GayCalgary Magazine - March 2015

MARCH 2015

® ISSUE 136 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community

Interview with

RICKY

MARTIN

Gwen Stefani

Teaching Her Kids Individuality

Michelle Visage

Drag Race Judge talks Season 7

PLUS:

Edmonton Queer History Project Amy Acker • Tom Cochrane Coming Out Monologues ...and more!

Business Directory

John Waters

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

Cult icon on his divine career

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 63

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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Table of Contents

Chris Mercedes Azzopardi, Allen, Dave Chris Brousseau, Azzopardi, Dallas Constable Barnes, Andy Dave Buck,Brousseau, Jason Clevett, SamDallas Casselman, Barns,Jason JanineClevett, EvaTrotta, AndrewMax Collins, Jiminez, EmilyStephen Collins, Lock, Rob Diaz-Marino, Lisa Lunney, Janine SteveEva Polyak, Trotta, Mikey JackRox, Fertig, Romeo GlenSan Hanson, Vicente, Joan Krista Hilty, Evan Sylvester, Kayne, Mars Stephen Tonic,Lock, JorgeNeil Treviano, McMullen, and the Allan LGBT Neuwirth, Community SteveofPolyak, Calgary, Carey Edmonton, Rutherford, and Romeo San Vicente,Alberta.

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

Photography Steve Polyak, Shae Guerin

Edmonton Queer History Project wants your memories and memorabilia

10 Spectrum Volleyball

Gay-friendly sport league emerges from Apollo

12 Three’s a crowd

A Mother’s fight for her daughter

13 Harvey On Fire

Broadway legend talks Kinky Boots, his ‘legendary disaster’ and how drag influenced the gay movement

Photography

16 Islamic State

Videography Sales

17 Discussing Community Safety

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, Videography SteveB&J Polyak 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: Ricky Martin, photo by Nino Muñoz.

Top Right: Gwen Stefani,By photo

by Daniel Sannwald.

Mid Office Hours: appointment ONLY Right: Michelle Visage, photo by Jose Guzman Colon.

Phone: 403-543-6960 Bottom Right: John Waters, photo by Greg Gorman

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:

Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

PAGE 18

Writers and Contributors

7 Open Your Closet

Barbarism turns its attention to homosexuals Sharing too much information via cell phones

18 The Western Cup

Apollo Friends in Sport Celebrates 33 Years on Top

20 Ivanka Chews the Fat!

Well-loved character returns to Lunchbox to light up your noon hour

21 Flick off the SAD

Winter Blues vs. Philips goLITE BLU

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

MARCH 2015

e n zi

22 Deep Inside Hollywood

Ellen DeGeneres, Russell T. Davies, Baz Luhrmann, Dan Savage

a g a

24 Tom Cochrane Still Riding Life’s Highways

m

26 The Coming Out Monologues Come Into Their Own Expanded, independent and a new chapter with faith

30 Catching Up with John Waters

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®

Cult icon on his divine career, kink freaks, James Franco and how filmmakers ‘try too hard’

34 Out of Town

Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina

37 The Frivolist - Reading Rainbow

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

PAGE 39

10 LGBT Books to Bide Your Time Until Summer

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

Gay European Tourism Association

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

39 Underneath It All

Gwen Stefani on ‘late’ introduction to gay community, teaching her kids individuality and why she’s politically private

PAGE 42

42 Michelle Visage Comes To Calgary!

Drag Race Judge on Battle of the Seasons’ Tour and Season 7

45 Luck of the Drawers

48 The Many Faces of Amy Acker Catching up with the ubiquitous actress known for stealing hearts

50 Beyond the Bon-Bon

Ricky Martin talks love life, shirtless selfies and how he’d react to having gay sons

54 Queer Eye

PAGE 48

59 A Couple of Guys 60 News Releases 62 Mz. GayCalgary March 2015 - Dyna Myte 63 Directory and Events

e n zi

68 Classified Ads

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PAGE 50

Scan for this Issue:

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Scan for Latest Issue:

PAGE 62

Magazine Figures Monthly Online Magazine Readership:

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

Total Readership of PDF/ISSUU/WEB

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

Proof of monthly figures are available on request.

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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Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.

GayCalgary® is a registered trademark.

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Community

Open Your Closet

Edmonton Queer History Project wants your memories and memorabilia

By Janine Eva Trotta Celebrating 35 years of Edmonton Pride, this year the Edmonton Queer History Project (EQHP) is asking the LGBTQ community for the stories and artifacts that have defined the last ten decades for them, and will help shape their future going forward.

The EQHP is collaborating with the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services, the Edmonton Pride Festival Society, the Edmonton Heritage Council and the City of Edmonton to collect a variety of stories, photos and artifacts that reflect on and commemorate Edmonton’s queer past, and to ‘preserve an often hidden part of the city’s history’.

“We’ve been collecting stories with a partnership with the Edmonton Public Library and in one-on-one interviews,” says EQHP Project Coordinator, and full-time Edmonton Public School Trustee, Michael Janz. “They are stories of hope, stories of anger, stories of protest, stories of joy… the first parties and the first bars and the first dances… bigoted politicians, and policy makers, and landlords… stories not just of the evolution of the city, but also the evolution of a province.”

The story of a man arrested at the Pisces bathhouse raid, which prompted him to seek social justice, get involved in public work, and run for city council. The story of a bookstore where lesbian women gathered to meet. The stories of membership cards granting access to underground gay watering holes.

“We [have had contributed] all sorts of different treasures – ranging from personal things … to photos of parties and gatherings, and the first gay Pride parade,” Janz says, adding to that list the marriage certificate accidentally issued prior to gay marriage being legal in the country, miscellaneous items from the nightclub scene and meeting spaces, and police and court records filed prior to homosexuality being legal. “When law seen was as a threat, and not as a protector.”

Janz says the EQHP has gotten a wonderful response since putting out the call for people’s ‘stories and stuff’, but they still need more. No matter where you are now, the project wants to hear your experience of being LGBTQ in Edmonton at any point in your life, whether that was just passing through for an event or protest, or as a permanent fixture.

“We are reaching out to everyone,” he says. “Our long term goal is to build a queer Wikipedia where people can share their own stories.”

Some of these stories can be seen, in short, on the project’s YouTube channel. They can be submitted in any format: writing, video, song, sculpture or dance – in person or online. Stories are also being collected in an ongoing project called Queer History Days, hosted in partnership with the Edmonton Public Library. These events take place in a library’s maker space, equipped with the means to record voice or video, scan old photos or clippings, upload digital files or burn DVDs. “We want to make sure that we get those stories and preserve them, and take them to the city’s archives,” Janz says. ““We want to reach everyone that was out and proud in the ’70s – before nature takes its course.”

June 5th to 19th a carefully selected assortment of the multi media installations, art, memorabilia, pictures and written material garnered will be on display at the Art Gallery of Alberta. This exhibition will pay homage to ‘the people, places and events that built the queer community in Edmonton’.

“It’s important that we recognize our history and how far we came and, in some areas, how far we still need to go,” Janz says. “[This] is a community that for years was in the underground, and was

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 From Previous Page persecuted, and lived in fear; and now Pride in Edmonton is one of the biggest festivals in the city.”

He notes that while Pride was once fought by city hall, it is now regarded as one of Edmonton’s marquee tourist festivals. “When the festival first happened, some people wore bags over their heads…

Today there are thousands of people on the street [marching with] love.”

Happily, the only negative feedback or complaint Janz has received over the last year and a half of working on the project was that people wished there was more time and more materials, “because it is impossible to tell everyone’s stories.”

Janz says that province-wide people have a connection with the Edmonton community, and have fought together for equality and rights for all of Alberta.

“We’re trying to focus around broad themes with the understanding that this is just the beginning,” he says, promising that Pride 50 will have even more stories, events and history to celebrate.

The EQHP is working continuously with different community partners to get more events on their roster. Stay tuned to the EQHP website for upcoming happenings, and visit their YouTube Channel to see more stories as they are edited and uploaded.

Edmonton Queer History Project Edmonton – on display June 5th to 19th @ the AGA https://edmontonqueerhistoryproject.wordpress.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLruBLHkyY7lo1NnH7kF0g http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4542

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Sports

Spectrum Volleyball

Gay-friendly sport league emerges from Apollo

By Lisa Lunney Fully volunteer-run and operated, Spectrum Volleyball is an affordable ($7 for two hours of play), fun way to be active and meet likeminded individuals. The Friday friendly session takes place in Calgary from 8pm to 10pm, while the competitive time slot is slated from 4pm to 6pm Sundays.

Kitt, the Friday night coordinator for Spectrum Volleyball, recently chatted with GayCalgary on changes that have been implemented into the Apollo Sports community and what it means for players.

GC: Thanks for taking the time to chat with GayCalgary about Spectrum Volleyball. Can you tell us a bit of the history and the current changes?

Kitt: For 30 years Apollo Friends in Sports has been the umbrella organization for many LGBT sports in Calgary. Since 2013, however, Apollo removed sport directors from its Board of Directors. Individual sport leagues, such as curling, bowling and volleyball, now operate as separate entities. Apollo focuses now on organizing of the annual Western Cup multi-sport tournament held every Easter in Calgary.

GC: What will these changes mean for the community?

Kitt: For leagues such as volleyball, it meant the incorporation of our own society, the search of a new brand, and setting up to operate our own league. For smaller sport groups, unfortunately, it signalled the end of the group, such as tennis, badminton and squash.

GC: What other changes can be expected?

Kitt: This is an opportunity for individual leadership to take place. Volleyball has rebranded itself to become Spectrum Volleyball Calgary. After 30 years operating under the Apollo

Friends in Sport and Inner City Volleyball, the club was incorporated as a society in August 2014.

GC: How can readers get involved in Spectrum?

Kitt: We are a drop-in league, so people can just show up and play with whoever is present. This allows new people to join at any time of the year without feeling isolated. The league caters to all skills levels. We have a recreational league on Friday and a competitive league on Sunday. We used to play all together at one point, however, we found that more beginners would stop coming out after one or two visits. By separating the different level of play, we have been more successful in keeping members. Friday is for recreational players, or those that have not played since high schools. We play mainly for fun and to improve our skills with practice. Sunday, from 4pm to 6pm, is the competitive crowd. These players know their positions very well and have winning strategies.

GC: What are the goals for 2015 that you would like to accomplish?

Kitt: Promote gay-friendly volleyball in Calgary. Our main goal is to get our name out there and get people out to play. We have a new name, but our group is the same as the one under Apollo. As part of our new society mandate, we will also vote in our first board by the middle of this year.

Meetups take place at the Hounsfield Heights Briar Hill Community Gym, behind the Briar Hill Fire Station no. 10, at 1909 16th Ave. N.W., Calgary. The gym offers two courts, so 24 players can easily be accommodated.

Spectrum Volleyball http://www.spectrumvolleyball.ca http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4543 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments 10

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News

Three’s a crowd

A Mother’s fight for her daughter

By Daniela Costa

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Harvey On Fire

Broadway legend talks Kinky Boots, his ‘legendary disaster’ and how drag influenced the gay movement

 photo by Gavin Bond

By Chris Azzopardi

But for Fierstein, a revered Broadway legend known for an iconic writing répertoire that includes Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles and, more recently, Kinky Boots, this isn’t just the Tony Award winner’s blunt way of concluding our extensive conversation. It’s a way of life.

On the heels of a national Kinky Boots tour, Fierstein reflects on the past – sticking up for the “sissies,” what he calls his “legendary disaster,” and how his own “12 steps of happiness” inspired his latest Broadway smash – but, still, the 62-year-old’s very much living in the present, and for the future.

GC: Hello, Harvey; this is Chris Azzopardi.

HF: Chris Azzopardi?! You could add an “h” at the beginning and make (your name) Chris Hazz-a-pardi!

GC: You think you’re the first one to say that, Harvey, don’t you?

HF: (Laughs) I don’t think so. It’s like the first time I did a show with The Muppets. I said to one of The Muppets, “I’d like to see

you do that to me without someone’s hand up your …” And he said, “You think you’re the first person to say that?!”

GC: Well, I’m certainly not the first person to tell you that Kinky Boots is a massive hit. When you first began writing the musical, did you imagine it would become as successful as it’s been?

HF: You know, you don’t. I’m really old. I’ve been around a really long time, and I’ve had – knock wood – an unbelievable run of hits, and I’ve had some horrible misses and a couple of in-betweens, but you go into all of them with the same heart.

I’ve done a couple for the wrong reasons. I did one to try and make money, which is really a very bad reason, and you make no money doing it that way. I’ve learned that lesson, and I would never do that again. But you basically go in for the right reason because you’re gonna spend years of your life involved with these characters, with these collaborators. And it’s not something you take on lightly if you’ve ever done it because, well, Kinky Boots took almost five years to write.

GC: It’s clearly been a labor of love for you.

HF: They have to be. That’s exactly why they have to be a labor of love, because from sitting down and starting work, which was a year or more before I even called Cyndi (Lauper, who wrote the music and lyrics), to the opening in Korea (in December 2014),

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“I’m sorry,” Harvey Fierstein growls in his unmistakable Brooklyn gravel, “I gotta go on with my life.” And so, after our insightful 40-minute chat peppered with Fierstein’s true-to-form frankness, he does.

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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we’re now up to seven or So, I watched Kinky Boots eight years. It’s part of your again, which I lo-o-oved, and life for the rest of your life. it hit me that there’s this wonderful message about (Composer and lyricist) accepting yourself and all Jerry Herman and I wrote La that crap, which is the easy Cage 30-something years ago message; it’s the message and we are still the parents that people think they see of that show. We still have when they see Kinky Boots. to talk about it all the time.

That’s only the beginning of So, to say, “Did you know the real message of Kinky it was gonna be a big hit?”

Boots. What I saw in that No, you don’t know. You go show were two boys wounded in with the best hopes and by and immobilized by their the best intentions of doing parents’ ideas of who they something that will entertain, should be. I grew up in a which is our number one job. household where my father GC: What’s a project you and my mother used to call did for the wrong reasons? my brother “the doctor” HF: Legs Diamond. I had and me “the lawyer” and it a friend who was directing was because I would argue it (in 1988). Peter Allen had everything.

AIDS and his best friend GC: So, early on, and like who was writing it for him, a lot of parents do, they had who was not a writer but a already placed expectations clothing designer, had AIDS on you. dementia. My friend Robert  Harvey Fierstein, photo by Bruce Glikas HF: As an adult, I look (Allan Ackerman) called me back at it as a family joke, up and said, “Look, will you but in a funny way, I did grow come in on this? I know it’s a terrible idea – Peter Allen as Legs Diamond – but all we have up with that expectation. It’s amazing how those little nicknames really affected the rest of our lives. Now imagine that those to do is get Peter out there, let him shake his ass, sing a couple of numbers, and we can just cash the checks.” And I drank the nicknames aren’t really a joke and they’re something more real.

