GayCalgary Magazine - July 2013

JULY 2013

® ISSUE 117 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community

Drake Jensen

Country Music “Daddy”

Interview with

CYNDI

Best friend Cowboy duo on

LAUPER

Amazing Race Canada

PLUS:

Matthew Morrison The Calgary Flood of 2013 Calgary Fringe Festival ...and more!

Business Directory

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices http://gettag.mobi

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

Tourist Information

All’s well that’s

CAZWELL

STARTING ON PAGE 55

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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Table of Contents

Chris Mercedes Azzopardi, Allen, Chris DaveAzzopardi, Brousseau,Dallas JasonBarnes, Clevett, Andrew Dave Brousseau, Collins, Mark SamDawson, Casselman, RobJason Diaz-Marino, Clevett, Janine AndrewEvaCollins, Trotta,Emily Shane Collins, Gallagher, Rob Diaz-Marino, Evan Kayne, Stephen Janine Eva Lock, Trotta, LisaJack Lunney, Fertig, Steve GlenPolyak, Hanson,Romeo Joan Hilty, San Vicente, Evan Kayne, KristaStephen Sylvester, Lock, NickNeil Winnick McMullen, and Allan the LGBT Neuwirth, Community Steve Polyak, of Calgary, CareyEdmonton, Rutherford, Romeo San Vicente, andEd Alberta.

Sikov, Nick Vivian and the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta.

Photography Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino,

Photography Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Videography Steve Polyak, B&J Rob Diaz-Marino

Videography Sales

Steve Polyak, Diaz-Marino CraigRob Connell sales@gaycalgary.com

Printers

North HillPrinters News/Central Web Web exPress

Distribution

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

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LegalBarristers Council Courtney Aarbo, and Solicitors Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors General Inquiries ® Sales & General Inquiries GayCalgary Magazine

GayCalgary Magazine 2136and 17thEdmonton Avenue SW 2136AB, 17thCanada AvenueT2T SW0G3 Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada magazine@gaycalgary.com T2T 0G3

Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Office Hours: appointment ONLY Phone:By 403-543-6960 Phone: 403-543-6960 Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 TollFax: Free:403-703-0685 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com This Month's Cover ThisMain: Month's Cover Jujubee Cher and Christina Aguilera courtesy of Sony Top Right: Seth Knight Pictures; Middle Annie Lennox courtesyMaines, of Mike Owen; Right: Natalie Goudie.Clinch photoRex

by Danny Bottom Right: Amy Grant, photo by Jim Wright

Proud Members of: Proud Members of:

Rain, Rain, Go Away Publisher’s Column

8 Drake Jensen

The “Daddy” of Gay Country Music

10 Come Hell, High Water or Incarceration Kent Monkman further boosts Stampede pride at the Glenbow

12 Central Alberta Pride

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Writers and Contributors

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Red Deer launches its own in rainbow celebrations

13 Discussing Community Safety How to be a good witness

14 Deep Inside Hollywood Zach Braff wishes on star Jim Parsons

15 Queer Eye - Part 1 22 Rebel With a Country Cause

Kacey Musgraves on opening minds, smoking pot and all the gays in her life

24 On the Heels of Fame

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

JULY 2013

Newcomer Israel Broussard on gay role, wearing stilettos and the real-life ‘Bling Ring’

26 A Grant Gesture

e n zi

a g a

Musician John Grant’s tell-all interview on HIV, addiction and revealing new album

28 Out of Town

m

Grand Canyon and Flagstaff

30 Matthew Morrison Sings Out

Glee star on being an ally, equal marriage and his gay following vs.

Adam Levine’s

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®

32 Calgary Fringe 2013 Ten of this year’s must-see shows

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

35 The Calgary Flood of 2013 Damages, Uncertainty, and Response

38 Stampede Spirit Lives On International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

Despite flood, Calgarians ready to have a good time

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39 K-Days 2013

Former Capital Ex returns to its roots

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

40 The Amazing Race Canada

®

PAGE 40

Best Friend Cowboy Duo Take on the Challenge of a Lifetime

41 Exodus International’s Revelation Heralds a New Genesis 42 Ford Focus Colton Ford Reveals “The Way I Am”

44 All’s Well that’s Cazwell 46 She’s So Unbelievable

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Cyndi Lauper on being ‘touched’ by Tony win and standing up for her gay fans

49 53 54 55 60

Queer Eye - Part 2 A Couple of Guys Mr. GayCalgary July 2013 - Rory Siddall Directory and Events Classified Ads

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

Name changed to GayCalgary 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. February 2012 returned to GayCalgary Magazine.

February 2013, GayCalgary® becomes a registered trademark.

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

Those involved in the making of this 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.

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

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Submission: Fri, Aug 2 In Circulation: Fri, Aug 9 Please contact us immediately if you think you may have missed the booking or submission deadline.

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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Editorial

Rain, Rain, Go Away Publisher’s Column

By Rob Diaz-Marino, MSc. The forecast for the opening weekend of Edmonton Pride did not look promising at all: rain across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

We drove up Friday evening toward the foreboding black clouds, into progressively heavier rain and wind gusts. Eventually it started coming down so hard that I could barely make out the difference between road and grass, even with the wipers going at their fastest setting. We took the next exit which happened to bring us to one of the highway-side gas stations where we waited for about 15 minutes for the rain to ease up.

I got us there safely through all the adverse conditions, but my nerves were pretty frazzled. Having needed to drive a good deal slower than the speed limit for much of the way, we weren’t left with any time to decompress before heading out for the night’s events.

The GPS initially brought us to the wrong location as we tried making our way to the BEEF UnderBear Party, however we sorted out this snag. We showed up early to drop off our banner and some magazines before heading over to Buddy’s to photograph their Pink party. I was not in much of a talking mood, so I stood by idly waiting and getting further agitated as Steve had lengthy conversations with what felt like every familiar face we bumped into.

By the time we made it back to the Bearracuda meet and greet, I felt like I just wanted to brood in a dark corner for the evening. Steve took photos of the wet underwear contest, sponsored by BiggerBear.com and The Briefing Room, while I stood out of the way of the camera, and away from the volunteers from the audience with water guns who were soaking down the sexy contestants.

A few people that I spoke to noticed my mood was off, even though I was trying my best to mask it. But a new acquaintance that I made that evening succeeded in cheering me up as he stood in his underwear and chatted with me. I guess it’s hard for me to stay mad for long at a bear party. With so many good looking, fun, and friendly people, a good mood is contagious!

The parade and street festival were on Saturday morning, and we remained miraculously free of rain for practically the whole day, with only some mild showers starting around 7pm as things were wrapping up. Still, it wasn’t as sunny and hot as previous years, so disappointingly the beer garden wasn’t as full of bright costumes or scantily clad people as it was last year. This was my territory as Steve took care of things going on outside of the beer garden, such as the new secondary stage, the vendor tents, and so on.

As the stage performances went, one highlight of the afternoon for me was Jeffery Straker’s set. Ironically we had been listening to some of his music during the car ride up to Edmonton. I really enjoy much of Jeffery’s songs for their happy and lively vibe, so as I snapped photos as I was singing and dancing along to “Slings and Arrows” (for which I know the lyrics off by heart) and his newer work “Sans Souci”.

The evening was crazy, with 3 different dances happening at the same time. Our first stop was the Loud “N” Proud Dance at the Delta in downtown Edmonton, however it was a slow start and not much was going on by the time we needed to head to our next destination.

The PURE Pride dance consumed most of our evening as we photographed and video-taped performances by Jujubee, Seth Knight, and Brent Everett.

Although personally Brent Everett isn’t my type (I prefer them hairy), I’m certain many of our readers will be thrilled by the video I captured. At one point, as he and Seth Knight danced together on stage, Everett focused his performance toward me and my camera in the front row. I was a little embarrassed, but the girls standing beside me were pretty jealous! It was also really cool getting a chance to chat with Jujubee as she signed last month’s cover for our collection – she was super appreciative of our efforts to promote her, and of the event organizers for the chance to perform in Edmonton.

Lastly, we were able to catch the tail end of the big Bearracuda dance.

We had unfortunately missed it at its busiest, but we were still able to enjoy ourselves as we finished off photographing for the night. I tucked into some of the snacks they had out, such as the rainbow-coloured goldfish crackers (very appropriate on both gay and bear levels), Pretzel M&M’s, and so on. I felt a little sad that we couldn’t have spent the whole evening here but this is the drawback of running a magazine, and being a sponsor of all three dances that night!

The next morning’s BEEF Bear Bust BBQ had still been tentative the night before. The weather was iffy, but the bears were able to take advantage of some tenting that one of their bear patrons had kindly offered (intended for another event but set up early). We stuck around for several hours longer than we intended, before heading back to Calgary.

We returned to Edmonton the next weekend to catch the tail end of Edmonton Pride Week, namely the two part Gay Edmonton Pageant.

Congratulations to the 2013 pageant winners, Mr. Gay XXVI Reuben Esque, Mz. Gay XXVI Bianca Lovegood, and Ms. Gay XXVI Mary K. Car who demonstrated their worthiness through performance and speech.

Immediately after this competition wrapped up, we hopped over to Buddys where another similar event was happening: the Mr. Gay Canada - Edmonton contest, for which Executive Producer Ken Coolen himself was out. As contestants went, there was a broad range of personalities and body types – but no stranger to pageantry, LJ Steele proved to be a major contender and in the end was awarded the title. Congrats LJ!

Beer and Balls My birthday was June 18th, on what I thought was going to be a very boring Tuesday. Instead, Steve informed me a few days beforehand that we had been invited to a media event with food and drink at a downtown bar not far from the Backlot. He tried to keep it as vague as possible, but the night beforehand I serendipitously guessed the secret and Steve spilled the beans – it was for the 20th Anniversary of the Testicle Festival at Bottlescrew Bill’s Pub / Buzzard’s Restaurant & Bar. Not only that, as I discovered, they were also showing off their wide range of beers from around the world. I’m not a beer connoisseur, but the Banana Bread beer, and the whole range of fruit flavoured beers from Belgium really tickled our fancy (trust the gays to go for the fruit beers). Sampling a little from each of these beers got me feeling tipsy pretty fast, so thankfully there was a table of chicken wings, meatballs, and other such food in chafing dishes to offset that. People at the event were a little apprehensive at first, thinking

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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 From Previous Page these offerings might contain the testicle meat that we were anticipating. But that came around shortly after on trays carried by waitresses who spoke laugh-inducing lines like “would you like to try some battered balls?” or “who wants some mixed nuts?”

So yes, I tried prairie oysters for the first time in my life. Their actual flavor was pretty well disguised by the batter and sauces used to prepare them in an appetizing way. What I could grasp of their taste and texture was pretty unspectacular – if anything, it reminded me of vegetarian hotdog. I would say the hype of prairie oysters is more from what part of the animal they come, rather than how they taste. Nevertheless, it made for a “testacular” birthday dinner!

Hell AND High Water Two days after my birthday, I was driving to an awards dinner related to my day job, and about to turn into the parking lot of the Calgary Winter Club when the clouds opened up and it started pouring with rain. Even with a large umbrella in my car, my dress shirt and dress pants were thoroughly rain spattered, merely walking from the parking lot to the entrance of the building.

As the evening progressed, a number of people had to leave before finishing their meals, as they received word that their houses were in the gradually expanding evacuation zone. I knew we would be safe at the top of the hill on 17th Avenue, but after getting several texts from Steve about what was happening, the 14th Street Bridge I needed to use to get home became my concern. I skipped the socializing after the awards ceremony and made a bee-line straight home, thankfully encountering no obstacles along the way.

I arrived to find Steve frantically trying to keep up with what was going on, as a state of emergency had been declared. The City of Calgary website had been brought to its knees from the influx of web traffic as people tried to access updates. Their blog site was already being used as a secondary backup and was also beginning to get bogged down. The updates included a plea to all local media to help disseminate the information by posting it to their own websites and news feeds. GayCalgary Magazine did our part by posting the updates and pushing them out to our readers by Twitter and Facebook. A number of people told us later that they were extremely appreciative of us doing this because it became the only source they could easily access throughout the crisis.

As we watched the news that night it became clear that I would not be able to return to work as normal the next morning. The next day, it was hard not to get emotional as we continued watching news reports and saw personal accounts rolling in on social media. Outside we could hear the constant blare of sirens, the drone of helicopters, and the continuing pitter-patter of more rain. It was eerie being stuck inside doing as we were told, while so much activity was going on around us. I checked in with a number of friends who I knew to be in the flood zone and made sure they were safe and had places to stay. I was less concerned about my mom and dad who live out in the suburbs, but I checked in with them anyway and all was good.

We were very glad to no longer be living at our previous residence, our condo on 14th Ave and 1st street, which was in the evacuation zone and without power for several days. Aside from the GayCalgary.com website, our web servers also host the website for the Distress Centre and ConnecTeen, among others. Although the Distress Centre offices were without power and they had to forward all calls to call centres in other cities, our safe distance from the flood and evacuation zones ensured that the websites for these services were still operating during these particularly stressful times.

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On Interviewing Amy Grant

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and I got slightly sun burned as we photographed the performances at the street festival.

We learned that the headlining act, Shangela, who was supposed to perform at the dance, was not coming. She had cancelled a day prior to the festival out of concern that she might not be able to get back home if she flew out to the middle of the flood zone.

The situation in Lethbridge didn’t seem as dire as in Calgary, and certainly not High River. The organizers had booked a night for us in a hotel nearby the street festival and dance, that that was also housing some of the people that had been displaced by the high waters. Nevertheless, there was nowhere near the level of panic in the local media as we had seen back home.

Between the street festival and the dance, we took the opportunity to explore the city of Lethbridge a little by car. We traveled through the downtown a bit, and then along the ridge looking across the valley to the University of Lethbridge. We followed a road that brought us down to a park that was near the river, at the base of the gigantic trestle bridge. Some of the paths here were flooded out if not blocked off by fences. I took a short hike up the hill beside the bridge to get some pictures of the sunset, and just about got eaten alive by the mosquitoes.

The whole reason for spending the night in Lethbridge was so that we could attend the evening dance for the first time in our four years of sponsoring the organization. It was a dance of around 200 people – perhaps small by Calgary’s standards, and tiny by the standards of one person I spoke to who was in town from Toronto for his work, but for Lethbridge Pride this was another sign of progress. Organizers were excited to tell us that their numbers were up quite significantly from last year both for the dance and the beer gardens that were at the street festival earlier. This was despite the floods keeping so many people away - including the headliner, Shangela!

We retired to our room at around 1am as the dance was closing down.

The people in the room adjoining us, who we had decided must be flood victims, seemed to be having a jolly old time, talking, laughing and singing until all hours of the morning as we were trying to sleep. We returned the favour in the morning by being extra noisy when we got up at 6:30am for the complimentary breakfast in the lobby.

Rodeo Weekend As the week progressed and people were let back into the flood zones to assess the damage to their houses, we all began to see a better picture of just how devastating the flood had been. Many people that we know from the LGBT community suffered major damages and losses, including some of the organizers of the Canadian Rockies International Rodeo and Music Festival.

Despite this tragedy, the show went on.

The event definitely had a more subdued energy to it this year, which was understandable. There were many people who didn’t make it out because they were helping friends to rebuild, or working to repair their own homes.

Others needed a break from this reality – a chance to get away and have some fun after so many days of seemingly endless work.

Despite this, organizers reported an all time high for competitors, and especially for participants in the rodeo school. To us, the number of people on the grounds seemed down, though the camping grounds seemed almost as full as the previous year; we hypothesized that people wanted to come out and camp, but had a lot tighter purse strings for obvious reasons.

The dance venue in the newly renovated barn by the entrance to the grounds worked out quite well, and meant that the midway didn’t need to be stretched out to reach the curling rink. The Friday dance was well attended, and we were treated to the subtle glow of the Aurora Borealis overhead; the Saturday dance was bursting at the seams with cow-folk, and we got a light

Continued on Page 25 

Lethbridge Pride Although the rain had stopped by Saturday, the city was still advising people to stay indoors in an effort to reduce the traffic snarls caused by the numerous major road closures. With the forecast looking clear and not much we could do in Calgary, we decided our planned drive south for Lethbridge Pride was still a go-ahead. We assessed the traffic advisories and planned a route that skirted around the edge of the city, and made our way down to Lethbridge.

It was very sad driving by High River, which from the road looked like a giant lake with houses sticking out of it. The army had sealed off the highway exits leading into the city, and we saw a number of vehicles abandoned on the side of the road. Some looked like they had gotten mired down in puddles in the ditch that had since dried out, while others were parked neatly on the shoulder of the road as if the owners had gotten out and tried to walk into the city. The brief views we got of the river as we were on approach told us the waters were still raging. But overall there were no problems on the highway.

We arrived shortly before the parade started – Lethbridge Pride’s first parade! It only took 4 minutes to pass us, but was still marked progress for the organization. It was a beautiful and sunny day, to the point where Steve

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Drake Jensen

The “Daddy” of Gay Country Music

By Nick Winnick Despite our collective cowboy fantasies, it’s easy to imagine country music as being one of the last bastions of heteronormativity. In fact, as Calgarians, many of us are likely more acutely aware of this than the population at large.

It’s refreshing, even inspiring, then, to see artists like Drake Jensen who are not only talented, but unapologetically out in what can, at times, be a hostile environment. I had a chance to speak with Jensen recently about performing, building an independent career, and some of the rough spots along the way.

Jensen, an affable, enthusiastic man, was eager to tell me about some of the recent work he’d done playing Pride festivals in Kitchener and Port Stanley Ontario, but the biggest coup of all had to be opening Nashville’s own Pride festivities. I was a bit surprised to learn, then, that he considers himself a bit of a homebody. “I really am. When we did Nashville, we went for a few days ... and it was great, but I don’t like being away from home for weeks upon weeks.” Homebody or no, he won’t be deterred from visiting Calgary – he’s definitely aware of his fans out on the far side of the prairies. “I keep being asked to come, so it’s going to be something that I’ll have to do very, very soon ... probably in the next twelve months.”

As an independent artist, a strong presence on social media has been instrumental to Jensen’s career thus far. With Facebook fans closing in on 10,000, views on his YouTube channel nearing 1,000,000, and a responsive, jovial presence on Twitter, he connects with his supporters in a way that seems to make them very invested in his success. And of course, ‘success’ isn’t only defined by number of albums sold. Speaking about his close connection with fans and supporters, one anecdote stood out: a long, heartfelt email described how a fan in the U.S. “overheard

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a woman talking about her son who was being bullied at school, and apparently by her husband, too. [The fan] mentioned [the song] Scars to her, she went and watched it, and she brought her husband to watch it, and apparently it made a profound change, and her husband started to treat their son better. He realized that maybe he was being too hard on his son. Sometimes when you think that you’re not making any difference at all is when you’re actually making the most. If that’s what my music is meant to do, then so what if I’m not number one on Billboard? If I have affected a father who’s treating his son better, then I’ve rectified one very bad situation in the world. It’s worth a lot more than a hit song.”

That sort of perspective isn’t uncommon for this thoughtful artist.

At 43, Jensen has a bit of seniority on many artists in the second and third years of their careers, but as far as he’s concerned, the additional maturity and calm has been a godsend. “If I were to stop right now and never record another song, the things that I’ve learned through this twoyear experience have been the most valuable things that I’ve learned in my whole entire life. It’s made me a very different man. I’m much more level-headed.” With his positive outlook, even the occasional detractor contributes to his well-being. “You couldn’t be happy if you weren’t sad once in a while.”

