Outwords 204 october 2013

OutWords // Letter to the Editor

queer views, news, issues

A HALLOWEEN

SPECIAL: THE MASKS ISSUE KERRY DALE TAKES US BEHIND SATINA LOREN’S MASK ARE CANADA’S SOCIAL

WORK DEPARTMENTS

HIDING GLBTQ* ISSUES?

GLBTQ* CHARACTERS NO LONGER HIDDEN IN

CHILDREN’S BOOKS OutWords | October 2013 | Issue 204 | Serving the GLBTQ* Community July Since 1994 / August 2013

// www.outwords.ca // 1

“ It is important to provide environments where we share respect, acceptance and encouragement with one another.”

Jamie Chahine, Student Support Representative

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.ca or 204-632-2404 www.rrc.ca/LGBTTInitiative

OutWords // Index

4

BEHIND OUR MASKS

5

WHAT TO DO ABOUT RUSSIA

EDITORIAL

MR. GAY MANITOBA RETURNS FOR SECOND YEAR

21

COMICS, COSTUMES AND POP CULTURE AT C4

22

DRAG QUEEN TRANSFORMATION: A PHOTO ESSAY

24

LOCAL ARTIST EXPLORES ART ANDROGYNY

28

FINDING THE GLBTQ* CHARACTERS IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS

30

INSIDE THE WORLD OF ‘HOMMEBOYS’

31

GLBTQ* YOUTH NEED ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES ONLINE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

6

ARAB CINEMA GAINS ITS FIRST GAY PROTAGONIST

8

INFLUX OF RUSSIAN GLBTQ* REFUGEES EXPECTED IN CANADA

INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

12

GLBTQ* INCLUSION A HIT OR MISS IN SOCIAL WORK

16

OUTING EX-GAY CAMPS

18

20

NUIT BLANCHE PRESENTS THE PUBLIC FACE OF ART

TECH COLUMN

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 3

OutWords // Editorial PUBLISHED BY THE OUTWORDS VOLUNTEER STAFF: EDITOR : Ksenia Prints SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR : Miles McEnery NEWS AND MUSIC EDITOR: Danelle Cloutier ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Graeme Coleman SPORTS, BOOKS AND MOVIES EDITOR: Meg Crane FASHION AND BEAUTY EDITOR: Jefre Nicholls FOOD AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR: Shayna Wiwierski

THE MASKS WE WEAR

HOW RUSSIA’S ANTI-GAY STANCE IS PLAYING INTO PUTIN’S PERSONA, AND THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CHOOSE TO REPRESENT OURSELVES

T

he labels we choose are our masks.

Whether we identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, or EDITORIAL straight, we are making KSENIA PRINTS a conscious decision to hide certain aspects of ourselves and highlight others. Our mode of identification becomes a mask, and in this issue, OutWords has chosen to examine the difference between our public masks and private world.

As the Russian government is standing its ground on its “traditional family protection” legislation, its public face President Vladimir Putin is focusing on the Syrian conflict. Yet the potential financial risk of losing the Sochi Olympics is much greater than the financial impact of a new Syrian government. Why are Putin and his government choosing to wear the mask of the benevolent international mediators, while holding onto hard-line social conservative ideology? Shouldn’t they dedicate all their efforts to saving the Olympics?

Perhaps there’s an issue of public masking at play. Putin prides himself on the ‘strong leader’ persona that he claims Russians want. His government’s GLBTQ* policies fit right into the narrative. If Putin can control the Syria debate while standing ground on

4 // October 2013 // www.outwords.ca

domestic policy in the face of international pressure, he stands to gain a prize worth its weight in gold: international clout and domestic adoration. His mask of a strong a leader would be complete.

A guest op-ed in this issue explores what Winnipeg’s GLBTQ*community can do to shatter Putin’s mask.

Yet we also feel that Putin isn’t that different from the public face of “bad” GLBTQ* camps and gay conversion therapy outlets, which we explore in this issue on page 16. Hiding behind the clout of religion and claiming to offer psychological help and support for emotionally torn individuals, these services are definitely not what they seem.

And are Canada’s social work departments “hiding” GLBTQ* issues? You can read all about our cross-country comparison on page 12.

Lighter takes on this issue are offered in our entertainment section, which looks at the public representation of Comic Con, Reel Pride and Nuit Blanche. A local artist’s exploration of the various masks and identities of GLBTQ* people is on page 25. And on page 24, Satina Loren takes us through her transformation process, slowly putting on the mask of the Evil Queen and exploring the various aspects of identification and concealment that are offered through drag.

Let us know how you choose which mask to wear, and which parts of yourself you prefer to keep hidden. Email or tweet us at @OutWords, or find us on Facebook to tell us what you think.

ART DIRECTOR & LAYOUT: Dylan Bekkering ASSISTANT LAYOUT: Michele Buchanan FINANCIAL OFFICER: Darron Field DISTRIBUTION: Jared Star, Terry Wiebe WEB MANAGER: Vic Hooper SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Meg Crane COVER ILLUSTRATION: Shutter stock / Dylan Bekkering CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE: Elliot Leven, Megan Douglas, Peter Carlyle-Gordge, Jesse Marks, Shandi Strong, Elizabeth D’alessio, Kerry Dale/ Satina Loren, Rebecca Henderson, Armande Martine, Bradley Tyler-West, Corey Shefman.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Debbie Scarborough, Kevin Hills, Dale Oughton, Darron Field, Helen Fallding, Liz Millward.

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General Inquiries: info@outwords.ca Editor: editor@outwords.ca Creative: creative@outwords.ca Advertising: sales@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 © 2013 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.

OutWords // Letters To The Editor

WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT RUSSIAN ANTI-GLBTQ* POLICIES

By Elliot Leven

S

hould we boycott Stolichnaya vodka?

Should our athletes boycott the Sochi Olympics? GLBTQ* Canadians are grappling with these questions as the media spotlight has focused on Russia and its antiGLBTQ* policies.

Specifically, Russia just passed a law which would make it a crime to speak out in favour of GLBTQ* rights. The law is ostensibly meant to protect children. The law on “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors” took effect on July 29. Originally called the law on “homosexual propaganda,” the bill criminalizes public expression of support for nontraditional relationships. Russian leaders say the law doesn’t outlaw homosexuality but merely discourages discussion of it among people under the age of 18.

No one has yet gone to court under the law. Six GLBTQ* activists were detained when one of them raised a banner reading “Being gay is normal” near a children’s library in Moscow, but the accused have not yet been brought to trial.

Four Dutch citizens producing a documentary about gay rights in the northern Russian town of Murmansk were the first foreigners to be detained under the new law. They were summarily fined and forced to leave the country.

GLBTQ* activists have suggested that GLBTQ* citizens in the West must fight back. One suggestion has been a boycott of Russian goods, including the popular Stolichnaya vodka. Unfortunately, Stolichnaya is partly Russian and partly Latvian. Also, the company which produces it has been GLBTQ*-positive in the West.

Another suggestion has been to boycott the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics.

Olympic boycotts have occurred in the past, with little success. Canadian Olympic athletes devote years of their lives training

for the Olympics, and some say it would be unfair to ask them to shoulder the entire burden of making a statement against Russian policies.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has spoken out against Russian GLBTQ* policies, as have other Western leaders.

So what should the GLBTQ* community do? Firstly, we should find allies by broadening our focus. The anti-GLBTQ* law is just part of a larger pattern of human rights and civil liberties abuses in Russia.

International non-profit organizations such as Amnesty International and Freedom House have documented Russian abuses for years. Freedom House, which analyzes the state of democracy in every country and rates them as free, partly free or not free, currently rates Russia as “not free”.

Among other things, freedom of speech and freedom of the press are increasingly limited in Russia. Russian elections are increasingly marred by irregularities. Few independent media are allowed to exist.

Freedom of religion is limited and groups like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are harassed. Trade union rights are limited. The courts are not independent. Illegal detention and torture are too common. Freedom of movement is restricted. Police often ignore violence against women.

