GayCalgary Magazine - February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

® ISSUE 157 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBTQ Community

Interview with

IAN HARVIE

Chris Pratt

on queer plumbers in space

Austin Wolf A Man With A Plan

PLUS:

Travel - Jasper, AB Nate Phelps on Donald Trump Tegan and Sara • Jennifer Lawrence ...and more!

Business Directory

Megan Mullally

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

on Karen Walker’s return

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 57

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Table of Contents

Videography Photography Steve Polyak

Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino, B&J Sales Steve Polyak Videography sales@gaycalgary.com Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino

Legal Council

Courtney Aarbo,Printers Barristers and Solicitors North Hill News/Central Web

General Inquiries ® GayCalgary Magazine Distribution

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

Office Hours: By appointment ONLY Legal403-543-6960 Council Phone: Courtney and Solicitors Toll Aarbo, Free: Barristers 1-888-543-6960 E-Mail: magazine@gaycalgary.com Sales & General Inquiries

Thisand Month's Cover GayCalgary Edmonton Magazine Main: Ian Harvie, photo

by Miki 2136 17th Avenue SWVargas. Top Right: Chris Pratt, photo Sony Pictures. Mid Calgary, AB,byCanada Right: Austin Wolf, photo

by GayCalgary. Bottom T2T 0G3 Right: Megan Mullally, photo by Scott Garfield.

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 of Mike Owen; Rex Goudie.

Proud Members of: Proud Member of:

Publisher’s Column

Fake News and Alternative Facts

10 Nate Phelps on Donald Trump in the White House

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Writers and Contributors

Mercedes AIDS United, Allen, Chris Chris Azzopardi, Azzopardi, Dave Dallas Brousseau, Barnes, Constable Dave Brousseau, Andy Buck, SamJason Casselman, Clevett,Jason EvanClevett, Kayne, Keith Andrew Johnson, Collins,Lisa Emily Lunney, Collins, Steve RobPolyak, Diaz-Marino, Romeo San Janine Vicente, Eva Trotta, and theJack LGBT Fertig, Community Glen Hanson, of Calgary, Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Edmonton, Stephen andLock, Alberta.

Neil McMullen, Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford, Romeo San Vicente, Ed Sikov, Nick Vivian and Photography the GLBT Community Calgary, Edmonton, and SteveofPolyak Alberta.

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What we can expect, what we can do

13 Good Things Come to Those Who Are Megan Mullally

Will & Grace star on real-life lesbian advances, James Franco’s pubes and Karen Walker’s return

17 Kinky Boots Anything But a Drag One of Broadway’s Best Arrives in Calgary

18 BalletBoyz Presentation of Life 20 Discussing Community Safety Calgary Police, Pride Calgary and Voices Coalition

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21 HIV Advocates Face Challenges New and Old After U.S. Elections

A full repeal of Obamacare is unlikely, but the Ryan White Care Act will be even more important to people with HIV

a g a

22 Deep Inside Hollywood

m of Tegan 24 The Queering and Sara

‘American Gigolo,’ ‘Ocean’s Eight,’ trans cinema, Rosie O’Donnell

Pop duo on artistic evolution, rising above the underground and being anti-marriage

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

FEBRUARY 2017

PAGE 13 PAGE 16

®

28 Jasper, Alberta

Celebrate Canada’s 150th in the Canadian Rockies

35 Jasper Pride 2017

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

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38 Philips OneBlade

For Guys who like that Scruffy Look

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

Gay European Tourism Association

Continued on Next Page  www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page ®

39 Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Black Edition

PAGE 35

High-end Teeth Brushing

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence on queer plumbers in space, LGBT equality and surviving cosmic travel with Beyoncé

44 Austin Wolf

PAGE 44

PAGE 41

46 Transforming Minds One Truth at a Time

Comedian Ian Harvie on how ‘we’re all trans,’ his vast penis collection and comedy as a tool for change

Queer Eye News Releases A Couple of Guys Directory and Events Classified Ads

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Scan for Latest Issue:

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

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.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/RSS Articles • Recent News • Prize Draws • Events • Travel Info

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Total Readership of PDF/ISSUU/WEB

Proof of monthly figures are available on request.

A Man With A Plan

Scan for this Issue:

Monthly Online Magazine Readership:

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

41 Far, Far a Gay

50 54 55 57 62

Magazine Figures

Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.

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Editorial

Publisher’s Column

Fake News and Alternative Facts

By Steve Polyak Over the past several months, you hear those phrases fake news and alternative facts being used a lot, especially in the United States. It is not easy being media: often times people will question your work just because it doesn’t fit their ideology. GayCalgary ran into this issue several times over the years the magazine first started.

Rob and I faced a balancing act, making sure certain advertisers were always happy, and avoiding saying anything negative in fear they might pull their ads, or maybe bar us from their establishment.

Non-profit groups could cancel the sponsorship we have with them.

With the LGBTQ community being so small – and mainstream businesses were not coming on board to advertise – we needed to keep people happy.

Did keeping things positive start hurting our credibility? Yes, it did. We weren’t printing fake news or alternative facts, we were just trying not to hurt peoples’ feeling or egos. But when we stopped sugar coating what was going on in the community, we started to see some true colours reveal.

For example, when Apollo Western Cup moved its dance over Hotel Arts for the first time. Around 10pm, they were already at venue capacity. I personally noticed people being told that the event was sold out and being turned away. This was a great achievement for the community; it brought people out to something different for one night of the year. Well, once the event was over, one of the advertisers questioned us: how dare we say that the Western Cup

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dance was sold out? Even though they did not attend the dance, or even sponsor the event, they came up with their own alternative facts, saying that the dance must have been only half-way full because, as a Facebook event, it only showed about 100 people attending. They did not believe that we witnessed people being turned away at the door and that the venue, which holds around 1,000 people, was full.

Western Cup is not your typical event. For those 400 to 500 people that are there to play the sporting events from across Canada, why would they make sure they marked off that they were attending the WesternCup dance on Facebook? They are ordering a weekend package and registering to play directly from the organizers. I know it sounds trivial but, when you are dealing with egos, it means a lot to them and each time things like this happen it adds to the problem.

Rob and I have witnessed, as well as recorded, several different people making claims that they are donating a lot of money to a nonprofit group or charity. These people get up in front of an audience making their claims. The audience claps, cheers and hollers. We find out that the money was only partially given, or none is given at all. When you question that person that did the grandstanding, they continue either misleading people that they did, or come up with reasons why they did not. When things like that happen, we start to suspect that the individual was only doing it for the instant ego gratification, and image they will portray in the community.

Sadly, because people believe what they have heard is fact, when you try to explain to them the truth, they don’t believe

Continued on Next Page 

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 From Previous Page you. They think we are fake news, even though we have talked to the non-profit groups or charities, and have it on record from AGM’s or interviews that it did not go down the way it was hyped.

The person’s celebrity or reputation precedes the truth, and the magazine is disseminated.

Gay media have been barred from one establishment because another gay publication, including ourselves, were starting to question some of their alternate facts. For example, they were discrediting a non-profit group, claiming it was not a registered group. The non-profit group faxed over government documents proving otherwise.

It boils down to: if you make me look good in the press, I will advertise and give you access. Start questioning what I might be doing, I will threaten to pull advertising revenue, or deny you media access. If questioned with facts, then claim they must be fake news, because I must keep the image I portray. You printed the facts, well you are now barred because you are fake news. Tell everyone not to trust that media, and to only trust what you say. Use alternate media that won’t ask the questions.

I have heard those phrases: trust me or would I lie to you?. At the start of running the magazine, I was saying yes, I trust you.

We were new, wanting to keep the peace, and trying not to show that the gay community in Alberta had fractured. But after a while, you realize that when someone in power tells you that, you need to question if its just profit aims, ego or an attempt to discredit someone else speaking.

Rob and I have could write a book on these types of power and control grabs over media. We always keep documentation on hand just in case it is needed. My email archives go back to 2000, before the magazine started.

I know it doesn’t help media reputation when there are plenty that will sensationalize article titles and content to get traffic to their websites, or additional viewers, because it helps ad sales. We see it all the time on Facebook: there is a post from a friend or a friend of a friend, and you just go why did you share that? Did you check Snopes or a political fact checking website before reposting?

Online Last Month The OutField

Taylor Tvedt’s LGBT work is hardly lax

When Taylor Tvedt made the “no brainer” decision to come out as a high school sophomore in the Twin Cities suburb of Apple Valley, the response was largely positive.... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5419

Creep of the Week Jeff Sessions

A long, long time ago, in 1986, Jeff Sessions was nominated to be a federal judge in Alabama. But the Senate Judiciary Committee was all, “Uh, no, you’re way too racist.”... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5442

Creep of the Week Betsy DeVos

School sux, amirite, guys? Pencils, books, teachers’ dirty looks. Ugh. Who needs it? I mean, the very idea of public education funded by tax dollars sprang from the mind of some... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5444

Deep Inside Hollywood

Greg Berlanti, Rowan Blanchard, Amu Schumer, Chloe Grace Moretz

Riverdale pushes Archie into the present Greg Berlanti, the gay producing dynamo whose comic book loyalty has given TV Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl, is about to debut his next... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5445

The OutField

A Show of Gratitude

aIt’s the time of year when we show gratitude – and LGBT folks (and their allies) have a lot to be thankful for. Not as much as if the presidential election had gone the other... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5447

6 Tricks to Giving Your Partner the Perfect Gift

Choosing the perfect gift for your significant other can be stressful – especially if it’s your first holiday together. But there are ways you can sneak a peek at your partner’s... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5393

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Creep of the Week Donald Trump

When I watched a video of President Obama giving Ellen DeGeneres the Presidential Medal of Freedom and heard him talk about her bravery for coming out back in 1997, I am not ashamed... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5451

Deep Inside Hollywood

Kate McKinnon, Maria Maggenti, ‘Talk Show the Game Show,’ Francois Ozon

Kate McKinnon takes the lead in The Lunch Witch She already has an Emmy for her work on Saturday Night Live, and she’s managed to steal every scene she had in the ensemble comedies... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5453

Hear Me Out Collector’s Editions Bette Midler, David Bowie, Kate Bush

Bette Midler, The Divine Miss M: The Deluxe Edition Long before Bette Midler became social media’s beloved socio-political rabble-rouser, before “Wind Beneath My Wings”... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5454

GayCalgary’s Instagram 2016 Best Nine Photos

If you have an Instagram account, this is something for you to try out. We had results from last year with some pretty interesting results. Check out http://www.gaycalgary.com/ a5405

Creep of the Week Jesse Lee Peterson

When racist white people who lurk on World Net Daily claim they have black friends, they’re probably referring to Jesse Lee Peterson, a black man who doesn’t seem to like black... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5458

I remember there was an image out there of supposed damage caused by a specific shampoo that looked like huge buds coming out of your skin. People were sharing it over and over without checking the facts. It turned out that someone had photoshopped the top of a lotus flower onto a picture of a person’s shoulder, tongue, nipple or other body part. It looks gross and grabs people’s attention, and they share it.

It’s hard to control stuff like that. After the U.S. elections, and seeing how misinformation was spread on both sides, it’s good to see that some checks and balances are being put back into place.

At the start of the elections, media was more into letting things play out, leaving it to the public to point out what was alternative news or not. Now a lot of them are fact checking during interviews and not letting things slide as they would have in the past.

Sadly, if your impression is already set in stone because of something you have heard, then this column won’t help you. I have a feeling that some of the major media outlets in the U.S. and Canada are having to go through a lot of the same checks as Rob and I needed to over 10 years. The media landscape has changed, and this only just one part of it.

Creep of the Week

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North Carolina Republican Party

As 2016 circles the drain of history, there is perhaps no better poster child for how totally terrible last year was politically than North Carolina. As you may remember, Republicans... http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5459

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Politics danger. I KNOW he will obsess over whatever has upset him. I KNOW a necessary stage in his “recovery” is to find someone in his environment he can focus his rage on and he will hurt them... bad.

When Trump talks about being singularly capable of fixing things, when he dismisses the criticism of others, when he drones on ad nauseam about how uniquely qualified he is...the look on his face, the mannerisms, the blind arrogance. That’s my father.

Now here we are...Fred is in the White House and I’m afraid. My only hope is that those around him with power will come to realize they are dealing with an emotionally, mentally imbalanced man... profoundly imbalanced...and finally put him down before the harm he does is irreparable.”

Now, to be fair, we can’t speculate on the Donald’s private behavior.

We can only judge from his external actions. Yet, based on Nate’s experiences with his father’s similar attitude, and what is available in the public record regarding the Trump clan, several conclusions can be drawn about life with Donald J. Trump: 1. There’s a strong suspicion the Trump children witnessed similar abusive behavior growing up.

2. SOME of the ugly behaviors might have been mitigated on the spawn of Trump by the maternal figure (Ivana, Marla, Melania).

Trump has spoken on Howard Stern about how raising children is the woman’s job.

3. Since this is all related to Trump’s mannerisms, behaviors, and strategies for dealing with other humans, in that light, it’s probable his attitudes were passed on.

Therefore, part of the reasons for Melania’s panic in that image because while she’s in the lap of luxury and power, she’s alone...the kids may not be as fucked up as Donald, but they probably have a similar worldview.  Donald Trump, Reverend Fred Phelps. photos by original holder

Nate Phelps on Donald Trump in the White House What we can expect, what we can do

By Evan Kayne Donald Trump is now President of the United States. If that’s not terrifying enough, imagine seeing the parallels between Trump and your father...who just happens to be the late Reverend Fred Phelps, patriarch of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. This is the reality Nate Phelps confronts daily and it’s something which has put him on edge for weeks: “I’m scrolling through my twitter feed and it hit me: it’s Trump!

Specifically it’s the myriad ways Trump’s words and actions remind me of my father. I came across that video of him turning to Melania during Frank Graham’s speech. The one where his smile disappears and he surreptitiously addresses her such that her countenance falls. He turns back around with a cruel smugness replacing the smile he had before. It was like a train wreck. I played it over and over, focusing on each individual in the frame.

I was obsessed with the transformation on Melania’s face. Here was a human trapped and deeply fearful of her circumstances.

She KNOWS what she’s dealing with and it scares her to death.

