June 2024

BROCK MCGILLIS CONTINUES CREATING SAFER SPACES IN SPORT

SEARCHING FOR CONNECTION WITH BILLY-RAY BELCOURT

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP MULTIVERSE WITH MYRIAM LACROIX

INDIE GAY MUSICIANS PUSH TO GET THEIR SOUNDS HEARD

inmagazine.ca

PUBLISHER

Patricia Salib

EDITOR

Christopher Turner

ART DIRECTOR

Georges Sarkis

COPY EDITOR

Ruth Hanley

SENIOR COLUMNISTS

Paul Gallant, Doug Wallace

CONTRIBUTORS

Aram Eginliyan, Adriana Ermter, Paul Hutnick, Karen Kwan, Jimmy Newsum, Larry Olsen, Andrew Perez, Stephan Petar

VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT

Benjamin Chafe

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Jumol Royes

COMMUNITY RESOURCE NAVIGATOR

Tyra Blizzard

ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES

benjamin@elevatemediagroup.co

EDITORIAL INQUIRIES editor@inmagazine.ca

IN Magazine is published six times per year by Elevate Media Group (https://elevatemediagroup.co). All rights reserved. Visit www.inmagazine.ca daily for 2SLGBTQI+ content.

180 John St, Suite #509, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1X5

ON THE COVER: Brock McGillis PHOTOGRAPHER: Miss Coço

Issue 118

June 2024

INFRONT

06 | BEAT BOX

Indie gay musicians push to get their sounds heard in this season of major pop releases

08 | JOEY ARRIGO IS RAISING TEMPS

His fiery new dance single, “Get Down,” is out this summer

12 | DON’T SWEAT IT

The drugstore’s latest deodorant offerings can now block your every drip, drop and drench (and the manky smells that come with them)

14 | EATING HEALTHY ON A BUDGET

How to keep eating right, even when groceries cost a fortune

16 | RUPAUL SHARES HIS TOUCHING MESSAGE TO HIS YOUNGER SELF

The Drag Race host has revealed what message he’d give to his younger self as part of the book tour for his new memoir

17 | REDEFINING SEXUAL HEALTH WITH SEXFLUENT

Youth-driven platform harnesses the power of TikTok and Instagram to reimagine sexual health education to end the HIV epidemic

18 | GENDER-NEUTRAL MENSTRUATION PRODUCT LINE LAUNCHES

‘Tampon For Men’ continues to expand the menstrual discussion with new products designed to include trans and non-binary individuals

Switzerland’s Nemo won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest held in Malmo, Sweden, on Saturday, May 11, becoming the first artist identifying as non-binary to claim victory (Photo: instagram/eurovision)

FEATURES

20 | HOW TORIN ONG’S TRANSITION JOURNEY AT GRACEMED MISSISSAUGA HELPED HIM TURN A CORNER

Ong already had a clear idea of what he wanted – and who he wanted to make the journey with

22 | I’M NOT A “MAINSTREAM GAY”

At the age of 37, I’m finally coming to grips with the complex realities of the gay experience

24 | SEARCHING FOR CONNECTION WITH BILLY-RAY BELCOURT

In Coexistence, the author presents 10 short stories that look at queer Indigenous love and joy in its spectacular and ordinary form

26 | EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP MULTIVERSE

In her debut genre-bending book, Vancouverbased author Myriam Lacroix takes us on a rollercoaster ride through various realities

30 | BROCK MCGILLIS CONTINUES CREATING SAFER SPACES IN SPORT

The former hockey pro is on a mission to make the ice (and sports in general) a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for queer athletes

36 | TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS INVEST IN 2SLGBTQI+ INCLUSION IN HOCKEY

The hockey team’s Director of Culture & Inclusion talks about the team’s investment in the Culture Shift Tour of hockey pro Brock McGillis, and the importance of his advocacy work

38 | IT’S A QUEER WORLD

Matt Cullen presents intimate portraits of people in the 2SLGBTQI+ community

46 | A JOURNEY THROUGH THE BLOCKBUSTERS OF MUSICAL THEATRE

We sat down with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Steven Reineke for more on Broadway Blockbusters

48 | WINTER KEPT US WARM

Trailblazing Canadian film Winter Kept Us Warm was made at a time when gay love definitely did not speak its name

50 | COLOMBIA’S ECLECTIC CHARM

The gateway to South America reveals an odyssey of community spirit, coastal adventure, untamed wilderness and urban diversion

54 | FLASHBACK: JUNE 2, 1951 IN 2SLGBTQI+ HISTORY

Gilbert Baker, designer of the rainbow flag, is born

FASHION

41 | MUSIC MOVES YOU

The DJs making you move this Pride season get in front of IN’s camera wearing a two classic PUMA silhouettes: the Easy Rider and the Palermo

BEAT BOX BEAT BOX

Indie gay musicians push to get their sounds heard in this season of major pop releases

By Jimmy Newsum

Spring isn’t traditionally known as a big time for new music releases, but this season’s offerings are bigger and better than ever. A batch of major A-listers are delivering highly anticipated albums, from the Queen Bee’s Cowboy Carter and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department to new music from Dua Lipa, Normani, Billie Eilish and, of course, Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine

It can be tough for indie musicians to get their tunes heard in such a crowded field, but these are the gay artists and their new tracks that are breaking through the noise. And, no, we’re not just talking dance floor music! These performers are serving hits in pop, jazz and even country music, ya’ll.

Wils

“Dancing Lights” Independent

The latest – and last! – release from the Singapore pop singing sensation is an uplifting dance track that tackles issues of self-esteem and insecurity, and promotes a message of self-empowerment and embracing inner beauty. It presents a moodier and more subdued hue than “Open Up Babe” and past songs from the artist, but Wils’ use of vocal effects and vintage synths really drive home the song’s powerful message. “Dancing Lights” is extremely raw, and depicts Wils as a vulnerable, relatable individual who is finally emerging from a dark hole of depression. Along with the single, the accompanying visual captures the essence of grief and its final stage of acceptance. Wils became famous 10 years ago for being the world’s first openly gay Chinese pop singer. “Dancing Lights” is a stunning finale from an artist who has announced this will be his final music release.

Johnny Bloom

“Roarin’ 20s”

So Fierce Music/The Orchard/Sony Music

Young Johnny Bloom is ushering in a new age of jazz with this unconventional ditty inspired by music from the early and mid20th century – think Ella Fitzgerald and Marvin Gaye meets Miley Cyrus and Adam Lambert. “Roarin’ 20s” harkens back to a post-war era when young people were dancing to the Charleston and the Shimmy. Bloom gives his track a modern twist. The song is fun and flirty, with an attention-grabbing swing that mixes elements of blues, ragtime, marching music and African folk rhythm. An impressive debut.

Jace

M and Toy Armada (featuring Joey Diamond) “Waiting for Tonight”

Queen House Music

Dance music producers Jace M and Toy Armada are putting their own spin on Jennifer Lopez’s club-ready 1999 track, with the help of out artist Joey Diamond. Few are aware that Lopez’s version was also a cover. The song was originally released by girl group 3rd Party. JLo upped the tempo to 125 BPM; Jace M and Toy Armada crank up the energy even higher by combining Diamond’s exuberant vocals with lots of heavy drums and full synths. This celebratory staple is the perfect happy antidote for all of the anxiety many of us are feeling over the pending US elections. It is destined to be a song of the summer.

Tom Goss

“Not My Problem”

Independent

The pop/rock banger tells the true-life story of his five-year relationship with a con man who is now serving time in prison. It is a bit angstier than “Nerdy Bear” and Goss’s other popular tracks. “Not My Problem” acknowledges the heartache and pain Goss experienced after learning the truth about his ex – but, in true Tom Goss style, the singer manages to find a bright spot in the experience and the song is lively and, yes, playful. Even more fun is its accompanying music video, which stars drag queen Meatball as an overly amorous prison guard. Another home run for Tom Goss.

Brian Falduto

“Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That?”

Independent

Brian Falduto’s remake of Dolly Parton’s “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” is the adorable out singer at his sassiest and most irresistible. The song is fast-paced and raucous, just like Dolly’s. Her version objectified cowboys in ways they weren’t used to at the time, and Falduto’s remake does too, but in a more modern way that is sure to keep the strappin’ fellers on their toes. Accompanying the song is a music video that features Dan Amboyer from Younger and Uncoupled as a rugged Marlboro man. He plays the scoundrel who has the audacity to come into the honky tonk lookin’ like that…and let’s just say that Brian Falduto won’t be the only one hankering to saddle up on him.

JIMMY

JOEY ARRIGO IS RAISING TEMPS

His fiery new dance single, “Get Down,” is out this summer

By Larry Olsen

Joey Arrigo discovered his love of dance at the age of four when his sister was enrolled in ballet. “I stood at the door of the class with fire in my eyes, desperate to be in it myself,” he recalls. When he was five, he discovered a VHS recording of Cirque du Soleil’s 1989 show Nouvelle Experience and was so captivated by it, he taught himself the contortionist act – or rather, a simulation of it – that he reenacted for his family in his living room. Twenty years later he would find himself in the real Cirque du Soleil, featured

in their Kooza show and playing the principal character in Volta. He has since appeared in Disney’s Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure and Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance.

This summer, Arrigo is combining his love of dance with a newfound passion in music. He’s out with “Get Down,” a track inspired by his love of ’80s synth pop and early 2000s pop, about learning to succumb to movement and pleasure.

Photo by Javier García on Unsplash

Photo by Kyreto

We love your new look, Joey!

It is a very honest look at who and where I am in my life at 32 years old. I wanted to take this opportunity to show myself and everyone around me that bald is sexy. Sure, I don’t have the full hair I once had, but I’ve learned that I have a great shaped skull, this pretty face, brows shaped to the gods, a full beard and a body that continues to serve me in so many ways.

It’s a delicious mix of masculine and feminine. That I get to define! As long as I am able to feel good about the way I look and connect to my appearance, it only makes sense that this is who I am supposed to be in the moment.

You are best known for your work in Cirque du Soleil. Being a part of two Cirque du Soleil shows, travelling on tour with the company for six years, was a huge achievement for me as a dancer because it was something I had wanted since I could remember. It was the driving force behind my motivation as a young artist and it felt like a reward to be able to perform on those stages.

Did you make any mistakes in the beginning of your choreography career?

My brain always resorts to doing more to try and please audiences. It took me a good while in my artistic existence to honour stillness, breath and simplicity. I was able to bring this learned aspect of dance into my choreography. The majority of audiences won’t understand the complexities and high-level skills it takes to perform advanced technical skills. They will be impressed by it, for sure. But choreography that is jam-packed with stuff inevitably falls flat.

What inspired you to step up to the mic and sing?

I joined the cast of Rock of Ages in Toronto and sang with artists from the music industry. Through discussions on techniques and skills, I began to embrace my identity as a singer.

How did you choose the sound for your own music?

My latest track, “Get Down,” was produced by Velvet Code with So Fierce Music Productions. The sound came from the energy we wanted the song to exude. We wanted this electric pop, rock sound that brought sexual energy that made people want to dance.

It’s a very catchy song!

I wanted to create something that people would hear just once and instantly feel connected to. Any time I play the first few beats of the song for anyone, I watch as they find fire in their eyes as that dark sexy energy takes over them. It is exactly what we wanted!

The remixes are fire too.

I wanted “Get Down” to exist and thrive on all types of dance floors. We collaborated with some of the most amazing DJs working today including DJ Dan Slater, Ray Rhodes, Shimmy G and Virasco, Erick Ibiza and GSP.

What is it about high-energy dance music that makes people forget their problems?

We feel good when we have a rush of energy through our body. Escaping to the dance floor gives our bodies that treat of pleasure to rebalance ourselves and embrace energy that allows us to live lighter and happier.

If you could change one thing about yourself, Joey, what would it be? Nothing! Me is pretty fucking awesome.

On what occasion do you lie? I’ll lie to save someone from getting hurt.

If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you live? I always have the fantasy of learning Japanese and moving to Japan.

“ I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW MYSELF AND EVERYONE AROUND ME THAT BALD IS SEXY.”

Can you tell us a little about your work with CANFAR and why it’s so important to you?

I recently become a national ambassador for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research and I am planning to use my platform to share how art played a huge part in helping me process my diagnosis. I had a safe space to talk through my journey and to use my skills and passions to help me learn about what my mind, body and spirit are going through, while at the same time, I get to share with others and relate to their experiences as well.