It would be foolish to focus entirely on discrimination against GLBTQ* groups while completely ignoring the bigger picture.

Russia should be criticized for all of its human-rights abuses.

As for concrete measures to take, we should focus on actions that will have serious rather than trivial effects. Even if Stolichnaya were to be driven out of business, the effect on Russia’s leaders would be non-existent.

However, Russia is a huge tourist destination. In 2012, about 25.7 million

tourists visited Russia. This was up from 22.7 million in 2011. By comparison, only 16.3 million tourists visited Canada in 2012. The answer is a tourism boycott. All Canadians who care about human rights and civil liberties in Russia, including the new GLBTQ* law, should email the Russian Embassy in Ottawa (info@rusembassy.ca) and inform Russia that they were considering visiting Russia as tourists, but that they will not set foot in Russia until it repeals the anti-GLBTQ* law and improves its humanrights record. If we want to be very concrete, we could even say that we will not set foot in Russia until Freedom House rates it as “free”.

This kind of tourism boycott will hurt the Russian economy in a broad way, rather than simply hurting one or two vodka companies.

Also, by broadening the boycott to include all Canadians who care about human rights, we will be certain to get the attention of Russian leaders. A few thousand GLBTQ* Canadians can be easily ignored. A million emails to the Russian Embassy will most certainly not be ignored.

Of course, John Baird and other leaders should join the boycott. If they have to meet with Russian leaders for foreign affairs business, they can meet in Ottawa. Or in Geneva. But not in Russia.

Nelson Mandela pointed out that there is “no easy walk to freedom”. Russia will not become an GLBTQ*-Mecca in the foreseeable future. But Russian leaders must come to understand that their actions have consequences. Millions of Western tourists visit Russia and spend many dollars while there. Those tourists care about human rights, including GLBTQ* rights. Russia will have to govern itself accordingly.

- Elliot Leven is a Winnipeg lawyer and human rights activist.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 5

OutWords // International News // Compiled by Megan Douglas

FILTHY GAYS

DESTROY

NATIONS

Russian Deputy Prime Minister (above) said the Russian government won’t discriminate at Sochi Olympics. Photo from rferl.org.

Ugandan gay activist (above) is in unstable condition following an attack. Photo from Daily Xtra.

RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS

GAY ACTIVIST

NO DISCRIMINATION

AT THE OLYMPICS LONDON – The Russian government has sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) assuring they will not discriminate against “homosexuals” during the Sochi Olympics.

The letter, sent by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, assures Russia will comply with the Olympic Charter’s provision against discrimination of any kind, reports the Associated Press.

Although Russia has agreed not to discriminate against “homosexuals” at the Olympic games, Kozak did not withdraw the issue of the new law, which penalizes any person who in anyway persuades a minor that “non-traditional” relationships are normal or appealing.

Kozak’s letter came after IOC’s now former president Jacques Rogge asked the Russians for further clarifications on the law and how it could impact the Sochi Games.

Zimbabwe’s president (above) condemns GLTBQ* people in inauguration speech.

Photo from zimbabweelection.com.

HARARE, Zimbabwe – President Robert Mugabe condemned homosexuality in his inauguration speech by saying “filthy gays destroy nations.”

Mugabe, who’s serving his 33-year as president, urged people to “not offend nature by having gay sex,” reports Gay Star News.

Mugabe said in his presidential campaign that he would work to amend GLBTQ* laws so that people in the GLBTQ* community would “rot in jail for life.” He has also threatened to decapitate and castrate gay people.

The president has been accused of rigging his voting polls, and his opponent in the last three elections called the election a “huge fraud.”

IN A COMA FOLLOWING BEATING JINJA, Uganda – A Ugandan gay activist was beaten and left to die.

Jeniffer Ikanza, 25, is part of the Gender Equality and Health Organization (GEHO), a group in Jinja committed to the safety of people escaping homophobic families and police arrests.

The attack happened on Aug. 18 after Ikanza received a call from a woman in a neighbouring village who feared she might be killed if her husband found out that she’s bisexual.

On her way to rescue the woman, Ikanza was attacked by a group of women who beat her, kicked her, and threw rocks at her, reported the Daily Xtra.

Ikanza joined GEHO when she was 18, after her family kicked her out, believing that she is a curse to the family.

204.985.9200 OUTNABOUTTRAVEL.COM

6 // October 2013 // www.outwords.ca

OutWords // International News

REGULATING THE FIRST GAY FAMILIES IN PROTAGONIST

IN ARAB RUSSIA CINEMA MOSCOW – A Russian lawmaker has drafted a bill that would deny same-sex parents custody over their children. The bill would make the “fact of nontraditional sexual orientation” a basis for denying custody, according to the Associated Press.

Alexei Zhuravlev drafted the bill to make “homosexual propaganda” not only banned in public, “but also in the family.”

A scene from Salvation Army, allegedly the first film in Arab cinema with a gay protagonist. Photo from tiff.net.

MILAN, Italy – Writer and director Abdellah Taia believes his film Salvation Army will be the first film in Arab cinema to feature a gay protagonist.

The film follows Abdellah, who lives in a country where his sexual orientation isn’t accepted but still practiced. It’s based on Taia’s life growing up poor and gay in Morocco, where the movie was filmed, reports the Huffington Post.

Taia adapted his book Salvation Army, for film but both are risky considering the condemnation of GLBTQ* people in the Arab world. He hopes his film will help push for more acceptance of GLBTQ* people in Arab countries.

A ballet dancer performing at the “To Russia With Love” protest. Photo by Margriet Faber, AP.

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE, AMSTERDAM

A drafted bill denies same-sex parents custody over their children.

Photo from Bob Jagendorf, flickr.com.

AMSTERDAM – Over 1,000 gay rights supporters protested Russia’s anti-gay policies by waving rainbow flags and chanting slogans.

The gathering near the end of August was organized in response to the Russian orchestra that was scheduled for later that night.

Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan spoke at the protest, bringing attention to city’s longstanding tolerance for gay rights, reports the Associated Press. Van der Laan refused to meet with the Russian president when he came to the Netherlands in March.

The supporters named their protest “To Russia With Love.”

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 7

OutWords // National News // Compiled by Megan Douglas

LAWYERS

PREDICT

INFLUX OF GAY RUSSIAN REFUGEES

Canadian lawyers are warning GLBTQ* asylum seekers from Russia will become more common. Photo by Lefteris Pitarakis, AP. OTTAWA – The recent backlash over Russia’s new anti-gay laws has Canadian lawyers gearing up for an increasing number of gay Russians hoping to attain refugee status in Canada.

Jillian Siskind, president of the Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights, said the activities in Russia have been “quite terrifying� for those in the GLBTQ* community, reports CTV News. “There’s a certain element of dehumanization of the LGBT community,� she said. “The police seem disinterested helping whenever these [violent] incidents do happen and it is increasing.�

Siskind said that Canada’s record on taking in gay refugees has been quite good in the past few years, estimating Canada’s acceptance rate as higher than 50 per cent.

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OLYMPIANS CHALLENGE

RUSSIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ANTI-GAY LAW

TORONTOâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olympic athletes marched in Ottawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pride Parade to protest against Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-gay legislation.

The Olympians walked together while the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey team spoke out against the Russian legislation when they gathered for orientation camp,

reports the Globe and Mail.

This marked the first time the Olympic athletes marched in Capital Pride after deciding that Pride events would be part of the athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list of public appearances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has banned protests in Sochi before and during the games, in a move seen by many as an effort to eliminate opposition for the new legislation.

The athletes hope that by putting pressure on the Russian parliament the laws will be changed in time for the Olympics.

Sochi 2014

We are proud to stand up for all Manitobans

Greg Selinger

Jim Rondeau

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MLA for St. Boniface MLA for Assiniboia Premier of Manitoba 204-888-7722 204-237-9247 JimRondeau.mb.ca GregSelinger.ca

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k u n o a Y h T

! r e m m u s t a e r g a d We ha A GREAT SUMMER INDEED. THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF OUR GENEROUS COMMUNITY, CAMPERS AND PEER YOUTH LEADERS HAD A BREATHTAKING TIME AT CAMP THIS YEAR! Please consider donating to support Camp Aurora 2014.

