, poet, producer, and director that is the co-founder of Sister Spit, and an all-girl, open-mic series that took San Francisco by storm. She has served as the Artistic Director for the National Queer Arts Festival, a co-producer for the Nectar stage at San Francisco Pride, a member of the Board of Directors for the Harvey Milk Institute, and CO-Chair of the Queer Cultural Centre.

Billie Nickerson is not sure how his past as a competitive junior curler has impacted his career as a poet, but he is sure it has. He is an accomplished writer with published works such as the Asthmatic Glass Blower, Let Me Kiss

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

it Better, Elixirs for the Not So Straight and Narrow, and McPoems.

Alberta’s own, Edmonton based spoken word artist T.I. Cowan is also making an appearance at the Festival. He performed in Canada and internationally for the past 10 years, and his work has been seen in Push Magazine, Benton Writing: Contemporary Queer Tales, and Notebook Magazine. You may have caught his queer, tent-based performance called Camp; Summer Vacation at the High Performance Rodeo.

These four performers are only a tiny portion of the list of acts this year.

If you are unsure of what exactly spoken work is, it is explained by CISWF as “encompass[ing] work, languages, rhythm, sound, music, and beat. It is written and presented in the voice and tone of the people. It is for the people. It is for the community.”

Spoken word is taking new and different forms with the advancement of technology. Banff to the World – Live To The Web on April 14th will integrate the faculty members of the Spoken Word Program and South Africa’s Kobus Moolman in creating instant art – unrehearsed.

Sheri-D is looking forward to the largest Festival to date.

“We are acknowledging Muslim women, underrepresented voices, political action, and a strong component of the queer voice. It’s appealing, appalling, fabulous, and slightly shocking. It is Cabaret! Expect the unexpected!”

Calgary International Spoken Word Festival 2010

April 7-16 - Banff, Canmore April 20-30 - Calgary April 27 - Edmonton www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1633

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Community

The GAYmazing Race Pride Calgary Plans Scavenger Hunt

By Matthew Tuer Do you love to play dress up? How about frolicking around the city with your closest friends in tow? Do you like competing with other people for fun and exciting prizes that you can take home at the end of the night?

If this just sounds like a typical Saturday night at the gay bar, think again. It’s Calgary’s very first GAYmazing race!

Loosely based on the hit TV show, the GAYmazing race is a fun and competitive fundraiser for Calgary Pride 2010 being held in town on Saturday, May 8th.

Come join your peers as they race around the city on teams of 1 to 4 people, in a photo scavenger hunt through various LGBT friendly locations, and get the chance to complete fun tasks and figure out clues that will lead you to the next spot on the hunt, and eventually straight across the finish line.

But don’t go speeding your way through the day too fast.

Just because your team finishes first, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve won the race. Judges will be looking for creative team names and wacky costumes, as well as creative and interesting ways to complete your tasks throughout the day, in order to earn extra points and help your chances of winning. So make sure to combine all of your fabulous gay powers together to come up with the most exciting and imaginative ways to journey through some of our city’s hottest gay spots – and learn a thing or two about the LGBT community while you’re at it!

And as if that’s not enough, Pride Calgary will be throwing a wrap up party following the race, where all of the contestants and their friends to get a chance to meet each other and share some good times, while the GAYmazing prizes are awarded. The location of the party will be revealed in the contestants’ last clue of the day, but will be given with enough time to call up your friends and have them join you.

If you happen to be a newcomer to Calgary, don’t be discouraged - those who have lived here their whole lives don’t necessarily have an advantage. The GAYmazing race is a great way for people who grew up here and for newbies to discover new gay friendly places throughout the city, which will help to expand our community even more and help to bring us all closer together.

So get your team members together, and download a registration form as soon as they become available on Pride Calgary’s website, to sign up for this unique and fun event.

Hope to see you all there, looking GAYmazing as ever!

Pride Calgary www.pridecalgary.ca The GAYmazing Race

Saturday, May 8th, 3pm to 8pm Various locations http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1634

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Q Scopes

“Go back to basics, Gemini!”

Saturn backing into Virgo reminds us to clean up old business before starting new relationships. Aspecting Uranus and Neptune, she’ll dig up complications that must be dealt with to make progress. Go slowly and carefully. You have until late July to get it right.



ARIES (March 20 – April 19): Recalculate the equation of any partnership that’s troubling you. Can or should it be saved? Strong instincts and inspiration could lead you astray, but probably contain a kernel of truth. Friends can help you reconcile those with reality.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20): Feeling stuck at work can push you back to re-examine your goals. Where do you feel most creative, and what do you really have to offer?

If professional goals feel nebulous, frame the question in terms of your social ideals.

GEMINI (May 21- June 20): While your goals and ideals seem to be in flux, go back to basics. The most relevant questions about reaching out to the world around you are taught early in life. Be nice, share and try to learn.

Community service can also help clear your head.

CANCER (June 21- July 22): Discuss longstanding family issues with siblings, or community problems with neighbors. Things probably aren’t as dark and complicated as they feel. New perspectives will help if you’re willing to be very open-minded.

LEO (July 23 – August 22): New ideas and skills can help get you out of financial trouble, but first understand how and why you got into that trouble. You won’t get that on your own. Your partner or an advisor can help you figure it out.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22): Taking the weight of the world on your shoulders is bad for your health.

Discussing problems with your partner, or a trusted friend or counselor, is necessary even if it’s aggravating. A mild exercise program (swimming?) and meditation help.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22): It seems you can’t catch a break, so make one for yourself. Take time off to meditate and play. Settle your nerves and charge up your batteries. You need this. In the long run it’s the responsible thing to do!

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21): Take a hard look at your future and get ready to clear out the clutter in your life. Mending fences could mean quitting some friendships and groups, but offers you a chance to make it clean and amicable.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 20): Clean up any loose ends and nasty rumors affecting your reputation. Helpful inspiration comes from your home and family. Advice from siblings and neighbors can seem confusing, but don’t take it too literally and it could prove valuable.

CAPRICORN (December 21 – January 19): Coming toward a peak of your professional reputation, now is the time to get the word out about your achievements and services. Typos and snafus lie in wait. Be very attentive to those details!

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18): You’re coming into a phase of your life where your ideas and your mind will be much challenged. Review what you believe and why.

Confusion about who you are and what’s important can be a healthy stage of growth.

PISCES (February 19 – March 19): Feeling unsure about sex and relationships can be a good step toward greater awareness. OK, it’s uncomfortable now. Meditation and other quiet secluded retreats – some with your love, some without – will ease the exploration.

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Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is available for personal and business consultations in person in San Francisco, or online everywhere. He can be reached at 415-864-8302, through his Web site at www.starjack.com.

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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Gossip what you’re going to get. Welcome, then, Vamps, the new film from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless writer/ director Amy Heckerling. It’s sort of a young Sex and the Citymeets-glamorous-neck-biting and will star Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter (She’s Out of My League) as two young lady-bloodsuckers in New York, both of whom have to choose between immortality and love. It will co-star Sigourney Weaver (it’s really about time she got to play a vampire, her lesbian icon status was in jeopardy after that last Tim Allen comedy) as the leader of a blood dynasty. Look, as long as it’s a comedy and Alicia is allowed to shop some, it probably won’t hurt a bit.

Ashley Tisdale: Hellcat

 Sigourney Weaver

Deep Inside Hollywood Jackman taking road to Selma Romeo San Vicente Under normal circumstances, the casting of an actor to play Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma, the latest project from gay Oscar nominated director Lee Daniels, would be major news.

And once the movie is finally shot, cut and released, David Oyelowo, the British actor who’ll play the legendary civil rights leader and who’ll also soon appear in George Lucas’s Red Tails, will surely see his profile rise in this country. But for now you probably have no idea who he is, and so the real casting news for this movie is about Hugh Jackman. He’s going to play a redneck sheriff in the story, which will center around the 1965 marches staged by King in Selma, Alabama, and he will almost certainly not be pouring entire buckets of warm water over his sweat-glistened torso in this one. But that’s just a hunch.

They’re still getting the financing together anyway, so you’ve got some waiting on your hands, either way.

Sigourney and Silverstone to Vamp Want more vampires in love? Of course you do. Your job as a member of consumer culture requires you to enjoy astonishing amounts of the thing that’s really popular right now. So that’s

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

From the It Sure Took Them Long Enough department (and certainly inspired by a certain show about teen choirs) comes Hellcats, a pilot from the CW about cheerleading. Starring Aly Michalka as a college girl from the wrong side of the tracks who joins the world of competitive cheering, the series has cast singer-actor Ashley Tisdale as the squad’s intensely ambitious team captain. Tisdale almost single-handedly added all comic relief to the High School Musical franchise (as the intensely ambitious queen of drama club, so yeah, not much stretching here) so this bit of actor-in-the-right-role news feels like a perfect fit. Better yet, it’s for a network that specializes in tarttongued young things, so we’re certain to see Tisdale finally shed some of her squeaky-cleanliness. And you can go ahead and call it Bring It On: The College Years: The TV Show if you want. That’s what it sounds like to Romeo, too. It also sounds like a damn good time waiting to happen.

Jason Segel’s rainbow connection In truth, there’s technically nothing truly gay about The Muppets. They’re wholesome and sweet and hilarious. There are openly homosexual Muppets. (Unless you’re talking about Bert and Ernie. And we’ve had our gaydar tripped by Big Bird.

And Sweetums. And Miss Piggy is voiced by a man. Okay, The Muppets are super-gay after all.) But they do resonate with everyone’s sense of humor and, more importantly, the human sense of wanting to belong to a big happy group. So the news that The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time is happening and that puppet-friendly funny guy Jason Segal is not only the main-starring human being but also the script’s co-writer is more exciting than the announcement of a project featuring actual gayness. It just is. Set for 2012, it can’t arrive soon enough, Mayan calendar be darned.

Romeo San Vicente always identified with drumming Muppet “Animal.” He can be reached care of this publication.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1636

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Community

A Look Back at His Reign

Emperor 33 Joey Hailey-Boink Reflects Upon the Past Year

By Sam Casselman On April 17th, 2010, Emperor and Empress 33 of the ISCCA will be stepping down from their reign at the 34th Coronation. Although his reign was met with many challenges, Emperor Joey Hailey-Boink feels thankful for everything this past year has brought him.

Upon election in 2009, Joey says he was determined to go forward with the challenge ahead. “As an Emperor I am a goodwill ambassador as well as a figurehead of the organization. My job is to raise money for the local charities of choice as well as represent Calgary’s court in other cities.”

As a novice however, Joey explained how he was extremely grateful to all those who helped him along the way. “I had to learn on the job, and prove myself to the community and the people who voted me in. I would have not been able to grasp the success without the help of many wonderful people such as my upper house, my Board of Directors, my Prince, and all those who have helped me out along the way.”

Empress Bianca LaBouche was one such person who Joey mentions helping him along the way. “She has been part of the circuit for many years. So, for me as a newcomer, it was a major help having…somebody by my side who already knows many people and also knows the ropes of this wonderful game.” LaBouche was out of town for several weeks, and not available for an interview before the time of press.

Being partners with two distinct personalities did however prove to be challenging. ”We learned to work with each other. WE both are European, and for that we are both very vocal, and sometimes very stubborn. But, I am glad to say we managed to find a common ground and areas where one was weak, the other one turned out to be strong, so we complimented each other to do the best we could.”

This past year has been very busy, but Joey feels it has been worthwhile to both the Court and the Emperor and Empress as individuals. “I’m very glad to say that we have been represented very well. Other than one, we have made it to all Canadian Coronations from coast to coast, and were represented at many US Coronations as well.”