What is your message to someone who has been newly diagnosed? HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence; it is a chronic condition. You get to keep being your sexy, charming self while spreading love, acceptance and awareness of HIV for everyone in your community. Everybody has moments that make them reevaluate their life. Most people don’t think about those things until later. It is a blessing to gain a beautiful perspective on the world around you. Life is full of opportunities that can all be yours.

What’s next for you?

I want “Get Down” to be spinning at every club all summer and for the next 20 years. I want to create more music with 10 times the budget and I don’t want to have to pay for it myself! Where are the rich sugar daddies who like art and sexy gay boys?

Are you looking for someone to Get Down with this summer? I recently separated from my partner. It was difficult because I love him more than anything or anyone in the world, but we are at different stages in life and want different things. While I welcome as much romance, love, passion and connection into my life as I can, the only person I’m going to get down with this summer… is Joey.

Joey Arrigo’s “Get Down” and its remixes are available on Spotify, Apple Music and streaming platforms via So Fierce Music/The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment.

Visit GetDownwithJoey.com. Follow Joey Arrigo on Instagram @getdownwithjoey.

Four Songs. One Powerful Story.

The new EP Humanity In Volume by RiVerse chronicles the HIV experience, from a di cult diagnosis to living a full, thriving life.

Scan to stream on Spotify or Apple Music.

“Writing these particular songs for this musical campaign reminded me of how grateful I am and how blessed I am.”

Justice, Lead Singer of RiVerse

Don’t Sweat It

The drugstore’s latest deodorant offerings can now block your every drip, drop and drench (and the manky smells that come with them) from head to toe

By Adriana Ermter

Ten years ago, when Snoop Dogg sang about how he “just wanna make you sweat,” we couldn’t get enough…of the hip-hop icon’s cheeky bedroom lyrics, that is. As for the actual sweat factor? There is nothing sexy about pitted armpits, a clammy groin area and clothes that stick to your back. Sure, head-to-toe perspiration is normal –our body’s millions of eccrine sweat glands work hard to control our ever-fluctuating internal temperature (a.k.a. thermoregulation) by releasing water through our skin’s pores to keep us cool – but it doesn’t make the process any less uncomfortable, embarrassing or stinky. Beyond drugstore, prescription and Botox options for our underarms and feet, though, we’ve literally had to go with the flow that emanates from our other schvitzing body parts. Until now.

Beauty and grooming brands like Athena Club, Lume and Happy Nuts, to name a few, have created deodorant sticks, sprays and creams to dam full-body sweating. And their promise for dryness everywhere has been an Insta-hit, earning the aptly named hashtag #fullbodydeodorants more than 23 million views on TikTok to date.

“Consumers are looking for ways to feel protected in spots where deodorant isn’t normally or traditionally used,” explains the Dove team in Canada. “As a leader in personal care innovation, Dove knew it needed to expand its deodorant portfolio to solve this wholebody consumer need with its trusted level of care and protection.”

It makes sense. After all, sweating, for most of us, occurs beyond the pits. According to Stevens & Lowe’s Human Histology, there are some physiological differences between men and women, although they have similar numbers of sweat glands. Men tend to have larger and more active sweat glands, resulting in higher sweat rates compared to women, while hormonal fluctuations, particularly during menstruation, can influence women’s sweating patterns throughout the menstrual cycle. For transgender individuals

undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), changes in hormone levels can also impact sweating patterns. Transgender women may experience decreased sweat production and changes in body odour as estrogen levels increase, while transgender men may experience increased sweat production and changes in body odour as testosterone levels rise. Along with hormones and rising body temperatures, participating in fitness workouts, as well as your actual fitness level, environmental factors, age and genetics can also contribute to feeling and looking damp.

“It’s unavoidable; we all sweat,” affirms Dr. Nowell Solish, MD, FRCP, the founding board member of the International Hyperhidrosis Society and cosmetic dermatologist for his eponymous clinic in Toronto. “Odour, though, is a different story. It’s usually a different gland – the apocrine sweat glands, found in areas such as the groin and in the armpits – that secretes odour. Sometimes that odour is made from sweating a lot; other times it is from bacteria that grows on broken-down, wet and moist skin, like when your shoes, socks and feet have gotten wet.”

Skin folds – where a layer of skin overlaps with another layer of skin – can often trap moisture between them, which can result in a higher risk of bacterial growth and, with it, unwanted odour, adds Dr. Solish. Our other body parts – you know, the ones typically hidden between our legs and a couple of layers of clothing – are also susceptible to this. Obviously, good hygiene is crucial to eliminating that sticky swampy feeling, but there are only so many soapy showers you can take in a day.

The need for an extra layer of support is real. In a 2023 report by Mintel, 39 per cent of US consumers confirmed this by stating their desire for an all-over body deodorant or antiperspirant for increased comfort.

“This [consumer need] pushed [us] to create a formulation that not only contains Dove’s unique odour protection technology, which kills odour-causing bacteria at the source and traps any odour that is already present, [but also] offers all-day odour protection that also helps to absorb unwanted moisture,” says the Dove team. After dedicating six years of lab time, from conception to reality, the brand has now launched two versions of their solution to the problem: the Whole Body Deo line of invisible creams and a Dove Mens+ Aloe+Bamboo with Vitamin E deodorant stick, spray and cream.

Along with solid testing for efficacy, the skincare brands behind each iteration simultaneously seek and infuse ingredients such as botanicals, food derivatives and oils, essential oils and vitamins, that are safe for full-body external use. So much so that Raw Sugar lists what you won’t find in their deo sticks – aluminum, parabens, baking soda and talc – smack dab on the front label, while Athena Club highlights their medical board of advisors on their website. Prudent choices to satiate savvy shoppers to be sure, and also to guarantee maximum comfort, to prevent irritation (in even your most private areas) and to ensure maximum efficacy. These overthe-counter items are also typically tested by both dermatologists and gynecologists to substantiate their claims of safe external use – from your armpits, chest and beneath the breasts to your stomach, groin and even between your toes. And, of course, to make sure that they block and stop your sweating and any residual smells.

“Antiperspirants are good; they can control your sweating, and there are lots of different ones out there,” notes Dr. Solish. “But deodorants, if you can find the right one with the right formulation for you and use it wherever you need to, to control sweating, your overall body odour will improve.”

Here are seven of our favourite options.

Athena Club All Over Deodorant

$14 for 2 oz, available at Walmart

What makes it unique: The brand’s long-lasting plant-based deodorant stick is made with tapioca starch to absorb moisture, chamomile extract to soothe your skin and coconut oil to keep it hydrated and to protect against aging. The formula dries quickly, doesn’t feel sticky and won’t leave white marks on your clothing. You can wear different scented versions too, with the line’s floral Super Bloom, fresh springlike Matchpoint, clean and aquatic Sea Splash, tropical Coconut Sparkle, and warm and intimate Vanilla Cocoon options.

Axe Premium Body Spray Fine Fragrance Collection

$12 for 4 oz, available at Shoppers Drug Mart

What makes it unique: This scent doubles as a body odourblocking deodorant and a fashion-forward cologne. The brand

recently launched a more modern and lighter-smelling Fine Fragrance collection complete with four scents: Black Vanilla, Blue Lavender, Green Geranium and Aqua Bergamot. Each one is aluminum-free, chock full of essential oils and offers 72 hours’ worth of freshness.

Dove Whole Body Deo

From $22 for 2.5 oz, available at Shoppers Drug Mart

What makes it unique: The bigwig brand has two distinct collections in their Whole Body Deodorant category: an Invisible cream and the Dove Men+’s spray, stick and cream. The Invisible cream is hypoallergenic, vegan and cruelty-free, crafted without parabens, aluminum or baking soda, and comes in Unscented, Vanilla and Coconut scents. Also aluminum- and cruelty-free and vegan, the men’s trio contains soothing and healing vitamin E and bamboo, and is lightly infused with a refreshing woody scent.

Happy Curves All Over Deodorant

$17 for 2.6 oz, available online at www.amazon.ca What makes it unique: It has an empowering brand name, inviting pink packaging, and a rich and creamy Tahitian vanilla scent, Boho Breeze. Designed for women, it’s made with natural ingredients like sunflower oil to eliminate and prevent skin irritations, and marshmallow extract to absorb sweat and neutralize odour. The stick is also renowned for combatting super-tough and strong body odour.

Happy Nuts Comfort Cream

$19 for 3.5 oz, available online at www.amazon.ca

What makes it unique: For starters, the cheeky (or maybe we should write, nutty) brand’s tagline reads: “High standards for low places.” Additionally, the all-over body deodorant cream transforms into a powder once it’s smoothed onto your skin. The ingredients are all natural, non-irritating and nourishing to protect your skin. And its light woody coconut scent does the job, yet won’t overpower.

Lume Deodorant Whole Body Deodorant

$33 for 2.2 oz, available online at www.amazon.ca

What makes it unique: Rumoured to be the OG of fullbody deodorant, Lume (pronounced loo-mee) was created by Shannon Kingman, M.D., who was an OB/GYN resident. The brand’s plethora of all-natural cream sticks and solid sticks are geared towards women, but effective on anyone. The scents range from Unscented, Minted Cucumber, Soft Powder and Clean Tangerine, to Lavender Sage, Toasted Coconut, Fresh Alpine and Peony Rose.

Raw Sugar Simply Deo

$14 for 2.7 oz, available at Shoppers Drug Mart

What makes it unique: Technically, the line is not a fullbody deodorant, but it has made its way onto our list because it could be. Each of the stick’s four options – Beach Rose + Aloe, Santal + Verbena, Eucalyptus + Fresh Mint and Vanilla Bean + Charcoal – is gender fluid and safe to use, as clearly stated, front and centre, on each deodorant’s label. The packaging has also been crafted from eco-friendly paper, so the line is safe for the environment.

EATING HEALTHY ON A BUDGET

How to keep eating right, even when groceries cost a fortune

By Karen Kwan

Chances are you’ve checked out at the grocery store recently in shock at the cost for just a handful of items. It’s not surprising that nearly 50 per cent of Canadians are prioritizing the cost of food over nutritional value when grocery shopping, according to a recent survey conducted by Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. We are all paying more for food across the country – it’s estimated that the average family of four in Canada will pay about $700 more for groceries this year compared to last year.

With food inflation hitting us all, healthy eating habits are taking a hit. Eating well on a budget can seem tough – deals at fast-food joints and processed foods can often seem easier on the wallet than picking up a basket full of fresh produce. But you can maintain a balanced diet without breaking the bank by adopting these new habits in your routine.

Comparison shop

Coupon clipping is different than it was when you were a kid: apps make it a lot simpler. Even if you don’t have the energy to look for coupons, try to regularly check out the online flyers for the stores you can shop at so you can find the best deals. It may require you to make more shopping outings, but if you can find stores that will price match, that will save you the extra trip.

Get smart with shopping for fruits and veggies

Hit up farmers’ markets for your fresh produce as it is in season; this is typically less expensive than chain grocery stores since it cuts out shipping and the middleman. Also, look into CSA box delivery; these community-supported agriculture boxes can be a great deal – plus, having a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables means you’ll likely be inclined to eat what you have on hand in your fridge rather than ordering in UberEats. Lastly, don’t overlook frozen produce – this is a healthy, budget-friendly option. It’s flash-frozen (which preserves the nutrients) and can be a tasty, longer lasting alternative.

Grow your own produce

Become a full-fledged plant parent and use your green thumb to grow your own produce garden. Even if you only have an indoor space or a balcony, you can grow container gardens: think fresh herbs, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini.

Incorporate more plant-based protein options into your diet

Cut back on your favourite strip loin meal and, instead, include more cost-effective plant-based meals. Think tofu, lentils and beans (bonus: many of these options, such as lentils and beans, can be purchased cheaply in bulk, either dried or canned, and stored in your pantry).

Buy in bulk…sensibly

If you go to Costco and buy a huge quantity of fruits and veggies that you then can’t consume before they start rotting, you’re wasting a precious chunk of your grocery budget. Consider going with a friend so you can split multi-pack groceries, and also be strategic with what you buy in bulk (try sticking to only getting shelf-stable items that are your kitchen staples, for example).

Store your food properly

Once you’ve spent on groceries, put in the time to store them well so you can cut down on food waste. Invest in produce savers so your strawberries or salad greens don’t go bad before you can finish them. If you’ve bought a club-size package of chicken on sale, divide them into freezer bags as soon as you get home and pop the to-be-eaten-later portions into the freezer. (Tip: if you add marinade to the freezer bag, you’ll have a head start on preparing it for your next meal).

KAREN KWAN is a freelance health, travel and lifestyle writer based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter @healthswellness and on Instagram @healthandswellness.

