GayCalgary Magazine - February 2015

FEBRUARY 2015

® ISSUE 135 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community

Interview with

KATHY

GRIFFIN

Alaska

Ready for Winter Battle in Alberta

O-Halley Brothers

Heating up Edmonton Club Scene

PLUS:

Melissa Etheridge • Perfume Genius Andrew Scott • Russell Tovey Kiesza • Robbie Rogers ...and more!

Business Directory

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

Jeffrey Tambor

Transparent is changing lives

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 63

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Table of Contents

Photography

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Videography SteveB&J Polyak

Videography Sales

Steve Polyak, Diaz-Marino SteveRob Polyak sales@gaycalgary.com

Printers

Council Web NorthLegal Hill News/Central Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors Distribution General Inquiries Calgary: Gallant Distribution ®

GayCalgary GayCalgaryMagazine Staff 2136 17th Avenue SW Edmonton: Clark’s Distribution Calgary, AB, Canada Post T2T 0G3 Other: magazine@gaycalgary.com

Legal Council Office Hours: appointment ONLY Courtney Aarbo, By Barristers and Solicitors Phone: 403-543-6960 Sales & General Inquiries Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 GayCalgary Edmonton Magazine Fax:and 403-703-0685 2136 17th Avenue SW E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com Calgary, AB, Canada This Month's T2T 0G3Cover

Main: Kathy Griffin, photo by E!, Top Right:Hours: Alaska, photo Jose Guzman Colon, Mid Office Bybyappointment ONLY Right: O Hally Twins, Bottom Right: Jeffrey Tambor, Phone: 403-543-6960 photo by Amazon Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com

This Month's Cover Cher and Christina Aguilera courtesy of Sony Pictures; Annie Lennox courtesy of Mike Owen; Rex Goudie.

Proud Members of: Proud Members of:

8

Life on Hold

Gay Palestinian ordered deported for familial ties to Hamas

All Hail The King of Fairy Tales

Calgary welcomes back Ludwig&Lohengrin to the stage

9 Jeffrey

Romcom demonstrates sex is simply inescapable in gay New York

10 Uproarious Play Opens at Lunchbox

Speed Dating for Sperm Donors explores challenges in lesbian childbearing

11 Getting Lost with Rick and Rachel

PAGE 20

Writers and Contributors

Mercedes Chris Azzopardi, Allen, Chris Dave Azzopardi, Brousseau, Dallas Constable Barnes, Dave AndyBrousseau, Buck, JasonSam Clevett, Casselman, Dallas Barns, Jason Janine Clevett, Andrew Eva-Trotta, Collins, Renato EmilyGandia, Collins,Stephen Rob Diaz-Marino, Lock, Lisa Janine Lunney, EvaSteve Trotta, Polyak, Jack Fertig, RomeoGlen San Hanson, Vicente, Jim Joan Scott, Hilty,Krista Evan Kayne, Sylvester, Stephen Mars Tonic, Lock, Neil JorgeMcMullen, Treviano, and AllantheNeuwirth, LGBT Community Steve Polyak, of Calgary, Carey Rutherford, Edmonton, Romeo San Vicente, andEd Alberta.

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

Photography Steve Polyak, Farley Foo Foo

5

The Stars of Lost Girl Dish on Season 5

12 Killing You Softly

Perfume Genius on the perfect manicure, his Tupac sponge-bath fantasy and being ‘weirdly liberated’

15 Canadian Blood Services

Monitoring American Policy on Gay Blood Donations

16 The Mormons and Homosexuality Stagnating views on same-sex relations

17 Discussing Community Safety Considering the occupation of police officer

18 Discussing Community Safety Anti-bullying event at police HQ

PAGE 26

Publisher Publisher: & Editor: SteveSteve Polyak Polyak Copy Editor: Editor: RobJanine Diaz-Marino Eva-Trotta Sales: Steve Polyak Design & Layout: Rob Diaz-Marino, Steve Polyak Ara Shimoon

FEBRUARY 2015

e n zi

20 Nothing Butt Russell Tovey

Looking star talks sex scenes, his ‘well-received’ tush and taking his mom to Folsom Street Fair

a g a

22 Deep Inside Hollywood

‘Wet Hot American Summer,’ Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, ‘Downsizing’

m

23 Parenting Proud

Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes

24 After Many Years Together, Starting a Family Decades-spanning couples reflect on how building a family made their own relationship stronger

26 Transforming Minds, Interview with actor Jeffrey Tambor and associate producer Zackary Drucker

PAGE 28

®

How Transparent is changing lives with ‘light, love and warmth’

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

28 Jim Beaver

On Cowboys, Crimson Peak, and Kissing Other Men Out soccer star Robbie Rogers on sports homophobia, closeted players and ESPN’s ‘ridiculous’ locker room coverage

32 Jasper Pride 2015 National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

Gay European Tourism Association

Unique, Innovative and Local

PAGE 38

30 Game Changer

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

34 Out of Town

®

Fort Lauderdale

36 Out of Town

Magazine Figures

Weekend in San Antonio

Monthly Online Magazine Readership:

38 Brazilian DJ twins

Combined total of PDF and ISSUU Downloads/Reads –100,000 copies

PAGE 42

Heating up the Edmonton club scene

40 Pride & Prejudice

‘Sherlock’ actor Andrew Scott gets candid about coming out, (almost) kissing Benedict Cumberbatch

42 The Letting Go

A conversation with Melissa Etheridge

45 Pink Mans Up

48 No Hiding from Kiesza

Pop’s newest queen talks gay roots, how Babs taught her to sing and her hit song ‘Hideaway’

50 Attack of the Frozen Queens

PAGE 50

Alaska & Co. ready for winter Battle of the Seasons’ Tour

52 Kathy Griffin: In All Seriousness…

Comedian opens up on Joan’s death, hosting Fashion Police and emojis from Cher

Queer Eye A Couple of Guys News Releases Mz. GayCalgary February 2015 - Farrah Moan Directory and Events Classified Ads

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

Name changed to GayCalgary in 1998.

Independent company as of January 2004.

First edition of GayCalgary.com Magazine published November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. February 2012 returned to GayCalgary Magazine.

February 2013, GayCalgary® becomes a registered trademark. December 2014/ January 2015 is the last print edition.

February 2015 is the first digital only edition.

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

Those involved in the making of this publication, whether advertisers, contributors, or the subjects of articles or photographs, are not necessarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans. This magazine also includes straight allies and those who are gay friendly.

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

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

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News

Life on Hold

Gay Palestinian ordered deported for familial ties to Hamas

By Renato Gandia When John Calvin moved to Canada five years ago, he never thought he would be fighting for his life to survive.

He chose Canada because of its reputation as a vanguard of freedom, but then his past caught up to him.

The 24-year-old Edmonton resident grew up in Hamas, born in Nablus, in the West Bank. He said his maternal grandfather was a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and one of the founders of Hamas. His five maternal uncles are all senior Hamas leaders.

As a young boy, he was indoctrinated and trained in the teachings and beliefs of Hamas. At age 11 he was running messages for his father and uncles and, by the time he was 14, he was a full-pledged member of Hamas.

Things changed when Calvin grew up and matured. Violence and hate slipped out of his mind. He realized there was more to the world than what he was taught to believe. He renounced Hamas and converted to Christianity. This bold move enraged his father who, at one point, tried to kill him. The Palestinian Authority jailed Calvin for a brief period of time on the charge of apostasy; the abandonment of established religion.

In 2010, through the help some friends, he escaped to the Jordan border and began his journey to Canada. He first landed in Toronto to study at a Bible college, moving on to a Bible school in Three Hills, Alberta. One year later he filed a refugee claim but, before his refugee claim could be heard by

ď ° Benjamin Codjoe

Continued on Next Page ď‚„

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 John Calvin

the Immigration and Refugee Board last December, he was ordered deported for being a member of a terrorist organization.

“I feel devastated more than afraid; that’s my initial reaction,” said Calvin in a telephone interview.

He said his religious conversion, his betrayal of Hamas, and the fact that he is gay, all mean a return to the West Bank will be fatal.

“I will be put to death within a day or two. There’s no question about that. If I‘m not killed for being a Christian, I’d be killed for being gay. If I’m not killed for being Christian or gay … I would be killed for treason, just because I have appeared on some Israeli media.”

According to the refugee board, their issue was simply that Calvin, as a child, was a member of Hamas. This automatically puts his eligibility as a refugee in jeopardy, despite the reason for his exile to Canada being that he renounced Hamas.

Calvin’s story was featured in the Times of Israel, detailing his faith journey and painful struggles. In an attempt to escape his family in 2006, he ended up in a Tel Aviv jail for entering Israel illegally. Tragedy struck him in an Israeli prison cell, which would later spark his desire to convert to Christianity. In jail he said he was “raped by a Muslim man.”

Following that harrowing experience he received assistance from both Jewish psychiatrists and the jail administration.

“That wasn’t the image I grew up with about Jewish people,” he says. As a young boy Calvin was made to believe all Jewish people were ‘monsters’ whose goal in life is to kill and destroy Palestinians.

With the belief system he grew up with now collapsing, he began to glean everything good around him. He became interested in Christianity. He began reading the Bible in secret and, by the time he was 19, he was ready to formally convert – but that move was marred by a series of violent assaults committed by his father. Friends helped him flee to Jordan, where he accepted the scholarship to study in Canada. In late 6

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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December, 2010, he arrived in Toronto and made a request there for refugee status before moving to Alberta to conclude his theology studies in 2012.

In July, 2012, his case was suspended by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) when Public Safety Canada decided that Calvin’s association with his family in Nablus, prior to age 18, constituted membership in Hamas, which Canada designates a terror organization. December 31st CBSA officials informed Calvin that his refugee request had been denied and he could be deported within 30 days. An immigration official found that Calvin had knowingly assisted Hamas by transferring coded messages through Israeli checkpoints, and even shot at Israeli Defense Force jeeps, as he testified to Canadian immigration.

Calvin and his lawyer are contesting the deportation in federal court, with the help of friends who have launched a crowd-funding campaign for him, as well as submitting an appeal to the Prime Minister’s office.

“I’m… somewhat devastated and disappointed and, at the same time, overwhelmed by support of people and friends I didn’t know I had.”

Calvin said he didn’t come out until he was in Canada because being gay would have added to the precariousness of his situation, fleeing from the wrath of his family.

“I have no status, at the moment. I have no status,” he said about his current plight of fighting deportation. “I mean for God’s sake this is Canada. We don’t do this kind of thing.”

The young gay man said his life is on hold right now until the Supreme Court overturns the CBSA’s decision, a process that could be costly – up to $60,000 – for someone who has no other resources in Canada but the help of generous and caring strangers.

“It’s just unfair; it is against what Canada stands for,” he says. “I can’t fight this law on my own. I just don’t have the means to.”

Calvin says by fighting his deportation order he is hoping to set a precedent for others in a similar predicament. In the meantime, he is lost for words over the generosity of newfound friends he met through the gay community and Christian groups in Edmonton. Fundraising for Calvin is currently underway through gofundme.com.

Calvin isn’t the only gay person fighting to stay in Canada as a refugee. Benjamin Codjoe came to Canada last April, on a visitor’s visa. He was fleeing Ghanaian vigilantes who killed his boyfriend and were threatening to kill him too.

“My life is in danger in my country of origin,” he said. It is illegal to be gay in Ghana. “That is why I’m asking to be considered a refugee in Canada.”

Codjoe’s petition to remain in Canada as a refugee has been denied. He said government officials’ main issue with his application was that he didn’t file for a refugee status right away when he came to the country in April, 2014. He filed his application roughly four months later.

“I didn’t apply for the refugee status as soon as I came because I was afraid the Canadian Government will send me home if they find out I am a gay,” he said. He is appealing his case.

“Even if my appeal is refused I can’t go back home. They will kill me.”

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

7

Theatre

All Hail The King of Fairy Tales

Calgary welcomes back Ludwig&Lohengrin to the stage

By Janine Eva Trotta He was an enigmatic king, whose obsession with mythical story and Wagner’s operas inspired some of the greatest castles erected, Neuschwanstein being the most well known. Seeking recluse, King Ludwig II of Bavaria had the latter edifice commissioned by his own funds, along with excessive borrowing, as a place in which to seek refuge. Though construction began in 1869, and ended over two decades later, the palace was never complete. King Ludwig died in 1886, found drowned with one of a team of psychiatrists – a Dr. Bernhard von Gudden – who had declared him insane without proper consultation, though autopsy found no water in his young lungs. The castle was open to the paying public that same year.

It was whilst visiting this ‘Romanesque Revival’ palace, perched fantastically on the rugged hills of southwest Bavaria, Germany, that Calgary playwright and actor, Kyall Rakoz, became inspired to write a one-man play that would explore the legend of der Märchenkönig: the Fairy Tale King.

“Something about hearing the story and seeing the castle… it resonated with me,” Rakoz said. As his tour guide regaled parts of the king’s myth-like story images and ideas were striking the budding thespian in the head. “I was like ah; I think I need to write a show about this.”

A picture of Neuschwanstein had always hung in the actor’s home, from his parent’s previous visit there, like a siren.

Though Ludwig&Lohengrin was Rakoz’s first solo project – this means first show written, directed and first time acting alone on stage – the show captivated its audiences at open, taking the Critics Award for Best Solo Performance at the Calgary Fringe where it debuted.

“I had no idea [it would be received so well],” he says. “For something that was so close to me it was scary to… [put on] that first run.”

But the accolades encouraged Rakoz, and gave him the support he needed to continue to tour the piece for another summer of Fringe festivals, and to grow Ludwig&Lohengrin into what it is today.

“After doing it so long I’ve gotten a better rhythm for the show,” he says. Third Street Theatre is presenting Ludwig&Lohengrin as its final show of the 2014/2015 season, running five days at the Motel Theatre at Arts Commons. Finally being performed on a permanent set – and not a Fringe one that needs to be set and struck within 15 minutes – means that Rakoz will perform under lights and with visual and sound aspects he didn’t himself design.

“It’s exciting for me to see what that creates,” he says.

Rakoz graduated in 2011 from the University of Calgary drama program and soon after participated in Third Street’s creation ensemble to produce the acclaimed This is How I Left. Last year he starred in the company’s rendition of Late, A Cowboy Song.

Though he says that after roughly 40 solo performances last summer his role did begin to get lonely, there is something liberating about being the only actor on stage.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

 Photos and Design by Dave DeGagné & Brad Gibbons

“It was a really great challenge,” he says. “I think I have developed a lot of great skills from [doing] it for sure.” One of those is getting the audience back if you have lost them.

Audiences can expect to become pleasantly lost in the 17 characters Razok will play with nothing more than a white sheet that becomes a prop, a costume, a way to shadow puppet, and even a swan.

“It’s this constant thing that I am interacting with,” he says.

“I always think of it as my acting partner for the show.”

While some of the characters he portrays are humourous, and others more dramatic, not one will be the king himself.

“There are all of these people who talk about him… and yet, in reality, we know so little about him, and most of what we do know is from other peoples’ perspectives,” Rakoz explains. He designed the piece to play homage to that – to let the audience get to know Ludwig in that same way – with a magical essence of fairy tale and whimsy.

Into some of these characters Rakoz, admittedly, has inserted a bit of himself but, more so, he has endowed these characters with aspects he views in people that exist in his real life.

As for what comes next in his career, the actor answers, “I’m still enjoying performing this show,” and adds that he is “waiting for inspiration to strike more than seeking something to write about.”

Third Street Theatre http://www.thirdstreet.ca Ludwig&Lohengrin Calgary - February 24 to 28 Motel Theatre at Arts Commons 205 - 8 Avenue SE, 2nd Floor http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4498 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

Theatre

 photos by Walterdale Theatre

Jeffrey

Romcom demonstrates sex is simply inescapable in gay New York

By Lisa Lunney Last week Edmonton’s Walterdale Theatre opened its doors to its latest production, Jeffrey, which looks at a gay man’s struggle to do away with sex. Sarah Van Tassel, co-director of, the show that runs until Valentine’s Day, took the time to chat with GayCalgary about the piece, its history and what it means to the community.

GC: Can you tell our readers a bit of the background to the Jeffrey storyline?

SVT: Jeffrey is about a young gay man in NYC in the ’90s. He has

decided to become celibate, as the idea of dating under the cloud of HIV is too much for him. Like all good romantic comedies, this is exactly when he meets the right guy.

GC: What has it been like bringing this performance to life?

SVT: This is a really fun script. It has been great finding the laughs, but also digging in and finding the heart of this piece. We have got a great cast and dedicated crew that have been working really hard to bring this show together.

GC: What have been some of the greatest challenges?

SVT: It’s hard to comprehend the AIDS epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s

if you didn’t live through it. Literally watching your group of friends, lovers and colleagues get sick and die over a short period of time – when there was so little known about the disease and even doctors were afraid of it. And although this play is a comedy, we didn’t want to gloss over the history, or make light of the situation.

SVT: I think we all understand being afraid. We may not understand Jeffrey’s particular experience, nor the extremes he goes to deal with it, but fearing to love and the struggle to overcome one’s fear is universal.

GC: What are cast and crew hoping for the audience to take away from the performances?

SVT: You can’t hide from life. It gets messy – people get sick and die – but you need to live your life. I hope people walk out of the theatre with a smile, having had a fun time, and remembering to tell their loved ones that they love them.

GC: What can theatre arts fans look forward to seeing in 2015?

SVT: I think we’re willing to take a few more risks, and risk-taking

leads to more provocative and entertaining theatre. I know when I go to a show I want to see something that pushes the envelope and makes people think... and that’s what we’re trying for with this show.

GC: Is there anything else you would like to share about this performance and what it means to you to share it with the community?

SVT: HIV and AIDS research, and the public’s understanding thereof, has come a long way, but there is still more that needs to be done.

We need to become Heroes for Zero – and zero means zero infections, zero discrimination and zero deaths. By supporting companies like HIV Edmonton and the Calgary Coalition on HIV/AIDS we can get there.

This is an important story as it’s a part of our present, not just our past.

Walterdale Theatre http://walterdaletheatre.com/the-season/walterdale-theatres56th-season/blithe-spirit/

GC: This is such an emotionally driven story; was it easy to translate into such a powerful performance?

Jeffrey Edmonton – February 4 to 14th Walterdale Theatre 10322 – 83rd Avenue NW http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4501 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

9

Theatre

 Julie Orton, Janelle Cooper, Mark Bellamy and Christian Goutsis

 Janelle Cooper and Julie Orton. Photos by Benjamin Laird

Uproarious Play Opens at Lunchbox

Speed Dating for Sperm Donors explores challenges in lesbian childbearing

By Janine Eva Trotta It’s hard to sum up what playwright Natalie Meisner has packed into less than an hour of onstage running time.

It’s a fierce show: funny, emotive, raw – all things that inspire both genuine laughter and tears.

Paige and Helen are a lesbian couple who live in Calgary, though Paige is from the south of France while Helen calls Nova Scotia home. They met at an airport, uprooted their lives for one another, and on a thumping dance floor, when Paige asked Helen if she wanted to have a baby with her, their lives and roles changed irrevocably forever. And so the frustrating, complicated and straining journey to find a biological father for their coveted future offspring began.

“It has everything: high stakes, lovely rich characters and a tremendous amount of heart,” says director Pamela Halstead who, like Meisner and her lead character Helen, hails from Nova Scotia. The two first workshopped the piece in Stage One in 2013, and Halstead committed to be part of bringing the work to stage. Halstead says her biggest job in managing this piece was balancing its aspects of reality and fiction. “[The show] is inspired by Natalie and her partner Vivien’s experience of trying to find a suitable sperm donor,” she explains. “So you want to honour the truth of the real people and, at the same time, the characters are not exactly them, and the donors are amalgamations of men they met or over-the-top versions of some others.”

The script does a topnotch job of doing just that. At times I found myself looking away, as though the moment I was watching on stage was a moment occurring between two people in real life, too intimate to look on directly. The dialogue is funny, witty, and never for a moment forced. The actresses are both such naturals at these roles – it really feels you are watching two women you know very well trying to conceive their baby(s).

Mark Bellamy, artistic producer at Lunchbox, also lends his zest and zeal to play a variety of comical characters – each one fresh and hysterical.

Lines like The roads are starting to clear… I’d drive to Edmonton for fresh sperm derive laughs, but never at the expense of the real turmoil this very difficult quest affects.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

“I hope that the audience gets to experience the love these two women have for each other, and the hopes and dreams they have for the future – as well as their sheer determination to make those dreams come true,” Halstead says. “…despite the fact that they are a same-sex couple… their desire to have a family is as real and true as any heterosexual couple’s – the journey is just more challenging to get there! And for some in the audience, it may challenge their preconceived notions about same-sex relationships and what constitutes a family.”

Glancing around at the expressions on the faces that surrounded me in attendance on opening day, many of those elderly, they were getting it. They were laughing, tearing up, even fanning themselves over the blustering emotion this genuine piece inspires.

Growing up in the multicultural hodgepodge of a relatively new city, it is easy to think that nothing here is actually colloquial. But in this play, a hyperbolized version of the nonfiction account Meisner scribed in her book Double Pregnant: Two Lesbians Make a Family (Fernwood, 2014), the writer delivers a story that is so uniquely Calgarian. This story implemented so firmly in my mind I completely missed my stop on the train ride home. I want everyone I know to go and see this play. I want it to be performed in schools. It does such a lovely job of conveying a reality that many are oblivious to: that lesbian and gay couples are just as destined to raise families as anyone else is. They just might have to jump a few hilarious, and horrendous, hurdles to get there.

Lunchbox Theatre http://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/ Speed Dating for Sperm Donors - World Premier Calgary – February 2 to 21 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4499 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

Interview

Getting Lost with Rick and Rachel The Stars of Lost Girl Dish on Season 5

By Mars Tonic There is a show out there, grown out of the depths of Canadian brilliance and open-mindedness, featuring supernatural creatures, hot sex, and political drama. It’s called Lost Girl – maybe you have heard of it.

Lost Girl was never going to be just one season. It started small and then it grew – now the show is known internationally for its open look at species, politics and – specifically – sexuality.

Rather than a tool to demoralize, sexuality is used, reversely, in a positive and empowering manner. Characters within the world hook up without fuss, and bisexuality runs rampant, especially through the main character of Bo the succubus, portrayed by Anna Silk.

Rick Howland and Rachel Skarsten both star on the show, but they started out at different times. Howland was there from the start – he is seen in the very first episode, warning the Light and Dark Fae against doing away with Bo despite her status as a wild card. Skarsten, on the other hand, enters in Season 3 as a Valkyrie working with Bo’s on-again, off-again detective boyfriend Dyson.