Locally their schedules have been relentless, “from Money Pennies to the Backlot, Texas Lounge and the Calgary Eagle, they have all gratefully opened their doors and had us in there week after week to do barbeques, shows, sell shooters, or even take care of the coat check. …Without the continued support of these places we would have not been able to do the job or raise the money we did this year, and for that they all deserve a big thank you.”

Joey explained how there is much to look forward to in the weeks to come, “We have got an entire week filled with wonderful events coming up: State Dinner, In Town Show, Out of Town Show, Coronation - just to name a few. People can go on our website, www.iscca.ca, for a detailed list of events coming up in the future.”

With less than two weeks to go, Joey admits that the venue for the Out of Town has yet to be confirmed.

“We are in conversations with Twisted Element about having the Out of Town Show at their establishment. So at this point [we are not sure of the location].” He recommends checking back on their website closer to the time for location details, as they become available.

In the case of Twisted Element becoming the venue for the Out of Town Show, candidate for Emperor 34, Fred, has stated he will be hosting an unofficial event at the Westin hotel for those who cannot attend the venue for personal reasons.

Joey is looking forward to many things once he steps down as Emperor.

He is excited to see what the future holds for Calgary’s court.

“The Court will keep on doing the job that it set out to do many years ago: to raise funds and represent the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community at large. As for myself, I am going to get my life back and go watch a movie!”

When asked for final words about his reign, Joey describes his many positive experiences.

“My favourite part of being the Emperor I have to say was the people I have met, and the places I got to visit. I had the chance to literally travel from coast to coast in this wonderful country, and meet the nicest, most

 Joey performing at the Texas Lounge honest people along the way. These connections I have made are for a lifetime, and I am glad to say, there are not many places where I can’t call somebody to have a cup of Joe with. For that I am so thankful.”

“To all who were there for me in the past year, thank you ever so much.

When you see me in the College of Monarchs there you shall see yourself, for you have raised me up there, and for you, there I stand.”

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1637

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

29

Out of Town Charleston, South Carolina

Colonial and Victorian buildings in Charleston’s downtown historic district

By Andrew Collins One of the wealthiest and largest cities of preColonial America, Charleston today mixes expected, if stereotypical, Southern charms like plantation museums, cobblestone lanes, ancient military sites and traditional Lowcountry cuisine with a number of facets that surprise first-time visitors: hip coffeehouses, edgy galleries, informal restaurants and nightspots, and an increasingly more youthful and progressive population (Obama easily outpaced McCain in Charleston County in 2008). It’s hardly surprising that this fast-growing, sophisticated city known for its arts festivals and historic architecture has become a favorite weekend destination among GLBT travelers.

Museum junkies won’t lack for things to see and do here, although there’s no reason to focus your explorations indoors, especially from fall through spring, when the moderate climate is perfect for strolling along the riverfront or trekking to one of the beach communities nearby.

A good place to begin exploring is with a stop at the Historic Charleston Foundation. A number of key events are held here, including the famed Spoleto Festival, which in late spring offers two weeks’ worth of first-rate opera, dance, theater, music, poetry readings and visual arts exhibitions.

The foundation also operates two superb museums, the 1817 Aiken-Rhett House and the 1808 Nathaniel Russell House.

From the latter you can walk a few blocks south to Waterfront Park, a grassy tree-filled plot of land with gardens and an adjacent promenade overlooking the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Walk north through the historic downtown along Meeting Street, Charleston’s “Museum Mile,” and you’ll find one intriguing attraction after another. The Gibbes Museum of Art, with its 7,000-piece permanent collection and the Charleston Museum, which opened in 1773, are highlights. Meeting, King and Bay streets have their share of both high-quality and predictable gift and antiques shops, as well as several galleries.

Charleston figured pivotally in the American Revolution and even more directly in the start of the Civil War. Today Fort Sumter Tours offers boat excursions out to Fort Sumter National Monument, the 19th-century fort on which the first shot of the war was fired on April 12, 1861.

No visit to Charleston is complete without a side trip to one of the imposing plantations. Consider the 1740s Drayton Hall, the only extant antebellum mansion along the Ashley River (it’s unfurnished, however); and Middleton Place, a 1741 spread whose colorful gardens are the oldest in the country.

In the other direction, head east and then south to the breezy Sullivan’s Island, an excellent place to stroll along pristine goldsand beaches. You can tour Fort Moultrie, another significant Civil and Revolutionary war site that’s now run by the national park service. And then stop for a filling lunch at rustic Poe’s Tavern, which turns out enormous and delicious burgers with names inspired by 19th-century horror writer Edgar Allan Poe - he was stationed at Fort Moultrie for a couple of years.

In downtown Charleston, you’ll find countless opportunities to partake of the region’s famed Lowcountry cuisine, which mixes soul, Creole, and Southern recipes. Head to Slightly North of Broad (aka “S.N.O.B.”) for a creative take on classic Southern fare, including a flawless rendition of shrimp-andgrits. Just down the street, Blossom serves similarly creative Lowcountry cooking with a modern spin - try the pan-seared flounder with butterbean ragout and bacon jus.

Travel Quite a few more modern establishments have been gaining favor with foodies of late. A good choice for sipping flights of different styles of wine while nibbling on tasty tapas is Social Wine Bar, which makes fantastic wood-fired pizzas - the one with prosciutto, fontina, sliced pear and mozzarella is a standout. Stellar farm-to-table mod cuisine is served at the trendy storefront eatery Fig, from Wagyu beef tartare to slow-baked black bass with baby clams.

An emerging restaurant row close to the city’s two main gay bars, upper King Street, has several excellent dinner spots, including the swanky pan-Asian restaurant Chai’s Lounge & Tapas and the cozy, romantic French bistro La Fourchette - an enjoyable place to feast steamed mussels in garlic and white wine with frites double-fried in duck fat.

With as strong a GLBT following as anywhere in town, Vickery’s serves such tasty and affordable Caribbean-meetsCuban victuals as fried-green-tomato turnovers, black bean soup, and grilled jerk chicken salads. Stop by the cozy coffeehouse Baked, the only place in the Southeast serving Portland, Oregon’s famed Stumptown Coffee, plus tasty cakes and deliriously good sweet-and-salty brownies (filled with caramel and topped with sea salt).

Although Charleston isn’t a major gay nightlife hub, you will find a couple of great hangouts near upper King Street.

Convivial Dudley’s Pub is a prime spot to chat with locals, shoot pool, sing karaoke, or watch videos, while just down the block and open only on weekends, Pantheon is the city’s hottest gay dance club, with go-go boys, top DJs, and drag shows. You’ll also find a couple of less touristy neighborhood bars in the region: Patrick’s Pub & Grill, a 15-minute west of downtown, Déjà vu II, which is the same distance to the north.

Upscale and popular year-round, Charleston has fairly high hotel rates, but you will find some of the snazziest and most romantic accommodations in the country. If you’d rather not blow your whole budget on your room, consider a couple of the excellent - and gay-friendly - mid-priced chain properties in town, including the Hampton Inn Charleston Historic District (which is close to Dudley’s and Pantheon gay bars) and the attractive Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Waterfront, which overlooks the riverfront and is a 10-minute walk west of the Historic District.

Among high-end lodgings, the sumptuous and centrally located Market Pavilion Hotel contains 70 beautifully appointed rooms filled with museum-quality furnishings and artwork.

There’s also a rooftop bar and pool affording panoramic views, and one of the best restaurants downtown, Grill 225, serving decadent steaks and Lowcountry seafood.

Around the corner, the five-story Harbourview Inn is another stunner - inside you’ll find soaring ceilings, exposed-brick walls, and four-poster beds. The complimentary perks are many: Continental breakfast delivered to your room, afternoon wine and cheese, evening milk and cookies, local walking tours, and Wi-Fi. The Harbourview is part of a local hotel group that includes several other excellent properties, among them the

41-room Andrew Pinckney Inn, which occupies a beautifully restored 1840s building.

Another exceptional choice is the meticulously maintained Planters Inn, many of whose luxurious rooms have whirlpool tubs. This courtly property overlooks City Market and is close to many galleries and shops - it’s also home to the stellar Peninsula Grill restaurant. One of the city’s most historic options is the John Rutledge House Inn, which has rooms in the main 1763 mansion as well as in two adjacent carriage houses. The romantic, Italianate-style main building was built by a signer of the U.S. Constitution - its rooms, with 13-foot ceilings and elaborate plaster moldings, are supremely opulent, but those in the adjoining carriage houses offer a bit more privacy.

The city has a few gay-owned B&B, including 4 Unity Alley, is a gem hidden down a tiny alley off historic Bay Street. This 18th-century former colonial warehouse, in which George Washington is said to have housed his horse for a night, contains airy, light-filled rooms with fine antiques. Keep in mind that the four guest rooms here often book up quickly - it’s wise to make your reservations well in advance. Guests can relax in a sunny garden, and off-street parking and a full breakfast are included in the rates.

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. He can be reached care of this publication.

The Little Black Book Andrew Pinckney Inn (http://www.andrewpinckneyinn.com). Baked (http://www.bakedcharleston.com). Blossom (http://www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com). Chai’s Lounge & Tapas (http://www.chaislounge.com).

Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau (http://www.charlestoncvb.com).

Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Waterfront (http://www.marriott.com/ chscy). Déjà vu II (http://www.dejavuii.com). Dudley’s Pub (http://www. myspace.com/clubpantheon). Fig (http://www.eatatfig.com). 4 Unity Alley (http://www.unitybb.com). Hampton Inn Charleston Historic District (http:// www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=CHSHDHX).

Harbourview Inn (http://www.harbourviewcharleston.com). John Rutledge House Inn (http://www.johnrutledgehouseinn.com/). La Fourchette (http://www.lafourchettecharleston.com). Market Pavilion Hotel and Grill 225 (http://www.marketpavilion.com). Pantheon (http://www.myspace. com/clubpantheon). Planters Inn (http://www.plantersinn.com). Poe’s Tavern (http://www.poestavern.com). Slightly North of Broad (http://www. mavericksouthernkitchens.com/snob). Social Wine Bar (http://www.socialwinebar.com). Vickery’s (http://www.vickerysbarandgrill.com). http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1638

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

31

Trans-Identity

Sociopolitics of Identity Hope Resides in the Genderqueer and Transgressive

By Mercedes Allen As time goes on, something happens to a person as a transitioned transsexual. It has a lot to do with why the transsexed side of the transgender continuum tends not to have many long-term advocates involved with the community.

I first came to realize it over a discussion with someone long transitioned who was still involved with the wider community, but it was largely forgotten that she had a trans history. Although the cerebral knowledge and empathy for trans issues were there, the memory had faded to the point where it was hard for her to recall the experiences personally, where it seemed to her as though everything had happened to someone else. This is not a bad thing - in fact, it’s the whole point of transition, to put the years of hiding and fakery and anxiety behind; to finally be able to start at square one and build a life that fits for oneself. She had accomplished that, and I realized early into my advocacy that it would be the path I would likely tread as well. It’s like anything else support-oriented: eventually you accomplish what you’d hoped for, and move on - a necessary part of the healing.

In recent years, I’ve recognized the same thing happening within myself.

People sometimes come to me with their anxiety about going out into public for the first time, or the fears of having to tell their parents that they’re trans, or navigating transition in the workplace, and I’m finding my own memories distant, fading, almost foreign. Some of the consequences - such as disowning myself from my family because continued contact after four years was just hurting everyone - are still painful, but much of the “before” picture is almost gone. This doesn’t really bother me too much - I never set out to be Mercedes the Trans Spokesperson, I only wanted to leave the community with more than it had when I’d arrived - but it does make me feel guilty at the possibility that eventually, it may mean leaving behind people still in genuine need. (And for those who might be wondering, no I’m not leaving the community right now, and I suspect I’ll always be somewhat “out” there, it just means that I’m finding it harder to be there with the moment-to-moment advice because all that is disappearing into the past for me.)