Photo by Cottonbro Studio on Pexels

RuPaul Shares The Touching Message He Would Give To His Younger Self

The Drag Race host has revealed what message he’d give to his younger self as part of the book tour for his memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings

Towards the end of every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, as the finalists stand on stage in hopes of making their way to the grand finale, and ultimately taking home the crown, RuPaul asks them one last question: What advice would you give your younger self? Now RuPaul has answered his own question, telling fans the advice that he’d like to be able to have given to little RuPaul Andre Charles.

Speaking at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England, as part of the press tour to promote his new memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings, the Emmy-winning TV host was asked what he would say to his younger self – much as finalists on Drag Race are.

“Get out of San Diego,” RuPaul joked at first. “I was reading magazines about Andy Warhol and David Bowie and Liza Minnelli,” he went on, more seriously. “I wanted to be a part of that, and nothing was happening in San Diego. It’s a very sleepy town, I wanted to go find my tribe.

“So, what I would say to younger me? I would say: ‘Honey, it’s gonna get real good, just hold tight.’

“I packed a suitcase at 15 years old, and have never unpacked it since.”

RuPaul’s bestselling memoir lifts the lid on his career and life before he hit the big time and became the Queen of Drag. As well as opening up about his relationship with husband Georges LeBar, whom he married in January 2017, the memoir tells of the drag superstar’s struggle with substance abuse over the years.

RuPaul’s The House of Hidden Meanings is available at bookstores across Canada now.

Redefining Sexual Health With Sexfluent

Youth-driven platform harnesses the power of TikTok and Instagram to reimagine sexual health education to end the HIV epidemic

Adolescents represent a growing share of people living with HIV around the world. That’s one of the reasons for the launch of Sexfluent.ca, an important youth-driven platform aimed at empowering youth to take ownership of their sexual health and ultimately ending the HIV epidemic in Canada.

With the support of ViiV Healthcare Canada, the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR) officially launched the youth-driven platform back in 2021, as part of their commitment to make a difference in the fight to end HIV in Canada. Sexfluent may approach things through a different lens, but the platform is making a difference. After all, HIV prevention education is so much more than just giving out information about HIV transmission and prevention, especially when it comes to young people. It’s about creating a culture of openness, acceptance and empowerment for youth to feel confident in their identity, sexuality and decision-making capabilities. That’s why Sexfluent is more than HIV information: the platform is a sexual health, mental health and harm reduction initiative that provides resources aimed at helping educate youth from a place of empowerment.

“Sexfluent intentionally takes a person-centred approach towards understanding and discussing sexual health, which makes our approach inherently comprehensive,” says Roxanne Ma, CANFAR’s vice-president for national awareness, who was the mind and lead behind the initiative. “We also intentionally de-emphasize the traditional anatomy-focused approaches to sexual health education as well as strive to actively challenge cis- and heteronormative narratives about sexuality. Because we are an HIV prevention program at our core, we actually centre queer sexuality and discuss sex, dating, relationships and health in a way that resonates more with 2SLGBTQIA+ youth as well as Indigenous youth, racialized youth, and youth who use drugs.”

Sexfluent also emphasize key topics like consent, healthy relationships, identity and sexuality, emotional intimacy and pleasure, communication, mental health and substance use, which Ma says aren’t traditionally discussed in sex education programs or alongside sexual health messaging. Before launching the platform, CANFAR conducted a national needs assessment and learned that these are the topics that young people actually want to learn about within sex-ed and HIV and STI prevention.

“We built Sexfluent directly to meet these needs and gaps. And the brand itself was built specifically in consultation with youth – down to the name itself, colours, font and everything,” says Ma. “I think an important feature that we do in Sexfluent is that we lift the veil behind so many taboo topics and actually give young people access to learn about them in a way that is non-judgmental but also promotes safety. I think a lot of sexual health education programs just don’t emphasize the power of choice but rather push out generic and blanket messages about sexual health and HIV and STI prevention.

“I also think one thing that many people may be surprised about is that teenagers don’t know what HIV is or stands for; they’ve never heard of it. We were just up in the Yukon doing community outreach and there were rotations of high school students ranging from Grade 8 to Grade 12…and many of the students were asking us what HIV is. So, there’s definitely a strong generational gap in terms of pure awareness of HIV itself.”

Given the importance of destigmatizing conversations around sexual health, Sexfluent navigates cultural and societal barriers to create a judgment-free environment for individuals to explore pleasure and self-acceptance.

“We really do attempt to lift the curtain behind topics that many people are afraid to address or feel are too sensitive and may not view as being very relevant to sexual health. The reality is, young people and teens are not as sensitive as many adults may think because they’re exposed to so much more information on the internet at even younger ages than we ever were, and they want to have the space to talk about sensitive issues openly,” says

Ma. “We’ve found that openly airing information in a way that’s accurate and doesn’t tell youth what to do, opens up their willingness to engage and receive this information.”

One example of a topic that young people have recently been very engaged in is sex work. And working in the HIV sector, Ma understands how the intersections of race, gender, social and economic positioning, mental health history, and experience or relationship with substances, might lead somebody to engage in sex work.

“We recognize that these are actually important topics that are at the intersections of what we healthcare workers recognize as producing risk, and [if] we engage in open discussions about these topics, then young people are immediately drawn to the content. I also think that talking about these topics more openly online gives people permission to engage in learning about these subjects. One thing that always struck me is that if people are uncomfortable having conversations about sex and safer sex – such as asking for condoms, asking about a partner’s status or testing history, and any of those things – then how are we to realistically expect that young people will implement safer sex practices even when they know the information?

“I think another key takeaway is that knowledge equals behavioural change. That’s why part of what we do and our strategy within Sexfluent is to slowly chip away at changing minds and perspectives about issues alongside education, so that people can personalize the information in a way that feels relevant and valuable to them.”

One of the ways that Sexfluent is engaging and educating Gen Z audiences about sexual health, including HIV prevention, is through TikTok. One of Sexfluent’s most successful TikTok series features street interviews with students on university and college campuses across Ontario asking for their perspectives on various sexual health- and identity-related topics as well as their knowledge about sexual health and HIV. It’s complementary to Sexfluent’s Instagram content, which is often “hot takes” posts, which are essentially bold statements that usually challenge pre-existing assumptions or normative/ dominant perspectives in society about sex, sexuality, identity, HIV, drug use, mental health, consent, etc., and spotlight more progressive, forward-thinking and hopefully inclusive and positive perspectives on these topics.

“We’ve found that this type of content complements our educational posts very well and helps to continue making space for and accepting fluidity and grey areas around human and social concepts and experiences,” says Ma. “I love the videos with our ‘Sexfluent Squad’ [content creators that Sexfluent works with] and seeing them bring to life the scripts that we’ve worked together on.”

Seeing the growth of Sexfluent as well as the positive feedback it receives from youth is encouraging, and since the platform’s initial launch there have been countless opportunities to go beyond online and attend community events to present and showcase resources.

“I also enjoy seeing how we’re able to achieve a high level of engagement from youth in these conversations that we just don’t see happening anywhere else or that young people are engaging with overall. I’m just proud of our ability to provide a resource for Canadian youth to feel seen, supported and validated in their experiences,” says Ma.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

visit www.sexfluent.ca or follow @sexfluent.ca on Instagram and TikTok.

To learn more about ViiV Healthcare Canada, visit www.viivhealthcare.ca.

Gender-Neutral Menstruation Product Line Launches

The ‘Tampon For Men’ brand from Finnish company Vuokkoset is continuing to expand the menstrual discussion with new products designed to include trans and non-binary individuals

Last year Vuokkoset, a Finnish sanitary product manufacturer, launched the Tampon for Men, aimed at trans men and non-binary folks. The product was launched during Transgender Awareness Week as a means of addressing the gender dysphoria trans men and non-binary people feel around menstruation, with the aim of changing perceptions of periods and reducing the distress it can cause.

The fight for menstrual diversity continues. After launching Tampon For Men last year, Vuokkoset is now releasing a new gender-neutral ‘For Menstruation’ product family, to continue to expand the menstrual discussion to include trans and non-binary individuals. The gender-neutral product family will be available online and in limited stores around the globe in June 2024.

The launch of Tampon for Men last year became a global talking point. Unfortunately, as is the case with anything that is trans-focused or inclusive, Vuokkoset faced an incredible amount of hate from anti-trans trolls. The product was featured in news stories around the world and sparked some pretty lively discussions on social media. Opinions were divided, but feedback from the transgender community and supporters of diversity was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for feeling seen because of the campaign.

“We paid close attention to the conversation,” says Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the company that manufactures Vuokkoset products. “From the feedback, we recognized the need for completely gender-neutral products that would recognize nonbinary individuals as well. Additionally, there were requests for

other products, such as underwear liners and menstrual pads. Based on this, we started developing a fully gender-neutral product line that will be launched this summer.”

Tampon for Men highlighted the fact that menstruation can affect men as well. With a similar gender-neutral design, the new For Menstruation product line is even more inclusive and aims to expand the conversation about menstruation to include non-binary individuals as well.

“Some people who menstruate do not identify as women. They can be men, non-binary or intersex. On the other hand, not all individuals who identify as women experience menstruation, and that does not make them any less women. We want to highlight this diversity of menstruation and gender,” says Karhu.

“Understanding of gender is continually evolving. Companies and organizations have no excuse to ignore scientific research on gender diversity. The world is changing, and businesses must change with it. This is another step in the right direction,” says Dakota Robin, a DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) consultant based in Helsinki, Finland.

The For Menstruation product family will have tampons as well as underwear liners and menstrual pads, which were included based on customer feedback. The products will be available in select retail stores in June 2024. For more information, visit www. vuokkoset.fi/en or www.instagram.com/vuokkoset.

WHAT’S IN DOVATO?

DOVATO is dolutegravir + lamivudine combined in one pill.

How TORIN ONG ’s Transition Journey At GraceMed Mississauga Helped Him Turn A Corner

Ong already had a clear idea of what he wanted – and who he wanted to make the journey with

Torin Ong had been denying the fact he was trans for a decade when, in 2020, he started asking his doctor questions about the possibility. “As soon as I could admit to myself that I was trans, I knew immediately my process was going to include medically transitioning top surgery, testosterone, and all that,” says Ong, a 29-year-old bike technician. Born and raised in Scarborough, he has just finished his master’s degree in gender and social justice.

Discovering what “all that” would look like was also part of Ong’s process. He started taking testosterone that year and lived socially as a man while on a wait list for top surgery. When it came to finding a healthcare provider who would guide him through the rest of his transition, Ong already had a clear idea of what he wanted – and who he wanted to make the journey with.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t go to GraceMed Mississauga,” says Ong, who had his top surgery there in April 2023. “Even before getting the referral from my doctor, I had heard so many good things about them and had met other trans people who had gone to them for top surgery. It just felt like a no-brainer.”

GraceMed, a clinic that provides surgical, dermatological, bodycontouring and other non-surgical aesthetic procedures, has several locations across southern Ontario. Its Mississauga location operates the former McLean Clinic, whose founder, Dr. Hugh McLean, pioneered gender-affirming procedures more than 25 years ago. GraceMed Mississauga partnered with the McLean Clinic in 2021, combining forces to provide a wider range of surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic services for the trans community. The clinic’s long-standing reputation and commitment to trans patients at all stages of their journeys gave Ong confidence about moving forward with his surgery. But it was also the variety of services the clinic could provide that made GraceMed Mississauga the obvious choice.

“The clinic staff really helped explain the differences between the types of top surgery. They were realistic and super transparent about what would be best for my body type. ‘We can do this, but you might not get the results you want.’ Even though it was very emotional for me, I really appreciated them breaking it down,” says Ong.

After his double mastectomy and the follow-up appointments, Ong returned to GraceMed Mississauga, this time to talk about other

Torin Ong

procedures that would help masculinize his appearance. At four feet 11 inches tall, half white and half Asian, there were things about Ong that were difficult to change and he was still being misgendered. In queer spaces, he doesn’t live as a male because there’s more freedom to be gender-diverse and go by “they/them.” But everywhere else – on a bus, at Costco, at a mall – Ong lives as a man. Appearance matters.

“The fact that GraceMed Mississauga can and does do so many different procedures that apply to trans people going through their second puberty, and the fact that there are clearly trans people who are part of their team, shows that they really do get it,” says Ong, referring to how transition resembles a kind of “second puberty,” where a person’s body changes dramatically both in major and more subtle ways.

Because facial surgery on his jawbone wasn’t within his budget and he wasn’t sure how it would look on him, the clinic staff recommended alternatives, like dermal filler, that could fill out his jaw, providing a more masculine shape. He went back several times over 10 months as medical experts used filler to shape his jaw.

