GayCalgary Magazine - March 2014

MARCH 2014

® ISSUE 125 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community

The view from

Michelle Visage

LEA Interview with

MICHELE

Jennifer Nettles Coming Out Straight

PLUS:

Roslyn Kind Suicide Girls Jennifer Holliday Kayla Bonham - Mars One ...and more!

Business Directory

Happy Jenn Lesbian Pin-up Girl

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 55

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Table of Contents

Videography

Steve Polyak,Sales Rob Diaz-Marino Craig Connell Printers sales@gaycalgary.com North Hill News/Central Web

Printers Distribution Web exPress

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

Legal Council

Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors

SalesGeneral & General Inquiries Inquiries

® GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine GayCalgary Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB, Canada Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 0G3 T2T 0G3 magazine@gaycalgary.com

Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Phone: 403-543-6960 Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com This Month's Cover CherMain: and Christina Aguilera of Sony Lea Michele, photo bycourtesy Peggy Sirota Pictures; Annie Lennox courtesy of Mike Owen; Top Right: Michelle Visage, photo

by Jose Guzman Colon Rex Goudie.

Mid Right: Jennifer Nettles, photo by James Minchin III Bottom Right: Happy Jenn

Proud Members of: Proud Members of:

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

Jasper Pride Letters Curling with Pride One Voice Chorus Presents “Think Big!” A big night for a queer choir that has come a long way

12 Leaving the Shadows Behind Roslyn Kind hits the city

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Writers and Contributors

Chris Mercedes Azzopardi, Allen, Dave Chris Brousseau, Azzopardi, Dallas Constable Barnes, Andy Dave BuckBrousseau, , Jason Clevett, SamRob Casselman, Diaz-Marino, Jason Janine Clevett, Eva-Trotta, Andrew Collins, FarleyEmily Foo Collins, Foo, Evan RobKayne, Diaz-Marino, Stephen Janine Lock, Lisa Eva Trotta, Lunney,Jack David-Elijah Fertig, Glen Nahmod, Hanson,Steve Joan Polyak, Hilty, Evan CareyKayne, Rutherford, Stephen Romeo Lock, San NeilVicente, McMullen, Jim Scott, AllanKrista Neuwirth, Sylvester, SteveNick Polyak, Winnick Careyand Rutherford, the LGBT Community Romeo SanofVicente, Calgary,EdEdmonton, Sikov, Nickand Vivian Alberta. and the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta.

Photography Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Photography B & J, Farley Foo Foo, Mickey Wilson Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, B&J Videography Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino

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14 Living True Takes Guts

Late, A Cowboy Song gives a deeper look at human relations

16 Oblivion

Playwright shares hellish struggle between religion and homosexuality

17 Parenting Proud

The amazing adventures of two gay dads

18 Arizona Anti-Gay Bill Crashes 19 Discussing Community Safety

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

MARCH 2014

Phishing attacks, and how to protect yourself

20 Unnecessary Farce Hams It Up 21 Days of Our Lives’ Guy Wilson

e n zi

There’s a New Will in Salem

22 To Boldly Go Where No LGBT Have Gone Before

a g a

LGBT Calgarian on shortlist for traveling to Mars

m

24 Deep Inside Hollywood Emma Watson endures Regression

26 The View From Michelle Visage RuPaul’s best friend back judging Season 6

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®

30 Jeremy’s Vision Extends Around the World 31 Coming Out Monologues

32 And She’s Telling You ...

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

PAGE 34

Jennifer Holliday on drag queen backlash, death threats and her fake Oscar

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

Gay European Tourism Association

Continued on Next Page  www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

34 Don’t Judge a Pin Up by its Cover

® Magazine Figures

Lesbian model breaking down barriers

Monthly Print Quantity:

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35 Missy Suicide

2,000–3,000 copies Guaranteed Circulation: 2,000 copies Bonus Circulation: up to 1,000 copies

Redefining beauty one tattoo at a time

Readership

36 Storytelling to Storyweaving

Readers Per Copy: 4.9 (PMB) Print Readership: >9800 Avg. Online Circulation: 310,000 readers Estimated Total Readership: >319,800 readers Frequency: Monthly

An evening with Muriel Miguel

38 Straight Talk with Jennifer Nettles

Sugarland frontwoman talks lesbian rumors, coming out straight and the gay movement in country music

43 Heart Spoken

History

PAGE 38

Lea Michele talks lesbian role on Looking, being called a diva and Glee legacy

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Queer Eye A Couple of Guys News Releases Mr. GayCalgary March 2014 James Demers 55 Directory and Events 60 Classified Ads

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

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41 The Dirrty Show Interview

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Event

Jasper Pride

By Nick Winnick As many Albertans know, Jasper has a well-deserved reputation as a home for the diverse and eclectic. Now in its fifth year, Jasper Pride has capitalized on this welcoming atmosphere, growing from a single event in a local bar, and hosting a scant couple of dozen people, to a weekend-long festival that expects a number of guests equal to a full tenth of the town’s permanent population.

Known for winter tourism and as a hub for the many surrounding ski resorts, making Jasper Pride one of Canada’s few winter pride events was a natural decision. Uwe Walter, co-chair of Jasper Pride’s Board of Directors says, “In summer, there’s so much going on in Alberta and Canada from a pride perspective.

Having winter pride in the mountains is something really special for us, and the increasing numbers show that there’s a demand there.”

The municipality of Jasper has responded to the success of the event with refreshing alacrity for a governmental body. This will be Jasper Pride’s first year formally supported by Tourism Jasper, and Walter has not a sour word to say about his experiences working with the municipal council. The co-chair is particularly effusive about the municipal support for the LGBT community.

“They’ve been so infinitely supportive,” he relates. “We live in an environment where being out and proud is no question.

For example, at the beginning of the Olympics, we gave [Mayor Richard Ireland] a call and said, we as the town of Jasper want to join many cities within Canada and raise the pride flag as a sign of solidarity with the LGBT community in Russia. He said, ‘yes, I’ll be there, I’ll do it personally,’ he just came.”

The festival’s events also capitalize on Jasper’s location, featuring guided ice canyon tours, ski races, and snowshoeing. In recent years, these events have been themed, particularly the ski race and gala. “We try to give especially the signature event, which is the Saturday night Gala, every year, a theme,” says Walter.

“Last year was fairy tales and legends. This year is jungle fun – bringing the animal out in you. People come dressed up. This year I’m very curious to see what kind of jungle-like costumes people come up with.”

Some who balk at the mainstreaming of queer culture may be dismayed to know that there’s only one 18+ event over the course of the entire weekend: Friday night’s musical comedy offering by the Dirrty Show. The board of Jasper Pride seems more focused on creating a family-friendly (and, indeed, tourist-friendly) environment than to celebrating the risqué. Walter is categorical: “All the daytime events are family events, accessible to everyone.

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We have a lot of local guests coming from the LGBT community, as well as people who just want to have a great time.”

As the festival expands, so too does its list of partners, commendable for its cross-promotion of other Albertan and British Columbian LGBT organizations. “We’re cooperating with a couple of LGBT associations throughout Alberta; ARGRA, the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association, as well as Fairy Tales, and of course, Mr. Gay Canada will be with us for the whole duration of the weekend, and we’ll have several appearances booked.”

Regular readers of the magazine will recall our feature interview last month with this year’s Mr. Gay Canada: teacher, actor, model, and martial artist Christepher Wee. It was Wee himself who reached out to Jasper Pride and asked to be hosted at this year’s festival. “My passion is education, so part of my mandate is social education. When I became Mr. Gay Canada I sat down and went through a list of all the [pride festivals].” Jasper was one of the locations that offered Wee some return on his legwork.

“What I really wanted to do was just not stay within the region, which a lot of the previous Mr. Gay Canadas did,” Wee told us.

“I think part of the problem is sponsorship – we need to find sponsors to get us to where we want to go. It’s an uphill battle.”

As a former spokesperson for the Pink Dot campaign in Singapore – an event promoting equality and visibility for queer people – Wee is outspoken about the need for public advocacy and diverse representation in the LGBT community. Keep your eyes open this summer; Wee will likely be popping up at every pride event he can manage.

Jasper Pride runs from March 21st to 23rd. Individual events range in price from $5 to $82.50, with discounts for Jasper Pride Festival Society members. Find out more online on the Jasper Pride website.

Jasper Pride http://www.jasperpride.ca Jasper Pride 2014 March 21st - 23rd • Jasper, AB http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3942

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Online Last Month (1/2) Creep of the Week Chris Christie

We can all sleep easier now knowing that it is still a huge pain in the ass for transgender people in New Jersey to amend their birth certificates. Hero... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3929

Deep Inside Hollywood

Effie Gray with a bit of gay

Euphemia “Effie” Gray was the teenage bride of the Victorian art critic John Ruskin, yet she refused to consummate that unhappy union. Instead... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3930

Hear Me Out

 Dennis Barreira

Beyoncé, Jennifer Nettles, Mary Chapin Carpenter, R. Kelly

Beyoncé, Beyoncé It’s a new year, but we’re not done gushing over Beyoncé and that juggernaut of an album she surprisedropped to a web blitz of industryshattering...

Letters Dear GayCalgary Readers, I am writing to you in regards to our tragic loss of Dennis Barreira on January 19th, 2014. As Constable Andy Buck posted in the February issue, rumours and speculations are easy to come by, but leads and witnesses are what is needed.

We know that Dennis was very active within the gay community and socially active, so we would like to put out a plea to the community to please come forward if you have any information, even if you just saw him briefly or talked to him through phone or social media sometime during the weekend that he died, please come forward and talk to the police even if you believe it may not be completely relevant.

We lost him far too early and it has become unfathomable dealing with the fact that his death was not of natural causes, but the result of someone else’s actions. We know that the police are actively pursuing this case, but we are afraid that if no new information comes through soon, his homicide may not be solved.

Dennis is very much loved and missed by his family and we feel helpless not being able to offer any more than what we have. His 80 year old mother is having a very difficult time as Dennis was always there for her when she needed him and this week Dennis would have become a great uncle

Continued on Next Page 

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3931

Creep of the Week Council Nedd II

It is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as I write this, which means that people on the Interwebs are debating about whether or not King would’ve supported the... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3932

Creep of the Week Todd Starnes

I did not watch the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. For one thing, I don’t give a shit.

For another thing, I’m too old to stay up that late. But I did watch... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3933

Creep Of The Week Peter LaBarbera

I do not watch The Disney Channel.

Mind you, this is not any kind of elitist pronouncement. It’s just that I’m more than seven years old. The Disney... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3934

Hear Me Out

Jennifer Holliday, A Great Big World, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Rosanne Cash

Jennifer Holliday, The Song Is You Jennifer Holliday is not going. And even though it’s been 23 years since the Grammy winner – the original Effie in... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3936

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Online Last Month (2/2) Hear Me Out

Against Me!, Toni Braxton and Babyface, Broken Bells, Cibo Matto

Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues The remarkable thing about Transgender Dysphoria Blues – besides, of course, it being an emancipating declaration... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3937

The OutField

Chris Kluwe does not punt on marriage equality

When Chris Kluwe began working for same-sex marriage in Minnesota – and then wrote a powerful letter in support of the same issue in Maryland – the reason... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3940

Screen Queen

Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Prisoners, Don Jon, Fruitvale Station, Mary Poppins, One Direction, Sound of Music, We’re the Millers

Lee Daniels’ The Butler When The Butler – excuse me, Lee Daniels’ The Butler – was released last year, it seemed Oscar bound. It had social issues. It... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3939

 Letters - From Page 8 for the first time. He is badly missed, but knowing that the person/s responsible for this is still free is unfathomable.

Unfortunately, we have no details to share, other than what the police have publically stated; the cause of death and any possible motive have been kept from us as well.

In an accident or natural death, people have closure.

They can grieve their loss and, though difficult, are able to move on. Without knowing who is responsible or why this has happened, there is no closure. Someone took a son, a brother, an uncle, a great-uncle, a friend. We have no closure, no end to what has become a surreal nightmare for us. We know that someone has the answers and, though it will not ease the grief of losing Dennis, at least our family will have peace in knowing that the person or people responsible will have been dealt with.

If you have any information, please come forward. Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous should you be nervous about speaking out.

Thank you, The Barreira family

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3943

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Event

Curling with Pride

by Nick Winnick Ice sports are fundamental to Canadian identity. Even those of us who don’t play are brought up in a culture suffused with the good-natured national obsession. Of course, sport culture as a whole can often be a home for the toxic machismo and hyper-hetero dudebro sensibility that makes locker rooms unwelcoming for queer people.

Enter Edmonton’s Curling with Pride. Founded in 1997 with only four teams, this organization stands for the ideal that GSM people should be able to engage with our national identity without fear of discrimination. The league has grown, since its inception, to 18 teams, and is this year’s host of the Canadian Gay Curling Championships.

That growth was certainly top-of-mind when I spoke with James Fox, president of Curling with Pride for the past four years. When asked what he felt were the league’s most noteworthy accomplishments during his tenure, he told me; “I think watching the league grow. The first year that I was president, we had eight teams. This year we have eighteen teems, so we’ve more than doubled in size in the last four years.”

Any new venture has its share of difficulties, but all the more so when breaking into the aggressively hetero world of sport. Though it was before his time involved with the league, Fox was privy to some of Curling with Pride’s early struggles. “I know some of what happened,” he told me, “but nothing I’d want you to quote me on. Something you can quote me on, though, is that we did change curling clubs twice because of discrimination.”

Fox and his cohort, however, are all about the games. The otherwise soft-spoken man positively lit up when we began speaking about the upcoming Canadian Gay Curling Championships, hosted by Curling with Pride in the first week of April. It’s a testament to how far this league has come that it will be hosting Edmonton City Councillor Amarjeet Sohi and Member of Parliament Linda Duncan during the opening ceremonies of the tourney. And in tribute to the Scottish origin of the game, Fox enthused; “We’re also being piped onto the ice by the Edmonton Police Service Pipes and Drums. We’ve received lots of support from the RCMP and local police service and from our local politicians.”

Fox also provided some good news for any Canadian sports fan who’s watched the iconic presentation of the Stanley Cup or the Grey Cup, or any Canadian athlete who’s ever dreamed of having a trophy brought out to them. “In the closing ceremonies, we have two EPS officers and two RCMP Sergeants coming in dress uniform and the white gloves to carry our trophies for the final presentation.”

If Curling with Pride had difficulties in its early years, more recent seasons have been marked by noteworthy support. The league has been the beneficiary of an affluent home province with a nurturing (if not entirely copacetic) relationship to amateur sport. “Last year, from the Alberta Lottery Fund Community Initiative Program, we received a $10,000 travelling grant to go to the 2013 Canadian Gay Curling Championship in Halifax,” Fox says. “On a whim I applied for it, and we were totally shocked when we received it – we sent two teams to Halifax. And the same program has a fund for hosting events. So I applied, never really thinking we’d get it, and one day I got a call from the secretary of MLA Matt Jeneroux, asking if they could set up a presentation! He came to our club and gave us a cheque for $20,000 to host our two bonspiels.”

And now I must apologise for disappointing those readers with a particular attachment to the “overcoming adversity” narrative: Fox has nothing but glowing words for the professionalism and support he has experienced from government officials. “We never had any problems. We got a personal letter from Minister Klimchuk congratulating us and wishing us the best of luck. From our end it was a positive experience.”

As for the tournament itself? “Watch out for Edmonton 1 and Edmonton 2,” Fox confides. “And of course, you can’t discount Vancouver 1 or Vancouver 2. I think those are the four teams to watch out for.” All that’s left is to play the games, and keep an eye out for those moments that every athlete lives for. A player himself, Fox is all too familiar with the highs and lows of the sport. “Everybody will have their own shot that they remember making,” he confided, “even if the rest of their team remembers it differently!”

Curling with Pride hosts the Canadian Gay Curling Championships concurrently with their own Icebreaker Bonspiel. Both events run from the 3rd to the 6th of April. For more information visit their website.

Curling with Pride http://www.curlingwithpride.ca Canadian Gay Curling Championships Edmonton, AB, • April 3rd – 6th http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3944

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Event

One Voice Chorus Presents “Think Big!” A big night for a queer choir that has come a long way

By Janine Eva Trotta Mighty is the theme of the choral show Calgary’s One Voice Chorus (OVC) will be offering music lovers on Saturday, March 22nd at the Scarboro United Church.

“Think Big” promises music that caters to every taste – from motown hit “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to the renaissance canon Sicut Cervus inspired by a pretty Psalm.

“And what big concert would be complete without an Abba medley; so we’ve got that going on too,” says OVC Artistic Director Jane Perry.

This is the kind of show you may find yourself singing along to. OVC has been together for three years now and rehearses 11 Monday nights previous to each show.

Perry and her partner soprano Cora Castle founded the choir in September of 2011 as an auditioned, mixed-voice ensemble for singers who are members of the LGBTQ community as well as their straight allies. Perry couldn’t be more proud of how much the choir has blossomed in that time.

“We are now in our third season and this choir has just grown by leaps and bounds,” Perry says. “We’ve been really heartened by the response we have received from the community.”

Included in the show’s repertoire will be a piece by chorus member Daryl Crockford entitled “Stand Up”, which Perry says is “a look at recent queer history in the western world”, and a sort of anthem encouraging “the queer community to stand up and be proud of who you are and make sure we all live in peace and harmony”.

“Think Big” will not only be large in variety and subject matter, but in numbers as well. The Weekend World-Music Choir, conducted by Edmonton’s Scott Leithead, will be performing as a special guest.

“The Weekend World-Music Choir is a choir being created on that weekend and will probably never perform together again,” Perry explains.

The voices in this choir are assembling as part of a choral workshop led by the African music specialist Leitland. Participants will meet the Friday night previous to the concert, rehearse all day Saturday, and perform Sunday night. The workshop aims to illustrate how people coming together from all over the city and all walks of life can assemble and unite to create something wonderful in a short, devoted amount of time.

For the final number of the evening, both choirs will join forces for what Perry calls “a truly big show-stopper” involving 100 voices strong.

OVC will represent 32 of those voices.

Auditions will not be taking place again until the end of summer, as OVC strengthens the lineup of pieces they will be performing by memory at the Unison Festival in Ottawa this May. “Unison is sort of like the gay choral Olympics in that it happens every four years in Canada,” Perry says. Unlike the Olympics, however, there are no winners or losers, no adjudication and no podiums to stand on. Unison is more a celebration of queer choral groups and a way to acknowledge the accomplishments the groups have made.