When Howland began his stint on the show, he didn’t know what he was in for beyond the first season. “The producer, Jay Firestone, when he created the show, he kind of said This is going to go for five years. He had a plan. But, you know, you learn as an actor to go, ok, great, I want that to happen, but when that happens, that’s when I’ll fully believe it. But the audience response has been fantastic. The show has been a great experience all along.”

Unfortunately, this summer, it was announced that this season would indeed be the show’s last. It promises to be a great ride, particularly concerning the journeys all of the characters have undergone together.

“One of the things we pride ourselves in with Lost Girl is, it’s not about this heterosexual couple, this homosexual couple – it’s just about the relationship; about two people who love each other, and I think that is one of the things that makes our show really special,” Skarsten says. “I have had the opportunity to be in both hetero and homosexual relationships on the show, which is ironic, because my character loves no one! But I think that is what’s really exciting about it.”

Though her character mistrusts Bo, she also has a deep respect for her. “Both Anna [Silk] and I have really enjoyed exploring the dynamics of that relationship, both in a romantic way and in a platonic way. It will be fun for everyone to see what happens in Season 5.”

Howland’s character, Trick, has a closer relationship with Bo, acting often as her counsel. “It has been a great pleasure to play opposite Anna, and for Trick to play opposite Bo – with her growth, change, and openness, and to be the father figure, to be accepting and open,” he says. “She is going to choose how she wants to choose, and he’s there to accept what’s going on.

He has been around for 2000 years, so you got to say he has seen a lot.”

Even before they knew where their characters were going, Howland and Silk found themselves finding a natural rhythm.

“It has been incredibly easy,” he says. “Even early on, when I wasn’t fully aware of what the relationship was going to be, there was already that connection of fatherly-daughter guidance, overseer, protector, kind of thing. Anna and I have had some of the most amazingly emotional moments, and some hard scenes to play with each other. Trick wrote the laws, and www.gaycalgary.com

 Rick Howland, Rachel Skarsten & Mars Tonic Photo by GayCalgary

she is born to break them. There’s a perfect dynamic of a family trying to figure each other out.”

While Skarsten has shared a lot of plot with Anna’s character, many of her scenes are with Dyson, played by Kris Holden-Ried. “Working with Kris is so much fun,” she says. “We always joke around that we are the same person but in male and female form. I’ll know what he’s thinking, and we don’t even say anything – we have a full conversation with just eye movements.”

With such an established cast, was it difficult for Skarsten to join in on all of the shenanigans? Absolutely not, according to Howland. “Rachel slid into the cast and just fit right in, and was awesome to work with and have around on set,” he said. “Never a bad thing to bring in a Valkyie. And I finally had someone who was as old as I was in the show!”

If you want to get caught up before the next season, hurry, because Season 5 is slated to start on December 7th, 2014.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

11

Interview

 photos by Luke Gilford

Killing You Softly

Perfume Genius on the perfect manicure, his Tupac sponge-bath fantasy and being ‘weirdly liberated’

By Chris Azzopardi Mike Hadreas is tapping his “really long” nails on a table.

“Can you hear that?” he asks.

The act seems insignificant, but for the Seattle-based musician – better known as Perfume Genius – it’s a rite of passage. That tap, tap encapsulates independence, bravery and rebelliousness – all facets of his confrontational third album Too Bright, where Hadreas redefines his musical genius to reflect a revelatory breakthrough.

GC: Are you trying to make a statement with your androgynous look?

MH: Originally it wasn’t a protest-y thing – I was just allowing myself to do whatever the hell I wanted. When I wear women’s clothes and makeup, to me I’m not dressing like a woman. I’m just doing whatever I want to do! I feel like I was being more myself when I did that, not more like a woman. When I first allowed myself to do that, I went nuts and I was wearing tons of costume jewelry and paisley maxi skirts all the time. I really went for it!

(Laughs) It’s kind of evened out now.

I have my nails done. I’ve figured out where I naturally want to be. You know when women tap their nails on the table? Growing up I was like, “That is the bomb!” I wanted to do that. Now I can.

One time before a show in Chicago I actually got acrylic nails and I wanted them long, but when I got up on stage I couldn’t play my guitar. It was really embarrassing! (Laughs) GC: How intentional are you being with your subversion of gender norms?

MH: As much as it is just me being myself, I know it is a defiant act to leave the house or make a video with these things in them, and so there are times when I exaggerate it. I push it a bit just because that’s what I like to do. It’s important to me.

I like that when I play shows boys wear crazy outfits because they feel like they can. It’s super, super heartwarming. I mean, it’s a really corny feeling, but if I’m ever kind of contented for a moment or feel like I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to, it’s when I’m doing things like that.

GC: Is Too Bright a response to the fact that some people have pigeonholed you as a downer?

MH: (Laughs) I guess. A lot of people call my albums “depressing,” and I don’t feel that way. I think that some of the 12

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

songs are very sad, but that’s very different than depression to me.

I’ve been depressed in my life, and I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t even bother to microwave a burrito let alone write a song! (Laughs) Some people mistake patience or compassion for wimpy things when they’re some of the toughest and strongest modes you can be in. Maybe I was a tiny bit of resentful of that (for this album).

You know, people qualify me as a “gay musician” right away.

I have interviews in France, and they’ll do the introduction on the radio and they’re like, “His name is Mike Hadreas. He’s very depressed. He’s very gay.” Because of that, people told me before I made this album that maybe I should tone it down or talk about less explicitly gay themes. I did the opposite. People think that because I’m tiny or because I’m wearing a lot of silk that I can’t hurt you, but I can. I’m just as capable of murder as everybody else.

GC: How much of Too Bright is a representation of you currently?

Is this how you want to perceive yourself?

MH: Yeah, hopefully. I mean, a lot of it is how I’m feeling now, and a lot of it is about how I hope to feel. I guess the first two albums were all about me processing and thinking about what had already happened, but I didn’t feel like it was important to do that anymore – to look back. This album is very confident and sort of confrontational, and I have some of that in me, but the music is almost more that than how I am. Some of it’s a projection.

GC: How did you get into that mindset for Too Bright?

MH: (Long pause) I did a lot of things for many years that sort of … it made me lost. I just wasn’t really present or paying attention or recognizing what was actually going on with me or outside of me. Then, when I got sober, there were a lot of really big problems that needed to heal and that I needed to figure out. Now, I’ve been healthy long enough that those big issues have sort of gone, and I’m just kind of left with myself for the first time as an adult. I’ve been thinking about things that I never really thought about, like my place in the world and how I want to feel. You know, it was just a very complicated and weird thing, and I guess this is sort of a therapeutic figuring out.

GC: How long have you been sober? And how long have you felt like a grown up?

MH: Well, I don’t feel like a grown up yet. (Laughs) But I’ve been sober for four years. www.gaycalgary.com

GC: On the album, you express feelings of anger, empowerment and defiance. How have they manifested within you? Is that part of the recovery process?

MH: It’s partly that. But a lot of it is... I don’t know. (Long pause) I mean, growing up people would give me shit in class or on the street and it would magnify this otherness that I feel. Originally I would be ashamed at myself or feel like something was wrong with me, and I also just felt very victimized. Parallel to that is this resentment and anger about the whole thing. When I got older, that whole victim-y outlook was not working for me anymore. I mean, it never did, but it’s very clear to me that that was not helpful, so I wanted to deal with these things and think about them in a more defiant and badass way, I guess. That’s how I feel and that’s how I want to feel, and I thought it would helpful for others to hear it put that way.

GC: I remember being bullied and then growing up to feel victimized by the whole world. Then, you get to a point where you say, “Fuck everybody.” I mean, not everybody – not the good people.

MH: But it feels like everybody. That’s how it gets twisted, and that’s how it got twisted for me. Even though I would be in situations a lot where probably nobody was gonna pick on me or nobody was gonna say shit, I still carried myself as if they were going to. I have a guard up all the time just in case, and I’m very resentful and pissed off about that. I don’t feel like doing it anymore.

GC: When you shot the video for “Queen,” the first single from this album, what did it feel like to get on top of that conference table looking all lesbian chic in front of a group of presumably heterosexual men? Was it cathartic?

MH: It was. That was my main idea, you know what I mean?

Doing it, I was a little timid at first, but then I was like, “Fuck y’all.

I’m gonna give it to you.”

GC: What kind of kid were you?

MH: I was just a little weirdo. On top of being feminine, I’m a very tiny person. I’m also weird – like a Gollum lady-like creature.

But, you know, creatively I’m strange. I’m proud of that, though. I don’t think of that as a negative thing.

GC: I felt strange, too, when I was a kid, so I tried to counterbalance that by doing “normal” kid things, like playing soccer. Have you always been proud of your weirdness?

MH: I guess I worried about it and was very self-conscious and thought a lot about how I carried myself, but never to the point where I really changed all that much. (Laughs) I was getting shit, but I rarely if ever did it differently. I mean, I don’t think I could’ve even played soccer even if I felt like it. But maybe. I was on the wrestling team until my sophomore year in high school. I would’ve kept doing it except I came out when I was 15 and didn’t think I could stay on the wrestling team, which is a shame – there’s nothing really sexual about it. If anything, it’s the opposite.

GC: At what point in your life did you feel empowered as a gay man – not just identity-wise, but sexually too?

MH: Oh god. When I was writing this album, there were times where I was actually giggling afterward because I was going for it so much with some of the things I was saying. I actually surprised myself by how swagger-y and middle finger-y I was being about things. I was very insecure my whole life, so when I just do shit anyway is when I feel empowered. I’m still nervous and I still get that frightened feeling a lot, but I just do everything anyway now.

GC: Do you remember when you first felt sexually liberated?

MH: When it happened for me was (during the music video for Tupac’s “I Get Around”) where these girls are sponge-bathing Tupac. I originally went in thinking I wanted to get in the bath, but then I started to realize that I wanted to bathe Tupac. I wanted to sponge Tupac! Then I was like, “You know what, let’s just be real.”

GC: How does somebody who’s naturally nervous like you get on stage and perform?

MH: You just do it. I commit to everything. I also realized that how I’m feeling is not real a lot of the times. You can lie to yourself and things wax and wane, so I never really feel like I’m in the right

spot to perform. I never feel like I’m 100 percent ready, but I know that’s a lie.

GC: How important is it to you that people connect to your music on an emotional level?

MH: I like the idea of singing songs about things that people might feel lonely in. Maybe I’m giving myself too much credit, but that’s at least my intention.

GC: I think your music is capable of that. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t think there was truth to that.

MH: I know. It’s just that I’ve noticed now as I’m doing interviews that I kind of have to be pretentious. There’s no way getting around it. I’m sort of embarrassed to ... (long pause) GC: To talk about yourself?

MH: Yeah.

GC: Which song on Too Bright do you feel closest to?

MH: “My Body.” It’s not an uplifting song, but I can always get in the right mood for it.

GC: What do you mean by “the right mood”?

MH: The song is about body image issues and feelings of just feeling icky – of just being an “icky” person. Icky physically. Just icky in general. But during the song I’m almost yelling at people.

There’s no apologizing or feeling bad for myself. It’s almost like an exorcism; there’s something very cathartic about it. Telling these secrets about myself in a really big way to people is weirdly liberating.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

13

Politics

Canadian Blood Services

Monitoring American Policy on Gay Blood Donations

By Stephen Lock While much of the hysteria that surrounded HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and ’90s has dissipated over the years, there still remains pockets of paranoia and fear in certain segments of society, especially when it comes to gay/bisexual men – and other men who have sex with men –donating blood.

In the late 1990s the Canadian Red Cross – then the principal agency responsible for the collection of blood to be used in transfusions – was hit with a huge tainted blood scandal in which thousands of Canadians, hemophiliacs and trauma patients were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C as a result of infected blood and plasma entering the system. As a result, the Red Cross was removed from being the agency responsible for blood donations and the Canada Blood Services (CBS) was established in 1988 to fill the void.

From the outset (since 1977), CBS had a policy that barred ‘high risk’ individuals, which included men who had had sex with men, from ever donating blood. Various agencies, such as the Canadian AIDS Society and Egale Canada, lobbied to have this lifelong ban rescinded, citing evidence that with the proper post-donation treatment any pathogens that might be present in the blood supply would be neutralized, rendering the supply safe. These organizations also maintained that any blanket policy prohibiting gay men, and men who had sex with men, from donating blood was discriminatory, and does not take into account actual behaviours but relies solely on orientation. It did not matter to CBS if a potential donor had consistently practiced safer sex, or whose sexual practices were low risk for HIV transmission; the mere fact that an individual had had sex with another man at some point was grounds for denying that individual the ability to donate blood.

Of course technology has changed in the last 26 years. It is now wholly possible to ‘screen out’ infected blood and/or to have systems in place through which all donations pass that would assure the supply is safe. CBS, for whatever reasons, has consistently refused to rely on this proven technology despite several other countries doing so, although it, along with Hema Quebec, did ease the lifelong ban in 2013, allowing gay men to donate five years after their last sexual contact.

In the U.S., the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended that restrictions be reduced to allow men who have had sex with men to donate one year after their last same-sex sexual contact.

Australia and Germany, and other Western countries, have had similar policies in place for some time.

The FDA referenced various scientific studies that indicate the move to the one-year deferral will not create risks to the blood supply. It has been projected that the new FDA policy will increase the blood supply by hundreds of thousands pints per year.

In a statement released in December 2014, CBS said it was closely following the American developments and would “continue to learn about the process” before any decision to further update its donation criteria was made.

CBS went on to say “[a]t this time, Canadian Blood Services is collecting scientific data and undertaking additional stakeholder consultations to inform [the] next steps for Canada’s policy.”

The science is clear that HIV and hepatitis pathogens can be effectively eliminated from the supply through relatively simple means, including the process of rendering whole blood into the plasma used in transfusions. It is not as if the blood taken from Person A is directly injected into Person B. Following donation, the various blood donations obtained go through a whole screening and, one could say, cleansing process before being placed into our country’s blood reserves.

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Of course, every precaution to ensure our blood supply is safe should be taken. This goes without saying, I would think. But the ban against gay/bisexual men, and other men who have had sex with men since 1977 – be it lifelong or five years – is draconian, an over-reaction. It is a textbook example of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Because you have had sex with another male, regardless of what form that sexual contact may have taken, and are therefore automatically denied the privilege of donating much needed blood, cannot be described as anything less than discriminatory.

Clearly there are specific high-risk activities, when it comes to the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which can lead to AIDS. Amongst them is sharing needles and even crack pipes, unprotected sex with an infected person (male or female), and specific sexual behaviours, such as unprotected anal intercourse (or barebacking). We all know this. In an ideal world (well, in an ideal world we wouldn’t have HIV/AIDS or other sexually-transmitted infection in general) those who know they have engaged in high-risk behaviours, be they sexual or drug-related, would voluntarily opt out of donating blood.

You would think that be the ethical, one might even say moral, thing to do. But people don’t. That reality is something which the CBS, Hema Quebec and Health Canada are acutely aware.

While I understand the reaction to ban (to the best of my knowledge, female sex-trade workers do not face the same, although I believe intravenous drug users do), it still comes back to the policy being discriminatory against men who have sex with men, whether we selfidentify as gay or not.

As it is, the current policy is imperfect. People lie. They will lie about their sexual orientation. They will lie about their sexual history. How does the current Canadian – or any other country’s – policy protect against that sad reality? The fact of the matter is some gay men who engage in risky sexual behaviour (but not all), and some other individuals whose behaviours could reasonably be deemed a risk to the supply (again, not all) donate blood. And yet we have not had any tainted blood enter the system for years, that we know of.

That is largely due to effective screening processes being in place.

Tests are conducted on donated blood, and any blood found to contain pathogens is either treated to neutralize those pathogens, or disposed of. That makes sense to me. Banning well-meaning individuals from donating blood because of who they are does not.

I am a physically healthy gay man. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with my blood whatsoever. I used to donate blood regularly back before the original ban – it just seemed to me to be a civic duty. When the ban came into effect, I likewise saw it as my civic duty to respect that ban, even while I disagreed with it. At the time I felt I understood the rationale behind it.

As already mentioned, the technology has evolved considerably to a point where it really should not matter whose blood is being donated since the donations can be anonymously screened following any donation and the appropriate action taken. So why the policy? I suspect, being the cynic I am at times, it is tied up with costs. Obviously, screening XX amount of blood is more expensive than screening only X amount. Is the policy a cost-saving measure? And what price can one put on ensuring a safe supply?

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

15

Politics

The Mormons and Homosexuality Stagnating views on same-sex relations

By Stephen Lock I have written several pieces on the response of various churches and other faith groups’ response, and in some instances reaction, to LGBTQ issues. One by one the United Church, Anglican Communion and the Vatican have all come out, as it were, with various positions on issues affecting us and our communities. Some have been quite positive, as we see within the United Church, for instance; others continue to struggle.

Even evangelical churches and groups have started to make some acknowledgements of error – specifically Exodus International, the wellknown and one could even say infamous ‘ex-gay’ organization whose president issued a heartfelt apology to those he had hurt and wronged, both personally and in his capacity as organization head. That, in itself, was major.

Now we have the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), aka the Mormons, stepping forward in the U.S. in support of laws protecting LGBTQ individuals. Not surprisingly, this is paired with a disclaimer that religious freedoms not be compromised, which still leaves the door open for discrimination against LGBTQ people on religious grounds or belief.

The LDS have a history of not being particularly gay-friendly. It wasn’t so long ago that any Mormon coming out as homosexual, or as trans, faced excommunication by the church and shunning by not just what was once their faith community, but by their own families. LDS are strongly focused on ‘family values’ and have always viewed homosexuality as anathema to that.

Church leaders in Salt Lake City stated they were taking a “fairness to all” approach, in which religious freedom, assumedly including the freedom of various religiously-based beliefs, would be balanced with supporting various safeguards for lesbians and gay men (transfolk were also obliquely referred to) in terms of housing, employment, access to public services and other rights. However the approach stopped short of endorsing or supporting equal marriage.

“We believe laws ought to be framed to achieve a balance in protecting the freedoms of all people while respecting those with differing values,” Elder Dallin Oaks, a member of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles, the second highest governing body within the church after the First Presidency, stated in remarks posted on the LDS’ official website. “We reject persecution and retaliation of any kind, including persecution based on race, ethnicity, religious belief, economic circumstances, or differences in gender or sexual orientation.”

The Mormon Church is not without understanding when it comes to persecution. Their founder, Joseph Smith, was attacked and murdered by a mob in 1844 while in jail. Adherents were routinely persecuted for their unorthodox beliefs and practices, leading eventually to The Migration from other parts of the U.S. into what is now Utah.

For years LDS practiced polygamy, believing it to be a religious duty, as set out by Joseph Smith following a ‘revelation’ in 1843. Smith himself had 25 wives. Polygamy was kept secret within the church, although rumours outside the church abounded, but in 1852 the doctrine was made public, which hardly endeared them to mainstream 19th-Century America. The practice continued until 1890, when then-President Wilford Woodruff renounced the practice, after years of legal sanctions and charges laid by the federal government against the church and various polygamous individuals.

The modern LDS church, while one of the fastest growing churches in the western world, has repeatedly been accused of being little more than a cult, albeit a large and wealthy one that admonishes considerable influence, especially in the state of Utah. Some even refuse to accept the LDS as a Christian church despite it identifying itself as such.

The LDS also believe themselves to be the only true American church.

Amongst one of its tenets it is said that Christ visited North America and preached to the pre-colonial people of this continent. The Golden Tablets, reputedly discovered by Joseph Smith – under the direction of the angel

16

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

Moroni – in upstate New York in 1823, and which were the basis for the Book of Mormon, are often cited as evidence, although the Tablets themselves are long since lost, so no independent verification can be made of the claim.

The LDS church still relies heavily on the reputed ability of its president to receive divine revelation and possess other prophetic gifts. These revelations are akin to papal ex cathedra directives, in that they are seen as infallible – the direct voice of God issuing through his prophet, the president of the church, and the longest serving member of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles, all of whom are also seen as prophets and seers. The current statement is not a ‘revelation’ and therefore would not be a part of doctrine, but having a Quorum elder issue such a statement carries considerable weight.

Church doctrine involves the Law of Chastity, which permits sexual relations only between a legally married husband and wife. Marriage is integral to Mormon doctrine. Married couples who live worthy can enter into a ‘celestial marriage’ in which they are bound to each other for eternity.

This can only be done, however, in temple, and only those deemed to be worthy can enter the temple or partake in its rituals.

Officially, the church does not accept biological determination when it comes to same-sex attraction. According to church doctrine, the argument of whether being gay is natural or not is irrelevant. The Book of Mormon discusses “the natural man [being] an enemy to God” (Mosiah 3:19).

From an LDS perspective, the tendency towards homosexuality should not be treated any differently than adultery, fornication, or any other sinful act. A fundamental doctrine of the faith is the ‘proper use’ of one’s moral agency to overcome the natural man and to tame one’s appetites and passions so that one can better follow divine will.

The church has long taught that homosexuality is a ‘curable condition’ and while even active lesbians and gay men may attend Sunday services, acquiring and maintaining membership in the church and gaining a ‘temple recommend’, this is dependent upon observing the Law of Chastity’s prohibition of sexual relationships outside of marriage.

Interestingly both the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, two sources the church considers Holy Scripture, are silent on the issue of homosexuality.

In 1999, President Gordon B. Hinckley officially welcomed lesbian and gay men into the church, and stated in an interview at the time: “Now we have gays in the church. Good people. We take no action against such people – provided they don’t become involved in transgression; sexual transgression. If they do, we do with them exactly what we’d do with heterosexuals who transgress.”

The church defines serious transgressions as including “murder, rape, forcible sexual abuse, spousal abuse, intentional serious physical injury of others, adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, deliberate abandonment of family responsibilities, robbery, burglary, theft, embezzlement, sale of illegal drugs, fraud, perjury, and false swearing”. Homosexual activity can result in a disciplinary council and, if the individual persists in the transgression, excommunication.

The current statement by Elder Oaks, then, is really nothing new or radical. The church has always “condemned the sin but not the sinner”, and the expectation that homosexuals work to overcome their homosexuality is still there.

Without a critical examination of doctrine and a repudiation of past presidents’ comments, such as 12th President Spencer W. Kimball’s belief, albeit a personal one, that masturbation could lead to homosexuality and “...that through the ages, perhaps as an extension of homosexual practices, men and women have sunk even to seeking sexual satisfactions with animals”, nothing much has really changed within the church of LDS.

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Community

Discussing Community Safety Considering the occupation of police officer

By Constable Andy Buck Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed a fabulous, festive break with loved ones, and that 2015 has been kind to you so far.

Are you all set for the holidays? I wanted to take this opHave any of you made any New Year resolutions? Yes, me too! We all think about the usual stuff like getting fit, eating healthily, giving up bad habits – what about a change of occupation? Have any of you thought about a career change and, if so, what about a career in law enforcement?