So Charlie (in Kinky Boots) grew up in a home where the family Kool-Aid. business was Price & Son, and – guess what? – he was the next GC: Did you feel obligated? generation’s son, so the moment he was born he’s supposed to HF: I did because Peter wanted this so badly. I knew he was go into that factory. in the early stages (of AIDS), and in those days the early stages Lola’s father, who was a professional fighter, takes a look at didn’t last that long. I believed he had a couple of years, and I his kid and says, “Oh my god. Not only is he black, which is hard wanted to give him his dream even though I thought it was a enough in this world, but he’s a faggot.” He teaches him to box, terrible dream. not that he ever expects him to be a fighter, but at least he can GC: Any regrets? take care of himself. It’s a beautiful gesture on the father’s side, HF: No, I don’t regret doing it because, well, first of all the but it’s a gesture that ends up paralyzing Lola, and these two score of that show became the basis of The Boy from Oz. Also, boys meet each other in this paralyzed state where Lola is a drag my friend Robert and some of the actors and I had a very good performer but a drag performer with anger. time laughing at the whole thing. I mean, I got lots of theater I really believe that Lola is heterosexual – a heterosexual stories out of it because it was such a disaster. It’s one of those transvestite; he’s actually sexless. I don’t give him any partner Broadway legend disasters. You have to have one of those! Let’s in the show because he’s so paralyzed and angry, and he doesn’t put it this way – it’s much better to have a legendary disaster like the essence of who he is. He understands what makes him than to go quietly into the night and flop. happy, but he’s not there yet. There’s a moment in Act 1 where GC: When it came to Kinky Boots, why was it important for Charlie asks Lola to be the designer of these shoes and Lola you to take that on, to write that piece? says, “A designer?! Me, a designer?! Gimme feathers, glitter and a hot glue gun and I can make the world a pretty place… but a HF: It wasn’t. (Laughs) Truthfully, I was performing in my designer?!”

(2007) show A Catered Affair at the time and (Kinky Boots choreographer) Jerry Mitchell called me and said he wanted me GC: From what I’ve seen in interviews, you and Cyndi have a to write it. I had already turned Jerry down for another show, and very natural rapport. Has collaborating with her on Kinky Boots I said to myself, “You can’t turn him down on this one because changed your relationship? he’s not gonna ask again.”

HF: We’ve spent years together, so obviously it’s not the same I’d known the movie; I had watched the movie and I loved the as a celebrity relationship where you say “hi” to each other at movie. But loving a movie is exactly the wrong reason to wanna benefits. That’s one kind of relationship, or one that passes for a do it, because if the movie is great, what the fuck are you gonna “relationship” in certain parts of the world. (Laughs) do? I get calls all the time from people who have money, you Five years is a long period of time, and I know everything going know, and they love movies, so they think, “Oh, this could be a on in her life and she knows everything going on in mine. And Broadway show ’cause I loved this movie.” it wasn’t just the two of us. It was Jerry also. Jerry Mitchell was The example I like to use – because I don’t think it’ll ever very much a part of making sure the show stayed on track. Cyndi happen, but maybe it will – is The Devil Wears Prada. So, I get describes it as – she was Dorothy, and Jerry and (orchestrator) a call: “Would you write the musical of The Devil Wears Prada?

Stephen Oremus and I were the Tin Man, the Lion and the and I say, “OK. What is it you loved about Devil? “Oh my god – Scarecrow. And it is! You’re on a journey together, so you do Meryl Streep is just so-o-o…” “Well, you’re not gonna have Meryl become part of each other’s lives just in the writing of the show.

Streep. You don’t get Meryl Streep. And no, you can’t have Anne During the writing of the show, both Jerry and I lost our Hathaway either.” The real story is all in close-ups and in tiny mothers, so talk about a show that’s gonna give you some place relationships. What are you singing about?! So, now that I’ve to mourn. Kinky Boots is one of the most joyous things that given you Harvey’s lecture of Why Not To Do A Movie… you’ll ever sit through – it just makes you so fucking happy – but 14

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there’s this undercurrent of real pain. These people are real, and they’re really hurting and that’s what makes it so human. You know, you can do funny and you can do fun, and the audience can walk out with a smile on its face and say, “Where are we going to dinner?” I do that all the time. That’s not how our audience walks out. I don’t read reviews, but I’ve seen enough people saying, “It has such a simple message,” and I laugh and say, “If it has such a simple message, why is it changing people’s hearts so completely?”

GC: Perhaps the effect of Kinky Boots is subconsciously transformative.

HF: Exactly. I gave the commencement speech years ago at Bennington College, and then Cyndi and I were talking about the finale of the show. I didn’t really wanna (end it like the movie); it’s redundant onstage. It’s just unnecessary. I decided we would end it the way we wanted to end it, but we needed to give it that sort of “we’re all in this together” thing, so I gave Cyndi this speech that I gave at Bennington, which had my 12 steps of happiness, and Cyndi said, “We ain’t got no time for 12 damn steps! We’ll cut it down to six.” Most people have heard of a 12step program, but what they can do in 12, we can do in six; the six lead characters sing the six steps to happiness. It really is about that inner healing.

GC: So much of your professional career has thrived on drag.

How do you think the act of drag has evolved since the ’70s, when you first started doing it yourself? Does it still hold the same distinction?

HF: No – but drag’s been part of every culture. Drag is part of every culture that we know of. Whether it’s Native American cultures or East Indian cultures or American, European, Old World, New World, there’s a fascination with sexuality and there’s a fascination we have of the opposite sex. A girl puts on a man’s suit and feels a certain way. There’s a certain empowerment that she’s assigned subconsciously. Same thing with male to female.

There’s a certain power behind hiding who you are.

GC: Is the act of drag still as powerful as it was when you were doing it?

HF: Sure it is. Obviously, thanks to RuPaul’s Drag Race and other things, it’s reached every corner of the population. I remember back in the ’70s when David Bowie was doing drag and people were saying it wasn’t drag. Well, what do you call it when a boy does his hair up and wears lipstick?! I don’t know what you call it, Mary, but I call that drag! (Laughs) So yeah, it can come out of the closet more. It can be used to express this or that. Drag can be used sexually, politically; it can be used to challenge. And it can be used to hide behind.

As far as my work goes, I find it incredibly insulting when somebody says, “Why do you use drag so much?” I say, “Why does (playwright) David Mamet write about heterosexuals all the time? And why does nobody ever ask David Mamet, ‘Is this another heterosexual show? Wasn’t your last play about heterosexuals?’” Or Aaron Sorkin – “Well, Aaron, you know, you had heterosexuals in your last piece; do we have to see another heterosexual piece from you?” Nobody says that crap.

GC: Why do you think that’s the case?

HF: Because we hate ourselves, that’s why. Because we look for ways to put ourselves down, and we don’t like ourselves very much because we’re trained not to. If you look at the stylebook of any major media outlet – read an article in The New York Times – it’s written as if the person reading it is a heterosexual white male. They just assume that everyone in the world is reading it through those prejudiced eyes, and you can’t change that unless you change that.

GC: How do you think drag has been instrumental in moving the gay rights movement along?

HF: Because it’s undeniable. It’s in your face. The Stonewall riots would not have happened without drag queens. I was around in those days. I was a little kid just trying to learn about the world, and I’d go to those meetings at the GAA (Gay Activists Alliance) and there were still people from the Mattachine Society, which had been around since the ’50s. Basically, their opinion

was, let’s wear the white shirts and the black skinny ties that the Madison Avenue guys wear and let them see that there’s nothing to be afraid of. That was a really big thing in the early gay movement – they were scared of us; let them see there’s nothing to be scared of. I was always of the opinion that they just need to see us everywhere; they need to see us in white shirts and skinny ties, and they need to see us in white gowns with black shawls.

They need to see us everywhere, every way – and every image of us, negative or positive, is one more time they can no longer even think that we don’t exist.

You know, there’s a moment in Vito Russo’s movie The Celluloid Closet where they edited it with Arthur Laurents saying, “I hate sissies,” and it cuts to me quickly and I say, “I love sissies!” and I basically make that point – visibility at any price. I mean, sometimes I get really pissed off. Last year I was called out for being so angry at that stupid ass-wipe figure skater…

GC: Johnny Weir?

HF: Yeah, that asshole. Because on the 10th anniversary of gay marriage becoming legal (in Massachusetts) he was putting out press releases saying that he has a new marriage contract – a prenup saying you can’t touch another person’s cock, you can’t put it in your mouth, you can’t put it in your ass. And I’m doing radio interviews, and instead of talking about the power of gay marriage and how all these states have gay marriage and the world hasn’t fallen in and all that, I’m being asked instead about that ass-wipe’s prenup!

GC: That sounds frustrating.

HF: It’s horribly frustrating, and I have to sort of remind myself that there’s someone out there – I don’t know who the fuck it is – that saw in his horrible behavior and his self-loathing something that will help them in their lives. I have to trust that as many people went running back in the closet seeing him show up in a Russian uniform with glitter and encrusted costume jewelry that there’s also somebody who saw that and said, “Oh, I’m not alone.”

GC: If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a moment to remember Robin Williams, who you were close friends and colleagues with.

You co-starred with Robin on Mrs. Doubtfire, and he was such an ally; what do you think Robin’s legacy will be to the gay community?

HF: You know, ahh. I really… I have a very hard time – all of us, any of his friends – talking about Robin. In fact, I went to San Francisco to do the press for Kinky Boots, and when I was there I sat down and had lunch with Armistead Maupin because I said, “I have to mourn this and I don’t know how.” We were sort of able to talk, and you try to reach out that way and … I don’t know. You’re asking a question I don’t know. It’s way too early to think about anything like that. I can barely say his name without crying.

GC: Understandably so. What piece of work do you most want to be remembered for?

HF: I’m a big believer in that phrase, “Look back but don’t stare.” If you came to my house, you’d see my theater posters and movie posters hanging on a wall, but they decorate a wall of a store room. My awards are pretty much put away. I don’t live with, or I try not to live with, that past. People in my business become Miss Havisham very easily, living surrounded by the bones of our victims. (Laughs) So thinking about what I want to be remembered for – whenever that kind of thought even hits me, I try to dismiss it. I don’t believe in life after death, so whoever’s gonna remember me is none of my business, certainly. I ain’t gonna know about it. I would like to think I changed lives – I mean, I get lots of emails saying, “Seeing Torch Song changed my life, seeing this changed my life,” and that’s wonderful. But I don’t need to worry about if I’m gonna be remembered. I ain’t gonna be here to know if I’m being remembered or forgotten!

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15

Politics

Islamic State

Barbarism turns its attention to homosexuals

By Stephen Lock The whole Western world knows of the atrocities carried out

by The Islamic State (ISIS). The videotaped beheadings of Western, and now Japanese, journalists and humanitarian aid workers have gone viral. Major media in the West report almost daily, it seems, on the latest barbarism committed by these deranged fanatics. The West is mobilizing against them but, in the eyes of many, not fast nor strongly enough.

What we are not hearing much about are ISIS’ atrocities against gay men. That such religious extremists take a highly negative view towards homosexuality and homosexuals will come as no surprise to anyone; it’s part and parcel of who and what they are. But be forewarned: what you are about to read is profoundly disturbing.

Those accused, or even suspected, of being homosexual are beaten, publicly humiliated, then taken to a roof of a high-rise building and thrown, bound and blindfolded, off the roof to their deaths – if they are lucky.

In at least one instance, a man appearing to be in his 50s and executed in Syria, survived the fall from a seven-storey building only to have a large crowd gather around his bloody and broken body and proceed, after reviving him, to stone him to death.

Death by stoning is a gruesome and long process; a tortuous, barbaric, painful way to die. Death is not always immediate. In the meantime, the rocks pummel various parts of the body, face, and head, and continue to do so until the individual either dies from blood loss or a final heavy blow to the head, caving in or splitting the skull and imposing fatal brain damage.

The killings were part of an escalation on the part of ISIS in late January 2015, which also included two other men accused of being thieves publicly crucified then shot in the head as they hung from their stakes, as well as the stoning death of women accused of adultery.

This is the justice ISIS metes out to anyone they deem unfit, or some sort of threat, to the establishment of Allah’s Kingdom on earth, through their proposed caliphate. According to a document released via social media by ISIS in December, 2014, ISIS’ ‘penal code’, and the punishments it entails, include public flogging and amputations of hands or limbs. Men and young boys are expected to witness the punishments.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the latest flurry of public executions follow a series of assassinations of key ISIS leaders, and is likely a response by ISIS to the intervention by Western coalition forces that have slowed the group’s overall military advance across Syria and Iraq.

A statement released by the American-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, however, cautioned media against accepting ISIS’ accusations of homosexuality at face value. “...[O]ne cannot assume that the executions were for sodomy solely on the basis of information from the Islamic State. Without evidentiary basis, or independent confirmation, this sweeping allegation could be applied to anyone the Islamic State seeks to discredit – including human rights activists and anyone opposed to the Islamic State. Accusing opponents of homosexuality is a tried

and true tool used to discredit political adversaries throughout the world.”

While this is certainly true, ISIS has shown it is fully capable of carrying out any number of horrific punishments and executions (murders, to be more accurate) against those opposed to it.

The throwing of an individual from the highest point possible – traditionally cliffs, but an office tower seems to meet the requirement – as set out in the Qur’an, is specifically reserved for those accused of homosexuality, in general, and sodomy specifically.

ISIS began these killings of alleged homosexuals in November 2014, at which time two men, aged 18 and 20, were stoned to death in separate incidents. The men were known to be opponents of ISIS, and the men’s supporters allege the untrue charge of homosexuality was used against them. Prior to their killing ISIS had not publicly accused anyone of being homosexual, or murdered anyone for being so.

Throughout the Islamic world homosexuals are routinely arrested and imprisoned for long periods under harsh conditions; often publicly executed, as we saw a couple of years ago with the public hanging of two young men in Iran. In this instance, even though the one youth was under the age of 18 and therefore technically ineligible for execution, his birth date was allegedly altered in court documents.

In 1998 the Afghanistan Taliban ordered the execution of three allegedly gay men in Kandahar. Their execution involved burying them alive under a pile of rocks, then pushing a wall onto them with a tank. Their lives would be spared if they survived a halfhour beneath the rubble and were still alive when the stones were removed. They did not. They had been slowly crushed to death.

Such punishments are based on the Qur’an and fall under Sharia law, which states homosexual acts are “a vile form of fornication, punishable by death”. As is the case with fundamentalists of any religious stripe, there are those within Islam who take whatever their scriptures might say regarding same-sex activity literally, choosing – and it is a choice – to ignore the historical context or the possibility of either poor or outright mistranslations. Keep in mind, however, that unlike the Christian Bible, for instance, which was written originally in Hebrew in the Old Testament and in Greek in the New Testament, and has undergone numerous translations in the interim, the Qur’an has not. Modern translations are based on the original Arabic text, but the source material remains unchanged.

While the Qur’an is about as specific regarding homosexuality as the Bible – in other words, not terribly clear and open to interpretation – it is the Hadith, or religious commentaries on the teachings of Muhammad and Qur’anic text, that set out the various punishments for a variety of transgressions/sin. Punishment for homosexuals ranges from being thrown off the highest possible point to stoning to death, to burning alive – depending on which scholar one ascribes to. So far, ISIS prefers the more traditional.

The burning alive was used against Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh, captured after his plane was shot down on a mission against ISIS near Raqqa, Syria. It is assumed he was killed for being ‘a spy’.

I don’t pertain to know what ISIS is; but certainly they are more extreme than even the Taliban were. The sooner coalition countries can blast these barbarians back to the Stone Age the better. One can only hope, by whichever name He is called, they burn in hell.

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Community

Discussing Community Safety Sharing too much information via cell phones

By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone. I want to start by thanking everyone who took the time to attend police headquarters recently to view the anti-bullying panel event that my Chief’s Advisory Board members and I put on. To say that I was impressed by the turnout would be a huge understatement. When we set about organizing the event, our thought was that if we managed to get the auditorium half full then we could make it look like a lot of people were there. Imagine our pleasant surprise when all the tickets were taken in advance and we had to start operating a wait list. For those of you who took the trouble to fill in the feedback sheets, I thank you.

