GayCalgary Magazine - August 2017

AUGUST 2017

® ISSUE 162 • FREE The Voice of Alberta’s LGBTQ Community

Patrick Masse

talks duet with Drake Jensen

Interview with

ACID BETTY

Jacen Zhu

Gay Geek and Cocky Boys

PLUS:

Emily Expo • Walking in Their Shoes Randy Boissonnault • Garrett Wang Travel - Calabria, Italy ...and more!

Business Directory

Joey Suarez

Scan to Read on Mobile Devices

Community Map

Calgary • Alberta • Canada

Events Calendar

Brings EDM to Mainstream

Tourist Information

STARTING ON PAGE 89

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GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

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GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

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Table of Contents

Videography Photography Steve Polyak

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

Legal Council

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

General Inquiries ® GayCalgary Magazine Distribution

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

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

Thisand Month's Cover GayCalgary Edmonton Magazine Main: Acid Betty.

Patrick 2136Top 17thRight: Avenue SW Masse. Mid Right: JacenCalgary, Zhu. Bottom Right: Joey Suarez.

AB, Canada T2T 0G3

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 Proud Member Pictures; Annie Lennox courtesy ofof: Mike Owen; Rex Goudie.

Proud Members of:

VOICES, Calgary Pride and Uniformed Officers

12 Letters to the Editor

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Writers and Contributors

Jason Mercedes Clevett, Allen, Janine ChrisEva-Trotta, Azzopardi, GayRealEstate.

Dallas Barnes, Dave com,Brousseau, Evan Kayne, Sam LisaCasselman, Lunney, Steve JasonPolyak, Clevett, Andrew Romeo Collins, San Vicente, EmilyBrandon Collins, Rob Schultz, Diaz-Marino, and the Janine LGBTEva Community Trotta, Jack of Calgary, Fertig, Glen Edmonton, Hanson,and Joan Hilty, Evan Kayne, Stephen Alberta.Lock, Neil McMullen, Allan Neuwirth, Steve Polyak, Carey Rutherford, Romeo San Vicente, Ed Sikov, Nick Vivian and Photography the GLBT Community Calgary, Edmonton, and SteveofPolyak Alberta.

7 Publisher’s Column Walking in Their Shoes 15 Festival Season Heats up with 18th Annual Calgary International Film Festival This Year Sees Six LGBTQ Tagged Selections

17 Emily Expo

LGBTQ+ Inclusion at the Comic Expo

19 Calgary Stampede 2017 Midways and Memories

21 Canadian Talent Shines on 2017 24 Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Helps Other LGBTQ Witnesses recover from religion

26 Garrett Wang

e n zi

His love of the Aliens movie and Canadian Comic Conventions

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28 Corey Hart Stomps into Calgary

Montreal Rocker Headlines an Excellent Oxford Stomp

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30 Deep Inside Hollywood

Gus Vant Sant, Matt Bomer, ‘Novitiate,’ Bisexual ‘Beach Rats’

32 Made With Love

Classy Cocktail Competition Overdoses on Confection

PAGE 40

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

AUGUST 2017

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®

36 Queer Eye - Edmonton Pride 2017

40 Calabria The Real Italy

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association

Gay European Tourism Association

54 LGBT Dance Musician Joey Suarez Brings EDM to Mainstream

PAGE 54

50 Queer Eye - Lethbridge Pride 2017

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

Continued on Next Page  www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

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Table of Contents  Continued From Previous Page

58 T-fal PerformaPro Frying Pan

®

Easy to Clean and Stainless Steel

60 Philips Viva Pasta and Noodle Maker

PAGE 64

Make Fresh Pasta with Little Effort

64 Randy Boissonnault Federal Government and the LGBTQ community

66 Go Your Own Way

Country Singer Patrick Masse talks about his duet with Drake Jensen

68 Things that May Turn Off Potential Buyers

70 Jacen Zhu PAGE 66

Gay Geek, The Flash, and Cocky Boys

72 Acid Betty talks about RuPaul’s Drag Race and Big Brother 74 Queer Eye

e n zi

86 News Releases 89 Directory and Events

PAGE 70

94 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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Editorial

Publisher’s Column Walking in Their Shoes

VOICES, Calgary Pride and Uniformed Officers

by Steve Polyak This has been the hardest Publisher’s Column I have had to write. I rewrote parts many times as new information arrived, also trying not to offend people I know in the community. In the end, there will still be some who won’t be happy. I can’t bring up everything I want to either, or it would be at least twice as long as it is now, so you will see lots of links to prior articles we have done as reference.

Calgary Police Service My personal experience with CPS has been mostly positive.

Constable Andy Buck had been writing for GayCalgary since March 2013 (http://gaycalgary.com/a3381) and his replacement, Constable Dyana McElroy, has stated she will continue writing the community safety column for us over the next couple of months. Andy was writing for us to provide a friendly face for the CPS who people in the community could talk to. Prior to Andy we worked with Constable Lynn McDonald, who also was easy to deal with. We interviewed her back in October, 2009, for the article “The Police Service: Are GLBT Trust Issues Unfounded?” (http://gaycalgary.com/a1414) as well as in July, 2009, for the article “The CPS Diversity Resources Unit: Keeping us Equal in the Eyes of the Law” (http://gaycalgary.com/a1324).

Prior to Lynn, officers who were put in charge of the LGBT diversity portfolio were nice enough to stand for photos, but nothing much else. For the first several years of running the magazine I requested several times to sit in on a meeting with the gay and lesbian police advisory board, and was constantly turned down. Andy disclosed, in our August 2013 edition (http:// gaycalgary.com/a3615), who was on the board at the time, but I feel that most of what they do has been kept behind closed doors.

Rob and I once needed to file a police report at the CPS office downtown. The officer we dealt with kept laughing and smirking while we were dropping off the information. For us, this was a serious situation, but he decided to not act professional. As we often get prank phone calls and threats, Rob and I would sometimes call in and let CPS know. We were not always taken seriously. In the end, we stopped phoning and talking to officers other than Andy or Lynn.

During the 25 years of doing Men for Men and GayCalgary, I remember CPS walking through the gay bars, and both staff and customers being on edge. You never knew if they were coming in to shut the bar down, arrest someone, or intimidate. When we are at events, I find that officers become more approachable when they are out of uniform.

When I have my camera gear on, I am working, not drinking or partying. The gear becomes my buffer. I’m not a prude, I’m just in my work zone. Once the camera is put away, then I can have a drink and enjoy myself. So, when I see a police officer in uniform, regardless if they are the LGBTQ Liaison officer or not, I know they are professionals in their zone, not just there to hang out.

 VOICES marching in the Calgary Pride Parade 2016

anger. I did not post anything on Facebook and only discussed it with close people around me.

As I cooled down, I started to understand why my access was refused. Yes, I have white mail privilege, but my mom and dad came to Canada as Hungarian refugees, which there are many of in VOICES. People in the group have been treated poorly by people of privilege and did not want racist or bigoted dialogue to happen. Being able to reflect on myself and what others go through daily made me understand what VOICES was about.

VOICES – Coalitions of Calgary’s People of Colour My first experience with VOICES was not a pleasant one. I wanted to attend one of their meetings, which seemed like it was ok prior to showing up. But when I arrived, I was kept outside the meeting room and told 20 to 30 minutes later that they were uneasy having me in the room because of my white male privilege.

I was pissed off that they were unwilling to meet with me because of my skin colour and left. For several hours, I stewed on my

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 From Previous Page wrote about these conversations in his February 2017 column (http://gaycalgary.com/a5476). It was expressed in his article that because of these talks, they brought a member of VOICES onto the advisory board I can fully understand concerns about the Calgary Police walking in the Pride Parade in complete uniform. If you are coming from a country where it is illegal to be gay, or where there has been a military takeover, seeing someone marching, armed with a gun, in what is meant to feel positive can send a mixed message. I have callers, several times a month, new to Canada who think they need to be registered, acquire a license, or be classed as a sexual deviant to be gay here. They phone asking for the Gay Card.

We now know with certainty that people of colour are questioned by police more than those who are white. Transgender people have issues with being called the wrong pronoun, or by their former name. The Indigenous community of Treaty 7 also have issues with the police, and want pride to be more inclusive; to include the two-spirit community which has gone through a lot of white washing by the Christian missions across North America. We have written three articles on this topic and will be adding more.

“Two Spirit are Not Gay! Part One: Men” (http://gaycalgary.com/ a4303), “Two-Spirit are Not Gay? Part two” (http://gaycalgary. com/a4599), and “Transgendered, Two Spirit, First Nations: Who are They?” (http://gaycalgary.com/a5376).

Calgary Pride

 Calgary Police marching in the Calgary Pride Parade 2016

One of GayCalgary’s writers was allowed into the meeting.

The article ran in the August 2016 edition, “Privilege and Pride – VOICES: The Coalition of Calgary’s POC Demand Equality” (http://gaycalgary.com/a5224 ). As pointed out in the article, people that are part of VOICES identify, to name a few, as Indigenous Canadians, Filipino-Canadian, Afro-Americans, Afro-Caribbean, Africans, Mexicans, Chinese-Canadians, and second generation Canadian immigrants. They discussed police involvement with Calgary Pride, as well as missing aboriginal women, domestic violence, systemic racism, modern slavery and police/authoritative harassments.

The list of demands ran in the article unedited and in its entirety. It included: - No police gear present (in the Pride Parade) - Attend as people not police officers/civilians (at the Pride events) - Pride to acknowledge Treaty before they hold events (Treaty Land Entitlement) The complete list was also announced at Calgary Pride 2016 at the Street Festival by Rae Spoon, also the Grand Marshal.

VOICES started both the Calgary Dyke and Trans March 2016, as well as the Calgary Pride 2016 March. They let people know they existed more than a year prior to Calgary Pride 2017, but people in the LGBTQ+ Community took it as they just came out of nowhere. They had discussions with Calgary Pride and CPS a whole year before the press releases came out. Even Andy Buck 8

GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

The origin of Pride goes back to the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969. Police raids of gay bars and establishments were extremely common in the United States and parts of Canada. To help keep Stonewall Inn and other gay bars off police radars, an officer would stop by once a week to collect envelopes of bribe money.

At the raid that happened on June 28, 1969, the police were not fully ready to deal with the arrests. Two trans women of colour – Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera – threw the first brick and bottle at the police, inciting other patrons to do the same.

The first Gay Pride parade happened on June 28, 1970, which marched from Greenwich Village to the Sheep Meadow in Central Park.

In Canada, years prior to the Stonewall riots, Pierre Trudeau – while still Justice Minister – introduced legislation to decriminalize same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults on December 22, 1967. In 1969, it was passed into law. In August, 1971, the first gay rights protests occurred in Ottawa and Vancouver and a year later Toronto held their first Pride celebration.

This year, Calgary Pride celebrates its 27th anniversary. All 27 years have had their own controversies. Some have been small, like getting the Dykes on Bikes to cover their breasts, approving mainstream straight sponsors and venues for Pride Dances, or changing dates from June to September.

In December, 2002, the bathhouse in Calgary was raided. Keith Purdy, who was chair of then called Pride Calgary, spoke against it. He believed that the Calgary Police service had crossed a line in the gay community and that the charges were unusual. The LGBTQ+ liaison officer did not even know the raid was going to happen. Members of the LGBTQ+ community thought that Pride Calgary should not have spoken out against the raid on behalf of the community, and voted to replace the board at the next AGM following Calgary Pride 2003.

I attended that AGM and, sadly, it was not pleasant. They lambasted the board for using ‘straight mainstream media’, which was FFWD, as a sponsor and Pride guide for 2003. GayCalgary was also a sponsor, but advertising was only on the GayCalgary website, computer terminal displays and TVs at some of the gay bars. FFWD provided both advertising and the guide for free; local gay media was wanting to charge to cover their costs.

The board was completely replaced with members of the community, which included other gay bar owners and management. I decided to join the board too, because I could see that if you were not on the Pride board, you were excluded. I also announced that GayCalgary Magazine would launch within a month and continue its sponsorship with Pride Calgary as well www.gaycalgary.com

“- Participating staff and officers of Calgary Police Services and other law enforcement agencies (RCMP, Correctional Services, etc.) will participate without uniforms, firearms, vehicles, or any forms of institutional representation, such as floats etc.

as provide space in the magazine for their Pride Guide gratis.

Although I had given thought to doing a magazine before, it took a very heated Pride Calgary AGM to finally push me to launch GayCalgary Magazine.

I soon realized that being on the board was a conflict of interest, and resigned. People have asked Rob and I to join other non-profit group boards, but if we sponsor the event through GayCalgary, we can’t sit on the board because our business could be seen as benefitting from it.

The bathhouse reopened just over a month after the raid and continues still to run. In February, 2005, the charges were stayed with the Crown’s concession that there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction, due to changing community standards of tolerance. We had articles written about this in the magazine going back to our second edition, (http://gaycalgary.com/a2015) and in September 2004, “Here We Go Again: Further Attacks on Gay Space” (http://gaycalgary.com/a401).

Though police start and sometimes end the Pride parade, September of 2009 was the first time I saw police have an actual entry in the parade, including three police vehicles: a Smart Car and two vans, driven by uniformed officers. September, 2010, Lynn MacDonald was the sole officer who walked the parade in uniform, alongside the same three police vehicles as the year prior. Eventually the number of officers in the Calgary Pride Parade grew to 80, not including the ones acting as security, in 2016.

Calgary Pride put out a press release for Pride 2017 on July 26th: “Calgary Pride Parade and Law Enforcement Participation” (http://gaycalgary.com/n2471). The same day VOICES put out one of their own: “VOICES - Statement of Support to Calgary Pride on Police Participation” (http://gaycalgary.com/n2472); and Calgary Police Service followed suit: “Calgary Police Service to Participate in Pride Parade” (http://gaycalgary.com/n2473).

Calgary Pride outlined the following conditions:

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- Calgary Police Services Chief of Police Roger Chaffin, and Deputy Chief of Police Sat Parhar, in addition to the Senior Executive team of Calgary Police Services will engage in formal Diversity and Inclusion training, prior to displaying institutional representation within future Calgary Pride activities. Similar conversations will take place with other law enforcement agencies. We believe CPS Senior Executive team’s engagement in formal Diversity and Inclusion training will demonstrate their commitment to allyship and creating a cultural shift in law enforcement agencies’ approach to diversity and inclusion, within a top-down approach. This commitment will strengthen community relations with Calgary’s gender and sexually diverse community. The proposed date of this training will be announced when details have been finalized.”

The Calgary Police Service press release stated the following: “We will have an entry in the 2017 Pride Parade and will respect the request of Calgary Pride that no uniforms be worn.

The decision to march in the parade has always been a personal decision made by members, which is then supported by the Service. The 2017 entry will provide members who still want to march in the parade out of uniform the opportunity to do so.

“We are obviously disappointed with the decision that police will not be allowed to march in uniform, but we are not going to allow it to undo decades of progress between law enforcement

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and the LGBTQ* community in Calgary,” says Chief Constable Roger Chaffin. “We have a far better relationship with the LGBTQ* community now than we did even ten years ago and we want to keep that forward momentum.”