Did you know that CPS is one of the few employers who are always recruiting? And did you know that CPS is actively looking to recruit members from diverse communities? It is all true, and we are always looking for high-calibre recruits, so if your interest is peaked then now is the time follow through on those promises, or to realize those dreams. Let me give you a little bit of information.

A police officer is expected to do many things and play a variety of different roles. In the course of your duties you may conduct traffic stops, investigate crimes, develop important preventative strategies, or deal with grieving or distressed families. Police work isn’t easy. People don’t call the police when things are going well. What makes this career worthwhile is that police officers are willing to deal with the difficult parts of life, making a real difference in people’s lives.

While always accountable to the community and the chain of command, police officers are also given autonomy to make decisions; big and small. These often need to be made quickly, and under pressure. You will be given the knowledge, training and guidance needed to perform your duties, but your own life experience, people skills and common sense are equally important parts of being a good police officer.

as a family doctor and chiropractor available to members and their immediate families. Pension eligibility begins after 25 years.

Career Opportunities: Recruit class graduates are assigned to one of the city’s districts for the initial first few years of their career. On patrol, officers will be involved in a wide variety of experiences, all of which allow for continual development of your skill sets. There are often opportunities for assignment to areas within the districts, such as mountain bike patrol, district response teams, community liaison officers and special enforcement projects.

After some time working in patrol, officers have the option to use their skills and knowledge to specialize in other areas of the service.

Various opportunities exist for lateral movement and advancement, depending on suitability.

Requirements: We expect a great deal from the people we select to serve the citizens of Calgary as police officers. Our members must have exemplary moral character, a high degree of personal integrity, display sound judgment, intelligent decision-making, maturity and common sense.

The CPS has six core values: respect, honesty, integrity, fairness, compassion, and courage.

The importance of having these traits cannot be stressed enough – nor can they be taught. These are the foundations of what makes a good CPS officer.

Minimum Requirements: - Grade 12 diploma or equivalent - Canadian citizen, landed immigrant status or permanent resident status (living in Canada or the United States for three years)

A career with the CPS means countless opportunities. The challenges constantly vary and rewards can be seen everywhere. That’s what appeals to our officers – the opportunity for change and growth.

- At least 18 years of age - Class 5 Driver’s license (non GDL) with no more than five demerit points

Physical Demands:

- Meet medical/health and fitness standards

It goes without saying that maintaining a high level of fitness is a must, given the physical nature of police work. Being physically fit allows you to best serve the community and your fellow officers. CPS has a team of highly qualified fitness trainers whose job it is to ensure you can perform the functions of a police officer. They take their job seriously and are committed to helping create and maintain a healthy workforce.

Work Environment: CPS patrol officers generally work shifts of four working days followed by four days off. Our shifts vary between eight and 12 hours.

You will switch between days and nights during your week, and have various starting times, depending on the rotation.

Salary and Benefits: The CPS has a very competitive salary and benefits package. You will start with three weeks of vacation per year (pro-rated) with the opportunity to take overtime hours as additional vacation time. Plus you will receive full pay and benefits while you are training.

- No unpardoned criminal convictions - No criminal charges pending before the courts - No criminal activity within the last three years both detected and undetected - Strong credit rating - One year clear of discharge date from a bankruptcy These requirements are a prerequisite that you must meet to apply.

Remember though that merely meeting them does not necessary mean you will be successful in our competitive hiring process.

If you think you are ready, or would like any more information about a career in policing with the Calgary Police Service, please get in touch with me. I would be happy to pass on my experiences to you, and can easily connect you with one of our recruiters. It is a truly worthwhile and rewarding career.

As always, please message me with any questions, comments or concerns. Stay safe, look after each other.

For the first five years of an officer’s career, salaries increase every year as one moves up in class.

Annual Salaries (as of 2013): Fifth Class Constable – $59,404.18

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

Fourth Class Constable – $66,715.44 Third Class Constable – $77,682.36 Second Class Constable – $84,993.72 First Class Constable – $91,391.04 Additional benefits include comprehensive health and wellness programs, such as fitness facilities in most CPS buildings, as well

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Community

Discussing Community Safety Anti-bullying event at police HQ

By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone. I want to start this article by addressing something that has come to my attention.

I am aware of a community member who has taken it upon themselves to start a bit of a campaign to smear my name on social media. As a police officer, I know that sometimes we can’t always give the advice that people want to hear. Sometimes there is just no evidence to support an allegation that is being made.

Sometimes we have an idea as to what has happened based on balance of probability but, unfortunately in a court of law, we have to prove beyond any reasonable doubt. There is a big difference between allegation and evidence. That doesn’t mean that we don’t care. That doesn’t make us bad people. It just means that we, like everyone else, have to work within our powers. I will not name anybody specifically, but if somebody feels that they want to chat with me about it then please feel free to connect in the usual way.

I have always supported the community to the best of my abilities, and always with professionalism, dedication and pride, and I will continue to do that. I have enjoyed the

full support of so many people within the community and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You are all truly wonderful, and have made the past three years the most enjoyable of my policing career.

On a more positive note, I want to make you aware of an event that takes place later this month. On Sunday, February 22nd, my Chief’s Advisory Board members and I are putting on an anti-bullying panel event here at police HQ. We will be showing a short movie and pausing at relevant points to direct some questions at a panel of guests. One of these guests will be Brian Burke, the president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames, and a huge advocate for the LGBTQ community. It is an opportunity for you to visit police headquarters and see our new lecture theatre, to meet with myself and the board members, and also to hear about some of the amazing programs that CPS currently has for youth and the community. The whole event starts at 1:30pm with some light refreshments, the movie commencing at 2pm sharp. Please see the poster for additional details; tickets are available from Eventbrite. Best of all, it is completely free, and we will even provide transport to and from McKnightWestwinds LRT station if you request it.

It should be noted that the movie content is potentially triggering for some, and we will have trained counsellors on hand for those that may require their assistance.

All in all, it should be a great afternoon. Tell your families, tell your friends, and hopefully we will see you later this month. In the meantime please stay safe, look out for each other, and I will talk to you next month. Please message me with any questions, comments or concerns and I assure you of my best attention at all times.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Nothing Butt Russell Tovey

Looking star talks sex scenes, his ‘well-received’ tush and taking his mom to Folsom Street Fair  photos by Richard Foreman/HBO

By Chris Azzopardi Despite roles in the BBC supernatural drama Being Human and The History Boys, both on stage and screen, it’s the HBO dramedy Looking that has presented Russell Tovey with con-siderable exposure. Premiering in early 2014, the show centers on a group of gay friends in San Francisco as they navigate relationships, family and sleeping with your boss. When Kevin (Tov-ey) and Patrick (Jonathan Groff) finally got down to business during a steamy lay at the end of the first season, the hunky Londoner revealed more than his acting chops.

As Looking returns to the network, the 33-year-old opened up on a variety of topics: his mom’s reaction to his thigh thump with Groff, the advantages to shooting a sex scene with a gay actor and how, despite his famous butt, fans of the show who meet him aren’t “rape-y.”

GC: The Season 1 finale set the stage for a whole lot of drama.

What does that mean for this up-coming season?

RT: Season 2’s gonna pick up three months on with the fallout from that experience with Pat-rick, Kevin and Richie (Patrick’s boyfriend played by Raúl Castillo). They go away on a big adventure and it all unravels. What it means is there’s gonna be tension, and what unfolds is going to be very good television.

And I love it. I love seeing #TeamKevin / #TeamRichie. People are really loyal to Kevin or Richie. They’re like, “Sorry – I really like you, Russell, but I’m #TeamRichie.” “Kevin’s a cheat!”

“Leave Patrick alone!”

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GC: What’s your hope for Kevin and this love triangle he’s gotten himself into?

RT: I want Kevin to be happy, but I want him to find his way to happiness with a lot of drama that’s gonna be entertaining for an audience watching an HBO show. (Laughs) But he has to fuck things up, and I think that’s part of his personality. The more Patrick gets to know him, that’s gonna unravel.

GC: Soooo: Team Kevin or Team Richie?

RT: Hmm… would I fuck myself? Or would I fuck Raúl?

(Laughs) If I could have a threeway, it’d be quite nice. You know, a bit of both. But in reality, you’d want a boyfriend like Richie be-cause he could cut your hair, and that’s great – you don’t have to worry about that expenditure every month. He’d do that for free! And he can play guitar, so he can entertain you.

GC: Or, of course, there’s Kevin, who appears to be – at least from the Season 1 finale – experi-enced in bed.

RT: Oh yeah, he’s very good. A lot of me went into that.

(Laughs) GC: I hear you’re a method actor…

RT: Totally. I’ve done all the research.

GC: Unless it’s gay porn, it’s rare in TV and film that actors who have sex scenes are both gay. For instance, Raúl is straight and has onscreen sex with Jonathan. How does the dynamic of a sex scene change knowing both you and Jonathan are gay?

RT: It makes it so much more relaxed. I’ve had sex scenes with girls, and I feel very relaxed be-cause I’m not worried about anything popping up – I’m just worried about her world and making sure she’s comfortable. When I’ve done stuff with Joe

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Williamson (Tovey’s boyfriend on Looking) – and we’re hugging and kissing and whatever, and he goes for it – I feel a slight responsibility to make sure that he doesn’t feel I’m taking advantage of the fact that this has been written. I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable, so I feel a responsibility to him in a differ-ent way than I do to girls.

With Jonathan, doing these sex scenes just feels so cool. We’re such good mates now, and we laugh and we love doing our scenes together. You can do anything; your hands go everywhere, and it’s fine. Neither of us at any point feels uncomfortable, and that’s why it’s so good. We just completely trust each other, and we go for it. Neither of us hold back or feel any pang of responsibility for the other one when it comes to that. We just trust each other on a completely open level.

Either of us could go to the other, “Hey, you should put your dick in there.” (Laughs) GC: Are you saying that you and Jonathan basically direct your own sex scenes on the show?

RT: (Laughs) No, no, I’m not! (Writer-director) Andrew Haigh is very much involved. (Creator) Michael Lannan is very much involved. When we have sex scenes we have (those guys) there onboard the whole time to make sure it’s all good. But yeah, I think Jonathan and I are, again, method; we know what we’re doing. (Laughs) GC: Will you have more sex scenes with Jonathan in Season 2?

RT: God – is it a spoiler if I say yes?

GC: How do you feel about all the attention your ass has gotten on social media?

RT: In the future, I imagine myself looking back and going, “God, I had a nice ass. Glad I got that out.” If it’s there now, I’m getting it out because it’s not always gonna look like that. I don’t want to hide it. And it’s nice that people like it. I’ve been very lucky. I’ve grown it myself, and I also have my parents to thank for it being well-received.

GC: What kind of influence do you see this show having?

RT: It’s such a true voice for gay people. Everyone all around the world is able to see their own friends in all these characters.

In the gay community, everyone wants stories. Every show (like Looking) that comes out is another kind of stamp in the world to say, “This is happening. This is here.” This is another show that proves how normal this is. This show is where we are now – in a place where it feels we’ve moved on so far that we’re able to make a show like this. Here we are – not bad people who are having coming out problems, where not everyone is dying of AIDS. This is, right now, what it’s like to be a gay man who can get married and adopt. Suddenly, you can sign up to the heterosexual blueprint.

GC: Growing you, did you have a “true voice” in entertainment?

RT: No… GC: So what finally inspired you to come out?

RT: I had really close family friends. Myself and one of my best mates now – our dads went to school together – came out to each other when we were like 14, 15. He was very out and proud, and he was going out to all the gay clubs when I was a kid. I was so scared to do it, but I went out with him. Going out with him I realized there are other people like me out there, and I was like, “Cool, this is all right.”

But there wasn’t anybody in the public eye that made me go, “Oh, thank you.” There were no Tom Daleys, no big coming out stories inspiring me to come out. I do remember seeing the film Beautiful Thing as a kid and my mom coming up the stairs to go to bed and me turning it off and going “Night!” I waited till she went to bed to put it back on, and I remember being awe-struck at this film, and crying and being like, “Oh my god, that’s me.” Beautiful Thing was actually a huge part of my coming out experience.

GC: How often are you recognized while filming Looking in San Francisco?

RT: Oh, every day. Where I was living in the Castro, I would get into a routine of having breakfast, lunch or coffee, going to the gym, buying a newspaper, and there’s such community there.

Where I live in London, it’s like a community where it’s “Morning, Russell!” and seeing people is just a part of your routine. That’s completely what’s so wonderful about San Francisco. And eve-ryone is very respectful. I don’t ever feel under threat or in a rape-y situation. It feels like they are thrilled that we’re there, and we are thrilled to be there. It’s a mutual love for the city and us, which is nice.

GC: You had a birthday recently. Whose idea was it to make you a cake that said, “Birthdays are like rim jobs … open up and get ready for another great year!”?

RT: (Laughs) Someone in production. Ahh, as the season goes on you’ll see where that comes from.

GC: Oh, so the rimming cake plays a part in the show?

RT: It might if it stays in! But (the cake) was very nice. We were on a night shoot during our lunch and that cake turned up and I was over the moon. My mom and dad were like, “Oh, I love the cake. Not sure about the rim job. Yeah, not sure of the words – but the cake looks lovely!”

But they love it. I took my mom to Folsom Street Fair when I was filming. We hung out with drag queens, transgenders and people with HIV. I gave her the full education. She absolutely loved it! She’s fascinated by it all, and she was asking people why they had silicone in their testi-cles and piercings in certain areas of their bodies. She’s awesome.

She watched Season 1 as well. I said to her not to watch the last episode. She said, “All right,” but then she did and said, “I saw your little bum going up and down.”

GC: Was it required of you to show off your assets during auditions?

RT: No, no. I was actually originally up for Patrick – Jonathan’s part – and I didn’t get it. They were like, if (the show) gets picked up, we wanna write you a part. I was like, “Cool, but I’m not holding my breath,” because you hear that a lot.

Then they wanted me to go out for this part of Kevin, and I was like, “OK.” I did the (audition) in American – I wanted to make it American – but at the end, as I was leaving the room, I did it in English because I knew they’d ask for it in English. They came back and said, “We loved the English! The Brit, the Brit!” So yeah, I didn’t have to show my genitals; it was merely my acting talent. (Laughs)

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Gossip mean that the middle-age adults would play teenagers, and frankly that fits the tone of WHAS perfectly. Anyway, at this rate, we probably won’t see the show until later this year. Or maybe next summer. But we’re ready now, Netflix. We’ve been ready. Don’t keep us waiting forever.

Magneto the Man-Servant Playwright Ronald Harwood’s 1980 play The Dresser is about the gay personal valet to an aging stage actor during The Blitz in World War II-era England, and it encompasses the comedic and tragic aspects of staying devoted to an imperious diva. In 1983 it became an acclaimed film starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay, but in recent years has become a bit of an obscurity outside its home country. This looks to change when the BBC partners with Starz to produce a new TV adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins as the actor and everyone’s favorite gay wizard and X-Man, Ian McKellen, as the dresser. The film is due to air at an unspecified later date, which gives you plenty of time to hunt down the 1983 version and catch up.

Look, sometimes culture is a homework assignment.

J-Hud will kiss a girl eight times a week They’re already reviving The Color Purple on Broadway.

And this makes sense, really. The crowd-pleasing musical already tours the country regularly to appreciative audiences, especially when Fantasia Barrino resumes her role as Celie and shakes the rafters with her big gospel voice. But in its most recent engagement in London’s West End, director John Doyle revamped the show, cutting it down to a leaner, more intimate experience and wowing crowds with actress Cynthia Erivo’s critically-acclaimed performance. Doyle is also the man who revived Sweeney Todd and Company by placing musical instruments in the hands of the actors, so he’s not afraid to take chances. They’re trying to get Erivo to come over to resume her role as Celie, and there’s already a namerecognized Shug Avery waiting in the wings: Jennifer Hudson.

The Academy Award winner will make her New York stage debut in the role, proving the physical law that states that no matter what happens to you after American Idol, eventually you will do Broadway. When do the tickets go on sale?

Downsizing is the new supersizing  Bradley Cooper

Deep Inside Hollywood ‘Wet Hot American Summer,’ Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, ‘Downsizing’

By Romeo San Vicente Thanks for the Wet Hot American sitcom, Netflix In 2001’s absurdist, summer-camp-themed cult comedy Wet Hot American Summer, the counselors – a huge cast of future stars – vow to reunite in 10 years. And because math is hard, 13 years later that’s what’s about to happen. Netflix has been developing a sitcom based on the film for a while now, but the cast is reportedly set and shooting has begun. Original co-writers David Wain and Michael Showalter (with Wain directing) are back on board, as is most of the original cast.

And what a cast: Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, H. Jon Benjamin, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Chris Meloni, Molly Shannon, and the gay makeout team of Michael Ian Black and Bradley Cooper.

Apparently the show is meant to be a prequel, which would

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Gone, it seems, are the days when big studios were interested in funding projects written by Academy Awardwinning filmmakers and starring A-list actors. How else to explain the hardship of financing Alexander Payne’s (The Descendants, Nebraska) latest film, Downsizing? It does, after all, star Reese Witherspoon, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Sudeikis. So what’s the deal?

That’s a rhetorical question, by the way. The answer would take all day and involve superheroes. But no matter, art has a patron in lesbian super-producer Megan Ellison and her respected Annapurna brand. The company has stepped in to keep the project going and that’s good news for everyone. The futuristic satire, about a family struggling to make ends meet, involves the father deciding to shrink himself to minimize his use of expensive resources. That this possibly bears any resemblance to Honey, I Shrunk The Kids and, more pointedly, its 1997 sequel, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, will be entirely coincidental when the finished film arrives in theaters. We think. Once Damon finishes his new Bourne movie, this one will get moving for a 2017 release.

Romeo San Vicente does not understand why anyone would want to shrink any part of themselves.

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Editorial

Parenting Proud

Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes

By Jim Scott Well here it is: 2015, finally and, without a doubt, the craziest holiday season of my life. It was spent amongst family and friends in Canada and the USA across four cities in four actionpacked weeks. In one moment, I can remember thinking it would never end, and in another it flew by in a Technicolor blur.

After spending every waking moment with my husband and two-year-old son, for nearly a month, to say it was life changing would be an understatement.

It started off like most other holidays for us. My husband has a huge family in Calgary, the second oldest of six, and we all have children now. Most of us had alternate plans this year so we decided to have an early celebration at my mother and father In-law’s home, so the youngest grand kids could open their gifts together. It was really cute and fun and, as I sat back and watched my son push his gifts aside to play in the wrapping paper with his cousins, I couldn’t help but be truly thankful for that moment. I took a snapshot in my head, and one on my phone, to remember it. Little did I know at the time but, in some ways, that moment was the first time I really and truly felt like I have earned the title of ‘daddy’, as he kept looking for my approval to rip open his gifts and play with all the new stuff. It was just the beginning of a magical and memorable holiday to come.

and son bond. I am humbled by the experience and marvel at just how much I still have to learn about the subtleties of parenting.

I really thought I was aware of how fast my little monkey is growing up but, during this special time we just spent together, my eyes really opened to just how fast he’s transitioning from a baby to an independent and well-adjusted little man. Surprisingly, after witnessing such staggering changes in my boy over the past month or so, I’m feeling really emotional and melancholy about it and, frankly, daddy isn’t normally too sentimental about such things. So maybe, gasp, I’m growing too?

All I can really say for sure is never in my wildest cotton pickin’ dreams would I have thought that me – a grown man with a professional reputation for being tough as nails – would cry over such things as throwing out an old sippy cup, donating old clothes, or being called ‘daddy’ for the first time. It has though, and on more than a single occasion I have to admit. Saying bye to baby has been harder than I ever thought it would be, but seeing the sweet, polite, curious and exuberant little man our beautiful boy is becoming makes every bit of emotion worth it.

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A few days later we departed for the sunny beaches and towns of my home state of Florida. This was the first time we have flown with our son, so like a lot of ‘new’ parents we probably went overboard with snacks, drinks, games, movies, music, stickers, blankets, pillows, stroller and, I’m sure, I’m still missing something. My husband and I were really well traveled before being dads, so we were terrified of being those parents with a screaming child, aloof to the misery of our neighbours. As it turned out, this became a watershed moment for us. He was a perfect angel for the entire 12-hour trip, there and back. In the end, we learned to have more trust in our own parenting skills, and that the wonderful temperament of our son isn’t limited to familiar surroundings. Seeing how polite he is to strangers by saying please, thank you, and excuse me swelled my heart with pride and demonstrated that he is learning what we are trying to teach.

Our first outing was to spend a few days on the gorgeous shores of St. Pete Beach – a place where I spent a good part of my childhood summers swimming, beachcombing for shells, building sand castles and just running around on the seemingly endless sugar sand beach. It was just as I remembered it from my own childhood and gave me great joy as I now viewed it through my son’s eyes. As I watched him do the same things I had so many years ago, it made me acutely aware that we were saying goodbye to baby, and hello to a blossoming little boy full of all the curiosity and wonder that life has to offer.

The first morning there we woke up early, got dressed, and out the door, just the two of us, for some morning adventures, leaving papa to sleep in. After an hour or so on the beach and swimming in the chilly Gulf of Mexico, I thought a nice little soak in the hot tub would feel great. We ended up being the only people there so I took the opportunity to use the small space for some impromptu swimming lessons, and that’s when it happened. After over a year of my baby boy calling me da-da, he said “look daddy”, clear as a bell, as he jumped off the side into my waiting arms. I admit it was a strange feeling. On one hand I have wanted him to start speaking more clearly and concisely, but on the other hand I was a little sad that this time had arrived, seemingly with something as simple as how he says one word.

From that moment on, for the rest of our trip, I watched in amazement as my son gained new words, and new confidence, with every new experience. From the Disney theme parks to the beaches of St. Augustine, each passing day had something special to offer and, as sentimental as it sounds, we connected in ways that I didn’t even know were possible. Our trust for each other has solidified into a true father

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Editorial

After Many Years Together, Starting a Family

Decades-spanning couples reflect on how building a family made their own relationship stronger

By Scott Kearnan for GayswithKids.com It takes hard work to maintain any loving long-term relationship.

Every couple has ups and downs, but few will establish that rare rapport that can survive 10 years, 20 years, or a lifetime. If you’ve managed to stay a steady course as a childless couple, you have to wonder: Will rocking a cradle wind up rocking the boat? The answer is yes. Adding a child to your dynamic will assuredly make waves in any relationship. But as we spoke to men that started families after a particularly long time – following at least 10 years as a childless duo, for our purposes – a general consensus emerged. Having children has fortified, not weakened, these already strong bonds. They have enhanced, not diminished, longstanding relationships. And even if sex lives sometimes take a drubbing (come on, you were thinking it), most couples say that parenthood has actually added an entirely new level of intimacy. Every couple is different, of course. But for long-term partners who are just now beginning to consider parenthood, there’s good news: Your best years may still be ahead of you.

