DEC 15/JAN 2016
® ISSUE 145 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBTQ Community
Interview with
KYLIE MINOGUE
Joe Jonas
‘Flattering’ Advances
Bianca Del Rio A Holiday Treat
PLUS:
Whistler Pride Travel Feature - Whistler BC Judith Light • Sarah Paulson ...and more!
Business Directory
Scan to Read on Mobile Devices
Community Map
Calgary • Alberta • Canada
Events Calendar
Patrick Masse
country singer at Whistler Pride
Tourist Information
STARTING ON PAGE 47
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Table of Contents
DEC 2015/JAN 2016
®
Videography Photography Steve Polyak
Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, B&J Sales Steve Polyak Videography sales@gaycalgary.com Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino
Legal Council
Courtney Aarbo,Printers Barristers and Solicitors North Hill News/Central Web
General Inquiries ® GayCalgary Magazine Distribution
2136 17th Avenue SW Calgary: Gallant Distribution Calgary,GayCalgary AB, CanadaStaff T2T 0G3 magazine@gaycalgary.com Edmonton: Clark’s Distribution Other: Canada Post
Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Legal403-543-6960 Council Phone: Courtney and Solicitors Toll Aarbo, Free: Barristers 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 Salesmagazine@gaycalgary.com & General Inquiries E-Mail:
GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine This Month's Cover 2136 17th Avenue SW Main: Kylie Minogue, photoAB, by Will Baker. Top Right: Joe Calgary, Canada Jonas, photo by Meredith T2TTruax. 0G3 Mid Right: Bianca Del Rio, photo by Magnus Hastings. Bottom Right: Patrick Masse, photo Kaila Moore Office Hours: By byappointment ONLY Phone: 403-543-6960 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; Goudie. of: ProudRexMembers
Proud Members of:
Edmonton Rainbow Business Association
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Words from the Publisher
Fear, Confusion and End of 2015
“Adopt-A-Transgender” for Christmas
PAGE 14
13 Discussing Community Safety Dealing with the holiday blues
14 Patrick Masse Out Country Singer at Whistler Pride
16 Positive Thoughts HIV: Yep, It’s Still a Thing
17 The Authentic Life
Sarah Paulson on defying labels, pressure to be an LGBT activist and missing Jessica Lange
20 Bianca Del Rio A Holiday Treat
22 Deep Inside Hollywood
PAGE 17
Writers and Contributors
Mercedes Carey Rutherford, Allen, ChrisChris Azzopardi, Azzopardi, Dallas Constable Barnes, Andy DaveBuck, Brousseau, Dave Brousseau, Sam Casselman, Holly Maholm, Jason Clevett, Keith Johnson, Andrew Myles Collins,Helfand, Emily Collins, RomeoRob SanDiaz-Marino, Vicente, Steve Janine Polyak, Evaand Trotta, the LGBT Jack Fertig, Community Glen Hanson, of Calgary, Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Edmonton, Stephen andLock, Alberta. Neil McMullen, Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford, Romeo San Vicente, Ed Sikov, Nick Vivian and Photography the GLBT Community of Calgary, and Steve Polyak, Jeff & Brian, Kurtis Edmonton, Allan, Evolution Alberta.
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Ellen Page, Alan Cumming, ‘Jessica Jones,’ ‘Absolutely Fabulous’
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24 Whistler, BC
Gay Pride, skiing, snowboarding and so much more
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25 Whistler Cascade Lodge 26 Super Fly Ziplines
27 Whistler Pride 2016 30 All Grown Up
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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
Joe Jonas on gay clubbin’ with Nick, ‘flattering’ advances and how a Jonas Brothers reunion could ‘easily happen’
National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association
PAGE 24
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
Gay European Tourism Association
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Table of Contents Continued From Previous Page ® Magazine Figures
33 This Light of Ours PAGE 27
Actress Judith Light talks longtime LGBT advocacy, Transparent and how she ‘wanted to be like the gay community’
Kylie Minogue on her hot Christmases, ‘loyal’ gay fans and the lucky fella she’ll be kissing under the mistletoe
39 Queer Eye
History
44 News Releases
PAGE 30
47 Directory and Events 52 Classified Ads
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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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43 A Couple of Guys
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Editorial
Words from the Publisher Fear, Confusion and End of 2015 By Steve Polyak When you are on Facebook, Twitter and other social media, you see all sorts of manipulated information on what Canada is about. People seemed to have selectively forgotten that the first people in Canada did not speak English or French. If you are not from a First Nation Tribe, somewhere on your family tree, you will see you are an immigrant to Canada. Rob and I were both born and raised in Calgary, which is still seen as rare. My mom and dad left Hungary during the Hungarian revolution. They actually did not meet until they were living a house apart from one another in the Calgary Beltline. My dad told me some pretty awful stories of what it was like in Hungary, as soldiers came through towns and rounded up farm animals, and other belongings, during communism – since those things were shared across the community at a whole. When you don’t have a lot to start, it made it worse when you were left with nothing. Eventually my dad was able to leave Hungary and come to Canada, where he decided to be a farmer, in Kamloops, before moving to Calgary. My mom has departed some of her crazy stories of what it was like being poor, like going to the well every day for water, and hoping a wasp’s nest had honey in it, since they could not really afford sweets. My mom and my aunt came out to Canada without my grandmother. They lived with a close family friend who helped bring them out as part of the refugee program. My grandmother finally was able to make it out from Hungary with the help of the Canadian Red Cross. My aunt, grandmother and mom actually appeared on a cover of the Calgary Herald back in the late ’50s. When I was a lot younger, my dad would tell me how difficult it was adjusting to living in Canada prior to him marrying my mom. How retail stores would assume he had no money, or was a shoplifter; that he was dirty and should go back to where he came from. He said he struggled to buy clothes, since store employees would not give him attention, so he had to prove he had cash before he could buy things as simple as shoes. Close to 10 to 15 years before my dad passed away, it was interesting to see how his mind had changed. After telling me stories of how hard it was for him being a refugee to Canada, and how people treated him, I started hearing some pretty racist and homophobic words. As people began coming from
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other countries to Canada, he was making similar comments: that they should go back home to where they came from; that they should speak English; that those people were disgusting. Pretty much everything he told me about how people had treated him when he was new to Canada, he was now saying to all the new immigrants that were coming to the country after he did. Was his hypocritical opinion being influenced by other people? I know he listened to the radio a lot but, as I was a child at the time, I would have not paid attention to any fear or hatred that might have come from it. When I became an adult, I realized that a lot of the people he was listening to were people who appeared on Fox News and other conservative media outlets. Was his opinion also influenced by how he was brought up? Was it just part of the culture of the time? During the current refugee crisis, I noticed how poorly Hungarians treated the refugees trying to come in or through Hungary to other countries. Did they all have short-term memory loss of how many Hungarians fled to other countries back in the late ’50s? I did some research: after the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, over 100,000 Hungarian refugees came to Canada. To put that into perspective, Calgary’s population was at 181,780 in 1956. How many other people in Canada right now are doing the same thing – forgetting that at some point either they or their ancestors came to Canada as refugee or immigrant, struggling through the same hassles? I see the comments on Facebook from people that I know – straight or gay – commenting negatively on the Syrians coming to Canada as refugees. As someone who is born in Canada, to parents who left Hungary during its revolution, do I comment on their personal timeline or do I bite my tongue? I decided to stay quite on Facebook, because why fuel the fire of fear. How easy is it to explain that your father went through the same racist crap when he came to Canada but, even so, he grappled through it to attain a better life for himself and his future wife and kids. When I was in Grade 5 we were told that Canada is a cultural mosaic – a mix of ethnic groups, languages and cultures that coexist within society; and that the United States is a melting pot – a metaphor describing a fusion of nationalities, cultures and ethnicities, also seen as assimilation. Of course this is not a perfect world, and not everyone wants Canada to be a mosaic. But the idea of people being able to keep part of
Continued on Next Page
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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From Previous Page who they were before moving to Canada, and still be able to become a Canadian, is a nice direction. The LGBTQ community is also a culture on its own, with smaller subgroups inside of it – these contributing to the diversity of who we are as a whole. We are born this way, as the saying goes, but when homophobes attack and persecute us, we try to stand our ground and try to make change. As individuals, we sometimes need to get up and move to somewhere more accepting of who we are so we can live our lives the way we want. We may l distance ourselves from a family that does not accept us, or move away from a small town or village to a bigger city; we may leave our faith to join one that is accepting. So when we see people who were born in a country where they are now unsafe and wish to flee it, why should we say no to them when they are just wanting to live their lives too? The way I have always seen it, as long as we live a life that doesn’t hurt our self or others, then others should be able to do the same. Past Events November was mostly quiet but something that did stand out was the closure of Buddy’s Night Club in Edmonton. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the closing party but, from what we have been told, so many people came out for it that there was a two hour wait to get in. In the 12 years the magazine has been running, lots of bars have closed their doors. Some do it quietly, and some go out with a bang. When you see so many people show up to a closing party, you know some of them are there for the first time to finally see the place before the doors close, and others are there to reminisce. When a place has been around for a very long time, like the Calgary Eagle, Roost, Buddy’s, Detours, Arena, Boots, Prism, Boyztown and the Rekroom, it does feel like saying goodbye to a close friend for the last time. The Alberta Bear’s Singlet Party was extremely successful. The organizers said they sold 70 memberships and that guys from around Alberta – and even from BC and Saskatchewan – attended the event. Check out the photos in this edition. GayCalgary also attended the Goliath’s and the Texas Lounge 28th Anniversary. Past years have had really bad luck, with -25C or colder weather during their Anniversary party, but this year, though the weather was still cold, it did not keep a high volume of people from coming down and enjoying themselves. Opening Soon! So, Deva Dave’s new bar is called Le Bar at it is located at 318A 10th Street NW – close to the Safeway and Sunnyside LRT Station. They will be open before Christmas but they won’t be able to serve alcohol until the New Year. The menu so far consists of seasonal food and fresh assorted tacos. Check out their website at http://lebarcalgary.com/ . Backwards Nightclub is coming. They are still doing renovations to the place and want to ensure they don’t cut corners so, when they do open, everything will be ready to go. In March, 2007, we wrote an article called “Building a Bar: It’s not as easy as you may think” http://www.gaycalgary. com/a1998. It was written because people were complaining that my city needs a new Gay Bar. At the time it was written, we had a lot more gay and lesbian bars in Alberta than we do today. The last gay nightclub to open in the province was Evolution Wonderlounge in Edmonton, and their formula for a nightclub has been different than others, which has worked well for them.
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
Online Last Month Creep of the Week Pat Robertson
Thanksgiving is a particularly problematic holiday. I mean, not only do people try to cram the whole extended family into Grandma’s 900 square foot house, but the holiday promotes... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4904
The Frivolist - Mr. Manners 9 Ways NOT to Come Out at Holiday Time
Last year, I wrote a rather pointed column for the Frivolist called “9 Reasons Why Coming Out on a Holiday... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4906
The OutField
Rugby tackles homophobia
If you’re looking for a stereotypical macho sport, you don’t have to search further than rugby. A full-contact sport – without much protection – it’s got everything: brutal tackling.... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4907
Creep of the Week
Julio Gonzalez - Oh, Florida. You just love being horrible, don’t you?
