FEBRUARY 2016
® ISSUE 146 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBTQ Community
Interview with
JILLIAN MICHAELS
Rufus Wainwright
The Orchestration of Rufus
Dascha Polanco
talks Orange is the New Black & Joy
PLUS:
Best of 2015 Pride Tape • Kate Burton Matthew Rettenmund • Blue Rodeo ...and more!
Business Directory
Scan to Read on Mobile Devices
Community Map
Calgary • Alberta • Canada
Events Calendar
Isabella Rossellini
Death Becomes Her is a ‘gay film’
Tourist Information
STARTING ON PAGE 55
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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Table of Contents
FEBRUARY 2016
Mercedes Chris Azzopardi, Allen, Chris Constable Azzopardi, AndyDallas Buck,Barnes, Dan Woog, Dave Brousseau, Dave Brousseau, Sam Casselman, Jason Clevett, Jason JeffClevett, Berry, Romeo AndrewSan Collins, Vicente, EmilySteve Collins, Polyak, Rob and Diaz-Marino, the LGBT Janine Community Eva Trotta, of Calgary, Jack Fertig, Edmonton, Glen Hanson, and Alberta. Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Stephen Lock, Neil McMullen, Allan Neuwirth,Photography Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford, Romeo San Jeff Vicente, Ed Sikov, Vivian and Steve Polyak, & Brian, KurtisNick Allan, Evolution the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta. Videography Steve Polyak
Photography Steve Polyak,Sales Rob Diaz-Marino, SteveB&J Polyak sales@gaycalgary.com
Videography LegalRob Council Steve Polyak, Diaz-Marino
Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors
Printers
North General Hill News/Central InquiriesWeb GayCalgary® Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Distribution Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 0G3 Calgary: Gallant Distribution magazine@gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Staff Edmonton: Clark’s Distribution Other:ByCanada Post Office Hours: appointment ONLY
Phone: 403-543-6960 Legal1-888-543-6960 Council Toll Free: Courtney Fax: Aarbo,403-703-0685 Barristers and Solicitors E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com Sales & General Inquiries Thisand Month's Cover GayCalgary Edmonton Magazine
Main: Jillian Michaels, photo by E!.SW Top Right: Rufus 2136 17th Avenue Wainwright, photo by Mathew Mid Right: Dascha Calgary, AB, Welch. Canada Polanco, photo by Netflix. Bottom Right: Isabella T2T 0G3 Rossellini, photo by Denis Makarenko
Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Phone: 403-543-6960 Toll Free: 1-888-543-6960 Fax: 403-703-0685 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com This Month's Cover Cher and Christina Aguilera courtesy of Sony Pictures; Annie Lennox courtesy ofof: Mike Owen; Proud Members Rex Goudie.
Proud Members of:
Edmonton Rainbow Business Association
Words from the Publisher
Great start to 2016 and another year of a roller coaster ride of LGBTQ Community events
11 GayCalgary’s Top 20 Most Read Articles in 2015 15 Discussing Community Safety Here for a long time
17 Positive Thoughts Ambassador Kate
Kate Burton builds on the AIDS legacy of stepmother Elizabeth Taylor
19 Blue Rodeo Continues The Ride Canadian Band Playing 30 Years of Music on Tour
22 Spelled Out
PAGE 22
Writers and Contributors
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Isabella Rossellini talks Joy, drag and discovering Death Becomes Her is a ‘gay film’
e n zi
26 Deep Inside Hollywood
a g 27 The OutFielda m
2015 In Queer Entertainment: It’s a Trans, Trans, Trans, Trans World
Pride tape covers Canada
28 2015 In Review - What the Celebs Said Memorable quotes from Hollywood notables
PAGE 27
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
PAGE 19
®
29 Q&A: Orange Star Dascha Polanco
Actress on being a Hollywood minority, breaking the ‘stigma’ and why Joy will resonate with the LGBT community
National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association
PAGE 29
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
Gay European Tourism Association
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Table of Contents Continued From Previous Page ®
32 Confessions of a Madonna Superfan PAGE 32
Why a self-proclaimed ‘front-row bitch’ wrote 581 pages on Madonna
36 Jillian Michaels Sets the Record Straight
Reality star on reclaiming gay slurs, how Madonna helped her come out and her message to LGBT people who think she should marry
39 The Orchestration of Rufus Wainwright PAGE 36
Singer-Songwriter Plays 2 Special Alberta Concerts
42 Queer Eye 50 A Couple of Guys 52 News Releases 54 Ms. GayCalgary February 2016 - Heather Chomos 55 Directory and Events 60 Classified Ads
a m
PAGE 39
Scan for this Issue:
e n zi
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Monthly Online Magazine Readership:
Combined total of PDF and ISSUU Downloads/Reads –100,000 copies
Total Readership of PDF/ISSUU/WEB
Readers Per Copy: 4.9 (PMB) Avg. Online Circulation: 310,000 readers Estimated Total Readership: >319,800 readers Frequency: Monthly
Proof of monthly figures are available on request. History Originally established in January 1992 as Men for Men BBS by MFM Communications. Name changed to GayCalgary in 1998. Independent company as of January 2004. First edition of GayCalgary.com Magazine published November 2003. Name adjusted in November 2006 to GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. February 2012 returned to GayCalgary Magazine. February 2013, GayCalgary® becomes a registered trademark. December 2014/ January 2015 is the last print edition. February 2015 is the first digital only edition.
Disclaimer and Copyright Opinions expressed in this magazine are specific to the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of GayCalgary staff and contributors. Those involved in the making of this publication, whether advertisers, contributors, or the subjects of articles or photographs, are not necessarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans. This magazine also includes straight allies and those who are gay friendly. No part of this publication may be reprinted or modified without the expressed written permission of the editor or publisher.
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Magazine Figures
Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. GayCalgary® is a registered trademark.
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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Editorial
Words from the Publisher
Great start to 2016 and another year of a roller coaster ride of LGBTQ Community events By Steve Polyak January always starts out with the planning of what GayCalgary needs to sponsor for events, and what each edition will be covering. Other mainstream publications don’t really need to plan their editions based on what the community around them is doing, but for GayCalgary, it’s a must. Most major LGBT events occurring in Alberta actually happen on long weekends that usually start at the end of one month and go into the start of the next. So, when I plan when editions come out, I have to adjust our publication schedule accordingly. For example, Edmonton Pride starts pretty much at the start of June, which means that to get best exposure for the event, everything needs to be in the May edition. So it might look strange that May becomes the Edmonton Pride edition, but it does not help getting people out with only a couple days’ worth of exposure if we waited until June. Likewise, the August edition is the Pride edition for Calgary.
Creep of the Week Marco Rubio
If you’re a Republican, you know that it is essential to seek the vote of people who are irrational and extreme. And in order to do that, you have to say things that are irrational... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4940
Deep Inside Hollywood
Julianne Moore, Adele, Freddie Mercury, Chris Colfer
Julianne Moore is Wonderstruck with Todd Haynes Julianne Moore and director Todd Haynes – his recent film Carol is generating lots of Oscar buzz – go way back. In 1994 she starred... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4941
While the main events pretty much land on those long weekends, smaller events sometimes change their dates, making it more challenging to schedule issues when waiting for date confirmations. But already I can say this is going to be one busy year for Alberta’s LGBT community. Anyone who complains that nothing happens, or that things are boring this upcoming year, are either too picky or just not looking hard enough. From what I have scheduled already in my calendar – including Jasper
Naughty But Nice
Stocking Stuffers to Spice Up Christmas Day
Santa checked his list twice for who’s naughty and nice so your Christmas is filled with sugar – and now some spice. Slaphappy Flat Vibrator Marketed as the Swiss Army knife... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4942
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Creep of the Week
Online Last Month
Ted Cruz
The Dred Scott decision, you guys. Have you heard of it? Because it’s kind of famous. Basically this guy, Dred Scott, sued for his freedom because he didn’t want to be a slave... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4945
Creep of the Week Peter Sprigg
Ho ho ho or whatever greeting you choose this season, but the holidays are upon us. For the majority of Americans that means spending a shit load of money on stuff nobody needs... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4936
Hear Me Out
Collector’s Editions: David Bowie, Alanis Morissette
Three Days Grace Prove They Still Have “It”
David Bowie, Five Years 1969-1973 The iconic cover of the U.K. edition of David Bowie’s 1971 release The Man Who Sold the World features the queer icon sprawled out in a silky... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4947
Calgary Concert bands return with new singer
From 2003 – 2012 Ontario’s Three Day’s Grace were a staple on Canadian rock radio and on the road internationally. Whether it was opening for bands like Velvet Revolver or Nickelback,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4910
Motley Crue Goes Out With A Bang
Party Band Goes All Out On Final Canadian Show
Puscifer Concert an Artistic & Athletic Affair
The December 13th Motley Crue show at the Saddledome was historic for a couple of reasons. First, it was the second go at Calgary on the “All Bad Things Must Come To An End”... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4933
Maynard James Keenan – frontman of Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer – is known for his flair for the dramatic. His various bands are famous for the theatrical aspects added... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4909
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From Previous Page Pride, Apollo Western Cup, Calgary Expo, Fairytales Film Festival, Edmonton Pride, Lethbridge Pride, Canadian International Rodeo and Music Festival, Red Deer Pride, ISCWR Coronation, Calgary Pride, Medicine Hat Pride, Edmonton Expo, Banff Pride – then adding to that great events from Evolution, Pure Pride, Cowboys Nightclub, Hot Mess, Backwards Nightclub, Woody’s, and many more, there is pretty much at least one big event happening every weekend up to Banff Pride! Get ready for that rollercoaster of fun; I know I am looking forward to a lot of work – that is for sure!
Whistler Pride 2016 Rob and I were able to attend Whistler Pride this year for our third time. It is the only Pride that GayCalgary sponsors and attends outside of Alberta. The event was very well attended with a large number of people coming from around the world. It was interesting to talk to people at the various events and hear how many people have been reading the magazine online. One guy even noted that he enjoyed the interviews that we have done with Kylie Minogue over the past several years, and he told us that he was from Scotland. For the skiers and snowboarders the weather was great: the mountains were getting fresh snow. At the village level, it was also either raining or snowing, meaning it was pretty much impossible to get those great photos of the mountains that we usually do, due to the cloud covering. Rob was able to get some shots on his new Microsoft Lumia 950 phone, as he was snowboarding, so you will be seeing those included in an updated Whistler BC travel feature later this year. Without spoiling the upcoming feature too much, I was able to enjoy an outdoor winter activity that even Rob was envious that I had the privilege of doing. Also that weekend, because of the upcoming feature, I think I ate the most food I have ever had during a pride weekend.
Ms. GayCalgary February 2016 When Rob and I had planned the Mr./Ms./Mz. GayCalgary feature, it was to celebrate people doing great things in Alberta’s LGBT community.
Creep of the Week Marco Rubio
There is a certain bench that presidential contenders long to fill. It’s the Holy Grail of appointments: the Supreme Court. Since Supreme Court Justices serve lifetime terms,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4967
Deep Inside Hollywood ‘Other People,’ Anderson Cooper, Queen Latifah, Little Movies That Could
Seeing Other People at Sundance Maybe you’ve been watching Fargo. You should have been, anyway. And maybe you caught Jesse Plemons as Kirsten Dunst’s husband. He’s one of our... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4968
The Frivolist Awards 2015’s Biggest Dicks
Despite our continued march toward complete LGBT equality, we’re still faced with haters trying to hold us back – and some people work harder than others. This retrospective of... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4969
GayCalgary’s Instagram 2015 Best Nine Photos
If you have an Instagram account, this is something for you to try out. Check out http://2015bestnine.com and enter in your Instagram... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4963
New at Earl’s
Loved restaurant introduces festive favourites to fall/winter menu
GayCalgary was invited again to another food tasting. This time it was at Earl’s Willow Park in Calgary. It was my first time at that location, which had been renovated recently.... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4962
Creep of the Week Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz
Making sure that gays and lesbians were never afforded legally recognized marriages was the focus for the anti-gay right for so long. So many resources were poured into stopping... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4974
The OutField
GO! Athletes gets a mentorship
Growing up in suburban Chicago, Chris Mosier had no FTM athletic role models. There were none at Northern Michigan University either, where – among many other activities – Mosier... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4976
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Creep of the Week Matt Bevin
Kentucky sure knows how the pick ‘em, don’t they? Governor Matt Bevin, Tea Partier and Kim Davis’s BFF, was sworn in on Dec. 9, but he has wasted no time when it comes to dismantling... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4979
Chug-A-Lug 2016
TV Drinking Games to Keep You Warm And Toasty All Winter Long
‘Round my parts in New York City, winter’s been a breeze so far. Seventy degrees on Christmas Eve? I’ll take it. But I don’t expect the New Year to be as cooperative. When the... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4982
Hear Me Out Best of 2015
10. Madonna, Rebel Heart In 2015, it was strange hearing Madonna sound so... human. A cluster of cuts from the queen’s 13th studio album imparted a rare authenticity and striking... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4987
This month, we feature Ms. GayCalgary – Heather Chomos. Sadly, she passed away before we could do the interview and photo shoot with her, so her friends helped us create the feature this month. Heather did know that she was on the list of people we wanted to feature, and had planned to do the interview and photo shoot the next time I was in Lethbridge, which was going to be during Lethbridge Pride. She will definitely be missed this year.