Send your donation to the Rainbow Resource Centre at 170 Scott Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3L 0L3. Please designate your donation to Camp Aurora.

Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable tax receipt.

THANKS AGAIN TO: HEALTHY CHILD MANITOBA THE WINNIPEG FOUNDATION VARIETY-THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY ASSINIBOINE CREDIT UNION PFLAG BRANDON RUN FOR RIGHTS PRIDE COFFEE HOUSE GLBTTQ ARTISTS OF WINNIPEG RED BARN EVENTS PEER PROJECT FOR YOUTH CLUB 200 AND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNIT Y DONORS.

OutWords // National News

CURE RIGHTS THE REAL VIOLATORS

FOR HIV

ON THE

WAY?

Queen Ifrica’s show cancelled because of homophobic outburst. Photo from Queen Ifrica’s Facebook page.

HOMOPHOBIC

MUSICIAN

REMOVED FROM

FESTIVAL LINE-UP TORONTO – A Canadian gay rights group caused Jamaican performer Queen Ifrica to be removed from the Rastafest International Reggae Concert at Downsview Park.

The decision follows harsh criticism from the Canadian gay rights group because of Queen Ifrica’s homophobic outburst during Jamaica’s main independence day celebration, reports the Gleaner.

JAGLA (the Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians Abroad) launched a Facebook campaign to stop the entertainer from performing at the festival because her outburst was disrespectful to the gay community.

Queen Ifrica’s outburst came days after the murder of Dwayne Jones, a cross-dresser from Montego Bay, Jamaica.

JAGLA hopes to use this international platform to draw attention to the realities of the GLBTQ* community and encourage respect for the community.

Former prison guard compensated $98,000 for enduring discrimination.

Photo from flickr.com.

HIV vaccine passes first test. Photo from friends-africa.org.

OTTAWA – A gay former prison guard has been compensated $98,000 in damages for homophobic harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Robert Ranger received the largest amount ever awarded for a breach of the Ontario Human Rights Code after a decade-long fight to have his case recognized, reports Pink News.

Ranger became depressed and suicidal after he was allegedly repeatedly harassed with simulated sex acts, offensive language and derogatory emails expressing strong anti-gay opinions.

In 2002, he filed a complaint with the board seeking $3.5 million in damages.

It took until this year for the board to negotiate the $98,000 in compensation.

LONDON, Ontario – A team of Canadian researchers can add another name to the handful of HIV vaccines in the world.

Researchers from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University said their first tests of the vaccine worked and it boosted the production of antibodies in patients it was tested on, reports Gay Star News.

The vaccine is based on a geneticallymodified ‘dead’ version of the virus that will trigger immune responses but won’t cause AIDS in recipients.

The next trials will show whether the vaccine will provoke the right immune response, and its power to produce the right effect. If it passes the trials, the vaccine could be available in 2018.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 11

OutWords // Columns/Opinions

m

By Danelle Cloutier

IS DAMIEN

T

he discrimination that Damien Leggett allegedly endured while attending the Inner-City ACCESS Program in social work at the University of Manitoba (U of M) has prompted discussion of GLBTQ* education in his program. But he is not alone: GLBTQ*-inclusivity, particularly transgender-inclusivity, in social work education across Canada is in a sad state.

The U of M is the only social work program in Manitoba that is recognized and accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE), a national organization that aims to support and promote excellence in social work education, scholarship and practice. The accreditation process includes a self-study that examines everything from the social work program’s identity to the content of its curriculum and

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LEGGETT’S

a site visit, which involves talking to students, field instructors, faculty and administration.

The CASWE has a set of standards that guides the accreditation of social work education programs. The document states that the “standards encourage and support diversity and social justice,” including gender and sexual identities. But to what degree is this practiced? Well, it depends on where you are.

DIFFERENT PROVINCES, DIFFERENT STORIES Nick Mulé is the chair of the queer caucus for CASWE and he sits on the GLBTQ* working group for the Canadian Association of University Teachers, a national union for professors. He has heard from queer-

STORY REALLY SURPRISING?

identified colleagues in all professions that the treatment of GLBTQ* students, faculty and staff varies across the country. “That inconsistency needs to be addressed, especially in a profession in social work where we have a set of guiding principles that we follow, we have ethics, we have standards of practice.

It’s one thing to have them down on paper [or] an online document, but it’s quite another thing to implement them.”

Mulé says one reason may be the lack of participation from GLBTQ* academics. “Unfortunately it’s not one of the more

OutWords // Letter to the// Editor OutWords News

established caucuses within CASWE,” says Mulé over the phone from Toronto.

The CASWE website states that “the queer caucus provides an opportunity for queer members of CASWE-ACFTS to have a voice regarding queer issues, needs and concerns in the work of the CASWE-ACFTS” and Mulé hopes to better live up to this statement in coming years.

At the annual CASWE conference in Victoria, Mulé and his colleagues discussed how to strengthen the queer caucus. One problem was that there was no clear understanding of the realities for people who are queer-identified in different social work programs, including their experiences and how open and inclusive their program is.

The problem is that even after an unfortunate incident with a GLBTQ* student, a university would still be accredited. “Like in any program, you’re going to get some poor marks in some areas and some amazing marks in other areas and when it’s all filtered

many smaller centres. “When I talk to colleagues in smaller centres, [they] say ‘wow, are you ever lucky,’ because they don’t have specialized courses and have no sense or idea of whether any of this is even coming up in other courses.”

ARE ALL UNIVERSITIES EQUIPPED TO TEACH GLBTQ* ISSUES? Mulé, an associate professor at York University in the school of social work, is teaching a course dedicated to GLBTQ* topics at the master’s level, but he admits it’s not necessarily the best way to teach GLBTQ* topics.

“The critique of that model is that it can serve inadvertently as a dumping place for the other profs to say ‘well, if they want to deal with those issues, just take that course’ and then they don’t take it up in their courses.” He adds, “The alternative model would be an integrated approach and that’s to ensure that these issues are raised in all kinds

“It serves notice to us as a profession that there’s so much more work that we need to do... to make every student feel welcome and included.”

Nick Mulé, Canadian Association for Social Work Education

through and averaged out, you have to be doing badly in a lot of areas for you not to be accredited.”

The standards of CASWE accreditation don’t consider institutional restrictions like application forms for social work programs that only have a female and male gender box, or universities with only washrooms for men and women. Those may mean nothing to heterosexuals, but they’re integral to how GLBTQ* people experience their identity.

Mulé has noticed that large urban centres such as Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto integrate GLBTQ* topics into the curriculum and have classes dedicated to GLBTQ* topics, but this isn’t the case for

of courses and there’s room for them in just about every social work course whether you’re talking about poverty, whether you’re talking about policy, research, counselling skills, what have you.”

However, Mulé says that telling professors that they need to include GLBTQ* topics in the curriculum is against the very idea of university. “The very basis of university is that there’s academic freedom and so when a professor walks into a classroom, they walk in with their expertise and they’re expected to share their expertise with their students by teaching them what they know.

It becomes a very sensitive area to be telling a prof that, ‘you must cover this, you must

take this on,’ because some will argue, ‘that’s not my area of study, it’s not my area of expertise.’”

Mulé is also critical of the perception that social workers are and must be “objective.” “Sometimes we have this glorified view of the discipline or profession because it’s supposed to be non-judgmental and there for people, and I often remind my students that social work is made up of people. Social workers are humans and we all have our faults, we’re just as guilty of the ‘-isms’ as the next person.”