I know this man only too well. I read stories of his tantrums and I see my father at the back of the church auditorium jumping up and down, screeching...literally screeching...a 40 year old man lashing out because he’s not getting his way. And I KNOW I’m in

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As to whether we’ll see one of the kids break from their father in a serious manner as Nate did is a wild guess. A child’s personality and their circumstances in life will cause them to embrace or reject the attitudes of a parent. “There’s a tipping point for everybody” Nate said, and while it’s possible one of the Trump children may have a moment of revelation, it’s doubtful they could follow through on it due to the fact they ARE Trump’s kin. Nate could at least escape to another city, another state, even another country. If your father is a businessman, media figure, and now president, it makes escape almost impossible. As well, being born in the lap of luxury acts as another barrier preventing dissension in the Trump children.

In addition, Donald will fight back...hard. He is a vengeful child with a “my way or the highway” attitude. For one example out of many, witness the recent squabble with Mexico where they cancelled the state visit for various reasons, but mostly due to the threats of building the wall and stiffing Mexico with the bill. The Donald replied almost instantaneously with threats (threatening in some cases, 20% tax on all imports from Mexico). Classic Fred Phelps, Nate told me. “Lashing out. ‘OK you wanna get mad at me? I’ll show you freakin’ mad, I’ll show you vengeance’ and this scorched earth oneupmanship policy is how he does business.” Everything Nate’s read on how Trump operates with his contractors and employees indicates this is his strategy. “He’ll just keep tightening down the screws until something breaks because he’s got all the time in the world and all the resources.”

Whether the world can expect to see him booted out of the office, Nate thinks it’s a matter of time: “I think all of them (Republicans) to a greater or lesser extent recognize it’s a house of cards and eventually he’s going to implode, he’s going to do something we can no longer overlook...and then they’ll take steps to remove him. In the meantime, he’s given them all the green light to be as conservative, as aggressive in their conservative policies as they want to be.” And when you look at some of the people surrounding Trump (Pence, Sessions, Bannon) expect the government to take a hard right.

For the world and the U.S.A., is there a best case/worst case scenario? Nate can’t think of a best case scenario, but “...worst case scenario he lasts for eight years and sets America back and we could end up in a war...my own personal inclination says we’ll figure out a

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way to avoid that....Maybe I’m being completely naive, but I have to believe that...a worst case scenario doesn’t happen.”

Furthermore, a best case scenario is problematic. If Trump is removed, we’ll have to deal with current Vice President Mike Pence: “It’s possible he scares me more because of his religious leanings. You have to bear in mind his state was the first to try that thinly disguised LGBT Discrimination tactic called Religious Freedom. It only failed because of so much outside political pressure, but that shows you his inclinations. He’s in favor of conversion therapy. He’s got all of these radical religious conservative leanings that frankly I think would be as destructive if not more destructive for America than Trump is.” And even if we got rid of Pence, those individuals potentially replacing him are just as flawed. For at least a couple of years we’re stuck with this extreme conservative ideology.

Regarding who’d inflict the least damage upon the LGBT community – Trump or Pence – Nate wasn’t excited for either option: “In the long run, if Trump stayed in, we’d end up with a Democratic Congress in two years. That safeguards and minimizes the opportunities they would have to re-establish some kind of institutionalized discrimination.”

True, there’s a lot of damage they could do in two years, but given that recent attempts in some states to put in religious discrimination bills have failed, we should be aware in this case there are more people who disagree with discrimination – and may even work to protect the progress we’ve made.

So, Nate doesn’t think LGBT community in the USA will lose the right to marry; even with another conservative judge on the Supreme Court. However, “we also know from experience there’s a million ways at the micro level for hateful people to get their ideology put into law where they can mistreat or treat certain communities as second class citizens” so again, we still have to be vigilant. Witness the recent rollback on transgender student rights and school bathrooms Obama put in. Betsy Devos claimed it was an issue for the states and local governments to resolve. It’s never we don’t like X it’s always Well, because of reasons we’re backing off...but hey, it has nothing to do with our fervent disapproval of X.” This is how conservatives respond to change in society if they don’t like the change. Like in the abortion debate, if you can’t overturn it or ignore it put in place a million different regulations or laws at the state or civic level to make getting an abortion extremely difficult, if not impossible. And then “...create the attitude and mentality that there’s something different about this group of people, which is all you really need to maintain ideologies and attitudes of discrimination in this society.”

Considering the people surrounding Trump, we also speculated whether this trend of rising nationalism and bigotry might just be the final extinction burst behavior of right wing/fascists. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to figure out history while we’re living in it. Which is why Nate does spend time on Fox News and other conservative sites to try to read and understand their point of view even though he strongly disagrees with it. “Listen to their arguments and see if they stand up to the rebuttal in my head. We all have to be cautious because we all tend to see the world in the way we want to see it (in spite of evidence sometimes). But there is good evidence out there that I would consider empirical or just even beyond my own personal views that strongly suggest that’s what’s going on.”

Nate does believe the younger generation will make opposition to LGBT rights, religion and politics go away or become irrelevant in short order. Much like the religions views on slavery – now religious folks have been forced to change their ideology and pretend they were the first opposed to slavery. “That kind of change I see coming in a lot of areas, but we gotta keep in mind ten years, even twenty years from now there’s going to be different issues that will fall into the conservative side of the continuum versus the liberal side.” There will always be conflict – just over different issues. The best response Nate has to the original idea is that yes, these current issues defining modern conservatism are dying; it’s a last gasp. “And we know from history when one side...the pendulum swings to far one way, there’s a knee-jerk almost hysterical response the other way until it finally corrects itself.

substantially in the last twenty years. Nate thinks it was around the time of the Clarence Thomas/Robert Bork confirmation hearings we lost the ability to compromise. “I don’t know enough to say that’s when it started. There’s always history to every story but that’s the way it feels now that we’ve lost the ability take a deep breath, let go of the emotional rhetoric, and try to focus on a solution both sides can live with on some of these issues. It has become this ‘all or nothing’ mentality. I’m not going to say it’s all conservatives doing it because we’re all capable of that; and again, when we’re steeped in it, it becomes the mentality of the day.”

Comparing that environment to Canada’s politics is one of the things Nate talks about when people ask about the differences between the USA and Canada – he at first didn’t understand how the PCs in Alberta stayed in power for so long. But he realized they did it by keeping their ‘ear to the ground’ so when they political winds shifted, they shifted with them and that was acceptable to the populace. “And without any emotional baggage, when I look at that idea, it’s not a bad idea. Good leaders are supposed to be representing the interests of their constituents...while in America it was always about your own personal convictions – so if you switched sides, you were a pariah...if someone admitted in a political campaign in an election they changed their mind, they were done in politics. You just don’t change your mind.”

Depressingly, the conclusion Nate reached is that we may be unable to change much of this situation at the moment. There’s going to be a tremendous amount of rhetoric and noise (hopefully) from the liberal side of the aisle in Congress. There will be marches, and people voicing their opinions, but...while recently we have seen in other countries leaders pushed out of office by massive public protests, there is no mechanism like that in the US. “We can’t go out there and protest so much the government fails...you just don’t see that in the West...so I don’t know what the solution is other than we keep pushing and trying different things. We’re seeing a lot of creative things now and I suspect there will be even more creative things out there but I’m reminded – short of obstructionism what the Congress did to Obama – there’s not much we can do here.”

At the very least I floated the idea people need to make sure everyone strengthens their social networks. “At some point in time we may have to start thinking in serious terms of how people get out of there and what resources we have available to support that.”

To a certain degree, especially in light of the ban on Muslims from seven different countries, those discussions are already happening.

At a local level, that may be something we can do – think of ways we can support those who are suffering because of changes in politics in the USA, and fight the expansion of leaders with similar toxic ideas in Canada and worldwide.

Noted speaker and atheist Nate Phelps is the son of the late Reverend Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church (“God Hates Fags”). At the age of 18, he escaped the church and since then has become an LGBT rights activist and public speaker on the topics of religion and child abuse. He’s been fundraising and helping organize a documentary on his time in Westboro, and is hoping the documentary should be out soon.

In addition Nate started the Alberta Secular Conference a couple of years ago with Karen Kerr up in Edmonton. They are currently working on 2017’s conference.

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Sadly, in the future it’s unsure whether some of the changes will be able to come from the legislative arm of the American government.

The level of bipartisan agreements or relationships has dropped

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Good Things Come to Those Who Are Megan Mullally

Will & Grace star on real-life lesbian advances, James Franco’s pubes and Karen Walker’s return  photos by Scott Garfield

By Chris Azzopardi Tip one back for Megan Mullally, who’s making a move to the big screen in Why Him? after a drove of indie roles, including gay-affirming mom Mrs. Van Camp in 2013’s G.B.F., and a variety of TV stints. But when it comes to the small screen, it’s the 58-year-old actress’s eightyear role on the groundbreaking late ’90s NBC sitcom Will & Grace, as quippy, martini-swigging socialite Karen Walker, that changed Mullally’s life as much as it changed ours.

So, honey, sit back and catch up on all things Mullally. She has a lot to say about that time a female coworker attempted to seduce her, crushing on “the gayest person in the world,” witnessing “100 percent” of James Franco’s butt crack and the likelihood of a Will & Grace reboot (spoiler alert: it’s very, very likely).

GC: There are a lot of gays who’d like to chat with you, so I feel very

lucky.

MM: I love it. You can say, “Oh my god, she was really boring.”

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GC: Why Him? centers on the awkward situation of bringing home someone your parents are likely to dislike. Have you ever brought a controversial boyfriend home to your parents?

MM: My first boyfriend in college, Brad. My father was an archconservative and Brad subscribed to the communist newspaper, so that was not cute. (Laughs) My father wasn’t too thrilled about Brad.

GC: You’re saying he had a “why him?” moment?

MM: Yeah… and then some.

GC: Having you and James Franco in a movie together is basically a

match made in gay heaven. He has quite the gay resume.

MM: That’s funny. I never thought about that! But yeah, totally.

GC: I guess you didn’t have a chance to compare your queer credentials.

MM: No, but I’m familiar with straight James, gay James, all of that. I

mean, I know him. We got along very well, James and I. Maybe there was something in the air… the gays brought us together.

GC: As someone I consider to be a guru of all things gay, were you able to determine what it is about James that appeals to the LGBT community?

MM: I think because he kind of flirts with them. (Laughs) I mean, he’s very cute. That doesn’t hurt.

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GC: And in the movie, shirtless.

MM: He’s also pantsless! His butt crack was 100 percent showing – and,

like, a little bit of pubes.

GC: What was it like shooting those scenes?

MM: Um, it wasn’t horrible. I was actually a little embarrassed when

I walked on the set the first time and was like, “Oh my. Wow. OK.” (Sings Bing Crosby) “Getting to know youuuuu.” So yeah, that happened.

GC: You were raised in Oklahoma City. Before you became immersed in the gay community through living in West Hollywood and starring on Will & Grace, what was your introduction to it?

MM: Oh, that’s funny. A couple of things: I did my first summer stock musical when I was 12. I also did another summer stock when I was 14, and I had the biggest crush on this guy named Tommy who was in the ensemble and played a small part. He was the cutest blonde boy in the world, and I just could not understand why he didn’t really pay very much attention to me. (Laughs) We were really good friends, always hanging out.

But I was very naïve. Later I was like, “Ohh, wait. Totally the gayest person in the world.”

Around that same era, there was a woman who was also somehow involved in this summer stock. She was gay, and I used to go to her apartment and she would get me high. I remember one time I fell out of the chair, I got so high. I, like, hobbled over out of the chair, and she thought it was hilarious. So yeah, she was gay and I thought, “Gosh, she really likes me,” and it dawned on me that she probably thought I was pretty cute, but she never made a pass at me.

Even later, when I was 20 or 21, I was doing this musical in Chicago.

(Screenplay writer) Pat Resnick wrote the book to the musical, and we were doing it in Woodstock before we moved it into downtown Chicago. There was one night she and the other writers in the musical were all running

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house together and we were having a party. They said, “Pat wants to talk to you – she’s upstairs.” I go upstairs, and I was just wandering down the hall and there’s this open doorway, and there was nothing in the room but a mattress on the floor and a red lightbulb, and the light is on. So it’s a red light, and she’s laying on the mattress, and she wasn’t, you know, a knock-down, drag-down beauty or anything like that. She literally patted the mattress and was like, “Sit down.” She said, “Megan, have you ever kissed a woman before?” And I was like, “No.” And she said, “Do you want to?” And I said, “Nooo.”

GC: But you have kissed a woman before, right?

MM: I have. And I did like it. Maybe she tried to or something happened

or I broke away. She just wasn’t the one for me. (Laughs) Later, when it happened, I thought it was quite cute. Different situation, different girl.

Better.

GC: There’s no denying the influence of Will & Grace on generations of LGBT people. For you, what does it mean to hear stories from LGBT people who saw themselves being represented on a barrier-breaking TV show that cultivated visibility?

MM: Words can’t really describe what it means to me. All you really hope to do, if you’re a performer and if you’re not an asshole, if you’re coming from a really legitimate, sincere place, is to have a positive impact. So, to have been a part of a show that actually not only helped people come out to their parents, or to come out period, or to not feel like they were alone – much less in the larger view and maybe, possibly even contributing to an awareness and an acceptance that has resulted in all the strides that have been made, especially gay marriage. I’m not saying Will & Grace is responsible for gay marriage (laughs); I’m saying that maybe there was an element that helped in some way.

GC: When accepting other roles, did you ever say to yourself, “If it’s not as good as Karen, I’m not taking it”?

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MM: Yeah, and it never is, but you have to work. I feel like I’m really lucky to have gotten a lot of the things that I’ve done since Will & Grace. I have Why Him?, but I also did four other indie movies this year that I really liked. Smaller parts. And just a lot of weird TV shows I’ve done: Childrens Hospital and Party Down, and Gayle on Bob’s Burgers. Obviously, Parks and Rec. That role was sort of tailor-made specifically for me, which was great and so fun to do. I mean, rarely is (a role) at the level of a character like Karen, although I think Tammy on Parks and Rec is one of those great characters, and Gayle on Bob’s Burgers is a great character too. I mean, you don’t always get an eight-year run at it, and that makes a big difference too.