“I wanted my face to be masculine, but I didn’t even know what that meant. Given my background, facial hair is probably not going to happen for me. I thought if I could get a stronger jawline, that would help,” says Ong. “The medical staff at GraceMed Mississsauga were able to explain it to me in a way that completely made sense.

I felt very comfortable and safe – I could trust the people who were shaping my face.”

Dr. Kathleen Armstrong is a surgeon at GraceMed Mississauga, and one of Canada’s experts at gender-affirming surgery; she practises at Women’s College Hospital and teaches at the University of Toronto and Women’s College Hospital, researching surgery outcomes for the trans and gender-diverse community.

“The most important part of the job is just really understanding the specific needs of that patient population and what their goals might be, and how those goals might be different from the cisgender population,” says Armstrong. “For all identities, you should never assume what that person would want. It always has to be an exploratory conversation about goals and objectives, because otherwise you might think to yourself, ‘Oh, a trans man would be more likely to want the surgery and a non-binary person would be more likely to want another option.’ But that’s not always true.”

Armstrong says most trans people who come to GraceMed Mississauga have already done a lot of research about what they want and what surgical and non-surgical aesthetic options are available to them. For example, most trans men have already learned the differences between double incision mastectomy, keyhole and inverted-T top surgery, though GraceMed Mississauga has resources to help people learn more. The initial consultation is usually about listening to their needs and helping them understand what is possible, especially regarding their body type.

GraceMed Mississauga is proud to have recently achieved Rainbow Accreditation that recognizes it as an affirming business committed to the wellness of the 2SLGBTQIA community it serves. “We pride ourselves in helping patients achieve their most authentic self in a welcoming and inclusive environment,” Armstrong adds.

Post surgery, Ong has been more concerned with the shape of his face; others are more concerned with hair and skin. In the case of trans women, that might point them towards laser hair removal. In the case of trans men, it could be dermatological services dealing with acne, which can be triggered by testosterone, or male pattern baldness, though Ong hasn’t had issues there.

“For trans men, there could be jaw-masculinizing procedures, like Torin underwent,” says Armstrong. “For trans women, there’s feminizing lip augmentation, lip-lift procedures and Botox. Those procedures aren’t always necessarily connected to the trans and gender-diverse community, but they are services that GraceMed Mississauaga specializes in, which can be part of the process.”

The Ontario government did not pay for gender-affirming surgery between 1998 and 2008, which made transitioning prohibitively expensive for many trans people. That funding was reinstated 16 years ago, but it still does not cover all gender-affirming services and procedures. However, Armstrong says more and more private insurance plans are covering a wider variety of procedures and services, and there are resources to help find out who covers what.

Having the dermal filler procedure has helped Ong get a better sense of what jawline surgery might do for him – though he still

hasn’t decided whether it’s for him. “I can see what I will look like if I were to have the surgery, and so it just felt like a really great place to start.”

Bottom surgery might or might not be in his future. Going through his transition process has helped Ong rethink his own understanding of gender, of what is masculine and feminine. “Because they really are arbitrary associations, rooted in society, transitioning has allowed me to unpack that and see what it really means to me, internally, and not just what it means to the outside world.”

Since working with GraceMed Mississauga, Ong has gained weight, gone back to the gym, and moved up sizes from a boy’s extra-large to a men’s small. “I would say, most of all, my relationship to my body has changed,” he says. “My mind-body connection at the gym, just going swimming without having to wear a sports bra –it’s affirming for me to navigate the world in a way I feel I should have always been able to.”

Ong has been training to take over a bike shop, which is his next big endeavour. Though the focus of his master’s degree was on mental health, intimate-partner violence, and gender-based violence in the queer and trans community, he says fixing bikes isn’t that big of a jump. “So many people come in and they’re getting out of bad relationships or struggling with substance abuse, and riding their bike is what gets them out of that,” he says.

For more information about GraceMed Misssissauga’s surgical and non-surgical aesthetic services, visit https://www.topsurgery.ca

Dr. Kathleen Armstrong

I’m NOT a “Mainstream Gay”

I came out in June 2016. Now, at the age of 37, I’m finally coming to grips with the complex realities of the gay experience

By Andrew Perez

I’ve recently come to a realization that is both painful and liberating: I’m not a “mainstream gay.”

This revelation will likely come as a surprise to many who know me casually. After all, I’m out and proud, attend many of Toronto’s coolest gay parties, have perfected the art of the shirtless selfie with just the right angle and lighting, and am devoted to several 2SLGBTQ+ causes in my community.

But my admission won’t surprise those who know me best. This month will mark my eight-year anniversary since coming out in June 2016, but I’m just now coming to grips with the complex realities of the gay experience in Canada’s largest city. I consider myself somewhat of a misfit within my community – and I’m finally at peace with this.

Coming out at 30 already made me an outlier in the gay community: most of my peers born in the mid to late 1980s came out in their late teens or early 20s.

As a kid, it never crossed my mind that I could be gay – a remarkable admission given how my sexual orientation has come to shape my life (overwhelmingly for the better).

To this day, when I share my story, jaws drop: “How could you have been in the closet all those years?” people ask without hesitation. “Did you not know you were gay all those years?”

The reality is, I didn’t.

Coming to terms with my sexual orientation was a deeply personal and gradual experience that spanned well into my 20s. While most gay men my age were forging queer friendships, partying and exploring their sexuality, I was still trying to figure out who I truly was.

When I reflect on my childhood and young adult years, many aspects that are often features of the gay man’s experience – like perpetual bullying and strained father relationships – are notably absent.

While occasionally teased as a kid, I wasn’t bullied for being effeminate or possibly gay. I wasn’t naturally athletic or into sports, nor was I into theatre or ballet. In my youth, I enjoyed a strong relationship with my dad, which continues today. I never

recall my dad, or any family member, uttering a homophobic slur at a time when these slurs were all too common.

I recognize I’m fortunate to have had this experience, but am increasingly aware that these weren’t the experiences of many of my gay friends and peers.

What I didn’t appreciate when I came out in 2016 was just how much the modern gay identity and experience is wrapped up in the early life traumas encountered by most gay men of my generation who came of age in the 1990s and early 2000s – an era that predated social media and equal marriage. Those traumatic experiences shape virtually every aspect of the gay experience today, including socialization, romance, sex, body image challenges, partying, and our community’s complex relationship with recreational drugs.

“ Being a gay man is one of my life’s greatest blessings. Making the extremely difficult decision to come out and live authentically eight years ago was the best decision that I have made in my 37 years.”

As I’ve integrated into the gay community over the past eight years, I’ve become more informed and understanding of the challenges many gay men face. I’ve learned to reject deeply entrenched views I once clung to relating to sex, drug use and other taboo subjects. As a result, I’ve become a more empathetic person and less prone to judgment.

I’ve also come to recognize the unfortunate social hierarchies that persist in our community: subtle or explicit hierarchies that far too often rank gay men by body type, perceived masculinity, economic status and race.

It’s sad that social structures like these endure in a historically disenfranchised community like ours. Until recently, I was oblivious to these structures, even though I often benefit from them.

I still feel like an outsider in my own community, even as a white, cisgender, educated professional. When I came out, I reasoned that I would quickly forge a close group of gay friends and begin dating almost immediately. That didn’t materialize.

I still struggle to form genuine gay friendships, to date and to find a niche within my community. Many would describe me as “too intense” or too career-oriented to be considered a “mainstream gay.” To top things off, I can’t flirt for the life of me and disdain small talk – staples of gay socialization.

Being told that I’m not a “mainstream gay” used to bother me a lot. But it no longer does – in some ways, I take it as a compliment.

I’m learning to embrace the fact that I’m somewhat of a misfit within my own community while bringing acceptance and empathy to all my interactions.

Being a gay man is one of my life’s greatest blessings. Making the extremely difficult decision to come out and live authentically eight years ago was the best decision that I have made in my 37 years.

Navigating the twists and turns of the gay experience hasn’t always been fun or easy. In spite of it all, I feel enriched, humbled and grateful for what my community has taught me as I continue down my journey towards self-acceptance.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Perez

Searching For Connection With Billy-Ray Belcourt

In Coexistence, the author presents 10 short stories that look at queer Indigenous love and joy in its spectacular and ordinary form

By Stephan Petar

In 2017, we were introduced to the words of Billy-Ray Belcourt (he/him), from Driftpile Cree Nation in Alberta. His first book, This Wound is a World, was a poetry collection that earned him the 2018 Griffin Poetry Prize, in which he was the youngest recipient ever.

In the past seven years, Belcourt has released an array of books spanning poetry, memoir and fiction, touching on themes of queerness, identity, love, grief, decolonization and more. They

have garnered international acclaim and several literary award nominations and wins.

His fifth title, Coexistence , is a collection of 10 intersecting stories looking at Indigenous love, hope and loneliness. Each chapter features characters searching for connection, set in various places in the Prairies and west coast of Canada, with most centring on Alberta.

Billy-Ray Belcourt,

Photo by Jaye Simpson courtesy of Penguin Random House

In “One Woman’s Memory,” Belcourt introduces a mother reaching out to her son and sharing the story of an intimate relationship she had with a friend during her childhood, saying, “ I didn’t know two Cree girls could fall in love.”

In “Outside,” we meet a man recently released from prison named Jack (a character from his novel A Minor Chorus ). Belcourt says the story explores themes of police violence, looking at the disposability of Indigenous lives and how love can escape the cycle of violence.

The catalyst for the book was “Lived Experience,” a love story featuring the characters Will and Tom. “The first kernel of the book was my desire to write a queer Indigenous love story in which the characters ultimately stay together and nothing traumatic happens to them,” Belcourt told IN Magazine. “Sometimes the inclination can be to write towards the traumatic, probably because our lives are traumatic, and also because that’s what a non-Indigenous readership wants and is accustomed to.”

Throughout the book, many characters face unjust power structures, suspicion by non-Indigenous people, a haunting colonial past, loneliness and treatment as disposable objects, something the character Tom notes by saying, “Before Will, men treated me like a museum artifact to pick up, then put back down and walk away from.” The characters face these moments and process them on their quest to find the connection and happiness they deserve.

Belcourt creates a series of beautifully crafted verbal portraits of his characters. His poetic and descriptive sentences are powerful, moving and heartbreaking, and will occupy the reader’s mind long after they finish his text.

While Coexistence has just been released, Belcourt is already finishing his next book of poetry, due out sometime in 2025. With all his accolades and mentions on numerous “Best Book” lists, the author continues to write for himself and his audience. “I’ve always tried to honour my own vision and think about how other queer Indigenous people might relate to the book or about the kinds of books queer Indigenous people want.”

“Hisfifthtitle, Coexistence, is a collectionof10intersectingstories lookingatIndigenouslove,hope andloneliness.Eachchapterfeatures characterssearchingforconnection, setinvariousplacesinthePrairies andwestcoastofCanada,withmost centringonAlberta.”

When Belcourt speaks with Indigenous youth and his students at the University of British Columbia (where he is an assistant professor), he notes how they want stories centred on Indigenous joy as opposed to trauma. He has also examined the larger literary landscape and found it necessary to offer examples of queer Indigenous love and the various relationships between Indigenous peoples.

“I wanted to hold space in this book for joy, both in its spectacular form, but also in its more ordinary form. I was interested in the minor domestic lives of queer Indigenous people. I wanted simply to depict them making art and loving one another and having petty feuds, but, ultimately, committing to a life together,” he said.

“Then I started thinking about other kinds of relationships between Indigenous people – a mother and her son, a grandmother and her grandson. The book is a cast of characters who orbit around each other, but don’t come into contact.”

Coexistence by Billy-Ray Belcourt (published by Hamish Hamilton Canada) is now out and can be purchased wherever books are sold.

guaranteed to discover something new or meet someone who will inspire his next story.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP MULTIVERSE

In her debut genre-bending book, Vancouver-based author Myriam Lacroix takes us on a rollercoaster ride through various realities as she explores how the love story between her two characters works out

By Stephan Petar

Relationships are entry points into a multiverse. When we’re in one, our minds create endless possibilities of how they could blossom and grow. When we end them, the nagging question of “what could have been” haunts us and takes us through worlds of “what if’s” in the hope we can pinpoint a reality in which that relationship works out.

“I think we’re trying to protect ourselves from being hurt and trying to convince ourselves that there is a pot of gold at the end of the love rainbow that is going to save us from ourselves,” says author Myriam Lacroix (she/her) about why we may create these possibilities.

The “what if” is what the Montreal-born author explores in How It Works Out. Her first book has been described as “delightfully bizarre” by Canadian music duo Tegan and Sara (who make a cameo in the book) and “a breathtaking and inspiring debut” by author George Saunders.