But the need does go on. The transsexual community is changing, coming out in the same way that gay and lesbian communities emerged into awareness in the 1970s (and as we can see today, it’s still an ongoing process). More people are finding the information and encouragement they need to soldier through, more people are soul-searching, questioning the many different options open to them. Sometimes, policies that had once enabled transition are even being rolled back in negative reaction to the increased awareness, as witnessed by the delisting of health care funding for Genital Reassignment Surgery in Alberta last year. Yet as the awareness changes hearts and minds, the future shows encouraging promise. In May of this year, Parliament is scheduled to debate and vote on a Private Member’s Bill (C-389) that would add protections for gender identity and gender expression to the Criminal Code of Canada and Canada Human Rights Act, with legal protections being an important first step toward acceptance.

(And I know Canadian readers have all contacted their MPs to express support for this bill, haven’t they? For more information about it, refer to the January issue of GayCalgary and Edmonton magazine, or visit: http:// www.gaycalgary.com/u58) The need does go on, and the struggles with fear and shame by those who follow remain urgent and vital.

More than the transsexual community is changing. Ethicists and commentators and talk show hosts are delving into understanding the concepts of pregnant men and non-traditional marriages. Parents are raising children with a certain amount of gender neutrality to let their children settle into what is most comfortable, giving them non-specific names like “Pop” and getting lambasted in Life & Style Magazine. Governments are struggling with intersex and trans concepts and debating the possibility of a “sex not specified” designation. A Pope who condemns gender variance and queerness as being the greatest threats to humanity is now being recognized as fallible for his own involvements in the cover-ups of child abuse and molestation. Nepal, Pakistan and India are legally recognizing culturallyentrenched gender variant individuals as people. A world is waking.

I mentioned the phrases “gender variant” and “gender expression.”

Sometimes I focus too narrowly on transsexualism, because it’s what I know. These terms, however, cover a wide range, including crossdressing, androgynous, genderqueer and exploratory people. As the world wakes, so too are people able to wake to self-identification that was not available to them before. Terms like “crossdreamers” are being invented and defined.

Some of them will fall by the wayside; others will catch on and ignite as more people discover relevance in them, and a deep connection.

For the transsexual community, this has sometimes been the source of a lot of division, with the more conservative of us fearing the change, even attacking people outside transitioning pathways as a perceived threat to “real” transsexuals. And it’s not without some cause. In individual

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

transitions, there’s always that awkward period when presentation is shaky or nervousness gives us away, or we fumble and say and do things that we’ll later find embarrassing - we’re sort of going through that as a community too, and the places one goes to in self-discovery sometimes trigger others whose determinance has led them elsewhere. norrie mAy Welby’s recent attaining of a “sex not specified” legal designation (which was a first in the Western world but later revoked by Australian authorities) is a major coming-out for those comfortable in identifying as in between genders, but for those who do identify as being part of a binary and who would not want to be forced into that box, it doesn’t take much imagination to see how something like that could backfire. Things get complicated before they grow clearer, and this fear sometimes triggers a push-back. Too, something that hasn’t yet grown distant is the memory of how overdone distortions of one segment of our community have been trotted out in society, and painted as representations of another - from The Jerry Springer Show to the 2010 transploitative “Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives.” The wound is still tender.

And yet, for the majority of people under the transgender umbrella (as well as for those transsexuals entering the community with fears and anxieties of transition and interacting with the public and newly addressing family, friends, co-workers and others), hope resides not in trans advocates who march in and then drift away, but in the genderqueer and crossdressing and gender variant.

Gender variance and gender expression involve a sociopolitical reassessment of the understanding of identity. And identity is something that individuals get hung up on, since our understanding of it derives almost entirely from our own singular identities. Men have enough difficulty grasping femaleness and vice versa, let alone a plethora of existence outside those accepted benchmarks. And no matter how intimately someone might understand and know someone else, their understanding will always be limited by the physical constraints of their own skulls. Identity is something that we might not ever grasp fluently or completely. But we can come to accept it as a fluid part of our reality and that others’ identities aren’t expected to fit our own concepts and understandings. And this is where the ongoing visibility of people who transgress or queer the rules of gender come in.

During high school, in my feeble attempts to form a rock band, I adopted a look (because everyone had to have an “image”) incorporating the obligatory leather jacket, jeans and a red camisole. I had to justify the latter by saying it was a political comment as well as easier to wear under hot lights, and play down any self-expression and searching for people who might empathize via symbology. For those of us who’ve been around awhile, I don’t have to tell you that the look (simple as it was) bombed magnificently. A few years later, Kurt Cobain started taking to the stage playing the occasional set in a flat grey skirt or kilt (not to mention Alice ‘n Chainz’ Layne Staley in occasional full drag) and I expected the same to happen; instead, he powered through, and today the idea seems somewhat mundane, at least in a theatric setting.

Society grows, adjusts, and absorbs each new experience into its vernacular, although it has to be occasionally reinforced if it’s to be kept from being forgotten.

While “transgender” covers a vast group of people with different identities, underlying the struggles of each is an acknowledgment and understanding of identity itself – that it is something that evolves but does not change on pure whim, something that is very real to us personally, even if we can’t always communicate it, and have to rely on the trappings of physical expression to say it for us. Growing exposure to various and unique identities is a crucial step toward dismissing the notion of “fringe” and recognizing that our infinitely diverse identities and the open expression of them are something that is magical and fundamentally integral to our ability to be individual.

And by accepting the repeated expression of individuality of others, society grows less threatened by any one individual.

Society experiences the gender variant person at first as shocking, then as a person, realizes the sense of threat is unfounded, and then accepts and moves on. And it is this process that will alleviate the terror and shame experienced by those who follow.

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.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1639

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Community

A Taste for Life

SHARP Foundation Wants You to Eat Well!

By Sam Casselman If you plan on going out for dinner only once this month, make sure you aim for April 28th. The SHARP Foundation and participating restaurants are making a difference for individuals affected with HIV/AIDS. According to Karyn Baggs, Donation Coordinator for the SHARP Foundation, Taste for Life “is a unique fundraising event [that] began in Philadelphia and has been held successfully in many communities in Canada and the United States. The concept is simple, the visibility is high, and the cause is recognized and endorsed throughout the community.”

Participating restaurants donate 25% of their gross earnings of the evening to SHARP. All you need to do is make reservations for dinner on April 28th at one of the following participating restaurants: Chicago Chop House, Escoba Bistro and Wine Bar, Fiore Cantina Italiana, Los Chilitos Taco &Tequila House, Moxies 17th Avenue, The Coup, The Gypsy Bistro-Wine Bar, or the Metropolitan Grill. Address information for these restaurants can be found on the Taste for Life website.

The SHARP Foundation cannot serve its purpose without the generosity of the LGBT community. Its mandate is simple. “We provide care and support for community’s most marginalized citizens infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.” In an effort to give much needed respect and care to those in needs, the Sharp Foundation works directly with these individuals to make sure this happens. On top of financial challenges that patients face, they may also suffer from mental health problems, substance addictions, etc. Sadly, with limited space, many patients who need hospice care do not qualify.

The SHARP Foundation hopes that A Taste for Life will substantially contribute to a $1.2 million initiative for their new projects: Independence House, Project Kathleen, and other projects. All of these projects are a result of an urgent need to house, counsel, and properly medicate marginalized individuals living with HIV/AIDS. “Independence House – currently SHARP has 21 people on its waitlist for services. The building of Independence House is of urgent need and is being supported by the Calgary Housing Company. This project will provide support to couples in need of SHARP’s medical, spiritual, physical, and social programs.”

“Project Kathleen – this housing project will focus on the needs of highly marginalized females living with HIV/AIDS.” “Capital Projects and Admin support – with growth of its services SHARP will require additional funds for administrative support (i.e. case workers, nurses). The need for renovations and capital are ongoing.”

Last year in Toronto, A Taste for Life raised over $100,000.

The Sharp Foundation is hoping for the same in Calgary. Make sure to make your dinner reservations today.

Letters

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor; A new Narcotics Anonymous meeting has been established in Calgary. The new meeting is described as a “special interest” meeting, and is called “Equality In Recovery.” It is specifically an attempt to reach out to members of the gay/lesbian/bisexual/ trans-gender community (and their “supportive friends”) who struggle with drug addiction and who have a desire to stop using.

In establishing this new meeting we are determined to offer a safe and secure atmosphere for “open sharing” and recovery from addiction. We view addiction as a serious health concern in our community. Meetings will go for 2 hours with a 20 minute “fellowship” break, and will take place every Friday evening commencing at 7pm at the Sheldon Chumir Centre (3rd floor meeting room). The first meeting occurred on Friday, March 19th.

We appreciate your assistance in bringing this matter to the attention of your readers.

Thank you, - Mike S

A Taste for Life www.atasteforlife.org

The SHARP Foundation www.thesharpfoundation.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1640

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33

Photography Oscar Party Aids Calgary Fundraiser at the Uptown, Calgary

Curvalicious Urban Curvz Fundraiser, Calgary

Ronnie Burkett Aids Calgary Fundraiser, Calgary

Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser at Prism - Edmonton, Photos

by Karen Hofmann

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Photography ISCCA Candidate Show at the Texas Lounge, Calgary

Mac & Cheese Contest/Fundraiser at the Eagle, Calgary

ISCCA Candidate Show at the Texas Lounge, Calgary

St. Patrick’s Day Auction at the Texas Lounge - Calgary

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Community Furthermore, on the set-up of the GayCalgary Olde Tyme Country Carnival, ARGRA is pushing for this year to be even better! The carnival is a fabulous opportunity for other Alberta LGBT groups to promote themselves.

Judy admitted it’s a bit early to get the groups going, but, “...we’re getting out and getting contacts with the groups. We have a lot of interest.”

As with last year, any LGBT non-profit groups and organizations can apply with ARGRA to set up a carnival or midway type game to raise money.

There is no cost to the organization to set up a booth/table/tent, and groups get to keep all profits. For the organizations, it has the potential to be an excellent fundraiser; they get to be part of rodeo, and the four to five thousand attendees enjoy games while supporting many good causes - a win-win for everyone.

Getting back to the rodeo element of the CRIR, a new addition this year is a rodeo school. “What we are looking for are people who are interested in learning more about some of the events, and [who] would like to participate,” says Judy.

 Bigger and better things are planned this year in Strathmore

Canadian Rockies International Rodeo

Reloaded for 2010

By Evan Kayne The Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA) has a great suggestion for those wanting to see fireworks on Canada Day. Come out to the Strathmore Agricultural Grounds (just east of Calgary) to enjoy fireworks and the Canadian Rockies International Rodeo (CRIR), this year running July 1st – 4th.

After the success of the first year in the new Strathmore venue, ARGRA took a look at what worked and what didn’t, and has made a few changes. First off, all four days will have acts or musicians. On Canada Day the entertainment begins with a favourite from a few years back – Joanna, celebrity impersonator. As described by Judy Munson (ARGRA Communications Director), “He’s just amazing...he sings in his own voice and he sings Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton and Anne Murray...and he also sings Johnny Cash.”

Further on entertainment, one of the new things Judy wants everyone to know about is the Bud Light Stage – positioned right in the middle of the midway. “What we’ve planned with that,” says Judy, “every day between 5pm and 7pm, beginning on Thursday, we will have performers, possibly karaoke, and singers.” Because this is still in the planning phase, ARGRA wants to let people know they are still seeking entertainers to fill some of these slots, so if you’re a karaoke wiz, an aspiring singer, a comedian, or even a juggler and want to appear on the Bud Light stage, contact the Rodeo Director, Darrel Reid, for details.