Upcoming Events For those who could not make it out to Whistler Pride but enjoy skiing and snowboarding, don’t forget that Jasper Pride is still coming up. The March edition will contain our Jasper Alberta travel feature, plus interviews with some of the talent that will be performing at Jasper Pride, along with an article about Jasper Pride 2016. For those not into skiing or snowboarding, Jasper Pride has you covered with events happening during the daytime too – March 17th to 20th, 2016. LaBar has been renamed Bodega, 318A 10 St NW, Calgary, AB. They will finally have their grand opening party on February 19th. They have been running since January, but just recently got their liquor license. They now offer a full menu so go down for some great Caribbean food. And Backwards is opening! Their grand debut is set for March 12th, 2016. Yes, I know they have gone past their prior dates, but I have personally visited the space during the renovations and they can truthfully say that they built the bar from the ground up. The original plans that they had for the space have been pretty much scrapped and totally changed to use the space better. They truly have done things that no gay bar in Alberta could do and, from what I can see, it will be an awesome space that everyone can enjoy.
Vance Joy Proves To Be More Than A One Hit Wonder You may not instantly know the Vance Joy, but you definitely the song Riptide. Featured in a commercial it became a massive 2013 that launched his career.... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4971
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name know GoPro hit in
Creep of the Week Ben Carson
Whether you call them “special rights” or “extra rights,” it has long been the argument of the anti-gayers that what LGBT people want goes above and beyond... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4990
Deep Inside Hollywood
Gus Van Sant, Saffron Burrows, Anne Heche, Sandra Oh
Gus Van Sant to deliver When We Rise So Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall might not have gotten its history lesson across as effectively as planned. OK, fine, it was a disaster. But... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4991
The Frivolist - Special Delivery 5 Thoughtful DIY Sweetheart Gifts to Give to Your Valentine
Valentine’s Day can mean a pretty penny out of pocket for many couples. Jewelry, flowers and a fancy dinner at the hottest resto in town add up quickly, but in a lot of ways these... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4993
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Interview
GayCalgary’s Top 20 Most Read Articles in 2015 By Steve Polyak
Some of the readers of GayCalgary and also some of the talent we have interviewed have asked us several times over the past several years for which articles our readers enjoy reading the most. After creating the top 9 photos on Instagram, we decided to do a top 20 article list as well. The list is created from the 5,000 articles we have online that have accumulated over the 12 years of the magazine. It was hard to do just articles from 2015 since articles from the end of the year would have not had the same exposure as articles from the start of the year. What are your thoughts? Any articles you think should have been included in the list? Let us know in the comments section below. 1. NSFW: Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? An interview with “Best Top” Austin Wolf From October 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3741 2. VIDEO - Kris Holden-Ried: Hungry like the Wolf From October 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3701 3. A Conversation with Henry Rollins From October 2008 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a575 4. Whole Lesbian Sex: What Do Butches Want?
9. VIDEO - What the Frack? Tahmoh Penikett and Aaron Douglass From May 2010 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1676 10. VIDEO - What the Devil! Mark Pellegrino on network politics and making the devil his own From July 2015 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4736
From January 2008 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a178 5. VIDEO - Ian Parks: Skyping with “Hot Toddy” from Where the Bears Are
11. Crushing on Crusher: Wil Wheaton on The Next Generation, being a child actor, and his sexuality From April 2012 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2814
From May 2014 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4069 6. Man at Work: Tyler Saint talks leaving the work at work From September 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3671 7. VIDEO - Getting Lost with Rick Howland and Rachel Skarsten: The Stars of Lost Girl Dish on Season 5 From February 2015 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4464 8. Hot News for a Cold January: Calgary’s own Holden Nowell Justifies his new title: Sexiest Man Alive
12. VIDEO - Orphan Black: The new sci-fi show in town. Interviews with Jordan Gavaris and Dylan Bruce From May 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3477 13. VIDEO - Craig Parker and Dean O’Gorman: Catching up with the New Zealander cast of LOTR From August 2014 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4222 14. Creep of the Week: Rep. Todd Akin From October 2012 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3157
From January 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3289
15. VIDEO - Entertainment Expo Explodes in Edmonton: Inaugural pop culture festival a success. Unique Video Interview with Supernatural’s Misha Collins From November 2012 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3176
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16. VIDEO - Brent Corrigan: Former “Twink” porn actor on growing up and going Mainstream From February 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3342 17. Colby Melvin: Voter advocacy, political power and the dirty business of oil From November 2014 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4373 18. Jann Arden: A conversation with Calgary’s favorite daughter From December 2011 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a2627 19. Exploring Leather Relationships: Part 3 of 3: “Sirs” and “Boys” From March 2010 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1607 20. VIDEO - InnerSPACE at the Calgary Expo: Interview with Ajay Fry and Teddy Wilson From May 2013 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3476
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Community
Discussing Community Safety Here for a long time
By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone, and a happy New Year. I trust that you all enjoyed the festivities over Christmas, and that it doesn’t all seem like a distant memory already! I would like to start this month by putting a rumour to bed. I have been approached on a couple of occasions by people asking me if I am leaving my role as the community liaison officer with Calgary Police Service. It would seem as though there are some rumours doing the rounds that I am departing, to be replaced by an LGBT staff member. I can categorically state that this is not the case. However, I have asked an “out” male member to assist with the workload involved with the internal staff group here at headquarters so, perhaps, that has become public and people are putting things together? Either way, I reiterate that this is absolutely the best job I have had in 22 years policing, and certainly have no plans to change my work area any time soon! I am looking forward to seeing you all at the rodeo, Pride and the various other community events this year. Talking of events, I can share with you some exciting news. You may recall that my Chief’s Advisory Board members and I put together a panel event last year here at police headquarters: titled “Is Love All You Need?”, we played a short movie about bullying in the LGBTQ* community and had a panel of guests speak to some questions raised by that movie. It was a resounding success, and we received some incredible feedback. As a direct result we have decided to host another event, this time focusing on domestic violence within the community. Yes, it does exist, and no, people don’t really like to talk about it, but hopefully we can create awareness about this topic and reduce some of the stigma that is attached to it. Victims of domestic violence deserve support, and we aim to further develop the relationship between the community and the police to the point where a victim doesn’t have to think twice about picking up the phone or going into a police station in their time of crisis. It is early in terms of planning, so I am unable, at this time, to confirm what the event will look like in terms of presentation. What I can tell you is that the date and venue are booked: it will be held at the John Dutton Theatre on the afternoon of Sunday, October 2nd, 2016. We are absolutely delighted to have secured the John Dutton Theatre, as the capacity is far greater than the auditorium here at headquarters, meaning that we should be able to accommodate everyone wishing to attend. Of course, as more details become available, I will update you here as well as via social media. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to connect with me if you have any questions, comments or concerns at abuck@ calgarypolice.ca. I can assure you of my best attention at all times. As always, please look out for each other, look after each other, and I will speak with you again next time.
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Lifestyle
Kate Burton addresses USCA 2015 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Michelle Antoinette Nelson
Positive Thoughts Ambassador Kate
Kate Burton builds on the AIDS legacy of stepmother Elizabeth Taylor By Jeff Berry Many know Kate Burton as an actress, most recently portraying the right-wing Vice President Sally Langston in the hit TV show Scandal, and in Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Ellis Grey, the former surgeon and mother of lead character Dr. Meredith Grey, who dies of Alzheimer’s. But what some people may not realize is that Burton, daughter of actor Richard Burton, also serves as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF), which her stepmother founded. “People know, and people knew, my stepmom as a famous movie actress,” said Burton in a 2014 interview, “but at her fundamental core, she was a caring, compassionate person who advocated for the neediest of the needy.” Burton, in an email to Positively Aware magazine, says she’s been involved in raising awareness about HIV since her dear friends Meghan Robinson and Michael O’Gorman died from AIDS. “From that time on, I knew that it would be a fight I would devote myself to. It was thrilling to me that Elizabeth became such a passionate advocate for AIDS awareness. As we all know, she and Dr. (Mathilde) Krim put this fight on the map.” Elizabeth Taylor founded ETAF in 1991 to support organizations delivering direct care and services to people living with HIV and AIDS, often to the most marginalized
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
populations, according to their website. Today, Taylor’s friends and family work together as ETAF ambassadors to help keep the issue of HIV/AIDS “top-of-mind” for the public. Taylor’s trust covers the operating costs of ETAF, ensuring that 100 percent of donations go directly to people affected by HIV/AIDS. “My work as an ETAF ambassador entails many things,” says Burton, “but primarily I serve as a spokesperson or a message deliverer when called upon, although the hard ‘onthe-ground’ work is delivered by (ETAF Managing Director) Joel Goldman and his wonderful staff.” Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, NO/AIDS Task Force, the largest HIV provider in New Orleans, had no offices and its patients nowhere to turn. Taylor wanted to help, and through her foundation was able to provide a mobile treatment unit so that clients were able to continue to access their medications and other lifesaving services, uninterrupted. Taylor, understanding how successful the model was and that it didn’t need to be limited to a natural disaster, began to replicate it in other locales. She knew that chronic lack of access to healthcare was the biggest barrier in the battle against HIV and AIDS, according to a recent ETAF statement, and said, “If people cannot get to healthcare, why can’t we
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bring healthcare to people?” Since 2008, seven Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance/Elizabeth Taylor Mobile Health Clinics have been delivering care to the people of Mulanje and Phalombe districts in Malawi. Recently, in collaboration with the Elizabeth Taylor Trust and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Getty Images Gallery in London produced “Grit and Glamour” to mark 30 years since Taylor first began her leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Taylor’s son Christopher Wilding’s “major new photographic exhibition offered Elizabeth Taylor fans the chance to view previously unseen images of the Hollywood icon in a celebration of the British actress’ 30-year campaign to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS,” according to the Daily Mail. In her day job, Burton has garnered two Emmy nominations for her portrayals of strong characters developed by Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. “Shonda Rhimes has been incredibly important to me in my life as an actress,” says Burton. “She chose me to play Ellis Grey in Grey’s Anatomy 12 years ago, which changed my professional life but more importantly, put advocacy for Alzheimer’s research front and center on network television and in the national conversation. Seven years later she chose me to play the larger-than-life, devout and conservative Vice President Sally Langston in Scandal. I initially thought that this character was not based on reality...until I saw the current crop of Republican candidates! Sally would fit right in amongst them, alas!” In February hundreds of HIV advocates from across the country will descend upon Washington D.C. for AIDSWatch 2016, the largest constituent-based HIV advocacy event in the U.S., to educate Congress about the policies and resources needed to end the HIV epidemic. ETAF is the lead sponsor.