“How it Works Out is a relationship multiverse in which each chapter offers an alternate outcome to a relationship, beginning with the dreamier, happily-ever-after outcomes of early relationships and eventually growing to become more complex and less rose-tinted,” Lacroix told IN Magazine

Myriam Lacroix, Photo by Charles Anthony courtesy of Penguin Random House

Readers visit eight alternate realities centred around the relationship of Myriam and Allison. The pair fall in love at a show in a rundown punk house, which is the catalyst for a series of imaginative hypotheticals where their relationship unfolds. What if they found a baby? What if they became celesbians (celebrity lesbians) after releasing a book titled How it Works Out? What if the cure to Myriam’s depression was cannibalism? What if there was a CEO and employee power dynamic?

Started over a decade ago as a series of microfictions, the book is presented in the exact order each story was written, with the exception of “Mantis.” Lacroix describes the arc as being shaped organically, in line with a relationship she had and the different emotions she experienced within it. “It was me processing all of my expectations and understanding of myself as it progressed.”

How it Works Out puts a version of Myriam at the centre of the book and, in some cases, portrays her as a villain. It was an experience that Lacroix enjoyed – she felt it connected her with her audience and allowed her to reflect. “I felt vulnerable to put myself in the centre of my art. I felt it was taking away some of the distance between the writer and reader, and that felt important to me.… There are definitely some reflections on self-perception and self-interpretation by the end of the book.”

“ How it Works Out is a relationship multiverse in which each chapter offers an alternate outcome to a relationship, beginning with the dreamier, happilyever-after outcomes of early relationships and eventually growing to become more complex and less rose-tinted.”

Beyond tapping into herself and her experiences, Lacroix explored the Vancouver arts and culture scene for inspiration, which included watching some “theatrical, over-the-top, concept wrestling” courtesy of the League of Lady Wrestlers.

The wrestling collective inspired a scene in the chapter “Anthropocene,” which she told IN was her favourite to write because of the research she conducted. Described as a “BDSM story about climate change guilt,” the story places Myriam in the role of a power-hungry CEO at an air-conditioning company, with Allison as her employee.

“One of the most interesting things about ‘Anthropocene’ is that I didn’t want to write a post-apocalyptic climate change story. I was reading expert predictions on global warming and thought I would set it in the very near future,” Lacroix explained. “At the time I wrote it, everyone in my workshop was like, ‘This is in the near future where there are fires and people dying in heat waves…’ Now if you read it, it doesn’t sound like the future at all.”

While the narratives in each story may seem surreal and meta, at its heart the book is an expression of queerness, love and connection, with many emotional anchors readers can relate to – especially about the complexities of love.

It also creates queer characters who are specific and multifaceted, showing that 2SLGBTQI+ individuals do not have a uniform narrative. “We have so many different stories. If I can write something very multidimensional, then I’ll have done my part.”

How It Works Out is a tender, emotional and hysterical read. Lacroix is able to take real-life situations and feelings, and put an imaginative twist on them that showcases how love can truly take our minds down several paths. It illustrates how beautiful, weird, fragile and confusing our feelings for others can be.

Some of us may be lucky enough to figure out how it works, and others may continue to dive into various worlds trying to find a reality in which it does – the latter being something I’ll admit to constantly doing.

How it Works Out by Myriam Lacroix (published by Doubleday Canada) is now out and can be

Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash

Brock McGillis Continues Creating Safer Spaces In Sport

The former hockey pro sat down with IN to talk about his mission to make the ice (and sports in general) a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for queer athletes

Story and interview by Christopher Turner

Photos by Miss Moço

It’s been almost six years since Brock McGillis appeared on the cover of IN Magazine, and in that time a lot has changed…but a lot has also stayed the same, including the former hockey pro’s mission to make sports a better place for queer athletes.

The former Ontario Hockey League and professional hockey player made headlines around the country in November 2016 when he wrote a first-person essay for Yahoo Sports Canada and became the first professional hockey player to publicly reveal that he is gay. It was a life-changing moment for the Sudbury native, and for the sport. In the years that followed, he began travelling across Canada speaking about inclusivity to school groups and a variety of organizations. That initial advocacy work took on added meaning with the NHL’s very public debate on Pride jerseys and Pride Tape.

That debate opened up in June 2023, when the NHL announced that players would no longer be allowed to wear “specialty” jerseys that supported causes like Pride or military appreciation during warm-ups, practices or games. The league further clarified that on-ice player uniforms and gear worn in warm-ups, official team practices and games could not be altered to reflect “specialty” theme nights. That included the use of Pride Tape, a rainbow-coloured stick tape that had been used in support of the 2SLGBTQI+ community for several seasons. The league claimed that the ban on Pride Tape was to prevent teams and players from using it as an “end-around” to violate the new uniform policy.

The Pride Tape ban made international news and compelled NHL players, including reigning MVP Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, to openly question the policy. “I’ve expressed disappointment in not being able to wear the various jerseys or the tapes…whether that’s Pride Tape or pink tape,” McDavid said. “Is it something that I’d like to see back into place one day? Certainly.”

The NHL decided to rescind their ban on Pride Tape in October 2023 after Arizona Coyotes defenceman Travis Dermott publicly defied the rule and used the tape during a game in protest.

“I’m a big believer in freedom of choice. While I might have been disappointed, I didn’t criticize any players for not wearing a [Pride] jersey, because that’s their right to choose. I think it should be a player’s right to use the tape they want to, that’s been sanctioned by the NHL for years. For me, this is a big win for freedom of choice,” McGillis said at the time. “That said, we need to get back to a point where we’re focused on informed decision making and recognizing impact.”

The ban may have been reversed, but the controversy both on and off the ice sent a clear message, especially to queer hockey fans.

Dismantling the roots of anti-2SLGBTQI+ behaviour that is so prevalent in hockey has been on McGillis’s mind since he publicly came out. He had, of course, been speaking publicly about making changes to hockey culture for the last few years, but felt it was time to take things to the next level with a cross-country ‘Culture Shift Tour.’ Plans were already underway to embark on the tour in November 2023 – just a month after the NHL reversed its

decision – but the controversy re-energized him, and reinforced the need for his clear objective: to speak to 100 high school-aged minor hockey teams across the country in 100 days to ensure the game of hockey takes important strides to be a welcoming space.

When he was an active player, McGillis never felt comfortable enough to come out because of the onslaught of homophobic language he heard in the locker room and on the ice. It’s something that still happens today. In fact, a 2022 Hockey Canada study concluded that the type of language for which players were most commonly given penalties was homophobic in nature. By spending 100 days telling his story to minor hockey teams in every NHL market in Canada, McGillis began another journey to ensure that no current player has to endure a similar experience.

The tour was a success, but as McGillis told IN, his work is far from over. We sat down with the former hockey pro to talk more about the Culture Shift Tour and to find out why it’s important to create safe spaces for queer athletes. It was a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from expanding the initiative to his own role models, combatting hate, celebrity crushes, and much, much more.

Why is it so important to create safe spaces for 2SLGBTQI+ athletes?

Because those spaces don’t exist for most queer people the way they do for many straight folks. Sports can be so wonderful and can be a distraction from our struggles or stresses – a healthy release. But, for many queer folks, sport amplifies our struggles, particularly in locker rooms.… The language, behaviours and attitudes reinforce our oppression. Imagine being closeted and entering a space daily to do something that gives you joy but all you hear is negative comments and hate about who you truly are. It beats you down.… It’s death by a thousand paper cuts.… It makes you feel less than, like you don’t belong. How can you keep the joy for the sport when everything surrounding it makes you feel like you’re bad or wrong for existing? Nobody deserves that. We all deserve spaces that are welcoming and inviting.

What is the one thing we can do to make hockey a more welcoming place for members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community?

I don’t think one thing in particular can evolve an insular culture that has decades and decades of rigid conformity built into it. But I think I can simplify it down to four things.

Humanize: Putting faces to issues makes them real. We need to share real stories of real people to open eyes and hearts. Engage and educate: Meet people where they’re at, and teach them to think critically about the impact of what they do. I don’t think trying to force people to change works, but I do think when people are taught about the impact, they’ll be receptive to evolving. Rally: Hockey people rally around issues – I’ve seen it my entire life – but we need to show them that inclusion is something that should be rallied around. Show them positive examples of people who create shifts and teach them how they too can become shift makers.

Break conformity: Normal doesn’t exist – we’re all a bunch of weirdos, and that’s a beautiful thing. I say this everywhere I go and I truly believe it. Yet hockey, like most cultures, tends to conform. We dress the same, talk the same, walk the same, yet it’s

not who we truly are. The more we embrace our own uniqueness, the less likely we will be to judge it in others.

I’m sure those were all pretty important talking points from your recent Culture Shift Tour, which recently wrapped up. Are there any stories that have really stuck with you?

Gosh, there were so many wonderful uplifting stories, and a number of heartbreaking ones. I feel like this journey was a rollercoaster of emotions. I had coaches, managers and players come out to me. People share that they have been physically attacked for being queer. Those never leave you.

There were some cool ones, too. I had a session where there were a number of kids from Russia and neighbouring Eastern European countries who were living at this one academy to play hockey and they weren’t open to the session, but their team mandated it. I called up the captain early in the session not realizing that he was one of these players, and I went to shake his hand and he pulled away from me. I kept my hand out and looked him directly in the eye. Eventually he shook my hand. About midway through the session, I told a joke and one of them laughed, and things just snowballed from there. They began answering questions and engaging with me, and by the end of the session three Russian players were the first ones to come thank me and shake my hand. This gave me so much hope not only for hockey but for society.

Do you have any plans to expand this initiative for the 2024–25 hockey season? I want to do two tours each season: one across Canada and one across the US.

Since we are heading into Pride Month, what does Pride mean to you?

Pride is a fight for rights. I think along the way we’ve lost that a little. It’s great to celebrate how far we’ve come but members of our community, specifically trans folks, still need our support in the push for equality. We’ve seen bills passed in America to strip rights. We can’t be complacent. I wish that we all had to go through a queer history museum to enter a Pride festival. Learn about our past and what our queer ancestors went through to get us here.

When did you come out?

I came out in stages. I began dating men at 23 and hid it from everyone in my life. I came out to my family at 27 and then publicly at 33.

And what was that experience like for you?

I did it to hopefully help others but mostly to empower myself. The experience was surreal. I received over 10,000 messages the first day alone, and it snowballed. I started getting calls from media across Canada and then the world. Soon I was getting calls to speak at schools, events and corporations. It was all a shock and still is, but I’m so incredibly happy that I made the decision to come out publicly.

What’s the one piece of advice someone gave you that has really made a difference to you?

This is a tough one. I think the best advice is to be myself. Don’t try to be someone I’m not. My authenticity is my power. I’ve always been someone who cared what other people thought and I’ve had to train myself to stop, and I think it has allowed me to

“ The experience was surreal. I

received over 10,000 messages the first day alone, and it snowballed. I started getting calls from media across Canada and then the world. Soon I was getting calls to speak at schools, events and corporations. It was all a shock

and still is, but I’m so incredibly happy that I made the decision to come out publicly.”

be more authentic and be myself rather than a version of me that other people want to see. I’ve taken this way of thinking into my work but also on social media and how I engage with people.

What is your advice to people who are looking to you as a role model?

Don’t do it!!!! Nah, I’m kidding. I think it depends on the individual. But hypothetically, if someone is struggling with their sexuality or gender identity, I tend to focus on looking inward. Too often we want acceptance, and I think acceptance is bullshit. We don’t need acceptance from others. It creates hierarchies but we’re all equal. The only person who can accept you is you. You have to look inward for that, not out. When you do accept yourself, you can learn to love yourself unconditionally. After that, you won’t care what anyone thinks of you. This isn’t an overnight process. It takes a long time, but if you can give yourself grace and continue to work at it, you’ll be significantly happier for it.

Who do you consider a role model?

Gosh, my initial thought is my parents, but that’s so cliché. To be honest, I admire people who, through whatever circumstance, are given a platform and then run with it and achieve things. Bonus if they make the world a better place in the process. Too many people are given opportunities that they squander. There are not enough people taking that opportunity and elevating from it.

“ The only person who can accept you is you.”

Are you single right now?

I’m not, I’ve been in a relationship for seven years. We’ve lived together for five years now. I guess I’m technically common-law married. WILD.

Who is your celebrity crush?

I don’t think you have enough space in your magazine for me to answer this question in full. I’ll give you a few names, though, off the top of my head: Tom Holland, Nicholas Galitzine, Mark Consuelos, Matt Bomer, James Marsden and Jay Ellis. If you have any of their contact info, please pass it along to me – or if you plan to interview any of them, feel free to give them my info!

