GayCalgary Magazine - April 2017

APRIL 2017

® ISSUE 159 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBTQ Community

Interview with

JAMES

MARSTERS

Davis Mallory

on MTV’s The Real World

Seth Fornea gingers are trending

PLUS:

Travel - Thailand’s Elephants Dustin Lance Black • Emily Expo Fellowship of Alberta Bears ...and more!

Business Directory

DJ Pebbles

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

the Down-Under Diva

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 53

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Table of Contents

APRIL 2017

®

Photography

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

Videography

LegalRob Council Steve Polyak, Diaz-Marino Courtney Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors Printers

North General Hill News/Central InquiriesWeb GayCalgary® Magazine 2136 17th Avenue SW Distribution Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 0G3 Calgary: Gallant Distribution magazine@gaycalgary.com GayCalgary Staff Edmonton: Clark’s Distribution Other:ByCanada Post Office Hours: appointment ONLY

Phone: 403-543-6960 Legal1-888-543-6960 Council Toll Free: Courtney magazine@gaycalgary.com Aarbo, Barristers and Solicitors E-Mail: Month's Cover SalesThis & General Inquiries

Main: GayCalgary James Marsters, photos by 20th Century Fox and Edmonton Magazine Television. Top Right: Mallory, 2136 17thDavis Avenue SW photos by Derrick Lipschitz.

Mid Right: Seth Fornea, photo Calgary, AB, Canada

by GayCalgary. Bottom T2TRight: 0G3 DJ Pebbles, photo

by Adam Powell.

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:

The uphill climb to civic acceptance

10 Cinderella Shines Like a Glass Slipper

50th Anniversary of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Fairy Tale Slips into Calgary

PAGE 13

Casey Mercedes Arasa, Allen, ChrisChris Azzopardi, Azzopardi, Jason Dallas Clevett, Barnes, Tyler Dave Curry,Brousseau, Keith Johnson, Sam Casselman, Ivy Miller, Steve JasonPolyak, Clevett, Romeo AndrewSan Collins, Vicente, EmilyandCollins, the LGBT Rob Community Diaz-Marino,of Janine Eva Calgary, Trotta,Edmonton, Jack Fertig,and Glen Alberta.

Hanson, Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Stephen Lock, Neil McMullen, Allan Neuwirth,Photography Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford, Romeo San Vicente, Sikov, Nick Vivian and SteveEdPolyak the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta.

Videography Steve Polyak

Publisher’s Column

13 Love Being FAB!

Fellowship of Alberta Bears Turns 9, brings Bearacchus weekend to Calgary

15 Davis Mallory is Living Loud 17 The BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ Disposable Razor An Economical Choice for Close Shaving

18 Truefitt & Hill Enjoy a Perfect Shave

20 DJ Pebbles Bam Bams

e n i 21 James Demers and the z a 2017 Fairy TalegFilm a Festival m The Down-Under Diva Releases New Club Song

PAGE 20

Writers and Contributors

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PAGE 13 PAGE 15

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

23 Seth Fornea Gingers are Trending

25 I’m HIV-Positive and Still Not Into You 26 Deep Inside Hollywood

28 The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

Gay European Tourism Association

Jeremy Renner, Kevin Smith, Nathan Fillion and more headline 12th annual event

PAGE 23

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

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page ®

32 Walking With Giants PAGE 28

Meeting Thailand’s Elephants A Magical Experience

37 Putting A “Spike” In The Calgary Expo James Marsters returns to Calgary

40 Making America Hopeful Again PAGE 32

Dustin Lance Black on his first time as an activist, the power of collective protesting and changing hearts with ‘When We Rise’

48 Queer Eye 50 News Releases 53 Directory and Events

PAGE 37

58 Classified Ads

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Scan for this Issue:

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Monthly Online Magazine Readership:

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

Total Readership of PDF/ISSUU/WEB

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

Proof of monthly figures are available on request.

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

Name changed to GayCalgary in 1998.

Independent company as of January 2004.

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

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

February 2015 is the first digital only edition.

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

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

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

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Magazine Figures

Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.

GayCalgary® is a registered trademark.

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Online: Fri, May 12th

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Editorial

 Our magazines were too hot to handle

Publisher’s Column

The uphill climb to civic acceptance

By Steve Polyak When I started Men For Men BBS, I had to be creative in naming the company. In the community, Men For Men BBS was ok, but in the outside world I was using MFM BBS. To those who did not know what MFM stood for, and were not part of the gay community, I could easily say it was the abbreviation of the computer term Modified Frequency Modulation. It was the way data was encoded onto floppy drives and very early hard drives, which were called MFM hard drives. Most people looked at me confused and accepted that I just said Star Trek techno babble.

 The Cruiseline ad that was too hot

Under the MFM BBS/MFM Communications branding, I could also do computer consulting and become an authorized reseller of several major brands at the time, including IBM. No one knew that behind the scenes there was a gay company ordering equipment for terminals and upgrades.

When it came time to launch GayCalgary Magazine, I knew I would need to totally out myself. If the word gay was not in the title, then it might have been easier, but since the GayCalgary website had already become a strong brand in the community, there was no point changing it. It also made it clear to people what we were about.

I knew I would run into homophobia in Calgary, but it was still frustrating how soon we came across it. When we first started distributing the magazine, we used both companies in Calgary that did magazine distribution. For the first couple of months, both companies were having problems getting us into locations. They number of stands we were in reduced every month. Businesses were complaining that they did not want porn in their racks, despite never running full frontal nudity in the magazine.

Three months into the launch of the magazine, one of the distributors decided that the Cruiseline advertisements were too much. The January 2004 edition advertisement showed three guys in their underwear, with two of them kissing, and the third kissing one of the guy’s necks. Their packages were pretty much covered, so it was not showing anything else. He said that he had problems distributing

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 From Previous Page that edition because his son was in the car and he did not know how he would deal with explaining to his son what was going on, yet most of the locations he was distributing to were bars, adult shops and other places you needed to be 18 to enter.

When the February edition came out, the new Cruiseline ad pushed him over the edge: the ad showed two guys naked – with no full-frontal nudity – and read “Blow me, Valentine!”.

He returned all the magazines and demanded that the ad be torn off the back or he would not continue distribution.

We complied as we had pre-paid. After that, he refused to continue doing distribution for us. We transferred locations so we could be exclusive to the other distributor.

With the magazine including a map and listing of gay bars and businesses, Rob and I decided to reach out to hotels and motels in Calgary. Over a period of days, we visited several hotels in the downtown core. Places like the Fairmont Palliser, The Westin and the Hyatt were amazing to deal with and excited to carry us. It also helped that there was a lot of hotel staff who are part of the LGBTQ community.

Then came the ugliness. One of the downtown hotels refused to carry the magazines saying that if people want the information, they would provide it. Out of curiosity, I asked the concierge manager to tell me some addresses and names of gay bars and restaurants. She said that most of the gay bars were on 9th Ave and that one of them was called Virginia’s. She was wrong.

Rob and I kept running into a lot of no’s or we don’t have the space for more brochures. We decided to try going to Motel Village to see if we would yield better results. Things went ok for the first couple, but then we hit a hotel where the manager yelled out from the office “don’t you dare drop of those magazines or they will end up in the trash”. Some hotels said yes, others flatly refused them.

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I always picked up old editions to see if places needed more. When people phoned us for information about the gay community, and one of the hotels that the magazines were at came up on call display, we asked them to grab a copy if they wanted a map to take with them. These calls helped us keep track of which locations were handing the magazine out.

One location always seemed to go through their magazines.

Rob and I assumed it was because they had the magazine out with other travel material. Someone staying at the hotel called, and I asked them to pick up a copy of the magazine.

They phoned back ten minutes later saying that the manager said they had been throwing them out right after we left. I was pretty pissed; this was after a couple years of taking the time to drop issues there.

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To try to help get clout with the hotels and motels, we decided to buy a membership with Tourism Calgary.

Membership with Tourism Calgary is not that affordable for a small business like us, so we tried to make the best of our investment. Our membership was to overlap with the First North American OutGames that were coming to Calgary in 2007. We got the magazines on display at the Calgary Tower and at the Calgary Airport, or so we thought.

During the two years that we were members, we dropped off a lot of magazines at the head office for them to distribute.

It was great to see it the magazine on display at the Calgary Tower, and the staff were great to deal with. They said they had to put out about three or four copies at a time; there had been problems with homophobes tossing copies out in the garbage cans and engaging in arguments for having the magazines available.

Over time we noticed that though quantities of magazines delivered would go up, our magazine was never allowed out on display at Tourism Calgary’s head office, alongside the other travel magazines. They kept telling us they didn’t have the space, but I would see other new members’ material out.

We asked people we know who work at the Calgary Airport to see if our magazines were out for pick up. They could not find it, yet staff at Tourism Calgary would tell us that the magazines were doing very well there. I decided to check myself. Sadly, I could not find them on display either. I began to take photos of the display as proof.

Then came a phone call from staff who used to work at the Tourism Calgary desk at the airport. She told me that the other staff refused to put out the magazines. They kept them in the back away from travelers. So, the staff we were dealing with in membership thought the magazines were being distributed and needing more, but they were being tossed at the airport.

I had enough of being lied to; I asked Global TV to do an investigation regarding the missing magazines. Reporter Jill Croteau did a hidden camera investigation. When they asked one of the people working at the counter, “I’m just wondering if you guys have the GayCalgary Magazine?” they responded “I don’t think we do actually”. He checked with a supervisor who informed them that they do, but that they were out.

I know they were stocked up since I provided several more bundles a couple weeks prior to contacting Global.

After the piece aired, Tourism Calgary phoned us. They did not want to guarantee that our magazines would be made available at the airport or in their office, but still wanted us to pay the full amount to renew membership. It was a deal breaker.

The second weekend after launching the magazine, in November 2003, we attended the Taboo Naughty or Nice Sex Show. We thought the magazine would be accepted there without any issues. But homophobia reared its ugly head.