GC: How many roles came your way that were just like Karen?

MM: I got offered a few, but obviously, I didn’t take any of them. They

were just a shadow of somebody trying to write something like that, but I never really took any of those parts. I’ve tried to pick things that I think are well written, basically, and hope that the people involved are really nice and good at their jobs.

GC: In September, the Will & Grace cast reunited on-screen for the first time in 10 years for an election-themed episode that received more than six million views on YouTube. And then, recently, you tweeted a pic of yourself and fellow Will & Grace stars Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack and Debra Messing eating dessert. Is that what break looks like on the set of Will & Grace in 2016?

MM: That was actually over at Sean Hayes’ house, but, I mean... what are you asking me? (Laughs) GC: I’m asking you if the show is coming back and if you’re working on new episodes.

MM: Well, OK. All I can say is that there is a very good chance that that might happen. It’s not happening right this second. I mean, we’re not rehearsing or anything like that. But there is a very good chance that something is going to materialize.

GC: My heart wants to jump out of my body right now.

MM: I know. Mine too! But can’t really talk about it or say anything,

because you know how it is.

GC: How might a Will & Grace revival reflect the strides we’ve made in the LGBT community since the show’s original inception as well as the current political climate?

MM: So speaking theoretically, in a completely made-up world where Will & Grace is coming back to NBC for 10 episodes – just in that made-up world – it couldn’t be a better time. (Laughs) I mean, it couldn’t possibly be better timing. I think more so now than even when we started! And who would have ever – I mean, it’s heinous that it’s because Donald Trump is the president-elect. That’s just a crazy sentence that nobody would have ever thought they’d utter. But having said that, at the same time, that just gives us carte blanche.

that’s the jumping off point. Then, from there – the show was always very topical. For eight seasons, extremely topical – so much so that (director) Jim Burrows was always telling the writers, “Honey, it’s crazy topical – it’s not gonna stand the test of time.” But I just think that’s what the show is.

It’s a very topical, current show. We had a gay marriage on Will & Grace in 2000/2001. And I was like, gay marriage?! I mean, it was just really early.

GC: Are you saying it was impossible to even think of the concept of gay marriage at the time?

MM: I was like, “Oh my god, I can’t believe it. You’re having two men get married to each other – that is such a great idea.” Because it was just not happening! It wasn’t something! It wasn’t like every weekend, “Oh no, I’m sorry, I have another gay marriage to go to this weekend.” (Laughs) People just weren’t getting gay-married as much at that point. And the whole thrust of that episode was that they were gonna have a wedding even though it wasn’t recognized by any officiant. There wasn’t any paperwork involved. They were gonna get married and honor their relationship and celebrate their love for each other. It was such a beautiful episode.

People watching it must’ve been like, “Huh? Two gay people are having a wedding?” It was early! And the thing is, we had a gay marriage on the show, but it still has to be funny, and so that was one of the episodes where Jack and Karen have one of those famous slap fights. There was still a lot of funny stuff going on.

GC: You were 40 years old when you played Karen on Will & Grace.

Considering the amount of flak Hollywood gets for being ageist, what does fame feel like in your 40s, when most actresses would say they’d least expect it?

MM: Oh yeah, well, I don’t know because I think I’m a little anomalous in that I’ve always been a late bloomer in everything. I didn’t meet my husband (Nick Offerman) till I was 41, and I didn’t have that kind of career success till I was about that same age: 40, 41. A lot of things have come to me late in life, and it even applies to Why Him? I have gotten an actual part in a (major, big-screen) movie at the tender young age of 57! It’s all happening so fast!

Hope I don’t get into drugs. (Laughs) It’s just funny: I’ve always been a late bloomer, so that gives me eternal optimism, so I never feel like, “Oh, I’m gettin’ older; I guess everything is gonna stop.” I’m the opposite: “Oh, I’m just getting started.” I really feel like that, and also, I don’t really feel very much like a grown up, which is kind of a problem. (Laughs)

GC: I’m really starting to see the similarities between you and Karen

Walker.

MM: (Laughs) That’s the thing that I really love about Karen – she has the ability to be very childlike and have a lot of joy. I think she’s a big optimist too, quite frankly.

I think the first rule of any show – and again, we’re speaking hypothetically – is that it be funny and entertaining. I mean, it’s comedy. If you’re doing a comedy, the first rule is that there be good comedy in that comedy show, so

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Kinky Boots Anything But a Drag One of Broadway’s Best Arrives in Calgary

 Kinky Boots National Touring Company. Photo by Matthew Murphy

By Jason Clevett Since 2013, Kinky Boots has received rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. With 6 Tony Awards, a book by the legendary Harvey Fierstein and a soundtrack by Cyndi Lauper, it’s no surprise that Kinky Boots has become a hit. It’s arrival in Calgary was met with high anticipation and excitement, and it more than met expectations.

Kinky Boots is based on the 2005 film, which in turn is based on a true story. Charlie Price (played by Ciaran McCarthy for Tuesday’s opening night performance) is trying to turn his families struggling shoe factory around.

Searching for ideas, he discovers Lola (J. Harrison Ghee) – a drag queen and realizes that one of the issues the drag community has is wearing women’s shoes that are not designed for men. Thus begins his frantic attempt to create boots in time for Milan Fashion Week.

Ghee’s Lola is stunning. Both in personality and glamour, Lola captures the stage every time she struts upon it. Even out of drag as Simon, Ghee’s presence is captivating. It is a star level performance that is breathtaking, and will see Ghee depart the tour to join the New York cast after this tour stop. Although there are many reasons to see the show, J. Harrison Ghee’s performance will linger in your memory as it really is outstanding.

that shows heart behind the character’s ignorance and another highlight of the show.

It is also exciting to see Jim J. Bullock on stage. An extensive resume that includes Alf, The Bold & The Beautiful, and Lord Valium in Spaceballs the voice of Queer Duck plays George, one of Charlie’s advisors and a friend of his fathers. The entire cast from Lauren (Rose Hemingway) to the incredible drag angels truly delivers.

Lauper’s first attempt at writing a score lands with catchy and memorable songs like Land of Lola and Sex Is In The Heel. While these spectacular showstoppers are a sight to be seen, the powerful Not My Father’s Son and Hold Me In Your Heart really show Lauper’s skill. Although iconic, Lauper is often underappreciated for her music and it is fantastic to see these skills on display.

As soon as the lights dimmed prior to the curtain call, the audience was leaping to its feet to give Kinky Boots a standing ovation. It may seem strange still that Calgary would so appreciate a show that features multiple drag queens. Kinky Boots is about much more than drag. It is a story of heart and strength and being yourself that will resonate with anyone. A few tickets are still available, grab them now.

Ciaran McCarthy may be the understudy for Charlie but of course with the level of production on these tours, is anything but secondary. Charlie’s English working man balances out Lola’s dramatic flair, and McCarthy does a tremendous job carrying the show both vocally and character wise.

Kinky Boots February 21st – 26th, 2017

Long time Calgary theatre fans will recognize Don, played by Aaron Walpole. Walpole has had multiple runs in shows at Stage West here and we’ve always known his talent was huge. He’s parlayed those early shows into a successful career that has included Broadway runs in Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Miserables. Although he has called Ontario home, he’s definitely considered a Calgary guy and it is exciting to see him get the opportunities he deserves. He manages to play the abrasive Don in a way

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BalletBoyz Presentation of Life

 photo provided by Alberta Ballet

by Lisa Lunney The Alberta Ballet presented one of the world’s favourite ballet teams. The Balletboyz, founded by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt have been hailed as making dance accessible and inclusive for all audiences. The group came to prominence through their popular television shows in the United Kingdom.

The Balletboyz thrilled Edmonton audiences this weekend with two performances of Life. The all-male dance troupe showcased a provocative look at life and death in this elegant and unique performance.

I knew that a performance entitled, ‘Life’ would be profound and moving—yet, I wasn’t sure what to expect. How could dance convey the beauty and chaos that is life? Well, Balletboyz didn’t disappoint in delivering a seamless storyline.

Life, is divided into two separate acts. First on—Rabbit. Act one opened with the audience feeling both quizzical and intrigued as dancers emerged in rabbit-head costumes. Despite the challenges of wearing a rabbit headdress, the dancers flawlessly staged every motion. The choreography was inspired directly from the score; the two powerful mediums of visuals and sound instantly reeled the audience in as the story began to unfold. Rabbit captured love, loneliness and the beauty of the circle of life. A dancer sat peacefully on a swing as the story of Rabbit came to life around him. The imagery of dancers with Rabbit heads felt very Lewis Carroll-esque. It was ethereal and breath-taking. The rabbits barrelled across the stage with a sense of grace one would think impossible whilst wearing such costumes.

Fiction utilizes both music and spoken word as a soundtrack. This act explores the fictional death of the creator, Javier De Fruto. The stage is rather bare, the only props used are rehearsal barre. As the

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dancers are told the story of the death, they react comically. It was interesting to see the dancers moves directly match the rhythms of the spoken words. Despite the focus of death, this half was much lighter and approachable for all audiences. It was great to see the Rabbit’s unmasked and get a full visual of each performer. Fiction, ends with Donna Summer anthem blasting—De Fruto’s imagining himself rising from the dead.

The dual storyline really set this performance apart from other shows. It was original in a way that I can guarantee another ballet will not compare. How could it be possible to? Dancing rabbits? Need I say more?

Outstanding technical execution, and storytelling combined made this ballet one of the most dazzling performances I’ve seen. The Jubilee Auditorium joined in the spirit and offered attendees a chance to become a Rabbit at a photobooth set up during intermission.

Wonderful performance—catch this Rabbit if you can!

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Community

Discussing Community Safety Calgary Police, Calgary Pride and Voices Coalition

By Constable Andy Buck Hello again everyone, and a belated happy New Year!

I trust that the holidays were a relaxing and peaceful time for you all. I had the fortune of being in Times Square to witness the ball drop on New Year’s Eve and it was certainly a spectacular event, although I have to say that New York is the most expensive city in the world! Eating out is ridiculously overpriced.

For example, a fairly mediocre restaurant cost me $85 for 2 appetizers and 3 drinks including tax and tip, and that is US dollars too! This was fairly typical of the prices that we paid, but it certainly didn’t ruin the trip. New York is busy, noisy and dirty, but there is something magical about it and I recommend it to anyone who hasn’t been. Be warned though; make sure you have saved plenty of spending money before you go!

So here we are in a new year, and there are only 7 months until Pride parade. That sounds like a long time, but that time passes so quickly. In light of recent events and decisions coming from Toronto, it would be naïve to think that there

could be no fallout here. I am truly appreciative of the relationship that exists with the Calgary Pride board, but I do not want to be seen to be waiting for requests or demands to come from them or from Voices coalition. That way we are placed in a position where we are forced to act, and then the perception is that we are making those decisions only because we have to. I can tell you that I have some ideas in mind where we hope to be ahead of the curve, and hopefully this will be seen as a positive move that will be appreciated and accepted by all sides. I am planning on having further discussions with my board about this prior to speaking with the executive office here at Calgary Police Service, and hope to be in a position to reveal more in the coming months.

Talking of my board I am delighted to welcome some new additions for 2017; one is a man from Peru and another is somebody active within the Voices coalition. Some of the requests made last year were that we had even more visible diversity on the board, as well as some Voices representation.

I am so pleased to be working with both of these new members, and I hope that these additions will be welcomed by the community and be seen as a step towards my pledge to Voices where I outlined my desire and willingness to work together to find solutions. I know that this is just a small step, but it is a positive step in the right direction. Further, a question that arose as part of the discussions last year centered on the visibility of my board and how the community at large would know who they were. I know that an article I wrote a couple of years back focused on my board members and their bios, and I think that now would be a good time to revisit that. I will organize some photographs and bios for the board as we currently are and submit that for publication here as soon as I can. That way you will know who they are, and how they can be that conduit to the service if you prefer to speak with them rather than myself.

All in all I think 2017 is going to be an exciting year with lots of opportunities. Thank you all for your support over the past year, I could not be effective without the support of the community. As always, please look out for each other, look after each other, and connect with me if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

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Lifestyle

HIV Advocates Face Challenges New and Old After U.S. Elections A full repeal of Obamacare is unlikely, but the Ryan White Care Act will be even more important to people with HIV

By AIDS United It is not an overstatement to say that the nation Americans woke up to Nov. 9 is charted on a fundamentally different course than the day before.

The differences in both temperament and in policy between the now President-elect Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could hardly have been starker.

For people living with or affected by HIV, the choice was between a woman who had been working to end the HIV epidemic for more than two decades as a First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State, and a man whose campaign didn’t have an HIV/AIDS policy. America chose the latter to be their next president, a decision that will force HIV advocates to confront some new and unexpected challenges.

These challenges may be daunting, but they will not be insurmountable. We know this because we have been here before.

And because of this, we know that we can succeed. Our roles as advocates for policies and rights are needed now more than ever.

Making matters more difficult for those working to promote the health and well-being of people living with HIV is the fact that, in addition to winning the White House, the Republican Party held onto control of Congress.

The GOP lost only two seats in the Senate with Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) defeating incumbents Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and six seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans will have control of both the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government for at least the next two years.

In addition, the continued uncertainty surrounding President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to replace Antonin Scalia and the advanced ages of Justices Breyer, Ginsberg and Kennedy leave the ideological leanings of the court very much in doubt.

What does this mean for U.S. health care and HIV policy? It’s hard to know for sure, but based on President-elect Trump’s recently released plan for his first 100 days in office and remarks from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of the first actions that the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress will likely take on is one that the GOP has been trying in vain to do for six years now: to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

administration would aim to roll back Medicaid expansion, eliminate the individual health insurance mandate and get rid of subsidies to help middle-income families purchase health insurance.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the repeal of the portions of the ACA outlined in the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 would leave an additional 22 million Americans without health coverage.

With the partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act on the horizon, it is impossible to overstate how important the Ryan White Care Act is to the health of people living with HIV in America. Now, more than ever, it is incumbent upon us to defend the Ryan White Program with every ounce of energy at our disposal.