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
“The work that AIDSWatch does to elevate the voices of people living with and affected by HIV is crucial, and very much aligned with Elizabeth Taylor’s passionate approach,” says Joel Goldman of ETAF. “She used her enormous platform to advocate for those whose voices were being ignored, just as AIDSWatch is doing today. ETAF is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor for the second time and to see the impact of this exciting event continue to grow.” As for Burton, she says her advocacy for AIDS research and the search for a cure will continue throughout her life. Along with her work at ETAF she also serves on the board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In September of last year at the 2015 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), Burton presented the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award to House Leader Nancy Pelosi for her tireless work in the fight against HIV. “Presenting the ETAF award to Leader Pelosi on behalf of my stepmother was one of the greatest honors I have ever had,” says Burton. “I will always cherish the memory.” Jeff Berry is the editor of Positively Aware magazine. A version of this article appeared in the January/February issue of Positively Aware (positivelyaware.com). For more information on the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and AIDSWatch 2016, go to etaf.org and aidsunited.org. Positive Thoughts is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, The Body 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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Blue Rodeo Continues The Ride Canadian Band Playing 30 Years of Music on Tour
photo by Pollock Heather
By Jason Clevett There aren’t many bands that can consistently play a city and sell out dates. Yet Blue Rodeo continues to draw an audience of passionate fans regardless of how often they come to Alberta. An annual staple of the Cowboy’s Nightclub Tent at the Calgary Stampede, the band returns to both Jubilee Auditoriums in Alberta next week. They will be in Calgary January 18th & 19th and then head to Edmonton January 20th & 21st. “Calgary has always been one of our best towns in terms of consistent support. It is a great thing to have. Calgary is a great town. I’ve been with the band for 24 years so I have been going there at least a couple of times a year all these years. It has been wonderful to see the town evolve and still continue to be embraced by the audience there,” drummer Glenn Milchem told GayCalgary a few days before kicking off their Canadian tour. “Both Jubilee’s actually are great and a real pleasure to play. Cowboys [Nightclub] is always fun. It is just a big drunken sea of madness. It is always fun because the audience is so into it and having a great time. That is always a pleasure. One of my earliest memories of playing Calgary was the first time we played Stampede at the Convention Centre. It was a sea of white people in white cowboy hats. It is such a diverse town now, some people wear black cowboy hats! One of the things I have really enjoyed is seeing how much the city has changed and evolved in the last quarter century and how it has opened up and diversified. It has become an ever more interesting place to go. I love the Palliser [Hotel], we get to stay there. It makes you feel like a rock star.” www.gaycalgary.com
Singer-songwriters Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor have known each other since high school, and in 1985 Blue Rodeo performed their first show together. Few bands are able to have the staying power of three decades, something Milchem credits to Cuddy and Keelor. “It’s largely because we are fortunate enough to have two great singer-songwriters. It is great to have one strong one but if you’ve got two you are golden. It is a rare thing to have two people like that can work together, sing great together. Their friendship goes back more than forty years. It is a very deep thing there that is the root of the band. It is an enjoyable thing and fascinating thing for people to look at. They have written a lot of great songs that have become part of the national identity. We see young people coming to our shows whose parents listened to the band and they grew up listening to the songs and love them because they are timeless. They aren’t dependent on writing for some current musical trend they are just good songs that transcend the time in which they were written. They are well sung played and arranged. I think that is what’s managed to sustain us. We still love doing it. I am grateful that in this band no one has been stupid enough to say I’m done. When you are in a band that is successful it is an extraordinary gift. Lightning rarely strikes twice so it is something you should hold on to. Luckily we have been smart enough to do that. All those things contribute to our endurance.” The list of Blue Rodeo songs is endless. Songs like Try, Lost Together & Rose Coloured Glasses have been a staple in sets for years. In a world where artists play for 75 to 90 minutes
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and are done, Blue Rodeo is renowned for their longer concerts and playing many of their hits. The songs are timeless which makes it easy to continue to play them after having done so thousands of times. “I don’t get tired of playing a good song. I just don’t. I like playing and if it is a good song, playing a song that you don’t love can be a bit of a chore. But playing a good song is always a pleasure. We aren’t a strict note-for-note band. Some bands play it exactly like the record and there is nothing wrong with that but with us there is kind of a looseless to it. I don’t even know how to play Lost Together like the record I just play it how I feel it that night. The songs are allowed to breathe and evolve and that helps keep it fresh. We have so much material to draw on. We have Terra Lightfoot opening on this tour so the challenge for us will be to keep it short enough. We can easily play for two hours every night just to get in all of the songs that we want to play. We want to do some new material; some songs we haven’t played in a while some of which are on the longer side. When we were rehearsing I was like How are we going squeeze all this stuff in? We have been doing it for a long time. 90 minutes just doesn’t seem that long or enough. We just enjoy playing. Given the opportunity we do at least a couple of hours every night. For singers that can be tiring. It is a little hard on the voice so they have to watch that. We just love playing and have such a deep well to draw from, why not?” The band has faced challenges head on, including Greg Keelor having issues with his hearing over the past few years that have forced the band to change how they perform. Although frustrating for the effects it has on Keelor the band looks at the positives. “I am set up as far away from him as possible which is difficult at times. Sometimes I notice a time lag between he and I because he is hearing me from 40 feet away. Sometimes
you are hearing the band more from the reflection off the back well then the musicians next to him. All of the speakers and amplifies are in isolation boxes off stage. There is very little sound generated from the stage which can be a little challenging. At the same time, it has made us a more dynamic band. We have a broader dynamic range now; we are much quieter then we used to be. It has also helped our live mix a lot because our sound man isn’t battling loud amps blasting at him from the stage. I hear people raving about the quality of the sound. The hearing has been a drag but it’s made us a better band. Having Colin (Cripps) on guitar in the band has made us a better band because he is a tremendous player and now we have this third harmony singer. It is difficult at times especially some stages are just loud no matter what you do and then Greg literally physically suffers especially the next day. It can be tough for him. Ultimately it has made us a better band with a broader musical range.” The band made headlines in September with the release of the video for Stealin All My Dreams about the Harper Government. Blue Rodeo has had political songs before, but it clearly struck a chord on both sides of the Conservative fence. “ We have written political songs before. The song Fools Like You from Lost Together was about honoring native land treaties. That is an issue that the band has touched on for decades. There have been other political songs. We aren’t an overly political band but we are not averse to being political. From our standpoint the country was in a political crisis. Growing up in the 1960’s and 1970’s we had a certain view of what Canada is. If you thought of it as a nation of peacekeepers or a feeling that Canada was a place that took pride in and looked after its natural resources, then you were going to be alarmed by the state of the things. Greg didn’t write the song with the election in mind he just wrote it because he felt it. Towards the election Jim thought it might be a good idea to do a video because we wanted to have a say and thought it was important. We think things are dire and a change is definitely needed. I don’t think we changed anybody’s mind but sometimes it just feels good to say what you really feel. It felt really good to make the statement. We got a lot of support and a lot of derision. In the end the public seemed to agree with us so that was a relief.” Blue Rodeo is known as one of Canada’s best live bands. Recently other Canadian’s like Tom Cochrane and Rush have announced that they are scaling back on touring and performing. Blue Rodeo isn’t likely to pack up their guitars any time soon. “I am hoping we can squeeze another 10 years out of this thing. It came up last year we were in the van and talking about Rush’s 40th tour and Jim was like Oh we can make 40. I was like Oh yeah? You think we can get another 10 years out of Greg? and he said Yeah no problem! We will see. I would certainly like to keep going as long as we can. I am 10 years younger than most of the members of the band so for me they will more than likely be ready to pack it in before I will be. I just hope we can keep it going as long as we can.”
Blue Rodeo http://www.BlueRodeo.com Calgary – January 18th & 19th Jubilee Auditorium Edmonton – January 20th & 21st Jubilee Auditorium http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4966 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments 20
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Spelled Out
Isabella Rossellini talks Joy, drag and discovering Death Becomes Her is a ‘gay film’
photo by Denis Makarenko
By Chris Azzopardi Isabella Rossellini is leading me into the light. There, in front of an almost full-wall window in a hotel suite at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City, we stand, beaming, as her assistant snaps a pic. Good lighting is everything, as Rossellini notes in her thick SwedishItalian accent – otherwise, “it’ll get all black.” She should know. Rossellini embarked on a career in front of the camera when, at the age of 28, the classic Rome-born beauty fell into modeling, hawking Lancôme as the company’s spokeswoman for 14 years and posing for an array of eminent celeb photographers, including Annie Leibovitz and Robert Mapplethorpe. “When I worked with him, he was quite sick with AIDS,” Rossellini recalls. “I remember how sad I felt, because he was very handsome and he celebrated in his photos the male body, the human body, and to see him paying such a toll, not even just physically. But he seemed to be in good spirits. I wondered… of course he knew he was dying. It was a very difficult time, the ’80s. And it was the last book that he made. They wanted him to photograph women and he did beautiful portraits of several women.” (Also featuring Yoko Ono and Susan Sarandon, Some Women was published in 1989, the same year Mapplethorpe succumbed to AIDS-related illness.) Rossellini’s striking appeal wasn’t only dark room-worthy, however. While modeling, Rossellini also began mirroring the career of her iconic mother, Ingrid Bergman (Rossellini’s father is Italian 22
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director Roberto Rossellini), reaching beyond the glossy pages of Vogue to become a film star. As abused nightclub vocalist Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch’s 1986 trippy thriller Blue Velvet, a role that required Rossellini to sing, Mapplethorpe’s muse demonstrated more than a pretty face – she could really act. Rossellini also happens to know a lot about animal sex. In 2008, she directed, produced, wrote and starred in a series of short films for Sundance titled Green Porno, illustrating the various mating acts of insects and other non-humans with, of course, cardboard and foam rubber. And if you ever wondered how dolphins do it (who hasn’t?), the actress also created the 2014 web series Seduce Me, wherein she discusses “blowhole sex” as she pseudo swims in a diorama-inspired scene among some very frisky Flippers. Rossellini’s latest is certainly less niche. In director David O. Russell’s Joy, the veteran actress is back on the big screen as Jennifer Lawrence’s affluent, finger-wagging stepmom, Trudy, a tough-love foil to the based-on-real-life titular character. “It’s empowering to women,” Rossellini says, nuzzled into the corner of a sofa, “and it’s also about the struggle of success. Generally when a person is successful people imagine, ‘Oh, overnight success, luck,’ instead of how arduous it is. The film portrays it very well. Family encourages you and discourages you because they are protective.” Though Rossellini recognizes Joy’s unwavering ambition to seize businesswoman status – a path she blazes after inventing a fancy mop – her own life, she says, has been “completely
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photo by Twentieth Century Fox
photo by Twentieth Century Fox
different,” a truth she attributes to her European background as well as her famous film-industry family. “You know, I was more successful than I thought I’d be,” she reveals. “I’m old enough to have belonged to a group of women who thought, ‘I’m gonna get married and be a housewife.’ Instead, a career came, and it was really modeling – modeling is almost like winning the lottery.” Rossellini’s modeling career continued to blossom in the ’80s, when she graced the covers of countless women fashion mags: Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair and Elle. She could’ve been a stay-at-home mom. She could’ve cleaned and cooked and called it a day. And she thought, for many years, she would. But in her 30s, she changed her mind. Rossellini says, “I understood that being financially independent meant also to be independent.” “You don’t really do anything to become a good model,” she adds. “You’re either chosen or not chosen, liked or not liked. If you are a bitch, they’re not gonna hire you anymore. And modeling really teaches you the discipline of work. So modeling for me was a wonderful revelation. Though my mother worked – my mother was Ingrid Bergman, had a big career – it was seen as she had a gift, she had a talent, that it was extraordinary. It was a kind of a call for her, but it wasn’t percolating down to the family that all the women should have a career, no.” In 1976, Rossellini shot her movie debut, playing a minor role in her mother’s film A Matter of Time. Ten years later, Rossellini became an icon in her right, achieving cult status after starring in Blue Velvet. It was Death Becomes Her in 1992, though, that secured the actresses’ queer cred. And god bless that film – it featured a dream trifecta: Rossellini, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, an ensemble cast who punched up the film’s camp commentary on pre-Botox-fad superficiality. “Now, a warning,” her potiontouting character, Lisle Von Rhuman, cautioned Meryl’s Madeline Ashton to the delight of supremely geeked gays everywhere. Rossellini reveals that Death Becomes Her was always meant to be one of the gayest films about beauty you’ve ever seen – even if she, and director Robert Zemeckis, didn’t know it at first. “Robert Zemeckis told me,” Rossellini says about discovering that she was, in fact, starring in a “gay film.” “When the film came out, Robert Zemeckis was so successful after Roger Rabbit and the films that he did at the time were big, big, big. Also, they were family films, so when he did Death Becomes Her he also thought it was going to be a family film, but then
they did all this marketing research and said” – Rossellini unleashes a whooping laugh – “‘Oh, it’s a gay film!’” It took almost no time for Zemeckis and the cast to realize they weren’t making the next Roger Rabbit. (Sorry, kids.) “Within three, four months he said, ‘You know, our audience is a gay audience,’” Rossellini recalls. Rossellini has become accustomed to swooning gay adoration. She’s inspired drag queens, and not just with that vampy nip-hiding-necklace coverup she wore in Death Becomes Her. “They do me in drag in Blue Velvet,” she admits, heartedly amused. “I had a friend who was gay who died, unfortunately, and he would go out on Halloween and dress up like me. I had a Blue Velvet robe, and I had my wig for a while, and he would borrow it every year.” Rossellini is smitten with the idea of men resurrecting her most iconic screen characters in drag. She calls it a “compliment.” “Oh, it’s fun,” she adds. “I know there are certain women like Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand who are particularly liked by the gay culture. I know that strong women are liked, and I wonder why strong women and not weak women.” She pops a laugh. “I don’t know what it is in the gay culture! What is it that makes the gay culture to be so supportive of Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, images of these iconic women? Why did you like so much stronger women instead of, like, a housewife?” I explain that, when it comes to empowered female icons, young gay men like myself aspire to their strength and power. Naturally, Madonna is mentioned. Rossellini famously appeared in the Material Girl’s “Erotica” video, and also photographed for her controversial Sex book, both out in 1992. The latter, she says, was not what she had hoped. “I didn’t like it totally,” Rossellini says of Sex. “In a way, I found it a bit moralistic in the sense that Madonna is playing the sadomasochistic, Madonna playing the gay. It was teaching us to be open-minded, and she didn’t really reveal anything about herself. It wasn’t vulnerable. Vulnerability is not what she exudes, and what she did was powerful and unique. There was something about the book that was not erotic, and not moving either. It was aesthetic. It was guarded. It wasn’t empowering.” She goes on: “But she is an incredible lady. I’m looking at her, because she’s now in her 50s and I’m 63, and I would like to have a role model of a woman who is older. I want to see these powerful women. How do they fight ageism? What do they propose to fight ageism?”
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photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace, Twentieth Century Fox
Regarding Hollywood ageism, not much has changed, she admits. “I see that, at 40 now, you’re still considered beautiful, but I don’t see it defeated. They stretch the younger age longer, but I haven’t seen acceptance.” Rossellini celebrates Streep and Helen Mirren, actresses who have “given old age an energy that is beyond that” without sucking down an age-defying potion. At the same time, she notes, “there are fewer roles (for older women), and they go to them.” It’s a reality she’s come to terms with, and instead of sulking over Streep and Mirren’s lock on roles for women over 60, she’s
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blazed her own quirky path. The titles alone are telling (and this is not counting her horny dolphin doc): The Saddest Music in the World, My Dog Tulip and 2011’s Chicken with Plums. It’s no surprise, then, that she’s also voiced a hamster. In the gay-themed coming-of-age drama Closet Monster – from out producer Niv Fichman and first-time director Stephen Dunn, who’s also gay – Rossellini takes on a rodent. Her involvement, she says, is partly due to the fact that she’s friends with Fichman, and also, she says, “maybe because I study animals, or maybe just because I have a foreign voice.” For the film’s protagonist, a sexually confused boy named Oscar, the hamster is an illusion, his muse for comprehending life tropes like “mortality, lying… that life is tough,” Rossellini says, laughing. Though it won Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, the indie isn’t meant for mainstream consumption, like Joy, and that’s just fine by Rossellini. “Since I was always interested in animals, I went back to university to study animals and then I made my own film and I do monologues,” she says, regarding her peculiar one-offs. “The work that I have done doesn’t have the exposure of Joy. I am still working and doing a lot of work but more in an artisanal way.” After all, someone has to enlighten the world on the sexual habits of sea animals.