Guys would come up to the booth, look at the magazine and freak out, saying they are not gay. We could see people deliberately walk as far from our booth as possible. Some guys would even cover their asses with their hands. Couples held each other’s hands tighter as they passed.

Groups of guys would come up to the booth, roll up a copy of the magazine and tap their buddies with it saying, Now you’re gay , as freaking out ensued. We had one ‘born again’ guy come to the booth and harass us using religious hatred; made us wonder why would he be at a sex show. But he kept coming back throughout the day, to the point Stampede security had to escort him out.

When the covers began to feature celebrities we had interviewed, people attending Taboo would come up and ask, What? ‘Person on the cover’ is now gay?. Rob and I would roll our eyes and say no, they don’t need to be gay to be interviewed by a gay magazine. Our first interview with Dolly Parton was the edition that stood out the most. People at Taboo assumed that because she was on the cover of the magazine, that she was gay. At least every 15 minutes we had to tell people no, she is not.

Magazines getting stolen out of the Calgary Tower location was not a new thing either. Priape and magazine shops along 17th Ave were running into a problem where several different individuals would run into the store, grab stacks of any free gay publication, and throw them in the garbage. Priape staff even ran after some of them to scare them off.

In the office we would get the hate phone calls – drunk guys phoning and threatening us. One guy would constantly try to debate with me on how being gay is wrong; that I should find my way with the Bible. We had to create a special directory just to keep track of them.

We would also get a lot of joke calls. GayCalgary is listed in the white pages. Trades people would get messages on their pagers to call our number to either do some sort of service or ask for someone. There were days we would get 10 or more calls from different people with the same prank. Some would start laughing when they heard me answer “GayCalgary”; others would be confused and start accusing me of a prank.

Our voice messaging system took care of a lot of those calls once I had enough of answering the phone.

Most of the homophobia we experienced occurred during the first eight years of running the magazine. Homophobia is not as bad as it used to be: there’s more acceptance, though the transgender part of our community still has a long way to go. Things changed quickly over a short period of time: for example, Tourism Calgary has backed or even been a part of some major LGBTQ events in Calgary. Even the hotel that was providing wrong information about the gay bars and businesses has been a sponsor.

Publishing online has also made things easier. The worries about hard copies being tossed out or businesses not displaying them for homophobic reasons is allayed. People can access content directly. The annoying phone calls still happen so, days like April Fool’s day, I just let all calls go to voicemail.

We stopped doing the Taboo shows. Though things eventually got better, having a booth at the Calgary Expo opened our eyes to the true experience of acceptance: no strange comments or reactions; people excited that we were there and happy to see we had interviewed their favourite celebrities. The first several years of doing the Comic Expo, we handed out more copies of the magazine than we ever did at any LGBTQ weekend event. Celebrities proudly brought up their interviews with us during panels. Fans even picked up the magazine to be signed by the celebrities we had interviewed who were present.

Homophobia and transphobia still happens and, sadly, it will never go away. As the amount of people who fight against it rises, our voices grow louder. All we can do is keep educating, using real facts to combat the alternative facts that individuals use to control their followers. We must remember that who we vote for during an election can make a difference. Support our gay bars, businesses, and non-profit groups along with our allies since, without them, we lose visibility. By GayCalgary being out there, the gay community is out there: it has a voice.

www.gaycalgary.com

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5528

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Cinderella Shines Like a Glass Slipper 50th Anniversary of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Fairy Tale Slips into Calgary  Leslie Jackson and Tatyana Lubov in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA. Photo by Carol Rosegg

By Jason Clevett Cinderella has been in many forms on stage and screen since 1899. In 1957 a live musical version created by Rodgers & Hammerstein was broadcast with Julie Andrews in the lead role. Twice more TV versions aired – in 1965 with Lesley Ann Warren and a 1997 feature with Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as Fairy Godmother. In 2013 it returned to Broadway and now the national tour brings the classic tale to life through April 30th at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

Front “trick” cards Tatyana Lubov shines in the leadrole of side Ella,ofthe mistreated stepsister who is the brunt of the her Stepmother’s vitriol.

Despite her challenges, Ella remains a kind and giving person, making an impact on Prince Topher (Hayden Stanes) when they briefly meet. Much of the story is familiar, but some changes such as Topher’s parents being dead and stepsister Gabrielle being less wicked of the 2 add an interesting twist to the tale.

Stanes prince is charming and goofy, and the cast is spectacular in both the choreography and vocally. The costume design in particular is spectacular – Cinderella’s change from

rags into flowing gowns is instantaneous and magical leaving both the adults and kids in the audience gasping. The set – from a forest to Cinderella’s home to the Prince’s castle are brought to life with stunning colour and contrast. The show is as much a feast visually as it is a story.

There are some things lacking in the story – the villains never really receive their comeuppance, and a few strings are left dangling that are odd. As an overall show these minor things can be overlooked.

I spent the evening with a 10-year-old daughter of a close friend, and I enjoy seeing shows like this through the eyes of a child. For many a show like Cinderella is nostalgia for our childhood, but to kids it is fresh and new. The “Cinderella Story” has been part of culture for thousands of years, yet it still resonates that anything can happen. Regardless of your age or connection to the story, Cinderella is a show for all ages and generations and a must-see on the theatre calendar.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella http://www.cinderellaonbroadway.com/ April 25th – 30th 2017, at Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium http://www.BroadwayAcrossCanada.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5523 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

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Love Being FAB!

Fellowship of Alberta Bears Turns 9, brings Bearacchus weekend to Calgary  Photo by GayCalgary

By Jason Clevett It was 2008 when Edmonton’s Aaron Granley and Daren Kavich hosted their first bear event at the now defunct Boots bar in the city. Fast forward 9 years, and the Fellowship of Alberta Bears is now a full nonprofit organization promoting multiple events each year in Calgary and Edmonton. FAB has participated in multiple prides around the province, hosts 2 major events each year, has donated $30,000 to charity, and boasts hundreds of members. It’s an amazing growth from that first event.

“I don’t think we ever considered what we were building when we started. If you had told me at that first BEEF bear bash that we would be a not-for-profit community group with over 400 members throwing events every few weeks, I don’t think either Daren or I would have believed you,” Granley told GayCalgary.

“This all grew so organically. We always wanted to do things differently than bear groups had been handled historically and it is so great to see people buy into those values right from the start. For me the most rewarding thing is seeing first-hand how we have made a difference in people’s lives through the community and events, we have been so lucky that we have been able to do something that seems to resonate with so many people over the years.”

Part of that growth has been in Calgary, where Darin Ouchar spearheaded expanding the organization locally as FAB’s southern representative. Ouchar was recently elected Vice President of FAB. www.gaycalgary.com

“To this day I’m still amazed on how much we have grown this in the last 12 months, having close to 25 Calgary events from May 2016 to May 2017. Support has always been great from my board members in Edmonton to MemBEARs here in Calgary always willing to lend support to me when needed. Now that we have a new board with myself, 2 Calgary representatives, a MemBEAR at Large and our own Sugar Bear (Treasurer). This makes me very excited for 2017.”

GayCalgary spoke with Granley, now president of FAB, and Ouchar in advance of this weekend’s Bearacchus event in Calgary. Both shared some of their favourite FAB moments.

“I would have to say my favourite events are the Table Tops & Bottoms Games Nights at PIP’s. I have met so many awesome people by hosting these events and feel this event really started the growth in Calgary. Walking into a room full of smiling friendly faces every month has really drove me to hosting more FAB events in Calgary,” said Ouchar. For Granley it’s the impact on people that stands out.

“After running so many events throughout the years I find it is less the parties that stick out for me and more the personal experiences of the people going to them. Hearing from first timers who never thought they would be welcomed at a gay event until they took a chance and came to one of ours or seeing people march in the parade with us for the first time. Those are the things that stick with me and keep me going.”

FAB’s Bearacchus weekend takes place May 19th – 21st. It’s a massive undertaking of 2 party events, a Sunday brunch, and new this year a tour of Toolshed brewery.

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 photo by GayCalgary

“This FAB’s first time running a full weekend of events in Calgary so there is a lot of pressure to get things right. These full weekend bear runs take an enormous amount of work. We have a new team of board members based in Calgary running this one so I am excited to see a new take on things and on how the community will respond to it. We rely on events like this to fund our activities and raise money to support our charities so there is the financial component there as well,” Granley explained.

“For me this will be one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to undertake since working with FAB. Planning a 3-day weekend is proven to be a lot of work but I have had great support from the board and Aaron,” added Ouchar. “I’ve been up for the challenge and learn as I go! Bearacchus has huge importance to our community and organization. We get to work closely with our community partners such as Calgary Outlink, HIV Community Link and other LGBT groups. This year as part of the Sip N Sing we have the addition of the Calgary Men’s Chorus and our wonderful host Smother Theresa.”

2017 marks the 5th Bearacchus weekend. Previously it was co-promoted with ARGRA. The folding of that organization as well as the closing of The Blind Monk (the original venue of the Sip n’ Sing and brunch) lead to FAB having to take on more and try new things.

“It’s unfortunate that ARGRA is now gone but we will be filling this void the best we can. With losing the Blind Monk and not being able to use (previous hosts) Jamie and Pierre this year we had had to make many changes behind the scenes. We have had wonderful assistance from others in the community to help assist to finding a new venue and a quick process on how to keep the Sip N Sing theme but add a fun twist” Ouchar said. “This past month has been full of challenges but in the end, we’re so happy from what we have learned and it’s lead to a fresh take! Working with Craft on our Sip N Sing and our Sunday Bear Brunch will mean a different venue and different options including an impressive beer selection. Craft is also in a great location being 4 blocks from the 4th St West C-Train station meaning you can leave the car at home! Craft beers are very huge right now and Toolshed is a great little local brewery in town that is also part LGBT owned. It really was a no brainer for us at FAB to set something up with them. We will be serving Toolshed beer at Bearacchus and the tour is selling well.”

Board members have attended other bear events in North America such as Seattle XL, Texas Bear Round-Up and Beef Dip in Puerto Vallarta. Granley explained how this gives the team new ideas for FAB’s events.