Without the ACA, the Ryan White Program will be the primary safety net for hundreds of thousands of people living with HIV. Under a Trump administration and a Republican Congress, we must prepare ourselves to protect the Ryan White Care Act, because it very well might be threatened. Attempts to flat fund or cut funding to the Ryan White Program are likely during the next two to four years and it is up to us as HIV advocates to stem the advance of those who threaten to limit access to HIV treatment and support services.

For three decades, the HIV movement has fought tirelessly to emerge from a place of hopelessness and chaos to one of strength and transformative power. Whether you’ve been fighting for the rights and welfare of people living with or affected by HIV since the epidemic’s inception or are new to the cause, we all have the responsibility to stand up and demand that our government be accountable to those that they might otherwise ignore or disenfranchise.

We have every right to expect a federal response that promotes the health of all Americans, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, creed or health status. No matter what the response of the next administration and Congress, we must remain a united coalition that will do anything and everything that is needed to serve people living with and affected by HIV.

On behalf of POZ magazine, this guest post is by AIDS United. Find them online at http://www.aidsunited.org and on Twitter @AIDS_United.

This column 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.

The days of President Obama’s signature piece of legislation may be numbered and, although a full repeal of the ACA is unlikely given the Republican Party’s slim majority in the Senate, the fallout for people living with or vulnerable to HIV will be significant.

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Using the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 that was passed by the House, but vetoed by President Obama last year as a template, we can be relatively certain a Trump

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Gossip homophobia that marred the original film. Now it’s on casting to find us a hot dude we can all objectify. Showtime, you may proceed to pleasure us.

Ocean’s Eight is a Carol reunion and so much more The all-female Ocean’s Eight, a sequel to the boys club (plus Julia Roberts) heist comedies, is charging full steam ahead, and it’s bringing us a lot of anticipatory comfort and joy. On the heels of the all-female Ghostbusters, this sequel’s woman-centered story has yet to arouse the ire of infantile internet misogynists, which is heartening, but the biggest story for queer filmgoers right now is its cast. The film stars Rihanna (who recently, and gloriously, was seen wearing a t-shirt with an image of herself wearing a Hillary Clinton t-shirt, which makes Ri a one-woman Inception, and we’ll stop at “YASSS” with three s’s for now, out of journalistic prudence) and some other people named Sandra Bullock, Helena Bonham Carter, Dakota Fanning, Mindy Kaling, and Anne Hathaway. There’s even a Carol reunion of sorts, with the inclusion of Sarah Paulson and Cate Blanchett, and we hope they play actual girlfriends this time around. To top it off, for in-the-know consumers of alt-comedy and oddball hip-hop, comic actress/rapper Awkwafina (aka Nora Lum) will be making some sort of appearance here, too. Get all the money, ladies, we’re rooting for you. Or, at least we will be rooting for you far off in the dystopic futurescape of June 2018 when this thing finally drops in theaters.

Trans cinema is worldwide

 Rosie O’Donnell, photo by KathClick

Deep Inside Hollywood ‘American Gigolo,’ ‘Ocean’s Eight,’ trans cinema, Rosie O’Donnell

By Romeo San Vicente American Gigolo is coming, eventually Back in 2014, before the world began falling apart in earnest, there were rumblings about a TV series based on the 1980 classic glamour-noir film American Gigolo. And then… nothing. Blondie waited and waited for the project to move ahead and license “Call Me” all over again, but those royalty checks didn’t materialize. Well, now it’s the end of 2016, and it appears that the trick that we were sure flaked on us is back making noise about “bringing pleasure” once again. Perhaps buoyed by the critical success of The Girlfriend Experience, the series based on Stephen Soderbergh’s film of the same name, Showtime is moving its own project an inch forward and has brought in Neil LaBute to direct the first episode of Gigolo. No cast yet, but we do know that the action has been updated to present day. That means our dreams of early ’80s/Giorgio Armani/post-disco elegance have been dashed, but it also might mean that sex work won’t be portrayed with a retro mindset mired in silliness, seediness or the creeping 22

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The U.S. now has acclaimed dramatic shows like Transparent, sweet reality series such as I Am Jazz, and breakout indie films like Tangerine, all of which approach the subject of transgender people’s lives with care, intelligence and dignity. But in other countries around the world, media that deals with the broad spectrum of trans experience is often still in the “please understand” stage. Not ideal, but it’s a start, and it’s a hopeful one. Now, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Wei, a writer-director-producer best known for socially conscious dramas like 2014’s Factory Boss, will begin shooting The Rib in 2017. The film will deal with the family life of a transgender teenage girl, her decision to transition, and her struggle to be accepted by her devoutly religious mother. No cast has been named yet, but keep an eye out sometime in 2018 for this one if you’re the kind of filmgoer who jumps at the chance to see foreign language movies at festivals and arthouses.

Rosie O’Donnell joins the cast of SMILF Rosie O’Donnell, the American hero who first exposed the nasty misogyny of our incoming President, is coming back to TV when we need her most. She’s been cast in Showtime’s sitcom SMILF from creator Frankie Shaw (based on her short film of the same name). Set in Boston, the show will revolve around Bridgette (played by Shaw), a single Millennial whose quest for career and satisfying sex crashes headfirst into the complications of also being a young mother. O’Donnell will play Tutu, Bridgette’s socially unconventional mother who does her best to be there for her daughter and grandson.

Right now this one is in the pilot stages, which means it might or might not come to series. So, fingers crossed – we could always use a Gilmore Girls with Southie accents.

Romeo San Vicente thinks DILF should be in more common usage.

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The Queering of Tegan and Sara

Pop duo on artistic evolution, rising above the underground and being anti-marriage  photos by Warner Bros. Records

by Chris Azzopardi “The world has changed a lot,” Tegan Quin says, knowingly speaking to the queer choir.

And who can argue? In the last five years alone, the LGBT community has made considerable strides in being seen as equals. But the effect doesn’t just mean more same-sex weddings and the prospect of mixed-gender bathrooms.

The world changing means Tegan and Sara can change too.

“We love the support of the queer community,” says Sara, “but we also needed to set our heights to be included in other

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places too. We shouldn’t just be the ‘gay band’ – that’s not who we are.”

Tegan and Sara, then, let the sound of their collective youth – the flamboyancy of David Bowie, the heartfelt resonance of Annie Lennox – guide them beyond the indie-rock fringe they’d inhabited since they formed out of Calgary, their birthplace, in the mid-’90s. Because they could.

Because why not?

Of the switch from Hole-inspired alt-rockers to New Romantic revivalists who went on, in the last few years, to share the stage with pop heavyweights like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, Tegan credits “the mainstreaming of gay culture,” which, she says, www.gaycalgary.com

has “helped propel our band beyond the underground.”

If you missed the signs along the way, you weren’t listening. Pop had already been bubbling up beneath the surface on their breakthrough LP So Jealous, released in 2004, and onward through 2009’s Sainthood. But in 2013, the duo shed their punk skin completely. Like a dusted-off early ’90s relic, Heartthrob, their first full-on pop outing, shimmered with retro shine.

For the project, they joined forces with super-producer Greg Kurstin, whose radioready synth sounds have imbued the pop landscape and its biggest names, from Lily Allen to Kelly Clarkson to Sia to Adele.

“Artists change,” Sara explains. “When we were younger we also didn’t really like to wear makeup. Now, I’m so sick of having my picture taken where I look normal. We have definitely established what we look like and who we are in our everyday lives, so it’s fun to play with not being that.”

Take the cover of their eighth studio album, Love You to Death, for instance; on it, the Quin sisters’ faces are streaked in bright, contrasting tribal swirls. That kind of color also runs through the kaleidoscopic beats Tegan and Sara, along with Kurstin, helmed for their second synth-powered soirée and follow up to 2013’s Heartthrob. The guitar that marked their earlier work? Long gone.

“As we’ve gotten further into our career,” says Sara, “we feel more comfortable and excited about challenging ourselves and being creative. That evolution feels really natural and exciting, so that experimentation visually and sonically is necessary after 17 years, I think.”

Love You to Death is also striking for its overt gayness, evidenced by a liberal smattering of “she” references. Female call-outs aren’t the norm for the famously pronoun-shy sisters, who’ve generalized the subjects of past songs to make their queer experiences universal. Sara says “I Was Married” from 2007’s The Con was “the beginning of me taking on more directly the political issue of relationships and being gay.”

“Maybe in the past we didn’t emphasize certain things because we were already being conditioned and pigeonholed as a gay act,” she continues, “and we were sort of resentful and like, ‘Fuck you, we’re not a gay act; we’re gay and we’re musicians.’”

Being labeled is a “a complicated topic,” according to Tegan, who says, “When people call us gay in mainstream pieces, especially if it’s a blurb like ‘lesbian duo Tegan and Sara,’ it feels so offensive and marginalizing because we don’t declare heterosexuals, ‘heterosexuals.’

“I always want it to be in context with the music,” she adds.

So, in their mind, are they pop? Indie pop? EDM? Tegan doesn’t care to clarify anymore. “I just gave up,” she admits, noting that she’s reluctant to call their reinvention “glam” even if their retro, mag-ready makeover would suggest otherwise.

“I feel like I’m grown up lately, that’s what it is,” she says.

“Like, I should wear pants that fit me,. And I probably shouldn’t wear sneakers onstage. Maybe I’ll put something on that looks like I tried. We’re at that stage in our career.”

In 1999, when the duo released their debut, Under Feet Like Ours, if it wasn’t about the music, it wasn’t important. They were more apt to go with the flow then, Tegan notes. The exception?

When Elle Girl requested they wear their bathing suits for a photoshoot.

“We were so traumatized,” she remembers, verbally assaulting the mere idea with a “fuck no” as she remembers shooting down the opportunity because, as Sara adds, “It wasn’t really our aesthetic.”

“I was sooooo upset,” Tegan continues. “Now, I would just laugh. I don’t think the shoot would be able to continue I’d be laughing so hard. But back then, when you’re young, you don’t know how to say, ‘Uh, no.’”

These days, “we’re really bossy,” admits Tegan, who revels in the visual aspects of their newest releases, a drastic change from their pre-pop days when “we would play it safe.”

Lyrically, they’re also taking risks.

On “BWU” (i.e. “Be With You”) the Quins resist the concept of marriage despite, as of June 2015, their legal right to wed. To some in the LGBT community, their stance may seem divisive, but Sara, who’s in a five-year-long relationship, explains that – though it may be read as such – “it’s not a critique of samesex marriage; it’s a critique of marriage and the institution of marriage and the culture of weddings.”

Denouncing “the ring” to “prove that you’re worthy,” the antimarriage anthem – bouncy, bold and romantic – stands out not just for its uncharacteristically assured feminist leanings (“You can keep your name”), but also its direct openness regarding Sara’s same-sex attraction: “All the girls I loved before told me they signed up for more,” she sings.

When Tegan first got wind of the track, she says, “I was really moved,” stating that they’re taking a “very political stance” on the track and “people are either gonna really get this or they’re not.” She thought of their parents, who divorced when the twins were just 4 years old; their mother found love again with another man and they stayed together until Tegan and Sara were 20. They never married.

“The traditional male-female marriage thing didn’t appeal,” Tegan says. “It was almost like, ‘I am gay so I get out of getting married,’ and then all of a sudden it was a big deal around the time we were 27, 28 years old, when Prop 8 was happening. I was like, ‘God, this is so weird. I never wanted to get married and it’s so strange to want to because I’m not allowed to.’

“I believe in all of the rights and reasons that come with wanting to get married. What I really am is not a wedding person.”

Elsewhere on Love You to Death, there’s “Boyfriend,” which finds Sara confronting a closeted girlfriend. Is it a sign of the times that Love You to Death is, perhaps, more rainbowswathed than any of Tegan and Sara’s previous releases? That it’s more “she”-centric? Partly. But moreover, having “always struggled” with using third-person pronouns, Sara says, “It wasn’t purposeful that I wasn’t acknowledging (my sexuality).”

“As for being more openly queer in our music, for me as a songwriter, I’ve always thought songwriting is a direct

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conversation between me and the person that has usually done something bad to me,” she continues, breaking into a laugh.

In the past, the duo’s gender expression has been nuanced.

“Now I’m All Messed Up,” a track from Heartthrob, Sara says, references a girl “leaving her makeup – without emphasis on the fact that she’s a girl.”

She cracks another laugh, joking, “It’s just like, yeah, well, whoever’s in my bed is now in someone else’s bed and they wear makeup. Maybe they’re a Robert Smith. I don’t know!”

As the twins continue to forge their pop path, donning more makeup of their own, with sparkly throwback-tinged jams pushing them further from their punk genesis, Sara says there’s no going back now. On tour, as the duo promotes Love You to Death, they’re reshaping their past guitar-driven punk standouts to “bring them into the current sound of the band.”

In 1999, pop music was different. It was Britney Spears. It was NSYNC. Not exactly the kind of sound the duo aspired to, Sara says. But now, after being the antithesis of pop and acquainting themselves with synths, electronic drum beats and programming, she’s “excited to be a part of the wave heralding a different kind of version of pop music that maybe is a bit more of a throwback to pop music, where you could be pushing the boundaries of sex and gender.”

“Pop music wasn’t stupid, and it isn’t stupid,” she asserts, referencing Madonna and Kate Bush, trailblazers and personal influences. “Pop music is complicated. And it’s expensive to make!”

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For some fans of their bygone grit, it hasn’t been easy to acclimate to their new shiny-sonic shift. Tegan acknowledges that “there’s definitely a contingent of fans that sort of found us around So Jealous and The Con” – the latter being their darkest, least pop-oriented release – “and those tend to be the ones having the most trouble with this transition.” On the flip side, “there’s a sense of pride, like, ‘Oh, we found them 10 years ago and they’ve grown up with us.’”

Now, of course, Tegan and Sara, both 35, have gone from coffee houses to stadiums; from winning Outstanding Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards to nabbing an Oscar nod for their The Lego Movie theme “Everything Is Awesome,” a collaboration with The Lonely Island. Even Taylor Swift is a fan – you can hear it on Swift’s own pop detour, 1989, released the same year as Heartthrob. In 2013, the twins made a surprise appearance on the “Shake It Off” singer’s Red tour to sing “Closer,” their first major pop foray.

Yes, the world is changing for us and for them… for the most part, anyway.