Constructive comments are the only way we can look to improve on subsequent events. On that note, we are looking at planning something else for later in the year, or maybe early next year. I will keep you all posted as more news becomes available… keep your eyes on this space!

Android – start the camera application. Open the menu to the left and go to “Settings”. Turn off “Geotagging” or “Location Storage” depending on the Android version you have.

Some digital cameras come with geotagging features, so be sure to consult the owners’ manual for information on how to disable this.

Most of this information is common sense, so go on and have fun, but stay safe. For those of you wanting to catch me in person, my plan is to attend the Western Cup registration night on Thursday April 2nd. Feel free to come by and say hi.

As always, take care of each other and contact me with any questions, comments or concerns.

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

This month I want to give a little bit of advice regarding a product that is so near and dear to most of us – our cell phone. Are you addicted to your cell phone or other mobile device? You are not the only one, but please be aware that using your mobile device can put you at risk for identity crime or other online safety risks. There are some good sources of information available on the Net, such as Google Good To Know, as well as Stop, Think, Connect. Be sure to check them out.

Be cautious of the photos that are captured on mobile devices and smartphones. NEVER take a picture that you would not want the world to see. If you receive a photograph or video in which the subject would be embarrassed or humiliated, please do not forward that image. If you are a minor, then please advise a trusted adult if you receive such a photograph or video, as this may be considered a criminal offence.

Most smart phones have geotagging capabilities that can provide information about your physical location. Geotagging in photographs provides information as to where you live, where you spend your time, when your house is empty, where you park your car, and other information that you wouldn’t necessarily want others to know. Individuals often share too much information about their location and the sensitive details of their personal life.

GPS features on mobile devices are handy for navigational purposes but, if you are worried about revealing your physical location, you can turn off the GPS feature on your phone as follows: iPhone – tap “Settings”, then “General”, and then “Location Services”. Disable the applications that use GPS data.

Blackberry – go to the camera icon. Press the “Menu” button, select “Options” and set the geotagging option to “Disabled”. Then click “Save”.

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17

Sports

 Western Cup 2014, photos by GayCalgary

The Western Cup

Apollo Friends in Sport Celebrates 33 Years on Top

By Dallas Barnes For 33 years the annual Western Cup has been putting Calgary on the map for its excellence in providing a topnotch LGBT* sporting event. Director TJ Fedyk could not be more excited about this year’s three-day event.

“The Western Cup is North America’s largest running LGBT sporting event,” he says. “There are participants here from all across Canada, so we are truly national.”

Calgary’s LGBT ‘season’ is generally a March to September run, and rightly so; the Western Cup kicks it off with the right amount of gusto. It all begins on Thursday, April 2nd with registration. This also provides a perfect time for folks to socialize and get to know one another.

On Friday, curling, bowling, and volleyball at assorted locations around Calgary take the stage, leading into the extremely popular Fun Money Casino at the Hotel Arts. Fedyk, recognizing the fact that the Casino’s popularity leads to a lack of space on the gaming tables, has added some extra fun for the evening. “We have added a huge assortment of inflatable games, such as sumo wrestling and jousting,” he says.

The weekend is capped off with curling, volleyball, dodgeball and bowling on Saturday, all leading up to one of the most popular evenings in Calgary: the Western Cup Dance at the Hotel Arts, which takes place that evening from 9pm to 2:30 am. DJ Imfurst, from RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, headlines the night.

DJ Imfurst, more widely known as Mimi Imfurst or the selfproclaimed “hardest working bitch in show business”, is a

stand-up comedian, actress and DJ. She is one of the most talked about contestants on both RuPaul’s Drag Race and Ru Paul’s Drag Race All Stars.

As Fedyk states, “anyone is invited to come, regardless of athletic ability, identity or gender.” There are recreational, intermediate and competitive levels and events for everyone.

There are also pricing levels, depending on what sport/ class you are interested in. All interested athletes that want to participate in the sporting events are asked to register online before March 15th on Western Cup’s website. If you are interested in playing one of the sports offered and do not have a team, let the folks at Western Cup know, and they will try to fit you into an existing team. A Party Pack can be purchased for the Casino and Western Cup Dance along with other perks, or separate event tickets can be selected. Tickets for the Western Cup Dance can be purchased online or at DevaDave’s. It is recommended that you buy your tickets soon as the evening is a consistent sell-out.

If you would really like to get involved with Western Cup in any other capacity, there are many volunteer opportunities still open. These are also available for sign-up online. Each volunteer time slot is anywhere between one hour to one and half hours, and guarantees you free access to the Saturday night dance.

The Western Cup Presented by Apollo Friends in Sports Calgary – April 2nd to 5th http://www.westerncup.com/

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

19

Theatre

 Jo-Ann Waytowich as Ivanka and Marcella Smithers as Marucia.

Ivanka Chews the Fat!

Well-loved character returns to Lunchbox to light up your noon hour

By Janine Eva Trotta She’s an adored character all over Canada, particularly here in Calgary, and her writer and portrayer Jo-Ann Waytowich can only guess that relatability is the reason why.

“I’m not exactly sure what the draw has been, but it’s not just Lunchbox,” she says, over the phone from Arizona, where she now winters. “[Ivanka] is like a steamroller – once people see the character they come back to see what the character is going to do or say next.”

Waytowich thinks that, especially in the western part of the country, her character reminds audiences of a grandma or aunt in their own family, or harkens back to a character they cherished in childhood. While Ivanka certainly makes me think of Dame Edna, Waytowich names different personal idols.

“I was raised with Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball,” she says.

“Both of those people were very physical [in their performances] … and larger than life.”

Waytowich, now semi-retired, got what she deems a “late start” in the acting profession. She was originally a social worker for a lengthy tenure, but went back to Lakehead University in Thunder Bay to study music. Not sure what to do with a music degree, she took a position back in the ‘helping profession’ at AIDS Thunder Bay until Magnus Theatre decided to produce her first Ivanka show (written in 1994 for her honour’s project). At age 30 she became a full-time devoted thespian.

“From there I have written four more full-length musicals,” she says. Ivanka Chews the Fat! is the third show in that series and, despite her success, her mother still asks “do you have a job yet?”

It might not provide a pension, but Waytowich has definitely found her calling and summoned her passion. She has created a show for people in her own age bracket and, perhaps best of all, it’s portable. She has found an entirely new target audience in Arizona where she lives five months of the year. Writing her own shows has also enabled her to stay in Thunder Bay. She admits that, had she become an actress that solely auditions for other people’s roles, she would have had to relocate to a bigger centre.

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

“I just sort of pick [the show] up and take it where I go,” she says. “And Calgary has been especially welcoming to me… I think I have done all my shows in Calgary, and some more than once.”

Indeed she has become a staple at Lunchbox where, she says, audiences remember her if they have seen her once before.

This particular show is motivated by the ‘craziness’ of famed motivational speakers.

“They get so bent out of shape… they just take themselves so damn seriously,” Waytowich says. “It’s a really great way to spend a lunchtime and just sort of break the office monotony…

It’s an uplifting way to spend your lunch hour.”

She says that her time in human service positions definitely primed her for departing pearls of humourous wisdom up on stage.

“Everything that we do is a stepping stone to the next thing that we are going to do,” she says. “I know people – that is what I know… To package all of life’s lessons into [Ivanka], that’s the switch.”

“That character will do or say things that you and I wouldn’t.”

But your zany great aunt would. So this month, why not call up an old relative and treat them to an hour of fun and forgotten sensibility.

“The underlying [theme] is just be true to yourself, follow your own path, embrace who you are, and love it any stage,” Waytowich imparts. “You come away from the show having laughed and I think, in our society, we don’t laugh enough. We need to laugh.”

Ivanka Chews the Fat! Presented by Lunchbox Theatre Calgary – March 9th to 21st http://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/

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Product Review

Flick off the SAD

Winter Blues vs. Philips goLITE BLU

By Evan Kayne Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, impacts many people living in northern climates such as Canada.

For those who have been diagnosed with SAD, one of the treatments is light therapy. As someone who gets winter depression, I was the ideal candidate to test out Philips goLITE BLU. Now this is not just your regular table lamp. SAD lamps, like the goLITE BLU, usually radiate 10,000 lux (‘lux’ being the measurement or intensity of light as perceived by humans). Your average household lamp puts out 100 lux.

Office fluorescent light fixtures usually weigh in at 300 lux, so 10,000 is pretty bright – it’s about the equivalent of full daylight. Usually you sit with the lap aimed at your eyes from below (no, you don’t stare at the light) for a minimum of 20 minutes up to an hour.

In the past almost 20 years, I have used two different lamps. One is a huge box that blasts out 10,000 lux, the other is a small, portable one which pumps out about 5,000 lux.

Unfortunately the big lamp wasn’t portable and looked like something from the Soviet era school of design. The smaller lamp was great at first but soon I found – despite what I was promised by the manufacturer – that this lamp was unable to last half a session without needing to be plugged in.

Philips goLITE BLU is a small unit measuring approximately 14 cm wide by 14 cm long and about 3.5 cm thick. It’s a cute, white unit you can easily hold in your hands. The blue light it pumps out is – so they claim – the most efficient kind of energizing light, requiring just 200 lux to achieve an effect similar to 10,000 lux of white light. We did an unofficial test and the brightness of the lamp certainly equalled that of a similar sized light, so on the surface it looked possible.

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 Photos by Philips

The unit has an hour detector on the bottom – one dash for every 10 minutes. The first time through it was nice to have it run the entire hour without needing a recharge. A red light appears on the bottom after 60 minutes, and doesn’t shut off.

As for how many charges it held and how long it took to recharge, the time for the light to run on battery seems to be an hour – so if you use it for 20 minutes or for 30, usually after the second day it needs a recharge. The nice thing about it is how quickly it charges: usually about an hour or less.

It’s difficult to say how effective it is. While I used it I didn’t notice a dip in my behaviour; I felt about the same as when I used my old SAD lamps. I do find the blue light much easier on the eyes, and the overall design much more flattering. I don’t like getting the winter blues... but with this chic little unit I get a pleasant kind of blue that takes the edge off.

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21

Gossip time, who decides to get real and reveal her true self. We can’t begin to speculate on which talk show host inspired this, but we’re looking forward to the day that the executive producer explains it all. Here’s hoping they go to series so that Ellen can keep buying up entire sections of the United States. We could use a lesbian king.

Russell T. Davies remembers The Boys The man who reinvigorated Doctor Who and created Queer as Folk, Russell T. Davies, has plans to return to the dark days of the 1980s. In the larger cultural memory, that was a decade of neon-colored clothes and partying, but for gay men it was a time of terror, due to the emergence of AIDS. And while TV films like The Normal Heart, and a few features like Longtime Companion and Parting Glances, have visited that era, there simply hasn’t been much in the way of dramatic exploration of that time, considering the impact of the disease.

Davies’ new project, The Boys, will approach that time in England from the position of both insider and outsider, with a female protagonist. It turns out that Davies has a female friend he’s known since his teen years, a woman who was friends with and caretaker to a group of gay men who died over those years, whom he describes as his “hero.” In the writing stage now, look for it on American cable sometime in the next couple of years.

Baz Luhrmann makes plans to Get Down

 Baz Luhrmann. photo by Debby Wong

Deep Inside Hollywood Ellen DeGeneres, Russell T. Davies, Baz Luhrmann, Dan Savage

By Romeo San Vicente Ellen’s sitcom factory The most popular daytime talk show, a line of household products, a real estate hobby that makes her even richer, and, oh yeah, that production company that keeps on aiming to dominate even more of your TV’s screen time – that’s the Ellen DeGeneres Entertainment & Lifestyle Industrial Complex and it is working overtime. Next up: two new sitcoms given pilot orders. The first one is currently untitled, but will star Parenthood’s Monica Potter as a single mother with three exhusbands who complicate her already busy life. The other one is moving forward with the title Happy Time and will star Broadway star and “Let It Go” diva Idina Menzel. This one’s a little different, in that it focuses on a woman in the public eye, someone known for being happy, upbeat and funny all the 22

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

Moulin Rouge! director Baz Luhrmann has decided to follow up his extravagantly contemporary take on The Great Gatsby with another “now” move: a show on Netflix. The streaming service has given the filmmaker a 13-episode order for a new series called The Get Down. Co-created with The Shield’s Shawn Ryan, the series will take place in 1970s New York City during the grimiest and most violent period of its recent history. A crew of South Bronx teenagers, on their own and going nowhere, take part in the invention of hip-hop and street art. In turn, they become a part of the larger cultural fabric that saw disco give way to punk rock, as a vibrant cross-pollination takes hold at the dawn of the ’80s. We don’t know anything about casting yet, but it’s safe to say we’ll see a lot of fresh young up-and-comers – if only to counteract the production costs this visionary creator likes to run up in the name of making everything look really cool.

The young Dan Savage chronicles From alternative weekly sex columnist to This American Life fixture to news pundit to creator of the “It Gets Better” project, Dan Savage’s career path has been idiosyncratic and totally independent, the picture of not being co-opted by large, powerful corporations. Except now he has a sitcom at ABC. OK, a sitcom pilot, but still, if it goes to series and is successful, you’ll be hearing a whole lot more from Dan Savage outside of his appearances on Real Time with Bill Maher, thanks to all that ABC marketing muscle. The project has no title just yet, but it’s based on Savage’s own childhood, and it revolves around a little gay boy who comes out and turns his formerly “picture perfect” suburban family upside down. Another thing to think about if this goes to series: It will be the first time a gay kid has been the main character on an American sitcom.

So let’s root for that.

Romeo San Vicente’s “It Gets Better” video was rated NC-17 and banned from YouTube.

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

23

Interview

Tom Cochrane

Still Riding Life’s Highways

By Jason Clevett There are those in the Canadian music industry who have earned the title of icon. Tom Cochrane – whose 40plus year career has seen multiple hits, both solo and with Red Rider – has toured the world, and is a face for multiple charitable organizations, is one of those people. With the release of his first album in almost nine years Take It Home Cochrane has embarked on a crossCanada tour that brings him to the Grey Eagle Casino in Calgary, February 20th, and the River Cree Resort in Edmonton February 21st.

 Tom Cochrane. Photo by Dustin Rabin

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There are few artists that can claim the longevity of Tom Cochrane. On the phone recently, in advance of the album’s February 10th release, he reflected on how he has been so successful for so long.

“Vitamins,” he joked. “I just think you got to want to do it and appreciate what you have. It sounds kind of cliché, but you have got to just have a passion for life, I guess. There is a lot of great music out there so you have to feel like you have something to say that is special. It is a matter of doing it.”

Although consistently touring, it has been a long time since Cochrane’s last album: 2006’s No Stranger.

“I don’t think you can just make a record because you think it is time to make one. You have to want to make it. There were a few years between No Stranger and this one, so it was time. It is an instinct, and kind of a pain, and itch that has to be scratched.

You aren’t doing it as a question of commerce, or anything of that nature, other than as an artist you have something to say that is relevant. I think some of these songs still explore old terrain, but they do it in a different way. We tried to make a record that sounded natural and organic. I don’t want to sound like a grouchy old dude putting down what other artists are doing, but this is where I feel I excel as a songwriter, mining the soil and the turf of the roots of your terrain. That is where the songs come from: stories from Canada and stories I have gleaned from travelling elsewhere, like the southern United States. As artists we create wonderful hybrids through blues music, blending it with our folk and celtic roots.”