Friday evening, attendees will see the return of musician Steve Arsenault.

He was such a hit from Sunday night last year, ARGRA wanted him back to headline the dance on Friday night. As for Saturday and Sunday nights this year, things will progress much as previous years with the dinner and dance on Saturday, then the award ceremony and dance on Sunday. Joanna will be back to warm up the crowd on Saturday night, but at the time we spoke to Judy, Sunday night’s act was still to be decided.

Another big change is the way things will be organized around the midway area, such as retailers who, instead of being all under a tent, will be side-by-side with the food vendors, the art show/silent auction, and the community carnival. This mixture of retailer, carnival, food and art should be an excellent draw for any who consider the rodeo events as secondary to the country western party atmosphere. Hopefully, this combination will feel similar to the set-up of festivals here in Calgary: think Lilac festival or Calgary Stampede to get an idea of what things should look like on the CRIR midway this year.

While they haven’t solidified details on the school yet (i.e. cost, exact times and events), the plan is for it to run the Thursday and Friday afternoons. At least two competition events considered for the school are Chute Dogging, and Calf Roping on Foot, however this may change if the demand is greater for other events. Participants will be trained by seasoned rodeo experts, and Judy feels this will be a really good introductory event for people who have watched the rodeo and thought they might like to try participating in certain events.

Participants in the Rodeo School can then sign up for the competition Friday, and go off to the races on Saturday. There will be more details on ARGRA’s website in the next few weeks, but if this interests you, please take a moment to contact ARGRA Vice President, Rob Somers as soon as you can, so that they can plan the school ahead of time.

Strathmore is blessed with acres of land for camping, and for those saying on-site, it will be much the same as last year. For those not wanting to rough it, rodeo attendees receive a 15% discount on room at this year’s host hotel, the Strathmore Travelodge. This offer is a new thing this year, as hotels are embracing the positive impact that the Rodeo has had on their town.

This attitude change goes double for the town of Strathmore. Last year a lot of townfolk came out to the rodeo unsure of what to expect, but found themselves enjoying the experience. “We had a whole group of women from Strathmore Rodeo that volunteered for our rodeo for bartenders…and they loved it! They loved the group, they loved the people, they said they’ve never been treated so nicely…we gave them a standing ovation on the Sunday night and they were in tears…and they said sign us up for next year!”

ARGRA also made a very good impression on the Strathmore Agricultural Society, the site of the Rodeo. While the venue originally offered only a single year contract, they were so impressed by the turn-out and the way that organizers left the facilities, that they signed the CRIR up for a three year contract this time around. “They actually said that they got some ideas from our rodeo to put into their rodeo – the Strathmore Heritage Days.”

ARGRA returned the favour and volunteered at the Strathmore rodeo, in order to continue cementing the relationship.

While it’s too soon to predict if we’ll see sunny skies from July 1st to 4th, let’s hope for the weather to favour us and make the 2010 CRIR the best yet!

Tickets and packages are already posted. Information on the campsite should be up the first week of April. ARGRA uses Facebook to notify fans of any upcoming events – look there for more CRIR details when confirmed.

Organisations interested in participating in the Olde Tyme Country Carnival may contact ARGRA through their website or via email at sponsorship@argra.org

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA) Darrel Reid, Rodeo Director: rodeodirector@argra.org Rob Somers, Vice President: vicepresident@argra.org www.argra.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1643

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37

Advice

Queeries

Transgender Disclosure, Gay Speed-Dating and Lesbian In-Laws

By Steven Petrow

When to tell your date “I’m transgender”?

Q: I’ve told men upfront that I’m a male-to-female trans woman (I date straight guys) and I’ve also waited till longer into the relationship, and I still don’t know which is the better approach. I don’t want them to be upset (or to lose their attention), but I also want them to know I’m an honest person -- someone you could have a relationship with. What’s the best strategy for this if I’m looking for a keeper, i.e. not just sex?

A: Whether and when to disclose that you are transgender is a personal decision, so there is no right or wrong here. It’s a private fact about you that might become relevant to someone you’re dating if the relationship progresses past a certain point, but it’s also something that you don’t owe other people an explanation about.

Some trans people prefer to be open about their transgender status in all aspects of their lives; others prefer to disclose it only under certain (safe) circumstances, and many folks fall somewhere in between. In the past, many transgender people received advice from health care providers that they should keep their trans status hidden at all costs. Today, however, there is a growing understanding that it can take a heavy emotional toll to feel obliged to conceal such an important aspect of a person’s life.

In light of that, here are some considerations that might help you decide what feels like the right choice for you. Let’s say you decide not to say anything early on, what could

happen? You may end up spending more time and energy feeling anxious about when you will disclose that you are trans, and how the other person might react. With that in mind, if you disclose your trans status up front, you can avoid wasting your time dating anyone who does not accept who you are, or who would feel deceived. It can be hard to talk about something personal, like being trans, with someone new, but this is a pretty big payoff.

Regardless of when you tell someone that you are trans, be aware of your safety. It is sad, but true, that violence against trans women in the dating context is all too common, and it can be hard to know in advance whether someone is prone to violence. If you have any cues that he might be – say, if he seems to be homophobic, or controlling – be extra careful. But no matter what, make sure that you are able to get help and support immediately if you need it, whether from your friends and family or from local LGBT or anti-violence organizations.

What’s up with speed dating?

Q: My best friend Marc is a champ at gay speed dating and thinks it would be great for me too. Honestly, the whole thing intimidates me: all those guys, so little time. He wants me to go with him to one that promises 10 to 25 dates in an evening.

Isn’t this completely superficial? And more importantly: What should I wear?

A: Speed dating has become very popular lately. But the first few times are nerve-wracking for most people. Try not to feel intimidated, but do think ahead about some questions to ask because it’s easy to get tongue-tied knowing you’re being judged while the clock ticks away.

Steer away from questions that will result in a “yes” or “no” answer since they won’t get you into the rhythm of a conversation. Ask about things that matter to you: “What kind of work do you do?” for instance, or “Where have you vacationed recently?” Try to avoid especially involved questions, like “What’s your relationship with your family like?” or deeply personal ones, such as “Top or bottom?” Some people even jot down questions on a slip of paper. Remember, you should be asked questions, too. If one of you is doing all the talking, it’s time to move on.

Keep in mind that speed dating isn’t for everyone. But all you really have to lose is about $20 and an evening. And some people really do make great connections at these events.

As for what to wear? Put a little extra effort into your look. If any dating scenario is about first impressions, this is it.

How to treat my lesbian daughter-in-law?

Q: Even though my lesbian daughter can’t marry her girlfriend, Lisa, because it’s not legal in our state, should I treat Lisa as I do my other sons and daughters-in-law?

A: It all depends on your daughter’s relationship with Lisa.

If she is a casual girlfriend, then no; she doesn’t have the same status as a son or daughter-in-law. But if they are in a committed partnership – regardless of the legal basis – yes, do the right thing even if state law doesn’t.

Steven Petrow is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Yahoo!

He’s also the author of The Essential Book of Gay Manners & Etiquette.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1644

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Sports

The OutField

Prodigal sons return to Montana

By Dan Woog Growing up in Montana’s Big Sky Country, Kimberly Reed was told that anything could happen there. And it did.

Her younger brother Todd came out as gay. Her other brother Marc — adopted as an infant — had part of his brain removed following a bad accident, and still suffers bouts of fearsome anger and violence.

While searching for his biological parents, he learned he was the grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.

As for Kimberly Reed herself: Through high school, she was Paul McKerrow. He was class president, valedictorian — and captain of the football team.

The story has all the makings of a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction movie. Which is exactly what Reed — a filmmaker — has produced.

Prodigal Sons — her yearlong look into family dynamics that makes the Royal Tenenbaums seem like the Brady Bunch — opened last month in limited release. It airs on the Sundance Channel in June. As an 86minute documentary, it may not receive widespread exposure. But as a vivid example of the power of biology, chemistry, geography and fate to shape lives, it is worth seeking out.

The device that anchors the film — Reed’s return to Helena for her 20th high school reunion — sounds trite, almost laughable. It turns out to be the perfect vehicle for a remarkable journey.

Reed expertly weaves still photos and videos of her childhood and youth; interviews with Helena High classmates, family members and friends, plus her own narration. Shots of Montana’s boundless vistas reinforce the idea that life unfolds in a sprawling way — one that is impossible to comprehend with only a glance.

part, deadly serious – comes when Tim, Paul’s best friend in high school, recounts a bad driving experience from those years. Back then, Tim jokes, “I didn’t know she was a woman driver!”

At film festivals in the U.S. — where it has won numerous awards — and as far away as Finland and Estonia, viewers have the same consistent, positive reactions, Reed said.

Yet as instructive as the film is for audiences, its effect on the filmmaker herself is equally powerful. “I started out believing this film was about Marc’s quest for identity,” she said. “But it was about my own.

“I thought my transition was complete. Instead Marc taught me I was only halfway there, and that I had to somehow resurrect the first half of my life I had buried alive. This freed me to return home and reclaim my past.”

Paul McKerrow no longer throws game-winning touchdown passes.

But this may be Kimberly Reed’s most important victory of all.

Focus on the NCAA It’s one thing for Apple or Doritos to hawk their wares during the Super Bowl. It’s another thing entirely for Focus on the Family to do so.

Too much happens in Prodigal Sons, which was produced by Big Sky Film Productions, Inc, to recount here. Suffice it to say that the film Reed ended up with is not the one she imagined when she began. As she and Marc confront their pasts — he is still trapped in a brotherly rivalry she long ago abandoned — she realizes that it is not Marc who thirsts for an identity, but herself.

The film is ultimately not about a family grappling with sexuality, adoption, family, sports, Hollywood, growing up or going home. In the end, Reed said, it is “quite simply about love, and how one family faces challenges and triumphs that no one would ever have imagined.”

Last month, days before the film’s release, Reed discussed the project. “With non-fiction documentaries, the challenge usually is to increase the drama,” she said. “With this, we had the opposite problem. We had lots of dramatic hand grenades. We had to figure out how to throw them without blowing everything up. We had to stick to everyone’s humanity.”

When Reed was Paul, she said, being a football star was “an icon.”

“Everyone knows what ‘high school quarterback’ means. We didn’t have to dwell on that.”

Video of games are used in the documentary as “symbolic images of who I used to be,” Reed said. “I’m haunted by these images.”

When people hear “jock,” they think “straight dude,” Reed added.

“When I transitioned, I stopped being athletic at all. I had always conflated athletics with maleness, with a particular sexual and/or gender identity.”

Now, she said, she has gotten back into athletics and exercise, particularly swimming and yoga. “Hopefully, I’ve found a way to be both athletic and feminine.”

One of the film’s surprises is the easy acceptance of her former teammates. “Montana is a surprising place,” she explained. “Montanans are very independent. They like to make up their own minds about things.”

On camera, a football co-captain calmly tells Kim about the changes that have occurred over 20 years: “We’re all fat, bald and old. And you’re a girl.”

Her football team, she said, was “a really cool group of guys. I got lucky.” One of the lightest moments — in a film that is, for the most

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

39

Sports The right-wing Christian political organization — known for its strident opposition to both abortions and LGBT civil rights — provoked a national uproar when CBS agreed to air an anti-abortion commercial featuring University of Florida quarterback Ted Tebow during what turned out to be the most-watched program in American television history. (The controversy was stoked in part because in 2004 CBS refused to air an ad in which the United Church of Christ showed that it welcomed everyone — including gays and lesbians.) The network said its policy on “advocacy ads” changed in the intervening years.

