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Editorial The mythology of C-150 By Robin Perelle E6 Feedback E6 Xcetera E7
Upfront Ottawa women’s rugby team to compete at gay cup in Australia E9 Cover story T-shirts and history Jer’s Vision, Day of Pink celebrate intersection of anniversaries as we mark 45 years since the passing of Bill C-150 E10
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Comment
As groundbreaking as Pierre Trudeau’s bill to decriminalize gay sex was, its restrictive approach to gay sexuality ultimately constrained more than liberated us. Of course, that’s easy for me to say. I wasn’t even born when Trudeau introduced his omnibus bill and ensured its passage through Parliament 40 years ago. I wasn’t living a closeted life, afraid to come out, afraid to be my true self for fear of being incarcerated indefinitely as a dangerous sexual offender. I wasn’t there. But I’m here now, and I can’t help but notice that the Wolfenden report upon which Trudeau based his groundbreaking bill was a homophobic piece of sexual regulation that pushed gay men into a narrow realm of private immorality. When Trudeau backed the state out of the bedrooms of the nation, he did so with the understanding that we should stay in our bedrooms and not display our sexuality beyond our front doors. Bill C-150 wasn’t about liberating sexuality. It simply built a roomier wing onto the closet. There’s a “mythology ” around
Robin Perelle is the managing editor of Xtra Vancouver.
PTS RELEASES STRATEGIC PLAN
JOSHUA DANIEL OOSTENBRINKPAQUETTE (FACEBOOK) PRINCE GEORGE, BC
A lot of this is our own fault. If our government does not break all ties with Uganda, then Canadians must grow a backbone and demonstrate. I don’t mean 30 people show up for an hour — I mean a Ukraine- or Venezuela-type of protest. DJ DAY (FACEBOOK) TORONTO, ON
RuPaul As a leatherman, I really believe RuPaul is a true hero for all LGBT people [“Girl Talk with RuPaul,” dailyxtra. com, Feb 20]. She understands the truth that equality is only half our battle. The other important part of our struggle is liberation. Liberation means the right to be ourselves and not have to fit in with what others may
#264 FEB 13–MARCH 12, 2014
The logical course of action is to cut off all ties with Uganda until such time as they’re willing to treat all humans as equals [“Ugandan President Signs Anti-Gay Law, dailyxtra.com, Feb 24]. Of course, it’s Harper’s decision, and changing the relationship status from “In a relationship” to “It’s complicated” makes sense. Come on, Harper! Is it so hard to break up with Uganda?
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To celebrate Xtra’s 20 years of publishing to Ottawa’s gay and lesbian community, we’re digging through our archives to reprint a selection of noteworthy stories that highlight our community’s rich history. “The Mythology of C-150” first appeared in Capital Xtra #205, May 27, 2009. For more on Bill C-150, turn to page 10.
Trudeau’s reforms, gay historian Gary Kinsman says. Bill C-150 offered only a partial decriminalization of gay sex — only in private, only between two men at a time and only if they were at least three years older than the age of majority. Trudeau’s bill drew its inspiration and direction from the Brits’ Wolfenden committee, which had been charged in 1954 with investigating the “nauseating subject” (as one member of the House of Lords put it) of male homosexuality and prostitution. Its task: to find a more effective way to regulate “sexual deviance.” Its solution: to separate the public and private realms and use criminal law to preserve public order and decency while allowing people to do whatever they want — however immoral — in private. The report was hardly gay-friendly. Its writers explicitly refused to condone homosexuality and in fact expressed concern about the “menace to boys” that homosexual men allegedly posed. Hence the prohibition against any homosexual act involving anyone under the age of 21. As for any homosexuality found creeping into the public realm, that was to be dealt with severely, the committee said, urging police to vigilantly patrol “public” spaces such as bathrooms. Don’t get me wrong. Bill C-150’s passage was significant. As Kinsman says, it marked an enormous departure from the “wholesale prohibition” against gay sex that was in place previously. It changed people’s lives. But it also missed an important opportunity to liberate sexuality. To this
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day the path set by Wolfenden and Trudeau constrains us. The notion that we should keep our sex private still affects us profoundly, Kinsman says, pointing, for example, to decades of government censorship of our sexual images. There’s “still a sense that you can’t really show queer sex” in public, he says. Still, the bill’s passage had a perhaps unintended effect on the emergence of gay community in Canada. Gay men and lesbians would not tolerate being relegated to the private sphere. Bill C-150’s partial decriminalization empowered people to gather, to connect publicly, to demand more. Two years after Trudeau’s bill became law, Canada’s first gay rights demonstrations were held simultaneously in Ottawa and in Vancouver. Among the demonstrators’ demands: remove “gross indecency” and “buggery” as grounds for “dangerous sexual offender” status and equalize the age of consent for all sex acts, including anal sex. For Kinsman, the 1971 demonstrations and subsequent gay resistance to the post-bill clampdown by police on gay sex in “public” spaces like gay bars and bathhouses marked the beginning of gay liberation in Canada. Should we take a moment to appreciate Trudeau for his groundbreaking bill and the courage it took to introduce it? Should we pay tribute to his contribution to the emergence of our community? Absolutely. Just remember to give credit where it’s due most: to the gay men and lesbians who had the courage to step out of the limited private sphere they’d been granted and demand space in the public light.
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expect. RuPaul states it best in the famous closing line, “Remember, if you can’t love yourself, then how in the hell are you going to love someone else?” WAYNE M TORONTO, ON
Arizona anti-gay bill This is absolutely horrible and a step back into the Dark Ages [“Arizona Lawmakers Approve Bill to Allow Discrimination Against Gays,” dailyxtra.com, Feb 21]. Religion is a private matter and should in no way influence the law because anybody can invent a “message from God.” And who is to say that the Bible is the ultimate authority? Certainly Muslims and Buddhists do not think so. Now discrimination is legal. GLENN COATES (FACEBOOK) MAGOG, QC
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ELLEN AT THE OSCARS RECORD-BREAKING RUN
Days of Our Lives Will and Sonny (Guy Wilson and Freddie Smith) were recently engaged on the long-running show. Theirs is the first ever samesex betrothal on a daytime soap.
NUMBER OF VIEWERS 43.7 million (the highest ratings for the awards in 14 years)
NUMBER OF VIEWERS WHO TUNED IN TO ELLEN’S POST-OSCARS SHOW 4.8 million (the highest in the Emmy-winning show’s 11-year run)
NUMBER OF RETWEETS OF THE SELFIE FEATURING DEGENERES AND VARIOUS HOLLYWOOD STARS More than two million by the end of the TV broadcast (beating the previous record, held by Barack Obama, who sent out a post-reelection image of he and Michelle hugging with the message “Four more years”)
FEELING PECKISH?
NOT JUST A BITING WIT Former Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir appeared in a New Jersey court March 4, where his husband, Victor Voronov, asked a judge to dismiss charges against the skater, who had sunk his teeth into Voronov during a pre–Sochi Games spat. Voronov tweeted a selfie with the message “Life back to normal pace at least for today.” Weir says he and his husband often fight over who gets to “wear the pants” in their feisty relationship.
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I’m very obviously gay, and there are always going to be people in America and everywhere else who will definitely hate me. But I think that in the last two years, there have been a lot of things that have really changed that and have made it a positive thing. MK Nobilette, American Idol’s first openly gay contestant (shocking, right?)
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Soap Name of a late-1970s satirical soap opera that featured one of TV’s first gay characters. Billy Crystal The actor who played the controversial character, Jodie Dallas. Good Luck Charlie This Disney Channel show features two lesbian moms, another TV first.
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Upfront Ottawa women’s rugby team to compete at gay cup in Australia
A lot of my [activist] involvement had to do with a lot of anger and irritation at prejudice and how people were pushed to the sides of society and forced to hide and how a climate of fear was created by oppression. Charlie Hill E10
SPORTS DAVE YIN
While the Ottawa Wolves have come to be associated with burly rugby men who play hard on and off the field, in the upcoming 2014 season, it’s the women who may steal the spotlight. Not only are the Wolves the only club to represent Canada at the gay rugby world cup this August in Sydney, Australia, it is also the only gay club to have a women’s team, according to Mary Jeffries, the Wolves’ vice-president and head coach. “It’s extra exciting to have the women there show the other IGRAB clubs that they can have a women’s side, too,” Jeffries says, referring to the International Gay Rugby Association and Board, which founded the Bingham Cup in 2001. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be competing for the first time in this biannual tournament, which has been hosted previously by such cities as Manchester, Minneapolis and Dublin. While it’s a lot of pressure for both teams, it’s especially the case for the women, who finished a modest
While the majority of its players are gay and lesbian, the Ottawa Wolves rugby team is open to everyone.
inaugural season last year. The last few weeks have seen returning team members stepping up recruitment efforts in hopes of having a full female roster to match the men’s by the time
indoor training starts on March 22. “We’re actually ahead of schedule,” says Jeffries, who was brought on in the club’s third year to coach, before there even was a women’s team. She
explains that of the 20 or so new recruits already signed up for indoor training, more than half are women, and she anticipates having designated coaches for each team.