Attitude would seem to make all the difference, as Jensen has had a tough row to hoe by any measure, especially in the face of the continued silence from groups like the CCMA, and in the US, Country Music Television. “At one point I thought, oh, CMT is going to pick my video up, especially with 150,000 hits on it. I love to be naive that the world is gay-friendly, and that everything is really great. Even with the marriage thing in the US, yes, it was a huge breakthrough, but there’s an awful lot of work still to be done.” Mentioning that Scars had hit number 20 on the European Top 100 – an impressive feat for an independent artist –

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Jensen was disappointed in the reaction of the country music establishment. “You would think the CCMA would want to give me a showcase, however they’ve turned me down two years in a row. Eventually we started to figure it out. Here I am being reviewed by Robert Oermann – the ultimate authority in country music – who is a major tough critic who’ll cut you down to size, and he loved me. There I am at the top of Music Row Magazine with Kellie Pickler, and the CCMA wouldn’t even look at me. It was the most frustrating thing in the world.”

“I had to get to the point where I stopped taking it personally. They’re obviously afraid of embracing anything gay.”

Undeterred, Jensen and his management company, Soaring Eagle Productions, are now following their own path. “We’ve kind of steered away from the organizations, and steered toward the fans, and it’s been much better for us. Thing have changed so much with media that we’re sort of in control of our own destiny. I finally get the fact that the music will land in people’s hands.”

Jensen now sees his role, now, as something of a trailblazer. “In 10, 15, 20 years’ time, people are going to look back and go, oh, remember that Drake Jensen guy who came out and had a really rough time, but look at it today. I think that I’ll probably be one of the grandfathers of gay country music – me, along with Patrick Masse.” We discussed a recent article on Buzzfeed, which billed American Steve Grand as “the first openly gay male country star.” This might have ruffled feathers for others, but true to form, Jensen sees only the upside. “People are tweeting me and emailing me saying, oh my gosh, they’re saying he’s the first out country singer, and aren’t you mad? And I’m like, God no I’m not mad!

We just birthed another one – now we’ve got three. I’m all about unity – maybe if that had happened two or three years ago I would’ve been insecure about it, but I really changed.” Country music culture may be slow to change, but it’s only a matter of time before it catches up with Jensen, Masse, and Grand.

Drake Jensen OUTlaw available now http://www.drakejensen.ca • twitter: @drakejensen http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3568

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9

Come Hell, High Water or Incarceration Kent Monkman further boosts Stampede pride at the Glenbow

 Photo courtesy of the Glenbow Museum

By Janine Eva Trotta Viewing the photos of a water-submerged Saddledome and Stampede grounds over the last weeks has had to strike a chord in every Calgarian, regardless of their regular sentiments toward cowboys and mini doughnuts.

In hearing that come ‘hell or high water’ the show will go on the city was given strength, through a festival some of us are quick to scoff at as being the prominent hick event of each year.

In Kent Monkman’s current instalment at the Glenbow Museum, The Big Four, we are offered another reason to cease slandering the Stampede and to, instead, shout with louder voices accolades for the once-deemed campy event. It appears that since its inception, 101 years ago, the Stampede was inspiring hope for another group of marginalized Albertans.

Following a traveling show that visited the Glenbow in 2010, Monkman was asked by the museum to return with an exclusive work. This prompted a visit back to Calgary in 2012, during which Monkman attended his first Stampede, the centennial.

What struck the artist most was the century-strong Aboriginal presence he found there. Winnipeg-born, and of Cree background, Monkman says he had never been to a rodeo or western event where such a presence was so identifiable and that, had it been, what a difference it would have made to his people.

His inquiries into the 100 year-running event, and more specifically the Native presence within it, led him to an appalling finding.

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In order to have these Aboriginal participants in attendance the Stampede organizers - beginning with the founding four, or Big Four as they have become known - needed to seek government allowance. Every Aboriginal individual needed a pass to leave their reserve for even just one day. Aboriginals were essentially living in a permanent state of incarceration.

“I don’t think a lot of people think Native reserves were places where people were imprisoned,” Monkman says. “That legacy of incarceration has been part of the native experience over the last 100 years.”

“The Stampede liberated these people – even if it was just for a week.”

The rodeo and fair gave Aboriginal peoples a place to be visible - a place where their culture could be honoured and skills could be rewarded, though with a lessened prize payout.

And so with a mix of praise for the Stampede and a desire to illustrate the economic disparity between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal participants over the last century – both in Calgary and throughout the entire country – Monkman went to work at creating the exhibit now on view.

He began with four broken down vehicles; four to represent the number of founders that brought the original Stampede to fruition.

“Rez cars were looked down on as pieces of junk but were still important to mobility,” Monkman describes. “Even though they were junky, they were still important.”

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Each car acts as a museum display case; a vessel of representation for the items it holds within, many of which were curated from the Glenbow collection itself.

Monkman calls the piece, ‘a reflection of the Stampede through a First Nations lens’ and names renowned First Nations activist Leonard Peltier as an inspiration.

Politics are never a theme the artist shies away from in his many projects.

“I don’t think about it deliberately; I just think it’s part of being an Aboriginal artist,” he says. “A lot of the issues that are important to me have to do with politics and nature.”

“If you really start thinking about it, there’s no other way of approaching it.”

His work reflects what it means to him to be First Nations.

“A lot of my work comes through my own experience and that’s why I think it has that political edge to it.”

Though he began as a painter his preferred media have extended to the platforms of video and installation, as well as to drag performance and satire. In Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, Monkman has created an alter ego that allows him a voice in which to construct ‘a narrative on Aboriginal sexuality’.

“Miss Chief evolved because I wanted to create a character that could live in the 19th century in the two spirit tradition,” he explains. “Then, as I developed her, I found that there was a lot more to her than that.”

The artist has continued to work with the character in different mediums exploring different themes and says he hasn’t run out of ideas for her yet.

Whether painting or putting on bold performance, Monkman’s works are always colourful and never stale. He can, through a well-crafted, fun piece, speak to serious issues, such as white domination or Biblical texts. One may see a drag queen emerge

from an unassuming, unadulterated, ethereal landscape, a pair of beaded, sky-high heels cast in boudoir quarters, or a masculine sculpture of Lot’s wife. Always visually intriguing, always thought provoking, it’s no wonder the artist has broken out internationally, with a strong representation in Berlin.

“Funny and politically incisive, his injection of some Cherlike glamour into the heart of America’s butch psyche is like throwing a Versace wedge into an auto-repair shop,” Jessica Lack for the Guardian said of his “Exhibition Preview”.

The artist works primarily from his studio in Toronto but travels frequently to Europe and around Canada, with exhibits literally dotting the globe.

He is currently working on several commission pieces, an upcoming exhibit in Denver, a performance piece, as well as a project slated to open in Montreal in the new year.

Asked if The Big Four will have opportunity to travel, Monkman was uncertain but says he would love if it could be so. Logistics will be a complication, as several of the pieces featured in the installation belong to the Glenbow.

“There’s a possibility it could be re-imagined in different versions somewhere else,” he says. “We’ll see.”

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Kent Monkman - The Big Four At the Glenbow Museum until Sunday, August 18th http://www.kentmonkman.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3569

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

11

Event

Central Alberta Pride

Red Deer launches its own in rainbow celebrations

By Keith Johnson The Red Deer and area LGBT community is breathing new life into its Pride Festivities planned this August 9th to 11th, featuring exciting new events and much needed community support.

Historically this vibrant community, Alberta’s third most populous city, has celebrated its diversity in a number of ways but this year promises to be different according to Tony Jeglum, organizer and local community activist. Red Deer, located almost at the mid-point between Edmonton and Calgary is planning to make this weekend an annual event spearheaded by its newly formed Central Alberta Pride Society (CAPS). Red Deer boasts an active and thriving LGBT community; however most of the related events have been ad hoc and one-off in nature differing from this 3-day Pride Event which will include an official proclamation from the City of Red Deer’s Mayor.

Jeglum points out that they have no intention of competing with the events of Calgary and Edmonton but rather hopes to piggy-back their event onto these larger and successful venues. Host hotels will welcome out of town guests by offering attractive rates and Central Alberta Pride Hospitality. Red Deer Pride affords the community to showcase their great city and feature its many businesses including those located in its downtown core.

Pride events in prior years had, predominantly, been organized by CAANS (Central Alberta Aids Network Society) due primarily to their dedicated staff and a few willing organizers.

Although CAANS will continue to be an integral part of the Pride events it will no longer be responsible for the details and venues surrounding these three days. Jeglum is happy to relay that the Central Alberta Pride Society (status pending) will carry out the bulk of the planning and execution in August.

Local area youth are also encouraged to participate in events specifically focused for those member of the community under the age of eighteen years. In addition, the downtown core was strategically chosen as the event location due to the Downtown Business Association’s long history in supporting Red Deer’s diverse population. Venues and attractions are primarily within walking distance making the three days accessible and simple to navigate.

Although the focus of the event is in August the local LGBT community will be marching in the Westerner Days Parade in Red Deer scheduled for July 17th. Developing and promoting community awareness as well as marketing the Pride festivities will be the key focus of participating marchers.

August 9th will kick off with the official Mayoral Proclamation at Red Deer City Hall beginning at 5pm. The proclamation will be closely followed by an opening reception at the Ross Street Patio. During the evening a number of local restaurants and bars will be featuring special libations and fare targeted at Central Alberta Pride participants.

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August 10th, weather permitting, promises a wet and wild afternoon with a group float on the Red Deer River. Although details of the event have yet to be confirmed, one thing is for sure: it promises to be the Fruit Float of the year! The evening culminates at The Vat, a local watering hole, with featured entertainers The Dirrty Show (yes dirty with two R’s) hence the “Dirrty and Drag” mantra. Drag Queens and Kings are encouraged to don their finery and participate in the evening’s frolic.

August 11th will begin with a Church service at 11am at Cronquist House, Bower Ponds which is jointly sponsored by the Lacombe United Church and the Red Deer Unitarian Fellowship. The Service will be followed by a barbecue at the Kiwanis Picnic Shelter, Bower Ponds from 12pm to 3pm. This event is family friendly and the community thanks you in advance for your donation. The cook out is enthusiastically sponsored by the local Mr. Mike’s Restaurant.

Check out the Red Deer Pride Days Facebook Page or the Central Alberta Pride Website (launching shortly) for all the event information. For direct contact, use the Email address included at the end of this article.

You may also want to check out the many other sites and activities the City of Red Deer has to offer including Waskasoo Park, that runs right from the outskirts in the southwest to the northeast and through the heart of the city. It gives Red Deer its alternate name of “Park City”. Over 80 kilometres (50 miles) of multi-use trails permit biking, rollerblading, horseback riding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and walking. Home to many birds and wild life, this unspoiled river valley park is well-loved, well used and undoubtedly a place of peace and beauty.

Plan to show your Alberta Pride by supporting the Central Alberta Pride event in Red Deer this coming month and watch for other events and extravaganzas organized and promoted by Red Deer’s newly formed Central Alberta Pride Society!

Central Alberta Pride – Red Deer, AB Presented by Central Alberta Pride Society August 9th to 11th msmoutreach@caans.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3570

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Community

Discussing Community Safety How to be a good witness

By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone. I want to start this month by sending my heartfelt wishes to anyone who has been unduly affected by the flood that hit us recently. I have been called out to work in the worst hit areas, and I have seen first-hand the devastation that has been caused. Recovery will be a long process, but I know the dedication and determination of the community will see you all through. Please let me know if there is anything more that I, or the service, can do to help.

On a more positive note, the ARGRA rodeo will have taken place by the time you are reading this, and hopefully you will have had the opportunity to get out, have some fun and let your hair down in an effort to get some light relief from the flooding.

The article this month relates to being a good witness, and gives some information about how and when to call, what sort of information would be useful, and what you can expect when you make the call to police.

The Calgary Police Service is committed to crime prevention, but we need your help.

Reporting crime and suspicious behaviour For an emergency or a crime in progress, call 9-1-1 immediately.

To report suspicious activity, call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line: 403-266-1234.

The Calgary Police Service also offers a 24-hour Hearing Impaired non-emergency line: 403-538-6147.

You may also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers: • Talk: 1-800-222-8477 • Type: www.ttttips.com • Text: “ttttips” to 274637 If in doubt, check it out. If something you have seen seems suspicious, but is not a crime in progress, call the police nonemergency line at 403-266-1234 and let them know what you have seen.

Being a good witness Being a good witness is an active process that requires you to continually ask yourself what you are seeing.

Always be on the lookout for: • • • •

Suspicious people or activities.

Vehicles passing numerous times or suspiciously parked.

Strangers in your neighbourhood.

Yelling or screaming - it could indicate fights or domestic/ child abuse.

If you are watching an unusual vehicle, take note of: • Year, make and model • Colour • License plate number • Number of occupants • Body damage, bumper stickers or decals • Direction of travel (which street was it parked/driving along when you last saw it)

• Height and weight • Hair colour and length • Face shape and/or facial hair • Eye colour and shape • Clothing type and colour Partial observations are also important and can help establish time, location and number of people involved in an incident.

What happens when you call 9-1-1 If you call 9-1-1 to report a crime, the 9-1-1 communications officer will ask you questions such as: • What happened? How long ago?

• Where?

• How many people were involved?

• How would you describe those people? Did they say anything?

• Were they armed with any weapons?

• Did they leave the scene on foot or in a vehicle?

• Which direction were they travelling?

Why should I report a crime to the police?

With Calgary’s growing population, police cannot be everywhere all of the time. Calgarians are the eyes and ears police rely on and it is important we all work together to prevent crime and keep Calgary a safe place to live and play.

When you come forward to report a crime, you may be taking the first step in helping to prevent further crimes and to protect others from experiencing the same thing. There’s a better chance of arresting a person and charging them with the offence if police are called as soon as possible. Investigations take time and your input is invaluable.

Reporting crime can give you an opportunity to deal with the harm done to you or others. You or someone else may need protection from the person who committed the crime - calling police is vital in ensuring your safety. Never underestimate the power of the information you have. Something as simple as reporting a suspicious person running down the street, or part of the license plate and colour of a vehicle driving around in your neighbourhood could be the missing piece needed to solve a crime.

I hope that this information is useful to you. Ideally you will never have to make a call to police, but if you do then at least you will know what to expect and what is expected of you.

For those of you that attend Stampede (flood recovery permitting), I hope you have a great time, but urge you to take care and look after each other. As always, please feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns.

Constable Andy Buck 403-428-8154 • pol4792@calgarypolice.ca

If you see a person acting suspiciously, take note of:

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• Age and gender • Ethnicity and build www.gaycalgary.com

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13

Gossip funny to see what financial hardship means to a rich sitcom actor, won’t it?

Blue lesbians to warm up America’s big screens Filmmaker Abdellatif Kechiche’s three-hour lesbian romance, Blue Is the Warmest Color, is coming to America, thanks to distributor IFC. The controversial film (called a “voyeuristic exercise” by New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis) stars young actresses Léa Seydoux and Adéle Exarchopoulos as they come of age and fall in love, and it recently won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d’Or. The intense love story, complete with lengthy sex scenes (reports are that the non-pornographic art film leaves nothing to the imagination, prompting New York magazine’s Vulture website to cheekily praise its “impressive scissoring”) found itself in the unique position of receiving the highest praise from the most prestigious film festival in the world at the same time that France was legalizing same-sex marriage equality and anti-gay protestors were busy taking to the streets in Paris to be angry about it all. Sounds almost like what would happen here, frankly. And this fall American arthouse audiences will get their own chance to evaluate the merits of the 179-minute Blue, probably while another U.S. state tackles its own marriage equality legislation and One Million Moms goes ballistic about Target’s same-sex wedding registry. Vive le cinema! asks new documentary

 Jim Parsons, photo by Shutterstock.com / Helga Esteb

Deep Inside Hollywood Zach Braff wishes on star Jim Parsons

By Romeo San Vicente Wish I Was Here is the name of that movie Zach Braff turned to Kickstarter to fund, a move that turned the entire project into a referendum on what well-to-do celebrities should do when they want to find alternative sources of funding for their film projects (hint: break the unwritten rules and use your own damn money). And the snarky controversy has overshadowed the fact that the film has a talented ensemble cast, including gay actor Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Donald Faison, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick and Braff himself. The plot is an odd one considering the whole Kickstarter dustup, but it involves Braff’s lead character – described in a synopsis as a man struggling financially – turning to home-schooling his children when private school money dries up. Of course, they have these things called public schools that are ... shhh ... free, but whatever. It’ll be

Hey gay dude, worried that your voice “sounds gay”? Well, you’ve never been alone on that one. Worse, you’ve probably been made to feel bad about it, especially from other gay people. And documentary filmmaker David Thorpe knows what you’re going through. In fact, he made a movie about it. The director’s Do I Sound Gay? has been selected for the Independent Filmmaker Project’s 2013 Documentary Lab mentorship program, which will help shepherd the film to completion. Still in production, it’s a long-overdue, humorous exploration of the origins of “gay voice” as well as the stigma attached to having that voice. It features interviews with and the contributions of Margaret Cho, Tim Gunn, Dan Savage, David Sedaris and George Takei, none of whom plan to change the way they speak any time soon. We’re here, we sound queer, get used to it.

SheZow premieres without sun collapsing into the earth The crazies of the world love to use the word “transgender” to instigate fake outrage over anyone who doesn’t conform to gender roles, so when the latest children’s cartoon series SheZow premiered recently on The Hub, a kids cable channel, they went ballistic. That’s why it’s so nice to report that SheZow, the creation of Obie Scott Wade, is nothing more than a fun, colorful, superhero show that also just happens to be about a young boy who takes on his late aunt’s superhero persona whenever crime needs to be vanquished. He transforms into her character – including the wig and shirt – and becomes SheZow, the crime fighter. Then he returns, happily, to being a boy. Technically that makes him a situational transvestite in the service of law and order and, clearly, young audiences are already understanding that it no more makes the character transgender (a word most of them have probably never encountered) than the Batman costume turns Bruce Wayne into an actual flying mammal of the order Chiroptera. Carry on, cartoons. We’ll keep waiting for the first great animated trans superhero TV show.

Romeo San Vicente tried on a skirt once but there was no amount of tucking in the world to make it right.

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Photography BEEF Bearbash Pride Weekend http://gaycalgary.com/pa525

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Photography Edmonton Pride Weekend 2013 http://gaycalgary.com/pa505

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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Photography

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Photography Pure Pride Edmonton 2013 http://gaycalgary.com/pa517

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Photography Lethbridge Pride 2013 http://gaycalgary.com/pa508

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Photography CRIR 2013 Weekend http://gaycalgary.com/pa509

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Photography

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

21

Rebel With a Country Cause

Kacey Musgraves on opening minds, smoking pot and all the gays in her life  Photo by Kelly Christine Musgraves

By Chris Azzopardi When it comes to country music, tradition says you should be a narrow-minded churchgoer who condemns drugs, lesbian love and casual sex. And you should definitely never, ever release an album about any of those sinful deeds.

Kacey Musgraves missed that Bible school lesson.

The breakthrough artist’s stellar album Same Trailer Different Park shows not all country acts are bigoted meatheads who worship their trucks. If they’re like this 24-year-old, they also love the gay community – and sing about it – and occasionally puff a doobie.

GC: What’re you up to, Kacey?

KM: I’m just sitting here with a zit mask on my face. It’s hard to talk.