Why We Wait Gay men are having children. A lot. For instance, data from the 1990 US Census estimated that 5% of partnered gay men in America had children in their households. But a Census study from 2011 estimates that number has nearly tripled, to about 13.9%. (And that study relied on data from 2008. Expect numbers to continue to grow.)

There’s a good reason why many gay couples wait a while to become dads: It’s expensive. For most opposite-sex couples, conception will cost only as much as a bottle of good wine and a few tapered candles. But for same-sex couples, expenses typically mount well before the baby is born, whether they go through a form of adoption or surrogacy. So building a nest egg precedes building a family.

In fact, in a survey conducted by Gays With Kids among long-term couples, a whopping 67% of respondents indicated that “establishing finances” was one of the “most significant reasons” that they waited to have kids. Indeed, most of the couples did express interest in fathering fairly early on in their relationship – it just took many more years before wheels were in motion. On average, respondents first discussed parenthood with their partner at about 4.4 years into the relationship; they wouldn’t actually become dads, on average, until 12 years in.

“I had always pictured myself with a simple life: a ranch house with white picket fence, the old-fashioned portrait of a family,” says Jimmy, 48, from Calgary. And parenting seemed to come pretty naturally to him and his husband Greg. For a long time, he says with a chuckle, their home was a “destination for wayward boys in our family.”

“We had a reputation for ruling with an iron fist,” laughs Jimmy.

“Ironically, we were looked at as being the most traditional couple. When our siblings’ teenage boys would have issues, they’d come to our house.”

Jimmy and Greg first discussed adoption about four years into their relationship, but wouldn’t wind up having a child until after more than 20 years together. Last year they assumed guardianship of their now 2-yearold son, who was born to Greg’s teenage stepsister with a history of drug issues and brushes with the law. They’ve more recently filed for adoption.

The situation made sense, and they were at a point when “we now have the income to do it,” says Jimmy. Greg is now able to be a stay-at-home dad, which was important to them.

Establishing a sustainable income was also part of the reason why David and Josh waited to become dads. But the Florida couple, together since 1997, can speak to another, less easily quantified reason why many gay men wait: It takes time to process the reality that yes, fatherhood can be in the cards.

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“Josh is a dreamer. He’s always wanted to be a parent. But I’ve always been much more pragmatic,” explains David. “When I came to the realization that I was gay, with the state of affairs being what they were, I worked under the assumption that being a parent was unlikely. And I’m the kind of person who teaches myself not to wish for something I don’t reasonably expect to happen.”

Thanks to Josh’s ongoing, gentle nudging, dreams did come true. In 2007, they welcomed twin boys through a domestic surrogacy; last year, they welcomed twins (again!) through an international surrogacy. And that second go-round, incidentally, was David’s idea.

“I always wanted to be a father. But back in the early 90s, the realities were a lot different than they are today,” says Sean, a gay dad from Atlanta. “As a good Southern Baptist boy coming out, I didn’t see that as an opportunity. Part of my coming to terms experience was telling myself, ‘Not only am I gay – but I’m not going to have a family.’ But times, they have changed!”

Indeed they have. Last year, after nearly 20 years together, Sean and his husband Dan welcomed a newborn daughter into their lives through open adoption. That decision – or rather, the conversations that led to it – contributed to their late-in-relationship evolution into parents. “Sean was ready to think about adoption way earlier than I was,” admits Dan. “I was focused on biology, and felt like surrogacy was what I needed to spread my genes.” Once Dan witnessed his brother adopt a daughter, he understood what an “exceptionally wonderful experience” adoption can be, he says.

But that kind of vacillation is not unusual. 43% of respondents to our survey said that one of the main reasons they waited so long to have children was “difficulty navigating the many different paths to fatherhood.”

Finance. Culture. Logistics. These are just a few of the reasons that long-term couples wait to have children. But sometimes, when you’re walking a long road, reaching your destination is that much more exciting.

Dan’s family was supportive of his coming-out, but at the time they were “only sad that I wasn’t going to make them grandparents,” he says.

Years later, when he told them they were planning to adopt, he’ll never forget their reaction.

“They were gleeful. They said, ‘We had given up hope that you were going to have a family!’”

For Better or for Worse It’s once a child arrives, of course, that the real excitement begins. The good. The bad. The covered in doo doo.

Mostly, though, it’s the good. As part of the GayswithKids.com survey, we asked long-term couples to answer two telling, open-response questions.

The first: “Compared to our lives before children, my relationship with my husband/partner is now more …”

The second: “Compared to our lives before children, my relationship with my husband/partner is now less …”

There were as many responses as there are adjectives. But across the board, dads focused on the positive. Among the typical responses: More “complete,” less “routine”; more “focused and full,” less “shallow and selfish”; more “secure and solid,” less “carefree and boring”; more “honest,” less “materialistic.”

But there was one particular area where respondents indicated an especially positive impact from parenthood: communication. Becoming fathers forces couples to become better at discussing – well, pretty much everything, from big picture values to the management of daily life. “We talk a lot more openly about our needs than we ever have before,” offered one anonymous survey respondent. “I’ve become more fearless in my effort to be up front and honest about all things with my partner,” said another.

“Adapting to an infant or toddler is all about adapting to change, and that forces you to communicate better,” elaborated Dan from Atlanta.

“With 19 years behind us, we’ve been through a lot, but we have to be even more clear about everything.”

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“I never thought we’d be at the level of communication we are about finances, because that’s such an uncomfortable thing,” adds his husband Sean.

“Before, we had a lot of financial independence,” says Dan. “Now we work collaboratively: keep guardrails around each other to stay on the right road. And it’s not just communication around our daughter. We have to negotiate schedules and full-time careers. We’ve had to discuss whether to forego a relocation and promotion. Sean has to tell me, and I have to allow him to tell me, that I can’t do everything I’d like. Maybe I have to disappoint a client.”

With regard to negative connotations, there were only two words that frequently recurred when respondents were asked if their relationship was “less” something: “spontaneous” and “sexual.” Our survey tended to confirm one of the most oft-cited challenges of adding a child: that parents (and yes, even gay men!) become too tired or busy for wild nights of long, torrid passion. Heck, even a quickie before bed can become a challenge.

“Without a doubt, this [sexual intimacy] is the area that is sacrificed most,” summarized one respondent. Another elaborated on the way a constantly busy life leads to less sex: “With work and home, there is never enough individual alone time. And we have to have that first before we can have ‘together’ alone time. We both need to decompress for work and sometimes family before we can engage each other.”

to more fledgling couples – can create a stronger foundation upon which to build a family. But the addition of a child also allows you to see your husband or partner inhabit a new role: dad. And that process reveals an entirely new set of characteristics to learn and love. The tough guy becomes softened. The carefree boyfriend learns to pick up the slack. And the Type A workaholic learns that – well, you can’t plan everything.

“We communicate about things we never thought we’d discuss before, and it has breathed new life into our relationship,” says Jimmy from Calgary. “Let’s face it, after being together for 20 years, you pretty much know everything about the other person. You’ve grown up together.”

“It’s not you become complacent or bored, but to be shaken up? That’s a good thing.”

And even if you need to remember to lock the doors or schedule a night ahead – the sex stuff will, eventually, sort itself out. Maybe just in unexpected ways.

“We’ve been together for nearly twenty years, yet we suddenly have a new appreciation for each other,” says David from Florida. “You might think that your partner is going to be a really good parent one day. But then you actually see him, with his shirtsleeves rolled up, knee-deep in diapers. And you’re doing it together.”

“That is attractive,” says David. “That’s sexy.”

So here’s the good news, slightly sex-starved dads: You’re not alone.

And let’s also be realistic. By the time they’ve been together for decades, most couples aren’t making like jackrabbits every night, anyway. When they do, though: fireworks.“There’s more quality than quantity,” offered one respondent. “It is less than before, but more satisfying,” claimed another. And a third: “I think we actually feel closer to each other than ever before, making our sex life more meaningful.”

For more information and other gay dad features http://www.GayswithKids.com

And that also touches on what so many couples claim is the greatest value to having children after so many years: Being able to experience the comfort of familiarity alongside the joy of the new. When you’ve been partnered or married for years, you’re able to establish a certain foundation of trust, and a certain rhythm of relationship that – compared

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Transforming Minds, Interview with actor Jeffrey Tambor and associate producer Zackary Drucker

How Transparent is changing lives with ‘light, love and warmth’

 Jeffrey Tambor, photos by Amazon

By Chris Azzopardi When a show makes its mark on society, it’s more than just TV – it’s history.

In 2014, we met Maura, the protagonist of the brazen, boundary-breaking Transparent, a dramedy centered on a 70-something male-to-female’s journey in coming out to her family. Written by Jill Soloway (Six Feet Under) and produced

by Amazon with a standout lead performance from Jeffrey Tambor, the show is being heralded as an Emmy contender for its authentic look at trans life.

In a recent interview, Tambor and associate producer Zackary Drucker, an MTF herself, talked about the power of Transparent.

GC: Jeffrey, what drew you to the Maura character?

Jeffrey Tambor: I was coming into Los Angeles from my home in New York, and I was doing a talk show and my representatives, who are tremendous, are always on the lookout for really good things. They sent me this script by Jill Soloway, and I got off the plane – I had about a 15-minute drive to my hotel – and by the time I got to the hotel, I had read this. I called them and I said, “I’m in, I’m in, I’m in. Let me meet Jill.”

Jill and I met the next day – we had a great meeting – and then that afternoon I saw her movie Afternoon Delight, and I called her again. You know, in the pilot, I don’t have that big of a role, but you could just see how beautiful that family and their dynamic was. You could see that Jill was after big themes, but the people were so real, so authentic and so accessible, and so I just said, “I’m in.”

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Even though your role is slight during the pilot, your presence is massive.

Tambor: Thank you. The key scene, I think, in that pilot is around that table. That barbecue scene – I could watch that on a loop for the rest of my life. I remember when we were filming that and every face I looked into was just filled with genius and light and quicksilver moods. It’s really a real coup of casting.

GC: With so few representations of transgender people in the media, and trans visibility being at the forefront culturally, what kind of responsibility did you feel to Maura and to the trans community?

Tambor: A huge responsibility. I had nervous self-tappings on my shoulder the whole time. I don’t think I have been as nervous as when I did the scene when I had to come out to my daughter Sarah (Amy Landecker). I was shaking, and not because I was nervous about being good, or nervous about being talented, or nervous about learning the lines – I wanted to do it right. I turned to Jill many times during the making of this, and to Zackary and (co-producer) Rhys Ernst many times, and said, “This is big. This is huge.” You would feel it at times and think, “This is so much more than all of us put together.

This is a big movement.”

Zackary Drucker: Jeffrey brings a tremendous amount of humanity to this role, and from a very internal place without falling into stereotypes or tropes of other representations of trans people that we’ve seen. I think that this show is a huge step in the right direction, and as a trans person, I have a lot of hope, actually, that there are many more to come. This is

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one big step for bringing trans people into pop culture and into television and film.

GC: What’s been problematic about the way transgender people are portrayed in the media?

Drucker: First of all, trans people have been relegated to victims or villains. Then, outside of that, there are a few more recent examples, but they’re still being written by cisgender people. The bigger problem in our representation is that it’s not inclusive to the trans community; (there’s a lack of) collaboration with the trans community to create a more authentic portrait.

But this production, from the bottom up, was very inclusive.

I mean, one of the first things we implemented was a “transaffirmative” action program to hire as many trans people in as many departments as possible, which created a certain amount of spontaneous authenticity. I think that Jeffrey was really able to immerse himself in our community as an incredible cisgender ally. We’re lucky to have Jeffrey Tambor on our side.

GC: Jeffrey, how did working with three consultants from the trans community, including Zackary, affect your performance?

Tambor: The humanness. The authenticity. The vulnerability.

You know, I had a real awakening, because I thought the exteriorization actually took care of itself. Zackary and Rhys were very helpful in that area, but most of the work was, as Zackary mentioned, interior. I had to really plum them of their (experiences). I would ask very deep questions, and then I had to ask myself deep questions. I had to go within.

This is not a walk in the park. You either have to go into yourself or you don’t. I mean, I had to find out where the Maura was in me, and there is a Maura in me and I love her. It’s been one of the most incredible experiences.

This was not in my technical bag of tricks. I had to dig a bit. But I had such wonderful help and such allies, and there was no one on the set with crossed arms and raised eyebrows.

People were really in my corner and that meant a lot. I was scared with a capital “S,” I gotta tell you, especially the first week or so.

By the way, I have to give kudos to a splendid actress, Alexandra Billings, who plays my friend Davina – a great actress and also a member of the trans community. We had so many scenes together and she helped me so much – not by anything she said overtly, but by just playing together in the scene. Everything was so delightful and I learned so much. Her stamp of approval meant so, so much to me. One of the most generous performers I’ve ever worked with.

GC: Were there any concerns, Jeffrey, that people would have trouble taking you seriously as transgender after dealing with gender identity issues in a more comical setting during Arrested Development?

Tambor: I don’t mean to be glib about this, but I was so protected by Jill and Jill’s direction, but mostly her writing, which is so authentic. People’s first sentence to me is, “I didn’t know what to expect,” and the second sentence has some praise, like, “... but I thought it was so fantastic.” So I am sure there is skepticism from some people, or, “Oh, that’s the guy from Arrested Development and he’s gonna be a (trans person),” but we just keep saying, “Take a look at it.” And people are really (finding it) praise-worthy.

When we opened Transparent in Los Angeles, that line where Maura says, “All my life I’ve been dressing up as a man,” the audience broke out into applause. It was unbelievable. So I didn’t have that (concern). I felt very protected by the writing.

That’s some good writing. I mean, there’s good writing and there’s good writing, but this is off the charts.

GC: What do you hope non-trans people take away from Transparent?

Tambor: I would like for them to take away something Jenny Boylan (a consultant to the production) said to me the other day – to all of us, rather. She said, “For the first time, I’m looking at the television screen and I’m seeing myself represented.” I hope that is what people feel. But I also hope that we go away and play our part in the dispelling of ignorance, prejudice and phobias. I hope we shed light on a subject that needs light, love and warmth.

Drucker: One of the amazing things about the trans community is how diverse it is. It’s a tremendous challenge because we’re starting from zero and creating representation, and it may be impossible to truly represent everybody, but we hope that this show expands everyone’s notion of difference.

We all have trans people in our extended families – that’s increasingly something I hear in conversation – and this show has the power to really change everyone’s perceptions of trans people. We’ve been so invisible, and I think America’s ready.

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27

Interview

 Jim Beaver on Supernatural. Photo by CW

 Mars Tonic with Jim Beaver, photo by GayCalgary

Jim Beaver

On Cowboys, Crimson Peak, and Kissing Other Men

By Mars Tonic Standing in line at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo this September, I noticed a mother and her five-year-old daughter sitting patiently in line right before me. We were waiting to get photos done with Jim Beaver, who played Bobby Singer in CW’s Supernatural, currently in its tenth season.

“So are you excited to get a picture with Jim and your mom?” I asked the little girl, who definitely was, but her mother laughed.

“I’m not going to be in the picture,” she said. “Just her.

She’s the one who loves Bobby. We already got his autograph yesterday.”

They had driven all the way from Calgary for him. When we went up, sure enough, her mother stood to the side of the photo area. Jim, a scruffy, gruff fellow – a real man’s man, someone hard to find in Hollywood – greeted her happily (It’s you!) knelt down on the floor, and spoke with her quietly for some moments before the picture was taken.

This may not come as a surprise to those who watch the show and follow the antics of the actors, but for those who don’t, here is a quick summary: two arguing, dysfunctional brothers who fight demons have a no-nonsense, tough father figure in a man named Bobby Singer. Nobody dislikes or distrusts Bobby. He is the one character who can see things for the way they are, and he is lauded for being more fatherly than the actual father in the show.

“He is written without a lot of BS,” Jim said, the day prior.

“I bring a certain amount to the character, but he’s written without it.”

Acting is the man’s passion. Before his stint on Supernatural he was in the critically acclaimed Deadwood – an HBO production set in the old Wild West. It’s rough, it’s dirty, it’s compelling, and it won him a lot of recognition.

“It was kind of an average actor’s life. You would get a little work, go a long time without work, then you’d get a little more work. And then Deadwood came along and changed everything, which was a great role – a fantastic show – and it really turned things around for me. I have been very lucky ever since.”

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After Deadwood he found himself on Supernatural, which has taken him to conventions across the continent and exposed him to an endless horde of fans who love him for Bobby.

Homosexual themes run rampant on the show, and while Jim’s character doesn’t get the brunt of it, there is a sprinkling in the form of Mark Sheppard’s character of Crowley – a demonic salesman who Bobby ‘loans’ his soul to for a favour. Deals, of course, are sealed with a kiss. Jim joked freely about it, and the two actors have a banter both onscreen and off. Days before our interview Mark surprised Jim onstage at a Supernatural convention and locked lips with him once again.

“He’s a very stubbly kisser,” he said and, at news that Jim himself might be the scratchy one, he flat out denied it. “No, no,” he said, rubbing his well-worn beard. “This is nice and soft. [Mark’s] is kind of repulsively prickly.”

Jim no longer enjoys the same spot on Supernatural as he once did but worry not – he is about to hit the big screen in the upcoming film Crimson Peak by Guillermo del Toro, featuring the acting talents of Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska and Charlie Hunnam, amongst others.

Jim wouldn’t say much about it, but he would tell us this: “It’s a Gothic ghost story. It is set in 1901, and it’s going to be pretty scary. It is not a slasher movie.”

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

29

Sports

 Photo by LA Galaxy

 Photo by JB Lacroix for WireImage

Game Changer

Out soccer star Robbie Rogers on sports homophobia, closeted players and ESPN’s ‘ridiculous’ locker room coverage

By Chris Azzopardi Ever since Robbie Rogers came out in early 2013, the soccer player has been intent on changing sports culture the best way he knows how – by being himself.

Rogers shares his story in Coming Out to Play, a book cowritten with Eric Marcus (Breaking the Surface, co-authored with Greg Louganis) on the LA Galaxy player’s journey from closeted Catholic to barrier breaker. The first openly gay male athlete to win a big-time team pro sports title in the U.S., Rogers talks being “sad” about the lack of out athletes, homophobia in sports and how stories on LGBT-focused locker room behavior set the gay community back.

GC: What was the most rewarding thing you learned about yourself while writing this book?

RR: I learned a lot about myself writing this, but I don’t know what the most rewarding is. When I wrote about my childhood, and just talking about how closeted I was, how things really scarred me and, obviously, being very afraid to be open with people, I think I learned from all that that I needed to be more open with people and learn from all those experiences. Without working through all those stories and writing all that down, I don’t think I would’ve been as aware of it. So, while I was writing the book, I realized, “Gosh, I need to share things more often with people and talk about things and be open,” which doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m a very shy, quiet person, actually. The most rewarding thing for myself, I think, was to just realize that and try to work on it during this past year, and to continue to work on it.

GC: In the book’s prologue, you say, “I’ve been uncomfortable with the shorthand versions of my life that I’ve seen and read.”

What do you hope to clarify?

RR: When I came out, there weren’t details: all the struggle, why it took me so long and what was going on behind the scenes in the soccer locker room. And there are a lot of gay men and women around the world who know how tough it is – it’s very difficult to be closeted, and then to open up and be honest with people, and then to come to terms with yourself. So, I just wanted to add all the details of the story and talk about why it was so difficult for me. There were articles written like, “Oh, 30

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he’s out, he’s happy, he’s playing, everything’s good,” and it’s like, “No – there’s so much more to the story.”

GC: There’s an assumption that men’s sports are not welcoming to LGBT athletes, or even threatened by them. Is this due to the fact that people didn’t know what would happen until someone came out?

RR: Yeah, that’s the big thing: People don’t know what’s gonna happen. People are afraid, obviously, that things might change for them. I don’t necessarily think that the majority of athletes are homophobic, but I think there’s that mentality in the locker room.

From my experience, all the guys that I heard homophobic things from growing up were the first ones to call me, text me and support me (when I came out). Athletes themselves are not homophobic; the sports culture is. As an out professional soccer player, people are sensitive. They know there’s a gay guy in their locker room and they’re not saying homophobic things. Instead, we’re discussing marriage equality. But when there isn’t an out soccer player – a guy that they know is gay – in the locker room, I’m sure things are being said that are homophobic. Again, I know it’s ridiculous for me to say, but it’s not necessarily because (players are) homophobic, but they’re not educated to be sensitive to what they’re saying. Someone might argue that that’s homophobic, but these guys are very loving and supportive of me, and I think if anyone in the locker room did come out, (other players) would be very supportive of them. But it’s that lack of knowledge and education about the LGBT community, and about mental health and just being sensitive to other people, that I think is the issue.

GC: ESPN recently reported on out NFL player Michael Sam’s showering habits, which they’ve since apologized for. What is your opinion on the media’s focus of locker room behavior as it pertains to gay athletes?

RR: It’s absolutely ridiculous. I know that with (NBA player) Jason (Collins) and I there were no issues, but I think sometimes ESPN or different media people get bored and create stories for controversy or attention. I think that was one of those.

I’ve only spoken with Michael a few times, but I’m guessing his experience in the locker room was like Jason’s and mine, www.gaycalgary.com

and that the guys were very supportive and proud to have an openly gay guy on their team who was changing things for the world. I haven’t really spoken to Michael about that much; I just know from my experience that’s the case, so, I mean, it’s ridiculous when people report that kind of stuff just to create a story to get comments on Yahoo or wherever else. That’s not gonna change things for the better.

GC: What if you were the topic of that report? What would you have thought of it then?

RR: Honestly? Laughable. I would just be like, “The locker room and my teammates and myself are on the same page and everything is cool. I enjoy being on the team, and I think they enjoy having me on the team.” It’s just laughable.

GC: Does this kind of reporting make you cautious about your locker room behavior?

RR: No. I’m the same as everyone else in that locker room. I shower with the guys. I walk around naked. My experience in the locker room is the same as everyone else’s, and I don’t think it’s any different for any of the guys. They don’t act any differently around me. It’s just normal.

GC: You said recently that you thought more athletes would come out after you did.

RR: No, not just me – but there’s Jason Collins, and there are female athletes who are out, and then Michael. There was a number of athletes, and there was stuff going on around the world. I just thought it was about time more athletes feel comfortable to do it. Maybe it just really shows how the sports culture is just not very accepting to gay men and women being out.

GC: Are you disappointed that more haven’t come out?

RR: No, I remember how difficult it was for me, so I’m not disappointed in that way. I’m just surprised. I know what it’s like being on the other side and being supported and having people that love me on my team, and I just think that everyone deserves that. If (closeted athletes) could somehow find a way to (be out), they would really have so much support. So, I’m a little sad and a little surprised that people aren’t willing to take that leap, but I’m not mad. It’s really difficult, and everyone has to come out at their own pace and at their own time, and I understand that.