“We are one of I think three brand new queer choirs singing at the festival,” Perry says. “I’m just so delighted that a choir that is only three years old is strong enough… and excited enough to go to Unison.”

The group has been fundraising hard for the trip, including the sales of chocolate and coffee, but perhaps the most successful of these endeavours was the Rainbow Cabaret the group held in January. The Cabaret saw a variety of solo performances by chorus members just ‘doing their own thing’.

“The audience loved it to the point that we’re thinking about making it an annual event,” Perry says.

The director has selected an Alberta-inspired repertoire to bring to Ottawa, including a piece by former OVC member Peter Cameron, a song written by Nancy Laberge of the local band the Backyard Betties, and “It takes a Village” by Joan Szymko.

The latter song will act as a thank-you piece to the “three fairy godmothers” that helped OVC flourish. These are the Unitarian Church of Calgary who graciously donated a rehearsal space free of charge the choir’s first season; the Calgary Men’s Chorus who advertised in the OVC’s programs and generated needed cash flow; and the queer choir Tone Cluster of Ottawa, Perry and Castle’s former stomping grounds,

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who of their own volition raised the initial $1,000 that got the OVC on its feet.

“We are the child and it took a village to help us get where we are,” Perry says. “What a journey; and it isn’t over. On we go.”

Concert tickets are being sold at Dick & Jane, New Age Books & Crystals, as well as on their website. Regular seats run at $20 while seniors and students can purchase theirs for $15. Admission is free for kids 12 and under, so be sure to bring the children in your life for what will be a night of family fun. The performance begins at 8pm.

Once Voice Chorus http://www.onevoicechorus.com “Think Big!” Presented by Once Voice Chorus Saturday, March 22nd Scarboro United Church (134 Scarboro Ave SW) http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3945

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11

Interview

Leaving the Shadows Behind Roslyn Kind hits the city

By Krista Sylvester They say a person’s name can say a lot about them. If that’s true, you’ll have no problem figuring out what type of person Roslyn Kind is.

The singer/actress and all around entertainer has forged a name for herself without the help of her older half-sister Barbra Streisand, although the two are close and toured together last year. More on that later.

Back to the name. Kind is, well, kind. She’s spiritual, generous, giving, empathetic and sensitive to the plight of others, especially the elderly, the young and animals. Basically anyone who needs a little extra help once in a while. Kind believes she was put on this earth to spread joy through her music and entertainment, to touch those who need to be touched and overall, just make people smile.

“My life is based on a spiritual plane. I really feel we’re here to make life better and to learn unconditional love and share love and empathy,” Kind says over the phone while on her latest tour. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I want to contribute positively into this world and make people happy. If they’re going through a hard time, they can forget their troubles for an hour and half or I can impact their life by lyrics in a song. That’s what I’m here to do. God gave me a gift to use for the right reasons.”

Kind has played large venues and she has played smaller venues such as the Beth Tzedec Congregation - where her upcoming Calgary show

will be held - and it’s at these more intimate venues that she can really reach out and forge a connection with her audience.

“It means a lot for me to find the one-on-one connections; I think that’s very important because all people need to be touched, in their hearts, in the spiritual sense. They need to feel warmth.”

That’s why she is so passionate about society protecting its elderly and young.

“I find it so sad when our elderly are forgotten, and our children, because everyone needs to know they have value and they mean something to all of us,” she adds. “Children who can’t speak for themselves and elderly that can’t speak for themselves; it’s sometimes when you’re in the middle of life you tend to forget those that need people [because you] get so busy in [your] lives.”

Kind took care of her mother when she was ill, which is why she says she’s “extra sensitive” to the issue. And why she makes an effort to “communicate to those people who need to hear and know they are loved and cared about.

“You want to see everybody happy and it pulls at your heartstrings when there is hatred, abuse, sickness and people not getting the attention they need and deserve.”

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Which is why Kind performs all over the world. And she loves the feeling of touching people through music just as much as she loves the standing ovations. Especially the standing ovations she and her sister Streisand got when they finally embarked on their much-anticipated tour together in 2012.

“There were a lot of people waiting for this tour to happen for many, many years,” Kind says. “It was a lifelong dream for me to sing on a stage with my sister and it was exciting and wonderful. And our nephew was with us so it was like this family affair of traveling and sightseeing. It was truly incredible.”

Of course, like many entertainers growing up with a famous older sister, Kind started out in the shadow of Streisand, nine years her senior, but eventually broke through on her own accord.

“It was a long time in the beginning known only as Barbra Streisand’s sister but I made my way, created my own persona and earned respect in the business for what I possess as a talent. I’ve grown and matured and explored my own life experiences and came into my own.”

Kind says there were of course those that had their doubts.

“There were some people out there who questioned things they shouldn’t have been questioning - but they changed their tune,” she says with a laugh.

It’s hard to imagine Kind not being a natural, like her big sister. They grew up in a singing household with their mother and Kind spent most of her time playing records and acting them out, like musicals. But she admits she did most of that alone as she was a shy child and spent a lot of time by herself.

“I always loved singing but I was much of a loner as a child,” she says.

“My whole world was me creating a fantasy for myself to perform that’s how I spent a lot of my alone time. I didn’t know if I’d really go into the business but then I saw my sister do it and I saw it could be done. I knew my joy was when I sang and it just seemed natural.”

But it took Kind until high school, after losing some weight and gaining some confidence, before she went for it. She hasn’t looked back since, piling up an impressive resume of performances from all over, including Broadway and her upcoming Las Vegas show.

It’s not her first visit to Calgary but it has been awhile. She performed in the 1988 Stage West production of “Leader of the Pack”, which of course is a lot different than serenading a crowd who paid money just to see her perform.

“I’m really excited. I like to have fun with the audience and really get to know them and they get to know me. I entertain them; I take them on a journey through my music. I bring you up, I bring you down, I make you cry and I make you laugh. The show is a journey through emotion and rhythm and I share it with my audience on a personal level.”

Kind will be performing at the Beth Tzedec Congregation in Calgary on March 25th for the “One of a Kind” Evening Fundraiser. The Broadway performer will serenade fans for an unforgettable evening with a “Coffee and Cream” reception to follow. Tickets are $75 through Jewish Family Service Calgary.

“One of a Kind” Evening Fundraiser Presented by Jewish Family Service Calgary Tuesday, March 25th @ 7:30pm Beth Tzedec Synagogue 1325 Glenmore Trail SW • 403-287-3510 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3946

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

13

Preview

Living True Takes Guts

Late, A Cowboy Song gives a deeper look at human relations

By Janine Eva Trotta Male or female. Gay or straight. Married or single. So often life forces us to check ourselves into tiny, defined boxes that leave little space to wiggle or explore.

Late, A Cowboy Song is celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl’s brave dabble into the rather uncharted world of undefined human connection.

Back in collaboration for the first time since This is How I Left, director Alyssa Bradac and assistant director Jonathan Brower with Third Street Theatre are taking this “strange little play” to audiences in Calgary. Late runs March 12th to March 22nd at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts Motel venue.

“I read Late for the first time during the summer of 2011 … and, at the time, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it,” says Bradac, a seasoned thespian and director for the past six to seven years. “But I never forgot it. It sort of stuck in my memory, and kept tugging.”

The director tried proposing it as one of five candidates for her thesis project in graduate school but it was rejected. When Third Street asked her to propose projects for its second season it was the first play that came to mind.

“I think the aspect that latched onto me the most in the play is the notion that we have no real definitive or descriptive words to communicate connection,” she says. “We have plenty of words for relationships, but none for the actual attraction/inspiration to have a relationship in the first place.”

“And I think we’re quite quick to leap to relationships and definitions,” she continues. “We don’t often let ourselves be complex and ambiguous with the actual connection – whether it’s a feeling or a look or a phrase or something quite profound to who we are. I think it’s a really important aspect of our humanity that we ignore and take for granted all the time.”

Brower agrees.

“This play is about the ambiguity of love and the idea that because of societal expectation in our lives – in people’s lives – that we are often prone to make one choice about who we love and sort of stay with that and not allow ourselves to really grow…without any labels,” he says. “I think we’re so quick to label everything …and choose those things …and feel like we’re stuck in those labels and that we can’t go back.”

Brower would know this conflict better than most. He spent the greater portion of his adult years struggling between his identity as an Evangelical Christian and as a homosexual. It was always said to him that he couldn’t be both.

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“Labels have been important to me to understand where I was at but having other people label me was never helpful,” he explains. “We really do need [labels] to decipher what’s what, but at the same time they can be so limiting.”

Is it fair that we classify ourselves assuming we always will feel or be that way – assuming we are all stoic beings?

“Who knows?” Brower answers. “We change and we fall in love all the time… I know that things shift.”

Bradac says though it would be easy to turn this play into a standard woman leaves man for woman plot, she doesn’t see it that way.

“That’s not what the play is about for me at all. For me, it’s a story about a woman who takes charge of her own life through both a positive and negative presence. That’s the story I’ve set out to direct – that’s the story we’re telling.”

Bradac is extremely enthused to be a part of a Queer Theatre company in Calgary; a company she says is receiving an unprecedented response from its patrons.

“It’s a rare and special thing to be part of a company that is responding to a community demand,” she says. Likewise, it is a rare and special thing to be directing a work that responds to so many unspoken questions.

“This play is so incredibly human,” Bradac states. “Everyone will see someone they know up on stage: family members, former lovers, current lovers, friends. And certainly the idea that connection can be a scary thing, but it will awaken such dramatic change and ownership in our lives.”

“It’s better to be afraid and to get up on the horse – if you will¬ – than to live life from the safety of one’s living room,” she continues. “The very act of being alive is an act of bravery, if only we embraced ourselves to the fullest extent possible.”

Bradac says Late is a work that teaches us that living authentically and proactively will always bring one to the right course.

“Living takes guts,” she says. “But we’re only living when we seize the courage to be who we are, doing what we’re doing, with the people we want to be with. It’s that simple, and that arduous.”

Late offers shows nighty at 7:30pm as well as three matinee performances March 16th, 17th and 22nd. Tickets are $20-$25 and can be purchased through the Epcore Centre at epcorecentre.org.

Late, A Cowboy Song Presented by Third Street Theatre Calgary - March 16th, 17th, & 22nd @ 7:30pm http://www.thirdstreet.ca http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3947

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

15

Preview

Oblivion

Playwright shares hellish struggle between religion and homosexuality

By Janine Eva Trotta “We choose to believe in Jesus – we don’t choose to be gay.”

In the conservative Christian Church it is often resounded that none is a greater sin that that of homosexuality. Biblical translations are twisted, the Gospels are diminished, and the very word of Jesus completely dismissed all in the aim to condemn the homosexuals among us.

Why some “Christians” - who are supposed to do nothing other than walk in love - can show so clearly a hate for what they don’t understand or don’t want to accept is a mystery; and clearly an agonizing one for Christians like Jonathan Brower who are forced to struggle with their gay Christian identity in shame.

When the student-run Nickel & Dime Theatre company announced their call for submissions, Brower seized the opportunity to “write this thing I’ve had in me for a while.”

He crafted a synopsis based on the lengthy struggles he endured trying to heal himself of his gay orientation while a devoted Evangelical Christian and, on a whim, submitted it on the day of deadline.

His was one of three to be selected for the season.

“I’d been thinking about writing what ended up being this play for about a year or so,” Brower says. “But I’ve never written a play before.”

Brower, 29, is a double major in drama and communications, studying at the University of Calgary. In his spare time, he is the Founding Co-Artistic Director for Third Street Theatre.

He calls the process of writing this script one of “self-research”.

He returned to the swathes of anti-gay literature and stacks of conversion guides he had in his possession, recorded sermons, and his own personal journals.

“I could only handle so much,” he says. “It’s pretty heavy reading.”

These were materials he had already heard for a lion’s share of in his youth, when he was “still fighting against my sexuality”.

Brower grew up attending an Evangelical Church in Calgary. When his parents broke away, finding the church’s values too conservative in nature, Brower and his twin sister stayed steadfast within it.

Brower moved briefly away to Victoria and came out there while finishing high school at age 18 but, upon returning to Calgary and his former parish, he went back in.

“Because I grew up with an Evangelical mindset I grew up thinking I was going to be somehow involved in Church ministry,” he says. “I was totally gung-ho for all things God.” Brower attended Living Waters – a purported Christ-centred ministry with a mandate to help people find hope and live life through experiencing Jesus in their relationships and sexuality – an astounding three times, in true effort to rid himself of what he had been lead to believe was an unrighteous identity.

“I wanted to try to fix this thing about me,” he says. “From everything I knew and was told to me in the Church [being gay] was completely wrong and ungodly…even the desires,” he says. “I thought if God’s representation on earth is through the people who follow him maybe God does really hate me.”

He was inundated with statements like: “People can change; anything with God is possible – that type of mentality,” he says, and warned that he was headed down a slippery path to perversity.

Following his move back into Evangelicalism, Brower went to France to attend a Youth with a Mission (YWAM) ministry training school. He divulged to no one but the director that he was gay, and was instructed it stay that way.

“She told me people believe this is wrong…I also believe that…but I want to have sessions with you, but I don’t think you should tell anyone else…you’re going to be in tight quarters with other guys and we don’t want them to be uncomfortable,” he recalls. “The day they talked about homosexuality I thought I was going to die.”

There he prayed alongside his ministry team for the healing of homosexuals; healing for himself.

“There was never an option that maybe God created me this way,” he says.

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

When no amount of prayer or devotion would convert him from homosexuality it was suggested that he forget any chance of partnering in love and lead a life of celibacy.

“I was always in the pastor’s office having the same conversation… it was agonizing,” he says. “I just think it’s so important to tell this story.”

Oblivion: A Workshop Production tells not just the story of Brower’s time committed to this manipulative form of counselling, but also paints a broader picture of the perspective conservative Christianity chooses to indoctrinate into its communities; a prospective not everyone might be aware of.

“The play suggests we don’t cure homosexuality but we cure religion,” Brower says.

“Oblivion is intense, personal, and on point,” director Filsan Dualeh states, calling the script “thought-provoking and presents the inner turmoil stemming from impossibly conflicted values and social mores.”

As a director himself the process of handing his first script over to someone else to direct might have been difficult for Brower, had he not been allowed the opportunity for some collaboration.

He was involved in the process of selecting the cast – four actors – and has been tweaking the script as rehearsals progress. He has also been involved in the music selection that will accompany the work.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with the actors to explain this world that wasn’t familiar to them at all,” he describes.

The play will feature some direct quotes from Brower’s old journals – prayers he used to write and utter diligently, and programs will feature a post-it on which audience members are encouraged to scribe comments to leave on a dedicated wall space. This will be in lieu of a talk-back session, as the play is slotted into a tight 45 minute space at noon hour.

As Oblivion: A Workshop Production intends to educate an audience on a subject not often talked about, it should also act as a burden lifter from the shoulders of Brower which have often been made heavy the last half of his life by a slew of ‘emotional and spiritual bullying’.

He’s also suffered through what he calls ‘the trauma of loss’, having received a huge backlash from the church he was a part of since the age of nine. Now he happily attends the Hillhurst United Church with his partner of nearly two years, a church he was once told doesn’t really follow the word of God. “That was a challenge too,” he says, knowing it was going to be said that he fell so far: from seeking ministry in the Evangelical church to what they referred to as ‘a watered down version of Christianity’.

“Now there’s no need to put on a happy face; it’s the closest thing I’ve seen to the come just as you are,” he says.

Both his parents have been supportive of his re-emergence as gay, and some of his old friends have shown support as well.

“As things have sort of moved on…a lot of my friends from YWAM have said God loves you no matter what,” he says.

He hopes that those who view this play realize that there is a war being fought often silently.

“These are people in love trying to deal with their faith just like any human being is navigating their faith.”

Oblivion: A Workshop Production Tue, Mar 4th – Fri, Mar 7th @ 12pm Tickets can be purchased in cash at the door for $3. http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3948

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Editorial

Parenting Proud

The amazing adventures of two gay dads

By Jim Scott First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby and the baby carriage. A cliché for sure, but in our case it couldn’t be more true, even though it took over two decades. That’s right, after living together as a couple for twenty-two years, dinosaurs in the gay community dahlings; my husband and I became first time fathers in July 2013. It has been the most exhilarating, and exhausting, time of my life, and curiously has me waxing nostalgic about just how far the LGBT community has come in recent years and all the ways we now build our families with intention. Let’s face it, there aren’t too many ‘accidental’ children in our community - I’d have a house full if it was that easy.

For years my husband and I talked about having kids, but like many couples, straight and gay, there were numerous discussions ending with even more excuses to kick that can down the road. We both traveled for work and were living a lifestyle in our twenties and thirties that didn’t have much room for kids.

Dragging a toddler around at the White Party in Ft. Lauderdale or the pool of the Atlantic Shores in Key West would’ve been de rigueur, no?

It didn’t help that we also lived in my home state of Florida where marriage equality is still being hard fought against by a myriad of so called ‘compassionate conservatives’ and ‘teavangelical types’. Adoption and surrogacy were expensive and at the time had way too many unresolved legal questions. Even fostering was an actual crime therefore our options were limited because we happened to be born gay. So, being a pragmatic couple, we put our dream of being parents on a really high shelf, accepting that our window of opportunity had unfortunately passed and took comfort in the knowledge that at least we were committed to each other for the long haul.

Then in 2004, my husband Greg, having grown up in a large family in Saskatchewan, started talking about moving back to Canada. He wanted to be closer to our whole family and an ever growing list of nieces and nephews. Looking back now, I’m sure in some way that was a substitute for not having our own kids and when marriage equality became the law of the Canadian land in 2005, we didn’t hesitate to take that stroll down the aisle.

Our wedding couldn’t have been more traditional if we tried: a small intimate affair, with just immediate family, hosted at my mother and father in law’s home. It was beautiful in its simplicity.

Two people openly expressing their love and commitment in front of their loved ones; it still gives me goose bumps. Why is this

 The Scott Family

important you might ask? Well, because when I came out back in the 1980s, it was considered the norm for us queer boys and girls to literally party like it was 1999, as commanded by Prince.

I lived in one of San Francisco’s most famous gay ghettos, and saw firsthand the destruction that AIDS wrought on an entire generation of my brothers. We were constantly bombarded with the message that queers were different than ‘normal’ people and as such should keep to ourselves. Marriage Equality wasn’t even on the radar yet… and having kids? Society just wasn’t ready for it. For me personally, that’s what makes being a parent now even more special, because most of society is waking up to the fact that we do deserve a place at the table and won’t tolerate hiding in the shadows any longer.