It’s hardening and I can barely move my mouth.

GC: What’s your reaction to all the buzz surrounding you and the

album?

KM: It’s overwhelming, but in a good way. It’s more than I ever asked for and more than I could ever expect. I’m really happy that people are just listening to the music – and that it’s finally out! I’m so thankful.

GC: Tell me about growing up in a small town in Texas.

Did you know many gay people when you were living there?

KM: No, actually. My first roommate out of high school came out to me and it was a big deal, because he came from a really conservative family. I just knew how hard it was for him to come to terms with that; I  “Same Trailer Different Park” was in the Bible Belt in a really small town where everybody knew everybody. It really opened my eyes to a lot when he came out to me and I could see how hard it was, you know? It really made an impact on me. Since then, several guys that I grew up with have come out, and I’m just so proud of them.

It just makes me sad that there are other kids who are struggling with that and parents are worried about whether their kids are gonna come out of the closet; in reality they should be worried about way scarier things.

GC: So that friend was the first gay person you knew?

KM: Yeah. It made a big impact on me. I absolutely love gay people.

GC: I heard “Follow Your Arrow” and had a feeling you did; it’s

rare the gay community be acknowledged in a country music song. It doesn’t happen very often, does it?

KM: No. It never happens and I’m sick of it. It’s ridiculous. Whether or not you agree with gay marriage or the fact that people don’t choose

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to be gay, we share the same emotions, needs and wants. I just think that everyone should be included in that. It’s definitely time.

GC: Would you like to see more change within the country music world as far as LGBT inclusively goes?

KM: For sure. Have you ever seen an openly gay male country artist be successful? No. That would be badass. But guys get grossed out by guy-on-guy … but then if they see two chicks kissing at a party, they’re like, “Oh my god, I gotta videotape this.” I’m like, “That’s the same shit!”

You can’t have a double standard.

GC: Were you worried about releasing “Follow Your Arrow,” a song that advocates marijuana and homosexuality?

KM: Well, I didn’t expect – sorry, I’m eating popcorn – country radio to play it. They’re not gonna. That’s OK, though. I think the song can be bigger than country radio. They wouldn’t know what to do with it, anyway!

As far as backlash goes, the reaction has been surprisingly positive, and when I sing it live people really like it and they really listen to the lyrics. Even older people that I wouldn’t think would be into it get a laugh out of it. I think even if you don’t agree with everything I’m saying, as a human, hopefully you can just recognize that people should be able to do what they want to do and love who they want to love.

GC: Tell me about the line, “Kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that’s something you’re into.” Was this based on personal experience?

KM: (Laughs) I wrote the song with one of my producers, Shane McAnally, who’s gay, and Brandy Clarke, who’s an amazing writer and also gay. And I’m not gonna say it’s not from some personal experience, but we were writing it and with the “kiss lots of boys” I said, “I wish, because of the nature of the song, we could just say ‘ … or kiss lots of girls,’” and Shane was like, “Why can’t we?”

GC: Weren’t there some songs that the label wanted you to release on Same Trailer Different Park but you didn’t want them on there?

KM: Yeah – just because I wrote it doesn’t mean that I like it!

(Laughs) The label will be like, “Oh, this song is a hit, it’s a radio mash,” and I’m like, “I don’t give a shit. If it doesn’t go on the record, it doesn’t go on the record.” The hits will come if I believe in them. It won’t be a hit if I don’t believe in it.

GC: Were you nervous about suggesting you smoke pot on the

album?

KM: I was more worried about my grandma hearing it!

GC: What did your grandma say?

KM: We call her Nana, and she always has an opinion. “The Slut

Song” is what she calls “It Is What It Is.” And she doesn’t get any of the marijuana references.

GC: Should we assume you’ve dabbled?

KM: You can assume. It does a lot of nice things for a lot of people

and it comes out of the ground. End of story. The government should stay out of it and just let people do what they wanna do with their own bodies.

GC: Do you want to be country’s bad girl or would you rather leave that to Miranda Lambert?

KM: I’d rather not. If I were gonna be a bad girl, I’d rather it be more in a progressive way than a “I’m gonna burn your house down” way.

GC: In a way that brings hope and change to people’s lives?

KM: Right. If that makes me a bad girl, then what does that make

society?

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GC: Did you worry the line would ruffle feathers?

KM: I knew it would a little but surprisingly it didn’t as much as I

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thought. At the same time, I didn’t care.

GC: Have you received feedback from the gay community?

KM: Yeah! Perez Hilton did a cover contest for “Follow Your Arrow”

where he challenged people to come up with covers for it. He’s been really supportive about it all. And my manager is gay. It’s kind of all around me.

I’ve had guys come up to me at shows and say, “Your song ‘Follow Your Arrow’ means so much to me.” I think people are thankful that they don’t have to be ashamed to be themselves and they can also listen to country music. Those don’t have to be two separate things.

GC: Are you interested in being the Lady Gaga of contemporary country music?

KM: (Laughs) Dolly Parton is the closest thing that we’ve had, right?

Maybe Reba. But as far as being loud about it, yeah, I would love to take that position.

I guess because of the nature of country music, there’s deep-rooted tradition and there’s a lot of gospel influence in country, but people need to get on the right side of history. There used to be songs about black and white differences and that’s no longer an issue – and it shouldn’t be. And this shouldn’t be either. I would love to change that about country music.

GC: Are equal rights important to you?

KM: Yeah, absolutely. I don’t even think it has to be about male or

female, gay or straight – it’s just about humans being able to live freely.

GC: Tell me about some of your country influences.

KM: I’ve always loved Dolly Parton and I used to sing her songs

when I was little. She’s a great storyteller and that’s probably where I got a lot of my influence from. I love Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson and his truth telling. I love Glen Campbell and a lot of old-school country.

I’m really all over the map, but the country I seem to like is a lot older.

GC: This album is being called your debut, but this isn’t your first album. This is actually your fourth, right?

KM: Well, this is the only one that I want people to hear. The other songs were a learning curve and I’m a different person musically, so this is what I want the world to hear first. I’m a better writer and I’ve come into my own personally more.

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

23

On the Heels of Fame

Newcomer Israel Broussard on gay role, wearing stilettos and the real-life ‘Bling Ring’  Photo by A24

By Chris Azzopardi In The Bling Ring, Sofia Coppola’s flashy zeitgeist neo-noir based on true events of teenaged Hollywood bandits, Israel Broussard takes lead-role reins as a gay L.A. transplant befriended by a chick clique of thieving punks. Marc, together with his four girlfriends (including one played by Emma Watson), loot the cribs of the rich and famous – Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox – to get their own glam on.

In a recent chat, Broussard, 18, talked about Marc’s homosexuality being a non-issue in the film, shooting in Paris Hilton’s actual house and learning to walk in heels.

GC: How did you react when you first read the Vanity Fair article, “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” an account of the San Fernando Valley teens who stole over $3 million from celebrities?

IB: A lot of people say they were shocked and surprised and maybe even disgusted, but what stood out to me was that they got caught through Facebook – and I thought that was pretty stupid.

GC: What did your audition entail?

IB: The audition process for this one took a couple months.

It wasn’t until after I booked it that the script was written, so I wasn’t sure what exactly I was getting into. (Laughs) GC: You must have known that Marc was gay, right?

IB: Well, reading the sides you can kind of tell, and I talked to Sofia about it; I was like, “What’s gonna come of this?” (Laughs) She said, “It is what it is. He’s not flamboyant or anything like 24

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that; there’s nothing over the top.” So I trusted her with that, and I think Sofia does a good job at not explaining it in the movie. There’s no scene where he’s coming out, where they actually point it out – it’s just accepted. It was refreshing to see that. You don’t have to have a big coming-out scene in every movie with a gay character, you know.

GC: Especially if the boy has a thing for heels like Marc does.

IB: Right, right. (Laughs) GC: What was wearing the stilettos like? Did you need practice?

IB: Yeah, we’d have little fashion shows and I had to learn how to walk in them and do the little runway walk … that was interesting. I’m not meant for heels. (Laughs) But it went well.

Katie (Chang) and I would have competitions of who can walk better. She said I won; I said she won. We haven’t come to an agreement on that yet.

GC: It doesn’t sound like wearing heels was that pleasant for you.

IB: No, it wasn’t. (Laughs) You know, I looked at this role as something to overcome personally. I didn’t want to do a gay character or a Disney character or some sci-fi character because I didn’t want to be typecast, so it was important to me that this was kind of brushed over. You can tell in the movie Marc’s gay but, again, it’s not pointed out. I think this was a personal battle I overcame and I became a new person, because I felt like I could expand and do more with my acting. Image is everything … and I like to have control of that image.

GC: Would you play gay roles in the future? And what would that depend on? www.gaycalgary.com

IB: Maybe in the future, yeah. And it would depend on how extreme the character was. I definitely want to take a break for a second and do a couple of movies where I’m straight. You know, homosexuality is being accepted more and more into our society. And there’s nothing wrong with it. The sooner people realize that, the better. But at the same time, I don’t want a finger being pointed at me.

GC: As the “gay actor”?

IB: Right.

GC: So were you at all worried about playing a real person?

Are you more conscious of being as accurate as possible because of that?

IB: It crossed my mind. I wouldn’t say I was worried, though.

Sofia was intent on making the movie a fictional film and yeah, there were a lot of true things that happened, but the storyline itself is completely fictional. We never met up with Nick Prugo or Alexis Neiers or any of the real Bling Ring … and we had no intent to. Now, if I were to meet him, it’d be all right. Maybe a little awkward. (Laughs) GC: How much trash TV were you required to watch to prepare for this role?

IB: I had to watch quite a bit of reality TV. Keeping Up with the Kardashians was one of them. I watched Fashion Police.

Mostly my focus was learning about fashion … and learning how to walk in heels.

GC: Do you have a favorite reality show?

IB: You know, it was Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Kim, Kourtney … man! And then gosh, I forget his name, but Kourtney’s husband – that dude is just like … he’s such a douche!

GC: How were you able to relate to Marc?

IB: In elementary school, I didn’t have many friends. I wasn’t feeling the attention and the acceptance that I felt I deserved, so I just built the character up from that with his insecurities and lack of self-confidence.

GC: Tell me about shooting the scene where it’s just you dancing in front of a webcam, one of the more telling and haunting parts of the film.

IB: Sofia came up to me a couple of days before we filmed that and said, “Hey, have you seen the video of Nick dancing in front of the webcam?” I said “no” and she showed me it and said, “I want you to do this.” You can’t really say no to Sofia Coppola. So I’m trying to figure out how I’m gonna pull this off, because a) I have no rhythm and b) I have no self-confidence – so now I’m gonna walk up to a webcam in front of a bunch of people and start dancing, pretty much half-stripping? I did it and I thought I was bombing it the entire time. Just completely destroying it. When I saw it, it was a little embarrassing, but people were saying it was real and vulnerable – and I don’t mean to toot my own horn with that.

These days, it starts with social media. (People) get swept up and caught in the drifts of what’s cool and what’s not, and that’s when they lose touch with themselves. That scene was the truth.

GC: You get to wear some blingin’ couture in the movie.

What’s the most expensive piece of clothing you own?

IB: That I bought? (Laughs) Maybe Hanes. You know what, I’ve got a peacoat from H&M that I bought. I’m comfortable in Levi’s and a T-shirt. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.

GC: What did you learn about fashion from this role?

IB: I learned what lapels are on a suit! (Laughs) And I was surrounded by all these brand names, but it wasn’t until recently actually – when we started doing all the press – that I really kind of dove into fashion and all its brand names. Now I talk to my stylist and I’m like, “How about we switch it from the Marni to the J Brand?”

GC: Filming in Paris Hilton’s house, the site of one of the robberies, were you surprised by how many of the belongings have her face on them?

IB: You know, I was kind of expecting it. It was kind of overwhelming to be in her house. It was like the Garden of Eden, stepping into some place nobody else has really been.

Rummaging through all her stuff, I kind of felt like I was part of the Paris Hilton family.

GC: If you could legally break into a celebrity’s house, whose would you break into?

IB: I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’d choose the White House. Think about how boss that would be. (Laughs)

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 Publisher’s Colum - From Page 7 show from the lightning off in the distance; the Sunday dance was a little quieter but gave country music diehards a turn on the dance floor.

Though we didn’t get much time to check it out, the music festival brought a broad selection of musical performers to the stage to keep people entertained throughout the day.

This Month To keep things brief, I will summarize in point form what’s happening this month for major events: • Calgary Stampede – YAHOO! • K Days – formerly Captial Ex in Edmonton • Calgary Fringe Festival – see the article in this edition for highlights

GayCalgary Online The next step of our refresh of the GayCalgary.com website (mentioned in last month’s column) was upgrading our photo gallery software to the latest version. This was a bit tricky and took us two attempts before we succeeded.

One new feature that will help make life easier is the ability to selectively tag photos with keywords so that people can find them when searching. We can tag people (such as drag performers, prominent individuals, etc.) places (such as the venue where the photos were taken, the event the photos are from, etc.) and things (such as what people in the photo are doing).

We are still sorting out some minor bugs with the appearance of the gallery, but it was worth all the trouble. There are a number of additional features we have yet to utilize, which we will be tinkering with over the next few months.

Other News - Priape Restructuring Priape, known to many as “Canada’s Favorite Gay Store”, has been a major player in the LGBT community - and that isn’t likely to change any time soon!

The news came to us that the company filed for bankruptcy protection as of June 27th, which will allow them to “restructure over the next few months and start afresh, stronger than ever in the fall,” says Managing Director Denis Leblanc.

Bankruptcy protection will provide the company partial relief from their debts while they continue to operate as the same entity. Leblanc told us that the 90 day restructuring plan includes Priape’s current set of investors stepping aside to allow some new investors to become involved – ones who are highly interested in seeing the company grow.

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25

A Grant Gesture

Musician John Grant’s tell-all interview on HIV, addiction and revealing new album  Photo by Garoar Olafsson

By Chris Azzopardi John Grant’s head is like a prison, and inside are words waiting to get out. These words flood the melodies of the songs on his second LP, the critically praised Pale Green Ghosts, and they also free-flow in conversation like he’s been wanting to get something off his chest.

The former Czars singer is personal without any probing, a patient sitting across from his therapist exorcizing all his inner-most demons and the sea of emotions welling inside: anger, disappointment, regret.

All of Grant’s words are laced with these feelings. And these feelings are a result of, as Grant puts it, “self-hatred” and “self-loathing.”

Without reservation, the Iceland-based artist chats with the same easy candidness of his debut, 2010’s Queen of Denmark, and its recently released follow-up Pale Green Ghosts, rife with frank confessions regarding his flawed self-assurance, being a target of small-town homophobia, his addiction with addiction and the result of the latter: his HIV diagnosis.

“Who wants to hear about some diseased faggot and his disease that he got that he deserved because he’s living this horrible lifestyle?”

Grant says outright when he explains his HIV catharsis piece “Ernest Borgnine,” a self-proclaimed “expression of anger and absurdity” that sorts out his behavior through the perspective of the track’s actornamesake – a song he says isn’t a fit for radio audiences.

No matter; it wasn’t for them anyway. It was written for Grant.

“I needed to explore why I allowed myself to get HIV after I spent so much time getting sober and turning my back on self-destructive behavior,” he says. “Why did I have to keep the self-destructive behavior in the realm of sex for myself?”

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It was always some realm for Grant. The realm of drugs. Of alcohol. Of sex. “It didn’t matter  “Pale Green Ghosts” what I could get my hands on to achieve that different state of mind,” he says. “I can do it with food, or with spending money.”

He could do it, unprotected, with an HIV-positive man. And he did, resulting in his seroconversion. “This shouldn’t have happened – and yet, here we are. And what does it say about you that you still allowed this to happen?” By turning the song’s perspective onto Borgnine, an actor Grant adores and once met at a New York restaurant, he found his answer: “That you weren’t completely willing to let go of your selfloathing. That I still had a long way to go … and still had many things that I needed to let go of.

“I was holding onto things that were still hurting me. The truth is, it was self-destructive behavior just like any of the other addictions that needed to be dealt with – and it came directly from the self-hatred and self-loathing of the last 25, 30 years or whatever. Getting the HIV diagnosis was a huge wake-up call for me that (I) still have a long way to go.”

Being open about his status, which he revealed during his opening gig for a Hercules and Love Affair show in London last year, was part of the process. That was, for him, acknowledging he wasn’t invisible anymore. That fantasy world he’d always escape to? It was gone.

“I have a very strong tendency to want to avoid things and hide from them,” he admits. “I was standing on a stage when I said it and I was about to sing a song that had everything to do with that, but I didn’t want to be dramatic. I knew I wouldn’t be able to decide until that moment.

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“This whole shame thing is what gets me into a lot of trouble anyway – this hiding, this feeling like I should be ashamed and that I’m a lesser human because of this.”

course, these days, it does seem like there’s a lot of changes, you know.

But there are still a lot of problems, too. I don’t think that things have changed as much as a lot of people think they have.”

Now, though, he’s more because of this, as Grant’s revelation – to himself, and to the world – has broken down the same doors that many HIV-positive people hide behind for fear of being judged. Not to mention, he’s been sober since 2004.

Though Grant’s stream-of-consciousness songwriting is, again, at the forefront of his work (as is that rich baritone of his), the sound echoes ’80s electro – the music of the singer’s adolescence, which Green Ghosts is firmly rooted in. “That’s when all the problems really started and where I began to see that I was up to my ears in shit,” he says.

“I don’t think that I’m this maverick who’s going to change the way people think about certain things,” Grant says, “but I can talk about my own experience. And by being open about it – who knows, maybe there’s people out there dealing with certain issues. Maybe they’re ashamed about it and maybe they’ll think to themselves, ‘Well, if he can say something about it – and he’s up on stage – then maybe I can admit it to myself. Maybe I can deal with it.’”

The cover of Pale Green Ghosts doesn’t reveal much. Sitting in a coffeehouse Grant frequents in Reykjavik – the largest city in Iceland, and also the capital, where he currently lives – he’s stoic and still as he sits alone at a table with two books and a brew. There’s mystery and intrigue, and none of the transparency of his unambiguous words.

“It was really early in the morning, and I didn’t want to show any emotion,” he says. “I suppose in photos maybe I look serious, because I don’t want to reveal too much of my vulnerability with my eyes, which is really easy to do in photos if you don’t control it.”

That Grant can be completely guileless musically but less so in photographs is telling – a contradiction that’s not lost on him.

“There’s a part of me that wants to look strong and not vulnerable at all, because I learned that’s what a man is,” he says. “I’m sure that’s in my subconscious when I’m having my photo taken. I want to appear strong and like an impenetrable fortress … which I’m not.”

His sharp tongue is his shield. Even when he’s self-analytical on album standout “GMF,” saying he’d be the underdog if ever cast in a film, he masks his insecurities with biting wit and self-boasting that even he doesn’t seem to entirely believe (the song’s acronym refers to him, the “Greatest Mother Fucker”).

“Humor has always been my default protective mechanism,” Grant says.

I tell him he’s good at self-deprecation.

Grant laughs. “Yeah, I’m a pro.”

One of the most poignant moments on Green Ghosts comes during the coda. “Glacier,” he says, is about “the whole gay marriage circus” and his feelings of frustration, despair and disappointment. The song inspires with a mantra that could just as easily be his own – “don’t become paralyzed with fear when things seem particularly rough” – but in conversation, that passion turns to anger.