“I think as we become more embraced and accepted and more popular it’s made (fans) feel like they’re still outsiders and we’re not,” Tegan says, reflecting on how they’ve queered the mainstream, “and it’s like, ‘Oh no, we’re still outsiders, don’t worry.’”

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Jasper, Alberta

Celebrate Canada’s 150th in the Canadian Rockies

 photos by GayCalgary

More photos and videos online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5478 

By Steve Polyak I always look forward to doing a Jasper travel article.

Every time GayCalgary goes to Jasper to cover Jasper Pride, I am introduced to some amazing gems that the area offers along with the amazing scenery. With 2017 affording free access to National Parks, I recommend taking the opportunity to check out Jasper. Of course coming for Pride would be the best time – and it is off season – so you can enjoy the sites a lot easier than when it is peak season.

Rob and I would usually drive from Calgary to Jasper and back. This year, due to me needing to be in Jasper a day early, Tourism Jasper set me up on the shuttle from Calgary. The Calgary to Banff portion of the trip is run by Brewster, and from Banff to Jasper, by Sundog Tours. This was a great way to get there without needing to worry about road conditions. In the past, the roads have been fine, but things can easily change.

The bus service runs once a day and the Brewster Bus is your standard coach, like Greyhound. When booking your trip, you book through Sundog Tours, and they will handle the arrangements with Brewster. The bus picked me up at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in downtown Calgary and made several stops at other hotels before going to the Calgary Airport, which is its last stop in Calgary. The bus leaves that stop at 11:30am.

From there is heads straight to Banff and drops you at the Brewster Bus Depot.

At 1:30pm a Sun Dog Shuttle picks up the passengers to depart for Jasper, making a stop at the Fairmont Lake Louise. The shuttle does not have a bathroom, so it is recommended to go here, or you will need to stop on the side of the road. There are no restrooms open during the off-season along the way to Jasper.

The bus is not a tour bus so they don’t stop at the Columbia Ice Fields or other sites. The bus reached Jasper at 5:30pm, and made stops at each location passengers needed to be dropped off at. It was nice to not have to worry about getting from downtown to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

The shuttle also picks people up from their hotels to takes them back to Banff to return to Calgary. I did not need to use the return service, since I would be returning with Rob and Justin.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Beauty of the Rockies right outside your cabin door http://gaycalgary.com/a5479 Unlike the castle like structures that you usually associate with Fairmont locations, Jasper Park Lodge was designed to be truly unique.

In 1915, it started as a tent city, which was 10 luxury tents set up on the shores of Lac Beauvert. The cost to stay in these was 25 cents per night.

In 1921, the Canadian Nation Railways took over the tent city.

Between 1922 to 1923 the tents started being replaced by cabins and the main building, where guest would check in, was built. As part of the expansion, the par 71 Stanley Thompson golf course was added

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 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - From Previous Page to the hotel. In the 1940s and 1950s most of the original cabins had been replaced with modern cedar cabins.

In 1952, the main building burnt down, due to an electrical fire, and all that remained was the doublesided fireplace. A year later, the hotel was rebuilt and included the original double-sided fireplace.

The main building only has 18 rooms, but when you include all the cabins, there is a total of 446 rooms spread across the 700 acres, plus the golf course.

In the 1960s and 1970s they added the outdoor heated swimming pool, tennis courts, a golf club house, and additional suites located on the shores of Lac Beauvert. The addition of the pool moved the entrance of the building to the other side of the lobby.

Jasper Park Lodge was only open during the summer. It wasn’t until 1988 when they were able to be open yearround. All the cabins have been getting renovations over the last few years, which will continue for most of 2017.

At most other Fairmont locations, you will see people coming and going through the front doors, and lots of activity. At Jasper Park Lodge, you only need to go to the main building for check-in, if you want to dine in one of the restaurants, use the pool or spa, check out the retail shops, or just check out the architecture of the main building. You can spend most of your time relaxing and enjoying the outdoors from the door of your cabin; deer, elk, and caribou wander just meters away.

The main building has all sorts of amazing detail and artwork. There are totem poles in the lobby and a tall ceiling with glass panels to let natural light in during the day, as well as windows along the side facing Lac Beuvert. There are restaurants on the main and lower levels. Also on the lower level is access to the pool and hot tub, shops, a yoga studio (which is open three days a week), and two different unsupervised kid’s

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 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - From Previous Page rooms – one for younger kids and one for teens. On the rooftop of the building, they have about 150,000 honeybees, which supply the honey used for beer and other items available in the restaurant.

There are your standard Jasper Suites, some of which have fireplaces or wood burning stoves, and these cabins are located around the main building. Then there are eight luxury signature cabins, each one a standalone building. Several of these are bigger than a lot of people’s homes and have some history behind them too. Most of these cabins are designed for larger families, weddings, business retreats, or celebrity getaways.

The one we stayed in was the Stanley Thompson Cabin. It was built from the foundation up just recently. It is a large building, 3080 square feet/286 square meters, with four bedrooms, a shared common area with a stone fireplace, full kitchen, dining and living room area. There are three decks around the building with the main deck, accessed from the living/dining area, set up for entertaining.

Two of the bedrooms have king size beds with a large bathtub, and the other two bedrooms have two double beds and spacious showers.

It is located right beside the Stanley Thompson Golf Course.

The view from the cabin is amazing. During our stay, we saw animals just hanging about the cabin. It is a short walk from the main building, but it is worth it to enjoy the surroundings. You can arrange for food to be brought to the cabin or you can make something yourself. Since you are not in a typical hotel, there are no ice machines around; the staff are happy to stop by and drop off bags of ice as you need them. The bedrooms are quiet: you don’t hear people in the room beside you unless their bedroom door is left open.

There are three Whistler Cabins which have two bedrooms: one with a king bed and the other with two double beds. These cabins have three full bathrooms, kitchenette and living room with a pullout sofa. The cabins are located with a perfect view of Lac Beauvert.

For those who want to get away from everyone or on a honeymoon, there is the Athabasca Cottage, which is located close to the Athabasca River. It has a king size bed and a jacuzzi ensuite.

Originally the residence for the gardener, but converted to a cabin, there is the Gardener’s Cottage. It also has four bedrooms: three bedrooms with queen beds on the main level; and one bedroom with p photos by GayCalgary

 Jasper, AB - From Page 28 Once I checked in at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, I headed out to one of the Jasper Pride events. At the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, the staff was extremely helpful and friendly. It was great to see that continue at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Not having a car to get downtown, you find out that Jasper is big enough to have taxi service, but the Jasper Park Lodge has a shuttle service too, which dropped me off.

Continued on Next Page  Walking between Jasper Pride events late at night is peaceful and dark, even though there are streetlights, not like the city. In 2011 Jasper National Park was designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada as a Dark Sky Preserve, an area where almost no artificial light is visible at night. So in the late hours, if the sky is clear, you get a spectacular view of the stars. During Jasper Pride, there was also a full moon, so you could see the white tops of the mountains glowing in the background,

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 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - From Previous Page two twin beds on the lower level. There is a games room, full kitchen, dining and two living rooms. There are four full bathrooms too.

Milligan Manor is the largest of the standalone cabins, at 7075 square feet/657 square meters. It has eight bedrooms, each with their own private entrance, as well as an entrance to the inside common area with living and dining room. There is no kitchen, but there is a separate entrance for private catering.

The Outlook Cabin, which is also known as the Royal Retreat, was rebuilt in 2000 after the original building burnt down. It was rebuilt as close as possible to look like the original building. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stayed there in 1939, Princess Margaret in 1980, and Prince Philip in 2005. There is a set of the queen’s china in the cabin too. The cabin has six bedrooms: four of them with one king bed; and the other two with two double beds. Each has a full bathroom. There is a full kitchen, dining room living room and veranda. If you don’t feel like cooking or don’t have personal chefs traveling with you, there is a separate entrance for catering too.

For Hollywood royalty, there is the Point Cabin, where Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum stayed. It is the most private and picturesque of any of the cabins. There are five bedrooms, with three of them having one king bed, and two with two twin beds. There is a kitchen, dining room, living room and veranda. This cabin is meant to be haunted. At some point in its history, a bride fell down its steps in her wedding dress and died. Since then the story is that sometimes smoke comes out of the chimney when no one is staying there, and other strange things have been reported during some people’s stay.

Finally there is the Viewpoint Cabin with three bedrooms: two with one king bed; and one with two twin beds. There is a kitchen, dining room, living room, games room and veranda.

Jasper Park Lodge provides residences on-site for employees to live in.

In 1927 the Lodge built its own building for laundry and dry cleaning, but it was big enough that they also service some of the other hotels and businesses in the town. Jasper Park Lodge is the only hotel part of the Fairmont chain that still has wood burning fireplaces.

Since Jasper remains cool year-round, most of the cabins do not have air conditioning. They do have screen doors to allow the cool air drift in when it is a little hotter than normal. The lake is usually is no warmer than 4 degrees, so you can attempt to swim, but it is very cold. The lake water is crystal clear –you can see the bottom of the lake. If you are lucky, you will see the fish swimming by too.

Jasper Park Lodge is designed to be a getaway to enjoy the sites and calm that Jasper offers. You spent the time to travel by road or VIA rail to get to Jasper, you should be able to enjoy it without the hustle and bustle. The place is beautiful and should be enjoyed.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Jasper, Alberta, Canada http://www.fairmont.com/jasper  photos by GayCalgary

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ORSO Trattoria at Jasper Park Lodge http://gaycalgary.com/a5480 During our stay at Jasper Park Lodge, GayCalgary had a chance to try some new dishes at ORSO Trattoria. They are one of the restaurants located on the lower level of Jasper Park Lodge. ORSO is making Italian inspired, but locally infused, dishes. The restaurant had just recently received a high-end pasta maker so they can make a variety of pasta noodles from scratch. We were there for the new ORSO Dinner Menu. ORSO is also where you have the famous Fairmont Breakfast Buffet.

For the start of our tasting, we had the ORSO Antipasti, which is a tray of artisan meats, cheeses, olives, artichoke hearts and anchovies. Items are both imported and locally sourced. We ate these items with the in-house baked artisan breads. This dish is perfect for sharing, which we did with other media that were in attendance.

Next were standard portions of starters. Since Rob and Justin were with me, it made it easy for each of us to order a different starter and main. I had the Caesar Salad, which was made with baby gem romaine, house-made pancetta, padano, anchovy fritter, and olive crouton. The anchovy fritter was something I had never tried before.

It is battered, deep fried anchovy – so it added a salty taste to the dish. Rob got the Truffle Cauliflower Soup, which had nutmeg, and a giant portion of Italian parsley. He found it to be very creamy. Justin got the Beet Carpaccio Greenhouse salad, which had goat’s cheese, aged balsamic, and extra virgin olive oil, which had lots of flavor.

For mains, I had the Butternut Squash Ravioli: brown butter, sage, and spiced bread crumbs. I really enjoyed this dish. I was worried that I should have switched with Rob or Justin for a meat dish, but the ravioli with the spiced bread crumbs was extremely tasty. Rob got the Braised Veal with osso bucco saffron risotto, gremolata, and braising juices. The meat was tender and juicy, and sat on top of the risotto. Justin had the Salmon acqua pazza with cherry tomato, fingerling potatoes, and fennel crumble. The salmon was fresh and there was a bit of liquid at the bottom of the plate to dip some of the bread into.

For deserts, we shared three. We had the Tiramisu with Kahlua anglaise, chocolate sauce, and summer berries; the Vanilla Panna Cotta with fruit compote; and the Italian Hazelnut Chocolate Cake with gianduja ice cream and vanilla sauce. The Hazelnut Chocolate Cake went the fastest; when you look at the photos, pieces are already missing from the dish. The Vanilla Panna Cotta was light and refreshing and a nice way to end a heavy dinner. The tiramisu was chocolaty with lots of moist layers.

Prices vary for starters between $15 to $17. Mains from $25 to $45 and desserts are $13 each. It was noted that some of the dishes were seasonal or were still being perfected – worth it to stop in and check what they have to offer during your visit to Jasper.

ORSO Trattoria at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge http://www.orsojasper.com photosby byGayCalgary GayCalgary ppphotos

 Jasper, AB- From Page 30 which just added to the awesome visual that Jasper has. This upcoming Jasper Pride, the last event is the Jasper Pride Full Moon Hike, which is happening on Sunday night – so plan your stay for an additional day if you can.

On Friday, Rob and Justin did the Pride Ice Canyon Walk, hosted

by Sundog Tours. Check out the article at 34. While they were there, I spent time at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge doing a walkthrough of the

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grounds, and was explained the differences between the cabins along with some of the property’s 100 years’ worth of history. Check out article at 29.

After all of us finished our activities, we checked out the main street.

There is a good stretch of shops and restaurants along Connaught Drive.

They are all located along the west side of the road, where the east side of the road is parking, the train station and the train tracks. Additional shops and restaurants are located along Patricia Street. If you are staying at other hotels in Jasper, they are scattered all around, but the foot print of Jasper makes it easy to walk around. You can park the car and just use

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Maligne Canyon Ice Canyon Walk http://gaycalgary.com/a5481 One of the most popular outdoor activities, outside of skiing and snowboarding, of Jasper Pride is the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk Tour, hosted by Sundog Tours. I had gone the year prior, so Rob and Justin took my place while I toured the Lodge.

It was Justin’s first time but Rob’s third time doing it.

The walk is something you should experience. Sundog Tours provides the boots and cleats needed, but it is recommended to dress warmly. They also provide the transportation from Jasper downtown to the starting point.

The walk is about 3.5km, mostly downhill. Over the years, Rob has noticed there is less ice to see; it seems that every time we go to Jasper the weather is getting warm earlier than normal. Even though the ice is reduced, it is still an amazing site to see. The core of the ice formation is still in place.

This upcoming year, Jasper Pride is the second weekend of March, so hopefully things will remain cold enough that people can see more of the ice than they could last year.

During the summer, the river is freely running in Maligne Canyon, so visitors walk along the top path of and look down at the waterfalls. When the falls freeze, visitors can take the tour that brings them down onto the frozen river, viewing the falls from below.

Hotels and so forth will freeze water to create ice castles, but the frozen waterfall and the frozen river will be naturally unique every winter. Parts can refreeze, melt away or break off. Even the walk from the starting point to the point of departure is spectacular. Mountains all around Jasper are covered in untouched snow, providing some amazing photos.

p photos by GayCalgary

If you have not had a chance to go on the walk, book right away before it is sold out. You should not miss this as part of Jasper Pride.