Oh, Florida. You just love being horrible, don’t you? It’s not enough that if you do a Google news search for “Florida man” you end up with headlines like, “Florida... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4913
Hear Me Out
Janet Jackson, Patty Griffin, CHVRCHES, Lana Del Rey
Janet Jackson, Unbreakable With her nipple safely tucked away, Janet Jackson resurrects a bygone bondage-less sound that’s more Good Times than straight up sexy time. No “Would... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4915
Creep of the Week Ben Carson
Dear LGBT Community, This is a cease and desist letter regarding the accusation that Ben Carson is a homophobe. Stop such hurtful name calling at once. Carson himself declared... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4918
Deep Inside Hollywood
‘King Cobra,’ Cheyenne Jackson, Ben Whishaw, ‘Dirty Thirty’
King Cobra will bring you porn, murder and James Franco James Franco, in his seemingly never-ending quest to confer gayness upon himself via association, is producing what is... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4919
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The Frivolist
6 Ways to Lessen the Gut-Busting Effects of Your Holiday Binge
It is the season of gratitude and family, indulgence and indigestion. Embrace the former while ditching the latter with these actionable ways to limit your bellybulging binge... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4920
Creep of the Week Kevin Swanson
There are those who are your run of the mill anti-LGBT folks, and then there are the foaming at the mouth, screamin’ to the heavens, shoutin’ at the devil antiLGBT folks like... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4923
Screen Queen
My Own Private Idaho, Magic Mike 2, The Gift, Spy, Cinderella, Pitch Perfect 2, Aladdin, Rocky Horror Picture Show
My Own Private Idaho Two years before a drug overdose ended River Phoenix’s life in 1993, the dreamboat poeticized a tortured gay street hustler... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4924
Ten Reasons
Young Gay Men Should Visit Key West
While waiting for something “new” to open, don’t forget to check out the existing gay bars that work with GayCalgary Magazine like the Texas Lounge (Calgary), Backlot (Calgary), Evolution (Edmonton), and Woody’s (Edmonton). Also check out the gay events at gay friendly establishments like Broken City (Calgary), Cowboys Nightclub (Calgary); or events put on by Pure Pride (Calgary/Edmonton), Hot Mess (Calgary), Fruit Loop (Edmonton), ISCWR (Edmonton) and others that pop up throughout the province. To the New Year This is our final edition for 2015; our next edition will come out February 2016. Doing 11 editions per year just made things easier, since it just about impossible to get content together in time for January when everyone is away for the last week or so of December for the holidays. I have been working on a side project for GayCalgary – so watch for announcements in the New Year. This will be a great year for the magazine, with June 2016 being our 150th edition! It will be celebrated during Edmonton Pride, and the Canadian Rockies International Rodeo and Music Festival. Normally in our November issue you would see letters of congratulations and support throughout the magazine from community groups, businesses, politicians and so forth, but with the November 2015 edition being our 12th Anniversary and the 150th edition happening six months later, I decided to hold off with the letters and ads so they will appear in June to celebrate the bigger milestone. Finally, I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday and a Happy New Year!
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Two of my friends (Noah and Montgomery) approached me a few months ago and were asking my advice on some gay destinations. They are in their early 20s, live in West Hollywood,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4902
Creep of the Week James Dobson
During a recent episode of James Dobson’s Family Talk radio program, Dobson and his guests discussed the evils of transinclusive anti-discrimination laws. Such laws have been... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4927
Deep Inside Hollywood Transparent, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Caitlyn Jenner, ‘Disaster!’
Jonesing for Transparent Transparent’s second season is soon upon us, and when it arrives the Emmy-winning show will meet a Tony-winning actor: Cherry Jones. The acclaimed lesbian... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4928
and more!
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Editorial
“Adopt-A-Transgender” for Christmas By Holly Maholm We are nearly into the Christmas Season, and me being filled with Christmas Cheer, I have decided to show Scrooge “how it’s done” and reach out to those in need (well, a few of you, anyway). This is an offer which will not result in you receiving any additional presents (that’s Santa’s job, not mine), but if you are selected as one of the beneficiaries of my Christmas generosity, you will be grateful, nonetheless. I am a transgender (“TG”) woman, and a few years ago when I began my transition, I learned an amazing fact. Which is: That it sometimes happens (and by “sometimes,” I mean “much, much more often than it ought to”) that when a TG man or woman first “comes out” and announces to his or her family that, “Hey, I’m TG” a most unusual reaction can occur. The mother and/or father (or grandfather and/or grandmother) are sometimes heard to declare “Well, if that’s the case, then you are no longer my (son/daughter/grandson/granddaughter - as the case may be).” That TG person is told that he or she has been “disowned.” No longer a part of the family. No longer entitled to feel the love that comes from being part of a family. So I was shocked. “Can they do that?” I asked myself. Is “disowning” really a thing? (And if so, does Hallmark have a card for it? You know, a card with a picture of a cute, sad kitten on the cover, and then you open it up and you read “So sorry to hear your parents kicked you out of the house. Hope you find a new one soon!”) But the longer I went on with my transition, and the more TG people I got to know, the more I realized this was not so uncommon. Despicable, yes, but not uncommon. In fact, about a year ago I started being friends with a young TG woman in her early 20’s who was still living at home. But then, I heard she got kicked out of the house, so I called her, and she told me, yes, her parents had decided that – as far as they were concerned – they had a “son” and not a girl named “Sandy.” So here was Sandy, still in college and working part-time and trying to get an education so she could have a life and support herself, but still her parents stabbed her in the back, and threw her out. Well, those parents should not have been so hasty. Because Sandy – having nowhere else to go – promptly moved in with her boyfriend, who was a hard-working, ambitious young man trying his best to work his way up in the lucrative field of “marketing and distribution of illicit pharmaceuticals.” Just the sort of young man every parent wants for a son-in-law. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Now – a year later – Sandy’s parents have reconsidered and invited
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
her home, Sandy is back in school, and Sandy has moved on to a new, more stable boyfriend. So Sandy’s story has a happy ending, but still, I felt that a terrible injustice was being done. I could see there were still TG men and women being disowned by their families, but almost nothing they could do about it. I mean, when you own mother tells you “Get out” what do you do then? (Okay, you learn how to use a washer and dryer, but apart from that). Then, I started to get angry. I mean, how can anyone just declare some other member of the family to be a stranger? And I was angry because I could see how much both people would lose. The TG person loses a parent (maybe both parents), and the parents lose a child. So here is what I decided, and what my offer is. I am going to operate my own, personal “Adopt-A-Transgender” program this Christmas. I – being a TG woman in my “later years” (we won’t say how “late”), and having raised three daughters to happy adulthood am going to offer myself as a “Transgender-Adoptive-Parent.” So …if you are a TG person, and if you have been disowned by your parents or grandparents, then let me know. Because I am going to choose three of you to be my “Transgender-Adoptive-Daughters/Sons” for Christmas. We will get to know each other (over the phone and by email). And as Christmas gets closer, I will answer your emails, and stop what I am doing and listen to you (when you feel the need to talk). And on Christmas Eve, I will call you and tell you that you are loved, and on Christmas morning I will call you and you can tell me all about the presents you got (or wanted, anyway), and how happy you feel to be a part of a loving family (that one, great supportive family of people who share their love). So if this is “you” – a TG man or woman who has been disowned, reply to my website, and I will pick three of you (at random, the way all of us were “selected” to be TG). They can “disown” you all they want, but they can’t stop the rest of us from loving and caring for you.
Holly Maholm is a transgender woman who was a man. She is a graduate of Yale University and The Ohio State University School of Law. She worked as a senior attorney for a major sports marketing agency until she retired in 2004 and went into private practice. She is the author of the new holiday book Brave in Ribbons. For more information please visit: www. hollymaholm.com
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Community
Discussing Community Safety Dealing with the holiday blues By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone, and festive wishes to you all! I hope that you are enjoying the holiday season, and have had far too much turkey with family and friends. Although Christmas is an opportunity for fun, I know that for some it is a depressing time for various reasons. Whether it is money worries, relationship issues or something completely different, things in our lives sometimes spiral out of control and we struggle to deal effectively with our thoughts, feelings and emotions. We feel stressed. Stress is our body’s physical, mental and emotional response to change, and it is a normal reaction to the demands of life. However, being under too much stress can seriously affect our physical and mental wellbeing. Our mental or psychological health plays a significant role in our ability to enjoy a happy and productive life. Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave, so staying mentally healthy and well should be top priority. Mental health covers a wide range of feelings, behaviours, abilities and conditions. One in five Canadians will deal with a mental health condition at some time in their life and, even though most mental health issues are treatable, only about one third of people seek help. Believe me, I know first-hand about stress and mental health. There is no weakness in admitting that things are getting too much, and seeking professional help in order to help you cope. Here are some other tips that you may find useful:
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• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. • Get active! Exercise regularly, go for a walk, take the stairs. • Make time for sleep and get a good night’s rest. • Know what triggers stress for you, and add healthy coping tools to your routine. In addition to this, always know that there are people who love you and care about you. If you use social media to tell the world how depressed you are then there is every likelihood that somebody will call the police and tell us that they are concerned for your welfare. If that is the case, then we have an obligation to ensure your safety, so we will be making every effort to see you and establish your mental wellbeing. The police will not be judging you, but we need to do our due diligence. I don’t need to tell you how we would be perceived and what the fallout would be if we didn’t take concerns about your safety seriously or professionally; we just need to know that you are safe and well. I want to conclude by thanking you all for your continued support in my role as your liaison officer. I reiterate that this is absolutely the best role I have had in 22 years of policing, and that goes in no small part to all of you. I wish you much happiness in the coming year, and encourage you to connect with me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. As always, stay safe and look out for each other.
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Interview like that, and they have all come out and become huge country hits: “I Couldn’t Ask for More”, “Missing You” from the ‘80s. . . (We discuss the greatness of some covers, how there is some life going on behind the music, like Johnny Cash doing Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”.)
PM: The thing that touched me [about the lyrics of “Crazy for You”] when I was younger, and before I came out, was that the real tag line in the song is you’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and you’re just dying to tell them I’m crazy for you, which is kind of like when you’re in the closet. So I guess that’s why, when I was younger, I connected with the lyrics. And when I recorded it, I thought ‘this is a perfect song for that’, especially for younger people, or of whatever age they are when they come to terms with their sexuality. GC thinks Patrick has been mislaid as the first gay man to come out in country music, as both Americans and Canadians are laying claim to this title recently.
photo by Kaila Moore
Patrick Masse
Out Country Singer at Whistler Pride By Carey Rutherford GayCalgary had chance to catch up with loved and openly gay country singer Patrick Masse before he thrills audiences at Whistler Pride in January. GC: Tell us about the new recording. PM: We had about four days, and we had to record three songs for
a deadline. So I went in, never having worked with these guys before. They’re called Kuya, two Filipino brothers who have done quite a bit of producing, and I kind of wanted to move my sound into a new direction, from really traditional to more of a contemporary sort of crossover. . . So we just walked into the studio and started writing and recording on the spot, and that’s what we came up with (“Little Bit of Saturday”, the new single for the EP he’s releasing in the spring). One of my close friends is a DJ, and I go to the club once in a while and hang out with him while he DJs, and I just wrote the song around that story. Most people are saving up for their Saturday night, right? That was the concept, and we just wanted to do something that was upbeat and dancy.
PM: When I came out (in 2002) there was no social media; when country music pushed me out, I had no way to get my story out back then – no Facebook – and if the media wasn’t going to take my story, I was saved by starting to get some work within the gay community at that time. I was essentially pushed out of country music overnight. . . but it’s always hard when someone asks [about who was the first], because I always try to be supportive of other artists. It’s kind of ironic, because the person who inspired me was k.d. lang. . . and I think if I have done anything to help inspire people – specifically in country music – to maybe open that door for them. I think you should always know the history, of why you even have the opportunity to be on the stage you’re on. The difference for us, as Canadians, is that this is such a different country – in the areas of human rights and social issues – compared to America. To grow up in Vancouver, being gay wasn’t a big deal, so I never thought it was. Until I got into country music! Then I thought, whoa! This is a very right-wing, Christian run industry using the term ‘family values’, which I never understand the meaning of. . . Look at it in 2015: there still really aren’t many black country musicians. You know, (in 2002) I was at a crossroads, where I could either be who I am, or I could sign this record deal and never be able to talk about who I am. And I know that a lot of artists coming up now signed those deals and kept their mouths shut. And I just wasn’t raised like that. I couldn’t do it. GC and Patrick discuss the cyber-divide: his work in the trenches getting a career going before the incredible connectedness of the Internet, and the pros and cons of continuing to be commercially viable in the 21st Century.
PM: The cool side of it is you have such a reach now; I’m amazed at the people that reach out to me through social media from all areas of the world. It’s an amazing thing: ‘Wow, somebody there is listening to my stuff?’