“We always try and see what works at those events and what doesn’t. Dirty Bear Bingo, one of our Great Canadian Bear weekend events, is something a board member did at TBRU. We 14

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took the concept and put our own spin on it. One of the things we always take away from these other bear runs is that we are really lucky to have the community we do here in Alberta. We have heard so many times from guys how amazed they are at how friendly our events are compared to what they have back home. That tells me we are doing something right here and that we have something really special.”

Bearacchus also launches the Love Your FAB Body campaign.

FAB members will be touring events with banners for selfies, there is a Facebook frame that says “I Am FAB” and the hashtag #iamfab. This is the brainchild of Granley, who explained the campaign.

“FAB came out of this urge to create a safe place where people who didn’t see themselves reflected in mainstream gay society. Personally, I always used to feel jealous of those guys who could go to gay bar and dance around shirtless with no second thoughts. Our events started because we wanted to create this place where you could dance shirtless if you wanted and not only feel welcome but feel good about yourself while doing it. Acceptance and body positivity have been baked into our mission statement and values from day one. Last year an Edmonton Journal reporter called our members on our pride float corpulent. Here you had a float full of guys who were all ages, shapes and sizes who were brave enough to march in front of few thousand people and the only word she could come up with was a fancy word for fat. That pissed me and a bunch of our members off. I think most people don’t consider the harm and difficulty this kind of dismissive language causes for people who are struggling with body image issues. That newspaper article made me realize that FAB is in the perfect position to start the discussion on body positivity. Inclusivity, body image and self-esteem are huge issues right now for the queer community. What we are doing with the Love Your FAB Body Campaign is to say it doesn’t matter what you look like, how you present yourself, or what your chosen label is; What matters is finding a way to love your body the way it is and finding ways to support each other on that journey to selfacceptance.”

After Bearacchus wraps up, FAB has many events on the horizon. A BBQ during Edmonton Pride, monthly events, August’s Great Canadian Bear Weekend in Edmonton, and Calgary Pride events. Ouchar is excited to see Calgary continue to grow.

“With the addition of new Board Members in Calgary 2017 is going to be our best year yet! We are already in the process to planning out great events for the coming months including a Stampede weekend and a great Pride weekend in the works along our many monthly events. We can’t wait to share them all with you!”

“The biggest thing to expect is a bunch of guys coming out to have a good time. That is what keeps people coming back to our events year after year,” added Granley. “FAB has grown so much in the last 4 years we are hoping to extend that growth out into rural areas and smaller centres and spread our message of inclusivity and acceptance. We will be marching in pride parades across Alberta this year promoting our Love Your FAB Body Campaign, passing out #iamfab stickers and bear hugs!”

Disclosure: The author of this article was elected to the FAB board in April 2017.

Fellowship of Alberta Bears Presents Bearacchus V Weekend May 19th – 21st, 2017 http://www.Albearta.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5526 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

Interview

 photo by Derrick Lipschitz

Davis Mallory is Living Loud

By Casey Arasa Davis Mallory wasn’t prepared for the instant fame that came from starring on MTV’s The Real World.

“I felt like I lost my last name because everyone referred to me as Davis From The Real World,” he laughs. “It was also strange having people ask me for photos all of the time. It happened in the airport, at malls, and most nights when I was out at clubs and bars. Online messaging was especially tough because I wanted to be nice and message everyone back but if I did, then I often got stuck in never ending conversations with strangers.”

In addition to losing privacy, there were serious downsides to the notoriety, explains Davis. One of them being that people would post harsh comments about him online and sometimes even say them to him in-person.

“I went on The Real World hoping to be a role model for gay men, and an encouragement for those struggling with coming out,” he says. “I guess I was slow to realize the price of fame.”

It wasn’t all bad, though. He recalls how after episodes of The Real World would air, he would receive thousands of new Myspace followers and hundreds of messages from people offering support or writing how he helped them come out. “I knew I was gay in 1994 but I didn’t come out until 2006. Part of the reason was because I didn’t see any openly gay people that represented who I was. It felt good to be that for others.”

After appearing on The Real World in 2006, he went on to star in two season’s of MTV’s The Challenge. By 2009, however, his MTV days were behind him. “I never felt famous from the experience,” he reflects today, “and that’s probably a good thing.

I don’t feel fame is a particularly positive thing. It’s all about attention and people wanting or expecting something from you.”

He says fame is not the goal for him. Having people hear his music, sing along, go to his shows — that’s the end goal. Oh, did we forget to mention that Davis is now pursuing a singing career? His first EP, Loud, is scheduled to be released July 17, 2017.

He’s already released two singles from the EP, “Under Your Spell,” a lush, heartfelt love ballad that released on Valentine’s Day and the title track, a seductive R&B track with a funky, chilled, head-swinging vibe and sex-soaked lyrics that came out this spring. “I wrote most of the album in 2016 when I was going through a break up,” Davis explains. “Many of the songs are about that relationship.”

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In “Be Without You,” Davis sings about his boyfriend moving away from Nashville, leaving him shell shocked and alone.

“Distance” is about trying to make the long distance relationship work and “Under Your Spell” is an examination of how much power love has over people, Davis included.

“I have been under someone’s spell a handful of times in my life,” he admits. “‘Loud’ is about a guy I had a major crush on that I suspected might be gay but he ended up dating a girl.”

Davis decided to release his first album independently so that he could maintain control. “Doing it without a label meant I got to select the songs. I chose the music producers, remixers and video directors. I casted the music videos, scouted locations and even edited some of them.”

He did have some help. “I am blessed to have my manager, Christian Barker, and my publicist, Jeff Dorta, in my corner working with me,” he says. “They’’ll make suggestions on directions I should consider. I remember when I was going into my co-write for the song that became “Loud,” Jeff suggested I look to George Michael for some influence, specifically, “I Want Your Sex”. It was before Michael had passed, which is kinda eerie thinking about it now, but the point is, he made the suggestion.

It wasn’t a demand. It was my choice to follow it.”

If fame does strike a second time for Davis, he says he’ll be more ready this time around. “I won’t feed into negativity. Life is too damn short.”

“I just want to be true to my self. For me, that means believing that being gay does not mean I will go to hell. It means stepping out on my own, as a man now, following my own dream to be a singer, breaking the chains of my parent’s belief systems, and going after my throne, so-to-speak, as a pop singer.”

He points to Adele as someone he emulates. “She seems to be an authentic person and I think I’m a lot like her, in that way.

I’m pretty silly and naturally myself. She also reveals a lot about herself in her music but for the most part, she’s able to maintain boundaries and privacy in her life. That’s what I hope for.”

Visit DavisMallory.com. Follow Davis on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DavisMallory.

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Review

The BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ Disposable Razor An Economical Choice for Close Shaving

By Steve Polyak There seems to be a recurrent theme here: I keep getting products to review that require me to shave. The latest to reach my door was the BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ Disposable Razor with blade refills. Whereas previous reviews have been for electric shavers, this BIC is disposable. The BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ comes with four heads, each with five blades, and a well balanced handle.

Unlike other disposable razors, where you buy the starter kit and then constantly replace the heads, this razor only allows you to cycle through the four heads included before you need to buy the product again. The heads are not sold separately.

Installing and detaching the heads is easy. There is a large metal sphere on the handle which you press to release the blade or when placing a new one in. This metal sphere also lends some weight to the razor and balance to the head to the body.

I was not going to shave off my beard so I used the razor to clean up my cheeks and neck. I used the razor over several weeks, always at the end of my shower when pores are open, and for easy rinsing of the trimmings.

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I found that that the BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ provided, for the most part, a clean shave, however it did tug a couple times working around my beard. Out of any of the disposable razors I have used, I found that the handle felt more like that of an electric shaver. It had more surface area to hold and was shaped so your fingers could curl around it for better control.

After several weeks of use, I did not feel the blade wearing out. It held up, even having it sit in the shower between uses.

The cost of the razor, with the four heads, is about $13. If you want to use a razor with a great handle and a good blade that provides a close shave, I recommend that you give the BIC® Hybrid 5 Flex™ Disposable Razor a try.

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Review

 photos by GayCalgary

Truefitt & Hill Enjoy a Perfect Shave

By Steve Polyak Last November GayCalgary was invited to the shave shop, Kent of Inglewood, to check out the Truefitt & Hill shaving products. After doing lots of reviews of electric shavers, this was a nice opportunity to try something different. I had never been to Kent of Inglewood before; being able to check out what they offer for shaving and other men’s products was great.

Truefitt & Hill have been around since 1805, making them the “Oldest Barber Shop in the World”. They have locations in London, Chicago, Toronto and Beijing. In cities that don’t home one of their shops, high end men’s grooming stores carry their products. They offer everything from pre-shave oil, shaving soaps, shaving creams, colognes and aftershaves, to bath and shower gels, accessories and more.

Truefitt & Hill provided me with a sample pack of some of the different fragrances they produce for shaving creams and matching aftershave balm. The sample pack also included a pre-shave oil, totalling 15 samples. The pack is perfect for those who new to Truefitt & Hill scent options. Each sample allows for two to three uses.

Truefitt & Hill shaving creams are glycerin-based and work well on sensitive skin. I found that they created a nice creamy, rich lather, allowing that close shave that men are after. The after-shave balm was a good moisturizer to follow up with. It was not oily, and contains aloe vera extract and lanolin, which helps the skin heal after shaving.

The scent options ranged from rose, lavender and citrus, to hints of cedar, spice, sandalwood, and leather. It was hard for me to pick a specific scent that I liked most. It really depended on what I felt like during the day, or what I was going to be doing in the evening. Once you have figured out which scents you like, you can also purchase the matching colognes.

Truefitt & Hill put out premium shaving products, so expect to pay more but use less than you would the typical shaving creams you would purchase at a grocery or drug store. I found that I only needed to use about two or three pea size lumps to do my cheeks and neck. It still lathered up enough to provide a close shave.

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Kent of Inglewood is also a great resource to find other quality products to go along with your shaving ritual – from blades, beard and moustache oil, to hair products, combs, brushes and shaving bowls. They also carry things you would not expect to find: mugs, travel bags, knives, axes, flasks, pocket squares, socks and ties. They have also just recently installed a couple of barber chairs. They offer haircuts, close shaves and beard trimming.