Grant spent the first 12 years of his life in Buchanan, a city on the far west side of Michigan that’s no more than five square miles. His first album, Queen of Denmark reflected those tumultuous childhood years.

“It was a nightmare,” he says of small-town life. “It was like a horror movie, because you saw yourself turning into this creature that was completely unacceptable. The more you realized there was nothing you could do about it, the more horrible it became – because you were also starting to realize just how serious the people were who were telling you that it was not OK – and that people would much rather abandon you as a person then deal with your ‘sickness.’”

That time, though, was also the beginning of the bond he made with the music that would inspire Green Ghosts: electronic, new wave and romantic sounds of the ’80s.

The Eurythmics’s sophomore LP, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), was his first crush, but he also fell in love with Devo and Yazoo.

What’s the sound of a 44-year-old man who’s weathered everything from drug addiction to HIV? “Lots of distortion and Wall of Sound guitars mixed with huge cinemascapes and electronic Vangelis-esque Blade Runner-scapes.”

It’s a sound that could inspire his next album, which he suggests may follow the trajectory of his work so far and explore the next phase: adulthood.

“The songs just trickle in and happen, whether you like it or not,” he says of the follow-up LP, “and then – this is gonna sound really stupid and retarded – but the songs choose what kind of clothes they’re gonna be wearing sonically, and it really makes sense to me.

“I think you will also hear the sounds of Pale Green Ghosts, though, just because I love synthesizers so much and I can’t get enough of them.

But maybe I’ll do a country album at some point, too, because there’s lots of country music that I think is amazing. I could do anything.

That’s the tough part: figuring out what you’re going to do, because you can do anything. I can imagine doing a metal record, too.”

How about a country-metal record?

“Yeah,” he laughs, “thereby ending my career permanently.”

See, he’s much more in touch with reality these days.

“The Bible is not the Constitution of the United States, and in this country, you don’t get to force your beliefs on somebody else,” he says.

“You don’t get to do that. That’s called totalitarianism. That’s called a dictatorship. That’s called a theocracy. And that’s not what we have here in the United States of America.

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“It’s an atmosphere of compassion on that song, where I’m saying, ‘Don’t let it destroy your life.’ That’s why I wrote this song, because I know that there are a lot of other people out there who feel that way. Of

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27

Out of Town Grand Canyon and Flagstaff

 A hiker takes a break during a descent into the canyon via the scenic Bright Angel Trail. Photo by Andrew Collins

by Andrew Collins The Grand Canyon has been showered with accolades as much as any of America’s many spectacular national parks, yet few who visit this 300-mile-long gorge leave disappointed - it’s one natural attraction that truly lives up to its considerable reputation. Many of the park’s LGBT visitors combine their adventure with either a stay in rollicking Las Vegas or the groovy New Age town of Sedona, but don’t overlook the nearest small city, Flagstaff. This laid-back, cultured, and pine-studded college town has plenty going for it and makes a terrific base for exploring northern Arizona.

The largest city on Interstate 40 between Los Angeles and Albuquerque, Flagstaff (flagstaffarizona.org) is known for its seemingly endless supply of inexpensive chain motels and restaurants. Sadly, too many road-tripping visitors never get much beyond the exit ramp before continuing on with their journeys. In fact, this well-kept, historic city of about 66,000 is worth getting to know - it’s known for cool, dry summers and snowy but sunny winters, and has enough diversions and attractions to keep you busy for several days.

The presence of Northern Arizona University infuses Flagstaff with a youthful, bohemian personality that’s enhanced by the many outdoorsy types who have settled here from smoggier and more crowded parts of the West.

The gay scene is subtle but pronounced - plenty of gays and lesbians live here or nearby, and the rest of the population seems largely split between those who embrace diversity and those who simply don’t care much about their neighbors’ gender, race, or sexual orientation.

Activity in Flagstaff often revolves around the picturesque downtown, which is rife with Victorian and early 20th28

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

century redbrick buildings that date to the city’s early years as an Old West railroad hub. The Arizona Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum, housed in a 1908 building constructed of rock deposited by an ancient volcanic eruption, traces the region’s growth with a variety of artifacts and exhibits. The AHS’s Riordan Mansion, an ornate Arts and Crafts mansion, is also open for tours - it was built by the same architect responsible for the Grand Canyon’s iconic El Tovar Hotel. Be sure to see the Museum of Northern Arizona, which contains an outstanding collection of Native American arts and crafts and natural history exhibits. And keep your eyes and ears open for any events scheduled for the Coconino Center for the Arts, whose arts exhibits, musical performances, and workshops draw on different aspects of the American West, from Native American history to the contemporary cowboy’s lifestyle.

Outdoors enthusiasts will find plenty to keep them busy.

Reaching around the city on almost every side, Coconino National Forest contains the largest concentration of ponderosa pine trees in the world. There are many places within the forest where you can hike or mountain-bike. Just 15 miles northwest of town, the Arizona Snowbowl draws winter skiers to its 40 downhill runs and 2,300-foot vertical drop and offers a tram ride to an elevation of 11,500 feet during the warmer months.

Flagstaff Dining Flagstaff has a lively and increasingly sophisticated dining scene full of excellent values. The hip Tinderbox Kitchen (tinderboxkitchen.com) focuses on slow food and regional ingredients with its superb and creative modern American cuisine. Criollo (criollolatinkitchen.com) attracts foodies with its finely crafted, upscale Latin American fare, www.gaycalgary.com

while Cuvee 928 (cuvee928winebar.com) and Hops on Birch (hopsonbirch.com) appeal to wine and craft-beer fans, respectively. You can observe the local color at Mountain Oasis, a cute storefront cafe with tall windows and a handful of sidewalk tables; nosh on leafy salads, falafel plates, and fine coffees and microbrews. Beaver Street Brewery (beaverstreetbrewery.com) turns out great woodfired gourmet pizzas, hefty burgers, and other hearty but often creative pub fare.

Drop by Karma (karmaflagstaff.com) for the best sushi in town, and Pato (patothai.com) for artfully presented Thai food. Macy’s European Coffeehouse & Bakery (macyscoffee. net) is a favorite of the gay community, known for delicious espresso drinks, hearty and healthy breakfasts, and decadent baked goods. While there are no gay bars in town, you’ll often find LGBT folks at some of the restaurants above, at the lounge in the Hotel Monte Vista, and at eclectic bars like Pay ‘N Take (payntake.com), the Green Room (flagstaffgreenroom.com), and Uptown Pub and Billiards (uptownpubhouse.net).

Flagstaff Hotels A beautifully decorated, gay-friendly B&B, the nineroom Inn at 410 (inn410.com) dates to 1907. Rooms have canopied beds, local Southwestern and Indian arts and crafts, and fine original woodworking - the decorative themes vary considerably from room to room, and some units have fireplaces. On the east side of town, gay-owned Starlight Pines B&B (starlightpinesbb.com) is a richly furnished, four-room inn that’s a favorite of couples seeking romance. You’ll find a brass-accented fireplace and a long, deep claw-foot soaking tub in the Dragonfly Room, and two ground-floor accommodations enjoy easy access to the inn’s dramatic 70-foot wraparound veranda.

A sponsor of Flagstaff’s gay pride event in June, Pride in the Pines, the upscale, pet-friendly Woodlands Hotel (flagstaffwoodlandshotel.com) has 183 well-appointed rooms, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a recently renovated fitness center. The funky but affordable Hotel Monte Vista (hotelmontevista.com) has been an anchor of downtown Flagstaff since the 1920s - it’s just a block north of historic Route 66. Numerous celebrities and dignitaries stayed here during the hotel’s heyday.

Logistically, it’s possible to use Flagstaff as a base for exploring the Grand Canyon (nps.gov/grca) on a daytrip.

The town is just 75 minutes via U.S. 180 to the park’s South Rim. This makes it possible to drive up for the day, check out a number of vantage points, embark on one or two short hikes along the rim, explore the visitor centers, and enjoy lunch and perhaps even dinner, while still being able to make it back to Flagstaff by late evening. For many visitors, especially those just passing through northern Arizona, this option makes good sense.

along I-40 just 35 miles west of Flagstaff. The town is the terminus of the historic Grand Canyon Railway (thetrain. com), and its adjacent historic hotel. Parts of the 297room property date to 1908, and an on-site pub and café provide sustenance as well as plenty of character. You can make the hotel your base camp and visit the Grand Canyon during the day by way of the vintage railway, which uses historic Pullman coaches as well as a variety of sleek firstclass parlor and dome cars; trains leave in the morning and return by early evening. Or take the train to the park and spend a night or two there.

North Rim Visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers tremendous rewards to those who make the considerable extra effort to go. The views are even better (it’s at an elevation of 8,800 feet, nearly 2,000 feet higher than the South Rim), the crowds are fewer, and the ambience is less commercial, but this section of the park is open only mid-May through mid-October, weather permitting. To get here from Flagstaff, allow yourself between four and five hours (the distance is about the same from the South Rim).

This beautiful drive begins on U.S. 89 and passes through a landscape marked by frequent and dramatic changes in scenery. Along the way, you can make a small side trip to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, a nearly 1,000-year-old volcano - hiking trails loop around but not actually inside the crater. U.S. 89 then curves up around the east side of the Grand Canyon; about 60 miles after passing through historic Cameron Trading Post (a good stop for a casual lunch or to shop for Native American collectibles), you bear left onto U.S. 89A and then cross over a narrow gorge of the Colorado River, called Marble Canyon, which has a small visitor center and makes for a nice roadside break. You’ll drive alongside Vermilion Cliffs Monument and then up into the Kaibab National Forest, rapidly gaining a few thousand feet in elevation, before turning onto Highway 67 (the North Rim Parkway), which winds some 50 miles south through stands of evergreens to the North Rim. The facilities at the North Rim are limited, but there is a wonderfully rustic old hotel, the Grand Canyon Lodge (grandcanyonforever.com/lodging); the dining room inside the lodge is a mesmerizing setting for a meal, whose massive windows afford tremendous canyon views. From the lodge, you can drive to several trails, which lead to some of the most breathtakingly beautiful overlooks in the Southwest.

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Park Lodgings However, if you want to spend some quality time at the Grand Canyon, consider driving up to the South Rim and staying at one of the park lodgings (grandcanyonlodges.com), such as the famous and historic El Tovar, with its elegantly rustic rooms and atmospheric, old-fashioned dining room.

It’s easier to get a room with a true view of the canyon at the modern and extremely comfortable Kachina or Thunderbird Lodges, and next door at the 1935 Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins. For a room inside the park, especially at one of the properties near the canyon rim, reserve as far ahead as possible (up to a 13 months in advance). And don’t assume all of the lodges nearest the rim are especially expensive; a standard room with a shared bath at Bright Angel Lodge costs under $100 nightly.

Another good strategy is staying 60 miles due south of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim in little Williams, a rustic and friendly slice of Old West Americana conveniently situated www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

29

Matthew Morrison Sings Out

Glee star on being an ally, equal marriage and his gay following vs. Adam Levine’s  Photos by Brian Bowen Smith

By Chris Azzopardi Glee made Matthew Morrison (and his unruly curls) a star, but his success started long before his role as do-gooder teacher Will Schuester. Morrison originated the studly Link Larkin during the Broadway run of Hairspray, and then he went on to earn a Tony nomination for his stint in The Light in the Piazza.

The Glee star goes back to his Broadway roots for Where It All Began, a collection of show-tune covers. For Morrison, though, it goes back even further. All the way to elementary school, in fact.

GC: Where did it all begin for you? When did you first start singing?

MM: I first started singing in fifth grade. I grew up in Southern California and my parents took me to Arizona for the summer – I have a lot of family there: aunts, uncles, cousins – and my grandma put my cousin and I in a children’s theater production of this show called The Herdmans Go to Camp. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.

(Laughs) GC: Yeah, it was big on Broadway, right?

MM: (Sarcastically) Yeah, exactly. It had a great run. (Laughs) So, it was this little made-up show and I was so lucky to have found my passion at such a young age in doing that show. I came back to Southern California after the summer and told my parents that I wanted to be in children’s theater and that started the whole thing.

GC: This album is being released on Adam Levine’s label, 222 Records. How well did you get to know Adam? Did you guys have a beer after recording?

MM: (Laughs) We’ve had a few drinks in our day. We both live in Los Angeles, and he’s such a big fan of this kind of music. I wouldn’t think that personally – you think of him as this pop-rock kind of 30

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guy – but he’s such a fan of the standards. When I got to know that, and we started talking about that, I told him this was the record I always wanted to make and he’s like, “Let’s make it.” He’s been a big champion of mine through this whole process, but at the same time he’s really given me my space. He’s an artist  “Where it all Began” himself and he knows how an artist should be treated, and he really gave me space and respect. He checked in probably three times during the process just to hear stuff and hang out in the studio. He didn’t have much to say because he was really loving everything.

GC: Did you two ever settle the question that’s been on everyone’s mind: Who has the bigger gay following?

MM: Wow. I don’t think we answered that question. Do you know the answer to that? I have no idea.

GC: You’re supposed to say yourself.

MM: Well, you said it for me then. (Laughs) I would give myself the advantage coming from the theater world and stuff, but he’s younger and more attractive than I am, so I give him the advantage that way. It depends on what gay genre you’re looking at. If you like the tattoo kind of thing, he’s your guy. If you like the clean-cut kind of guy, that’s me.

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GC: You say this is the album you always wanted to make.

Why didn’t you make it the first time around with your selftitled debut, when you were on Mercury Records?

MM: You know, that’s a good question. (Pauses) I kind of felt like it was the height of Glee and that’s the kind of music that we were doing on the show and ... I liked that album. It was a really interesting process for me, just because I had never done songwriting before, so I got to work with some world-renowned songwriters – some people who wrote songs with Adele – so that was a really great opportunity to kind of work a muscle that I’d never really worked before. It was great, but it just ... it didn’t feel authentic. It didn’t feel totally authentic to me, whereas this is rooted in the music I grew up singing and I know so well. This music is in my bones, so I feel very confident.

We don’t have song-and-dance people anymore. A lot of performers can go up on stage now and dance, but they’re probably not singing most of the time. Then there’s the singers who go up there and plant their feet on the stage and sing. I really wanted to go back to Sammy Davis Jr. – to that kind of era – and really do it all.

GC: You look good in that top hat on the cover of the album. Are you much of a hat man?

MM: I do like hats ... especially because I’m so synonymous with my crazy curly hair now. I can cover it up. It’s good to have a little disguise.

GC: Is there a song on this album that most inspired your musical-theater career?

MM: Yeah, actually there is. “On the Street Where You Live,” which is from My Fair Lady, is a song that I found really early on in my life. I first sang it when I was maybe 13 at a talent show or something. It’s typically done as a ballad, and that’s actually the song I’ve sung for every single audition I’ve ever had in my entire life, including Glee. That song has kind of made my career, I guess.

(Laughs) But for this version on the album, I really wanted to kind of give it a little more pep, speed it up a bit, make it a little more danceable. So that’s what we did!

GC: When you were recording these songs, did it dawn on you how outdated the vernacular is? And how much the word “gay,” which once just meant happy and carefree, has changed?

MM: It’s funny you say that, because every time I sing “Younger than Springtime” with the “gayer than laughter” line – I think I sing it maybe three or four times within the song – it does pop in my mind. You’re right, it doesn’t mean that ... well, it does mean that, but it has changed, absolutely. That song in particular, to me, is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I love that song. I love the sentiment of the song. And when I originally was hearing it I was thinking of (the “gay” reference), but it’s not like I really care.

(Laughs) GC: Of all people, I didn’t think you did.

MM: (Sarcastically) Damn those gay people!

GC: How did you get involved in the Human Rights Campaign video for marriage equality?

MM: From my friends. I have so many friends who are involved with HRC – my friends from the theater community – and it’s a cause that I absolutely support. It just comes down to human rights. Forty years ago, if you saw a black man walking down the street with a white woman it was like “oh my god,” but now you don’t even blink. I’m hoping that’s the same thing that’s gonna happen with this, and hopefully gay and lesbian couples can marry.

That you can’t marry the person that you love in today’s society

is just wrong. I think a loving and committed gay and lesbian relationship deserves the same rights as anyone else’s.

I was honored recently with the Ally for Equality Award at the HRC Atlanta dinner, and there were these brothers from New Hampshire. The younger brother is gay, and the older brother is straight and married to his wife, and hearing the straight brother talk about his brother and what he’s gone through and the person that he is, he got so choked up. It was the most beautiful thing to see him talk about his brother, (saying) that he deserved the same rights that he has. I was blown away by these two guys. It was pretty incredible.

GC: Have you performed at a gay wedding before?

MM: I have performed at a gay wedding. And my massage therapist and his partner are planning a wedding in the next year or so and I plan on singing at their wedding too.

GC: What will you be singing?

MM: I’m gonna leave it up to them. But I’m taking requests!

GC: What’s your future on Glee?

MM: It’s been renewed for a couple of seasons, but I don’t know the answer to that question.

GC: What do you see for yourself when Glee does end? A break?

MM: I don’t think Glee is ever going to end. (Laughs) No, I don’t want a break. I have two months off from the show right now and I’m putting out an album and doing some touring. I love working. I always wanna work. I think for me – now that I’ve done everything, and I’ve been on stage for 10 years and done film and television – my heart is in the theater, and that’s where I feel the most alive and connected to the audience. I love being on stage. That’s something that I know I will definitely go back to. I feel like I’ve had a really well-rounded career so far, and I want to keep trying to put my hand in a lot of different things.

GC: I take it you won’t be bringing The Herdmans Go to Camp to Broadway?

MM: My career would probably be over.

GC: It’s that bad?

MM: I don’t remember it. That’s saying a lot.

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Event

 Borderlands

 Fruitcake

Calgary Fringe 2013 Ten of this year’s must-see shows

 Fat Sex

 Wilf

work with my hometown,” he says. “I hope [Ludwig&Lohengrin] will be a theatrically exciting story that connects us to our history, our inner child, and our sense of wonder.”

“Teacher in the House” by Susan Jeremy (Watson Arts)

Calgary Fringe 2013 promises eight days of ”Uncensored, Unexpected, Unforgettable” performances from August 2nd to 10th. GayCalgary Magazine is happy to be standing behind ten of those shows, highlighted here for your consideration.

Visit the Calgary Fringe website for more information on, and tickets to, any show.

Susan Jeremy is becoming a household name at the Calgary Fringe, having brought shows to the festival since 2006. These have included P.S 69 and Brazil Nuts, which was centered on a lesbian couples’ green card wedding.

“This new show deals with teaching, overcoming an illness, and recreating very funny households in NYC,” says the Brooklynbased actress who co-wrote the show with Mary Fulham.

The plotline, which centers on teachers who instruct in people’s homes, is based on a true story and won Best of Fest in Winnipeg last year. Jeremy will be playing ten different characters throughout.

“Calgary fringe is supportive, small and fun,” she says. “I hope your readers will see the show.”

Teacher in the House will be performed in Lolita’s Lounge.

“Ludwig&Lohengrin” by Kyall Rakoz

“Dynamis Lost” by Nicola Wanless (Sword in a Jar)

By Janine Eva Trotta It’s the most wonderful time of Inglewood’s year when the Fringe tents are pitched and colourfully clad show patrons dart from show venue to show venue, lighting up 9th Avenue.

Uh yes, King Ludwig II, was the handsome eccentric who reigned over Bavaria, Germany from 1864 to 1886, until he was found mysteriously drowned with the psychologist rumoured also to be his lover.

