Xtra Toronto #765

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PrideHouseTO hosted an LGBT lounge during the Winter Olympics. N MAXWELL LANDER

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Pan Am Pride House to include outdoor concerts, cultural programs and sports on Church Street E8

Editorial Let’s get naked By Danny Glenwright E4 Feedback E4 Xcetera E5

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History Boys Molly Wood’s Bush By Michael Lyons E10

Out in the City Arts roundup Shakespeare remixed E13 Cover story Yes Yes we can Toronto’s most diverse dance party turns five E14 What’s On E16 Club Scene E17 Xposed By Anna Pournikova E18 Xtra Living E19 Classifieds E20 Xtra Hot By Drasko Bogdanovic E21 COVER PHOTO BY N MAXWELL LANDER XTRA! FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 3

Comment

Let’s get naked EDITORIAL DANNY GLENWRIGHT

We finally have confirmation from the mayor of Toronto and his Tweedledee brother that the real reason Rob Ford doesn’t come to Pride is because his innocent eyes can’t handle all the “buck-naked men.” It’s another curious excuse from a man who has spent much of his professional life inside football locker rooms. Sam Sotiropoulos, a Toronto District School Board trustee, joined Ford Feb 13 in the quest to rid the summertime street festival of any exposed flesh. Sotiropoulos suggested on Twitter that nudity at Pride is against the law in Ontario. When challenged, the trustee encouraged Torontonians to stand with him against the evils of something called “homosexism.” “One of the most divisive influences in Canada today is homosexism it’s [sic] disseminators are maliciously rabid,” Sotiropoulos posted. When pressed by a National Post reporter about the meaning of the word, Sotiropoulos pointed to an entry at urbandictionary.com that states homosexism is “discrimination or prejudice against straight men or women by Gay, Lesbian, Transgender or Bisexual people.” The spat reminded me of the recent viral video featuring Irish drag queen Panti

Bliss. In it, Bliss argues that homophobes have appropriated the word “homophobia,” redefining it so that they become its victims. “Three weeks ago I was on television, and I said that I believed that people who actively campaign for gay people to be treated less or differently are, in my gay opinion, homophobic,” Bliss said. “And for the last three weeks I have been lectured by heterosexual people about what homophobia is and who should be allowed to identify it. Straight people — ministers, senators, lawyers, journalists — have lined up to tell me what homophobia is and what I am allowed to feel oppressed by.” Sound familiar? People like Rob Ford and Sam Sotiropoulos have rebranded themselves as victims, casualties of our wanton sexuality and hedonism. But elements of sex-negativity and Victorian-style prudishness also exist in our own community, often coming from gays who worry about children being exposed to queer people celebrating their sexuality. These squeamish types — most of whom, it appears, have been able to claim all their rights — have somehow forgotten that it’s what we do with our naked bodies that kept us gays down for so long. I recently took part in an online discussion about LGBT discrimination and Russia. The moderator wanted to know why Russian gaybashers target men

The outcome that we seek is this — gay and lesbian people daring together to set love free. Xtra is published by Pink Triangle Press, at 2 Carlton St, Ste 1600, Toronto, M5B 1J3.

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more than women and why fewer male athletes have felt comfortable coming out. I think it’s simple: bum sex. Homophobes like Vladimir Putin and Rob Ford surely enjoy a casual wank to your average girl-on-girl porn. But the thought of two men fucking triggers a primitive hatred. When we celebrate this love during Pride — whether it’s naked on a parade float surrounded by colourful drag queens or dancing topless in a Church Street beer garden — it reminds them of what we do in the privacy of our bedrooms. So let’s call it what it is and stop allowing these bigots and nudity-haters from masking their issues with concern for the wide-eyed children. And let’s remember that Pride is not the Santa Claus parade — its roots are in protest and sexual liberation. So long as the Putins and Fords of the world still have platforms from which to stir up hate, there’s no reason why we should ever let up in that protest. We should also keep in mind that there’s nothing shameful about the naked body or sex. If you think there is, I’d encourage you to avoid Pride. Stay home, turn on the television and show your children the more palatable aspects of our world: perjuring politicians and crack-smoking mayors, airbrushed celebrities, schoolhouse shootings, dead bodies piling up in the Middle East, priests raping children. I prefer to leave that all behind for a few hours on Pride and head downtown to celebrate gay rights and gay sex — and to protest those who hate us gays and the ways we seek pleasure. And for those, like me, who have never wanted Rob Ford or his ilk at Pride, now we know how to ensure he never shows up. Let’s get naked!