Even though Mulé views GLBTQ* topics in social work education critically, he sympathizes with Leggett’s story. “It serves notice to us as a profession that there’s so much more work that we need to do. I just hope that my colleagues across the country—whether they’re queer identified or not—will rise to that challenge and do everything they can to make every student feel welcome and included and given fair and equal opportunity to succeed in a program as difficult as social work can be because these kinds of incidents are antithetical to what we stand for.”

DEALING WITH THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE IVORY TOWER Anna Travers, director of Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO), can also attest to the lack of GLBTQ* education in many professions, including social work. RHO interviewed people at different schools in professions such as social work, nursing, and medicine and found a huge lack of GLBTQ*inclusion. “Competence, understanding, understanding of vocabulary, pronouns, all those kinds of things, we generally find that there’s a huge lack. We’ve studied primarily what goes on in Ontario, but we know that’s pretty representative of all the professional schools across Canada.”

Travers’ organization works across Ontario to improve access to services and to promote the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans communities. To help achieve this mission, RHO trains and consults

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OutWords // News

“I fear that sometimes our attempts at all inclusive acronyms may blot out the unique challenges and oppression faced by transgender people…” Peter A. Newman, Professor at the University of Toronto professionals in GLBTQ* issues, including social workers. Travers is happy RHO can offer this kind of training, but believes that people should receive more training in GLBTQ*issues while at school rather than after the fact.

Not all social workers will seek training in GLBTQ* issues after graduation if it’s not part of their education, so Travers fears that they will reinforce being heterosexual and identifying as the gender and sex they were assigned with at birth as the status quo. “I think it reinforces a very heteronormative and cisgender view of the world, because it makes us invisible, or even if we are visible, not worthy of discussion or focus.”

and in advocating for GLBTQ* inclusive policies in social work institutions and community settings.”

According to Newman, understanding of GLBTQ* issues is necessary for complete social work training. “We would not allow people who would refuse to work with or study about women, or Aboriginal peoples, or older adults, to be engaged in professional social work education. This should be the same for GLBTQ* communities. Clearly we need well trained social work professionals with competence in working with a wide spectrum of people, including GLBTQ* people, in order to fulfil social work’s mission.”

GLBTQ* INCLUSION POSES PROBLEMS ACROSS THE BOARD

THE UNIQUE SITUATION OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS

Peter A. Newman, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Factor-Inwentash faculty of social work, agrees that GLBTQ*inclusivity is important to have in the curriculum, but “the profession as a whole is responsible for ensuring ongoing education and inclusion of LGBTQ content,” including accreditation bodies, social work organizations, deans, professors and social work schools and departments.”

Newman and his colleagues studied the impact of sexual orientation on GLBTQ* social work students and field instructors. “At present, the status quo is sometimes that the onus, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring a positive and fulfilling learning experience for GLBTQ* social work students falls back on the students themselves. This includes negotiating self-disclosure in the classroom and in field practicums, dealing with inclusion of GLBTQ* content in courses that are not adequately infused with up-to-date content,

As Leggett’s claims may suggest, transgender people are facing additional problems. “I fear that sometimes our attempts at all inclusive acronyms may blot out the unique challenges and oppression faced by transgender people… Canada, as in several other countries, has been making important strides forward in implementing human rights protections based on sexual orientation, but less so regarding gender identification. Thus negative attitudes and prejudices against transgender people may be more entrenched in the social work profession as in general society than those against GLBTQ* folks.”

Newman might be on to something. A study discussed in the 2011 Journal of Social Work Education found that social work faculty were more likely to “rate content on gays, lesbians, and bisexuals as more important than content on transgender people.”

The researchers suggest that transgender people might be less important to Anglo-

14 // // September October 2013 2013 // // www.outwords.ca www.outwords.ca

phone Canadians with master’s degrees in social work, because some of them might believe that there are few transgender people and that they don’t need as much attention as other people. Or, some faculty don’t differentiate the identities in the GLBTQ* community and aren’t aware that transgender people face unique challenges.

The surveyed social workers also rated “content on homophobia, biphobia, and heterosexism as more important than content on transphobia.” Nine per cent of the social work faculty sample indicated that content on transgender-identified people was “less than important.” The social work faculty support for transphobia was even lower, with 28 per cent reporting transphobia content as “less than important.”

The study found that overall, Canadian social work faculty members were less supportive of including content on the types of oppression GLBTQ* people face, such as homophobia, heterosexism, and transphobia. The researchers interpret this finding as a reflection of social work literature, which tends to ignore structural inequalities of GLBTQ*people.

Leggett’s alleged experience in the U of M’s social work program presents the dangers of inadequate GLBTQ*-inclusivity in social work education, and the discrepancies between the reality of social work education and its historical commitment to serving oppressed peoples and helping them alleviate social and economic inequalities.

As Leggett’s case may bring forth attempts to increase GLBTQ* education in their social work program, the problem may be much bigger than an isolated incident at the U of M. This larger problem of ignorance and mistreatment of GLBTQ* people, particularly transgender people, in social work ultimately can’t change until everyone in the profession takes responsibility to be GLBTQ*-inclusive.

This article is the second part of a two-part series about GLBTQ* people in social work. The first article, in the September issue, was about the alleged discrimination that Damien Leggett endured while in the University of Manitoba’s Inner-City ACCESS Program in social work.

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Two issues ago we looked at Camp Aurora, the annual camping experience designed to allow GLBTQ* youth to socialize, play and be their authentic selves in a non-judgmental setting amongst peers. In this article we look at the opposite— camps and programs usually run by groups from the religious right that claim homosexuality is a disorder and can be made to disappear, or at least be deactivated, through the healing power of Christ.

A

t settings like Camp Aurora, GLBTQ* youth are given the message that they are unique individuals and sexual orientation does not make them unacceptable, unlovable or unloved.

For many it is an end to isolation, loneliness and sometimes self-loathing. They can relax, chill out and just be who they are without finger-wagging, judgmental and self-righteous bigotry or fear of being attacked just for existing.

16 // October 2013 // www.outwords.ca

But there are other kinds of camps and programs which have mostly sprouted from evangelical groups in the U.S. Their basic tenet is that you can “pray the gay away,” even though psychiatrists and the medical profession reject any idea that GLBTQ* people can be turned straight through prayer and therapy. Contrary evidence suggests that young people pressured into these religion-based camps can be seriously mentally damaged.

Earlier this year, the United Nations (UN) convened a group of mental health experts, human rights advocates, religious leaders and a former ex-gay patient to tackle the ex-gay phenomenon. This panel officially stated that churches cannot “cure” gay people through prayer and therapy. Although such practices have been around for decades, lately lawsuits and litigation have attempted to curb the use of “conversion therapy,” while the mainstream mental health profession denounces it.

The UN panel was organized by Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office’s director Bruce Knottsand and GLBTQ* advocacy co-ordinator Mordechai Levovitz, both of whom are openly gay. “What we’re really talking about here at the UN is creating a world and a society where sexual orientation change efforts are looked upon as as ridiculous for LGBT people as they are for a heterosexual person,” Toiko Kleppe, a representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the Huffington Post. “That is also a world that human rights law is in favour of.”

OutWords // News

The Story of Exodus Perhaps the best known gay conversion therapy organization is Exodus International, which used to be part of the Exodus Global Alliance, an ex-gay organization.

Exodus Global Alliance stated its views on homosexuality clearly on its website: “Exodus upholds heterosexuality as God’s creative intent for humanity, and subsequently views homosexual expression as outside of God’s will. Exodus cites homosexual tendencies as one of many disorders that beset fallen humanity. Choosing to resolve these tendencies through homosexual behaviour… is considered destructive, as it distorts God’s intent for the individual and is thus sinful.”

It suggests Christ as a healing alternative for “those with homosexual tendencies.”

Exodus International astonished many in June when president Alan Chambers announced it was shutting down and issued

an apology. “I am sorry that some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt you felt when your attractions didn’t change,” he wrote on the organization’s website. “I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents. I am sorry that there were times I didn’t stand up to people publicly ‘on my side’ who called you names like sodomite – or worse.”