Truefitt & Hill http://www.truefittandhill.ca/ Kent of Inglewood, 1319-9th Avenue SE, Calgary http://www.kentofinglewood.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5531 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Interview

 photos by Credit Adam Powell

DJ Pebbles Bam Bams

The Down-Under Diva Releases New Club Song

By Casey Arasa DJ Pebbles broke onto the pop charts last summer with “To Not Love You”. This summer, she returns with “Heart Away from You”. Produced by American Idol’s Randy Jackson, the song is a Romeo and Juliet style track about forbidden love and coming to terms with the idea that some things need to end in order to start anew.

“Leaving my small home town and everything I knew in Australia to pursue a music career in the concrete jungle of NYC was pretty terrifying,” recalls Pebbles, “but it was something I knew I had to do or else risk regretting it for the rest of my life.”

A year later since her first release — and now a full-time student at New York’s NYU —Pebble’s enormous growth is echoed in the mature, passionate lyrics, trance-like vocals, and overall seductive sound of “Heart Away from You”. “I remain a hopeless romantic, longing for the bond I see between couples walking down the streets of NYC,” she admits. “Though I’m a Juliet who has come to her senses, I still miss the idea of a Romeo.”

GC: You must get compared to fellow-Aussie Kylie Minogue a lot.

DJP: Not as much as I would like! Kylie is so talented. I hope my career goes as well as hers!

GC: Is she an inspiration?

DJP: Kylie is a huge inspiration! Also, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, and Christina Aguilera.

GC: Like Kylie, your music is lively, fun but also stylish. Do fashion and beats go hand-in-hand?

DJP: Definitely. I love all forms of art and self expression.

It’s important that artists be truthful in their music and their fashion. It’s easy to spot a manufactured artist.

GC: Your first two releases are about a love you left in Australia. Do you still talk to the guy?

DJP: We still talk, occasionally. We will always be good friends. If we didn’t have distance between us, we’d still be together.

GC: What about the guy makes him so hard to get over?

DJP: Tough question! We were friends first, which is so important. He was the first person I felt truly understood me.

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Also, he could make the most boring activity ever, extraordinary.

The hardest decision I ever had to make was choosing between him and moving to the states to pursue my music. He is the only guy I have ever loved.

GC: Does he look anything like the guy in the Heart Away From You video because if he does, you are crazy for leaving him behind in Australia!

DJP: (Laughing) No, he doesn’t, really. The guy in the video is Chris. He is pretty sexy, right? I have a funny story about him! We met him in Los Angeles at a casting but I later learned he is from my hometown and his mum is my mum’s cousin.

Small world!

GC: Where did you come up with the premise for the music video and how does it compliment the song?

DJP: I wanted the video to tell a story about the power of love and how, even when life throws obstacles your way, it is impossible to keep your heart away from someone you love.

The video fits perfectly with the track as both are very sexy, mysterious and dangerous.

GC: What should listeners take away from Heart Away From You? DJP: That after heartbreak, you can put your heart back together and learn to slowly love and play again. Love isn’t black and white and there are always going to be hurdles to overcome.

GC: Are you wrapping up your first year in college? You must be in the midst of finals.

DJP: Yes, I haven’t slept in days, but I guess that’s the price of pursing a music career while being a freshman in college. I wouldn’t change a thing!

GC: What are you most looking forward to this summer?

DJP: My shows in Europe! I can’t wait!

DJ Pebbles’ “Heart Away From You” is available on iTunes. For more information, visit DJ Pebbles on Facebook @ DjPebblesMusic.

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James Demers and the 2017 Fairy Tale Film Festival

By Ivy Miller Gay Calgary had the chance to talk with James Demers, executive director of the Fairy Tales Film Festival. This year, the local queer film fest is called For Lovers And Fighters and the first things up for discussion were the six colourful queer characters, inspired by fairytales and storytelling. As James said, “It’s just an interesting way for us to play with our name and stereotypes common in queer culture.”

And play they did, while also managing to come up with a diverse set of mascots. The characters include a unicorn, a butch lesbian Robin Hood, a cave bear in a leather harness, a drag queen Tinkerbell, a “sassy mermaid”, and last but not least, an indigenous two-spirit character.

This last one got GC’s attention. “We worked in partnership with the indigenous community to create a two-spirit character,” James said.

The two-spirit character stood out from the other Fairy Tale mascots. GC raised the question, “Anybody can be a two-spirit, so I’m wondering what the fairy tale aspect of that is?”

“It wasn’t to single anyone out,” James said. He goes on to explain that the focus was characters across fairytales, and that included from indigenous storytelling. “It just made sense to have an indigenous character from the indigenous story telling tradition.” In addition, the six characters will be featured

on shirts, which will be sold with the proceeds going to an indigenous organization.

Although these characters are just mascots, the diversity does reflect the diversity of the films that will be shown this year, including a few indigenous films. The first pride documentary film out of Nunavut, for example, Two Soft Things, Two Hard Things, will be showing from May 22nd-27th. The documentary brings light to LGBT issues in indigenous communities and how history has impacted and continues to impact queer people.

As a bonus, one of the directors will be at the Fairy Tale Film Festival.

Another indigenous film is a short only 6 minutes long called 1999 Two-Spirit Introductory Special, an infomercial-styled short explaining the two-spirit identity. It will be showing at the film festival on May 24th as part of the Queer People of Colour night.

The Same Difference is another film featuring people of colour and will show on Social Justice night, May 24th. James describes this as the “cultural development of the AfricanAmerican lesbian community in the states.” The director of The Same Difference will be visiting all the way from New York.

Having covered some of the films, GC and James moved on to other happenings at the festival this year. The festival, which officially kicked off Friday evening, will have Mama Mia! as the feature for their annual sing-along.

Queer Folk Read Things They Wrote Once Upon A Time, previously called Queer Folk Read Things They Wrote In The

Continued on Page 29 

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Seth Fornea Gingers are Trending

Bt Keith Johnson

It isn’t hard to see why gingers are trending these days especially if you take a slight pause in your day to investigate the offerings of Seth Fornea.

Chemist, Dancer, Fashion Model and Actor are a few of the offerings this Colt’s Legendary Bodies Calendar model is highlighting on his very sexy curriculum vitae. GayCalgary recently met the red-headed hottie and although their exchange is brief it is five or ten minutes you will never regret spending, hunched back and glazed over only inches from your computer display. This is another gay celebrity who appears to have his head on straight, his pants fitting just right, his personal and professional objectives clearly outlined. Ginger is no longer just for holiday treats anymore it is the dish that just keeps on giving anytime of the year.

The soon—to-be thirty five year old steers clear of complete nudity and chooses his campaigns carefully.

“I am more interested in the model side of the industry.

A number of big name brands might shy away from models who have been photographed completely nude or who appear in gay porn videos” he explains. “It can affect other things in life and I was not disappointed when turned down for RuPaul’s Pit Crew” he laughs.

Clothes on or clothes off he is a man to be admired.

Between Go Go Dancing and Hosting Thursday night parties at G Lounge in New York City he has little time to remove his underwear too! But a quick glance into this American Beauty’s eyes and a reflection off his pearly whites will leave you as satisfied as you possibly could be with any man naked or clothed. Take some time to enjoy the entire interview to find out what makes this ginger really tick. I think he made Steve a little nervous… dare I say flustered!

Seth Fornea https://www.facebook.com/SethFornea1 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5533 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments More photos and videos online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5533

 Seth Fornea at Evolution. Photo by GayCalgary

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Politics

I’m HIV-Positive and Still Not Into You

By Tyler Curry, Plus Magazine’s Editor at Large As someone who is out about being HIV-positive, I often get the privilege of hearing from other newly diagnosed gay men from across the country. As anyone can imagine, learning you are positive can feel like taking a cannonball to the chest. So, sometimes you need to talk to a stranger before you can catch your breath and find the words for your family and friends.

Although I’m no psychotherapist, I can relate and speak to the myriad of fears that flood your headspace while sitting in the clinic and receiving the news. In almost every instance, the most pressing concern in the emails, texts and phone calls I receive is about how HIV will affect a person’s dating life.

I remember it all too well. When I first found out about my status, all of my romantic dreams instantly felt like dead ones. Who would love me now? Can I ever enjoy sex again? Will I ever get married? And I went wah, wah, wah into my wine glass all through the night.

The truth is, once I picked myself out of the puddle of tears, I was relatively unaltered. Besides a recurring doctor’s appointment every four months and a new pill to add to my pill box, my worth on the dating market remained the same. Of course, the first couple months were pretty shaky. Learning how to disclose your status isn’t something most gay men discuss over cocktails on a Saturday night – although it should be.

I’ve had to answer the question I’m asked over and over again. When is the right time to disclose? Many of my friends think you should let the person get to know you first before launching into your medical history.

After all, you don’t disclose all of the dirty details of your life on a first date, so what makes your status any different? Right?

Wrong. Being HIV positive isn’t the same as having a beast of a mother or being a Log Cabin Republican. Those dirty details are the layers of who you are as a person, and they’re revealed as a relationship develops.

Your status isn’t a part of your character; it’s a matter of logistics. Either your Friday night date is someone who understands the logistics of dating someone positive, or he doesn’t.

If a potential match is afraid of dating someone who is positive, your personality and charm will not remedy his fear. Your status isn’t a deep dark secret or something to hide. But acting as if it is will most assuredly scare away anyone who is unsure about dating you.

Just as in any dating environment, confidence goes further than any amount of money, expensive suit or HIV-negative status. If you treat your status as some cloaked secret that you’re asking him to overlook because everything else is great, he’ll respond accordingly. But if you tell him before the first drink is served and approach it as if it’s something

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you need to clear up for the benefit of both of you, your honesty will be appreciated and will most likely be a turn on.