Outside of hockey, what sports do you play?

I play a lot of baseball. I just joined a provincial team that actually won the Canadian championship last year. I also play in the gay baseball league in Toronto and a couple of other leagues in the city.

What do you want people to know about you that they might not already know?

I’m a man-child and goofball. I think people have this impression of me that I’m super serious because of the type of work I do. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Basically, I love to have fun and laugh and enjoy life.

Let’s switch gears. What’s your favourite TV show, movie and song?

My current favourite TV show is Hacks, though Season 2 of Feud was really good.… I’m also obsessed with Housewives and Drag Race. My favourite movie is either The Devil Wears Prada or Goodfellas. As for song… “Money” by Cardi B or “Boss Bitch” by Doja Cat. I want to be money in everything I do and I want to move like a boss bitch!

What’s next?

Oh, goodness. My main focus is Year 2 of the Culture Shift Tour. Besides that, I’m working on some TV and film projects. Hopefully I’ll get those off the ground. I also have some concepts for podcasts that I’d like to explore.

I’ve found a creativity in me that I was never able to explore in hockey, and it’s been so exciting. I feel like now is my time to thrive. I’ve been manifesting it and I’m watching it all come to fruition, and I’m having fun working my butt off to make it happen.

Anything else that we haven’t covered that you’d like to share with us?

I love IN Magazine! I love queer content and queer art. Thank you for letting me share a bit of myself with the world.

We love you too.

CHRISTOPHER TURNER is the editor of IN Magazine. He is a Toronto-based writer, editor and lifelong fashionisto with a passion for pop culture and sneakers. Follow him on social media at @Turnstylin.

Toronto Maple Leafs Invest In 2SLGBTQI+ Inclusion In Hockey

Mark Fraser, the hockey team’s Director of Culture & Inclusion, talks about the team’s investment in the Culture Shift Tour of hockey pro Brock McGillis, and the importance of his advocacy work

In November 2023, former hockey pro Brock McGillis set out on a mission with a series of speaking engagements called the Culture Shift Tour, during which he met with 100 minor hockey teams in 100 days across Canada as part of his work to help make sports a better place for queer athletes.

During his Culture Shift Tour presentations, McGillis used his own life as a case study of the adverse effects locker room language can have on any person who exists outside of the mainstream image of a hockey player. He used his experience as a closeted player with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and with minor leagues in Europe and the United States to humanize and challenge a landscape he describes as hyper-masculine and extremely homophobic.

“I hid [who I really was] from everyone. And I hated myself,” McGillis told IN during an interview for our cover story (page 30).

The tour has had a positive impact on a wide range of people. He’s had coaches, managers and players come out to him and he’s helped hockey parents accept their 2SLGBTQI+ kids. Other times, people have opened up and shared that they have been physically attacked for their sexuality.

The tour was a resounding success and left McGillis with hope for the future of the sport. And, even though he just wrapped the tour and is now taking a much-deserved break, he already has plans to expand the initiative for the 2024–25 hockey season. “I want to do two tours each season: one across Canada and one across the US,” McGillis told us.

Undertaking another tour is a daunting task, and it doesn’t happen without a little help. One of the organizations that helped bring the Culture Shift Tour to NHL markets across the country was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who compete in the NHL as part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference.

“The Toronto Maple Leafs and MLSE [Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment] wanted to make the investment to support Brock on his Culture Shift Tour once we heard what his mission was and the reach he was going to have with minor hockey teams and athletes across all of Canada,” explained Mark Fraser, Director of Culture & Inclusion with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in an interview with IN Magazine. “For a few years now, we have worked with Brock on a number of projects and have great appreciation for his commitment to creating a positive impact within our game, and truly humanizing the experience of 2SLGBTQI+ athletes in hockey. We admire his leadership in the space.”

Fraser acknowledged that the hockey community as a whole has had to reflect and recognize that its environments haven’t always been safe and inviting spaces for diverse or marginalized participants – one of the reasons why McGillis’s work is so important right now.

“Statistics would suggest that there are more 2SLGBTQI+ athletes playing hockey than we are aware of. There’s a reason why these athletes don’t feel safe enough to come out or to show up to the rink as their authentic selves every day,” Fraser said. “Having someone like Brock doing this meaningful work is important in helping athletes and teams create a more inclusive and accepting locker room culture.”

Inclusion is something that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been working to improve over the last few years. They have held Pride nights in support of the 2SLGBTQI+ community ever since 2017, and hosted their 2024 Pride Game in February this year at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Before the game, McGillis was invited to speak to the team. It’s safe to say it went well.… The session ended with the players applauding, and the team giving McGillis an official Maple Leafs jersey with his name, signed by all the players.

“For the past couple of years, we’ve had prominent members within hockey who represent the community we are celebrating in an upcoming Social Impact Game come to speak and provide an education and awareness session to our players and staff,” Fraser told us. “There are a lot of ways a club can activate throughout

these games, but our organization wants to take it a step further to ensure our athletes and staff truly understand ‘why’ it’s important for us to use our platform to acknowledge and celebrate our communities of focus.

“You can wave a rainbow flag, put Pride hockey tape on your stick or wear a Pride Maple Leafs T-shirt and still not know or understand the perspective of a queer athlete in our spaces. Inviting these guests, and in this case, Brock, to come speak to our team helps them understand and consider a perspective within hockey that they may not have considered before. To understand what it may feel like to be in your most comfortable environment, yet still unable to be your true self. To understand what we as individuals can do to ensure safety and accountability for peers who may be hurting inside because hockey culture hasn’t shown everyone that they can truly be who they are,” said Fraser.

“We value being able to learn from different perspectives that exist in our game, and want to give our athletes the tools to not only be great hockey players, but good people who ensure hockey’s culture can be inclusive for everyone.”

The strategy extends beyond the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team’s siblings in the MLSE family – NBA’s Toronto Raptors, MLS’s Toronto FC and CFL’s Toronto Argonauts – all host Pride nights to help raise the visibility and acceptance of 2SLGBTQI+ people while creating a sporting environment that is welcoming to everyone.

But what happens after the Pride celebrations end? Fraser said the Toronto Maple Leafs are working to ensure games and venues are safe spaces for everyone outside of Pride Month.

“We have created a community strategy for not only our annual Pride Celebration game but for the entire year, as we recognize that the work doesn’t stop at one day or month,” said Fraser. “Within that, we will continue to strengthen our connection with 2SLGBTQI+ community partners, and work to help make everyone feel safe, accepted and validated in our spaces.”

One of the ways the Toronto Maple Leafs and MLSE hope to ensure 2SLGBTQI+ fans feel welcome and safe in their spaces year-round is by providing additional training to guest services representatives before all games in their venues, to ensure foundational knowledge regarding gender and sexuality. Further, all MLSE staff are required to undergo equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) learning and development training – and staff, MLSE suppliers and fans are expected to abide by MLSE’s code of conduct, to ensure game experiences are more equitable, accessible, diverse and inclusive in all equity-deserving groups.

“We will continue to voice our stance on acceptance in our own spaces and show up in the community as we have before, whether that be marching in Toronto’s Pride Parade, sponsoring local 2SLGBTQI+ hockey leagues and tournaments, or supporting local organizations who provided resources to queer youth,” Fraser told us. “We recognize the support and fandom for the Toronto Maple Leafs within the 2SLGBTQI+ community, and we in turn want the community to see the Maple Leafs supporting them back.”

Toronto Gay Hockey Association Is Celebrating Their 30th Anniversary

The Toronto Gay Hockey Association (TGHA) was founded back in 1994 by a small group of people looking to play hockey in a space free from harassment and discrimination. In those early days, the league had just three teams and did everything in secret, including only referring to the league by its acronym, a practice they continued until around the time same-sex marriage became legal in Canada in 2005.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs held their annual Pride Game in February this year, members of the TGHA were on hand to take part in the festivities, which included a performance during intermission from In-Kloo-Siv, a 2SLGBTQ+ choir based in Toronto. And while the players hit the ice, the MLSE 2SLGBTQ+ Employee Inclusion Group led a watch party at Real Sports, which was supported by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“As an organization with likeminded values of inclusivity and equity, we proudly support the TGHA and are happy to celebrate this meaningful milestone,” Mark Fraser, Director of Culture & Inclusion with the Toronto Maple Leafs, told IN Magazine. “In addition to the financial investments and contribution to fundraising efforts, we recognize the reach of the Maple Leafs and used our network and resources to amplify awareness of the TGHA with the larger Leafs community. During our Pride Celebration game, fans at Scotiabank Arena had an opportunity to learn more about the TGHA and also to listen in on a valuable conversation with a TGHA executive team member in an in-arena broadcasted interview during the second intermission. Members of the TGHA were also invited to a suite experience at this game, where there was an opportunity for meaningful connection and networking with seven different 2SLGBTQI+ organizations within hockey.”

It’s A Queer World

Matt Cullen presents intimate portraits of people in the 2SLGBTQI+ community

By Paul Hutnick

Matt Cullen believes all queer people aspire to the same things in life: love, a roof over our heads, good health, supportive family and friends, and to live each day with a smile on our face. In his inspirational documentary series, Our Queer Life, he interviews 2SLGBTQI+ people from every colour of the rainbow – from celebrities to street hustlers to people living in an off-grid community, and hundreds more – to discover how their individual journeys are shaping to build a strong and resilient 2SLGBTQI+ community.

“My passion is spotlighting those in my community who are fighting to live their authentic truth,” Matt Cullen explains from his Los Angeles home. “I enjoy sharing stories of those who display

perseverance in the face of difficult circumstances, who don’t allow setbacks to hold them back.” He is especially interested in speaking to those who, without Our Queer Life, might not have the platform to share their story with the world.

Matt’s own story began in northern California, where he grew up in a typical ’90s nuclear family with a mother, father and older sister. He recalls being picked on by classmates for his love of musical theatre and dance, and for being too feminine. He came out as gay during his senior year in high school in a letter to his parents. “I left it on the kitchen table for them to read when they got up in the morning,” he says. “I was so nervous, I was shaking.” After

reading it, his parents appeared in his bedroom doorway and Matt vividly remembers his father telling him, “I can’t wait to meet the man you fall in love with.”

Matt is grateful to his parents for their love and acceptance, especially after meeting so many people through Our Queer Life who have not been so lucky.

People like Renee “Mousie” Russo, a transgender woman and street hustler. Mousie was one of the first to open her world up to Matt, sharing how she had served seven prison terms and lived in 17 of the 34 men’s prisons in California. More than 300,000 viewers tuned into the episode where Mousie detailed her tumultuous past to Matt and gave him a tour of her $67/month apartment in Los Angeles. A year later, Matt revisited Mousie at her home to learn about her life as a working girl and intravenous drug user in North Hollywood. A few months later, hundreds of thousands tuned in to a third episode, where Matt announced the sad news that Mousie had passed away.

“Mousie took a chance on me when I had a miniscule viewership,” Matt reflects today. “She really helped me to shape the series.”

“My passion is spotlighting those in my community who are fighting to live their authentic truth.”

In addition to highlighting Mousie’s incredible story, their conversation demonstrated Matt’s uncanny ability to build a circle of trust between himself and his subjects. “I love deep one-on-one conversations where true learning takes place,” Matt says, clarifying how the intention of Our Queer Life is not on sensationalizing stories but on digging below the surface to uncover the true human story. “The series is meant to focus on 2SLGBTQI+ people who have crossed a hurdle in their life, or are in the middle of crossing that hurdle, or still have that hurdle in front of them.”

Through his show, Matt has made it his mission to help destigmatize topics like sex work and to amplify important issues such as the misrepresentation of trans men and women. He also shines the spotlight on those in the community who have lived in the shadows for too long: adult film stars, ballroom queens, gay Orthodox Jews, gay cowboys in rodeos, and even one trans person whose addiction to illegal plastic surgery has left them disabled.

Matt’s belief is that viewers who identify with the people he spotlights in Our Queer Life may get a better understanding of them and, perhaps, feel a bit of empathy for their plights. “In these divided times, it is more important than ever before that the 2SLGBTQI+ community and its allies make an effort to find common ground with one another. We’re stronger together, so let us stand united.”

New episodes of Our Queer Life are airing weekly on YouTube @OurQueerLife.