Exodus International is closing after 37 years. Its board of directors plans to start a new ministry open to everyone, including gay members, and has set up a website called reducefear.org that has since changed to wespeaklove.org.

However, that is not the end of Exodus.

Exodus Global Alliance has four regions across the world, including Canada, with local ministries, churches and individuals “who provide Christian help to people who are impacted by homosexuality,” according to their website. Exodus Global Alliance is not closing.

he was involved with a church and he even married a woman and had a daughter.

“At 17 I became a born again Christian and a missionary,” he says. “I met a lot of closeted gay men, but no matter how hard I worked or prayed these same-sex desires just kept coming back. I was really rejecting my true identity.” The struggle proved impossible for Tyler-West, and it was tearing him apart. He even went to the extreme of having electric shock treatment to wean himself off his “sinful” same-sex lusts.

Tyler-West eventually accepted who he was and realized many of those in New Direction were not finding joy but despair, guilt and shame. His wife knew of his

Rejecting One’s True Identity Winnipegger Brad Tyler-West was once deeply involved with Exodus and New Direction for Life Ministries Winnipeg (New Direction). He was convinced he could abandon gay thoughts and desires if only he worked hard at it and prayed enough. He regarded same-sex attraction as a kind of addiction which could be “cured.” For a time

Conversion therapy organization Exodus International closes and admits GLBTQ* people can’t be “cured.” Screenshot of Exodus president’s apology.

CONVERSION THERAPY DOESN’T WORK, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 17

OutWords // News

“I met a lot of closeted gay men, but no matter how hard I worked or prayed these same-sex desires just kept coming back. I was really rejecting my true identity.”Brad Tyler-West conflict and was aware that a large part of him was still withheld despite their loving relationship and a daughter. In the end they parted peacefully but only after he had gone through a spiritual crisis. “I had a dark night of the soul,” he says. “After five nights of prayer, spiritual agony and crying I cried out to God for help.” Suddenly a great burden was lifted. He accepted himself and says he could see the world clearly for the first time.

He knew God loved him as he was. He removed himself from church leadership, gave the family home to his wife and moved on with his life, quickly discovering the Rainbow Resource Centre and plenty of support from the gay community.

Today he has a male partner and he says his own faith and spirituality is as strong or stronger than it once was. His relationships today are all healthier and happier and he deeply loves his daughter, now 21. “Her friends told her she has the best two dads in the world,” he laughs.

Taking Steps Against Conversion Therapy Since March, New Jersey and California have passed laws that ban conversion therapy for minors. In 2005, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health ordered the closing of two ex-gay ministries operated by Love In Action International, a controversial Christian group that counsels gays to give up homosexuality. The state found that Love in Action was dispensing medication and alcohol to patients without the required licence, according to The Advocate. In 2011 the former director of the ministry admitted that he’s attracted to men and that it’s impossible to change one’s sexual orientation, reports Huffington Post.

18 // October 2013 // www.outwords.ca

tional and referred OutWords to the website of Living Waters.

In 2010, undercover reporter Ted Cox managed to be accepted to a gay-conversion program and reported on it. Living Waters’ website now states that: “All participants are asked to sign and agree to a code of confidentiality, meaning that all conversations heard within a Living Waters program are not to be shared with others. Much like the

NEW JERSEY AND CALIFORNIA HAVE PASSED LAWS THAT BAN CONVERSION THERAPY FOR MINORS The American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association say that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and cannot be treated through therapy.

The American Psychiatric Association position statement from December 1998 says that “gay men and lesbians who have accepted their sexual orientation positively are better adjusted than those who have not done so,” and warn that people seeking conversion therapy may be doing so under pressure from religious groups.

Exodus Global Alliance remains in operation, alongside similar and often highly secretive groups who maintain Christ can alter sexual orientation. Living Waters Canada was established in 1991 under the leadership of Toni and Mardi Dolfo-Smith. It is a popular Christian program for those who battle with sexual and relational problems.

In 2009 the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the charitable registration of Living Waters Ministry Trust, a London, Ontariobased charity, for issuing in excess of $41.6 million in receipts for cash received through a tax shelter arrangement. The charity also directed $40.7 million of the cash to another registered charity. CRA states that most of the cash sent to the other charity was then paid to the promoters of the tax shelter arrangement.

Tye Gamey, former regional director of Living Waters in Manitoba, refused any comment on the closure of Exodus Interna-

oath that those who attend AA make, this confidentiality agreement seeks to provide security and safety for all participants, and to protect them from misuse of their story and life experiences.”

Living Waters provides courses for pastors and the public and has a special youth program called “The River 360 Degrees.”

It’s a semester-long course (for young adults, ages 17 to 24) that explores relationships and sexuality from a biblically Christian perspective. The aim, it claims, is to increase self-understanding, inner healing and spiritual freedom. It promises “a safe, confidential, and accepting environment where you can share about your current struggles, and receive help and encouragement.” It also offers “a holistic understanding of yourself (biblical, theological and psychological) as a relational, sexual being – including the root causes of your struggles.” Included in this course is a segment, Gender & Identity: Discovering the Father’s Design.

When all’s said and done, conversiontherapy promoters still believe homosexuality is abnormal and that people “suffering” from it need to be cured and restored to health and normality through Jesus and prayer. For the young and vulnerable seeking serenity, this can be a diabolical brew.

- Peter Carlyle-Gordge is a Winnipeg- based freelance writer, former producer for CBC radio and former Maclean’s writer.

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OutWords // Entertainment

WHEN ART TAKES OVER THE CITY Annual all-night art festival Nuit Blanche lights up Winnipeg

By Eric Plamondon

R

ecently, our intrigue towards public spaces has been heightened by the presence of art. Memorial Park saw lit balloons between the cracks of its fountain, shopping carts served as a carousel on Provencher Boulevard, a pop-up gallery lined Albert Street the last two Fringe Festivals and Munson Park had a doily fort with poetry inside. These occurrences are becoming more frequent. Nuit Blanche Winnipeg, an all-night festival in late September, creates many art memories. As Nuit Blanche co-chair Monica Lowe said, “attendance numbers grow by the thousands every year.” One can only conclude that Nuit Blanche is a major contributor to this growing occurrence.

The concept of Nuit Blanche is simple: open private and public spaces during a whole night to hold art installations and artistic performances, particularly in places where there isn’t normally art. For example, past festivals included the colourful lighting of the St. Boniface Cathedral, a blacksmith teaching his craft in Old Market Square and a jellyfish-lit dance party in an Exchange District alley. Participants can conjure up the image but also the emotion. “A vacant shop window was covered in paper except for a small hole and an arrow that said ‘Look in Here!’” recalled graphic designer and art aficionado Carl Shura. “We looked and an entire illuminated carnival scene was created in a tiny diorama space.” Shura, like most of us, could’ve easily missed something spectacular if he had passed this piece by.

For that reason there were two standouts in this year’s Nuit Blanche lineup. First,

20 // October 2013 // www.outwords.ca

artists Jaclyn Blumas and Robert Cram took over a downtown parking lot to reproduce the celestial work of art that is the night stars. Titled glow-in-the-park(ing lot), attendees looked down, not up, to see the splendors of the cosmos. The effect was quite different than normal stargazing, as the backdrop of the parking lot and the horizon with its buildings evoked the oftencompeting claims to space and sight lines; an instant rich metaphor.

Electric Kool-Aid Almond Test provided a more straightforward experience, relying on energy from the Exchange’s favourite restaurant Deer + Almond. Live music, live art performances and a collection of Winnipeg’s best chefs all gathered at the restaurant for this year’s must-see event of Nuit Blanche, which had the feel of a popup. It succeeded in capturing the current state of Winnipeg’s cultural capacity but also provided a much-needed shared art experience. A dynamic art experience that is much about the here and now.

When Shura steps out to experience Nuit Blanche each year, he hopes “to be surprised by beautiful things in unexpected places” and that Winnipeg will allow itself to be “teeming with activity late into the night.” As Shura said himself, maybe we will be cultural references in our own right. And as Lowe accurately said, “we are inspired by the French model, but we are obviously putting our own twist on it.”