You know what confidence is? It’s knowing that the goods you’re selling are worth their sticker price, and you don’t need to discount them for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re positive, negative, too short, too tall, balding or bushy-browed, you should be worried about who is right for you and forget about trying to be the right person for anyone else. It may never move past the first date regardless of your status, so don’t act like you’re desperate for your potential match to love you until you know you love him back.

Unfortunately, some people would like to see you stay in a state of despair rather than have you realize you’re the same good catch you’ve always been. It’s human nature to want to feel superior, and people will use any excuse to justify their feelings. You may even have men lash out at you for not being a sad sap and giving them the attention they think they deserve. It’s as if, because you are now positive, you should be grateful for their interest. Conversely, your disinterest in them is a disruption of the natural hierarchy.

To these types of men, just smile more, because there’s nothing more gratifying than getting under the skin of a person who wants to feel better than you but can’t.

Yes, people will try to put you down. A lot of people love a sob story, and a lot of people love to hate a story of success. But, regardless of your status, you’ll always deal with people who want to see you struggle.

People like their boxes. If you’re positive, many will want you to stay in yours. I’ve been told that I have no idea what I am talking about, and I’m not realistic about how hard living with HIV really is. True, living with HIV can be difficult, but only if you listen to other people’s opinions and beliefs of what it’s supposed to be like. If you don’t, you’re free to define how your life is viewed for yourself.

It’s your choice to live your life as a tragedy, a drama, or a romantic comedy. Just remember, you’re in charge of casting your leading man.

If he isn’t smart enough to understand your script, then he doesn’t get the part.

Tyler Curry is the editor at large and former managing editor at Plus magazine and HIVPlusMag.com. This story originally appeared at HIVPlusMag.com. Positive Thoughts is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com and Q Syndicate, the LGBT wire service. Visit their websites – http://hivplusmag.com, http://positivelyaware.com, http://poz. com and http://thebody.com – for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS

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Gossip guess the rest. This one was just announced, so McKinnon is the only cast member attached, but come 2018 or so, lunch will be served.

The incredibly true adventure of one girl in the afterlife Maria Maggenti (The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls In Love, Puccini For Beginners) returns to her Sundance Film Festival stomping grounds in January with the premiere of Before I Fall. Maggenti wrote the screenplay, adapted from Lauren Oliver’s 2010 YA novel about a young girl (Zoey Deutch, Why Him?) who dies in a car accident, only to relive the experience over and over. As she uncovers the mystery of why she died, she also learns what she might do to change her fate. Or not. Directed by Ry Russo-Young (Nobody Walks), this teen Groundhog Day of The Dead also stars Halston Sage (Goosebumps) and Jennifer Beals (The L Word). And though we were hoping the YA trend would wind down, we’re grateful that this one has nothing to do with teens fighting an evil government after the apocalypse. Look for it to fall into theaters sometime later in 2017.

Talk Show the Game Show is the real name of a real show You’re already watching gay comic Billy Eichner’s Billy on The Street on deep cable channel TruTV, right? Well, you should be. And once you find that one on your cable lineup, you’ll know where to go when another queer comic, Guy Branum, debuts his own new comedic series, Talk Show the Game Show. It’s OK if you don’t know this man’s name just yet. He’s one of our favorite stand-up comics, he wrote for Chelsea Lately, currently writes for The Mindy Project, and he co-hosts a very cool pop culture podcast called Pop Rocket.

Talk Show the Game Show (produced by Branum and Wanda Sykes) will pit comedians and other celebrities against each other in competition to win the title “Best Guest of the Night.”

Various talk show-themed challenges will go down – we’re hoping for some kind of contest related to fake enthusiasm, which is mostly the point of most talk shows – and judges will roast the participants. It hits TruTV in spring of 2017 and we can’t wait to watch.  Chloe Kate McKinnon photo by KathClick

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

By Romeo San Vicente 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 Ghostbusters, Masterminds, and now Office Christmas Party. The next step, then, for Kate McKinnon is leading lady. This being McKinnon, however, she will be playing a school lunch lady who is also a witch. Of course. The adaptation of Deb Lucke’s young reader novel The Lunch Witch will be directed by Clay Kaytis (The Angry Birds Movie) and will star McKinnon as Grunhilda, a witch without purpose – nobody really believes in magic or witches anymore – who decides to unleash her awful cauldron of badness on unsuspecting children in the school cafeteria. Along comes a misfit child who needs a mentor and, well, you can probably 26

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Prolific queer filmmaker Francois Ozon delivers Frantz Hey foreign film fans, it’s that time again, when French filmmaker Francois Ozon drops another one in your lap. The prolific queer director makes at least one, sometimes two, movies a year – most of them make it into U.S. theaters, an accomplishment that eludes many European filmmakers – and he shows no sign of slowing down. His latest is Frantz, and the critical buzz suggests that its one of Ozon’s better offerings in recent years. A re-imagining of legendary filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch’s 1932 film Broken Lullaby (just go ahead and add it to your TCM wishlist), which was in turn based on a French play by Maurice Rostand, it stars French actor Pierre Niney (Yves Saint-Laurent) and German actress Paula Beer as two people who meet at the gravesite of a fallen World War I soldier.

The soldier was the woman’s fiancé, but his relationship to the man remains a mystery. Later in 2017, subtitle enthusiasts will get a chance to solve it for themselves when it opens in, naturally, quite limited arthouse release before hitting streaming services.

Romeo San Vicente favorite French word is macaron.

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Event

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

Jeremy Renner, Kevin Smith, Nathan Fillion and more headline 12th annual event

By Jason Clevett It is a weekend that fans of every genre from comics to cosplay, superhero films to nostalgic classics and everything in between look forward to. The 12th annual Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo takes place on the Stampede Grounds April 27th – 30th, 2017.

Lindsay Thomas is one of the primary organizers and talent bookers for the CCE, and also the face of the company as “Emily Expo.” Amidst the frantic time that is the week before the Expo, she chatted with GayCalgary.com about this year’s show and the challenges and triumphs of putting on one of Calgary’s biggest events.

“Obviously, I am super excited to have had the support of the fans and attendees every year. Seeing the guests come in, the artists set up, all the great costumes. We are super excited for this year’s lineup. It is solid and there are a lot of happy people out there. It is going to be a great year and a really fun time.”

Fans get excited as guests are announced, at times getting ahead of themselves in hopes of a major event like 2012’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and 2014’s Aliens cast reunions. The announcement of Jeremy Renner, for example, lead to speculation that his Avengers castmates Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans may also appear.

“It really is a very interesting challenge and something I have spoken about before. We do our best to make the fans happy. It’s amazing to have had the Aliens and TNG reunions and when those opportunities arise we jump on it and make it work. Unfortunately, that leads to this level of expectation that it happens all the time and is the norm. It really isn’t. Trying to get the schedules coordinated for these people to attend is a challenge in itself much less an entire cast from a franchise. We don’t lead people on. If we are going to drop a hint about a guest or reunion we will make it very obvious. We don’t want to feed into an expectation that it is anything more than what we have put out there.”

That said each year names are requested that Thomas and her team look into. Often it can be a case of timing finally working out, such as local comic creator icon Todd McFarlane and director/ actor/podcaster/storyteller Kevin Smith coming this year.

“We do our best to listen to attendees as to who they want to see at the show. Just because somebody asks for a certain celebrity doesn’t mean that it can happen but we always look into it. At no point has someone said “You should get this person” and I say ‘No I am not going to investigate that.’ I always check to see what is happening with that person and if we even know how to get in touch with that person. It is like being caught between a rock and a hard place. You can ask for guest X and maybe we can make it happen but what price tag is that worth too you? It is a different answer with every person and a guessing game as to what the fans want to see and will be happy with. There are contractual obligations on the guest side we need to fulfill as well. I spend a lot of time going to other conventions and observing and seeing how things are panning out at other shows.”

The “con circuit” has a past reputation of just bringing out former TV stars that have not appeared in anything in years.

Today’s con blends nostalgia, such as Boy Meets World stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong with stars from today’s top TV shows like The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun and Game of Thrones Kristian Nairn.

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 photo by Candice Ward

“The great thing happening currently with things like Netflix and the resurgence of comic book movies and TV shows, it’s really bringing a new generation of guests to the table. We adapt with the times and what is current and nostalgic and what people are asking for and try to be as creative and diverse as possible.”

Part of the appeal of the expo is to connect with the guests, whether it is a conversation at the autograph table, asking a question during a panel, or having a special moment during a photo op. Images flood online of these interactions which makes Thomas happy.

“John Barrowman is an experience to get a photo with, he makes every person feel special. I cannot speak highly enough of him as a person and his fan interaction. It is hard to name a favorite, we have dealt with hundreds of guests over the year and everyone has their own way of interacting. The cast from Lost Girls sticks out in my mind as having tons of fun. Will Freidle is a hoot, if you get a photo with him he is just really funny and friendly and has a good time. Mostly everybody is there because they want to meet the fans and interact and are great in giving a great experience.”

What is difficult is making those connections with guests that later pass away. In recent months former guests Carrie Fisher, Richard Hatch, and Bill Paxton died, making their appearances bittersweet.

“Carrie is a very emotional one for me. She was such an incredibly inspiring woman. I know a lot of people use words like that and it becomes cliché but on a deep and personal level it was an honor to know her. She had a very sincere and deep and impact on my life and my challenges with depression. To have her as this sort of royalty to look up to and talk to and get advice from, she was amazing and is deeply missed every day. Bill Paxton was the sort of guest that made me laugh all the time. He was a really funny, genuine, kind person who was in awe of this convention world he had just newly gotten into. He was a delight to be around and a fantastic storyteller. Richard was a down to earth person who liked to give acting and improve classes with people. He was that guy you felt you could be best friends with. Three really great people and it is a big loss.” www.gaycalgary.com

There are many challenges to arranging guests including the guests personal beliefs. Some expo fans expressed disappointment that Kevin Sorbo appears at this year’s show. Sorbo’s Facebook page is frequently filled with right wing, homophobic, and antichoice rhetoric which some feel is a stark contrast to the Expo’s culture of acceptance.