In the coming months I’ll be sharing our family’s personal experiences starting with the rather nontraditional way we became fathers to a beautiful baby boy; the surprising statistics about the gay men and women who are becoming parents and the various options we now have including adoption, family courts, foster care, and surrogacy; how gay families can combat stereotypes of the past and deal with homophobia from teachers, coaches, doctors, and other families; getting started with the foster care system and how it can help our community to be viewed as heroes, as well as help kids in need; how to build networks in our own communities with social media and the latest in scientific research about the psychological impact of kids raised by same sex parents and how we differ in some really good ways from mainstream society.

I’d love to hear from you about your own experiences. Email me your thoughts and questions at parentingproud@gmail.com and check out these groups for more information and support.

Links: • • • • • •

RaiseAChild.us - Website and Facebook group Gay Adoptive Parents - Facebook group Family Equality Council - website and Facebook group lgbtqparentingconnection.ca - website Gay Family Values - Facebook group Gay Mommies and Daddies can be good parents too Facebook group • pflagcanada.ca - website

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

17

Politics

Arizona Anti-Gay Bill Crashes

By Stephen Lock In the ongoing and often fractious debate around equality rights in the US, and just when you think you’ve heard it all, our American cousins come out with a new wrinkle.

While we in Canada certainly had a long drawn-out struggle around equal marriage, it wasn’t anywhere near what Americans are going through. As has been pointed out in past columns, while we had some fierce debate around it all, often accompanied by dire predictions of the collapse of civilization as we know it by those opposed to granting same-sex couples the exact same rights enjoyed by the other 90 percent (give or take a percentage point or two) of Canadians, it was fairly straight-forward (no pun intended). This was largely due to the political structure of Confederation, which is essentially a federalist entity.

However, since states have more autonomy than our provinces, the struggle for LGBTQ equality rights in the US has been a long and complex process, with some states passing Constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage and/or benefits and others instituting various levels of legal acceptance. The fight for equality rights in the US is being waged state by state, resulting in a hodge-podge of often conflicting rights amongst various states. The latest strategy instituted by those opposed to LGBTQ equality has been in Arizona.

In late February, final approval of Senate Bill 1062 was given by the Republican-controlled Arizona legislature. The bill would have allowed businesses to refuse service to individuals if doing so was believed to violate the business owner’s religious beliefs.

The bill passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 33-27 on February 20th, a day after it had been passed in the state Senate. It was heralded by one of the architects of the bill - Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy which helped draft the bill - as sending a “clear message” that, in Arizona, “everyone is free to live and work according to their faith.”

Of course, the bill would have ensured that while some citizens would be free to do so, others would be denied access to service based on the perception of a business owner that to simply serve them as customers would somehow compromise or negatively impact that business owner’s religious freedom. So much for getting a cup of coffee at a café, or a meal somewhere, or a new suit or a car or....well, you get the idea.

The bill was largely seen as discriminatory against lesbians and gay men but, of course, if it became law after being signed by Governor Jan Brewer, it could also have been used to discriminate against anyone a business owner perceived as somehow being a threat to his or her own religious beliefs. Your faith dictates that marrying outside your own faith or ethnic group is wrong? Service refused. You believe having to deal with members of another faith somehow compromises your faith? Sorry, can’t and won’t serve you; go somewhere else. Dealing with a female who is not a family member against your religion? Don’t touch me and go away.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the legislation as “unnecessary and discriminatory”, adding it had nothing to do with God or faith and would legally permit private individuals and businesses to “use religion” to discriminate and to be intolerant.

The ACLU played a key role during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s in dismantling the “Jim Crow” laws of various states whereby it was legal to have segregated lunch counters, water fountains, and businesses; Whites Only here, ‘coloureds’ over there, away from white folk. Bill 1062 is really nothing more than another version of Jim Crow laws.

That Bill 1062 is specifically targeting lesbians and gay men pretty much goes without saying. That’s exactly what it was designed to do during a time when LGBTQ activists have won several court victories in the US. Seventeen states, along with the District of Columbia, now recognize equal marriage as a legal right. The United States Supreme Court ruled in June 2014 that legally married same-sex couples all across America are eligible for federal benefits, something such couples, despite being legally married or in recognized domestic partnerships, had been denied due to

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the federal Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), since repealed by President Obama. Federal judges have, since mid-December 2013, ruled that restrictions against equal marriage in Oklahoma, Virginia, and Utah are unconstitutional, although those decisions are currently under appeal by those states.

Arizona, however, is amongst 30 states still banning same-sex couples from marrying, either by constitutional amendment, statute, or both. Bill 1062 was widely seen by critics as an attempt to shore up anti-LGBTQ legislation, adding one more layer against any attempt by federal judges to dismantle existing anti-gay laws..

However, the bill even though passed by a Senate and House majority, cannot become law unless signed into law by Governor Brewer. To her credit, she vetoed the bill less than a week after it had been passed, stating it would “create more problems than it purports to solve,” adding, “[it] does not address a specific or present concern related to religious liberty in Arizona.”

With her veto the bill is effectively killed. If conservative legislators want to pursue similar sanctions, they must now essentially go back to square one and draft a new bill and, in so doing, it cannot be a copy or thinly-veiled version of the original. Her veto has, it is hoped, stopped this train in its tracks.

That such a bill was even proposed, let alone seriously considered and then passed by a majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, is astounding in a nation that puts itself out there as a bastion of freedom and equality. Legalized discrimination in the United States of America?

Such legislation flies in the face of over half a century of struggle to attain equality for all Americans regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, physical ability, or more recently, sexual orientation.

Interestingly, various Republican state politicians are now distancing themselves from Bill 1062. Republican Senator for Chandler, Steve Yarbrough, who sponsored the original bill, has now said he would “have to think” about sponsoring any similar bills given the uproar 1062 caused.

Representative Bob Robson, R-Chandler, has said, “I didn’t come down here to hurt people,” adding, “There are times you take a vote, then you feel queasy.” He later issued a public statement expressing “deep regret that I had been unable to foresee the consequences of passing this legislation.”

Seriously? What did he think would happen?

He is not alone in his back-pedaling, either. Rep. Jeff Dial, R-Chandler, and Sen. John McComish, R-Phoenix, have both said the bad publicity brought on by the bill’s passage have made them now question the need for the bill.

Rep. Frank Pratt, R- Casa Grande, said the reaction surprised him, as apparently it did many other Republican lawmakers. He has since stated that if he had known the bill would spark the level of backlash it has, he “Probably would [have] reconsider[ed] my vote.”

These are veteran politicians and, one would think, well-versed in the intricacies of politics and law-making. That they now are coming out saying they misread or misunderstood the level of public reaction against the bill is a bit disingenuous. It really doesn’t take much to look at a bill like 1062 and go ’whoa...hold on. What are the ramifications of this?’ and then vote against it. That they not only didn’t do that, but actively supported it, speaks volumes. They supported it...or did, until the public rose up and called them to account, as the public should in a democracy.

To now bat their lashes and go ‘gosh golly gee....oops!’ just isn’t good enough. Better than nothing, I suppose, but really - were they really that naïve (okay...stupid) to think this bill was legit, that it was reasonable and acceptable in a democracy? That, somehow, legislating a discriminatory practice as opposed to legislating against one, was even remotely acceptable?

If they did, maybe they need to find another career.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3950

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Community

Discussing Community Safety Phishing attacks, and how to protect yourself

By Constable Andy Buck

• Your contacts may tell you that they have received email messages from your address even though you haven’t sent them anything.

Hello again everyone, it’s great to be able to talk with you again. Just think, by the time you read next month’s article it will officially be Spring, hopefully the weather will reflect that!

I am regularly asked about online safety, so this month I wanted to spend a little time talking about that subject.

Phishing and Email Safety “Phishing” is an online safety concern that involves fake emails (or spam) written to appear as if they have been sent by a genuine organization with the intent of luring the recipient into revealing sensitive and confidential information such as usernames, passwords, account credentials, personal identifying numbers (PINs) or credit card details. Typically, phishing attacks will direct the recipient to a web page to get the user’s personal information. Phishing can lead to financial loss, identity theft or viruses on your computer.

• Your personal firewall may advise that an application has tried to connect to the internet although it is not a program that you are running.

Hopefully these tips prove useful to you. Most of them are common sense, but sometimes when the unexpected happens we do unusual or irrational things. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

As always, please stay safe and look out for each other. I look forward to talking with you again next month.

Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 • http://www.ttttips.com Constable Andy Buck 403-428-8154 • pol4792@calgarypolice.ca

Reporting phishing attacks If you receive a phishing email, take these steps to protect yourself and others:

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• Contact the company that was being impersonated to learn if they are alerting others of phishing scams and inform them of the incident. Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).

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If you did not provide personal information to the scam, delete the email.

If you did provide personal information, take these subsequent steps: • Contact your bank or credit card company if any of your financial information was used.

• File a complaint with the Calgary Police Service (403-266-1234) and obtain a police case number. Give this case number to your bank or credit card company.

• Provide the police case number to either Equifax or TransUnion, who are the two credit bureau companies in Canada.

• Run an anti-virus check on your computer.

• Check your e-commerce accounts (PayPal, EBay, Amazon).

• Tell friends and family to be wary of suspicious emails from you.

• Change your passwords.

How can I prevent phishing attacks?

There are numerous actions you can take to limit your chances of becoming a victim: • Use your best judgment and listen to your intuition. Stop and think before sending personal information over the internet or telephone.

• Delete email messages that ask for personal or financial information.

• Be suspicious of emails with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

• Be wary of emails that start, “Dear Valued Customer”, or use other words that evoke a sense of urgency or emotion.

• Remember, no legitimate company will ask for personal information through email.

How to tell if you’re a victim of a phishing attack The following are possible signs that your computer security may have been compromised by phishing or a virus: • Your computer behaves strangely, for example it makes unexpected sounds, has lots of error messages or shows changes in files or folders.

• Your computer “freezes” frequently, runs slowly or completely stops responding.

• Computer applications do not work properly.

• Disk drives may be inaccessible or start unexpectedly.

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

19

Unnecessary Farce Hams It Up

 Photo courtesy of Stage West

By Jason Clevett As a genre, farce is simply something that you either like or don’t. It’s even pointed out in the show that the plot of a farce is basically a lot of door slamming, misunderstandings and compromising positions that play for laughs. For some people there is no such thing as a necessary farce, the genre just doesn’t appeal to them. Others thoroughly enjoy it, and for those people Unnecessary Farce playing until April 13th at Stage West will be an enjoyable evening of dinner theatre fare.

The key to farce working is the delivery. If done poorly it is awful.

But Stage West has stacked this production with a cast that tackles the material with gusto. The Valentines Day production featured Eric Craig as Eric Sheridan, but for the rest of the run the role will be played by Scott McAdam. Sheridan is teamed with Billie Dwyer (Natascha Girgis), two small town police officers trying to uncover corruption in the government

with the help of Karen Brown (Emily Bartlett). Clueless Mayor Meekley (Glenn Nelson) is under investigation. The show takes place in two hotels rooms with a door attaching them, which of course is slammed repeatedly.

It is a hard show to review without revealing too much of the plot. Tory Doctor shows up in full on Scottish brogue which provides some of the shows best scenes. The cast is rounded out by Daniel Roberts as Agent Frank and Valerie Boyle as Mary, the mayor’s wife. Each actor knows how to milk the innuendo, physical comedy and quirky characters for maximum effect.

As usual, Stage West has a delicious spread to warm up with prior to the action on stage. Standouts this round included peach Melba chicken, Braised Beef Short Ribs Bourguignon and Mexican Spice Rubbed MahiMahi Fillet. The Valentine’s Day crowd certainly seemed to enjoy their romantic meals – though it doesn’t need to be Valentine’s Day to enjoy a date at Stage West.

To sum it up: if you enjoy farce, absolutely check out this one, despite its claim to be unnecessary. It is one of the better shows in the style I have seen, and starts to ramp up early instead of making the audience wait for things to start to pay off in the second act.

Stagewest Calgary http://www.stagewestcalgary.com Unnecessary Farce playing until April 13th http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3952

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Interview

 Will (Guy Wilson, left) with Sonny (Freddie Smith, right)

Days of Our Lives’ Guy Wilson There’s a New Will in Salem

By David-Elijah Nahmod When Days of Our Lives premiered on NBC in 1965, the network had no idea that the family oriented daytime drama would one day venture where few soaps dared to go: into the bedroom of a young gay couple.

Days, now approaching its 50th anniversary, is enjoying a renewed popularity after facing cancellation a few short years ago. The series’ average week-to-week Nielsen ratings have risen to 2.1, an increase from 2011’s 1.7. Soap Opera Network, an online magazine, reports that Days’ viewership for the week of February 10th – 14th was up a whopping 435,000 from the same week in 2013. And that’s just in the USA. Days of Our Lives is also seen in Canada, as well as in other countries around the world.

It has been said that part of Days’ resurgence is due to Sonny and Will, a young gay couple in love. Now a fan favorite, the boys have been credited with helping to turn the tide of public opinion on issues such as marriage equality.

Last year, Days fans were shocked when actor Chandler Massey, who had just won an Emmy for his work as Will, announced he was leaving the series to focus on his studies. Would viewers accept Guy Wilson, the actor hired to step into Will’s shoes?

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Wilson took the fan’s apprehension in stride. “I don’t take it personally,” he said. “I look at it as the fans caring about the show and about this relationship. If someone you care about leaves the show, you feel uncomfortable.”

Soon after Wilson’s January debut, Sonny proposed marriage to Will.

A hot bedroom scene followed. “I’m not uncomfortable with those scenes at all,” said Wilson. “It never bothers me. Freddie Smith (Sonny) is such a connected and present actor, so it’s easy to be grounded in those moments.”

The actor isn’t concerned about anti-gay backlash. “I wouldn’t feel the need to say much about that,” he said. “There are many reasons why people have reservations towards this issue. Lead by example. Any way we can broaden people’s awareness. Act and speak by example.”

He’d rather focus on what Days is accomplishing. “We won a GLAAD Media Award,” he said proudly. “I’m honored and privileged to be part of a show that’s a social institution. It’s in its 48th season, and it’s still trailblazing, still making headlines. These are exciting times.”

Wilson reports that he was embraced by the show’s cast, who made it easy for him to walk into the middle of an established storyline. “I thought it would be difficult, but everyone was so welcoming and gracious,” he said.

“They helped me fill in the blanks and get caught up to speed.”

The handsome young man wouldn’t say whether or not a wedding was in Sonny and Will’s future. In the sudsy world of soaps, anything can happen. “First and foremost, this is a love story,” he said. “They show affection and are intimate. It’s important to be truthful, to portray that love truthfully.”

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

21

Interview

 Kayla Bonham at the 2012 Canmore 24 hours of Adrenaline Race

To Boldly Go Where No LGBT Have Gone Before LGBT Calgarian on shortlist for traveling to Mars

By Evan Kayne Growing up in the 1960s, and watching the space race between the Soviets and Americans, Kayla Bonham believed this was a frontier worth exploring. The science fiction of the time had us reaching for the stars by the 21st Century. She, like many of us, were disappointed space lost momentum in the public imagination after the first moon landings were done. With the focus shifted to near earth exploration, the space station, and the robotic exploration of space, it didn’t seems as exciting to her. “The actual human presence of going out there and seeing what’s there with your own eyes – that adventure has not been present.” It was fortunate for her the Mars One came along.

For those who haven’t heard of it, Mars One is a non-profit organization which is pushing conceptual plans to establish a permanent human colony on Mars by 2024. They recently narrowed the selection down to 1058 applicants (from over 200,000 applicants), and Kayla was one of two Calgarians who got into this group.

Deciding to colonise a different planet is a huge step. Yet this 57 year old native Calgarian has dealt with tough decisions, being transsexual in denial until her mid-40s when she then completed her transition. Leaving family and friends behind might scare the average person, but to many in the LGBTQ community, it’s parallel to the decision to come out of the closet with family and friends – there’s that possibility you will lose them.

“Coming out is a big enough step…you risk alienating all the people and leaving them behind. When you do a physical gender and sex transition, it is a giant commitment to decide what you want to be for the rest of your life...once you’re taking the hormones and the surgery, you can’t go back.

It’s a one way trip. So I’ve committed to something like that in life already.

This (Mars One) is something I know I can do.”

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Kayla did try out for the Canadian program in the 1990s, but due to the sheer amount of qualified applicants she didn’t get a reply. That’s probably not a bad thing, as “in traditional space programs they’re looking for specialists in a lot of scientific fields. They wanted PhDs...multiple PhDs if possible, and medical doctors experienced with flight medicine because of the focus on evaluating human capacity to live in space.” While Kayla does have a Masters in Computer Science and a lot of work and life experience (we talked for almost an hour discussing both) her perspective is more of a generalist With the Mars One project, the overall crew skillset is different than governmental space missions. Two of the crew must be trained with mechanical skills to keep the equipment running. There’s one dedicated scientist with a geology/physics background and one dedicated medical specialist. The rest? Generalists. The concept behind the mission for the people would be that of the small village; in many small villages (especially those separated by vast distance from a large metropolis) villagers would wear many hats. True, each would have a specific skillset in one area, but often many would have significant training in overlapping areas, leading to a certain level of redundancy.

Of course, while she hopes to be our Rocket Gal living Life on Mars (apologies to Elton John and David Bowie) she will be leaving family and friends behind. The feedback has been mostly positive. “My daughter has been the most vocal about it. She fully supported me in my gender change...when I told her I was applying to this she said she’s really proud of me for applying. For sure she’ll miss me if I go, but she wasn’t holding me back.” As for Kayla’s friends, most are supportive. One friend doesn’t want Kayla to leave; however, as per the information on Mars One’s website, it’s not like there won’t be communications between the two planets: All communication between Mars and Earth goes through satellites.

Because of the distance, there is a substantial delay. As communication signals travel at the speed of light, this means that it can take between 3 and 22 minutes for the information to reach the other end, so a phone call would not be practical. Fortunately, there would be no limitations to email, texting or ‘WhatsApping’ with the Mars residents. It’ll just take at least 6 minutes for you to get your reply. Both voicemail and video messages are also easily workable options.

Kayla told me communications will just be reduced to sharing experiences through electronic means - which is pretty much how most people connect now.