Youth still uncomfortable with police: committee NEWS ADRIENNE ASCAH
There are times when the Ottawa Police Service’s GLBT liaison committee meetings are downright cozy. In sharp contrast to minus-zero temperatures outside, the meeting room on the second floor of the OPS headquarters on Elgin Street is warm. Bottled water, soft drinks, sandwiches and cookies are provided. The chairs are comfortable. But going to the police station is still something many people aren’t comfortable doing. Take the youth MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
who participated in the roundtable discussion at Ottawa City Hall on Nov 23. The young leaders were passionate about sharing their views but chose not to attend the Feb 24 liaison meeting, says Gary Leger, the community co-chair. “I don’t think it’s a setback, and I don’t find it disappointing,” Leger says. “I think it’s just another step that we need to take to make sure [youth involvement] gets developed.” The liaison committee held the Nov 23 roundtable to determine why more youth don’t join the committee — and how better to reach
out to them. The event covered off a wide range of topics, from a general fear of police to the perception that violence against LGBT people isn’t taken seriously. The resulting list of recommendations is an excellent starting point, Leger says. Constable Walter Duhme, from the diversity and race relations unit, suggested OPS’s youth advisory committee (YAC) could make a presentation to the liaison committee. Once the committee has a better idea of how police are already engaging youth, the committee could then look at creating a subcommittee to reach
more youth and set up meetings in the community rather than at OPS headquarters, Leger says. The new police co-chair, who will replace Joan McKenna, hasn’t been named yet, but Leger says he hopes that will be rectified by the next meeting. The GLBT liaison committee’s next meeting is March 24, 5:35pm, at OPS headquarters, 474 Elgin St. For more on these stories, go to dailyxtra.com.
FEDS SEEK PUBLIC INPUT ON SEX LAWS In a letter to his Ottawa counterpart, Manitoba Justice Minister Andrew Swan has outlined his views on what Canada’s new prostitution law should look like, after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the existing laws last year. Swan believes the new law should target demands for sexual services while helping sex-trade workers get addiction counselling, mental-health services and training to get out of street-based sex work. “Canada needs to consider a new approach that focuses on reducing the demand for the purchase of sex, and assisting the victims of sexual exploitation,” Swan says in the Feb 5 letter. “Without demand, there will be no incentive to coerce others to engage in prostitution or human trafficking.” He thinks that what is often referred to as the Nordic model should be examined for Canada, noting in the letter that the “essence of the Nordic model is not to make it illegal for a person to sell their sexual services but to make it a criminal offence to purchase sexual services or to procure sexual services for another person.” Vancouver lawyer Katrina Pacey says continuing to criminalize aspects of the sex trade won’t solve anything. Pacey, of Vancouver’s Pivot Legal Society, represented sex-trade workers in the BC challenge to the laws and was part of the Supreme Court hearings. She tells Xtra that discussions with sex workers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside show that the criminalization of those buying sex would expose sex workers to dangerous conditions, as those customers would seek to have rushed transactions in dark alleys, away from the eyes of police and better-lit areas where sex workers might be safer. “They’re describing very scary conditions right now as a result of the criminalization of clients,” Pacey says. On Feb 17, the federal government launched an online consultation to ask Canadians for their input on the prostitution laws. Canadians can access a web page on the Department of Justice’s website to provide their input. The online consultation will be live until March 17. — Jeremy Hainsworth
XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 9
COVER STORY
T-SHIRTS & HISTORY Jer’s Vision, Day of Pink celebrate intersection of anniversaries as we mark 45 years since the passing of Bill C-150 BY JULIE CRUIKSHANK
T
he fight for LGBT human rights has seen some incredible triumphs over the years. Marriage equality is slowly but steadily coming to more and more places; the visibility of gay, lesbian and trans people in media is increasing; and widespread acceptance is on the rise. But there have also been some devastating lows. The Sochi Olympics served as a grim reminder that even in developed countries, LGBT people can face persecution sanctioned by their own governments. The recent signing into law of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, which punishes some gay people with life in prison, is nothing short of chilling. Even here in Canada, where same-sex marriage has been legal for nearly a decade and the rights and freedoms of LGBT people are protected nationwide, we haven’t yet managed to shrug off the heavy burden of homophobia. One need only look as far as the recent stabbing 10 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
THE DAY OF PINK ADVOCATES THAT EVERYONE IS A BULLY, EVERYONE IS A BYSTANDER, EVERYONE IS A VICTIM. JEREMY DIAS, FOUNDER OF JER’S VISION
of Scott Jones in Nova Scotia or the ongoing spate of LGBT-youth suicides for evidence of the real and lasting damage done when fear and ignorance are allowed to go unchecked. But despite the enduring violence, there is also hope. Jer’s Vision, Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative, is about to celebrate its ninth anniversary — a milestone that falls, fittingly, in the same year as the 45th anniversary of the passing of Bill C-150. Officially known as the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the 1969 omnibus bill decriminalized homosexuality in Canada, provided it happened in private between people aged 21 or older. It was a small step and the first of many in the struggle for full LGBT rights and equality. Its legacy can be seen in organizations like Jer’s Vision, which was formed in 2005 as a scholarship fund and is now a recognized leader in the fight to eliminate bullying, homophobia, transphobia and discrimination based on sexual and gender identity. “What’s amazing is Jer’s Vision started in my living room, quite literally,” says
founder Jeremy Dias. “When I walk into the office, the fact that we have an office can be a bit of a surprise.” Jer’s Vision accomplishes its goals through youth-led volunteer workshops and educational programming in schools and communities. The team makes an effort to reach youth in even the most isolated and conservative communities. “Even today in schools across the country, there are places where you can’t talk about being queer or trans, or you can’t talk about LGBTQ issues,” says Dias, recounting an email he received after a workshop in Barrie, Ontario, from a student who said it was the first time he had ever spoken about LGBT issues with anyone. “Through the work that Jer’s Vision does, we’re realizing that this is not the reality just for one person in Barrie; it’s a reality for so many youth.” One of the criticisms lobbed at Bill
C-150 by the opposition in 1969 was that by legalizing homosexuality, LGBT people would be given carte blanche to “recruit” children and minors. On the bill’s third reading, MP Martial Asselin said, “The minister knows quite well that, in general, homosexuals do not wait until they are attracted by persons of age . . . Homosexuals are mostly inclined to pervert youngsters and the minister opens the door even wider.” A more recent example of this mentality can be seen in Russia’s gaypropaganda law, officially known as the law “On Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development.” Such legislation creates a disconnect between LGBT youth and their communities and culture by endeavouring to keep them closeted, denying them access to adult role models and to each other. As Dias explains, the passing of C-150 OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Remembering Bill C-150 Activists look back on the legislation that changed their lives
CHARLIE HILL Curator of Canadian art, National Gallery of Canada; co-founder, University of Toronto Homophile Association; co-founder, Gays of Ottawa
EVEN TODAY IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN’T TALK ABOUT BEING QUEER OR TRANS, OR YOU CAN’T TALK ABOUT LGBTQ ISSUES.
Born in 1945, Charlie Hill came out to his parents in 1966 and was promptly sent to a psychiatrist. In the spring of that year, he was arrested in a Montreal bar raid for dancing with another man. A founding member of Gays of Ottawa, Hill was also present at the first-ever gay-rights protest on Parliament Hill, in August 1971. “A lot of my [activist] involvement had to do with a lot of anger and irritation at prejudice and how people were pushed to the sides of society and forced to hide and how a climate of fear was created by oppression,” he says. “Laws in themselves are not the real problem. Certainly, if you take away the tools of oppression, that’s good. But I still could’ve been arrested in the gay club whether [C-150] passed or not because of doing something in a public place . . . I think it was important symbolically more than effectively. It certainly was a catalyst for change in opinion.”