Other LGBT blogs, including the influential Towleroad, picked up the cause. Within a day, the NCAA relented — a bit.

The anti-abortion spot aired, and the republic survived. But within days, a new controversy arose. Within a few weeks, CBS was televising the men’s college basketball tournament — and more Focus on the Family ads were planned.

Williams’ words went from combative (“vocal protests,” “small number of advocates for gay and lesbian athletes,” “complained”) to acceptance (“concerns expressed by our membership”) in the span of three sentences.

This time, though, it was not the network that drew activists’ fire. It was the organizers themselves: the NCAA. Pat Griffin has worked closely with the NCAA, as both a former University of Massachusetts coach and director of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s “It Takes a Team” anti-homophobia project. Now a blogger on LGBT sports issues, she set her sights on the powerful oversees of most American collegiate athletic programs.

The NCAA’s own constitutional principles explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, she wrote. Yet Focus on the Family wants to “impose their values on the NCAA tournament… . (The NCAA and CBS) are rolling out the red carpet, and I am deeply offended by the NCAA’s complicity in this.”

The NCAA, Griffin said, “cannot have it both ways. They cannot claim to care about the quality of the athletic experience for LGBT studentathletes and provide educational programs to assist schools in making sure that LGBT student-athletes can compete with respect and dignity, and (at the same time) allow Focus on the Family to use the NCAA Web site and men’s basketball tournament to promote their discriminatory right-wing Christian agenda.”

Griffin asked her readers to pass her blog post on to friends — and the NCAA. She urged anyone who attends — or once attended — an NCAA school to call their university presidents.

NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said the decision “came in response to vocal protests from a small number of advocates for gay and lesbian athletes, who complained that the group’s views that homosexuality and abortion are immoral is inconsistent with the NCAA’s stated nondiscrimination policy. Focus on the Family did have a banner ad on NCAA.com. Today, it was decided to remove the ad from the Web site as a result of concerns expressed by our membership.”

No decision was announced, however, about the television ad — which was, after all, more of a case of the ball being in CBS’s court.

And then something really interesting happened. The NCAA statement was changed. Suddenly, the language was less provocative, more objective: “The decision by the NCAA came in response to vocal protests from advocates for gay and lesbian athletes — which quickly grew into a broader audience of critics who sent e-mails and set up what has now become the standard, a Facebook page — who complained that the group’s views that homosexuality and abortion are immoral are inconsistent with the NCAA’s stated non-discrimination policy.”

Griffin wasn’t through. She used the NCAA’s own Advertising and Promotional Standards to argue that Focus on the Family’s ads violated the organization’s stated mission. NCAA advertising, the standards say, should support ideals that include diversity, gender equity, nondiscrimination, ethical conduct and student-athlete welfare.”

The connection between the NCAA and CBS turns out to be quite close. According to Inside Higher Education.com, the ads were part of a larger package deal between CBS — which manages NCAA.com — and Focus on the Family.

Griffin kept up her attack. Focus on the Family’s definition of “family,” she said, is restricted to those in which heterosexuals marry. The group is “entitled to their perspectives on controversial issues,” she said. And of course “they have a right to buy advertising time if their ads meet the standards of CBS or any other for-profit media group.”

However, Griffin argued, a line must be drawn when non-profit educational organizations like the NCAA have missions and values that “do not square” with those of groups like Focus on the Family.

Griffin said she would like to follow March Madness with the same excitement she always has. She does not want to feel “sold out” by the NCAA “or need to go to war about it.”

But, she warned, “I will if I have to.”

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. He can be reached care of this publication.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Culture

Comics Are So Gay! An Outsider’s Take on Comic Enthusiasts

By Dallas Barnes and Kara Swanson With the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo coming to Calgary this month, I thought I would take a stab at the Comic Craze that has surrounded me since childhood. It began with my brother’s comic collection. It mystified me how he spent a lot of hard earned allowance on these things, and never read them - he said it would ruin their value. In fact, to make sure they looked like they were never touched at all, he would spend even more money on plastic covers to make sure they stayed well preserved. It still makes little sense to me. Why spend ridiculous amount of money on things that you could never enjoy? I soon understood as he sold them for thousands of dollars in his adulthood.

Being a teenager in the 1980’s, comics were again a huge part of my surroundings as my friends, mostly male, made sure to check out the comic shop in downtown Vancouver every weekend. I would often follow, as most teenage girls did with teenage boys, while they read the newest editions. I would look at pictures, mostly of Wonder Woman, but that is another story. I just never understood the appeal of a make believe world full of superheroes and villains.

So now, here I am at 36, surrounded again. I have friends that are so excited to attend the Expo - the ones whose houses are filled with action figures, comics, and posters of female superheroes in tight leather pants, masks, and their unlikely weapons of choice.

I can’t lie and say that I am not somewhat drawn to the awesome femaleness of it all, but again, I ponder the significance of such a make believe world. What I find most apparent is the draw that comics have to the LGBT community.

When it comes to, shall I say, a lifestyle that I am so unfamiliar with (and find somewhat ridiculous), in order to make sense of it all, I need to follow what I learned in my Sociology/Women Studies Degree in University. Nothing in this world is ridiculous. There is a reason for everything, and if people find the comic world this enticing then there is a reason for it. So I was compelled to find this reason.

Historically, explicit LGBT themes were not well represented in comics. Comics enjoyed their success by gearing toward children, so as much as some authors may have secretly desired to explore that subject, they could not. In fact the Comics Code Authority stated that any form of homosexuality was strictly forbidden in mainstream United States comics until 1989. The only comics that could explore the LGBT community were underground ‘comix’ that were produced by gay creators, featuring autobiographical storylines, and tackling political issues of interest to LGBT readers. [Wikipedia 2010] It is not a secret however to anyone growing up in North America that there were definitely characters with rumoured same-sex relationships.

Batman and Robin for instance, were always thought to be in a gay relationship.

Throughout the 1990’s LGBT themes and characters became much more prevalent in mainstream comics, especially in international comics, which were much more progressive in featuring main gay, lesbian, and intersex characters. These characters were often used in comics for adult entertainment, which not being considered mainstream, loosened the leash of the censorship board. Japanese manga has been using gay characters since the 1970’s in the form of yaio (“Boys’ Love”) and yuri (“Girls’ Love”).

Today, LGBT themes in comics are not uncommon at all. Buffy The Vampire Slayer has a main lesbian character: Willow. Even Buffy herself has taken part in many lesbian affairs in the comics that have been printed since the television show ended. Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy is quoted saying, “We’re not going to take the next 50 issues explaining that she’s not [a lesbian]. She’s young and experimenting, and did I mention open-minded?” As my researcher

for this article, Kara, affirmed, “I collect the comics; I read the letters after it happened, some NOT so happy people! I don’t think Joss was wrong for letting her experiment, girls do that!”

Now I am starting to understand the comic attraction.

The X-Men have often been compared to marginalized sectors of the general population. It could be said that these ”mutants” have been treated like many of the LGBT community. In the comic, the mutants experience horrible discrimination, and do often stick together in a family-like community. The same can be said for LGBT culture.

In Marvel Comics series X-Factor, friends Rictor and Shatterstar were shown in an on-panel kiss. Writer Peter David confirmed the two characters are bisexual, and stated that he wanted to continue with the story line. Unfortunately one of the creators verbalized his disapproval of the relationship, and this decision was ”regretted”.

Many characters can change their gender and identity by shapeshifting, and they often do it for love. For instance, in the comic the Runaways, lesbian character Karolina is dating a shapeshifter, Xavin, who changes into a woman to be with her.

So, why is there such a draw toward comics by the LGBT community? Well, for one thing the art is tremendous. The stories are fun, and draw one into a world very unlike our own. Nevertheless there seem to be a startling number of parallels with the lives of LGBT people. While good vs. evil is a prominent theme in any superhero story, what I find interesting is the fact that many of the classics touch on the theme of hidden identities, portray the hero as the underdog who fights for a normal life, or shape-shifts to find this balance. It is no wonder we can identify so strongly.

What is also encouraging is the fact that LGBT issues in newer comics are treated as a relevant part of the story. Relationships make sense. Homosexual characters are seen as equal to heterosexual ones, which is surprising to see even in today’s movies. It is such a revelation to see what is our own - what we deem normal in the general public. We can associate with these characters and themes because they are us. We live these lives - maybe not as extreme as they - but we understand them. They represent and act as a metaphor for our day to day lives, our struggles, our loves, and our hopes.

So, am I right? Is this what the big deal is about? I am sure I have only touched on the personal affect of comics. But now I have a better understanding of what comics represent, and how my peers can develop such adoration for these characters.

I guess I am just as guilty for it. It made me realize that vision of Wonder Woman has been with me since my childhood. She was everything I wanted to be: beautiful, smart, independent, and tough.

She could spin like none other, and in fact, I recall trying to emulate her as a child by spinning out of a huge tree down my road. I hurt myself many times by landing badly, but it didn’t matter. For that split second I felt like Wonder Woman, and I could save the world too.

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

April 24th to 25th BMO Round Up Centre www.calgaryexpo.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1648

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43

People

Empress Rhonda

Young Boy from Ireland Came a Long Way

Jim Shafer

In Memory of a “Private and Proud Man”

By Sam Casselman

By Dallas Barnes

On June 5th, 2010, a Calgarian will be receiving one of the International Court System’s most prestigious honours: A Jose Award.

On March 13th, 2010, Edmonton lost a man who had made an impact on the LGBT community in his life. Jim Shafer, co-owner of Boots, friend, son, Uncle, volunteer, and mentor, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 63.

Some may know him as Pastor Ron of the Rainbow Community Church of Calgary, others as Empress 20 of Calgary, Rhonda del ray Rockafella.

However, if you know Ron/Rhonda, you undoubtedly understand why she would win such a prestigious award.

Ron Cardy was born in Belfast, Ireland, and grew up with a strong faith and a close family. He graduated from post-secondary with Degrees in both Hospitality and Theology, eventually leaving Ireland for Missionary work in Belize.

After his mission Ron did, as many are expected to do, and married. He welcomed two children along the way, before moving to Calgary for work.

Thanks to a generous fellow with a good eye, Ron came to be at a Christmas Eve dinner many years ago. This gentleman, under the assumption that Ron was gay, sent him flowers and a note. This gesture immediately brought Ron’s true feelings to the surface. Sooner afterward, he came out and inevitably divorced his wife, leaving him on his own; his family no longer supported him.

Where one family left him, another embraced him. The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch (ISCCA, Calgary) welcomed Mz. Rhonda and allowed her to be herself, particularly in the local drag scene. He eventually met his life partner Wayne Eberly and was among the first same-sex couples to be legally married in Alberta.

While completing her reign as Empress 20, she began to appreciate the need for charity. She founded the Crowns for Kids Foundation, and has been fundraising for this cause over the last 15 years with the help of Calgary LGBT businesses.

She has won numerous awards for her work with local charities. She has offered support to other Courts, and is Spiritual Advisor to Empress Nicole the Great, the Queen Mother of the Americas. She is a two-time recipient of the ULTIMA title for her remarkable contribution to Court life, and is in the process of creating an AIDS Memorial in Calgary.

It comes as no surprise than that Mz. Rhonda is one of the only two Canadians receiving this bi-annual award. Says Rhonda “I am still in shock, this is a huge honour. It will not hit me until I am there for the awards dinner. I am deeply moved by it.”

The 45th Anniversary of the International Court System will be held in Lexington, Kentucky on June 5th with an Imperial Gala. This organization has over 67 Chapters in Canada, the United States, and Mexico – including Calgary’s ISCCA and Edmonton’s Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose (ISCWR). There will be a keynote speech with Stuart Milk, the nephew of Harvey Milk, and of course the presentation of the Jose Awards.