In Kyall Rakoz’s show the famously gay King and designer of Germany’s most fanciful castles is brought back to life.

“Interestingly, homosexuality had been de-criminalized in Bavaria by Ludwig’s father – a respite that would not last through the Nazi regime – but as a devout Catholic Ludwig struggled personally to reconcile his homosexuality with his religious beliefs; a struggle as relevant in 2013 as it was in the 19th Century,” Rakoz says. “From the eyes of his loyal followers and insane family I seek to delve into the fantastic life and mysterious death of Ludwig in this one man show.”

In ode to the King’s real-life obsession with fairy tales and art, Rakoz seeks to create a fairytale performance.

“It is my wish to take my audience on an imaginative journey of mythical proportions, enveloping them in the world of Ludwig,” he says. “Just as his life, the production will be equal parts comedy, tragedy, and romance.”

This will be Rakoz’s first time performing at the Calgary Fringe and first time creating and performing a solo show. Rakoz was part of the Third Street Theatre’s Queer Theatre Creation Ensemble that wrote and performed This is How I Left.

“As a resident of Calgary and graduate from the U of C I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share such impassioned and personal

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While coming out stories and same-sex couples are more frequently seen in mainstream media, Dynamis Lost emphasizes that just as important as the dramatic stories are the everyday ones too.

Nicola Wanless wrote and directed a comedic show centered on Stella and Amanda, a totally normal couple.

“Although I think having a lot of mainstream media deal with coming out stories and homophobia is really important, it’s also important to have stories where two female people or two male people are dating and that’s it,” Wanless says. “They’re just a normal couple, and they’re treated as such.”

A refreshing concept from such a young director; Wanless is still attending high school in Calgary. Dynamis Lost will mark her Fringe debut, though she has volunteered for the event previously.

“I’m excited for the chance to get to do theatre in a more professional way than I ever have before,” she says. “I think it’s a very unique experience for someone my age.”

Wanless’s production offers show times from early afternoon to late evening at Festival Hall.

“Wild Abandon” by Maren Hanna (Pinned Pompadour Theatre) Come to this show before your third Village brew; if you don’t pay attention you may miss the subtle “queer between the lines”.

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Wild Abandon is a one-man show about Steve, ”a man who believes he is alone in the world.” Prominent gay Canadian theatre artist Daniel MacIvor wrote the script.

“The text deeply resonated with myself, and performer Clayton Robinson, when we were the only out queer kids in our high school drama program,” Director Maren Hanna says. “It’s smart and funny but it is also intensely personal and we found we could really relate to it.”

Hanna and Robinson decided to approach the text from a queer perspective and “to coax out as much of that subtext as possible” while creating “an environment that is a safe and collaborative space for young queer artists” within their rehearsal space.

The show “is about feeling alone; about who you are and how you got that way and why it matters,” Hanna says. “It’s about abandonment… human connection… growing up… freedom… feeling comfortable in your body… dancing… lust.”

“Wild Abandon deeply resonated with us as queer twentysomethings and we hope it resonates with our audience as well,” he continues.

This will be the Pinned Pompadour group’s first time at Calgary Fringe, though the entire company is comprised of emerging Calgarian artists.

The show offers evening and matinee performances at Artpoint Gallery.

“Wilf” by James Wade (Red Phone Theatre) If an absurdly sexual love triangle comedy is in your taste, Wilf should not be missed. Here’s a rousing story about a pair of friends, a gay woman and a straight man, in competitive, hot pursuit of a woman who was raised by wolves.

“I hope the audience will enjoy a comedic look at the complicated relationship between uncontrollable desire and the polite civility society expects,” playwright James Wade says.

“I would love them to think about how much we cover and disguise our own nature,” and to ask, “how can we reconcile these opposing sides of ourselves?”

This will be another Fringe first for the mainly Calgarian Red Phone Theatre group. The group entered the festival lottery with ”a title and a vague notion” of what they would perform, and upon selection got to work on creating a show ”worthy of the festival.” “…we are excited to take part in the Fringe largely because we are all emerging artists and Fringe offers a place where we can experiment with the weirder side of our artistic voices and really take some bold risks,” says Wade.

Wilf will be performed at the Alexandra Centre.

“Borderland” by Izad Etemadi Growing up gay anywhere can be difficult, but in Iran it could get you killed. Borderland is the story of a young gay Iranian who seeks to escape his personal battles and in so flees to a secret place of refuge.

“My show will take GayCalgary readers on a truly original journey of a young boy named Navid who is struggling to find acceptance in a cruel, intolerant and hateful world,” Etemadi says. “I really hope my audience will learn something about Iran and what life is like over there. I know I sure have.”

From Victoria, BC, the playwright/actor had never actually been to Iran, but through extensive research came to some horrifying realizations about the situation for the LGBT community there.

“My show brings up a lot of discussion about international gay rights, and that is exactly what I want,” he says. “I’d also like my audience to gain a deeper gratitude and appreciation for where we live! We are so lucky to live in a country where we are accepted, socially and legally, for who we are, and even if people are not accepting we are still allowed to express ourselves without fearing persecution (within reason of course).”

Etemadi is excited to be performing his show at the beautiful Lantern Community Church, where he has also been given the opportunity to perform during their Sunday service on August 3rd.

“This is a huge opportunity to continue to spread my message with a new audience,” he says.

“Fat Sex! – Steve Larkin’s body … of poems and songs!” by Steve Larkin A natural born comedian, Steve Larkin says he became a Fringe artist “by virtue of failure in real life”, and performs Fat Sex with the aim of giving his audience an orgasmic experience.

“FRUITCAKE - Ten Commandments from the Psych Ward”

by Rob Gee In an effort to “debunk the idea that the experience of psychiatric illness somehow makes you a homicidal maniac or a creative genius” or that it’s something that “happens to other people” playwright and performer Rob Gee created Fruitcake, a comedic spoken word poetry performance.

The show takes viewers to a night shift on an acute psychiatric ward where a jaded nurse is delivered ten benevolent commandments to help him through his shift – and more importantly life – by a kindly, Rastafarian God. Coming all the way from Leicester, UK, Gee is a full-fledged international Fringer but has never done the Calgary festival before. “…fellow performers have always raved about Calgary,” he says. “It’s long overdue.”

After performing in the Edinburgh Fringe seven years Gee discovered that “the Canadians did fringes across their whole country” and says he’s “never looked back.”

Fruitcake garnished four and half stars in Winnipeg and Victoria and four stars in Edmonton and Toronto. It plays at the Artpoint Gallery.

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

33

On the surface, his act may look like a bizarre transsexual drag show, but Larkin’s overtly masculine head atop an overtly female body is actually “a poem/song about women’s magazines and body fascism.”

This will be the actor’s first time at the Calgary Fringe, and as such he says he is a bit daunted by the city’s reputation as being the “Texas of Canada” (*shudder*). “… I worry that my rather leftist, liberal, vege-lesbian, full-on, bawdy, rib tickling style of performance might upset a few too many gun slinging, iron pumping, beer swigging, oil guzzling, rib chomping cowboy types,” he says.

The internationally respected spoken word artist/poet/ performer/musician and educator hails from Leeds, UK and currently calls Oxford his home.

“But wherever there’s a strong culture there’s a strong counter culture – right?” he asks. “It can’t all be Stampedes and bloody steaks can it?! Please tell me I won’t get hung from a tree!”

Oh Steve. If only you knew.

Fat Sex plays evenings at Lolita’s Lounge.

“Rel8Shun” by Amanda Cutting (Artists’ Collective Theatre) What would you be willing to sacrifice to sustain an important relationship in your life? That is the question that lies at the heart of Amanda Cutting and Jason Issac Kooy’s dramatic comedy Rel8Shun.

“Our show deals with many subjects, but one of them is an estranged relationship between a brother and his younger sister, which is amplified by a difference of opinion on religious beliefs and how they apply to one who is of same sex orientation,” says Cutting.

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

Performing for the first time at Fringe, the Calgary-based Artists’ Collective Theatre has already toured the show extensively, raking in rave reviews in British Columbia and receiving five CAT Award nominations.

There is even talk that the five-cast play could be turned into a new Canadian TV series.

“The show is sort of like the Big Bang TV show, although one of the characters is gay,” Cutting says. “Many times in plays a stereotype of GLBT community is portrayed and we tried really hard to allow the person to show – not the stereotype.”

Rel8Shun will play at the Alexandra Centre.

“More Power to Your Knitting, Nell!” by Melanie Gall (Sisterscene) From New York City comes a musical cabaret that takes us back in time to 1942. As war is ravaging Europe Sadie Goldstein (Melanie Gall) is granted her dream to become a radio star as Knitting Nell.

Through a mixed labour of needle stitches and song, Sadie lends her own style to the war effort.

The show will be performed every night of Fringe at Stash Needle Art Lounge.

Calgary Fringe Festival August 2nd - 10th http://www.calgaryfringe.ca http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3579

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Editorial

 Photo courtesy of Rory Siddall

 Photo courtesy of Westways Guesthouse

The Calgary Flood of 2013

were a few days into cleaning up their home at great personal expense, and they and others needed real help, not political campaign “porn”.

Damages, Uncertainty, and Response

By Evan Kayne

For Calgarians, the flood of June 21st has receded and the process of clean-up and recovery are well underway. Yet, after a river floods, it alters the terrain of the surrounding area; some damage can be seen immediately, but other impacts may not appear for weeks or months later. In the same way, the impact it had on the lives of Calgarians may not be immediately apparent.

Westways Bed and Breakfast in Mission: Jonathan Lloyd In the northeast quadrant of Mission, a gay-owned business was hit hard by the flood.

“I have been involved in operating Calgary Westways Guest House for the last 20 years and was planning to semi-retire

Continued on Next Page 

Rideau Park underwater: Steve and Dion If you ever get a chance to look at a map of Calgary’s terrain, you’ll notice that once the Elbow river gets past 5th Street and Elbow Drive, it’s all a huge flood plane. Essentially Mission, the Beltline, downtown, the Stampede grounds and the East Village are built on flat land created from the confluence of the Bow and the Elbow.

While the city built a huge berm along Elbow/25th Avenue in front of Safeway that successfully prevented the water from flooding into Mission or anywhere near the Beltline, it may have redirected waters back into Rideau Park, and into the home of Steve Forrest and Dion Belanger among others.

“We’ve lost everything we own in our basement,” said Steve Forrest who was still very upset when I interviewed him. “All our clothes were downstairs,” said Dion. “We lost all our clothes, furniture...when we got in there, our washing machine was floating.” While they accept the berm may have sacrificed their community to protect downtown and the Beltline, it’s still a bitter pill to swallow.

However, the support that quickly appeared afterwards was heartening. “We were so lucky, thirty of our friends showed up the first day,” Steve said, adding that even Mayor Nenshi showed up and looked at their basement, devastated by what he saw.

In contrast, Prime Minister Harper’s wife Laureen showed up supposedly to show support, but in reality to snap some publicity photos at flood victims’ expense. If you heard through the grapevine that someone told Laureen off for this vulturous behavior, that was apparently Steve, who says he snatched his screwdriver away from her as they were setting up the photo shoot. “Laureen Harper...she’s a really nice lady, but she had a black shirt on with no mud on it. Come on...” At that point they www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

35

next year as my new junior partner Graham McKay has just invested [a large sum of money] for renovations. Our only source of income is from the revenue from the operation of the Bed and Breakfast,” Says Jonathan Lloyd.

On June 20th around 5PM they received the evacuation orders and had to relocate a house full of guests. Jonathan lives and has an office in the basement – he wisely decided to move important files and the computer to the second floor, but left the first floor untouched, thinking it would not be affected.

“Graham and I decided not to evacuate that evening and we retired when the electricity went off. I awakened at 6AM to discover that the house was surrounded by water, [so I] checked the basement and saw a small amount of water. I checked the basement at 7AM and saw at least 2 feet of water rapidly rising. I checked my truck that was parked in the front of the house and saw the flood waters rising close to the exhaust pipe. I immediately moved the truck up the street out of harm’s way, returned to the house, collected our suitcases and dog, locked up and drove away with wet shoes  Photos courtesy of Rory Siddall and pants.”

After setting up at a friend’s place, Jonathan worked online cancelling reservations. They had a full house up to the end of Stampede, and reservations throughout the summer – all cancelled. “We do not have any other source of income and unsure how we will survive this disaster. Though the house and business is insured... the insurance does not cover flooding and receiving financial help from the Province and Federal government will take time.”

Since then, Jonathan has been assessing the damage. They just got the electricity and natural gas back on Friday, July 5th.

Inside the house, besides furniture and other items, they will have to replace a furnace and two hot water tanks. Fortunately it didn’t go any higher than the basement, but it affected things on the exterior: the sidewalk at the side of the house collapsed when the subsoil washed out, various outdoor equipment was damaged, and a large air conditioning unit has to be tested for damages. While it was heartbreaking for Jonathan, he was so grateful to the team of volunteers and friends who helped clear out the basement and started some reclamation work.

At this point he’s still assessing costs and damages, estimating a $125,000 bill for repairs. As this happened in their high season, Jonathan’s best guess is that they have lost $50,000 in revenue. While they progress on doing what work they can, they are waiting to hear back from their insurance company and are looking into governmental assistance.

The Backlot – Business is back, but...

Like many residents and businesses in the Beltline, Mark Campbell from The Backlot lost power over the course of several days. “[We were] shut down Thursday night (June 20) at 11 o’clock as we started getting calls they were evacuating

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

the downtown core...when I heard it was a mandatory evacuation, I got everyone out of there so that staff could get home safely.” They didn’t get back into the bar until Friday a week later.

Unfortunately, this couldn’t have come at a worse time as this was the lead-up up to the International Gay Rodeo – a time when Backlot makes a lot of money. “The week before rodeo we have a lot of people coming in from out of province...Backlot is their first stop because they hear about us on the Internet. I know we’ll be okay, but a loss of eight days sales is a lot.”

The Texas lounge was in a similar situation, as were many members of the LGBT community – myself included.

Many of us were fortunate to stay with friends or family while we waited for the power to come on, some of us only losing perishables in the fridge.

However, what Mark’s story illustrates is how widespread the impact was – and how it’s still an ongoing development.

Brian Singh – How Can We Help?

There was some potential long term good arising from the flood.

I stayed at the house of Brian Singh and his partner John Manzo while I waited for power to be restored. John is a well known and well liked associate professor at the University of Calgary; Brian is a market researcher, economist and business strategist with over 20 years of experience. In addition, you may have seen him on the weekly political panel on CBC Calgary’s Evening News.

Brian – with the help of other locals working on sites like Yelp, businesses like Eligeo and Lions Park Computers – started up the Facebook group Calgary Clean Up and on the web, YYCHelps.ca – two sites thousands of people have used since June 21st.

His inspiration for the website/social media push hit him early in the crisis: “12:18 AM Friday morning (June 21st) the evacuation orders went out to a lot of communities and just watching on Facebook people saying I have a room or anybody who needs a place just give me a shout... and I’m thinking I’m powerless to do anything. These flood waters are going to crest, there’s going to be a lot of damage... the only thing I can think about is that we’ve got to prepare for after the flood waters recede.”

Brian thought he’s good at getting people together and motivating them, but he’s also good at content curation... and in a crisis people need information and need to know where to turn to. So he started up the Facebook group and website – and watched as people signed on in droves.

“Most importantly we were able to fulfill a need; at that one moment when people couldn’t do anything we were fulfilling the need to get them to a place that they knew they were going to make a difference.” Brian realized it’s not really about the week of the flood, it’s about the months and weeks ahead when things will get hard. A lot of this came together as people www.gaycalgary.com

started thinking about the an interesting example of bigger picture. something good that came from the flood.

At the time of the interview, on the systems they had The Aftermath – Now What? created they were approaching 13,000 volunteers. They had Most of the damage from the very detailed information on flood has already been cleaned the types of qualifications and/ up, but it will be a tragedy or equipment these people that haunts Calgary for a had. Brian was impressed by while. While Brian and the how it all came together. He others who started the Calgary never thought it would happen Clean Up may have created a like this as we are risk adverse new model for volunteer and society moving at the speed of donation distribution, there bureaucracy, but “...here’s the are still other things we can do case where we really built the to help. kick-starter of volunteerism Some businesses that were in 3 days.” It could have impacted by the flood may not sunk like a lead balloon but bounce back to reopen, but it seemed to have struck a you can help the ones that chord with people - especially do by patronizing them when a lot of people who are perhaps possible and encouraging not physical workers but have other to do so as well. Even access to property materials or without water damage, being specific services that they can closed for several days can offer. damage cash flow and still Furthermore, they heard scuttle a business months back from people that the down the line. system made it easy for For family and friends who others to help out. They don’t were impacted by the flood – have to go and get involved do something. If you can’t help with a particular volunteer them directly clean up and organization – which is rebuild their lives, at least do especially good as you’re something to make their lives a dealing with some people little easier: cook them dinner, who may not traditionally fit  Photos courtesy of Westways Guesthouse treat them to a movie, pay for within that type of framework. a session with a registered People were able to volunteer massage therapist or a day at their particular skills as opposed to what may happen with the spa. The flood didn’t just damage property, it also took a organizations where they may be placed in a very simple heavy toll on people, so helping them to cope through this time position. That’s not to put down the work of established is crucial. volunteer organizations – Brian and his group certainly didn’t And for the victims of the flood, don’t be afraid to ask for help have the experience and knowledge those people have; rather, – this is the time for it. There are literally thousands of people given the urgency of the situation, they looked on it more along waiting for your call, and expecting nothing but your gratitude the lines of these people have a need, these people have a service in return. to offer - how can we match them?

Again, this isn’t to criticize volunteer organizations and NGOs for the valuable work they do – it’s just that Brian demonstrated Calgary Clean Up a novel way to respond a lot quicker and to have volunteer duties tailored to the individual needs of the volunteers. They http://www.yychelps.ca weren’t experts, they have learned things but they were able to crowdsource information and crowdsource experts rapidly.

Where Brian and his group chooses to go with this process is http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3580 still up in the air, but as I watched it come together, it was

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37

Event

 Calgary Stampede 2012 - Photos by Steve Polyak, GayCalgary Magazine

Stampede Spirit Lives On

Despite flood, Calgarians ready to have a good time

By Krista Sylvester It’s everyone’s favourite time of year again - whether they know it or not.

It’s not often you can wear jeans to work, take a Friday off for a parade – and no, not that kind of parade - or get a free breakfast every single morning for 10 days straight, but the Calgary Stampede will unite Calgarians this year more than ever.

And who doesn’t want to take a break after the devastation the city went through, let their hair down and have a good time for a few days or 10? Calgary Stampede, now in its 101st year, promises to put a little bit of fun back into the city after what was two weeks of challenging days and long nights for a city forced to clean up after the devastating 2013 flood.

It’ll be hard to follow up last year’s centennial celebrating especially as the Saddledome has been forced to cancel such big musical acts as Tim McGraw, KISS and the Dixie Chicks, but officials say there are still tonnes of fun to be had.

Calgary Stampede spokesperson Jennifer Booth says this year’s food is delicious and bizarre as usual with 31 different treats to try as well as the old staples like mini donuts and – well, mini donuts.

“It’s definitely a fan favourite to try new food at the park and the vendors really come up with unique and creative treats – it’s actually become a bit of a tradition,” Booth says. “I think the vendors have a lot of fun coming up with new things to try.”