DENIS LEBLANC Urban and regional planner (retired); 20-year volunteer, Gays of Ottawa; co-author, Gays and the Law; past president of Egale; lifelong activist
The Jer’s Vision team uses initiatives like Day of Pink to reach youth in isolated and conservative communities where many LGBT youth don’t have access to support. From left: Celeste Terry, Maggie Hornell, Josh Dannenberg, Jeremy Dias, Elliot Moore and Kay Kassirer. JULIE CRUIKSHANK
in 1969 didn’t automatically end prejudice and homophobia in Canada, nor did it impart an understanding of LGBT issues to the masses. “I think a lot of people in our community forget how difficult it is to be LGBTQ throughout our lives,” he says. Jer’s Vision works to combat this issue by connecting queeridentified youth with each other as mentors, empowering them to become directly involved in effecting change. One of the organization’s major initiatives, the Day of Pink, also celebrates an anniversary this year. In 2007 in Nova Scotia, a pair of straight students chose to wear pink shirts to school in support of a gay student who was being bullied. The cause was taken up by Jer’s Vision, and April 9 will mark the fifth anniversary of its involvement. “The Day of Pink advocates that everyone is a bully, everyone is a bystander, everyone’s a victim,” Dias says. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
“What are we doing to support people easy to point the finger and criticize in our community, what are we doing someone. It’s really hard to listen to to support ourselves, and what are we that criticism, take it in, and then take doing to improve ourselves to address action,” he says. And in the ongoing that form of bullying that’s happening?” fight to end bullying and homophobia, When bullying is not addressed, he action is key. “I’m the first one to admit, says, cultures are created in which hurta pink T-shirt does not stop bullying. ful language and actions A single workshop on are tolerated and even anti-homophobia does DAY OF PINK GALA expected. “That’s where not stop homophobia . . . Wed, April 9, 7pm Jer’s Vision offices transphobia comes from. If homophobic and trans440 Albert St That’s where genderphophobic violence, bullying, To RSVP, email bia, queerphobia, racdiscrimination are comrsvp@jersvision.org dayofpink.org/en ism — that’s where these plex behaviours learned things come from. These throughout life, then what are learned behaviours.” In addition do we need? We need a complex, multito encouraging people to wear pink layered solution.” on April 9, Jer’s Vision distributes free Jer’s Vision continues to work toward resources for schools and workplaces that solution every day, one step at a and presents a gala event where awards time. “You just every day get up and do are given to prominent LGBT advocates. your best and hope that you’re going to When examining bullying, Dias stressmake a difference. What’s really amazes the importance of self-reflection. “It’s ing is, we do.”
Born in Moncton in 1951, Denis LeBlanc grew up in a deeply Catholic household. He was 18 years old when C-150 passed and was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1988, just one year after AZT was approved in Canada. A lifelong activist, LeBlanc was a founding member of Gays of Ottawa and has been active in LGBT organizations, including Egale and the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, for most of his life. These days he focuses his efforts on helping the international LGBT community. “I knew I was a homosexual in those [early] days,” he says. “But of course, I’d never talked to anybody about it. In August, when [C-150] was signed into law, of course I knew, and I had to celebrate very quietly in my own heart. It was a big day for me . . . [During the AIDS crisis], I went and visited tons of sick people when they needed visiting because we wanted to make sure, especially in the early days, nobody was left alone. If we knew somebody had AIDS in the hospital, we’d just go and visit . . . [Decriminalization] gave us the freedom to do all of this stuff and not have to worry about being arrested just for having sex . . . I’m proud of our community, what we were able to do here.”
CARMEN-LOUISE LÉPINE Public servant; co-founder of LOG (Lesbian Outdoor Group); came out and left her husband in 1976 at the age of 23
Carmen-Louise Lépine grew up in a Catholic household in Quebec. She was in high school when C-150 was passed but at that time was still unsure of her sexuality. She married a man at 19 but later left him when she realized she was gay, thanks to her friendship with an out lesbian co-worker. Lépine remembers spending time at the Coral Reef, once Ottawa’s only gay bar, in its heyday. “One night my husband decided to go to a party and I didn’t want to go. So I called up [my lesbian co-worker], and I went to the Coral Reef for the first time.” She recalls how even in the 1970s it was still very difficult to be gay or lesbian. “There was one young woman, I’ll call her P, and . . . her family would appear at the Coral Reef trying to catch her so they could commit her. In those days the Coral Reef was in the basement in front of the Ottawa police station, and any time [the police] could come down, they could come and raid the place . . . There was still a lot of fear in those days. [Nowadays], it’s becoming saner for gay people to be who they are without having that stigma of being outed or losing their job . . . It is a better environment.” XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 11
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OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
WHEN IKEA DOESN’T CUT IT
XTRA@HOME SPRING DÉCOR SPECIAL
New Oak Tree creates custom-designed furniture that’s made to last
ADRIENNE ASCAH
they carry. Many customers opt for custom-made furniture, which means your furniture will be tailor-made to your exact specifications. You can choose the type of wood you want — red oak, quarter-sawn white oak, hickory, walnut, elm, cherry or maple. Then you can choose the wood stain and finish you want, which, along with the furniture style you choose, can make your piece look classic or contemporary. You also can choose the size you want. You see a gorgeous dresser you love but you want it to be deeper, longer and higher? Just give the measurements you want and it will be custom made. “They don’t have to settle for anything,” Cole says of New Oak Tree’s customers. “They can get something exactly, exactly that they want.” Whether you’re looking to furnish a room, a house or just look around, Cole says you can visit any New Oak Tree location and you’ll find the staff knowledgeable and helpful. “We’re not high-pressure . . . The furniture sells itself, so it’s a matter of helping the consumer find what’s best for them.” A custom-made piece of furniture is usually delivered to your door in eight to 10 weeks. “We even give it a lifetime parts-and-labour warranty, and there’s nobody in the business that does that,” Cole says.
There’s just nothing like getting some good wood. Before we became a disposable society, people bought furniture to last, often inheriting some particularly nice pieces from parents or grandparents. Now, in an effort to stop replacing poorquality furniture every few years, many consumers are making the switch back to handcrafted wood furniture. “People are coming to the realization that it’s actually better value to spend a little bit more — just a little bit more — and buy it once, rather than buying something substandard and having to buy it every five or six years,” says Terry Cole, president of The New Oak Tree. With locations in Port Hope, Carleton Place, Navan, Brockville, Pembroke and Cochrane, Alberta, The New Oak Tree serves a NEW OAK TREE diverse clientele of people Locations in Carleton Place and Navan who want their home and thenewoaktree.com office furniture to stand the test of time. “We’re starting to see more and more younger people coming in here,” Cole says. “You buy a timeless style and it’s going to last forever. They can hand it down to their children, and it’s a better way to go. You spend less money in the long run.” Unlike mass-produced products, all the furniture New Oak Tree makes and sells is handmade from real wood. “We’re selling real furniture rather than particle board disguised as furniture,” Cole says. “You’re getting something that’s handcrafted, and you’re getting the best of Mother Nature because every piece of wood, from every tree, is different.” From bedroom sets to living-room sets; whether you’re outfitting your office, kitchen or dining room, each New Oak Tree location has showrooms to give you an idea of the pieces and styles MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
Top and far left: the bed- and diningroom sets show how wood can make a room classic and contemporary at the same time; armoires are a popular choice because they take up little room but store the clothes that don’t fit in your closet.
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XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 13
14 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
HOME BUYING 101 Looking to get your foot on the property ladder? These tips can help
XTRA@HOME SPRING DÉCOR SPECIAL
Manage your timing and expectations There are many, many steps in the home-buying process, so patience is key. Don’t be swayed if a home doesn’t meet every requirement on your wish list; flooring and tile can be replaced, walls can be painted, and new appliances can be acquired. Whether a home is structurally sound and in a good neighbourhood are more important than whether it comes with a washer and dryer. Cundasawmy says she finds that, when considering neighbourhoods, most first-time LGBT buyers in Ottawa are more concerned with being close to amenities and shortening commutes than being in specifically “gay” communities. Once you’ve been preapproved for a mortgage, you typically have 90 days to purchase a home, so finding the time to look at listings is imperative. Once you’ve found “the one,” getting the details in order can take several weeks, so it’s good to have established a relationship with a realtor beforehand. Cundasawmy recommends getting in touch six to nine months before you’re planning to move if you’ve done no prep work at all and two to three months if you’ve already been researching on your own.
JULIE CRUIKSHANK
Buying your first home can be an intimidating process. For one thing, it’s the largest financial transaction most people will ever make. There are many benefits to home ownership — it’s an investment that, if managed correctly, can appreciate in value. It also gives you a more spacious place to live and frees you from a lifetime of paying down someone else’s mortgage with rent payments. But there are drawbacks as well. We’ve all heard horror stories from home owners: the fixer-upper that turned out to be unfixable, the shady mortgage with sky-high interest, the terrifying neighbours. If you think you’re ready to get into the property market, realtor Anneke Cundasawmy and mortgage broker Cindy Duncan offer these tips to help you avoid heartache and find a home you really love.
The property pictured is located at 1848 Dorset Dr in Ottawa and is listed with Anneke Cundasawmy.
continued next page E
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E continued from previous page
Get your finances in order
Build trusting relationships
“If a buyer looks clean and clear and they can qualify for a good rate, then they can afford more house,” Cundasawmy says. Credit is key: having outstanding debt on multiple credit cards is one of the major factors that can influence your credit rating, so paying them off and reducing the number of cards you have can make a difference. Duncan recommends hanging on to the card you’ve had the longest, as this is where you will have built up the most credit history. And it’s a good idea to lower your credit limit if you can; a high credit limit can make you look like a bad risk. Your debt-servicing ratio is also extremely important. This is the percentage of your monthly income that is spent on housing costs: your mortgage, heating, property tax and all other existing monthly debts, including lines of credit, student loans and car payments. To qualify for a mortgage, these costs should not be more than 40 percent of your monthly income, but the requirements change if you are self-employed, part-time, pensioned, receiving a childtax credit or on disability. “You may make lots of money, but if all your debts are maxed out, you may not be able to get a house,” Duncan says.