When asked about how she came to be honoured, she responded, “A dear friend of mine named Vikki believes in me and all that I do here, and out in the International Court System. I am the founder of the Crowns For Kids toy drive now into its 15th year. I am the founder of the Pastor of Rainbow Community Church, Calgary’s only gay [operated] church. I do what I can for what the Court stands for, the good that we do.”

After receiving this award, Mz. Rhonda has no plans of slowing down.

“I will keep doing what I can to make this world a better place. …I do it because I love the court, it gave me my life.”

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Jim Shafer was born January 7th, 1947 in Cranbrook, B.C. He completed his schooling in Salmon Arm, B.C., moving to Edmonton shortly after.

It is here that he met and married his wife Barbara. After a short move to Winnipeg and a divorce, Jim returned to his beloved Edmonton, where he began a lifelong involvement with the Edmonton LGBT community, and a long-standing friendship with business partner Ross.

This involvement began with part ownership of the Roost Nightclub, which lead to a 20+ year involvement with the Edmonton Imperial Court (ISCWR). After leaving the Roost, Jim began his last and most memorable career as a co-owner of Boots.

Boots opened its doors in 1979 under the name ”Boots and Saddles”, with a mandate of treating all of their customers equally, while discouraging discrimination based on appearances, social status, etc.

“Everyone that enters Boots is a VIP and a Bar-Star all of the time.”

Many agree that Shafer personified this motto.

A memorial for Jim was held at Chapel of Chimes in Edmonton on March 18th. Rob Browatzke, co-worker and friend of Jim, gave a heartfelt, emotional, and uplifting eulogy there.

“Jim welcomed everyone with open arms, and would welcome people in his bar and into his life the same way,” says Browatzke. “He was very forgiving, everyone got a second chance. All he asked for in return was that you live your life with honesty, ownership, remittance, and respect.

He helped people become all they could be without any expectations. He was charitable and used his advantages and abilities to further others.”

“Although he was honest, sometimes brutally - he would always give you the cold, hard truth. He would always rather be truthful than popular.”

Rob encouraged mourners to “try and laugh away the grief,” as this would be what Jim would have wanted. Furthermore, Rob asked people, “keep the party going, laugh louder and harder because every second counts.”

While checking out the pictures on Jim Shafer’s memorial Facebook page, a perfect stranger such as myself could not help but shed a tear for a man who obviously cared so deeply about his community and asked for little in return.

Jim Shafer represented a spirit that many of us have known and are thankful for. He is a part of that small group of individuals that were forerunners and the backbone of the LGBT community. He was a crusader that never apologized for who he was and accepted anyone for who they were. He encouraged people to fulfill their potential, and gave to the less fortunate. He was well-loved and well-respected.

Perhaps the greatest tribute we could give Jim Shafer is to live our own lives, continuing with that spirit.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Health

Sex Virus Vaccination Now For Boys

By Evan Kayne While the cure for some sexually transmitted infections (STI) remain elusive, research in the past few years has advanced to the point that we now have a vaccine for some strains of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common enough disease known as “warts” or in some strains of HPV, genital warts.

There are over 100 strains of HPV, and approximately 75% of sexually active adults will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. It is a disease which is easily acquired and is transmitted by any sexual contact. You don’t need to engage in intercourse as HPV can be transmitted via skin-to-skin contact – which includes handto-genital or oral-to-genital. It may take only one exposure and you can get it from someone who doesn’t have visible symptoms.

Treatment for anyone afflicted by the virus can be distressing, embarrassing and painful. Genital warts from HPV can be removed by surgical procedure, freezing or burning, or chemical treatments - but they can reappear.

However, if you still think it’s minor compared to other STIs, two strain of HPV (16 and 18) have been associated with a significantly elevated risk for the development of head, neck, throat, anal, cervical and penile cancers.

Pharmaceutical company Merck has developed the vaccine Gardasil to specifically combat both the cancer causing HPV strains (16 and 18) and the two strains (6 and 11) that cause 90% of genital warts. Canada-wide, these HPV vaccinations have been given to school age girls, usually around Grade 5, in the past few years.

The big change is we will soon see is the vaccine being administered to young boys.

The HPV vaccine has been in the news courtesy of religious groups in the United States who are afraid immunizing their girls against a sexual disease will magically turn them into sex-crazed nymphomaniacs. In Canada the response has been a bit more subdued, but health organizations do allow parents to opt out of vaccinating their children for religious or other reasons.

For “other reasons” this is usually a core group of people who take a look at the worst case scenario for vaccine side effects and blow it out of proportion. Dr. Kirk Barber, a practising dermatologist and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Calgary, wants to allay any concerns people may have. The most common adverse effect hours after the injection was fever; or sometimes some itching/swelling/bruising at the injection spot.

Occasionally there have been some instances of fainting. As Dr. Barber told us, people suffering some of the more severe side effects are few and far between. For the average person, “I like the word rare” he said, “...I’d even go as far to say very rare.”

As this vaccine is so beneficial, some people may wonder why it is specifically prescribed for school aged children (in fact, it’s usually not prescribed for people over 26). Regarding anyone over 26, as Dr. Barber told us, “statistically they are more likely to have seen the virus already,” as they were more likely to have been sexually active.

That’s not to say if you are older than 26 and have never had sex, you are ineligible to get the vaccine. Additionally if you’ve only been exposed to one of the types of HPV, the vaccine can still be effective in protecting you against the other 3 types.

As to how long the vaccine stays in the system after treatment, and whether boosters will be required, this was a grey area. Dr. Barber admitted, “we don’t know how long that immunity will last – we think it’s multiple years. But that’s going to be a question we’ll answer with time.”

Unfortunately, while the school-aged children will get the vaccine for free, anyone else who has a prescription from their doctor will have to pay for the 3 rounds of shots. It is expensive, running at $120 per shot.

Fortunately, you might be able to get this covered under a private health plan. Blue Cross told us their standard vaccine coverage currently lists Gardasil as indicated for treatment when it was first introduced. However, the new indication (for men) was still being

reviewed, and this is probably similar to what other private health insurance companies are considering.

But getting back to the HPV/cancer connection, this illustrates how searching for the causes and risk factors of one cancer (cervical) led scientists to understand how HPV works. They realized if someone started his/her sexual activity at a younger age, had multiple sex partners, and a resultant exposure to HPV, the person had a higher chance of developing any number of cancers.

In fact, it’s believed strain 16 and 18 of HPV may be responsible for certain types of cancer which attack the hidden skin surfaces (throat, anus, cervix). So for women, the benefit to Gardasil is the reduction of instances of cervical cancer. For men?

“Anal cancer,” Dr. Barber mentioned. “That’s the issue in my mind as to why we should be aggressively vaccinating young people, because of the cancer risk.”

Especially in light of some of the numbers: greater than 500,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually in women and a mortality rate around 200,000 a year. Head and neck cancer has about 640,000 new cases each year worldwide and is the sixth most common cancer among men and women. Anal cancer is still fairly rare, but its numbers are rising; the American Cancer Society for 2009 estimates anal cancer in the United States had about 5,290 new cases and about 710 deaths. This is why so many physicians push this as a public health issue.

Granted, Gardasil is not a magic bullet. As mentioned, it only targets the 4 most common, and most dangerous types of HPV. If you’ve already been exposed to a strain or strains of HPV, the vaccine may only then protect against the remaining strains to which you haven’t been exposed. Yet research is ongoing.

For the time being, adding men to the HPV vaccine regime will over time reduce the number of cancer cases and reduce the instances of pain and distress experienced by those suffering exposure to genital warts. It’s not a complete cure, but it will improve the health of the general public, and of the younger members of our community in the future.

Gardasil http://www.gardasil.com/ Alberta Health - Information on STIs http://www.gaycalgary.com/u51

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

45

Music

Music Review Jónsi, Bitch

By Chris Azzopardi

Go

Jónsi Genre: Rock My Rating:  You won’t understand much of what Jónsi Birgisson, the gay bandleader of Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós, sings on his solo outing. But here’s the gist of it: Life is beautiful. Live it. Feel it.

Make out. All that credo is fed into the invigorating and cartoony “Animal Arithmetic,” a stream-of-consciousness musing that’s aurally like a bunch of exclamation marks bouncing off clouds to the syncopated sounds of his flamboyant debut. Go ostensibly feels like the emotion-conjuring of a Rós record, but decidedly drifts into a sea of newfound curiosity and optimism. It’s a wild vision that gets off the ground with “Go Do,” a chirpy, ebb-and-flow whiff of a ditty that’s driven by Jónsi’s fluttering pre-pubescent falsetto and a cacophony of instruments that elicit hope and renewal. That’s the vibe throughout, without much help from the elusive lyrics – the words, sung in almost-inaudible English, add to the album’s mysterious self-interpretive winsomeness.

Nico Muhly, best known for his work with queer-led Grizzly Bear and queer-loved Björk, super-powers the painterly production in Magic Marker colors – elaborate strings, whispering woodwinds and clashing drums. Those hues bleed through “Boy Lilikoi,” one of the best Disney songs never made. Life, though, isn’t just rainbows and talking teacups, and neither is Jónsi’s triumphant masterpiece: “Tornado” and “Hengilas” will melt you to mush.

Blasted!

Bitch Genre: Pop My Rating:  The prog-folk violinist might remind you of Cyndi Lauper in her retro glam-goth-chic promo shots, but don’t be fooled: Girls don’t just wanna have fun. Especially not after a split with L Word actress Daniela Sea, the spark that ignited Bitch’s second solo LP, her grab-baggy follow-up to “Make This/Break This.” Heartbroken and weary, she poured whatever was left of her into this, a majorly melodic and rewarding disc that musters songs mirroring her torn self, like “The Rain is the Only Thing That’s Clear” – one of her best moments based on its sheer vulnerability and the power of her almost-lone voice.

She keeps it real throughout, but augments the production – all DIY, mind you – with a feverish bed of her self-proclaimed “theatrical punk,” a brand that serves a total kitsch-pop catch with “Kitchen.” Much of that quality is the result of her eminent electric violin-playing, a talent Bitch flashes like she’s the Jimi Hendrix of her instrument. The strings on “Lost You” weep, and then ferociously fire up on “Afghanistan.” But it’s not all downer fare. She walks out of her own personal war with a new attitude and a Bee Gees song – “Staying Alive,” a cover that might sound ridiculous in theory, but proves to be a ukulele-played power anthem without the disco dancery. It’s bitchin’.

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

Also Out The Bird and the Bee, Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates Oh, oh, here they come with a celebration of Hall & Oats music. They, meaning the indie duo of Inara George (“the bird”) and Greg Kurstin (“the bee”), who buzz back to the ’80s and lacquer some of the greatest pop nuggets – “Maneater,” “Rich Girl” and “Kiss on My List” – with their synth sheen. They even include a delicious throwback gem of their own, “Heard it on the Radio.” Regardless of your feelings on man-eating, this laidback charmer’s hard not to adore for nostalgia’s sake. It’s just too easy to forget.

Chris Pureka, How I Learned to See in the Dark This Northampton folkie knows gloom like the strings of her guitar. That, the androgynous musician’s go-to instrument, is given ample backing on her venturesome third full-length with brazen electric guitar (from funky-folk queer Erin McKeown on the frantic “Wrecking Ball”) and the omnipresent porch board.

Ditties, from the weeping “Barn Song” to the foot-stomping “Lowlands,” taste like sawdust and feel like sandpaper, but simmer before they cook. Let this light in anyway.