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Gossip weighs heavily. But this series, entering its second season, succeeds by being specific and well-made rather than trying to be all things to all people. 4. The Prancing Elites The reality series about a black, queer, gender-nonconforming dance troupe in the Deep South wisely refused to overplay the overt, awful discrimination they face. It was on display, to be sure, but what comes through most is the joy of life these young prancers feel when they move the crowd. And they really move the crowd. 5. The Fosters In the mainstream media, “trans” almost always means maleto-female transitions. Degrassi helped move the game, with a cis female actor playing a trans male teenager. But now The Fosters has taken the leap forward, featuring Cole, young trans male character played by trans male actor Tom Phelan. Small steps in a big revolution. 6. Tangerine Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl, photo Focus Features
Deep Inside Hollywood 2015 In Queer Entertainment: It’s a Trans, Trans, Trans, Trans World By Romeo San Vicente There was a time in LGBT media stories when the G dominated the conversation. We love gay men, of course, and their stories are in no danger of extinction. But we also longed for more movies and TV shows about the L, the B, and the T, for narratives we weren’t getting, for people of color to have a stronger voice, for older lesbians, for everybody else to sing their song. In 2014, Time magazine put Laverne Cox on the cover and called that moment “The Transgender Tipping Point.” And in 2015, here’s what we got 1. I Am Cait Is there anyone you know who doesn’t have an opinion about Ms. Jenner, no matter how ignorant, ill-informed or warped by loathing of Kardashian, Inc.? Probably not. And Cait’s learn-inpublic approach has been fraught with problems and missteps. But we’d rather live in a world where she gets to speak and be heard than not, so we’re going to trust that she’s moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, here’s hoping season 2 of her reality show keeps glorious Jenny Boylan on board for wisdom’s sake. 2. I Am Jazz There is no more cuddly show on the air right now than the sweetly sincere I Am Jazz, featuring trans teen Jazz Jennings and her fiercely loyal family. If you hate reality TV because of its trumped-up exploitation and fake drama, the daily life of Jazz, her thoughtful parents, protective twin brothers and adorable grandparents is the antidote. This kid is going to be all right.
Gritty, funny, dark, moving, with a story that was molded into shape by its stars Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Tangerine is the best queer film of the year. The dynamic duo played a pair of Los Angeles sex workers on a fractured Christmas Eve, pushing their way through the city and testing the bonds of friendship. It’s a portrait of street life that’s as tender as it is tough. 7. Sense8 The Wachowskis made the leap to the small screen with one of the most innovative shows ever created. It features characters from around the globe, all of whom are connected by shared visions, a cluster of psychic communication webs. The cast is multiracial, multigender, and the criss-crossing storylines are a masterclass in queer visibility. Also? Pansexual orgies. 8. The Danish Girl Nearly a century ago, a Dutch landscape artist underwent gender reassignment surgery. Now it’s an awards-season film starring Eddie Redmayne. It’s come under a cloud of criticism for its casting, its treatment of trans identity, and its transeducation-for-your-parents approach to storytelling. But it’s here, and it’s still queer, so if your conservative Dad walks away from it learning a little more than he knew before, that’s still a mark in the plus column, right? 9. Stephen Universe You guys, it’s a cartoon series for kids and it features queer and gender-nonconforming characters, including one that is actually two lesbian space rocks who are fused together for eternity. Repeat that sentence out loud to yourself and marvel at the beauty of the world in which we live. If it still doesn’t make sense, then you’re not 7 years old. Work on that. 10. American Horror Story: Hotel Look, they can’t all be winners. Keep avoiding it in 2016. Romeo San Vicente is Father Christmas. Or Daddy Christmas, if that’s your thing.
3. Transparent There’s no such thing as a cultural product that satisfies everyone, and when the subject matter is as rare as that of a person transitioning late in life, the burden of representation 26
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Sports
The OutField
Pride tape covers Canada By Dan Woog According to Kris Wells, Canada is known for two things: “hockey and human rights.” If that’s true, he has reason to be proud. He’s a creator of Pride Tape, a new product that wraps those two things together. And it’s taking his country by storm. Kris Wells – more formally Dr. Kristopher Wells – is an assistant professor of education at the University of Alberta. The Edmonton native also serves as faculty director of the school’s Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (ISMSS). One of the institute’s research projects tracked the use of “casual homophobia” on Twitter. The enormous prevalence of words and phrases like “faggot” and “no homo” led Wells, his colleagues and students to wonder how they could raise awareness of harmful language, and reduce it. “Schools and sports are the last two areas of institutionalized homophobia and transphobia,” Wells says. “That’s why we’ve partnered with the You Can Play Project” – the organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation, co-founded by National Hockey League executive Patrick Burke. But, Wells continues, “there is still not one out NHL player. They’re role models for so many people. We wanted to find a way to get them involved in the dialogue.” During the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, the Russian government’s anti-gay propaganda law sparked a backlash by human rights activists. Rainbow flags flew all over the city, in a show of solidarity with LGBT athletes and spectators. Those six colors – universally recognized as symbols of gay pride, and support of LGBT issues – also appeared on t-shirts and souvenirs. Now – thanks to Wells and the ISMSS – they’ll be wrapped around hockey sticks all over the country. Tape is ubiquitous in the sport. Players use it to better grip a stick; to protect the stick from wear and damage, and to impart more spin on shots and passes. For decades, it’s come in only two colors: white and black. Now there’s also red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. “This is a way for teams to signal support to kids at rinks everywhere,” Wells says. “Research shows that LGBT youth are less likely to participate in team sports, because of the homophobic culture of the locker room. The higher the level of play, the more hypermasculine the environment. Rainbowcolored tape is a badge of support to LGBT youth, which everyone can see. These six colors can change the hockey world.” Edmonton is a natural birthplace for Pride Tape. Two years ago Andrew Ference – captain of the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins – was traded to the Oilers. He’d been involved with You Can Play, and asked Wells how to stay involved in his new city. That June, when he marched with the Camp fYrefly youth group, he became the first captain of any professional sport to participate in a Gay Pride parade.
Kris Wells
Last year, Ference was joined by Oilers’ goaltender Ben Scrivens (traded last month to the Montreal Canadiens), and Scrivens’ wife Jenny, also a professional goaltender. The tape was created by Calder Bateman, an Edmonton marketing, design and brand management agency. Creative director Jeff McLean says, “Unfortunately, too often sports remains a holdout in creating a welcoming environment for LGBTQ youth. That’s why I feel strongly about the ongoing relationship we have” with the ISMSS. Getting Pride Tape to market was not as easy as slapping a rainbow on cloth, however. Professionals demand high-grade tape, and blending six colors proved difficult. The manufacturer also had a minimum run: 10,000 rolls. The cost is nearly $40,000. A Kickstarter campaign runs through Feb. 4. (To contribute, click on www.PrideTape.com.) Wells is confident the goal will be reached. Five thousand rolls of tape will be given to minor league professional hockey teams (hopefully NHL squads too). Other rolls will go to backers who contributed $30 or more. The tape will also be sold to the public. Proceeds will be split between ISMSS and You Can Play. Pride Tape has received strong press coverage. A nationwide multimedia campaign was launched in mid-December. Every major television network provided free spots for a commercial featuring Ference – and produced gratis – by Global. In addition, NewAD contributed space for printed materials in restaurants and bars across the country. Feedback has been powerful. Email and letter writers say that seeing rainbow tape when they were younger would have made a major difference in their lives. One man wrote, “This could have kept me playing.” As Wells prepares for a national rollout of Pride Tape, he’s already looking ahead. Tape is used on tennis racquets, baseball bats, lacrosse sticks – even on socks – for nearly every sport. Soon, rainbow tape might be as ubiquitous as the rainbow flag. Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach and gay activist. His latest book is “We Kick Balls: True Stories from the Youth Soccer Wars.”
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Interviews “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.” – Sarah Paulson “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.” – Judith Light “I think everybody does, no matter who they are. I do, yeah, of course. Absolutely. I think it’s healthy to gain a perspective on who you are deep down, question yourself and challenge yourself; it’s important to do that.” – Selena Gomez on questioning her sexuality “For me, having kids and being married, it was important to maintain the integrity of those relationships and not teach my kids that this is a shameful secret and that my husband (Simon Halls) has to be waiting in the wings all the time.” – Matt Bomer reflecting on coming out “What a child needs when they’re growing up is support and love, mainly love. … And if they do happen to be gay, that’s going to be a harder hurdle to get over. What a parent needs to do more than anything is jump in there with love and support. You made ‘em. They’re a gift from God. Love ‘em as they are.” – Reba McEntire
2015 In Review What the Celebs Said
Memorable quotes from Hollywood notables Interviews by Chris Azzopardi Jane Fonda was so moved by a question she cried. Josh Groban recalled the moment he learned about his big bear following – and how he mistook them for a sports team. And Sarah Paulson opened up in a candid conversation about her sexuality. Here’s a look back at the most memorable words from some of Hollywood’s hottest gay-adored celebs: “When I sent that tweet a few years ago just letting people know that I am gay it was the most amazing day of my life after the birth of my kids.” – Ricky Martin “I’m so excited. What a big day. It’s a huge step toward equality. Everyone should be able to be who they are, love who they want and marry who they want. It’s 2015; for us to still have judgment about people being gay is ridiculous, so I can’t believe it’s taken this long. It’s definitely a big day in history, and I’m just so excited.” – Hilary Duff, on June 26, the day the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality “I find the question so moving that it makes me cry. I had never thought of it before, and it makes me so moved.” – Jane Fonda when asked why there’s always been a place for older women in the gay community “I was at some kind of shop, and I was walking around with someone – it was probably my girlfriend. And this guy comes up to me and goes, ‘Hey, I just want you to know, the bears love you.’ I’m like, ‘Excuse me? What?’ And I didn’t know what that meant! I’m like, ‘Are you a baseball team?’” – Josh Groban
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“I just hope she finds love. It took me a while, man. And there was a lot of heartache throughout those years. You know, as long as she’s happy, I don’t care either way, and neither does my husband. And we have two other kids as well, and we don’t care either way for all of them.” – Kelly Clarkson on how she’d feel if one of her kids were gay “I do feel like I occupy – not in any self-aggrandizing way – a space where I have looked to my peers and looked around me and said, ‘Well, who else can I look to?’ And there isn’t anybody else. That to me is significant and personally gratifying as I consider my own journey to self-acceptance.” – Zachary Quinto on the lack of LGBT action heroes “You always have to take their stories with a grain of salt. It’s like when there’s a traffic accident and you ask five witnesses and they tell you five different stories.” – director Roland Emmerich on the Stonewall film controversy “I would like to think I changed lives – I mean, I get lots of emails saying, “Seeing ‘Torch Song’ changed my life, seeing this changed my life,’ and that’s wonderful. But I don’t need to worry about if I’m gonna be remembered. I ain’t gonna be here to know if I’m being remembered or forgotten!” – Harvey Fierstein “When we got marriage equality and there was a celebration for that in New York City, it was an honor to be a part of that. I can’t explain it. There are some performances that you do and you’re like, ‘That was cool, that was fun.’ That one was different fun. It was so memorable and an incredible thing to be a part of.” – Carly Rae Jepsen “What I like to say is that being unique and original is what makes me happy, and I think that rubs off on them. My sons did nails just the other day, and the only reason was because their nails were so disgusting! Like, they were in the mud and I was like, ‘We have got to do your nails! Why don’t we do ‘Nail Salon’?!’” – Gwen Stefani
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Q&A: Orange Star Dascha Polanco
Actress on being a Hollywood minority, breaking the ‘stigma’ and why Joy will resonate with the LGBT community photo by Netflix
By Chris Azzopardi “I want you to smell me.” It’s not your typical conversation starter, sure, but Orange Is the New Black star Dascha Polanco does smell nice, like fresh flowers. Seated in a New York City hotel suite to talk about her new film, Joy, the 32-year-old actress invites me to cozy up next to her, because then, she jokes, I can experience the fact that “not only is she beautiful but she also smells delicious.” GC: It’s weird seeing you out of an orange jumpsuit. DP: Is it?! I love the fact that I got to play with decades: the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s. But it’s two totally different worlds, TV and film. GC: What’s that transition been like for you? DP: Professionally, it’s always welcome (laughs). It’s a new challenge. It’s a new area of acting and being able to be play with characters and stories more creatively. I think with (director) David O. Russell and this project, it was intimidating. GC: Because it’s David O. Russell?