“That is a really good question and one I have wrestled with myself. I would consider myself Bi so it is hard. At what point do I draw the line between my personal values and making sure the guests that we bring in agree with those values. I don’t always pay attention to what the guests are saying online in terms of politics or religion. At the end of the day it is an entertainment expo and we are bringing in someone because they were part of a show not because they believe a certain thing. I know he is more on the conservative side but I don’t read his Facebook or read his twitter feed. How much investigation do we need to put into things like people’s religious backgrounds or beliefs. Where do we draw the line? I have my personal convictions that I want to hold true too, but those convictions as much as I have tried to put that in the show and it is very welcoming. I would openly say I disagree with those politics. Does that mean all of our guests have to reflect those values? I would love it if they did. At the end of the day is that a realistic expectation, I don’t know? I want everybody to love everybody else and get along and for it to be a safe space. We also want to bring in people fans want to see. At what point does personal opinion on things come into that? It is a really tough line and I am really conflicted about it.”

That said, attendees can simply choose not to support guests whose beliefs differ from theirs.

“If you are not in agreeance with where he stands on things then just avoid. I also believe in calm and friendly discussion.

I have more conservative friends that I have had friendly open conversations with and over the years there have been changes.

For me personally I don’t want to live in an echo chamber and have those conversations with people and talk about it instead of just cutting people out of my life because that won’t change anything either.”

One of the guests who definitely fits the accepting bill is Kevin Smith, who appears Saturday for photo ops with Jason Mewes before they take the stage at the Stampede Corral for the special ticketed event Jay & Silent Bob Get Old. “Kevin Smith is just awesome in terms of being a storyteller and overall nice guy. That was definitely a long process to get Kevin.

Just because something doesn’t happen doesn’t mean we haven’t tried. Having Kevin is something we have been hoping to have happen for several years and it finally worked out to bring him to the show. He loves telling stories and the podcast aspect. It is going to be an entertaining night.”

To some, the role of Emily Expo sounds like a dream job, traveling to different conventions and rubbing elbows with famous folks. While it is a dream job, it has its share of challenges from dealing with agents and the stars to negative comments online.

“I do take things personally if somebody is unhappy and I feel the need to make them happy. That is a trait that has been difficult to manage because you are dealing with that many people. If 100 people complain out of 100,000 that is a small percentage but the voices of that 100 people can be hard to hear. I try to extrapolate why they are unhappy. I try to encourage people instead of saying the lineup sucks tell us who you want to see. Just saying it sucks that gives us no direction to go off of and improve to their satisfaction. So the number one thing is there anything positive I can take from it. After that, I am really strict about diet and exercise and taking mental health breaks. I do a lot of reading, even when it is really busy it is important I get my reading and exercise in to clear my head,” Thomas said, adding she thinks most people grasp how challenging her job is.

“I think a lot of people do understand. There was a comment from one of our other shows where somebody said There is absolutely no good reason why you haven’t had Mark Hamill at your show. And I thought there are actually three great reasons why he couldn’t make it. It is funny. From the outside, there is still the minority that thinks it’s just a matter of picking up the www.gaycalgary.com

phone and inviting them, but there are 1000 different steps in between that in order to make it happen. We have invited Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Mark Hamill. There are very few people that someone could name that I haven’t tried for that person yet. People are picking up on the fact that it is a lot of work.”

That work all pays off when Thomas sees the smiling faces of attendees. Come Sunday night she can look back knowing that she and the entire expo team of staff and volunteers pulled off something special once again for Calgary.

“I hope people come out and see the show. Lots for people to see and do and I look forward to seeing everybody.”

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo http://www.CalgaryExpo.com April 27th – 30th 2017 BMO Centre – Stampede Grounds http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5521 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments  Fairytales Film Festival 2017 - From Page 21 Closet, is also back after making a big splash at last year’s festival, and this time there will be a much larger venue to accommodate the enthusiastic crowd. According to James, there had been nearly twice the response expected at last year’s festival.

For anyone unfamiliar with the event, James described it as “people reading their childhood journals.” “They can’t edit the source material in this case, they just have to read what they actually wrote which makes it much more interesting.” Indeed, going back and reading work from before coming out can be an intimate thing. The popular spoken-word event takes place on the 25th of May. As for this year’s KINK party on May 26th, a dramatization of the life of the erotic artist, Tom of Finland, titled the same, will be featured. Tom of Finland started doing art in 1947 in occupied Finland and came of age during the mafia occupation.

This influenced his militaristic uniform style of art, which in turn, James said, “developed what we understand as modern north American perception of leather culture.”

As for new events happening for the first time this year, James mentioned a “mystery film”. When pressed for details, he only said the film would be open to volunteers and pass-holders.

“Why would I tell a reporter?” So, if the mystery’s killing you, there’s one more reason to go get your passes now!

Before saying goodbye, GC asked James for one final recommendation: an “underdog” of sorts. James is quick to answer with the recommendation of Gloria and Grace, showing on the 21st at 9pm. It’s a film about estranged siblings coming together again after a terrible diagnosis. Like all the films lined up for this year’s Fairy Tale Film Fest, this one will be worth a watch.

Fairy Tales Film Festival 2017 http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com/ May 19 to 27, 20017 Various venues http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5527 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

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Walking With Giants Meeting Thailand’s Elephants A Magical Experience

By Jason Clevett For centuries, humans and elephants have been connected. We continue to be amazed by these massive animals that have captured our hearts and imaginations. Both the African and Asian elephants are endangered, and connecting with them inspires humans to continue to fight to save them.

Thailand’s history with the Asian elephant began with logging. Elephants would be used to haul logs out of the forest, and generations of mahouts made a living for their families in this manner. When logging with elephants was banned in 1989, thousands of elephants and mahouts were suddenly unemployed. This lead to a turn to tourism. This practice has not been without controversy, and images of abused and injured elephants show the dark side of the industry. Many visitors to Thailand are told by friends “do not ride elephants.”

It is a valid concern, however there are ethical and humane organizations that work with elephants.

One such organization is The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF.) Located at and supported by

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the Anantara Golden Triangle and Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle near Chang Rai, they offer elephant encounters that are done safely for humans and elephants alike. Mahouts are provided with insurance for their families and elephants.

Mahouts’ aspirations for a decent standard of living caused GTAEF set about creating circumstances where they could provide this for the mahouts and their families. By showing that an elephant camp can amply provide their mahouts’ financial and material needs, ensuring they live comfortably, they believe we can encourage other mahouts to demand this of any facility that chooses to keep elephants. The elephants themselves “work” short periods with multiple breaks and reside in forested areas instead of cities and beaches. GTAEF lists several aims on their website.

To help elephants that cannot help themselves; to assist those that find themselves, through abuse or circumstance, unable to provide and maintain an income for themselves, their mahouts and their families.

• Through our working elephants, we aim to show that it is possible for elephants and mahouts to earn a living while maintaining world class standards of care and not resorting to dangerous or demeaning work such as street begging, illegal logging or inappropriate elephant shows.

• To provide a controllable and safe environment for publishing research scientists and veterinarians to perform ethical and non-invasive research into Asian elephants, their behavior and intelligence, with the goal of learning how to better look after them in captivity and protect them in the wild.

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 Phuket - From Page 32 • To work with conservationists to protect those elephants still living wild in Thailand and to develop projects that allow them to live comfortably in the forests. We also work with the human communities surrounding the elephant territory to minimize the ill will felt by those whose livelihoods are compromised by Human Elephant Conflict.

It was evident in talking with the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Resort staff – including the elephant manager and volunteers – how important the care of the elephants was. They do not buy elephants, instead renting them which reduces the impact on wild populations. The elephants live in a multi-acre forest with rivers to bathe in and opportunities to roam. While in an ideal world the elephants would be wild, the fact remains that there are thousands of elephants in Asia that are part of the culture and cannot be returned to the disappearing wilderness.

Our experience with the elephants began early in the morning, where we joined the mahouts in the elephant’s morning routine. Soon we were taught how to climb onto the elephants – no platforms or multiple people per elephant – and shown some of the commands used to guide the elephants. It was explained and demonstrated how the elephant hooks are used not as punishment but as a guide.

Riding an elephant is a difficult experience to describe. As I sat just behind the head of my elephant for the experience, E-wong, I could feel the muscles move beneath me with every step. Towering above the ground it can be disorienting and take a bit to adjust to the movement. Once comfortable, the

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experience of the sights and sounds of the jungle and the massive elephant beneath you is both relaxing and exhilarating.

When we arrived at our destination, we disembarked our rides and watched the mahout’s feed and wash the elephants.

Volunteers and mahouts’ told us the history of some of the elephants and the work that GTAEF does. In addition to the elephants, the Mahouts’ families make silk and weave scarves and make other items to sell.

All too soon, we once again climbed upon the elephants and walked to the hotel lobby. Our group had a hard time saying goodbye as we quickly had become attached to the animals.

Thailand has many amazing experiences but our few hours with the elephants in Chang Rai was a standout.

If you are heading to Thailand and want to experience elephants, the important thing is to ask questions. How many hours do the elephants work? What environment are they kept in? With thorough research you can discover the right organizations and also have the once in a lifetime experience of walking with giants.

Tourism Thailand http://www.tourismthailand.org The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation http://helpingelephants.org http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5534 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Putting A “Spike” In The Calgary Expo James Marsters returns to Calgary  photo by 20th Century Fox Television

By Jason Clevett

“I remember the massive amount of people that showed up.

It was just a sea of people. That is always an amazing feeling to have that many people staring at you. There were a lot of people that wanted to meet me. I remember the people of Calgary being comfortable in their own skin and happy to be living there. It made it a great place for me to have as many conversations as I do throughout the day. Some places in the world people are not as happy to be living in the town they are in and it isn’t as pleasant,” Marsters told GayCalgary. com.

Although Marsters has been in many other major projects including Torchwood, Smallville, and Hawaii Five-0 it is Buffy that has a lasting legacy with fans and its cast. The group recently reunited for the 20th anniversary of the first season for Entertainment Weekly.