Topping the list of too-weird-to-be-true foods, menu items include the double bacon corndog, deep fried butter, deep fried Doritos, deep friend bubble gum, chocolate covered bacon, chocolate bacon fudge, pickle shooters and double smoke bacon wrapped with cheese perogie skewer – just to name a few.

“We know they’re not necessarily the best for us but it’s everything within reason at the Stampede and it’s kind of cool to say you tried it,” Booth says. “I’m not sure if too many people are concerned about their waistline when it comes to the Stampede.”

Meanwhile, Stampede officials says hours and hours of work around the clock has gone into making the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth the best yet, despite the damage.

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Calgary Stampede vice-president of park development Warren Connell says he has been involved with the organization for 30 years and was shocked at the damage. He told us, in 1974 it took four months to build the infield rodeo track but, the Calgary Stampede made it happen this year in just 10 days.

At its peak, there were over 800 people working to fix the Calgary Stampede chuck wagon infield track from significant damage suffered during June’s flood that saw floodwaters crest upwards of 14 feet deep. Literally millions of gallons of water had to be pumped out, taking two days, and then the track needed to be rebuilt from the bottom up, with the dirt getting completely replaced. Stampede officials say the track is better than ever now.

“Thirty thousand yards of material were taken off of Stampede Park to another site to dry out and be tested before it was reclaimed and 30,000 yards of materials were brought onto Stampede Park.”

There were some early reports that some participants were worried about track safety but Calgary Stampede vice-president of programming Paul Rosenberg says safety is paramount and everything surpasses standards.

“We’ve taken a look at the bucking chutes, all the steel, all the runways, made sure it’s all safe and it is,” Rosenberg says.

“We’ve disinfected and we’ve put new dirt down so from an animal safety and care perspective, we’re in terrific shape.”

The popular Calgary Stampede Grandstand show will also go ahead as planned and the sound system is ready to go, officials add.

Lastly, we can’t talk about the Stampede without mentioning the musical acts. For the price of admission you can take in shows on the Coca-Cola stage, including Hedley, Serena Rider and Dragonette, to name a few. But there is so much more, not even considering the Nashville North stage where you’re sure to see lots of hot guys in tight jeans and sexy ladies in boots.

Officials say Calgarians and visitors will have a great experience at this year’s rodeo, chuck wagon race and Grandstand Show despite the flood.

The Calgary Stampede 2013 July 5th – 14th • http://www.calgarystampede.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3581

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Event

K-Days 2013

Former Capital Ex returns to its roots

By Lisa Lunney The city of Edmonton’s 2013 edition of the annual summer fair is coming up this month. After a dramatic name change to Capital Ex, the fair has now decided to go back to its roots and taken the title of K-Days (Klondike Days) back, with all new branding. This has left many with the question: what is K-days now? The team behind this event could answer this question with a few simple words: K-Days is summer fun for everyone, fireworks, concerts, remarkable rides and intriguing exhibits.

This is a family friendly event that both citizens of Edmonton and visitors to the city look forward to every year. The fair offers such a diverse set of activities that visitor’s young-and-old will surely form great memories of 2013 within the wonderful world of K-Days.

The summer event runs from July 19th-28th from noon to midnight each day. As per tradition, K-Days will kick off with a parade in downtown Edmonton, bright and early at 10AM. Mayor Stephen Mandel will host the parade in honour and celebration of his three years of service to the city.

This year, K-Days is excited to show off even more by hosting 10 mini-parades. Each day at 4:30PM and 6:30PM, fair goers can watch exciting bands of performers, floats, mascots and more, marching through the midway!

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All of the traditional events and activities on the midway will be in full swing this summer, with some fabulous new additions. The Koodonation Stage will be graced with some big names in music including: Classified, Carly Rae Jepson and Down With Webster. K-Days Stage Entertainment is dedicated to pleasing fairgoers and ensuring they feel energized by the featured performances.

K-Days is pleased to offer a new shopping experience for fairgoers: The Grand Shopping Experience is comparable to a treasure hunt. Your gold is waiting—you just need to uncover it! With over 350 exhibits spread out over 122,000 sq ft, it would make any shopaholic giddy with excitement.

The fact that Albertans are bursting with talent is not news to us. So, it is no surprise that K-Days has created a Talent Search to find the next big star within Alberta. The show is open to amateur talent between the ages of 5 to 30. The show will feature advancing semi-finalists and finalists performing on the Telus Stage as they compete for a special cash prize. The prizes for the search are quite impressive, ranging from cash rewards to scholarships.

July is the time to indulge yourself and make your summer one for your scrapbooks. The City of Edmonton is surely in for a treat with this year’s edition of K-Days!

K-Days Edmonton, July 19th - 28th http://www.K-Days.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3582

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

39

The Amazing Race Canada

Best Friend Cowboy Duo Take on the Challenge of a Lifetime

 Jamie Cumberland (left) and Pierre Cadieux (right). Photo courtesy of CTV

By Janine Eva Trotta It was a dream come true when avid Amazing Race fans Jamie Cumberland and Pierre Cadieux heard the adventure was coming to Canada.

Cumberland saw an advert explaining the Race was accepting applicants from Canadian teams and immediately dialed the number of his best friend of 15 years.

“Girl! Clutch your pearls, we can finally apply for THE AMAZING RACE!” Cumberland said.

“I’m in!” Cadieux retorted and so the quest was initiated.

Their game plan was simple: ”remember the Cowboys that ran the Amazing Race in the US? We’re just like them, except gayer,” Cumberland summed up in the pair’s video submission. ”And clearly more fabulous,” Cadieux chimed in.

It worked. The Albertan Cowboys were selected as one of nine teams to compete in Canada.

The duo originally met at a fundraising dance for the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association and instantly struck a tight friendship.

Cumberland is an edgy competitor at ARGRA’s Big Rock Canadian Rockies International Rodeo, competing in the calf roping on foot, shoot dogging and wild drag events, while Cadieux lends his hand out of the saddle. Cadieux sat on the ARGRA Board of Directors for a number of years and continues to help out wherever needed, in and out of the arena.

Thus it is no surprise that, in tackling Amazing Race challenges, Cumberland would be packing the brawn while Cadieux touted the brains.

Though filming occurred over the month of May, the boys were not at liberty to reveal any of the goings on during taping. They were able to confirm, however, that they both came home to Alberta on June 4th without any physical injuries.

Cumberland, 47, returned to his home in Airdrie and job as Human Resource Advisor – Talent Management, while Cadieux, 38, settled back in Innisfail where he resides with his two sons and holds rank as General Manager for Creditor Insurance at ATB Financial.

Cumberland says that, though both him and Pierre have traveled the United States extensively and sojourn to Mexico every year, they weren’t as savvy of their own backyards as they had anticipated.

Traversing and being tested throughout the diverse landscape of Canada proved to be a greater, and more awe inspiring, task than expected, but worth every step.

“We were there to win it,” Cumberland states proudly.

The cowboys haven’t seen any of the footage of the show yet; they will need to wait like the rest of us until the series premiers on CTV mid-month.

“We lived it so now it will be interesting watching it, and watching our friends watching us,” Cumberland says.

“It will be a really cool experience to share not only with my friends and family but with the gay community, and the general community as well,” says Cadieux, reinforcing the fact that this was a once in a lifetime achievement and a showcase of the ”beautiful country we live in.”

“It’s something you’ll never get to do again.”

The Amazing Race Canada airs Mondays at 9PM ET/PT beginning July 15 on CTV. Visit CTV.ca to confirm your local broadcast times.

“Pierre and I are very complimentary,” says Cumberland. “I like to jump off buildings; Pierre has a fear of heights.”

“Jaime is clearly more fit than I am… I was going to do more of the ok let’s solve this puzzle or equation,” Cadieux says. “Jaime wouldn’t eat the gross things either, so I knew I was going to have to do that.”

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Politics

Exodus International’s Revelation Heralds a New Genesis

By Stephen Lock A major ‘ex-gay’ organization, which spent years claiming to ‘cure’ homosexuals through prayer and counseling, has announced it was in error, issued a public apology to the LGBTQ community, and ceased operations.

Exodus International, which promoted what it referred to as ‘reparative therapy’, commonly known as ‘change ministries’, served as the parent organization to over 260 independent but affiliated ministries worldwide, all of which maintain an evangelical view that homosexuality is a sin and an aberration. The closing of Exodus International and the views now put forward by its president, Alan Chambers, will not necessarily reflect the views or approaches held by affiliate ministries.

As Jeff Chu, and ex-ex-gay author and journalist, recently pointed out in an interview on PBS’ NewsHour, Exodus International is only the figurehead of the ministries, and so it’s closing is “largely symbolic”.

“The significance is not so much in practice, because those ministries are still going, the therapies are still continuing, but Exodus, the figurehead, is what’s gone,” he said.

However, he also believes the move heralds an important shift and opens the way to “important debate.”

“There has been an incredible amount of suffering [amongst those who sought to change their orientation]. I think we can start to have conversations because of what’s happened with Exodus, where we look at whether there is a better way to handle this, even if you are theologically conservative.”

In an unprecedented move, Chambers met with several gay and lesbian former members of Exodus International, read a lengthy letter of apology acknowledging the pain he had personally caused, and how their voices and experiences had been ”largely ignored in the conversation.” “…No one sits and listens to you on our side and I want to do that...to erase sides when it comes to things that have transpired and to find ways to heal, to move forward, and shut the door on experiences and things you all have walked through and open a new door and see if we can do something better than we have done before,” he said in the session taped for the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and part of a continuing series called “Our America: God and Gays” hosted by Lisa Ling.

“Recently, I began thinking of how to apologize to the people who have been hurt by Exodus International through an experience or by a message.

I have heard many first-hand stories by people called ‘ex-gay survivors’, stories of people who went to Exodus-affiliated ministries or ministers for help only to experience more trauma. I’ve heard stories of shame, sexual misconduct, and false hope,” he said, reading from a prepared statement.

“In every case that has been brought to my attention throughout my leadership, there has been swift action in the removal of these leaders or their organizations, but rarely was there an apology or public acknowledgement by me,” he said even as some within the group clearly took issue around the alleged removal of those leaders.

However, what was perhaps the most significant aspect of this was Chambers’ acknowledgment of the trauma he personally caused. He also acknowledged his own struggles with same-sex attraction and how he “conveniently omitted” his struggles from any dealings he had publicly.

“I was afraid to share them as easily and readily as I do so today. They brought me tremendous shame and I hid them, hoping they would go away.... Today, however, I accept them as something that has and always will be with me.... Never in a million years would I intentionally hurt another person, yet here I sit having hurt many by failing to acknowledge the pain people affiliated with Exodus experienced and by failing to share the whole truth about my own story. My good intentions matter very little and fail to diminish the pain and hurt that others have experienced on my watch....

I can’t simply move on and pretend I was always the friend I long to be today; to do so would be an even greater violation and truly fraudulent. I understand why I’m distrusted and why Exodus is hated,” he said.

He then went through a list of apologies, being clear that he was not asking for forgiveness but, rather, finally doing what was the right thing to do and that was take responsibility for the devastation he and his organization caused over the years. Perhaps one of the most poignant apologies was saying he was sorry that, when he celebrated a person coming to Christ and surrendering their sexuality to Him, he also “callously celebrated” the heart-wrenching end of relationships.

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He went on to say that while he would not apologize for his own views on what Scripture says about sex and sexuality and his own beliefs around marriage and sexuality, he also could no longer fight others on their beliefs or the rights they seek. He added it was his hope everyone would discover empathy and choose to “respect each other in the midst of disagreement.”

He concluded his apology by saying “You haven’t ever been my enemy and I am sorry that I have been yours. I hope the changes I have sought to make at Exodus and continue to make, and in my own life, along with this letter and future actions, will bring you some resolution and show that I am serious both in my regret and offer of friendship.”

He reaffirmed Exodus would continue as a place to be for people with biblical convictions about “how to be faithful to God in the midst of their sexual reality”, but stated it would immediately “cease to be an ex-gay organization” and would now stand, whenever possible, alongside gay and lesbian people as he believed Christ would.

The closing of Exodus, and Chambers’ sincere public apology, may herald a tectonic shift in the worldview, and approach, of many Evangelical and fundamentalist Christian organizations; a worldview he now acknowledges was “neither honouring toward...fellow human beings, nor biblical” in its views. An amazing admission.

The organization has been rocked in recent years by several high-profile executives coming out as still gay or lesbian and leaving the organization.

Stories of meetings being prime ‘pick up’ opportunities were rife, as were the stories of gay men and lesbians who went public about the abuse and trauma they suffered at the hands of Exodus ministers. Through it all, the organization, and Chambers, refused comment and continued to carry on as if their ‘reparative therapy’ worked. For Chambers to now publicly acknowledge what a dismal failure such snake oil philosophies were, is incredible.

When I coordinated Gay Lines Calgary in the 1990s, it was not uncommon for those involved with the local affiliate, Homosexuals Anonymous, or with various conservative churches, to phone in, desperate and terrified.

Many of them were what could only be described as the ‘walking wounded.’ They felt trapped between their innate orientation and their continuing desire to be part of their faith community; a community that openly condemned them, but from which they were unable to divorce themselves.

Many of them perceived their need and desire to be with another man or another woman as ‘weak’, even ‘evil’. The concept that perhaps it was the church which was wrong was invariably rejected outright. A common refrain I heard over and over again was ‘but it says in the Bible...’.

The conversations, which could last for over an hour or more, became circuitous with the callers constantly falling back on what their minister or counselor had told them the Bible said, or what the usual verses used to condemn homosexuality “really” meant. That was who had authority in their lives, and that was who they clung to, even as the evidence mounted against what had been drilled into them. They simply could not take that one step across the line.

I used to liken it to standing on the edge of a diving board looking down into the water below and knowing it would probably be okay, that the water would be cool and pleasant, yet one couldn’t bring oneself to push off against the edge of the board and just make that dive. The fear was paralyzing and worse, in many ways, than the stress and confusion they were going through. At least that was familiar.

Some, of course, did take that leap. Those are the success stories. Others never could. Still others chose to take a leap of a different kind and are lost to us and their loved ones forever...all because organizations like Exodus and other so-called ‘change ministries’ were so smug and sanctimonious that they couldn’t see the harm they were (and are) inflicting - or their own culpability in another human being’s suicide.

Chambers appears to understand that, although he made no mention of those lost. We can only hope his public acknowledgment and the closing of Exodus’ doors will promote some soul-searching amongst all faith communities, not just Christian ones.

G-d willing....

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

41

Ford Focus

Colton Ford Reveals “The Way I Am”

 Photos by Aaron Cobbett

 “The Way I Am”

By Mark Dawson In his new album, Colton Ford reveals his story of coming to terms with the many layers that make up the silver daddy muscle-god we all know and love.

Of course, he is best known for his short but prolific time in porn. Colton Ford filmed twelve movies in ten months - but that was over ten years ago. Since then, he has dabbled in film (Another Gay Sequel), television (starring in three seasons of Here! TV’s vampire series, The Lair) and stage (performing Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Tour and Off Broadway in “Little House on the Ferry”). He has also released a slew of records –his latest, out now from Peace Bisquit, is his third full-length album.

Titled The Way I Am, the album features collaborations with such dance music notables as Chris Willis, Ultra Naté, and Razor & Guido. Colton Ford says it is the record he has always wanted to release. We love it, too – and not only for it’s perfect blend of dance, electronica, house, pop, funk, R&B, and jazz.

The album’s title gives us a rare opportunity to get answers to the questions Colton Ford fans have always wanted to know about the multi-talented star.

GC: How are you as a lover?

CF: I’m loving, caring, supportive, understanding, thoughtful, patient and giving.

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GC: How are you as a friend?

CF: Loving, caring, supportive, understanding. Basically, all I am as a lover.

GC: What makes you angry?

CF: Ignorance, unconsciousness and lack of empathy.

GC: What makes you smile?

CF: My adorable little niece, Haley.

GC: Are you someone who stops and smells the roses?

CF: Not as often as I should. I’m working on it though.

GC: When is the best time to approach you with bad news?

CF: Anytime. I don’t like putting something off just because it may be difficult to hear.

GC: Do you enjoy a nice bubble bath every now and then?

CF: I’m not really a bath guy.

GC: Are you set in your ways?

CF: In certain ways I guess I can be. For instance, I like things tidy and in their place. I do have my opinions, but I’m open for discussion and I’m able to look at things from different points of view. If something resonates with me and makes sense, I can be open to a new perspective.

GC: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

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GC: Who do you love to snuggle with when you’re feeling blue?

CF: When I’m in a relationship, I like to snuggle with my partner. If I’m alone, I take care of myself and do the things that I know will help me feel better. Sometimes calling my therapist, if need be.

GC: How many dates before you sleep with someone?

CF: Hell, I’ve never needed a date to do that. How many dates does it take before a relationship begins? That’s the real question.

GC: What is the worst thing about getting older?

CF: Losing people you love.

GC: What are the first three things you do when you wake up?

CF: I open my eyes, yawn and grab my package.

GC: Will you slap a guy that tries to touch you inappropriately?

CF: Not unless he doesn’t respect my wishes when I ask him to stop. Even then, I probably wouldn’t slap him. I would just walk away or maybe push him if the situation called for it.

GC: Ultimately, Mr. Colton Ford, how do you feel about the way that you are?

CF: I love me; my strengths and my weaknesses.

Colton Ford “The Way I Am” is available on iTunes now. http://www.peacebisquit.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3585

View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments CF: I don’t necessary feel guilty about it, but I do like to smoke pot.

GC: What is one thing you would like to improve about yourself?

CF: I would like to become more conscious of the caretaker within me. I struggle at times with boundaries, especially with my love object.

GC: Who do you miss the most in the world?

CF: My mother. She was the kindest, sweetest woman I have ever known, and she had an amazing ability to accept just about anyone.

GC: Do you like to dress up or are you more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy?

CF: Jeans and tanktops.

GC: How do you measure success?

CF: Contentment.

GC: Would you prefer to read a book or wait for its movie to come out?

CF: I hate to say this because I do like to read, but I really love movies.

GC: Do you prefer to text or call?

CF: I do both, but prefer live exchanges the most.

GC: What gives you the heebie-jeebies?

CF: Little bugs that move very fast!

GC: What do you like to do in your spare time?

CF: If I’m in a relationship, I love to hang out with my partner.

Also, I enjoy connecting with loved ones and friends, going out to dinner and watching movies.

GC: Are you a spiritual person?

CF: Yes, I am spiritual, but I’m not religious. I feel we have no idea what’s really going on in our universe, but I believe that there is something much greater at play that binds everything together.

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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All’s Well that’s Cazwell  “Guess What?”

By Shane Gallagher Before Thrift Shop by Macklemore ruled the airwaves, comedy hip hop, with its lighter and more humorous style, was carried by several significant acts. In the eighties, the Beastie Boys rhymed how we all gotta fight for our right to parrrrty. They were followed in the nineties by Eminem who carried the genre into the millennium alongside artists like Eamon (“I Love Them Hoes”) and Nerdcore.

While few rappers make comedy hip hop their focus, the genre has a substantial loyal following and has been a moneyearner for a select few. Out hip hopper Cazwell earned his hipster credibility and fattened his wallet with a steady flow of hilarious yet danceable hip hop tracks, including “Ice Cream Truck,” “Rice & Beans” and “I Seen Beyoncé At Burger King”.

His hypomanic take on pop culture helped him to rack in over ten million views on YouTube and sell over one million downloads.