LGBTQ+ Community and Main Stream Media Spin All three press releases were run on the GayCalgary website, and mainstream media should have received the same. But from the VOICES press release, there were headlines and confusion generated that the Calgary Police were totally barred from the Pride Parade, which was not the case. Calgary Pride clarified that the Calgary Police would be in complete uniform at the Street Festival at their booth; this condition of no uniforms was specific to the parade, which is symbolic of the early protest marches of gay pride.

I knew something was up when these press releases came out.

A mainstream TV station called me around noon, pressuring me to go on camera. I asked whom else would they be interviewing.

When they explained it was going to be a specific provincial politician, who has nothing to do with the gay community, the local police, does not participate in gay pride parades and does not live in Calgary, I asked, “Why would you want to interview him?”. Well he always has something negative to say about the gay community. I declined all interviews.

I knew that media were going to use this to create conflict and click-bate to drive traffic to their websites. Those types of articles began getting posted, which fueled the conversations all over Facebook and social media. People were no longer seeing the whole picture; they thought that Calgary Pride was barring the Calgary Police from the parade.

Calgary Pride has needed to put their foot down on entries before. First of all, they have limited space and funds. With 150 floats, the parade is already going for two hours. Entry is first

come first serve, so if organizations don’t sign up in time, they usually miss getting in.

Secondly, allowing conservative politicians turned out to be a big mistake. Liberals and NDP, both federally and provincially, will always have representation in the Pride parades, but PCs will only try to enter when it’s an election year. The last year they were part of Pride, the provincial conservatives made grand statements of support for the LGBTQ+ community. The crowd cheered. When it came time to vote on gay rights’ issues, they still voted against GSAs in schools on the provincial side, and transgender rights on the federal side. After that, Calgary Pride and most other prides across Canada now require them to sign a waiver that they fully support gay rights, and Pride organizations will check their voting history and how the party reacts to members who post anti-gay messages.

Then people within our community went on the attack. People of colour, who are not part of VOICES, were getting Facebook messages on how their people had destroyed Pride. Lots of racist comments were being posted all over the place. People made assumptions that VOICES had just come out of nowhere.

I have been in heated conversations where someone told me that VOICES are not a legit organization because they don’t have a website, or phone number; that they sit around a living room for their meetings and no one is accountable. I know from running the magazine that a lot of LGBTQ+ groups don’t have phone numbers or, even if they do, they don’t have someone to answer all of the time. A lot of them meet in living rooms, especially when they are new. Just think of what all Pride organizations started out as. They didn’t want to be posting phone numbers publicly, just to be harassed. They kept meetings in safe spaces: bars or people’s homes. VOICES, just like ARGRA (Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association), Calgary Pride, ISCCA (Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch), Miscellaneous Youth Network, and Apollo Friends in Sports, started out of humble beginnings and with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community and our LGBTQ+ rights.

I was told that VOICES should be classed as a terrorist group because some of their members, who were at a “Defense of Christianity” demonstration (which was being run by an anti-gay church) hit one of the protestors from the anti-gay church who is constantly protesting the gay community. I remember seeing something about this alleged altercation come through my Google Alerts. It was on an extreme rightwing, pro-Christian website that claimed, as the confrontations escalated, the ‘anti-fascist’ group started several mixed martial arts fights with their group. Did the gay community forget to tell me that we are training in mixed martial arts? There were no charges laid.

Where we are at now With the amount of conflict surrounding this Pride, GayCalgary will run several letters to the editor. Once things have calmed, GayCalgary will do a survey of the outcome from the weekend. It would be good to see how many people did not attend the Pride parade because of this specific issue, and how many people attended because they did.

I know that there are proud LGBTQ+ officers and allies out there who think this is a slap in the face of progress with the LGBTQ+ community. But this conversation had to happen at some point. Some of us assume we have complete gay rights. You might assume it because you are an adult gay white male/female, but that is not the case with our gay youth, our transgender community, Indigenous members and other people of colour.

It feels like a lot of us rode the bus of gay rights and drove off feeling content, but it’s time we go back and pick up the rest of the community. Calgary Pride has helped start facilitating these conversations with Calgary Police just as gay Prides across Canada help facilitate the conversations about gay rights we need to have with our politicians. Remember, we are not just marching for ourselves, we are marching for those who can’t.

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5582

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Letters

Letters to the Editor It has been a while since GayCalgary has received letters to the editor. Each letter has been posted separate from one another on the GayCalgary website. People can comment or respond to them as part of a civil discussion. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor for an upcoming edition, you can email them to editor@gaycalgary.com.

On Pride and Prejudice The queer community has made some amazing strides in the past 60 plus years. We achieved this by: demanding change, organizing, protesting, litigating, rioting, educating and even dying to further the status of our community. Fighting to make sure the next generation had an easier, better life. Change did not come from many of societies’ institutions out of kindness or because they saw us as people (they didn’t) but because we demanded they treat us like everyone else. I am eternally grateful to those that came before, who stopped the wheels of inequity from crushing them and demanded change. They have created a far better world for me to live in. This great work is a tapestry of a billion inches taken here and there that have moved mountains. While the achievements have been great, it is with great regret however that I need to inform you that despite what you may have been told the work is not done.

In my work in the community, I have had the opportunity to meet people on both sides of the debate on the appropriateness for uniforms and weapons in pride. I have seen firsthand the passion and hard work that these people are doing to enact change both internally and externally in our societal institutions. Meeting these people has helped me to try and recognize my own biases and blind spots and attempt to address them. I think it is important to engage in this type of reflection and while this work is always ongoing, ultimately my work is not done.

When I look at the commentary from fellow community members and loved ones that I have seen on social media in the last year, what has come to the forefront is that much of it is reductive, myopic and offensive and does a great disservice to the hard work that is happening behind the headlines. I am disappointed in many of my community members for resorting to rhetoric instead of taking the path of empathy and understanding. Calling members of your own community who are undeniably subjects of systemic racism, snowflakes/ whiners for standing up for themselves is unacceptable.

Calling queer service/law enforcement members fascists/ racists for wanting to be recognized for the hard work they have done to change these institutions and make them better for queer people from the inside is also unacceptable (though much, much rarer based on my own biased sampling). As subjects of pervasive discrimination, I expect more from us when sections of our community cry out for help, which is why it is so clear to me that the work is not done.

You don’t understand the issues? Don’t know anyone directly affected by this? Get involved meet people who aren’t like you and maybe you will learn why people are asking for

the things they are. I do not begrudge activists for using the same tools prior generations did to enact change. I also think the best way to honor the achievements of the previous and current generation is to continue the work that started so long ago. I know there is no ideal solution. There never has been, which is why we have had and will have to fight, organize and communicate so fiercely to continue. The quest for true equality is a maze. There will be many stops, starts and dead ends that require some backtracking. There never was and never will be a clear path forward. Anyone that tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something. The key is to keep walking together on that path and make sure that we aren’t leaving anyone behind to get to the end faster. Unless we get there together the work is not done.

Some of us have been left behind. The fruits of this revolution that have benefited me so greatly have not been shared with all of us. Nelson Mandela once said, “As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest”. I think about this often when I look around at the increasingly grim world I am faced with. The achievements we have made in the last 60 years are so delicate, tenuous and new. I see that daily when I look at news coming out of the US or Chechnya or one of the many other countries where people are treated differently because of who they are and Canada is no exception to this. This great revolution is the legacy of anyone marching under the queer banner to carry on and continue because the work is not done.

I ask you internet pundits who have been so confident in your opinions and blanket statements, who have the privilege to be able to stick your heads in the sand and say, “THIS PROBLEM DOESN’T AFFECT ME SO I DON’T SEE IT AS A PROBLEM” these last few months to engage in some real introspection. I ask that you think about why your experiences alone may not be enough to be so certain about the correct solution? I ask that you put real thought into what the lives of others are like who live with completely different challenges than you do. I ask you to reflect on what is more important symbols and institutions or the actual people they effect? I ask you to think about ways we can honor our queer service/ law enforcement member’s achievements while helping tackle systemic problems in the organizations that they work for? I ask you to think about your own biases and blind spots and how they have affected your world view and opinions. I ask you to consider how we can make sure that no one gets left behind? After you have done these things then you are ready to answer the last question. What have you done with the benefits you received from over half a century of activism to help get the work done and make things better for the next generation that comes?

I stand by Calgary Pride and the hard, thankless work these volunteers are doing to try and make sure that we all make it there together.

Happy pride everyone! Now let’s get to work!

Aaron Granley

http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5583 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments Being Gay & Brown is my life The first Pride was a riot against Police, started by QTPOC in NYC. Thank you, Marsha P. Johnson. It wasn’t some little

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white boy like that movie Stonewall tried to convey. That my friends is what you call white-washing our history.

It was a protest started by QTPOC who today are still fighting for our rights.

There has been an effort to silence those from our community who have come forward and shared the experiences they’ve had with CPS. An effort to protect a relationship with an Institution rather than listen to voices of the community.

Voices like Chief Chaffin, Nenshi, City Council and many, many folks from the LGBTQIA+ community who have taken to FB to share how disappointed they are that CPS cannot wear their uniforms in the parade. Even going as far as to create events where you can show up in whatever uniform you please.

Silencing tactics, which drown out the voices of folks coming forward and sharing their lived experience.

And even though the issue at hand is much larger than just uniforms, here we are.

The conversation with Pride and CPS has been on-going for over a year. We have suggested Anti-Racism training for CPS amongst other recommendations that we released in our statement last year. But thanks to the media, our leaders and a plethora of members of the LGBTQIA+ and Straight community who clearly have not read our statement, the conversation has been derailed and lead to members of the QTPOC community being gas-lighted.

You don’t get to self-appoint yourself as an ally, that right is earned. CPS has not earned that right, no matter how great you think their Diversity Unit is. They are still harming folks from our community. Just because your experience is different than others, don’t make yours the only one.

Being a Police Officer is a job.

Being Gay & Brown is my life.

No one is free while others are oppressed. I thought that’s what community was? Making sure no one gets left behind.

Perhaps that’s only the case if you are not black or brown, yeah?

So yes, Pride is still a protest for some.

Evans Yellow Old Woman

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in Charlotte’s Pride Parade. And of course, the Ku Klux Klan only march in their own parades. Toronto and Halifax exclude Police in Pride Parades. Vancouver, BC., limits Police in the Parade to twenty only in uniform, others in T shirts and they will be with-out sirens, tasers, guns, floats and police cars.

I personally watched the events unfold in 1969 on Black and White TV when the gays gained liberation. Subsequently the march for civil rights sky-rocketed and huge gains were made by Black people. The feminist movement also did not waste any time to seek equality with men. The world finally started to change for marginalized and oppressed people and the Police choke hold on society was demolished.

I am not fooled for a nanosecond that the Police are still bullying their way back into the control of LGBTTQ and are marginalizing new members of our society. Seeing a bunch of Calgary Cops marching in a platoon waving small gay flags totally sickens me and many, many others. I reread the history of Calgary Bath house raids by self serving cops.

I remember how awfully disgusting a former Chief of Police ‘gated’ Clifford Everet [the Calgary Transit Driver] in to a lifetime of prison for alleged bogus crimes. The Police in Calgary have always been the same. They did not stop either of the Chinatown riots, in fact they looked the other way. The CPS was always homogeneous while other forces in America and Canada integrated with the population. The Calgary Police Service [CPS] never gets sensitivity training until the very last moments for anything. The way that native and First Nations people were treated in Calgary is heart breaking. The way that Asians were painted by the CPS as being members of gangs is sickening. I believe that criminality and drug culture is colour blind, anything else is racism. I find it filthy and disgusting the way people of colour are carded and have their civil liberties stolen from them. More disgusting is the way a female City of Calgary Counselor was forced to resign their position on the Calgary Police Commission board because they dared to make public that female officers were being bullied and intimidated by male officers. Those are the facts.

No one should ever question a world-wide organization like Pride about their decision to thank the police for security during the parade, but allowing the Police to march in the parade is verboten. Pride and the Police are not partners and never will be. After all the words are said and spelt, the Pride Committee makes the decisions. They have decided to keep the cops out. I agree with the Pride council because they know their principals. I agree with Pride because if I didn’t I’d be homophobic. Gay people may forgive but they will never, never forget.

Rork Hilford

Police and history with the LGBTQ community

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Most people neither know nor remember why the Gay Pride movement and Parades started. It has been forty-eight years since the first Stonewall Riot ended and the first Gay Pride Parade followed a year later. None the less, the use of force, brutality, inhuman treatment, intolerance, fascism, disgraceful policing actions, illegal arrests, unlawful imprisonment, racism, homophobia, illegal confinement, psychological and physical torture, discrimination, character assassination and sexual profiling by the police forces upon gay people around the globe will never be forgotten. All those inequities ground to a halt on June 29th, 1969, at a bar in Greenwich Village in New York City. That was the start of the Gay Liberation movement. It’s why gay people and their supporters march, to celebrate their victory over oppression and tyranny by the police forces. Pride is the celebration of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Transsexual, Queer community [ LGBTTQ ]. A Pride Parade is the Gay anniversary marker for Freedom, it is for the victors not the antagonists.

Seemingly, the Orange Order parades do not include Catholics. The Days of Remembrance Holocaust parades never include Nazi supporters. Gays for Trump do not march www.gaycalgary.com

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Festival Season Heats up with 18th Annual Calgary International Film Festival This Year Sees Six LGBTQ Tagged Selections

by Janine Eva-Trotta If you’re a film buff, or just hungry to see something interesting post a dry summer’s movie haul, you are eagerly anticipating the months’ end. September 20th to October 1st will see the city’s downtown cinemas host the Calgary International Film Festival, and half a dozen LGBTQ interest films in its docket.

The festival was literally inundated with submissions for the 2017 roster: a record setting 2,700 films were sent in. All of them had to be seen, some numerous times over – a daunting task, even for the keenest cinephile.

“We’re thrilled about this year’s line up,” said CIFF Programming Manager Brenda Lieberman. “It has everything from crowd-pleasing films to more challenging ones, with big budgets and small. We’ve woven in genre films throughout, tons of first time filmmakers, and an increasingly large number of female directors are represented.”

Opening the festival is one such “unheralded gem”, as CIFF Executive Director Steve Schroeder termed the film When They Awake, a documentary that follows the exciting ‘groundswell’ of Indigenous musical artists in Canada, and the positive effect that music is having on those communities. “…[The film] came to us through our open submission process, which is really what film festivals are all about,” he said. Appealing to local interest, segments of the doc were filmed here in town at the Calgary Folk Festival.

GayCalgary is stoked to see a film by Chilean director Sebastián Lelio in the line up: A Fantastic Woman follows Marina, a transgender woman, who must prove herself to her partner’s family and society in general after his illness and death.

