Outwords April 2012 Issue 192

outwords queer views, news, issues

Scott Thompson

tackles bullies

Kushner’s Counter

ANGELIC sexual revolution masterpiece

Jeremy Dias Hatred IS CREATING as national A special WORLD

policy

Outwords | April 2012 | Issue 192 | Serving the GLBT Community Since 1994 OUTWORDS 192 final.indd 1

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Greg Hamilton sutton group kilkenny real estate

For all things Real Estate

204.475.9130

www.greghamilton.ca

homes@greghamilton.ca

member of the LAMBDA Business Association

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www.lambdabiz.com

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20

Freedom to hate

Adonis at 40

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editorial

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Pebble perfect

Death to gays

international news

8

Alberta enters 21st century national news

10

14

22

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Republican anti-gay movement

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Comedy fest takes aim at bullies

28

Bullying on line

technology

24

29

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Angels in Winnipeg

How to date online

8

Heading to Regina

Queering your business

The world according to Jeremy

Winnipeg after dark

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The miracle of Pride

Your financial future

27

inside outwordS APRIL 2012

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GO ! p m TO Ca CAMP AURORA IS A QUEER POSITIVE SUMMER CAMP FOR LGBTTQ* AND ALLIED YOUTH. AUGUST 28-31, 2012 CAMP BRERETON REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN. YOU CAN FIND THE APPLICATION FORMS ON THE CAMP WEBSITE. THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS JULY 15!

WWW.CAMPAURORA.CA

BE THE LEADER IF YOU ARE 21-25 YEARS OLD, HAVE EXPERIENCE IN YOUTH LEADERSHIP, AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS, YOU WOULD BE A GREAT PEER YOUTH LEADER. CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO.

J O IN U S AT T H E RU N F O R R I G H T S S AT U R D AY, J U NE 2

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outwords

editorial

Serving the GLBT Community Since 1994 Issue 192• APRIL 2012

Published by the outwords volunteer staff:

Rachel Morgan editor

Hatred as national policy

Gord McDiarmid General manager

M. Buchanan art director & layout

Dylan Bekkering Assistant layout Advertising Relations Co-ordinator

Barry Karlenzig Financial officer

Terry Wiebe, Gord McDiarmid distribution Vic Hooper web manager

Rachel Morgan, Michele Buchanan, Dylan Bekkering, Corey Shefman, Katrina Caudle, Peter Carlyle-Gordge, Nancy Renwick, Alana, Chandra Dupuis, Barb Burkowski, Darron fields, Mark Weikel, C. R. Procyk, Charles Melvin, Donna Adam, Mark Schellenberg, Tina Jansen, Candace Tonelete Contributors

Debbie Scarborough, Shayne Duguay, Gail Eckert, Scott Carman, Kevin Hills, Sky Bridges, Dale Oughton, Diane Ready, Liz Millward, Helen Fallding board of directors

outwords

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General Inquiries: info@outwords.ca

Editor: editor@outwords.ca Creative: creative@outwords.ca Advertising: advertise@outwords.ca Distribution: distribution@outwords.ca Accounts: billing@outwords.ca Event Submissions: calendar@outwords.ca Letters Submissions: letters@outwords.ca Website: www.outwords.ca Outwords provides news, analysis and entertainment for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and queer community and its allies. GST 89671 7618RT, ISSN 1715-5606 (print) ISSN 1715-5614 (online) Canada Post Publication Licence 416 99032, Contents copyright © 2011 Outwords Alll rights reserved. Outwords is a member of the Manitoba Magazine Publishers’ Association. Articles are not necessarily the views of the staff, management, or board. We accept no liability for our advertisers’ claims.

editorial rachel morgan

It’s enough to make one’s blood boil.

The Islamic bloc in the United Nations won’t accept the inclusion of gays in any discussion of human rights. And why not? Because the member nations don’t believe we’re worthy of legal protection.

In a letter to UN human rights officials, the Organization of the Islamic Conference says “abnormal sexual behavior” has “nothing to do with fundamental human rights.”

It’s unclear what the bloc– which represents 56 Islamic UN member states and the Palestinian Authority – considers to be fundamental human rights.

Many of these nations don’t consider freedom of speech a human right.

If you’re a woman, you definitely aren’t worthy of human rights. Want the vote? Forget it. So maybe it’s not a surprise the bloc says it will oppose a new UN report critical of discrimination and violence against sexual minorities.

With its letter, the Islamic bloc has drawn a line in the sand. Clearly, member states want to continue business as usual, which means persecution, prison and executions for GLBT folk. In what was probably an unintentional irony, the bloc’s hateful letter was sent to the UN on Valentine’s Day. Other than feeling angry and frustrated at this barbaric view of human rights, is there anything we in Canada can do about this? There sure is. We aren’t powerless.

There are things we can do. Some are easy, but others will require personal sacrifice.

Here’s a short list: 1. Write letters to the prime minister and MPs. Tell them they have a duty to defend human rights and should publicly chastise the Islamic bloc for its stand.

2. Also tell them Canada should launch economic boycotts of Islamic bloc nations, despite any economic harm to Canada.

Freedom has a price.

3. Support political parties that are openly supportive of gays. Give a donation – money talks.

4. Write letters to newspapers expressing your outrage. Even if you convince only one person that it is important to fight against homophobia you will have done a good thing.

5. Write to the embassies of Islamic bloc nations and let them know what you think of their idiotic behavior. If nothing else, venting is cathartic.

6. Form a group and sponsor a gay refugee. You might save a life.

7. Choose your foreign holiday destination based on its human rights record. It’s in your own best interests anyway.

8. Don’t buy products from countries that abuse gays. Be aware this could include the gasoline you use to run your car – you can always buy an electric car.

9. Write letters to companies that do business in abusive nations and let them know you won’t purchase their products until the barbaric nations clean up their acts.

They will read them.

10. Befriend members of barbaric nations who have immigrated to Canada. They came here because they didn’t like their home country. You can identify with that, right?

11. Make Canada a role model for tolerance for the rest of the world. A nation can lead by example. So can an individual – take a look at Gandhi or Nelson Mandela.

This has nothing to do with religion and it’s certainly not a call to arms against Islam. Islam is not anti-gay any more than Christianity is. Any group that espouses homophobia must be opposed - loudly.

Silence changes nothing. O

Clearly, member states want to continue business as usual, which means persecution, prison and executions for GLBT folk

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS orientation. The leaflet, titled Death Penalty? was distributed in the buildup to a gay pride event in July 2010.

Ali was jailed for two years while Ahmed and Javed were given 15-month sentences. It is the first prosecution of its kind since new laws came into force in 2010. The leaflets showed an image of a wooden mannequin hanging from a noose along with texts that said capital punishment was the DERBY, ENGLAND »

Ali, Kabir Ahmed

Three Derby men have

and Razwan Javed

been jailed for giving

were found guilty in

out leaflets calling for

Derby Crown Court of

homosexual people

stirring up hatred on

to be executed. Ihjaz

the grounds of sexual

OUTWORDS 192 final.indd 6

only way to rid society of homosexuality. The leaflet called for gay people to be given the death penalty.

Russian law anti-gay ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA » In March, lawmakers in St. Petersburg adopted a bill that would impose fines of up to $16,700 for the "promotion of homosexuality." The bill, if signed in to law by the city governor would criminalize reading, writing, speaking or reporting on anything related to LGBT people. Pride parades, literature, theatre or NGOs that openly serve LGBT people will be criminalized, and pushed underground. Several of the ruling party's officials have also voiced their interest to push the law nationwide. On Feb. 28 AllOut.org members were joined by dozens of human rights organizations around the world in demonstrations at Russian embassies in Argentina, New York, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Brazil.