Music Moves You

The DJs making you move this Pride season get in front of IN’s camera wearing two classic PUMA silhouettes: the Easy Rider and the Palermo

CREATIVE DIRECTION & STYLING: Aram Eginliyan

PHOTOGRAPHY: Ness Devos

MAKEUP ARTIST: Priya Kumari

HAIR & GROOMING: Alan Ovalles

For queer people, Pride is more than just the rainbows and celebrations. It goes beyond what we queer people feel in our day-to-day lives, and instead gives us a reason to celebrate all the different thousands of facets of what being our true, authentic and unapologetically real selves are all about. Pride isn’t just a party, but a celebration, so we sat down with three of Toronto’s musical mavens to keep partying and feeling our best through June and all the other fabulous times of the year, to find out what Pride means to them and what inspires them to keep us dancing all Pride season long.

DJ Sophie Jones

@sophiejones

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride to me is more than just a celebration; it’s a profound sense of joy and belonging. It’s about being embraced by a community of beautiful, authentic queer individuals who inspire strength and happiness. Pride is not just an event; it’s a way of life where I feel truly seen and accepted for who I am.

How does music and DJ’ing play a part in your queer identity?

Music and DJ’ing are the heartbeat of my queer identity. There’s an indescribable magic when I spin tracks for a crowd of queer individuals living their truth. Witnessing people shed their inhibitions in a safe space and owning the dance floor fills me with unparalleled joy. It’s not just about playing music; it’s about fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered to be their authentic selves.

Upcoming projects: FRUITIE – a new queer party co-hosted and curated by Sophie Jones herself and her partner Christina.

Jaylen / DJ PSI

What does Pride mean to you?

For me Pride is a celebration. It’s where being different is celebrated and uplifted. I love going to Pride with my friends and dancing and feeling a euphoric sense of joy by being surrounded by other queers and knowing that for this moment we’re all free to just be. It’s a release.

How does music and DJ’ing play a part in your queer identity?

The first party I ever DJ’d was called “Bi or Bye” lol, so my identity and being a DJ have always influenced each other. I’ve played house and techno warehouse parties to club r&b hip-hop nights on King, and one thing I’ve learned is that the girls and the gays have the most fun. That’s who I play and make music for. When I turned of age, I dove into the Toronto underground queer music scene (without knowing), and that sound and exploration has really influenced the music I make. In those spaces I was allowed to safely explore my sexuality and the music that was playing was the soundtrack to it. My new single really captures the essence of finding that escape on the dance floor and capturing the desire of a sweet admirer.

Upcoming projects:

Psi’s new dance single “sexy house music” can be streamed on SoundCloud and all other music platforms under Psi.

@phys.edd Krishawn / DJ Phys. Ed

What does Pride mean to you?

To me Pride means expressing ourselves. For most queer people we have to come out multiple times. Coming out as gay was difficult. Coming out as queer was even more difficult. But coming out as myself was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Pride is a place where we get to celebrate more than just our sexuality or identity. It’s where we get to celebrate LOUDLY who we really are.

How does music and DJ’ing play a part in your queer identity?

I truly believe that music is one of the art forms that is universal. There are no borders or boundaries. No identity or colours. It’s just a melody that makes us move. Music is much bigger than just my queer identity; it’s the closest thing we have to understanding the nature of this world. DJ’ing helps me share that with others.

Upcoming projects:

Catch Phys. Ed DJ’ing and dancing all Pride season long at events like ON TOP, a legendary event by the nightlife queen Susanne Bartsch (for the very first time in Toronto!), and giving us the beats all night long at this year’s Starry Night.

PUMA’s versatile Easy Rider and Palermo silhouettes, both recently pulled from the sneaker giant’s archives, are available at select retailers across the country including Foot Locker and JD Sports, as well as online at puma.ca. The Easy Rider is $110 and the Palermo is $120.

A Journey Through The Blockbusters Of Musical Theatre

We sat down with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Steven Reineke for more on Broadway Blockbusters with Ramin Karimloo and Mikaela Bennett

This June, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is inviting guests to experience a little bit of Broadway as part of an exciting concert at Roy Thomson Hall, which is part of a major cultural partnership for Pride Toronto 2024. Broadway Blockbusters joins in on Toronto’s Pride festivities with signature songs and duets from the blockbusters of musical theatre, from the Golden Age to favourites of today, including West Side Story, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Funny Girl, and many more.

Acclaimed Broadway star and Toronto native Ramin Karimloo will join celebrated Canadian vocalist Mikaela Bennett for three performances on Tuesday, June 25, and Wednesday, June 26, for the journey through the blockbusters of musical theatre. Karimloo has most notably starred in The Phantom of the Opera, Funny Girl and multiple productions of Les Misérables, including the Canadian production in 2013/14, while Bennett has been in West Side Story and The Sound of Music, and is also a recent recipient of the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists.

The performances of Broadway Blockbusters will be conducted by Steven Reineke, the TSO’s Principal Pops Conductor, who is also part of the institution’s leadership team that programs the Pops Series. Reineke has established himself as one of North America’s leading conductors of popular music. Along with his role as Principal Pops Conductor of the TSO, Reineke is Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

On stage, Reineke has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip-hop, Broadway, television and rock, including Cynthia Erivo, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton and Ben Folds, among others. In 2017, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered featured Reineke leading the National Symphony Orchestra as it performed live music excerpts between news segments – a first in the show’s 45-year history. In 2018, Reineke led the National Symphony Orchestra with hip-hop legend Nas performing his seminal album Illmatic on PBS’s Great Performances

In anticipation of the TSO’s upcoming Broadway Blockbusters for Pride Month, IN sat down with Reineke to find out what guests can expect from the performance, what it has been like working with Karimloo and Bennett, what Pride means to him…and what his favourite Broadway tune is.

Let’s kick things off and talk about Broadway Blockbusters. What should the audience expect?

This is the close of our popular pop series season and we are going to go out with a bang. The show will feature some great Broadway songs from classic Broadway all the way up to some more contemporary musicals. And we have two Canadian-born singers, Ramin Karimloo and Mikaela Bennett, who really are two of the brightest stars in musical theatre today. I’m so excited to have both of them joining the TSO.

You’ve worked with Ramin before, right?

Yes, I have, and I’ve known him for some years now! He’s such a dream to work with because he’s such a great guy and a wonderful collaborator. But, also, his voice is so good…one of my favourite voices from the stage.

Have you had the opportunity to work with Mikaela before? No, and we’ve never actually met in person. We’ve been working virtually so far on this production. I’ve been wanting to work with her, and we thought this was a great opportunity to bring her to Toronto. I really try to feature as many Canadian artists as possible throughout the year, and this was a prime opportunity with this concert to finally work with her. I’m going to be meeting her in New York before she comes to Toronto and I think it will be fun to finally meet her in person.

What was the process like putting the production together? I started putting together this particular production by reaching

Steven Reineke, Photo by Julie Soefer

out to both of them via email and started the conversation. I said, here’s the theme of Broadway Blockbusters, and obviously we’d like to feature some highlights from your career and the productions you’ve been a part of. What would you like to do with this program? What are some of your dream songs that you haven’t had the opportunity to perform? Then they each got back to me separately and gave me a list of solos that they were interested in as well as some duets. Of course, I already have my own ideas as well, so I incorporated their ideas with my ideas and I put together a show that features both of them in duets and solos, as well as features for the orchestra.

It sounds very collaborative.

It is very collaborative. Once I put the show together, I sent it off to both Ramin and Mikaela and they let me know if they liked it [laughs]. It’s a very fun process and smooth. We only had two different drafts of the program. It came together very nicely and very quickly.

Obviously, the program features some things from their careers. Mikaela is a Juilliard graduate and she is much more in the classical vein, so she’s done some crossover work where she’s played Maria in The Sound Of Music and Maria in West Side Story. [pause] Oh, wait.… They’re both named Maria!

How do you solve a problem like Maria?

Exactly! [laughs] And, of course, Ramin is known for The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, and he was in the recent revival of Funny Girl.

When did you start working on putting Broadway Blockbusters together?

Ideas have been percolating for years, but we started really working on this about three months ago. That’s when I fully started fleshing out the program.

Broadway Blockbusters will take place during Toronto’s Pride Month. What does “Pride” mean to you?

Pride is a very personal thing. I know a lot of people think of Pride and it’s a party and a parade and dancing in the streets – and it is all of those things. It’s a celebration. But when I really think about it, and when I internalize it, it is the opposite of shame and the opposite of guilt. That’s what Pride is. For so many of us, we grew up feeling shame and guilt, so Pride is a chance to live your true authentic life and to love yourself completely.

Tell us about your role with and connection to the TSO. Gustavo Gimeno is the TSO’s Musical Director and he does the classical programming throughout the year, and as the Principal Pops Conductor I do the more popular music programming. Actually, I’m the first Principal Pops Conductor that the TSO has ever had! They have had a pop series for a very long time, but the role was officially created for me in 2012. But I’ve got to tell you that I’ve got a very long relationship with the TSO. I first guest conducted their orchestra back in 1997. I was 26 or 27 years old and my teacher got sick and I had to step in at the last minute, and they’ve been inviting me back ever since. I was a baby the first time I got up there.… I was so nervous.

What do you want people to know about you that they might not already know?

That’s a good question because I am kind of an open book. I like to do crossword puzzles! I do at least two every morning: USA Today and the New York Times crossword puzzles.

Of course, we have to ask…what is your favourite Broadway musical?

Oh! This is really hard. My favourite musical is Sweeney Todd, because I think it’s such a genius work. Opera companies have done it and you might want to call it opera or operetta.… It’s just so brilliantly created. I just think it is a perfect musical. There is not one wrong note in it, and by that, I mean every note of Sweeney Todd is exactly as it should be in my mind. It is a perfect creation and one of Stephen Sondheim’s true masterpieces.

What about your favourite song from a Broadway musical? Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote some good ones; I think my favourite has to be “You’ll Never Walk Alone” [from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel]. It’s such a powerful, anthemic ballad. I think Carousel might be my favourite R & H [Rodgers and Hammerstein] musical.

Last question. After Broadway Blockbusters, what’s next for you and the TSO?

I have an incredibly busy summer elsewhere. My season is finished with the TSO until we start back up in October with the world premiere of a brand new show we are creating called Simply The Best: A Tina Turner Tribute . I’m putting this together with my good friend Adrienne Warren, who won a Tony Award for her performance in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

will be on June 25 and 26 at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.tso.ca.

Broadway Blockbusters with Ramin Karimloo and Mikaela Bennett will be led by Steven Reineke, TSO’s Principal Pops Conductor; performances

Ramin Karimloo and Mikaela Bennett

Winter Kept Us Warm

Trailblazing Canadian film Winter Kept Us Warm was made at a time when gay love definitely did not speak its name

By Paul Gallant

In 1965, Everett Klippert, a Northwest Territories mechanic, was questioned by the police and told them that he was gay, had sex with men and was unlikely to change. Klippert was sent to prison indefinitely as a dangerous sex offender, a sentence the Supreme Court of Canada later upheld. The 1969 decriminalization of homosexuality under Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s government was four years away – and those four years were an eternity.

It was also in 1965 that David Secter’s debut film Winter Kept Us Warm was released, and, looking back at what happened to Klippert, it’s no wonder that not a single character in it so much as whispers a word like “gay,” “homosexual” or “queer.” In fact, many people involved in the project, including the leads, did not realize that the story was about an older male student at the University of Toronto, Doug (John Labow), falling for a freshman, Peter (Henry Tarvainen). The closest the film comes to “outing” itself as a film about same-sex desire comes when Bev (Joy Fielding), Doug’s girlfriend, tells Doug, “If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear you and Peter were…” before trailing off.

That ellipse spoke volumes about the love that dared not speak its name in 1960s Canada.

Winter Kept Us Warm screened at festivals (it was the first AngloCanadian feature to screen at Cannes), got some good reviews (and some bad ones), and earned back the $8,000 it cost to make. But it was not edgy, like the 1960s films of, say, Kenneth Anger or Andy Warhol. It did not make gay men the butt of jokes or contain social instruction about what was wrong with gay people. Based on Secter’s own university-era crush on a fellow student, the story was personal and narrowly focused on its characters’ relationships and feelings, not their place in society.

For years it was difficult to find the film, but there’s been renewed interest. It’s been picked up for streaming by Canadian International Pictures (availability to be announced at a later date) and it’s the subject of the latest in the book series Queer Film Classics, edited by Matthew Hays

and Thomas Waugh, released in May by McGill-Queen’s University Press. The Winter Kept Us Warm companion book was written by curator, programmer and writer Chris Dupuis, who chronicles the climate in which the film was made, the strange journey of getting it made, what it achieved and Secter’s career in the following decades.