The Misandrists, a zany erotic comedy out of Germany, sees an injured young man on the lam fall in the care of a ‘secret cell of feminist terrorists’. It’s directed by Canadian filmmaker Bruce LaBruce (Gerontophilia) and was nominated for Best Feature Film at the Berlinale.

Rebels on Pointe takes viewers behind the lens of the famous allmale company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and their own brand of drag ballet. The Canadian film intends to illustrate “how dance can break down barriers across cultures and political lines, one pirouette at a time”.

Signature Move is an award winning romantic film – a premier for director Jennifer Reeder – that follows Zynab, a Pakistani lesbian lawyer, and the confrontation she must engage in with tradition and family as she falls in love with a Mexican-American woman. It is opened by short Iconoclast.

Tickets and event packages can be purchased in advance online, over the phone or in person at the festival box office located on the main floor of Eau Claire Market. All ticket sales are final.

The Calgary International Film Festival http://www.calgaryfilm.com/

More than 50 countries are represented over the 12 days of screenings, meaning a diverse repertoire that spans the gamut. If you like to pair film and food, consider attending the Lunchtime Shorts Sampling that will take place during noon hour at The Palace Theatre, inclusive of lunch buffet, on Thursday September 28th.

Or opt into the Dinner and Date option, available at Paper St, on Monday, September 25th. For $55, you and a loved one can dine on two main courses and a dessert, and grab tickets to one of 15 movie choices.

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Video Interview

Emily Expo

LGBTQ+ Inclusion at the Comic Expo

By Lisa Lunney GayCalgary chatted with the legend herself - Emily Expo during the 2016 Calgary Expo.

GC: How has the weekend been so far?

Emily: It’s been absolutely amazing. So many smiling faces on the show floor. It’s such a positive place to be - really energetic, fantastic.

GC: This year I’ve noticed diversity really kick in. We interviewed a transgender cosplayer and she was so excited to see that we were sponsors of the event. Have you noticed a change in that nature?

Emily: Absolutely. I firmly believe representation is important. I also believe that because our crowd is so diverse that it needs to be reflected in our lineup. It’s inspiring for our attendees and really shows that everyone is welcome.

GC: We saw a child at one of the booths dressed up as a princess and the parents were so accepting and cool about their son choosing to be a princess instead of the stereotype.

Emily: This whole culture is about loving the things you love and how that’s absolutely okay. I never understood the logic behind ‘you have to be a certain way because you have a penis’. It has never made sense to me. Why can’t you just be who you are? If you want to wear a dress, you should be able to wear a dress. I’m happy to see things starting to change.

GC: Many are still surprised to see the representation of Gay Media at these events. Some transgender guests have even been refused

 photo by Candice Ward entry to the hotel they are staying at, for locations they are hired to be at.

Emily: It’s really unfortunate that those things still happen. It will be a while before people fully understand the way things are and the way things should be. Progress is being made and I am not going to lose hope and I hope others don’t either. It is a journey and a process.

People will grow up and mature. They will realize they don’t have to be worried about what is in someone’s pants in the bathroom. There is nothing to be afraid of.

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Calgary Stampede 2017 Midways and Memories

 photos by GayCalgary

By Jason Clevett It’s the biggest event in Calgary every year, and the 2017 Calgary Stampede, coinciding with Canada’s 150th birthday, was once again an incredible 10 days.

One of the highlights every year is the Grandstand show. This year’s show, hosted by Jann Arden, was titled “Together” and tied into our Canadian heritage. Featuring acrobats, Inuit Throat Singers, The Young Canadians, Alberta Ballet and much more. As always Arden was hilarious on stage, telling a funny story about one of the Young Canadians asking for her phone number. A stunning rendition of Good Mother was a highlight in a show with many of them. The Grandstand show was one of the best in recent memory.

Canada’s Safari Jeff was featured with his reptile show which drew kids and adults alike to the BMO Centre, where vendors pitched

everything from phone chargers to hot tubs. The Stampede Corral offered the Bell Adrenaline Ranch – a motocross show featuring fire, an impressive screen display and mind-blowing stunts. The dog bowl featured adorable puppers doing tricks including incredible dock dives.

The Stampede Midway is always legendary for its rides and food.

Although I didn’t partake in any of the rides, the variety of food was remarkable. Some items, like the deep-fried Jell-O, often sold out. The clam chowder poutine was delicious as were the perogy options. Some items were gimmicks, like the ghost pepper pizza (not tried) and the deep-fried chicken feet. As one of the cheapest midway options, the chicken feet were an interesting experience. Very little meat was found under the breading but as a novelty item it was cool. Bear Balls were another popular dish, offering both savoury and sweet offerings over deep friend dough. Deep fried continued to be the theme, with some like the deep-fried lemonade being a small portion for the price, but others like deep fried coffee being a real treat.

Multiple beer gardens, including for the first time a local brewery bar in the lower level of the big 4, quenched peoples thirst while Nashville North provided the party that at times had a line up down the block.

Gay Days on July 8th was one of the biggest so far with hundreds of participants.

Beautiful weather, beautiful people, and amazing events made Stampede 2017 a truly memorable 10-day event.

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Canadian Talent Shines on 2017  photos by GayCalgary

By Jason Clevett One of the Stampede highlights for music lovers is the Coke Stage. Free with admission, for decades the stage has drawn both home grown and international talents.

Thousands have packed the grass in front of the stage to see bands like Nickelback before they exploded, Jann Arden, Moist, Tom Cochrane, Our Lady Peace, Barenaked Ladies, and many, many, more.

2017 saw a strongly Canadian lineup that included USS, Mariana’s Trench and Whitehorse. GayCalgary checked out 4 of the shows out of the 10 nights, kicking off with July 10th’s Theory of a Deadman show. Theory of a Deadman has consistently toured through Calgary and always deliver a fun, high energy show. A multiple time Coke Stage performer, TOAD keeps coming back and packing the stage. Songs like “Bad Girlfriend,” “Better Off” and “No Surprise” had the crowd singing along.

Nelly Furtado’s July 10th show almost seemed like it wouldn’t happen. Ominous clouds opened up minutes before showtime with hail and lightning, causing the area to be evacuated. The hail stopped and the ongoing downpour couldn’t dampen Furtado or the audience’s enthusiasm. Mixing songs from her new album “The Ride” with hits like “Maneater” and “Turn Out The Lights” Furtado displayed once again why she has been at the forefront of Canadian music for over 2 decades.

While Furtado is a veteran, Alessia Cara is a rapidly rising star.

Since her 2015 debut, Cara has been playing festivals around the world as well as appearances on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show. The diminutive spitfire was a ball of energy on stage, leading the audience of primarily young females and gay men and their families through sing-alongs on songs like Wild Things and How Far I’ll Go from the Moana soundtrack. Cara’s performance was refreshing – lacking the sexual aspect of some of

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her fellow female pop stars and offering a positive message about acceptance and self-confidence, specifically with the song Scars Till Your Beautiful.

One of the great aspects of Stampede this year was bringing local acts to perform during the day. The same day as Cara’s July 13th show, Edmonton’s We Were Friends took the stage for a brief set. The opportunity to add “Calgary Stampede” to the resume for many of these young artists was huge. We Were Friends made the most of it with an energetic set that displayed why they are rapidly making a name for themselves in the western Canadian music scene, including a recent opening spot for Prozzak in Edmonton.

July Talk – fronted by Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay with guitarist Ian Docherty, bassist Josh Warburton, and drummer Danny Miles – wrapped up the 2017 Coke Stage lineup in Spectacular fashion. Since forming in 2012 the band has become a mainstay on the radio and toured the world multiple times over.

Part of the key to the bands success is their live show. Dreimanis – originally from Edmonton – and Fay have incredible chemistry that erupts from the stage. Fay at one point hopped off the stage to get close to her enraptured audience.

From performers with decades under their belt to rising stars on the international scene, the 2017 Coke Stage line up made for a truly memorable series of music.

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Editorial

Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Helps Other LGBTQ Witnesses recover from religion

By Evan Kayne In Canada, we believe ourselves a society which is more accepting to alternative sexualities than ever before in history. Yet there are still pockets within society where any sexuality outside of the norm (cis-gendered, heterosexual relations only) is treated poorly. Recently while on “Evangelical Pastifarianism” - a skeptic Facebook page - I noticed one of the moderators was asked for advice on how to reconcile being gay and being a Jehovah’s Witness (JW).

That moderator was Dana Fehr. He was raised a JW, has left the church, and he is gay.

Dana had started questioning the religion at a young age; as well, he wanted to go to college, both of which the Jehovah’s Witnesses pretty much frown on. “I left...I was pretty much encouraged to leave home when I was 16 just before I turned 17...got guilted back into it a couple times in my life but (finally) woke up from it 2011”. As his mother was frequently sick during his childhood, Dana had learned to look after himself, so going off on his own was not a massive shock as it would be to other kids.

Even with leaving the church and going to college as a young man in his 20s, there was still the lingering impact from his church teaching homosexuality was a sinful act. Dana wavered back and forth on his sexuality and before he accepted his

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homosexuality, he’d had a son with a woman in the church (a son raised in the JW faith who’s shunned him).

While there are common images we have about Jehovah’s Witnesses (no blood transfusions, knocking on your door to proselytize), more disconcerting is that Dana told me JW are not big on sending people off to higher education. Dana has seen some statistics indicating over 25% of JW have less than high school education. Less than 10% have any kind of higher education. “The intelligent ones leave.”

The advantage to the church with this strategy is creating a flock which is ignorant and dependent with fewer outside contacts and resources. In addition, you are told dictates of the religion always come first. This is a religion which “...drills into you as children to fear everything that’s outside of the Jehovah’s”.

Which means it’s not just education JW may regard suspiciously – you may have to choose between your religion and your job: JW are advised not to put themselves in situations where they feel they must impose their morality on others. So, if it’s a job, they’ll quit. The church IS your life and it controls you.

Like many religions, the Jehovah’s Witnesses church organization/elders are aware they have to change and adapt, so they have been getting a bit more open in the past few years, Dana said. It’s sparking conversations, but not in favor of the church. “When I was growing up the governing body (of the JW) were a mystical group of people we never met or saw but they still delivered the doctrine.” Now the group is known to the world, suddenly their actions are getting scrutinized. “It’s making it easier for us to show how destructive and insidious they are.”

Dana said they’re not as bad as other religions when it comes to sexuality. The young man won’t be sent to gay conversion therapy. Jehovah’s Witnesses look upon it as a phase or just sinful temptation young people must avoid. Yet, if you insist this is who you are, you can experience ostracization/shunning.

Shunning and exclusion is not as effective in large cities, but in small towns where that religion is the dominant one, and where you’ve been taught to fear all outside of the church, it’s an effective behavior modification tool.

So, this was just some of the things Dana had to assess.

“I talked to him and gave him a link to one of the ex-JW gay Facebook groups.” The young man friended Dana on Facebook, and mentioned he had a hidden account for this side of his life.

They ended up talking for three hours as Dana recounted his experiences. “He’s far more aware of stuff than when I was his age” The young man was aware he’d have to hide away this part of himself for the foreseeable future. Dana agreed: “I urged him to not come out...it’s not a good idea at this time yet”. Besides the resources, Dana told him what to expect when he DOES come out.

Based on their conversation, Dana suggested the young man remain at home and in the closet for now as there was no sign of immediate danger. As this was done virtually, Dana didn’t know what the family dynamics were – the kid could have a family that might accept him - or at least not shun him.

It may seem harsh to tell the young man to remain in the closet and go through the motions of still being of the religion, but you want to make sure the kid can make it on his own: “yeah...he doesn’t really have any support networks in place. I don’t think he’s come out to anyone at school. I think one or two friends’ kind of know but he’s scared to tell anybody. If there’s a counselor at school whose LGBTQ positive/supporting, tell him.”

This has a risk – you have to be absolutely sure this councilor will not be on the phone to your parents after your session, so this is why Facebook groups dealing with religious issues are sometimes valuable. Kids questioning their sexuality and their

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religion can set up an alias which provide as little identifying information as possible in order to locate the support and contacts you need from the LGBTQ community.

In his work as a moderator on “Evangelical Pastafarianism” and in his everyday life, Dana reaches out to those who are questioning partly because his experience provides him the tools to help those coping with religion and being abandoned by it, but also as it’s his way of doing service for the dead. When he was younger he watched a friend mentally disintegrate and was left helpless as he didn’t have the knowledge he has now – he didn’t know how to reach this person. Dana mentioned – thanks to the internet and social media – currently it’s easier as there’s information available at your fingertips which wasn’t there when he was growing up.

“I think the best thing we can do is put our message out there as clearly as possible and to be there (for people) when they come out.” Dana does know of activists who may be more direct and protest churches but all that does is set off a persecution complex. He prefers a more Socratic method of putting the information out there for people to consider, and being honest and compassionate in communication. Bring up one or two points for discussion, then move on to another unrelated topic.

“I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a Jehovah’s Witness who didn’t have some doubt. The more radical a doctrine gets the more you have to rely on faith and mental gymnastics, and you can sometimes say something that really sounds reasonable which will make them change.”

Because he’s always tried to open up a respectful dialogue, he even has some evangelical friends. He makes the connection, which helps people to realize Dana’s just a person like them. He acknowledges once they realize they can’t convert you, it limits them but he always tries to tap into their inner humanism.

For example, Dana’s older brother is still in touch with him, and doesn’t judge as they’ve built a “one-on-one” relationship; although at times he pushes his brother a bit, even if it’s in a teasing manner.

While we don’t necessarily want the strident atheists to go away (e.g. Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens) sometimes they serve a purpose: the faithful encounter these people online and it quickly degenerates to a flame war.

Conversely, when they encounter other atheists like Dana who is respectful, not aggressive, and argues socratically, they may be more receptive to discussion. “We need the more activist ones to trail blaze to have the more reasonable ones come behind” to make the connections and the discussions.

Especially since the questions from the religious are only going to continue. Dana has a Masters in Cultural Psychology along with a degree in Theology, and his opinion is “religion is dying...slowly...another couple of generations and it’s gone – at least in the mainstream. I think this is the last gasp.” There are many reasons for this, but acceptance and diversity is a big one for some churches, as it’s antithetical to their teachings yet makes sense to more and more people as time goes on. Which means as time passes, hopefully more and more people will be there to help those people leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses (or other religions).

Evangelical Pastifarianism (Facebook religion skeptic group): http://www.gaycalgary.com/u772 Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Recovery Facebook Group: http://www.gaycalgary.com/u779 What’s Up Watchtower – informational links: http://www.whatsupwatchtower.com/links/ JWSurvey - http://jwsurvey.org/ LGBTQ Ex Jehovah’s Witness Facebook group (Dana is one of the moderators here) - http://www.gaycalgary.com/u786

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Video Interview

 Watch the interview online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5581

Garrett Wang

His love of the Aliens movie and Canadian Comic Conventions

By Lisa Lunney Garrett Wang of Star Trek chatted with GayCalgary during his visit to Alberta for the Calgary Expo.

GC: We’re here with Garrett and of course he’s hosting Aliens Exposed at the Comic Expo this weekend.