Harvard denies degrees BOSTON »Despite a push by a group of students and faculty, Harvard refuses to award posthumous degrees to seven students expelled from the Ivy League school in 1920 because they were gay or perceived to be gay. A group of students and faculty members staged a rally during a campus visit by Lady Gaga, who was at Harvard to launch her Born This Way anti-bullying foundation. The singer has been a strong activist for the gay community. A spokesman says the university does not award posthumous degrees except in the rare case of a student who completes academic requirements but dies before the degree has been conferred.

He added that Harvard expressed its "deep regret" in 2002 for the anguish experienced by the students and their families almost a century ago.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Irish favour equal marriage DUBLIN » Equal marriage supporters have welcomed a poll that puts public

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA—The Australian

support for allowing gay couples to marry at 73 per cent. The poll, by Red

Labour Party has ejected a 19-year-old Queensland

C, showed nearly three quarters of those asked said they would agree with

candidate from the party, dubbing him an

the statement: “Same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution”.

‘extremist’ for comments he made online about

The results were presented to Ireland’s Oireachtas in a report prepared

gays. Peter Watson had posted views online in

for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Kieran Rose, chair

2007 about gays being “wiped out” and suggesting

of Ireland’s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network said: “The poll confirms the

a link between homosexuality and pedophilia. He

openness of Irish people and their support for further critically important

was asked to resign and has now been expelled

progress to achieving equality for lesbian and gay people.”

India Moves

to ban

Gay Sex!

Extremist ejected

NEW DELHI, INDI » Supreme

Governor vetoes gay marriage

Court judges hearing the case for

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY » Gov. Chris Christie has

reintroducing a ban on gay sex in

vetoed a bill that would allow same-sex couples to wed, thus setting up a confrontation with a

India have warned the government for

Democrat-controlled legislature that has vowed

making contradictory statements about

to eventually get the bill into law. The state

homosexuality. Judges told ministers not

legislature passed the measure in February and

to “make a mockery of the system” after officials appearing in the court appeared to be at odds over whether gay sex should be illegal.

the Senate approved it days later. Lawmakers have

Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain was appearing for the Indian

until the legislative session ends in January 2014 to override Christie's veto. New Jersey currently

government’s Health Ministry today and told the court they were in favour of decriminalization, India’s DNA reports. Last week, Additional

allows for civil unions, which Christie says he

Solicitor General PP Malhotra appeared for the Home Ministry and

supports. With Hawaii and Delaware recently joining the list, five other states currently recognize

told the court gay sex was unnatural.

such unions.

VISIONARY C O N V E R S AT I O N S A S PEAKER SERIES

Hosted by DR. DAVID T. BARNARD P R E S I D E N T A N D V I C E- CHANCELLOR U N I V E R S I T Y OF MANITOBA

GENDER EQUALITY: FACT OR FICTION? WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11

ROBERT B. SCHULTZ THEATRE, ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE, FORT GARRY CAMPUS 7:00PM TO 8:30PM

Please RSVP to: government_community@umanitoba.ca

umanitoba.ca/visionaryconversations

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Docket: Proof #:

q Approved as is q Approved with changes

Proofreader

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NATIONAL NEWS

GAY FRAT BOYS AT MCGILL MONTREAL » There is now a gay fraternity at McGill University, known as the Delta Lambda Phi (DLP) The fraternity’s U.S. national directors and the New York City chapter’s mentors recently flew into Montreal for the charter and initiation ceremonies. Chapter president Michael D’Alimonte laughed when media asked if the initiation rituals will resemble a gay porn flick. “There are all these sexual stereotypes of gay men, not to mention gay fraternities,” he says. “We have a hands-off frat. We discourage brothers from hooking up and demand there be no extra-fraternal relations, except with pledges.” DLP is a U.S. college fraternity with a membership of gay, straight and bisexual men. It was founded in 1986 by Vernon L Strickland III in Washington, D.C. DLP is fast-growing in the U.S. where there are 28 gay fraternities.

McGill is the first chartered outside the U.S.

EDMONTON » Alberta’s new Education Act prohibits homeschools, private schools and Catholic schools from teaching students that being gay is a sin. "Whatever the nature of schooling – homeschool, private school, Catholic school -– we do not tolerate disrespect for differences," a spokesperson for Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk, Donna McColl, said. The new legislation reinforces the Alberta School Act, which makes schools "reflect the diverse nature" of the province in their curriculum. It says schools must "honour and respect" the Alberta Human Rights Act.

204.985.9200 OUTNABOUTTRAVEL.COM 8 9

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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NATIONAL NEWS

Feds close loophole OTTAWA » The federal government has tabled legislation to close a loophole that

CALGARY GAY CLUB CLOSES CALGARY » -Club Sapien, the Calgary gay nightclub known for community outreach work, announced recently that it will be closing its doors for good. The bar has been conditionally sold. Many in Calgary’s gay and lesbian community loved Club Sapien. Spokesmen from at least 10 local queer organizations, including Pride Calgary and the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association, posted condolences on the club’s Facebook page, noting its strong support for community events, charities and youth groups.

has called into question the legitimacy of thousands of gay marriages among foreigners who’ve come to Canada to wed. The issue emerged after a foreign same-sex couple sought a divorce in

ALBERTA VOWS TO CHANGE ARCHAIC LAW

Canada only to learn the Divorce Act required applicants to have resided here for at least 12 months. A Crown lawyer sparked controversy last month with the argument that foreign same-sex couples can’t divorce in Canada since they were never really married in the first place.

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says the amendments will make the non-resident marriages valid under Canadian law and will allow couples to end their nuptials if they’re not able to divorce where they live.

JUDGE SAYS NO TO HATE CRIME VANCOUVER » Gay activists are infuriated by a Vancouver judge's refusal to recognize an assault against a gay man outside the gay village as a gaybashing or hate crime. Judge Rosemary Gallagher ruled recently that hate was not a motivating factor in the assault that took place in December 2009. She said the facts did "not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the offence happened because the victim was gay." She also said the offence did not happen in a ‘highly visible’ homosexual area. And, she said, it was "arguable" whether the violence was extreme or disproportionate. The attack broke a gay man's jaw in two places, requiring two surgeries, eight screws and a plate. Crown prosecutor Ann Seymour had sought a hate-crime designation at the assailant's sentencing hearing in November, saying the youth knew the victim was gay before he assaulted him. "He called him a 'fucking faggot' several times as he assaulted him," Seymour told Gallagher.

EDMONTON » Alberta doctors still bill the province for treating homosexuality as a mental disorder akin to bestiality and pedophilia, despite assurances from the former health minister in 2010 that the “incorrect and unacceptable classification” would be removed immediately. Liberal Laurie Blakeman says in late 2010 the minister of health agreed that doctors’ diagnostic billing codes listing sexual orientation under mental illness were unacceptable but they are still being used. In 2010 doctors billed the province for treating homosexuality as a mental disorder five times. Human rights activist Rob Wells released government records showing doctors used the diagnostic code to bill the province for treating gays and lesbians more than 1,750 times between 1995 and 2004. Health Minister Fred Horne says he will look into the matter.

» News briefs are compiled by Peter

Carlyle-Gordge, a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, march 2012

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Winnipeg after dark

By Chandra “Chance’ Dupuis

Winnipeg comes alive when queers of all diversities dance the night away in downtown trendy nightclub Fame, located at 279 Garry St. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, there is something for everyone in this sublevel gem, whether you prefer the relaxed enjoyment of the lounge or the pounding rush of the dance floor and stage – Fame promises a night you’ll never forget.

Photos by Tina Jansen

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outwords, november april 2012 2011 // www.outwords.ca outwords, // www.outwords.ca

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Gio’s Foam Party What’s hot, wet, and packed? Gio’s Foam Party, one of the most anticipated events in Gio’s history was definitely a treat for the eyes. Members packed the dance floor in this wet ’n’ wild adventure. Who doesn’t like a little foam with their queers?