A good realtor and mortgage broker can make the first-time home-buying process a positive experience by keeping your best interests in mind. A mortgage broker can negotiate with various financial institutions to get you the best rate, and a realtor who takes the time to get to know you can help you find the best home for your needs, steer you away from problem properties, and guide you through multiple-offer situations. Cundasawmy will even drive through neighbourhoods at different times of the day to get a feel for an area a client is interested in. “I treat people’s money as my own,” she says. “This is the biggest, most important investment that you’ve ever made,” Duncan adds. “Especially the first time it’s certainly helpful, I think, to have somebody with you that will help walk you through the process and try to educate you about it so you can feel comfortable and really happy . . . It’s like sex — the first time counts!”
16 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
Get a flexible mortgage “I don’t care who your mortgage is with, so long as it has the protections and functionality that a good mortgage should have,” Duncan says. Low-rate mortgages can look appealing on the surface, but if something unexpected happens and you have to sell your home, you could be hit with huge interest penalties if the mortgage isn’t portable. Low-rate mortgages can also trap you by preventing you from moving until it is paid off. There are other, better ways to save money. Making a 20-percent down payment, for instance, means that ANNEKE you won’t have to buy CUNDASAWMY the Canada Mortgage Real estate sales and Housing Corporepresentative, Keller Williams ration’s high-ratio Ottawa Realty mortgage insurance kwottawa.ca because the bank urbanique.ca will be subsidizing a CINDY M DUNCAN Mortgage broker, smaller percentage. Mortgage Alliance If you work freemortgagealliance.com/ lance, take note: the cindyduncan CMHC will not allow you to make a down payment with money that was gifted to you (such as by parents or other relatives) if you’re self-employed.
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XTRA@HOME
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
SPRING DÉCOR SPECIAL
How to improve your home’s curb appeal
ADRIENNE ASCAH
You can sell your house in 30 seconds. Maybe not literally, but the first impression of your home happens at the curb, and a great first impression makes a potential buyer want to move in. Whether you’re looking to sell — or just want to spruce up your exterior — taking your curb appeal up a notch pays big dividends. From making small changes to a complete overhaul, we spoke to two experts about freshening up the often-neglected exterior of your home.
Out in the cold Why neglect the outside? “A lot of people don’t think about it,” says Darlene Hall-Barrett, president of Dressing Rooms, an Ottawa company that does home staging as well as interior and exterior design. “You have to remind them that the outside is just as much living space as the inside.”
Left: from landscaping to stonework, Chantale Charette at Studio 853 Design can give your home’s exterior a facelift. Above: Darlene Hall-Barrett, president of Dressing Rooms, shows how exterior design can maximize your curb appeal.
Style and safety Begin with the basics Just as beauty begins with basic hygiene, remember that your front entrance and front yard should be clean, free of clutter and easy to access. The pathways must allow people to get in and out easily. “They don’t weed, they don’t clean up, they don’t mow the lawn, or they don’t clean up the dog poop,” Hall-Barrett says with a laugh, listing the top don’ts. “If the potential buyer is tripping over themselves on the sidewalk just to get to the front door . . . they’ve already got something in their mind saying there’s something wrong with this house before they’ve even walked inside.”
Where’s the door? “A lot of the time what I find is a total miss is the focus on the door, and it’s not very welcoming from the curb,” says Chantale Charette, a designer and landscape architecture technician with Studio 853 Design. “A lot of the time it’s 18 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
kind of hidden, maybe behind a bunch of bushes. There’s just no visual colour or texture that attracts your eye to the front door.” Shrubbery blocking the street address on your home looks sloppy and makes it hard for people to know whether they’ve found the right house, she says. On the other hand, getting some new, eyecatching lettering for your address is an easy and affordable way to make your entrance more welcoming, she says. Hall-Barrett agrees your front door should be a focal point, not a source of confusion for visitors or prospective home-buyers. “I always believe that you should know where the front door is, especially when you have homes [with] three doors, maybe, and nobody really
front walk with plants in eye-catching ceramics is also effective, she says.
knows which door to go to,” she says. “The front door that you want everyone to go to, that’s the one you highlight, and you don’t accentuate the other doors as much.” One of the easiest and most popular ways to make your front door pop is by painting it a vibrant colour — a look that’s become popular even with homeowners who otherwise don’t take risks. Hall-Barrett has a client whose whole house was brown, but she chose a vibrant red for her front door. “She gets so many compliments on it,” Hall-Barrett says. “She just loves it because now people see the front door . . . and it’s her fun little thing that she’s done to the exterior that makes her feel good.”
Improving the exterior lighting of your home not only enhances your curb appeal, but also makes your property safer, Beyond DIY Charette points out. “The lighting will Hall-Barrett and Charette agree that give you that added bonus of security at hiring an exterior designer or landscapnight,” she says. “There are some light er needn’t break your bank. Start with a consultation and make fixtures that almost act like sure you’re hiring someone a piece of artwork. There CHANTALE you feel comfortable with are some really funky ones CHARETTE Studio 853 Design who has experience doing out there.” studio853.ca the type of work you want. Additionally, if your landDARLENE Setting priorities, going at scaping is looking good, the HALL-BARRETT your own pace and chooslighting will show off your Dressing Rooms ing economical finishes will yard and greenery even dressingrooms.ca make the outside of your when the sun’s gone down. house look as good as the inside without the project becoming a On landscaping financial burden. From lawn furniture to landscaping, any Do-it-yourselfers often aren’t happy exterior improvements you make should with their results — and when it comes enhance your house’s architecture. If to curb appeal, you want to meet your you have a huge, majestic house, a tiny goals as well as your budget, Charette garden no one can see from the curb isn’t says. the kind of greenery you need, Charette “Curb appeal can sell your house,” says. Mass planting will put a bigger focus Hall-Barrett says. “It’s as simple as on the front entrance, while lining the that.”
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OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
OutintheCity
It’s about saying, ‘We honour the dead.’ It’s saying that our dead are with us, and we memorialize them. Juanita Sundberg E26
POWER COUPLE
Aretha and Annie had a bone to pick when they proudly proclaimed that “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.” The 1985 girl-power anthem tackled the long-held trope that behind every great man there had to be a great woman. Though the phrase had its origins in feminist ideology, as Lennox and Franklin hint, it had less to do with acknowledging women’s contributions than gently keeping them in the background. This dynamic is especially common in the art world. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Yves Tanguy and Kay Sage, Christo and Jeanne-Claude — all of them couples where the woman achieved considerably less recogniRODIN/CLAUDEL tion than her partner, despite being Thurs, March 27– equally if not more talented. For Sat, March 29, 8pm NAC Southam Hall his current work, choreographer 53 Elgin St Peter Quanz takes on another of nac-cna.ca these iconic artist pairs: sculptors Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel. “In 19th-century Paris, women couldn’t gain education, access materials or get exhibitions,” Quanz says. “Claudel’s only way to get notoriety was to be associated with Rodin. She needed the relationship to be noticed, and he needed the inspiration she brought him. But she suffered Museum. He felt a deep connection with Claudel’s through the whole thing because she was never story of being in love with an older artist who getting credit for her work.” was stealing her ideas. When he was offered the Quanz first stumbled on their story in Paris at chance to make a full-length work for Les Grands the age of 19 when he made a trip to the Rodin Ballets de Montréal 12 years later, in 2011, he
André Silva and artists of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in Rodin/Claudel.