Garrett: Yes. GC: You’re a big Aliens fan. What did Aliens mean to you.

Garrett: I saw Aliens with my dad at when it came out at the movie theatre, which tells you how old I am, and it was probably the most crazy rollercoaster ride I’d been to in terms of a movie in my life up to that point. I loved it.

I was a huge fan from the minute I saw it in the theatres.

It’s also interesting because in terms of action/sci-fi/horror films very rarely do you have a woman as the hero. i mean, there were multiple heroines in that film. From Vasquez, the private on the front line with the biggest gun, on up to the reluctant hero of Ripley. Truly, it was a groundbreaking film.

It’s interesting that James Cameron, it’s almost been his theme in a way throughout his career to have strong female

characters. Which most of Hollywood would shy away from or wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. So that’s a nice thing.

GC: He did a thing with the genre as well by introducing the idea of a horror film being a psychological thriller.

Garrett: Yes GC: He kind replaced the killer aspect of a psychological thriller with an Alien.

Garrett: Yes! GC: He put an entirely new spin on the genre that still resonates.

Garrett: Most definitely. It’s brilliant. The guys a genius.

And he’s Canadian. Which is a great plug for Canada.

GC: You’ve been to Calgary Expo a couple of times and you’ve been to the Edmonton Expo as well. People love getting to talk to you, you’re such a friendly guy. Why do you keep coming back?

Garrett: I think I just like Canada a lot. I love doing conventions in Canada. More than US ones probably. But I come to conventions mostly because it gives me a chance to be myself. If you watch seven years’ worth of Voyager episodes you have specific idea of who ensign Kim is, but that’s not who Garrett Wang is. Parts of Garrett Wang are in Ensign Kim but I joke around way more than Harry Kim does. Harry’s a little too serious, you know? And that was my thing when I was on the show. I kept telling the writers “Come on! Let’s boost up the comedy here!” I wanted more comedic moments with the human characters because it seemed like on Voyager that they allowed all he comedy to go to the holographic Doctor or Neelix the Alien, but when it came to the humans they didn’t really come through. I felt.

They lost an opportunity to really ramp it, because if you watch the original series they always had that little banter between Kirk, Bones, Spock. There was that lightness, that levity that always balanced out the life and death, the drama of each episode where everyone got a shot at doing some good humour. I think comedy is where it’s at. I really love to have comedy in every facet, whether I am doing a drama, horror or sci-fi. I love to have a comedic element in there, and that’s something I pushed for so hard on Voyager, which fell on deaf ears most of the time. We did the best that we could though.

GC: What’s coming up for you?

Garrett: I’m taking a self-imposed break from Hollywood really since 2005. It has been nine years since I’ve actively auditioned. The things that I have done throughout the years have been for friends that have called me up and asked for favours. Cameos and what not. But I will have to say the last couple of years I’ve felt the draw of entertainment pulling me back in and being creative. So, I’m sort of dabbling a little bit right now. The day before I came into Calgary I did a voiceover for American Dad and that was super fun and voiceover is a nice way from me to ease my way back in.

Whether or not I continue acting or I produce anything else or write that remains to be seen. But let it be said that there are a few projects that I have in development right now GC: Excellent! Thank you very much Garrett: Thank You!

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Corey Hart Stomps into Calgary

Montreal Rocker Headlines an Excellent Oxford Stomp  photos by GayCalgary

By Jason Clevett In the late 1980’s Canada’s pop-rock scene was dominated by two names – Bryan Adams and Corey Hart.

Both handsome, charismatic and backed up with the dawn of the music video era they were the kings of Cancon. However, while Adams has kept up a career that spans 3 decades, Hart by 2002 had stopped performing, choosing to raise his kids out of the spotlight in the Bahamas. A 2014 farewell concert in Montreal seemed like the last we would see of the singer.

His kids now grown, Hart performed in Calgary for the first time in 2 decades at the annual Oxford Stomp at Fort Calgary. A year after the event was cancelled due to flooding of the grounds, fans got a beautiful, hot day for the event. Thousands came out and the excitement for seeing Corey Hart was palpable as the clock clicked closer to showtime.

It appears that the time away from the industry was a good thing. Still ridiculously handsome at 55 with piercing blue-green eyes that sparkled from stage, Hart was captivating to watch. Kicking off with Boy in the Box Hart took an enthusiastic audience on a journey through his career.

Black Cloud Rain gave a dose of 90’s. Hart brought a fan onstage and serenaded her from the piano with Jenny Fay – a moment that could be so cliché but from Hart was genuine and a display of why he’s so respected as a person. Never Surrender echoed through the East Village like it was 1985. Of course, you couldn’t help but don your sunglasses – whether brought from home or purchased from the merch tent – as the synthesizer brought forth the classic Sunglasses at Night. That would have been enough, but Hart ended the evening with a gorgeous version of Can’t Help Falling In Love.

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There are few Canadian icons, and Harts absence could have been used as a gimmick. He could have rested on his laurels and phoned it in.

However, he delivered in spades.

In the time that Hart was away, Our Lady Peace has continued to be one of Canada’s top bands. Their early evening set was a hit list from Superman’s Dead and Clumsy from their 1998 Clumsy album all the way back to their first big hit and album Naveed. New single Drop Me In The Water was a teaser for a new EP coming soon. I’ve seen Our Lady Peace multiple times in the past 20 years in everything from clubs to outdoor festivals and they always deliver.

One of the scheduled artists for 2016’s cancelled Oxford Stomp was Serena Ryder, who returned this year to kick off the day. It’s kind of a shame that the show starts so early, those making their way from work missed a hell of a set from one of Canada’s finest current singers. The set featured heavily from her new EP Electric Love. Whether belting out behind the microphone or strapping on a guitar, Ryder’s showmanship continues to be great as she continues to tour and perform. While Stompa got the fans doing just that, favourite Weak in the Knees stood out as it always does as one of her finest songs. Ryder continues to get fans and airplay and showed she could play a big stage no problem.

Having followed her career over the last decade, it’s great to see that.

In addition to the show beer gardens kept the audience refreshed and the always popular beef on a bun from the Rotary Club kept people fed.

Oxford Stomp continues to be a big part of the Stampede calendar and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years.

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Gossip on to star in the movie, which will also feature Rooney Mara and Jonah Hill. In production now, it’s a safe bet Van Sant will be readying this one for Cannes 2018 and the hope of some better reviews than he got last time.

Walking Out with Matt Bomer The Sundance Film Festival is a place where actors show up with films they hope will give audiences a chance to see them do something more substantial than work in front of green screens, shouting at CG space aliens. They’re movies more weighted toward featuring real human beings in real human situations.

Matt Bomer has just such a film there, Walking Out. Adapted from a David Quannum short story by the directing team of Alex and Andrew Smith (The Slaughter Rule), the film stars Bomer and young Josh Wiggins as an estranged father and son on a hunting trip. As they struggle to bond and find common ground, they run into unexpected trouble that tests their resolve and devotion to each other. The film also stars Bill Pullman and buzzed-about newcomer Lily Gladstone, whose heartbreaking performance as a ranch hand with an unrequited crush on Kristen Stewart in Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women earned her waves of critical praise and year-end awards speculation. After its Sundance bow, expect Walking Out to reach general audiences sometime later in the year.

Novitiate finds Sony love at Sundance

 Matt Bomer, photo by KathClick

Deep Inside Hollywood Gus Vant Sant, Matt Bomer, ‘Novitiate,’ Bisexual ‘Beach Rats’

By Romeo San Vicente Gus Van Sant Won’t Get Far On Foot For every triumph in a filmmaker’s life, there are also troughs.

Gus Van Sant gave us the ’90s classic My Own Private Idaho and also the little-seen 2016 disaster The Sea of Trees. You can’t win ’em all, so an artist picks up and moves forward to new work, which is what the acclaimed filmmaker is doing. He’s readying the queer history miniseries When We Rise for ABC, and he’s also got a new film in the works: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. It’s a biographical portrait of the late John Callahan (who died in 2010), the writer-producer responsible for the animated series Quads! and Pelswick, which were both about people with disabilities. Callahan knew this topic well – he was paralyzed at age 21 in a car accident – and his experience formed the basis for his writing and creative work. Joaquin Phoenix has signed 30

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Sony Pictures Classics has picked up Novitiate, from director Margaret Betts, at the Sundance Film Festival, and will ready it for theatrical release later this year. It’s Betts’ first narrative feature – she’s also the director of the documentary The Carrier, about a pregnant African woman with HIV – and the film’s positive reviews and strong cast are what will eventually buoy its arthouse box-office prospects. Starring The Leftovers’ Margaret Qualley, Novitiate follows a young nun coming up against rigid Catholic traditions of female submission and repressed sexuality in the 1960s (and, yes, in 2017, hence any good period piece’s relevance) as the Church began to modernize with changes brought about by Vatican II. Melissa Leo co-stars as a forbidding Mother Superior, and the supporting cast includes Julianne Nicholson, True Blood’s Denis O’Hare, and Glee’s Dianna Agron.

If you’ve been itching for a fresh downer of a nun movie ever since you saw Ida, maybe this one will satisfy?

Look out for Beach Rats The big movies with well-known stars make the most noise at film festivals, but it’s the up-and-coming filmmakers sneaking in quietly with fresh perspectives who make the world exciting for adventurous moviegoers. That’s the case with Eliza Hittman.

She’s already got one feature under her belt, 2014’s critically well-received It Felt Like Love, about adolescent girls exploring life and sexuality. And this year, Hittman has flipped over to studying the ways of teenage boys in Beach Rats, screening at Sundance. Starring young British actor Harris Dickinson, it’s the story of a working-class Brooklyn teenager spending a summer dealing with not only a potential girlfriend, but also with the older men he finds on gay hookup apps. We won’t spoil how it all turns out, but any American film that deals truthfully with male bisexual impulses deserves attention, and this moody exploration of fluid sexuality deserves a wider audience. You’ll probably have to hunt a little harder for this one – maybe at regional queer festivals as 2017 rolls on – but do seek it out.

Romeo San Vicente’s beach body can’t wait for the weather to turn shirtless.

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Made With Love

Classy Cocktail Competition Overdoses on Confection  photos by GayCalgary

By Janine Eva Trotta July 31st saw the Crystal Ballroom at Calgary’s Fairmont Palliser play host to a trendy international mixology contest where attendees, alongside a panel of judges, can sip and vote for their favourite bevvy. Made With Love is an ‘extravagant’ event, in which competitors dabble with eclectic ingredients and alcohol, usually paired with a small taste of something, meant to dazzle the senses. The competition was created in Montreal, back in 2009, and eight years nigh has spread across Canada, Spain and Mexico.

If you’re a sweet tooth who loves Campari, this is an event for you. If you’re a fan of the savoury, eat before you go or, perhaps, sit this one out.

At $55 to $65 a ticket for an event that began at 6pm, the food pairings were pretty scant and tiny. A vegan chip with a spot of hummus-like dip; a crostini spread with chutney, prosciutto and gorgonzola cheese – not enough to satiate one who has just sipped over ten very sweet and concentrated cocktail samples. The vast majority of entries were paired with something sweet: a scoop of Made by Marcus ice cream; a white chocolate brittle; a chocolate dolloped spongy Madeleine; a mini vanilla cake; a strawberry topped with whipped cream and dehydrated strawberry chip.

That said, one is not limited to how much one tries at Made With Love.

If a stall becomes a favourite, not only may you adorn that mixologist with the dog tag chain you’re given at the door to vote with, you may also take as many samples as you please.

My personal favourite was Ray Burton’s – of Last Best Brewing and Distilling – Masaya’s Elixir. This was an intriguing blend of Flor de Cana Ron, peach jam, fresh lemon juice, clove simple syrup, ginger bitters,

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and basil leaves served with a basil leaf and carbonated peach slice.

It tasted complex: like the essence of Thanksgiving dinner in a glass.

Burton positioned third in the judge’s choice category (first went to Proof YYC’s Ian Sorcer).

Another memorable taste combo was a gin sour teamed up with a brittle bedecked in toasty peanuts and strawberry flake, served up by charbar’s Andrew Silver. He took first place in the people’s choice category.

While some of the drinks were potent and smoky, others fell short of their mark. It is difficult to distinguish between so many sweet sips with very little to cleanse one’s palette. I left with the need for a chicken wing – and a dark, bitter beer.

Though the Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg dates have passed, Made With Love Vancouver takes place in September, Halifax in November, and Montreal in December. Check out their website or Facebook page for more details.

Made With Love Dates in Canada until December https://www.facebook.com/enjoymadewithlove/ https://enjoymadewithlove.com/en/ http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5590 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Photography Edmonton Pride 2017 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1368

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Calabria

The Real Italy



More photos and videos online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5592

photos by GayCalgary 

By Brandon Schultz Chances are good that you’re familiar with the monuments of Rome, the canals of Venice, the fashions of Milan, and the art of Florence, so you probably feel like you have a decent grasp if Italian culture, and you might. But if you haven’t explored the hills of Calabria, the southernmost region of the metaphoric boot, you’re not just missing out on the country’s best food, best beaches, and most magical mountaintop villages, but a chance to experience the true Italy of daydreams and romantic films—the one where you’re invited to a dinner of homemade pasta at someone’s grandma’s house and end the night packing away a few ceramic jugs of wine with half the village. This is the slow-living , good-life Italy of lost time . . . except in Calabria, where it still exists. For now.

One of the great joys of Calabria is that it hasn’t been completely modernized like most of the rest of Italy. This can also be one of its great challenges. It’s by no means an insurmountable hurdle, though; in fact, even a mildly adventurous traveler can manage the logistics of traversing the region, and it’s becoming increasingly easier. Because the tourism industry hasn’t yet taken a strong foothold in Calabria, ground transportation (like car services) can be quite expensive, so your best bet is to rent a car and travel comfortably on your own schedule. Be sure to have reliable service for your cell phone’s GPS functionality— there’s no guarantee a rental car will have GPS, or that it will be in English. Having a car will make getting to Calabria easier, too: Fly to Rome (flights from Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Ottawa daily), grab a car, and head south.

Without a car, you can still access the region from Rome by hopping a series of trains and riding the rails for about 8 hours, and this offers a decent view of the countryside, too.

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Calabria reaches across the country to both of Italy’s southern coasts, with the Tyrrhenian Sea on the east and the Ionian Sea on the west. There’s a bit of a rivalry between the coasts, at least as far as the region’s famed beaches go (whose is clearer? whose is bluer?), but all agree that that the entire region is spectacular. You’ll need to decide for yourself which coast, if either, is really better than the other, so choose an itinerary that includes both. While there are literally hundreds of villages and beaches to be found, the following five highlights will deliver an unforgettable overview of Italy’s best-kept secret.