Gio's Night of the living dead Halloween Party A spooky and sexy evening as the queens showed what they’re made of in heart-stopping performances. Haunting beauties and tricks with treats kept ghouls partying throughout the witching hours.

Gio’s Fake Friday, The S.O.M.S presents... A Step Back Nothing like pulling the ol’ switcheroo for a memorable night of drinks and drag. Our exotic beauties hit the stage in true diva fashion as drink specials, hot queens, and shirtless man candy tantalized the Fake Friday crowd.

Gio’s New Years Eve 2011 Night on the red carpet – Flashing lights, big hair and a lot of glitter. Who were you kissing when the ball dropped? Gio’s rolled out the red carpet for queer royalty as new performers were welcomed and Winnipeg welcomed a new year.

Photos by Candice Tonelete www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012 www.outwords.ca // outwords, April 2012

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NO PRIDE

By Barb Burkowski

P

ride 2012 has been cancelled. Yes, this is the 25th anniversary of Pride in Winnipeg, but there will be no parties, no celebrations and no parade this summer. There is no money to stage it and no one to organize it. It died from lack of interest. It went with a whimper.

It would be a surprise if those words didn’t leave you with a cold feeling in the pit of your stomach. Thankfully Pride is still alive. It’s too early to write the obit. But it is not too much of a stretch to imagine it happening. This is our nightmare.

"Here’s the thing. Pride Day is about two months away but we are short of money."

It costs more each year to hold events and run a parade – and expectations are higher than ever. Sponsorship and Queer Beer are the only sources of revenue. Unlike festivals such as Fringe Fest, Folk Fest, Jazz Fest, there is no charge to celebrate Pride.

Pride is a free event and everyone is invited.

Pride Winnipeg, which is in reality a group of volunteers, is unable to stage Pride without funding.

One of the toughest jobs on the Pride committee is to ask companies to open their

12 13

purses and sponsor events. In a recession, money is limited. Some companies don’t recognize the value in creating a positive image in the queer community. They're wrong – the GLBT community has a higher disposable income than the non-GLBT community. And we’re extremely loyal to companies that are queer-friendly.

What about grants? Surely there are government grants? Actually no – there aren’t. Grants are only available with charitable status. Pride is as a non-profit organization. Pride Winnipeg has started the steps to attaining charitable status but it is a long, tedious process and will take more than a year.

There is some good news. Pride Winnipeg has worked very hard. As of the beginning of March, $31,000 in sponsorship had been promised and $1,000 received. Our goal is to reach $100,000. We need that much to put on a celebration on par with or bigger than last year. With $31,000, we can stage a basic Pride but it would fall far short of the way we want to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to corporate sponsors from previous years.

Among them were TD, Delta Winnipeg and Half Pints, which brews Queer Beer. The Pride Guide has achieved 50 per cent of its ad sales goal. With more hard work and the generosity of more corporations we will reach 100 per cent.

Pride 25’s prime focus is the parade, where it all began. There are signs this year could be memorable. Ms. Purdy’s, Happenings and other beloved establishments of the last 25 years are said to be preparing floats. The City of Winnipeg has not yet OK’d the route but this will happen before long.

We started this article wondering what it would be like if there were no Pride.

Luckily, it’s a nightmare we will avoid. But we still don’t know whether we will be able to stage a 25th anniversary Pride Winnipeggers expect and deserve. To properly honour this occasion, Pride Winnipeg is asking people to make donations. Every bit will help. And if you can, please also consider sponsoring Pride.

Contact us at chair@pridewinnipeg. com. Join the excitement of Pride’s silver anniversary. Celebrate with us and helping make it happen.

– Barb Burkowski is the chair of Pride Winnipeg.

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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In The Pink Gearing Up To End Homophobia ÞÊ*iÌiÀÊ >À Þ i À`}i

On April 11, we will celebrate the International Day of Pink.

It is a day when communities across the country – and across the world – unite in celebrating diversity and raising awareness to stop homophobic, transphobic and all forms of bullying.

Check out: http://www.dayofpink.org

/ iÊ ÌiÀ >Ì > Ê >ÞÊ vÊ* ÊÜ>ÃÊÃÌ>ÀÌi`Ê Ê Û>Ê-V Ì >ÊÜ i ÊÌÜ Ê ÃÌÀ> } ÌÊ } ÊÃV ÊÃÌÕ`i ÌÃÊÃ>ÜÊ>Ê}>ÞÊÃÌÕ`i ÌÊÜi>À }Ê>Ê« Êà ÀÌÊ Li }ÊLÕ i`°Ê/ iÊÃÌÕ`i ÌÃÊ ÌiÀÛi i`]ÊLÕÌÊÜ> Ìi`ÊÌ Ê` Ê ÀiÊÌ Ê «ÀiÛi ÌÊ « L VÊ> `ÊÌÀ> ë L VÊLÕ Þ }°Ê / iÞÊL Õ} ÌÊ« Êà ÀÌÃ]Ê> `Ê>ÊviÜÊ`>ÞÃÊ >ÌiÀÊ} ÌÊiÛiÀÞ iÊ>ÌÊ ÃV ÊÌ Ê>ÀÀ ÛiÊÜi>À }Ê« ]ÊÌ ÕÃÊÃÌ> ` }Ê Êà `>À ÌÞ°Ê/ iÊÀiÃÕ ÌÊ Ü>ÃÊÌ >ÌÊ> Êi Ì ÀiÊÃV ÊÕ Ìi`ÊÜ Ì Ê>Ê iÃÃ>}iÊ vÊÃÌ «« }Ê « L VÊEÊÌÀ> ë L VÊLÕ Þ }°ÊÊ Ê/ iÊ iÃÃ>}i¶Ê Þ iÊV> ÊLÕ Þ]Ê> Þ iÊV> ÊLiÊÛ VÌ âi`ÊLÞÊ LÕ Þ }]ÊLÕÌÊLÞÊ>ÊV Õ ÌÞÊÕ Ì }ÊÌ }iÌ iÀÊ ÌÊV> ÊLiÊÃÌ ««i`Ê > `ÊLiÊ >`iÊà V > ÞÊÕ >VVi«Ì>L i°Ê >V ÊÞi>ÀÊ ÊÌ iÊÃiV `Ê7i` iÃ`>ÞÊ vÊ «À ]Ê ÃÊ vÊ«i « iÊ Üi>ÀÊ« ÊÌ ÊÀi i LiÀÊÌ >ÌÊ« Ã Ì ÛiÊ>VÌ ÃÊ > iÊ>Ê` vviÀi ViÊ> `Ê V > }iÊÃÌ>ÀÌÃÊÜ Ì Êi>V Ê iÊ vÊÕðÊ-V ÃÊ> `Ê /Ê À}> â>Ì ÃÊ >ÀiÊLi }Êi V ÕÀ>}i`ÊÌ Ê«ÕÌÊÕ«Ê« ÃÌiÀÃÊ> `Ê À}> âiÊiÛi ÌÃÊ>À Õ `Ê Ì iÊÃÕL iVÌ°ÊÊÊÊÊÊ ÛiÀÞ i]Ê /Ê ÀÊÃÌÀ> } Ì]Ê ÃÊi V ÕÀ>}i`ÊÌ ÊÜi>ÀÊà iÌ }Ê pink on the day. Ê7 «i}]ÊÞ ÕÌ ÊV À` >Ì ÀÊ >Ê >V à Ê>ÌÊÌ iÊ,> L ÜÊ ,ià ÕÀViÊ i ÌÀiÊÃ>ÞÃÊÌ iÞÊ >ÛiÊ À`iÀi`Ê>Ê« iÊ vÊ« Ê/ à ÀÌÃÊ> `Ê>Ê }À Õ«Ê vÊ>L ÕÌÊÎäÊÞ Õ }Ê«i « iÊÜ Êëi `Ê>ÊV Õ« iÊ vÊ ÕÀÃÊ>`` }ÊÌ i ÀÊ Ü Ê iÃÃ>}iÃÊ> `Ê>ÀÌÜ À ÊÌ ÊÌ i ° ʺ/ iÞÊÜ ÊÜi>ÀÊÌ i Ê>ÌÊÃV Ê> `Ê ÕÌà `iÊ> `ÊÌ iÊ> Ê ÃÊÌ Ê > iÊÌ iÊ`>ÞÊ> `Ê ÌÃÊ iÃÃ>}iÊ } ÞÊÛ Ã L i]»Êà iÊÃ>Þðʺ7iÊ >ÛiÊ