GC: Listening to the songs from your previous album, and having
I get inundated [with emails] from countries like India; I was in Asia a couple of years ago and I was blown away! Some stats say China is the fastest-growing country music listening nation in the world. They love country music!
PM: (laughs) It’s ironic; it has always been my struggle. . . that I’m openly gay in country music, and I’m making the most traditional country music of anybody! Especially in the Canadian music industry!
I think it just strikes a chord with people, y’know? I remember this quote from Iced Tea years ago, saying that country music and rap were very similar: country was white and rap was black. It’s true! They both talk about real life issues. . . It is about real struggles. We just don’t have as much swearing.
interviewed Kira Isabella, Tevey and Tim Hicks in the past year, and despite your latest single, you’re the most ‘traditional’ country musician.
I just grew up on it: my dad and my mom were both very hardcore country fans, and I grew up listening to Merle Haggard, and Don Williams, people like that. (Patrick’s first album came out in 1998 – before he came out – and he was told that he was too country for country. That tune will start to change.)
PM: I just needed something that was more mainstream. I just
wanted to write stuff that was revolved more around my life. . . We’re just about to release a cover of Madonna’s “Crazy for You”. . . I just wanted to do something that was more current, and more me I guess. [“Crazy for You”] was done as a kind of country-bluegrass, which put a really different take on it. I performed it all summer live, and people seemed to love it. . . I have always thought it would make a good country song. There have been lots of songs that I’ve thought of
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
Whistler Pride presents Patrick Masse Tuesday, January 26th, 2016 Buffalo Bill’s, Whistler BC http://gaywhistler.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4952 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Lifestyle
Positive Thoughts HIV: Yep, It’s Still a Thing
By Myles Helfand A few weeks ago, it became official: HIV is loathsome. It all had started so innocently: Back in 2013, the New York State Division of Human Rights posted a public awareness ad that featured the image of a woman alongside the text “I AM POSITIVE(+)” and “I HAVE RIGHTS.” The intent was to inform people with HIV that the state’s laws protected them from discrimination. The folks who created the ad grabbed the model’s photo from Getty Images, a stock photo service.
(“Defamation per se” is legal term that’s typically employed when a person has been falsely accused of having a “loathsome” disease, according to the New York Law Journal.) In other words, this is where our society is at today, more than 30 years into our tumultuous relationship with HIV in the U.S.: People are still afraid to be associated with the virus for fear they’ll be discriminated against – and that includes people who appear in ads informing the public that people with HIV can’t be discriminated against. My head hurts.
Only the model in that picture, Avril Nolan, didn’t have HIV – and she didn’t want anyone thinking she did. Heck, can you blame her? I hear people get unlawfully discriminated against for having that virus! Someone should put out an ad reminding folks about that.
This is the awful environment in which Charlie Sheen decided to publicly disclose on Nov. 17 that he was one of well over a million people in the U.S., and one of roughly 35 million folks on the planet, who are living with a particular virus inside their bodies.
Anyway, Nolan (and her lawyers) sued the state for defamation. In October, a New York State Court of Claims judge ruled that she (and her lawyers) was right, and that her lawsuit could continue.
You’ve already heard more than enough about Charlie Sheen lately; you probably don’t need me to retread that ground. (In case you do, note that TheBody.com and all of the websites who team up for this column have written some outstanding content covering various angles of the story online.) But the Nolan defamation case testifies to just how desperate Sheen’s situation must have become that he felt he needed get his status out in the open – out into a public that, generally, still finds HIV-positive people worth contempt, ridicule, aversion and disgrace.
The judge was reasonable. The judge was rational. The judge was, let’s face it, realistic. “It would be hoped that an indication that someone ... has been diagnosed as HIV positive would not be viewed as indicative of some failure of moral fiber, or of some communicable danger, however our society is not so advanced,” Judge Thomas H. Scuccimarra wrote in his decision. He added that the ad’s incorrect portrayal “that Ms. Nolan is presently diagnosed as HIV positive, from the perspective of the average person, clearly subjects her to public contempt, ridicule, aversion or disgrace and constitutes defamation per se.”
Every Dec. 1, humanity marks World AIDS Day. We see HIV covered extensively on the Web, in newspapers, on radio and on TV. We witness public awareness events, testing campaigns and speeches – at least one of which will have taken place somewhere pretty close to you, given that HIV affects every type of person in every region of the country (and the planet). Experts rattle off all sorts of big, sobering, scary numbers, and they talk about prevention, treatment and the search for a cure. Politicians politicize, activists advocate, blowhards bloviate. The efforts around World AIDS Day often seem shallow or pointless to many of us, and I’m sure a lot of them are. It’s easy for a grassroots movement to lose some of its sense of soul when its primary day of activism becomes a regularly scheduled event. But let’s not forget what the point of all this is. The point is that having HIV doesn’t make someone a bad person. Being a person living with HIV is not comparable to any other state of existence: You’re not a smoking gun, you’re not a car with no brakes, you’re not a ticking time bomb. You’re a person living with HIV, a treatable virus. Avril Nolan shouldn’t feel like she has to sue somebody to avoid being associated with it. Charlie Sheen shouldn’t feel like he has to go on national TV and tell the world he has it so that people will stop blackmailing him. Living with HIV isn’t loathsome; the way we treat people with HIV too often is. We need to do better – and we can, each of us, one person at a time. Hopefully Avril Nolan and Charlie Sheen will help. Hopefully, one day soon, HIV anti-discrimination ads will be unnecessary, defamation lawsuits won’t need to happen, and the decision to disclose one’s HIV status in public will be a matter of personal preference, not compulsion.
Myles Helfand is the editorial director of TheBody.com and TheBodyPRO. com. Find him on Twitter @MylesatTheBody. This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com and Q Syndicate, the LGBT wire service. Visit their websites — http://hivplusmag.com, http:// positivelyaware.com, http://poz.com and http://thebody.com — for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Interview
The Authentic Life
Sarah Paulson on defying labels, pressure to be an LGBT activist and missing Jessica Lange By Chris Azzopardi What does Sarah Paulson remember about the first time she kissed a girl? “Nothing that I’m going to tell you!” she teases, laughing as if to say “nice try.” Not that the actress’ entire life is a secret. It hasn’t been. In 2005, when then-girlfriend Cherry Jones was named a winner at the Tony Awards, Paulson planted a sweet kiss on Jones’ lips. But the 40-year-old acting dynamo isn’t one to kiss and tell – a practice extending to many aspects of her public life, which she’s regulated for a reason: so as not to distract from the stories she’s a part of telling. Those stories are wide-ranging. In addition to her chameleonic roles in Ryan Murphy’s FX hit American Horror Story, where she’s currently playing a hip ’80s-inspired druggie named Sally, she stars as Cate Blanchett’s former flame, Abby, in writer-director Todd Haynes’ powerful lesbian love story Carol. In the film, Blanchett plays a married woman with a passionate desire for a department store clerk named Therese (Rooney Mara). But it’s the 1950s – homosexuality is taboo, and the closet doors are closed. Paulson’s story is a different one, however. And the doors? They’re mostly open. GC: How do you reflect on your accidental coming out? SP: I was very young, and I was in love. It was the reality of the person I was with. She just won a Tony Award – I’m not gonna pat her on the back, give her the big thumbs up and say, “Go up there and get your award, sweetie.” It was not a really conscious thought. I didn’t think of what the implications were gonna be. I just did what was true and honest to me in that moment. The truth of the matter is, it was early enough in my career that there have been no attachments made to me as a performer. I think the thing that makes it somewhat easier in terms of there not having been ramifications is that I’m a character actress – nobody is assigning a particular kind of sexual anything to me, I don’t think. Maybe that’s totally not true (laughs). But it just seems if you’re sort of known for being a sex kitten and that’s how you come on the scene, and then you end up being a total femme fatale actress, and then all of a sudden you make a statement about your sexuality, it becomes news. Whereas I’m a character actress; I can do a lot of things. I don’t think anybody’s made one particular association with me that would then make them go, “Well, I can’t see her this way now.” GC: You do seem to put your career before your personal life. SP: I do think it’s more important, and I know that Matt Damon got a terrible amount of flak for the way he phrased those things (earlier this year, he said: “People shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.”), but the sentiment is still true: My personal life... I’m not gonna hide it from you, but I also don’t want you to think about that before you think about the character I’m playing. And so I want that to be of paramount importance – it’s of paramount importance to me that you believe the story I’m trying to be a part of telling you, and if my personal life is going to get in the way of that, I don’t like that at all. GC: Have you been strategic, then, in what you reveal to the public? www.gaycalgary.com
photo by Weinstein
SP: The thing with Cherry was very accidental. And, again, I was very young. If it happened to me today, I don’t know what I would do necessarily. I really don’t. I think what I’d like to think is that I would just be who I am and whomever I was with, if I had won an award or they had won award or if it was some kind of public thing, I would not do what I would do simply because I was afraid of being revealed. I don’t think that would be a choice I would make. But I think it was hard a bit because when she and I broke up (in 2009) there were some public statements said by her in, I think, an accidental way that ended up being hurtful to me, so I’ve been very kind of careful now about what I’m willing to talk about in terms of specifics. So, it’s not been strategic; it’s been life experience. I’ve learned lessons, and therefore I behave in different ways now, and they are not in ways I’m upset about or ways that I think are not good. But like for Therese in Carol, you live and you learn and you come into your own and you start to be responsible for your own power and your own choices and what you’re willing to reveal. At the end of the day, I put enough of my interior life on camera when I’m acting by giving as much of myself as I possibly can – I don’t have to give everything to everyone.