Badolato Start on the Ionian Coast with a stay in the medieval mountaintop village of Badolato Superiore. Like many any Calabrian towns, Badolato has a sea-level population with a coveted beach and a medievial mountaintop counterpart www.gaycalgary.com

Piccolo Grand Hotel http://gaycalgary.com/a5593 Smack in the middle of centuries-old Pizzo, a two-minute walk from its central piazza, the Piccolo Grand Hotel is a modern oasis of comfort and contemporary style. This boutique hotel has 17 wellappointed rooms and suites, with soothing white interiors punctuated by pops of bright color on soft, sumptuous surfaces, and spa-like bathrooms that include heated floors and chromotherapy (shower heads with LED lights that change the water color for a sensory experience sometimes called color therapy). The interiors are a playful mix of classic and contemporary with a decidedly youthful feel.

Piccolo Grand features a bar and lounge, game room, mini library, and a fitness center, but the most unmissable amenity is its covered rooftop breakfast patio where a healthy breakfast of the freshest fruits, meats, cheeses, cereals and eggs to order will jumpstart your day as you take in endless sea views beyond terracotta tiled rooftops.

Single rooms start at 99 euros and the largest suite runs only just over 200 euros. With all of the exploring you’ll do in Calabria, a comfortable base like Piccolo Grand Hotel is highly recommended to refresh and restore at night before hitting the hills the next day. Reservations can be made online. with Superiore (“higher) added to its name for distinction. The thousand-year-old village is a twisting, turning labyrinth of snaking alleyways leading to stacks of houses built into the mountainside, punctuated with a couple of notable churches and a cheery central piazza. The piazza will be your centering point, and it’s where you’ll leave your car, because most of the remaining “roads” include stairs, and several aren’t wide enough to walk side-by-side, let alone accommodate a car.

From here, the village’s 200 full-time residents keep excellent tabs on the activity of the entire community. Everyone passes through on their way in and out, and it’s here that morning coffee and pastries are consumed at cafes with astounding views, neighbors catch up over lunch at Dr. Pizza and Mr. Wine (really), and crema di limoncello is sipped long into the night while kids play soccer under the stars. There’s no escaping everyone’s notice (as is the case throughout Calabria), but you wouldn’t want to. You’ll be chatted up by everyone you pass, and will soon become a member of the family . . . many families, in fact. www.gaycalgary.com

Location: Pizzo, Italy Address: Via Leoluca Chiaravalloti 32, 89812 Pizzo VV, Italy http://www.piccolograndhotel.com If you decide to stay forever (and you might), the town is willing to give you one of its abandoned houses for free. You’ll just need to restore it to code within two years, and they’ll help you do that, too. It’s all part of a revolutionary program Badolato has devised to save it’s forgotten infrastructure and build a stronger community, rather than let it slip away as many other villages have done. The restored homes are completely modern inside but retain the medieval exteriors that make these villages so charming, and the typical maximum budget for full restoration is under $95,000 CAD. The program is a collaboration between Badolato’s government and a handful of dedicated contracting teams who recognize the value in maintaining this picturesque village with such a lively community, many of whom, because of

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Agriturismo http://gaycalgary.com/a5594 Westerners may be less familiar with the concept of the Italian agriturismo. Think of it as the ultimate farm-totable experience that includes accommodation and meals all sourced from the same property. Lodgings will typically be of the bed-and-breakfast variety in a large house of several guestrooms run by an enthusiastic proprietor (or family) and will be comfortable and charming, but may be without some of the more luxurious amenities of a hotel.

The real treasure of the agriturismo is the kitchen. Meals are typically prepared from ingredients grown on site (including meats, produce, cheeses, and even the wine) and range from simply hearty and delicious to artful and elegant Insta-fodder. All organic, all natural, and as hyperlocal as possible, these meals will be the highlights of your stay.

The agriturismo is a particularly great option for roadtrippers traveling longer distances. If your itinerary stretches beyond the recommendations here (which is strongly encouraged!), you may find yourself needing a cozy place to fill your stomach and spend the night between destinations. La Locanda dei Cocomeri just outside the unassuming industrial town of Luzzi is a perfect example of such a spot. You wouldn’t be likely to find Luzzi on most itineraries, but this stately stone house with large guest rooms on a small farm serves up a fine dining experience with inventive presentation in delightful contrast to the farm’s traditional setting. If you do find yourself traveling to a far-flung village and needing a place to stay en route, aim for an agriturismo like this and you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

If you must have the ultimate in luxury accommodations and won’t be checking into an agriturismo, at least visit one for dinner. Most of their restaurants are open to the public for meals and are a top destination for locals in the know.

Agriturismo Zangarsa in Badolato serves a dinner to write home about with indoor and outdoor dining options. When the weather is welcoming (and it usually is), opt for an al fresco experience and dine on the patio next to an olive tree that has been enjoying mountaintop views for a thousand years.

La Locanda dei Cocomeri Location: Montalto Uffugo, Italy Address: Contrada Coretto, 87040 Montalto Uffugo CS, Italy http://www.locandadeicocomeri.it Agriturismo Zangarsa Location: Badolato, Italy Address: Contrada Zangares, 88060 Badolato CZ, Italy http://www.www.agriturismozangarsa.it p photos by GayCalgary

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Hotel La Principessa http://gaycalgary.com/a5595 Hotel La Principessa just outside of Amantea bills itself not as a mere hotel, but as a hotel village. And it is. The sprawling property includes hotel accommodations, a large restaurant, a full bar, an Olympic pool, an amphitheater, a church, and a full-scale conference center, all within a two-minute walk of the beach.

Rooms are large, well air-conditioned, and include balconies, but decor is sparse and furniture is dorm-like. This is the option for the budget-conscious traveler who is less interested in physical frills but still seeks the concierge-level service of a major international brand. Private beaches, shuttle services, and genuine customer service combine to make Hotel La Principessa a strong value with single rooms typically running about $100 CAD per night.

The management of Hotel La Principessa is actively involved in Riviera dei Borghi, a group of nine villages in the region who seek to popularize their communities and attract visitors through regular promotion of cultural events including film festivals, art exhibitions, and music festivals. This strong interest in the revitalization and enduring success of Amentea and its sister villages is indicative of what drives the exceptional service at a property like Hotel La Principessa.

 Calabria - From Page 41 this initiative, come from international backgrounds and weave a colorful tapestry of personalities.

Across the valley from Badolato is a former Franciscan monastery dating to the 17-th Century. Once abandoned, it’s now home to a group of men who have restored the property through manual labor and craftsmanship, and who commit to a nearly monastic lifestyle of no modern technology and minimal contact with the outside world. No specific religion is associated with the community (atheists are allowed), but life here is devoted to work and quiet reflection. It’s a community of those who suffer with traditional society and need an alternative— an outpost of a larger organization called Mondo X. Both the organization and the property are extraordinary, and the public is welcome to visit daily in the afternoon, when one member will provide a peaceful tour and the rest will remain out of sight.

The road to Badolato provides a host of stunning vantage points for its mountaintop village, but the view from the monastery’s long, cypress-lined driveway is unbeatable.

Pizzo From Badolato, take an hour-and-a-half scenic drive across Calabria to the Tyrrhenian coast and settle in Pizzo. Originally a medieval fishing village, Pizzo is best known today for its 15th-century castle on the sea, the 350-year-old cave church of Piedigrotta, and one very special culinary gem (no, it’s not pizza). Tartufo, a dessert of molten chocolate encased in a frozen sphere of ice cream, half chocolate and half hazelnut, and finished with a dusting of cocoa powder, was invented in Pizzo as a special presentation for a wealthy family visiting the village from Piemonte. It’s so famed today that it tops many an itinerary for visitors to this charming village. Tartufo is replicated far and wide, but as the village’s proud citizens will tell you, “if it’s not from Pizzo, it’s not tartufo.” Particularly adamant are the owners of Bar Ercole Gelateria, a family-business run by two brothers whose grandfather was present when tartufo was invented, and

Location: Amantea, Italy Address: Strada Statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore, 87032 Amantea CS, Italy Site: http://www.hotellaprincipessa.it consider their shop the destination for genuine tartufo. If you’re lucky, they’ll put on a good show and demonstrate how they make it, but don’t bother asking how they keep the molten core from freezing. It’s a secret.

Pizzo is livelier than the dreamier Badolato, with modern accommodations and a bustling piazza teeming with bars and cafes. Less elevated than many of Calabria’s old villages, it’s also easier to reach Pizzo’s crystal clear beach and spend a day of relaxation with a castle in the background and a glittering sea ahead. Still, there’s plenty of hilly trekking to be had and tartufo calories to be burned, winding your way through the maze of narrow pathways on your way up to the town’s highest lookout, where you’ll realize just how beautiful Pizzo is.

Tropea & Capo Vaticano From your base in Pizzo, two daytrips are a must: Tropea and Capo Vaticano. Capo Vaticano is the farther of the two at about an hour away and if you’re short on time, it’s possible to combine both of these stunners into a single day by hitting Capo Vaticano in the morning, grabbing lunch, then spending the rest of the day in nearby Tropea. But if you have the luxury of time, spend a day in each.

Drive to the lighthouse atop Capo Vaticano, park here, and drool at the Cliffside view of white granite beaches and pristine water a shade of blue-green so striking that no filter could improve it. If you’re taking the half-day option, grab lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the beaches, and sip a glass

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Trattoria Tipica La Botte http://gaycalgary.com/a5596 As intimate as they come, this authentic Badolatese restaurant is run by a mother and son duo, with son managing the front of the house and mom commandeering the kitchen. Quaintly filling what appears to be a former wine cellar in a quiet alley, this local gem not only doesn’t have a website, it doesn’t even have a menu! The only thing you really need to tell La Botte is how hungry you are, but you’re going to get a massive meal regardless. With everything homemade from local ingredients, meals will include an antipasti course (large), a pasta course (larger), a meat and vegetable dish (also large), and bread, dessert, and wine (homemade). If you’re lucky, you may get to try the owner’s homemade limoncello, and if you happen to speak Italian, you’re sure to hear some amusing anecdotes from the his life. So how much for all of this? About 15 euros per person.

While they may not have a website, they’re popular on review sites like TripAdvisor. So popular, in fact, that some travelers take a detour and drive up the mountain to Badolato Superiore just to score a meal here—a meal that’s just like one at grandma’s house: inviting, cozy, delicious, and never-ending.

ProTip: While most of Badolato (and Calabria in general) takes a lengthy afternoon siesta, La Botte is one of the few establishments in the village that remains open throughout the afternoon, so you can pop in any time.

Location: Badolato, Italy Address: Via Gallelli, 2, 88060 Badolato CZ, Italy p photos by GayCalgary

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Explore Calabria http://gaycalgary.com/a5597 In a region admittedly less developed than the typical Italian vacation fare, a little help goes a long way. The trio behind Explore Calabria, more a curatorial expert panel than a traditional guide group, live and breathe Calabria and have dedicated their futures to preserving the region’s heritage and culture while helping it to grow sustainably as a tourism destination. Explore Calabria does offer traditional tour guide services and is currently developing group tour programs for the near future, but their true value is in the extensive research they’ve undertaken throughout the region, and the high standards they have for recommendations, both to the traveling public and to the businesses within Calabria. Instead of focusing solely on bringing visitors in, Explore Calabria works tirelessly with local businesses and municipal governments to make improvements that stimulate healthy growth in the region’s tourism industry. They’re also a hell of an advertising powerhouse. If you’ve seen any epic drone footage of an impossibly stunning Italy online lately, it was likely one of their viral vids, so appealing that other regions have asked their assistance in shooting footage for their own tourism.

For Explore Calabria, promoting the region is a lifestyle, not a career. Two of the team, a married pair, relocated from the UK after visiting Calabria often enough that they felt compelled to stay year-round, and help others discover this unsung paradise.

The third is originally Italian but spent most of her life in Canada before realizing she’d rather return to her roots and rediscover the region that everyone else also seemed to have forgotten. Together, the three are poised to put Calabria on the map as a bucket list destination; if you’ve seen any of their videos, it’s already on yours. http://www.explore-calabria.com http://www.facbeook.com/explorecalabria

p photos by GayCalgary

of wine while you try to wrap your mind around the vision in front of you. If you have the day, work off your lunch with a trip down the zig-zagging dirt path to the beaches far below.

The path is long, and the journey made longer by the countless vistas that will demand photos. You’ll get up close and personal with some interesting vegetation, and probably some lizards. By the time you reach the bottom, you’ll be ready for a reward of lying on the beach or floating on water so clear you can follow your shadow on the seafloor below. Sunsets are special in Capo Vaticano, but you’ll want to hike back up the cliff for a more impressive view and to avoid finding yourself at the bottom of the cliff when the sun goes down.

Tropea is undoubtedly the shiniest treasure in Calabria’s collection. With a lively (albeit touristy) town, it’s the beach that will make you swoon, and more than once. From the hilltop town, follow the main drag all the way to the end, where a railing will stop you from walking clear off the cliff overlooking the dazzling sea below. The view here is epic, and includes a clifftop church perched on an “island” jutting out from the coast, surrounded by nothing but olive groves and cliffs that lead to the sea. But even better is the view from below. A serious set of stairs at either end of Tropea will lead you to the beach. Trek out to the water (or better yet, climb some of the enticing rock formations in the water) and turn back for a breathtaking view of Tropea’s village built right on the edge of the cliffs. There’s nothing quite like this scene, and it’s easy to spend the better part of the day on the beach, exploring secret caves, swimming, and constantly turning back to ogle the mind-blowing view.

Restaurants, cafes, and bars are in no short supply in Tropea, so do spend plenty of time in the actual village if you can. You can’t leave without trying the red onions so famous and distinctly Tropean that red onions throughout the region are simply known as “Tropea onions.” You’ll find them on every menu as a side dish, as an ingredient in other dishes, and even as a gelato flavor. (To be fair, the onions are delicious, but red onion gelato is not—still, you have to try it, so ask for

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 Calabria - From Page 45 a sample!) Taking onions home isn’t easy (or sometimes even possible with customs regulations surrounding agriculture), but a good way to bring this flavor home is through red onion pasta, or a tapenade. If neither of these options appeals to you, these onions adorn everything in town, so you’ll find something to bring back.

Amantea Along the journey back toward Rome, visit Amantea, an hour north of Pizzo. One of the more modern of Calabria’s mountaintop/beach combo villages, Amantea is good transition between the middle ages and the current day, as your trip winds down. There’s plenty of history to be found atop the mountains, from castle ruins and medieval churches to the charmingly puzzling alleys you’ll have to come to expect by now, but there’s also a considerable commercial center in the mile of town that separates the base of the mountain from the seemingly endless coastline, full of beach clubs and volleyball games. Here you’ll find something more akin to a small city, with a plethora of local shops and restaurants catering to a more lived-in environment than the other villages in this itinerary. Even when exploring the medieval parts of Amantea, you’ll find you’re not terribly far from the present. It’s the perfect compromise between the most ancient and abandoned villages, and the home that awaits the end of your travels.

Like all of Calabria, Amantea is known for its spicy cuisine, with the chili pepper reigning supreme in the region and complimenting just about every dish. Particularly special to Amantea, though, are a couple of culinary notables on the sweeter side: pistachio gelato (admittedly popular throughout

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Italy) and chocolate covered figs. The selection of these is enormous, and they’re a great gift to bring back for friends.