Guiding YOU home Meneses &Yolanda

Clara Mitchell Enns

clara@heartsandhomes.ca Wir sprechen Deutsch

p: 204-452-9627 c: 204-999-4692

The aim of the day is to raise awareness of sexual diversity ` iÊÌ ÃÊLiv ÀiÊ> `ÊÌ iÊÞ Õ }Ê«i « iÊ>ÀiÊÛiÀÞÊi Ì Õà >ÃÌ VÊ> `Ê VÀi>Ì Ûi°»Ê" iÊ vÊÌ iÊ iÃÃ>}iÃÊÌ iÞÊV> iÊÕ«ÊÜ Ì ÊÜ>Ãʺ ÛiÊ >ÃÊ Ê }i `iÀ»° / iÊv Ü }Ê Ì ]Ê Ê >ÞÊ£Ç]Ê >À ÃÊÌ iÊ£äÌ Ê ÌiÀ >Ì > Ê

>ÞÊ }> ÃÌÊ « L >°Ê iV Ê ÕÌ\ http://www.homophobiaday.orgÊ/ iÊà ÌiÊ >ÃÊ` Ü >`>L iÊ v À >Ì Ê> `ÊiÝVi i ÌÊ « ÃÌiÀÃÊ ÊÃiÛiÀ> ÊÌ i iÃÊ> `Ê ÊÃiÛiÀ> Ê > }Õ>}ið

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www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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ADONIS SPA

Forty years and counting

By Peter Carlyle-Gordge.

Its entrance is decidedly unprepossessing, but the building at 1060 Main St. has seen tens of thousands of patrons enter its portals over the past four decades. Like its clients, it has changed a great deal with the times.

A

donis – the steam bath, spa and mingling place for gay and bisexual men – was started in spring 1972 by a CBC makeup artist, Phillip Benson.

Its location was chosen because the Happenings Social Club had its premises on Manitoba Avenue, so it was convenient.

For the GLBT community the 1970s were still the dark ages, with equality rights yet to be won. Homophobic cops still violently raided bathhouses in Toronto and the gay rights movement was yet to be born. Gay men faced oppressive societal discrimination.

At its birth in 1972 Adonis was called The Office. Benson, now dead, also owned apartments above the steam bath. “He mostly rented them out to his gay friends and kept rents very low,” recalls a friend who once lived in one of them. “Originally there were three businesses in the block, including a grocery. Eventually the baths took over the other spaces as it expanded.”

When Benson died his partner, Joe Miller, assumed ownership. The original premises were very basic with lockers and a few rooms plus a large, dark backroom.

Later, the business was expanded, offering a 10-man hot tub on the main floor as well as three extra rooms. Today it has 26 rooms and 30 lockers. It is also being constantly updated.

In 2000, Miller sold the business to hospitality worker Doug Pomanski. He upgraded the spa and spent six days a week

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working flat out to improve it. “It kept me very busy but today I have cut back to three days a week working hands on,” he says.

“The original business was only a third the size of the present one. We are busy and I plan to keep on going.”

The 40th celebrations will be held the weekend of April 20-22 and Pomanski says lockers will be half price all weekend.

In addition there will be free coffee and doughnuts as well as lot of prizes to be won. “We have noon-hour specials and

“We see a surprising number of bisexual and married men these days,” other promotions and we see a surprising number of bisexual and married men these days,” he says. “We are open every day and attract quite a few out-of-town visitors as well as locals.”

He says non-resident visitors like the fact they offer a 24-hour pass which allows men to check in and out and not have to pay twice.

Besides the steam and sauna it offers tanning and a free wireless Internet facility. Adonis has always maintained good relations with the police and never faced a raid or shutdown like some of those in Ontario. “We have firm rules and we always follow them,” says Pomanski. “We have always kept our nose clean and given the police no problems, so we have had none with them.”

Victor (not his real name) worked at the spa from 1980 until his retirement in 2010. He says there was a period when the fear of AIDS did hit business but it slowly recovered as people learned more and took precautions. “In the old days people were pretty freewheeling, but once AIDS came on the scene they became a lot more cautious,” he says. “I worry the new, younger generation isn’t quite as cautious because they know there are drugs to cope with it and prolong life.”

Victor says he believes Adonis is probably the oldest men’s sauna and steam bath in North America in the sense that it has been open continuously in the same location. Many baths in Toronto were shut down in the past. And in San Francisco they were ordered closed as AIDS caused a sense of terror.

He says original owner Philip Benson used to bring food in over the Christmas period and invited all the gay men who had no accepting family. “Their parents didn’t want them around for Christmas dinner so Philip gave them a place,” he says.

Victor recalls Adonis used to get very busy sometimes. “One weekend we had every room and every locker booked and we ended up having to put clients’ belongings in plastic bags at the front desk,” he recalls. “It was that busy.”

– Peter Carlyle-Gordge is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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Rock on!

Bison Cup continues to grow It was another roarin’ year for the Bison Cup, the seventh to be held at Winnipeg’s Granite Club. Each year the Bison Cup is held Friday to Sunday over the Louis Riel long weekend in February. This year it was held February 17-19.

Twenty teams participated, with more than 80 curlers on teams from Winnipeg, Regina, Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary. Hosted by the Rainbow Curling League, this year was one of our most successful events to date. Mark Kelly of the Rainbow Curling League said organizers and sponsors were thrilled with the turnout and the event.

The league will host another Bison Cup in 2013 from February 15-17. Kelly says curlers can look for new and exciting changes next year.

Photos by Darron Fields

www.outwords.ca // outwords, march 2012

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THE antigay

movement

By Rachel Morgan

the counter sexual revolution threatens all of us It used to be said there was very little difference between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Despite their very different public personas, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy held similar beliefs about most things. Politicians of different stripes could compromise and find common ground for the common good. That has changed dramatically. Today, it’s all-out war between Democrats and Republicans.

So, while on the surface much of the politi cal battle in Washington seems to be about the economy and the deficit, at its core it is really about sex. According to Cohen, the Republican party has been hijacked by a small group who believe that America’s problems are all connected to issues around sex.

Republican obstructionism can be traced to the fundamentalists’ demands for orthodoxy on gays, abortion, sex and birth control.

American historian Nancy Cohen explores this issue in her new book Delirium: How The Sexual Counterrevolution is Polarizing America. She argues one of the forces fueling America’s political wars has been the reaction against the sexual revolution of the ‘60s and the progressive movements that emerged from it. Cohen says the sexual counterrevolution and conflicts about sex, women’s rights and women’s roles, gay civil rights, and family values drove Americans into irreconcilable warring camps and polarized national politics.

Outwords asked Cohen about the sexual backlash and how it could play out in the States and other countries.

1. Do you see the same kind of sexual counter-revolution in other Western countries?

Every nation has experienced some sort of backlash against women’s and gay rights.