Much of the album comes from his experiences, such as the track “Can’t Stay Here”, in which Cochrane sings: One more show; one more town; a drifter ‘till I die.

“It is autobiographical; the song touches on a number of things.

It’s a metaphor that – as an artist – you have to keep moving. I definitely lived that life. I don’t as much anymore. Because of our dogs, primarily we travel back and fourth between Austin, Texas and Canada, which is still my primary residence. I would live that life in a dream-like mystical sense. We would stop at some of these small towns and, as I made a journey, I think the song was forged out of that. I grew up living in the back of a station wagon and vans in the early part of my career. That is the life. The song talks about musically not staying in one place, perhaps just growing as a human being, and exploring new terrain and ideas. It touches on those things and is a good way to kick off the record. “Back In The Game” is a good way to end it. That song is pure Texas swing blues. I remember walking into the Continental Club and you feel like you are stepping into another era. There was a band setting up, and they were kids, and this one girl comes in and is setting up her piano and played this wonderful boogie woogie blues with one hand, while putting on her makeup with the other hand. Then the drummer starts setting up his drums. We are watching this while nursing our beers and, within an hour, these kids are playing this wonderful music. These are college kids, doing this incredible dancing in front of us; it was the real deal. People gravitate towards stuff

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that is real, you don’t need to push them there. That song was spawned out of that. As far as lyrically, they touch on the mythical hobo drifter that is part of every singer and songwriter from my era.”

Touring the winter is a pretty common Canadian thing to do, even for Cochrane, who spends his winters in the southern U.S. Early on he almost called it quits, but a chance encounter with another future Canadian icon changed his perspective.

“One of the songs on the record touches on it – “The Ones That I’ve Known”. It talks about Rosa Parks, who kicked off the civil rights movement in a gesture of supreme courage. The last verse is about Terry Fox, and his struggle for freedom against the disease of cancer, and what he established through his walk – a way of raising money that continues to this day. He is at the top of the list of great Canadian heroes. I had heard about Terry, and we were driving from Winnipeg to Toronto, and woke up one morning and traffic was stopped. I looked out the window and I’d had enough of living in the back of a station wagon; I’d had enough and didn’t want to do it anymore. It was a tough way to tour. I looked out the window and this one-legged boy walks beside the station wagon. It was the last day he ran. I just thought man, how tough can this be making a living playing music? It changed me and the way I looked at things. We kept on from there, and I tried to be more positive about what I did, and the music. As tough as it was back then things got better.

You move on to tour busses, and get to fly occasionally. You end up pinching yourself. It is a good way to make a living – making people happy through music. It was tough starting out, and this record touches on the rock and roll hobo existence.”

Cochrane is also known for his charitable contributions. He played in the 2013 Calgary Flood Relief Concert, has donned skates for the annual Juno Cup hockey fundraiser, and has been a spokesperson for World Vision.

“I think these things choose us. We choose to acknowledge them, or we don’t. If I searched my conscience, and it was something that felt good to me, I do it. In the long run, I have felt I got more out of it then I put into it, because it has kind of fueled my soul. I haven’t been remunerated for doing it, but you get a lot of satisfaction from doing these things. What it ends up doing is fueling the music and what you do. You can’t isolate yourself from the world and, as a singer-songwriter, these are all things we touch upon when we write. I try to delve into, and mine from this, as a songwriter. The World Vision thing has gone on for a long time, and I have developed a lot of relationships through the organization through (WV president) Dave Toycen, who is just a wonderful human being filled with love. I see how hard he works to save lives and it can’t help but galvanize you to support the cause. Plus you end up going to a lot of these places where people are just struggling to survive. You are treated with so much joy; it gives you a lot of satisfaction to know that you have helped out, and have them be so grateful that you are there and helping. That spills back into who you are as a human being, and also back into the work.”

So it is on the road again for Cochrane who, at 61, still brings a level of intensity to his live shows that acts decades younger often lack. With such a long list of hits it has become

a challenge to pick a set list.

In fact, Cochrane asked for suggestions on his official Facebook Page.

“It is tough. We have 10 or 12 non-negotiable songs that we have to play for people and want to play for them. I enjoy the energy and goodwill that those songs create with people. Those are obviously songs people are going to come out to hear. Then it is a matter of figuring out the new songs. One of the things my co-producer and I set out to do was a record where a lot of the songs could be played live, and introduced to an audience quickly, without needing exposure on the radio. If I go to see somebody, and they didn’t play some of the tunes that you want to hear, I know I would be disappointed. It is great to see the audience get off on songs like “Life is a Highway” or “Lunatic Fringe” which is, unfortunately, still as topical now as it was 30 years ago. I am excited to introduce some of these new songs; they are going to be a lot of fun to play live for sure. It is going to be a lot of joy and energy. Some of these songs are just made to play live and there will be a few acoustic memos. There will be a lot of energy in this show – that is what we do.”

It has been 24 years since “Life is a Highway” captured the music scene. For some artists, having to play a massive hit can become repetitive. For Cochrane, songs like “I Wish You Well”, “Boy Inside The Man”, and “Big Leagues” mean just as much to him now as they did before.

“Songwriting is a funny thing. It is therapeutic. I wrote “Life is a Highway” after my first trip to Africa with World Vision. I was going through a lot of soul searching – we had been to war zones and seen people die in front of us. We saw a lot of joy as well, but mostly some tough things on that trip to eight or nine countries.

I got home and I was exhausted mentally and physically. It occurred to me one day that I needed a song to act as a pep talk, to get me out of it, and that was the song. The whole idea is that you can’t change the world all by yourself – you keep your eye on the road ahead of you and try and spread love, and do some good along the way. That is the metaphor of the song, and it became a pep talk for myself, as well as millions of other people. It is great to be able to play that and it feels just as vital as it did back then.

When I set out to do this as a career – and as an artist – if I had one thing in mind when I started out back in ’79, was I wanted to make music that was timeless. I haven’t always achieved that but I try my best to do that every step of the way. Every one or two songs out of ten may be hits, and is a song that stands the test of time. “Life is a Highway” is one of those songs. “White Hot”, “Lunatic Fringe”, “Human Race” – there are a number of them. I feel blessed to be able to continue to make music, and having people show up at the shows. It is a good place to be.”

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Tom Cochrane http://www.tomcochrane.com/

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25

The Coming Out Monologues Come Into Their Own

Expanded, independent and a new chapter with faith  Some of the cast, photos by Calvin Seaman

Dallas Barnes The Coming Out Monologues, YYC, has been dazzling audiences with the true, raw, sometimes funny, and sometimes gritty tales of coming out for the past six years. Originating in 2007 at the University of California, Riverside, TCOM have been an inspiration for other organizations performances. The Calgary organizers have returned with an even more robust collection of stories, diversified with spoken word, movement and musical pieces packed tightly into a three-evening event taking place March 18th to 20th at the John Dutton Theatre.

Consequential to its ever-growing popularity and significance, the Monologues, along with Affirming and Creative Coordinator at Hillhurst United Church Pam Rocker, have complemented the original roster with a onenight-only event, the Coming Out in Faith Monologues, which centres around stories of coming out from a faith or spiritual perspective. This will be held at Hillhurst United Church on March 27th, and is part of their Affirming Anniversary weekend.

As director of the Coming Out in Faith Monologues, and a former Coming Out Monologue Performer, Rocker hopes that this inaugural and complementary event becomes a staple in the Calgary event.

“There is such a rich diversity in religion, and for a lot of LGBTQ+ people, faith is such a complex arena,” Rocker says. “It’s so personal – but universal at the same time. There 26

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are no shortage of stories and, to have a night specifically dedicated to them, provides a great foundation for people to feel safe, supported and celebrated in their joys and struggles around a topic that can be so divisive, inside and out of the community. So instead of shying away from the difficulty it may pose, why not embrace it and see what we can all learn from each other?”

Director of The Coming Out Monologues organization, and the Coordinator for Leadership Programs with the Leadership and Student Engagement office at the University of Calgary, Madeleine Hardy is just as enthusiastic.

“We would love to see the Coming Out in Faith Monologues as an annual event,” she says. “TCOM also hopes to expand its repertoire, and is hoping to reveal a new event for April this year. We have many ideas percolating and we are excited to find partners, time, space and resources to expand them all. Stories are an important part in our community and, if people don’t have spaces to tell them, we risk other people telling them for us.”

TCOM became an official independent organization in 2014, originally working with the University of Calgary since its debut. “What first started as a small, one-night performance of read monologues from the Internet is now a three-night show celebration of personal stories that bring to light the diverse LGBTQA* community in Calgary,” says Hardy.

When Rocker approached Hardy with the idea for the Faith Monologues, it was an idea that culminated in years of inspiration.

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 Pam Rocker and Madeleine Hardy

“In my work at the church, as well as in the broader community, I am privileged to get to hear so many coming out stories and, for many individuals, religion has played a role in both negative and positive ways,” Rocker says. “Sadly, the negative impact that religion at large has had – and continues to have – on many LGBTQ+ people is an overriding theme, and it saddens me immensely that there are so few positive voices in our faith communities that speak to this and publicly refute the shaming and ostracization that occurs. The voice that we should be hearing is that if you have a spiritual yearning, and seek to explore this within a community, that you should be able to do that without any

barriers to inclusion. There doesn’t have to be a split or a choice of one over the other. After both participating as a performer and an M.C. – as well as attending TCOM for many years – I thought it would be amazing if we could create a space for people of various faith backgrounds and experiences to tell their stories. Because Hillhurst is all about removing barriers to religion, I thought this would be a great venue to showcase these brave stories, and continue our own learning of what it means to stand in awe of the burdens that so many have had to carry, as well as to celebrate their uniqueness. I

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 Bridget Foursha

 Dave Latos

approached Madeleine and asked her if TCOM would consider a partnership, and she enthusiastically agreed! She and the whole TCOM team have done a fabulous job at building this brand, and we are grateful to be a part of it.”

Hardy agrees. “TCOM’s philosophy is all about stories...

Building events that tell local stories creates an increased understanding of each other, and builds resilient communities.

Personally, I grew up in a Catholic faith and quickly realized that it wasn’t an inclusive space for my feminist, queer, activist self. In all my experiences with Hillhurst – although you likely won’t see me there on Sundays – I am continuously blown away by the ever-accepting community that it holds.

When Pam approached us about this event, TCOM had no hesitations about partnering with such an inclusive organization.”

Not only is the overall vision of TCOM immense, with a focus on the power of the story of an individual, the cultivation of these stories are developed with a well-crafted and timely care that can only be merited by the bravest of storytellers.

“The whole team of organizers are fantastic at making people feel welcome and at ease,” Rocker says. “Madeleine has done a terrific job at setting up an environment where newbies and more experienced individuals are treated the same.”

“Our coordinators are a committed bunch who are passionate and willing to give hours of extra time,” adds Hardy. “Last year we did a debrief with our performers and volunteers to talk about what went well, what didn’t, and where we can improve. We were also a part of an undergraduate research group last year for a development

studies class, resulting in suggestions for improvements and a literature review for practicing on creating safe spaces.”

All individuals wishing to see TCOM and The Coming Out in Faith Monologues are invited. Ticket prices vary; a pay-whatyou-can evening is hosted on the first night of performances.

When asked about their favorite memory of TCOM, both Pam and Madeleine had a challenging time coming up with just one. “I’ll tell people they’ll have moments of feeling me too when they listen to others’ stories, and that’s about building community and understanding,” says Hardy.

Rocker has a similar response. “I can’t choose a favourite memory – there are so many – but what I do love is sitting in my seat, with these words resonating within me: I’ve never thought about it that way before; I never know what that may have felt like; and wow, I really am not alone.’’

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The Coming Out Monologues http://www.comingoutyyc.com Calgary – March 18th-20th John Dutton Theatre, Calgary http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4548 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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29

Catching Up with John Waters

Cult icon on his divine career, kink freaks, James Franco and how filmmakers ‘try too hard’  photos by Greg Gorman

By Chris Azzopardi John Waters has taken many deviant turns during his influential career as a cult icon who’s con-structed a legacy out of the poop-eating, mom-murdering outrageousness of his filmography.

But he hasn’t stopped there.

Even in conversation one recent afternoon from his Baltimore home, Waters is appropriately in-appropriate as he considers a smorgasbord of provocative topics: his disdain for adult babies, the resurrection of Brad Renfro, how James Franco is too good looking to look at, and why, at 68, he may never make another film.

GC: I can’t imagine much shocks you, but these days, does anything?

JW: The things that I don’t like that I don’t wanna be shocked by. $40-million gross-out Holly-wood movies. Really ugly porn 30

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– like rape porn. Stuff I don’t wanna look at. I mean, we have to put up with that for the freedoms of free speech, but also, some romantic comedies I can’t take.

GC: What’s the biggest limit you’ve overcome?

JW: Maybe sploshers. You know, people who are sexually attracted to food. And I still have problems with feeders. I have real problems with adult babies. Lock those fuckers up.

GC: How do you feel about the plushies movement?

JW: I think it’s bullshit. I think Vanity Fair made that up (with a 2001 story called “Pleasures of the Fur”), and then once they did the article people became them. I’m not sure I believe that’s true even.

GC: And grown men obsessed with My Little Ponies – “bronies”?

JW: They’re trying too hard to be kinky. Plushie sex holds no interest for me. If people are into it, I don’t wanna know www.gaycalgary.com

more about their life, really.

Do it in private. Or – as that expression that I hate goes – “get a room.” I think I feel that way about plushies and people that wanna fuck people in unicorn costumes.

GC: Fans adore you – I adore you – because you’ve always been the voice of the voiceless. As a youngster coming into himself, I remember you introducing me to so much more than morning cartoons did.

JW: (Laughs) Morning cartoons are a good start, though!

There’s always insane puppeteers and fairy tales. You know, when I was young I loved Slovenly Peter.

That was a great one. I loved him. I still have that up by my bed. And Chicken Little – liked that one too!

GC: Today we’re getting shock-value films like The Human Centipede and the 2013 German drama Wetlands, which features vegetable masturbation – did you see it?

JW: I did see Wetlands.

I enjoyed it! It was the only movie I’ve ever seen about hemorrhoids. It started its own genre.

GC: And then we have J. Lo’s The Boy Next Door.

JW: Which I’m dying to see. That’s the only movie I wanna see! The reviews made it sound like it could be as good as Mahogany or something. I am gonna go to a theater because I’m so tired of my Oscar duties of seeing all these self-important serious movies. I need to see that movie!

GC: With these movies in mind, how would you describe the trash being made these days in comparison to your own version of “trash”?

JW: They try too hard. And they spend too much money! I think The Hangover was great. I loved The Hangover, and I liked Bridesmaids – and I like, even more, that other Bridesmaids movie that was called something different! But then there are 50 other ones that are imitations that cost way too much money just to gross out and, to me, I don’t hate ’em but they’re not funny, they’re not witty.

Oh – Jeff Ono was the guy that did the asshole and, naturally, it’s called “Untitled.” (Laughs) So, trash today – it’s hard because the best trash, like Showgirls – no matter what (director Paul Verhoeven) says, he didn’t make that to be funny. He tries to say that he did now.

He didn’t. So there are certain movies like that. I don’t think J. Lo tried to be funny in this movie, and I haven’t seen it yet so I don’t know if it succeeds, but it’s really hard to find those kinds of movies anymore because they all are in on it. The best are the ones that aren’t in on it, movies like Two Moon Junction. They don’t make them like they used to.

GC: And also, aren’t audiences desensitized nowadays? Like, what haven’t we seen?