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Community

2010 Artists for Life: Edmonton HIV Edmonton and JTMF West join forces for inaugural event

People

Just Being Herself Toni Vere on CD Release Tour

By Pam Rocker

By Sam Casselman

In their 25 year history, HIV Edmonton has continually partnered with local businesses and organizations, many of whom have a focus on the arts. This precedent makes the new partnership between HIV Edmonton and JTMF West seem only natural.

This year marks a milestone in Toni Vere’s life. After years in the music industry, Vere is finally releasing her first ”real” CD, taking herself and her band Hashmagandy on tour, and celebrating her 10th year as a proud lesbian.

JTMF West is an arts-based group organized with the mandate of raising funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Started in New Jersey as the James Tolin Memorial Fund, the group was formed by Joyce LaBriola, Tracy Antozzeski, David Maurio and Melissa Abrahams when their dear friend, James Tolin, died from AIDS-related complications. Tolin was an openly gay actor that was passionate about the arts – he loved the theatre, books, movies, paintings and visual art; he was an amazingly creative man.

When Joyce LaBriola moved to Edmonton, she quickly felt a remarkable sense of community. She began performing regularly; getting cast in multiple Fringe productions and singing for the Edmonton Opera. This further inspired her appreciation for the vast talents of the Edmonton arts community and in January of 2009, LaBriola decided to bring her passion project, JTMF, to Canada. Thus, the JTMF West was born.

LaBriola then met with Debra Jakubec, HIV Edmonton’s Executive Director, about an event that she envisioned; an event that celebrated the artistry of Edmonton, while raising funds for HIV Edmonton. While Tolin had never visited Edmonton, the need for HIV Edmonton’s work is a global one and the message is universal: we are all entitled to a life of dignity and love.

“This is not a fundraiser for a man from New Jersey,” says LaBriola, “but rather inspired by this man to help the Edmonton community. We can all be James’ friend as we come together to raise awareness.”

“We are thrilled to embark on this journey with JTMF West,” adds Jakubec.

“The arts have been intertwined with the HIV/AIDS movement since the beginning. HIV Edmonton has been committed to serving the Edmonton community for 25 years. JTMF West celebrates the wealth of talent in Edmonton while raising funds for HIV/AIDS. This is a perfect partnership.”

This inaugural event, 2010 Artists for Life: Edmonton, will be hosted by much beloved Edmontonian, Michael Phair. Phair, along with a group of his friends, founded HIV Edmonton in 1984, just like LaBriola and her friends began JTMF. A five-term City of Edmonton Councillor and founder of Exposure: Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival, Phair’s passion for the arts is well known and it seems fitting for him to introduce this new event to the city.

Artists for Life will feature a reading of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story, by Edmonton playwright, Justen Bennett. Addition had an exceptionally successful run at the Edmonton Fringe Festival last summer and will again be helmed by Bennett, who recently directed Beautiful Thing at the Walterdale Theatre, to great acclaim.

The play centers around a couple, Ben and Logan, who become a little bored with their sex life. The same-old same-old just isn’t cutting it anymore, so they decide to experiment. The pair ends up inviting Daren, a boy they find at the club, back to their place for a threesome. From there, the relationship between these three men goes to a place that none of them expect.

“My inspiration was simply to tell a story that could make me laugh and expand my world-view to be a little more inclusive,” says Bennett. “And if my play did that for others, it served its purpose. I’m very excited to be a part of Artists for Life and that I get to reunite with (most of) the cast and crew from our original Fringe production.”

After a reading of this unique play, the attendees will be privy to a reception catered by Accent European Lounge, wine donated by Devine Wines, a silent auction, and a very special post-show concert by the Big Breakfast Boogie Band. This local favourite has reunited specifically for this event, for one night only.

After two heterosexual marriages and a music career spanning twenty plus years, Vere can finally be who she is: a woman, mother, and artist. The title of her latest album, Just to Be, reflects exactly where she is in her life.

Toni Vere is no stranger to the Alberta music scene. She is constantly entertaining fans at local bars across the province, and has even opened for such great acts as Kate Reid, Leeroy Stagger, Sarah MacDougall, and Women in the Round. Her music is described as “quirky, folky, and bluesy” with an audience that “includes a broad spectrum of ages, genders, and persuasions.”

This CD debut may have come later in her life, but her success is quite apparently influenced by her incredible journey. She was born in New Brunswick and grew up in the Prairies. Vere credits this upbringing with the development of her original musical style, her foundation. By the age of 18, Vere was deep into her musical career.

She was a part of the Lethbridge Folk Club, and the youngest person ever to be played on the local radio station. She heard herself on the radio, and realized that a music career was in the cards for her.

Through two marriages and three children, Vere continued playing music, but took a bit of a hiatus at the end of her last marriage at the age of 37. Her brother had passed away unexpectedly, her marriage was over, and she was in the process of coming out. She was emotionally exhausted and took some time to write music, unsure if she would continue with this career.

In 2002, Vere’s life took a turn for the better. She was transferred to Calgary for work, met her life partner and manager Marilyn McIntosh, and became virtually unstoppable.

Vere could not be more proud of her most recent venture, her all girl-band Hashmagandy. Hashmagandy is of Australian origin, referring to an “outback stew made from a variety of ingredients.”

Similarly Hashmagandy, the band, described itself as “an artful infusion of genres, spiced with original music, flavored with timeless favorites and stewed with a healthy portion of fun.”

The three other members of Hasmagandy are a definite mix of genres and generations. Lead guitarist Carla Rawlyck has an impeccable sense of melody, dynamics, and harmony that compliments the eclectic sound of the group.

Bass guitarist and vocalist Kelly Timleck started her music career performing with her mom. She has a trademark sound that engages their audience and keeps them coming back to shows.

On the drums is Lauren Buckell and ten year percussionist. She is currently a University student with a love for music.

Upcoming tour dates and locations are being updated on Toni’s website. CDs are available for sale during shows, and demos of her songs will keep you entertained as you browse through her site.

Just to Be is the beginning of an outstanding career that draws from a myriad of life experiences and musical stories. If there is one thing that Toni Vere wants to say about her CD, and advice she gives to her fans, it’s this: “We all have the right to be who we are. I have struggled with trying to be who people thought I should be for the lion’s share of my life.”

2010 Artists for Life: Edmonton Saturday, April 17th Tickets: www.hivedmonton.com

Toni Vere Just to Be - Touring Now www.ToniVere.com

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Interview

Small talk with Little Boots

Electropop princess on arriving in the U.S., her shoe size and being a gay matchmaker

By Chris Azzopardi Walk a mile in Victoria Hesketh’s Little Boots and you’ll realize why every man over the rainbow hearts her. She’s cute, fun and sounds like the second coming of Kylie.

After posting a series of covers on YouTube, the gays’ latest love is busting into the U.S. with her electropop debut, Hands, finally released stateside after dropping in the U.K. last year. It happened against all odds – the British reality show Pop Idol rejected her and her father’s tone deaf.

Hesketh, best known by her Little Boots pseudonym, told us how her current tour is like a dating service for gay men, why she’s not a fan of being a celebrity and the actual size of those little boots.

GayCalgary: How do you feel about the album finally reaching the U.S.?

Little Boots: The fans have been really patient, so I’m just glad it’s finally out.

GayCalgary: Especially the gay ones.

Little Boots: I love the gays! We have a bond. Gay guys seem to really like that female vocal and uplifting, dance-pop music. So I’m not surprised about all the gays (laughs). They’re enthusiastic, very loyal fans, especially in America. Our last tour was mainly gays. Great if you’re looking for a boyfriend.

GayCalgary: What do you have in common with the gays?

Little Boots: I mean, I’m not gay, so not that (laughs).

GayCalgary: But you did kiss fellow U.K. musician Florence Welch.

Little Boots: Florence kissed me – and there was definitely no tongue. I was in shock. It lasted not even five seconds.

GayCalgary: Which was long enough for someone to get a photo.

Little Boots: Exactly. It’s so annoying!

GayCalgary: You seem a little hesitant about fame in interviews. What about it doesn’t appeal to you?

Little Boots: I don’t really like the whole idea of celebrity and people doing things for attention – it’s just quite weird. If people know who I am, I want it to be because I’ve written good songs or because I’m a good performer or a good musician. Not because I went out with no pants on or something weird.

If I get recognition for that then that’s flattering, but otherwise why would I want to be in a stupid magazine? If people are talking about your music or what you do – or are saying that you look cool or you have a nice dress – that’s quite flattering.

But making up stories isn’t.

GayCalgary: Do you read press written about you?

Little Boots: God no! I don’t read anything. I avoid it like the plague. When this album first came out, I read some of the reviews just because I was curious. But who cares what one dude thinks? Why care what everyone else thinks?

If some old dude that works at a newspaper says I’ve got a good record, do I really care?

If they say it’s crap, do I care?

Not really.

GayCalgary: People are calling you “the future of pop” – that’s a lot to live up to. Is there a lot of pressure on you right now?

Continued on Page 53  GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

51

Interview

Start your Engines!

RuPaul’s Drag Race Returns for Season 2

By Jason Clevett RuPaul is back, baby! Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race kicks off on OUTtv starting April 12th. 12 new queens compete with charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to be the next top drag superstar.

“I kinda knew that it would be renewed. Around the world in 20 different countries it was a hands down hit across the board,” Ru told GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine on the phone from Los Angeles.

“The biggest challenge for us was how to top last season.

Honestly it is not even a concern because you get a new group of kids in there and they are the place and thing. That is why it is different and continues to be invigorating, because we get new blood in there.”

The girls this year are fierce, and the clashes are epic. This season features an additional show Untucked which goes behind the scenes to the Interior Illusions lounge where the girls talk while awaiting their fate.

“Oh child we have bumped it up! It’s like the show is on steroids now! The first season was lovely and sweet, cordial, diplomatic.

All of that’s gone. The kids figured it out, they cracked the code and are not there to make friends or be diplomats. They have come to win! I was surprised at how many punches they didn’t pull. Even watching the shows, you hear things in their pieces to camera later and go, oh my god! I can’t believe she said that!”

The queens are much younger as well. Their influences are different, which shows in some of the challenges. For example, a challenge in which they have to impersonate a celebrity results in a panel that includes Britney Spears, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Pink.

“The average age this time around is much younger. It is like a new drag esthetic, one that is younger and not pulling inspiration from the usual places that people from my generation had. We are getting people who are inspired by Beyonce and Britney and that whole thing. Not much Madonna, Cher, Diana Ross or Barbara Streisand. So it is ... refreshing to watch too,” she explained.

“The challenges is one of my favorite parts of the show because they are all based on things I’ve done in my own career. I needn’t look further than my own experiences. It is fun to see how they

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

execute them. These are some of the most creative people in the world - even the young ones. We had a Gone with the Wind challenge and they had no idea what that movie is! They rose to the challenge and they made it work for themselves. People forget these are performers; people who have been ostracized by society and their families, and through it all maintain their love for beauty, colour, music and art. They show that creativity in the show and it is beautiful to watch. At its core, our show is about the tenacity of the human spirit and I think that is why people tune in.”

While it is very obvious that the girls idolize RuPaul, she admits the feeling is mutual.

“The girls are, I wouldn’t say educating me, but inspiring me. So much so that I wrote a book taking that drag esthetic to another level. The book is a great companion piece to the show in taking the drag philosophy and really dissecting and deconstructing it.”

The book - Workin It! RuPaul’s Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style is available now. Last season she released an album. It almost seems as if the plan for RuPaul is to release something awesome to coincide with each season of the show.

“This business has changed over the years. As a performer you have to be adaptable and flexible, as a business person.

In today’s market you have to brand yourself and sell things in different venues. They don’t have record stores anymore. You want to create a lifestyle and aesthetic the way Apple computers have. That is what I am doing on a much smaller level of course.

These are things that also inspire me, the philosophy in writing this book was very cathartic for me to actually find out where I am with all of this, 30 years into it.”