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DP: David O. Russell. Jennifer Lawrence. Bradley Cooper. Robert De Niro. Diane Ladd. Virginia Madsen. Isabella Rossellini. You just want to make sure you have your A-game on, and for a Latina being in this industry for the last three years, it takes you by surprise. GC: How does being Latina change things? DP: Well, there are not many Latin actors in Hollywood. There’s still a lower percentage of them breaking into Hollywood, but we’re seeing more diversity, especially with David O. Russell’s film. You’re seeing diversity there, to that caliber, and for me, that’s a big responsibility. GC: There’s been a lot of talk about diversity in Hollywood lately, and not just when it comes to race, but when it comes to women. And this movie is very – DP: Female driven. GC: It is. It’s all about female empowerment. It has a feminist message. How does that personally strike a chord with you? DP: I can relate so much to the story and to the elements of the movie: having obstacles in your life, being a woman and
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photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace, Twentieth Century Fox
photo by KathClick
having to be a parent, having to be a daughter, taking care of not only your personal self but also your family. It shows how much women throughout the years have been the backbone and have, at times, struggled to even take a risk or try to live their dream or move forward because of other commitments or because of the stigma that we are supposed to be at home. GC: From the perspective of someone who is Latina in Hollywood: What is the current state of finding roles in Hollywood for a minority? DP: I thought to myself for the last two years: I’ve gone on auditions – so many auditions – in comparison to when I first started. Maybe it’s because of Orange, maybe it’s because of my representation, but there’s a need, a desire now. You see more offers, you see more shows that want to include diversity because of the success of shows like Orange Is the New Black. Anybody could’ve been cast as Jackie in Joy, and that’s the beauty of it. The role that I play, anyone could have, but he 30
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photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace, Twentieth Century Fox
didn’t make it exclusive (and say), “I’m gonna make Jackie a white actress.” No. She’s ambiguous. She can be black. She can be Spanish. The fact that this is a Golden Globe-nominated movie – ah, it takes me by surprise that I’m part of this project, not because I don’t have the potential, not because I don’t believe in myself – but because of what, historically, I’ve seen growing up. And now that I’m part of it, there’s hope and there’s an opportunity that was rendered that I’m not taking for granted. GC: You credit Orange Is the New Black for diversifying TV. What does it mean to you to be a part of that movement? DP: We have to look at a movie like Joy for a minute, and I’m going to talk about how it includes LGBT. It’s funny: I’m very supportive of the LGBT because I have family, I have friends, and they’re a big part of my life – and even so, I respect a human regardless of what their sexual orientation is, or who they feel they are. It has nothing to do with LGBT, or that I have a friend who is. It’s human to accept another human. Not everybody thinks that way. But you see a character like Joy who’s trying to just be… . She’s trying to belong, she’s trying to accomplish her dreams; she can be a mother, she can be a wife or a divorcee and not have the backlash, because there’s so much backlash in the movie. There are so many obstacles. “You’re a woman and you can’t do that.” And I’m pretty sure the LGBT community can relate to that. So whether she was a lesbian or not, it has nothing to do with that – it’s about her feeling like she’s part of something and building her empire. GC: Because anybody can see themselves in Joy. DP: Exactly. GC: When it comes to Orange Is the New Black, how do you feel about being a part of a show that embraces inclusivity? DP: I’m proud! So proud. It’s done a lot for the gay community around the world. It shows how much the industry might be oblivious to what’s needed, but the fans and the viewership have just been so boisterous and open to all these different sexual orientations – to transgender. There’s so much more acceptance, and that’s the beauty of it. We, (show creator) Jenji (Kohan), the actors, the story – we took all we had and the essence and being underdogs and being self-made and coming from nowhere and that passion and brought a project that everyone can relate to. That’s what’s succeeding now – when you have a project that everybody can relate to. We have Joy now. Anybody can watch the movie and I guarantee they’ll walk out of the theater and want to take over the world.
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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Confessions of a Madonna Superfan
Why a self-proclaimed ‘front-row bitch’ wrote 581 pages on Madonna photo by Kevin Mazur
By Chris Azzopardi Matthew Rettenmund is only kidding, but his enduring commitment to Madonna isn’t lost on him when he jokes, “She has me on speed hang-up.” It’s a statement that couldn’t ring truer if it were, well, true. Except Rettenmund, the author known for quenching your man-thirst via his site BoyCulture.com, doesn’t know Madonna like you know your mom or a Facebook friend or even the hot Starbucks barista you shamelessly stalk. He and Madonna have met, briefly, a few times, but they’re not musing introspectively on their way to Kabbalah classes, drafting, en route, a detailed plan for the icon’s next love-it-or-hate-it career conquest, though Rettenmund – who calls himself Madonna’s “front-row bitch” – would make an expert consultant. After all, he did document the life and times and first menstruation of Madge (actual entry: “Madonna first bled at age 10.”), when, two decades ago, he released Encyclopedia Madonnica 20: Madonna from A to Z. Now updated, this impressively crazy feat of fandom that goes deep (and deeper and deeper) into the pop empresses’ history is not just a book – when it comes to Madonna, it’s the Holy Bible. GC: You must know more about Madonna than Madonna herself.
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MR: I think that’s true. That’s not to brag, but just like a lot of people she seems to forget a lot of things about herself, and like a lot of stars enhances some things. I think I have more factoids than she’s ever kept at any one given time. GC: When did you decide that you would dedicate the rest of your life to this woman? MR: I’m not dead yet! I can still give her up! (Laughs) I first became really interested when I first heard her on the radio. I have a very clear memory of it, and it was when I first heard “Holiday.” I was obsessed with the Billboard charts at the time, and I remember driving back from a Dungeons & Dragons session and I heard this song and thought it was amazing. Of course it’s a cliché, but I thought she was a black girl. I really associate that song with “Let the Music Play” by Shannon because I was hearing them at the same time, and for some reason I was just so captivated by (“Holiday”) that I wanted to know more about her. I liked being surprised by her even in small ways back then, and I liked a lot of different stars. I really liked Cyndi Lauper first, and so it took a while for all my forces to coalesce around Madonna. I would say when “Like a Virgin” came out it really kind of started to hit its stride, and certainly by 1985 I had moved on from Cyndi Lauper and Madonna was my woman – she was my main woman.
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I found her really useful when I was talking to people too, because even back then I’d feel like when you were having a conversation about Madonna, it’s never just about Madonna – it’s about different suppositions and presets people have when they’re talking about her, and that’s not true of a lot of artists. She was kind of an icon from the beginning for that reason – she means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. She causes people to express things within themselves whether they intend to do it or not. GC: For me that was sexuality. I recall seeing the “Vogue” video and being awestruck that I could see boobage through that black lacey top. I associated Madonna with sex at a very young age. What facets of Madonna did you first cling to? MR: Oh, I mean that was definitely part of it. But before that, it was just the coolness. That’s true of almost any person you put on a pedestal. There’s a cool factor. But Madonna always had a certain effortless coolness. She never questions herself. She reminded me of Andy Warhol in that way. She had tunnel vision about what she wanted to do, that she was gonna do it really well and that she was the person to do it. I really admired that. I liked that she was so decisive and really so cool. The sex part came along quickly too. At the time, I was a teenager and had hormone flare-ups. And I was gay, and I just kind of felt that she was a kindred spirit. She’d come from Michigan where I came from – and where I’ll probably go when I die (laughs). I just loved knowing that she had come where I had come from and was doing all this stuff and was so unafraid to be so expressively sexual in a way that I couldn’t be, so I definitely used her as a mode of expression as we do with any star. It was easier to say, “I love Madonna,” than it was to go into the hundreds of things that were wrapped up in that. I definitely used her as a kind of shorthand, and I liked that she used her music and her work as a shorthand to communicate back to her fans. GC: How old were you when you first fell for Madonna? MR: I was born in 1968, Christmas ’68, so I would’ve been 13. GC: And is it true you have “literally over a ton” of memorabilia? MR: I do have a big archive. Up till about 24 years old my rooms looked like they should be second-hand shops, but I did get over that pretty quickly. Now it’s all stashed away. So, if you walked into my apartment you’d know I like Madonna because there are three or four things on the wall, but they’re kind of tasteful, kind of cool high-end things, and then there’s a lot of other art. So it’s under control. Over the years I have let go of things. And that’s a hard thing to come to grips with if you’ve kind of devoted a lot of time to collecting anything. It does make you think, “Do I really wanna get rid of all this?” and then you think, “Geez, do I really wanna die with all of this?” GC: What’s the first piece you ever owned? MR: Oh, that’s a good question. I know what it is: If you don’t count music, I remember very clearly buying my first Madonna poster at probably a Sam Goody’s or maybe even Coconuts near Genesee Valley mall. It was a caricature picture of her from Desperately Seeking Susan, and it’s really not a very good shot. Herb Ritts did the shoot and they’re all amazing but I always thought this shot was a little weird. She looks a little greasy, a little matted down (laughs). But her face was amazing! The hair was just not quite right in this one shot. But I bought that poster, and that’s the one that replaced my Cyndi Lauper poster. In my opinion, Desperately Seeking Susan is one of the best things Madonna has ever been associated with. I love that movie. Even back then in Michigan when I had to drive around I had my routine where I would go to buy stuff and my approach to collecting was like that of a bug strip – anything that got close to me that had to do with Madonna was stuck to me and I kept it, or I found a way to get it. I wasn’t discriminatory at all. I bought music, I bought posters, I bought cheesy merchandise
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at stores. Old magazines, new magazines. For a long time I continued down that path. GC: As you know, I’m a big Mariah fan and, in fact, I remember getting a life-size Mariah cardboard cutout from Sam Goody’s. It was a hard day for me when I put it into storage in my late 20s. MR: But you didn’t get rid of it? GC: No, no. Of course not. MR: (Laughs) That’s actually worse when it gets to that level. That’s when you go to a whole new level of crazy. So congrats. GC: Ha! Are you not at that level of crazy? You did write a 581-page book about Madonna that weighs four pounds. MR: Oh, I’m way beyond that. But I could probably be persuaded by the right entity to give my archives away, to donate them somewhere if I thought it’d be kind of kept well and made available. I mean, I have tens of thousands of clippings from magazines and newspapers. When you collect anything you have to decide if you’re collecting it to make a profit or collecting it because you love it. GC: For you, it’s because you love it, right? MR: No, it’s just the money. (Laughs) No, I do love it. But I’m definitely not as crazy as I once was when it comes to collecting. If anything, I’ve gotten more successful in life and started making a little bit more money and deciding “I’m going to go to an auction! I’m going to buy something that she owns! I’m gonna buy a one-of-a-kind thing!” You bump up from getting the latest foreign magazine to crazy shit you never thought you’d be looking into. It gets worse before it gets better. GC: How would you describe your level of fandom when it comes to Madonna?
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MR: Front-row bitch. People always like to say, “I’m a crazy fan but I’m not crazy like that person,” but I don’t have a lot of wiggle room for that because I’ve written this huge book on her and people know me as someone who’s pretty far gone. But I would describe myself as someone who has complete respect and affection for Madonna, and the respect is very objective, and the affection is very subjective. I have a high level of both of those things, but I still think I’m able to be realistic, and I think that’s reflected in the book. As positive as it is, and as fawning as parts of it are, you do have to kind of step back and say, “This wasn’t so great, this let me down, this reveals a character flaw,” so I’m sort of a student of Madonna’s. GC: You definitely did not fawn over her film career. MR: Well, yeah. I think that’s a good way to tell if someone is too far gone as a fan: If they really like all of her movies. I think even she would admit that a lot of her movies were not good. She may not agree why. (Laughs) She might say it was the script, it was the director. But also, you weren’t so great in them. So much of the criticism she gets is just ridiculously over the top and it’s unfounded and so mired in people’s hang ups and expectations: the way women and the way older women and the way public figures should act and behave. I’m someone who’s extremely sensitive, and as confident as I can be, I take stuff to heart in a way, and I like the fact that she’s able to present an extremely determined public face. And as much as it probably does affect her in some ways, it doesn’t stop her. That’s inspiring. GC: What compelled you to write this book 20 years ago? MR: When I wrote the first book and when I decided to update it, the way I approached it is: It had to be two different things. On one hand it is a serious reference book, but on the other hand there’s a ridiculousness about the endeavor – that’s the point of it. It is a pop artifact. I want it to be kind of ridiculous that we have a 600-page encyclopedia about this person, about any person. I was inspired 20 years ago by a dictionary on Marilyn Monroe and that one was very straight-laced. Basically entries with all the different people and places and things about her. I really kicked it up a notch from that. But that was my inspiration. So: I’m the Lady Gaga and those writers are the Madonna. (Laughs) GC: What does Madonna think of your book? MR: She loves it – no, I’m just kidding. I’ll tell you the truth: When I did the first book 20 years ago I approached her publicist to try to get them to potentially give me some information or help me out, and of course they ignored me. When the book came out, her publicist, Liz Rosenberg – and I’ll never forget it – called me at my new job and said, “I love this.” So I was thrilled that they liked it. What happened was they had me send a signed copy to Madonna and Madonna signed a copy for me. So she did see it and she was aware of it. But Madonna’s the kind of person who is not gonna be excited to hear that somebody wrote a book about her. She’s not gonna flip open a book and go, “Look at all this wonderful stuff he got right about me.” You just can’t picture that. GC: Who would wanna read a book about themselves anyway? MR: Nobody would, but especially someone who’s cool. She’d roll her eyes. This time around I did send it to her people again, got no negative feedback or anything. I haven’t gotten a signed copy this time, but I haven’t gotten a lawsuit either. If she gets it and flips through it – or maybe her kids would; I can imagine that happening more likely –I would hope she’d appreciate the affection that’s there.