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GC: Did working on a movie about repressed sexuality have you reflecting on your own sexuality? SP: What it really made me think about is the power of love and how, at the end of the day, love is love, period. The end. It sounds cliché, but I think most clichés are clichés because they’re very, very true. And it’s very interesting, because I’ve been with men and women, and (the movie) puts a very fine point on that truth, which is that it’s very personal and that love is love, and sometimes you love a person you weren’t expecting to love – and how glorious is that? GC: How would you describe Abby’s relationship with Carol? SP: Carol and Abby were former lovers, for sure. But it was brief and it was much more meaningful to Abby than it was to Carol. In the scene with Cate at the bar, when we’re having our martinis and I say, “I hope you know what you’re doing,” about Therese, I basically say, we can just go back and have that furniture store in New Jersey and Carol basically says no. That is my 1952 way of saying, “Let’s try this again.” It’s code for, “Let’s make out.” Carol doesn’t want that with Abby. For me, what I was interested in portraying and making sure was there was that sort of sadness that Abby has – that light and love for Carol that’s not reciprocated – but still, that she would rather be in Carol’s orbit in any way that she can be, so she will be a friend to her no matter what. GC: You’ve been so matter of fact about your sexuality since unintentionally coming out in 2005. How have you escaped becoming a pillar for the LGBT community? SP: Because I refuse to give any kind of label just to satisfy what people need. I understand that everybody wants to have a person to look toward that is actively making change around this issue, and I understand for young people coming out they want to attach that hope to a particular person, but I think that honesty is the most important piece of this for me. All I can say is, I’ve done both, and I don’t let either experience define me. I don’t let having been with a man make me think I am heterosexual, or make me want to call myself that, because I know I have been attracted to women – and have lived with women. So, for me, I’m not looking to define myself, and I’m sorry if that is something that is seen as a rejection of or an unwillingness to embrace (my sexuality) in a public way, but it’s simply not. It’s simply what’s true for me, and that’s all I can speak to. I can’t speak to how anybody’s experience about this works for them or how they got there or where their comfort zone lies. I would never want that for anyone, and I would never want anyone to ask that of me. And simply because I’m somewhat of a public person doesn’t mean that I then have a responsibility to give you what you want simply because you think I should. GC: Do you think there is pressure on LGBT celebrities to be activists? SP: I do, and I think sometimes within the community itself people are like, “You have a responsibility to it – young people need the voices, we need the voices, we need people to see it.” And I get it. But my reality is different than your reality. I have had different experiences. I can meet a man tomorrow and fall in love with him and marry him and I wouldn’t discount any of the experiences that I’ve had with women, or vice versa. I just don’t think anyone is in a position to dictate what that is for me. I understand why the call is what the call is, and that’s also why I don’t hide it. I don’t pretend it’s not true. It’s just, I have to be honest about what’s true for me, that things kind of coexist. GC: How do you feel about the way Cate Blanchett reacted to the idea that because she’s playing a woman attracted to other women she must have had relationships with women? SP: I think it’s very interesting – all of it, really. Is anyone asking George Clooney what he likes about having sex with a woman? Nobody does. It’s a foregone conclusion that it’s just an acceptable reality and nobody thinks to bother to ask. But you have a story about two women together or two men together and all of a sudden it becomes fair game and assumptions are made that are just never made in the reverse, 18
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and I just think it’s terribly unfair. I don’t know what her reaction was, but I hope it was, “Bugger off!” Why is anyone making assumptions about anything about anybody’s life? It’s a funny thing when actors complain, like, “I didn’t ask for this; I just wanted to act.” Well, in a perfect world we’d all just be able to act and none of this would be part of it, but it is a part of it – this is part of it – and on some level, it comes with the territory. But on another level, you can be responsible and you can control what you will talk about and what you won’t talk about. Either you live your life in a very private way or you don’t, and I never have done that – ever – and I won’t do it going forward. I also won’t serve it up on a platter for someone to feast on, because it’s mine. GC: Let’s talk about American Horror Story: Hotel, in which you’re currently starring. And you’ve been on the show since the beginning, in 2011. Are you seeing it through to the end? SP: If they’ll have me. They’re gonna have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming. It’s gonna be American Horror Story Season 720 and I’ll be an 80-year-old woman going, “This is the greatest job in the world.” I will be around as long as they’ll have me – absolutely. GC: Both AHS and Carol are associated with sexuality in some way or another. As an actress, are you drawn to roles related to sexuality? SP: As human beings we are very fascinated by sexuality and what it means and who we’re attracted and why, because I think there’s a really big mystery about it. There’s something so unknowable about it, which is part of what makes it so exciting. And I do think this about my career all the time: People think I pick such great jobs – that I picked 12 Years a Slave, I picked Carol, I picked Game Change. I auditioned for them and I got the jobs. And so I’ve been lucky – I actually give the credit to Steve McQueen and Todd Haynes and Ryan Murphy and people who saw something in me that they went, “You’re the girl. I want you.” And so, it’s less about choices I’ve made and things I’ve been drawn to – it’s what has been drawn to me. GC: I can’t believe you still have to audition. SP: With some things I don’t! There are a lot of things on TV I don’t. And there are some movies I don’t have to. But for Carol it was a sought after role and many people wanted it and I had to fight like a dog to get it. GC: How does it feel without Jessica Lange around for the first time this season? SP: She and I have been friends for a long time. We did Glass Menagerie on Broadway together in 2005, and the whole reason I’m on the show, really, is because of Jessica. I had been at a dinner for Project Angel Food where Jessica was presenting an award to someone and (show creator) Ryan (Murphy) was there, and I was gonna do a play in New York that fell through and so I ended up staying in town. Jessica leaned over to Ryan and said, “Can’t you find something for Sarah to do on the show?” And Ryan, whom I worked for before, went, “Ah, yeah! Actually, I think there’s something coming up,” and it was Billy Dean, the psychic. So, I did it, and that’s how it all started. So I have Jessica to thank for a lot of things, including my run on American Horror Story. We always shared a trailer. Basically, we have these banger trailers, and every cast member has someone on the other side of the wall. And, for me, it was Jessica for three years straight. Now I have one with Kathy and that’s wonderful because I love me some Kathy Bates, but my personal history with Jessica is long, and so I miss having her around because she was my friend – she is my friend. That part isn’t so fun, but I think Lady Gaga is bringing a really wonderful kind of new energy to it – just different energy. It’s not better energy. It’s a different energy, and I think it’s really wonderful.
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Bianca Del Rio A Holiday Treat
By Keith Johnson This time of year can be difficult for many; the holidays remind us of years gone, friends and family we may be separated from, and loved ones now departed. Luckily – and happily – the cure is only a phone call away. A little Bianca is all one needs to turn around one’s holiday blues. What a treat for the senses: her voice exuberant, her smile endearing, and her laugh infectious. The Season 6 winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race could not have been more gracious in a recent telephone exchange from her Los Angeles home. Born and raised in New Orleans, and quickly becoming the darling of the New York Drag scene, Bianca Del Rio has earned her place among the greats like Divine, Lady Bunny and Miss Ru herself. It is impossible not to become enamoured in her approach to life; a simple no-nonsense attitude that – at the core – is age old: don’t sweat the small stuff. Actor, comedienne and the reigning queen of quick wit and sharp tongue, Bianco Del Rio (born Roy Haylock) is of Cuban and Honduran descent, and boasts supportive parents and four siblings. An admitted entry on my own bucket list, she jokingly promises to make time for me during her next trek to the Stampede City. Her life is now a choc-a-bloc of 15 to 20 time intervals, during which she is persuaded to partake in interviews, press junkets, or whatever other type of promotion that furthers her now hectic and somewhat overwhelming schedule. But she loves every second of it. “What’s not to love,” he laughs, as he packs his Louis Vuitton bags (I envision) preparing to depart for Manchester, UK, where he will perform his Rolodex of Hate show, spreading his unique brand of entertainment. “Anywhere in the world I look beautiful and talented after three drinks” – Ms. Del Rio admits. A wild ride, indeed it has been, for the 37-year-old beauty. Adore Delano (Danny Noriega) along with Australian-born Courtney Act (Shane Jenek) round out the top three contestants of this now-popular superstar competition. Bianca attributes her success, at least in part, to the love and support of her friends with whom she often tours. “Wouldn’t I sound like a douchebag if I had anything to complain about?”, she 20
retorts, as I ask the now seemingly lame question Are you happy – truly happy? “I am just glad this all did not happen to be at the age of 20 or 21, because I doubt I would have been able to handle it to the extent I now can.” Haylock has primarily worked as a costume designer and won numerous awards for his stunning designs. “I still carry my own suitcases and drive my own car,” he wanted me to know, t o u t i n g his mantra “never let a bitch see you sweat.” Drama and pettiness have no place in a successful drag career. Find inner peace and remember that laughter changes everything. Sage advice for someone who refuses to get wrapped up in the insanity of the world we live in. “We are often our own worst enemies, never cutting ourselves some slack from the pressures and requirements of an unrealistic set of expectations.” Del Rio has undoubtedly found the recipe for success that works for her. “We cannot control others, but we certainly control ourselves,” he says. It is not surprising that – after being hand-picked by Rupaul herself – Del Rio quickly became the front-runner among the contestants, and certainly a fan favourite. Never having to lip sync for her life, and never placing in the low or bottom of a challenge, Del Rio has made Drag Race history. Knowing that both the good and the bad have shaped her career and personality, Del Rio believes you
photo by Magnus Hastings
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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have to have both and, most importantly, learn from each as part of the growth process. When asked what her approach to life was, Del Rio quickly and assuredly responded with: ‘Don’t dwell on the little stuff’. “I am aware that I am not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ and that’s okay.” Del Rio believes that she is working at her best during this period of his life and, from the enthusiasm in her voice, it’s clear she does not mind. “I may not know what I want, but I know what I don’t want,” she tells me, as the clamouring noises in the background disturb our conversation. I ask if her assistant is there and she quips that he is not. Del Rio appears to be talking to herself, or running timelines through her head aloud. Her inner circle is tight and trustworthy. Del Rio was quick to point out that her executive assistant, Jamie Autin, was an integral part of what made her personal life and her public life work. Both he and Jacob Slane, with Producer Entertainment Group (who manage Del Rio’s career and brand along with organizing global touring activities), form part of the village that surrounds her regularly. She clearly owns her life and involves herself in every aspect of her brand management. There are movies, stage productions, personal appearances and co-hosting gigs that require orchestration and fine-tuning. She hardly bats a proverbial eyelash as she lists her upcoming projects, which include both Lady Bunny and Sherry Vine. Her upcoming repertoire includes a starring role in the movie Hurricane Bianca (a film by Matt Kugelman), which chronicles the antics of a New York school teacher who takes up residence in a Texas town and finds himself fired for being a homosexual. We can only imagine what ensues when Del Rio finds herself on the wrong side of the tracks and decides to gain revenge! Her brand of humour includes an overt rally against political correctness. Her trademark “lighten the fuck up” phrase pays
homage to her approach to the world and causes her to giggle with confidence. Make no mistake, she is prepared to walk every step of her talk, her authenticity ever-apparent. She regrets that she cannot stay longer, as she tours the planet, to just meet people – a clear sign of her ground-edness. I ask about her upcoming appearances in Manchester, Belfast, London, New York and Aspen (having to gasp for air as the list seems exhausting) and she glosses over the itinerary as though she could do it in her sleep (and more)! She reminds me that she has little to complain about. Famous for her ‘readings’ of others, I ended our conversation with some personal anecdotes that included my historical – often negative – experiences with the drag community. Fearing she might ‘read’ me, I quickly changed topic. “Readings are just observations about an individual. It’s what everyone else is thinking about that person that Del Rio verbalizes,” she states. I escape her observations for the time being. So, this holiday season, treat yourself to a little Bianca. It is a slice of heaven.
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
Whistler Pride presents OH SNOW SHE DIDN’T! Wedbnesday, January 27th, 2016 Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler BC http://gaywhistler.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4953 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
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Gossip Alan Cumming’s Florent changes its reservation In the late 1980s in New York City’s meatpacking district, idiosyncratic French restaurateur Florent Morellet opened a French diner that faithfully served customers for 23 years (until the new New York, the one destroying itself with greed, rent-hiked him out of business). And now his story is coming to cable, thanks to Alan Cumming. Florent, an oddball comedy starring Cumming in the title role, was set up last year at Sundance Channel but has made the switch to Showtime. Written by Patricia Resnick (Mad Men) and directed by Rosemary Rodriguez (The Good Wife, Cummings’ other job), the 30-minute show promises to be a sort of weird foodie’s guide to life. And honestly, does the world need another show about cops, lawyers or doctors, when what it really wants is one where coq au vin is the guest star? Search your hearts and growling stomachs – you know the answer. Jessica Jones, who may be making out with women sometimes Daredevil was a huge success for Marvel on Netflix, which means more and more Marvel on Netflix, you lucky nerds. Next up? Jessica Jones, the former superheroine/private eye, who joins The New Avengers alongside husband Luke Cage. Recently, at New York Comic-Con, the pilot episode was screened and its plotline suggested that Jones (played by the very cool Krysten Ritter) may have once been involved with a woman. Does that matter? Damn right it matters. And to make it even more enticing, co-star Carrie-Anne Moss will play a woman-loving lawyer who hires Jones for a job. With so little LGBT presence making it to the TV and film versions of Marvel stories up to this point (it’s been happening in the comic books for a while already), the importance of this development cannot be overstated. Queer viewers, fire up those DVRs. Absolutely Fabulous movie finally begins shooting
Alan Cumming, photo by Debby Wong
Deep Inside Hollywood Ellen Page, Alan Cumming, ‘Jessica Jones,’ ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ By Romeo San Vicente Ellen Page: Flatlining Ellen Page, so good in Freeheld (in theaters as we speak), might very well be stepping into Julia Roberts’ shoes. Or maybe even Kiefer Sutherland’s shoes. Because someone is remaking Flatliners and Ms. Page is in talks to star. OK, you did not just say, “What’s Flatliners?” Come on, ’90s people, you remember Flatliners. It was that sci-fi movie starring Roberts and Sutherland and it was about sexy young scientists researching the afterlife by making people almost die and studying what happens when the nearly-dead go toward the light. Remember how stupid it was but you liked it anyway? Sure you do. OK, maybe you just remember that it existed at all, which is enough. And it gives the renovation team a fair amount of artistic license, a chance to freshen it up without worrying about radically changing the original. Because no one cares. In fact, our level of caring is utterly dependent upon the real-life sign-on of Ellen Page. Then we’ll care a lot, jut not about the plot. 22
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
Doesn’t it feel like we’ve been talking about the Absolutely Fabulous movie for 20 years? They got around to making another Star Wars movie with Harrison Ford before anyone could confirm that AbFab The Film was even going to be a real thing. So today is a special day; today is the day you learn that principal photography on Fox Searchlight Pictures’ and BBC Films’ Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie has begun in the U.K. and the south of France. The shoot will last seven weeks. Stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley will be joined by original cast members Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield. Patsy and Edina will dress up, drink up and fall down. All will be right with the world. Speaking officially on the matter, Saunders says, “I am thrilled and excited to finally start filming. We are all taking our medication and hoping for the best.” Begin planning your outfit for its 2016 release. Romeo San Vicente is currently carrying a Rick Owens live-human-beingbackpack all around Los Angeles.
