Gay Living Magazine | Toronto | Summer 2016 (Pride Edition) by Gay Living

Gay

Living TORONTO | SUMMER 2016

GAY SINGER

STEVE GRAND

IS TAKING IT VIRAL

THE PERFECT

SUMMER DRINKS #MANCRUSH

GABRIEL BONILLA

PRIDE EDITION

MAP & EVENTS GUIDE IN-

FREE ISSUE More Gay. Everyday. GayLiving.ca | 1

BORDELLO SUNDAYS JOCK NIGHT THURSDAY

SUPER SEXY DANCERS

hosted by

MORGAN JAMES $5 BOTTLES OF BUD $15 PITCHERS

DAILY 5PM-CL FREE PASSES

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463 CHURCH ST

15 VIP ROOMS PRIVATE ENCOUNTERS

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Contents SEX & RELATIONGay Weddings & Big Penises 6

COVER STORY

PRIDE

Gay Singer Steve Grand

Justin Trudeau, Village Map & Events Listings.

MAN CRUSH

LIFESTYLE

GET

Hairstylist Gabriel Bonilla

Bowties & Drink Pink

Caught at Pitbull & Inside Out

GAY LIVING MAGAZINE TORONTO

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITOR WRITERS PHOTOGRAPHERS

MAGAZINE DESIGN PROMO DESIGN

ADVERTISING Alex Roberts Mallory Greene Thomas Rockcliffe Pauline Milner Andrew McArthur Adam Hart Alex Roberts Brian Lawrence Matkai Burmaster Robert Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aguiar

ADVERTISE IN GAY LIVING 855-216-8098 (press 1, then 3) sales@gayliving.ca SUBMIT UPCOMING EVENTS events@gayliving.ca Full info at GayLiving.ca/Contact

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Special Thanks to Chris Veigt and Unsplash

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Sex & Relationships

Gay Weddings

Personalize Your Nuptials with Refreshing New Traditions Getting hitched, tying the knot, taking the plunge. It doesn’t matter which way you say it, each of these phrases signal one thing – you have some major planning ahead. Consulting any of the thousands of websites and books available will make it feel overwhelming. If you visit a wedding fair, you will discover that everyone thinks their little section is the most important and more expensive than the previous stall. Whether you decide to elope or throw the bash of the century, there are only five people and two things you need: each other, two witnesses, someone to perform the ceremony (make sure they are legally entitled to do so), somewhere to do it, and the license (someone will have a pen). Everything else is up to you, including the exact location of the rings. There are plenty of free websites available that are super easy to set up and maintain. You should take advantage of this option to provide a web address where your wedding participants and guests can go to get details and updates about your big day. It is a good choice to employ someone other than you and your partner to update the site on a regular basis. With individual save-the-date announcements, the options are endless. Print your details on personalized balloons then attach each one to a piece of card reading, “Please inflate and save the date.” Or, if your guests are a bit more serious, try designing a crossword puzzle with clues, the answers to which will reveal your wedding date and any other particulars. An answer key can be available on your website (or on the back of the card for the guests you actually want to show up). You can keep the fun and frivolity going with the actual invitations. There is an almost unlimited number of options for your invitations. You may want to stray from the conventional paper. Perhaps model your invitations after children’s lift-the-flap books. Fold up pictures of the ceremony and reception venues for further details, such as the address. Lift a photo of your rings to find the ceremony time or a picture of a CD for dance information. If you are both rather green or into gardening, invitations can be printed on paper that contains seeds of whatever kind of plant you like for planting later. Or even design an invitation that requires 3D glasses to read. Unless you are eloping or carrying a bouquet of tiny dildos down the aisle, flowers are almost a given. For a little steam 6 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

punk nod, you can use the “The Language of Flowers” to help you choose. Tulips are a sign of consuming love and happy years with a huge rainbow of colour choices available. Sweet Peas originated in Sicily, later became very popular in England, and symbolize lasting pleasure. Hydrangeas are large blossoms and come in intense shades of blue, burgundy, and purple. Carnations come in many colours and last upwards of two weeks. They dry well, are a great option as a lapel flower, and are beautifully fragrant. For your wedding cake, fresh flowers and greenery, especially ivy vines, make for an elegant cake topper. Deciding to go with a comical one is a way to add a bit of amusement to your day. Two grooms joined by a ball and chain, the words “Mr. & Mr.,” or figures of your favourite duos such as Batman and Robin or Laurel and Hardy. Limousines have long been the most popular mode of transport for the wedding party, but this is also a time to express yourselves. A horse and buggy can transport the grooms with the wedding party using horses and a cart with bundles of hay covered in horse blankets for seats. Local antique car clubs may be willing to hire out their vintage autos, although the owners would likely request to be the chauffeurs. It’s also worth noting that a party bus can accommodate the entire wedding party and usually comes with a lot of Dutch courage. Some cities even have double Decker buses or trolley cars available. When either or both of you have children from a previous relationship, including them in your ceremony is a way to make them feel officially welcome in your new union. Grooms may also want to present children with a special gift to commemorate the occasion such as a ring, necklace, chain, or watch engraved with an endearing sentiment. If you really want something different, the grooms may reveal to each other tattoos they have each gotten in honour of the other and their marriage.