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Even if Kayla doesn’t make the final cut, she is hoping to contribute to the project. It could be professionally, or through one of her hobbies: riding a fat bike. A fat bike is a modification of a mountain bike – frames built with large forks to accommodate over-sized tires, typically 94mm or larger and rims wider than 44mm. These bikes are designed for riding on soft, unstable terrain such as sand – of which Mars has a lot. “I got one of the fattest available now and I want to evaluate it to see if something like this can be useful in an exploration environment. People have already taken it to the Arctic and Antarctica, they use it in the desert.” Kayla says they are quite remarkable even compared to a mountain bike when it comes to traversing sand and snow.

It’d have to be modified to deal with the Martian fine sand; however, based on her experience with this new bike, Kayla is thinking she might be able to get some cooperation from bike manufacturers to try out various models suitable for Mars. “It’s a fun, optional idea, totally on my own... it might provide a point of interest to bring in all the mountain bikers of the world.” Not only that, a manually powered vehicle would be smaller to transport and you wouldn’t have to worry about power sources. It could be an emergency vehicle or a supplement to the existing rovers on base.

As for the long-term outlook on Mars one, while it appears the mission is one way, if the colony is successful there will be other colonies and eventually there may be two-way traffic between the two worlds. It’s all a big unknown. “The thing about this project is nobody can see how it’s going to succeed because the funding isn’t in place. They only need 6 billion dollars.”

all of my friends around me. I was always the cheerful one, trying to keep everyone’s spirits up. That aspect of my personality came out. I feel much more at ease with myself and expressing myself with other people.” This “can-do” attitude parallels what many earlier farmers and ranchers felt 100-150 years ago when they settled the prairies.

Regarding her age, she admits by the time of the mission she’ll be closing in on 68, yet doesn’t think that should hold her back. “I think it’s an advantage: I’ve had time to build up knowledge and skills over my lifetime, I have few attachments, my kids are grown up, I would like to spend the last 20 or 30 years of my life doing something this worthwhile.

Then when I’m no longer contributing, just keep me up there, I’ll retire on Mars. For the 20 and 30-year olds applying for this same project, they have far more to give up, committing more like 40 or 50 years to this project. If you look at ants, the dangerous job of exploring and foraging for food outside the nest is undertaken by the older ants, younger ones stay close to home where it’s safe!”

For right now she’s just enjoying whatever comes up next in her life.

Very few people have been asked to go on the Mars One mission, or very few people have thought it possible or desirable, but we all hope she might be the one of the few to do it.

Mars One http://www.mars-one.com

This is only a drop in the bucket to a lot of organizations and nations in the world (Bill Gates could fund it and have plenty of cash left over).

Yet they continue fundraising, the project is progressing on schedule, and there’s even a plan to release the media rights to watch the training program. This is on top of exclusive partnerships and sponsorships.

Kayla Bonham http://www.gaycalgary.com/u646

Talking to Kayla about her history and past; you could see how something like reaching for Mars wouldn’t be terrifying to her. It would be exhilarating and a chance for her to further be all she could be. “As soon as I gave myself permission to be female, I turned into this Mother Hen to

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Gossip McConaughey adrift on the Sea of Trees We no longer remember Failure to Launch or Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

We happily put them out of our head when Matthew McConaughey took the wheel of his terrible career and pulled an abrupt and awesome u-turn into seriously excellent work, the kind he promised everyone back in Dazed and Confused. Whether it’s on TV in HBO’s wickedly great True Detective or in good movie after good movie like Mud, Killer Joe or his nowOscar-nominated turn in Dallas Buyer’s Club, the man is on fire in the best possible way. So it’s almost run-of-the-mill good news to learn that he’s taken a role in the latest Gus Van Sant drama, Sea of Trees opposite Ken Watanabe. From a Chris Sparling (Buried) script that made the 2013 Black List, Van Sant will tell the story of an American man who goes to the notorious “Suicide Forest” located in the foothills of Japan’s Mount Fuji.

There he meets Watanabe, a Japanese man who’s having second thoughts about his own planned demise and the two begin a journey out of the forest and back to the land of the living. Maybe when he finds his way out he’ll give Kate Hudson some career rehab pointers.

Stockholm, Pennsylvania, population Cynthia Nixon and Saoirse Ronan Lest we forget that indie cinema is still the main destination for gutwrenching, heartbreaking stories, here comes Stockholm, Pennysylvania.

The debut directorial feature from Nikole Beckwith – it’s adapted from the stage play – was developed through the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and sounds like it’s going to require a box of Kleenex to deal with. A kidnapping drama – hence that title – it tells the story of a developmentally stunted young woman (Saoirse Ronan) held for 20 years by her captor (Jason Isaacs), then reunited with her birth mother (Cynthia Nixon) as an adult. Her mother must struggle to nurture the daughter she’s never known, earn her trust and affection and fight to restore her to the world of functioning human beings. In other words, here comes Cynthia Nixon swinging for the bleachers, and if anyone can get us to enter this sorrowful world it’s her. She always was the coolest member of the Sex and the City gang. Shooting this year, expect accolades for her come 2015.

College Republicans court the gay vote

 Emma Watson, photo by Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Deep Inside Hollywood Emma Watson endures Regression

By Romeo San Vicente Alejandro Amenabar, the gay, Academy Award-winning, Chilean-Spanish filmmaker, isn’t afraid to go there. He put Nicole Kidman through supernatural hell with The Others and directed Javier Bardem in the euthanasia-themed drama The Sea Inside. Now it’s Emma Watson’s turn, as she takes a role in the director’s new film, Regression, a thriller with a disturbing (and, until now, under wraps) plot. So far what we know is that the script is from Amenabar himself and co-stars Ethan Hawke as a convicted sex offender with no memory of his crimes, which include raping his own daughter. No news on whether or not Watson plays the daughter or the therapist who engineers the title’s therapeutic process that helps Hawke’s character retrieve the evidence of his horrible actions. Shooting this year, look for it to make your local multiplex the feel-bad place of 2015.

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Hot new gay director John Krokidas, fresh off his 2013 indie hit about the Beat Generation, Kill Your Darlings, has plans to reunite his stars for the next project on his plate. Krokidas is looking for Kill cast members Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan to reteam for College Republicans.

From a Black List script by Wes Jones, the film is a period piece, set in 1973, concerning much younger versions of right-wing political operatives Lee Atwater and Karl Rove on a very strange political road trip. The lighthearted satire of the birth of contemporary dirty tricks-style campaigning will tell the story of Rove cutting his teeth on a hardball campaign for National College Republican Chairman under the guidance of campaign manager Atwater. In other words, it doesn’t sound like a warm, fuzzy Tea Party-approved biopic. Good.

Romeo San Vicente knows all about dirty campaigns. Ask that still-angry homecoming king he used to know.

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The View From Michelle Visage RuPaul’s best friend back judging Season 6

 Photo by Jose Guzman

By Jason Clevett Since she became a judge on Season 3 of Rupaul’s Drag Race, Michelle Visage has established a reputation for tough love.

Returning to the judging table for season 6, airing Monday’s on OUTtv, Visage chatted with GayCalgary Magazine about her history with RuPaul which dates back decades.

“We met back in the old days when we would take a horse and buggy to a nightclub. Back in the days of prohibition. We met at a club called the Copacabana in New York in the late 1980s. I had just moved there when I was 17 to go to college and was hired by a club promoter. Ru was one of her staples. She hired me to run a voguing troop and I would see Ru and we would be like hey girl. It wasn’t really serious, we would see each other every night for however many years. I went into (music trio) Seduction and then The Soul System and I had a song on The Bodyguard

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Soundtrack the same time Supermodel of the World came out. We did a music expo in New York City and ran into each other, I was like I don’t know if you remember me and he replied, Girl I’ve been watching you for years. You are a superstar, of course I know who you are. I used to watch your skinny blonde ass on stage in the girl group and you would own that stage, there was nobody else on stage but you. I was like, Oh my god I love you!”

A few years later the pair reconnected and the rest is history.

“1996 rolled around, I hadn’t seen much of him as I was on tour.

I had been trying to break into radio because I had been a radio geek my entire life and it was a dream of mine. There was a radio station in New York launching during fashion week and I guess they contacted Ru because she was so hot and what a great way to launch a radio station.

I had been auditioning with different DJ’s and they brought in RuPaul, we saw each other and it was like the heavens opened. It was like a

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reunion. We didn’t know we would be working together and we came in that Monday morning, looked at each other, went on air and it was magical. They hired us that first day and offered us contracts. That is how our working relationship started was at WKTU radio station.

Then came the VH1 show and so on and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”

“Anything that is really funny always makes it on the show.

World of Wonder has genius editors who know exactly what needs to be on. The stuff that you don’t see isn’t worth viewing. It is reality in the sense that I am just being me, Ru is being herself and the queens are just being the queens. They wait for those magical moments and when they happen there is no way they will hit the floor. What hits the floor is the boring stuff that you wouldn’t care about anyway,” she said before talking about the guest judges. “I have to tell you they have all been wonderful. The thing about our guest judges that makes them different from every other show is they are not being paid to be there. They are super fans of the show. Khloe Kardashian is on this season and was like, I can’t tell you how much I live for this show. Jesse Tyler Ferguson is the same thing, he and his husband don’t miss an episode. Neil Patrick Harris, same thing. They are super super fans of the show. It is beautiful because it shows how impactful the show is.”

It seemed logical that Visage would be part of Drag Race from day 1 but some roadblocks prevented her.

“We had been working together all those years so when it was thought up and created, I was in the mix. I was working in radio and had a boss who wouldn’t let me take off more than a week to do the show. You can’t do a show in a week so I had to say no. I found out later that the boss was a homophobe. So I had to go on with my contractual duties. They called me again when Season 3 rolled around - there was no way I was going to say no. I went above my boss’ head to the Vice President of the company and asked and he gave me his blessing. So I took my rightful seat.”

There is a lot that goes into creating the hour of TV between the show and Untucked. Visage gave GayCalgary Magazine a look at a day in the life of a Drag Race judge.

“My day is a lot longer than Santino’s because I have to do hair and makeup and he just polishes his head now that he has shaved his hair off. My call time is seven, which is one hour less than Ru. I like to take my time, I get up early, exercise and go to the set. I meet makeup at 7am and hair comes at 8. I have my music blaring which is usually show tunes which drives everyone crazy but that’s who I am. It is hair and makeup for four hours before we get on set. It is a lot of work but also a lot of fun. I’m sitting next to my best friend and on the other side of me is a really fun guest judge. There is a lot of people running up asking me to stop laughing. I am always getting in trouble for that, but it is so much fun! I try not to make Ru laugh and I do and I can’t help it. We usually wrap on judging day between 8 and 9pm. It is a really long day but it is fun, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Out of a 14 hour day maybe 15 minutes from judging makes the show, but Visage explained it is the important parts that make air.

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The segment “just between us girls” often takes a lot of discussion before Ru declares it is time to “bring back my girls.”

“It can go anywhere from half an hour to two hours depending on how many queens there are.

When we are down to four or five it goes a lot quicker but when there are 14 it takes forever. Because we really talk and get into it and out of that comes those golden moments.

I wish we could do some sort of special where we air full deliberations because it is really interesting to see how we go back and forth on our opinions. It is the most fun part of the show, everybody feels like they can let down their guard and say what they are feeling because the queens aren’t there. Sometimes the guest judges don’t want to say the wrong thing because they don’t want to hurt the queens’ feelings even though that is how they feel. Some don’t care, like Ross Matthews and Johnny Weir will tell them, but a lot of them, especially the girls, are like I don’t want to hurt their feelings. I am like, girl you need to go for it. You aren’t hurting them you are helping them because they might not see themselves the same way you are. Don’t just let me be the bitch back

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me up! It is really amazing to watch how we go back and forth and the fighting between me and Santino.”

At times Visage also clashes with the queens, but takes pride when her feedback is taken into consideration.

“I hope I am helping. What I am doing is not for me, I am hoping it is having a positive influence and they are listening. When I see (Season 5 winner) Jinkx now she is like Mamma Michelle look at how big my hair is. These are moments where I feel good where they listen and it makes a positive impact on the way they feel about themselves. She knows how glamorous she looks compared to when she first came out. She just needed to be pushed out of her comfort zone. That is what it is about. I judge from a place of love, it is me trying not to change anybody. Santino will tell me I am tacky, duh. That is me, it takes a lot of money to look this cheap, to quote Dolly Parton, and that’s the way I like it. I would never ask a queen to change their esthetic or who they are permanently.

I am trying to push them out of their comfort zone to try something they would never do to be a bigger, more well-rounded queen. 99% of the time when they do it, it is like, oh my god I never thought I could pull this off.

It’s a moment of pride. If people ever complain to me or come after me on twitter it means they don’t get it. It’s not mean, it is tough love.”

Season 6 has already had its share of surprises. The 14 queens were split into two groups for RuPaul’s “Big Openings.” The other bombshell dropped? No immunity. Every season has twists and surprises that stun the audience and queens, and Visage herself.

“You’d think being RuPaul’s best friend I would get some sort of heads up. The first episode that we shoot I grab my tea, I go into his dressing room and we talk about the queens and who’s who. I don’t otherwise see them until they hit the stage. I really like the whole shock of first impressions. Sometimes if they do a challenge, the producers ask if I want to see the finished product before I get up there. I always wait because I like my reaction to be organic and genuine. So I find out at the same time as the cast. I had no idea about the no immunity, or if he is going to save 2 queens or let 2 go. I know nothing and I like it that way, for the surprises to happen organically. They keep me really far away from the queens during the show. This is the first season I met them all before the show aired because I did host premier parties this year.

The time I spend with them is very limited, when we are taping I don’t get to meet them. I don’t know what they are doing backstage or in the work room, I am completely segregated from them which makes sense.

In Season 3 when I lived in Florida I stayed in a different hotel from them. The thought is that if we all get together and kiki I will start having a love affair with the queens. I could judge and stay unbiased…if I am not allowed to hang out with them until the season is done. Then we all get close. But for the most part I don’t know any of the season 6 girls. It is pretty funny when they meet me for the first time after I have judged them, you never know how they are going to react. I do love them all, anybody who gets in a pair of heels, big hair and a dress, it takes nerve.”

The show features a lot of drama and emotion as well. A few moments stand out as really affecting Visage in the judging room.

“For me I am a stoic bitch, I am a Virgo and not a crier. It takes a lot to move me. The one that pulled out the most tears for me because it was so close to home was Roxxxy being left at the bus stop by her mother when she was 3. I am an adopted kid so I know what it is like to feel abandoned. Being a mom I couldn’t imagine leaving my child on a bus

bench to never return again. I think because I am adopted and a mom, that cut me to the bone. They didn’t even show how much I was crying because it was ridiculous. Then Ru started crying, and it was trying to get it together - we didn’t want to take away her moment. That is the most powerful moment for me. When Yara Sofia just gave up and broke down, that one hurt me a lot for her.”

RuPaul continues to inspire fans, queens and friends. This includes Visage, who through the years has had advice and moments with Ru that made an impact.

“Ru is one of the most evolved human beings I know and he has worked really hard at it. I have been there for a lot of phases of Ru. To see how he evolved spiritually in his life is inspiring. Two things he has said will always ring true to me. One was about our friendship during VH1. It was always a dream of mine to be a VJ on VH1 or MTV. I thought I would be a perfect fit on MTV but it never happened. He brought me to VH1 and they started using me for other stuff like red carpet interviews.

He was driving us back from the radio station and heading into the city to shoot. He does as much for me as he does for himself, and people don’t do that. Especially in our business people are so selfish, nobody wants to help anybody ever. He always looks out for me and says how can I get Visage involved. I looked at him and said, Thank you so much for helping this dream come true. He said bitch, I bring you because you make me look good. That was his way of saying I will always be looked out for. He feels completely comfortable around me, I will never let him fall or leave him dangling and no one will get to him, they would have to go through me, and vice versa. We are very much that way still. It was his way of saying you’re amazing and I wouldn’t do anything without you.

I have had my ups and downs over the years through many things in life.

I go to him for everything; that is what you do with your best friend. He said to me at the radio station, I am not surprised at all that you are the one that they paired me with. You are a hustler, the universe has never and will never let you down. You will never fail you will always succeed at everything you try to do. Any time I feel down or this is it I am going to stop trying - there are other people more talented or better singers - I think of him saying that and that is what keeps me going a lot. He is the only one who ever said it that way. A lot of people may not know it but I have been making a living professionally since I was 19 years old, and I am 45. There has got to be talent there somewhere it can’t all be luck.”

Although it is already taped, Visage is on the roller coaster that we as an audience are on, having not yet seen Untucked or other aspects of the shows. Expect another amazing season as the queens race to the finish line.

“You can see right out of the box we are changing things, Ru and World of Wonder is like that because they don’t want it to be predictable and boring. I love that they think that way. For season 6 I think for me in particular - and I said this to Ru as we were taping it - I couldn’t believe how strong of a group it was this time. Usually you can see three that are like sacrificial lambs. A lot of the time their audition tapes are incredible because they had someone do the tape for them or edited the shit out of it, it doesn’t even look like them. They get there in person and you are like who’s that? They can’t live up to the tape. I tell the queens when you make your tape make it real, because if it is all smoke and mirrors, what’s the point. This season there is not a lot of that, if any.

They all bring something really strong and seasoned to the table. This is the first season I’ve looked at the whole crew and went this is really strong, it’s going to be nitpicking to judge, they are that talented. That gets me excited.”

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Jeremy’s Vision Extends Around the World

By Carey Rutherford Jeremy Dias is the Director of Jer’s Vision, and let me tell you, he has specific ideas about the direction of his organization’s Youth Diversity Initiative. This is not surprising, considering the breadth and depth of what this Ottawa-based project has achieved in the past 9 years. The program information provided on their website mentions numerous workshops and presentations, and over a dozen Dare To Stand Out conferences this year alone. As it says there, “Customized, youth-led, and intersectional, Jer’s Vision workshops engage youth in a dialogue about diversity, and understanding the impact of discrimination, bullying, and hate.”

And not for the first time, Canada’s most famous pseudo-news humourist, Rick Mercer, is involved with their annual Day of Pink Gala in Ottawa: “(Rick) has been incredibly supportive of our organization for a long time now. It’s amazing that someone in his position is so in-touch with Canadians and the work that people are doing across the country. It’s an honour to pair up with him, but what I think is really cool is that at Jer’s Vision, we run the gamut of people that we work with. We work with everyone, from Allison Redford, to former premiere Gerald Baxter.

It’s incredible, and I love the work that we do.

“For example, today, a bank manager and branch in Montreal: one of the fastest-growing groups of people wearing pink is business executives.