This summer, he returns with the first single from his soonto-be-released album Hard 2 B Fresh. With its horn-ridden electro beats, “Guess What?” is a slightly more serious direction for the rapper. Cazwell sheds his “Weird Al” Yankovic skin for a more Missy Eliot vibe, proclaiming his greatness, or rather, his hawtness, through smart-ass rhymes and the help of vocalist Luciana.

GC: Who is hawter than a chili pepper these days?

C: I was just saying the other day that I think Bruno Mars is totally hot. He’s like the perfect pocket straight. I’d hit it.

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GC: Is it true you have a man crush on Kanye West?

C: Very true. I say that because of his talent. He’s one of my favorite rappers of all time. Love his new work.

GC: What’s up with your Judge Judy obsession?

C: Judge Judy is the smartest person alive. I watch her everyday.

GC: Have you always enjoyed showing off your body?

C: Yes definitely. It all started when I was working at an East Village dive where hosting in your underwear was mandatory.

Of course, you have to monitor your body if your shirt is going to be off. I try to stay in shape now. For the most part, I enjoy being healthy. It’s rewarding. If my body is in shape, I find I’m in a much better mood.

GC: Would you ever pose full monty for pics?

C: No. I like to leave something to the imagination.

GC: Madonna posed nude in photos… just saying.

C: Yeah, I know and everyone knows I love me some Madonna.

She changed the game and I give her all my respect for that.

OK, I suppose if I were offered an obscene amount of money to pose nude, I wouldn’t say no.

GC: Growing up, were you a cool kid?

C: I was bullied, especially by the jocks in the school. I was flamboyant and fashionable. I hung out a lot with high school dropouts in the goth and drama scenes. Out of all my close friends, I was the only one to graduate high school. It was too difficult for my gay friends to make it through, from all the

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abuse and crap that they got. I didn’t start to like high school until my senior year.

GC: How would your young self view the big gay rapping star you are today?

C: I would think that I’m fuckin’ awesome. I always knew I wanted to be a stage performer. I was inspired by artists that put on great shows.

GC: Any artist in particular?

C: I learned a lot from Peaches. I think she’s the best live performer I’ve ever seen.

GC: Do you have many young fans?

C: Yeah, younglings love my music! I have parents come up to me at shows all the time to tell me how their six-year old daughter loves “Ice Cream Truck” or “Beyonce at Burger King” and sings it all day.

GC: How do you describe your sound?

C: Whether its Hip Hop or EDM, I like to make music that people can dance to. My goal is to create beats I would play as a DJ. The new album has a lot of sounds going on but ultimately you can play the whole thing through at a party.

GC: What themes are you exploring in your music?

C: For the most part, the theme of my music is a gay guy living in New York City. I hope I make music that is relatable to most people. I find if people can identify with the music, it has more power.

GC: What is it about expressing yourself through rhymes that appeals to you?

C: I’ve always been attracted to the power of rhyme. Even when I was a kid I would memorize Shel Silverstein poems and act them out for the old ladies in church. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that magic spells are in rhyme form. When you write a good set of bars, it’s very empowering. I went through a serious break up this year and did a lot of rhyming lyrical therapy. It definitely helped.

GC: You’re single?

C: Sadly, I am.

GC: You sound like a lover scorned. Were you cheated on?

C: Damn. Have you been reading my journal?

GC: Cheaters suck.

C: Being cheated on is really bad on your self worth, especially when you love the person. I actually take monogamy seriously when I have a boyfriend. I enjoy being in a relationship. It’s a job, but if I decide to take it on, I strive to be good at it. I’d rather have one person I can trust and be a freak with than dip in a bunch of dudes.

GC: Wow, so Cazwell believes monogamy is the ideal?

C: Loving yourself is the ideal. But, yeah, everyone seeks a partner, I think.

GC: Do you mind being viewed as a sex object?

C: No I love it. Might as well enjoy it while I can, right? I honestly don’t see myself as all that sexy unless I’m on stage.

When I’m on stage I’m everything that I want to be and my most confident. I think everyone is sexy when they are doing

what they love and that’s the truth.

GC: Is it important to you that people recognize the brains behind the brawn?

C: Yes! I think that’s gonna happen with this album particularly.

The only thing that ever really offends me is when people say I’m not talented, or that all I do is get hot guys to put in videos and that’s why I got popular. Writing simple songs actually takes talent.

I haven’t always been good at it.

GC: Let’s talk Gaga. How did you come to work with her?

C: I rapped on a remix package of “Just Dance”.

GC: Was that before she was famous?

C: Yes, we did of couple shows together when she was promoting the album. I think she’s really cool. She’s the real deal. I remember when I met her at sound check at like 5pm on Avenue C (a street in the East Village of New York). She took herself very seriously and was flawless head-to-toe. Even though the stage was like 3 feet by 5 feet, she thought about ever angle of the show. The way she focused on it, you would have thought she was performing Madison Square Garden.

GC: Tell the truth, did you think she would make it as huge as she has?

C: Yes. I did. I immediately saw potential in her as a pop artist. “Just Dance” was a great pop song. That record got so much burn and everyone was requesting it. I did question if the public was ready for such a fashionable person but it happened at the right time, just as high fashion came in. Remember when Rihanna and Beyonce were wearing all those crazy abstract clothes too? Perfect timing.

GC: What do you think Gaga had that propelled her to superstardom?

C: Great songs. She gets so much attention for her looks but, in all actuality, if her songs sucked, no one would care. She’s very good at arrangement and hooks and she can sing. I miss her. I hope she comes out with some new music soon.

GC: Do you believe Christina Aguilera tried to rip off Gaga’s look?

C: Yeah, but she didn’t even know she was doing it. At that award show, I’m sure her stylist just said “here..wear this!” and she did. I don’t think that much thought went into it.

GC: Last question, Cazwell. If you could wake up with anyone naked under your sheets… who would you choose?

C: Kanye West. But I hope he calls me back.

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Cazwell “Guess What?” is available on iTunes now. http://www.cazwell.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3586

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45

She’s So Unbelievable

Cyndi Lauper on being ‘touched’ by Tony win and standing up for her gay fans  Photos by Gavin Bond (above) and Miranda Penn Turin

By Chris Azzopardi Even before this year’s Tonys, the legendary Cyndi Lauper was already considered a champion. A champion of the Grammys. A champion of the pop charts. A champion of gay rights.

But as a teary-eyed Lauper accepted her Best Original Score statue for the music of Kinky Boots (it also won Best Musical, for a total of six Tonys), the Broadway coming-of-age sensation about a drag queen and a shoemaker as unlikely business partners, she was recognized for something she had never been before: The girl who just wanted to have fun, with her applered hair and heavy Queens accent, was now a champion of the Broadway stage.

Between gigs on her She’s So Unusual Tour, Lauper gave us a ring recently to chat about her emotional night at the Tonys, freaking out rock stars with her “wildly nutty” persona and the reason she’s always stood up for her gay fans.

GC: Big congrats on Kinky Boots and the Tony, Cyndi. Could you feel the good gay vibes that night?

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CL: Aw, thank you. It was unbelievable. And yes. Yes, I did. It was a shock.

GC: This is one of the first times in a while you’ve been recognized on a mainstream level for your work. Was that at all on your mind as your name was being called? Was it maybe the cause of some of those tears?

CL: Well, we worked really hard, and to have it be successful – and to be able to get to work with Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Mitchell, and see them that night – was great, but then to actually win a Tony was really unbelievable. Yeah, I wasn’t even thinking.

To have the (theater) community welcome me in like that, that was really something. You don’t always get welcomed into a place, especially if you kind of, you know, talk a little funny. But that doesn’t matter. I was just really touched by that.

GC: Is that what was going through your mind when you won?

That feeling of acceptance from the theater community?

CL: I was just looking at everything, thinking, “Remember that you’re here. You made it to the winners’ circle.” And then when they announced my name, I looked over at (Kinky Boots actress) Annaleigh (Ashford) in shock, but I was excited for Billy (Porter, who won for best lead actor in a musical); I was excited to see him and John Shivers (winner of best musical sound design), who graciously did everything to make that sound warm and welcoming.

GC: Being the first woman to have won a solo Tony for Best Original Score is also a historical moment. Knowing that, how does it feel to break down gender barriers in that way?

CL: I’m excited. I mean, they don’t put us in the rice fields anymore, so that’s good! (Laughs) And there’s more of me coming

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up. I’m excited that I was able to do that, but I also feel like I just wanted to do a really good job. That was really important. But hey, I’m big on firsts! It’s important to widen the horizon.

GC: For years you’ve been sticking up for the underdogs – particularly, and obviously, the gay community.

CL: I’m a friend and family member, so of course. And we were all able to come together, at this one point, with everyone who’s worked at fighting for equality in the community for so long. This was an opportunity for everybody to step up at the right time, in the right moment – all of us together – and make a “little fable,” as Harvey likes to say, and put together some ideas in a catchy, rhythmic way.

It’s to have people understand, because you can tell people stuff, but when you hear people’s personal experiences, that’s different. That’s way different.

GC: This does feel very relevant to what’s going on in the world r i g h t now. It’s like a love CL: letter to the gay community.

Was that at all one of your reasons for taking on Kinky Boots in the first place?

I took on years ago.

But yeah, I’m very excited that that’s the case – so is Harvey and so is Jerry and so are all of us, even the producers. This is a very key time for people to have an understanding about other people, to understand that you can overcome differences by acceptance and work together for the higher good.

GC: In a sense, all of us can relate to drag performer Lola, played by Billy Porter, who struggles for acceptance. I sense that you two might have a lot in common. What do you think?

CL: I was Lola for a long time before Billy showed up! (Laughs) Harvey was Lola, too.

And then there was Billy. But I was all those characters. You have to be.

GC: What was your personal relationship to Kinky Boots?

CL: That Lola is a drag performer is inconsequential to the idea that here are people totally different from each other but yet they have something in common; they have the human being experience in common. I think everyone, no matter what, might or must feel at one point that they disappointed their dad. It’s about overcoming and acceptance, you know. And healing.

GC: Thirty or 40 years ago, did you see Broadway in your future?

CL: Forty years ago? No! No, no. I was just trying to get the hell out of those clubs.

GC: Thirty years ago?

CL: No. I wanted to record music. I was very excited about recording music.

GC: So when did Broadway become a reality for you?

CL: When Harvey called me. It was Harvey’s thing. He basically took me under his wing.

GC: What are the kinkiest boots you have in your closet?

CL: All kinds of boots. I’ve got the big, red boots with the straps and buckles. I got a lot of boots! I don’t think of them as kinky; I think of them as pretty and sexy.

GC: What’s it like touring for your very first album, She’s So Unusual?

CL: Well, it’s the anniversary, so this tour’s a little different because I’m actually singing the record the way it was recorded.

GC: Right. What’s it like to have that, your earliest career accomplishment, intersect with the success of Kinky Boots, your latest accomplishment?

CL: It’s odd. I didn’t know I was gonna win the Tony, and I didn’t know that Kinky Boots would be nominated 13 times. So then we had to work, so I went to work. But I had no idea. I thought, “Well, I’ll have off in May, Tonys will come in June, then the tour.”

GC: How has your relationship with the songs on She’s So Unusual changed since you wrote and recorded them for the first time over 30 years ago?

www.gaycalgary.com

CL: I listen to it and understand why some other rock ’n’ rollers were frightened of me. It was a little different and confusing, I guess, for some people. It was funny, wildly nutty and yet it had some very deep moments, which must have been very confusing. Though I think it made perfect sense. It was very much me.

GC: Are you still so unusual?

CL: I don’t know. I never really thought I was to begin with. The only reason we called it that was because we were doing “He’s So Unusual” with “Yeah Yeah” and (producer) Bill (Wittman) turned around and said, “She’s so unusual.” And then we’re like, “Oh yeah, that’s a great title.” I knew for the rest of my life that’d be my handle … but, you know, I was a good sport! I never really thought I was that different. I thought what I wanted to do was different. The artistic things I wanted to do, maybe they were very different.

GC: What can we expect from the next album?

CL: I don’t know. My upcoming project is to take some time and sit on my big ol’ butt and not think for two seconds … and then it’ll come to me. Yes, I do want to do something else. I would like to work with Jerry; I’d like to work with Harvey. But right now I’m on tour.

Maybe that was a good thing. Get away from it and think about what I’d like to do, and then choose wisely.

GC: Few performers have the connection you do with the gay community. Reflecting on your career, when did you decide to take the community under your wing?

CL: Well, I always saw people being discriminated against – my friends and people that I work with. At first, I was going to just take refuge and sing in the clubs at night. I thought, “Hey, that’s a lot of fun.” But when I couldn’t take the conservative straight community, I would

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

47

run home kind of, and then I started seeing a lot of disparity going on, things that were wrong. I just felt like, “These are my fans. You gotta help them have more love for themselves.” As they were taking civil rights away, I thought, “Somebody better say something. And in two seconds, I will.” And I did.

I had seen Harvey Fierstein speak and he said something once, that happy people don’t self-destruct – and I thought, “That’s right.” That’s all you want. People are different, but as long as they’re all happy, healthy-minded people then we’re all doing good, and how can I kind of change the image for them?

And then one thing led to another. First it was just some T-shirts. It was talking at Cher’s concert. It was doing stuff with (my sister) Ellen for PFLAG. One thing led to another till I saw more opportunities. We did the True Colors Tour. I wanted my own tour and everyone said, “Why don’t you call it True Colors?” I said, “We can’t call it True Colors without including the community, because this song has become a very important song for the community.” I started to see more and more what could and should be done. With the Give a Damn Campaign, I saw an opportunity because I’m straight. I thought, “I shouldn’t be the only straight guy here. In every civil rights movement, you need everybody to stand up.”

I think everybody coming from all sides breaks down the walls a little bit. Things are changing. You have to just get your foot in the door so it doesn’t close, and then keep widening that door till it opens.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3587

View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

48

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

www.gaycalgary.com

Photography Backlot Anniversary, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa503

Wet Jockey Contest at the Backlot, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa529

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

49

Photography ISCWR - Gay Edmonton Pageant http://gaycalgary.com/pa526

50

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

www.gaycalgary.com

Photography Mr. GayCanada - Edmonton Pageant at Buddy’s

Peace River Pride

http://gaycalgary.com/pa501

Photos by Nikki Love

Pink Pride Party at Buddy’s, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa504

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

51

52

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

www.gaycalgary.com

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

53

PUMP! Underwear sponsored by Priape Rory is a 25 years old, born and raised Calgarian; he grew up in the neighbourhood of Willow Park. He has worked in the Hospitality industry since 2009, and by day he works as the general manager of a hotel downtown. His basement suite in Mission was flooded a foot shy of the ceiling, and most of his possessions were destroyed except for what he was able to fit into his car when evacuating.

In his spare time he has volunteered with the Calgary Stetson Show Band and the Calgary Stampede Show Band, writing and teaching music since 2009.

Since 2010 he has volunteered with AIDS Calgary, which included producing an online video blog about living with HIV and topics such as the difficulties of online dating. This was very time consuming, so instead he does general

54

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

volunteer work such as handing out condoms at LGBT events - you may have met him dressed in a penis costume! Aside from volunteering, he also works out, writes music for fun, and goes long boarding or snowboarding any chance he gets.

Rory is single and not looking for anything more than “cuddle buddies� at the moment.

http://gaycalgary.com/pa528

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events 24

DOWNTOWN CALGARY

41 37

59 34

2 33

35

36

3 1 60

5 6

16

N

13

1 2 3 5 6

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

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 Theatre Junction--------------------- Theatre

CALGARY

LGBT Community Directory GayCalgary 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 58

......... 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

Club Sapien (CLOSED)

 1140 10th Ave SW

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

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

Bars & Clubs 3 Backlot---------------------------------- ✰  403-265-5211  Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close

 209 - 10th Ave SW

60 Cowboys Nightclub------------------------  421 12th Avenue SE 5 Texas Lounge------------------------------ ✰

 308 - 17 Ave SW  403-229-0911  www.goliaths.ca  Open 7 days a week, 11am-close 33 Twisted Element--------------------------- ✰

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230

 www.twistedelement.ca Dance Club and Lounge.

Local Bars, Restaurants, and Accommodations info on the go!

59 East Village Bistro

 2nd floor, 610 - 8 Avenue SE Restaurant and lounge.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/Directory

 424a - 8th Ave SE

59 East Village Cafe-------------Bars and Clubs 60 Cowboys Nightclub-----------Bars and Clubs

Calgary Eagle Inc. (CLOSED)

FAB (CLOSED)

 1742 - 10th Ave SW

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

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

Community Groups 2 AIDS Calgary--------------------------  110, 1603 10th Avenue SW  403-508-2500  info@aidscalgary.org  www.aidscalgary.org

✰

Alberta Society for Kink

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

Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

 www.apollocalgary.com  www.myapollo.com A volunteer operated, non-profit organization serving primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to all members of all communities. Primary focus is to provide members with well-organized and fun sporting events and other activities.

Browse our complete directory of over 650 gay-frieindly listings! www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

55

Directory & Events Calgary Events

Pool Night-----------------------------  Evening

New Directions-------------------------- 7-9pm

Wing Night------------------------------  5-8pm

Heading Out----------------------- 8pm-10pm

At 59 East Village Cafe with

Mondays

Buddy Night-------------------------  6pm-6am At 6 Goliaths

ASK Meet and Greet----------------  7-9:30pm

 Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE)

Prime Timers Calgary

At 59 East Village Cafe

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am At 6 Goliaths

Mosaic Youth Group--------------------  7-9pm

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 3rd

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 4th

Alcoholics Anonymous--------------------  8pm

 Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW

See 1 Calgary Outlink

Thursdays

Coffee------------------------------------ 10am

Tuesdays

Lesbian Seniors---------------------------  2pm

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 1st

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am

 Kerby Center, Sunshine Room 1133 7th Ave SW

 3rd

Uniform Night-----------------------  6pm-6am

At 6 Goliaths

At 6 Goliaths

Between Men--------------------------- 7-9pm

Lesbian Meetup Group-------------  7:30-9pm

Karaoke-------------------------  8pm-12:30am

Alcoholics Anonymous--------------------  8pm

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 2nd, 4th

At 5 Texas Lounge

Fetish Slosh----------------------------  Evening At 3 Backlot

 2nd

Alcoholics Anonymous--------------------  8pm

 Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW

At 1 Calgary Outlink

 1st

 Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW

Deer Park United Church

Karaoke-----------------------------------  7pm

Sunday Services---------------------  10:45am

At 3 Backlot

See

Fridays

Worship Services------------------------- 11am

Illusions-------------------------------  7-10pm See 1 Calgary Outlink

Womynspace---------------------------- 7-9pm See 1 Calgary Outlink

 1st

Scarboro United Church Hillhurst United Church Knox United Church

See

• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing)

• Slow Pitch

• Rehearsals

 slow.pitch@apollocalgary.com

 Platoon FX, 1351 Aviation Park NE  bootcamp@apollocalgary.com

 Mount Royal University Recreation  squash@apollocalgary.com All skill levels welcome.

• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League)

• Tennis

• Golf

 golf@apollocalgary.com

• Lawn Bowling

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com

• Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@apollocalgary.com If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to lead events.

• Running (Calgary Frontrunners)

 YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW)  calgaryfrontrunners@shaw.ca East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances

Calgary Sexual Health Centre---------

• Volleyball (Beach)

By

ISCCA at 5 Texas Lounge

Saturday, August 31st

PURE Pride Dance------------------------  9pm

 Flames Central (219 8th Ave SW)

• Volleyball (Competitive)  vb@apollocalgary.com

• Volleyball (Recreational)

 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.