Sundog Tours – Ice Canyon Walk

During Pride Book through http://jasperpride.com Outside of pride - http://www.gaycalgary.com/u716

lens; don’t get up close and do selfies. You can terrorize the animal, or they might attack.

During Pride, businesses participate in the festivities by decorating windows and even catering to the gay community with special ‘Pride’ products. Jasper Brewing Company does a Pride beer, Pride fudge, Pride coffee beans, and more. Pride flags hang all along Connaught Drive.

Jasper, during Pride, becomes a Gay Winter Village, which shows how inviting the town is for the LGBTQ community.

On Saturday, Rob took in snowboarding at Marmot Basin. Marmot Basin is about a half hour drive from downtown Jasper or 40 minutes from Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. There are shuttles available to take you to the mountain, too. I don’t snowboard or ski but, since there are Pride events happening at Marmot Basin, I went to take photos. Unlike Whistler, where people who are there to sightsee can take a gondola up the mountain, I had to arrange to get up on a snowmobile.

p photos by GayCalgary it if you are heading to Marmot Basin for skiing, or if you are going to head over to the Fairmont, which is a 16-minute drive.

While walking around, be prepared to come across wild life. At Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, it was happening all the time, but it also happens in the town. We found out the bears had woken early from hibernation, and have been seen. A bear even ran across the slopes where people were skiing. There is information available on how much distance to keep from the wildlife that you encounter. Have a camera ready with a good zoom

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Amid clear blue skies, the view from Marmot basin is breathtaking.

There are some shops and restaurants at the base of the Basin but, unless you are there to partake in the outdoor activities on the mountain, I would suggest spending your time doing other activities. The areas for parking are designed for people to slap on their skis or snowboard and make their way down to the base. I forgot about that last year, and tried to walk down using similar paths, and it was not easy and I don’t recommend it unless you have snowshoes.

During the peak season, there is the Jasper Skytram, which is a sevenminute ride to the top of Whistlers Mountain. At the top there are hiking trails that let you get a 360-degree view. This is something that I would love to try, but it opens a couple weeks after Jasper Pride ends.

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Jasper Brewing Company http://gaycalgary.com/a5482 For the past two years, Jasper Brewing Company has been brewing a special brew for Jasper Pride. The Pride Beer is made available on tap and in bottle at Jasper Brewing Company, as well as on tap at several locations throughout Jasper during Pride. Those locations include Jasper Park Lodge and Jasper Pride venues. Each bottle of beer goes for $6.50, but the bottles are 22oz/650ml each, so it is larger than your regular sized beer bottle. Proceeds from all Pride Beer sales during Pride go to support the Jasper Pride Society.

GayCalgary spoke to Brewmaster Jeremy Johson during the launch of the Pride Beer for 2016. Jasper Brewing Company is proud to do several different brews to pair with other events that happen in Jasper through the year. Along with Jasper Pride, they make brews for the Jasper Folk Music Festival, Dark Sky Festival and Jasper in January Festival – just to name a few.

p photos by GayCalgary That is not a typo: Jasper, Alberta homes Whistlers Mountain (elevation 2500m), and Whistler, British Columbia is located at the base of Whistler Mountain (elevation 2181m). Both places do winter prides, so there can be some confusion; businesses in Jasper also have Whistler(s) in their title. The big difference is that Jasper is a National Park and Whistlers Mountain is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Range, where Whistler, BC, is a resort town, and Whistler Mountain is part of the Pacific Mountain Range. Doing travel articles from one to the other you can see the differences. Supposedly both mountains are named after the whistling sound that marmots make.

Once Pride wrapped up, Justin, Rob and I headed back to Calgary.

On the trip back, stopped to check out the Columbia Icefields, which is always an amazing site to see. It is the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains of North America. You can visit the Ice Field in the off season, but the facility and sightseeing tours don’t open until late April.

Jasper is well worth the five-hour drive from Calgary, or the fourhour drive from Edmonton. The shuttle service makes it easier for those who are worried about road conditions, or don’t have wheels to get there. Treat yourself to Jasper: enjoy pristine nature in Alberta’s backyard.

Jasper, Alberta http://www.jasper.travel http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5478

Jeremy explained that for Jasper Pride 2016, they were only able to do 120 bottles. The beer has been popular but, due to shipping the bottles from a small town north of Calgary, they were unable to get them in time for Pride.

Throughout the year, Jasper Brewing Company has five different brews on tap: Jasper the Bear Ale (a honey ale); Pilsner; Blackeye Blueberry Vanilla; Rockhopper IPS (an American Style IPA); 6060 Stout (a Dry Irish Stout); along with the beer on tap during community events or fundraisers.

I am typically not a beer drinker, so easily my favourite out of the beers has been the Blackeye Blueberry Vanilla – even though I did get a chance to sample some of the others.

All the beers they brew are made with pure, natural Rocky Mountain water sourced from the Canadian Rockies, and produced in-house. You can see the equipment used for the brewing process on site. For 2017, two brews will be released for Jasper Pride: a red rye lager and a white wheat ale. The Jasper Pride brews will be launched March 9th, 2017 at 9pm.

Admission is free and, each year that we have attended, I would suggest get there close to or before 9pm if possible. The place fills up, and it is a great place to socialize and meet new friends.

Along with the brews, the company offers an extensive menu of food items. Unfortunately, due to timing, I did not get a chance to do a food review but hope to in the future. Several dishes that did stand out to try would be the Rustic Elk Meatloaf, Beer Brined Chicken, Brewer’s Barley Salad, and the Seared Beetroot & Quinoa Burger.

Jasper Brewing Company

624 Connaught Drive, Jasper, AB http://www.jasperbrewingco.ca

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Jasper Pride 2017

 photos by GayCalgary

By Steve Polyak The only winter Pride in the Canadian Rockies is right around the corner. Jasper Pride is getting ready to host their eighth year. Last year was extremely successful, bringing close to 1,000 people into a town of just over 4,000, and has shown that Jasper is a welcome host to the LGBTQ community year after year. For a small Pride, they have managed to secure over 50 sponsors that are local, as well as provincial and national.

This upcoming year the theme is “Proud and Free”, in celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday.

GayCalgary spoke to Jordan Tucker about Pride 2017. “This year’s festival will host annual events such as our Kick Off Party, Jasper Brewing Co. Beer Launch, Ski Day and Fun Run with Marmot Basin, Ice Canyon Walk, Signature Proud & Free Gala Party, and the Sunday Brunch.

Mountain Monsters and Matinee Movies with Fairytale Film Festivals is also returning, and we have been successful in adding new events such as a yoga class, a DJ party, and have enhanced our Friday evening events with a double feature, signature presentation of Burleque and Boylesque followed by a Lum-BEAR-Jack Party and Girls’ night out with a Drag King Show.”

pasta dinner. In addition to this, the Jasper Pride Festival Society has sponsored Camp FYrefly to come to Jasper to facilitate workshops with the junior and senior high school, and has also worked to present the Proud & Free Party Performers with a feed into an adjacent function room for a teen friendly party.”

We asked Jordan about several changes and additions from prior years.

“We have taken feedback from those who participate in our annual survey on the festival, to evaluate what was enjoyed, and look for opportunities to include new events and activities based on what participants are looking for. Many love to participate in the downhill skiing events, but there are also many who are looking for non-ski adventures or more relaxing activities, and also events that did not have such a ‘party‘ feel. We added the Mountain Monsters workshop – which is a mountain pillow making workshop – yoga, a breakfast co-hosted by the Pride Centre of Edmonton, full-moon hike, and also beginner ice climbing. We have always balanced our festival with elements of ‘Jasper’, so that participants have opportunities to enjoy what they love best about our rocky mountain town, and customize their stay to the activities and events they enjoy the most. We looked for opportunities to change up a few events that were newly launched over the past year to position them for a better success, such as a date change with the Ice Climbing event and transitioning a coffee house event to a Saturday morning

Queer youth and families are important to Jasper Pride. “A special piece to our festival is to include family and young adult events such as the Annual Stories, Song’s and S’mores event for families, and we have enhanced our young adult event on Friday evening in support of the growing Gay-Straight-Alliance locally, and also visiting teens. This year’s event will feature a workshop called Expanding your Alphabet, which is facilitated by the Pride Centre of Edmonton. Fairytales Film Festival will introduce a touching documentary In the Turn, while the teens enjoy a

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breakfast, when we see an increase in visitation. We strive to balance the overall schedule of events to provide participants a variety of options.“ From 2013 to 2014, Jasper Pride had four flags hanging in the town.

Over the years, they have been able to increase that number to over 90 flags hanging along Connaught Drive, the main road in Jasper. This will be a great site to see with the Rocky Mountains in the background.

Jasper Brewing Company will be launching two different beers for Jasper Pride designed to match the 150th Birthday Celebrations: a red rye lager and a white wheat ale. There will also be a limited addition Proud and Free Pride toque, which is knitted locally. Due to high demand, Jasper Pride is launching a new website people can order official Proud and Free Merchandise, where proceeds will go back to the Jasper Pride Festival Society.

One of the outdoor activities that has been extremely popular has been the Ice Canyon walk. We checked with Jordan to see if it is possible to have it expanded since it is sold out every year. “We have been able to expand the Ice Canyon walk to its maximum, however, winter activities do incur some restrictions to size of groups and times of day with Parks Canada regulations and permits, which are in place both to protect people, but also the land and wildlife of our beautiful National Park. Due to this, at this time we are not able to expand, and also do not want to position additional time slots against other events to balance the official schedule of events.”

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Also popular is the Mountain Monster’s Workshop. “It started with two locals, Megan and Elliot, who worked on building the program in conjunction with The Friends of Jasper National Park as part of an Experiential Tourism workshop. When the festival reviewed requests that aligned with this type of an event or activity, we felt it was a natural step to reach out to the Friends of Jasper National Park, another non-profit organization, to see what types of activities or programing could be considered. Thus launched a unique family-friendly workshop where participants build their very own mountain monster – a playful mountain pillow, each with its own face – with a spin for the pride festival to include a colourful rainbow. A wonderful keepsake to brighten up your home!”

Jasper Pride http://jasperpride.ca March 9th to 12th, 2017 Various Venues http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5483 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Review

 photos by Philips

Philips OneBlade

For Guys who like that Scruffy Look

By Steve Polyak Shaving products seem to be something that Philips loves sending us. The OneBlade was a lot different than any other their other products. In the past, I have received body hair trimmers, beard trimmers and shavers that give you a close shave. This one sits in that special scruffy zone.

Philips wants to stress that this is not a shaver – but more a beard trimmer. The OneBlade is smaller than any of the other shavers or beard trimmers I have reviewed, which makes it easier for travel or using at a gym. The OneBlade holds a 45-minute charge, so it should give you several uses if you are on the go. The trimmer comes with a charger and three combs, which are designed to give you an even, scruffy stubble.

I gave it a try. Without the combs, it lets you trim your facial hair, or the areas that you want shaved. It is designed to leave you with a little stubble ready to grow in – especially if you want the five o’clock shadow look. When you want that look, use the flat surface right up against your skin and move it across your face like you are using a razor.

The combs all have a short length so, depending what length of scruffy you prefer, snap them on as needed. The sizes are 5mm, 3mm and 1mm, so you can have that Oliver Queen from Arrow look. With the OneBlade being smaller than all the other shavers or trimmers I reviewed, I did not judge it well when it came to trimming my beard down. It took a while since my beard had grown out quite a bit. Slow and steady, it still managed to get the job done. The smaller size did, however, help in the fine detail, cleaning up the edges of my beard.

The blade is replaceable and they recommend replacing it every four months, depending on use. It is waterproof and cordless, so you can use it in the bath or shower. The unit goes for about $45 and a single replacement blade goes for about $20, where a two-pack goes for about $35.

If you are looking for something to provide you with a hot scruffy look all the time, this would be for you. If you are seeking a completely smooth shave or a larger beard, I would suggest check out some of the other Philips products that would work better for you. I recommend checking out the Philips website for examples of how some guys have used the OneBlade on their beards.

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Review

 Photos by Philips

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Black Edition High-end Teeth Brushing

By Steve Polyak It has been a while since we had a chance to review a toothbrush. The Philips DiamondClean was a change from using other electric toothbrushes. This model is high-end. Your colour choices are black, white, pink, purple, and white/rose/gold. They come with a unique charger for the bathroom. It is wireless, but you place the tooth brush into a glass cup that sits on the charger.

This way, when you are brushing your teeth, the cup is available for water or mouth wash. If the toothbrush is a little wet, the glass cup helps collect any water still dripping down – instead of getting it on the counter.

The package comes with a travel case with a built-in USB charger, making it easy to charge on the road. The travel case also holds two brush heads (included) so two people can use the same base on the go.

The head is a little smaller than your typical toothbrush head and, once placed on top of the base, it’s also a little longer. In the first week of use, it took some getting used to. The toothbrush head vibrates extremely fast. If the solid plastic part of the head touches your teeth, you hear it inside your head. You eventually get use to avoid doing that. If you touch your lips or cheek as it is vibrating, it emits a tickling sensation.

The brush head that I usually use is round, which cups the teeth while brushing, where this oblong with longer bristles on the outside. Again, it took some getting used to making sure you got the accessible areas of your teeth. I found that it did do a quality job of cleaning. Philips boasts that it removes up to 10 times the plaque from hard to reach places than a manual toothbrush. I believe it. On your typical manual tooth brush, the plastic handle near the brush can be thicker, causing problems getting into tight corners – as compared to the slimmer design head that this unit has.

They also say that it does over 31,000 strokes per minute, so you don’t need to worry too much that you did not brush vigorously enough.

The Sonicare DiamondClean claims also to whiten your teeth after a couple weeks’ use. Unfortunately, I did not have a way of testing that. They do have a setting on the www.gaycalgary.com

toothbrush for when you are whitening your teeth. Other settings that you can put the brush into are polish, gum care, and sensitive.