FEEDBACK

Danny Glenwright is Xtra’s managing editor.

For me, the expense of this drug alone makes it a non-starter: it costs a tre-

‘Fucking’ editorial I hate the word fucking [“For the Love of Fucking, Xtra #764, Feb 6]. It’s not that I’m a prude, but it is to me a very cold word. Having sex — that’s okay with me. I also have the same problem with nakedness in our Toronto Pride — it’s no longer necessary to parade ourselves in this way. There are children present, and if they were our own children we would have some decorum. Just an opinion. PAULA KEY TORONTO, ON

PrEP Here’s my analogy: a car may have seatbelts and airbags, but the combination of the two provides enhanced protection should an incident occur [“Take a Pill,” Xtra #764, Feb 6]. Obviously, the driver isn’t going to operate the vehicle recklessly just because the two are present. Things happen in life. Condoms, like flossing, are one of those things people know they need to do, but it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes they break. This medication is ideal for people who have poz partners. I’ve known people who have taken the pre-exposure prophylaxis. Despite some high-risk needle sticks, all follow-up blood work was okay. If condoms are employed to reduce hep C and PrEP to prevent HIV, it will improve the quality of life and reduce healthcare costs in the long run. CAELAN TORONTO, ON

mendous amount of money that eventually everybody will pay for, either in the form of more expensive insurance or further burdening of our healthcare system. A close runner-up is the drug’s toxicity and the risk of liver and kidney damage (does anybody know what this drug will do to you after 20 years of use?). Plus, you still need to wear condoms for other STIs (notably hep C, which is killing more Americans per year than HIV) and to make up for the fact that you cannot miss a dose to retain your immunity. I don’t think the false sense of security and the risks of fucking up your body for sex that still requires a condom is worth it. DAN FALKENHAM TORONTO, ON

There has been this great discussion south of the border on PrEP and Truvada and very little here in Canada. I haven’t been able to find much from the different agencies except for an article on their website. I understand not wanting to jump on the bandwagon right away, but we are coming up on two years of approval down south. NICK MEYER TORONTO, ON

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6 FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 XTRA!

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Upfront

We’re trying to make sure that people in all communities can feel a part of the games. Pan Am spokesperson Teddy Katz E 8

Rainbow Health Ontario conference explores sex ed, fat phobia HEALTH ELAH FEDER

The biennial Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO) conference on LGBT health and wellness wrapped up Feb 7 in Toronto, concluding three days of presentations and workshops with topics ranging from fat phobia and sex education to barebacking and making sports more LGBT-inclusive. Planned Parenthood Toronto’s David Udayasekaran and Carly Boyce shared the pilot-run results of Queering Sex Ed, a program engaging LGBT youth in creating more inclusive sex-ed resources. “As of this year, the sex-ed curriculum in Ontario is 20 years old, so it has no mention of anything that has to do with the internet or to do with texting, or actually — and this is what I find most disturbing — consent,” Udayasekaran said. In the revised edition online, the words “gay” and “transgendered” appear only in the glossary. While no time line has been announced for developing an updated physical health and education cur-

NEWS BRIEFS

Student files $25,000 suit against Ontario high school A gay Mississauga student has filed a $25,000 discrimination complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal against his high school and school board, alleging a pattern of anti-gay bias. Christopher Karas is a Grade 12 student at École Secondaire Catholique Ste-Famille who says he has faced disparaging comments from students and teachers and attempts to prevent him from establishing a gay-straight MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

riculum or reviving the shelved LGBTinclusive curriculum of 2010, Boyce is hopeful that these more inclusive resources will circulate through other channels, noting that youth are most likely to seek out information from their peers and the internet anyway. Marking a relatively new area of focus for RHO, the organization invited May Friedman, assistant professor of social work at Ryerson University, and Sabrina Friedman, a New York City social worker, to discuss the healthcare implications of fat phobia and untangle some of the more widely held assumptions about body size and health. Challenging the idea that fat bodies are inherently unhealthy, May Friedman suggested that the mental and physical impacts of stigmatization, social isolation and “yo-yo dieting,” compounded by a tendency to avoid healthcare for fear of shaming, could be the true causes of poor health outcomes, rather than fat bodies themselves. RHO will be releasing a series of fact sheets about the intersection of fat phobia, LGBT identities and health in its next newsletter.