Within a half hour of Amantea are a handful of other medieval villages boasting their own castles, ruins, and eye-popping vistas, the most notable of which is Fiumefreddo Bruzio. If you can manage to be here during sunset, climb to the second level of the castle ruins and watch through remnants of medieval windows as the sky blazes through its fiery palette. From Amantea, the drive back to Rome clocks in between five and six hours. If you prefer to leave your car here, Lamezia Terme International airport is only a half hour away and offers onehour flights direct to the Eternal City. The train, as always, is also an option.

Calabria’s countless villages are as diverse as their offerings, but the common thread that unites them all (besides unbelievable beaches) is the warmth and openness of their citizens. In no village will you be turned away when asking for help, and in most you’ll be invited to some sort of get-together, or at least a drink with a new friend. The Calabrese have a deep sense of togetherness and are welcoming to visitors; they’re proud of their heritage and eager to share it. It’s been both a blessing and a curse that the rest of Italy seems to have forgotten Calabria while it marched, however reluctantly, into modernity. It’s had a negative impact on the region’s economy, with many of the younger generations forced to settle elsewhere in search of industries that can support their families. But for those who have remained behind, the promise of tourism holds a glimmer of hope that Calabria can thrive again, and many of the region’s villages are waking up to this notion. Now is the time to visit, while Calabria is perched on the brink of potential development. The tourism machine hasn’t been able to standardize the region with chain restaurants and resorts yet, so crowds are manageable and the region’s true culture still www.gaycalgary.com

permeates every encounter. An heartfelt effort is under way in Calabria to develop “the right kind of tourism,”—a phrase you’ll hear often if you ask around in any of its villages—to ensure authenticity remains, because it’s this culture that makes Calabria worth exploring, and this culture that will make it very difficult to leave.

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Photography Lethbridge Pride 2017 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1377

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LGBT Dance Musician Joey Suarez Brings EDM to Mainstream

By GayCalgary Staff Energetic. Dynamic. Electrifying. These are just a few words to describe LGBT dance/pop musician Joey Suarez. A resident of San Antonio, Texas, Suarez spends most of his time juggling his multiple ventures which range from a brand-new fashion line, Ravers Fantasy, to acting and of course his music.

Although his future is bright, the road he traveled had some dark moments. A family of 12 siblings, Suarez was an object of constant sexual abuse by his grandfather for 6 years in his own home.

This occurred shortly after his biological father was convicted of raping his two older sisters. “It’s sad to think about it, not only myself, but also most of my siblings have witnessed or experienced some sort of sexual abuse in our past,” Suarez states. “You’d think a family so large would grow distant in this type of situation, but we’re actually closer than most families because of it. It’s no mystery what has brought my abnormally large family so close together.”

Suarez was 15 years old when he first opened up about being abused and how it affected him during his childhood. “To my surprise, being able to speak out about this serious issue has helped heal my relationship with my mother, who at first did not agree with my gay lifestyle, believing it was residual of my abuse. It gave us a common ground of experience to build off of. In my mom’s words, she believes “God gave us the chance to heal one another.”

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These experiences would be enough to derail anyone’s dreams and ambitions, but instead, Suarez recalls more highs than lows in his childhood. “I was very fixated on the Arts, and as a child it was the rehearsals and performances that gave me refuge. It gave me the feeling of being ‘high’ on life or ‘high’ on music. In hindsight, I know it was the few times I felt safe.”

It was about that time that Suarez began to dabble in acting and professional modeling in Texas, Los Angeles and New York. “By the time I was 18, I had a beautiful portfolio which I was able to use to book modeling gigs in Los Angeles and New York.” Due to the social media success of these photoshoots Joey went on to work with Major clients like Sony, Marvel, Dreamworks, The Next Gay Thing, HorniUnderwear And TaniUSA. Although modeling and acting play an important role in Suarez’s life, his heart lies in creating music. “I wrote my first song when I was 6 and have not heard the last of it from my family who to this day can still recite it.”

The first real song that Suarez remembers writing was composed shortly after experiencing the loss of his beloved grandmother, who passed away from stomach cancer. “The experience of watching such a beautiful, strong, Hispanic woman just crumble under her cancer was... heartbreaking.

So, I felt inspired to write a song called “Memories”. It talks about how we should remember each other for the love and memories we’ve created together. I know it’s how she would have wanted me to remember her rather than in a hospital.

That’s truly when I began writing music.”

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Today, he draws influence from his family, all of whom are blessed with a musical gift. As with most large families, they are very competitive, so each family member plays a different instrument as a means of limiting that rivalry. “By the time it fell to me to choose an instrument, the only thing left was singing. Which, for a Mormon child means singing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Unfortunately for the church my voice wasn’t meant to blend with others.”

To the surprise of his fans, Suarez is a classically-trained opera/choir singer. By the time he was 16, he had over 10+ years of classical vocal training. “I was so sick of getting criticized in choirs for being ‘too loud’ or ‘not blending’ that I decided to try musical theatre. I fell in love. Suddenly all the constrictions and criticisms went out the window and I could freely explore my inner urges and talents.”

Suarez didn’t begin to explore pop music until he was 21 years old. Drawing from a wide range of musical influences including Linkin Park, Miley Cyrus and Daft Punk, he has crafted a style of music truly unique to what we hear currently on the radio. “Personally, I think I learned to operate in crisis for too long. My music was driven by the secrecy of my abuse.

Since I couldn’t talk to anyone about what I was experiencing, I bottled it up and expressed myself through music. More often than not I would ignore my school work, and focus solely on my music. I am sure it seemed impulsive and slightly odd to some people, but for me this was life. It was relief, and it fueled the person and artist I am today.”

And while most musicians tend to hide their sexuality at the beginning of their career for fear of rejection, Suarez consciously decided to flaunt it. “I lived a life of secrecy from a very young age. I was about 14 when I decided secrets weren’t worth it. From then on, I vowed never to lie and never to hide who I was from anyone and most of all myself.”

His first two singles, “High in the Sky” and “Love Me Back” have generated almost 130,000 streams collectively on Spotify.

A feat not easy for an independent LGBT musician. He is currently in the studio writing and recording more songs that may become part of a larger project. However, Suarez mentions that the songwriting process is not easy. “It’s nothing short of self-mutilation and torture to ones’ emotions.” Once he finds a beat that makes him want to dance, he inserts whatever words that come to mind until he stumbles on a theme. “Themes are the toughest part, because it’s a moment where you have to be real about where the music is coming from. More often than not, I find myself in a dark place where repressed emotions exist. So, I will use this chance to take the music’s beat and use it to help me reshape those images, or memories. As the music comes to life, the lyrics tend to morph from a negative perspective to a more positive one. For me this is a part of my healing process as an artist. By the time the song is done, I no longer feel pain and those memories now have a new meaning.

Something positive or even inspiring.”

In recent months, Suarez has performed at New York City Pride as well as San Antonio Pride in his home state of Texas.

He is scheduled to perform in Coming Out with Pride in Orlando this October. “Performing in NYC Pride for two years in a row was an absolutely dream come true. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I find it important to stand up and speak out about what it means to be proud of who you are. I do this through my music. PRIDE has given life to my career by supporting and introducing me to a community that gives me confidence in who I am.”

Joey Suarez http://www.joeysuarez.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5599 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Review

T-fal PerformaPro Frying Pan Easy to Clean and Stainless Steel

By Steve Polyak I am used to purchasing the T-Fal non-stick frying pans and pots so when I was sent the T-fal PerformaPro Frying Pan, I wondered how it would hold up against their non-stick products. The frying pan I received was their 10.5”/26cm sauté pan – part of an extensive series that you can buy as a kit or in separate pieces. There is no non-stick coating on these but, after testing it, I can see that having both types of pans in your collection will help you be a better cook.

The frying pan is just about double the weight of the same size frying pans that I have that are non-stick, but it is still not as heavy as cast iron pans. The surface of the frying pan is not smooth; there is a pattern of raised ovals which T-fal calls Techno Release, which is supposed to help keep foods from completely sticking to the surface. This is great for doing things like steaks, pork chops, chicken breasts and parts, vegetables and large items; but not great with things like pancakes, crepes, eggs and foods that will mold themselves to the bottom of the pan. Stick with T-fal’s non-stick pans for that.

The pan has a thick base, which means it works on all stovetops. The handle is rivetted in place and has a nice silicone wrap around the bottom side of it, making it easier to hold. If you are doing steaks or thick cuts of meat, these frying pans are great for browning the outside of the meat on stovetop, and then placing in the oven to finish it off. The pan is oven safe up to 400 °F/209 °C. This is something that you would not be able to do with most non-stick frying pans. It is also dishwasher safe, which makes clean up a breeze.

After the first use, I did notice some residue left on the frying pan, but it did not diminish from how it performed. You will see in the review video a quick recipe that I just put together on the spot using shrimp, cream cheese, whipping cream, garlic, fresh vegetables and freshly made pasta. I would provide a proper recipe if I had one, but it worked well in the frying pan.

The PerformaPro pan is a great item to add to your cookware collection. I have mostly used non-stick pots and pans for 58

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cooking, but always envied the capabilities of putting stovetop cook wear in the oven when I have seen it done on cooking shows. I like that with the heavy base, it won’t be warping as cheap frying pans would, so it will sit flat on your stovetop for a long time. It comes with a lifetime limited warranty so you know T-fal is trusting its products will last.

The product is sold in store or online either as PerformaPro or as Techno Release. The frying pan alone is about $55: affordable for a good quality pan. You can get it as part of a kit with pots, other sized pans and lids for $190 and up.

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Philips Viva Pasta and Noodle Maker

Make Fresh Pasta with Little Effort

By Steve Polyak Ok, bear with my excitement over this product review: from all the products I have had to review, this one is my favourite. I have looked at those little machines that you put the dough into and crank out the type of pasta you want, and the add-on attachments for mixers to cut the pasta to shape. The problem is that you make the dough, then let it rest for an hour or so, then process the dough through the machine to roll it out to the thickness you want and – by the time you do a couple batches – you realize you should have gone to buy the pasta in the store. My mom had one of those crank machines and it was just way too much work to get something simple, like spaghetti noodles, done.

Well the Philips Viva Pasta Maker changed that all. The machine produces fresh pasta noodles in less than 20 minutes! No waiting, no cranking, and very little effort. The Philips Viva Pasta Maker is compact and easily sits on top of your counter. It is 350mm (length) by 135mm (width) x 287mm (height) (13.5”L by 5.5”W by 11”H). There is a dough mixing chamber on top with a kneading rod that goes through the center of it. On the front side of the mixing chamber is where the discs go that the pasta dough gets shaped through.

The box comes with three different discs that do spaghetti, penne and fettuccini. Additional discs can be ordered in sets of two that do angel hair pasta and pappardelle, or thick spaghetti and tagliatelle, or the stand-alone sheet pasta disc which great is for lasagna, ravioli and dumplings. A cool feature is that the pasta maker can 60

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also be used for cookie dough, and there are two discs with cookie cutters and recipes to make them. I already know that when I get a chance, I will be ordering all the discs.

There is a compartment under the dough mixing chamber that holds two discs, where I wish it would hold more, but at least it can hold some of your most used discs. There is also a cleaning tool, which doubles as pasta cutter, so you can cut the pasta to the length you want as it comes out of the machine. It also comes with a recipe book, which includes recipes for both plain pasta as well as complete dishes.

On the first try, I wanted to keep it simple. You don’t realize how simple pasta is to make until you make it at home. Now it is recommended that you use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.

If you don’t have the ingredients right, the dough will be too soft and not hold its shape, or too dry and fall apart. Your base noodle recipe is just 200 grams of all-purpose flour and 70 grams of water. That is all it takes to make 200 grams of basic pasta, which is enough for two or three people, depending on how much pasta each person has. To do egg noodles it’s still 200 grams of all-purpose flour, but 80 grams of liquid, the egg plus water. The recipes can be doubled, which is the maximum amount of dough the machine can handle.

I selected the penne disc for my first go. The disc is placed on the front of the machine and you screw on the holder that keeps it in place. I measured the ingredients, The flour goes into the chamber and I closed the lid. I turned the machine on, and the kneading rod began to mix the flour around. Through the lid of the chamber I poured the water in slowly.

During the kneading process, the dough looks lumpy and nothing comes out of the machine. After three minutes, the kneading rod www.gaycalgary.com

changes direction and starts to push the dough through the front of the machine. The pasta curls a bit while it’s pushed out, but I think that makes the pasta look more interesting and unique, unlike store-bought. As it comes out, you cut the pasta to how long you want it to be. The disc is designed to give the penne a rough texture, which I found was awesome for just about any pasta sauce you serve with it. A lot of the store-bought pasta has a very smooth shell and, when you make your pasta sauce, the sauce has nothing to stick to, leaving it mostly on the plate. With this nice texture, the sauces have something to stick to.

As the pasta comes out and I cut it to length, I lightly sprinkle some additional flour on it to keep it from sticking. Once it’s close to being done pushing the dough through, it will reverse direction and then go back to pushing the remaining dough through. It will beep once it is done. You can then put it into manual mode, during which you can use a spatula to scrape off any remaining dough and let it finish up. If you open the lid while it is kneading the dough or making pasta, the kneading rod will stop.

Once the pasta is out, you can immediately put it into boiling water. Thin pasta only takes about four to five minutes to cook; thick pasta would take about six to eight minutes. You can also let it dry, put it in the fridge if you are going to use it a couple days later, or even freeze it.

When you take the machine apart, there will be some dough left over. I usually just put it back into the machine to finish it off or make some small bites of pasta like what it made. The machine parts are dishwasher safe, and any dough left on the disc can be easily removed by the scraping tool.

The quality of pasta the machine makes is even better than some of the fresh pasta I have had at some restaurants that have spent a ton of money on large machines. The recipes are simple. You can swap out the all-purpose flour with a mix of semolina and allpurpose flour, or a mix of buckwheat flour with all-purpose flour to make soba noodles, or just whole wheat only, or spelt flour, or bread flour for ramen noodles. You cannot use rice flour in the machine.

When you select the flour, the more protein in it, the better the quality the pasta will be, or you can offset the flour’s protein by adding egg. I bought durum semolina flour, which expands the type of pasta I can make.

There are also recipes that swap out the base liquid. You can make carrot pasta, beet pasta, squid ink pasta, tomato pasta or spinach pasta. There are recipes for herb pasta, fennel and pepper pasta, as well as curried noodles. The possibilities are endless. I was searching online for additional recipes and there are a lot more including desert pastas, like chocolate pasta, which you can serve

with a raspberry sauce, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I could see trying pasta with cinnamon in it served with apple pie filling or freshly sliced apples sprinkled with brown sugar. Seeing how simple the recipes are, you know exactly what is going into your pasta so there are no artificial flavours, colour or fillers.