But no, the conditions for a full-blown sexual counterrevolution don’t really exist in other Western countries.

The sexual counterrevolution arose in the U.S. from a unique convergence.

The U.S. is the most religious of all, advanced nations, and the most religious Americans are traditionalists and fundamentalists on sex and gender issues.

The U.S. also had the first and most broad-based post-sexual revolution women’s and gay rights movements. The sexual and cultural revolution triggered

one of the forces fueling America’s political wars has been the reaction against the sexual revolution of the ‘60s

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the counterrevolution among America’s millions of sexual fundamentalists.

2. Why does the U.S. seem to be more susceptible to sexual politics than other nations?

Because the Republican party has been hijacked by a small group of religious zealots who believe that American’s problems all stem from sex. Consider what America was like just 50 years ago. Birth control was illegal, gay sex in the privacy of one’s own home was a criminal offence, abortion was illegal, and discrimination against women was legal and accepted. America’s religious zealots want to go back to that.

3. Do you see the counter-revolution spreading to other nations?

Fundamentalist Protestant missionaries and the Vatican are exporting the sexual counterrevolution to some parts of Latin America and Africa. But it can only flourish where there’s mass religious fundamentalism on the grassroots level. So nations as diverse as China, Germany, Canada, even Brazil are I think immune, because their citizens aren’t particularly religious.

4. How do you see this polarization playing out in the 2012 election?

The GOP has two modes of operation. One is ideological extremism and overreach.

That mode has been on display through the opening year of the 2012 race. All of the year’s Anyone-But-Romney contenders

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abortion. As the U.S. began its mission in Libya, the GOP Congress called Pentagon leaders in to be rebuked – for repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Every Republican presidential candidate has promised to deliver on the wish-list of the antiabortion, antigay, antifeminist voters

were homegrown products of the sexual counterrevolution.

Bachmann, Gingrich, Perry, Santorum, and Cain all met the extremism test, but they had fatal weaknesses as presidential candidates.

(The) 2012 (election) calls for the other mode: stealth.

Someone who appears sane and competent to the rest of the nation, but who has promised the sexual fundamentalists in the Republican base that he will make gay marriage, abortion, and birth control illegal. Bush’s 2000 campaign is the gold standard here.

The GOP establishment drafted Perry as this year’s stealth candidate. So much for that.

They’ll have to make do with Romney — who is widely portrayed by the Beltway media as serious. The rest of us should not be fooled.

Romney has promised the sexual fundamentalists that he will roll back gay civil rights and make abortion and even birth control illegal. No candidate in history has ever been as beholden to the delirious rightwing fringe as Romney will be.

5. Is there a danger of the sexual counter-revolution turning back the clock on women’s reproductive rights, gay rights and civil rights?

If you want to understand what’s in store for women and gays should the sexual fundamentalists gain control of the presidency, take a look at what the Republican House did this past year. They came in promising to create jobs; they spent the year cutting funding for birth control and eroding access to

in their base.

6. What other minorities would suffer if the counter-revolution continues?

The sexual counterrevolution, for political expediency, has recently allied itself with anti-immigrant nativists. The majority of Americans favor comprehensive immigration reform, but the Republican minority will block it.

Non-Christians I fear will also suffer. The GOP is really pushing to impose Christianity as the nation’s official religion in the public schools and government. As a secular Jew, this makes me deeply uncomfortable. But I really fear for our Muslim fellow-citizens, who are in real and immediate danger of being deprived of their fundamental rights by the anti-Muslim bigotry and hysteria on the Right.

7. What would be the long-term impact on the U.S. if the counter-revolution continues to gain strength?

Americans would experience a reversal of a half century of progress in the realm of personal freedom and human rights. Abortion will be criminalized again; gays will be expelled from the military. Forget gay mar-

riage, of course. Add to that new laws that will render civil unions null and void.

That’s not all. The sexual counterrevolutionaries are the voters who keep the other factions of the Right in power. So we’d see no action on climate change. The men who brought us the Iraq War will be returning for a showdown with Iran. The one per cent will preserve their low taxes, preventing the U.S. from dealing honestly with our structural economic problems – unemployment and the longterm deficit – and potentially dragging our neighbors and trading partners down with us.

8. What can centre-left, women’s rights groups and GLBT groups in the U.S. do to fight the counter-revolution?

Sexual fundamentalists are outnumbered three to one — even though you wouldn’t know that by watching FOX News. The fact is, progressive views about sex, gay rights, family, and gender are the mainstream in America today.

The sexual counterrevolution can be defeated if we all vote and stay tuned in. This year, with the presidential election, GLBT, women’s, and centre-left groups need to devote themselves to electoral mobilization to defeat the Republican candidate.

If all Americans vote, the delirium will end.

(Delirium: How the Sexual Counterrevolution Is Polarizing America is available from Publisher: Counterpoint Press for $29.50 Cdn.) – Rachel Morgan is editor of OutWords.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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the transition from offline to online

By Mark Weikel

Date safely.

Thanks to the technology provided to us in this modern century, gone are the traditional methods of meeting that special someone at a queer club, through friends, at the office or via some other chance encounter.

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Sure, we all like to believe that fate plays a role in our romantic lives…but when looking for love in a world where we are slaves to work, busy schedules and our own personal activities, a lot of pressure is put on finding a partner – and internet dating sites allow us to ease the process along by putting fate into our own hands.

It’s no surprise that gays and lesbians are flocking to online dating sites for the convenience factor, but since many LGBT singles in bars or clubs are just looking for a one-night hookup, another benefit of dating sites is that they provide a vast platform for singles to search for a serious, committed relationship. With online dating sites you have the opportunity to create a profile, browse, interact with thousands of single gays and lesbians based on your specific search criteria. To maximize your matches and increase your chances of success, be sure to check out the following tips for dating online:

Although you can meet some great people through online dating sites, if you aren’t safe you also can meet predators, con-artists and an array of other creeps. To avoid a potentially dangerous situation, make safety your number one priority by following these tips for safe online dating:

Keep personal info private.

Until you are certain that your online match is a trustworthy individual, limit the information you disclose about yourself. In your profile and through online communications, don’t disclose details such as your last name, phone number, home address, place of business, financial material or access to any of your accounts.

Stage safe meetings.

As exciting as it can be to meet face-to-face with the guy or girl you’ve been chatting with online, never let your excitement get the best of you or your safety smarts. Make sure that you let a friend or family member know where you are going and use your own transportation to meet your date in a crowded, public place. Remain aware of your surroundings by forgoing alcoholic beverages and keeping an eye on your belongings.

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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Listen to your intuition.

If at any point while online dating should someone make you feel uncomfortable, trust your gut, cease all communication with that person and move on to the next – anyone who doesn’t respect your need for safety isn’t worthy of your time.

Connect with singles.

Before choosing a dating site and a membership package that meets your specific needs and requirements, be sure to define your goals in online dating – think about the kind of person you are, the kind of person you’d like for a counterpart and the kind of relationship you want. Then reflect over the advice below for making the most out of your cyber journey to finding exactly what you’re looking for:

Be honest.

Trust is the foundation for any healthy relationship and if a healthy relationship is what you’re after, even the smallest lie in your dating profile or when communicating with a fellow online single could derail the possibility of that. Be truthful about your appearance, your career, level of education, etc. If someone doesn’t like you for you, then they aren’t your match.

Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Take advantage of the opportunity you have to meet people who you wouldn’t have had the chance to meet if it weren’t for the internet. Broaden your horizons by interacting with as many singles as you are interested in. Until you are in a committed, exclusive relationship it is okay to explore all of your options.

Be positive.