GC: Anything in the book that you’re uncomfortable with her seeing? MR: I wouldn’t want her to read about plastic surgery or my guesses about plastic surgery or any kind of personal health things. I don’t think I would care about her reading any of my impressions of her work. She understands that people have criticisms, and unlike most people who review her I know that none of my reviews, even the ones that are negative, are outrageously off-base. They don’t come from a place of hating her. Also, the last time, I was just some random kid doing a book and so nobody wanted to deal with me – except Allen Ginsberg… maybe because I was a young boy. But this time I was able to get some people to actually talk to me, and some of them said things that weren’t 100 percent positive, like the publicist from Desperately Seeking Susan who had a very long interview and I put in every word. I found it really fascinating because he really respected her and thought she was talented musically early on. He was very frank in saying that there were times when it wasn’t cool to be seen with him so she didn’t want to be seen with him and so she’d blow him off. GC: This reminds me of the time we both interviewed Madonna in New York at the end of 2011, when, after I mentioned that people refer to her as the “queen of reinvention,” she snapped, telling me, “Don’t throw those tired, old clichés at me.” Which you note in your book! It’s forever immortalized. And you don’t even know how long that haunted me. I was happy to read that you thought Madonna was being “playful” with me, though. MR: I get it. I think when someone has that much power, any little swipe, any little movement can be taken so much more powerfully. I sort of took it as she assumed that you were on the team and so it was fine to kind of give you a little kitty cat swipe. GC: Well, I’m glad. Aside from Madonna herself, you’d know best. MR: She told me it’s fine... just kidding. (Laughs) But I know what you mean. Before I met her I always wondered: What if I meet her and she’s horrible to me? Would I claim that I thought that was cool and amazing too? Or would I be deeply sad? Obviously you wouldn’t want her to be a total asshole, but luckily I got to meet her under positive circumstances, where she knew I was a member of the press. It wasn’t like I was coming up to her on the street and saying, “Oh my gosh can I get your autograph?” which would be like suicide and you might as well just step in front of a car. GC: Ha! Well, this has been great, Matthew. Thanks for the chat. MR: I appreciate you taking the time and I hope you didn’t read the Mariah Carey entry. GC: I did. It was the first entry I went to. MR: Fuck. GC: I didn’t want to sour this experience, but now that you have... MR: I do think it’s important to have a healthy sense of bitchery, but I will say that the whole “stan wars” are tiresome when you get to be in your fucking 40s. It’s like, “I can’t read all this. There’s too many divas for me to hate.” Gaga fanatics would write me and say, “I hope you choke on your AIDS medications.” I loved that one. (Laughs) I definitely have commented on posts about things I disagree with, but I’ve never gone to somebody’s Lady Gaga or Mariah Carey page to just start shit and say, “My favorite is better than your favorite.” So pointless. Come on guys. Promote the things you like and don’t worry about the things you hate.
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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Jillian Michaels Sets the Record Straight
Reality star on reclaiming gay slurs, how Madonna helped her come out and her message to LGBT people who think she should marry
photo by E!
By Chris Azzopardi The “shred” will put you through the sweat fires of hell, but despite her extreme workouts, Jillian Michaels wants you to know she is no monster. To set the record, ahem, straight, the out fitness guru is opening the doors to her very “normal,” sometimes-emotional, not-at-allwhat-you-thought life during E!’s Just Jillian, where she laughs (you read that right) and… cries?! Yes, that Jillian Michaels – the Butt Kicker from The Biggest Loser – cries actual human tears. As if that revelation wasn’t enough, there were many more made during this recent chat with Michaels, who talked about her reputation being “destroyed” by The Biggest Loser, why she uses the word “fag” and how, after a long road to self-acceptance, Madonna empowered her to confront her sexuality. GC: After watching Just Jillian, a lot of people will be surprised to find out that you’re not who they thought you were. JM: Very much so, yeah. Here’s what I love about it: Everyone is like, why would you do this? And they have these preconceived notions about reality shows and all this drama and, “It’s all fake and it’s all mean spirited,” and that’s not at all why I wanted to open up my life. I feel like the comedy of errors as we go about our daily routine, honestly, is quite enjoyable. And everybody has the same struggles, right? Whether it’s in their work, marriage, family, parenting, as a friend, you go on this journey where you laugh and you cry, and hopefully you learn something with the characters on the show. For me, in my career, it’s always been “Jillian’s the fitness guru,” but the bigger conversation is using fitness as a tool to help somebody build a better life.
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GC: Was being out on TV – with a family, even: your partner, Heidi Rhoades, and your two children – something you ever imagined for yourself? JM: You know, it’s interesting that you ask that. I know I’m sort of in that very pivotal generation, right? I’m on the younger end of Gen X, and for me, growing up gay was not cool. Gay was gross. Gay was despicable. People said the word “faggot.” People said “dyke” – I heard that a lot in high school. And it was very scary. I have watched as a people and as a country and a culture over the course of my teenage-into-adulthood life and I do still think there is a tremendous amount of homophobia that exists. And I’ve never been out there with my gay flag; I wanted to take an approach of, “Hey, I don’t need to win you over and I don’t need to fight with you and I don’t want to combat you.” But what I do hope is that people observe me, observe my family, and go, “Oh my god, this isn’t at all what I thought it was. This is actually pretty similar to my family; they’re going through things that my family goes through.” And that’s always been my approach. I don’t need to make these big statements. I’m just going to live my life and my truth and hopefully as you observe that it will become a little more – and I have so much trouble with this word – normalized for people who don’t perceive it as the norm. GC: I was struck by the use of “queer” in the show. Some people who are older than us hear queer and still find it offensive, whereas our generations have embraced the term as being allencompassing of any sexual orientation that isn’t straight. Where do you stand on labels? Do you have a preference? JM: What’s interesting is, I take a very African-American-usingthe-“n-word” approach with those terms. I’ve claimed them all. I use “homo” and joke about it. I use “dyke” and joke about it. My gay male friends and I use “fag” and joke about it. We’ve taken them all back and made them our own.
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What we’ve tried to do is take some of the venom out of the terms by reclaiming them – and I hate to draw this reference – but in the same way the black community has taken back the “n-word.” We don’t allow them to harm us or hurt us and there could be a whole psychology about why we do, but we all do. It’s like, I own these words, they’re my words, and I’ve suffered enough to be able to take them on and wear them with pride, so to speak. None of those words actually have any venom in them for me anymore and I don’t really care who’s swinging them at me – it doesn’t mean anything to me. People can judge it but that’s just something that I’ve done and it is what it is. GC: What is the biggest misconception about you? JM: God, I mean, it’s the obvious. And I hate the obvious and I think it’s cliché, but I think people never really understood The Biggest Loser. The Biggest Loser was a life or death intervention that existed on a ticking clock on top of which you would see 45 minutes of a television show which is shot over 10 days and so you never saw what I was doing, why I was doing it, what else I was doing, the end result of what I was doing. The intentions were never displayed and it was far more entertaining to have a good guy and a bad guy, and I think some people really saw through that and that’s great; some people did not and that’s that. But what is kind of cool about this show – and it is so appropriately named Just Jillian – is you see just me, and it’s the good, the bad, the ugly. I’m a very real person. So, for those who have idealized me, they’ll be disappointed (laughs); for those who’ve hated me all these years, I think they’ll be surprised. GC: Do you regret doing The Biggest Loser? JM: Good question. There’s this Latin quote that I heard and it summarizes The Biggest Loser perfectly: “That which nourishes me also destroys me.” I’m super grateful for the platform I was given. Obviously I owe everything I have to that diving board, that jumping-off point. But there does come a point where you definitely overstay your welcome, where something starts to become more limiting, it starts to do more harm than it does good, and that was definitely a source of frustration for me. I don’t think it’s a secret – I have been vocal about it – but to say that I’m not grateful for the opportunity and for all it’s done for me would be obtuse, absurd and obnoxious, but I’m not gonna lie and say it didn’t also cost me a host of problems on the backend. Now, I’m hoping this show is really just my best foot forward and the thing is, I am sarcastic and I am obnoxious but I’m also loving and I’m also passionate and I’m also caring and I’m all those things. At least now if people hate me, they’ll hate me for a legitimate reason – that I’m really excited about! (Laughs) At least they’ll hate me for a reason that’s real. GC: And unless those tears are CGI, you cry. Quite a bit, in fact. Actual human tears, I think. JM: (Laughs) No, no, no. It’s just tear-gas shit they sprayed at me during the interviews. GC: You’ve been called a bully to overweight people and I know that must be hard to hear for somebody who was bullied. JM: I know, I know. GC: What does that feel like? JM: It’s a shame. For somebody who comes to an environment where they’re literally committing suicide with food, let’s cut the shit. Some of them are 400 or 500 pounds, they’re killing themselves with food and the amount of time they have left is five or 10 years; if they’re lucky, 15. It’s suicide with food. In some cases I would have a week with one of these people, so I will try everything under the sun, but if I can’t do it with hugs, love and kisses, then I’m gonna do what it takes. What people should really pay attention to is, I was less concerned with being likable than getting done what I needed to get done. GC: So this goes back to the whole “I didn’t know Jillian Michaels was sensitive” thing, but you’re a fan of Tori Amos, which we discover in the first episode. That is some deep sensitivity. What kind of influence did she and her music have on you? And what Tori song got you through your teen years? JM: God, so many of them. I was very much that kind of bullied emo kid. And a lot of teenagers go through that emo phase and it
manifests in different incarnations for every generation, but in some of those darker moments during that very kind of impressionable and pivotal part of my life, her music was something I could really relate to, especially “Cornflake Girl.” She’s sort of the outcast, and that whole song was, to me, about being an outcast, being on the outside. Or “Silent All These Years” where she finally finds her voice. And it took me a long time. As much as I’m very outspoken now, I wasn’t always so. I didn’t always have that inner sense of strength and authenticity and passion. I was extremely shut down and shamed – and geez, there are so many. “Past the Mission.” I could go on and on. “China.” Literally on and on. GC: When did you find your voice? JM: It was a series of things… it was a process. Basically it was a combination of getting involved in martial arts and having these small successes within martial arts, which empowered me to start taking steps in my personal life, in my relationships, in my professional life, and then, honestly, when it comes to accepting my sexuality – I didn’t even know I was (gay) until later in life. I mean, I realized I was bisexual at about 18 but I didn’t even realize I was gay until into my 20s. I think what helped that, and I know this sounds ridiculous, but Madonna and her “Justify My Love” video made a really big difference for my generation because (being gay) wasn’t something that was disgusting and gross – just something that became cool overnight, thanks to Madonna. That allowed me to feel less ashamed – it became almost cool to explore it – and, unfortunately or fortunately, that exploration was not just an exploration, it wasn’t just me experimenting. It turns out that was what was going on with me throughout all my teenage years. I really didn’t know. I really thought something was wrong with me. I didn’t know that I liked women, but I knew I didn’t like men. I knew when I was a kid I didn’t want to be physical with my boyfriends. Didn’t wanna make out with them. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. Then when I became 18 and I was kissed by a girl, like a Katy Perry song, I shit you not, I was like, “Oh my god, this is what’s been going on all these years.” The light bulb went off in me and I’m like, “I’ve been fucking gay this whole time,” and I, honest to god, was in such deep denial that I had no idea until that moment. GC: Thanks Madonna! JM: Honestly, you’re absolutely right. GC: Are you gonna end up getting married on this show? Are we gonna see that? JM: You gotta watch! Have to watch. That’s all I’m gonna say. And here’s the thing, because another journalist who’s gay was like, “Don’t you think that you’re disrespecting the right we all fought for?” And here’s my answer: We fought for the right to choose and so therefore it’s my choice to say, you know, I’ve had some bad experiences with marriage. (Laughs) GC: How do you feel about comments like that? JM: Again, I hate to reference the African-American community again, but the reality is that gay rights is the civil rights movement of today, right? Women have fought for rights. The AfricanAmerican community has fought for rights. Every minority has fought for rights. This really is our moment for the gay community – the LGBT-whatever, put all the letters in there. With that said, Malcolm X didn’t like Martin Luther King; there’s always a lot of kind of inciting as progress is being made as to how we need to go about making that progress, so I think being a public gay figure, there’s always a lot of criticism about what I say, what I didn’t say, how I did it, how I didn’t do it. If I live my life to make all these people happy, that’s obviously an impossibility – can’t please everybody all the time – so I live my life in my truth. I hope it’s enough. I hope that it’s enough for me and for my family, and that’s really all I can do.
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The Orchestration of Rufus Wainwright Singer-Songwriter Plays 2 Special Alberta Concerts
photo by Mathew Welch
By Jason Clevett Since 1998 Rufus Wainwright has been an acclaimed singer-songwriter. Amassing a long list of well-crafted pop songs along with an opera, the American born, Montreal raised performer brings his songs to Alberta this week with 2 shows. The first, on January 13th at the Jubilee Auditorium sees Wainwright join the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on stage. “What is going on in Calgary is focused on my wide, varied and complicated career path. Whether it’s threw opera or pop music or show tunes I’ve really needed to explore all the sounds available to a little white boy from Quebec. Now is a time where I can put a show together with an orchestra and
really express those different facets which have taken years to create,” Wainwright told GayCalgary over the phone on a rainy day in California. Adding orchestration to pop music is an extensive process. “I orchestrate my operas and for my pop work I have done some of the orchestration work but I have a fabulous Orchestrator. It really varies. In terms of pop music when I am in that realm I really focus on being the front man mostly. I’ve produced my albums and am used to working in the studio but once I am on stage I just want to be that sick singer. When I write my operas I seem to be more into the orchestration.” Wainwright has done shows with Orchestras before such as Chicago, Madrid and in London.