Getting both grooms down the aisle to the altar is one way to really make your ceremony memorable with numerous options available. Grooms could walk with their respective parent(s) and/or grandparent(s), or you could have the “best person” accompany each groom. If you want to set a fun mood for the day, grooms can dance down the aisle to their favourite song. When young children are included in the wedding party, leaving a special treat where they will be sitting is a great way to entice them to go to the correct spot. Ceremony music is a very personal choice. If you are seeking live performers, local universities with music programs are excellent sources for soloists and instrument players. You may also inquire about local choirs. Before you settle on Wagner’s “Wedding March” from the third act of “Lohengrin,” listen to Clarke’s “Trumpet Voluntary” (Prince of Denmark’s March); it’s a much more fitting piece – if played live, you do require a trumpeter. Consider allowing your guests to choose to sit on whichever side they wish. Remember to mark the appropriate number of rows as “reserved” for the wedding party and designated guests. As well, after signing the register, when your Officiant introduces you both for the first time as a married couple, they may disclose to your guests that you are hyphenating your last names. Photographs are the only way you will remember your wedding day in any detail. Most people choose to have professional photographers, but some of the best memories of weddings are in the candid shots. You can create a Facebook group or a section of your wedding website for your guests to upload their own photos. A photo booth with props will make for some hilarious photos and possibly some exciting ones once the free champagne has been drunk. With your professional photographer, you might want to consider some more unconventional locations. Art galleries sometimes have paintings that are large enough to provide a unique backdrop. Universities have buildings with varied architecture that may make for an eclectic wedding album. For a Christmas wedding, cities often have elaborate trees and decorations that would make for a bright, festive setting.

On arrival, provide a blank framed canvas large enough to allow for each guest to add their personal words for the grooms. A selection of colourful markers will make this much more interesting to look at than a simple guest-book. If you are not providing an open bar, you could provide each guest with one drink ticket to be handed out as they arrive. Personalized bottles of wine provided for each table is also economical. Feeding your guests is expected, but instead of a formal sit down meal or vol-au-vents and sandwiches, consider buildyour-own stations for salads, tacos, or wraps. Although, remember that everyone has different limits when it comes to spices and the invariable vegan. You won’t go wrong with a “Pimp Your Cupcake Bar” or a “Candy Bar” where guests can fill bags with different candy selections, perhaps reflecting your chosen colour scheme. For your first dance together, you could start out with a sappy waltz and morph into a dance routine that will have your guests cheering on their feet. If possible, involving the wedding party is a great idea and one your guests will not be expecting. Guest wedding favours allow for many creative choices. If it is the right time of year for planting, saplings and seed packets are a way to keep your wedding green. Guests will also love a magazine depicting your lives up to this day or a CD of your favourite music. When the time comes for the grooms to depart, sparklers and bubbles are a great substitute for confetti, which many venues no longer allow, and rice, which is not good for birds. Most importantly, remember, above all else, this is your day together. There are no dos and don’ts. Make your own etiquette and make no apologies. Enjoy it, it really will be the best.

Be sure your photographer has a detailed list of the photos and subjects that you want. This is your one chance and you should not have to worry about getting your favourite poses. The list will also make the photography session go quickly so you can get back to the celebration and your waiting guests. At your reception, receiving lines can take a long time and your guests have already been waiting for you to return from the photos. You and your spouse could, instead, hand out the pieces of wedding cake yourselves. This will insure that you get a few moments with each guest and other guests don’t have to stand in a long line up.

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Sex & Relationships

A Big Penis Isn’t Always a Good Thing by Thomas Rockcliffe

Most men – if they are honest – will say that they would like a bigger dick – if you didn’t ask the question and they are wearing a Mac, then run away because the next thing they will do is ask your opinion. Without blowing my own trumpet – I need a few more yoga classes to reach – I have one, and after all we have been through together (from the good times to the electric fence) I wouldn’t wish him smaller. On the other hand, here are my top 5 reasons why having a big cock isn’t all it’s cracked up to be:

5: It is always visible. Prince Albert supposedly had a ring in his to secure it during state functions. In fact, he had his tailor add an extra bit of material to one trouser leg. However I can’t afford expert tailoring which means that if you look at my crotch, you can quickly tell to which direction I dress. That is unless it’s hard in which case looking anywhere other than my face means you can see it – or at least that’s how it feels. At twenty-five, I am pretty chill about it, but at fourteen, it was a nightmare! Alongside the dozen or so surprise erections, anything would set it off (especially the vibrations of public transport). If that wasn’t bad enough, when the council made the buses accessible they raised most of the seats up a couple of steps, meaning for those two steps my crotch was head height – usually to a little old lady – or would have been if I didn‘t decide to wait to get off until it had gone away.