People in offices are finally recognizing that this is not just a problem in schools, but in communities and workplaces.”

Of course, it’s no surprise that ‘bullying’ is not restricted to the schoolyard, but it is surprising to hear about a large organization getting support for directing their gaze into that more independent community.

However, Jeremy isn’t afraid of wandering into unexpected alleys of need, and he begins describing the intent of their mindset by pointing out that in every occurrence of this dynamic, there are common factors: “You have to kick out the bully; you have to convince the bystander to stand up; you have to convince the victim to talk and get help. It’s really problematic because, the truth is, we’ve all been bullies, victims and bystanders in different aspects of our lives. And that’s really important

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to recognize, because we all have the capacity to hurt people, whether it’s intentional or unintentional. …The power of our shared and connected humanity is really relevant, particularly if we’re going to tackle something like bullying.”

He goes even deeper as the interview goes on.

“This problem is so complicated, and it’s rooted in queer culture politics, and queer social justice, and trans rights. They’re not mutually exclusive concepts, and I think that’s what a lot of mainstream organizations struggle with.

“It’s one thing to say We need to stop name-calling, (while also saying) We don’t need to have queer identity in the curriculum. Do you know what? You do.”

And then, Jeremy gets going: we discuss the socio-politics of the origins of bullying, how that dynamic is created and impacted by one’s class origins, race origins, wealth origins, and not always in the manner that wider society would expect.

“You need to address the homophobia, the biphobia, the transphobia.

We need to look at the gender lens, the race lens, the immigration lens, the intersection … urban … and rural lens (that we see through). The low-income and poverty lens.

“Our campaign theme this year is Everyday is a day of pink, because, let’s be honest here, a pink shirt does not stop bullying. But you know what does?” A teacher teaching a math class using the classic example of travelers on trains going in opposite directions at certain speeds, except that they are a same-sex couple. And that, Jeremy claims, is social justice. When I suggest that such an agenda is too broad for a single organization, that it must be overwhelming, he is unfazed: “No, Social justice isn’t overwhelming! Making a difference in the world is not overwhelming: that’s the smoke and mirrors. The reality is that the work we do at Jer’s Vision is not rocket science. Social justice is not easy, it just requires you to stretch yourself. The hardest part of the work we do is to look introspectively. I, Jeremy Dias, the director of an anti-bullying charity, acknowledge that I have been a victim of bullying, a bystander of bullying, and a bully myself. Now I’m going to do something about it: now I’m going to make a change. That’s the critical point. When we go to schools, we find half a million anti-bullying posters on the walls,

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Event but I’m pretty hard-pressed to find a kid that says, I’m a bully! And I would challenge you in the workplace to find a (self-proclaimed) bully.”

Jeremy then makes a point about the prevalence of non-intentional bullying, describing how a student in a recent workshop said that he felt bullied when he had to go get a late slip. It’s sounds opportunistic, but Jeremy points out the powerlessness of the student after the initial infraction, that he misses chunks of class time chasing down the appropriate signatures for the late slip, that a few of them incur school time detentions which can further impact his learning chances, and that he really has no recourse to defending his situation, which may have causes also outside of his control, either at home or in the schoolground; the bigger picture of why the late slip occurs.

“Where in this system is the solution to the student’s lateness? Where is the place to say How come you’re late? …The teacher, who is part of the system, doesn’t think she’s bullying; the secretary is also part of the system.

“That’s the critical lens the Day of Pink tries to bring to the table.

If we’re going to look at Bullying, we need to re-examine some of the institutions that we’re in: we need to examine the ways we work with people… It’s about making small changes that will fundamentally alter the workplace and the world we live in.”

“It’s not something that will just happen overnight, of course. But it’s not difficult, either.”

Jer’s Vision http://www.JersVision.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3957

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Coming Out Monologues

By Lisa Lunney Calgary’s Coming Out Monologues are back for a 2014 edition, marking the fifth annual edition of this event and promising to be as fabulous as ever. This year they will offer three unique evenings of performance, each with a diverse selection of spoken word, movement and musical pieces - something to appeal to everyone.

Performances will take place March 19th, 20th and 21st at the gorgeous John Dutton theatre in downtown Calgary. Behind the Coming Out Monologues is a dedicated team of volunteers, without whom the event would not be possible. Lisa Van Osch proudly shares her reasons for being part of this dynamic team of volunteers, stating “the monologues are such an amazing means for expression and celebration, and being part of this amazing atmosphere seemed like a no-brainer.” Together this team has created a safe place for the LGBT community to come together and have fun with fellow allies, and new friends.

Coordinator for the monologues, Madeline Hardy, shares, “I wanted to become involved in a project that was focused on celebrating and recognizing people and the positive aspects of the community. To me, the coming out monologues is exactly that. It’s an event where we all get to meet, share and celebrate our stories.”

Leading the 2014 lineup, hosting the event and providing entertainment are the comedy musical group, The Dirrty Show. The hilarious female duo of The Dirrty Show have been writing and performing music about sexuality and obscure fetishes since early 2011. They have since been dubbed the female version of ‘Tenacious D’ combined with eclectic humour that’s compared to ‘Flight of the Conchords’. Hailing from Red Deer, this duo has traveled all across Alberta playing Yuk Yuk’s, The Taboo Sex Show and Boonstock, to name only a few.

The Dirrty Show will be performing March 19th, and March 20th. The Monologues will kick off with Wednesday night’s performances. In addition to The Dirrty Show, Shambuddha will be sharing his experience about coming out to family and friends and how it has transformed his life, and in the process rebuilt his confidence. University of Calgary student, Alex will be taking the stage to speak of her passion for fighting for human rights. Shiloh - a self-proclaimed vintage Pinup gal of the 40’s born into a world of romance and submission - will be taking listeners on a journey of acceptance and self-love. Joining the Wednesday night performances will be: River, Janine, Orry and Alex.

Thursday night features a jam-packed schedule headlined by The Dirrty Show. Graham Shonfield will be sharing his journey to acceptance; for Graham, coming out wasn’t too hard for (him) in high school, but the difficulty came afterwards when (he) started traveling and living in places where it was safer for (him) to be in the closet. Performer Edwin will bring his passion for social justice and equality, with a twist of humor that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Newcomers to the Monologues, Tobyn, Marissa, Sam and Chantal will deliver just what the crowd needs: cathartic performances, and laughter.

The 2014 edition of the Coming Out Monologues will end with a bang with Friday night’s performances. Published poet Dale Lee Kwong will take the stage and share her stories of romantic queer relationships. The unique team of Susan and Helena pairs a mother and daughter with a bold message.

These ladies will be sharing ten life lesson’s no queer should ever forget, especially if they fancy femmes. Desiree, a master of spoken word will rock the stage with her empowering voice and fierce stage presence. Performers Dave, Nancy and Susan, Brandon Craig and Evan will each have something unique to offer to make these monologues memorable, and moving.

The Coming Out Monologues http://comingoutyyc.tumblr.com The Coming Out Monologues March 19th – 21st @ 7:30pm • John Dutton Theatre, Calgary Twitter: @ComingOutYYC • Facebook: ComingOutYYC http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3958

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And She’s Telling You ...

Jennifer Holliday on drag queen backlash, death threats and her fake Oscar

 Photo by Lou Freeman

By Chris Azzopardi Jennifer Holliday wants to clear something up: When she performed her signature song, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” on American Idol, those facial contortions weren’t a joke. She wasn’t exorcising a demon or doing them to out-diva Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez, who she sang the number with.

Holliday’s been showing that song who’s boss since 1981, when the Dreamgirls actress originated the iconic role of Effie on Broadway.

Over 30 years later, Holliday, 53, still feels Effie’s raw emotion – an emotion that’s conveyed on her first solo secular album in 23 years, The Song Is You, a collection of R&B standards.

In this new interview with Holliday, the singer recalls the death threats she received after that American Idol performance two years ago, the backlash from the gay community when she lost weight and how she celebrated when Jennifer Hudson won her Dreamgirls Oscar – she bought her own.

GC: Why has it been so long since you released a solo secular

album?

JH: The music business kept changing when I started making music in the ’80s, and I got lost because my record company, Geffen Records, felt that I wasn’t attractive enough back then. They were like, “You have a great voice, but you’re not really attractive to do what we need to do.”

GC: So you weren’t marketable according to them?

JH: Yeah, that’s what they were saying. It’s so strange, too, because

it used to be big voices were associated with big bodies – I’m 200 pounds smaller now than I was in the ’80s. Then the little girls with the big voices slipped in – Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston (laughs) – you

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know what I’m saying? So I just felt I missed some things, and some people would probably disagree on terms of “whatever’s meant for you is meant for you,” but I just felt I missed out on a lot.

GC: It sounds like mainstream success was something you hoped

for.

JH: Yeah, but it never happened. I only had the one big hit, “And I Am Telling You,” and then I just didn’t make a lot of albums.

Fortunately, because I had a diversified career, I did more theater and some television acting – I was on Ally McBeal for five-and-a-half seasons – so it did allow me to have a more diverse career by having to find other ways (to work) besides recording.

GC: Where do you keep your Tony award?

JH: With my Grammys. I have everything together.

GC: In a special glass case?

JH: They’re just out. Yeah, I’m not that wealthy or anything – not

for a case.

GC: So no armoire?

JH: Child, no. They’re just out with everything else. (Laughs) GC: Would you have gone the music route if Dreamgirls hadn’t

happened?

JH: I don’t think I would have had an opportunity to do that. My first show was called Your Arms Too Short to Box With God and I was on board with that when they saw me for Dreamgirls, so I basically would’ve just been a theater baby. Actually, I’m glad about it now because having to do eight shows a week, you learn how to preserve your voice – so thankfully, 32 years later after Dreamgirls, I still have my instrument intact.

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I don’t know if I would’ve actually pursued a recording career because image was beginning to become everything, and I was an overweight girl and quite self-conscious about it. I didn’t aim to be a recording artist. I came straight out of the church, out of the Baptist choir, onto the stage. I was discovered in Houston, Texas, while I was singing in the choir, so I don’t know what my fate would’ve been had it not been for Dreamgirls. I just don’t know.

GC: Because Dreamgirls was created with you in mind, do you think a lot of people see you as Effie?

JH: I think so. Of all the accolades that I got for my American Idol performance two years ago with Jessica Sanchez, I also got a few disturbing comments from people laughing at me because of the facial expressions that I made when I was performing the song. I wish I could’ve explained that the song came out of a play and I still have the emotion of Effie when I do the song. I think that’s why I’ve been able to sing it and sing it well – because I’ve never tried to make it all about Jennifer Holliday. I’ve always tried to stay true to the character, and to some people it did look a little over-the-top or awkward, and so there were some very mean comments people made. Someone even threatened to kill me. I was like, “Whoa, wait a minute, what’s going on?”

GC: Did those comments make you self-conscious about your face when you sing?

JH: It did. Actually, I took my Facebook and my Twitter page down because the comments had gotten so ugly about the facial expressions, and I felt they didn’t understand. When they started circulating my Tony Awards performance from back in 1982, people kind of eased up off of me once they saw it. They got it. But before they were just very hard on me, saying, “Why did it take all of that for her to sing the song?” And it wasn’t that it takes all of that; it’s just that I go to another place so that it’s real and so that the emotion is real, and I stay true to what Effie gave us. I’m still connected with Effie.

GC: You’ve said that without the gay community you would have no career at this point.

JH: Oh, I don’t think I would. I don’t think that I would because they’re the ones that carried this Dreamgirls thing on. Even when they were trying to impersonate me and it was like, “OK, she lost weight now, she’s not gonna put it back on, what do we do?” I was like, “Lose weight, child.” But for the most part, they’re the ones who carried the legacy of Dreamgirls way beyond with impersonations and pageants, so it lived in the gay community for many, many years. Otherwise it would not be a movie. It wouldn’t have been anything if it had not been for the gay community.

For myself, I used to be able to work with the gay clubs without a record and not work anywhere else. I would go on at 3 or 4 in the morning and they allowed me to hold onto my dignity, and that’s what I wanted for them so much – to be able to have their dignity, because they loved me so much.

GC: When you first heard Jennifer Hudson’s take on “And I Am Telling You,” what did you think?

JH: I don’t know if I can really look at it like that. But having it portrayed on the screen, I couldn’t help but be proud, because I created it. That’s something that I created. And that’s a part of history now – twice! Not only did it make Broadway history, now it’s made movie history because she won an Oscar – or, we won an Oscar. Yeah, we won an Oscar, honey! (Laughs) In fact, they sell little Oscars in LA and I got one. I got a little one. I bought me one. It’s one of those little plastic ones they have at the gift shop.

GC: And it’s right next to your Tony?

JH: That’s right! And my Grammys. I have a little Oscar now.

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GC: Were a lot of your friends gay when you first started your

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theater career?

JH: Well, you know I’m in the theater, so of course – everybody’s gay in theater pretty much! (Laughs) So yes, I did make a lot of gay friends.

Unfortunately, I also lost a lot of gay friends because the ’80s was the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, so I saw firsthand how devastating the illness was. It was a very devastating time, so yes, I knew lots of gay people, and was dear, dear friends with them, but I also lost so many dear friends as well.

GC: Was it during Dreamgirls that you became aware of your gay following?

JH: No, I think it was afterwards. Back then I didn’t do anything to have a following. It was after the show had pretty much ended – after the AIDS epidemic had quieted down – and then that’s when it came forth. I think when you go through a certain tragedy with people, you’re closer to them. Once people were beginning to assert themselves, and gay men started taking a stand and coming out, I became more so associated with the gay community because my music, I think, is the kind that pulls you through. A lot of people say to me, “Your album got me through this particular time when I was just coming out.”

GC: It’s about empowerment.

JH: That’s right – empowerment.

GC: Why do you think Dreamgirls and the character of Effie has

resonated so strongly with the gay community all these years?

JH: The gay community has seen themselves as outcasts, as freaks and as something to be ashamed of. They associate with Effie because of the weight problem – she was overweight, she was awkward and she was trying to fight for herself. Nobody loved her. That’s what I’m thinking they identified with, and the reason why I say that is because when I lost weight I got a lot of backlash from the gay community – from the ones who were performing my songs – that I had betrayed them by losing weight. I was like, “No, you all need to go ahead and just come out and not be ashamed of who you are.” I’m not gonna end up a tragedy so that gay people can live and feel comfortable with me. It was almost like I had to have a tragic end like Judy Garland, or the ones that they were attracted to, in order for them to feel connected. I’m not gonna put on no weight so you can like me again. You go ahead and be who you need to be and don’t be ashamed of it.

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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Interview The fact most pinup models are usually associated with a predominantly male fan base has proven to be one barrier facing the vixen, but she always tries to stay true to herself, even if it alienates some potential fans.

“Sometimes I wonder if I’m sharing too much information about my personal life or not enough. It’s a fine line but I’ll always choose honesty because I respect real people. I mean, I don’t want to be known solely for being gay and it shouldn’t matter but at the same time, I am proud of who I am and I am eager to be an example that you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

That’s why Happy Jenn encourages her fans to stay true to themselves, “while remembering that the key to happiness is within yourself.”

“Never let anyone else tell you who you are or what you are capable of.

Only you can decide your fate. And if you always follow your passion and remain true to yourself you will always be happy,” she adds.

While the beautifully versatile model adorns all sorts of looks and themes, one of her favourite looks is anything vintage - and rockabilly.

“It’s a classic vintage look with a bad ass rock and roll edge that allows me to pseudo-modernize a timeless look.”

And she’s more than just a pretty face. Happy Jenn also is a writer and aspiring entertainer and would love to publish a book or play a role in a movie. But that’s not all. While she’s been internationally published in over a dozen of different magazines from pinup specialities to the nation’s most popular lesbian magazine Curve as the “this is what a lesbian looks like” interview earlier this year, she still wants more.

“I’ve never made a cover before so that’s the last of my modeling goals.

I plan on following my bliss and keeping my eyes peeled for whatever opportunities the universe sends my way.”

Personally though, Happy Jenn is already living a happy and fulfilled life with the woman of her dreams who she married over a decade ago, after proposing to her on their first Valentine’s Day. “We waited over 11 years for it to become legal in our state and as soon as it was - we were married. This year is our lucky 13,” Happy Jenn says. “She is amazing and my proof that soul mates exist.”

Happy Jenn says she admires pioneer lesbians who have paved the way for others including Ellen and Tegan and Sara. “I think that says a lot about our world today and how much things have changed within our community especially within the last decade.”

Don’t Judge a Pin Up by its Cover Lesbian model breaking down barriers

By Krista Sylvester Born and raised in East Baltimore City Md., future Pin Up Happy Jenn was constantly told by people she knew that she reminded them of a particular pinup beauty. That resemblance just happened to be with icon Bettie Page, who is a role model and inspiration for thousands, including Happy Jenn.

But society is not quite there yet, which is one reason why Happy Jenn has created a sisterhood group called Pin Up Sisters United.

“I saw a need for support and encouragement amongst women in our community and I filled it. People from all over the world, established or aspiring, can share their photos and accomplishments with positive like minded individuals. “ Fans can follow Happy Jenn on Facebook under her name “Pin Up Happy Jenn.”

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Despite the constant reminders, Happy Jenn didn’t really think anything of it until her first professional shoot, which turned out so well that she used the photos to enter her first pinup contest - and thus Happy Jenn was born.

She also just happens to be one of the world’s only lesbian pinup models, a fact she is proud of but doesn’t want to rely on. And while she is stunningly beautiful, inside and out, it doesn’t always mean it has been an easy ride.

“I’m sure things would be much easier for me if I lived in an area where pinup was more popular,” she says, referring to her hometown. “And I’m also certain there are a few male photographers out there who wouldn’t offer me free services simply because they have no chance of getting in my panties - but I don’t really look at those as challenges. I choose to see opportunities instead of challenges in all aspects of my life.”

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Interview

 Missy Suicide

Missy Suicide

Redefining beauty one tattoo at a time

By Krista Sylvester She’s so suicide girl.

The phrase likely conjures images of tattooed women, adorned with piercings and uniquely cut or dyed hair. And that’s what a suicide girl is on the surface, but they’re so much than that, according to Suicide Girls co-founder Missy Suicide.

In 2001, before Friendster, MySpace and Facebook, Suicide Girls started as a community website where people who didn’t exactly fit into traditional society could come together and meet like-minded women who didn’t fit into the narrow definition of mainstream beauty.