“I saw a screening of the film in the early 2000s in Toronto, and honestly I wasn’t that into it and forgot about it. It didn’t resonate with me,” said Dupuis in an interview with IN. “Then there was another screening about 10 years later and an older gay male friend urged me to see it again. Seeing it with a little more wisdom and understanding of the history, it read for me in a completely different way. I realized it also aligned with an experience I had with a guy in my college dorm as well.”

Secter has lived in the United States for decades, working mostly in theatre, and moved to Hawaii with his husband in 2019. He admits that it would be difficult to make a modern version of the film. Winter Kept Us Warm gets at how his characters don’t have a language for what they’re going through, and if they could meditate on it at all, it would be taboo to say anything aloud, and impossible to access any information about it. Today, any young person can find peers and get questions answered about sexual orientation and gender identity with a few Google searches.

“It [the film’s premise] wouldn’t work, not in the Western world,” said Secter in an interview with IN. “Maybe in Africa or the Middle East, but certainly not in the West, where the subject matter has been so open for so long.”

Secter, who was a 22-year-old English major when he made the film, would not publicly come out as gay until much later, and for the next 10 years he identified as bisexual. But the film’s initial success did motivate him to pursue a career in film and in the arts more broadly.

“It was certainly a life-changing experience that convinced me to spend my life in the creative field. I hadn’t realized that filmmaking was a

possible career. As Chris writes, there were almost no movies [about the gay experience] being made in Canada at that time – you could count them on the fingers of one hand. So making the film against all odds, with a team of students who were ready to do it for little compensation, that gave me a lot of confidence. I was so eager,” Secter said. “You think that somebody who made a movie that clearly had some autobiographical elements would have more gay awareness. Yet very few people at the time asked me about my own sexuality or suggested that I must be gay if I made this movie. The subject was so taboo.”

Secter made three more feature films, although none of them had the impact of Winter Kept Us Warm; he was the subject of a 2005 documentary, directed by his nephew, called The Best of Secter and the Rest of Secter

There were definitely viewers who “got it” at the time. Gay critics (closeted, of course) knew very well what the movie was about. The Ontario Film Review Board, a government-appointed censorship agency that had to clear films before they could be publicly screened in the province, almost rejected the film, ultimately giving it its most severe rating, Restricted.

Any contemporary viewer who has seen a few queer films – even just Brokeback Mountain or Moonlight – should be able to pick up on the codes for “gay, gay, gay” in Winter Kept Us Warm. There’s the furtive glances, the seemingly unprompted jealousy, the guy-on-guy tussles in newly fallen snow and, of course, the gratuitous nudity of an aftergame shower scene, with naked butts and some friendly back-washing.

“I was determined to get bare asses in there, at least,” says Secter. “It was essential, and none of the actors seemed to have a problem with it.”

There’s an interesting tension in Dupuis’ book between the naive, clamped-down world of 1965 Toronto and Dupuis’s modern queer sensibility. He came of age in the 1990s, when the growing numbers of people coming out and demanding rights, combined with anger and fear about the AIDS crisis, put sharper edges on 2SLGBTQI+ culture.

“When I was at university, queer politics were just so aggressively in your face,” said Dupuis. “There wasn’t a lot of subtlety in the media that was being made at that point. And that’s where I developed my understandings of queerness and queer media and how to read stuff. With the films of Gregg Araki and Derek Jarman, there is no ‘read.’ You don’t have to struggle to find the queerness in them because it’s visibly there.”

But in this post-post-post-1990s era, perhaps there is more room for subtlety. Maybe not in films with contemporary settings, where finding a barrier to break is a real challenge, but in period pieces. Winter Kept Us Warm, rather than being considered as the first English-language Canadian film to grapple with homosexual attraction, should be considered as historic text. Something more akin to Ammonite, a lesbian romance released in 2020 but set in the 1840s, rather than a forerunner of Araki’s 1992 New Queer Cinema classic, The Living End Winter Kept Us Warm doesn’t have the stars or the stellar sound quality of a new film, but it provides the pleasure of seeing life in a simpler time, reminding us of our freedoms and the complications these freedoms bring us.

EclecticColombia’sCharm

The gateway to South America reveals a cultural odyssey of community spirit, coastal adventure, untamed wilderness and urban diversion

By Doug Wallace

Cocora Valley, Photo courtesy of ProColombia

“What’s the best place you’ve ever been?” People frequently ask me this question when they discover that I’m on the road a lot. “I like different places for different reasons,” I reply, then rattle off a small selection of favourites. Recently, I added Colombia to my list. Having been to both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts and three major cities, I’m confident in my new choice.

My curiosity with Colombia began when people I knew started to take the term “digital nomad” seriously. Friends would simply fall off the radar for a few months while they worked from a flat in Lisbon or a hammock in the Dominican Republic. Colombia became a blip on this radar, as it pushed past an era of drug-related violence, turning a corner with new marketing plans to get people interested and visiting. It worked.

“We are a country of kind people who want to improve, and tourism is a link to that transformation,” says María José Silva, vacation tourism manager of government agency ProColombia. “For families, for honeymooners, for inclusive tourism, LGBT tourism – all of that, we are promoting that Colombia is a great place to visit,” she says, also affirming that the principle of sustainable tourism is now a national policy. “It’s like an umbrella: the whole country is contributing to that purpose and in its promotion.”

Colombia also scores well on Equaldex, an online resource on LGBTQ+ rights and data with regard to laws, facts and opinion polls – it gets a score of 75, on par with Canada, the United States, Mexico and most of Europe. And while the capital city of Bogotá is a sophisticated spot to start any vacation, the six distinct regions of the country deliver the true taste of Colombia.

I start my exploration in the Caribbean region. I’m standing at the corner of a busy square in Cartagena observing the after-work crowd,

wondering which food stall to choose – they all smell delicious. And then, an epiphany: I line up with all the policemen, who always know the best places to eat. (I am right.)

This port city, a regular on the cruise-ship circuit, has a safe and serene vibe for tourists, day and night. The well-preserved Old Town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors will find a range of accommodations, much of it extremely quaint and colonial, as well as boutiques that sell things you might actually want to buy and dining that is not just a meal but an experience, the entertainment reminiscent of supper clubs from years past.

When you’ve had your fill of Cartagena and spun through the numerous rooftop bars, you can skip the city’s Bocagrande hotel strip on the beach and head south to Tierra Bomba Island instead, or to those even farther south, for more sandy beaches and coral reefs. The surrounding Caribbean region is filled with forests and nature, Indigenous and Afro-descendant cultures to sink into, and many archaeological sites.

The Eastern and Western Andes regions in the middle of Colombia are mountainous and bucolic, brimming with national parks, flowers, coffee and history. The city of Medellín in the western district is a big favourite of the LGBTQ+ crowd. The fact that it has gone from being the most dangerous city in the country to its most innovative is a testament to the will of the people here.

In the once-violent District 13, residents have retaken control of the neighbourhood through community-driven initiatives and social programs built at a grassroots level. The street art and unique outdoor escalators have become tourist attractions, with guides giving the lowdown on the changes in infrastructure and in the life of the community. “Social transformation is one of our goals,” Silva says. “The guides, the

Medellin flower farmer Barro Blanco, Photo courtesy of ProColombia

agencies, the hotels, all are working in the same way, and our smaller communities are finding a different way of life. We are transforming life with tourism in Colombia.”

The disparity between the haves and have-nots in Medellín is considerable, but everyone seems to get along. El Poblado is the chic part of town, a vibrant barrio filled with hotels and restaurants, galleries and shopping. And places to dance – the nightlife, in fact, shuts down entire streets. I’ve heard more than a few bad Grindr stories, so take that into consideration. As well, there are more than half a million motorcycles in Medellín, so heads up when you step off the curb.

Down south, Colombia’s mountainous Massif region is lauded as a cradle of ancient civilizations, with numerous archaeological parks

and ample Andean culture. And the Amazon-Orinoco region is the big, green heart of the whole country, a vast and biodiverse area of unexplored forests, remote ranches and natural wonders.

Colombia’s Pacific region sports yet another diverse ecosystem and all the adventure that goes with it. The municipality of Bahía Solano is a hit with the hostel crowd, and is now luring more upscale guests with private lodges accessible only by boat.

Afloat Adventure is a case in point, a fishing-tour operator that has branched out into nature-based tourism with the seven-room Anigua Lodge, where I slept like a baby after a few fun-filled days. “The people who stay with us are usually very open to adventure,” says Afloat coowner Simón Roldán, “couples who want to spend disconnection time

Medellin Moravia neighbourhood, Photo by Doug Wallace

Anigua Lodge, Photo by Afloat Adventure

here, who are travelling in South America or in Colombia specifically and want a break.”

I am in awe of the wildlife and the lushness of it all. A nighttime “herping” trek in the jungle – searching for reptiles and amphibians – reveals several colourful creatures, including harlequin frogs and spiders, caimans and snakes. An afternoon of birding at Utría National Natural Park sees us passing around the binoculars every few minutes. Colombia is a paradise for birders, the almost 2,000 species comprising 20 per cent of bird diversity worldwide.

I help release a few hundred one-day-old olive ridley sea turtles into the sea at Tortugas Del Pacifico turtle nursery. We then celebrate our achievement with a taste of viche, the local sugar cane-based hooch, while a choral group in traditional costume pulls us into their dancing circle. The few hours fly by.

“I want to keep improving the cultural heritage and gastronomy components of my adventure program,” Roldán says. “I also feel motivated when the people here do well, and are living a little bit better here because of us. That’s a huge motivator.”

Like they say, it takes a village.

DOUG WALLACE

Cartagena Getsemani neighbourhood, Photo by Doug Wallace

Cartagena skyline, Photo by Doug Wallace

Medellin Transit gondola, Photo by Doug Wallace Cannua Lodge view, Photo by Doug Wallace

FLASHBACK

Gilbert Baker, Designer Of The Rainbow Flag, Is Born (June 2, 1951)

Self-described as the “gay Betsy Ross,” Gilbert Baker was an American artist, an LGBTQ+ rights activist and the creator of the rainbow flag. His artistic work helped define and solidify the queer movement during a time when it was most needed.

Baker was born on June 2, 1951, in the small rural town of Chanute, Kansas. After graduating from high school, he attended college for a year before being drafted into the United States Army, where he served from 1970 to 1972. He was stationed as a medic in San Francisco and lived there openly as a gay man at a time when the gay liberation movement was beginning to take shape. After serving a two-year term, he was honourably discharged and settled into the thriving activist community of San Francisco. During that time he became friends with activist Mary Dunn (who taught him how to sew) and Harvey Milk (the first openly gay elected official in California), and began using his skills to create banners for gay-rights and anti-war protest marches. He also participated in drag shows and joined the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a non-profit LGBTQ advocacy group whose members dress as nuns to bring attention to gender and sexual intolerance.

In his memoir, titled Rainbow Warrior: My Life in Color, Baker wrote about how the movement’s earlier pink triangle symbol needed to be replaced with something that more accurately represented the revolution in the late ’70s.

“As a community, both local and international, gay people were in the midst of an upheaval, a battle for equal rights, a shift in status where we were now demanding power, taking it,” he wrote. “This was our new revolution: a tribal, individualistic, and collective vision. It deserved a new symbol.”

It was later, at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, when Baker had an epiphany, recalling, “A rainbow. That’s the moment when I knew exactly what kind of flag I would make.

“A Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary. The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope,” he continued, adding, “Now the rioters who claimed their freedom at the Stonewall Bar in 1969 would have their own symbol of liberation.”

As interest grew in the gay liberation movement, Milk and others joined forces with Baker to create a symbol for the movement. When Baker created the Rainbow Flag in 1978, he refused to trademark it, seeing it as a symbol that was for the LGBT community. The group focused their efforts on creating a flag – because “flags are about proclaiming power, so it’s very appropriate,” Baker said in an interview that can be read on site at the New York Museum of Modern Art just after they acquired his original flag design in 2015.

Baker wanted the design to be beautiful, unique and an undeniable representation of the LGBTQ community. The first Pride flag was comprised of eight colourful stripes representing diversity: hot pink (sexuality), red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sun), green (nature), blue (art), indigo (harmony) and violet (human spirit). The first two flags flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978.

After Milk’s assassination in November 1978, demand for the rainbow flag greatly increased. But the shortage (and expense) of hot pink fabric meant that the flag was reduced to seven stripes, later to be reduced again to six (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet) to account for symmetry if the flag had to be split in half during parades and festivals.

On March 31, 2017, Baker died from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in his New York City home at age 65. His life is celebrated in the documentary Rainbow Pride (2003), and the sewing machine he used to create the first flag is on display at The GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco.

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