4: It dictates sexual roles. A large penis can dictate or alter your position or role – top 8 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

or bottom. What happens now is that I will meet a man who tells me he is a “total top” and then once we get naked and I get hard, he says: “Wow! Do you ever fuck with that?” Having said this, it did turn out to be profitable when I was propositioned online. The man offered me fifty pounds (about $94 CAD today) to let him suck me off in his car. At sixteen, cash and a blow job looked like a win-win situation and in fact, it turned out to be even better than it sounded. I met him outside the local church. I liked the spot because there was a hidden short cut to my house in case I needed to run. I got into his car, got it out and up, and after a few moments of trying he said that he was “really sorry, but it’s too big.” He paid me the money and took me back to the church. Proportionally, it’s still the most I have been paid per hour. When I first starting having sex it was rather different. I was taking advantage of the school holidays with my boyfriend. So we get naked together for the first time – he was well out of my league – and he looks at it and says: “Well that isn’t going up me.”

3: It becomes your identity. The more people that see it and hear about it, the more it becomes your identity. If you sleep around or sleep with someone indiscreet, the word can travel even faster. I knew the cock size of the last three head boys from my school and I didn’t have sex with any of them, but even crashing out after a few parties will mean people can get a glimpse. Once they have an idea of how big you are, the process begins. It starts as gossip and then evolves into a defining characteristic – especially if you have a common name like I do.

“Oh you know Thom?” “Which one?” “The tall one, blue eyes, brown hair, big cock” “Oh that one! What about him?”

Sometimes it even becomes such a defining feature that it forces people to change the way they speak. One of my best friends has been fond of saying that “the thing about big penises is that they come attached to big dicks.” That was, at least, until she saw me naked a few times and the saying became: “The thing about big penises is that they come attached to big dicks...except for Thom.”

2: It’s a bigger let down when you are out manned.

1 : Eventually you have to prove it. As with most things, you will eventually be called upon to prove it. Usually that’s a simple matter because you are sober and in public, so you exhibit self control. However, if you are eighteen at an end-of-school celebration and someone has a video camera, well then, you settle all the rumours and whip it out. For some reason, actually looking at it would have been weird, but watching it on film wasn’t so. After we drank a little more tequila – and several people’s parents were called – we forgot about the video. Well, at least until the school’s leaving assembly where we sat watching as the camera makes its way into the bathroom, the discussion takes place, and “whoosh,” I am revealed to the entire sixth form for the 30 seconds that it took a teacher to pull the plug.

There is always someone faster, stronger or better than you. When it comes to cock size however, the longer it takes before you are “out manned” the bigger disappointment it is. It didn’t happen to me until I was twenty-two and filming my first porn film. There were three of us in the background watching and wanking as the three stars performed in front of us. Suddenly the director calls out: “Cut! Can the extra with the big cock come forward a bit?” All three of us prepared to take a step forward, so I looked down to make sure (and I am glad I did) as it would have been so embarrassing for the director to say: “No, not you.”

PRIDE presENts

august

8 to 14 2016

edition a parade, presented by viagra, under the theme

our flag our nature

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Cover Story

by Pauline Milner

Steve Grand

Taking It Viral

It all began when Steve Grand posted a music video entitled “All American Boy” on YouTube in July of 2013. Immediately, the video went viral and country music had acquired its first openly gay performer to garner so much attention, though this performer would spread his sound over more than one genre.

Many media outlets have labelled Grand the “first openly gay country singer,” but Grand is quick to point out that there are others who blazed the trail before him. Shane McAnally is one of the most successful songwriters in the industry, and there is also Mark Weigle, Jimbeau Hinson, Drake Jensen, and Chely Wright.

CNN and Good Morning America were both talking about Grand. His video made it onto Buzzfeed’s list of “24 Most Brilliant Music Videos of 2013.” Grand also made it onto OUT Magazine’s the OUT100 list, making him one of the most compelling LGBT people at the time.

At age 13, when Grand realized that he was gay, he started “coming out to friends” and eventually, to his parents. Grand had to endure five years of therapy where, essentially, Christian therapist tried to convince him that he would be miserable if he continued to insist he was gay and would only be happy living life as a straight male.