“That was over 12 years ago and since then the definition of beautiful has expanded a little bit which is great, and we’re stoked on that, but when we started it was a different landscape,” explains Missy. “There were two types of beauty; Pamela Anderson silicon enhanced buxom blonde beautiful or the waist thin Kate Moss sort of blonde beautiful.”

But Missy Suicide and the Suicide Girls website set out to change that definition, or at least expand it.

“We thought the girls we knew were some of the most beautiful girls in the world with tattoos, piercings and crazy coloured hair and who chose to live life to the beat of their own drummer.”

And more than that, the Suicide Girls site transformed into its own brand. Years later, and there has been books, pop culture references, they’ve been featured in televisions shows and movies. They’ve even had a burlesque tour or five, and now after a six year hiatus they are in the midst of a Canadian tour including a stop in Calgary in early April.

“I think that we’ve become more known and I think that the term Suicide Girl has kind of become its own way to describe girls that we represent. It’s kind of like if you say Kleenex, you know you’re talking about tissue, if you say Xerox you know you’re talking about a photocopy and if you say she’s so ‘suicide girl’, you know you’re talking about a girl with tattoos that doesn’t fit into that sort of [mainstream beauty].”

After a six year hiatus, the women of Suicide Girls with their Blackheart Burlesque tour, hit the Marquee Beer Market on April 4th.

But a lot has changed since Suicide Girls initially toured and performed burlesque.

“When we were first doing burlesque shows, there wasn’t really anyone doing any shows and now there are tonnes of different alternative burlesque like Star Wars burlesque and large scale spectacle performers, so we knew we really had to up our game.”

And up their game they did. Fans of the show should expect a “super sexy fun burlesque take on pop culture.”

Blackheart Burlesque features all new performances and music, complete with tongue-in-cheek humor and raw erotic sexuality. The new show features stunning choreography from renowned choreographer Manwe Sauls-Addison, who has worked with world famous performers such as Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga. Audiences can expect stripteases and performances poking fun at Kill Bill, Game of Thrones, The Big Lebowski, Planet of The Apes, Dr. Who and more.

“We really upped our performance factor by ten, we really turn it up to 11 and you know we took the same sort of sexy spirit we pioneered back in the day we just really executed everything at a much higher level,” Missy says.

Before the Suicide Girls went on hiatus they performed for thousands of fans across North America for five years, opened for Courtney Love and Guns ‘N’ Roses, as well as performing at music festivals in Europe and Australia. The group has just finished a successful American and Australian tour and are now ready to take on the Great White North.

And while there are other burlesque shows, it’s not a competition for Suicide Girls who are happy they might have played even a small part in paving the way for other alternative acts.

“I like to think we were doing it before it was popular and I feel like hopefully we had some influence but I wouldn’t dream of taking full credit for this shift in society being more accepting,” Missy says. “But I think that hopefully we played some small part. I think society is definitively shifting to becoming more accepting and diverse.”

Suicide Girls www.suicidegirls.com

Not bad for a small website that started in Portland with not-so-lofty aspirations to make it to Seattle. But the site has grown to boast over 3000 female members from every continent including the Antarctic, with hundreds of thousands more applying to become a Suicide Girl.

There are four coffee table books and six or seven movies. And the most impressive number? Suicide Girls have over 12 million followers.

Tickets and show information: www.blackheartburlesque.com

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“It’s been an amazing ride and I feel lucky to have come on this journey, but I had no idea that it would turn into this,” Missy says, adding, “Maybe I should have dreamed bigger.”

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35

Interview

Storytelling to Storyweaving

An evening with Muriel Miguel

By Lisa Lunney Muriel Miguel (Kuna / Rappahannock) is a woman known for her stories. She has become an internationally acclaimed Aboriginal artist, teacher and diva. This March, she will be returning to Calgary for the first time since 2001, and she will set the city on fire with her retrospective discussion of her grandiose career.

As mentioned, Miguel’s last Alberta appearances were in 2001, when she performed the raucous one-woman show Hot ‘N Soft to a sold out crowd in Calgary for Teatro Berdache’s Threesome Festival of New GLTBQ plays. This wildly amusing play was recently published

by Playwrights Canada press in the anthology Two-Spirit Acts: Queer Indigenous Performances, alongside works by Kent Monkman and Waawaate Fobister. In addition to spoken word performances, Muriel also choreographed and performed in the critically acclaimed Bones: An Aboriginal Dance Opera at The Banff Centre in 2001. This performance was one that blended indigenous performers from across the globe, bringing huge crowds to Banff.

Along with her sisters, Miguel is also the artistic director of North America’s longest running Native theatre company, Spiderwoman Theatre. As an actress, choreographer and director, Miguel has worked across North America, including several years’ work with the Banff Centre’s Aboriginal Arts Program. Muriel Miguel is driven by the beauty of a creative mind; she is passionate about art in all forms.

Contemporary Calgary, formerly The Art Gallery of Calgary is proud to host Miguel on Thursday March 27th. She will speak about her journeys in life and her celebrated career. She is a woman of many life experiences, and has a deep, culturally rooted story to tell.

Her career started on a high note: fifty-four years ago in the 1960s, Miguel was at the forefront of New York City’s avant-garde theatre scene, as an original member of Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theatre. Fast-forward to the 1980s, when Miguel appeared as “Philemona Moosetail” in the original production of Tomson Highway’s groundbreaking play The Rez Sisters. With over fifty-years of showbiz experience under her belt, this diva sure has a story to tell.

Miguel is admired for her work with Aboriginal youth; she has cited her work with the next generation as her greatest accomplishment. As a teacher in post-secondary programs, she has pioneered culturally based teaching methodologies now used across North America. She has changed the face of education, and sought out to ensure human rights are always at the forefront of any lesson. She has made waves for Toronto’s Centre for Indigenous Theatre. A loud and proud Two-Spirit

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woman – the mantle worn by gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual Indigenous people to reflect the special gift of their sexuality - Miguel is recognized across North America as an advocate, elder and stateswoman.

Muriel Miguel is an icon. A woman of outstanding courage, passion and zest for life. A woman ever so deserving of the title of Diva. Contemporary Calgary invites everyone to attend this special evening.

From Storytelling to Storyweaving: An Evening with Muriel Miguel runs from 6pm to 8pm at Contemporary Calgary, 117 – 8th Avenue SW. Admission is free; laughter is mandatory. The talk runs in conjunction with Deadly Lady Art Triumvirate, an exhibition of works created at CC by Alberta First Nations artists Tanya Harnett, Amy Malbeuf and Brittney Bear Hat.

From Storytelling to Storyweaving: An Evening with Muriel Miguel Thursday, March 27th @ 6-8pm Contemporary Calgary (117 – 8th Ave SW) http://www.artgallerycalgary.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3962

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37

Straight Talk with Jennifer Nettles

Sugarland frontwoman talks lesbian rumors, coming out straight and the gay movement in country music  Photos by James Minchin III

By Chris Azzopardi Jennifer Nettles is the voice of one of country’s biggest acts, but it wasn’t always that way. Before Sugarland, in the late ’90s, the Atlanta singer was fronting two little-known bands, Soul Miner’s Daughter and the Jennifer Nettles Band, performing at dive bars and not caring if her short hair made her look like a lesbian. It’s back to that stripped-down sound on Nettles’ first solo album, That Girl, a side project produced by Rick Rubin.

In a recent chat, the singer talked “keeping it in the gay family” musically, her thoughts on LGBT issues in the country community and the sweet words for her son should he ever come out to her.

GC: When we chatted a few years ago, the joke was that you have the musical taste of a gay man.

JN: I do! (Laughs) GC: But That Girl is raw and, in the sense that it has that girl-with-

guitar vibe, it’s very Ani DiFranco- and Indigo Girls-ish.

JN: I’m still keeping it in the gay family!

GC: So this album is your lesbian phase?

JN: (Laughs) We should be so lucky.

GC: I’ve been following you since Soul Miner’s Daughter.

JN: Oh, well then, honey, you know this isn’t my lesbian phase. I

started that way long ago!

GC: You did! I recall the line, “It’s crotch propaganda / bat for both

teams / and it’s me not choosing sides standing in between” from the song “On the Shoulders of Giants.” Were those lyrics as personal as they sound? Did you relate to the words?

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JN: I did completely in the sense that I have my dear, dear friend – a longtime friend and now my personal assistant, and she’s gay – who said to me, “Jennifer, you’re the only person I’ve ever known that had to come out as a straight person,” which I thought was hilarious. (Laughs) I had such a strong lesbian following, and in the gay community as a whole, I’ve always had so much support from them. I think a lot of people assumed, too. Whenever they heard a woman with an alto voice playing an acoustic instrument stylistically reminiscent of those wonderful icons you counted, Ani DiFranco and Indigo Girls – and especially with the audience I had in my 20s – I think a lot of people just assumed that (I was lesbian). So those lyrics – “crotch propaganda / bat for both teams / and it’s me not choosing sides standing in between” – I definitely related to because it’s like, who cares? Why choose sides? And why do you have to?

GC: The short, punky hair you had then only reinforced those assumptions, I’m sure.

JN: Oh yeah. But you know what, the cool thing is, I’ve really found that everybody just wants to be authentic. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, and so what if I have a short haircut and someone assumes something one way or another. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t care. A lot of times we’re just trying to relate to each other and trying to figure out where we fit in. So if I have a short haircut and that makes me gay or straight or whatever to someone else, I don’t care.

GC: So you recognized a gay following even before Sugarland?

JN: Oh yeah. It was pretty obvious, to me at least, and I was so

grateful for that support. I don’t know if it was because I went to a women’s college – again, I think there was a whole slew of different influences pieced together that allowed for my support within the gay

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GC: Country music doesn’t have a history of embracing the gay community, so how does it feel to see the genre make progress on that frontier?

community – but I like to think that it’s just because it’s good music, and everybody likes good music.

GC: And there’s every type at a Sugarland show.

JN: It’s exciting to see within the country genre, yet at the same time, for me in terms of social motivation and evolution and moving forward, I always feel – be it within a music genre or a religious movement or whatever – like, “OK, come on, let’s move faster. Let’s get there faster. Let’s get it done.” This should have already been behind us. So I am excited about it, but I want it to continue and be more.

JN: Which I like.

GC: Sugarland

has been known to push traditional country boundaries; the last album, The Incredible Machine, went arena rock. For this solo project, you’re doing something that sounds nothing like what people are used to hearing you do. Do you look at these ventures as career risks?

And why is it important to take them?

JN: What is important for me to do is to make sure I stay authentic to myself as an artist, and that I don’t stagnate and that I think fresh – not only for myself but for my fans. It’s super easy, especially in this business when one gets to a level of success, to become a caricature of yourself. They say, “Oh my god, that’s perfect.

Stay just like that but bigger,” and things get exaggerated and you become a caricature. So I wanted to shake it up for myself and I wanted to show my fans something different. I don’t really look at it as a career risk, but if that happens to be the result of being authentic to myself as an artist, so be it. To me, it’s an even greater risk to stagnate.

GC: You’ve described Sugarland as “the weird kids in the corner.”

Do you think the gay community can relate to you more because you identify as being on the fringe?

JN: The resounding message here is authenticity. Within the gay community, the courage it takes to be one’s authentic self – even if you’re viewed as different – is inspiring. Consequently there is definitely a connection in that degree of authenticity – and doing it because you gotta be who you are – that connects my music with the gay community.

GC: You’ve expressed interest in playing Elphaba in Wicked, and she’s an outsider as well. How do you relate to these feelings of being an outsider?

JN: I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’m comfortable with the discomfort and prefer to be there or if that’s just how I relate, but I end up in that role so much. I’ve always sort of been that way – an outside floater. I have lots of friends among diverse groups and diverse demographics and yet, at the same time, I can relate to what it feels like to be the outsider.

GC: Has the gay community ever inspired a song you wrote?

JN: I would have to think about that specifically, but I would say

what I do as a writer is to speak to overarching human themes, and that tends to resonate regardless. If it’s something that is empowering, it can be empowering within a smaller specific group or it can be empowering overall.

A song like “Stand Up,” for example: I had a woman at a radio show meet-and-greet last week who came up and said, “Your song ‘Stand Up’ inspired me to come out completely after college,” and I was super touched and moved by that because that’s what you want to do as an artist and that’s what you want to do as a writer – you want to inspire people to connect with themselves and to be their best selves. So while there’s never a consciousness of, “OK, let me write a song that has a certain message for one specific kind of person,” there is a message for people in general – and it resonates with everybody.

GC: Have you ever received flak for your support of the gay community?

JN: No. I think people know better. In the sense that I definitely try to live as authentically and honestly as I can, I think it’s known that I am supportive of human rights, gay rights and civil rights across the board. It’s pretty well known where I stand.

GC: What did you think of all the same-sex marriages during Macklemore’s performance at the Grammys?

JN: I saw Queen Latifah the next day – and obviously she was the officiant at the mass wedding – and she and I were chatting about it. I was like, “I’m just so blown away.” I mean, number one, if Queen Latifah was the officiant at my wedding, amazing, OK?! And two: She said, and very rightfully so, that a few years from now this won’t even be a conversation. And wouldn’t that be nice to be able to look back at history and, like we have any time there’s a violation of civil rights and human rights, go, “God, I can’t even believe we were there, ever.”

It was exciting, it was moving, it was emotional – and to see people in the audience who were moved was emotional as well. And it was unexpected. I think that was part of it – just the surprise of what an image it was and what a punctuation it was on a very supportive statement that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis made with their “Same Love” song. I thought it was beautiful.

GC: What would you tell your son if he came out to you as gay one

day?

JN: I would say, “Be happy.” Look, he can be anything he wants in any fashion, be it by his job or who he loves or whatever. He won’t be an asshole, and I hope he doesn’t go to the dark side in any kind of addiction, but otherwise (I’d say), “Love and live and just be happy – and I hope you find your true prince.”

GC: Please tell me you really have poured whiskey down the back of a girl’s dress like you do on the song “Jealousy.”

JN: God, I wish I had. The fun part of that song – and what I enjoy a whole lot as a writer – is exploring some of the more shadowy characters and stories, things we may not be as comfortable with and behaviors that may not make us feel as good about ourselves. I keep myself in check, but that’s not to say I don’t feel the emotions that would inspire that.

So that song “Jealousy” – have I ever poured whiskey down someone’s dress? No. Have I ever been at someone’s house and called the bitch out?

No. Would I like to at times? You damn right!

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Interview

The Dirrty Show Interview

By Lisa Lunney Albertans Kayla Williams and Melody Stang are a musical duo who play guitar and keyboard while singing lyrics about topics like “anal sex, hairy balls, and blowjobs”. The childhood friends have been putting on their appropriately named “Dirrty Show” by popular demand since college.

They recently took the time to chat with GayCalgary Magazine via email about their music, and what’s in store for 2014.

GC: What is the greatest thing about being an Albertan?

Both: We’re certainly not here for the weather in winter. It’s mostly for the money and the truck nuts.

GC: Can you tell readers how your path to comedic music began? How did The Dirrty Show get its start?

Both: We’re musicians at heart, and began merging our weird sense of humor with song writing. We had a couple of songs catch on with our friends at house parties, and they convinced us to perform as an act. It’s the most fun we’ve ever had, so we kept pursuing it.

GC: You are both such strong, confident females and are proud of your sexual identity. This attitude inspires your fans to let loose and have a great time at your performances. Can you tell readers about the road you traveled to find such confidence and confidence in yourselves?

Kayla: I was born with it. I have always been comfortable being honest and open with every aspect of my life including sexuality. It’s natural: everyone has sexuality. We should all talk about it more.

Melody: It has taken me a little more time to get used to being so provocative on stage. It’s almost like we’ve created characters for our stage performance that are just exaggerated, ridiculous versions of ourselves. I’ve always been sexual, just not so public about it. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in everyday life from being a performer.

GC: You have performed at a number of Pride events. What have been some of the highlights of your experiences at different venues?

Both: The Pride audience is very accepting. We pursue these events not just because we feel they are a valuable part of our community, but because we always have so much fun. Pride Shows offer such variety from other shows that we play, when we can incorporate things like drag and glam. (Melody in a dress is a sight to be seen!)

GC: Thus far, what is your favourite song that you absolutely love to perform?

Both: At this very moment our favorite song would have to be “The Queef Anthem”. We feel it is one of our best written songs, it always gets a great response from the audience, and we enjoy performing it. (We describe our stage queefs as sounding like “Shaka-Sha!”.)

GC: Later this month you will be performing at the Calgary Coming Out Monologues. What were your personal ‘coming out’ monologues like?

Melody: My coming out was kind of a long process. I knew from a very young age, but like most had to hide it from everyone around me, and try to convince myself otherwise. I was lucky to have very supportive friends help me through the process, as it was most difficult telling my family. I’m so glad I can fully be myself now, I can’t even understand how I managed pretending to be someone I wasn’t for so long.

Kayla: People get me confused a lot on stage - as being gay, or that Melody and I are together. Being an ally of the LGBT www.gaycalgary.com

 Photo courtesy of Benjamin Valentine

community, I continually have to come out as straight. For the record: I like balls.

GC: Where do you find the most influences for your lyrics?

Both: In everyday life! The two of us talk about the most ridiculous things. We are best friends, and share every disgusting detail of our lives, often, which turns into a funny song. A lot of our subjects were things we would laugh about in general conversation, and we keep a log of ideas to write about in the future.

GC: What would be your dream collaboration?

Both: We both agree that collaborating with Hawksley Workman would be a dream come true. His music has inspired us so much - amazing song writing with great melodies, awesome stage performance, and he is a perfect amount of weird and random. He has so much sexuality in his performance and song writing. We have seen him perform numerous times, but when

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 From Previous Page

 Photo courtesy of Jessica Michael Stephen Photography

we saw his one-man show “The God That Comes” we knew we were a match.

GC: As mentioned, this month you have the Coming Out Monologues and also a performance at Jasper Pride. What can fans look forward to seeing at these performances?

Both: We don’t hold back on their audiences: we make a point to get them involved and be a part of the show. Our live show has taken on its own persona with dramatic flair - over the top dance moves, ridiculous faces, improv, and lewd gestures. The audience can look forward to shock value, laughter, and being pleasantly surprised with our musicality.

GC: What does the rest of 2014 have in store?

Both: Lots of things are in the works for us - we just launched our own website, we have an arsenal of new songs that we will be recording soon, and we are hoping to breach a new audience in Eastern Canada with a tour planned to Toronto/Montreal/ Ottawa this July. There are a lot of exciting festivals this year that we hope to be a part of.