JW: Well, that was the case with Pink Flamingos. That’s why we did Pink Flamingos, be-cause Deep Throat had just come

out, so it was, “What was left to do?” And that was the joke, really. But I’m not looking for something I haven’t really seen. I’m not looking for some new grossout thing that I haven’t seen; I’m not searching for that. I don’t know that audiences are either. I’m searching for something that can alarm me, that can astonish me, that can make me think of something in a different way and surprise me, and that sometimes is shock. I think (Spring Breakers director) Harmony Korine does it well.

I think mostly the European directors do.

(Argentine director) Gaspar Noé does it beautifully. There’s a new movie, Map to the Stars, by David Cronenberg, and it’s brilliant. So my 10 best list in Artforum (International Magazine) every year – they’re always movies that do that for me, and they’re usually foreign.

GC: You’ve mentioned the difficulties of getting film financed these days – JW: No! I didn’t mention it.

You did. (Laughs) GC: Oh, I’ve read enough interviews to know you’ve said that.

JW: Oh, past interviews?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I might’ve made my last movie, but I haven’t made my last film thing. I’m very much involved in developing a TV show that I can’t talk about, so I don’t care how I tell stories – it could be in a movie theater, it could be on television, it could be on your cell phone, it can be in a spoken-word show. My last book was a best seller, so that worked! I keep switching to whatever world will have me, and that usually means the last thing you did that made money.

GC: Why do you say you might not make any more films?

JW: Because the world of independent film as I know it is over. There is no such thing, really, as a $6, $7 million independent film anymore. And I have no desire to be a faux revolutionary at 68 years old. To be an underground filmmaker – I have absolutely no desire to try to repeat that. (Laughs) GC: No interest in the whole Kickstarter campaign then?

JW: No! I own three homes; I can’t publicly beg! (Laughs) When I own three homes, I feel like it’s a little hypocritical. I mean, if I wanted to make a movie that bad, I’d sell one of my houses.

I did enough spare-changing when I was a hippie. I actually never did that too much either, but I did hitchhike around the country (for the 2013 book Carsick). That’s panhandling, isn’t it? That was Kickstarting in a way – asking for rides! So I’m not against public begging, but general-ly, yes, I could technically sell one of my houses and probably make a movie that costs under a million dollars, but unless I do that, I don’t feel that I can go out and Kickstart. But I’m totally fine with other people doing it. Good for you! I’m just too old to beg.

GC: You’ve always been known for working with a specific troupe of actors. When you look out now at the actor pool, who would you like to work with? How about James Franco? You’re both so uninhibited.

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JW: I’ve known James forever. One time I said he’s so handsome I can’t even look at him. So I’ve known him forever.

And good for him! You can’t say he’s not working. He sure ain’t in the unemployment line!

GC: Any talk of you guys working together?

JW: Oh, he always used to say, “I’d love to work with you,” but the last movie I was trying to make was a children’s movie, so I really was looking for kids.

And a new star? Brad Renfro. Bring him back from the dead; that’s who I want! Someone raise him from the dead, because I’d love to star him in a movie.

GC: You’ve broken a lot of taboos over the last 40-some years – JW: Not that one! Not necrophilia! (Laughs) GC: Not yet. When you look back at your career, what accomplishment of yours makes you most proud?

JW: Having real movie stars suddenly make movies with me, which, I guess, Tab Hunter was the first. Liz Renay was a star too, but she was more of a burlesque star. Tab Hunter coming and making that movie with us changed everything, and it made Polyester a hit and, certainly, he was very brave to do that because I hadn’t made Hairspray; I was not socially acceptable.

What movies are you gonna go watch to decide if you wanna take a chance? Pink Flamingos? (Laughs) And he did see it and was like, “Oh my god! You have to cut parts of that out!” He was hilarious about it. But people that took chances with me (meant a lot), and all the movie stars did, really, but Tab was first.

GC: Are you in touch with many of these actors?

JW: Yes! I’m in contact with lots of them. I am in contact with Tab. I just talked to Johnny Depp. I’m still close with Johnny Knoxville. I see Kathleen Turner a lot. Certainly I see Stephen Dorff some. I’m trying to think of the ones that I see the most that are alive…

GC: Ricki Lake?

JW: Ricki Lake – of course! I mean, I see Ricki Lake probably more than any of them. Traci Lords I see. I see lots of them.

GC: Of all your films, which do you look at most fondly and least fondly?

JW: I don’t look at any of them, to be honest. I guess, weirdly, of my Divine movies, I’d pick Female Trouble. My mother always said Serial Mom was the best movie I ever made – maybe she’s right. My mom said, “I am serial mom; I hate it when people chew gum!” And I still hate it when people chew gum too. I’ve turned into my mother!

GC: What comes to mind when you think of the craziest mail you’ve ever gotten?

JW: Since where I get my mail at Atomic Books (in Baltimore) is fairly publicized – so much so that it was even a clue on Jeopardy! recently – I get amazing stuff. People send me great gifts, great books, weird paintings. I have a whole wall of fan paintings of me – some are great, some are hideous, and I love all of them. I don’t get hideous stuff – well, yes: Somebody did just send me a dildo recently that I didn’t even open; I just threw it out. One guy just sent me a thing (say-ing) that after he read Carsick he raised money for cancer by hitchhiking around the country and that was lovely. I thought, “I inspired other people to hitchhike for charity?!” I did it for a book advance!

(Laughs) GC: I recall you lamenting the mainstreaming of gay culture – JW: Well, not completely. I’ve traveled with Gov. O’Malley in Maryland to get gay marriage legal and we got it, so I’m for it; I just don’t think I’ll ever do it.

GC: But I’m referring to your 2011 interview with Slate, during which you seemed somewhat bummed regarding the mainstreaming of gay culture.

JW: Well, it was more special being an outlaw, but you know what, still, it’s a lot better today than it was.

GC: As a gay man yourself, how do you feel your place in the gay community has changed?

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JW: I always appealed to gay people that couldn’t even fit into the gay world, and I still do. But the gay world’s always been supportive of me; it’s never certainly been my whole audience.

People forget: When Pink Flamingos first came out, yes, it was gay people, but it was bikers too. My crowd has always been minorities. My core crowd is minorities that can’t fit in with their own minorities.

And now, I don’t make anybody mad. Even with my Filthy World show, my sister said, “How do you get away with saying that stuff?” I do because I’m not mean, I don’t think, and they know that when they come to see a show called This Filthy World, it’s not gonna be about healthy eating!

GC: Right. By this point don’t people know what to expect from John Waters?

JW: They do, but they don’t get mad even when I always test people’s limit – because I always make fun of my audience’s tastes. I’m not trying to win them over; they’re already over into my world, usually, so I like to kid them just as I kid myself about our own taste, ques-tioning everything. That, to me, is what humor’s about.

GC: What’s left for you to do, John? What’s on the bucket list?

JW: Well, I haven’t written a novel ever, so I think I might try to do that one day. I’ve never had a TV show before! That might happen. Oh! I did have a TV show! “’til Death Do Us Part.” So, I had a TV show, but I was in it. I didn’t write it.

GC: Are you saying you’re writing this show?

JW: Yes. And directing. We’ll see, we’ll see. “In development” as they say. I have many pro-jects in development. Many folders on the “in development” table.

GC: You always do.

JW: I always do! Next! (Laughs) GC: When people go through your things after you kick the bucket, what are you most worried they’ll find?

JW: Already my friend knows where to get rid of the porno stash. Every man has one thing somewhere – one little pile – you wanna get rid of, and my friend already knows where that is. So I’m not worried about anything. Everything else goes to Wesleyan Film Archives – all my personal stuff. I don’t hide much!

GC: Lucky friend, though. Gets to inherit your entire porn collection!

JW: No, they don’t get to inherit it. The porn collection – that’s cataloged! That’ll go to Wesley-an. That’s part of my library!

(Laughs) GC: Regarding your own films, what was and continues to be your motivation in pushing boundaries?

JW: The only boundary that I might have pushed recently was I did a children’s version of Pink Flamingos that’s in my art show up in New York right now. The only thing left to do, now that everybody tries to be shocking, is to do the opposite, really, (laughs) and take my most shocking movie and rewrite it for children. Then the audience feels dirty because they know the real movie that children don’t.

GC: How do you feel about all the boundary-pushing going on nowadays? Does it frustrate you that everybody tries to shock?

JW: Very little frustrates me these days. No – that doesn’t bother me. I’m secure, you know? (Laughs) I don’t feel that. I don’t worry about challenges. I’m not in a contest in who can be the most hideous. I think I’ve been lucky. My career has been understood. I saw somebody I hadn’t seen in 50 years at a funeral yesterday and they said, “John, it’s amazing – your dreams came true!” And I said, “Yeah, they did. It’s a wonderful thing.” Because yeah, they really did.

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33

Out of Town

Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina  One of the many hot culinary destinations, The Macintosh, in Charleston’s hippest restaurant neighborhood, Upper King Street. Photo by Andrew Collins

by Andrew Collins There aren’t many places in the United States that suggest romance more palpably than the jewel of southeastern lowcountry, Charleston. This beautifully preserved bastion of pre-Colonial commerce lies at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers and is flanked by barrier islands famed for gated golf resorts and swanky condo complexes. Inland, you’ll find some of the most over-the-top plantation homes, many of them now open for tours. But it’s the city’s historic heart, with its palm-shaded lanes and pastel-hued 18th- and 19th-century residences, churches and converted shipping warehouses that provide visitors with the uncanny sensation that they’re strolling through a fairy tale.

What may surprise, either if you’re a first-time visitor or you haven’t been in the past decade or so, is that this rather button-down, traditional city of about 120,000 – the cultural heart of one of the country’s most politically and socially conservative states – has a pronounced gay scene.

Since same-sex marriage was legalized statewide in November 2014, the wedding-centric city has also hosted more than its share of gay nuptials and honeymoons.

Perhaps even more surprising is the recent ascent of Charleston ( http://www.charlestoncvb.com ) among the ranks of farm-to-table foodies, craft-beverage aficionados, edgy artists and hipsters. The northern end of downtown, particularly along Upper King Street, contains one of the coolest concentrations of chef-driven, locavore-minded bars and restaurants of any small city in the country. If you’re in town for the weekend, do make a point of visiting the traditional attractions: the opulently decorated house-museums, antebellum churches and prominent military historic sites. But also set aside time to check out the new, independent-spirited side of this dynamic metropolis.

Friday Night Stick around downtown your first night, supping at one of the dozens of superb restaurants in the central core, many of them set in historic homes. One favorite for both the stunningly prepared modern Southern fare and the gorgeous location inside a glorious 19th-century mansion is Husk ( http://www.huskrestaurant.com ), the domain of James Beard–

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winning chef Sean Brock. The farm-to-table menu changes often but has included buffalo-style pig’s ear lettuce wraps with spiced peanuts, and slow-cooked heritage pork with red peas, farro and smoky tomatoes.

If it’s late in the evening, and you’re more in the mood for an expertly poured craft cocktail and some lighter snacks, venture into the cozy and hip Gin Joint ( http://www.theginjoint.com ), which serves delish cheese plates and tasty snacks like duck empanadas and hoisin-glazed pork buns. The Card Shark cocktail, with Mata Hari Absinthe, Fernet and smoked honey will warm your soul on a cool evening.

Saturday Spend the better part of your first full day in town touring the downtown historic district. You might begin with a visit to the Historic Charleston Foundation, which sponsors several renowned events, including late spring’s famed Spoleto Festival, and operates such noteworthy museums as Aiken-Rhett House and the Nathaniel Russell House. From the latter you can stroll to nearby Waterfront Park, with gardens and a promenade overlooking the Ashley and Cooper rivers.

Walk north along Meeting Street, known as Charleston’s “Museum Mile,” and you’ll find one iconic attraction after another. The Charleston Museum, which opened in 1773, is a must, as are the gallery-hopping and shopping along Meeting, King and Bay streets. For a high-octane caffeine pick-me-up, drop by Collective Coffee ( http://www.collectivecoffee.com ), a sleek, contemporary café serving single-origin pour-over coffees, along with a good variety of sandwiches, wraps and salads.

As sun falls over Charleston, plan an evening of exploring the city’s emerging restaurant row along Upper King Street. You’ll find some cool touring and tasting opportunities in this part of the city, too, including High Wire Distilling, where you can sample acclaimed spirits, like Silver Rum, Hat Trick Extraordinarily Fine Botanical Gin and QuarterAcre Sorghum Whiskey. And at the upper end of the neighborhood, two craft breweries are worth a visit, Palmetto Brewing Co. ( http:// www.palmettobrewery.com ) and Revelry Brewing Co. ( http://www. revelrybrewingco.com ).

A fun way of approaching the novel food scene on Upper King is by making a progressive meal out of the evening, stopping at a few hot spots, and enjoying an appetizer or two – along with drinks – at each one. Start at Kudu Coffee and Craft Beer ( http://www.kuducoffeeandcraftbeer.

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com ), which specializes in two of Charleston’s favorite artisan beverages.

Then move up King Street to O-Ku Sushi ( http://www.o-kusushi.com ), which serves both inventive sushi rolls as well as sashimi, crudo, green tea soba noodles and other izakaya-inspired treats; and the amusingly named Closed For Business ( http://www.closed4business.com ) “draught emporium,” another top spot for interesting brews as well as decadent snacks, like poutine, beer-battered fish-and-chips and fried pork-cutlet sandwiches.

At see-and-be-seen Macintosh ( http://www.themacintoshcharleston. com ), sample the exceptional farm-to-table cooking of talented chef Jeremiah Bacon. The artful plates include a salad of fried duck skin with Asian pears and candied-ginger vinaigrette, and sautéed scallops with sunchokes and Brussels sprouts. Located in a landmark bank building, The Ordinary ( http://www.eattheordinary.com ) is a gorgeous space serving beautifully arranged portions of fresh seafood. Consider the Jonah crab toast with lemon and basil, and shad roe with bacon, potato and oyster mushrooms. Right next to High Wire, the Butcher & Bee ( http://www.butcherandbee.com ) is fun both for lunch or latenight (open on Friday and Saturdays only) snacking and drinking. This high-ceilinged space turns out addictively tasty fare from pulled-squash barbecue sandwiches to fried chicken with roasted tomatoes, garlic mayo and dill-verde sauce.

The neighborhood is also home to a pair of popular gay nightspots, the intimate and friendly Dudley’s Pub ( http://www.dudleysonann.com ), where you can watch videos, shoot pool and mingle at a conversationfriendly decibel level, and nearby Pantheon ( http://www.clubpantheon. net ), a pulsing dance club open on weekends only. Although not specifically gay establishments, urbane and trendy bars like the retro-cool Belmont ( http://www.thebelmontcharleston.com ) and the endearingly dive-y Recovery Room Tavern ( http://www.recoveryroomtavern.com ) are fun hangouts for kicking off or winding down the evening, and they both draw diverse crowds.

Sunday Start the day by crossing the modern Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to Mount Pleasant, a suburb just east of the city with a lovely historic district. Enjoy brunch at Charleston’s Cafe ( http://www.charlestonscafe. com ), which is set in a prosaic shopping center but serves anything-butordinary morning edibles, including lowcountry shrimp and grits with eggs, and a Southern Benedict with fried-green tomatoes and smoked bacon.