Though the discs are set to size Italian pasta, all the pasta recipes can be used for any dish. There are no different recipes for

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Japanese or Chinese noodles unless they are the pulled noodles, done by hand. For thick udon or shanghai noodles, you can use the thick spaghetti disc or the penne disc. I have even done the noodles without having them hollow by removing the insert of the penne disc.

I find that I use the penne and fettuccini discs the most. I will double the recipe for standard wheat pasta with no egg, and store

the pasta in the fridge so I have it ready for several meals. I have it one night with something Italian, like ground beef and tomato sauce. The next night I do a Chinese stir-fry served with the same noodles, and the night after that a coconut curry dish. The egg noodles are great for soups too. I have not used any store-bought pasta since I received the Philips Viva Pasta Maker. The cost of doing pasta from scratch is pennies and if you want to eat healthy, you can just make it whole wheat, which will taste better than the store brands.

There are a couple other Philips pasta makers available. This one is the entry level, which is great for one person or small families.

For larger families, or people that really enjoy their pasta, there is the Avance Collection Pasta Maker or the Premium Collection Pasta Maker. All three machines use the same recipes and discs, but the latter operate a little bit faster than the one I reviewed. They also have a LED display, a larger body and the Premium Collection Pasta Maker comes with a built-in scale and more disc storage.

The Philips Viva Pasta Maker goes for about $200; the Avance Collection Pasta Maker for $230; and the Premium Collection Pasta Maker for about $280. The double disc set of thick spaghetti and tagliatelle kit run about $20; a double disc set of angel hair and pappardelle kit about $30; and the single disc for doing sheet pasta about $55. The double disc set for making cookies is roughly $30.

There has been one issue having the pasta maker. Unless I need to be out doing a restaurant review, covering an event, or out of town, I have noticed I eat at home more. The pasta maker has provided so many options of what to make for dinner that I don’t want to eat out. I want to see what else I can have for dinner that is restaurant quality at home. You don’t need to be a professional cook to use it.

A beginner can easily use it too. You have an endless combination of noodle dishes at your reach. This is great for families and parents who want kids to help cook. Do a couple different batches swapping between carrot, spinach, beet and the tomato pasta recipes and the kids will see it like Play-Doh that you can cook and eat.

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Video Interview

 Watch the interview online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5602

Randy Boissonnault

Federal Government and the LGBTQ community

By Evan Kayne Among many people we ran into at this year’s Edmonton Pride, we had a chance to talk to Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Center, one of six openly LGBTQ MPs serving in the Canadian Parliament, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ Issues.

Celebrating the size of this year’s festival, Randy told us how Edmonton Pride has grown exponentially. “When I see the number of families, the number of kids, the number of allies marching with us...we’re talking about 70,000 people just along the parade route, thousands of people marching...the parade route maxed out this year.” Even on a very chill and damp June day, everyone was out, happy, and expressing solidarity.

As well, Randy mentioned besides the big city events, the great thing about the growing acceptance and evolution of Pride was the rapid establishment of Pride festivals in smaller communities (e.g. Morinville, Fort McMurray, Taber). Randy believes this is because more and more people realize we are stronger because of our diversity. “We’re all just people, and that expression of belonging is really important.”

Randy also appreciated this year there was more attention given to the Treaty 6, Two Spirit aboriginal, and people of colour communities. One important issue we are seeing in our communities is dealing with the question of intersectionality (i.e. within your life you may have multiple identities intersect to create a larger identity different than the separate parts – identities like gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, age, etc. etc.). “So, if you are female, queer, a person of colour, and disabled, how does federal policy actually get to you? Chances are it struggles to do so. That’s why we have to work with our provincial counterparts, our municipal counterparts in civil society so we can get to people and make sure they have all the needs and supports that are important in their lives so people can lead the kind of lives they want to lead.”

Prime Minister Trudeau actually wanted Randy for these two roles as he felt much of the policy surrounding the LGBTQ community requires change. They recently finished up the transgender rights legislation (currently it’s in the process of becoming law, having just received Royal Assent), and they’re working to make sure data on gender and sex information is 64

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used strategically. Furthermore, individual segments within the community are of concern, Randy told us. “I’m also personally preoccupied: if you take a look at homeless youth populations, 40-50% of the population is LGBTQ youth because their parents simply kicked them out. And in 2017, we have to find better solutions to that.”

Creating open safe spaces within our community still needs to happen – for example, many LGBTQ seniors face going back into the closet when they move to assisted living lodges. Work still needs to be done, but change is happening. “Here in Edmonton Strathcona, maybe three to four weeks ago we were able to attend the launch of Ashbourne assisted living where for the first time, a United Church certified Affirming community at Ashbourne... so the staff was trained, all of the residents were interviewed, and LGBTQ seniors are welcome. It’s wonderful – first one in the country!”

In addition, the federal government is working on an apology to LGBTQ citizens for being fired from the federal public service, “...we will make that official apology before the end of 2017. We’re working on it, we want to do it sensibly and responsibly – that is our solemn pledge.” As many LGBTQ people still remember, it’s hard to be fired for being gay. “It’s a human right...you have a right to be employed, to make your living just the same as everyone else does, and that’s where the Human Right protections are really important for trans Canadians and for all Canadians.”

This is also why the federal government is working hard not JUST to protect rights in Canada, they’re also promoting equal rights for LGBTQ people on the international stage. “We’re honored to have sought the co-chairship of the Equal Rights Coalition (http://www.gaycalgary.com/u793), we’re continuing to work inside the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, the Francophonie, and the United Nations to make change happen around the world.”

“Every country is on its own path of evolution, and over time the long arc of history bends towards justice”, yet Canada is hoping to help escalate change. Sometimes you can work directly with the government of that country, but sometimes you’ll have an extremely homophobic country with no interest in protecting rights of LGBTQ citizens. The workaround is to team up with international support organizations/non-governmental organizations to press for change, or sometimes to rescue refugees.

With these LGBTQ refugees, Randy is working closely with both the minister of Immigration and the minister of Foreign affairs to make sure they have a workable, broad policy.

They’re working with Rainbow Railroad and companion LGBTQ refugee organizations across the country, and really stress if organizations or groups want to come together and sponsor a refugee fleeing their country because of sexuality or sex expression discrimination, reach out to his office, let them know through the website – http://canada.ca/free-to-be-me. You can find them on Twitter @freetobeme_ca It’s about $30,000 to sponsor a refugee for a year, which is why Randy was saying community groups tend to come together to make the work happen. “Canada is a leader in this field and we’ll continue to be. We also are going to make sure our policy response is broad so we can continue to make strides in this area.” You hear the stories people face in their own country, so Randy insists there’s still a lot of work to do. “At the end of the day we’re all Canadian, we’re all citizens of the world, and we all just want to belong.”

Randy Boissonnault http://rboissonnault.liberal.ca/ http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5602 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Go Your Own Way

Country Singer Patrick Masse talks about his duet with Drake Jensen Watch the interview online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5603 

By Evan Kayne We caught up with Country singer Patrick Masse at this year’s Edmonton Pride. It was his first time at this Pride celebration and between performing and being part of the party that is Pride, he had time to talk about a new musical project.

“Drake Jensen and I did a new single, it’s called Go Your Own Way and it just went out to radio on Monday (June 5) so it’s doing really well...it was released in Canada and overseas...it’s kind of an anthem for youth”.

It’s about bullying and ultimately the message is about being comfortable in your genuine self. As for recording this song with Drake, it was a busy day, but Patrick said they enjoyed themselves in the Ottawa studio in which they cut the single. “We did a video, a photo-shoot, did the CBC interview, all in a day and a half”.

In conjunction with the single release they’re doing the Go Your Own Way Project. “You can go on to Facebook and there’s a ‘Go Your Own Way Project’ page and we’re encouraging people to go on and share their stories either with a video or write their stories in a safe space.” It’s to give the young people hope and support, and hopefully prevent LGBTQ youth from suicide. “Drake and I really wanted to do something to nurture and inspire young people”.

As well, a project and song like this may be inspiring to a gay or lesbian youth whose parents and upbringing might be more focused around Country music. This is a demographic further marginalized in rural settings. “Country music is one of those genres which still hasn’t embraced openly gay artists...there’s a few around.” CBC did a feature Patrick hopes will get people talking about this discrimination, and realizing they need to be on the progressive side of this issue. “I’ve been doing this for 19 years and I lost a major record deal because I wouldn’t stay in the closet.”

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On one hand Patrick implied that is was fun being in a group of openly gay/lesbian country western singers when it’s you, Drake Jensen and k.d. lang (for part of her career). “I think shows a lot that three openly gay artists in Country (music) are all Canadian and we’re leading the way.”

That’s not to say Patrick will avoid doing shows in the United States but... “...there’s a lot going on in the States right now and you have to be concerned with your own personal safety.” Given the shootings at Pulse, and the shootings at the Ariana Grande concert as an artist it’s something in the back of his mind, but he also thinks there is a lot of good happening in this world too. “We can’t be silent and let our fellow community members die in vain; we have to stand up.”

To be fair, Canada has advanced a lot further than the USA on LGBTQ+ rights, but acceptance is a ongoing battle. “It’s nice to be a Canadian, and when you do travel abroad as an artist, we’re really embraced because Canada is a leader in human rights...we just gotta keep going down that path, so whatever Drake and I can do to help the cause we’re all open for it.”

Go Your Own Way Project http://www.gaycalgary.com/u800 CBC article on gay artists in Country music http://www.gaycalgary.com/u807 http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5603 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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Real Estate Popcorn Ceilings Many older homes have popcorn ceilings, but very few people actually like them. This type of ugly ceiling can also hide asbestos if it was installed prior to the late 1970s, and that can be a problem. You’ll want to have the ceiling tested by a professional before you list the home to make sure that’s not an issue. If it is, hope that the ceiling is in fairly good shape. If it is, that means the solution is to simply seal in the asbestos using spray paint. If it’s not, the entire popcorn ceiling treatment will have to come down, and that can be quite costly. Even if there’s no asbestos, removing popcorn ceilings isn’t easy or cheap.

Complete Carpeting Throughout the Home Today, people want hardwood floors, even if they’re fake hardwood. Some families, especially those with young children, are likely to look at a home with wall to wall carpet and start thinking about the mess the kids will make. If you have carpet throughout, consider replacing it in a few rooms such as the kitchen, the dining room, and the entryway.

If that’s not an option, be sure to have all of the carpet professionally cleaned.

Acrylic Faucet Knobs

Things that May Turn Off Potential Buyers

By GayRealEstate.com Selling your home is a challenge, but there are some things about your house that can make selling it more difficult. You may not even realize that you have these things in your home. However, potential buyers will see them and, in many cases, won’t be amused. While a really nice feature or bonus space may help convince buyers to make the purchase, one little negative thing can be all it takes to make a buyer cross a home off their list. Here are some of the latest things that can make an excited potential buyer turn around and walk out the door.

Horrible Landscaping Does your home look like it’s decorated for Halloween all year round? If so, it likely has zero curb appeal. If your exterior doesn’t look inviting, potential buyers may never see its amazing interior. Make sure the lawn is nicely mowed, the flower beds look good, and there aren’t any dead branches or other plants around. You can even add a few pots of annuals here and there for a little extra color if none of your current flowers are blooming. This is probably one of the easiest fixes you can do since simple landscaping doesn’t cost too much and you can do much of it yourself.

Many older faucets have acrylic knobs that appear to be large, see-through pieces of glass or crystal. They’re definitely a sign of an outdated bathroom or kitchen for several reasons.

First, they tend to look cheap. Second, they’re difficult for the elderly and young children to use. They’re also difficult for some with disabilities, which means a home with this type of faucet doesn’t mean the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. You can replace these faucets with easy-to-use levers for a fairly small amount of money.

Vanity Strip Lighting If your bathroom has a strip of bare light bulbs over the vanity, it’s a good sign that the home was built or at least remodeled during the 1970s. This style of lighting was very popular in those days, but today, it’s definitely not. Replace this old light fixture with a nice fixture that includes bulb shades. You could even put in wall sconces on each side of the mirror as long as the style matches the rest of the bathroom.

Bright or Unusual Shades of Color You might love hot pink so much that you painted your master bedroom that color, but chances are, most potential buyers won’t share your tastes. If you’ve painted your home bright colors that reflect your personality, you might want to consider repainting before you sell. Many real estate agents recommend going with a warm but neutral color. Fortunately, painting your home is a fairly easy and inexpensive change you can do to help potential buyers see themselves living there.

Real estate agents, in fact, are one of your biggest resources when it comes to learning what works and what doesn’t in your house. Every home is different, and it takes a trained eye to see things that may be a major turn off to potential buyers. It’s important that you find a real estate agent who understands you and your buying and selling needs. For those in the LGBT community, this may mean finding an agent who also identifies as part of that community. These agents will often understand your unique needs better than others. It’s also fairly easy to find LGBT real estate agents by using www.GayRealEstate.com, a website dedicated to LGBT real estate professionals.

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Jacen Zhu

Gay Geek, The Flash, and Cocky Boys



By Evan Kayne Jacen Zhu, model and Cocky Boys adult film performer, was recently in Edmonton for their Pride festival, and we had a chance to talk to him.

We quickly established that Jacen has a geek side to him, as a mispronunciation of his name (it’s pronounced “Jay-sen Zoo”) immediately fell into a conversation about the Flash and cosplay. “That’s actually what I was thinking about for Halloween: I should be the Flash this year” as a slimmer but toned model, he could get away with just a skin tight outfit and it would totally work as “The Flash” as most depictions of him (compared to Superman or Batman) tend to show him as possessing a lean body.

Jacen was here performing with Cocky Boys at Evolution nightclub, but he’s busy on various productions: “The latest one I did was with Cory Kane...he’s one of the newest exclusives with Cocky Boys. I do have a new scene...it’s with Alex Mecum, so I’m super excited for that.” A lot of pictures and video clips are available on his twitter feed: @jacen_zhu or go to Cockyboys. com. Jacen is a new exclusive with them.

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Watch the interview online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5604

We did joke about them doing a Flash sex parody; whether they’d do it...who knows, but Jacen would be very interested in it if they did. And while we’d all like to see Stephen Amell (“Green Arrow”) naked, in reality, we’d have to settle for a hunky man like Colby Keller who looks like him. Whether it will happen or not, at the very least we’ll get to see some of Jacen’s high energy as a Cocky Boy.

Jacen Zju Twitter: @jacen_zhu Cocky Boys https://cockyboys.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5604 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments

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Acid Betty talks about RuPaul’s Drag Race and Big Brother

Watch the interview online: http://gaycalgary.com/a5605 

By Evan Kayne Acid Betty, Brooklyn NY native, and one of the contestants from the eighth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, appeared at Pure Pride as part of the 2017 edition of Edmonton Pride, where between beating off admirers she stopped to chat to us.

At 37, she was one of the oldest, most experienced drag queens on the show. While everyone was still in the womb, as Acid Betty put it, “...I was in the dark clubs doing nasty things...I’ve been doing this for almost fifteen years, and I was on Project Runway before RuPaul’s Drag Race and I’ve done some other TV shows that you might catch me looking crazy.” She was going to retire before her appearance on Drag Race, but for the show she felt “one last time.”