In getting to know someone over the internet, it’s important to keep the topics light. Don’t complain about work, talk about a bitter past or cry about that ex you just can’t get over. To attract a happy, positive person, focus on the parts of life you enjoy and highlight your own happy, positive attitude.

Just be you.

When it comes to dating, it can be scary putting yourself out there.

But as intimidated as you may be, when looking for “the one” it’s important that you can be your true self around them… and it’s also important for them to be their true self around you. Don’t focus on trying to impress another person—just relax, be yourself and those pursuing you for the right reasons will embrace you for you!

– Mark Weikel is a guest writer. Mark also writes for Best Gay Dating Sites where he gives relationship advice to singles.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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A lot of gay kids have been victims of homophobia but few have launched campaigns to fight it.

That takes a special kind of person – someone like Jeremy Dias.

When Dias was in Grade 10, his family moved from Alberta to Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario. There he shared his secret with a few friends.

Someone let his secret slip and Dias was outed. The backlash from bigoted peers was painful, but it was the school’s official stance and the school board’s subsequent unwillingness to support his efforts to raise awareness about homophobia that really stung.

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outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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som c org ca

ONE person can make a difference

By C. R. Procyk

Dias and some friends created an organization called Jer’s Vision

In response, Dias and some friends created an organization called Jer’s Vision to take on bullying, racism, homophobia and even drunk driving. From a simple beginning, it grew and today educates and raises awareness across Canada. It co-ordinates the Day of Pink, which will be held on April 11 this year. Jer’s Vision also trains volunteers and participates in community networks. It is so successful – too successful, in fact – that it gets more requests for workshops than it can honour.

Before Dias launched his organization, he attempted to bring educators and the school board onside to combat homophobia. Their unwillingness to work with Dias led him to file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The commission ruled in Dias’s favour. He received a cash settlement, the school had to make the contents of its library more inclusive and the Algoma District School Board was required

to put on sensitivity/awareness training for the staff in the division. By then, Dias was studying psychology at the University of Ottawa. He never did get the apology he had been seeking, the apology that, if extended early on, would have settled the whole matter.

In university, Dias was on a roll created by his own persistence and determination. He used the settlement money to create a scholarship fund and he used the experience with the school board as an inspiration. That inspiration is Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative. “Education works,” insists Dias. “You bring respect, you engage, you dialogue. Even the people that disagree with you – they may continue to disagree with you but they are still altered in the process.”

Launching the organization turned out to be the easy part – it’s much harder to sustain. Schools and communities do not cover the costs of the presentations and workshops. So, although the organization has plenty of respect in the community, as well as awards and citations, his has yet to translate into actual financial support.

“It is heartbreaking that donors have not come forward to support this youth initiative,” says Dias, “and not just our initiative but other youth initiatives as well. It’s as though the adults don’t seem to care.”

Now 28, Dias works full time on the organization’s projects and programs. He recently participated in a conference sponsored by Manitoba’s Rainbow Resource Centre. That conference brought 300 students from across the province to Winnipeg to participate in learning and discussion.

Jer’s Vision is now reaching out to people of good will in the hope of garnering at least 500 regular donors – donors who are willing to commit to $4 a month to keep the organization afloat. “After all,” Dias points out, “we need these programs in schools – these programs save lives.” To support Jer’s Vision, go to: www.canadahelps.org. To learn more about Jer’s Vision, go to www.jersvision.org.

– C. R. Procyk – is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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Elvira Kurt coined the term “fellagirly” to describe herself and other queer females whose style is a blend of butch and femme.

Outspoken Kids in the Hall alum Thompson, in particular, has in the past raised eyebrows.

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There’s nothing funny about bullying — especially in light of the growing number of LGBTT youth who’ve been driven to depression or even suicide after being bullied by their peers. But this year, organizers of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival (WCF) hope to add some levity to an ongoing debate that has so far proven pretty serious by assembling a panel of experts on bullying, LGBTT issues and the healing power of laughter.

comedy festival tackles bullying

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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The festival’s “Make It Better” panel, convening Sunday, April 15, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. at the Gas Station Arts Centre (GSAC), will feature a wide range of perspectives and shared experiences from comics Scott Thompson, Elvira Kurt, Nikki Payne, Darcy Michael, Sherri D. Sutton, Marcie Fehr, Chantel Marostica and Judy Gold. The free event specifically targets youth who are dealing with bullies, or issues related to gender confusion or sexual orientation, but will also serve as a good primer for those looking to learn more about the debate.

“Comedians are often very good at dealing with this kind of information, because we do so in a way that takes some of the sting out of the pain,” says Al Rae, founder and artistic director of the WCF. “A lot of young people in these situations use humour as a defence, so they can relate.

And it encourages them to realize this defence can sometimes inspire a career, which is helpful advice.”

The panel was prompted by the rash of suicides among LGBTT youth throughout North America, and by the recent dust-up in Altona, Manitoba, over elementary teachers’ rights to display LGBTT ally cards in their classrooms. It’s also inspired in part by columnist Dan Savage’s much-lauded “It Gets Better” campaign, though as Rae explains, “Make It Better” advocates an even more active stance. “’It Gets Better’ is a promise that doesn’t always come true for everyone,” says Rae. “’Make It Better’ suggests the responsibility is on us as a culture.”

The panel will surely prove provocative, as Rae points out not all the panelists share the “It Gets Better” worldview. (Outspoken Kids in the Hall alum Thompson, in particular, has in the past raised eyebrows by saying LGBTT youth need to “grow a pair.”)

Later the same day, the WCF will play host to an All Girl Gay Show (scheduled for 3:30 p.m., also at the Gas Station Arts Centre), featuring Kurt, Sutton, Marostica, Gold, and Clare Lawlor. While that event

won’t be as politically charged, it will serve as a perfect companion piece to the Make It Better show. “It’s kind of the reward,” says Rae. “It’s what happens when you do make things better — you can just allow people to be themselves.”

This isn’t the first time the WCF has provided a forum for LGBTT comics. In 2009, the Festival made history when its “Queer As Jokes” gala became the first comedy show with an all-LGBTT lineup to air during prime time on Canadian television.

“I love the staff at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, and their commitment to challenge and push convention,” says Geof Langen, president of the Gas Station’s board. (The festival is a production of the GSAC.) “Not merely OK with the idea of ‘it gets better,’ they want to see a commitment to ‘making it better.’”

– For more information on the 2012 Winnipeg Comedy Festival, see winnipegcomedyfestival. com.

http://www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com

2012 WInnIpeg Comedy FestIval line-up hosts: Caroline Rhea Alan Thicke Harland Williams arTisTs: Nicole Arbour Johhny Bagpipes Don Burnstick Sarah Cornell

Sean Cullen Melanie Dahling Debra DiGiovanni Lou Dinos John B. Duff Stevie Ray Fromstein Jen Grant Cheryl Hann Dean Jenkinson

Simon King Matt Kirshen Rebecca Kohler Elvira Kurt Laura Landauer Nigel Lawrence Andrew Lizotte Cara Lytwyn Patrick Maliha

Chantal Marostica Kevin McDonald Terry McGurrin Ryan McMahon Darcy Michael Doug Mutai Steve Patterson Nikki Payne Perry Perlmutar

Al Rae Evany Rosen Jon Steinberg Sherri D. Sutton Big Daddy Tazz Scott Thompson John Wing Fraser Young

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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Winnipeg Jewish Theatre revives a revered work

By Charles Melvin Endless praise has been bestowed upon Tony Kushner’s Angels In America: A gay fantasia on national themes ever since part one, Millennium Approaches, was first performed in San Francisco in 1991.

Kushner uses two familiar narratives, gay men coming out and gay men stricken with AIDS, as a springboard into a God’seye view of the way faith, politics and society affect the human condition within a particular segment of American life.