Mount Pleasant is a good jumping off point for exploring Boone Hall, one of the prettiest of the region’s grand plantation museums and gardens, as well as the beaches of Sullivan’s Island and historic Fort Moultrie, which is part of Fort Sumter National Monument. If plantation touring is high on your list of priorities, you might consider an alternate Sunday plan of driving northwest of the city along Hwy. 61 (Ashley River Road), where you can tour such legendary antebellum estates as Ashley Hall, Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place, which boasts the oldest formal gardens in the nation.

www.vickerys.com ) is an enjoyable place to wrap up your walk. This gay-friendly bar and grill has stunning water views, making it a favorite spot for watching the sunset and sipping a cocktail accompanied by, perhaps, a bowl of Vickery’s signature oyster bisque.

The historic village of Mount Pleasant is also home to one of the most romantic restaurants in the region, the Old Village Post House ( http:// www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com/oldvillageposthouse ), which is part of the same illustrious group behind stellar eateries like High Cotton and Slight North of Broad. This handsome old inn also contains six charming, reasonably priced guest rooms. Weekend brunch and nightly dinner are both outstanding here, with dishes like Memphis dry-rubbed, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, and salt-and-pepper fried shrimp with smoky-blue sauce.

Where to Stay One of Charleston’s most playful and interesting accommodations, the Vendue Inn ( http://www.thevendue.com ) occupies a few connected 18th-century warehouse buildings near Waterfront Park and bills itself “Charleston’s Art Hotel” – there’s even an artist-in-residence program.

The distinctive rooms feature original, often abstract contemporary works; many have large walk-in showers and gas fireplaces. Be sure to pop up to the sunny Rooftop for a cocktail, and to soak up some of the best views in the city.

The stately mid-19th-century Mills House–A Wyndham Grand Hotel ( http://www.millshouse.com ) is a pink beauty that rises seven stories above the central intersection of Meeting and Queen streets. The classic but contemporary rooms sparkle with Charleston-inspired reproduction antiques and modern perks like 36-inch LCD TVs and ergonomic work desks and chairs; some rooms have balconies, and others have French doors that open to the stunning hotel pool and sundeck. Enjoy breakfast in the sunny Fountain Courtyard of the Barbadoes Room restaurant, which is also a romantic venue for dinner and drinks.

The city has a few gay-owned B&B, including 4 Unity Alley ( http:// www.unitybb.com ), a gem hidden down a tiny alley off historic Bay Street. This 18th-century former colonial warehouse contains airy, lightfilled rooms with fine antiques. Keep in mind that the four guest rooms here often book up quickly, so it’s wise to book well in advance.

Another of the swankiest addresses in town is the romantic Market Pavilion Hotel ( http://www.marketpavilion.com ), which is close to the riverfront and abounds with cushy furnishings and fine artwork. Grill 225 turns out delicious lowcountry steak and seafood. Around the corner, the five-story Harbourview Inn ( http://www.harbourviewcharleston. com ) is a handsome property with soaring ceilings, exposed-brick walls and four-poster beds (many accommodations overlook the Cooper River).

The complimentary perks are many: Continental breakfast delivered to your room, afternoon wine and cheese, evening milk and cookies, local walking tours and Wi-Fi. Andrew Collins produces the website GayTravel.About.com and writes about travel for a variety of LGBT and mainstream publications.

If you’ve spent the afternoon at Boone Hall or Sullivan’s Island, backtrack to downtown Mount Pleasant for a stroll through the relatively new Shem Creek Park, a stunning wetland sanctuary traversed by more than 2,000 feet of boardwalk. Adjacent to the park, Vickery’s ( http://

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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Book Review

The Frivolist - Reading Rainbow 10 LGBT Books to Bide Your Time Until Summer

By Mikey Rox Since Punxsutawney Phil went and ruined all our plans for an early spring, we’ve got a couple more weeks of winter to endure. That makes this the perfect time to stay indoors, curl up on the couch, and whisk yourself away to Fantasy Land with these fresh LGBT literary finds.

‘Illusions’ by S.A. Ozment Does coming out in Hollywood hurt your career? Some stars say yes (Rupert Everett will talk your ear off about it), while others have gracefully transitioned from working actor in the closet to still-working actor (with even better roles) out of it.

That’s just one of the facets of “Illusions,” a story about television star Skylar Murphy who’s poised to make it big – but not without a few complications along the way. Skylar’s life is turned upside down when he meets Aiden Moore, an openly gay firefighter, at a launch party for his new show. But while Aiden initially rejects Skylar (something he’s not used to), fate keeps their paths crossing when Skylar is the victim of an arson that sets of a threatening chain of events.

‘Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me’ by Mary McKinley Snow day have your teen stuck inside? Hand them a copy of “Beau, Lee, The Bomb, & Me,” author Mary McKinley’s debut young adult novel that confronts several topical issues like obesity, bullying and being gay. When the going gets tough, Rusty Winters – a sarcastic but vulnerable girl with a wicked wit – finds solace in her friends, including new kid Beau Gales, whose welcome to town isn’t so warm, as they set off on a road trip to escape the harsh realities at home.

‘The Conscious Sexual Self Workbook’ by Melissa Jebian Fritchle Consider “The Conscious Sexual Self Workbook” an anti-“Kama Sutra.” Because rather than focus on the sexual relationship between you and your partner, this handy guide encourages you to explore your own sexual history, values and desires. Are you truly in tune with what you want from the intimacy you experience? Are you missing out on erotic situations because you’re embarrassed or hesitant to explore? Let your guard down and pursue a better sex life that starts with you.

‘Ladyboy and the Volunteer’ by Susanne Aspley Susan is like any other new graduate who jets off to Southeast Asia to “find herself” – naïve. Initially she fills her downtime while volunteering in Thailand with typical American recreation – drinking; trying to find a tall, dark and handsome Western man in a sea of shorties – but when she crosses paths with transgender Thai prostitute Christine, her world gets a whole lot bigger as the two embark on adventures with a cast of quirky characters and life-changing events.

‘Now and Yesterday’ by Stephen Greco Much is made about romantic relationships between partners with a noticeable generational gap – can we stop calling the older guy “daddy” already, please? – and Stephen Greco’s new novel explores the modern nuances of these gay partnerships and what it takes for them to succeed. The reader hears both sides of the fictional love story of 28-year-old literary hopeful Will and the getting-up-there Peter within the backdrop of New York City past and present.

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‘The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell’ by William Klaber How do you make it in a man’s world if you’re a woman? When it’s 1855 and women’s rights are all but nonexistent, you dress like a dude and take what’s yours. That’s what the real-life Lucy Lobdell did on the frontier just as the Gold Rush was coming to an end. But her decision to leave her young daughter and family behind in search of a better life has bitter consequences – like public scorn, physical violence and answering to the law. This fictional take on Lobdell’s life includes newspapers articles and sources from the true life of this courageous woman who was way ahead of her time.

‘Roadkill’ by Alexandra Allred You can pick up the new YA novel-nomenon du jour about a not-so-distant dystopian future – seriously, is society doomed to a life of depression? – or you can pick up this murder-mystery series starring Allie Lindell, stay-at-home lesbian mom turned detective, which kicks off with “Roadkill.” There are three existing books in this serial whodunit with two more additions scheduled for release this summer and fall, respectively.

‘The Talk Show’ by Joe Wenke Celebrated New York Times reporter Jack Winthrop is in trouble. After agreeing to collaborate on controversial talk show host Abraham Lincoln Jones’ “Emancipation Tour,” he’s found himself in the crosshairs of a crazed stalker who’s putting everybody’s life in danger. Even Jones’ unconventional family – including Rita Harvey, the transgender ex-priest and LGBT activist; Slow Mo, the larger-than-life vegetarian bouncer; Donna the stripper; and Jones’ lover, media expert Danielle Jackson – are targets of the madman. Can Winthrop uncover the truth before it’s too late? Put on your investigative specs and get lost in this fast-paced and gritty thriller by Joe Wenke.

‘The Manservant’ by Michael Harwood While all your sexually deprived and desperate friends are lining up in the cold for the film version of “50 Shades of Grey,” you can stay cozy in the comfort of your own home with “The Manservant,” a modern-day comedy of manners based on the audacious experiences of Michael Hardwood, personal chef to Britain’s aristocracy. For this fictionalized tale, dive into the down-and-dirty world of a dashing butler who discreetly carries out his master’s requests – and, yes, it includes a paddle.

‘The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know’ by Brent Hartinger Russell Middlebrook – who you may remember as the protagonist of Brent Hartinger’s 2003 novel “Geography Club” (there’s now a film adaptation, too; great pick for LGBT movie night with your friends) – returns in “The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know,” the first in a new series for adults. At age 23, Russell’s living in trendy Seattle but lacks the direction and drive that seems to come easy to his friends. Enter blast-from-the-past Kevin, his high school boyfriend; eccentric screenwriter Vernie Rose, who’s vying for Russell’s attention; and Gunner, Russell’s BFF ready to set out on a search for Bigfoot. Each give Russell a lot to think about.

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Underneath It All

Gwen Stefani on ‘late’ introduction to gay community, teaching her kids individuality and why she’s politically private

 photo by Daniel Sannwald

By Chris Azzopardi From bed in her Los Angeles home, Gwen Stefani insists she doesn’t mind doing her first gay press interview in a decade on her day off. “I love talking about myself,” the No Doubt frontwoman says, giggling.

Set to release her third solo album this spring, Stefani rang to open up about her “late in life” introduction to the gay community, the lesson she’s teaching her boys when she paints their nails and how hubby Gavin Rossdale has broadened her worldview.

GC: You were raised Roman Catholic in infamously conservative Orange County. Considering this upbringing, what was your introduction to the gay community?

GS: Oh, that’s a really good question. I’m going back in my brain. When did I get introduced? I think my first friend that I had was Mathu Andersen – that was pretty late in life. He’s a makeup artist that I met doing the “Ex-Girlfriend” video (in 2000), and he was with this guy Zaldy, a designer who’d eventually work on L.A.M.B. with me. Then Mathu introduced me to Danilo, who ended up being my hairdresser, who introduced me to Gregory Arlt, my (current) makeup artist.

These guys have become some of my closest friends over the years, and also the team that have helped me creatively on so many levels. It’s interesting how it feels. All the people that I’ve met in the gay community in my particular life have just been very creative people and people that have just been friends to me in a way that I haven’t had in my life before that.

It’s hard to put into words. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s interesting because we can talk about so many things that we are all interested in and yet it’s different from having a guy friend or a girlfriend. It’s like having a creative partner.

GC: When No Doubt first hit the scene, you were known for your tomboy image. Because of your style, were there times you were mistaken as a lesbian?

GS: I don’t remember there ever being too many rumors about that. I think everybody knew my story, because when Tragic Kingdom came out I had broken up with Tony (Kanal), so everybody knew that “Don’t Speak” and all those songs were about that, so I think that’s probably why (there weren’t rumors). I was so young when all that started. I mean, I started the band when I was 17.

GC: The way you’ve personally subverted gender norms seems to have influenced your three boys. You’ve gone with

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your oldest, Kingston, to get manis; also, he wore a tutu on his birthday. As a parent, how important is it to you to show your kids that there’s no wrong way to express themselves?

GS: It’s one of those things where, it’s not like I don’t think about it, but they’re used to being around me, and I’m always doing my hair, makeup, nails. Their whole life is, like, sitting on my lap while I’m doing that surrounded by three gay men who are on me the entire time. (Laughs) It’s just normal for them.

What I like to say is that being unique and original is what makes me happy, and I think that rubs off on them. My sons did nails just the other day, and the only reason was because their nails were so disgusting!

Like, they were in the mud and I was like, “We have got to do your nails! Why don’t we do ‘Nail Salon’?!”

I literally have 400 bottles of nail polish, so they took them all out and put them all over the bathroom. We really played “Salon” and we did tiger stripe nails. I said to Kingston, “Are you sure you wanna do pink, because you’re gonna go to school tomorrow? Are you sure you’re not gonna be embarrassed?” He said, “No, I don’t care; it’s a cool color.”

I just love that. It’s really important more than anything else to not be talked into something, to stand your ground and to be able to be strong about what you feel. That’s what I like and that’s what I want them to learn – that being individual and being unique is important. Don’t be scared of that. I don’t want them to try to be like everyone else, and at that age, everybody just wants to have the same shoes everybody else has, and I don’t really like that. If they do want to, I’ll support that as well. You just want them to be happy. It’s a short life and it goes by so quick.

GC: In 2012 you designed a marriage equality shirt for Target that said “Love Is Love.” What inspired you to raise awareness for marriage equality?

GS: Overall in my life I’ve been shy to be too politically 40

active in any kind of way. I’m a Libra. I’m all about balance; I’m not about confrontation. I feel like I’m sort of rebellious, but you said it – I grew up in a Catholic family. I was the peacemaker of the family. I just wanted everybody to be happy. So, taking a stand was – I mean, obviously I have my feelings about things, but I’m subtle about it.

That shirt was not meant to be a big statement. It can work for that, but it doesn’t have to be for that. It wasn’t meant to be like, “Oh, I’m making a huge statement here.” What I’m saying is that this shirt can work for anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do and what you think – love is love. Take it whichever way you want to take it.

GC: In the spirit of the emoji-filled “Spark the Fire” single, what’s your most used emoji?

GS: These days, luckily, they have a little spark and fire and cloud emoji, so I’ve been using those a lot. The thing is, they’re right up my alley. Emojis are the perfect thing. Like, of course we have to have those!

GC: I’m surprised you didn’t invent them, actually.

GS: I wish that I did. I feel like they invented them for me. (Laughs) GC: Pharrell called “Spark the Fire,” which he co-wrote and produced, a feminist anthem, but you say otherwise. What does that song mean to you?

GS: Yeah, for me, it’s not a feminist anthem. Our relationship is so interesting.

I say to him, “You are so talented and incredible; how do you come up with this stuff? It’s blowing my mind.”

And he’ll say to me, “It’s you.

I wouldn’t have come up with this unless I got the energy you gave me that night.” And I didn’t do anything! It’s so weird. His interpretation of me is: He thinks that I need to be the torch for feminism.

(But the song) was so perfect for my story – for what I was feeling in my own personal life – that I didn’t even get it as a feminist anthem. I thought it was just about me! I was just feeling me.  photos Daniel Sannwald

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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with being on (The Voice),” and then Pharrell happened to be there and then we had a song.

Everything that happened since I got pregnant, including getting pregnant, has been a complete surprise, and it’s awesome.

I love that I didn’t know any of this was gonna happen, and now I’m plopped into this new chapter. I feel like I’m on a journey and I’m at a totally different point in my life, and it just feels good to be doing something completely different, new and unexpected.

GC: Everyone’s always surprised you’re 45. And it’s true – you look half your age.

What’s your secret?

GS: (Laughs) Thank you! I do not have any secrets. I’m doing what everyone else is doing – just trying to make it last as long as possible on all levels.

What’s so weird is, it works on two levels, but it’s very personal for me. If it’s working for (feminism) as well, that’s awesome.

But with “Just a Girl,” too, I wasn’t trying to make a statement at all when I wrote that song. I never even thought that anyone would hear the song. I was just making a personal statement about my life, about me, and I feel like this is the same thing. It’s really about me, my journey and where I’m at in my life. It’s just very personal. I love the fact that it kind of has two faces. But it’s funny, because he’s so fired up about it. Watching my journey, he knows a lot about me personally that maybe not everyone knows, so he sees me in a different way as well. He sees me as being really strong, and I  photo Vijat Mohindra don’t really see that as much.

It’s really an incredible relationship that we have and a surprise that I would be hanging out with him so much again (after “Hollaback Girl” in 2004).