The album Champion remains a great pleasure for me. On days when I may be feeling down I play a song like Champion or Destiny Is Mine and feel invigorated and inspired. Drag Race, a remix album has just been released online.

“I absolutely love it! I am making a new album now and it is interesting because approaching the new album and writing the songs, it is daunting to try and top or even come close to that. It defines my career for me. We have a remix of the Champion album coming out and some of the remixes on there are out of this world! We have a remix of Main Event which will blow your socks off! I wish you could see the smile on my face when I heard this remix and how excited I was by it. There are remixes of Lets Turn The Night that are absolutely spectacular and marvelous. Some of the best remixes of my whole career are on this record.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race is an odd contrast to society today, especially in America. On the one hand we have a show that takes an often misunderstood lifestyle and adds humanity and opens doors to acceptance. At the same time, Mississippi teens can’t take their girlfriend to the prom. Even in light of the steps that the LGBT community has made, there is still a long way to go.

“The acceptance that we are all looking for comes from the inside out. You are never going to get acceptance from the principal of that school, or Washington, or whatever municipality is calling the shots. Gay rights, human rights is an inside job, it comes from the inside out. That is where people need to start.

Raising awareness is fantastic but you can never look outside of you to make you feel whole. It will never work. It’s an inside job.”

It is statements like that which show a depth to RuPaul that people may not grasp. Behind a fabulous drag diva exterior is someone whose inner beauty matches her glamorous look.

“People have their own agendas. The bottom line is it is really none of my business what they think. I just need to make sure I get enough dancing and laughing and going. Today I am wearing yellow pants, an orange shirt, and white shoes and I am having a great time. I can’t even begin to figure out what other people are doing. I could, and have dissected why people do the things they do. They are either coming from a place of love, or a place of fear. Most are coming from a place of fear and that is their own business. If anyone wants to jump on the love train, you know

 Little Boots - From Page 51

where to find it! It is usually where I am going to be, just look for a pair of yellow jeans and an orange shirt.”

Last year on the heels of the show she did many appearances, including at Toronto Pride. Unfortunately it looks like her schedule will keep her in LA for the foreseeable future, but she says she is excited to get back in front of fans again.

“Nobody is more excited than I am about the fact that I still get to do it. I love getting the energy from the audience. I haven’t been able to go out and tour since October of last year because of filming everything - I have had to stay here in LA. For me to go out, come back and get back into pre-production for our next show takes a lot. I will probably get back to it next year but this year I am just here working on these TV shows.”

So will there be a Drag Race season 3?

“Well... I am not supposed to say anything... wink wink nudge nudge. I will leave it at that.”

I’ve interviewed a lot of people in the nearly seven years I have been writing for GayCalgary. There are times when it is just part of the job, and other times where I pinch myself. Speaking to RuPaul, who is someone so inspiring on so many levels, falls into that latter category. Her belief, energy, and just being herself is really something that people drink in to help with their own lives and find something to believe in. It is something I couldn’t help but take a moment to thank her for everything she has done.

“That is a very sweet thing to say and it took me many years to be able to accept that kind of love and kindness from someone without making a sarcastic joke. What you said to me, that will inspire me throughout this day. I will probably forget it tomorrow, but today I am going to go and have a friggen rocking time and remember those words with every step I take.

RuPaul’s Drag Race - Season 2 April 12th on OUTtv - www.outtv.com Workin It - now available in stores and online.

Little Boots: Not really, no. There was at this time last year, but now everything’s happened over here (with the U.K. release) and I’m fine. I don’t really feel very much pressure at all.

GayCalgary: How did being a part of Pop Idol affect you?

Little Boots: I wasn’t actually on the program. I just went on one of the auditions, but I was never on the TV show. People kind of make it a bigger deal than it was. I was just quite young and I just tried it. It wasn’t really a big deal to me at all.

GayCalgary: What songs were you playing when you first started on the piano at age 5?

Little Boots: My First Piano Book songs and nursery rhymes.

Just, like, classical stuff. I wasn’t really playing any pop songs at that age. I was probably listening to pop music, but I wasn’t playing it on the piano. I don’t think I would’ve known how.

GayCalgary: Do you come from a musical family?

Little Boots: No, it’s terrible – my dad’s tone deaf. Not musical at all (laughs). It’s quite weird.

GayCalgary: You’re a Kylie Minogue fan, and the influence she had on Hands is pretty obvious. Have you been into her for a while?

Little Boots: Yeah, I’m just a fan of good pop songs, and she has a lot of good pop songs. She’s a great performer, a really good pop star and she’s good at what she does.

GayCalgary: Were the lyrics of the song “Earthquake” inspired

by Tori Amos’ “Little Earthquakes”?

Little Boots: I don’t think the song sounds like Tori Amos.

I wasn’t really ripping it off or anything, I just wasn’t thinking about it at the time. (Laughs) But then I realized later on that there’s an album called it.

GayCalgary: How little are your little boots?

Little Boots: They’re size 3, but I don’t know what that is in American sizes. In the U.K., it’s really small, like the third size in adults. They’re probably like a normal person’s hand. It’s kind of creepy.

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Sports

Dangerous Dames Full Contact on Four Wheels

By Pam Rocker “The last time I wore skates, they had Barbies on them.”

Bliss Cavendar [Ellen Page], WHIP IT For someone who is usually averse to watching sports, I was surprised at how excited I got when WHIP IT hit the theatres. But who could blame me for my newfound affection for Roller Derby? Hot women on skates ramming into each other, blaring 80s music, cool outfits, and fist fights - like a way sexier and more interesting version of hockey. The athleticism and strategy intrigued me and made me curious about how this game really works. Plus, there’s just something about watching strong, confident women who aren’t ashamed to strut their strength and confidence while throwing each other into the crowd.

Film has become a great medium to not only entertain, but to draw attention to the opportunities within the sport itself, and the passionate people who are involved in this unique game. Before WHIP IT, there was Blood On The Flat Track. This 2007 documentary, a favourite at film festivals, followed the famous Rat City Rollergirls of Seattle for their first two seasons.

Starting from scratch in 2004, the Rat City Rollergirls are now among the most successful leagues in athletic competition. At a bout in March of this year, they had over 5,000 attendees, which is the largest attendance to women’s roller derby in history.

Clearly, Roller Derby is making a gradual but well-deserved comeback, even in our own backyard. The Calgary Roller Derby Association (CRDA) was founded in 2007, and boasts three home teams as well as an all-star travel team.

While the media has been a friend of Roller Derby, it has sometimes served to reinforce stereotypes about the game and the girls who play it.

Carla Walquist (aka Scarla Maim) is the founder of the CRDA as well as the Captain of Calgary’s Thrashin Lassies. “I have found educating the public both about the existence of our league and then subsequently about the validity of it as a sport has been a focus, which in turn brings folks out to games,” says Scarla. “Trying to neutralize the stereotype that many have, of what kind of girl makes a ‘rollergirl’ can also be challenging. We come from everywhere and do everything.”

Roller Derby is distinctive in its mix of serious sport and serious play.

Alter-egos are not only encouraged, they are mandated, and this becomes a huge part of the game for players and fans alike.

“Developing an alter-ego that liberates the zany superhero side of yourself is by far the most fun,” says Joleen Sadler (aka Trophy Wife). “Imagine yourself as a superhero...what would you call yourself? What would your outfit look like? What powers would you possess?”

Trophy Wife, Co-Captain of the B52 Bellas and member of the all-star Hellion Rebellion, has been playing Roller Derby since 2005, but hasn’t always felt confident on four wheels.

“When I first decided that I wanted to play, I figured that I better learn how to skate,” she laughs. “I bought a pair of skates from a second-hand store for 5 dollars, and they were about 4 sizes too big. I practiced for hours and hours, learning how to stop, do a crossover, and fell down a lot.”

But her hard work paid off, and she was taken on as Fresh Meat (new girl) on the Vancouver Bad Reputations and trained by one of the top Derby girls in Canada, Lisa Suggitt (aka RollerGirl).

Joining the Calgary Derby scene last year, Trophy is passionate about the game, but admits that it’s no cake-walk to be a derby girl. “Conditioning is tough in this sport, and if you’re not bringing your A-game to every situation, your body pays the price. It’s so much fun, but it’s a lot of work. Some people think it’s staged, that it’s not a real sport. But I can assure you, it’s all real.

We practice hard, at least twice a week during the off-season and up to three or four times a week during. You can’t be a wimp and do Roller Derby. It’s intense, but worth it.”

The challenges and rewards aren’t only physical, says Kathleen Janzen (aka Roxy Acetylene) who shares the Co-Captain post of the B52 Bellas with Trophy. “It is totally daunting to face the hardness of concrete and of women who want to see you taste that concrete,” she states. “But there is nothing more satisfying than learning to conquer fear. That you are just as tough as the women who oppose you, that you are fast and strong, that you can challenge someone who is twice your size and be a pain in her ass, and that you can slam into concrete at high speed and be up and skating before the audience has even finished gasping.”

Off the track, the CRDA comes up against obstacles to providing Calgary with the Derby experience, particular with securing practice and game space.

“The biggest challenge for CRDA is to find appropriate space to practice and

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

 The Cut Throat Car Hops bout in; we need a large open space with smooth floor and no supporting pillars to crash into. Arenas are only available to us when the ice comes up for the summer,” Roxy says.

“We are currently looking for league sponsors, specifically to help us find regular practice space,” adds Trophy. “This has been a hot topic for our league over the past several years. With consistent space for our league to expand and practice we could continue to offer this great experience to women in Calgary and surrounding areas.”

Support for this sport seems like a no-brainer considering that you don’t have to look hard to see why the game can keep even an “anti-sporty” like me, glued to my seat.

“This is a female only, full contact game, where there are massive hits and pile ups, downed girls being jumped, girls flying into the audience, sitting in the suicide seating section (front row) as a result of said massive hits, insanely fast skating, and dodging and counter hits on the part of the jammers,” says Scarla. “There is a beer garden, concessions, vendor village, derby merch, door prize draws, strong and beautiful women knocking the hell out of each other, and all while doing it with a smile on their face. What else do you need?!”

“Derby has something for everyone,” Roxy says, “fast-paced, high action athleticism, colourful characters, bad-ass saucy ladies, a little bit of theatre, rocking music and of course boisterous audience cheering.”

Those unfamiliar with the rules of Roller Derby need not worry. “We do a quick explanation of how it works before each game,” shares Trophy. “When you get to know the game, it’s fascinating. With a dash of red lipstick, a dollop of athletic spunk, and a sprinkle of full tilt Derby Heroes and Villains vying for victory, it’s a performance that leaves you changed forever!”

The CRDA Season opener is coming up on April 24th at the Triwood Arena. Last season’s underdogs, the B52 Bellas, will be taking on last years champions, the Trashin’ Lassies, to combat, skate to skate, for glory.

With the new season looming in the air, and the smell of competition just around the corner, team rivalry is in full bloom. “This season we will triumph over both the Thrashin’ Lassies and the Cut Throat Car Hops, and we are looking forward to seeing them battle it out for the bottom place in the league,” Roxy says confidently. But Scarla has something a little different in mind. “My Lassies will be coming at the Bellas with everything they have, and then some. They better not come into it thinking anything less. We are the team with the heart of a lion and this will serve us well for the season opener.

Kicking ass and taking names will be our game plan.”

So check out the game this month and if you’re looking to get even more down and dirty with the CRDA, they are always looking for referees and volunteers to join their derby family. As for me, I’ll be customizing a big foam finger (Whip it good!) for the season opener of my new favourite sport.

Derby Girls www.calgaryrollerderby.com

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine #78, April 2010

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