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Whistler, BC
Gay Pride, skiing, snowboarding and so much more More photos and videos online: http://gaycalgary.com/a4954
By Steve Polyak The award winning resort of Whistler, B.C., will be celebrating their 24th Gay Pride Festival January 23rd to 31st, 2016. GayCalgary Magazine is a proud sponsor of Whistler Pride, now for five years. We had only been able to attend the last two years, but last year, we were able to take a look at Whistler on a larger scale with the help of Tourism Whistler and Whistler Pride. During the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler was the host to a number of competitions, further boosting the awareness of the resort. Every year the resort wins a large number of awards as a ski and snowboard mecca; you can see easily see why when you arrive. Neither Rob nor I ski, and we are used to the National Park structure of Banff and Jasper, where the town is a short distance away from the slopes. So unless you are going to ski or snowboard, you don’t see the area where people ski. In Whistler, the town is right at the bottom of the ski slopes. During the ski season, in daylight, you will see most people walking in their ski or snowboard boots instead of standard footwear. It is generally a quick five to ten minute walk from hotel door to the ski lifts or gondolas, on which you pass by all of the stores, restaurants and other hotels. Most of the area is designed for walking so, if you bring or rent a car, expect to park it and only use it to get to other areas away from the village, to take the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Squamish, or to travel on to Vancouver, which is a 90 minute drive away. Skiing and Snowboarding Most of the people attending Whistler Pride will also come to ski or snowboard during the day time. Rob and I are amazed by how many people are up at dawn to head out to the slopes, finish at 4pm – when slopes close for safety reasons – then head over to Whistler Pride’s Apres Ski (which usually goes on between 3pm and 6pm), have dinner, then come back out for dancing until 1am or much later. And repeat the next morning. There are only a small number of Prides in Canada where – in addition to drinking and partying – they can work up a sweat doing outdoor activities. I had a couple bad experiences when I was younger trying to ski, so I have never been interested in trying it again. But I enjoy seeing people skiing or snowboarding, plus the amazing scenery and being outdoors. Rob, though, had gotten an itch to try snowboarding a couple years ago when we were out at Whistler Pride 2014. He had his first lessons at Jasper Pride 2014, and
Sights around Whistler, BC, photos by GayCalgary
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View from Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain, photo by GayCalgary
Whistler Cascade Lodge
Tourism Whistler was able to arrange lessons and slope time for him this year. The amount of places selling and renting equipment make it great for people who want to check out different gear. Rob was very happy with his lessons, in a small group, on an area of the slope designated for beginners. For those who live to ski, the amount of runs – from novice to extreme – should keep you going for a long time. You have the choice of either Blackcomb Mountain (elevation of 2,440m/8,000ft) or Whistler Mountain (elevation of 2,182m/7,160ft). Whistler Village (elevation of 675m/2,215ft) sits right at the corner of the two mountains, so it is easy to change which mountain you want to be on when you are at the base, or you can cross using the Peak 2 Peak Gondola. With the two mountains, you get 8,176 acres/3308 hectares of skiing and snowboarding space. They also receive over 10m/33ft of snow fall every year. Whistler Mountain is also where most tourists will go up to mid point to check out the Roundhouse Lodge. The view is amazing. From talking to people who attend Whistler Pride, all agree that it is a world class location to ski. There are so many different routes on the mountains that it is hard to get tired of them.
http://gaycalgary.com/a4955 Whistler Pride had arranged our stay at the Whistler Cascade Lodge. The lodge offers a number of different rooms; we stayed in a Studio Unit, which had a queen size bed and kitchenette, which included a stovetop, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and other kitchen supplies. The room is very comfortable and quite. We rarely heard anyone in the hallways. Amenities include an outdoor pool, two outdoor hot tubs, and a sauna for those who want to relax after a busy day. It is a pretty large hotel with six floors and 112 rooms, located about a 10 minute walk from the ski hill or a three minute walk to the Whistler Pride Dance venue, the Whistler Conference Centre. Rob and I found the staff to be very friendly and extremely helpful. There is parking under the building, at an additional cost, where the car we rented sat for most of the time we were in Whistler. The only time it moved was to get to the pool party venue. We recommend booking your hotel rooms for Whistler Pride several months in advance. Rooms closer to the Whistler Pride are at least $200 Cdn per night and up. If you book earlier, you can get close to $150 per night. I recommend you go as a group. You will notice that the larger rooms that hold four people are usually booked first. Also the longer you stay, the larger the discount per night. The hotel does have complimentary ski, snowboard and bike storage and offers discounts for lift passes, so check with their website for current rates. There is no restaurant on site, so you can’t order munchies after partying or get breakfast in the lodge. Also house keeping is only provided once a week to reduce the amount of washing and help the environment.
Tube Park The other thing we tried was the Tube Park on Blackcomb Mountain. You take the Excalibur Gondola up to mid point, and then walk up the mountain a short distance. People only leave tubes behind once they are leaving the park, www.gaycalgary.com
Whistler Cascade Lodge
4315 Northlands Blvd, Whistler, BC http://www.whistler-cascadelodge.com
photos courtesy Whistler Cascade Lodge
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Whistler Village at the base of Whistler Mountain, photos by GayCalgary
Super Fly Ziplines
so you could wait a bit in line before getting one. A special conveyor lift takes you to the top of the park. There are a number of paths down, each being over 1000 feet long, but because the Tube Park is so popular, you could wait a bit to go back down. You have the choice of either going straight down, or the attendant will help spin your inner tube right at the start. I decided, since it was my first time down, I wanted to see the direction I was going to get a feel for what it is like. It was pretty fast and very cool. I felt like a kid again. We would have gone down more but it was so close to the mountain closing for the day that we had a feeling there would not be enough time. You don’t need any special equipment or training to use Tube Park, which makes it great for families.
http://gaycalgary.com/a4956 Rob and I were psyched to do zip lining on our last trip out to Whistler through Super Fly Ziplines. I had visions of flying through the amazing scenery of Whistler way up high like a super hero. Sadly, as we were checking in, I found out that I was just a little bit over the weight limit. So for those bears and big guys, the weight limit with all your winter gear on is 250lbs. I was pretty disappointed, but the company also offers snowmobile rides so I decided to take one while Rob did the zipline. We checked in at the office at Whistler Village and took a shuttle to the base location of the Super Fly Ziplines where they provide you with the equipment, goggles, helmet and safety training. Then we got into this large custom 4x4 that climbs up the steep Rainbow Mountain. I have never seen anything like this before: part bus, part tank, and part snowmobile. I stood on the sidelines of the zip launch pad doing photos and videos. The lines are pretty long: the longest is 1.3km long, which is the longest in Canada! When you are on the zipline, you can reach speeds up to 100km/ hour. So the reason why there is a weight restriction is, if you reach some of those high speeds, stopping at the end could become a problem, especially for your internal organs. Including transportation, the tour takes about three hours. Just remember to dress warmly, since you can get cold really quickly with the air moving past you that fast.
Site Seeing Since we had slope passes, we decided to take the Whistler Village Gondola on Whistler Mountain to the Roundhouse Lodge. This is the main lookout for tourists where one can photograph an Inuksuk with the background of Whistler Mountain. The view is simply amazing. We also took the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which connects both mountains at their 2/3rd points. This gondola boasts that it is the longest unsupported lift span in the world, at 3.024km long, and also the highest lift of its kind with an elevation of 436 metres. Plan for at least two hours. Each way the ride is 20 to 25 minutes, plus
Once everyone was on their way down the zipline, I got onto the back of a snowmobile for the first time. I totally enjoyed myself, but aim to zipline one day.
Super Fly Ziplines
211 - 4293 Mountain Square, Whistler, BC http://www.superflyziplines.com
Super Fly Ziplines, photos by GayCalgary
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Whistler Pride 2016 http://gaycalgary.com/a4957 Whistler Pride will be celebrating their 24th go in 2016 – the longest running festival in Whistler! Out of the 3,000 people attending, 75 per cent return every year, hailing from 26 countries. Since there are no gay bars in Whistler, Whistler Pride plans events in gay friendly establishments. Each night offers multiple events, so if you are not interested in one, another might be better. There are about 65 events taking place across the eight days, some specific for lesbians, bears, otters, circuit boys or cowboys. Unlike a lot of the other Prides I get a chance to attend, Whistler Pride is attended by 85 per cent males. Usually they are split pretty even or, at smaller Prides that are just starting to grow, like Red Deer and Banff, there are a lot more women than men. Rob and I can only attend three nights so we miss a number of the events that happen days before we arrive. This upcoming Pride, on Monday night, is a Long John Party! Expect to see guys in flannel underwear, or something else. On Tuesday night, openly gay country singer Patrick Masse is performing at the Cowboy Party. Watch for the upcoming interview we are doing with him. Headline act is happening Wednesday night, and it is the most expensive night of the week. It is not every Pride you can see Bianca Del Rio, Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine and Varla Jean Merman in Oh Snow She Didn’t so, regardless of the price, it will be worth it. These talented queens will put on an amazing two hour show. In 2015, Whistler Pride had Margarete Cho; we heard she had the crowd laughing so hard that they just about ended up on the floor. Thursday night is the legendary Splash Pool Party with DJ Del Stamp. Whistler Pride takes over the public pool at Meadow Park Sports Centre. I wish other Prides we sponsor could do this event as well. In the past they had DJ Nick Bertossi and DJ Pornstar DJing the event. The event is pretty much 99 per cent men, and such a large amount of guys attend that the women’s locker room is taken over. The pool is indoors, with a large hot tub and sauna, and bartenders serving drinks. On the ski slopes, most of these guys are all covered up in winter gear, so the pool party gives them the chance to show off. Another favourite for guys is Friday night’s event “Furrocious”. Guys dress up in their favourite uniforms: sports, farmer, leather, police, army and more. On the same night, for
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exploration time. During the summer time, there are hiking trails to traverse too. The Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride has some gondolas with a glass bottom. Rob and I tried it for the first trip. It is pretty cool being able to look down and see the trees pass under it, though not easy to take photos through the sludge and scratches on the plexi-glass, but there was enough to photograph around the gondola, plus at each destination point. Both points offer restaurants and bathrooms. In the village, there are also a number of things to see and do. The entrance homes another Inuksuk, which can be photographed during the day, but also at night when it is lit up. The 2010 Olympics rings are also on display. The buildings themselves are pretty cool to look at, and as you walk through the streets, you see all sorts of statues and artwork. You will also see Pride Flags during Pride on the street lights too!