decided to finally tackle the story. “In any relationship between two artists it’s difficult to have the kind of ego and self-criticism needed to be able to support another person in their work,” Quanz says. — Chris Dupuis
BEING HEDWIG
soldier serving there and falls in love. The couple want to flee the country but can do so only as husband and wife. With the help of her mother, a sex-change operation and a new passport, Hansel Playing the lead in Hedwig and the Angry Inch is becomes Hedwig. But the operation is botched, a daunting task. But when it comes to his turn as leaving her with the “angry inch,” a small, unclasthe blonde-wigged goddess, Ottawa producer/ sifiable mound of flesh between her legs. performer Tim Oberholzer seems upbeat and Preparing for any role is challenging, but in unfazed. “Our experiences are all so different, this case there’s another level of complexity: and every Hedwig is ultimately difOberholzer is straight. Though he’s ferent,” he says. “It’s not often roles played gay characters before, HedHEDWIG AND THE this challenging and complex come wig meant getting a crash course ANGRY INCH along, which is part of the excitein trans issues. “My approach is Thurs, April 3–Sat, April 5 The Gladstone Theatre ment. If someone had beaten me to to focus as little on the contrast 910 Gladstone Ave producing it locally, I’d have beaten between my onstage and offstage thegladstone.ca down their door to audition.” orientation as possible and try to Hedwig unfolds like a memoir just be,” he says. “The trans experiinside a concert as the main character tells her ence is so far removed from my own I’ve rarely story through songs and audience banter. Hansel, thought about it before encountering Hedwig. an East German “girly boy” with a penchant for The show does an excellent job opening a door rock music and philosophy, meets an American into the hearts and minds of the trans community MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
OTTAWA’S FAVOURITE
FREAKS
To some, Ottawa is a sleepy government town where fending off the cold and riding the city’s many buses is considered an eventful evening. Not so for Jesse Reynolds. “There’s so much to do in Ottawa if you just look for it. We have nerds, burlesque performers, drag queens, interesting local businesses, you name it,” he says. Employing skills honed on his webbased talk show Zero to Jesse, Reynolds is now the host of Spotlight 613, a new event that promotes local people. It’s like a talk show that happens live onstage. “We want to challenge the idea that Ottawa’s boring,” Reynolds says. “A lot of people don’t realize how many freaks and perverts are in this city.” The show doesn’t focus only on freaks and perverts; it doesn’t limit itself to any particular group or endeavour at all — or even to queer guests — but rather showcases anyone doing anything exciting in Ottawa. The show also includes a sextalk segment by Jesse Reynolds and Helvetica Bold, Helvetica Bold. a burlesque performer and former advice columnist with Upfront Magazine. “I try to generate good advice that crosses all genders and orientations. It’s about healthy sexuality, and at the same time I’m a jokester,” Bold says. “I tell everyone to do anal all the time. When people are down about their relationships, I’m like, ‘Just do it in the butt.’ If that doesn’t fix things, then you just need to find someone who is into anal.” Spotlight 613 takes place the last Thursday of each month. Guests on the second installment of the show will include singer and dancer Kapri, as well as Kelly Bennett, the Ottawa squad leader for the Fat Girl Food Squad blog. — Jeremy Willard
Tim Oberholzer
and the challenges and obstacles they face. But it’s also a show anyone who’s struggled with issues of identity can connect with. There’s a little Hedwig in everyone, and it celebrates embracing who you are, however you identify.” — Chris Dupuis
All proceeds from Spotlight 613 go to the queer community centre, Pink Triangle Services. Thurs, March 27, 9pm, at Living Room, 360 Elgin St. ptsottawa.org/ donate/spotlight-613
XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 21
WHAT'S ON
Ottawa Wolves mud wrestling — Babylon Nightclub, Sat, March 22
THEATRE
FOR MORE EVENT LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM
BALLS & FRONT CRAWLS Rideau Speedeaus Everyone is welcome on the Rideau Speedeaus swim team. Every Wednesday and Friday, 6–7pm, and Sunday, noon–1pm. Ottawa U Pool, Montpetit Hall, 123 University Pvt. To inquire about the Learn to Swim program, contact lts@rideauspeedeaus.com. rideauspeedeaus.com
Ottawa Wolves Sign-Up and Training Rugby enthusiasts are invited to sign up at this indoor training session. Attendees must bring appropriate shoes and gym attire. All genders and experience levels welcome. Sat, March 22 and Sat, March 29, 2–4pm. Centre Multisport, 211 Rue Montcalm, Gatineau. Free. ottawawolves.ca
Seniors’ Bowling Queer seniors 50 years and older and their friends are invited out to bowl a few frames. For more info, contact georgeis@rogers.com. Takes place the second and fourth Monday of each month. Mon, March 24, 6:30pm. West Park Bowling, 1205 Wellington St. $3 per game; free shoe rental. ospn-rfao.ca
Fred Penner The entertainer, singer/songwriter, actor and author, best known for crawling out of his hollow log and into our hearts in his hit CBC TV show Fred Penner’s Place, performs for the whole family. Sat, March 22, 1pm. Centrepointe Theatre, 101 Centrepointe Dr. $26. centrepointetheatre.com
HEALTH & ISSUES The Living Room HIV-positive people and their loved ones are welcome to access many resources, including a food bank, laundry facilities, internet, counselling and workshops. Contact The Living Room for an appointment. AIDS Committee of Ottawa, 251 Bank St, 7th Floor. Free. aco-cso.ca
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Addictions Treatment The LESA (Lifestyle Enrichment for Senior Adults) Program provides resources for people 55 and older experiencing issues with alcohol, medications, drugs and gambling. For an appointment, call 613-2335430. Centretown CHC, 420 Cooper St. Free. centretownchc.org
BiAmore People who are bisexual, polyamorous and bi-curious get together for activities and discussion related to achieving healthy relationships. Takes place the first Thursday and third Monday of each month. Mon, March 17, 7–9pm, and Thurs, April 3, 7–9pm. PTS, 331 Cooper St. Free. ptsottawa.org
place the last Tuesday of each month. Tues, March 25, 7–9pm. PTS, 331 Cooper St. Free. ptsottawa.org
2am; drag, 10:30pm–midnight. Swizzles, 246B Queen St. No cover. swizzles.ca
In this workshop, queer social worker DJ Freedman explores how, or if, trans issues mesh with lesbian, gay and bisexual issues. For information on who is welcome at each session, contact education@venusenvy.ca. Tues, March 18 and Tues, March 25, 6:30–8pm. Venus Envy, 226 Bank St. Free. venusenvy.ca
LEISURE & PLEASURE
Thirsty Boy Thursday
Spectrum This Youth Services Bureau program offers queer and questioning youth aged 12 to 25 a safe space to socialize, discuss sexuality and related topics, participate in workshops, receive counselling and more. Every Tuesday, 7–9pm. YSB, 147 Besserer St. Free. ysb.ca
A peer-led discussion and support group for queer and curious youth aged 25 and under. Every Wednesday, 7–9pm. PTS, 331 Cooper St. Free. ptsottawa.org
The Hard Cover Book Club Men are invited to gather and discuss The Days of Anna Madrigal, Thurs, March 20, 6pm; and Fellow Travelers, Thurs, April 17, 6pm. Gay Zone, Centretown CHC, 420 Cooper St. Free. gayzonegaie.ca
The Men’s Group A peer-led support and social group for men of all ages, ethnicities, abilities and orientations. Takes place the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month. Thurs, March 20, 7–9pm, and Tues, April 1, 7–9pm. PTS, 331 Cooper St. Free. ptsottawa.org
Venus Envy Book Club Book lovers discuss Janet Mock’s Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love and So Much More, a deeply personal and empowering story of a transgender teen. Wed, March 26, 7:30–9:30pm. Venus Envy, 226 Bank St. Free. venusenvy.ca
Defective, Deceitful, Disgusting: The 3 Ds of Trans Misogyny
Pink Triangle Youth Drop-In
LITERATURE
Queer People of Colour Fred Penner — Centrepoint Theatre, Sat, March 22
animals. This is followed by dancing to DJs Ian Grant and Ashley Gauthier. Sat, March 22, 10pm. Babylon Nightclub, 317 Bank St. $5. ottawawolves.ca
QPOC of any gender, ability, age or orientation can meet and talk in a supportive, open and nonjudgmental environment. Takes
The name just about says it all
PTS Open House and BBQ To celebrate 30 years of community service and the advancement of queer rights in Ottawa, Pink Triangle Service holds a barbecue and open house. Vegan and vegetarian options available. Thurs, March 27, 5–7pm. PTS, 331 Cooper St. Free. ptsottawa.org
Spotlight 613 Live Talk Show Jesse Reynolds celebrates local movers, shakers and entertainers. All proceeds go to Pink Triangle Services. Takes place the last Thursday of each month. Thurs, March 27, 9pm. The Living Room, 360 Elgin St. $10. ptsottawa.org
Jer’s Vision Presents: Day of Pink Gala 2014 This gala includes a reception and an award show featuring prominent Canadian queer rights advocates. RSVP to rsvp@jersvision.org. Wed, April 9, 7pm. 440 Albert St. Free. jersvision.org
NIGHTLIFE Thursdays Are a Drag Zelda Marshall hosts a night of drag — queens and kings — and burlesque. Alyna Moore performs and DJ Bill spins progressive house. Every Thursday: music, 9:30pm–
The hour before midnight at this weekly top-40 dance party is “pump hour,” when drinks are $4. Every Thursday, 10pm–2am. The Lookout Bar & Bistro, 41 York St. No cover. thelookoutbar.com
The Yes-Men: Game of Kings In this tribute to Game of Thrones, The Yes-Men drag-king troupe takes audiences to a realm of dragons, wildlings and animalistic Dothraki sex. Sat, March 15, 9pm. The Gladstone Theatre, 910 Gladstone Ave. $12 advance, $15 door. theyesmen.wix.com/dragcollective
Sassy Saturday Night Drag The stage is festooned with feather boas, glitter and drama, with two shows nightly and a lineup of drag queens, followed by dancing to music by DJ Kitty Funkalicious. Every Saturday, 10pm–2:30am. The Lookout Bar & Bistro, 41 York St. No cover. thelookoutbar.com
We Love 2 Hump Midweek is the best time to hump. Ginette Bobo performs in drag, and DJ Martin spins electro, house and hip-hop mashups. Every Wednesday, 5–10pm. Mercury Lounge, 56 Byward Market Sq. mercurylounge.com
Ottawa Wolves Mud Wrestling In keeping with their name, the Wolves battle in the mud like
After a botched sex-change operation, East German rockgoddess Hedwig Schmidt goes on a journey that raises questions about identity and individuality. Wed, April 2–Sat, April 5, various showtimes. The Gladstone Theatre, 910 Gladstone Ave. $15–25. thegladstone.ca
SEX & BURLESQUE An Evening of Sin: Nerdlesque Night Browncoats Burlesque and Headmistress Holly Sin join forces for a night of naughty-librarian-style hotness, with performances by Del Roba, Rhapsody Blue and Kamie Lyann. Tues, March 25, 9pm–1am. Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray St. $10. browncoatsburlesque.com
Capital Burlesque Expo: Saturday Gala This celebration of all things burlesque features workshops, performances, vendors and more shows than you can shake a nipple tassel at. Sat, April 4–6, various times. Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Ave. $20. capitalburlesqueexpo.com
Going Down: A Guide to Fellatio Kandace Price leads a workshop for folks who are gagging to learn the ins and outs of giving head. All genders and orientations welcome. Mon, April 7, 6:30–8:30pm. Venus Envy, 226 Bank St. $20, $10 sliding scale. venusenvy.ca
Submit your event listing to ottawalistings@dailyxtra.com. Deadline for the April 10–May 14 issue is Wed, April 2.