Grand “Still can’t believe how successful it [the video] was.” Emotionally, he says, “I’m still and always will be grateful for that.” While wading through the intricacies of the music business, a journey that is both strenuous and challenging, Steve relates, “It’s hard to stay positive and keep your momentum.” However, judging from his success, he continues to find his way through the labyrinth. Growing up in Lemont, Illinois, Grand recalls from a young age that his father would often be taken back to another place in time when he heard certain songs. His dad would tell him about what kind of car he had been driving, or who he had been with when he first heard a specific song on the radio. Grand came to the realization that music possesses a power great enough to permanently embed itself into someone’s psyche, and he knew he wanted to be a part of that process. After spending time performing music in venues throughout the Chicago area, Grand maxed out his credit card to produce “All American Boy” in his parent’s basement. After posting the video to YouTube, eight days and over one million views later, a star was born. 10 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

Thankfully, Grand was able to persevere and publically “came out at age 19.” Since coming out, he has remained active in the LGBT equality movement. He is able to use his talent to draw people together and has performed at numerous gay events, including World Pride 2014 in Toronto, and taught a master class in June 2015, when he visited the Europride Festival in Riga, Latvia. In addition, he has partnered with Bailey House, Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, March on Springfield for Marriage Equality, The Human Rights Campaign, and The Anti Violence Project, among others. After the release of “All American Boy,” people were quick to label Grand a country artist. Grand, himself, disputes this title, saying, “There’s a lot of talk about me being a country artist, and that was the headline from the start: Gay Country Artist. I never really identified with that. I certainly didn’t put that out there for myself, and I’ve never done anything to affirm that label.” Allowing that the “All American Boy” video definitely has a country theme, the words and the melody of the song itself

do not really deserve to be limited to any one genre. When you delve into the lines from the song, such as “But his eyes are holdin’ me, just a captive to his wonder” and “I want to take this in now, we don’t need no photo of it,” it is apparent that “All American Boy” could definitely fit other genres such as pop and rock. Songs about love, more than any other topic, supersede most labels. In fact, Grand would like to not be painted into a corner with one label to identify his music. He is quite content being a singer/songwriter with “various American influences.” While listening with his dad to classic rock bands such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, Grand knew the powerful emotions those lyrics conjured up. A piano player himself, Grand liked listening to Billy Joel and Elton John. He says, “I thought it was cool that they incorporated the piano into the music.” After high school, when artists like Fall Out Boy and Blink 182 were popular, Grand “fell in love” with Lady Gaga. To this day, he keeps current with what is happening in the popular music culture. His ever-growing fan base is loyal to him and his music. The only label they give him is that he is a damn good artist. There are those, however, who accuse him of promoting himself as a gay country artist who wants to represent the entire gay community. Grand states, “It’s easy for people just to say whatever they want with no consequence” because of

the anonymity of the Internet. Grand simply wants to be a successful artist. A search of Google Images will find several shots of Grand from years past in his undies. Instead of shying away from the photographs that were taken when he was 19 and trying to build a modelling portfolio, Grand owns them. He is not ashamed of his body or what he has done in the past, and those pictures have no bearing on who he is today. Coming out as gay is becoming more mainstream and acceptance is growing, but some anti-gay people are still digging in their claws and holding on. Grand feels there is one very important reason to continue to come out publically: so that young people will know that it is okay to be gay. “The kids who are still really struggling with this. The kids who feel like they would still rather be dead than live life as a gay person. I’m thinking about them all the time when I’m doing these things, because deep down we all want to just be loved. We want to experience love. We want to give love and we want to feel valued and understood.” Fans continue to eagerly await Grand’s latest recordings and always hope that he will pick a venue near them for his next concert stop so they too can experience the electricity in the air when he performs.

GET THE ALBUM

Steve Grand’s debut album is available on iTunes or from his website, SteveGrand.com. @SteveGrandMusic

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Pride

by Matkai Burmaster

Pride 2016 A Year of Firsts

In Toronto, what we know as “Pride” has gone from just a parade, to a week-long celebration including three parades, and now as of this year, it’s a full “Pride Month” according to Pride Toronto, the organization that presents many of the city’s mainstream Pride events including the anchor event, the 2016 Pride Parade, which marches down Yonge Street at the end of the Festival. Our new “Pride Month” is not the only new thing this year. On June 1, we witnessed Justin Trudeau (pictured below) become the first Prime Minister to erect a Pride Flag at Parliament. This is a huge step for LGBTQA rights as a symbol of how far Canada has come in recognizing all sexual and gender identities. A crowd of supporters was present for the Flag Raising including several openly gay politicians and other notable figures. “We’ve seen such progress in our lifetime,” notes Scott Brison. “People know that LGBTQ rights are human rights and this is a strong sense of who we are as Canadians, and that’s a wonderful step forward.”