Shops, Restaurants, Services and More The village hosts a large amount of local and mainstream shops and restaurants. There are – from what we could tell – two liquor stores, each with a pretty impressive selection. The Marketplace IGA has pretty much has anything you would need for groceries and supplies and, for late night stuff, there is even a Mac’s, as well as several locally owned and operated smaller grocery stores. In terms of retail, everything from Lululemon Athletica, North Face, Helly Hansen, Eddie Bauer, Root’s, Gap, and Foot Locker, to some really amazing local shops, line the streets. During Pride, a large number of these shops decorate their windows with Pride Rainbows and statements of support. It was a nice feel that everyone was so supportive of the pride festivities. Rob and I only wished we had more time to try some of the restaurants out. Most of them are pretty packed during lunch and dinner, so we were constantly resorting to the IGA, Mac’s or KFC for quick bites to eat. We did, in 2014, have some food at Garibaldi Lift
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Whistler Pride 2015, photos by GayCalgary
Whistler Pride - From Page 27
Co. Bar & Grill. The restaurant is located on top of the base ski lifts of Whistler Mountain. The place was extremely busy and the food was really good. Due to how busy they were, it was close to impossible to do a proper food review, but we are hoping to get a chance to go back. There are over 100 places to go for food and drink in Whistler. So regardless of what your budget is, time of day, local or mainstream, you can find something that you will enjoy. A good number of the restaurants feature organic and locally sourced ingredients.
women, there is “Purrlesque”, with local DJ Foxy Moron and special performances by burlesque performer April O’Peel. Plus, at another bar, there is the White Out Party with DJs Mr. Cox and Sollors. Dress up in all white for this full circuit party event with new lights and sound, and sexy go-go dancers. The Whistler Pride Parade is not like what you usually see. Skiers come down Whistler Mountain from about mid point with a really long pride flag and other skiers holding regular flags. It happens pretty quickly so, if you want to watch, be ready. Once they are at the base, they will pose for photos then walk through the street holding the flag to the Olympic rings. You don’t see things like floats or non-profit groups walking with banners and such; just something that brings everyone together from the whole LGBTQ community to celebrate.
Other Activities There are a number of different snowshoeing tours one can take, and it is great way to experience the First Nations’ culture. You can also try bungee jumping from a 160ft bridge spanning 300ft over the Cheakamus river. For those who want to relaxi, the Scandinave Spa is something to be experienced. The spa uses an age-old Finnish tradition of soaking in soothing outdoor baths. They also offer deep tissue and Swedish massage. In summer there are tons of trails to hike around the mountains and base. Zip lines and bungee jumping stay open as well, and golfing, horseback riding, tree adventures, white water rafting experiences come available. With the snow melted, you can also enjoy the lakes, beaches and parks in the area too. These are things we hope to experience at some point in the future.
Whistler, BC
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Saturday night starts with Snow Belles, which is the Pre-Snowball Party with DJ Kit Kat. People will slowly make their way over to Snowball with headliner DJ Yinon Yahel from Israel, opening DJ Bret Law (Seattle), and a performance by Flava. Flava is a bold, awe-inspiring and mind-boggling original, and brings a completely unique style of live performance to the party world. This is the biggest dance for Whistler Pride with amazing lights, a huge room, packed dance floor, more shirtless hot guys and more! Snowball lasts until 4am, so if you enjoy partying at the dance that late or continue the party in your hotel room, make sure you have arranged either late checkout or and additional night’s stay.
Whistler Pride
January 23rd to 31st, 20016 http://www.gaywhistler.com
Whistler Pride 2015, photos by GayCalgary
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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All Grown Up
Joe Jonas on gay clubbin’ with Nick, ‘flattering’ advances and how a Jonas Brothers reunion could ‘easily happen’ photo by BlackCoff.ee
By Chris Azzopardi Nick Jonas isn’t the only one going to gay clubs like a good ally – his older brother, Joe, enjoys a night out with the gays too. And the best part? Sometimes they even go together. As if that wasn’t enough, Joe is taking his new sound to the clubs with a disc drenched in the disco-funk sounds of the ’70s. His latest post-Jonas Brothers endeavor, SWAAY, features South Korean guitarist JinJoo, bassist / keyboardist Cole Whittle and drummer Jack Lawless. Collectively, they’re known as DNCE. We caught up with the band’s frontman, Joe Jonas, to discuss his mission to “encourage people to be themselves,” recent talks with Nick regarding a Jonas Brothers reunion and how he’s “accidentally” wandered into gay clubs.
GC: Why disco? JJ: It’s something I grew up listening to quite a bit; it was always
played in the house. My dad grew up in the ’70s and always really loved everything funk and disco, and it was the one style of music that all of us in DNCE loved. It helped us embody what this has become – this kind of disco-rock-pop stuff that we were able to brew up.
GC: Considering the genre’s ties to your childhood, do you get nostalgic performing this music? JJ: Sometimes, yeah. I feel like when I perform these songs it’s a new experience every time, because you’re playing the same songs but seeing the reactions of different audiences. So sometimes it brings me back, but for right now it’s kind of a whole new experience all over again. GC: Disco is obviously steeped in gay culture. Have you ever gotten down to some disco at a gay club?
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JJ: I went to a gay club with Nick a few months ago – it was really fun! And actually, I was really impressed by the DJ – he played everything and was all over the map. His musicality was really great, and we just had a great time. GC: Was this your first time at a gay club? JJ: Well… I’ve accidentally gone to gay clubs before! (Laughs) I think
that’s happened to a few people. But, you know, it was cool. We went out with some of our friends who are gay. I just think we live in a world where obviously it’s not a big deal – it’s fine – and you can have fun wherever you go and make the best of it.
GC: How do you accidentally end up in a gay club? JJ: (Laughs) Umm… being in Europe and not being able to read any
of the signs and just stumbling into what you think is a regular club. You’re like, “Oh, OK. Here we go.”
GC: At what point did you realize the club was gay? JJ: Getting hit on by more men than you would usually get hit on by. GC: What is that experience like for you? JJ: It’s flattering. I don’t mind... if someone is nice. And it’s been cool
to see at these concerts too. A lot of guys come out to the shows – some gay guys as well – and I love that. They rock out; they have fun. And I feel like the music is helping people express themselves in a way. I’m seeing people with glitter on their face, with the brightest colors. I love that we can encourage people to be themselves.
GC: How does your experience with DNCE compare to Jonas Brothers? JJ: The fan base is older now, and there are college kids and some adults, and it’s cool to see that. I was in Toronto recently and I had a DJ gig after the show, and I would say 80 to 90 percent of the audience
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photo by Meredith Truax came to the DJ gig. It’s cool to see that they’re all down to hang – and that they’re obviously old enough.
GC: In 2014, Nick said he didn’t feel Jonas Brothers did enough for their gay fans. What’s your take on that?
there are times you’re told you know nothing, so I think you just have to learn and take time to understand who you are as a person and who you are as an artist. Soon enough, you’ll start to realize it’s OK to be you and to really be whoever you want to be. You’ll see that people prefer that more than a cardboard cutout.
JJ: Maybe it was just our age, but I would agree with Nick. We maybe didn’t reach out as much as we probably could have. I hope now we can encourage other straight guys to have a voice as well. I care too much about my friends who are gay and fans who are gay to be quiet about it.
GC: From your recent breakup with Gigi Hadid to your new blue hair – how do you handle the constant interest regarding every facet of your life?
And now, having friends who are gay and touring in these different markets and seeing that DNCE has gay fans coming out to the shows, it’s awesome. I just hope that with my new music – and like Nick – I’ll be able to reach out in my own way and really get people to feel comfortable. That’s what we’re trying to do, especially with DNCE. It’s like its own party, and we invite everybody.
GC: Ha, is the blue hair not a story? JJ: (Laughs) I don’t think so! I just did it because I wanted to do it –
GC: How aware were you of a gay following while in Jonas Brothers? JJ: We would see gay fans here and there come to shows, and we were
always very happy to say hi, and (be) loving. It always made us happy. And like, you’d see a sign or two (laughs) that would say something kind of funny. I can’t remember what they said off the top of my head – a lot of them were always making me laugh, and they were flattering too.
GC: You recently tweeted a photo of you in a feather boa while in
Texas. What’s the story behind that?
JJ: (Laughs) Oh, wow, I don’t even remember. But I’m definitely the
risk-taker out of the brothers and have been for many years, and so I don’t remember all the crazy and wacky things that I’ve done. I definitely really don’t let anything hold me back these days.
GC: Is that because there’s less to hold you back? JJ: Definitely, yeah. I feel like it’s nice to be able to have a voice in the
music industry but also be able to express that voice and not really feel shy about that or feel like you’re not supposed to say this or say that. Obviously being in the situation that my brothers and I were in for so many years – we didn’t have anyone in particular saying, “Don’t do this, don’t do that,” but you just have that in the back of your head because you’re a bit worried or nervous that you might say or do something that could set off fireworks.
GC: You hear so many stories about child stars, and we see so many of them not make it. How did you survive those childhood years, and what advice would you give someone as young as you were? JJ: Man, it’s definitely difficult. The first thing is remembering that you’re not crazy for thinking or doing the things you wanna do. It’s really important to be your own artist and be creative, and if you wanna be a certain way or if there’s a style of music you wanna go with, take that journey. It’s difficult because you think you know everything, and then
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JJ: It’s pretty funny. I think I’ve learned to laugh it off when sometimes they like to create their own stories – even out of your hair. (Laughs)
there really wasn’t a deeper meaning to any of it, which is why I think it’s really funny. They make it something. I could be frustrated or I could be mad about that, but I just laugh it off. I’ve learned to handle it better over time. And it’s never always been that easy; there are moments that have been difficult for me. I’ve read stuff or something I would say was taken out of context and that’s tough, obviously, but as you get older you get better at it and you go, “I know the truth.”
GC: So having blue hair isn’t the empowering post-breakup moment that the media is making it out to be? JJ: I like having blue hair. I don’t think I feel any different; it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision anyway. But I’m not gonna react or go after the press about it because I just find it funny. GC: Will you and Nick – and even your other brother, Kevin – ever do anything musically together again? JJ: I would say so. Nick and I have a few ideas to work with other artists who we really like. There are a couple of artists out there that we think are really incredible that we’d like to work together with. And then, there’s always down the road. We don’t really ever wanna say never to anything just because there could be something that comes along our way that we might say, “You know, let’s try working on this song together.” It’s tough to say that we’ll never do it because who knows. GC: What would reunite you? JJ: Time itself. Seeing where things will lead us. It’s easy to say we’re
done and that we’re never doing it again, but then we both look at each other and go, “We obviously get along.” And who knows – years from now we could be like, “All right, let’s make a record.” It could easily happen.