“It was really cool. I remember the cast being tired and burned out. Joss Whedon worked us into the ground. Most shows taped 12 hour days, we never did 12 hours 14 was short for us we would go up to 20 hours. It was glorious to see what Sarah is like when she’s rested. To see the rest of the cast when we have all had a good night’s sleep. When you

are making a show as ambitious as Buffy there is a low-grade panic that you wouldn’t get it right. There is something nice about having done it right to come back and celebrate that and it was a nice, easy hang out with friends.”

With recent reunions of casts like Aliens and Star Trek: TNG fans often hope that other cast reunions could happen at an Expo. Buffy is one of the top requests, and Marsters would love to see it happen.

“That would be awesome! I don’t know that I am the person to talk about whether or not that would happen. We all get along really well. If it happened it would be really fun. You would need someone really good at their job to coordinate it because we work a lot. Buffy was a great springboard for careers so we are often in different time zones. If someone was willing to work really hard and work it out I am sure we’d all love to do it.”

It has been 20 years since the start of Buffy and 14 years since it ended and it’s evident from seeing people at events how much the show means to so many. We asked James if there was a point where he realized how important the show had become to fans.

“There wasn’t a single time, it was a slow dawning realization. I knew right from the beginning how good the show could be. I knew it had enormous potential and how proud I was to be on a subversive show in the 90’s showing a young woman being perfectly capable of defending herself was a bit of a revolution and made certain people uncomfortable which I thought was just great. I knew that the writing was some of the best I had ever had in my mouth. I knew that Joss

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The 2012 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo will be remembered for many things, both good and bad. One of the highlights was James Marsters, who portrayed Spike on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel appearing to meet fans. For the actor, it was a memorable experience that has led to his return to the 2017 expo April 27th – 30th.

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 photo by 20th Century Fox Television

Whedon was a genius and his central theme of how do you look at the world and realize how messed up it and not give up was a great theme. There was a dawning realization that it was resonating with people. The internet was young but people were talking about it online. I remember telling Sarah you and I may go on to million dollar paychecks but I am not sure if we are ever going to have the chance to touch the nerve of the world like we are today. So there was a time that we knew it, I am just not sure when it was that it happened.”

Marsters will be performing a live concert on Friday at Cowboys at the official Expo after party.

“At the bottom of things with art is just a group of artists checking to see if they are alone. When I write a song, I am describing something personal and I express it publicly and I am really just checking around me to see if anyone has felt the same thing. I write songs about things that I don’t necessarily tell anybody about, some of my best friends don’t know about things I write songs about. I put those secrets to music and I tell people that I just met my deepest, darkest secrets. There is something scary about it but also something comforting when they don’t walk away. The same thing is

what is glorious about Buffy - all over the world people are saying that they connect with the material of the show and felt the same way about things. It has been this decades long experience of remembering that I am not alone.

James has been to many conventions and is always a pleasure to meet him for photo ops and autographs. It is obvious that he enjoys it as well.

“I am most excited to play music and meet the fans – both the ones that have been with the show since the beginning and fans discovering it now. I’ve met fans as young as 7 years old sometimes. It is always wonderful to meet the teenage fan who has just been introduced to the show and just starting to get something from it. I think that is probably more than anything what the show is for and it is great to see that it is still working and being useful for people.”

The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo http://www.CalgaryExpo.com April 27th – 30th 2017 http://www.jamesmarstersofficial.com/ http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5522 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

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Making America Hopeful Again

Dustin Lance Black on his first time as an activist, the power of collective protesting and changing hearts with ‘When We Rise’

By Chris Azzopardi With an emotionally resonant acceptance speech, Dustin Lance Black accepted the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2009 for Milk, a powerful tribute to gay political hero Harvey Milk. Could an Emmy be next?

It’s possible, even if the 42-year-old Sacramento native is too modest to admit that his latest screen ambition, When We Rise, the accomplished filmmaker’s tremendous sevenpart undertaking chronicling the progressive uprising of the ’60s and ’70s, is certainly golden statue-worthy. Partly inspired by LGBT rights activist Cleve Jones’ memoir, When We Rise: My Life in the Movement, the miniseries sheds light on our foremothers and -fathers who raised hell – working to combat misogyny, homophobia and racism – to create a changed world for future generations of, as the show declares, “others.”

“With this show, I measure success by whether I get a phone call from one of my Southern family members who have never talked about being gay,” Black says. “When that happens, and that conversation is started, it will have succeeded.”

And should that conversation stretch beyond Black’s own parochial loved ones, its influence could be lifechanging for those in the queer population who now find themselves trying to resist the oppression of Trump’s America.

For that reason, When We Rise is shockingly relevant, especially considering its halfcentury-old history isn’t just history – it’s our current reality.

During this intimate conversation with Black, the filmmaker gets candid about the beginning of his activism at age 7, the importance of “we” in any resistance movement, and how sharing a story is the first step in changing a mind.

GC: Tell me how this miniseries ended up on a commercial network like ABC. DLB: This project started for me four years ago, when I heard a rumor that ABC was looking at optioning LGBT history 40

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 photos by ABC

properties, and I called my agent and was like, “Is that true?”

Just four years before, I had to charge the development cost of Milk on my credit card because no one wanted to pay for it – no one was interested! So, I had made my agent book a meeting with the powers that be at ABC, to look them in the eye and see if it was true – and it was. The funny thing is, they said, “We can’t afford you, but who do you think would be good to write and create something like this?” and I just laughed (laughs).

Like, come on!

So, I thought, “Boy, this is an incredible opportunity to tell our LGBT story, or a part of our LGBT story, and not be preaching directly to the choir.” I had other networks that had been interested for a long time in something of this nature, and I thought, “They’re gonna spend more money, they’re gonna give me all the time in the world, it’ll be a great experience and we’ll get it absolutely right… and we’re gonna turn around and preach directly to the choir and we might not change a single mind.” Here, I had a chance to tell our stories on the network that I watched as a kid, because as a kid, I grew up in the South, I grew up in the military, I grew up in a conservative home, in a Christian home, and we trusted ABC because ABC told family stories. I thought, “Well, here’s a chance to finally be able to tell the story of my LGBT family to my actual family,” and that’s what I set out to do. That’s why I think it’s remarkable that it’s on ABC. We’ve come to a place where we can perhaps talk the same language of family between these two Americas, and perhaps change hearts and minds in a time when that seems absolutely, critically necessary.

GC: Did you go to the recent Women’s March? And having shot a similar march for When We Rise, did it feel like history repeating itself?

DLB: I’m living in London, and we certainly walked through Trafalgar Square, which was jammed with thousands of people.

I have to say, I’ve heard the rallying cry at many marches that says, “Gay, straight, black, white, same struggle, same fight.”

But usually it’s either mostly black and a little white, or mostly gay and maybe a few straight, even though we chant that chant.

This is the first time it truly seemed gay, straight, black, white.

It was diverse. And that was, frankly, heartening.

The reason I designed this show the way I designed it was because four years ago, I was concerned that social justice movements were becoming incredibly myopic and selfinterested, forgetting that we need to work together if we’re gonna get anywhere. Not understanding the intersections of our movements, losing sight of where those intersections are, and certainly forgetting the great power that we can gain by working together. So, I was worried. We were becoming divided, and it’s why I insisted when designing the show that I find real people who came from other movements, not just the LGBT

movement – people who came from the women’s movement, the black civil rights movement, the peace movement, and the series eventually touches on immigration and healthcare.

The most important word in the struggle for equality is “we.”

It’s why I told ABC right from the beginning when we designed the title: “We” has to be the biggest word in it. It’s a word we’ve forgotten, and it’s the answer to beating back a backlash. The key is that we have to struggle together. So, I was heartened, frankly, by the diversity I saw, not just in the march that I was physically present for here in London, but the ones I paid careful attention to on TV and online. It gives me a little bit of hope.

When We Rise touches on this glancingly, but I want to remind gay men that the Gay Liberation Front (of 1969) started as a group of men who were feminists because feminism says loud and clear that “gender ought not determine destiny,” and that means one thing to women, but it certainly means that gay men ought to be able to love who they love regardless of gender.

So, gay men need to examine why we haven’t been more vocally feminist.

GC: How was the idea for When We Rise first conceived?

DLB: I toyed with the idea for a long time. After Milk was over, I started to think about other stories that need to be told, and I’m doing other LGBT-themed history projects, but I always wondered, “Was there something bigger, and how would I go about doing that?” As I met people – activists – along the way, I would sort of catalog their names in my head in case I ever got the chance to do something like this, and it was ABC saying they would actually pay for a year of research to really figure out who to depict that set it in motion.

So, it was always something I wanted to do, and I thought ABC was the right home for it. So then, at great personal expense, I set out on a journey. Let me just say nobody made any money off this thing. If anything, my poor agent and business manager were sweating it as we got it to year four.

GC: You have Rachel Griffiths, Mary-Louise Parker and Guy Pearce, and then a terrific cast playing them in their youth.

How did the casting process work for this? Did you have any of these actors in mind while researching the real-life person they’re playing?

DLB: I never think about who will play the parts while I’m writing if it’s based on a true story because I’m working so hard to get the real people right. Certainly, by the time I was writing the finale, I started brainstorming, and I had one dream for (lesbian women’s rights activist) Roma Guy and that was MaryLouise Parker, and I had one dream for Cleve Jones and that was Guy Pearce.

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Then, I got this very emotional, beautiful phone call from Michael K. Williams (who plays Ken Jones, African-American community organizer) while I was at the airport scouting locations in San Francisco. He told me how personally meaningful the scripts were to him, and he talked about the people he lost – his friends and fellow artists in New York – when he was growing up, and I could just tell it was coming from a very personal place, so you can’t beat that personal connection.

The young cast – we went out searching, and we just wanted to cast the very best people. (Transgender civil rights leader) Cecilia Chung was a really interesting one to me. I had said to my casting director that I only wanted to cast trans actors and actresses in the show to play the trans roles, and they brought up Ivory (Aquino) to play Cecilia Chung. I got a little upset with him and said, “You know, I told you it’s important we make an effort and cast trans actors and actresses for these roles,” and he said, “We think you need to get on the phone with Ivory,” and Ivory came out to me as trans on the phone call. She’s now come out to the world.