This year will also mark a milestone for our Trans community. According to Pride Toronto, this year the festival showcases the “biggest, most robust and inclusive Trans Pride experience in the festival’s 35-year history.” This comes at a time when Trans rights are gracing mainstream entertainment thanks to shows like the Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and Amazon’s Transparent. OITNB star Laverne Cox has become somewhat of an LGBTQA icon for Trans rights popularizing the hashtag #TransIsBeautiful on social media. We are also seeing large companies stand behind our Trans community as they advocate for gender-equality in public and workplace restrooms. Pride 2016 also puts a highlight on the celebration of Black LGBTQA members of our community. Pride Toronto explains that special attention will be drawn to “blackness and queerness in an effort to amplify the voices of marginalized trans and queer people of colour.” In recent years, we have seen countless stories from our neighbours south of the border and here at home of discrimination towards those who are both black and queer. We’ve also seen black queerness start to be showcased in mainstream media with series like Fox’s Empire. The show features Jamal, a talented musician who is discredited and alienated because of his sexuality. The series, created by black, openly gay director, Lee Daniels, sheds light into the struggles that a gay man in a black family has that may be more challenging than some families from other races. The events scheduled for Pride Month this year should help us gain a better understanding of black queerness while also celebrating LGBTQA people of all races. This Pride is a year of firsts, but also a continuation on the celebration of diversity and inclusion. As we laugh, dance, and party, let’s also use this opportunity to spread love and acceptance among our peers as we relish in the progress we’ve made so far, and continue to work to make our city, country and world an environment for everyone to be their true authentic selves. After all, that’s what Pride is all about.

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Photograph of Justin Trudeau at Pride 2015 by Adam

3 CLUBS

3 PARTIES PRESENTS

FML MONDAYS PRIDE POWER-UP JUNE 27

JUNE 20

DJ RECKLEZZ

DJ CRAIG DOMINIC

SOFONDA COX JUICE BOXX

JADA HUDSON EVE SUMMERS

JULY 4

DJ CRAIG DOMINIC DJ CRAIG DOMINIC

TYNOMI BANKS

BROOKE LYNN HYTES DEVINE DARLIN

463 CHURCH ST 504 CHURCH ST INTERNATIONAL DJ/PRODUCER

CAJJMERE WRAY

SULTRY SATURDAY JUNE 18

ALA MODE HELENA POISON

JUNE 25

BABY BEL BEL DEVINE DARLINʼ

JULY 2

FULL OUT PRIDE SATURDAY

$100 BOTTLES•$5 BAR RAIL•11-12PM

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Route for

Pride Parade

TTC

BLOOR Route for

TTC

Dyke & Trans

Pride 2016 Outdoor Stag-

CHURCH

CHARLES

1 Wellesley Stage 2 TD Village 3 OLG Central

ISABELLA

GLOUCESTER

EARL

9 TTC

WELLESLEY EAST

SHERBOURNE

JARVIS

YONGE

4 Bud Light South 5 Fido Ryerson Quad 6 Yonge-Dundas Square 7 Allan Gardens Landmarks

8 Fly 2.0 MAITLAND

9 The 519 / Greenspace

Buddies in Bad Times

12 13

11 Statlers

ALEXANDER

12 Flash WOOD

13 Woodys

TTC

14 Crews & Tangos CARLTON

Friendly Suggestions CHURCH

TTC TTC Subway Station

BMO Bank of Montreal a PITBULL party location

GERARD

a MOJO party loca-

5 GOULD

TTC

DUNDAS

YONGE

DUNDAS

Events listings on page 18 & 19. Includes non-official events. 14 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

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THE OFFICIAL AFTER PARTY AT: THE

HOUSE

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More Gay. Everyday. GayLiving.ca | 17

Pride See map on page 12 for locations corresponding to select events listed here. Thursday, June 16 Pride Networking Social + Mentorship Hour Sheraton Centre Hotel 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Free outonbayst.org Friday, June 17 TSO Late Night Concert and Cabaret Soiree Roy Thomson Hall 10:00pm - 11:00pm $25 & up tso.ca MoJo: Flexx The Old Skool Pride Jam Church on Church 10:00pm $5 at door fb.com/MoJoToronto

Arabian Knights: Pride Edition Club 120 10:00pm - 4:00am club120.ca

Sunday, June 19

Saturday, June 25

XLSIOR: Sugar Beach Party Sugar Beach 22 Dockside Drive 12:00pm - 7:00pm Pay What You Can

Circus So Gay Church-Wellesley Village June 25 & 26 2:00pm - 11:00pm churchwellesleyvillage.ca

Monday, June 20 MoJo: FML Mondays Flash, 463 Church Street Every Monday 11:00pm fb.com/MoJoToronto Wednesday, June 22 Mean Girls: On Wednesdays We Wear Pink! Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay West 9:00pm - 11:00pm Free harbourfrontcentre.com Thursday, June 23

Club Babylon Fly 2.0 10:30pm - 4:00am $24.63 flyyyz.com

Pink Flamenco! Harbourfront Centre 7:00pm - 10:00pm Free harbourfrontcentre.com

Saturday, June 18

Rufus Does Judy Luminato Festival 440 Unwin Avenue 8:00pm - 11:00pm $39 & up luminatofestival.com

Gay Day at Wonderland Canada’s Wonderland 10:00am - 10:00pm $15-$44 canadaswonderland. com/pflag Black Boys Presents: A Night of Spiritual Pride Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 8:00pm - 11:00pm $20 pre, more at door buddiesinbadtimes.com