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“The interesting thing about it is for performers like me who are well known but don’t necessarily sell millions of albums and can’t afford to go out with a whole troop it is a nice symbiotic relationship. A lot of the orchestras are seeking new material and audiences and branching out. By the same token I have to diversify my portfolio in order to survive. We both need each other which is great. It is very mystical. You can’t quite tell what’s happening but you know what’s going on. I swear to god sometimes I can hear the individual string players and envision it in my subconscious. It is a strange kind of 4th dimension that when things are working out you kind of walk around in it. It is the beauty of over 20 people making music together on stage and all those souls unite. When you have a few people that are laying some eggs it can turn into one of the most horrifying experiences.” Wainwright then returns to Edmonton at the Myer Horowitz Theatre for a solo show January 14th. It will be a very different concert which speaks to his versatility as a performer and songwriter. “It is very different. I haven’t played Calgary or Edmonton for a long time so either way it’s great to be back. One could conceivably see me with the orchestra in Calgary and then hop up to Edmonton and see the solo show. It will be just me a piano and a guitar in Edmonton. It comes very naturally to me the concept of being up on stage alone playing your instrument and singing your songs. It’s what my parents did and my sisters do. It is very real. I am struck when I really examine the situation by how few artists do that. Especially these days. In the 1970’s it was more common for singersongwriters to go out and do their thing alone but now it is very rare. I am just keeping the tradition going. You are going to get a rundown of all I have been up to these many years, which now seem like nothing. It all goes by so quickly. I am happy I have something to offer and you are going to see it.” A lot has happened in Rufus Wainwright’s life in the last few years. His mother Kate McGarrigle passed away in 2010. That year Wainwright became engaged to Jorn Weisbrodt whom he married in 2012. On February 2nd, 2011 he announced the birth of his daughter Viva with Lorca Cohen. Being the father to Leonard Cohen’s granddaughter is an interesting twist, as Wainwright’s version of Hallelujah remains a staple in his concerts. He has commented at times that the song which became popular on the Shrek film soundtrack has become overdone. With hundreds of interpretations out there, Wainwrights remains one of the best. “Hallelujah... even Leonard feels it is over performed. At this point one cannot deny that it has an incredible resilience. I am always blown away by the reaction that it engenders. You’ve got to hand it to Hallelujah in the end.” Wainwright’s daughter turns 5 in a few weeks. Wainwright has cut back on touring to focus on being a co-parent. “It’s been amazing. It is completely surreal and rewarding in the most mysterious way. You can’t really quantify what’s going on. It has been incredible and the most important thing
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I am doing in my life. I am working on a new opera called Hadrian which is about the emperor of Rome (which will debut in 2018.) Because I can’t tour when I am writing an opera you have to be in one place and focused, it allows me to stay home or visit my daughter in Los Angeles. Its funny I tell people that I write operas so I can take time off,” he said, adding a new pop album – his first since 2012’s Out of the Game is also in the works. “One of the perks of working on the opera is I get sick of it and go back and start writing pop songs again. There is a whole treasure trove of new material I have been depositing in a secret compartment that in a year or two will be unleashed on the kids.” Canadians often have an interesting dynamic between their music and personalities. Artists like Jann Arden, Dallas Green, Michael Buble and many others pepper their often intense and emotional music with a wicked sense of humor. Wainwright is the same. A Funny or Die video that features him promoting a concert of entirely gum jingles gives an idea of his sense of humor which is very much a part of his live shows. “I think because I write such lugubrious material what I put fourth requires a lot of attention and is emotionally draining. I like to temper that with a ridiculous quality so that is why I put that in my shows. I will be singing about the depressing nature of the United States and then pepper that with jokes about Newfoundland. I like to mix it up.” Rufus Wainwright has experienced a lot in life, which in turn is transmitted to his music. “I have always been one to demand the bigger experiences that life has to offer. At this point I have been through almost all of them. There is one left I have to go through that I am not looking forward to and that is death. But otherwise marriage, losing a parent, becoming a professional musician... I wanted a big life and I got one.”
Rufus Wainwright http://www.RufusWainwright.com Calgary - Jubilee Auditorium (with Orchestra) January 13th 2016 Edmonton – Myer Horowitz Theatre (Solo) January 14th, 2016 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a4964 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
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Photography
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Jingle Balls at Cowboys Nightclub, Calgary
HOT MESS Christmas Party, Calgary
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Photography HOT Mess - Free NYE Party at National on 8th, Calgary
ISCWR - Beast and the Beauty, Edmonton
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photos by B&J
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ISCWR - Heatwave at Evolution, Edmonton
ISCWR - Mr and Miss Mary Christmas Pageant, Edmonton
photos by B&J
photos by B&J
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Photography ISCWR - Turn About at Woody’s, Edmonton
Naughty and Nice Pageant at Evolution, Edmonton
photos by B&J
photos by Evolution
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Photography Whistler Pride and Ski Festival 2016 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1100
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Photography
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News Releases New Study of Midlife and Older Gay Men Links “Internalized Gay Ageism” with Depressive Symptoms
But a personal sense of “mattering” helps reduce its association with depressive symptoms. “Internalized gay... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2066
How queer love can kill you. Or save your soul.
Known for their ironic wall calendars that regularly stir controversy, the creative team behind http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2064
New Book “Fag Hags, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community” Victoria Noe’s book chronicling their achievements is now on RocketHub. Chicago author and AIDS activist Victoria Noe announced... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2065
Pride Tape Launched - “These 6 Colours Can Change the Hockey World”
Pride Tape was unveiled to the world today by the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2067
United States Blood Ban Fix Continues to Falls Far Short of Acceptable Solution
Today, the Human Rights Campaign, (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2072
NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: BLOW! Shock Campaign
MODELS: Uriel Ramirez Watch Uriel Ramirez get hot in our new BLOW! Shock Collection Directed & Edited by: Matt McDermitt Music:... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2073
NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Feelin’ Like A Trophy Boy MODELS: Cory Lee Turn the lights on with our new Trophy Boy LED cap Directed & Edited by: Erica Dorsey To see more photos,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2074
The Loden Hotel Introduces Locally Inspired Holiday Survival Kit
Festive package includes thoughtful conveniences to survive (and thrive) in Vancouver this holiday season Now through until... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2075
NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Secret Santa in the Steam Room
Just in time for the holidays - Piper-Heidsieck Champagne unveils its Grand Present
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Study Shows Increased Support for Sports Teams that Support LGBT Players, Policies
Breaking Glass Pictures Release LGBT Christmas Movie CHARLIE
Secret Santa can be a hit and miss affair depending on what gift you receive. In the allnew Steam Room Stories Christmas episode,...
Support for LGBT players and rights by professional sports franchises leads to more favorable feelings toward teams, according... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2069
NSFW - Bruno Gmünder - Book News in December 2015
New in December 2015 from Bruno Gmünder Group. Click on photos for more info on each book. Visit their website today! http://www. gaycalgary.com/n2070
NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Holiday Rock
MODELS: Topher DiMaggio, Cory Zwierzynski, Matt O’Reilly Get in the Holiday Spirit with the AC Trophy Boys! Directed by: Erica...
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe! Piper-Heidsieck unveils its Holiday Grand Present Bow pack available across Canada as of this week. Offered...
No one ever listened to Charlie… until he stopped talking Breaking Glass Pictures has released the LGBT Christmas dramedy... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2077
Bianca Del Rio’s “Rolodex Of Hate” Special Has Arrived!
Watch Bianca’s first standup comedy special, premiering today on Vimeo on Demand. View the trailer below... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2078
New #CHRISTMASQUEENS Music Videos Are Here
Watch new Christmas Queens music videos below. Manila Luzon - “Slay Bells”... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2079
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News Releases Violet Chachki + Bare Trade Apparel Collaborate for an Exclusive Collection
SHAPING SOUND with Today’s Hottest Dance Stars Coming To Edmonton Jan 12-13 & Calgary Jan 15-16
Bare Trade clothing is known for bold, vibrant graphic clothing apparel. Check out the new capsule collection exclusively...
BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS and Alberta Ballet are pleased to announce that North America’s hottest new dance show -SHAPING...
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Spotlight: Willam Debuts Matching Lip Tar + Nail Lacquer, Robohoochie
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RuPaul’s DragCon Single Day Tickets Go on Sale - Friday January 15
Get this bionic barbie realness look with Willam’s new matching lip tar and nail lacquer. Robohoochie will be available...
Choose the 2-Day All-Access or the Single Day Ticket Don’t Miss Out on the Most Fabulous Event of the Year RuPaul’s DragCon May...
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IT’S TIME TO WERK! Drag Time Watches
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Award-Winning Cookbook Explores Mexico’s Most Popular Dish - Enchiladas
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Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex by San Antonio restaurateur Cappy Lawton and Chris Waters Dunn showcases over 60 traditional and...
YouTube Sensation Ashley Mardell Is Chopping Off Her Hair to Raise $20,000 for LGBTQIA+ Book
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Ashley Mardell, creator of The ABCs of LGBT educational YouTube series, is raising funds to create a book of her educational content...
NY Times Wellness Blogger Details Her and Her Father’s Struggles with Weight in My Fat Dad
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“Every story and every memory from my childhood is attached to food,” Dawn Lerman writes. “As far back as I can...
New Songs Make a Positive Statement for Transgender Artist
Rizi Timane -- recording artist, author, actor, and life coach to the transgender community -- has just released three new trans-affirmative...
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After decades of taking multiple pills day in & out, the HIV infected could finally take break
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Star Wars - The Ultimate Editions of the Original Film Soundtracks
“Essentially, if PRO 140 is FDA approved, the infected person could finally take a break and go on a vacation without having...
SONY CLASSICAL REISSUES STAR WARS EPISODES I-VI IN NEWLY RESTORED AUDIO COLLECTIONS Now Available for Pre-Order on Vinyl,...
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NSFW - Tim Patch aka ‘Pricasso’ paints self-portrait with his penis
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It all started with an idea and a tube of paint. Art school reject Tim Patch now spends his life travelling the globe as the...
Oklahoma Wesleyan University President “Proud” to Discriminate Against Transgender People
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HRC President Chad Griffin calls Everett Piper’s assertions “despicable” Following the publication this week of...
Calgarians get chance to cash in on their Lip Sync talents Cowboys $50,000 Lip Sync Battle
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Cowboys and Penny Lane Entertainment are proud to host the Cowboys’ $50,000 Lip Sync Battle. A take on the biggest, buzz-worthy...
NSFW - Bruno Gmünder - Book News in January 2016
New in January 2016 from Bruno Gmünder Group. Click on photos for more info on each book. Visit their website today! http://www. gaycalgary.com/n2087
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Heather Chomos is a name that brings a warm smile to the face of all members of the LGBT community. Heather is most known for her work in the Lethbridge community, contagious love of life and a heart radiating with kindness. Heather grew up in Crowsnest Pass and remained in Alberta for her adult life. Heather served the community on Outreach Southern Alberta Society. She was on board from the early 2000’s when it was known as GALA. One of her proudest accomplishments was being a founding member of Lethbridge Pride Fest and Chair for the first four years. She was heavily involved in PFLAG, even taking on the role president of the local chapter for quite some time. Heather was fiercely driven, when she wanted something done it got done. She raised a tremendous amount of money for the community with her efforts and determination. It was known that Heather struggled with her personal health but she was determined to carry on. After her 4th year as chair of Lethbridge Pride Fest, her health situation forced her to retire from the board. Heather, always putting others first, still continued to help when able and kept the website up as long as she was capable.
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Tragically, Heather passed away before she could see her name being honoured in print, however, prior to her passing she was informed that she was selected for the title and was overjoyed. The community has lost an amazing woman whose impact will be felt for years to come. Her greatness inspired change and hope. The Alberta community will keep the spirit of Heather alive with every smile, laugh and act of goodwill. Thank you, Heather. You truly are a star.
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Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY
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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!
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!
Bars & Clubs (Gay) 3 Backlot------------------------------------- 209 - 10th Ave SW 403-265-5211 Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close 4 Texas Lounge 308 - 17 Ave SW 403-229-0911 Open 7 days a week, 11am-close
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6 Twisted Element 1006 - 11th Ave SW 403-802-0230 http:.//www.twistedelement.ca
Bars & Clubs (Mixed) These venues regularly host LGBT events.