GC: There are obviously lots of gays who adore you, but how aware are you of all the gay love for your hubby, Gavin Rossdale?

GS: Girls and guys love him because he’s a beautiful person.

The thing about him is, growing up in London – it’s such a cool place to grow up because there is so much freedom there, and there’s so much exposure to so many different people and art.

It’s just a different way of growing up compared to (my) growing up in Anaheim. With all the music that we grew up to – and the British invasion and Vivienne Westwood and everything that I love about London in the ’80s – it’s been really amazing to be able to have a friend and lover like Gavin because he is from London. He’s a smart, interesting person, and he’s this connection to something I was a fan of growing up and getting to know London, where I think so much music and fashion has come out of, and which has so much history for me.

GC: Let’s take it back to No Doubt’s “Staring Problem” and all those “cute girls” who made you jealous. These days, who can’t you stop staring at? Who are your girl crushes?

GS: I’m not feeling a girl crush right now. I really am not.

I’m sorry! There’s nobody. But I have to say that I like a lot of the new Taylor Swift. There’s a few songs on that record that I like and she’s a good songwriter. Charli XCX is a very good songwriter too – she wrote songs for my record – and who else?

I mean, my favorite all-time girl songwriter is Joni Mitchell, but I wouldn’t say I have a girl crush on her. (Laughs) GC: After 2012’s “Push and Shove,” No Doubt postponed their tour to make new music because you said you were feeling inspired at that time. But then there was no new music and no tour the following year. What’s the story there? What derailed plans for a new No Doubt album and tour?

GS: I got pregnant, so I was blessed by my little Apollo. That was something that I wasn’t planning. We were in the studio, I got pregnant, and I was very sick during the pregnancy so I didn’t do anything. I was designing and doing stuff from home, and then I had the baby, and then four weeks later The Voice called.

So, you’re caught up to date to today: I did the (upcoming) record because I couldn’t do a No Doubt record that quick – there was no way – so I was like, “Let’s do some new music www.gaycalgary.com

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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Michelle Visage Comes To Calgary!

Drag Race Judge on Battle of the Seasons’ Tour and Season 7  photo by Mathu Andersen

By Jason Clevett At the time of our interview, in late December, Michelle Visage was a woman with many secrets that she could not tell. Not yet announced for Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, and sworn to secrecy about the taping last year of Season 7, she still had lots to say when we caught up over the phone. Visage comes to Calgary February 13th and Edmonton February 14th, and returns as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race March 2nd on OutTV. “I am a Virgo and Italian – for me loyalty is everything. Our word is bond, so it is not hard to be quiet about things at all. It is always a joke with girls on the tour, because they will bring up names of people who I know are going to be on the show, and I go who? and they start cracking up. No matter who they say – whether they are on the show or not, or they know that I know them – I just say who? I am not ruining the magic. Sharon Needles doesn’t want to hear about it or know about it; she likes to be surprised and so do I.” Since the interview there have been several announcements about Season 7. Santino is off the regular judging panel, Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley join Ru and Michelle.

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“Honestly I can’t say much because I am under contract and [of] my loyalty to the show. I can tell you from going through it, every season is different and I say every year it’s really different; it’s not like any other season. I feel like a dumbass because of course it is different – it is different girls. Every season has a different energy. Season 6 was so different for me, and Season 7 is even more so. It is amped up and they have made a lot of changes. I guess they felt it was time to switch things up a little bit. I think a lot of people are going to be happy and surprised; it is an eyegasm for sure. It is so beautiful to look at.”

The guest judges were also a mystery. Season 7 will feature stars like Jessica Alba, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and John Waters, among others. There remain several stars that have yet to appear that fans and Michelle hope to see.

“There are always the standbys we would love to see, like Dolly Parton, Cher and Lady Gaga, who always tweets all the time when are you going to have me on? She is always the first one asked along with Madonna and the rest of the gay crew. When you tour 24/7, 365 days, it is almost impossible to be a guest judge. Every time we shoot Gaga is on tour. I would love more than anything to have these people guest judge. It is always a matter of scheduling, which is never easy with superstars.”

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As has been stated by several queens in our series of interviews leading up to BOTS, most of the queens in Season 7 are unknowns, even to Visage.

“I think that RuPaul looked at every single audition tape and she chooses these queens. She knows who is ready and right, and what RuPaul is looking for. There is always a method behind the madness for Ru. I leave that up to Ru and his judgment, because he knows what the fuck he’s doing. I knew of two or three of them before the show but I didn’t know them. So for me that was exciting. In seasons past I’ve known some girls.

It doesn’t effect my judging when I know them; it’s my job on the show. For example, All-Stars. I am really good friends with Manilla and Raven and Ju Ju, but judging is judging. It was refreshing for me to say I’ve never seen 98 per cent of these girls. That is exciting to me. I don’t even know if they have connections to anybody, because I am not privy to their storylines. I see it at the same time you do and I like it that way.”

What Visage does not like is when the queens do not come prepared. One such example is Trinity, who consistently complained about challenges in Season 6.

“I roll my eyes, which says it all – doesn’t it? Eye roll, eyebrow, get your shit together or girl, bye. We know it may not be your thing. If I was on the show and had a sewing challenge I would bomb. But I would be damned if I was going to let anyone see me sweat, whine, bitch, complain or fail.

I would do everything I could do with that hot glue gun and a fucking stapler. I would stick glue that shit together if I had to. You fought so hard to get there – you know there is snatch game – that you will have to act, you might have to sing and have to sew. You don’t go on Project Runway and go Oh my god I didn’t know I was going to have to do that challenge. You know what it is you are going to have to do! When a queen says it’s not their strong suite, we get it. But we don’t want to hear it. In the end, Trinity is a fierce queen and she pulled it out. It is about breaking it down and building it back up. It happens with everybody. Watch the cycle of them trying hard, failing, beating themselves up, and then rising from the ashes like a phoenix. It is amazing to watch, and so rewarding. She came out a victor.”

When the Battle of the Seasons’ tour comes to Alberta, fans will see some of the top queens from the show perform. But for every superstar, there are others that have quickly faded to obscurity. It frustrates Visage to see people not take every advantage of the opportunity.

“When I get in a bad way or upset – and it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers – what ruffles my feathers the most is when I see a queen from our show not being humble or grateful. Our time in the world is so short lived. The fact of the matter is this: before the show, you were working in a bar for maybe $50 to $150 a night, plus tips, which is great. People are lucky to have a house bar. It ruffles my feathers when the girls blow their fans off, or have a fucking attitude, or are pissy or drunk... whatever the situation is. I try to remind them that the moment is now. It really is right now. If you don’t live in this moment it’s going to be gone tomorrow. I see our show going on another ten years. Does Logo? Does the world?

That has yet to be seen.

I think we have plenty of queens and lots of places we can take it. But what if the show ended tomorrow? Where would these girls be? What are they doing to further their lives and their careers? That is what I mean by living in the moment. There is a little bit of planning and practicality, but you are setting up your future by the way you act today. It has affected them all in different ways. Some of them take it  photo by Jose Guzman Colon

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and can’t handle it, and it goes up their nose, down their throat or to their head. Then there are the ones that realize they will never get this opportunity again. They save every penny, work their ass off, and never complain. It is really up to the girl on how she takes it, and I am usually there to be the annoying black crow on their shoulder saying you’re fucking up – don’t do this. I can only say my piece when I am with them, and hopefully they get the point to do the right thing, but they are all adults in the end. It has affected them in every way possible and is the single best thing that is going to happen to them in their career as a drag queen. Then it is up to them to see how they can prolong it and take it to the next step, like a RuPaul or a Dame Edna.”

As host of the show, Visage has many roles to play.

“I am the glue. That is the best way to put it. Somebody has got to hold them together and be able to tell it like it is. These kids are talented, but they are also artists, and sometimes they get into their own head and can’t pull themselves out of it. They had a good performance and are on a high, or a performance they weren’t too happy about and they come down too hard on themselves. I am a mom to them on the road, but also the ringleader, and glue that holds it all together. I do it because of my passion and love for the art of drag. This is my best friend’s show and I am representing it. I am out there on the campaign trail. I want people to get the right message, and going out the right way that they are understanding the message we are bringing. It is important to me to see the reactions of the fans and how this show, and the art form of drag, changes lives. I have been involved in the community since I was 17 years old. Drag queens were the pariahs. They were the jokes and outcasts of the community. To see my best friend do a complete 180 on how the world looks at drag has been so rewarding for me to be a part of it. Why wouldn’t I do it? I love what I do and what these kids do. They are so incredibly gifted and talented; being able to be around that energy and magic keeps me going. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Yeah, there are movies and TV and Broadway and all of that, but doing this on a day to day basis is a blessing.”

She is excited to meet fans.

“One thing I see, especially in Europe, is they try to push them through quickly. I tell owners, before I do my Meet and Greets, that I don’t do the one second picture and throw them out. I like to talk to people, ask their name, hug them; look them in the eyes when I talk to them. You always get that when you meet me. The cocktail party is so wonderful because we almost come in waves. I am usually the first one there and the last one to get out because I can be. The queens have to change their looks after the party, but they spend time and we are hanging out. It is lovely, and a very different atmosphere than your standard meet and greet.”

A few tickets remain in both cities… the countdown is on! Visage promises a night you won’t forget.

“This is unlike anything you have ever seen. You have some of the best performers ever to grace the RuPaul’s Drag Race screen – all on one stage doing multiple numbers. It is a night you will never forget. It is worth every penny; you get eight girls in one show! You are going to be so happy and remember it forever. This is taking the bar show to another level: to a theatre production. It is a two-hour plus show at the theatre, video elements, live performances – most of these kids sing live and you get to see their true talent and that’s what I love about it. It isn’t just getting up there and lip-synching and collecting dollars.

It is showing their craft. It is like going to see Lady Gaga or Madonna. Not at that level, I am not that asinine, the bravado is not that large. I can tell you I am really proud of them and what they do every day. I am constantly blown away. If I had tear ducts, I would have tears in my eyes.”

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Luck of the Drawers

 Teamm8 Nations brief

By Max Jiminez You don’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day for a friendly leprechaun to share his charms with you. If you’re looking to get lucky, here are some sexy green briefs that might do the trick at landing you your trick.

Teamm8 Nations brief The Teamm8 Nations brief ensures guys look their best from the locker room to the field with its lean cut and fly front. Made of soft, stretchy cotton with 5% Elastane, the gear feels great against the skin and offers a supportive fit. The vibrant green against white waistband and piping adds a fun edge to the

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collection that celebrates the leading nations of the world. The Green brief is available for team BRASIL, team MEXICO and team ITALY. Team of your choice is emblazoned proudly on the briefs bottom. $29.00/ http://wwwLAJock.com Addicted Push Up brief

Who knew color could make such a difference?

Addicted, that’s who, and their vibrant lime green Push up brief will get you feeling minty fresh all day long. Soft and smooth against the skin, the Push Up has all the makings of the perfect low rise, offering sexy stylings, full coverage and a fantastic fit. It’s is an all-occasion underwear, when a splash of color and a

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 Addicted Push Up brief

 James Tudor Retro brief

 Teamm8 Nations brief

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 James Tudor Retro brief

 Timoteo Athlete Jock

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James Tudor Retro brief

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The James Tudor line of Retro Briefs for men combine retro styling with sporty piping to create a classic yet fresh looking pair of briefs. Made from 95% Cotton and 5% Lycra, the new collections offers the great blend of comfort and fit we’ve all come to expect from the James Tudor collections, but most

Timoteo’s Athlete Jock Army Green with Black binding combines extreme sexiness with the ultimate level of support and style. Proudly made in the USA, Timoteo’s unique blend of cotton spandex guarantees a great fit and stretch, and the jock features the classic Timoteo waistband. Perfect for the gym or a night out. $21.00/ http://www.Timoteo.net

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Interview

The Many Faces of Amy Acker

Catching up with the ubiquitous actress known for stealing hearts

By Mars Tonic Who hasn’t Amy Acker been? The woman is an utter chameleon.

Underneath that calm, quiet and sweet interior lays a cunning and ruthless shape shifter. Or, you know, she’s just a really good actress.

Amy Louise Acker, born in Texas, can currently be seen in the thrilling television series Person of Interest, in which she was recently upgraded to a regular series role. The show surrounds the existence of a program simply called ‘the Machine’, which identifies people who are soon to commit serious crimes. The show boasts an impressive cast, Acker included. Her role is named Root, a hacker and a hired killer who acts as a mysterious intermediary for the Machine. Root is impossible to look away from; she burns with an odd sort of intensity, rare for television.

Acker has been a cable regular seen since the late ’90s perhaps, most notably, in several Joss Whedon projects, colloquially referred to as the ‘Whedonverse’. Her character Winnifred “Fred” Burkle in Angel, as a talented and beautiful physicist, stole a lot of hearts back when the series was on air, and since then Joss hasn’t really let her go. She popped up again in Dollhouse, Cabin in the Woods and, more recently, in Marvel’s Agents of SHEILD. Acker has also enjoyed steady appearances on a variety of different shows, like Once Upon a Time. Did you watch Wishbone when you were a kid? Yeah. She was there. She’s everywhere.

She was also at the Edmonton Expo this September, meeting and greeting fans, signing autographs, and generally being lovely. Her manner is quiet, intelligent and kind, but her sense of humour is far from that of a shrinking violet’s. We were able to discuss with her past projects, her place in fandom, and even a dark comedy that she has lined up (which, frankly, we are all dying to see).

GC: Your face is all over the Whedonverse! Joss likes to work with you, obviously.

AA: I’m very lucky. I’m very happy about that. I hope it stays that way for a long time.

that were brought up, and I’m curious to see – it feels like a show that might have longevity, on DVD and stuff, as different technology appears.

GC: Well, Joss does have that thing where he will have a series, and then it becomes a comic, and then it kind of keeps going...

AA: Yes he does!

GC: You’re on Person of Interest right now. What’s it like being on that

show, as well as being surrounded by other amazing actors?

AA: I love being on Person of Interest. It’s just a great cast and we have amazing writers. Jonathan Nolan, who created it, is incredible. It’s such a fun show, and I think a lot of people thought that it was a procedural drama on CBS, and it’s really this very interesting sci-fi show that has explored so many different things. I get to work with amazing people, like Michael Emerson and Sarah Shahi. It’s a really fun job and we have a lot of really cool stuff coming up for this year.

GC: Do you have any other projects coming up, beyond the new Person of Interest episodes?

AA: I do have a movie that my husband and a group of friends all produced that Tribeca bought – called Let’s Kill Ward’s Wife – that our friend Scott Foley wrote. That’s a very, very dark comedy. Basically, it’s about... a group of friends who don’t like their friend’s wife!

GC: I think we can all relate to that too.

AA: [Laughing] … I’m just glad that they didn’t cast me as the wife

they killed.

That, hopefully, will never be the case. I think we can all agree that Amy Acker went through enough horror in Cabin in the Woods.

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GC: One of the roles we really, really liked you in was Dollhouse, which was an interesting character, of course, but what was it like being on Dollhouse itself? It was so different for being a network TV show, and just completely off-the-charts strange in some cases.

AA: I think that was actually one of my favourite parts that I’ve played.

Often I’ll look back, or I’ll see pictures or DVDS [of the show] and I agree with you, it was such a different show. I kind of feel like I want to go back and think about it all over again. There were so many interesting topics

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Beyond the Bon-Bon

Ricky Martin talks love life, shirtless selfies and how he’d react to having gay sons

 photos by Nino Muñoz

By Chris Azzopardi A single tweet changed Ricky Martin’s life, and then it changed the world.