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9:00pm - 11:00pm Free Cabana Pool Party Cabana Pool Bar 11 Polson Street, Toronto 6:00pm - 11:00pm $20 & up cabanapoolbar.com

MoJo: Sultry Saturdays: Reinvented Byzantium Every Saturday 11:00pm fb.com/MoJoToronto

Friday, June 24 Friday Night Live: Colour ROM Proud Royal Ontario Museum 7:00pm - 11:00pm $5-$15 rom.on.ca/fnl

Eagle BBQ & Bike Pump Dance Party - PWA Fndrsr The Black Eagle 3:00pm blackeagletoronto.com MoJo: Sultry Saturdays: Reinvented Byzantium Every Saturday 11:00pm fb.com/MoJoToronto Sunday, June 26 An Evening with George Takei 43 Gerrard Street East 7:00pm - 10:00pm $25 & up

Wednesday, June 29 Human Rights Panels: Blackness & Queer Politics The 519 7:00pm - 10:00pm Free Puppy Pride Party The Black Eagle 9:00pm - 2:00am blackeagletoronto.com Thursday, June 30 Green Space: Starry Night The 519 5:00pm - 12:00am greenspaceto.org Ted Kasprow The Black Eagle 10:00pm blackeagletoronto.com

A Night at the Aqueerium Ripley’s Aquarium 288 Bremner Boulevard 8:00pm - 12:00am $56 & up

Prism: Bootcamp Fly 2.0 10:00pm - 5:00am $34 & up ticketweb.ca/prism

Monday, June 27

Friday, July 1

MoJo: FML Mondays Flash, 463 Church Street Every Monday 11:00pm fb.com/MoJoToronto

Made in Canada OLG Central Stage 3:00pm - 2:00am Free

Tuesday, June 28

Trans Community Fair Allan Gardens 3:00pm - 10:00pm Free

AIDS Candlelight Vigil Barbara Hall Park at the 519

Green Space: One World The 519

Photographs from Pride 2015 by Adam Hart

Clean, Sober and Proud Paul Kane Parkette Fri 6:00pm - 12:00am Sat 10:00am - 12:00am Sun 10:00am - 9:00pm Street Fair (Day 1) Church-Wellesley Village 7:00pm - 2:00am Free Two-Spirit Rainbow Pow Wow TD Village Stage 7:00pm - 11:00pm Alternaqueer Bud Light South Stage 7:00pm - 2:00am Trans Space Church & Isabella Fri 7:00pm - 9:00pm Sat 12:00pm - 10:00pm Sun 12:00pm - 10:00pm Mariposa: From Latin America with Love Wellesley Stage 7:00pm - 2:00am Trans March See map for route Starts at 8:00pm Bearracuda Toronto Pride: Upgraded by GROWLr The Black Eagle Toronto 9:30pm blackeagletoronto.com Pitbull: Pride #Leatherlove The Opera House 735 Queen Street E 10:00pm - 4:00am pitbullevents.com Prism: Matinee’s Circuit Sound Academy 11 Polson Pier 10:0pm - 7:00am ticketweb.ca/prism Skank Top: Pride Edition The Steady Cafe & Bar

10:00pm thesteadycafe.com Katya 2.0 Fly 2.0 10:30pm - 4:00am $25

508 Church Street 2:00pm - 2:00am Drag On! Molson Canadian Stage 1 Dundas Street E 2:00pm - 11:00pm

12:00pm - 11:00pm

Saturday, July 2

Lez Get It On! Bud Light South Stage 423 - 425 Church Street 2:00pm - 2:00am

Pride Parade See map for route Starts at 2:00pm

Family Pride Church Street Public School 83 Alexander Street 10:00am - 5:00pm 21st Annual Pride and Remembrance Run Church & Wellesley 10:00am priderun.org Street Fair (Day 2) Church-Wellesley Village 12:00pm - 2:00am Fruit Loopz Fido Ryerson Quad 1:00pm - 4:00pm Art Fair Alexander Parkette 16 Alexander Street 1:00pm - 5:00pm Green Space: Lipstick Jungle The 519 Starts at 1:00pm Prism: Aqua Sunnyside Pavilion 1:00pm - 9:00pm ticketweb.ca/prism Village Medley TD Village Stage 2:00pm - 11:00pm Dyke March See map for route Starts at 2:00pm Bear Garden OLG Central Stage

Music Fido Ryerson Quad 4:00pm - 2:00am Yalla Bara Wellesley Stage 5:00pm - 2:00am Pitbull: Pride Carnival The Phoenix 10:00pm - 4:00am pitbullevents.com Muscle & Heat The Black Eagle Toronto 10:00 Pm blackeagletoronto.com DJ Kitty Glitter 10:30 Pm - 4:30 Am Fly 2.0 flyyyz.com Ay! Pap! Wayla Bar (416) 901-5570 waylabar.ca Prism: Resist Nest, 423 College Street 11:00pm - 8:00am ticketweb.ca/prism Sunday, July 3 Street Fair (Day 3) Church-Wellesley Village 12:00pm - 11:00pm Black is Black: Blockorama 18 Wellesley Stage