• Yoga

 Robin: 403-618-9642  yoga@apollocalgary.com

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA)

 www.argra.org

Calgary Gay Fathers

 calgaryfathers@hotmail.com  http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning fathers. Meeting twice a month.

✰

• Peer Support and Crisis Line

 recvb@apollocalgary.com

 Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW)

FairyTales Presentation Society

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

 Old Y Centre (303 – 223, 12 Ave SW)  403-234-8973  info@calgaryoutlink.ca  http://www.calgaryoutlink.com

 beachvb@apollocalgary.com

✰

• Calgary Lesbian Ladies Meet up Group • Between Men and Between Men Online • Heading Out • Illusions Calgary • Inside Out • New Directions • Womynspace

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre Different Strokes

 403-278-8263

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

• DVD Resource Library

Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership is $10.

Gay Friends in Calgary

 http://www.gayfriendsincalgary.ca Organizes and hosts social activities catered to the LGBT people and friends.

Girl Friends

 girlfriends@shaw.ca

 members.shaw.ca/girlfriends

Girlsgroove

 http://www.girlsgroove.ca

Hillhurst United Church

 1227 Kensington Close NW  (403) 283-1539  office@hillhurstunited.com  www.hillhurstunited.com

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

Calgary Queer Book Club

 Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)

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

56

I Want my Pussy to Hurt!--------------- 10pm

 403-244-1956

 http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

 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.

 tennis@apollocalgary.com

• Monthly Dances--------------------------

Calgary Men’s Chorus

 Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW

• Squash

• Boot Camp

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

ISCCA at 3 Backlot

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

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

• Curling

By

Friday, August 9th

 2nd

vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to 9+ minute miles.

 Let’s Bowl (2916 5th Avenue NE)  bowling@apollocalgary.com

Aug10

10.20.30+1-------------------------  10:21pm

Rainbow Community Church



www.westerncup.com

 6020 - 4 Avenue NE  badminton@apollocalgary.com

Friday, August 2nd

Church Service----------------------------  4pm

 Calgary Contd.

• Western Cup 31

Annual BBQ----------------------------  All Day

Worship Time---------------------------- 10am

See

Saturday, July 27th

Calgary Fringe Festival----------------  All Day

Sundays

Worship------------------------------  10:30am

Communion Service-----------------  12:10pm Knox United Church

Alcoholics Anonymous--------------------  8pm

See

By Osteria with Crowsn for Kids

By Pushing Petals  1209 5th Avenue NW

 Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW

Wednesdays See

By Prime Timers Calgary  Midtown Co-op (1130 - 11th Ave SW)

See

Sunday, July 14th

Broke Back Brunch---------------- 11am-2pm

By Osteria with Crowns for Kids

Saturdays

Calgary Networking Club-------------- 5-7pm

At 6 Goliaths

Tee Dance------------------------------- 2-9pm

 Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)

Inside Out Youth Group---------------- 7-9pm

Flashlight Night---------------------  6pm-6am

 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.

Lesbian Meetup Group

 http://www.meetup.com/CalgaryLesbian Monthly events planned for Queer women over 18+ such as book clubs, games nights, movie nights, dinners out, and volunteering events.

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events  Calgary Contd.

Restaurants

Miscellaneous Youth Network

 http://www.miscyouth.com

 The Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW) For queer and trans youth and their allies.

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

• Coffee Night

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

NETWORKS

 networkscalgary@gmail.com 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

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.

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

Safety Under the Rainbow

 www.sutr.ca A collaborative effort dedicated to building capacity and acting as a voice for the LGBTQ community, service providers, organizations and the community at large to address violence. For same-sex domestic violence information, resources and a link to our survey please see our website.

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

Wild Rose United Church

 1317-1st Street NW

Adult Depot-----------------------------

36 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

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

41 La Fleur------------------------------------  103 - 100 7th Avenue SW  403-266-1707 Florist and Flower Shop.

AXIS Contemporary Art--------------------

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

See Calgary - Community Groups.

 403-283-3555

Jubilations Dinner Theatre

Calgary Civil Marriage Centre

 403-246-4134 (Rork Hilford)  MarriageCommissioner@shaw.ca Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace - JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths.

Cruiseline

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

✰

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

✰

58 Theatre Junction----------------------  Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW  403-205-2922  info@theatrejunction.com  http://www.theatrejunction.com

✰

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

EDMONTON

DevaDave Salon & Boutique

 810 Edmonton Trail NE  403-290-1973 Cuts, Colour, Hilights.

Ellen Embury

 403-750-1128  www.DBBlaw.com Fellow, American Academy of Reproductive Technology Attorneys

Hardline

 Calgary: 403-770-0776

 Edmonton: 780-665-6666  Other Cities: 1-877-628-9696  http://www.hardlinechat.com Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)

 403-461-9195  http://www.lornedoucette.com

MFM Communications

 403-543-6970  1-877-543-6970  http://www.mfmcommunications.com Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware and software.

SafeWorks

Bars & Clubs

• Centre of Hope

4 Edmonton STD

 11111 Jasper Ave

Edmonton Vocal Minority

 780-479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

 sing@evmchoir.com

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

InQueeries

Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

 http://www.iscwr.ca

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557

Bathhouses/Saunas 11 Steamworks------------------------------- ✰

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

Community Groups Alberta Bears

Living Positive Society of Alberta

 #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-423-3737  http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz Living Positive through Positive Living.

Men’s Games Nights

 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)

 780-474-8240  tuff@shaw.ca

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.

Pride Centre of Edmonton-------------

 www.beefbearbash.com

AltView Foundation

✰

 9702 111 Ave NW 780-488-5742  www.hivedmonton.com Provides healthy sexuality education for Edmonton’s LGBT community and support for those infected or affected

by HIV.

The Junction (CLOSED)

13 UpStares Ultralounge

 4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street

 #44, 48 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB

 403-398-9968  info@altview.ca

Edmonton Illusions Social Club

 5 The Junction  780-387-3343

 groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions

 inqueeries@gmail.com Student-run GLBTQ Alliance at MacEwan University.

 10704 124 St NW

• Calgary Drop-in Centre

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

 780-938-2941

 10242 106th St

Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.

 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 LGBT-friendly businesses in the Edmonton region.

HIV Network Of Edmonton Society----

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

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6636 14 FLASH (CLOSED)

 10018 105 Street  flashnightclub@hotmail.com

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

 727 - 42 Avenue SE  403-243-6642  http://www.stagewestcalgary.com

24 Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

 1138 Kensington Road NW  403-571-5120  http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca GLBT legal services.

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

 http://www.edmontonpride.ca

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

Services & Products

 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.

Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)

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

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

 1322 - 17 Ave SW  403-215-1800  http://www.priape.com Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies and magazines. Gifts.

 Calgary: 403-777-9494

 Edmonton: 780-413-7122  Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010  http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

 403-262-3356  www.axisart.ca

Fairytales

The Naked Leaf----------------------------

Book Worm’s Book Club

Buck Naked Boys Club

Theatre & Fine Arts

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

www.gaycalgary.com

 Howard McBride Chapel of Chimes 10179 - 108 Street  bookworm@teamedmonton.ca

✰

 140, 58th Ave SW  403-258-2777 Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys.

 305 10th Street NW  http://www.thenakedleaf.ca Organic teas and tea ware.

• Safeworks Van

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

Retail Stores

Mystique

 www.altview.ca For gender variant and sexual minorities.

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

59 East Village Cafe

 2nd floor, 610 - 8 Avenue SE Restaurant and lounge.

• Fake Mustache • Mosaic Youth Group

• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

✰

 10608 - 105 Ave  780-488-3234  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org  http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org  Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm We provide a safe, welcoming, and non-judgemental drop-in space, and offer support programs and resources

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

57

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

N

13 11 6 12

1 Pride Centre of Edm.---- Community Groups 4 Edmonton STD---------- Community Groups

Edmonton Events Boot Camp------------------------------ 7-8pm Team Edmonton

TTIQ------------------------------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

 3rd

HIV Support Group--------------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

 2nd

Tuesdays

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Martial Arts---------------------  7:30-8:30pm See

Team Edmonton

Swim Practice-------------------  7:30-8:30pm See

6 Buddy’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs 11 Steamworks----------------------Bathhouses

12 Woody’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs 13 UpStares Ultralounge--------Bars and Clubs

QH Craft Night-------------------------- 6-8pm

Movie Night----------------------------- 6-9pm

Cycling---------------------------  6:30-7:30pm

Men’s Games Nights--------------  7-10:30pm

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Mondays See

4

Team Edmonton

See

Team Edmonton

See

Men’s Games Nights

 2nd, Last

Yoga---------------------------------  7:30-8pm

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

Thursdays

Saturdays

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm

Naturalist Gettogether

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

QH Youth Drop-in------------------  2-6:30pm

QH Game Night------------------------ 6-8pm

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

See

Team Edmonton

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See

Youth Understanding Youth

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Swim Practice--------------------------- 7-8pm See

Team Edmonton

Women’s Social Circle------------------ 6-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Wednesdays

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

 2nd, 4th

See

See

Youth Understanding Youth

Entertainer of the Year 2013-------------  8pm By

ISCWR at 13 UpStares Ultralounge

Sunday, August 4th

Past, Present & Future-------------------  8pm By

ISCWR at 13 UpStares Ultralounge

Saturday, August 10th

Buck Naked Boys Club

 2nd

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

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

 2nd

Bowling-----------------------------------  5pm See

Friday, July 12th

Team Edmonton

Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy------------  8pm By

ISCWR at 13 UpStares Ultralounge

Thursday, August 22nd

In-Town Show-----------------------------  8pm

By ISCWR  The Locker Room, Ramada Inn and Conference Centre 11834 Kingsway Friday, August 23rd

Out of Town Show------------------------  8pm

Sundays

By ISCWR  The Locker Room, Ramada Inn and Conference Centre 11834 Kingsway

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

Running------------------------------  10-11am

Martial Arts---------------------  7:30-8:30pm

Yoga---------------------------------  2-3:30pm

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

Intermediate Volleyball--------  7:30-9:30pm

Men Talking with Pride---------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

By ISCWR  Ramada Inn and Conference Centre 11834 Kingsway

Counseling----------------------  5:30-8:30pm

Fridays

Ballroom Dancing--------------  7:30-8:30pm

Sunday, August 25th

GLBTQ Bowling------------------  1:30-3:30pm See

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

See 1 Youth Understanding Youth See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Knotty Knitters-------------------------- 6-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

See See See

BookWorm’s Book Club

 3rd

Team Edmonton Team Edmonton

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

QH Anime Night------------------------ 6-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

See See

See

Team Edmonton Team Edmonton

Team Edmonton

Monthly Meetings---------------------  2:30pm

 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) See Edmonton Primetimers

 Edmonton Contd. for members of the GLBTQ community and for their families and friends.

• Counselling

• Queer HangOUT: Game Night

Come OUT with your game face on and meet some awesome people through board game fun.

• Queer HangOUT: Craft Night

• HIV Support Group

Come and watch ALL the anime until your heart is content.

• Knotty Knitters

Come knit and socialize in a safe and accepting environment - all skill levels are welcome.

• Men Talking with Pride

 robwells780@hotmail.com Support & social group for gay & bisexual men to discuss current issues.

• Movie Night

Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back, relax, and watch a movie with us.

58

Coronation 38------------------------  4:30pm

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

By ISCWR  The Locker Room, Ramada Inn and Conference Centre 11834 Kingsway

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

 780.488.3234 Free, short-term counselling provided by registered counsellors.  huges@shaw.ca Support and discussion group for gay men.

 2nd

Saturday, August 24th

Come OUT and embrace your creative side in a safe space.

• Queer HangOUT: Anime Night • TTIQ

A support and information group for all those who fall under the transgender umbrella and their family or supporters.

• Women’s Social Circle

 andrea@pridecentreofedmonton.org Women’s Social Circle: A social support group for all female-identified persons over 18 years of age in the GLBT community - new members are always welcome.

Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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)

• Blazin’ Bootcamp

 Garneau Elementary School 10925 - 87 Ave  bootcamp@teamedmonton.ca

• Bowling (Northern Titans)

 Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall)

 bowling@teamedmonton.ca $15.00 per person.

 St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

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

• Cross Country Skiing

• Badminton (Women’s)

• Curling with Pride

 crosscountry@teamedmonton.ca

 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.

 Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  curling@teamedmonton.ca

•Ballroom Dancing

• Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

 Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  Cynthia: 780-469-3281

• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)

 Dawson Park, picnic shelter  cycling@teamedmonton.ca

 dragonboat@teamedmonton.ca

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events Red Deer Events

Friday, August 9th

Pride-----------------------------------  All Day

Wednesdays

Aug11

LGBT Coffee Night------------------------  7pm See

CAANS

 1st

 Edmonton Contd.

• Golf

 golf@teamedmonton.ca

Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome.

Call for info.

• Gymnastics, Drop-in

• Yoga

 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

• Martial Arts

 15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance)  780-328-6414  kungfu@teamedmonton.ca  kickboxing@teamedmonton.ca Drop-ins welcome.

• Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@teamedmonton.ca

• Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

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

• 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.

• Snowballs V

 January 27-29, 2012  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.

• Swimming (Making Waves)

 NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street)  swimming@teamedmonton.ca  www.makingwavesswimclub.ca

• Tennis

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

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca

• Ultimate Frisbee

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

• Volleyball, Intermediate

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

• Volleyball, Recreational

 Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave)  recvolleyball@teamedmonton.ca

• Women’s Lacrosse

 Sharon: 780-461-0017  Pam: 780-436-7374

BANFF Community Groups

 Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street)  yoga@teamedmonton.ca

Womonspace

 780-482-1794  womonspace@gmail.com  www.womonspace.ca Women’s social group, but all welcome at events.

Youth Understanding Youth

 780-248-1971  www.yuyedm.ca A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.

Bow Valley Cares Centre

 302 Buffalo Street, Banff, AB  PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8  403-762-0690  1-877-440-2437  info@aidscalgary.org

LETHBRIDGE

• Sports and Recreation

Community Groups

 Brendan: 780-488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org

Restaurants The Junction (Closed)----------------------

 10242 106th St

 780-756-5667

12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557

Retail Stores Passion Vault

 15239 - 111 Ave  780-930-1169  pvault@telus.net “Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store”

Products & Services Cruiseline

 780-413-7122 trial code 3500  http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

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

• Soul OUTing

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

• Film Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

• Book Club

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Theatre & Fine Arts Exposure Festival

 http://www.exposurefestival.ca Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.

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.

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.

LGBTQ Education

 LGBTQeducation@hotmail.ca  http://LGBTQeducation.webs.com Red Deer (and area) now has a website designed to bring various LGBTQ friendly groups/individuals together for fun, and to promote acceptance in our communities.

Pride on Campus

 rdcprideoncampus@gmail.com A group of LGBTQ persons and Allies at Red Deer College.

MEDICINE HAT Community Groups Medicine Hat Cares Centre

• Monthly Potluck Dinners

 McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your own beverage.

 356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB  403-527-5882  1-877-440-2437  info@aidscalgary.org

• Support Line

 M-F, 8:30am - 11:30pm

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

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

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

 galia@uleth.ca

• 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

• In-person Support

 M-T: 1:30pm - 4:30pm  W-F: 8:30am - 4:30pm

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.

Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet

 http://www.albertaballet.com Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.

Lethbridge HIV Connection

 1206 - 6 Ave S

CANADA

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

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

Community Groups

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

RED DEER Community Groups Affirm

• Telephone Support

ALBERTA

• Friday Mixer

The Roxy Theatre

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

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

 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

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

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, transidentified people and our families.

Continued on Page 61  www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

59

Classifieds Event

140

UltimateMaleMassage.com

Large selection of gay DVDs from $9.95, aromas and toys. Open Mon-Fri 12-11pm, Sat 12-6pm, closed Sundays and holidays.

The Fetish Slosh at the Backlot!

Come on down to the Backlot the 2nd Tuesday of every month for a no-cover Fetish party.

Upcoming dates are November 13, December 11th, etc. You can dress up in Leather, Latex, cuffs, collars, or just your skivvies. Have the conversation you like without offending a vanilla in sight. The Backlot supports and promotes the alternative lifestyles of Calgary so feel free to express your KINK!

Audition

215

403-258-2777

Cleaning

Erotic Massage

517

GET A LIFE! STOP CLEANING! Best Erotic Male Massage In Calgary • Studio with free parking• Deep Tissue and Relaxation • Licensed, Professional • Video on website 403-680-0533 mike@ultimatemalemassage.com

Gay Talent Wanted Beauty & Mayhem Production Agency is are looking for Gay Talent to perform in Adult entertainment Productions. Call Pj @ 403 826 2670 E-mail: pj@beautymayhem.ca www.xxxbmpa.com

Adult Depot

Models/Escorts

460

Alberta Escort Listings

420

527

Want to attract the LGBT local or traveler to your business?

Relaxation, Therapeutic, Foot Massage, Erotic Massage. Hot Asian Male Age:24 Swimmer Build YOU’LL KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE, the BEST MASSEUSE. 4036308048 www. markmassage.ca 12pm to Midnight (24hrs optional) Females Welcome.

Products/Services 500 Marriage Ceremonies

550

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Prescriptions not helping? Health and Natural Lifestyles Inc. is the number #1 Alternative Health Clinic in Calgary for the last 4 years.

Why not try Alternative Health fixing your body naturally and without side effects. Lets get energized, sexy and healthy, boosting your immune system and getting the healing sleep you deserve! Special on Blood Analysis 2 for 1 for new clients, $75.00 savings. Check us out at www.healthy-option.com or phone 403-2126077. Be vibrant, be healthy, be happy!

Premium organic medical marihuana shipped quickly, discreetly to your door. www.mycm.ca

Clothing/Fashion

520

Twice Trendy!

Used Quality Clothing

Check out www.Squirt.org for the Hot Escorts in Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta.

New Improved Features. Free to Post and Browse. Videos, Pics, and Reviews. Join Now! Code: GCEE

Health

Does your home or business need a professional cleaner? Steve is bonded/Insured.

Flexible prices and brings all his own supplies.

Steve is apart of the LGBT Community and has been cleaning for over 5 years in Calgary. getalifecleaner@gmail.com http://www. getalifecleaner.com (403)200-7384 www. facebook.com/getalifecleaner

Consulting

Mark Massage

Check us out at http://blueflameventures.ca, Email us at info@blueflameventures.ca, Call us at 604-369-1472. Based in Alberta.

It’s not about special treatment. You can’t assume the LGBT person, or the straight person will follow the pack anymore. The LGBT market is becoming more and more aware of what organizations support them, and which ones don’t, ultimately sending them away from businesses and communities that do not recognize them or their lifestyle. Does your staff need LGBT sensitivity training? Want to attract the market but unsure how to proceed?

Local, Domestic, International, We can assist.

Most clothing $3! New style? New family?

Broke as a joke? We have a great selection of gently used clothing for men, women, children and babies. We also keep a selection of furniture and housewares too! Twice trendy makes it easy to get quality style without destroying your wallet. Come check us out! #14, 3434 - 34 Ave NE.

Rork Hilford MC, Commissioner for Oaths.

MarriageCommissioner@shaw.ca | 403246-4134

Ads starting at $10/mo. for the first 20 words. Submit yours at http://www.gaycalgary.com/classifieds 60

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

www.gaycalgary.com

 Find Out - From Page 59

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.

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #117, July 2013

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