The play gained worldwide interest after its 1992 production at the National Theatre of Great Britain. Yet, despite its glowing import, Millennium Approaches has only been staged once in Winnipeg – that was in 1995. Part Two, Perestroika, has never been performed in the city – until now.

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (WJT) ends it’s 2011-12 season with Millennium Approaches, March 21 to April 1, and it will open its next season with Perestroika on October 24.

It’s the theatre’s most expensive production and it’s part of an ongoing revitalization that led Globe and Mail

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theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck to name WJT “one of the gutsier theatre companies in Canada” in his review of August Strindberg’s The Father.

Artistic producer Michael Nathanson told OutWords, “We also take strong artistic risks at a time when many theatre companies tend towards more conservative programming.”

WJT chose director Christopher Brauer to wrestle with Angels.

Since 2005, he has been associate professor in the department of theatre and film at the University of Winnipeg. He’s also directed Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale for Tom-Tom Theatre in 2009 and Chekhov’s Three Sisters for zone41/Theatre Projects Manitoba last year. “The joke in the theatre community is if you’re going to do a three-hour show, call Christopher,” he says.

It’s a show that very few people would write now, certainly not in Canada

OutWords spoke to Brauer a few days before rehearsals began.

He was excited by the fruitful casting process, the challenge of staging a pared-down version of this ambitious play, and the opportunity to direct Angels in an industry limited by small plays and small budgets. “It’s a show that very few people would write now, certainly not in Canada; eight actors playing multiple characters on a scale ranging from kitchen sink domestic drama to epic scenes taking place in heaven.”

The plot follows a gay man and a straight woman, both abandoned by their partners, as they find the strength to rebuild their self-worth. Other characters are drawn into the disintegration of the two couples, but the magnetic core is Roy Cohn, the real life attorney who became a symbol of everything wrong with the right wing, and whose character in Angels was described as “a demon of Shakespearean grandeur” in the New York Times.

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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As Brauer says, “He is the father of lies at the centre of this play, he is such a deceiver, and yet, there is something so authentic about him while he does it that he almost transcends what’s going on thematically in the play.”

Brauer believes the theme of catastrophe leading to re-birth, along with the complexity and grace Kushner

affords his characters, allows the play to transcend both the polemic that informs Kushner’s other works and the historically bound setting of America during the Reagan ‘80s. “Even though politics runs all the way through the play, it isn’t about politics; it’s about in the face of catastrophe, in the face of certain death, rescuing some dignity

and some sense of the truth of the self.” Brauer wraps up by proving brevity is the soul of wit, “If King Lear was a 500-year-old play about politics, who would give a shit?”

– Charles Melvin is a freelance writer based out of Toronto. His website is quink.ca.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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8 steps to making

financial planning part of your future

By Donna Adam

We all have a “life team” composed of family, friends, mentors and family physicians – people we turn to for advice when we have a difficult decision to make or require health care. Yet, for many, when it comes to making important investment decisions, we try to do it on our own.

One reason people shy away from working with an investment advisor or financial planner is the perceived cost or idea that only people with a lot of money needed financial planning advice. These days, individuals and families and of all circumstances – including low-income earners – are turning to financial professionals to help them take charge of their future with debt planning and investment planning.

Sounds great, you may say, but what if you feel like you can’t even service your monthly debts, let alone save money for your future?

A financial professional can help take control of your finances. Many people already involved at their local bank are familiar with the process of talking about loans, mortgages, a plan for debt structure and repayment options. Including invest-

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ment planning in this process is a natural fit.

Ask your local account manager to bring a financial planning partner to the table as part of a full-service relationship.

A trained financial professional (certified or professional financial planners are recognized as CFP or PFP) will guide you in the creation of a realistic plan, for example, to reduce debt and begin setting aside money for your child’s education, your dream trip, major project or longer-term retirement.

A financial advisor can bring clarity to your goals and help you avoid making costly mistakes. They can make all the difference toward achieving your dreams. It is important to choose your partner wisely.

Here are eight steps to help you in your search for a financial planner.

• Select an organization that offers trained professionals for financial planning and find

partners you trust who take time to understand your needs.

• It is never too early or too late to start!

• Make investment planning as important as debt planning. Understand risk tolerance and rate of return. Make your money work for you. Use tax sheltered savings and take full advantage of the various investment structures available to you. Don’t leave free money on the table.

• Review regularly! Change is normal.

Keep focused on the long term and use strategies that take advantage of accumulating interest, reinvesting dividends, or dollar cost averaging in order to ride the market fluctuations.

• Use your assets wisely to balance retirement. Very few homeowners plan to sell their house to fund retirement. Get good advice.

• Successful retirement – may not be full retirement. Give some thoughts to what you want to do with your time. Perhaps it may still include work.

• Be involved, understand your plan. Ask questions. Take time to learn and reflect on what you really want and what this means financially.

• Be flexible – there is no sure-fire guarantee on financial markets or the economy. A well developed plan with diversification will provide the optimum measure of success for meeting your goals .

Most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable with the person you are working with. If there is no rapport, there isn’t likely to be a lot of trust —defeating the whole point of having an expert financial advisor on your life team.

For more information about financial planning, please visit your nearest RBC Royal Bank branch or visit us online at http:// www.rbcfinancialplanning.com/ – Donna Adam is a financial planner for RBC Royal Bank and can be reached at 204-9886566 or e-mailed at: donna.adam@rbc.com

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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technology Corey Shefman

“Ten years ago, if a student was being bullied at school, the school could take action. Today, if a student is being ‘cyberbullied’ at home, what can the school do?”

M

ost of the people reading this article grew up before or with the onset of the Internet and cell phones. But many children and teenagers today have never known a world without SMS (text messaging), Skype, and yes, even freely accessible online porn. More importantly, while people introduced to digital communication after (or during) ‘meatspace’ socialization will generally have made their digital lives extensions of their physical lives, growing up with the Internet at one’s fingertips creates a host of problems that previous generations never faced.

Ten years ago, if a student was being bullied at school, the school could take action. Today, if a student is being ‘cyberbullied’ at home, what can the school do? This question of cyberbullying has taken on new importance with the high-profile suicides of GLBT teens in Canada and the United States. Cyberbullying is just what it sounds like – bullying over the Internet or through other digital communication technologies. Cyberbullying happens on Facebook, Twitter and instant messengers, such as Skype. While the physical violence is, for obvious reasons, diminished with cyberbullying, the inherent anonymity of the Internet makes the potential for emotional trauma much more serious.

A number of provinces have moved to fight cyberbullying.

Manitoba under its Safe Schools Charter requires school divisions to develop plans and codes of conduct to prevent and respond to cyberbullying and cyberstalking. Nova Scotia created a dedicated cyberbullying taskforce under its ministry of education. The task force educates and advises on cyberbullying issues. One of the most important changes to come out of the task force is that Nova Scotia schools, like their Ontario, Manitoba and American counterparts, now have jurisdiction to take action against cyberbullies even when their bullying takes place away from school. And while

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this is an important and positive step forward, the question remains, how can cyberbullying be stopped before it starts?

Some, like the American author of Cybertraps for the Young, take an almost puritanical approach to the problem, advocating that parents “not allow for electronic privacy” for their children. He goes on to compare smartphones to knives. While this approach may have its merits, in a “let’s scare them into submission” kind of way, others, such as Donn Short, a law professor at the University of Manitoba and expert on bullying in Canada, take a more realistic approach to the problem.

Short explains that when it comes to combatting bullying, school culture is the key. Rather than simply suspending or expelling bullies (regardless of whether they’re bullying on or off school grounds), Short emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer mediation and other ‘restorative’ forms of discipline that improve the culture of a school. One of the best (and simplest solutions), he says, is for senior students who have had the benefit of specialized equality and anti-homophobia education to make it clear to younger students, right from the start, that their school and community is a safe space.