Bodega
318A 10th Street NW tim.richards@labodega.ca http://www.labodega.ca
Dickens Pub------------------Bars and Clubs Flames Central---------------Bars and Clubs Local 522---------------------Bars and Clubs Ten Nightclub-----------------Bars and Clubs
7 Broken City 613 11th Ave SW info@brokencity.ca http://www.brokencity.ca
LGBT Community Directory
CALGARY
9 10 11 12
403-262-9976
403-233-7550
11 Local 522---------------------------------- 522 6 Ave SW 403-244-6773 http://www.localtavern.ca 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 403-384-9777
14 Vinyl & Hyde (CLOSED) 213 10 Ave SW http://www.vinylandhyde.com
587-224-5200
Community Groups
• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing) 6020 - 4 Avenue NE badminton@apollocalgary.com
• Boot Camp
Platoon FX, 1351 Aviation Park NE bootcamp@apollocalgary.com
• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League) Let’s Bowl (2916 5th Avenue NE) bowling@apollocalgary.com
• Curling
North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW) curling@apollocalgary.com golf@apollocalgary.com lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com
Bathhouses/Saunas
Alberta Society for Kink
http://www.westerncup.com
• Lawn Bowling
5 Goliaths 308 - 17 Ave SW 403-229-0911 www.goliaths.ca Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
403-398-9968 masdenn@yahoo.com
http://www.apollocalgary.com http://www.myapollo.com A volunteer operated, non-profit organization serving primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to all members of all communities. Primary focus is to provide members with well-organized and fun sporting events and other activities.
• Golf
13 The Pint 1428 17th Ave SW calgary@thepint.ca http://www.thepint.ca/calgary
403-475-9227
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/ group.albertasocietyforkink
• Western Cup 31
10 Flames Central---------------------------- 219 8th Ave SW 403-935-2637 http://www.flamescentral.com
12 Ten Nightclub 1140 10th Ave SW
13 The Pint-----------------------Bars and Clubs 15 The Blind Monk--------------Bars and Clubs
Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports
8 Cowboys Nightclub------------------------ 421 12th Avenue SE 403-265-0699 http://www.cowboysnightclub.com 9 Dickens Pub 1000 9th Ave SW info@dickenspub.ca http://www.dickenspub.ca
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• Outdoor Pursuits
outdoorpursuits@apollocalgary.com If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to lead events.
• Running (Calgary Frontrunners)
YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW) calgaryfrontrunners@shaw.ca East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to 9+ minute miles.
• Slow Pitch
slow.pitch@apollocalgary.com
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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
Mount Royal University Recreation squash@apollocalgary.com All skill levels welcome.
• Tennis
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. 1 Calgary Outlink Old Y Centre (303 – 223, 12 Ave SW) 403-234-8973 info@calgaryoutlink.ca http://www.calgaryoutlink.com
1st
See 1 Calgary Outlink
2nd
See 1 Calgary Outlink
At 5 Goliaths
3rd
At 1 Calgary Outlink
4th
Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW
1st
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
Legend: = Monthly Reoccurrance, = Date (Range/Future), = Sponsored Event
• Peer Support and Crisis Line
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.
• Calgary Lesbian Ladies Meet up Group • Between Men and Between Men Online • Heading Out • Illusions Calgary • Inside Out • New Directions • Womynspace Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)
Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre
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
Girlsgroove
http://www.girlsgroove.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
Calgary Queer Book Club
77 Deerpoint Road SE http://www.dpuc.ca
2 HIV Community Link---------------------- 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW 403-508-2500 1-877-440-2437 http://www.hivcl.org
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.
56
Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance) 1227 Kensington Close NW
At 5 Goliaths
Calgary Contd. • Squash
2nd
See 1 Calgary Outlink
Uniform Night----------------------- 6pm-6am
See 1 Calgary Outlink
By
Alcoholics Anonymous-------------------- 8pm
GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Sean: 403-695-5791 http://www.pflagcanada.ca A registered charitable organization that provides support, education and resources to parents, families and individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual orientation or gender identity.
Positive Space Committee
4825 Mount Royal Gate SW 403-440-6383 http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals.
Pride Calgary Planning Committee
403-797-6564
www.pridecalgary.ca
Primetimers Calgary
primetimerscalgary@gmail.com http://www.primetimerscalgary.com Designed to foster social interaction for its members through a variety of social, educational and recreational activities. Open to all gay and bisexual men of any age, respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member desires.
Queers on Campus-------------------------
279R Student Union Club Spaces, U of C 403-220-6394 http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students and Staff.
• Coffee Night
2nd Cup, Kensington
Safety Under the Rainbow
www.sutr.ca A collaborative effort dedicated to building capacity and acting as a voice for the LGBTQ community, service providers, organizations and the community at large to address violence. For same-sex domestic violence information, resources and a link to our survey please see our website.
Scarboro United Church
134 Scarboro Avenue SW 403-244-1161 www.scarborounited.ab.ca An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT people is essential to our mission and purpose.
Sharp Foundation
403-272-2912 sharpfoundation@nucleus.com http://www.thesharpfoundation.com
www.gaycalgary.com
Directory & Events Calgary Contd. Spectrum Volleyball Calgary
http://www.spectrumvolleyball.ca spectrumvolleyball@gmail.com Join us for recreational, competitive or beach volleyball.
Unity Bowling
Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE) sundayunity@live.com
DevaDave Salon & Boutique
1317-1st Street NW
Restaurants & Pubs Bodega
See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed). 10 Flames Central---------------------------- See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed). 13 The Pint See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed).
Retail Stores Adult Depot (CLOSED)
Adult Source--------------------------------
10210 Macleod Tr S 403-271-7848 #102 2323 32nd Ave NE 403-769-6177 1536 16th Ave NW 403-289-4203 4310 17th Ave SE 403-273-2710 http://www.adultsourcecalgary.ca
Best Health
206A 2525 Woodview Dr SW 403-281-5582 besthealthcalgary@hotmail.com http://www.besthealthcalgary.com
La Fleur
403-266-1707 Florist and Flower Shop.
Ellen Embury
403-750-1128 www.DBBlaw.com Fellow, American Academy of Reproductive Technology Attorneys
Hardline
Calgary: 403-770-0776 Edmonton: 780-665-6666 Other Cities: 1-877-628-9696 http://www.hardlinechat.com Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY. 2145 Summerfield Blvd 403-912-2045 http://www.hotwaterpoolsandspas.ca
#4 - 1126 Kensington Rd NW 403-283-3555 http://www.thenakedleaf.ca Organic teas and tea ware.
Pushing Petals
1209 5th Ave NW 403-263-3070 http://www.pushingpetals.com
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
403-246-4134 (Rork Hilford) MarriageCommissioner@shaw.ca Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace - JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths.
Christopher T. Tahn (Thornborough Smeltz)
403-808-7147
Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)
3rd Floor, 1131 Kensington Road NW 403-571-5120 http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca GLBT legal services.
www.gaycalgary.com
#3 306 20th Ave SW http://www.thirdstreet.ca
MFM Communications
403-543-6970 1-877-543-6970 http://www.mfmcommunications.com Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware and software. Suite 27, Building B1, 2451 Dieppe Ave SW 403-471-0204 780-922-3347 nrg@shaw.ca http://www.nrgsupportservices.com
SafeWorks
403-703-4750
Vertigo Mystery Theatre--------------------
161, 115 - 9 Ave SE 403-221-3708 http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com
Webster Galleries Inc.
812 11 Ave SW 403-263-6500 http://www.webstergalleries.com T-S: 10am-6pm, N: 1-4pm
EDMONTON
Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)
403-461-9195 http://www.lornedoucette.com
Bars & Clubs (Gay) 3 Buddy’s Nite Club (CLOSED) 11725 Jasper Ave 780-488-6636 6 Evolution Wonder Lounge 10220 - 103 St 780-424-0077 http://www.yourgaybar.com
FLASH (CLOSED)
10018 105 Street flashnightclub@hotmail.com
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)
• Calgary Drop-in Centre
Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE 403-699-8216 Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm
These venues regularly host LGBT events.
Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)
Buck Naked Boys Club
780-471-6993 http://www.bucknakedboys.ca Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Participants do not need to be gay, only male.
Camp fYrefly
7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies Faculty of Education, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5 http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca
Edmonton Expo
http://www.edmontonexpo.com
Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)
http://www.edmontonpride.ca
Edmonton Prime Timers
edmontonpt@yahoo.ca www.primetimersww.org/edmonton Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from diverse backgrounds but have common social interests. Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.
Edmonton Rainbow Business Association
3379, 11215 Jasper Ave 780-429-5014 http://www.edmontonrba.org Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities for LGBT owned or operated and LGBT-friendly businesses in the Edmonton region.
Edmonton Illusions Social Club
780-387-3343 groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions 2 Edmonton STD 11111 Jasper Ave
Edmonton Vocal Minority
780-479-2038 www.evmchoir.com
sing@evmchoir.com
Fellowship of Alberta Bears
www.beefbearbash.com
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.
• Centre of Hope
10704 124 St NW
inqueeries@gmail.com Student-run GLBTQ Alliance at MacEwan University.
• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre
7 The Starlite Room 10030 102 St contact@starliteroom.ca http://www.starliteroom.ca 8 Yellowhead Brewing Co. 10229 105 St info@yellowheadbrewery.com http://www.yellowheadbrewery.com
http://www.iscwr.ca
Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE 403-410-1180 Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm 1213 - 4th Str SW 403-955-6014 Sat-Thu: 4:15pm-7:45pm, Fri: Closed
• Safeworks Van
403-850-3755 Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am
Wheel Pro’s
403-819-5219 http://www.bcbhcounselling.com
Third Street Theatre
Interactive Male
Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.
Priape Calgary (CLOSED)
1322 - 17 Ave SW 403-215-1800 http://www.priape.com Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies and magazines. Gifts.
Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW 403-205-2922 info@theatrejunction.com http://www.theatrejunction.com
403-355-3335 http://www.interactivemale.com
NRG Support Services
The Naked Leaf----------------------------
Stagewest-----------------------------------
727 - 42 Avenue SE 403-243-6642 http://www.stagewestcalgary.com
Theatre Junction----------------------------
Hot Water Pools & Spas
140, 58th Ave SW 403-258-2777 Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys.
Pumphouse Theatre------------------------
2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW 403-263-0079 http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca
810 Edmonton Trail NE 403-290-1973 Cuts, Colour, Hilights.
Wild Rose United Church
11650 Elbow Dr SW ctahn@thornsmeltz.com http://www.thornsmeltz.com
Cruiseline
Calgary: 403-777-9494 Edmonton: 780-413-7122 Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010 http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.
4143- Edmonton Trail NE 403-226-7278 http://www.wheelpros.ca “Experts in Everything for Wheels”
Bathhouses/Saunas 5 Steamworks 11745 Jasper Ave 780-451-5554 http://www.steamworksedmonton.com
Community Groups
Theatre & Fine Arts ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects
403-294-7402
http://www.ATPlive.com
Fairytales
See Calgary - 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.
One Yellow Rabbit--------------------------
Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE 403-299-8888 www.oyr.org
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 #146, February 2016
57
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.
58
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 #146, February 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
LETHBRIDGE
780-413-7122 trial code 3500 http://www.cruiseline.ca Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.
Robertson-Wesley United Church
10209 - 123 St. NW 780-482-1587 jravenscroft@rwuc.org www.rwuc.org Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have you join us!
• Soul OUTing
Second Sunday every month, 7pm An LGBT-focused alternative worship.
• Film Night
Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.
• Book Club
Monthly, contact us for exact dates.
Theatre & Fine Arts
Community Groups GALA/LA
356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB 403-527-5882 1-877-440-2437
• Monthly Dances
M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm + 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S) Bring your membership card and photo ID.
• Monthly Potluck Dinners
McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your own beverage.
• Support Line
403-308-2893 Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm Leave a message any other time.
• Friday Mixer
Exposure Festival
The Roxy Theatre (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
Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival
PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0 contact@jasperpride.ca http://www.jasperpride.ca
• Telephone Support
ALBERTA Community Groups Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group
http://www.albertatrans.org A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of where they may be on the continuum.
Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet
http://www.albertaballet.com Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.
Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)
galia@uleth.ca
• Movie Night
Room C610, University of Lethbridge
Gay Youth Alliance Group
Betty, 403-381-5260 bneil@chr.ab.ca Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm
Lethbridge Expo
http://www.lethbridgeexpo.com
Lethbridge HIV Connection
1206 - 6 Ave S
PFLAG Canada
1-888-530-6777 lethbridgeab@pflagcanada.ca www.pflagcanada.ca
Pride Lethbridge
lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com
RED DEER Community Groups
Whistlers Inn
105 Miette Ave 1-800-282-9919 info@whistlersinn.com http://www.whistlersinn.com
Community Groups HIV Community Link
403-308-2893 http://www.galalethbridge.ca Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area.
The Mix (green water tower) 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S Every Friday at 10pm
http://www.exposurefestival.ca Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.
MEDICINE HAT
Central Alberta AIDS Network Society
4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB http://www.caans.org The Central Alberta AIDS Network Society is the local charity responsible for HIV prevention and support in Central Alberta.
CANADA Community Groups Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition
P..O. Box 3043, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3S9 (306) 955-5135 1-800-955-5129 http://www.rainbowhealth.ca
Egale Canada
8 Wellington St E, Third Floor Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C5 1-888-204-7777 www.egale.ca Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transidentified people and our families.
Products & Services Squirt
http://www.squirt.org Website for dating and hook-ups. 18+ ONLY!
Theatre & Fine Arts Broadway Across Canada
http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca
OUTtv
http://www.outtv.ca GLBT Television Station.
LGBTQ Education
LGBTQeducation@hotmail.ca http://LGBTQeducation.webs.com Red Deer (and area) now has a website designed to bring various LGBTQ friendly groups/individuals together for fun, and to promote acceptance in our communities.
Pride on Campus
rdcprideoncampus@gmail.com A group of LGBTQ persons and Allies at Red Deer College.
www.gaycalgary.com
GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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GayCalgary Magazine #146, February 2016
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