alliance (GSA) at the school. Karas first came to media attention last year after his school administrators censored posters for his GSA, which included a quote from Harvey Milk. The quote read, “All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.” But Karas’s complaint against the board alleges a pattern of discriminatory actions going back to the 2011/12 school year. In that year, Karas, who had come out as gay in his school, attended an overnight school trip where students were to share hotel rooms. Some of Karas’s male classmates were reassigned out of his hotel room after they said they’d be uncomfortable sharing

May Friedman, assistant professor of social work at Ryerson University, spoke to conference participants about fat phobia. ELAH FEDER

a room with him because of his sexual orientation. Karas was also the target of homophobic bullying on the trip, the case alleges. The complaint also alleges that a religious instructor “made homophobic statements such as . . . ‘Gay people should not be permitted to adopt children’” and that a psychology teacher refused to discuss same-sex parenting in a class about family structures due to the school’s religious nature. Since the suit was filed, Karas alleges that the school board has blocked dailyxtra.com from being accessed on the school’s WiFi network. Xtra was the first news source to report on Karas’s complaints, in December 2013. Neither the school’s principal nor the

school board is willing to comment on the case. The Conseil Scolaire de District Catholique Centre-Sud released a statement saying that it has not yet received the complaint but that it intends to analyze it and respond to the Human Rights Tribunal. — Rob Salerno

Trans comedian Avery Edison deported to the UK British trans woman Avery Edison was released to fly home on Feb 13. Edison was detained on arriving in Toronto Feb 10 because of a prior visa violation. She posted updates to Twitter

about her detention and the humiliating treatment she received from border security, which sparked the #FreeAvery campaign. Officials initially sent Edison to the Maplehurst men’s correctional facility before transferring her to the Vanier women’s facility. “I know Avery’s happy; in terms of what could happen, this is the bestcase scenario,” says Edison’s girlfriend, Romy Sugden. “There is no exclusionary notice on her file, so she potentially can return to Canada some day.” — Rob Salerno

For more on these stories, go to dailyxtra.com. XTRA! FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 7

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The PrideHouseTO coalition has hosted a lounge at Ryerson University during the Sochi Olympics. It plans to expand on this concept during the 2015 Pan Am Games. N MAXWELL LANDER

Organizers planning ‘most inclusive’ Pan Am Games Pan Am Pride House to include outdoor concerts, cultural programs and sports on Church Street COMMUNITY NEWS SAIRA PEESKER

The Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games organizing committee is working with the local Pride House organization to make next year’s event “the most inclusive multi-sport games in history� — a lofty goal that comes at a time people are eager to hear it. It almost seems as though Toronto 2015 is trying to brand itself as the “anti-Sochi.� But if the Russian Olympics are acting as their “what not to do� guide, local Pan Am organizers are keeping that to themselves. “We don’t want to speak about what’s happening at other games — it’s not our place — but in Toronto and this region it’s an important initiative to showcase diversity,� Pan Am spokesperson Teddy Katz says. “We’re trying to make sure that people in all communities can feel a part of the games.� During its moment on the world stage, Pan Am organizers would be remiss if they didn’t celebrate the city for what it is, a “community of communities,� Katz says. But while Katz gives PrideHouseTO the credit for bringing the queer community into the Pan Am fold, PrideHouseTO’s Barb Besharat puts the praise back on the games’ organizing committee. “We have a great working relation8 FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 XTRA!