GC: Where do you see yourselves in five-years?

Both: We hope to motorboat our way across the world, and take our show international. One of the best parts of being a performing musician is traveling. We love touring and hopefully in 5 years it will be our main focus.

GC: What advice can you offer to young women struggling with their sexual identity?

Kayla: Your sexuality is just one part of you, and anyone that loves you should love you regardless of it. Keep the people around you who do support and accept you, and know there are many people you will find in your life that share the same outlook.

Melody: Know that there are so many people who have been through the same struggle that you’re having now. Try to hang in there, and know that it will get easier. Find people who have a similar mindset and friends who are supportive.

GC: Anything else you’d like to share?

Both: We are just breaking into the Calgary scene, and are looking forward to playing more shows there.

Anyone can feel free to contact us for booking private events: birthdays, stagettes, bachelor parties, Christmas parties, etc. We always enjoy the intimate performances as well!

Our self-titled album is available on iTunes and at any live show.

The Dirrty Show http://www.thedirrtyshow.com On iTunes: http://www.gaycalgary.com/u653

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Heart Spoken

Lea Michele talks lesbian role on Looking, being called a diva and Glee legacy  Photos by Peggy Sirota

By Chris Azzopardi “No personal questions” is the caveat before getting on the phone with Lea Michele, TV’s Rachel Berry. It’s an acceptable exception given the Glee star’s painfully tragic last year: Her on- and off-screen boyfriend, Cory Monteith, died suddenly on July 13, 2013 from a drug overdose.

Recorded around the time of Monteith’s passing, those feelings of loss are still raw on Louder, Michele’s debut album. The singer dedicated “You’re Mine” to Monteith, and the crushingly beautiful “If You Say So” was inspired by his last words to her. “I can’t believe it’s true,” she laments on the latter. “I keep looking for you.”

GC: How much of Louder is a reflection of your life and your own heartbreaks?

LM: I did not sing one word on the record that I could not incorporate into some experience in my life. Whether it be current or past, every single song that I recorded is about me. It’s a peek into my life, past and present. Maybe it’s coming from my theater and performance background, but nothing felt right unless I could relate to it. I think it comes from being an actor too. It had to be real for me. And not every song is about a current relationship or a current moment – I have songs on the album that I wrote about past relationships and past memories – but they all mean something to me.

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GC: The album is a throwback to an era when it was just about the voice, when Celine, Mariah and Whitney ruled the world. Were you inspired by any of these women while recording it?

LM: I don’t think I’ve gone a day in my life without being inspired by Celine Dion. If you would’ve seen me at her concert in Las Vegas – like, I’m surprised I didn’t get kicked out. I was literally sitting at the edge of my seat like the happiest girl in the entire universe. But no – I’ve always been inspired by female performers and artists who really surround who they are around their voice. For me, it’s always been about the voice. I wanna hear someone just sit by a piano, on a stool, and just sing – and that’s it! It’s never been about anything other than that for me. I always really wanted to make an album, and it was so important to me that I could be current and relevant and still fun, but at the same time show that I’m a singer – that’s what I pride myself on first and foremost.

GC: Some of your closest relationships are with gay men. You work with Chris Colfer and Ryan Murphy on Glee, and Jonathan Groff, who’s also starred on Glee, is one of your best friends. What is it about gay men that really jibes with you?

LM: I don’t see anyone as being different than anyone else, whether you’re gay or straight or whatever – everyone’s the same. That’s how I was raised. I lived in New York my entire life. I worked in theater and I was exposed to tons of different types of people, and from a very young age

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 From Previous Page there was never anything that was black and white for me. Everyone was always accepted and always around me ever since I was a little girl. I’ve just been really blessed to have great people in my life, and among them just happen to be people like Jonathan and Ryan – but not because they’re gay. Just because they’re amazing people.

GC: What does the support of the gay community mean to you?

LM: It means so much. I was working for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS ever since I was a little girl. I’ve always been in theater, and so the gay community – that was my world.

That’s where I come from, and so it just feels like a part of who I am.

To be where I am right now, and to still have that support and to still have that safety net, it really just means a lot to me.

GC: So Broadway really is as

gay as people say it is?

LM: (Laughs) Uh, I mean, I don’t know about that!

GC: Jonathan said he wants to get you on his HBO show Looking.

Would you be up for it?

LM: Oh my god! First of all, I went to San Francisco when they were filming the show and I ate dinner with all the guys and with Andrew (Haigh), their director, and before anything I said to them, “You guys, let’s get me on the show,” and then I watched the entire series because Jonathan gave me all the episodes.

GC: Right – he said you watched it with your mother.

LM: Well, first I watched them with Jonathan when we went on vacation and then I watched them with my mom. And she’s so obsessed, it’s crazy! Once I saw the entire series, I emailed Andrew Haigh and I was like, “Look, I loved it before, but I love it even more now. You gotta get me on the show. I’ll do anything. Anything you want me to play, even if I’m in the background, I’ll do it.”

GC: Can we get you on there as a lesbian?

LM: One-hundred percent!

GC: What kind of lesbian would you be?

LM: I mean, I just wanna get to work with Jonathan. I love Jon. I feel like everything that we’ve gotten to do together, whether it was Spring Awakening or working on Glee together, I just love working with him.

Every time we get to play different characters together it’s so fun, so I’ll do anything that they want.

GC: Since the beginning, Glee has been such a friend to the gay

community. How does it feel being part of a show that’s so bold in how it addresses issues regarding the gay community?

LM: What I’ve always loved about Glee the most is that while we’re making people laugh – and while we’re singing and entertaining people – we are delivering a very important message and opening up people’s minds, even though they might not know it’s happening. I get letters from fans, parents and kids. Glee has really helped a lot of people, and I’m not just saying that. It really has.

I’m so honored to be a part of a show that has made a big movement not only for the gay community but also for kids who just love music and have a passion for doing that. It’s opened so many doors for girls and boys that don’t look like everybody else – to make them feel beautiful in their skin no matter what they look like or where they’re from. There are so many aspects of the show that have been really amazing, and I’ll forever be grateful to have been a part of Glee.

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GC: I really believe the significance it’s had in the gay community will be part of its legacy.

LM: I agree.

GC: Cory, who played Finn,

really had a big part in that – he became one of the show’s biggest allies. How do you reflect on him as an ally to the gay community?

LM: Look at the relationship between Finn and Kurt – how it grew over time, that they became brothers. There’s a really interesting episode where Kurt and Finn move in together, and (Kurt) decorates the room and Finn says the “f” word (“faggy”).

Kurt’s father defends him and really kind of puts Finn in his place and, for me, that was such a pivotal episode for the show and just their relationship alone.

One of my favorite episodes of Glee was “Preggers” – our fourth episode – and it’s where Kurt joins the football team. The way he gets on the team is by doing the “Single Ladies” dance, and he ends up kicking the winning football goal – it’s such a great episode. There are lots of relationships throughout Glee that have been really big turning points, and it just makes me even more proud to have been involved in the show.

GC: How much pressure did you put on yourself knowing that you’d be slipping into Judy Garland’s ruby slippers to voice Dorothy in the upcoming animated film Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return?

LM: Honestly, to get to be Dorothy is so cool. I didn’t go a day in my childhood without watching The Wizard of Oz. I watched The Wizard of Oz in my house so much that my mother had to hide the videotape at one point. I wore my ruby slippers, and I have this crazy Christmas video of me where every year for 10 years I’m still wearing my ruby slippers because I thought I was Dorothy.

GC: What’s your favorite chapter in your upcoming memoir, Brunette Ambition?

LM: Oh my god, well, the book comes out in May and I’m really proud of it. It’s a really crazy story of how I went from Broadway to being on this television show, and how I was told so much throughout my life that I wasn’t pretty enough and I wouldn’t make it to television – all of these people telling me what I could and couldn’t be. It’s about how I really overcame that and gave a big middle finger to those people and made my way to Los Angeles onto a television show.

The book really is about harnessing your tenacity, your drive and your ambition and getting to where you wanna be despite what people say you can or can’t accomplish. Also mixed in there are really fun chapters on beauty, health and fitness. I love it. I think it’s a fun book. I have some copies in my office and my girlfriends will pick it up and they’ll be like, “When can I get a copy of the book? I want to make your pizza!” Because there’s recipes in it. I’m really proud of it and I think, whether or not you’re a Lea Michele fan, people can pick up the book and really get something good out of it.

GC: Do you give everyone who calls you a diva the finger too?

LM: Oh no. I applaud them when they call me a diva!

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Photography Queens of the Orient at Evolution

ISCWR - Mardi Glo Party at Woodys Buddys

Photos by Farley Foo Foo

photos by B&J

Luna Dance Fusion - Glitterball III at Yellowhead Brewery photos by Farley Foo Foo

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Photography HOMO-CIDAL presents Coffy at Evolution

IO Productions - Derrick May at Underground Republik

Photos by Farley Foo Foo

Photos by Farley Foo Foo

ISCWR King & Queen of Hearts - Ramada Photos by B&J

ISCWR for Illusions Social Club at Evolution Photos by Mickey Wilson

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Photography Dyke to Diva and Womonspace

Cloud Nine Refinery at Art Gallery of Alberta

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photos by Farley Foo Foo

Dyke to Diva and Womonspace photos by B&J

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Photography ARGRA - St. Patrick’s...Cowboy Style

Cloud Nine Refinery at Art Gallery of Alberta

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photos by Farley Foo Foo

ARGRA - St. Patrick’s...Cowboy Style http://gaycalgary.com/pa679

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News Releases 10 Gay Animals

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1195

MOVIE REVIEW: August: Osage County http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1196

Sochi will be remembered as the anti-gay Olympics http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1197

NEW SINGLE ALERT: Boy George Releases My God http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1198

MOVIE REVIEW: Dallas Buyers Club

AT&T Become First US Team Sponsor To Condemn Russia’s LGBT Policies http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1209

HRC to Track NBC’s Coverage of Russia’s Anti-LGBT Law During Olympics http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1210

Celebrate the Flavors of New Orleans this Mardi Gras Season

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COLUMN: Super(Gay)Man

LGBT People Are Disproportionately Food Insecure: 29% could not feed themselves or their family

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Join LUSH Cosmetics & All Out in Support of LGBTQ Rights In Russia: Show your #signoflove

Award-winning Gay Comedy Web Series ‘Where the Bears Are’ launching Kickstarter campaign

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New Author J. James Comes Clean about Coming Out

Vigil for LGBTQ People in Sochi

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Russia: Pressure Escalates on Sochi Corporate Sponsors

New Video! Let The AC Boys Take You To The Candy Shop

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David Beckham Makes A Welcomed Return In New H&M Range

Google Celebrates LGBT Athletes Ahead of Sochi Opening Ceremonies

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GLAAD spotlights LGBT Russian people and families

Arrests of Russian LGBT Activists Mar Day of Sochi Opening Ceremonies

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GSN Announces Rebecca Romijn as Host of New Original Series “SKIN WARS” http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1206

Violence and Discrimination against LGBTI Russians in the Lead-Up to the Sochi Olympics http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1207

New Study Suggests Link Between Experiences of Discrimination & Suicide Attempts Among Transgend

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OPINION: Sochi Sucks

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PlanetRomeo gives 1,526 Russian gays a voice http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1219

Valentine’s Day Gift Idea: “Benedetto Casanova: The Roman Diaries” perfect for the romantic http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1220

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News Releases NEWS: Large Number Of Arrests Made Since Start Of Sochi Olympics

New Facebook Gender Options Validated by HRC Report on Gender-Expansive Youth

Norway : Lesbian kiss in Olympic inspired commercial

INTERVIEW: Shane Bitney Crone on Bridegroom

Homeless and HIV+ Gay Filmmaker Chases Dream

RUSSIA: Grindr Use Triples In Sochi

Houston Lesbian Mayor Annise Parker Gets Married!

BOOK REVIEW: Checkmate

by A. L. Olson

NEWS: UK’s Channel 4 Supports Gay Olympians With ‘Gay Mountain’ Song

Movie Review: GBF

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1234

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1235

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COLUMN: Deep Down

NFL Draft Prospect Michael Sam Announces That He Is Gay

Christopher Malcolm, Ab Fab Actor Dies

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NEWS: Duncan James Talks About Being Gay Publicly For The First Time

The Putin Rap

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Chiselled Perfection: Greek God Body Implants

NSFW - Ex Marine Now Model Alex Minsky Nude Pictures Leaked

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New Naked Highway web series!

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1229

ELTON JOHN: Never Seen Before Footage Emerges Of 1973 Tour

LGBT Tourism Spend Set To Reach $200 BILLION in 2014 http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1230

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1243

Challenging Olympic Perspectives: The Fight for LGBT Human Rights

OBAMA Warns Uganda Against Anti-Gay Law

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VIDEO: The Weigh In

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NOSTALGIC TEASE: Gingerbear Tease Releases New MR.MS T-Shirts Online

TOP 5: Chat-Up Lines You Should NEVER Use

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1246

OPINION: Russia’s Policies on Homosexuality – A Good Thing?

Actor, Rib Hillis, Really Wants You To Watch His Movie Being Naked

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1247 More news releases online.

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Although James is only 24 years old, he has been involved in non-profit work in the community for his 10th year. He moved from Lethbridge to Calgary when he was 8 years old, and started getting involved when he was only 15.

Fake Mustache was his gateway non-profit group, as he went from performer to board member to director. He also had a big part in establishing Miscellaneous Youth Network and Mosaic Youth Group, only leaving the MYN board just recently to concentrate his efforts on his paid full-time position as Executive Director of Fairy Tales. Here he acts as artistic programmer for the film festival, as well as running the Out Reels Diversity Education Program, the Youth Queer

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Media Program, and the Youth Zone Program. On top of all this, as a trans man, James frequently does independent Trans Education wherever he is needed.

In his personal life, James has been together with his girlfriend for 5 and a half years now, and the two of them own 5 pets together. In his free time, James still utilizes his background in construction to do small projects, as well as painting (artistically). He also enjoys riding his motorcycle, and regularly going to the gym.

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Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY

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2

6

14 3

7

15

1 8

4 5

13

1 2 3 4

Calgary Outlink---------- Community Groups HIV Community Link---- Community Groups Backlot------------------------Bars and Clubs Texas Lounge-----------------Bars and Clubs

5 6 7 8

Goliath’s--------------------------Bathhouses Twisted Element--------------Bars and Clubs Broken City-------------------Bars and Clubs Cowboys Nightclub-----------Bars and Clubs

FIND OUT!

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

......... Wheelchair Accessible

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

 403-543-6960  1-888-543-6960

 magazine@gaycalgary.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/CalgaryTravelRSS http://www.gaycalgary.com/EdmontonTravelRSS

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

9 10 11 12

Dickens Pub------------------Bars and Clubs Flames Central---------------Bars and Clubs Local 522---------------------Bars and Clubs Ten Nightclub-----------------Bars and Clubs

13 The Pint-----------------------Bars and Clubs 14 Vinyl & Hyde------------------Bars and Clubs 15 The Blind Monk--------------Bars and Clubs

8 Cowboys Nightclub------------------------  421 12th Avenue SE  403-265-0699

 http://www.cowboysnightclub.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.

9 Dickens Pub

 1000 9th Ave SW  info@dickenspub.ca

 http://www.dickenspub.ca

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

 209 - 10th Ave SW

4 Texas Lounge------------------------------ ✰

 308 - 17 Ave SW  403-229-0911  Open 7 days a week, 11am-close

www.gaycalgary.com

7 Broken City

 613 11th Ave SW  info@brokencity.ca

 http://www.brokencity.ca

 403-262-9976

• Western Cup 31



http://www.westerncup.com

• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing)

11 Local 522----------------------------------  522 6 Ave SW  403-244-6773

 http://www.localtavern.ca

• Boot Camp

12 Ten Nightclub

 1140 10th Ave SW

• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League)

15 The Blind Monk

 918 12th Ave SW  12thave@blindmonk.ca

 http://www.blindmonk.ca  Mon-Sun: 11am-2am

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

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

 403-265-6200

• Curling

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

• Golf

 golf@apollocalgary.com  403-384-9777

14 Vinyl & Hyde

 213 10 Ave SW

 http://www.vinylandhyde.com

 587-224-5200

• Outdoor Pursuits

Bathhouses/Saunas

Community Groups Alberta Society for Kink

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

Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

 http://www.apollocalgary.com  http://www.myapollo.com

• Lawn Bowling

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com

5 Goliaths------------------------------------ ✰

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

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

 403-457-4464

13 The Pint

 1428 17th Ave SW  calgary@thepint.ca

 http://www.thepint.ca/calgary

Bars & Clubs (Mixed) These venues regularly host LGBT events.

 403-233-7550

10 Flames Central----------------------------  219 8th Ave SW  403-935-2637

 http://www.flamescentral.com

Browse our complete directory of over 650 gay-frieindly listings!

6 Twisted Element

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230

 http:.//www.twistedelement.ca

N

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

• Slow Pitch

 slow.pitch@apollocalgary.com

• Squash

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

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

55

Directory & Events Mosaic Youth Group--------------------  7-9pm

Calgary Events

 Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)

Mondays At 5 Goliaths

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

 Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE)

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

Friday, March 28th

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

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

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

Sunday Services---------------------  10:45am Worship Services------------------------- 11am

Tuesdays

At 1 Calgary Outlink

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

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

 1st

Beers for Queers--------------------------  6pm By

YYC Badboys at 13 The Pint

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am At 5 Goliaths

 1st

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

Karaoke-----------------------------------  7pm At 3 Backlot

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

Womynspace---------------------------- 7-9pm

Fetish Slosh----------------------------  Evening

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

At 4 Texas Lounge At 3 Backlot

 2nd

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

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

Communion Service-----------------  12:10pm See

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 1st

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 2nd

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 3rd

Heading Out----------------------- 8pm-10pm See 1 Calgary Outlink

 4th

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

Wednesdays Knox United Church

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am At 5 Goliaths

See See See

Deer Park United Church Scarboro United Church Hillhurst United Church

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

Knox United Church

Rainbow Community Church

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

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

Liona Boyd Concert-------------------  7:30pm

 Grace Presbyterian Church (1009 - 15th Ave SW) Wednesday, March 19th

Coming Out Monologues-------------  7:30pm

 John Dutton Theatre

 beachvb@apollocalgary.com

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

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

• Volleyball (Competitive)

• Peer Support and Crisis Line

 tennis@apollocalgary.com

• Volleyball (Beach)

 vb@apollocalgary.com

 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.