A nice feature it has is that if gives a 30 second reminder so, if you are brushing your teeth in quadrants, you know that you have given each quadrant enough time. This way you don’t over brush one over another. Complete time of brushing is two minutes, which is the recommended time to brush by dentists.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean goes from about $189 to $240 depending on the colour and store. A package of two replacement heads go for about $40. If you are serious about clean white teeth, this is something you should pick up. The travel case will make it easy for those longer than normal trips. I know I will be traveling with mine since, the last trip I did, I forgot to bring the charger and before the week was over, I found I was trying to brush my teeth with a dead electric tooth brush. Having a USB charger on the case gives you the option of having it at work, in your car or anywhere you would like to use an electric toothbrush and charge it when not in use.

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Far, Far a Gay

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence on queer plumbers in space, LGBT equality and surviving cosmic travel with Beyoncé  photos by Sony Pictures

By Chris Azzopardi Take it from Chris Pratt, who recently experienced being shipped off to a new world: The future is full of promise for the queer population.

“If you’re a member of the LGBTQ community and you’re really good at plumbing, then you know, they’ll send you, I’m sure,” quips one of the hottest actors on earth regarding whether the hibernating pod people aboard the Starship Avalon in his latest action-adventure, Passengers, are of varied sexual orientations.

“Anyone who’s valuable to the homestead company and (who) would be worth money to the homestead company would go,” the 37-year-old Guardians of the Galaxy star continues, speaking from the Beverly Hills Four Seasons, “so that would include all people from all – the whole spectrum, anyone who could essentially provide a service that’s an oldworld service.”

Imagine a world of gay plumbers who aren’t defined by their sexuality but by their ability to un-clog toilets. Or one in which Chris Pratt, as Jim Preston, and his Passengers co-star Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Aurora Lane, aren’t contemplating anyone’s sexuality. Perhaps sexuality will be but a footnote among the more important qualities that characterize persona, even as Jim prematurely wakes up 90 years ahead of schedule.

“Hopefully we’re well into the future where none of these things are even a conversation any-more, where they’ve gone from issues to conversation to hopefully (being) forgotten

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about, and everybody is treated equally,” says Lawrence, 26.

“So, yes. Of course I would assume there’d be diversity.”

Naturally, director Morten Tyldum shares that sentiment.

Not only does he have a gay step-daughter, the filmmaker was behind the camera for the Oscar-winning Imitation Game, star-ring Benedict Cumberbatch as gay computer scientist and famed WWII codebreaker Alan Tu-ring.

“I think, very shortly, it will become a non-issue,” Tyldum says. “As Chris said: If he’s a good plumber, he would be on the ship. Nobody would care if he’s gay, straight, whatever.”

That, he notes, was his approach to 2014’s Imitation Game, which was controversial for its ab-sence of gay sex scenes.

In an interview with Variety in 2015, the director explained why his Tu-ring wasn’t romantically or sexually engaged with another man: “It was not because we were afraid it would offend anybody,” he said at the time. “If I … had this thing about a straight character, I would never have a sex scene to prove that he’s heterosexual. If I have a gay charac-ter in a movie, I need to have a sex scene in it just to prove that he’s gay?”

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In Passengers, Pratt and Lawrence, known for her Oscarwinning performance in Silver Lin-ings Playbook and as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, do go at it. But Tyldum, who admits sex scenes in films are “very complicated,” explains this sexy scene is neces-sary for character development.

“The sex scene in Passengers is there because it’s a relationship – it’s between the two main characters – and there’s a sex moment because it’s about these two characters,” he says. “I think to have a sex scene it needs to have a story moment, going from the two strangers to becoming a couple.”

The difference, the director points out, is that “to have a sex scene in Imitation Game would be to sort of prove that Alan Turing is gay,” which, like the hypothetical gay pod people, would minimize more qualifying human attributes.

For Counterpart, an upcoming espionage-themed thriller Tyldum shot for Starz, the filmmaker reveals one of the leads is gay “for no other reason than that person is gay.”

“It’s not made an issue,” he adds. “He just happens to be gay.”

Conversations with his stepdaughter led to him underplaying the gay character’s sexuality both in Imitation Game and Counterpart. The sex in Passengers, on the other hand, builds upon Pratt and Lawrence’s chemistry.

Hypothetically, could a movie this blockbuster-sized involve two queer lovers in space?

“I think that that will come sooner than we think,” he says.

“But there’s always going to be the challenge that the more an audience can identify with the character – there’s a bigger

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group of heterosexuals than gay people, but I think we’ll be seeing more and more.”

Meanwhile, you decide if Passengers benefits from a hetero sex scene and – bonus! – two shots of Pratt’s bare bottom.

Lawrence relishes the fact that “we could just keep diving in” – no, she wasn’t exactly talking about sexy time with Pratt.

She was referring to the “original script.”

“It’s really rare that you get to be so intimate with filmmaking,” she says, not meaning “intimate” in the way most of us do when we refer to Chris Pratt. “It’s normally an ensemble. I’ve never worked with so few actors before. I was very excited to be stuck in space in Atlanta with them.”

Shot on a 1,000-foot-tall, four-story concourse adorned with eight miles of LED lights, Pratt lik-ens the confined set to a stage play, and says, “It did feel more intimate than anything I’ve ever done.”

What other celebrity would they be keen on sharing such close quarters with?

“Oprah! Beyoncé!” Lawrence blurts. “No, I’d get jealous of Beyoncé after a while and, like, probably rip her hair out.”

Pratt, on the other end, wants “someone really funny.”

“Well, my wife (Anna Faris) is famous, so I’m gonna say, of course my wife. I would take my wife. But I would try to do someone really funny, maybe like George Carlin.”

Unless, of course, you know any famous gay plumbers.

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Interview

his feet firmly planted on the ground with no illusions regarding what the future holds.

 photo by GayCalgary

Austin Wolf A Man With A Plan

By Keith Johnson He’s charming, kind and surprisingly modest despite his God-Like appearance and packaging. You do not want to miss Gay Calgary Magazine’s recent sit-down with the man who appears to walk the talk and say it like it is! This refreshing porn star still ranks highly on the Magazine’s most read article list for the past several years and you are about to find out why that is. He doesn’t consider himself interesting and yet you will be left hanging on his every word and wishing you were hanging on his every muscle. Austin Wolf is a man with a plan. His clear exit strategy is derived from having

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Austin’s newest project, rentboys.us, launched in May and is doing well. “It is really a replacement for rentboy.com (the now defunct site) which has gone out of business. I felt an obligation to create something for the industry as it has changed so drastically over the past few years” he explains. “Escorting is a way to capitalize on all the video popularity that many porn stars have already attained. Escorting is my favorite part of the industry” he says. Mr. Wolf can work from home (he currently resides in New York), avoid travelling long distance and most importantly be near his significant other. He cites these virtues and many others as the reason he will retire to escorting when his days in porn have ended. “It is an amazing source of income” he laughs. “I always bring my ‘A’ Game and I never disappoint.” Words to live by.

His latest projects include a new film with Armand Rizzo and his first three-way with Falcon Group. There is no lack of integrity, honesty and sheer modesty in Steve’s interview with Austin at Evolution Nightclub in Edmonton late last year.

You will not want to miss his response to the most humorous moment he has had during his escort career. It speaks once more to the charm of this gentle giant.

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Transforming Minds One Truth at a Time

Comedian Ian Harvie on how ‘we’re all trans,’ his vast penis collection and comedy as a tool for change

 photo by SEESO

By Chris Azzopardi For Ian Harvie, it’s not about earning the title of “first trans person in the world with a one-hour standup special.” Though that’s a tag the FTM comedian can now claim, for him, he’s hopeful more trans comedians will walk through the door he swung open with May the Best Cock Win, airing on NBC’s digital network, SEESO. “I’m so excited that a digital network like SEESO, an NBCbased company, has said ‘yes’ to the first trans comic special, which will provide a pathway for others to come through,” remarks the Portland, Maine native.

Harvie, who made his acting debut as Dale during the premiere season of Amazon’s Emmy-winning Transparent, recently opened up about how Margaret Cho was instrumental in helping him discover his standup voice, being a “butch dyke who was only visible because I looked like a man with huge tits,” and the unifying power of comedy.

GC: I have a feeling people will be questioning their own penis adequacy after seeing your comedy special.

IH: Because you get what you get? Don’t overthink it! I make jokes, but people think I must have it bad because I’m a guy without a dick, but really I have many. I have tons of dicks.

I have a range: softies that you can pack in your underwear to make it look like you have a penis, but, really, I’m too lazy to even remember to do that. Small, medium, large. Vibrating ones. Balls, no balls. Different colors. Ones that look kind of alien that don’t have a penis head. All kinds of different dicks.

I’m old enough to have a collection. (Laughs) 46

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GC: Oh, you’ve been collecting for that long?

IH: Yes, and I’ve had girlfriends be like, “No, we’re getting a new one.” It’s very lesbian to be like, “Listen, those other dicks you bought with other girlfriends – they’re not going in me. We’re getting a new one.” (Laughs) It’s very interesting. I mean, I can’t say, “Listen, you gotta get a new vagina.” And if you’re a dude with a dick, you can’t get rid of it and get a new one just because you fucked someone else with it. That’s the dick you have. It’s a very loose queer/lesbian/dyke rule that if you have a collection of dicks and you have a new partner, you’re getting a new dick.

GC: For some trans people, discussing genitalia and genderreassignment surgery can be touchy subjects. How do trans people react to those topics when you talk about them?

IH: I don’t get negative feedback from trans people because I’m only talking about my story, and I think most people understand when they’re watching comedy, especially my comedy, it’s narrative. So, I’m not sharing someone else’s story. I don’t think that you can go, “Well, that’s not true about trans people,” because, well, I’m a trans person and it’s true for me.

It’s rare, but I think the negative stuff that I get has been when I maybe come across as ageist, like wanting old, conservative people to die.

GC: Because you’re a public figure, many trans people may see their story reflected in yours.

IH: Listen, you can identify with feelings – you don’t have to identify with a person’s exact story. I want to make a distinction because it’s so funny when people come out – if www.gaycalgary.com

 photo by SEESO

you like what they have to say, people call them a role model; if you don’t like what they have to say, they’re a public figure.

That’s the difference. (Laughs) So, I may be a public figure, but being a comic, just by the nature of the art, people aren’t always going to agree with me, and that’s OK. I don’t mind being a public figure. I hope that some of the things that I have to say actually resonate with people. I had a guy come up to me after a show who was a cisgender male – a straight guy – who was tortured in junior high because his nipples were raised. He started to play sports and people tortured the shit out of him. He was labeled as feminine because of his raised nipples, which today would be worshipped in gay culture! (Laughs) But he said he had surgery to correct this thing that he had been tortured by. He wanted to do it for himself to feel better in his body, and he came up to me after a show and was like, “Listen, I never, ever thought of it that way, and I never thought anybody would speak to me like you did.”

What I realized by doing these shows: At first I thought this was gonna be great for the trans community. We’d have this shared experience, and I can speak and they can have things that resonate with them. Now, I just feel I’m speaking to everybody. We’re all the same. This is so stupid. We’re all trans. All the same. We’re all struggling with this. It’s not unique to trans people. And I don’t want trans people to think they’re not unique or beautiful and special – I don’t mean it that way. But this is a shared experience. If you don’t feel weird, you’re the weirdo.

GC: Do you see your comedy as a bridge to trans acceptance?

IH: Yeah, I do. I think it’s one of the most powerful ways to help people access something that they haven’t been able to

access before. I marched with ACT UP and Queer Nation back in the late ’80s, early ’90s. Started waving signs. I actually had blank foam core and markers in the trunk of my car ready to go anytime, and I remember going to marches and getting in people’s faces. That resistance is effective – it absolutely is. But I also found this other medium in comedy, where you walk into a comedy club and the audience is so incredibly diverse. People just want to laugh, and it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about. If you can make them laugh, you can access them and give them information about something that they had no idea about before. So, I think comedy is a really amazing tool to change people on old ideas they had.

And this is part of the privilege of being a dude. I get there, I look like a dude, I sound like a dude, and grossly people listen to dudes more. I think what happens is people walk away without realizing it, having this new frame of reference for who trans people are. We’re not weirdos. We’re not freaks.

We’re not all the stereotypes that people have put out there in the media in the past. And there’s not a fucking foam core sign in their face. That has value too, absolutely. But it’s a totally different way of accessing them. I’m not wagging my finger at them. I’m making them laugh.

GC: You say that an audience is more apt to listen to a man rather than a woman. Is that based on any personal experience of your own?

IH: It’s this weird shift for me to go from this butch dyke who was only visible because I looked like a man with huge tits. I mean, I was visible for that, but I wasn’t sexually visible to people. I definitely wasn’t anything near a sort of female standard that culturally we have, so I was largely invisible

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 photo by Amazon

until they figured out that I was female. Then, I was just weird.

Now, there’s a shift in how people look at me and listen to me.

GC: How does it make you feel to know that people sexualize you in a way they didn’t before you transitioned?

IH: I’m gonna say something that will piss people off, but generally speaking, if people find true value in compliments about their appearance, then there’s probably some void that needs to be filled that will never be filled with compliments.

(Compliments) have never, ever done anything for me. After my chest surgery, I started taking hormones, and I started to love myself in a different way and people (were) seeing what I was feeling about myself. But comments on my appearance?

Those are empty to me.

GC: What kind of place did comedy have in your life as a kid?

IH: When you were a kid did you get together with siblings or cousins and put on shows for your family? My thing was, I would come out in the intermission and do a comedy set, and I wrote my own jokes and they were horrible. They made no sense whatsoever. I didn’t understand joke structure – I was 6. But I used to watch The Carol Burnett Show and all the Dean Martin roasts. I used to watch Flip Wilson and Rich Little. Oh god, when I was a kid, we had Bill Cosby’s album of storytelling, which I kind of cringe at now. But at the time, while he was, you know, drugging women, we had his vinyl on our record player, and I remember listening to that. So, I was the comic relief in the theatrical shows we performed. I would always come out during the break while they were changing behind the curtain sheet on a clothesline, and they would be behind me, and I would be telling jokes to my aunts and uncles. That was my early sort of exposure. It’s so weird that after being a kid it never even dawned on me – never registered – that I could ever be an artist like that and entertain people and have it be a career.