Drag kings in the Seven Kingdoms
ottawamensyoga.ca 22 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Building Restoration & Waterproofing For all your restoration needs & structural repairs call Everest at 613-822-7872. Over 35 years in operation. BB Torch Award Winner.
The Glebe Minyan: A queer-friendly spiritual community grounded in Judaism, open to all! Offering regular prayer services, educational and social events.
Rabbi Anna Maranta, Spiritual Leader Tel: 613.867.5505 Email: glebeminyan@gmail.com
Trevor Boris loves to live lavishly. Nic Kazamia prefers life on the edge. It’s a travel competition that takes you around the world with two completely opposite hosts.
AIRING TUESDAY, MARCH 25 7:30PM & 10:30PM ET 7:30PM PT
COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE! VOTE ON FACEBOOK (AND FOLLOW ALONG ON TWITTER #TRAVELCHALLENGE)
DREAM WEDDINGS AT
Strathmere
Dream Weddings at Strathmere Featuring 3 Unique Facilites ...all with Exclusive Outdoor Ceremony Sites and 1st Dance Al Fresco under Vintage String Lighting *Ask about our all-inclusive Wedding in Season Packages and Overnight Accommodation
(613) 489-2409 www.strathmere.com MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 23
XPOSED
3
4 1
BY ZARA ANSAR
613 Casual Choir Launch
2
On Feb 3, Andrea Stokes and Pam Kapoor launched 613 Casual Choir at the Clocktower Brew Pub in Westboro. Hundreds paid $2 each for a song sheet and belted out Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” The choir meets every two weeks and all are welcome. 1E Daniel and Carlynne Kobewka enjoy a pint and the singing. 2E Clockwise, from left: Claude Marquis, Rob Cosh, Glenn Nuotio, Andrea Stokes and Pam Kapoor take a mini break from the launch.
Fall Down Gallery Relocation Party The team at Fall Down Gallery relocated around the corner, then hosted a grand opening party on Feb 21, with art by Azdead and Arpi and music by DJ Iggy Smalls. 3E Thomas McVeigh takes in the art at the Fall Down relocation party.
Emilie Durville, Marcin Kaczorowski | Photo: Damian Siqueiros
WITH THE NAC ORCHESTRA
RODIN by Peter Quanz
March 27–29
Snowblower 2014
5
Southam Hall The tumultuous and tragic love affair of two famed French sculptors.
nac-cna.ca
NAC BOX OFFICE MON.-SAT. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. GROUPS 10+ 613 947-7000 x634 grp@nac-cna.ca
HOTEL PARTNER
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On Feb 16, the Snowblower festival hosted an afternoon of familyfocused activities and events by and for queer people, families and communities at Arts Court. 4E Beck Hood, of Family Services, reads stories to families. 5E From left, Danny Goyas, Luna Allison and Alise Goddard perform their skit. 6E Ten Oaks Project’s Rukiya Mohamed, one of the organizers of the Snowblower family day.
OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
E indexdirectory.ca
Recreational Vehicles Power Sports Canada 613-224-7899
Restaurants & CafĂŠs Absinthe 613-761-1138 Allegro Ristorante 613-235-7454 Courtyard Restaurant 613-241-1516
Ambiance Bed & Breakfast 613-563-0421 1-888-366-8772
AIDS/HIV Resources AIDS Committee of Ottawa 613-238-5014 Bureau rÊgional d’action sida (BRAS) 819-776-2727 Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance 1-800-839-0369 Gay Zone 613-563-2437
Alternative Health Scottie’s Spot 613-231-3111
Alternative Transportation Power Sports Canada 613-224-7899
Art Galleries Cube Gallery 613-728-1750
Bakeries Bread By Us 613-890-1423
Chimney Repair & Cleaning Ottawa Chimney Services Ltd 613-729-1624
Chiropractors In Balance Chiropractic and Health Centre 613-837-8885
Churches The Church of St John the Evangelist 613-232-4500
Coaching Padraig Coaching & Consulting 855-818-0600
Community Groups & Services Centretown Community Health Centre 613-233-4443 The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa 613-747-7800
Contracting & Renovations Merkley Supply Ltd 613-728-2693
Counselling Antoine Quenneville, MA, CPsyc Assoc 613-230-6179 x401 Dr Gordon Josephson, Registered Psychologist 613-231-4111 Gilmour Psychological Services 613-230-4709 Jerry SG Ritt, MA OACCPP, Psychotherapist 613-233-9669
Credit & Debt Counselling Dominion Lending Centre 613-224-4530 x224
Dental Services Healthy Smiles Dental Clinic 613-317-2330
Dog & Cat Training
Estate Planning Mann & Partners, LLP 613-722-1500
Event Planning & Promotions Wise Events 613-656-9466
Linda Young Insurance Brokers Inc 613-825-1110 Manotick Insurance Brokers Ltd 613-692-3528
Internet
Events
Distributel Canada distributel.ca
Caneast Shows caneastshows.ca
Squirt.org squirt.org
Florists
Jewellery & Jewellers
Tivoli Florist 613-729-6911
Furniture The New Oak Tree 613-253-9797
Graphic Design Services
Laser Surgery
Lawyers Ian Carter–Bayne Sellar Boxall 613-236-0535
Home Improvement & Repairs DTN Contract Services 613-780-7033 Merkley Supply Ltd 613-728-2693
Mann & Partners, LLP 613-722-1500 Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP 613-238-8080
Legal Services Ian Carter–Bayne Sellar Boxall 613-236-0535 Mann & Partners, LLP 613-722-1500 Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP 613-238-8080
Massage – Certified/ Registered
Carol the Dog Trainer 613-729-4808
Ottawa Chimney Services Ltd 613-729-1624
Dog Walking
Housing
Mortgages
Rent-A-Wife 613-749-2249
Carol the Dog Trainer 613-729-4808
Andrex Holdings 613-238-1835
Evan Weiner, AMP 613-224-4530 x224
Clothing – Men’s
Electrical Contracting
Stroked Ego 613-667-3008
Mike’s Electrical Service 613-834-4659
John Shea Insurance Brokers Ltd 613-596-9697
Cleaning & Maid Services
MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
Insurance
Rideau Optometric Clinic 613-567-0800
Optometrists 613-567-0800
Pet Care
Pharmacies
Rainbow Foods 613-726-9200
Rainbow Foods 613-726-9200
Eyemaxx Optical Studio 613-216-6076
Magpie Jewellery magpiejewellery. com
Grocery
Health Foods & Nutrition
Optical Services
Carol the Dog Trainer 613-729-4808
LCI Lasercom Clinics 613-828-8946 613-569-3737
Healthy Smiles Dental Clinic 613-317-2330
Power Sports Canada 613-224-7899
Davidson’s Jewellers 613-234-4136
Jack of All Trades Design jackofalltrades design.com
Health & Personal Care
Motorcycles & Scooters
Spa Homâ 819-595-3044
Mortgage Alliance 613-612-8400
Shoppers Drug Mart Bank and Gladstone 613-238-9041
La Cucina Ristorante 613-836-1811 Mamma Grazzi’s 613-241-8656 Southern Cross Grill on Queen 613-230-0400
Sex Shops Classixxx Adult Store 613-523-9962
Social Groups The Couples Group couplesgroup.org
Spa Services Spa Homâ 819-595-3044
Tanning Salons
Vijay Sharma Physiotherapy 613-238-8885
iTan Advanced Studios 613-562-ITAN
Politicians
Theatre
Office of Mayor Jim Watson 613-580-2424
Orpheus Musical Theatre Society 613-729-4318
Paul Dewar, MP 613-964-8682
Upholstery
Mann & Partners, LLP 613-722-1500
Psychologists Dr Gordon Josephson, Registered Psychologist 613-231-4111 Gilmour Psychological Services 613-230-4709
Kessels’ Upholstering 613-224-2150
Web Design B2W Design Inc 613-804-2384 Jack of All Trades Design jackofalltrades design.com
Websites Squirt.org squirt.org dailyxtra.com 416-925-6665
Publications
Weddings
Pink Triangle Press 416-925-6665 pinktrianglepress.ca
Cube Gallery 613-728-1750
Xtra (Ottawa) 416-925-6665 Xtra (Toronto) 416-925-6665 Xtra (Vancouver) 604-684-9696
counsellor
Helping clients reach their personal goals since 1987 2ELATIONSHIP ISSUES s 'RIEF BEREAVEMENT !DDICTION RECOVERY s #O DEPENDENCY s !NGER RELEASE s THERAPY ()6 !)$3 CANCER s #OMING OUT s )NTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA 0ERSONAL GROWTH s )NDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING s #OUPLE COUNSELLING
www.talktomarie.com
The Foolish Chicken 613-321-4715
Physiotherapy
Prenuptial Agreements
Marie Robertson,
Yoga Ottawa Men’s Yoga ottawamens yoga.ca
ADVERTISE IN XTRA LIVING! DON’T MISS THE NEXT EDITION! Booking deadline: Thursday, May 8 Release date: Thursday, June 19 613-986-8292 or lorilynn.barker@dailyxtra.com E 2014
Accommodations
Giovanni’s Ristorante 613-234-3156
JAN 2014–JUN
THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN OTTAWA
THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN OTTAWA
A hot date wi th ByWard Mark et Exploring The Glebe Hidden gems of Hintonburg Suit up for the season at MEC
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XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 25
A world of gay adventure
Travel
Catrinas & cliff diving Courting la muerte in Mazatlán BY NATASHA BARSOTTI
Blanch-faced, dressed to the nines and ornately adorned with plumage, flowers and sugar skulls, las Catrinas sashay along Mazatlán’s crammed Plaza Machado to frenzied drumming, piercing trumpeting and firecrackers. The pleasantly macabre signature characters of the annual Dia de los Muertos move among the sea of humanity that converges on the central plaza to jumpstart the carnival in honour of beloved departed relatives and friends, flirtatiously thumbing their noses at death or delighting in it. The image of La Catrina, skull and bones wrapped in fine period fashion and elaborate head-wear, is associated with turn-of-the-20th-century Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada,
whose satirical work provided sharp commentary about race, making fun of Mexicans who aspired to be European in appearance and culture. But it was artist Diego Rivera who took Posada’s image and turned her into “an icon of Mexican-ness,” geography professor Juanita Sundberg says. “That was what his work was about, creating this idea of a Mexican national identity, situated in its pre-Columbian and folk roots. He is reportedly the one who called her La Catrina.” As Posada and Rivera have demonstrated, the Catrina image can be leveraged to make an array of statements, political and otherwise. From the sidewalk patio of the Plaza Machado’s bustling Pedro y Lola restaurant, I wonder if I’ll see any genderbending Catrinas. I don’t have to
wait long to spy one or two amidst the promenading heteronormative calavera (skull) couples, some rushing — plastic cups in the air — to catch up with the burro-drawn carts of free beer that the “bartenders” are dispensing hand over fist. “You can see how the image would lend itself to drag. It’s supposed to be all about playing with costume and playing with your identity. That’s what Posada was talking about, even though he wasn’t commenting about gender identity or sexuality,” Sundberg says.
The dead are very much part of life, and they have it made, at least on the first two days of November — Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Innocents) followed by Dia de los Muertos, the day of KFENGLER
26 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Clockwise from far left: literally throwing caution to the wind, cliff divers plunge into the churning waves; a freshly painted gravesite at Panteón El Quelite, to the northeast of Mazatlán; this Catrina couple joined hundreds who took to the Plaza Machado and surrounding streets for the annual parade commemorating Dia de los Muertos; a panoramic view of Olas Altas beach. NATASHA BARSOTTI
remembrance for adults who have died. Walk into restaurants, artists’ studios, businesses or homes and altares de muertos (altars to the dead) are front and centre, decorated with banderillas (small flags), bread of the dead, tequila, fruit, skulls of sugar and clay, and specific effects treasured by the deceased. In Mazatlán’s historical centre, the storefronts of flower shops, some almost three generations old, are a riot of blooms, including cempasúchil — otherwise known as the Mexican marigold — touted as the ideal flower to adorn loved ones’ final resting places. As Dia de los Muertos approaches, the panteones (cemeteries) are anything but sites of sadness and regret to be avoided. They are a flurry of preparation and anticipation: children run in and among the graves, which have been swept, weeded and given fresh coats of paint. Entering the cobblestoned, colonial city of El Quelite, about 40 kilometres northeast of Mazatlán, a handful of families are in vigil mode in the local panteón, patiently awaiting the arrival of recent or long-gone loved ones whose favourite foods, drink, books and other personal items are laid out to entice them to a celebration of their lives. “It’s about saying, ‘We honour the dead.’ It’s saying that our dead are with us, and we memorialize them,” Sundberg says.
The seeming absence of fear of the hereafter, or of mortality itself, extends into everyday life.
Situated along the six-and-a-halfkilometre seawall, Olas Altas, is a 14-metre rock where cliff divers literally throw caution to the wind that whips around its height and crevices. Below, the churning waves submerge and expose the rocks below. Timing is everything, the story goes. As the waves come in, there is ideally just over two metres of water to execute a safe, head-first dive. Absent the “right” wave, the depth is a little more than a metre. A mini-figurine of Mary and some flowers are tucked into the mid-section of the outcrop in memory of the last diver who, in 2006, did not emerge alive. It serves as a reminder, but hardly a deterrent, to fellow divers, who carry on — for the right price. Approached at night, both rock and diver are shrouded in darkness, except for the fiery flares the latter brandishes to induce takers. Guadalajara-born Mario Gonzalez Aguilar, 76, first flirted with cliff diving in 1962. He has taught almost every diver in Mazatlán the tricks of the trade. While he stopped diving — for health reasons —four years ago, he is eager to take the plunge again. Perched on a ledge on the landward side of the cliff he has mastered, Aguilar, with pet iguana astride his left shoulder, shrugs off questions about the risk of his profession and rejects any notion of fear. He has no logical answer to give. It’s just his life and a way to make a living.
NATASHA BARSOTTI
SQUAWK7984
MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 27
A world of gay adventure
Travel
California’s Pacific Coast Exploring the Golden State’s natural wonders ROB SALERNO
San Francisco and Los Angeles may be among the world’s top LGBT travel destinations, but there’s much more to California than The Castro and West Hollywood. With its lush scenery, sparkling blue ocean and quirky seaside towns, the Pacific Coast Highway route between these two cities can form the spine of a wonderful adventure on which journey is the destination. The highway takes many different names along its route — Route 1, US 101, Coast Highway, Shoreline Highway, Cabrillo Highway — but by any marker it’s one of the most scenic drives in the United States. The best approach is by car, allowing for stops along the way. Experienced cyclists can conquer the route by bicycle. In both cases, travelling south is the best option — you’ll get better views, and the wind will be in your favour. By car, you can complete the trip in a day, but give yourself two or three to make the most of stops along the way. Your journey begins before you leave San Francisco. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge is a part of Route 1, and the best way to experience its 2.7-kilometre span is on foot or by bicycle. For a different perspective, hop aboard a Blue & Gold Fleet cruise at Pier 39, on which you’ll learn the history of the bridge’s construction while passing underneath it. Back on land, indulge in the touristy shops and restaurants along the pier. Make your first stop on the road at Año Nuevo State Park, in San Mateo County, home to a colony of marine mammals, including elephant seals, sea otters and sea lions. The best time to visit is from December to March, when the seals arrive for mating season. Hordes of tourists come every year to watch the males fight for dominance and the females give birth. (Reservations are strongly recommended.) A more casual elephant seal refuge is further south, near Piedras Biancas Light. You’ll see signs for a lookout over a cliff down to the seal colony. 28 MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 XTRA!
Bixby Creek Bridge, in Big Sur, is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.