The problem behind cyberbullying is not that teens are allowed to use the Internet (or even how they are allowed to use it), it’s that not enough is being done to reinforce the message of equality. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and cell phones can all be tools for good, tools for equality and tools for acceptance. But it is up to parents, teachers and peers to ensure that when students log on, they do so having been provided with the tools they need to tell right from wrong.

– Corey Shefman is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

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Getting down to GLBT Business in Regina

By Peter Carlyle-Gordge

The Canadian University Queer Services Conference (CUQSC) is headed for Regina this year and will hold its seventh national meeting in the city May 2 to 6.

It’s more than just a gabfest and will include workshops, an art show, social events, caucus meetings and an open microphone drag show, which should certainly make a nice break from caucus meetings and constitutional matters. The theme of the conference is “Getting Down To Business.” “We will have workshops looking at different aspects of supporting small organizations, which is what most LGBT centres are,” says organizer Caitlyn McMillan. “We have some experienced speakers to talk about fundraising, volunteers, sustainability, policies and bylaws, and much more....We will have daily caucuses and workshops, enabling discussion and presentations on gender, sexuality, place and intersectionalities - all areas that affect us LGBT Canadians. “We also have nightly events, and hopefully an open mic drag show night to allow the delegates to bring their full selves to the conference, whether drag or just talent.”

Speakers will include Canadian sociologist Gary Kinsman, a professor of sociology at Laurentian University in Sudbury. Kinsman's research and publications focus primarily on the sociological perspectives of LGBT issues. Kinsman is also a social activist on feminist, labour union, social justice and anti-poverty issues. Kinsman was a writer for The Body Politic and a central figure in

the publication of the successor magazine Rites. He helped found Gays and Lesbians Against the Right Everywhere and the Lesbian and Gay Pride Day Committee of Toronto. In Sudbury, he was one of the organizer's of the city's first Sudbury Pride event in 1997. He will be speaking about Canadian activism in the past present and future. In 1987, he wrote one of the key Canadian texts on LGBT social history, the Regulation of Desire, reprinted in 1995. In 2000, he edited and co-authored a second work, on Canadian federal government surveillance of marginal and dissident political and social groups, Whose National Security? His latest work The Canadian War on Queers: National Security as Sexual Regulation, co- written with Patrizia Gentile, was published by the University of British Columbia Press McMillan says they are also planning a Sunday morning all-faith gathering and hope to set up a community discussion with the RCMP to talk about Canada's legal systems. Also scheduled to appear at the conference is Adrian Stimson, a queer performance artist from Saskatoon.

Stimson is a member of the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation in Southern Alberta and an interdisciplinary artist. His work explores ideas of punishment, identity, and the re-signification of post-colonial history.

His work has appeared in several galleries

and he has worked as an associate curator at the Mendel Art Gallery. He is currently a sessional instructor at the University of Saskatchewan. Conference organizers are still seeking workshop submissions. They have on-site accommodations as well as deals with Air Canada and Westjet for travel. They are expecting anywhere from 150 - 250 delegates, but hope as many as possible will attend, especially people living on the prairies. Host for the conference is the UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, a non-profit LGBTQ service provider for the University of Regina.

It is run by a group of volunteer directors from the University of Regina community.

Because UR Pride is the only funded human service agency for queer people in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, it is called on to provide services for that entire region.

More information at: http://www.cuqsc. org/about.php or call Caitlyn McMillan, conference organizer at 306-581-5891.

– Peter Carlyle-Gordge is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

www.outwords.ca // outwords, april 2012

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How does a business show that it’s

queer-friendly?

By Mark Schollenberg

O

ne way that businesses show they welcome GLBT customers is the rainbow sticker on the door. The problem with this is that this sticker can mean anything from “I’m a business who actively supports the GLBT community” to “My cousin put this on my door 12 years ago and I can’t remember what it means.”

While I encourage businesses to show their pride in this way, consumers need to look for other clues to find out just how friendly a business is.

A good way to find out how a business feels about its GLBT customers is to look at how it treats its employees. This might sound like it would be hard to find out.

But just ask around and you’ll discover that friends and family will have some stories (good and bad) to share.

RBC is an example of a business that is wholly committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. It has a specific GLBT-focused recruitment website, and is a founding partner of Pride at Work. Locally, it has a GLBTemployee group with more than 400 members across the Prairies. It’s safe to assume that business that takes this much pride in its GLBT employees, will be sure to makes its GLBT customers feel at home.

Another sign to look for is how out and proud a business is in its marketing. Many

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businesses will run ads with same sex couples in Outwords or Xtra, or have a separate website for its GLBT visitors. But there are those businesses who don’t shy away from promoting the fact that they are proud to serve GLBT customers.

One example is Tourism Winnipeg’s promotion of Winnipeg’s Pride Festival through its social media channels.

One of the best and most visible way to identify GLBT-friendly businesses is to notice those that financially support community events. Pay attention to what businesses are sponsoring fundraisers for Rainbow Resource Centre. Take a look at who is a member of LAMBDA: Manitoba’s GLBT Business Chamber. Notice what businesses are sponsoring and participating in Pride.

Also keep in mind the businesses that are there to support large events but also support smaller, perhaps lesser events as well - from sport to the arts. Some take this support to another level by sharing not just dollars, but volunteers, skills, products/resources and networks. These are all businesses that are serious about showing they are proud of Winnipeg’s GLBT community.

One company that really stands out as shining in all three of these areas is Delta Winnipeg.

The Delta Hotel has done a great job ensuring that GLBT employees feel at home. And they invest significantly in training for all employees to ensure that all guests feel welcome, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. It actively

promotes being a GLBT-friendly hotel on its website and is Winnipeg’s only TAGapproved hotel. The Delta is consistently present at community events. It is again a major sponsor of Pride Winnipeg. It is hosting the gala dinner for Rainbow Resource Centre and is an active member of LAMBDA. The Delta has certainly earned its reputation as a GLBT-friendly hotel.

By considering how a business treats its employees, how out and proud it is, and how actively it gives back, you can quickly see just how GLBT-friendly it really is. So, next time you’re looking for somewhere to spend your hard-earned cash, take a minute to think about how much that business values you.

– Mark Schollenberg is president of LAMBDA: Manitoba’s LGBT Business Chamber and a Commercial Account Manager with RBC Royal Bank

outwords, april 2012 // www.outwords.ca

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“I meet with hundreds of prospective and current students each year. My office is a safe and welcoming environment for all who enter.”

Heather Smith, Academic Advisor

Embracing the Community Red River College’s LGBTT Initiative fosters the development of a safe campus environment, in which everyone has the chance to work, learn and access services in an inclusive, welcoming manner.

RRC’s Ally Project supports LGBTT staff, students and faculty by identifying campus Allies who can provide a safe and inclusive space.

For more information: Nora Sobel, LGBTT Initiative Staff Lead nsobel@rrc.mb.ca or 204-632-2404. www.rrc.ca/LGBTTInitiative

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“Next to Normal is oNe of the brAvest MusicAls to hit the mainstream

– a jolt of raw, contemporary pain, propelled by a rock ‘n’ roll pulse. ” – New YOrK TIMes

music by

book & lyrics by

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April 19 – MAy 12 One family is about to

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In this contemporary, powerful and topical musical, Diana’s family decides being next to normal will just have to be enough. Don’t miss the award-winning show that took Broadway by storm! Warning Strong language, mature themes

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Doowah Design Inc. Client: MTC Job no: 2666 Insertion: Outwords Next to Normal ad / CMYK / 7” x 9.5” Problems or questions, call Priscilla at (204) 949-7230 OUTWORDS 192 final.indd 32

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