- Eric Plamondon is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

WHO WILL BE MR. GAY MANITOBA?

By Jesse Marks

F

ame Nightclub will be hosting this year’s Mr. Gay Manitoba competition. The winner, selected by three judges, will have the opportunity to represent our province in Whistler, B.C. for the title of Mr. Gay Canada. The winner will be chosen on their ability to show that they’re the right one to represent all aspects of Winnipeg’s gay community.

Beverly Claeys, senior general manager of Fame, said the winner will be judged by their personality, pride, and most importantly, how they give back to the community. “Pride, you see so many different flavours, but deep down it’s how they give back to the community that matters most. People who have helped with different organizations within the gay community is definitely an asset.”

Audience reaction also plays a part, where competitors will have to get up and explain why they want to be Mr. Gay Manitoba. “Everyone has a different message as to why they feel they’d be a positive influence and role model, and that’s really what this competition is about.”

Claeys says that some of the participants also have sponsors, and that they get to choose how they look, and how they present themselves, to a certain extent. “They get to choose which articles and colours they wear.

There’s a swimsuit line, a club wear line, and so they get to choose these outfits from these different clubs.”

Honey Mahogany from “Rupal’s Drag Race” is set to be this year’s special guest with a performance, she will also be one of the judges. The winner of last year’s Mr. Gay Manitoba, Jonathan Kindzierski, will be adorning this year’s winner with the sash.

This will be the second year that Fame has hosted Mr. Gay Manitoba, and Claeys said they plan to have it as an annual event.

Admission is $5 at the door and the event takes place on Friday, Oct. 18.

OutWords // Entertainment

COMING OUT FOR C4

By Shandi Strong

C

ontrary to common belief, Winnipeg’s premier comic booklovers’ gathering is really about pop culture. “Comic Con is just the name that everyone refers to us as,” said Michael Paille, organizer the Central Canada Comic Con (C4).

Paille had a dream. He started the convention with smaller versions 20 years ago, and kept building it to a level that is now on par with conventions held in larger cities.

He felt that Winnipeg could support events like this and he wanted to be the one to bring them here. He has since brought home stars such as Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Adam West and many more.

This year’s event features 15 celebrity guests, including headliner Ron Perlman (“Sons of Anarchy”), James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and more.

Tayler Morden, a trans woman, has collected comics since she was eight. Until recently, she had all but 29 issues of Spiderman. She was sadly forced

to sell off much of her collection to cover some of her trans-related expenses. She maintains a strong bond with her son who is an avid costume lover. They bond while preparing costumes and find much in common at Comic Con, where gender is not a factor.

In fact, that’s something that really doesn’t surprise Paille. He has never been concerned about the acceptance of GLBTQ* folks at the convention. “The world is changing. I don’t think that it makes much of a difference in today’s day and age,” said Paille.

I agree wholeheartedly, having volunteered running the photo booth and regularly attended the convention. Never once was being trans an issue. I interacted with other volunteers, the public and guests.

Everyone was welcome to C4. Queer nerds are learning they are not alone. We’re all fans, it doesn’t matter if you’re gay or alien. If you’re part of the fandom, you’re part of the family.

Costuming is a big part of the weekend.

Paille called it “a walk from reality.” People from all walks of life dress up and enjoy themselves.

For Morden, Comic Con was her first chance to dress as female in a large public

venue. Once she decided to live as female full-time, it was a very important step. She was happy to have fans and celebrities alike praise her bravery. Morden credits George Takei’s (Star Trek) influence on her coming out. If he hadn’t, she’s not sure she would have either.

Comic Con is non-profit and run entirely by volunteers, over one hundred of whom are needed to make it happen. Any proceeds are donated to various charities.

This year’s Comic Con runs Nov. 1 to 3. Tickets are $17 per day or $40 for the weekend. For more info and a complete list of guests, visit c4con.com and “like” it on Facebook.

– Shandi Strong is happily working at the job she loves in Winnipeg.

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“Drag isn’t really a choice I consciously made. To me it’s the personification of my feminine side. It’s an artistic expression.”

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“My life wasn’t always happy, and like my tattoos read: everyone’s life starts “once upon a time.” You live your life and write your own story, and somehow we will all reach your “happily ever after.”

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OutWords // News

A wicked photo essay on the art of transformation

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“My story has been tumultuous. I was bullied as a child, my parents split up when I was six, and I never felt like I fit in. High school was extremely helpful for me as I learned to love myself and surround myself with good people.

Luckily I have a fantastic support group, and my biggest supporter is my mom. She’s always been there for me.”

September 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 23

OutWords // Entertainment

By Graeme Coleman

ANDROGYNOUS ART

WINNIPEG COUPLE EXPLORES GENDER IDENTITY THROUGH ART “My mother was an artist. She taught me everything she knew, ” says Vivian Muska from her cozy home. “Then I went to fine arts school.” She points to her walls, covered in paintings. Some are black and white, others bright and colourful - polar opposites.

I can’t help but inquire about the obvious contrast. Muska explains that these are two ongoing projects from her fine arts program at the University of Manitoba, from which she recently graduated.

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24 // September 2013 // www.outwords.ca

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The black and white paintings are part of Project 2 - Ambiguous Gender Identity and feature close-ups of vulnerable faces with cropped out mouths. “I purposely wanted it to look like they had no voice,” says Muska.

She worked on this project with her partner Susan Mulvaney, a student from PrairieView School of Photography with a similar eye.

They organized about five photo shoots with people from the GLBTQ* community and selected the best shots for Muska to paint.

They want the art to appear “anonymous and ashamed” as a real representation of how many gender ambiguous people feel in today’s society. “Is it male, is it female, gay, lesbian, straight, trans - who are these people?”

Having both experienced personal issues with gender identity, Muska and Mulvaney have a lot to draw inspiration from. “That’s how I started exploring the gender bender art in the first place. I was exploring my own sexuality. I was considering changing my gender and I explored that through painting and photographs,” says Muska. “As I was exploring all this stuff, I realized I’m comfortable being who I am and I’ve accepted

myself because it doesn’t matter what kind of labels we have - we’re people first.” Mulvaney agrees, explaining how some people “never feel black or white,” but somewhere in between.

In Project 3 - Edgy Gender Identity, the couple focused on a very different side of gender identity. They found strong photographs of entertainers in drag and Muska painted them in a vivid pop art style. The performers radiate confidence as opposed to being hidden like those in the other project.

“I wanted to give gender identity a voice.

There is power and strength in the images that are inspiring,” says Muska. “I love the edgy rawness in their personality.”

Muska believes there’s a “huge, gaping hole in the market for gender identity in pop art.” Pop art is a movement that began in the 1950s in Britain based on popular culture and mass media, often in a critical or ironic way. Some artists like Andy Warhol toyed with gender identity on occasion. Muska wants to make it the heart of her work.

“My twist in pop art is my focus on gender identity and putting a female voice into pop art because it’s been a very male-dominated

genre.” When it comes to women in art, she says university taught her that they “had to fight tooth and nail, and if you were gay or transgender on top of it, it was brutal.” This lit a fire underneath her.

Muska and Mulvaney plan to continue exploring diversity in our community through photography and painting. Mulvaney says they “like being able to provide a compassionate eye and a respectful reflection of alternative [or] queer people’s lifestyles.” The passionate duo is looking for models from “all different walks of life” to take part in their projects.

Are you interested in becoming art? You can email them at lecathin@yahoo.com.

- Graeme Coleman is the entertainment editor for OutWords.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 25

OutWords // Entertainment Photo supplied by Reel Pride

REEL PRIDE JUST GOT BIGGER This year’s queer film festival features beer garden, art project and musical performance By Meg Crane

T

his year’s Reel Pride has more to offer than just movie screenings.

The festival launched with a party at Fame on Sept. 27, where the program for this year’s festival, taking place Oct. 15 to 20, was made known.