Acid Betty reminisced about the first drag show she attended and where she met fellow drag queen Raja Gemini. “She was the first drag queen I ever saw when I was seventeen years old and I snuck into my first gay bar.” To Acid Betty, Raja was this awesome, glorious, tall Amazon who she’s now known for many years, and whom also performed on Drag Race (season 3 winner).

Regarding reality shows, we discussed with Acid Betty the production process of these shows, how they edit shows to create a plot point, and how different countries impact the theme of franchised reality shows like Big Brother. “Our version (American) of Big Brother is weird / cut people’s heads off...very American, very cutthroat, undermining, and they lie to each other and it’s kind of the nasty side of a human being. Like Americans.” She’s seen reality shows from other countries and noticed even though contestants know it’s a competition, there’s a noticeable difference in how they treat each other compared to the American franchise.

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Yet being on a reality show as a performer has its publicity advantages, and sometimes this means blowing up or creating a new brand for yourself. As for Acid Betty, “Well, I’m doing the same thing but on crack. It’s the same thing but bigger because I really wasn’t doing merchandise like crazy and doing little installations here and there but now I’m doing that.” She has a larger audience and platform to work from, for which she credits Drag Race for the boost.

Conversely, “...they tried to assassinate my character by turning me into a bigger cunt than I am. I’m a big asshole, but not as big as I was. I still did fine for myself”. A large part of this was editing and playing up rivalries to create drama, which Acid Betty understands, yet if you only watched the show you’d think she was enemies with fellow contestant Chi Chi Devayne: “...and Chi Chi ended up being my best friend...even to the point she was texting me ‘Omigosh... we’re enemies now?!’”. You can tell while she understands this is how the show works, she still found it ridiculous when behind the scenes it’s the opposite. “It’s TV,” she sadly conceded, “...reality TV.” That being said if there’s a third RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race, it’s entirely possible you might see the return of Acid Betty to the competition.

Acid Betty http://acidbetty.com http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5605 View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments www.gaycalgary.com

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GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

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Photography EVOpride2017 at Evolution, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa1371

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Photography Pure Pride 2017 at Starlite and Needle Vinyl Tavern, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa1373 and pa1366

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Photography FAB Bears in the Park PRIDE BBQ, Edmonton http://gaycalgary.com/pa1375

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Photography ISCCA - Drag H2O at the Backlot, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1386

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Photography HOMO-CIDAL - Canada 150 Party at Twisted Element, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1388

Canada 150 Kick Off at Twisted, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1384

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Photography Gay Day at the Calgary Stampede 2017 http://gaycalgary.com/pa1391

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Photography FAB Stampede Weekend, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1389

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Photography Calgary Stampede Grand Stand Show http://gaycalgary.com/pa1393

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Photography True Colours Anti Stampede Queer Dance at Broken City, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1394

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Photography Lipstick Powder & Paint at Goliaths, Calgary http://gaycalgary.com/pa1395

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Photography

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HOT MESS - Canada Day at National on 8th, Calgary

ISCCA - The Emperor’s 1st Chili Cookoff at the Backlot

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News Releases Oliver & Bonacini Launches Hudson — A New LargeScale Event Space

Contemporary event space marks O&B’s third addition to Hudson’s Bay building in Calgary Today, Oliver & Bonacini (O&B),... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2437

New York LGBTQ Leader Attacks Trump For Not Recognizing Pride Month

LGBT Network CEO David Kilmnick today blasted President Donald Trump, who has yet to declare June as Pride Month despite issuing... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2438

Celebrate Summer with FRUIT: A Savor the South Cookbook

by Nancie McDermott Summer brings out a bounty of fresh fruits perfect for backyard parties, picnics and everyday eating. Fruits of the American... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2439

Calgary Pride and Twisted Element partner to offer Official After Party for 2017 Festival

For the first time in a decade, Calgary’s LGBTQ community will be celebrating shoulder to shoulder in community space, as Twisted... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2440

NSFW - NEW Andrew Christian VIDEO: Model Behavior - Game On! - Season 1, Episode 2

Andrew Christian’s MODEL BEHAVIOR. A new reality web series showing behind-the-scenes drama of a real life underwear company,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2441

Calgary Pride Launches 2017 Festival

With less than 3 months until rainbow flags and feather boas will crowd the streets of downtown, Calgary Pride is formally launching... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2442

Transgender Travel Tips: A Cheapflights.Ca Guide to Flying While Trans

A how-to for navigating everything from planning and packing to travel documents and security The hassles of luggage, security... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2443

Dan Talevski to Debut New Summer Jam Birthday Suit on Friday June 16

TRACK RANKED #8 ON ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S MUST LIST NEW EP SET FOR FALL 2017 RELEASE Toronto pop singer-songwriter, Dan Talevski,... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2444

Cazwell Makes America FEMME Again

Rapper Cazwell Aims To Make America Femme Again Through Music and Fashion: “Loose Wrists” and Lacey Shorts For Men Music... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2445

Tel Aviv: Hundreds of Thousands March in Largest Ever Gay Parade in the Middle East

* Tel Aviv Kicks-off European Pride Parade season with record high numbers * * First Pride Parade in the world to celebrate... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2446

One Year Since the Orlando Massacre

Almost one year ago, a gunman who pledged himself to ISIS showered bullets in an Orlando nightclub and carried out the most deadly... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2447

TESA Responds to Trans Rights Bill C-16 Passing Senate

The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) congratulates the Senate of Canada - Sénat du Canada in passing Third Reading of... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2448

NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Naughty Emojis

For a while now, Mr Smiley has been ensuring that the Steam Room Stories guys don’t show off too much. In the latest episode... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2449

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Trophy Boy Contest - The Banana Challenge

Who is better at eating a banana? Watch to see which model contestant knows how to finish a filling meal. Don’t forget to... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2450

Steam Room Stories is heading to the silver screen!

Smash hit YouTube comedy series Steam Room Stories is making the leap to the silver screen after 7 years! Featuring hot, sexy... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2451

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News Releases NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: After School Special (with the Andrew Christian Boys) UNCENSORED

Music Bear Tony Banks Eliminates The Cling This Summer with Hot New Single, “Static”

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http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2459

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Locker Room Payback REMIX (Uncensored)

NSFW - Steam Room Stories: Grab a Weiner in the Steam Room this 4th of July

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2453

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2460

NSFW - Alexander COBB® Swimwear 2017 Latitude

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Overboard

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2454

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2461

What to Wear This Canada Day - Teva x Hudson’s Bay Collaboration

New Cookbook Celebrates the Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from State and County Fairs

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2455

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2462

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Road Trip to Miami Beach - Winter Party Festival

Jake Biondi releases seventh book in his popular BOYSTOWN series

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2456

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2463

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: Wax Off!

MADE WITH LOVE™ Regional Finals Is Coming To Edmonton!

Andrew Christian and White Party Palm Springs present “After School Special” The Andrew Christian boys are in trouble once again,...

First Single from His Upcoming Hip Hop album, ‘Yes, Homo’ This week, Music Bear Tony Banks’ is releasing “Static,”...

Cinematographer/Director/Editor: Shawn Adams Art Director: Erica Dorsey Makeup: Robbie LaRiviere Models: Derek Atlas, Jake...

4th of July is right around the corner and the Steam Room Stories guys are getting into the spirit early. After revealing a surprise...

Alexander COBB® is happy to announce their newest swimwear collection Latitude 2017.

Swimwear is named by world seas (Carribean,...

Jump off with the AC Boys in Key West. Filmed at “The Best Gay Resort In The World” - Island House Key West, Florida...

Hudson’s Bay has partnered with global footwear brand Teva on a limited-edition collaboration that launches today, exclusively...

The summer season is a time for ice cream, trips to the beach, and . . . state and county fairs!

The food selection at state and...

“A very entertaining and high-energy read by a masterful storyteller.” “It’s finally here and I’m so excited,”...

The Andrew Christian boys head from Key West to Miami for Winter Party....

COME JOIN US AND EXPERIENCE THE LARGEST MIXOLOGY COMPETITION IN CANADA! Cocktail enthusiasts and bartending aficionados, be...

Watch Topher Dimaggio tackle Austin Watie & Matt O’Reilly’s hairy bods as he attempts to help them relax their muscles in the... http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2457

http://www.gaycalgary.com/n2464

NSFW - Andrew Christian VIDEO: The Audition (Matinee-Vegas & the Stoli Guy Competition)

RuPaul’s Drag Race “Werq The World” Tour Returns to Canada This Fall

Find out what happened at the Andrew Christian Auditions for the Stoli Guy Competition / Matinee-Vegas Party. Written and Directed...

Featuring Live Performances By Alyssa Edwards, Detox, Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Shangela, Violet Chachki and Season 9 Stars Peppermint,...

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Directory & Events DOWNTOWN CALGARY

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10 12

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3

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1 8

4 5

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1 2 3 4

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

5 6 7 8

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

FIND OUT!

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 (closed)

 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

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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.

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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 #162, August 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-----------------------------------

 727 - 42 Avenue SE  403-243-6642  http://www.stagewestcalgary.com

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

 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

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

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

Edmonton Expo

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

Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back, relax, and watch a movie with us.

• Queer HangOUT: Game Night

 http://www.edmontonexpo.com

Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)

 http://www.edmontonpride.ca

Come OUT with your game face on and meet some awesome people through board game fun.

• Queer HangOUT: Craft Night

Edmonton Prime Timers

 edmontonpt@yahoo.ca  www.primetimersww.org/edmonton Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from diverse backgrounds but have common social interests.

Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.

Edmonton Illusions Social Club

 780-387-3343

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

 11111 Jasper Ave

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

Edmonton Vocal Minority

 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.

Fellowship of Alberta Bears

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

 780-479-2038  www.evmchoir.com

 sing@evmchoir.com

 www.beefbearbash.com

GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club

Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton Team Edmonton

HIV Network Of Edmonton Society--------

 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.

InQueeries

 St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

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

 780-474-8240

 tuff@shaw.ca

 9702 111 Ave NW 780-488-5742  www.hivedmonton.com Provides healthy sexuality education for Edmonton’s LGBT community and support for those infected or affected

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

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

 http://www.iscwr.ca

Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

 10704 124 St NW

• Movie Night

Living Positive Society of Alberta

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

• HIV Support Group

 huges@shaw.ca, curtis@optionssexualhealth.ca Support and discussion group for gay men.

Men’s Games Nights

 Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)

 780-474-8240  tuff@shaw.ca

OUTreach

 University of Alberta, basement of SUB  outreach@ualberta.ca  http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer, Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group.

Pride Centre of Edmonton-----------------

 10608 - 105 Ave  780-488-3234  admin@pridecentreofedmonton.org  http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org  Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm 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.

• Counselling

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

• Badminton (Mixed)

• 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

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

• 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.

• Cross Country Skiing

 crosscountry@teamedmonton.ca

• Curling with Pride

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

• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)

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

• Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

 dragonboat@teamedmonton.ca

• Golf

 golf@teamedmonton.ca

• Gymnastics, Drop-in

• Knotty Knitters

Come knit and socialize in a safe and accepting environment - all skill levels are welcome.

 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.

• Men Talking with Pride

• Hockey

 robwells780@hotmail.com Support & social group for gay & bisexual men to discuss current issues.

 hockey@teamedmonton.ca

GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

91

Directory & Events DOWNTOWN EDMONTON

1

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 See

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

N

2

See 1 Youth Understanding Youth

Mondays

6

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

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

• Outdoor Pursuits

 outdoorpursuits@teamedmonton.ca

• Snowballs V

• Tennis

• Soccer

• Ultimate Frisbee

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

 soccer@teamedmonton.ca

• Spin

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

• Slo Pitch

• Swimming (Making Waves)

 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.

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

 NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street)  swimming@teamedmonton.ca  http://www.makingwavesswimclub.ca

 Kinsmen Sports Centre  Sundays, 12pm-3pm

 tennis@teamedmonton.ca  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

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

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

Products & Services Interactive Male

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

Robertson-Wesley United Church

 Sharon: 780-461-0017  Pam: 780-436-7374 Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome.

Call for info.

• Yoga

• Soul OUTing

• Women’s Lacrosse

Youth Understanding Youth

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

GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

• Sports and Recreation

 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!

 Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street)  yoga@teamedmonton.ca

92

See

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

 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.

• Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

 2nd

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

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

Buck Naked Boys Club

 Edmonton Contd.

• Martial Arts

 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

 Second Sunday every month, 7pm An LGBT-focused alternative worship.

• Film Night

 Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.

www.gaycalgary.com

Directory & Events Red Deer Events Wednesdays

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

CAANS

 1st

Friday, August 15th

 Edmonton Contd.

• Book Club

 Monthly, contact us for exact dates.

Theatre & Fine Arts

Pride Lethbridge

The Roxy Theatre (closed)

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

BANFF

 lethbridgepridefest@gmail.com

RED DEER Community Groups

Community Groups HIV Community Link

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

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.

LGBTQ Education

JASPER Community Groups Jasper Pride Festival

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

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

LETHBRIDGE Community Groups GALA/LA

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

• Monthly Dances

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

• Monthly Potluck Dinners

 McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your own beverage.

• Support Line

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

• Friday Mixer

 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.

Egale Canada

 8 Wellington St E, Third Floor Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C5  1-888-204-7777  www.egale.ca Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transidentified people and our families.

Products & Services Interactive Male

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

Squirt

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

Theatre & Fine Arts Broadway Across Canada

 http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca

Pride on Campus

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

MEDICINE HAT Community Groups HIV Community Link

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

• Telephone Support

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

ALBERTA Community Groups Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group

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

Theatre & Fine Arts Alberta Ballet

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

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

Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

 University of Lethbridge GBLTTQQ club on campus.

PFLAG Canada

 1-888-530-6777

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

 galia@uleth.ca

• Movie Night

 Room C610, University of Lethbridge

Gay Youth Alliance Group

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

Lethbridge HIV Connection

CANADA Community Groups Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

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

 1206 - 6 Ave S

www.gaycalgary.com

GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

93

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190

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Help Wanted

240

GayCalgary Magazine is looking for sales people, graphic designers, and writers in Alberta. For more info, contact: magazine@gaycalgary.com 403-543-6960

Computers

Erotic Massage

420

UltimateMaleMassage.com

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Best Erotic Male Massage In Calgary.

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

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

Products/Services 500 Certified Personal Trainer Save on Surface, Xbox, and PCs. Free shipping.

Free returns. http://gaycalgary.com/u751

Dating Service

Bar/Resturaunt

220

GET A LIFE! Commercial Cleaning

Does your business need a professional cleaner?

Steve is bonded/Insured. Flexible prices and brings all his own supplies. Steve is a part of the LGBT Community and has been cleaning for over 5 years in Calgary. (403)200-7384 getalifecleaner@gmail.com www.getalifecleaner.com www.facebook.com/getalifecleaner

Consulting

527

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415

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517

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GayCalgary Magazine #162, August 2017

www.gaycalgary.com