I talk about this frequently, but it really was life changing: This guy – a writer for The Daily Show – was writing jokes for The Daily Show and he was looking for something creative to do locally. He started offering comedy-writing workshops 48

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at our local comedy club, and he sent me a postcard, and randomly I got it. I owned a web development company, and I’m like, “What the hell is this?” It’s so weird because it was really kind of kitschy, with this cartoony black, old-timey microphone in the spotlight. I left it on my desk at my office for a couple of weeks, and I stared at it many times. I was like, “I’m interested, but I’m really scared.” Finally, I picked up the phone at the end of the week before the class started the following Monday and said, “Hey, I saw your postcard,” and he was like, “I got one spot left.” I said, “I’ll take it! I’ll take it!” I did the workshop and fell in love, and that was 15 years ago this January.

At first I started by writing poop and fart jokes, and I’m like, “OK, that’s not me,” but I was too scared to tell the truth in the beginning of who I was. About two years into it, I wrote my material but didn’t really understand who I was on stage until a couple of years later. It takes a while to figure out who you are.

GC: How did getting to know and touring with Margaret Cho in 2006 help you find your voice?

IH: I consider Margaret one of those people who’s an absolute truth-teller on stage. She’s very raw and open about who she is, what she’s done, what’s she’s seen, how she deals with things. Traveling with her absolutely cracked me open and helped me be more brave about exactly who I was.

I remember saying to her that I was scared to tell LGBT audiences that I was trans, and she’s like “Why? These are your people!” But I’m like, “I know, but they’re the ones I want to love me the most.” She’s like, “We need representation from the trans community. We really need that. They need to hear your story.” It really changed my perspective because I was like, “I can actually be of service here. I can tell my story.”

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Photography Whistler Pride 2017 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1296

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Photography

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Photography

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5th Annual Jingle Balls Drag Show at Cowboys, Calgary

Hot Mess - New Years Eve at National on 10th, Calgary

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News Releases NSFW - NEW Andrew Christian VIDEO: Jingle Balls

“In The Dollhouse With Lina” Returns For Its 2nd Season

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NSFW - Steam Room Stories: The 2nd Coming

Précieux black and offwhite seamless underwear

by Alexander COBB

Help your favorite Andrew Christian models celebrate the holidays with this Christmas favorite! Andrew Christian Models: Arad,...

Have you ever wondered to yourself ‘what would Jesus do?’ Well wonder no more as Jesus (Ray Tezano) makes an appearance on the... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2346

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Steam Room Stories is entering 2017 as a seven-year old! The hit web series kicks off the New Year by celebrating its seventh... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2347

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Friday March 3 - Sunday March 5, 2017 Have you been searching for a way to enrich your relationship, reconnect, or just have... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2350

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New in January 2017 from Bruno Gmünder Group. Click on photos for more info... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2351

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New Estimates Show that 150,000 Youth Ages 13 to 17 Identify as Transgender in the US In addition to 0.6 percent of U.S. adults (1.4 million individuals), new study finds that 0.7 percent of youth ages 13 to 17 identify... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2353

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Being a guncle (gay uncle) gives you all of the perks of parenting without any of the responsibility. In the latest episode of... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2354

54

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

www.gaycalgary.com

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

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GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY

11 16

10 12

2

6

3

7

15

1 8

4 5

13

1 2 3 4

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

5 6 7 8

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

FIND OUT!

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------------------------------------- 403-265-5211  Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close

 209 - 10th Ave SW

4 Texas Lounge

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

www.gaycalgary.com

6 Twisted Element

 1006 - 11th Ave SW  403-802-0230

 http:.//www.twistedelement.ca

Bars & Clubs (Mixed)

9 Dickens Pub

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

 http://www.dickenspub.ca

 403-262-9976

 403-233-7550

13 The Pint-----------------------Bars and Clubs 15 The Blind Monk--------------Bars and Clubs 16 Backwards / Six 2 Eight------Bars and Clubs

Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

 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.

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

 http://www.localtavern.ca

• Western Cup

14 Night Owl

 213 10 Ave SW

 http://www.vinylandhyde.com

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

 587-224-5200

16 Six 2 Eight Stage--------------------------  628 8th Avenue SW  587-352-2582

 http://www.628stage.com 12 Ten Nightclub (closed)

 1140 10th Ave SW

 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 10 The Palace Theatre -----------------------  219 8th Ave SW  403-935-2637

 https://www.thepalacetheatre.ca 13 The Pint

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

 http://www.thepint.ca/calgary

 403-384-9777

Bathhouses/Saunas 5 Goliaths

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

Community Groups

These venues regularly host LGBT events.

7 Broken City

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

 http://www.brokencity.ca

Dickens Pub------------------Bars and Clubs The Palace Theatre ----------Bars and Clubs Local 522---------------------Bars and Clubs Ten Nightclub-----------------Bars and Clubs

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

 http://www.cowboysnightclub.com

LGBT Community Directory

CALGARY

9 10 11 12

Alberta Society for Kink

 403-398-9968  masdenn@yahoo.com

N



http://www.westerncup.com

• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing) • 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

 golf@apollocalgary.com

• Lawn Bowling

 lawnbowling@apollocalgary.com

• 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

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

57

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

At 5 Goliaths

At 1 Calgary Outlink

See 1 Calgary Outlink

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

 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.

Calgary Men’s Chorus

• Rehearsals

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

Calgary Pride

 http://www.calgarypride.ca 1 Calgary Outlink

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

• 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.

 4th

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

Calgary Sexual Health Centre

Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre

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

 403-278-8263

Different Strokes

 http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org

FairyTales Presentation Society

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

 http://www.iscca.co 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

 403-244-1956

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

 http://www.miscyouth.com

• DVD Resource Library

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

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

 mystiquesocialclub@yahoo.com Mystique is primarily a Lesbian group for women 30 and up but all are welcome.

• Telephone Support

 Good Earth Cafe (1502 - 11th Street SW)

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

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

• Fake Mustache • Mosaic Youth Group Mystique

• Coffee Night

NETWORKS

 networkscalgary@gmail.com A social, cultural, and service organization for the mature minded and “Plus 40” LGBT individuals seeking to meet others at age-appropriate activities within a positive, safe environment.

Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

 Sean: 403-695-5791  http://www.pflagcanada.ca A registered charitable organization that provides support, education and resources to parents, families and individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual orientation or gender identity.

58

Sundays See See See See See

Deer Park United Church Scarboro United Church Hillhurst United Church Knox United Church

Rainbow Community Church

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

ISCCA Social Association

Calgary Queer Book Club

Calgary Gay Fathers

 http://www.calgarymenschorus.org

 3rd

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

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

 Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)

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

 2nd

 1st

Calgary Expo

 http://www.calgaryexpo.com

 1st

See 1 Calgary Outlink

 Calgary Contd.

• Squash

 2nd

See 1 Calgary Outlink

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

See 1 Calgary Outlink

By

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

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

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.

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://suclubs.orgsync.com/org/qcucampus Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students and Staff.

• Coffee Night

 2nd Cup, Kensington

Safety Under the Rainbow

 www.sutr.ca A collaborative effort dedicated to building capacity and acting as a voice for the LGBTQ community, service providers, organizations and the community at large to address violence. For same-sex domestic violence information, resources and a link to our survey please see our website.

Scarboro United Church

 134 Scarboro Avenue SW  403-244-1161  www.scarborounited.ab.ca An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT people is essential to our mission and purpose.

Sharp Foundation

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

Spectrum Volleyball Calgary

 http://www.spectrumvolleyball.ca  spectrumvolleyball@gmail.com Join us for recreational, competitive or beach volleyball.

Unity Bowling

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

Wild Rose United Church

 1317-1st Street NW

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events  Calgary Contd.

Restaurants & Pubs 16 Six 2 Eight --------------------------------- See Calgary - Bars & Clubs (Mixed).

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

Retail Stores Adult Depot (CLOSED)

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

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

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

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

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.

Services & Products 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.

Interactive Male

 800-913-8509  http://www.interactivemale.com

MFM Communications

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

SafeWorks

Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.

• Calgary Drop-in Centre

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

• Centre of Hope

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

• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

 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

Theatre & Fine Arts ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

 403-294-7402

 http://www.ATPlive.com

Fairytales

See Calgary - Community Groups.

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

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

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

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

www.gaycalgary.com

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

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5  http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca

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

 http://www.edmontonexpo.com

 727 - 42 Avenue SE  403-243-6642  http://www.stagewestcalgary.com  Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW  403-205-2922  info@theatrejunction.com  http://www.theatrejunction.com

Third Street Theatre

 #3 306 20th Ave SW 

http://www.thirdstreet.ca

 403-703-4750

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

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

EDMONTON 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 Mama’s Gin Joint

 11725 Jasper Ave

Edmonton Expo

InQueeries

 inqueeries@gmail.com Student-run GLBTQ Alliance at MacEwan University.

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)

 http://www.iscwr.ca

Edmonton Prime Timers

 #50, 9912 - 106 Street 780-424-2214  living-positive@telus.net  http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz Living Positive through Positive Living.

 http://www.edmontonpride.ca

Living Positive Society of Alberta

 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 Illusions Social Club

 780-387-3343

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

 11111 Jasper Ave  sing@evmchoir.com

Fellowship of Alberta Bears

 www.beefbearbash.com

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

 780-474-8240

 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

Edmonton Vocal Minority

 780-479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

• HIV Support Group

 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-----------------

 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.

 10608 - 105 Ave  780-488-3234  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org  http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org  Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm We provide a safe, welcoming, and non-judgemental drop-in space, and offer support programs and resources for members of the GLBTQ community and for their families and friends.

 780-488-6557

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

Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

 10704 124 St NW

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

Bathhouses/Saunas 5 Steamworks

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

Community Groups AltView Foundation

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

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

Book Worm’s Book Club

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

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

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

59

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 Mama’s Gin Joint-------------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

 780.488.3234 Free, short-term counselling provided by registered counsellors.

• Knotty Knitters

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.

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

• 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.

• TTIQ

A support and information group for all those who fall under the transgender umbrella and their family or supporters.

• Women’s Social Circle

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

Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

Team Edmonton

 crosscountry@teamedmonton.ca

• Badminton (Mixed)

 Dawson Park, picnic shelter  cycling@teamedmonton.ca

 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 Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season or $5.00 per drop in.

•Ballroom Dancing • Blazin’ Bootcamp

 Garneau Elementary School 10925 - 87 Ave  bootcamp@teamedmonton.ca

• Bowling (Northern Titans)

 Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall)

 bowling@teamedmonton.ca $15.00 per person.

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

• Cross Country Skiing

 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.

 Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW  Cynthia: 780-469-3281

60

 2nd

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

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

Buck Naked Boys Club

 Edmonton Contd.

• Counselling

 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

• Curling with Pride

 Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW  curling@teamedmonton.ca

• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders) • Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

 dragonboat@teamedmonton.ca

• Golf

 golf@teamedmonton.ca

• Gymnastics, Drop-in

 Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue  gymnastics@teamedmonton.ca Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00 per session.

• Hockey

 hockey@teamedmonton.ca

• Martial Arts

 15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance)  780-328-6414  kungfu@teamedmonton.ca  kickboxing@teamedmonton.ca Drop-ins welcome.

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events Red Deer Events Wednesdays

LGBT Coffee Night------------------------  7pm See

CAANS

 1st

Friday, August 15th

 Edmonton Contd.

• Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@teamedmonton.ca

• Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

 Kinsmen Sports Centre  running@teamedmonton.ca All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to join this free activity.

• Slo Pitch

 Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave  slo-pitch@teamedmonton.ca Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players from the 2008 season.

• Snowballs V

 January 27-29, 2012  snowballs@teamedmonton.ca Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend.

• Soccer

 soccer@teamedmonton.ca

• Spin

 MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness 109 St. and 104 Ave  Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45pm Season has ended.  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

Products & Services Interactive Male

 800-913-8509  http://www.interactivemale.com

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

• Support Line

 403-308-2893  Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm Leave a message any other time.

• Friday Mixer

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

• Book Club

The Roxy Theatre (closed)

 10708 124th Street, Edmonton AB  780-453-2440  http://www.theatrenetwork.ca

BANFF

Gay Youth Alliance Group

 Betty, 403-381-5260  bneil@chr.ab.ca  Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm

Lethbridge HIV Connection

 1206 - 6 Ave S

HIV Community Link

 102 Spray Ave  PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8  403-762-0690

JASPER Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival

 PO Box 98, 409 Patricia St., T0E 1E0

 contact@jasperpride.ca  http://www.jasperpride.ca

LETHBRIDGE

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

RED DEER Community Groups Central Alberta AIDS Network Society

 4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB  http://www.caans.org The Central Alberta AIDS Network Society is the local charity responsible for HIV prevention and support in Central Alberta.

Pride on Campus

 rdcprideoncampus@gmail.com A group of LGBTQ persons and Allies at Red Deer College.

• Sports and Recreation

• Monthly Dances

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

Restaurants & Pubs 12 Mama’s Gin Joint See Edmonton - Bars & Clubs (Gay).

www.gaycalgary.com

 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 Interactive Male

 800-913-8509  http://www.interactivemale.com

 http://www.squirt.org Website for dating and hook-ups. 18+ ONLY!

Theatre & Fine Arts Broadway Across Canada

 http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca

Community Groups

 356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB  403-527-5882  1-877-440-2437

 Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S) Bring your membership card and photo ID.

Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

HIV Community Link

 403-308-2893  http://www.galalethbridge.ca Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area.

 Brendan: 780-488-3234  brendan@pridecentreofedmonton.org

CANADA

MEDICINE HAT

 780-248-1971  www.yuyedm.ca A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.

Youth Understanding Youth

 http://www.albertaballet.com Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.

Squirt

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.

Community Groups GALA/LA

Theatre & Fine Arts

Community Groups

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

 lethbridgeab@pflagcanada.ca  www.pflagcanada.ca

Community Groups

 http://www.albertatrans.org A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of where they may be on the continuum.

Alberta Ballet

 Room C610, University of Lethbridge

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Theatre & Fine Arts

 galia@uleth.ca

• Movie Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Community Groups Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group

 The Mix (green water tower) 103 Mayor Magrath Dr S  Every Friday at 10pm

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

ALBERTA

• Telephone Support

• 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.

GayCalgary Magazine #157, February 2017

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