GC: Do you know a lot of gay sports players who aren’t out?

Uh, I know a few. I don’t think they’re ever gonna come out.

GC: Ever?

RR: I mean, maybe once they’re done playing, but I just think their lives – I’m not sure. That’s a good question. I don’t know. But I do know a few. Sometimes people have been living a certain way for a long time and are afraid to make a change.

GC: What coming out advice do you have for a closeted gay athlete?

RR: Speak with someone away from your team, your family and your friends – a therapist or someone – to just get those thoughts out. I know that when I kept it inside, it was not very healthy. That’s really the only advice I could give. It’s tough to give advice on that subject.

GC: When it comes to efforts being made for sports inclusivity, how far do we still have to go?

RR: I think there still needs to be progress, but I think the leagues are changing and the leagues want to have out athletes on their teams so that they can change that perception. But I

think there needs to be a bit more work on changing sports culture, because they’re just waiting for athletes to come out, and I think, first, they need to create an environment that’s more accepting.

GC: You’re producing a comedy for ABC called Men in Shorts that’s supposedly based on your life. But after reading your book, your story isn’t particularly humorous. In fact, it’s dark, sometimes tragic, and ultimately inspiring. It sounds more like a premium cable drama to me. With that said, how will your life story translate into an ABC sitcom?

RR: The show, first off, is just inspired by my life. I have a huge family, and in the show there’s not a big family. And, yes, there’s a gay soccer player and he’s from LA, so there are a lot of similarities, but there are so many differences too.

Really what I’m doing is helping the writers in creating characters that are realistic, like, (what it’s like the) first time taking showers with the guys or being open to talking about my boyfriend. We’re trying to teach people through laughter and through comedy, and also talk about the sports world, but from a different point of view, obviously. It’s a total fish-out-of-water concept. There are aspects taken from my life, but it’s not based on the book or based on the struggle that I went through.

GC: But there will be shower scenes?

RR: (Laughs) 100 percent shower scenes. I mean, it’s the locker room, so it has to be realistic!

GC: On Facebook recently, you posted a shirtless photo of you in bed with the book. How aware are you that some people aren’t just interested in you because of soccer?

RR: To be totally honest, yeah, I guess I’m starting to notice it more now. I mean, through social media. But when I’m out with friends at dinner or grabbing drinks and people come up to me, I’m oblivious to whether (people are) hitting on me or trying to be nice to me. Sometimes I can’t tell the difference!

GC: You say that you didn’t want to be the poster boy for gay athletes, but then you became that. How have you come to terms with being an accidental activist?

RR: I know I talk about it in my book, but I came out for selfish reasons – for my happiness. I realized I needed to make a change. My goal wasn’t to be this person that wanted to change sports culture; it was really just to be happy with myself and my family and friends. I didn’t know what the reaction was going to be, and I didn’t realize how big the problem was. When I realized how many people related to my story and struggled growing up, it made me feel ridiculous and selfish. I was seeing what kind of difference I was making in people’s lives. With the book out, I’ve been getting tons of letters from people writing me their story and (telling me) how much they relate to my book.

It was those reactions that made me want to embrace that role more.

GC: You’ve obviously been instrumental in changing the tide for the LGBT community in many ways. How far do you plan on taking your newfound platform?

RR: Good question. At the moment, I’m just living every day as it comes. I don’t think of it that way – I just do what I feel is right. I just think of myself as Robbie. I play soccer, and yes, I’m gay. And I’m happy to be that person.

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31

Jasper Pride 2015 Unique, Innovative and Local

 Jasper Pride 2014 photos by GayCalgary

By Dallas Barns With all of the massive Pride events around the world it is pretty fantastic that our own Jasper is host to Canada’s only Pride event in any Canadian National Park. Jasper Pride has been going strong since its inception in 2010, and by the look of things, 2015’s festival Wicked White Winter may in fact be the best year yet.

“There is so much to do during the weekend that we had to extend it to an additional day,” says Jorg Michel, Marketing Director for Jasper Pride. Each of these now four days – from March 19th to 22nd – is chock-full of as many diverse events as there are attendees.

“Of course we still have our ever-successful skiing event, but we have also included so many other events,” Michel says. “We are so excited to offer… dog sledding and ice hiking exclusively to Pride attendees.” Take a quick glance at the website and you are guaranteed to find at least one event that heightens your curiosity. Stay warm sledding,

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karaoking, watching burlesque, or dancing the night away while drinking Jasper Pride’s exclusive ale.

One event not to be missed happens on Friday, March 20th. Jasper Pride will launch its own exclusive beer: Wicked White Weissbeir. This unique addition to the festival is not only brewed locally (by John Palko of Jasper’s own Brewing Pub), but proceeds from the sales go right back to the Jasper Pride Society.

To cap off the weekend, the historic Fairmont Jasper Lodge will play host to the largest Pride event of the weekend, the Wicked White Winter Party. This will be Jasper’s first ever white themed party, and will be hosted by Mike Chalut from 91.7 The Bounce and Toni Lester Van Blam. Guests are encouraged to dress up in all their wicked winter white finest and enjoy the evening alongside performers such as Guys in Disguise and Capital Burlesque. There will also be a silent auction with remarkable items such as train rides, dinners and two tickets to see Maroon 5 live.

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Every year the weekend’s attendance has grown from mostly locals to equal parts locals and guests. When the current governance took over, from the group that created the original Jasper Pride organization, there was much anticipation as to how successful Jasper Pride could be.

“Last year we welcomed about 450 attendees, with a large portion of out-of-towners. I am expecting us to top that this year,” says Michel. With a population of about 4,000 people, Jasper is no doubt thrilled. This calibre of event is well worth the road trip.

Of course Jasper is not at a loss for gorgeous accommodations for the weekend, so having a warm bed to come home to after your day and evening of fun should not be a problem. However, booking early during the high season is definitely recommended. Take a quick look at the Jasper Pride website for recommended hotels and promo codes for the weekend.

Jasper Pride’s steady growth could not be accomplished without the assistance of sponsors, and Michel is very quick to thank these individuals and organizations for their unwavering support. “We are very proud of the partnerships we have formed with local businesses and organizations,” he says.

With Pride celebrations gaining immense criticism over its focus on corporate sponsorship dollars, oppose to LGBTQA content, Michel admits that it is a tough balance to maintain a solid Pride movement while being able to afford all of the operating expenses. With a volunteer board of eight, no paid staff, and a vast volunteer base, sponsorship for Jasper Pride cannot be avoided. “Our Tourism Board has

been instrumental in helping Jasper Pride succeed,” Michel exclaims, adding that there are many more sponsors and partners that are just as important in achieving its overall realization.

With their mantra local first Jasper Pride has really worked with its own community so that sponsorship efforts can be effective both ways. From organizations ranging from Via Rail, The Fairmont Jasper Inn, GayCalgary, and the Edmonton Pride Festival, to name a few, the efforts to remain on the local level first are apparent.

To have something we can call our own and be proud of is unique, and with large Pride celebrations happening more and more often, it is refreshing to come back to a real community event that is wholeheartedly local. It is also essential that we continue to support their efforts. Jasper Pride has outdone themselves yet again, and there is no doubt that this year’s event will keep Albertans proud.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

33

Out of Town Fort Lauderdale

 Fun in the sun – the gay section of Fort Lauderdale Beach is within walking distance of both upscale high-rise hotels and clothing-optional gay resorts.

by Andrew Collins Since its rapid transformation in the early 1990s into one of the world’s leading gay vacation destinations, Fort Lauderdale has continued on a steady path of exciting new developments. Swanky contemporary hotels have risen along its neatly manicured beachfront, which is within a short walk of several excellent gay resorts. The small city of Wilton Manors, which fringes Fort Lauderdale to the northwest, has become a vibrant hub of LGBT-popular nightlife, dining and shopping. And a growing number of impressive arts and historic attractions have helped turn Fort Lauderdale into one of Florida’s premier arts and cultural hubs.

High season in Fort Lauderdale (http://www.sunny.org/lgbt) spans from late autumn to early spring, but Broward County is more of a year-round destination than you might think. As the region has become a top getaway among LGBT travelers, many gays and lesbians of all ages – from recent college grads to retirees – have moved here full-time.

The acclaimed gay men’s resort Pineapple Point is currently developing an upscale retirement complex in an up-and-coming corridor of downtown Fort Lauderdale – plans are for this flagship residence to serve as a prototype for similar communities throughout the country.

And throughout the city, neighborhoods, businesses and hotels tend to draw a diverse crowd.

Fort Lauderdale also has a number of LGBT-driven events throughout the year: Pride Fort Lauderdale in late February and early March, Stonewall Pride in Wilton Manors in June, the transgender Southern Comfort Conference in late September and early October, the Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in mid-October, Wicked Manors over Halloween, and Gay Days Fort Lauderdale week in late November.

What to See and Do Fort Lauderdale has several notable attractions of particular interest of gay visitors. Adjacent to the city’s public library in the historic Victoria Park neighborhood, the Stonewall National Museum & Archives contains an amazing trove of artifacts and exhibits on LGBT history (the lending library and archives contain countless gay publications, from vintage erotica to community newspapers). The Stonewall Museum has

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a second gallery in the heart of Wilton Manors, with compelling exhibits on everything from the battle for transgender civil rights to timeline of key moments in LGBT history.

Opened in fall 2014 in Wilton Manors, the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center is both a moving tribute to those who have battled with the disease and an eye-opening, informative awareness center on HIV and AIDS. Exhibits here trace the beginnings of the disease, and how public perceptions and media coverage about it have changed over the years. Additionally, it may not sound like a conventional attraction, but the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors is well worth visiting – it’s one of the more impressive LGBT community centers in the country, and a great resource for learning about the local gay scene.

As for the region’s many other appealing draws, Fort Lauderdale is one of the state’s top shopping destinations. Fans of retail should definitely visit the famed Sawgrass Mills Mall, whose more than 300 designer outlets include Giorgio Armani, Barneys New York, Kate Spade, Michael Kors and Steve Madden. Or just stroll along lovely Las Olas Boulevard, which abounds with fashion boutiques and jewelry shops.

It’s also a city built on and around water, and there are myriad opportunities for sightseeing cruises, fishing charters, sailing trips, scuba-diving excursions and kayak tours (many of the local accommodations work closely with area boating and sailing outfitters).

Something of a hidden gem, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is close to the beach and makes an especially nice spot for canoeing and jogging (you can also rent Segways and jet skis from M. Cruz Rentals). Also, be sure to visit the nearby Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, which comprises a grand historic estate filled with art and acres of lush gardens.

In the vibrant downtown corridor, you can catch a play or concert at the superb Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale is also a great place to while away the occasional rainy afternoon. It’s known for its first-rate collection of works by leading American impressionist painter William Glackens.

Where to Eat and Play Broward County’s dining scene has evolved rapidly in recent years.

For creative contemporary cuisine, check out stylish Johnny V (http:// www.johnnyvlasolas.com), helmed by celeb chef Johnny Vinczencz.

At this hip Las Olas Boulevard restaurant, you might try jerk-seared

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local black grouper or duck served three ways (foie gras, leg of confit and breast). At the trendy W Hotel, sup on choice chops and creatively prepared seafood at Steak 954 (http://www.starr-restaurant.com), part of the buzzy culinary empire of celeb chef Stephen Starr. A casual option overlook Fort Lauderdale Beach, airy Casablanca Café (http://www.casablancacafeonline.com) has a breezy patio and serves reasonably priced American and Mediterranean fare, including delish lobster rolls.

The outstanding Market 17 (http://www.market17.net) is just a short drive from the beach and serves deftly plated, farm-to-table cuisine – it’s become quite celebrated for its intriguing “Dining in the Dark” option. Downtown’s Tap 42 Bar & Kitchen (http://www.tap42. com) offers an outstanding craft-beer list along with well-prepared gastropub fare. For a lavish night out, look to Lobster Bar Sea Grille (http://www.buckheadrestaurants.com/lobster-bar-sea-grille), a seeand-be-seen downtown brasserie that serves superb seafood and has one of the city’s best wine lists. For stellar Pan-Asian food, head to Dapur (http://www.dapurkitchen.com), a trendy gay-date spot with a lively bar area that serves colorful cocktails (the lycheetini being a favorite). Chef Edi Mulyanto turns out delicious modern cuisine with a Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian bent.

Owners of the former lesbian bar New Moon, Nancy Goodwin and Carol Moran operate one of the most enjoyable and romantic restaurants in Wilton Manors, 13 Even (http://www.13-even.com) which earns praise for its menu of reasonably priced, creative small plates, from smokedsalmon tostadas to crisp pork belly tossed with feta and watermelon.

On the same block, Mind Your Manors is a convivial spot for filling and tasty pub fare. The neighborhood is also home to Rosie’s (http:// www.rosiesbng.com), a dishy and very social spot for casual pub fare, including huge burgers, sandwiches, coconut-shrimp platters, and more. The Naked Grape (http://www.nakedgrapewinebar.com) is a handsome little wine bar with light food and a well-curated selection of vino from all over the world.

Fort Lauderdale pulses with gay bars, with the lion’s share of them in Wilton Manors. The handsome two-level Manor (http://www. themanorcomplex.com) complex can be a fine place to kick off the evening or dance into the wee hours. This snazzy space has a nightclub aglow with crystal chandeliers plus myriad bars and a kitchen serving inventive tapas. B. Bar & Grille (http://www.billsfillingstation.com), formerly Bill’s Filling Station, is popular especially among the 35-andolder crowd. There’s food, excellent cabaret and saucy drag shows, and four different bars. Another good bet for piano cabaret is Tropics (http://www.tropicsofwiltonmanors.com), which offers above-average dinner fare too.

Sidelines Sports Bar (http://www.sidelinessports.com) draws a great mix of folks to shoot pool and watch sports on TV, the Village Pub (http://www.villagepubwm.com) has a nice little dance floor, a good-size patio, and a stage with drag shows; and the hip and stylish Progress Bar (http://www.progressbarsouthflorida.com) is a friendly neighborhood spot with great dancing on weekends and a strong following among both men and women. Hunters (http://www.huntersftlauderdale. com), Rumors, and the Alibi are slick, happening video and dance bars nearby, all three of them good places to meet locals and converse with friends. And leather bars like the dungeonesque Ramrod (http:// www.ramrodbar.com), with its Tom of Finland artwork, and Cubby Hole (http://www.thecubbyhole.com), always draw dedicated crowds of butch guys. At just about any of the bars, themes changes nightly from karaoke to country-western dancing to drag bingo.

With its dapper Mid-Century Modern design, the Royal Palms Resort & Spa (http://www.royalpalms.com) exudes sexiness. The thoughtfully maintained resort has an “all-welcome” policy but caters heavily to the LGBT market. There are 66 rooms with a sleek and unfussy aesthetic and such cushy perks as iHome docks and rain-forest-style glass showers, close proximity to the beach, a scene-y bar and grill, and a luxe spa, and a well-designed fitness center with yoga classes available.

Another good bet is the sister property, the Lush Royale (http://www. lushroyalefortlauderdale.com), formed when two neighboring resorts (the former Royal Palms and Orton Terrace) combined. The 28 upscale units here are eclectic and attractive, ranging from compact Junior Queens with small kitchenettes to Superior Royal Suites with king beds, huge living-dining areas and full modern kitchens. There are two pools and ample, clothing-optional sunning areas. The same owners also operate the nearby Grand Palm Plaza (http://www.grandpalmplaza. com) and Elysium Resort (http://www.elysiumresort.net).

Another good bet in the neighborhood is the complex comprising three neighboring, mid-priced gay resorts: the Worthington (http:// www.theworthington.com), Alcazar Resort (http://www.alcazarresort. com) and Villa Venice (http://www.villavenice.com). Together, these centrally located, clothing-optional hideaways rank among the cruisiest resorts in South Florida, with playful vibes, energetic fun-inthe-sun patrons, and attractive grounds for sunning and swimming au naturale.

For pure luxury, it’s hard to beat Pineapple Point (http://www. pineapplepoint.com), a handsome 1930s spread that has the grace and style of a Caribbean plantation, and quite possibly the cushiest suites of any gay resort in the country. With top-notch service and gorgeous grounds spread across two tropically landscaped acres, this compound is slightly inland, in the desirable Victoria Park neighborhood, and offers standard rooms, cozy cottages and fabulous villas – the latter with rooftop decks, big kitchens and other perks.

One of the closest resorts to the many gay bars and restaurants in Wilton Manors, Cabanas Guest House (http://www. thecabanasguesthouse.com) appeals to social butterflies (note the10man Jacuzzi and eight-man aromatherapy steam room). The posh rooms have goose-down comforters, DVD players and CD/MP3 players.

There’s also a full-service day spa. Also in the heart of Wilton Manors, the Calypso Inn (http://www.calypsoinnwiltonmanors.com) is a fun little B&B with four charming, reasonably priced rooms.

Fort Lauderdale also has some terrific, gay-welcoming mainstream resorts. The chic W Fort Lauderdale (http://www.wfortlauderdalehotel. com) cuts a dashing profile along the Route A1A beachfront, its sybaritic Bliss Spa offering deluxe treatments, and its large pool hosting fab parties all weekend; rooms are decked out with state-of-the-art media centers and supremely comfy beds. The nearby Atlantic Hotel & Spa (http://www.atlantichotelfl.com) offers unobstructed ocean views from the majority of its spacious, airy rooms, all of them with Bose CD-stereos, lovely patios and small kitchens. Other mainstream properties along the beachfront with fine views and attractive rooms include the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (http://www. westinftlauderdalebeach.com), the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Beach (http://www.marriott.com), the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach (http:// www.hilton.com) and the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale (http://www. ritzcarlton.com).

Andrew Collins produces the website GayTravel.About.com and writes about travel for a variety of LGBT and mainstream publications.

Where to Stay Many of the top gay resorts in Fort Lauderdale are just two or three blocks in from the beachfront (and the popular gay beach at Sebastian Street and A1A). One of the classiest and most relaxing options, the Grand Resort (http://www.grandresort.net) stands out for its warm and professional service and thoughtful amenities, which include a firstrate day spa (open both to non-guests and those staying on property) offering a wide range of massage and body treatments. There’s also a gym, a large pool with a swimsuits-required policy, a more secluded courtyard and sunning area with a hot tub that’s clothing-optional, a nice gym, and some of the largest suites of any gay resort in town.

Some of the 33 units have full contemporary kitchens, separate living rooms and private outdoor showers.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

35

Out of Town Weekend in San Antonio

 Perched along the Museum Reach extension of the River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art occupies the old Lone Star Brewery complex.

by Andrew Collins One of the largest cities in one of America’s fastest-growing states, San Antonio (http://www.visitsanantonio.com) is also a land of exciting changes. The city has long been a favorite destination thanks to its attractive downtown River Walk and sterling museums, but in recent years San Antonio has also developed an increasingly innovative, hip and progressive culinary, design and arts scene, much of it centered on the impressive former Pearl Brewery complex, now a mixeduse neighborhood with cool shopping and dining. It’s also begun to rival other major cities around the state – such as Houston, Dallas and nearby Austin – as a favorite getaway among gay and lesbian travelers.

There’s much to see in this 400-square-mile metropolis, and there are fun things to do throughout the year, from the long-running Fiesta San Antonio in late April to the up-and-coming Culinaria wine and food fest in May to San Antonio’s Pride Bigger Than Texas Festival held over July 4 weekend. Whatever time you choose to visit, here are tips on planning the ideal gay San Antonio weekend vacation.

and trendy Ocho (http://www.havanasanantonio.com), at the LGBTowned Hotel Havana. It serves delish pan-Latin tapas and creative cocktails and has a solarium-style dining room with lovely river views.

There’s also one LGBT nightclub downtown, the long-running Bonham Exchange (http://www.bonhamexchange.com), a multilevel complex with a huge dance floor.

Saturday In the morning, spend some more time checking out downtown attractions, shopping and also the River Walk, which looks quite different by day. Be sure to check out La Villita, a nearby complex of more than two dozen arts and crafts shops; the Alamo (of course); and the new Briscoe Western Art Museum, which opened in the handsome former San Antonio Library following an $18 million revamp late in 2013.

Friday Night

Then venture north along the beautiful, and relatively uncrowded, Museum Reach span of River Walk, stopping by the stellar San Antonio Museum of Art, which is renowned for its strong collections of both Asian and Latin American works. Also take note of the new Tobin Center for Performing Arts – this architectural showcase presents Broadway touring shows, music concerts and performances by Ballet San Antonio, the San Antonio Choral Society, and Opera San Antonio.

On your first evening in town, stick around downtown and the River Walk, which abound with inviting restaurants, many with outdoor seating along this famed waterway. Good bets for dining include Kimura (http://www.kimurasa.com), a izakaya-style Japanese restaurant that turns out tasty pork-ginger gyoza and chashu ramen with pork belly,

You’ll find excellent lunch options along Museum Reach, including the Luxury, whose kitchen occupies a converted freight container.

Grab a seat in the large, shaded courtyard and enjoy a local beer and such downhome fare as pulled-pork and fried-chicken sandwiches, followed by fried Snickers bars with condensed milk. Just a bit farther

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up the River Walk, at Pearl Brewery, other great lunch spots include trendy Sandbar (http://www.sandbarsa.com), a seafood restaurant, and casual La Gloria (http://www.chefjohnnyhernandez.com), which is dedicated to interior Mexico–style street food.

(also home to the park’s official visitor center), Mission San Juan and Mission Espada. From downtown, it’s about a 10-mile car or bike ride – you can rent from the B-cycle program (see http://sanantonio.bcycle. com for a map of stations) or Blue Star bike rentals in Southtown.

As the day wears on, spend more time at what’s become one of the most intriguing creative neighborhoods in Texas, the 20-acre Pearl Brewery District (the historic neighborhood just east, along Broadway, has also seen quite a lot of notable redevelopment). Built in the 1880s, the Pearl complex has morphed into an eco-friendly, mixed-use urban village rife with fine shopping, nightlife and dining as well as a state-ofthe-art campus of the Culinary Institute of America and a new Kimpton lodging, Hotel Emma.

In the evening, return to Southtown for dinner and drinks at one of the hip venues in these parts, such as the convivial Friendly Spot (http://www.thefriendlyspot.com), with its large pet-friendly outdoor seating area and encyclopedic selection of beer. Hot Joy (http://www. hotjoysa.com), a sister to the also excellent Monterey (http://www. themontereysa.com) bar and restaurant, specializes in pan-Asian made-for-sharing fare, such as smoked-brisket ramen and migas-fried rice with tortilla chips, tomatillo jaew, egg, cheddar and cilantro.