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This Light of Ours Actress Judith Light talks longtime LGBT advocacy, Transparent and how she ‘wanted to be like the gay community’
photo by Luke Fontana
By Chris Azzopardi Judith Light didn’t know courage until she met the gay community. As one of a few prominent celebrities in the ’80s to pledge her unwavering support to “the leaders,” as she calls them, the Who’s The Boss? actress was instrumental in changing the lives of LGBT people at the height of the AIDS epidemic three decades ago. But, she says, it was her own life that needed changing. In a candid conversation with Light, 66, the actress reflects on her staunch advocacy and the need for the compassion her hit show Transparent is rooted in. GC: Judith, I watched the first episode and was really moved. The world is a scary place right now, so to see you and co-star Jeffrey Tambor share such a tender moment at the end of the first episode was especially moving. The kindness and love and empathy and compassion between the two of you in that scene was really profound. JL: Awww – I love that you started off that way. You know, people have not talked about that enough, I think. They have in other ways, but you noticing that – that really means a lot to me, so thank you. GC: I think this is the kind of show that people need right now. JL: I do too. And I think when you only think about this show as a transgender show, you don’t get the real truth of it, which is that it’s about transgender people but that it’s also
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about humanity and people – and people living their truth and being honest and authentic and courageous. GC: What does it mean to you to know you’re changing people’s hearts and minds with that message? JL: It’s huge. All of us feel a tremendous responsibility to get it right. Jeffrey always says, “Lives are at stake,” and so we all do try to make that the top note. That’s really important to all of us. How it makes me feel as a longtime LGBTQ advocate – it thrills me. I feel as though my life and my service and my work have all come together in one place, so it makes me feel fantastic. Even though I hear from people who say, “Why would you do this?” or, “This is weird,” the value of it far outweighs those people who have problems. GC: What is the negativity you’re referring to? JL: There are those voices out there on social media that say, “This is so weird” – they aren’t talking about the show; they’re talking about the transgender community. I say that this is an issue in our world, and what you started off talking about – the love and the caring and the compassion and the concern – I think that’s what we all need to be giving each other. Life is difficult enough without us being denigrating to anyone in the world. Let people live their truth. Let them be. It’s a message this show supports. GC: Did you think the show would be given the warm welcome it’s been given before it aired? JL: No. We literally had no idea. We hoped that it would be something that people would support, that people would love. This is (show creator) Jill Soloway’s parent. It’s her story. So we all hoped, but we didn’t know. We weren’t sure. We just
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photo by Amazon
knew that all of us – Jill, the writers and the whole entire team; I’m talking about Amazon and everyone else – hoped that it would be something that would educate and elevate the culture, but we didn’t know. We didn’t have any idea. Then when the success happened, we were all so grateful for it that we had to make sure when we came back for the second season that we were as responsible as we could possibly be. Lives are at stake. And there are people who are still being thrown out of their homes, and hate crimes are perpetrated against them and they’re fired from their jobs because they’re transgender. This is 2015. We feel very responsible to do the right thing. GC: How has that message been transformative for you? JL: This is something that I have looked toward for such a long time. It was the LGBTQ community that inspired me to be the kind of person I wanted to be. I wanted to be authentic and courageous, and for so long I wasn’t. When I began doing a lot of advocacy work in the early ’80s for HIV and AIDS, I saw the community and the way the community was operating against all odds, against a world and a culture and country that gave them nothing and denigrated them. It was unconstitutional behavior toward the community, and this community just rose up and said, “We will create places to take our friends who are sick, we will do their funerals, we will take them to the hospital, we will change their IVs and their bedpans, and we will learn.” And the lesbians came in and said, “Gay men, you are our brothers and we will take care of you,” and the drag queens and the bisexual community and the transgender community – everybody pulled together. I looked at this community and said, “This is breathtaking. This is the kind of world and people I want to be around. These are the kind of people I want to be working with.” I said, “We have to tell the truth about what’s really going on here.” My friends and the community were dying in droves and two presidents wouldn’t even say the word “AIDS.” It was reprehensible to me. It was the opposite of the way you started this interview. It was the lack of compassion, the lack of humanity and the pretending that this was something else that it wasn’t. It was sheer unadulterated homophobia and I couldn’t … I didn’t… I wanted to be like the community. GC: At the time, there weren’t a lot of celebrity allies stepping up to the plate. Bette Midler, Elizabeth Taylor, yourself. What did that feel like for you? JL: You know, it wasn’t something of what it felt like. It was the thing that had to be done. And Bette was amazing, and Elizabeth Taylor was amazing. None of us were thinking at that time, “I’m doing important work.” We were thinking, “This is what should be done, what has to be done.” It was, “Get to
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work everybody. People are dying in droves, and we’re losing an entire generation of people.” We lost so many people in the theater. Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS was on the frontline for years helping people. We were losing people in droves in the theater community – in every community! It wasn’t even a question. People would come out and tell their families that they had AIDS and their families disowned them. So it wasn’t what you thought about. You went to the hospital because they were dying and nobody was there with them. You didn’t think about it. It wasn’t a thought process. It was an emotional human response to an epidemic where there was no help forthcoming. And I mean, who’s more creative than the gay community? So everybody got together and said, “OK, we’re gonna put on a show and raise money, and we’re gonna create the AIDS rides like Dan Pallotta did and we’re gonna raise millions and millions of dollars because this is our family.” I took my lead from the community. They were the leaders. To me, they’re still the leaders. When this community knows that, as they did at the height of the AIDS pandemic, they will become even more powerful than they are now. It is this community that got same-sex marriage to happen. It is the devotion to the work, and this community has done it. This community has done this. So that’s why I say I took my lead from this community. This is a community I respect and look up to and honor. GC: You know, we’ve always considered you to be family. JL: Thank you and I appreciate that, and that’s why when I get to do a show like Transparent I get to talk about this with you. We get to talk in a much more powerful, prominent way about the transgender community, which has been too long in the shadows, and it’s time. It’s really time. GC: When it comes to transgender issues, this show has hit the zeitgeist. JL: My manager of 35 years calls it “divine choreography.” He coined that phrase. He said there are things in life that are divine choreography, and it’s not just cosmic, it’s not just coincidence, it’s not just serendipity. There is something that is happening and it’s really important, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. GC: Looking back at your career from One Life to Live on through Transparent, what does the gay community tend to recognize you most for? JL: It’s everything. It’s generational actually. It starts with One Life to Live and then it literally goes to Who’s the Boss? and then after that it’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Ugly Betty, but there’s always something that’s particularly generational about who it is talking to me that they remember me for. So that’s what’s so interesting. I mean, I’ve been around a long time! So, it’s generational, and so everything is different for every person. I find it very interesting, and I love it. Other people only remember me from coming back to Broadway in the last five years, so there’s that. I’m in a Broadway show right now. I’m actually sitting in my dressing room talking to you. I’m doing this play with Keira Knightley called Thérèse Raquin at Studio 54, so then there will be a generation of people who will remember me for being on Broadway. GC: Like Katy Perry. She raved about Thérèse on Twitter. JL: I know! I adore her. She is such a doll – oh my god. She is so dear, really. She is very, very special. She’s a great advocate for the community too. GC: I know you have a show to get to, but it’s been a delight. Such a pleasure. Thank you, Judith. JL: Of course. Thank you for wanting to talk. I really appreciate it. And thank you for starting the interview off so beautifully.
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35
Holiday Fever
Kylie Minogue on her hot Christmases, ‘loyal’ gay fans and the lucky fella she’ll be kissing under the mistletoe
photos by Will Baker
By Chris Azzopardi How does Kylie Minogue make the yuletide gay? “By singing about it,” she says, giggling the cutest Kylie giggle. And then she does just that – she sings. The song? “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” which the Aussie icon spontaneously launches into via phone, putting special emphasis on those “gay happy meetings.” Opening her first holiday album, Kylie Christmas, the frosty favorite is one of 13 songs bound to bring a little extra joy to the world. “Christmas is a fun time to be over the top, that’s for sure,” Minogue says, before stating what every gay man from here to the North Pole already knew: “I deal in glitter.”
GC: First things first: Have you been naughty or nice this year? KM: Good question! I’d like to think I’ve been – how can I say this?
(laughs) ... the right percentage of both.
GC: How about that time you writhed on a medicine ball during your video for “Sexercise”? KM: (Laughs) That was a little bit naughty. But a lot of nice. We want nice. GC: What were your Christmases like as a kid? KM: Hot! Over the years, my family has embraced Christmas more
so in Australian fashion – we haven’t totally let go of European or British tradition, which most people have a link to in that there is still a roast – even if it’s roasting outside, there’s still a roast in the oven. But I would say, same as the rest of the world. Get up, open your presents, run around. Eat too much. The only difference is, we end up in our swimming suit, jumping in the pool, standing around a barbecue.
KM: I like them both. They’re so different. I don’t remember when my first cold Christmas was, but that I found it very weird. People who’ve never had a hot Christmas – because most of the world associates Christmas with the cold – just cannot get their head around it. Even when we were recording, all the Brits are going, “Don’t you think it’s weird recording in June, July, August? It’s summer.” I’m like, “Not really – makes sense to me.” I love it. GC: How did you make it feel like Christmas in the studio? KM: Basically we just decorated the studio. The studio was full of
fairy lights and Santa hats and Christmas candles. We did not hold back.
GC: Did you get dressed up for the occasion? KM: I went Christmas vibes – I didn’t go for full “sexy snow sleigh”
album cover. We did have a sleigh in the studio. We had about five huge Christmas trees, giant crackers, toy soldiers and tinsel. Every day we were in there, it was more and more. It was really festive. It felt like Christmas. And I’m glad the world’s catching up – it’s been Christmas since June!
GC: When it comes to presents: giving or getting? KM: Giving. I know it sounds cliché, but I love when you’ve got
something for someone and they’re gonna understand your humor or get it, or it’s something they wouldn’t get for themselves. I especially like the wrapping.
GC: Who are some of the gays in your life that you spend the holidays with? KM: There’s normally a few around. I mean, my Christmas is different every year. Last year I was in Los Angeles. I feel really odd
GC: Do you like a hot or cool Christmas?
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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answering this question… like numbering them! (Laughs) Let’s just say there’s a smattering. More sparkle!
GC: What is the craziest Christmas gift you’ve ever received from a fan? KM: Oh, I don’t know. I can’t think of one. Nothing that
alarmed me. Maybe this year will be different now that I’m Miss Christmas.
GC: If you could kiss anyone under the mistletoe, who would it be? KM: Awww – that would be my boyfriend (actor Joshua Sasse), for sure! It will be our first Christmas together, so Christmas is even more special for me this year. I better order the mistletoe! GC: Get on that, Kylie. KM: Note to self:
mistletoe.
GC: What do you make of headlines that draw attention to the fact that he’s 20 years younger than you? KM: I understand it’s bound to happen because that’s a fact, but I just cannot express to you enough that it just doesn’t factor – it really doesn’t. I mean, I was surprised myself, but who you’re attracted to or who you fall in love with is beyond any kind of boxes that society p u t s y o u in.
www.gaycalgary.com
And you know what, I hate boxes. I hate feeling that I’m restricted in any way, and definitely when it comes to love. You should love who you love. Of course there’s been those headlines, but people seem to also think that we look like we should be together, so it’s not been as bad as it could’ve been... let’s put it that way.
GC: As a public figure, do you feel people are more prone to put you in a box? KM: Oh, definitely. I remember it happening from quite a young age, and it would drive me crazy. I started in TV as an actress and began singing, and they’re so sort of close-minded: You’re an actress, not a singer, and then I was known for singing and finally I am a singer and they don’t understand that I still act. That w a s definitely the first t i m e
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
37
that that kind of notion hit me, and it just made no sense to me whatsoever. In a broader sense, I hate being stuck in clothes, I hate being stuck in ideas. Maybe it’s being a Gemini – I need freedom! It’s like with the pony in the yard: If you close the gate, I will go wild; if you leave the gate wide open, I’m probably not going to leave. I just need to know that you’re not closing me in with anything physical or mental. It’s a very deep issue for me.
GC: Christmastime evokes different emotions for different people. For you, what kind of emotions do the holidays trigger? KM: Excitement, then sheer panic because you think you’re ready
but you’re not ready and then it all kind of creeps up on you. I think part of that panic is part of tradition, I guess. I would like to think this year I am officially ahead of the game. Also, wanting to be with family, if possible. And holiday – having a break. I would have to say one of the big pluses about a Christmas album is: At least I know when I’ll be finishing with promotion. December 25 I’m done! My work here is done!
GC: How are some of these emotions presented on the album? KM: On the album, there’s the kind of toasty just-wanna-cuddle-
and-wear-cashmere-sweaters vibe, which I didn’t have the last couple of years because I didn’t have a boyfriend, so that’s exciting. Then there’s the more emotional, bittersweet ones where you’re thinking about someone you love and you’re not with them, and I have that pretty much every year because I haven’t had a family Christmas in Australia for about six years and I’m not having one this year either. Then there’s the ones where everyone’s had a few drinks – Nana’s had a couple sherries – and everyone’s feeling very merry. Then it’s nap time, and you start again.
GC: Earlier this year, and after releasing Kiss Me Once, you left your former management firm, Jay Z’s Roc Nation.
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
KM: I was getting used to a new situation, and I loved it for all of those reasons. If I compare (Kiss Me Once) to making this album, it’s an unfair comparison. Within the confines of Christmas, you can’t do whatever you want – it’s a Christmas album – but I did learn some extremely valuable lessons through that, and my time there was well spent. GC: How will what you learned from that experience influence your approach to the next mainstream pop album you do? Assuming it’s pop... KM: Oh, it will be. I think when Christmas is done, the pop drug will come back… gosh, I mean, this album is pop-y anyway. But with Impossible Princess, I got that out of my system and then I did Light Years which had “Spinning Around,” and then to Fever, which was not quite as camp – it was more icy-pop. What I’m trying to say is that, after Kiss Me Once with Roc Nation, yes, I’ll do things differently, but I kind of do that after every album anyway. But I wouldn’t go around and work with so many people. I would try to be a little more streamlined. And I can say that because I did it and I learned a lot. Six of one, half dozen of the other. GC: When it comes to your career, your gay audience has been there every step of the way. It’s clear we have a special relationship. After all this time, how would you describe that relationship? KM: Strong. Genuine. Definitely funny at times. (Laughs) We get the same jokes, put it that way. And I never take it for granted. But you, for a long time, have been very loyal, and I feel like we’ve had a relationship for such a long time – and it’s a true relationship.