When the internationally famed Puerto Rican heartthrob came out in 2010, declaring himself on Twitter “a fortunate homosexual man” who’s “very blessed to be who I am,” Martin, 43, stepped out of the closet and into himself. Reflecting the free life he’s currently basking in are the raw sounds and personal soliloquies on the singer’s 10th studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (To Whomever Wants to Listen).

In conversation, Martin is notably laid-back, sincere and personal as he opens up about how his six-year-long relationship with Carlos Gonzalez Abella inspired his latest music (“I love being in love”), what he’s really trying to convey with all his shirtless selfies and the “powerful” coming out stories the LGBT community shares with him. And whether he’s ruminating on his two sons or anticipating shaking his bon-bon with more male dancers onstage, his smile radiates even on the phone. This is a new, happier Ricky Martin, and yes, we’re listening.

GC: On behalf of the gay community, thank you for all you do. The world is a better place because of your shirtless selfies.

RM: (Laughs) Oh, man – thank you very much. I laugh so much at the reaction of the people; it’s so funny. It really is amazing.

GC: I get a kick out of it too. Are you more comfortable without clothes? Or do you feel it’s just your responsibility as a celebrated sex symbol?

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RM: I just want to let people know how normal my life is, and I try to do it with a simple picture – that’s what Instagram is about. So the other day I was laying in the sun and I was like, “Hey everyone, I’m here. I’m in a good place.”

You know, I’m a little bit obsessed with social media, to be honest. That’s the first thing I do in the morning. I check out my Twitter, my HeyHey account, Facebook and Instagram, and I read what people have to say and what they need from me as an artist. It’s fun, man.

GC: You’ve always been a sex symbol, but how does it feel being a sex symbol for a community of gay men who know you’re playing on their team? Is it different when there’s that mutual attraction?

RM: Listen, for me, it’s about liberty and it’s about being you – me, in this case – and living life with transparency and just being. It’s so amazing to know that you have nothing to hide, man. What you see is what you get. And this is me.

And I don’t wear a mask to go onstage, and the support that I’ve received from my community since I came out has been amazing. It’s one of those things that (makes) you say, “Oh my god, why didn’t I do this before?” But then again, Chris, you know how it goes – everybody accepts who they are at their own time. When I sent that tweet a few years ago just letting people know that I am gay it was the most amazing day of my life after the birth of my kids. And it is what it is.

Now my life is simple and honest and transparent, and this is me. And that’s what my social media’s about – being yourself.

GC: The ladies have obviously been infatuated with you since the beginning of your career – since you were in

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Menudo. But when did you first realize that LGBT fans enjoyed you as well?

RM: It’s always been there. Before I came out the love was there and I was very thankful. Now, when I got to work directly with the community once I came out, it went to another level and it’s felt amazing, but once again, just being able to talk to the media about who we are and what we want and what we need, it’s just so powerful. The equality slogan translates so easily in any language.

GC: A Quien Quiera Escuchar sounds like you at your most authentic. I hear your essence, your spirit, your zest for life.

How does it feel to be able to be yourself musically?

RM: When I started recording this album I had no idea what I wanted to talk about, which is completely different to what it was like in the past, when I said, “OK, I think I wanna get into the studio,” and I had a blank canvas in front of me and all I did was throw colors and started working with amazing producers, and they helped me. It was the most amazing psychoanalysis, to be honest, to work with other writers and co-producers who helped me to put myself in order.

I started recording this album exactly a year ago in Australia and then we went to Los Angeles and we recorded in Miami.

I also recorded in Puerto Rico. What I’m trying to say is that everything about this creative process was so organic and so relaxed, and I didn’t have pressure from anybody. I just allowed myself to open my book and I started reminiscing, remembering different experiences that I had in my personal life and being able to point out specific emotions that I’ve been through – not necessarily this year, but through my life. And then, I think, A Quien Quiera Escuchar was born, you know? I listened to it today and I’m like, “Wow – there is poetry and there is honesty in these lyrics.” And there are some powerful slogans that people are quoting through social media. People are gravitating to (these lyrics) and using them

and turning them into their own slogans. Once again, it’s about honesty.

It’s about vulnerability.

GC: How much of the music on this album was inspired by your own personal love life, particularly your time with ex-partner Carlos Gonzalez Abella?

RM: After six years of being in a very steady relationship with him, yes, we have a lot of stories and we have a lot of moments of love and lots of light and yes, he is part of this album. It’s not about what I’ve lived (through) this year that we broke up or even the last five years. It’s decades of allowing myself to really go back and remember specific relationships that really (affected) me in many ways. And it became music. It’s never too late.

GC: You’ll be touring all year across the world.

RM: I’m addicted!

GC: Live, do you still even perform “She Bangs”?

RM: If people ask for it, I will perform it. I would become the character in the video and I would perform it.

GC: You’ve always been flanked by female dancers. Now that you’re out and proud, does that mean that more male dancers get in on the mix?

RM: Hey, let’s be fair: Come on, it’s about equality, you know? And when I walk onstage I present different scenarios of life and, yes, I do have more one-on-one dancing with male dancers, but when you’re at a party, you just dance.

It doesn’t matter who’s next to you, you grab a guy’s or a girl’s hand and you just go for it. And that’s what my show is about. It’s about freedom. And it’s about being comfortable in your own skin.

GC: That must be a great feeling for you to be comfortable enough to dance with a guy in front of millions of people.

RM: It’s greaaaaat! And the reaction of the audience is even better! (Laughs)

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GC: Now that you’re back on the market, what is dating like for someone as widely known as Ricky Martin?

RM: (Laughs) Mmmm. To be honest, I love being in a relationship, Chris. I love waking up in the morning and, if you’re not with your boyfriend, (sending) that first message or text in the morning: “Hey baby, how ya doing? I hope you’re fine. I just woke up. I’m doing this and this and this today.” I loooove that. I really do. And I love picking up my phone and waiting for that reply from that text – it’s great.

But at the same time, right now, I’m enjoying being single.

I’m enjoying this process. I’m not saying that I don’t want to be in a relationship – I would be lying to you. I love being in love.

GC: You strike me as the hopeless romantic type.

RM: I am, I am, I am! You’re damn right about that.

GC: How often have men used a pickup line on you that references your bon-bon?

RM: Ohh, man. If someone goes there I’d be like, “Dude, you gotta start again. I’ll give you another chance because of your pretty face.” (Laughs) GC: Considering your own coming out experience, what would you tell your 6-year-old twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, if one or both were to come out to you one day?

RM: You know what, for us, at least in my family, that’s not an issue because that is the normal in my house. So if my kids ever tell me that they’re gay, I’ll be like, “Yeah?

OK, cool! Brilliant! Bring it on.” But it all starts from the day that we’re born, and every time they ask me questions about anything – Who’s your boyfriend? How come I had two daddies? – the important thing is to answer with honesty and transparency. And it doesn’t matter how old your kids are. If they are capable of formulating a question, it’s because they are capable of receiving the answer.

GC: Have you taught them the famous Ricky hip swivel yet?

RM: Oh, it’s in their blood, buddy. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s there. (Laughs) GC: As an out gay man with an enormous platform, what do you hope you’ve contributed to the LGBT community?

RM: I had the opportunity to write a book that is called Me and I’m very proud to say that it is a New York Times best-selling book. There have been people who’ve come to me and said, “Because of you and because of that book I know my father better, I know my grandmother, I know my uncle, my aunt, my sister, my brother.” And that’s it. I mean, I will always keep on talking about the importance of equality and basic human rights that we as members of the LGBT community are longing for, but to this day, and every day – the book was released about four years ago – I get a tweet or a Facebook post from someone saying, “Ricky, thank you so much for that book; it changed my life.”

GC: What do those stories mean to you?

RM: It tells me that my fears were just in my head and that I feel nothing but gratitude. And I get goose bumps, man, when I get these stories and these testimonies from people from all walks of life coming to me to say, “Listen, I was homophobic until I read your book.” It’s very powerful, and I’m very, very pleased.

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Photography Whistler Pride and Ski Festival 2015 http://gaycalgary.com/pa907

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Photography

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Photography Rupauls Drag Race Battle of the Seasons - 2015 Tour at Flames Central, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa904

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Photography Rupauls Drag Race Battle of the Seasons - 2015 Tour at Encore, Edmonton, http://gaycalgary.com/pa906

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Photography Winterfest 2015 at Evolution, Edmonton photos by Shae Guerin

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News Releases Children of Lesbian Parents do not show more Problem Behavior than Children of Straight Parents Dutch adolescents raised in planned lesbianparent families do not show significant differences in problem behaviors compared...

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News Releases Calling the Question: Is the Mormon Church Behind a Racist, Anti-Semitic and Anti-LGBT Bill?

CAP Report Shows Difficulties Faced by Transgender Homeless Youth in America Youth homelessness in America is nearing epidemic levels, and the problem among the transgender community is disproportionately...

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NSFW - Steam Room Stores: Top or bottom?

NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! Valentine’s Day With Topher!

The latest episode of Steam Room Stories has arrived and it tackles a topic often discussed by gay men before a hook-up. Steam...

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NSFW - New Andrew Christian Video! TWERK 101

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NSFW - Valentine’s Day in the Steam Room

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Is love blossoming in the Steam Room? Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Steam Room Stories has released its brand new episode celebrating...

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World’s First Transgender Board Launched by Thailand’s Leading Modeling Agency

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Calgary taking a united stand against bullying – Pink Shirt Day is February 25th

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NSFW - New titles from the Bruno Gmünder Group in March 2015

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1789

Production Wraps On Gay Murder Mystery “Kiss Me, Kill Me” Starring ‘Queer As Folk’s’ Gale Harold

New in March 2015 from Bruno Gmünder Group Visit their website today! ... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1796

Principal photography has ended on West Hollywood murder-mystery, “Kiss Me, Kill Me,” directed by Casper Andreas (“Going...

NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Do you know your sex score?

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1790

2015 is here and you’ve got a whole load of new Steam Room Stories episodes to enjoy.

Kicking off the year is new episode ‘Sex... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1797

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

61

Allan Oen, also known as Dyna Myte, has been doing drag on and off since he was 21. Born in Saskatchewan and raised on a farm, he moved to Calgary in 1995. You might know him best for his association with the Texas Lounge in Calgary, where he has been working for nearly fifteen years - owner, bartender, and unabashed work horse, doing a multitude of jobs within the bar.

When he has time, he performs; the Texas Lounge is known for raking in a lot of fundraising, both for regular performances and special events. Dyna Myte was the 30th Empress of Calgary and his reign in 2006 still holds the record for largest amount of money fundraised in one year by the organization.

When he can, he spends time with his four dogs. They’re a lot of work, a lot of fun, and their unconditional love helps keep him going. He and Wolfgang, his partner, have been together for just over fifteen years, and are now happily married.

A fundraiser for the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society is planned for his 40th birthday in June. “You have to be positive about age,” he said. “I think I enjoyed my thirties more than my twenties because I knew what I wanted.” He believes his forties are going to be the same way, and he’ll be able to do the things that he wants to do: staying healthy, staying positive, going to the gym and living well.

http://gaycalgary.com/pa917

62

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY

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10 12

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6

3

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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

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

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

 403-265-6200

• Curling

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

• Golf

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

14 Vinyl & Hyde (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

 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

Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

 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.

N

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

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 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 #136, March 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

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

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”

Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

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  Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 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

• Women’s Social Circle

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

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.  andrea@pridecentreofedmonton.org Women’s Social Circle: A social support group for all female-identified persons over 18 years of age in the GLBT community - new members are always welcome.

Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

Team Edmonton

 president@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.teamedmonton.ca Members are invited to attend and help determine the board for the next term. If you are interested in running for the board or getting involved in some of the committees, please contact us.

• Badminton (Mixed)

 St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

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

• Badminton (Women’s)

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

 badminton@teamedmonton.ca

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 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

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

67

Classifieds Event

140

The Fetish Slosh at the Backlot!

Come on down to the Backlot the 2nd Tuesday of every month for a no-cover Fetish party. Upcoming dates are November 13, December 11th, etc. You can dress up in Leather, Latex, cuffs, collars, or just your skivvies. Have the conversation you like without offending a vanilla in sight. The Backlot supports and promotes the alternative lifestyles of Calgary so feel free to express your KINK!

Wedding/Union

190

Magical Music DJs

Employment

240

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

270

Certified Personal Trainer

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

445

www.ABS-Hosting.com Make your mark on the Web... Create a blog, register a domain, build you personal website at www.abs-hosting.com

Erotic Massage

420

Upcoming wedding/event/trip/class reunion?

If you want to look/feel better, increase your strength/endurance/flexibility, I CAN HELP YOU! call/text me 4038263305 or email me j_d_short@hotmail.com

Consulting

527

Want to attract the LGBT local or traveler to your business?

UltimateMaleMassage.com Specializing in LGBT Weddings and Unions.

Everyone deserves the wedding they’ve always dreamed of with the person they love! Call us for a quote today 403.254.9754 Email: magicalmusic@shaw.ca Website: www.magicalmusicdjs.com

McDougall United Church (Edmonton), an Affirming congregation proudly performing same-sex unions or same-sex marriages since 1998. http://www.mcdougallunited.com

Employment

240

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

Help Wanted

240

GayCalgary Magazine is looking for salespeople, graphic designers, and writers in Calgary or Edmonton. For more info, contact: magazine@gaycalgary.com 403-543-6960

Best Erotic Male Massage In Calgary.

Studio with free parking. Deep Tissue and Relaxation. Licensed, Professional.

Video on website. 403-680-0533 mike@ultimatemalemassage.com

Products/Services 500

It’s not about special treatment. You can’t assume the LGBT person, or the straight person will follow the pack anymore. The LGBT market is becoming more and more aware of what organizations support them, and which ones don’t, ultimately sending them away from businesses and communities that do not recognize them or their lifestyle. Does your staff need LGBT sensitivity training? Want to attract the market but unsure how to proceed?

Local, Domestic, International, We can assist.

Check us out at http://blueflameventures.ca, Email us at info@blueflameventures.ca, Call us at 604-369-1472. Based in Alberta.

Bookkeeping

537

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Destination Location Style • Elopement Style • Quick and Legal • Formal or Stylish • Immediate or in the Future • Religion Free • Standard or Customized Ceremonies • Cross Cultural • Same Sex - LGBT-TTQ hilford@shaw.ca • 403-246-4134

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.

Ads starting at $10/mo. for the first 20 words. Submit yours at http://www.gaycalgary.com/classifieds 68

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

www.gaycalgary.com

Cleaning

517

GET A LIFE! Commercial Cleaning

Does your business need a professional cleaner? Steve is bonded/Insured. Flexible prices and brings all his own supplies. Steve is a part of the LGBT Community and has been cleaning for over 5 years in Calgary.

(403)200-7384 getalifecleaner@gmail.com www.getalifecleaner.com www.facebook.com/getalifecleaner

Health

550

Lose 15-22 Lbs in 30 days (average) Fight fatigue, have more energy and lose weight. Results backed by a 30 day full money back guarantee! You have nothing to lose but weight and I will be here to help you with any questions you have along the way! Also, great earnings potential for those looking to make extra $$$ from home. For More Info: clay1976. isagenix.com, 587-919-5744 (text or call) Mail replies to Box 1018 c/o GayCalgary, or E-mail box1018@gaycalgary.com.

Photography

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

www.gaycalgary.com

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #136, March 2015

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