This year’s festival includes several special features. Reel Pride and Rainbow Resource Centre put together an art installation that will be revealed opening night in the atrium of the Gas Station Arts Centre. The installation features postcards on which Winnipeg Pride-goers detailed what they are proud of.

A short film competition will be held on Oct. 16. “Last year the winner was a local guy, Brett Owen,” said Eric Plamondon, Reel Pride’s chair of marketing and communications. “We already have quite a few local entries.”

Also new this year is every Winnipegger’s favourite summer festival feature, the tent.

“We’ll be having a beer tent that will act as a second venue,” said Plamondon. Webisodes will be shown in the tent, which will be located next to the theatre.

All Reel Pride films will be shown at the Gas Station Art Centre. Plamondon said there

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are a few films they are particularly proud to be showing. L’ inconnu du lac (Stranger by the Lake) makes the difference between Hollywood and international films very clear.

“It’s going to be by far one of the standout films.” Dance of the Orchids, a film from India, is another must-see. I’m a Porn Star, a documentary about male porn stars in the gay porn industry, is directed and written by Charlie David, a Saskatchewan-born man who will be at the screening.

“We have events that spur conversation and bring to light topics of interest,” said Plamondon, such as the screening of Lulu Sessions, a film that looks at breast cancer through a queer lens. Director Casper Wong will be on-hand when this film is shown.

Rae Spoon’s My Prairie Home will close the festival Oct. 20. “Rae definitely brings an element of diversity to the festival,” said Plamondon. After the movie, Spoon will sing with the Rainbow Harmony Project.

For interviews with directors and reviews of some of the movies scheduled for Reel Pride 2013, visit OutWords.ca.

- Meg Crane is the sports, books and movies editor for OutWords.

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OutWords // Music

photos supplied.

PIPING UP FOR THE COMMUNITY LGBT musicians find creative ways to give back to the community

By Rebecca Henderson

G

iving back to the community comes naturally to Canadian singer-songwriter Lindsay Jane.

This year, she took part in the 13th Annual Winnipeg Pride Coffee House in support of Camp Aurora, a summer camp for queer and queer-friendly youth. “I sang at the coffee house last year,” said Jane. “And the hosts wanted to do it again this year, and I thought, why not take the money [we charge for admission] and donate it to a really good cause.” Camp Aurora just seemed like an obvious choice.

Jeffery Straker, a Canadian folk-pop singer who also performed at the coffee house, said bringing awareness to GLBTQ* camps is important and will make it easier for youth who are questioning their sexuality. “Being out isn’t so easy,” he said.

“But camps like Aurora provide a bright spot in [an GLBTQ* kid’s] future.” Straker learned from experience, having worked at Camp f Yrefly in Saskatchewan as an artist

in residence for GLBTQ* youth. He spent a summer teaching campers songwriting, among other forms of expression. “Being around them as an out gay man and to interact with them, and hear their questions, was an amazing experience.”

Straker remembers watching campers at Camp f Yrefly being dropped off by their families, and then heading to their cabins to change into a different outfit. “It was like they checked their previous life at the door,” he said.

“When you’re growing up, you’re looking for a sense of belonging,” agreed Jane, who grew up in a small religious town where she mostly felt out of place. Jane, who was the daughter of a pastor in an evangelical church, revealed she repeatedly heard that “if you don’t do it the church’s way you’re going to hell. Hell. Hell.

Hell.” Jane, nonetheless, insists that not only small towns are plagued with homophobic rhetoric.

When Jane shared her story at the antihomophobia portion of the Calgary Birth

Control Association sex education program 14 years ago, she heard from a student about his uncle who was forbidden to visit his partner while he was in the hospital. “The kid was just so upset about it,” said Jane.

“And he said to me that is when he realized how twisted our society is, when my uncle who’s with his partner for over 20 years can’t visit his partner in the hospital.” It was heartbreaking,” Jane admitted. “But I truly believe that awareness is key, and that we are making a difference.”

For now, Jane is focusing on Camp Aurora, a tradition she wants to continue during the annual Winnipeg Pride Festival.

Straker agreed, adding, “It seems to be, from the perspective of watching the parade, that it is so integrated in the city and it’s an event that everyone seems to come out for,” said Straker. “It’s a long time coming.”

- Rebecca Henderson is a Creative Communications student who enjoys writing and spending time with her cat Padme.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 27

OutWords // Books & Movies

Children’s books FEATURING GLBTQ* CHARACTERS BECOMING MORE COMMON

By Armande Martine

T

hanks in part to legal challenges, same-sex relationships are no longer treated as taboo in children’s books.

But there are still many hurdles on the road to publication.

“Davis School District in Utah reached an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union to never again remove a children’s book about a family with same sex parents from its library shelves based solely on its content,” stated a news release issued by the American Civil Liberties Union. The agreement settled a lawsuit that was filed on behalf of a mother with children in the school district, following their decision to restrict access to In Our Mothers’ House by Patricia Polacco, after some parents allegedly complained the book normalizes a lifestyle they don’t support.

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Polacco is known for finding inspiration in real life for her books. A popular speaker at schools, Polacco has met many children with same-sex parents. “She saw a true need for books that celebrate these children’s wonderful, yet untraditional, families, and created this heartwarming story in their honor,” reads the inside of In Our Mothers’ House book jacket.

Val O’Leary, an openly gay teacher in the Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg, believes children’s books featuring diverse family situations have a positive influence on children as they “normalize every experience and reflect the diversity that already exists in society.”

Seven Oaks School Division superintendent, and Val’s brother, Brian O’Leary, said he would like to see more books for children featuring GLBTQ*

characters and the division has been encouraging schools to buy age-appropriate books that give a broader notion of the family than what we would commonly see.

“We would hope that we could play a role in erasing stereotypes. We would like school children to see their diverse family situation presented as normal and healthy.” O’Leary stated that all their school librarians have attended ally training through the Rainbow Resource Centre. “It provides them additional understanding and sensitivity… and enables them to ensure that their collections are suitably diverse.”

Dustin Glaseman was taking a university class when he decided to write the yet-to-be published children’s book, Femme: a Princess Story, about a lesbian princess who finds true love after kissing a frog. The twist is on the final page, when it’s discovered that

OutWords // Books & Movies

the frog turns into another princess instead of a prince. He tossed around different topics outside the regular realm before deciding to feature GLBTQ* characters. His hope is that it will “show children that there is more than one option out there; that there is nothing

such issues themselves. She wants them to know that they are not alone. Muffy was Fluffy, illustrated by her partner’s son Denis Grenier, tells the story of how a beloved pet kitten, Fluffy, is not comfortable with the way she was born and that in order to be

“Show children that there is more than one option out there; that there is nothing wrong with a princess and a princess.” Dustin Glaseman wrong with a princess and a princess.” Not all books are published, of course, and he has approached and been turned down by a couple of publishers. One publishing house whose focus is on educational material turned his book down outright because it featured a lesbian character. The second simply said it would not publish his manuscript, no apparent reason given. “I’m sick of waiting, I’m tired of not sharing this message with the world,” Glaseman states in a YouTube video he created featuring his unpublished book.

Rikki Marie-Josée Dubois suffered from depression most of her life and had thoughts of suicide before starting her journey of gender transformation in 2007. She wrote a book for school-age children dealing with transgender issues, either as a child of a transgender person or one who suffers from

truly happy she must change into Muffy, a puppy, the type of pet she was meant to be.

Finding a publisher was also challenging for Dubois, but she eventually found Publish America, who publishes without cost. It is Dubois’ desire that her book be distributed widely in schools. One of the schools in the Seven Oaks School Division purchased three copies of Dubois’ book, with the intention of offering it to other schools. The book is now available by order from McNally Robinson and a French version has been published.

Dubois hopes her book “educates and helps others understand; that it helps remove the mystique surrounding the transgender issue.

Taking out the fear turns it into a nonissue.”