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Photography Fur to Fab at Evolution, Edmonton
All Tease All Shade at Evolution, Edmonton
photos courtesy Evolution
photos courtesy Evolution
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Photography
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Texas Lounge and Goliath’s Anniversary, Calgary
ISCWR - Graduation Flashback at Evolution, Edmonton
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photos by B&J
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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Photography Tasty Cabaret at Evolution, Edmonton
Beef Bear Bash - Singlet Party, Edmonton
photos courtesy Evolution
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News Releases TD Presents Alberta Ballet’s Holiday Classic – THE NUTCRACKER
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Alberta to raise Trans Pride Flag for Trans Day of Remembrance
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TESA supports gender identity, gender expression enumeration in Alberta Human Rights Act
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Transgender Day of Remembrance Highlights Epidemic of AntiTransgender Violence
Join JTMF West at the Alberta Legislature Grounds for World AIDS Day
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December 1, 2015 at the Legislature Grounds at 7:00 PM - Free Admission Join JTMF West on the West Lawn at the Legislature Grounds...
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Calgary Expo announces Lea Delaria & Jackie Cruz (Orange is the New Black) to 2016 guest roster
Gaius Media Launches Dekkoo, A Subscription VOD Service for Gay & Bi Men
The Nashville Grizzlies RFC are a team founded to give players a safe and affirming place to play rugby regardless of their sexual...
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) is pleased to recognise the government of Alberta’s first-ever formal raising of...
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NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Upgrade To BLACK!
Calgary Engagement Runs December 29 – January 3 Broadway Across Canada announced today that individual tickets for the Calgary...
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NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Picking up a Trophy Boy
shomi Presents the Exclusive Canadian Season 2 Premiere of Transparent, December 12
Jared North attempts to pick up fellow steam room hunk John Suazo in the latest episode of hit web series Steam Room Stories....
shomi is the only place Canadians can see this Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning Amazon Studios original series Risk-taking,...
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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News Releases HRC Releases 2016 Buyer’s Guide to Businesses Supporting LGBT Workplace Inclusion
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Top score requires companies to provide non-discrimination protections to their LGBT employees worldwide HRC President Chad... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2049
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Holiday Baking Made Easy with CHIPITS, Holiday Chocolate Shortbread Cookies recipe
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Cazwell’s Sweet Latin Trap Beat, ‘¡Spicy!’, Is an Ode to the Culo
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Fighting GvHD and HIV at same time; approval of new medical discovery expected in 2017
Fighting on two fronts at the same time, a new medical discovery is expected to receive FDA approval in 2017. Successfully used... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2054
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So now last week, Caitlyn Jenner attended a charity function in Chicago, where she gave a speech to help raise money for HIV/AIDS... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2056
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New Cookbook Provides Recipes that Nourish the Jewish Soul
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Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY
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10 12
2
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3
7
15
1 8
4 5
13
1 2 3 4
Calgary Outlink---------- Community Groups HIV Community Link---- Community Groups Backlot------------------------Bars and Clubs Texas Lounge-----------------Bars and Clubs
5 6 7 8
Goliath’s--------------------------Bathhouses Twisted Element--------------Bars and Clubs Broken City-------------------Bars and Clubs Cowboys Nightclub-----------Bars and Clubs
FIND OUT!
LGBT Community Directory GayCalgary Magazine is the go-to source for information about Alberta LGBT businesses and community groups—the most extensive and accurate resource of its kind! This print supplement contains a subset of active community groups and venues, with premium business listings of paid advertisers. ..........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
Bars & Clubs (Mixed) These venues regularly host LGBT events. 7 Broken City 613 11th Ave SW info@brokencity.ca http://www.brokencity.ca
403-262-9976
9 10 11 12
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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
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) 403-457-4464
15 The Blind Monk--------------------------- 918 12th Ave SW 403-265-6200 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
• Curling
North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW) curling@apollocalgary.com
• Golf
golf@apollocalgary.com
13 The Pint 1428 17th Ave SW calgary@thepint.ca http://www.thepint.ca/calgary
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
Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports
http://www.apollocalgary.com http://www.myapollo.com
6020 - 4 Avenue NE badminton@apollocalgary.com
outdoorpursuits@apollocalgary.com If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to lead events.
• Running (Calgary Frontrunners)
YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW) calgaryfrontrunners@shaw.ca East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to 9+ minute miles.
• Slow Pitch
slow.pitch@apollocalgary.com
• Squash
Mount Royal University Recreation squash@apollocalgary.com All skill levels welcome.
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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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
• Monthly Dances
Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW)
Calgary Expo
http://www.calgaryexpo.com
Calgary Gay Fathers
calgaryfathers@hotmail.com http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning fathers. Meeting twice a month.
Calgary Men’s Chorus
http://www.calgarymenschorus.org
• Rehearsals
Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW
Calgary Sexual Health Centre
304, 301 14th Street NW 403-283-5580 http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca A pro-choice organization that believes all people have the right and ability to make their own choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
At 5 Goliaths
At 1 Calgary Outlink
2nd
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
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
Calgary Queer Book Club
Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)
Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre
77 Deerpoint Road SE http://www.dpuc.ca
• Telephone Support
M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm + 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Hillhurst United Church
1227 Kensington Close NW (403) 283-1539 office@hillhurstunited.com http://www.hillhurstunited.com
HIV Peer Support Group
403-230-5832 hivpeergroup@yahoo.ca
403-278-8263
Different Strokes
http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org
FairyTales Presentation Society
403-244-1956 http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
• DVD Resource Library
Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership is $10.
Gay Friends in Calgary
http://www.gayfriendsincalgary.ca Organizes and hosts social activities catered to the LGBT people and friends.
Girl Friends
girlfriends@shaw.ca members.shaw.ca/girlfriends
• 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
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
48
Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW
Legend: = Monthly Reoccurrance, = Date (Range/Future), = Sponsored Event
1 Calgary Outlink Old Y Centre (303 – 223, 12 Ave SW) 403-234-8973 info@calgaryoutlink.ca http://www.calgaryoutlink.com 1-877-OUT-IS-OK (1-877-688-4765) Front-line help service for GLBT individuals and their family and friends, or anyone questioning their sexuality.
1st
See 1 Calgary Outlink
Calgary Contd. • Tennis
2nd
See 1 Calgary Outlink
Uniform Night----------------------- 6pm-6am
See 1 Calgary Outlink
By
Alcoholics Anonymous-------------------- 8pm
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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
Stagewest-----------------------------------
727 - 42 Avenue SE 403-243-6642 http://www.stagewestcalgary.com
Ellen Embury
403-750-1128 www.DBBlaw.com Fellow, American Academy of Reproductive Technology Attorneys
10 Flames Central---------------------------- See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed). 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
403-461-9195 http://www.lornedoucette.com
MFM Communications
403-543-6970 1-877-543-6970 http://www.mfmcommunications.com Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware and software.
The Naked Leaf----------------------------
#4 - 1126 Kensington Rd NW 403-283-3555 http://www.thenakedleaf.ca Organic teas and tea ware.
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
• Calgary Drop-in Centre
Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE 403-699-8216 Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm
Services & Products 6th and Tenth - Sales Centre
633 10th Ave SW 403-239-5511 http://www.6thandtenth.com M-W: 12-6pm, R: 2-7pm, S-N: 12-5pm
Barry Hollowell
Calgary Civil Marriage Centre
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
Calgary: 403-777-9494 Edmonton: 780-413-7122 Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010
www.gaycalgary.com
One Yellow Rabbit--------------------------
6 Evolution Wonder Lounge 10220 - 103 St 780-424-0077 http://www.yourgaybar.com
FLASH (CLOSED)
10018 105 Street flashnightclub@hotmail.com
780-938-2941
UpStares Ultralounge (CLOSED)
4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street 4 Woody’s 11725 Jasper Ave
780-488-6557
Bars & Clubs (Mixed) These venues regularly host LGBT events.
Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)
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--------
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
3 Buddy’s Nite Club (CLOSED) 11725 Jasper Ave 780-488-6636
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.
Bars & Clubs (Gay)
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
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
Webster Galleries Inc.
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)
11650 Elbow Dr SW ctahn@thornsmeltz.com http://www.thornsmeltz.com
Vertigo Mystery Theatre--------------------
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.
403-703-4750
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
#3 306 20th Ave SW http://www.thirdstreet.ca
812 11 Ave SW 403-263-6500 http://www.webstergalleries.com T-S: 10am-6pm, N: 1-4pm
Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)
La Fleur
Third Street Theatre
Hot Water Pools & Spas
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
161, 115 - 9 Ave SE 403-221-3708 http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com
Interactive Male
Best Health
Theatre Junction----------------------------
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
Pumphouse Theatre------------------------
2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW 403-263-0079 http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca
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
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 #145, December 2015/January 2016
49
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.
50
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 #145, December 2015/January 2016
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
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
LETHBRIDGE 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 (closed)
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
Whistlers Inn
105 Miette Ave 1-800-282-9919 info@whistlersinn.com http://www.whistlersinn.com
Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival
PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0 contact@jasperpride.ca http://www.jasperpride.ca
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 • 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 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 #145, December 2015/January 2016
51
Classifieds Event
140
Antique
305
The Fetish Slosh at the Backlot!
COLECTOR’S II is RELOCATING
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!
Collector’s II is closing it’s doors towards the end of November...1005a 1 Street S.W. ph.403-278-6446 closed Mondays
Wedding/Union
190
Rork Hilford MC OFFICIANT
MARRIAGE COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER FOR OATHS IN ALBERTA WEDDINGS AND MARRIAGES at your venue or in my home studio starting at $150 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
Magical Music DJs
Furniture
Home for Rent
347
“IMMACULATE INNER CITY NEWLY RENOVATED WINSTON HEIGHTS HOME” Perfect for the Professional Executive moving or already living in Calgary. This newly renovated 3 bedroom home (1 bedroom has been converted into an office with furnishings) offers high end luxury furnishings throughout with brand name appliances, authentic hardwood floors, gas fireplace, alarm system & granite counter tops. Five minutes from down town with a golf course 1 block away. Located ideally close to community center, grocery stores, trendy restaurants, shopping, transit, fitness, banks, cycling, walking paths plus much more.
240
GayCalgary Magazine is looking for salespeople, graphic designers, and writers in Calgary or Edmonton. For more info, contact:
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
INTERACTIVE MALE Interested in guys? You aren’t the only curious one. It’s just a phone call. Sexy. Discreet. Free. Why not try? 1-800-913-8509
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magazine@gaycalgary.com 403-543-6960
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
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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
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Cleaning
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Private House Cleaner Will clean for the gay community. Very detailed. Includes vacuuming, dusting, cleaning floors, kitchens and bathrooms. Cute clean appearance. Must have own cleaning supplies. Call for rates. Kevin 403-797-6336
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Want to attract the LGBT local or traveler to your business?
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.
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Award Winning One Stop Paralegal, Immigration & Business Services since 1999. Gay Friendly Staff. Call 403-590-3818 http://www.ActiveProfessionals.com Active Professionals #200, 2705 Centre Street N.W. Calgary T2E 2V5
Travel
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Puerto Vallarta Condos for Rent 2 x 2 Bdrm for Rent. Ocean views. daily maid service included. Wi-fi , high speed internet. Secure Quiet 9 suite building. 1/2 block to Blue Chairs Beach. On site English speaking Manager. Contact Rob - rburla21@gmail.com
Ads starting at $10/mo. for the first 20 words. Submit yours at http://www.gaycalgary.com/classifieds 52
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
www.gaycalgary.com
www.gaycalgary.com
GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #145, December 2015/January 2016
www.gaycalgary.com