Browse the several diverting boutiques around here, breaking for artisan coffee inside the Local (http://www.localcoffeesa.com), a hip artisan roaster with a high-ceilinged contemporary sipping room. Or come down on Saturday morning to check out the outstanding Pearl Brewery Farmers Market, which runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

If you have a little time or are staying in San Antonio more than a couple of days, keep in mind the many other outstanding attractions in the city. Highlights include the McNay Art Museum, the San Antonio Botanical Garden and Brackenridge Park, which is also home to the San Antonio Zoo, Japanese Tea Gardens and Witte Museum.

In the early evening, pop into one of the area’s fun nightspots, such as Stay Golden Social House, a “boozeteria” with plenty of outdoor seating, run by the same team behind downtown’s hipster-approved Brooklynite; or Tuk Tuk Taproom (http://www.tuktuktaproom.com), a lively lounge specializing in Asian-style street food and craft beers (the tamarind pork belly soup is a favorite). There’s also one lovably divey gay bar in the neighborhood, the One-O-Six. Outstanding dinner venues abound at the Pearl, with Cured (http:// www.curedatpearl.com) among the hottest dining spots in central Texas. It’s set in a modernly redesigned 1904 building and serves a tantalizing selection of charcuterie (jalapeño sausage, goat-citrus terrine, 120-day-aged pancetta), plus New Orleans-inspired meaty adventures like pork cheeks poutine and corned-beef tongue. Or consider NAO (http://www.naorestaurant.com), with its exhibition kitchen and curvy dining room. Operated by the Culinary Institute of America, this snazzy spot specializes in “new world flavors” – think mahimahi ceviche, Caribbean-spiced roasted pork belly and chargrilled octopus with cilantro pesto.

Following dinner, it’s a short drive west to the cluster of gay bars in Tobin Hill. Here, just a few steps from one another, are several very popular gay bars, including the high-energy dance clubs Heat (http:// www.heatsa.com) and Pegasus (http://www.pegasussanantonio.com), and the more laid-back Sparky’s Pub (http://www.sparkyspub.com), which has a couple of patios and serves pub food too. In the same vicinity, check out Essence, a roadhouse-style bar known for its sultry male dancers; the Saint, which puts on some pretty fun and campy drag shows; and the Annex (http://www.theannex-satx.com), a lowkeyed gay neighborhood bar with a strong leather-and-Levi’s following.

Sunday This is a good day to head in the opposite direction along the river from yesterday’s explorations, toward hip Southtown and historic King William, two eclectic neighborhoods just south of downtown, and then continuing on – by car or, better yet, bicycle – the Museum Reach stretch of River Walk to visit the string of San Antonio missions.

These neighborhoods have some terrific brunch options, including Fruteria (http://www.chefjohnnyhernandez.com), the Southtown outpost of the small empire of superb modern Mexican restaurants run by charismatic chef Johnny Hernandez. Grab a seat on the patio and enjoy one of the delicious tortas, or seasonal fruit blends. At night, the restaurant serves wonderful cocktails, premium tequilas, and creative botanas (snacks), from gorditas to crab-jalapeño–stuffed chile rellenos.

Also consider Feast (http://www.feastsa.com), located in a natty Southwest-meets-Deco building and serving terrific contemporary American fare with Mediterranean influences (for brunch try the “eggs in hell” – three baked eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with grilled bread and charred-lemon polenta).

Where to Stay The Pearl Brewery District receives its first hotel in spring 2015: the 146-room Hotel Emma (http://www.thehotelemma.com), a snazzy boutique property operated by LGBT-popular hotelier Kimpton that’s been created inside the 1880s brew house (it’s named for Pearl Brewery founder Otto Koehler’s wife, Emma). The historic St. Anthony Hotel (http://www.thestanthonyhotel.com), part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection following a $25 million restoration, is another hot spot. This 1909 beauty on downtown’s Travis Park has contemporary, art-filled rooms and a new restaurant created by the LGBT restaurateur behind Southtown’s Feast, Andrew Goodman.

Hotel Contessa (http://www.thehotelcontessa.com) is notable for its handsome, spacious rooms with floor-to-ceiling river views and 12-story atrium lobby. The rooftop pool is a lovely place for a swim or a soak in the hot tub while admiring downtown skyline views. Set inside a former saddlery on the River Walk, the Mokara Hotel (http://www. hmokarahotels.com) occupies a former saddlery and has 99 of the most luxurious in the state, as well as a cushy spa and fantastic dining in its Ostra restaurant.

A hip, intimate hotel set inside a 1914 Mediterranean Revival former boarding school, the 28-room Havana Riverwalk Inn (http:// www.havanasanantonio.com), opened by Austin-based lesbian design maven and hotelier Liz Lambert, is on a gorgeous stretch of River Walk, right beside the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and it’s home of the sceney restaurant and bar Ocho.

Excellent, gay-friendly smaller options include the Arbor House (http://www.arborhouse.com), run by innkeepers Ron Stinson and Adolph Garcia, which has seven spacious suites (including a large Jacuzzi suite) and a great location near La Villita and the River Walk, and Eva’s Escape at Gardenia Inn (http://www.evasescape.com), a stately white-columned mansion with a double veranda and stunningly appointed rooms. It’s on a quiet residential street in historic King William, near several lively restaurants along South Alamo Street. The stupendous breakfasts served each morning, such as baked French toast with praline topping, have earned this elegant hideaway plenty of fans.

Andrew Collins produces the website GayTravel.About.com and writes about travel for a variety of LGBT and mainstream publications.

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Over the past several years, the River Walk has been extended from three to 15 miles, with Museum Reach added in 2009 – and the Mission Reach opened in fall 2013 – and providing access to the city’s four Spanish Colonial missions. Collectively operated as San Antonio Missions National Historic Park (http://www.nps.gov/saan), this string of religious structures created in the 18th century begins with the iconic Alamo, downtown. As you continue south, you’ll come to Mission Conception, the especially picturesque Mission San Jose

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

37

Brazilian DJ twins

Heating up the Edmonton club scene

By Krista Sylvester The only thing better than one sexy DJ is two – and light-eyed twins, even more so. The ridiculously good looking and incredibly talented bronze-skinned duo, O-Halley Brothers, are bringing a taste of Brazil meets Russia to Edmonton.

Fabio and Fabiano Mendes were living in their hometown, in Brazil, before embarking on a musical journey to Moscow where they burn up the gay scene with their house music and charisma.

The World Pride 2014 headliners have been hitting the North American gay scene with their international flavour and are now bringing their beats to Canada, including a stop in Edmonton, on January 31st at Evolution Wonderlounge.

The pair took some time out of their busy schedule to let us know a little more about them.

GayCalgary: Tell our readers about your upbringing and what led you to the music scene.

Fabio: One of us studied advertising and the other one studied dentistry. Nothing about DJing at all, but our passion for music led us to the music, and the fact we could work together on it made it more exciting. We always wanted to live the music, so we made a choice about it.

GC: You moved from Brazil to Russia a few years ago; what is it like performing in a place known for its anti-gay stance?

Fabiano: Being anti-gay does not mean you can’t get a party there. It’s all about the music and the culture. Actually, I almost never think about the anti-gay stance; this does not affect my work or my life at all.

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GC: What is the gay party scene like in Russia, and how does it compare to home?

Fabio: We used to live in Moscow, the biggest city in Russian Federation, so there you have a lot of options when you want to party. If you are gay, I don’t think it is any different. But, of course, the Russian people are calmer than Brazilians. Brazilians are more energetic, more emotive and intense. It is easy to see the difference on the dance floor, but I like both. I already can understand both cultures and people. I made both my home place, so it is always a good time to be DJing there.

GC: What do you enjoy about performing in Canada?

Fabiano: The Canadians are very friendly and polite – what could we enjoy more? The people are happy there. They smile all the time. I think that is the way you can inspire someone. That is what moves me; I like to be connected with people as long as they are happy and easy going. That is what I enjoy about performing there, I feel good and excited.

GC: You have established quite a following in the gay scene and as DJs, but what has been the favourite part of your rise to fame?

Fabio: Our favourite part is being everywhere, visiting places around the world, meeting different people with different culture.

Learning everywhere we go. Believe me, this is the best part.

GC: You are close as brothers, but do you guys ever have any arguments?

Fabiano: All of the time. Although we are brothers, we are very different. But we always try understanding each other; otherwise it would be not possible to do all of this together. But now it

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is much easier to find a common sense between us, when it is about work, but for life we will always keep our arguments. This difference makes us grow and show us that even though we are brothers, we are not the same, and we must respect it.

GC: What are your different personalities like?

Fabio: Analyzing this question now, I see that the one who is quieter and less talkative can be more explosive in some situations, and the other who is more talkative can be more patient and calm.

GC: Tell us something about you brothers that our readers might not know.

Fabiano: Although we are DJs and party all the time – and love it – we also enjoy staying at home at Saturdays!

GC: What surprises you most about fame?

Fabio: As everything is ephemeral, I think is a waste of time just thinking about fame. The most important thing is to focus on your work. Fame is a consequence. I prefer to focus on my work than think about fame. The result of a job well done is more fulfilling than just fame.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

39

Pride & Prejudice

‘Sherlock’ actor Andrew Scott gets candid about coming out, (almost) kissing Benedict Cumberbatch

 photos by CBS Films

By Chris Azzopardi It’s hard to ignore the fact that Andrew Scott came out publicly just last year while watching him in Pride. A British dramedy based on the alliance between striking miners and gay activists in the mid-’80s, the inspiring romp finds the 38-year-old Irishman putting those puppy eyes on full display. Playing Gethin, a fella dealing with the aftermath of coming out, the actor’s sincerity makes you forget the shade he throws Benedict Cumberbatch as Moriarty on the BBC’s Sherlock.

Scott recently opened up about avoiding questions regarding his sexuality after he’s finished promoting Pride, why he’d want a straight actor to play him in a movie and feeling “uncomfortable” when asked about his almost-kiss with Benedict.

GC: For you, how does it feel being part of a movie that’s moved so many people in the gay community?

AS: It’s extraordinary, really. We’re all completely blown over by it. The response we’re hearing from cinemas across the country, where people are standing up at the end and they’re clapping – it’s just very unusual for me. I’ve certainly never been in a film before where that happens.

People just feel very inspired by it, and they have very passionate feelings toward it. So yeah, I’m thrilled about that – thrilled (it’s being embraced) not just by the gay community, but by a lot of different audiences. We kind of really hoped that the gay community would embrace it, but we keep saying that it’s not just a gay movie. The message – the idea of solidarity – isn’t

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just for a gay audience. All of us are more similar to each other than we think we are.

GC: Pride demonstrates strength in numbers, which seems especially relevant now that the gay rights movement is in full swing and more straight allies are standing up with us. As the fight for equality marches on, what do you see as the relevancy of this story right now?

AS: Being gay isn’t something in and of itself that’s a virtue any more than being straight is, but the attributes that gay people develop as a result of being gay – mainly empathy toward other people, and compassion and tolerance – those are things to be proud of. It’s a real message that I find really heartwarming. To segregate people is very dangerous in the struggle for gay rights for people across the way. Inclusivity rather than exclusivity.

We must celebrate our differences, and we must celebrate our humanity as well as our sexuality.

GC: You recently spoke out against the notion of “playing gay,” which is obviously something you feel strongly about.

AS: You can’t. It’s absolutely impossible to play that as an actor. If someone were to play me in a film about my life, I would hate for just gay actors to audition for the role, because I think I could potentially have attributes as much in common with a straight actor as I could with a gay actor.

You can really make a general wash of people’s sexuality (and say) that people are exactly the same. But the attributes I possess as a human being could be represented by anybody with human sexuality, really, if they have the chief attributes that an actor needs, which are empathy and imagination. So, I do think it’s very important that those things are mentioned, that a www.gaycalgary.com

human being is made up of a whole range of things and sexuality is, of course, one of them, but it’s not the sum total.

GC: Which straight actor would you want playing you in a film?

AS: Oh, I have no idea! That thought terrifies me! The fact that I can’t even get an audition for that part terrifies me even more.

(Laughs) GC: You’ve co-starred with some of the finest-looking men in the show business: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, to name a few. Is it in your contract that you only work with the most attractive men in the industry?

AS: (Laughs) Absolutely, it is. And I believe it’s in all their contracts as well, which is why they get to work with me.

GC: So, in season three of Sherlock, you came closer to kissing Benedict than a lot of us ever will. What was that like?

AS: You know what, Benedict is my friend, and when we shot that scene on Sherlock we knew it would be sort of cheeky, but that question always makes me very uncomfortable because he’s my pal. I sometimes wonder if people are asking that question hoping for a new response. (Laughs) GC: Movies about gay people weren’t always as celebratory as Pride and others that have been released recently. With that said, do you think Pride would get the same reaction it is now if it came out 20 years ago?

AS: It’s difficult for me to answer that. I just know that it feels very timely. I think it’s incredibly progressive, and the idea of just different attributes of gay people being explored is extremely important. But the idea of this story 20 years ago, talking about these people as heroes – I’m not sure. It’s very hard for me to answer that. I just know the fact that it’s been embraced by both gay audiences and straight audiences is very important.

We set out to make a mainstream film, and it is a mainstream film – it’s finding a mainstream audience – and sometimes the word “mainstream” is a bit reductive. What I mean by that is that in order to understand what it means to be a straight person or a gay person, it doesn’t require too much imagination. We all come from a union of a man and a woman, and a gay person can understand heterosexual love. I think straight people actually fundamentally find it easy to understand homosexual love – there’s just a stigma attached to it that maybe prevents them from admitting that sometimes. People understand sexuality at a very basic level, and so I never have thought that people are intrinsically homophobic. I think that’s something that’s learned.

GC: Would you say that sexuality is much more fluid than we think?

AS: I think it is a very fluid thing. I think all sexuality is about communications. (Say) you were to label the kind of conversations you’d like to have at dinner and you said, “I’m a sarcastic person who likes to talk about politics and, you know, juggling.” We don’t label the way (we) communicate verbally, so why do we need to label the way we communicate sexually? I think it’s sometimes questionable. It’s a physical thing, so it’s very difficult to articulate verbally.

GC: One year ago this November you came out publicly. So, to mark your one-year anniversary, tell me what changed for you after coming out to the world.

AS: (Laughs) It’s funny, I don’t see it at all like that. I can understand why people could perceive it as my “one-year anniversary,” but for me it was something that happened a long time ago. You know, I keep myself to myself. I don’t do a huge amount of interviews. I am delighted to say, though, that absolutely nothing has changed, really. I’ve been in the business coming up on 20 years now. I started very young, and so I’ve always wanted to play all sorts of different parts.

With something like Pride, obviously, I have to speak a little more about personal issues – that’s something I realize with this project – but, in the future, I feel that in order to be progressive it’s not necessary for me to speak about (my sexuality) in every interview I do. If I were to meet my family and friends every day for the past 15 years and say, “I came out,” every single time they asked about how it was being gay – what kind of question www.gaycalgary.com

is that? (Laughs) Let somebody live their life. There are certain times when it’s right to talk about it, and there are absolutely times I feel that it’s not relevant.

GC: Do you think society puts too much emphasis on talking about sexuality?

AS: I don’t. Yeah, I think sometimes there can be prurient interest in any type of sexuality and people’s sex lives, but I think that’s just the way human beings are. I would love it if there were a sense of just letting people be, just letting people be who they are, and not getting too hysterical about these things.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

41

The Letting Go

A conversation with Melissa Etheridge

 Photos by John Tsiavis

By Chris Azzopardi It’s been more than 20 years since Melissa Etheridge, after declaring herself a lesbian at an inaugural ball for President Clinton, came out on record. Released in 1993, the artist’s benchmark album, Yes I Am, would signify a giant leap forward for the LGBT community – and, also, Etheridge’s career.

The landmark LP, her mainstream breakthrough, came before Ellen, before “Will & Grace,” before Laverne Cox graced the cover of TIME. Putting her career on the line, Etheridge still stood like a pillar of hope, valiance and torch-carrying fortitude.

And it wouldn’t be the last time.

Taking another shot in the dark with This Is M.E., a DIY disc released on Etheridge’s own label, M.E. Records, the 53-yearold goes independent for the first time since signing with Island Records in the mid ’80s.

Catching up with Etheridge one recent afternoon – she’s crunching on some granola, which is so very Melissa Etheridge-y of her – the rocker discusses how “flatlining” influenced her decision to go indie, why she stopped reading her own press and which hit she was “forced” to record.

GC: The album is called This Is M.E., a play on your initials.

But how about nicknames – do you have any of those?

ME: I don’t. I pretty much answer to whatever anybody calls me. (Laughs) GC: Especially if that person is Linda Wallem, your wife.

ME: Exactly. “Yes, dear!”

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GC: To quote one of your songs, was the process of making this album like “the letting go”?

ME: That was exactly it. Thank you so much for seeing that, because last year I did cut all the strings. All of them – every single one. I gutted my whole team that I had behind me for 20-plus years. I just said, “Look, it’s time. I need a new model. I need a new way of doing this.” I completely flatlined and had no interest in just business as usual. In doing so, I went and talked with and interviewed a bunch of managers, record companies, lawyers, agents and dozens of people, and I found out a lot about me in doing so. I got a new view of what other people in the business think about me and my business and (learned that) I don’t need those old structures anymore. Because of the new technology, I can reach my fans. I have a fan base, I have social media, I can let every single one of them know. I can sell just as many records as I had been selling with a record company, and I can own my record. I could take charge of this, and I don’t have to answer to a record company.

GC: Was it something you regretted not doing sooner?

Because I bet you wished you owned the rights to “Come to My Window.”

ME: Absolutely. You have to just look ahead, though. You can’t look back and go, “Ah, all those songs!” That’s just the way it is.

GC: What’s the best part about being your own boss?

ME: The responsibility. There’s no one I can blame. I have to believe in every single one of these songs. In the studio, working with each of these producers and musicians, I was taking full responsibility for every single note on this album.

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GC: Had you been feeling a lack of support from your label?

ME: Oh yeah. From Lucky in 2004 and on, the record industry was, every year, falling in huge amounts and getting less and less, and also, those albums were not incredibly commercial albums because they were introspective.

I was investigating myself and my own spirit and thoughts, and so those albums weren’t gonna be big commercial hits, so they didn’t get a lot of attention.

GC: On Lucky, with the song “Meet Me in the Dark,” you actually addressed this sense of abandonment you were feeling at the time regarding the label’s lack of support.

Isn’t that right?

ME: Exactly – I did. I sat down and said, “I’m gonna write this song for those people who listen to albums to find that song that’s just special.”

GC: Was it then that you first started thinking of career alternatives?

ME: Yeah, indeed.

GC: What kind of pressure were you experiencing from the label? At the time, were they forcing you to make radio hits?

ME: (Pauses) Well, there’s only so much you can do with me. I am what I am, and I know that on Lucky the song “Breathe” was not my song at all. That was one that the record company came to me and said, “Look, we think this could be a hit.” I did something that I will never do again. I like the song – it’s a great song – but I really felt like I was doing something I didn’t wanna do. I got cancer afterwards and went, “Never again.”

GC: At this moment in your career, you’re really embracing solitude.

ME: Yes, I am.

GC: How have all these changes reshaped how you approach music and how you approached this album?

ME: It’s reinvigorated my love for the industry and the art form beyond just singing and performing, but actually with the writing and the producing and creating of these songs. My god, I think there are at least five different producers on this record and I worked with others that didn’t quite work out. I got to work with all kinds of people. I threw out to my management, “Think outside the box,” and that’s how I ended up with RoccStar and Jerry “Wonda.”

GC: Is it easier to write with a broken heart or a happy heart?

ME: Well, it’s not easy to write in any situation, but it depends. I think one has to learn how to make any personal state a state that one can create from. I can write “Who Are You Waiting For” – which is both. Yeah, I was brokenhearted and smashed and lifted up, so I can create from both. I can create from an old memory of, “You done me wrong,” and write “Ain’t That Bad.” That’s the craft of writing. You give me even a mundane subject and I will craft a human experience around it.

GC: Tell me the story behind the first song you wrote for the album.

ME: There are two. I wrote them by myself before I brought them to a producer and those were “Who Are You Waiting For” and “A Little Hard Hearted.” For those two, I sat down the way I normally do: I actually sat down at the piano because I like writing on the piano; it brings out different musical things than if I write on the guitar. So “A Little Hard Hearted” was actually more of a ballad than it ended up being. But yeah, that was one of the first ones. It was like, “I don’t wanna be broken any more. I wanna move on,” which is what we’ve done.

With (ex-wife) Tammy (Lynn Michaels), both of us have worked really hard to put all the crap behind us and just be two loving households that can work together for the kids.

GC: How did you deal with the tabloids that pitted you two against each other?

ME: I just didn’t go online for a couple of years!

(Laughs) I don’t look at that stuff because it’s this sense of, I have no control over what people are thinking. I know what my truth is and there’s no way I can convince other people of it. They’re gonna believe whatever they believe, and I just have to move on through this.

Time will always tell, and the truth a l w a y s c o m e s out, so I’m just gonna be the best person I can be and move on. I could get stuck in that. And that’s like a whirlpool.

That’ll just suck you right down into it.

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GC: Have you ever read your own press? Googled “Melissa Etheridge”?

ME: Oh, sure. Eight times out of 10, it’s a pleasant experience. Other times it’s, “I didn’t need to see that.”

GC: Having spent so much of your life on stage – how has that changed for you? How is getting out on stage different now than it was when you first got out there?

ME: I’m different. I mean, I’ve been on stage since I was 11 years old, so I went through a lot of being on stage when no one knows who you are, being on stage when you’re singing other people’s music, being on stage when no one’s paying attention – I know that.

I also know the wonderful feeling of being on stage when people are expecting something. I was always thrilled when I walked on stage and someone paid money to come see me. Now when I walk on stage, I haven’t even sung a note and people are going crazy. That’s just ... that’s a dream come true. To start a song and people know it – I love it, love it, love it.

GC: Was that something you imagined for yourself as a kid?

Are you the artist you set out to be?

ME: Yeah, I knew that I wanted to be a singer/songwriter. I knew that I wanted to write the songs too – that it was important that that be a part of what I do – so I’m very happy that when I start these songs that I’ve written, people know that. So yes, I am.

GC: Knowing all you know about yourself now, what would you tell the Melissa Etheridge of the ’80s?

ME: “Hey, you can relax. Don’t worry. Don’t get all worked up about it, because it’s all right – you’re gonna make it.”

The best part of the whole thing is the journey – it’s actually the getting there, not the being there. It’s who I met in the process, and the memories. Just the whole experience is what it’s about, and I’m so grateful for it.

GC: As one of the first out public figures, what’s your proudest moment as a gay icon?

ME: It’s when a teenager or a successful 27-year-old will come up to me and say, “Thank you. You saved my life. If it

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weren’t for you, I would’ve never come out and been able to live the life I’ve lived.” And what can I say?

That’s worth everything.