Green Space: Treehouse Fido Ryerson Quad Starts at 1:00pm pridetoronto.com

Dirty Disco Bud Light South Stage 2:00pm - 11:00pm The Final Play Molson Canadian Stage 1 Dundas Street E 2:00pm - 11:00pm Fist OLG Central Stage 2:00pm - 11:00pm Green Space: Disco Disco The 519 5:00pm - 12:00am Mark Falco The Black Eagle 10:00pm blackeagletoronto.com Pitbull: Pride Hot Mess Fly 2.0 10:00 PM - 5:00 AM pitbullevents.com Prism: Revival Maison Mercer 15 Mercer Street 10:00pm - 8:00am ticketweb.ca/prism Monday, July 4 Trade: “American Gigolo” Patio Party The Black Eagle 3:00pm blackeagletoronto.com MoJo: FML Mondays Flash, 463 Church Street

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT

Tell us about upcoming events by emailing events@gayliving.ca. Some events are 19+ only. Some events also have an entry fee or cover even if it is not listed here. Gay Living is not responsible for any errors or changes after publication. Please contact Event Organizers directly. Events submitted may appear in the printed magazine as well as online. Submitting an event does not guarantee that it will be published. Pitbull

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Entertainment Spend Some Time With

DJ Josh Whitaker by Pauline Milner

If you are attending an event where your body never stops moving to the beat of the music and the atmosphere is electric, then DJ Josh Whitaker could very likely be the person creating the acoustics. In 2002, while at the University of California Riverside and enjoying dorm life, Josh attended his first rave in downtown Los Angeles with his dorm mates. His fans should be thankful that he decided to go out that night, because it was at that rave that “something clicked.” Josh immediately “felt the energy in a place where everyone was there for the music and no one was interested in judging you.” After years of listening almost exclusively to hip-hop, Josh “found his calling” and discovered a love for music that blends a unique twist of house, tech, and tribal sounds. While working on his degree in Business Administration Management, which he graduated with in 2007, Josh “never imagined he would have a full time career in music.” Upon “finding his love for the industry,” university life changed. He was “hitting the books through the week and seeking out the best raves every weekend. ”Time passed, and “gays became more open.” Josh “realized he had gay feelings,” but, in his first year of university, a time when young men were expected to be “hot, straight, and athletic,” he had joined a fraternity with 90 other men in his chapter. Josh lived in a house on a hill that 20 of his fraternity brothers called “home.” He became an officer, then treasurer, followed by President of the Interfraternity Council (IFC) that oversaw the 10 fraternities on campus. Josh first came out to his fraternity brother, Jay Ward, who still remains “one of his best friends.” As President of the IFC, Josh garnered a lot of respect. Having “finally accepted” that he was gay, Josh came out publically in order “to make a statement to others that gay was okay,” but “not wanting to harm his fraternity,” he did not reoffer when his term ended. “Once my fraternity was aware that I was gay, I had to move out of the house and I ended my membership,” Josh says. “ But it was all good. I accomplished what I set out to do and, though I was no longer a member, I still had the respect I had earned.” Growing up in a southern California ghetto, a “very poor neighbourhood,” Josh’s parents divorced when he was 12. His mom “did her best,” but Josh learned to “take responsibility for himself early on” and, by the age of 16, he was living on his own. Today, Josh’s parents are both fully support his sexuality. However, when he came out at 22, Josh says, “it was very scary to tell my parents and, initially, it did not go well. My dad was prejudiced, anti-gay, 20 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

and very, very conservative.” It took time, but now, Josh chokes up when he says, “My dad recently told me that I am one of the best human beings he knows and he is very proud of me.” Josh relates, “If my dad can change his view of gays, it shows that anyone else can too.”

When asked to give advice to those wanting to enter into the industry, Josh warns that people “should always do it for the right reasons. You have to love the music and be prepared to put in countless hours until you find your own sound.” He cautions, “Never do it because you want to be famous. People can pick out someone who just wants to be famous a mile away.” Josh is pensive about why this industry holds such an appeal.“Music is a universal language. It connects everyone with no race, gender, sexual, or geographical