• Volleyball (Recreational)  recvb@apollocalgary.com

• Yoga

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

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA)

 www.argra.org

✰

Calgary Expo

 Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)

Calgary Gay Fathers

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre

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

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

 403-278-8263

Different Strokes

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

Calgary Men’s Chorus

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

FairyTales Presentation Society

 403-244-1956

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

• Rehearsals

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

✰

 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.

56

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

 http://www.calgaryexpo.com

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

Meet the Meat----------------------  9pm-1am By

Fellowship of Alberta Bears at 15 The Blind Monk

Saturday, April 12th

Bearacchus II------------------------  9pm-2am Fellowship of Alberta Bears at 14 Hyde Lounge

Penalty Box-------------------------------  9pm By

Les Girls at 14 Vinyl Retro Lounge

Sunday, April 13th

Bear-Beeffet----------------------- 11am-2pm By

Fellowship of Alberta Bears at 15 The Blind Monk

Coming Out Monologues-------------  7:30pm

 John Dutton Theatre

Western Cup---------------------------  All Day By

Apollo

Apr19

Back to Boyztown------------------  9pm-Close

Friday, March 21st

By 3 Backlot at 14 Vinyl Retro Lounge

By Queers on Campus  The Den (University of Calgary)

Coming Out Monologues-------------  7:30pm

Wednesday, April 23rd

A Taste for Life-------------------------  Dinner By

SHARP Foundation

 John Dutton Theatre

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

• Tennis

 Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW)

Friday, April 11th

Thursday, April 17th

Thursday, March 20th

 Calgary Contd.

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

Hounds & Hydes--------------------------  9pm

By

Friday, March 14th

Gender Bender---------------------------  9pm

Saturdays

At 3 Backlot

At 3 Backlot

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

Voodoo Lounge---------------------------  7pm Saturday, March 29th

At 5 Goliaths

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

 2nd, 4th

See

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

Fridays

Illusions-------------------------------  7-10pm

See 1 Calgary Outlink

One of a “Kind”-----------------------  7:30pm

 3rd

 Kerby Center, Sunshine Room 1133 7th Ave SW

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

See 1 Calgary Outlink

Tuesday, March 25th

By Jewish Family Service Calgary  Beth Tzedec Synagogue (1325 Glenmore Tr SW)

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

At 5 Goliaths

See 1 Calgary Outlink

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

Thursdays

Buddy Night-------------------------  6pm-6am

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

• DVD Resource Library

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

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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 2 HIV Community Link------------------- ✰

 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW  403-508-2500  1-877-440-2437  http://www.hivcl.org

• Telephone Support

 M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm + 1:30pm - 4:30pm

Hillhurst United Church

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

 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.

Miscellaneous Youth Network

 http://www.miscyouth.com

• Fake Mustache • Mosaic Youth Group

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

Mystique

 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

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events  Calgary Contd.

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.

✰

Safety Under the Rainbow

6th and Tenth - Sales Centre

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

Unity Bowling

Wild Rose United Church

Restaurants & Pubs 13 The Pint See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed).

✰

 140, 58th Ave SW  403-258-2777 Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys.

✰

 10210 Macleod Tr S  403-271-7848

 #102 2323 32nd Ave NE  403-769-6177

 1536 16th Ave NW  403-289-4203

 4310 17th Ave SE  403-273-2710

 http://www.adultsourcecalgary.ca

Best Health

 206A 2525 Woodview Dr SW  403-281-5582  besthealthcalgary@hotmail.com  http://www.besthealthcalgary.com

La Fleur

 403-266-1707 Florist and Flower Shop.

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

 #4 - 1126 Kensington Rd NW  403-283-3555  http://www.thenakedleaf.ca Organic teas and tea ware.

Bathhouses/Saunas 5 Steamworks------------------------------- ✰

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

 4143- Edmonton Trail NE  403-226-7278  http://www.wheelpros.ca “Experts in Everything for Wheels”

 403-808-7147

Community Groups AltView Foundation

Theatre & Fine Arts

Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

 3rd Floor, 1131 Kensington Road NW  403-571-5120  http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca GLBT legal services.

ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

 403-294-7402

 http://www.ATPlive.com

Fairytales

See Calgary - Community Groups.

Cruiseline

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

One Yellow Rabbit--------------------------

Ellen Embury

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

 Calgary: 403-770-0776

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

Hot Water Pools & Spas

MFM Communications

✰

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

✰

 403-703-4750

Vertigo Mystery Theatre--------------------

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

Webster Galleries Inc.

 812 11 Ave SW  403-263-6500  http://www.webstergalleries.com

 T-S: 10am-6pm, N: 1-4pm

EDMONTON Bars & Clubs (Gay) 3 Buddy’s Nite Club------------------------- ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6636 6 Evolution Wonder Lounge

 10220 - 103 St  780-424-0077  http://www.yourgaybar.com

FLASH (CLOSED)

 10018 105 Street  flashnightclub@hotmail.com

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

Buck Naked Boys Club

 780-471-6993  http://www.bucknakedboys.ca Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Participants do not need to be gay, only male.

Camp fYrefly

 7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies Faculty of Education, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5  http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca

Edmonton Expo

 http://www.edmontonexpo.com

Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)

Third Street Theatre

 #3 306 20th Ave SW 

http://www.thirdstreet.ca

Interactive Male

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

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

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

 403-355-3335  http://www.interactivemale.com

Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)

✰

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

 2145 Summerfield Blvd  403-912-2045  http://www.hotwaterpoolsandspas.ca

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

Pumphouse Theatre--------------------

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

Holiday Retirement

 12 Deerview Terrace SE  403-879-1967  http://www.canyonmeadows.net

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

 403-398-9968  info@altview.ca  http://ww.altview.ca For gender variant and sexual minorities.

Book Worm’s Book Club

Craig Connell (Maxwell Realtors)

Hardline

Retail Stores

8 Yellowhead Brewing Co.

 10229 105 St  info@yellowheadbrewery.com  http://www.yellowheadbrewery.com

Wheel Pro’s

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

10 Flames Central---------------------------- See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed).

• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

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

DevaDave Salon & Boutique

 1317-1st Street NW

7 The Starlite Room

 10030 102 St contact@starliteroom.ca  http://www.starliteroom.ca

• Safeworks Van

Christopher T. Tahn (Thornborough Smeltz)

 Calgary: 403-777-9494

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

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

• Centre of Hope

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

 403-253-5678  http://www.maxwellrealty.com/craigconnell

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

 10704 124 St NW

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

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

 11650 Elbow Dr SW  ctahn@thornsmeltz.com  http://www.thornsmeltz.com

Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

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

 633 10th Ave SW  403-239-5511  http://www.6thandtenth.com

 M-W: 12-6pm, R: 2-7pm, S-N: 12-5pm

4 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557

These venues regularly host LGBT events.

• Calgary Drop-in Centre

Services & Products

UpStares Ultralounge (CLOSED)

 4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street

Bars & Clubs (Mixed)

SafeWorks

Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.

Calgary Civil Marriage Centre

 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.

www.gaycalgary.com

Pushing Petals

 1209 5th Ave NW  403-263-3070  http://www.pushingpetals.com

Barry Hollowell

 2nd Cup, Kensington

Adult Source----------------------------

NRG Support Services

 Suite 27, Building B1, 2451 Dieppe Ave SW

 403-471-0204  780-922-3347  nrg@shaw.ca  http://www.nrgsupportservices.com

 403-819-5219  http://www.bcbhcounselling.com

• Coffee Night

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

Priape Calgary (CLOSED)

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

 780-938-2941

 http://www.edmontonpride.ca

Edmonton Prime Timers

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

Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

 3379, 11215 Jasper Ave  780-429-5014  http://www.edmontonrba.org Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities for LGBT owned or operated and LGBT-friendly businesses in the Edmonton region.

Edmonton Illusions Social Club

 780-387-3343

 groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions 2 Edmonton STD

 11111 Jasper Ave

Edmonton Vocal Minority

 780-479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

 sing@evmchoir.com

Fellowship of Alberta Bears

 www.beefbearbash.com

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

57

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

6

8

5 4 3

1 Pride Centre of Edm.---- Community Groups 2 Edmonton STD---------- Community Groups

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

3 Buddy’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs 4 Woody’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Mondays See

2

Knotty Knitters-------------------------- 6-8pm

Edmonton Events

Team Edmonton

QH Craft Night-------------------------- 6-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Cycling---------------------------  6:30-7:30pm See

Team Edmonton

Yoga---------------------------------  7:30-8pm See

Team Edmonton

7

5 Steamworks----------------------Bathhouses 6 Evolution----------------------Bars and Clubs

Men Talking with Pride---------------- 7-9pm

Fridays

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

QH Anime Night------------------------ 6-8pm

See

Movie Night----------------------------- 6-9pm

 Robertson-Wesley United (10209 123 St)

Men’s Games Nights--------------  7-10:30pm

 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street) See Edmonton Primetimers

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton Men’s Games Nights

 2nd, Last

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm

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

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

Saturdays

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See

Youth Understanding Youth

QH Game Night------------------------ 6-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See

Team Edmonton

7 The Starlite Room------------Bars and Clubs 8 Yellowhead Brewing Co.-----Bars and Clubs

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm

See

Thursdays

Swim Practice--------------------------- 7-8pm

Wednesdays

N

See

Youth Understanding Youth

Team Edmonton

Soul Outing-------------------------------  7pm

 2nd

Monthly Meetings---------------------  2:30pm  2nd

Tuesday, March 11th

Bingo with Bobert------------------------  6pm By

ISCWR at 6 Evolution

Saturday, March 15th

Naturalist Gettogether See

Ballroom Dancing--------------  7:30-8:30pm

Buck Naked Boys Club

 2nd

QH Youth Drop-in------------------  2-6:30pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

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

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

 2nd

Liona Boyd Concert-------------------  7:30pm

 McDougall United Church (10025 - 101st Street) Friday, March 21st

BEEF Bearbash---------------------  9pm-2am By

Fellowship of Alberta Bears at 6 Evolution

GLBTQ Bowling------------------  1:30-3:30pm

Women’s Social Circle------------------ 6-9pm

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm

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

Bowling-----------------------------------  5pm

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

Martial Arts---------------------  7:30-8:30pm

Sundays

Saturday, April 12th

Running------------------------------  10-11am

Counseling----------------------  5:30-8:30pm

Intermediate Volleyball--------  7:30-9:30pm

Diggin’ Disco------------------------------  9pm

See

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

See 1 Youth Understanding Youth See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See See See

 2nd, 4th

BookWorm’s Book Club

 3rd

Team Edmonton Team Edmonton

See

See

Team Edmonton

 tuff@shaw.ca

HIV Network Of Edmonton Society----

✰

InQueeries

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

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

 http://www.iscwr.ca

Living Positive Society of Alberta

 #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-423-3737  http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz Living Positive through Positive Living.  Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)

 780-474-8240  tuff@shaw.ca

58

By

ISCWR at 6 Evolution

ISCWR at 3 Buddys

Team Edmonton

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

 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.

Men’s Games Nights

By

Team Edmonton

 Edmonton Contd.

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

ISCWR Headliners: Vanity---------------  9pm

Yoga---------------------------------  2-3:30pm See

 780-474-8240

Saturday, April 5th

• Knotty Knitters

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-------------

✰

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.

 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 for members of the GLBTQ community and for their families and friends.

• Movie Night

• Counselling

Come OUT and embrace your creative side in a safe space.

 780.488.3234 Free, short-term counselling provided by registered counsellors.

• HIV Support Group

 huges@shaw.ca Support and discussion group for gay men.

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back, relax, and watch a movie with us.

• Queer HangOUT: Game Night

Come OUT with your game face on and meet some awesome people through board game fun.

• Queer HangOUT: Craft Night

• Queer HangOUT: Anime Night

Come and watch ALL the anime until your heart is content.

• 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

Team Edmonton

 president@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.teamedmonton.ca Members are invited to attend and help determine the board for the next term. If you are interested in running for the board or getting involved in some of the committees, please contact us.

• Badminton (Mixed)

 St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

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

• Badminton (Women’s)

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

 badminton@teamedmonton.ca

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events Red Deer Events

Jasper

Wednesdays

March 2014

LGBT Coffee Night------------------------  7pm See

CAANS

 1st

Jasper Pride Jasper, AB

Mar2123

 Edmonton Contd.

Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season or $5.00 per drop in.

 spin@teamedmonton.ca 7 classes, $28.00 per registrant.

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

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

•Ballroom Dancing

• Swimming (Making Waves)

• Soul OUTing

• Support Line

 Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  Cynthia: 780-469-3281

• 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.

• Cross Country Skiing

 crosscountry@teamedmonton.ca

• Curling with Pride

 Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  curling@teamedmonton.ca

• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)

 Dawson Park, picnic shelter  cycling@teamedmonton.ca

• Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

 dragonboat@teamedmonton.ca

• Golf

 golf@teamedmonton.ca

• Gymnastics, Drop-in

 Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue  gymnastics@teamedmonton.ca Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00 per session.

• Hockey

 hockey@teamedmonton.ca

• 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.

 NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street)  swimming@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.makingwavesswimclub.ca

• Tennis

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

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca

 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

• 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 Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome.

Call for info.

• Yoga

 Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street)  yoga@teamedmonton.ca

Womonspace

 780-482-1794  womonspace@gmail.com  http://www.womonspace.ca Women’s social group, but all welcome at events.

Exposure Festival

 http://www.exposurefestival.ca Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.

The Roxy Theatre

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

 Brendan: 780-488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org

Restaurants & Pubs Retail Stores Passion Vault

 15239 - 111 Ave  780-930-1169  pvault@telus.net “Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store”

 102 Spray Ave  PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8  403-762-0690

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

 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

 1206 - 6 Ave S

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

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

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

JASPER Accommodations Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

 Old Lodge Road  1-866-540-4454  http://www.fairmont.com/jasper

Whistlers Inn

 105 Miette Ave  1-800-282-9919  info@whistlersinn.com  http://www.whistlersinn.com

Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival

 PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0

 contact@jasperpride.ca  http://www.jasperpride.ca

LETHBRIDGE Community Groups

Products & Services

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

Lethbridge HIV Connection

HIV Community Link

12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰ See Edmonton - Bars & Clubs (Gay).

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

 http://www.lethbridgeexpo.com

Community Groups

• Sports and Recreation

• Friday Mixer

Lethbridge Expo

BANFF

Youth Understanding Youth

 780-248-1971  www.yuyedm.ca A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.

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

GALA/LA

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

RED DEER Community Groups Affirm

 Sunnybrook United Church  403-347-6073  2nd Tuesday of the month, 7pm Composed of LGBTQ people, their friends, family and allies. No religious affiliation necessary. Activities include support, faith and social justice discussions, film nights, and potlucks!

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.

• Monthly Dances

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

• Monthly Potluck Dinners

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

Continued on Page 61  www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

59

Classifieds Event

140

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!

Wedding/Union

190

McDougall United Church (Edmonton), an Affirming congregation proudly performing same-sex unions or same-sex marriages since 1998. http://www.mcdougallunited.com

Adult Oriented

Erotic Massage

420

UltimateMaleMassage.com

Consulting

Adult Depot Large selection of gay DVDs from $14.95, and toys. Open Mon-Fri 12-8pm, Sat 12-6pm, closed Sundays and holidays.

Marriage Ceremonies 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 Rork Hilford MC, Commissioner for Oaths.

MarriageCommissioner@shaw.ca | 403246-4134

Erotic Massage

Cleaning

Womanforwomen.ca

517

GET A LIFE! Commercial Cleaning

460

Alberta Escort Listings

YOU’LL KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE. Call Mark 403-630-8048 www.markmassage.ca 12pm to Midnight (24hrs optional) Ladies Welcome

Internet

445

www.ABS-Hosting.com Make your mark on the Web... Create a blog, register a domain, build you personal website at www.abs-hosting.com

Products/Services 500 Certified Personal Trainer

Check out www.Squirt.org for the Hot Escorts in Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta.

Upcoming wedding/event/trip/class reunion?

If you want to look/feel better, increase your strength/endurance/flexibility, I CAN HELP YOU! call/text me 4038263305 or email me j_d_short@hotmail.com

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.

Check us out at http://blueflameventures.ca, Email us at info@blueflameventures.ca, Call us at 604-369-1472. Based in Alberta.

Legal

557

Same-sex Spouse/Common-Law Sponsorship, LMO/Work Permit, Immigration, Citizenship, Separation/Pre-Nuptial/Co-habitation Agreements, Uncontested Divorces, Accounting, Translations, Commissioner foroaths. Active Professionals.

Relaxation, Therapeutic, Foot Massage, Erotic Massage. Hot Asian Male Age:24 Swimmer Build.

Models/Escorts

Want to attract the LGBT local or traveler to your business?

403-258-2777

215

Do you want to experience more uninhibited bliss? Would you like to have a deeper sensual & sexual connection with your partner(s)? Want to feel happier, healthier, more confident & have a lot of fun? I can fully support you & guide you in allowing that & so much more into your life. My name is Jen & I am a Tantric Sensual Guide for Women only.

527

Does your business need a professional cleaner? Steve is bonded/Insured. Flexible prices and brings all his own supplies. Steve is a part of the LGBT Community and has been cleaning for over 5 years in Calgary.

(403)200-7384 getalifecleaner@gmail.com www.getalifecleaner.com www.facebook.com/getalifecleaner

Clothing/Fashion

#220, 2705 Centre Street NW Calgary 403-590-3818 • www.activeprofessionals.com

Massage

560

Massage Therapy in Edmonton

520

Twice Trendy!

Used Quality Clothing 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.

Certified massage therapist providing therapeutic and relaxation massage. Proud member/supporter of LGBTQ community.

Phone or text (780-918-5856) Dwayne Holm, CMT Downtown Edmonton (free parking)

New Improved Features. Free to Post and Browse. Videos, Pics, and Reviews. Join Now! Code: GCEE

Ads starting at $10/mo. for the first 20 words. Submit yours at http://www.gaycalgary.com/classifieds 60

GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

www.gaycalgary.com

 Find Out - From Page 59

MEDICINE HAT Community Groups HIV Community Link

 356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB  403-527-5882  1-877-440-2437

• Telephone Support

 M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm + 1:30pm - 4:30pm

ALBERTA 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.

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.

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.

Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet

 http://www.albertaballet.com Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.

CANADA Community Groups Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

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

www.gaycalgary.com

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GayCalgary Magazine #125, March 2014

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