The highway bypasses the Monterey Peninsula, but it’s worth turning off to visit Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row, a street of repurposed factories named for the Steinbeck novel. The nods to California’s maritime history and ecology include America’s only remaining whalebone sidewalk and one of the country’s largest aquariums. On a three-day journey, Monterey or the nearby artist colony of Carmel are good places to spend the night. South of Carmel, you enter Big Sur country, a sparsely populated region known for its stunning views of and from the Santa Lucia Mountains, which rise dramatically from the ocean. On this stretch, the highway alternately runs right along the coast or along sheer cliffs up to 300 metres above the water. Drive carefully — it’s easy to get distracted by the gorgeous vistas. Luckily, there are strategically placed turnoffs to stop and snap pictures. Take note of the picturesque Bixby Creek Bridge, one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world. Halfway through this stretch, you’ll
find the tiny hamlet of Lucia. Meals at the roadside Lucia Lodge are only soso, but the cliffside patio overlooking a crystal-blue bay is a major attraction. Big Sur has little in the way of amenities, but that can be part of its charm. As long as you stock up on supplies — fill up your gas tank before you leave Carmel — the Big Sur River Valley is a great spot away from the bustle of the cities to rent a rustic cabin or pitch a tent for the night. As accommodations are limited in the region, be sure to book ahead. Next on your itinerary is the must-see Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Built by publishing magnate William Hearst, on whom the film Citizen Kane was based, the sprawling 90,000-square-foot estate is a pastiche of styles inspired by — and in some cases, structures imported wholesale from — Hearst’s travels in Europe. The building houses thousands of antiques and artifacts from Hearst’s private collection, which was donated to the state of California after his death. There are several tour options elaborating various aspects of the grounds, including the gardens and the grand rooms.
DAVID ILIFF
South of San Simeon, the highway veers inland slightly to the sleepy San Luis Obispo. Even if you’re not staying the night, stop at the Madonna Inn, a lavishly adorned motel with 110 themed rooms, including Love Nest, Rock Bottom or Cayucos Queen. Check out the rockwaterfall urinal in the men’s bathroom. Wander San Luis Obispo’s quaint downtown, with its pedestrian-only streets. Don’t miss Bubblegum Alley, on Higuera Street, where the walls are lined with thousands of pieces of chewed gum. The town also makes a good base for an afternoon exploring the many small wineries in the Edna Valley. Your next major stop is Santa Barbara, with its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and wharf, sandy beaches and luxury attractions. Take in the view from the courthouse tower, check out the brown pelicans at the end of Stearns Wharf, and sunbathe at Arroyo Burro Beach. A few miles west is More Mesa Beach, popular with nudists and gays. You’ll enter Los Angeles County through Malibu, where the highway hugs the beach for the town’s entire length.
Some of the county’s most beautiful beaches are here, as is one of California’s most famous surf spots, Malibu Lagoon. A short drive through Highlands Park will bring you to one of the best seaside views in LA county. From the cliff, you can see as far as Palos Verdes and watch surfers and dolphins below. You’ll enter LA proper via Santa Monica. After your time on the road, it’s worth unwinding in the capital of the gay party scene, West Hollywood. The Ramada Inn WeHo has surprisingly posh rooms right on Santa Monica Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the best gay bars and clubs, as well as Sunset Boulevard’s comedy and music scene. In the morning, make up for your partying with a little history: Out & About Tours offers bus and walking tours of the city’s queer history. From LA, the Pacific Coast Highway continues to Orange County, from which you can head on to San Diego or Mexico. Or you can turn east to explore the inland mountains, deserts and forests. With enough time and a car, the possible routes to explore the Golden State are endless. OTTAWA’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
The Dinah: A five-day lesbian bacchanalia As temperatures in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere continue to lurk determinedly at the cold end of the thermometer, we’re desperately in need of a blast of heat. And it doesn’t get hotter than The Dinah, the world’s biggest lesbian event, hitting Palm Springs for five days of parties, pools, poker, comedy and film from April 2 to 6 this year. What started out as simply a few gay women meeting when the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament came to town grew bigger and bigger with each passing year. In 1991, promoter Mariah Hanson, seeing a golden opportunity, took a risk, booked out a hotel and hired talent — and The Dinah was born. Now in its 24th year, the gargantuan girl extravaganza lures thousands of women to the desert town each spring for what Hanson, who still produces the energetic event, memorably describes as “a five-day bacchanalian whirlwind of lesbian delight.” While some sources put numbers at 15,000 pool- and partygoing women, Hanson prefers not to dwell on figures, choosing instead to focus on delivering the best entertainment possible to however many thousands and thousands descend. “We produce an event that rivals any in the country, straight or gay, which is not always the case with lesbian events. I don’t skimp on entertainment or production. We try to outdo ourselves each year. It’s a good recipe for delivering a five-star event,” she says.
Some sources put The Dinah numbers at 15,000 pool- and partygoing women. KURFEW
This year, Canadian lesbian heartthrobs Tegan and Sara headline and are responsible for what is set to be the Dinah’s largest audience yet, with a substantial influx of Canadians due to join the hordes. “This year we’ve got a lot of Canadians coming because of our headliners, of course,” Hanson says, “but predominantly, it’s women from the western US states, although we get folks from all 50.” In the last few years, the fame of The Dinah has been spreading beyond
the continent; Hanson credits both word of mouth and the event’s starring roles onscreen. “We’ve had an international audience all along, but the L Word TV shows have definitely been instrumental in spreading the word — both the original L Word when they filmed an episode here in Season 1 and The Real L Word. They’ve now filmed here three times.” — Aefa Mulholland
ON THE WEB
Saturday gay beach party in Vegas Opened in 1957, the Tropicana is one of the few original hotels remaining on the legendary Las Vegas strip. Now, after a $200 million renovation, “The New Tropicana” resort is promising to revolutionize the day-club experience for LGBT tourists. Starting in the spring (the launch date has not yet been announced) the Tropicana Beach Club will be home to Xposed — the only Saturday gay pool party on the strip. It’s billed as the “ultimate Saturday beach party” for LGBT travellers, promising “sun-kissed go-go dancers, celebrity guest performers and DJs spinning all the latest hits.” “From attending all major-city gay pride celebrations nationwide to hosting Sin City Shootout, the largest LGBT sporting event in the world, and the 2013 launch of TropLV GLAM, we support the community wherever we can,” MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
says Fred Harmon, chief marketing officer for The New Tropicana. “Xposed is the next phase in our property’s LGBTQ initiatives, and we look forward to providing the ultimate Las Vegas day-club for LGBTQ travellers.” The all-new Tropicana Beach Club features breathtaking waterfalls, palm trees, luxury daybeds and cabanas, alongside two Olympic-sized sand volleyball courts, two heated pools and a high-rise stage for live entertainment. A food menu will feature handcrafted cocktails and light bites. And for Abba fans, starting in spring 2014 (tickets are on sale now), the Tropicana Theatre will be home to the smash Broadway musical Mamma Mia.
ON THE WEB The all-new Tropicana Beach Club. TROPLVGLAM.COM
Cage-free dog boarding
More details at thedinah.com.
More details at xposedlv.com, troplvglam.com.
Heated Floors Open year round Comforts of home Shuttle Service Available
‘Country Living Dog Resort’
613-987-1670 St. Albert, ON www.dogresort.ca XTRA! MARCH 13–APRIL 9, 2014 29
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Did you hear that we moved? Drop by our cute new shop and check out some of these upcoming workshops and events! Art Opening
New work by Betty Liang March 14, 8:30-10:30pm Showing all month! Free.
Workshop
Up Yours, Anal Pleasure and Health March 17th, 6:30-8:30pm $20 (sliding scale, $10)
Presentation
Defective, Deceitful, Disgusting: The 3 Ds of Trans Misogyny
Presentation
Book Launch
March 25th, 6:30-8pm This session is free and open to everyone. Presented by D.J. Freedman MSW.
Join us for the launch of this exciting collection with the editors and special guests! March 29th, 7:30-9:30 Free, everyone welcome.
Defective, Deceitful, Disgusting: The 3 Ds of Trans Misogyny
Book Club Meeting
Min Fami: Arab Feminist Reflections on Identity, Space, and Resistance
Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
Workshop
Pick up the book of the month at at 15% discount then join the discussion, or just enjoy on your own. March 26th, 7:30-9:30pm Free, everyone welcome.
April 7, 6:30-8:30 $20 (sliding scale, $10)
Going Down, a Guide to Fellatio
March 18th, 6:30-8pm This session is free and exclusive to trans women, trans feminine spectrum, and birth-assigned male nonbinary/genderqueer people. Presented by D.J. Freedman MSW.
Workshop
The Big O For Her! Tips and Tricks for Bigger, Better, and More Frequent Orgasms!
March 24, 6:30-8:30pm $20 (sliding scale, $10)
All workshops are held at the store, after-hours, at 226 Bank Street in Ottawa.
New location!
226 Bank Street, Ottawa 613-789-4646 www.venusenvy.ca
Some workshops sell out weeks in advance, so you’ll want to register as soon as you know you’re interested and available. Payment must be received to hold your spot. You can either pay by credit card over the phone (613-789-4646) or you can drop by the store and pay in person. If you’re unable to make it, we need 72 hours notice or your fee is forfeit. Participants receive 10% off any purchases made after the workshop.