GC: Why was it important for you to include actual trans actors in the trans roles?

DLB: First and foremost, when I’m casting any role, I’m gonna look for somebody who can bring a part of their experience to the role. They still have to be a great actor, so if I can’t find anyone in the world who shares some experience that they’re about to portray in this character, who’s also a good actor, then I’ll happily go for someone else. And the big surprise is, it was not hard to find amazing trans actors and actresses to play these parts. What was difficult was deciding who to cast because so many great tapes came in. So, I call bullshit on Hollywood if they say it’s difficult. And if they think it’s difficult, then they should call our casting directors because they found unbelievable trans actors and actresses, and it was actually tough to decide who to cast.

GC: I think people have the impression it is difficult based on what they’ve heard from directors and casting agents, so this is refreshing to hear.

DLB: It’s not true. I’ll tell you what was difficult: Years ago, it was difficult to find openly gay actors to play openly gay roles – that was difficult. When we were doing Milk, that’s what we said we wanted to do, and the studio gave us full permission to do that. So, we called agents and manager friends and they all said 42

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they didn’t have any gay actors or actresses, which is funny since I knew some of their clients were gay! (Laughs) It was very frustrating, but thankfully that’s begun to change as well, particularly in this young generation of actors and actress who, in one way or another, have come out on social media when they were kids and there’s no putting them back in the closet in today’s social-media age.

An interesting tidbit to share is, they also worked incredibly hard with the real people when that was possible. For both the young cast and the old cast, on my own dime, I flew up the real people to wherever we were shooting so they could be there to work with the costume department, the set design department and the actors, just to make sure we were as close to truthful as possible.

GC: Do you remember the first time you stood up for something you believed in?

DLB: (Ponders) My mom was paralyzed from polio since she was 7 years old. She had the use of her arms, but that was about it. So, I grew up with a severely disabled mom, and I didn’t quite know that or realize that until I was probably 7 years old, somewhere in the early years of elementary school when we started having to be out in public with strangers. The way they looked at her and the way they treated her, it ate at me.

I was an incredibly shy kid. I rarely said a word in school.

But there was this student named Anthony who was severely mentally disabled, and he would get bullied constantly. I remember the time I finally stood up for him. I was very afraid, because I was a tiny little thing (laughs). And I remember trembling, but the bullies backed down. I told that story to my mom, and my mom looked me in the eyes and said, “You have a strong sense of justice – where does that come from?” And the answer is pretty obvious: I was hiding a pretty big difference of my own, and I knew at that point that I had crushes on my guy friends and not the girls in school. Certainly, having watched my mom being treated so differently because of her difference, those sorts of moments of witness instilled a sense of justice in me.

GC: And now you are one of our most recognized activists.

DLB: Well, your job’s incredibly important right now. I can’t overstate how much we depend on journalists right now to stand up for the truth, so good on you.

GC: We both tell stories about LGBT people, and I imagine, like me, you hope that non-queers see your work and come away with a sense of just... humanity.

DLB: That’s the key, isn’t it? Listen, this show is for ABC. As a kid who grew up watching ABC in the South in a Christian, military home I knew I could show up at the dinner table with all the laws and facts and science I wanted and I wouldn’t change a single mind. You want to change a mind in that other America? You gotta lead from the heart, and you do that by telling stories, not by arguing facts or the Constitution.

So, that’s what I came armed with for When We Rise. I went out and did my best to find true stories – in particular, stories of families, because the family story transcends these two Americas. There’s not a lot we think we have in common right now, but both Americas have family stories, and we can both be moved by each other’s family stories. That’s why I mine family stories: the families we lost when so many of us were outed or came out, the makeshift families we had to build to survive, and eventually the families we were able to build and raise.

So, by that design, you tell an emotional story, you can change a heart; if you can change a heart, you can change a mind; you change a mind, you can change the law. But it goes in that order, and so this is the first step of that. Let’s try and change some hearts.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5535 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Photography Queers on Campus Gender Bender at Dickens Pub, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1328

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Photography Jasper Pride 2017 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1315

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Photography

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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Photography Queers and Beers YYC at the Still, Calgary

Simon Dunn Bye Calgary Event at the Backlot, Calgary

http://gaycalgary.com/pa1327

http://gaycalgary.com/pa1326

Heart of Excellence Launch Event at CIBO Restaurant, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1325

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News Releases Kenyth Mogan Reveals Himself in New Pop Single, “REAL ME”

NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Luck of the Irish

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2369

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2376

The Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2017 names the homo-friendliest travel destinations worldwide

Calgary Outlink Announces the 2017 LGBTQ+ Award Nominees

Included in Del Shore’s Upcoming Film, “A Very Sordid Wedding” Kenyth Mogan, the out singer who’s debut music video...

The Spartacus International Gay Guide has just published the updated http://www.gaycalgary. com/n2370

Lesbian and Bisexual Women and Trans and Intersex People Are Left Behind

Every year on International Women’s Day we are reminded that we still live in a world where most women are left behind. This is...

What would you wish for if you met a leprechaun? Tyler Richmeier and Ray Tezanos learn to be careful what they wish for when...

Calgary Outlink: Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity announced this week the nominees for the Heart of Excellence 2017 LGBTQ+... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2377

Queers and Beers YYC official launch!

We are excited to announce the launch of Queers and Beers YYC after recognizing a lack of diversity at local LGBTQ events – especially... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2378

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2371

Trump’s Executive Order Will Lead to Persecution of LGBTIQ People Globally

On Monday, President Donald Trump signed into power an Executive Order to block citizens of six majority Muslim countries from... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2372

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Basix - No Labels Needed

Watch these California boys enjoy a beautiful day by the pool while showing off our new basix collection Andrew Christian Models:... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2373

Trump’s Attack on Trans Students has International Impact In the past 48 hours, the world was reminded in three gruesome incidents that transgender people are subjected to violence and...

Book Launch - Assdeep in Wonder at Shelf Life Books March 23 Christopher Gudgeon will launch his debut poetry collection, Assdeep in Wonder, at Shelf Life Books (1302-4th Street SW) in Calgary... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2379

Anti-LGBTIQ Hate Bus Tours The United States

The so-called FreeSpeechBus, is currently spreading its hateful message through the streets of New York City. The organizers behind... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2380

NSFW - Bruno Gmünder Book News in April 2017

New in April 2017 from Bruno Gmünder Group. Click on photos for more info on each book. Visit their website today! http://www. gaycalgary.com/n2381

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2374

Web Series “Made With Love” Releases Exciting Trailer

Made With Love, a new, exciting, queer web series has released a trailer. Created by Justine Stevens and Erin Carter the show... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2375

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Canadian Series Dorian Gray Picked Up By Global LGBTQ Streaming Service

There is a lot of quality queer content being made in Canada, but given the regulatory framework surrounding funding and distribution... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2382

www.gaycalgary.com

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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.niteowlyyc.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 (closed) -----------------  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 #159, April 2017

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Directory & Events Fetish Slosh----------------------------  Evening

Calgary Events

At 3 Backlot

Mondays

 2nd

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

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

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

Saturdays

Coffee------------------------------------ 10am

By Prime Timers Calgary  Midtown Co-op (1130 - 11th Ave SW)

Karaoke-----------------------------------  7pm

At 5 Goliaths

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

ASK Meet and Greet----------------  7-9:30pm

Wednesdays

Fridays

Communion Service-----------------  12:10pm

Inside Out Youth Group---------------- 7-9pm

See

ISCCA BBQs--------------------------------Dinner

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am

Worship Time---------------------------- 10am

At 5 Goliaths

Illusions-------------------------------  7-10pm

Tuesdays

Calgary Networking Club-------------- 5-7pm

Mosaic Youth Group--------------------  7-9pm

Womynspace---------------------------- 7-9pm

Worship------------------------------  10:30am

Beers for Queers--------------------------  6pm

Thursdays

New Directions-------------------------- 7-9pm

Sunday Services---------------------  10:45am

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am

 Kerby Center, Sunshine Room 1133 7th Ave SW

Heading Out----------------------- 8pm-10pm

Worship Services------------------------- 11am

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

Church Service----------------------------  4pm

Buddy Night-------------------------  6pm-6am

 Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE) See 1 Calgary Outlink

See 1 Calgary Outlink By

 1st

YYC Badboys at 13 The Pint

At 5 Goliaths

At 3 Backlot

Knox United Church

 Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)

Lesbian Seniors---------------------------  2pm

 3rd

Between Men--------------------------- 7-9pm Karaoke-------------------------  8pm-12:30am

Lesbian Meetup Group-------------  7:30-9pm

 2nd, 4th

At 4 Texas Lounge

ISCCA at 3 Backlot

See 1 Calgary Outlink

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

• Tennis

 tennis@apollocalgary.com

• Yoga

 Robin: 403-618-9642  yoga@apollocalgary.com

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.

54

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 #159, April 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 (CLOSED)

 11725 Jasper Ave  780-488-6557

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.

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 #159, April 2017

55

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 #159, April 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

56

 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

• Book Club

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

Theatre & Fine Arts The Roxy Theatre (closed)

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

BANFF HIV Community Link

JASPER Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival

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

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

LETHBRIDGE

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

Pride Lethbridge

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

Egale Canada

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.

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

Theatre & Fine Arts Broadway Across Canada

 http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca

Community Groups

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

www.gaycalgary.com

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

HIV Community Link

• Monthly Dances

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

Products & Services Interactive Male

MEDICINE HAT

• Sports and Recreation

Restaurants & Pubs

 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.

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.

 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.

CANADA

 P..O. Box 3043, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3S9  (306) 955-5135  1-800-955-5129  http://www.rainbowhealth.ca

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

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

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

Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

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

Youth Understanding Youth

Theatre & Fine Arts

Community Groups

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

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

Community Groups GALA/LA

 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

Community Groups

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

 galia@uleth.ca

• Movie Night

 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

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

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 #159, April 2017

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GayCalgary Magazine #159, April 2017

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