barriers. Music unites all people.” As his career has advanced, Josh has “learned to live out of a suitcase.” Last year, he travelled to 25 cities in the United States and Mexico and performed at 12 Gay Prides. He is looking to expand internationally, “with his ultimate goal working in Brazil.”He is, as he describes, “100% single.” He quips, tongue in cheek, “DJs are nerds. We sit in front of a computer screen all day just so we can perform for two hours on the weekend.” He laments, “Working alone is difficult. You have to independently motivate yourself.” When asked to comment on the strife that is gripping many places around the world today, Josh says, very unfortunate, most of the stuff we see on the news every day. But, I don’t blame it on religion the way most people do. There are 400 religions in the world and only a handful are causing all the trouble. I wish people would just find a way to get along.” As each day passes, Josh hopes he “will always find ways to better the world and be a positive influence on others.”Josh’s goal is to “grow and evolve as production dictates” and he is determined to “never lose sight of who I am.” He says, “The support I get is amazing.” If he can “continue to unite people through music” then, Josh says, “I have found my purpose. My fans will always be able to approach me. I will always remain accessible.” Josh Whitaker is the 2014 Matinee DJ Contest winner. He has residences at Matinee USA, Las Vegas/New York,

Sanctuary SF, Gus Presents: Phoenix and Shangri La at The Endup, San Francisco: Overdrive, San Diego: Reflex Afterhours, Los Angeles: Xion, Atlanta: Winter Party Festival, Miami and Action Afterhours, Los Angeles, and New York City. To learn more about Josh and to follow him and his career, check out his website at djjoshwhitaker.com. There, you can also find samples of Josh’s work that will have you dancing around your computer to the individualistic twist of his take on the house tech tribal sound.

LISTEN UP

Listen to Josh’s unqiue sound at soundcloud.com/djjoshwhitaker

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Man Crush

#ManCrush is sponsored by

22 | Follow @GayLivingMedia

Photography by Brian Lawrence

Gabriel Bonilla @astro_gabe74 ZODIAC SIGN Pieces HOBBIES Helping the less fortunate by performing life-altering makeovers.

Gabriel is a hair stylist orginally from Colombia. GUILTY PLEASURES Real Housewives, sour gummies, and jalapeño cheddar popcorn. DREAM BOYFRIEND Mature Muscle Bear

CELEBRITY DATE Russel Crowe or Jeff Goldblum

FEELING SEXY IN Speedo

IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY Botox party for all my friends.

WHO YOU LOOK UP TO My mom

AN IDEAL DATE Going out for margaritas.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION? Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“ May the booty get fatter and the tummy get flatter. Amen. ” #ManCrush @GayLivingMedia

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LANDMARK CAPITAL LTD. Products are offered to Ontario residents only through Landmark Capital Ltd. (FSCO Mortgage Broker Licence 12493). Borrowers or potential syndicated mortgage investors must consult one of our Mortgage Agents for product suitability and receipt of the applicable information required to make an informed decision. The content is presented for information purposes only, limited in scope and does not contain all applicable terms, conditions, risks associated with our products. No representation, guarantee, warranty is expressed or implied as to accuracy or reliability of information.

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by Pauline Milner

Lifestyle

Bow Ties

Distinguished and EndurBow ties have persevered and remained stylish since they originated from crevates in the in the 17th century when Croatian mercenaries wore them during the Prussian wars. The actual bow tie shape we know today was invented in 1880. The fact that bow ties are still worn is a major accomplishment in the fashion industry considering there are countless fads that are only here for a short time and then gone forever. Have you seen any gaucho pants or velour shirts lately? If you choose to wear this classic piece, you definitely need to abide by some bow tie etiquette. There is no way to subtly wear a bow tie, so be sure yours makes the right fashion statement. Sure, you may stray from the usual patterns of plaids, solids, and stripes, but tread lightly. You will seem eccentric enough just by showing up wearing a bow tie. You don’t want to go over the top by donning one depicting hot chili peppers or flashing lights. Since the bow tie remains well established as a part of a discerning man’s wardrobe, several apparel companies offer unique and personalized designs. If you want to stray from the conventional patterns, make sure whatever you choose stays true to the tradition that is the bow tie. KISS (“Keep It Simple, Stupid”) is the most appropriate option here. If you want a pop of colour, go with a pale coral instead of neon green. You could also try a lighter coloured base with dark

polka dots. If you really want to add a graphic, perhaps to convey your love of golf, try selecting golf tees, but keep them small and not so bright that they take away from the bow tie itself. Bow tie wearers are part of an exclusive fraternity, so make sure to honour the tradition rather than bucking it. Ignore pre-tied and clip-ons. Any self-respecting man will tie his own bow tie. You can learn the art at GayLiving.ca. Always go for a tight knot and leave it alone. Bow ties do not look cool when loosened like regular ties do.

WATCH THIS

Head to GayLiving.ca to watch a video tutorial on tying a bow tie. When wearing your bow tie, always behave like a gentleman. There are no exceptions. They suggest a level of intelligence about you. Try not to ruin the facade by starting a conversation with a knock knock joke. I’m just sayin’! If you do opt to add the never antiquated and always distinguished bow tie to your ensemble, get ready to be noticed. Believe me, you will.

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Lifestyle