Every single person who makes that choice to stand up and present him- or herself in life as who they are – every single time one person does that – it changes the world. It goes out and it changes others, and if they’re doing it in public and living their truth – I mean, come on, Ellen and Michael Sam! – they change the world.

GC: What do you want your legacy to be?

ME: I would love for it to be, “Hey, that Melissa Etheridge, she just changed the world a little bit.” That maybe – because I was here – life was great for some other folks, you know?

That’d be nice.

GC: Which song of yours will likely be played at your funeral?

ME: (Sings creepily) “Coooome to my windoooow.” (Laughs) I really haven’t thought about it. That’s one thought I haven’t thought about! I’ll leave that up to you guys, OK? GC: In 2002, you released your memoir The Truth Is...: My Life in Love and Music. Would you consider writing another?

ME: Oh yeah. That one was just the first third of my life. I have much more to write about. Life happens so quickly that I haven’t even jotted anything down, but I think about it all the time. The next book I’m gonna write, I will have sat down and taken a large chunk of time to write it because I think it deserves that.

GC: What would you call this second book?

ME: Something like, The Truth Changes. Because it does!

With my mother and my sister, I certainly don’t hold the same sort of angst that I used to at all. That’s so far away from me.

I can look back and tell a story that I told and I look at it a little differently now, because I’ve learned more things and I’m a different person.

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Pink Mans Up

Pink Underwear Not Just for Ladies Anymore  Team8

 Team8

By Jorge Treviano Pink briefs, for decades the butt of jokes and the joke of butts, has, in the last year, turned into a serious business.

Jockey was the first to report that sales of their colored Y-front briefs rocketed by an average of 60% last year – with the baby pink pairs selling more than any other.

In all their goofy glory, briefs in bright colors including pink, are undermining the classic white brief’s long-held domination below-the-belt. In fact, while sales of traditional briefs have been down for the last few years, nontraditional styles in boxer briefs, bikinis and thong styles have all been way up.

It’s not just gay men buying them either. Straight men (and the girlfriends and wives who buy for their men) are buying them at higher rates than ever. However, it is gay men (and celebs like Justin Beiber and Ashton Kutcher) who are the more-daring consumers of new styles – willing to experiment with the newest styles before they become trends.

Pink’s popularity makes sense. Pink brightens and warms up pale skin tones. It also contrasts nicely with darker skin.

But Nir Zilberman, founder of the online underwear retailer, LAJock.com, thinks the recession may be a factor. www.gaycalgary.com

‘When the economy’s gloomy, shoppers tend to make small, often unconscious, decisions in their consumer habits and buying fun pink briefs helps lighten their mood and brighten their day.’

Here are some of the hot new styles that are tickling men pink this season.

TEAMM8 Teamm8 is an Australian brand aimed at champions who play equally hard on the field and in the bedroom. Sporting values of Australian “mateship” and determination, Teamm8 mens underwear is ideal for the fast moving, savvy and stylish athlete. http://www.LaJock.com ES UNDERWEAR If you’re looking for a good quality underwear brand that oozes quality and European decadence, ES Collection is an excellent choice.

The collection is vast, offering many different print designs, narrow and wide waistbands and all the cuts (briefs, boxer briefs, thongs) men want. http://www.LaJock.com

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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 ES Collection

 ES Collection

 Timoteo

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

www.gaycalgary.com

 ES Collection

 Addicted

JAMES TUDOR

ADDICTED

Inspired by the idea of the British gentleman, James Tudor Underwear is a stylish, classic underwear brand. The James Tudor brand offers a fresh perspective with unique design elements like magnetic snaps and pouch button details. http://www.LaJock.com

Addicted’s superior quality briefs maintain the sporty style and fit of sister brand, ES Collection, but at prices more accessible to mainstream consumers. Fresh and fun, the Addicted collection is for everybody out there that likes to live life to the fullest. http://www.LaJock.com

TIMOTEO

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Timoteo is perfect for the fashion conscious customer who appreciates exceptional fit and design. The underwear is super soft and comfortable, and is designed to maintain an excellent fit and shape that defines the body. All styles of underwear have a signature logo waist and unique color combinations. http://www.Timoteo.net

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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No Hiding from Kiesza

Pop’s newest queen talks gay roots, how Babs taught her to sing and her hit song ‘Hideaway’

 photos by Renee Cox

By Chris Azzopardi Even before making the streets of New York City her own private dance floor for “Hideaway,” Kiesza was courting the queers. The lead single off the 25-year-old’s majorlabel debut, Sound of a Woman, has certainly boosted her appeal within the community – who could resist the sports bra and suspenders look? – but the gays and this former sniper-in-training for the Canadian Army actually go way back.

On her way to the airport, Kiesza called to chat about pretendmarrying her gay best friend, how Barbra Streisand taught her to sing and her request for the drag queens.

GC: Have you been feeling the gay love yet?

K: I’ve been feeling it before any other love actually. Even before “Hideaway,” when I was doing other projects, the gay community was always the community that supported me as a brand new artist. I always felt supported by the gay community before anyone else, so it’s a really special community to me.

GC: When did you know the gay community was in love with you?

K: I would actually meet the people who were coming to my shows and it showed me who my audience was, and I had a very strong gay following, which is amazing. They’re so enthusiastic, and they come dressed in clothes that emulate my own style.

They’re always going the extra mile.

GC: You know you’ve made it when guys are doing you in drag.

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K: (Laughs) Yeah, I saw some people doing “Hideaway” in drag, which is amazing. I wanna go to a drag show and see someone performing “Hideaway” live!

GC: What was your introduction to the gay community?

K: My best friend since I was 14 is gay, so my whole teen experience was the gay bars. I mean, when we were obviously old enough. (Laughs) We used to pretend we were married and go out. Through him, I was introduced to the gay community at a very young age.

In school I had a lot of gay friends as well; now that I think about it I really had a lot! I’ve always been immersed in the community and really supportive of it, and also, I always felt really supported by the community. Even before (I moved to) New York, when I was in Canada and was a folk musician, I had a whole gay following with my folk music. No matter where I went, it was always the gay community that discovered me first.

I feel like they gravitated toward me. I feel like the gay community is really open-minded and really supportive of new artists and new music and new ideas and just really forwardthinking. As a new artist, because of that mentality, I was just embraced much sooner. The integrity of that community is unbelievable.

GC: Because of your mom, you grew up on big voices like Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and then later Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. How did listening to them affect your vocal technique?

K: Without realizing it, I learned a lot about my voice by singing along with them. I didn’t actually learn to sing the way I sing now until I started going to music college and really finding

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my voice as a songwriter, but I was always singing along (to them) growing up and I definitely developed my voice that way.

GC: “Hideaway” is obviously influenced by ’90s music; how about the rest of Sound of a Woman?

K: Very influenced. Once I wrote “Hideaway,” I had this vision of the whole album being reminiscent of this era. I love the early ’90s, and not just the dance music. I like the R&B. I love all the ballads. I love the hip-hop. I just wanted to pay homage to an era that I love so much, but also take it and make it current.

That was the idea – to have that nostalgia in the music, but also have it be very fresh and new at the same time.

GC: Speaking of the ’90s: ’N Sync or Backstreet Boys?

K: I was a Backstreet Boys girl.

GC: Britney or Christina?

K: Christina.

GC: Whitney or Mariah?

K: Whitney. I mean, Mariah’s an amazing singer, but I was definitely more blown away by Whitney. There’s one song on the album that a few people heard her influence on. Next time we talk I wanna see if you can pick it out.

GC: Full House or Saved by the Bell?

K: That’s a hard one! I feel like I was a bit more of a Full House kid. Actually, I was very much a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air kid! I was all about that show.

GC: Destiny’s Child or TLC? K: Let’s go with TLC. I listened to Destiny’s Child a lot, but TLC had a lot of fashion influence on me.

GC: Growing up, who were some of your favorite Canadian musicians?

K: I was a big fan of David Foster growing up because I was really into songwriting. I actually was more focused on songwriting first, and I was really inspired by all his writing on all of those Toni Braxton songs. Vocally, Celine, and you know also who I really loved growing up? Sarah McLachlan.

GC: You’ve written some songs for Kylie Minogue and also Rihanna, for whom you penned a yet-to-be-released tune that’s said to have a very particular message. What would that message be?

K: I don’t wanna give away the song, but it reflects the way that people look at the world and the way that people mirror themselves off of other people and live through other people’s eyes.

GC: Which songs on your album do you think have the most powerful message?

K: I feel like every song has its own message. My album is a love story. To open up and become vulnerable on my first “for real” debut album, I tapped into my own emotions and wrote

about what I’ve been through. As a writer, I’ve been writing about all of these topics, but when it came to me, it was very personal. I wanted to open up and tell my own personal stories, so I would say “Sound of a Woman” is a very strong song. I’d say they’re all very honest and vulnerable songs, but “Sound of a Woman” is a standing-up-for-myself-in-my-mind type of song.

It’s a song that could really inspire confidence in people.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Attack of the Frozen Queens Alaska & Co. ready for winter Battle of the Seasons’ Tour

 Photo by Jose Guzman Colon

By Jason Clevett With a name like Alaska, one would expect the Season 5 top three performer to be prepared for a Canadian winter. When the Battle of the Seasons comes to Calgary and Edmonton this week she aims to be dressed for the weather – whatever that may be.

“It is going to be cold!” she says. “I am going to bring so many fur coats; that is just what I am going to have to do. I pack for every possible [type of] weather. My suitcase is a joke – it’s like a Carrot Top sketch. There will be a speedo and a parka and fur hat. You never know what you are going to get, so I bring it all” Alaska has been to Calgary before, in 2013 for a PurePride event, and is excited to return.

“I get to do different stuff. I like revisiting places because I usually just do the greatest hits when I go to a city for the first time. Once you get to go a couple of times, you can get a little weirder and more esoteric, which I like since I am really weird and esoteric. I like to try and stop and see places but it depends. Usually it is right in and right out, but whenever I get the chance to hang out and eat some vegetarian food, that is a nice treat for me. If Calgary has some good [vegetarian restaurants] I would like to check them out.”

As a fan of the show herself, Alaska is thrilled to be working with – and watching some of – the best drag queens on the planet.

“These are really cool people and really good performers.

Any chance I get to see them perform, or be a part of their 50

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performances, I am totally down. I am a huge fan of the show, and all these queens, and still fan-girl out. Touring together is fun. Sometimes the bus breaks down and we end up on the interstate for a few hours. There is a terrible video of me, when the bus broke down, and I was freaking out. I had pinkeye and was not in a good mind space. It is a video of me crying in the middle of the interstate. Look it up! Sometimes unexpected things like that happen. We get to room with each other in hotels. I got to room with Phi Phi O’Hara one time and it was really nice. She is a really good roommate.”

Alaska and Sharon Needles are one of Drag Race’s most popular couples. Although their romantic relationship has ended they have remained friends, and both will appear at the Calgary and Edmonton performances.

“The show is still airing in reruns and, at the time of the show, we were together. I still get emails from new fans saying you and Sharon are the best couple ever. We haven’t been together for some time now so that is a little weird. People get together and break up. We are still friends and colleagues, and I think it is an interesting story. Everyone has been through a break up and heartache and come out the other side, so I think it is a good story for people going through a hard time that we are both ok and doing well. It is really nice to have so much support from people. Everyone was super nice about it. I never felt like I was alone going through that process. [Working with Sharon] is cool. She is so fun and funny and one of the funniest people I have met in my whole life. We are friends and have a good time.”

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It is remarkable how drag has changed: from being outcasts performing in bars to legitimate stars doing theatre tours.

“There is certainly a lot more drag queens than there used to be. When I first started it was sort of taboo to be a drag queen, and you were an outcast in the gay community. It was hard to get a date or get laid because you were a drag queen and ‘weird’ and people didn’t get it. Now everybody wants to do drag... That is different and cool. I think the more the merrier. If you feel compelled to put on a wig and heels by all means do it. As for this theatre tour, don’t get me wrong – I started my career in bars and am a total bar queen in my heart. But I love getting to do these bigger venues because the light and sound is on point, and you can make the picture bigger for a bigger audience. I feel like Madonna. It is really cool.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race has opened the doors for nearly 100 queens to reach for the brass ring. Many continue to tour the world, but others have disappeared, in some cases due to battles with addiction. Alaska understands the perils of fame, as her own battle with alcohol use affected her early career.

Having been sober for a year now, she reflected on the early challenge of fame.

“Right after Drag Race hit, and I was touring, I was taking that money and drinking it away, and not remembering these experiences. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I was using it as a way to feed something I was addicted too. I think it is better to really enjoy it, and live in each moment, and be present. That is what I am doing now, and I am really happy to have had a wake up call. Michelle Visage actually really helped with that. I am really grateful to be going at it from a work perspective. I enjoy going to work, and put a lot into it.”

On March 2nd RuPaul’s Drag Race returns to OutTV for its seventh season. Like the other queens GayCalgary has spoken too, Alaska is looking forward to the next set of queens battling for the crown.

“It’s so exciting! I don’t really know any of them. I have worked with Trixie Mattel on New Years. It was nice to get to meet her, and she read me to filth, so we are sisters in the making, and I did a show with Jasmine Masters in Long Beach several months ago. That’s it. I am excited to go into it not knowing what happens or who is in the top, because I don’t know shit so I am very happy. I knew so many of the queens last year – I had either worked with them or was really familiar – so it is cool that it is a fresh season and I am really excited to watch it.”

There are just a few days left to get tickets to the Battle of The Seasons. Alaska urges everyone not to miss out, and if you have VIP tickets she looks forward to meeting you.

“It is totally worth it to get the VIP package for Battle of the Seasons. You do get to actually walk up to the painting and touch it, and engage with it, which I think is really cool. And we can take pictures too. I am always down to talk about stuff.

People think I am sick of talking about drag but it’s my life. I love talking about it. I love talking with fans and I check my fan page messages. I really like hearing peoples’ stories. Drag Race really touches a lot of people in ways you wouldn’t think it would. A lot of the tickets are gone; if you can still get at ticket you better. It is like Drag Race in concert: your favourite queens in one place in a great venue in a solid, well-produced show. If you like to see men in dresses come on out.”

Battle of the Seasons Tour http://www.purepride.ca http://www.RuPaulBots.com Calgary – February 13th –Flames Central Edmonton – February 14th –Encore @ West Edmonton Mall http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4506 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Kathy Griffin: In All Seriousness…

Comedian opens up on Joan’s death, hosting Fashion Police and emojis from Cher  Photos by E!

By Chris Azzopardi Kathy Griffin isn’t kidding when she says, “If I can get serious for one second…” Putting aside her usual biting assault against all things celebrity, the comedian gets candid about her dear friend and idol Joan Rivers in our latest interview: Griffin’s frequent death-related conversations with the late comedy legend, “literally” getting Joan’s permission to supersede her on Fashion Police, and how Joan taught Kathy “not to give a fuck.”

GC: Hi Kathy, how are ya?

KG: Umm, this isn’t gonna go out to any, uh, gay people, right, Chris? Because, you know, you give those people an inch, they’ll take a mile.

GC: Are you talking about penis size?

KG: I’m talking about, when are we gonna end it with the letters and the numbers, Chris! LGBTQIA-2-3-4-5! Dammit! I’ve got a GLAAD Vanguard Award and an HRC Award and I still can’t keep up.

GC: I’m gay myself and I can’t keep up.

KG: (Laughs) Which letter or number are you?

GC: Just the G for now.

KG: Look, Chris, you’ve gotta up your game. You’ve gotta stick in at least – can’t you be a Q? How hard is it to be a “questioning”?

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

GC: For you, Kathy, I could be a Q. And I could be a number.

KG: OK, good. I just wanted to get a little something out of you, because, you know, I gotta be up on the times with the LGBTQIA2s, and from what I understand you people are adding letters on a daily basis.

GC: It’s really confusing you straight people, I know.

KG: (Laughs) Keep it simple for the breeders! We are simple people, dammit!

GC: So, Kathy, congratulations on Fashion Police!

KG: Thank you! I am so-o-o-o excited! I mean, obviously I have the biggest shoes in the world to fill. But the fact that Joan and I were such good pals – and, in fact, discussed the show many, many times – it’s just, for me, if I can get serious for one second, actually meaningful. And I know it’s a silly show – we’re gonna make fun of silly celebrities and pictures – but Joan was such a good pal to me, but also an unrecognized pioneer in many ways.

I have to say, I really am getting a lot of gratification out of the fact that I believe posthumously she’s finally getting the respect that she so earned and so deserved, and that’s kind of a mission that I’ve assigned to myself. No one has assigned it to me, but it’s just important to me that her legacy is protected and honored, because it’s a legit legacy.

I mean, she was wild and outrageous, and I get it – with the sequin jackets and the feather boas and the saying crazy things

www.gaycalgary.com

to TMZ – but just as a female comedian, I mean, talk about a feminist, talk about a groundbreaker. I would never have this career without her, and I don’t mean just this job (on Fashion Police) – like, duh – but I mean everything from the beginning: what she did for women in comedy in such a male-dominated field, and for the LGBT community, and being down with the gays long before Stonewall, before it was cool. Anyway, it’s such an honor for me to sit in that chair.

GC: Because Joan obviously was such an immense influence on you, do you see your lives and careers aligning in any ways?

KG: I see our careers aligning in every way except stylistically.

Joan was the master of the one-liners and the zingers; I am a lot more improvisational and conversational. Don’t think that I’m really gonna be doing Joan’s style of comedy, because one of the reasons we got along so well is that we were never competitors in any way. First of all, she was a fucking living legend, an icon, and I’m just me. But in addition to that, we had a deep understanding – and this is very inside baseball – that stylistically, she was in her lane and I’m in my lane, and that’s what’s gonna happen on Fashion Police. I’m gonna do what I do. I am off the cuff and take-no-prisoners, and in that way we shared a philosophy, but stylistically we’re actually quite different.

As far as our careers aligning, yeah, of course. I mean, the struggles. And one of the reasons I loved her so was, I’ve never seen anyone in my career have to fight so hard on their own.

And this is no disrespect to my representatives, etc., but one thing I always admired about Joan and that we share is, I never had a Lorne Michaels, I never had a studio head take me by the hand and say, “Here, I’m gonna set up an environment for you.”

That’s why my show was called My Life on the D-List, and that’s why my talk show – I had a blast, but it was canceled after two years. It’s been a struggle for me, and that’s just my road.

So when I look at Joan, I look at someone that struggled and it really paid off, and it paid off in so many ways. What I learned from her is something that is just my story as well, and it’s not everybody’s story, but it’s – you’ve got to have your tentacles everywhere. What was so great about Joan was the QVC line and the reality show with Melissa (Rivers) and Fashion Police and touring. We would often talk about how that’s just the way it is for us; it’s not just gonna be the one job where then we have summers off and we flip houses and we have our gifted children that go to school with other celebrity children. We’re just workhorses. So, that’s the way I roll, and that’s the only thing I know. I’ve come to actually really love it.

GC: You’ve said that Joan, before she died, passed the Fashion Police torch onto you. How so? What was the context of that conversation?

KG: Besides the fact that she literally said it to me at dinner one time? I mean, we used to talk about death all the time, which is very common for comedians. It might sound macabre, but we talked about everything under the sun, and we would joke about everything, and nothing was ever off-limits and nothing was ever off the table. She did, in fact, make all these jokes (about), “If anything happened to me…” She would say, “If Jennifer Lawrence ever kills me, you should take over Fashion Police,” and I would say, “If Demi Lovato ever kills me, you can take over my one-nighter at such-and-such center.” Stuff like that. We discussed a wide array of things, but certainly the thing we discussed probably more than anything was, I would say, “Who was your Joan Rivers?”

She would say, “Look, for a long time Phyllis Diller and I were linked, but the truth is, Phyllis was kind of the only girl

in certain clubs.” She said, “Phyllis was a little older, so she paved the way for me and, of course, there’s Moms Mabley and Totie Fields.” And, for me, that person was Joan. So when I say I lost my person, that’s really what I mean. As much as I’m a fan of all the comedy girls and I am a comedy girl fan, I am not a competitor.

Everybody has a different story, so, for some reason, Joan is the one that I connected with the most, (especially) as far as, “What are you in trouble for this week?!” and always laughing through it and never really feeling like it was like real trouble.

We used to say, “Are you in real trouble or ‘Hollywood trouble’?”

And it was always Hollywood trouble. Through her example, and whether or not it’s to my detriment, I really did learn not to give a fuck.

GC: Regarding the skepticism of your role as host of Fashion Police – how do you respond to the naysayers who doubt you know anything about fashion?

KG: First of all, I would say that I really did have a fashion evolution, and what’s so funny about that is, and I actually talk about it in one of my specials, it’s called a “gay mission.”

When I started out on Suddenly Susan I would turn to Brooke Shields and say, “You know all these people who can give me an outfit for a day!” I was on the worst dressed list and then stylist Robert Verdi came into my life and he said, “That’s it. I’m

www.gaycalgary.com

Kathy Takes On 2014 As we await more scandals and gratuitous butt pics in 2015, comedian Kathy Griffin weighs in on some of the biggest popculture stories of last year: from Peter Pan Live! to Madonna’s boobs and Taylor Swift’s weight.

Peter Pan Live!: “I loved that young Ellen DeGeneres.”

Madonna’s boobs in Interview Magazine: “As long as she’s holding them up by her hands firmly, I say, bring ’em on.”

Annie Lennox calling Beyoncé “feminist lite”: “Love Annie.

Somebody’s gotta say it. And she’s legit – too legit to quit.”

All the Nick Jonas nakedness: “Nobody wants to see him with his shirt on. Take the shirt off and sing, Marky Mark, Jr.” All the Kardashian nakedness: “I am not gonna be happy until I see one of them doing a live actual anal bleaching, and I’m assuming it’s gonna be Kylie.”

Bill Cosby: “Umm… I’m gonna go with probably guilty because he’s probably guilty. I don’t have a story, but I’m just saying, those types of stories have been circulating as long as I’ve been in comedy, so frankly I just wish this stuff would’ve been exposed decades earlier, because I’m gonna go with allegedly probably guilty.”

Taylor Swift: “I don’t wanna use the word ‘chubby’ – I’m just gonna say she’s gotten a little … I’m gonna go with tubby.

Because, you know, she knows she’s gotta stay under 95 pounds or else the career is over.”

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

53

making this a gay mission.

I just think, because of who you are – a wacky comedian – you need to be out there in labels. I don’t think you’re Eva Longoria where you can be putting designers on the map.

You’re someone that needs to be out there in Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors and Dolce & Gabbana. If you look at my red carpet stuff over the last couple of years, that’s all I’m in. So, it’s been an evolution for me, and it’s been a learning process that I love. I love getting to know these designers, and I do legitimately love fashion. And so I am learning and continue to learn and I love the artistry of it, but I’m always gonna make fun of it. I’m gonna bring the hammer down no matter how amazing these designers are.