The Winnipeg Public Library system currently houses a handful of children’s and teen books in their libraries that

feature GLBTQ* characters, including In Our Mothers’ House. Dubois’ book is not currently in the library’s system, but is being considered for inclusion.

There is no doubt that Manitoba schools are more inclusive and accepting than certain states in the U.S., such as Utah.

However, equal treatment of GLBTQ* parents in school curricula is slow to be implemented, as suggested by the article Teachers Want Gay Curricula published May 27, 2013 in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Manitoba Teachers’ Society president Paul Olson was quoted as saying that teachers from the Winnipeg and Louis Riel School Divisions are showing leadership in demanding the province reflect sexual orientation issues in all education curricula.

“History courses don’t tell students that until recently, being homosexual was illegal and gays and lesbians faced severe punishment under the law,” he told the Free Press.

Education Minister Nancy Allan responded in another Free Press article, “Curriculum change can take years. The most important thing for us right now is to have safe and caring school environments for LGBT youth.” Perhaps the path to safe and caring school environments starts with the early years. Allowing inclusive children’s books is a good start.

- With editing from Nelle Oosterom. Armande Martine is a newly out civil servant and partner to Nelle Oosterom.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 29

OutWords // Books & Movies

THE INSIDE GLIMPSE INTO THE RUNWAY New book reveals the dirty world of male modelling

“

Fashion is a spell that needs you to believe in it for it to exist.”

So the central character of Blair Mastbaum’s novel Hommeboys: Adventures of a Male Model, learns backstage in Milan during Men’s Fashion Week.

This book, which is inspired by Mastbaum’s own experiences and the true stories of other elite models, gives a glimpse into the shim-sham glamorous life of male models who earn $5,000 per day. From the studios of Calvin Klein in New York City, through the runways of Milan, to Tokyo and the sun drenched beaches of Los Angeles, we follow the lives of various models as they live

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the fantasy that is fashion modelling at the elite level.

Like all fantasies, the dream turns out to be so much better than reality. Sam, our main character learns this lesson very quickly and we learn with him that despair wears Prada & Versace. Sam learns that models (particularly male models) rank very low on the pecking order. At best, they are a commodity meant to make the clothes or the female supermodels shine; at worst they are viewed as nothing, as “walking coat hangers or mannequins,” treated with disdain or seen as a distraction or accessory.

Sam sees that in this world loyalty is fleeting and when it does exist, it is mostly to one’s self. Nothing is free—not the drugs easily accessible backstage, nor the freebies you get after the shows—while the world of high-end fashion modelling is cruel, unfair, exploitive and dangerous.

Despite their youth and beauty, romance is not possible due to the constant travel. Sex is a commodity to exchange or an experience to consume. Its primary value is how good it

makes you look to others or how it can take you out of your pain, if only for a moment.

According to the book, this enticing job takes you at an age when you are often the most vulnerable (17, 18, 19 years of age), throws you into a world where your value is based purely on your look and the ability of any one designer to exploit that look—this week you are ‘in’, next week you are ‘out’.

There is a darkness and desperation in the search for human connection that these young men share with one another. They have a common experience to bind them. Yet, for many, this common bond is not enough to sustain any real relationship, either with themselves or each other.

Let’s face it—most of us will never know the intoxicating lure of camera shutters firing nonstop, of earning $5,000 per day to lay in our underwear or of walking down the runway in Milan with Madonna in the front row. However, you learn quickly that after the agents take their 50 per cent cut and the models pay for their travel, hotels, meals and drugs, they are often more cash-poor than they were working as coffee baristas.

You see the beautiful people struggling with their own emptiness and pain, fully aware of how bizarre and false their work is.

Yet at the same time, you see them struggle to embrace the power and privilege that the moment brings them. Some of the characters learn too late the high cost of paying attention to the wrong things in this life.

There is something yearning and unexpected in the main character’s quest to find a man who he can be with and love.

There are also some intriguing insider titbits, such as the relationship between Donatella and Gianni Versace and the impact that Versace’s murder has had on those who were in his last show. Or how it is possible for some people to travel the world and not really see anything.

This is an easy read. It is mostly conversational, though a little stilted at times.

While it won’t go down as one of the great classics of literature, it is ideal for a summer by the pool or in the airport.

Just remember the words of Karl Lagerfeld…“Fashion is ephemeral, dangerous and unfair.”

- Bradley Tyler-West is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer.

OutWords // Columns & Opinions

THE LIE OF INTERNET EDITORIAL

COREY SHEFMAN

ANONYMITY T

he Internet is a complicated Our second place and as ‘how to’ it constantly changes, gets more complicolumn itcated.

A few years ago, looks at how a six-digit password GLBT users was secure. Then you were encouraged to can protect make longer passwords themselves and give sites your cellphone number as online a backup. Today, twostep authentication is standard.

But while my generation has grown up with the Internet evolving, young people today are entering a world where their entire lives will be moderated by the net and digital communication, without the benefit of acclimatizing. Meanwhile, our education system relies heavily on fear tactics and prohibitions in the name of online safety.

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a mostly American organization funded by government and industry, takes a different approach. At their two campaign sites – stopthinkconnect.org and staysafeonline.org – the NCSA guides users to “stop, think and connect”. Although they’ve been educating students, parents and the public for years, last month, together with the GLBTQ* Technology Partnership, the NCSA launched a “stop, think, connect” campaign specifically directed at the queer community. The idea is to reach out to groups that either make more use of the Internet, or are potentially more vulnerable online.

As NCSA CEO Michael Kaiser explains, “A lot of different interests, individual, business, government, are threatened when the Internet is not a safe and trusted platform.”Rather than suggesting that parents not let their kids online, or not let their kids use Facebook or other social media, the campaign is about smart and educated online citizenship.

Kaiser compared opening up the Internet to young people to driving a car. “We don’t just stick a kid in the drivers’ seat and tell them to have fun. It’s a balance.” But, he says we aren’t doing a good enough job teaching smart online use in schools.

This new partnership (which can be found at http://goo.gl/nVTm0) is especially important for GLBTQ* youth (and GLBTQ* people in general). Privacy and security are important for everyone who uses the Internet, but privacy in particular is fundamental for GLBTQ* youth online, many of whom may not be out to their parents.

That’s where education comes in. The purpose of the campaign is to give “netizens” the tools they need to use the Internet safely, highlighting aspects of safety and security that most users may overlook. Especially when we’re concerned with GLBTQ* youth, the goal of the campaign is to give young people tools so that parents can feel comfortable letting go. As Kaiser pointed out, “You don’t hold your kid’s hand to cross the street when they’re teenagers.”

Too many of us – regular users, occasional users and new users of all ages – treat the Internet like a bunch of silos.

The veil that separates everyone from their online “neighbours” leads to laziness and lapses in personal security. Would you ever leave your house door unlocked when you’re not at home? Of course not – yet that’s what millions of Internet users do every day when they use easy-to-hack passwords like “abc123” or their own name. The “stop, think, connect and the GLBTQ* Technology Partnership want to change that. It’s a cause worth supporting.

The Internet can be a scary place, but only if we treat it like an unknowable beast.

With the right tools, everyone will benefit.

SO WHAT TO DO? The GLBTQ* Technology Partnership and the National Cyber Security Alliance advise everyone to take the following steps to protect your online identity.

1. Own your online presence a. Review privacy settings for all the websites you use, especially social networks like Facebook. b. Enable instant notifications – Control what others post about you. c. Search for yourself – In order to protect your identity and control your image.

2. Protect your personal information a. Once posted, always posted – Think twice before sending or posting anything you would not want the whole world to see. b. Think before you app – Many apps get access to all sorts of personal information. Read the policies before you download.

3. Be a good online citizen a. Post only about others as you would have them post about you – Cyberbullying takes many forms, but if you treat others online how you want to be treated, everyone will be happier. b. Safer for me, more secure for all – What you do online has the potential to affect everyone.

– Corey Shefman is a geek, and proud of it.

October 2013 // www.outwords.ca // 31

OutWords // Columns/Opinions

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