GC: You wouldn’t be Kathy Griffin if you didn’t.

KG: I’m gonna be the Tom DeLay of Fashion Police, except without serving the prison time, and I’m not a conservative.

Someone’s gotta bring the hammer down, and Fashion Police is still the go-to destination to see who’s gonna really tell it like it is about who was best and worst dressed. I mean, it’s Fashion Police, but it’s not all gonna be limited to fashion; it may be for the others (on the panel), but as far as when it’s time to infuse the comedy and the ridiculousness, that’s my job. They’re actually identifying it now as a comedy show. They didn’t hire me to really be a fashionista. I love fashion, but they hired me to really be the funny one and be the brutally honest one, and also brutally kind whenever it warrants. Just like my act, I never know what I’m gonna say.

GC: Of everything you’ve done – books, television, and now Fashion Police – where does standup rank for you at this point in your career?

KG: Number one always. First and foremost. And I’ll tell you why: It’s the fuel for everything. I actually believe that as a nation, if not world, we are on the verge of some sort of return to legitimacy. What I mean by that is, with everybody lip-syncing, you actually notice a real-live singer and you can’t help but notice it whether you’re looking at them on Vine or on an oldfashioned television or live or at a movie star who’s talented versus some dumbass reality star.

I’m in the business of comedy, and I have two Emmys and a Grammy and the Guinness World Record (for having the most televised comedy specials), and I am performing at the Kennedy Center and have performed at Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House, and so standup is always gonna be number one for me 54

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

because no matter what sort of trendy device for finding our art exists, nothing can ever replace the live experience. I mean, I have literally played bus stops in Oklahoma and people know the real deal versus, you know, somebody who doesn’t know how to bring it. That’s why standup is always gonna be number one for me, because that live experience can’t be faked. You cannot lip sync a comedy show. You can’t do them in seven seconds.

You can’t Instagram it.

You can’t edit it. The live experience is still gonna be the most pure artistically.

It’s where I rea-a-a-ally don’t hold back.

I mean, Fashion Police is gonna be – I’m gonna try to get fired, let’s face it. I’m gonna try to say something so heinous I get fired – same with any talk-show appearance – but honestly, the live experience, it’s the one place you can’t get fired.

GC: Being that I’m a gay man, I’m naturally concerned about Cher, one of your BFFs. How is she doing health-wise? Is she better?

KG: She is! She just texted me last night and she hit me right back and she’s feeling better. It’s funny, I reached out for the same reason you did: I was like, “I’m a gay man and I need to know,” and she was like (in Cher voice), “I’m feelin’ a lot betta.” She texted me back in seconds.

If she’s able to text me back within five seconds, I’m thinkin’ that’s a good sign.

And of course she stuck in some emojis, which I think is an even better sign.

GC: Which emoji did she send?

KG: She did two lips – kisses.

GC: Good. I’d be concerned if she did “happy poop.”

KG: (Laughs) Six of one and half dozen of the other – they’re both good emojis from Cher.

GC: Lastly, Kathy, if you could turn back time…?

KG: I would have slept with Anderson Cooper for the one week he was heterosexual during his 21st birthday. I tried everything in the book, trust me, and it just wouldn’t happen. I tried everything short of the Cosby.

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Photography

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ARGRA - Winter Warm Up Party, Calgary

ISCWR - 70s 80s Show at Buddys, Edmonton

http://gaycalgary.com/pa900

photos by J&B

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Photography ISCWR - Community New Year’s Eve Gala, Edmonton

ISCWR - Leader of the Pack Production Show, Edmonton

photos by J&B

photos by Larissa

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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News Releases Does Your HIV Knowledge Need Updating? http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1689

Buffy’s Nicholas Brendon Finds a BIG GAY LOVE with Gayby’s Jonathan Lisecki on DVD

TV REVIEW: Transparent

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1702

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1690

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Broadway musical returns to Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

NSFW - Jake Gyllenhaal Keeps Getting Better And Bigger http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1691

MEL B Married A Penis… Not A Man As Previously Thought http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1692

COMMENT: This Not A Lecture About Safe Sex http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1693

Where Did The Red Ribbon Come From For World AIDs Day? http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1694

Fridays in Vancouver just got sicker with a new party happening every Friday at Heaven’s Door. http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1695

To Write Love on Her Arms. Help People Struggling with Depression, Addiction and Suicide http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1696

Gay ad too sexy for City of Miami: Squirt.org ‘NonStop’ campaign stopped

by City of Miami http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1699

Aspen Gay Ski Week Returns for 38th Year-January 11-18, 2015

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1703

Thanksgiving in the Steam Room http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1704

NSFW - GREGG HOMME - A/W 2014 Collection: The most outrageous collection to date http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1705

Gay Thriller THE DARK PLACE Starring Sean Paul Lockhart Arrives on DVD December 2 http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1706

NSFW - James Franco and Seth Rogen BARE ALL for the Holidays http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1707

Cirque Du Soleil Returns to Calgary with Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities! http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1708

NSFW - New titles from the Bruno Gmünder Group in December 2014 http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1710

TD Presents Alberta Ballet’s Holiday Classic the Nutcracker http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1711

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1701

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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News Releases Catalyst Theatre’s Nevermore to open Off Broadway in January of 2015

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! HUNKY SANTAS JINGLE BELLS

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1712

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1722

Director Charlie David explores the lives of Social Celebrities in new documentary Studlebrity

VIDEO: Slightly Amazing Gay Pick Up Lines

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1713

Christian Pastor Tells Gay Man To Commit Suicide

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1723

New Partnerships Galore in Old Dogs & New Tricks’ “Hard Bargains”

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1724

Man Thrown Off Building To His Death After IS Accuse Him Of Being Gay

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1714

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! Behind The Scenes Of The Wet Dreams Calendar!

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1725

National Examiner Claims That Harry Styles And Obama Had Gay Affair

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1715

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! TWERK IT OUT!

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1727

No One Is Born Gay: Says US Gay Cure Group On Billboard

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1716

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! Almost Naked Holiday Boxer with The Twins

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1728

Joan Rivers Leaves Money To AIDS Charity In Her Will

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1717

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1729

NEW Video: Gary M Endless Summer

Is the gay community being jilted in the race for .GAY?

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1718

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1730

It’s the perfect Holiday gift: Where the Bears Are Season 3 DVD is now available

First international expansion for the brand, Badrick’s will be sold in Canada on Fendrihan.com

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1719

Sexy’s Back on Old Dogs & New Tricks’ Latest Episode “To Have & Have Not”

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1731

NSFW - Steam Room Stores: Are you a Gold Star Gay?

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1720

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1732

Leonardo & Michelangelo to be discovered with Quiiky gay tours, an exclusive way to have a tour

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! TWERKMAS http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1733

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1721 www.gaycalgary.com

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Farrah Moan (Stephen Welch) has been performing drag for the past ten years and, for this 27-year-old born and raised Calgarian, it was easy becoming the artist that has hosted the stage of Cowboys Nightclub for the last six months. While working at a local drag bar, Farrah Moan had the opportunity to perform on stage for the first time at an event where the drag performers and the staff switched places. For Farrah Moan, the onstage persona was almost more favourable than Stephen Welch’s daily life.

Performing at Cowboys has been nothing but amazing, with the full backing from the other performers. “My ideas have been fully supported,” states Farrah Moan. In addition to Cowboys, she has performed across Canada with Pure Pride for the past three years and has had the honour of performing with a multitude of greats like Chad Michaels. In fact, Farrah Moan has been asked to perform with Michaels at this year’s Dreamgirls Review in Los Angeles.

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

Before becoming a drag star Farrah Moan got her start dancing at the age of eight-years-old. She has performed on cruise ships, and even made the top 100 on So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Having retired from dancing professionally, Farrah Moan is now a professional dance instructor and adjudicator in Alberta.

On a personal note, Farrah Moan has been in a relationship with her boyfriend for six years and sells eyewear at a locally owned and operated shop in Calgary. When decompressing you can find her cooking for her family and friends, reading, and doing arts and crafts.

http://gaycalgary.com/pa902

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY

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3

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1 8

4 5

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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 Browse our complete directory of over 750 gay-frieindly listings!

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

6 Twisted Element

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230

 http:.//www.twistedelement.ca

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 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

7 Broken City

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

 http://www.brokencity.ca

 403-262-9976

 403-233-7550

• Western Cup 31



http://www.westerncup.com

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

 http://www.flamescentral.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

 403-265-6200

• Curling

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

• Golf

 golf@apollocalgary.com

14 Vinyl & Hyde (CLOSED)

 213 10 Ave SW

 http://www.vinylandhyde.com

 587-224-5200

• Lawn Bowling

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com

• Outdoor Pursuits

Bathhouses/Saunas 5 Goliaths------------------------------------ ✰

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

Community Groups Alberta Society for Kink

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

Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

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

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

 403-384-9777

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

 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.

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 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 #135, February 2015

63

Directory & Events Fetish Slosh----------------------------  Evening

Calgary Events

At 3 Backlot

Mondays

 2nd

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

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

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

Saturdays

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

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

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

At 5 Goliaths

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

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

Wednesdays

Fridays

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

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

See

ISCCA BBQs--------------------------------Dinner

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

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

At 5 Goliaths

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

Tuesdays

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

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

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

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

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

Thursdays

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

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

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

 Kerby Center, Sunshine Room 1133 7th Ave SW

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

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

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

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

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

 Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE) See 1 Calgary Outlink

See 1 Calgary Outlink By

 1st

YYC Badboys at 13 The Pint

At 5 Goliaths

At 3 Backlot

Knox United Church

 Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)

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

 3rd

Between Men--------------------------- 7-9pm Karaoke-------------------------  8pm-12:30am

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

 2nd, 4th

At 4 Texas Lounge

ISCCA at 3 Backlot

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 tennis@apollocalgary.com

• Yoga

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

Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA)

 www.argra.org

✰

At 5 Goliaths

At 1 Calgary Outlink

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 3rd  4th

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

 1st

• 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

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre

 http://www.calgaryexpo.com

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

Calgary Gay Fathers

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

 403-278-8263

Different Strokes

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

FairyTales Presentation Society

Calgary Men’s Chorus

 403-244-1956

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

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

• Rehearsals

• DVD Resource Library

 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.

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

Gay Friends in Calgary

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

Girl Friends

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

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

 girlfriends@shaw.ca

 members.shaw.ca/girlfriends

• Peer Support and Crisis Line

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

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

 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.

• 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

Girlsgroove

 http://www.girlsgroove.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

64

Sundays See See See See See

Deer Park United Church Scarboro United Church Hillhurst United Church Knox United Church

Rainbow Community Church

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

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

 Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)

Calgary Expo

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

 2nd

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

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

• Tennis

 Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW)

 1st

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 Calgary Contd.

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

 2nd

See 1 Calgary Outlink

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

See 1 Calgary Outlink

By

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

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

support, education and resources to parents, families and individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual orientation or gender identity.

Positive Space Committee

 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW  403-440-6383  http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals.

Pride Calgary Planning Committee

 403-797-6564

 www.pridecalgary.ca

Primetimers Calgary

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

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

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

✰

• Coffee Night

 2nd Cup, Kensington

Safety Under the Rainbow

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

Scarboro United Church

 134 Scarboro Avenue SW  403-244-1161  www.scarborounited.ab.ca An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT people is essential to our mission and purpose.

Sharp Foundation

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

Spectrum Volleyball Calgary

 http://www.spectrumvolleyball.ca  spectrumvolleyball@gmail.com Join us for recreational, competitive or beach volleyball.

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events  Calgary Contd.

Unity Bowling

 http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

Wild Rose United Church

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

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

DevaDave Salon & Boutique

 1317-1st Street NW

Restaurants & Pubs

Ellen Embury

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

Hardline

Adult Depot (CLOSED)

 Calgary: 403-770-0776

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

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

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

Retail Stores

 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

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

 T-S: 10am-6pm, N: 1-4pm

MFM Communications

NRG Support Services

Priape Calgary (CLOSED)

 Suite 27, Building B1, 2451 Dieppe Ave SW

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

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

SafeWorks

Pushing Petals

Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.

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

6th and Tenth - Sales Centre

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

Barry Hollowell

UpStares Ultralounge (CLOSED)

 4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street

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

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557

Bars & Clubs (Mixed)

Calgary Civil Marriage Centre

These venues regularly host LGBT events.

Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

 403-294-7402

 http://www.ATPlive.com

Fairytales

Craig Connell (Maxwell Realtors)

See Calgary - Community Groups.

Cruiseline

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

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

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

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

HIV Network Of Edmonton Society----

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

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

Community Groups AltView Foundation

 #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

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

✰

 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.

 http://www.iscwr.ca

Theatre & Fine Arts

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

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.

8 Yellowhead Brewing Co.

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

Wheel Pro’s

Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

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.

• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

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

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

Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)

 http://www.edmontonpride.ca

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

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

 403-808-7147

Edmonton Expo

 http://www.edmontonexpo.com

7 The Starlite Room

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

• Safeworks Van

Christopher T. Tahn (Thornborough Smeltz)

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

 10704 124 St NW

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

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

 780-938-2941

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.

• Centre of Hope

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

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

www.gaycalgary.com

EDMONTON

 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

 Calgary: 403-777-9494

 Edmonton: 780-413-7122  Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010

Webster Galleries Inc.

• Calgary Drop-in Centre

Services & Products

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

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

Hot Water Pools & Spas

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

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

 403-703-4750

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

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

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

✰

 #3 306 20th Ave SW 

http://www.thirdstreet.ca

Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)

La Fleur

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

Third Street Theatre

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

 403-266-1707 Florist and Flower Shop.

✰

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

Interactive Male

Best Health

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

Holiday Retirement

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

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

✰

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

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

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

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

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

InQueeries

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

Living Positive Society of Alberta

 #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-424-2214  living-positive@telus.net  http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz Living Positive through Positive Living.

• HIV Support Group

 huges@shaw.ca, curtis@optionssexualhealth.ca Support and discussion group for gay men.

Men’s Games Nights

 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)

 780-474-8240  tuff@shaw.ca

OUTreach

 University of Alberta, basement of SUB  outreach@ualberta.ca  http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer, Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group.

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

✰

 10608 - 105 Ave  780-488-3234  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org  http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

65

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

6

8

5 4 3

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

Edmonton Events Boot Camp------------------------------ 7-8pm See

Team Edmonton

TTIQ------------------------------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

 3rd

HIV Support Group--------------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

 2nd

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

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

7

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

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

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

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

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

QH Youth Drop-in------------------  2-6:30pm

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

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

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

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

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

QH Craft Night-------------------------- 6-8pm

Intermediate Volleyball--------  7:30-9:30pm

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

Fridays

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See

Tuesdays

See

2

See 1 Youth Understanding Youth

Mondays

N

Team Edmonton

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

Team Edmonton

Thursdays

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See See See

 2nd, 4th

BookWorm’s Book Club

 3rd

Team Edmonton Team Edmonton

QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

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

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

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

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

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

QH Game Night------------------------ 6-8pm

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

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

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

Saturdays

See

Team Edmonton

See

Wednesdays See

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

Youth Understanding Youth

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See

Team Edmonton

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton See See

Men’s Games Nights

Youth Understanding Youth

• TTIQ

• Counselling

 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.

Come knit and socialize in a safe and accepting environment - all skill levels are welcome.

• Men Talking with Pride

 robwells780@hotmail.com Support & social group for gay & bisexual men to discuss current issues.

• Movie Night

Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back, relax, and watch a movie with us.

• Queer HangOUT: Game Night

Come OUT with your game face on and meet some awesome people through board game fun.

• Queer HangOUT: Craft Night

Come OUT and embrace your creative side in a safe space.

• Queer HangOUT: Anime Night

Come and watch ALL the anime until your heart is content.

66

See

Team Edmonton

Sundays See

Team Edmonton

Yoga---------------------------------  2-3:30pm See

Team Edmonton

Men Talking with Pride---------------- 7-9pm See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

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

Team Edmonton

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

 Robertson-Wesley United (10209 123 St)

 2nd

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

 2nd

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

 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.

• Knotty Knitters

 2nd

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

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

Buck Naked Boys Club

 Edmonton Contd.

 780.488.3234 Free, short-term counselling provided by registered counsellors.

 2nd, Last

Naturalist Gettogether See

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

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

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

Swim Practice-------------------  7:30-8:30pm

See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton

A support and information group for all those who fall under the transgender umbrella and their family or supporters.

• Women’s Social Circle

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

GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season or $5.00 per drop in.

• Gymnastics, Drop-in

•Ballroom Dancing

 Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  Cynthia: 780-469-3281

 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.

• Blazin’ Bootcamp

• Hockey

 Garneau Elementary School 10925 - 87 Ave  bootcamp@teamedmonton.ca

 hockey@teamedmonton.ca

• Martial Arts

 Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall)

 bowling@teamedmonton.ca $15.00 per person.

 15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance)  780-328-6414  kungfu@teamedmonton.ca  kickboxing@teamedmonton.ca Drop-ins welcome.

• Cross Country Skiing

• Outdoor Pursuits

• Bowling (Northern Titans)

 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

 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.

 golf@teamedmonton.ca

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events Red Deer Events Wednesdays

LGBT Coffee Night------------------------  7pm See

CAANS

 1st

Friday, August 15th

 Edmonton Contd.

• Snowballs V

 January 27-29, 2012  snowballs@teamedmonton.ca Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend.

• Soccer

 soccer@teamedmonton.ca

• Spin

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

• Swimming (Making Waves)

 NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street)  swimming@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.makingwavesswimclub.ca

• Tennis

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

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca

• Ultimate Frisbee

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

• Volleyball, Intermediate

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

• Volleyball, Recreational

 Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave)  recvolleyball@teamedmonton.ca

• Women’s Lacrosse

 Sharon: 780-461-0017  Pam: 780-436-7374 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.

Youth Understanding Youth

 780-248-1971  www.yuyedm.ca A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.

• Sports and Recreation

 Brendan: 780-488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org

Restaurants & Pubs 12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰ See Edmonton - Bars & Clubs (Gay).

Retail Stores Passion Vault

 15239 - 111 Ave  780-930-1169  pvault@telus.net “Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store”

Products & Services Cruiseline

LETHBRIDGE

 780-413-7122 trial code 3500  http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.

Robertson-Wesley United Church

 10209 - 123 St. NW  780-482-1587  jravenscroft@rwuc.org  www.rwuc.org  Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have you join us!

• Soul OUTing

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

• Film Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

• Book Club

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Theatre & Fine Arts

Community Groups GALA/LA

 356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB  403-527-5882  1-877-440-2437

• Monthly Dances

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

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

• Support Line

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

• Friday Mixer

Exposure Festival

The Roxy Theatre

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

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

BANFF Community Groups HIV Community Link

 102 Spray Ave  PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8  403-762-0690

JASPER Accommodations Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

 Old Lodge Road  1-866-540-4454  http://www.fairmont.com/jasper

Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival

 PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0

 contact@jasperpride.ca  http://www.jasperpride.ca

• Telephone Support

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.

Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet

 http://www.albertaballet.com Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 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

Lethbridge Expo

 http://www.lethbridgeexpo.com

Lethbridge HIV Connection

 1206 - 6 Ave S

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

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

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

RED DEER Community Groups

Whistlers Inn

 105 Miette Ave  1-800-282-9919  info@whistlersinn.com  http://www.whistlersinn.com

Community Groups HIV Community Link

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

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

 http://www.exposurefestival.ca Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.

MEDICINE HAT

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.

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

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.

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.

www.gaycalgary.com

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Classifieds Event

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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

Magical Music DJs

Employment

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Dandelion Harbour LTD O/A Subway Canada Located at 725-17 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta is looking for Restaurant Supervisor $14 40.0 hours per week full-time start ASAP Shift, Overtime,Weekend,Day,Night,Evening high school diploma Min 1 year Fast food outlet or concession experience Supervisory Experience an asset Supervise and co-ordinate staff who prepare and portion food Establish work schedule Estimate and order ingredients and supplies Ensure food service and quality control Maintain records of stock repairs sales and wastage Prepare and submit reports; Establish work schedules; Train staff in job duties sanitation and safety procedures Bondable This is a Fast-paced environment Work under pressure Combination of sitting standing, walking Standing for extended periods Bending crouching kneeling Walking Supervise 5 to 10 people Preferred application By e-mail kevin@richardsonperez.ca In person: from 13:30 to 14:00

Sales

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COLLECTOR’S II Antiques and Accessories Clearance SALE 1005a 1st Street S.W. Parking in back 4032786446 Tues to Friday 10:30-5:30 Sat10-5 Sun 12-4

Internet

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McDougall United Church (Edmonton), an Affirming congregation proudly performing same-sex unions or same-sex marriages since 1998. http://www.mcdougallunited.com

Employment

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Barrio Fiesta Restaurant LTD. Located at 170-6800 Memorial Drive NE Calgary AB we are currently recruiting a cook This is a full time position starting ASAP $13.85 per hour Duties include Preparing and cooking specialty food, Oversee kitchen operations Set and oversee buffet Keep kitchen and work area clean Train staff Must have a strong knowledge of Filipino cuisine and experience of a minimum of one year is required. This is shift work afternoon, late evening to apply please email to bfresto. hiring@gmail.com for more information call 403-272-2970

Employment

240

Barrio Fiesta Restaurant LTD. Located at 170-6800 Memorial Drive NE, Calgary, AB we are currently recruiting a Food Service supervisor This is a full time position starting ASAP $14 per hour. Duties include Supervise and Coordinate up to 5 staff who prepare and portion food to serve, Estimate and order ingredients and supplies, Establish methods to meet work schedule, Maintain record of stocks and repairs, sales and wastage, train staff, ensure food meets quality standard, Must have a strong knowledge of Filipino cuisine and experience of a minimum of one year is required. This is afternoon and late evening position. to apply please email to bfresto.hiring@gmail.com for more information call 403-272-2970

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Consulting

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Want to attract the LGBT local or traveler to your business?

Alberta Escort Listings

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GayCalgary Magazine is looking for salespeople, graphic designers, and writers in Calgary or Edmonton. For more info, contact: magazine@gaycalgary.com 403-543-6960 Check out www.Squirt.org for the Hot Escorts in Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta.

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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?

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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Bookkeeping

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Cleaning

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Health

GET A LIFE! Commercial Cleaning

Crunch Accounting offers accounting and bookkeeping services to small businesses in the Calgary area. We offer competitive rates and exceptional service. Visit us at www. crunchaccounting.ca for more information or call 403 629-7677.

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.

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Photography

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Hire an Amateur Photographer Need new photos? Want something for LinkedIn, Facebook, holiday cards? Personal, couples, share-able or adult - no limits, you retain all rights. Creative Queer photographer, cheap rates. photo@chaoticwow.ca

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #135, February 2015

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