ship with TO 2015,â€? she says. “It was under their initiative that the Pride House 2015 got started.â€? Based at the 519 Church Street Community Centre, PrideHouseTO is a collaboration between more than a dozen organizations, including OutSport Toronto, Egale Canada, the Church-Wellesley Village Business Improvement Area and the University of Toronto. There are already 100 volunteers on board with various PrideHouseTO projects, a number that will grow to more than 1,000 during next year’s games. PrideHouseTO 2015 will focus its programming on four areas, including a community hub that will be a centralized space for project coordination, events, workshops, media interviews and watching the games. It will also feature a roster of outdoor concerts, cultural programs and sports on Church Street, called the Village Festival. “If I have my way, we’ll put some sand out and play beach volleyball,â€? Besharat says. In addition, there is the policy advocacy group, which is working behind the scenes on sports-related LGBT issues, and community ambassadors, leaders across Ontario who will take part in sports-inclusion training. The function of a Pride House has evolved signiďŹ cantly since the concept

emerged at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, Besharat says. Instead of simply being a drop-in centre for queer athletes and allies, it has become a way to foster stronger bonds between sports and the LGBT community. “Canada has made great strides, especially compared to many other nations, in ensuring marginalized groups are represented and can be included [in sport],� she says. “But for LGBT people, sport can still be a hostile environment. It doesn’t seem that sport and LGBT people are even talked about in the same sentence that often.� Team Canada soccer player Erin McLeod, who hopes to take part in the Pan Am Games, has been public about her own sexuality. Lately, the goalkeeper has been campaigning to add protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation to the Olympic Charter. She says it’s great to see a major event like the Pan Am Games taking a leading role in inclusivity. “I think it’s inspiring to know they want to do that,� she says, noting that soccer’s governing body, FIFA, already protects such rights. “It starts with the bigger organizations to just pave the way, and then it becomes a non-issue. If you have a games where race, religion, politics or gender doesn’t matter, I think it’s better for the athletes and everyone else.� TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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Molly Wood’s Bush

Deconstructing the legend of Alexander Wood HISTORY BOYS MICHAEL LYONS

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Despite the bone-chilling late-November night, a large group gathers beneath the Alexander Wood statue at the corner of Church and Alexander streets. There to remember San Francisco supervisor and activist Harvey Milk on the 35th anniversary of his assassination are local activists, a city councillor, a Broadway star, Ontario’s openly lesbian premier and two drag-queen nuns. The convergence of past, present and future is truly awe-inspiring. In one speech, however, the name of Alexander Wood is invoked as a kind of early-day gay hero, which confuses me. I thought Wood was a landowner persecuted for sexual misconduct in the colonies. Turns out there is a lot about Wood I didn’t know. Scottish merchant Alexander Wood arrived in Canada in 1793, first helping to set up a brewery in the town of Kingston before continuing on to York, which would later become Toronto. Wood created a successful importexport business, selling European luxuries widely unavailable in the colonies while exporting products, including flour, to the continent. The province of Upper Canada, British-controlled colonial land that included what is now southernmost Ontario and Quebec, was run by a closeknit group of men who held most of the legal, political and financial power. Wood managed to beguile his way into the graces of the strongly classist Family Compact, becoming close with William Dummer Powell, an American-born Loyalist lawyer, among other Upper Canadian elite. He was also awarded several affluent judicial positions. In 1810, word spread about Wood’s search for the man who had raped a woman named Miss Bailey. She had apparently scratched the genitals of her attacker, and Wood took it upon himself to call in several suspects, one by one, and inspect the young men for evidence. As Miss Bailey was likely fictitious, the incident caused a scandal that sunk Wood’s social standing and business. Evidence of the misconduct was submitted to a prosecutor but suppressed due to the “odious nature” of the transgression. Silence, after all, was the strategy to stonewall any spread of homosexual sex or love, so it was agreed that Wood would leave Canada and never return. Wood defied the latter condition,

Miss Bailey had apparently scratched the genitals of her attacker, and Alexander Wood took it upon himself to call in several suspects for inspection. ERIC WILLIAMS

returning in 1812 after the American invasion. He took up his previous positions, including that of magistrate, and resumed most of his friendships. Powell, now serving on Upper Canada’s executive council, was Wood’s sole antagonist. Wood returned to Scotland briefly after inheriting his family’s estate but returned in 1821, closed his business, which had never recovered after the scandal, and spent much of his remaining life as a manager for absentee landowners in the growing settlement. By 1823, Wood sat on many commissions and Powell had been appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court. When Wood was named to the war claims commission, Powell refused to swear in his former friend on moral principle. Wood sued Powell for damages and won £150, what would amount to approximately $10,000 today. Instead of paying, Powell published a pamphlet detailing the decades-old scandal, though this wouldn’t have been news for York. This time silence was on Wood’s side, and his ongoing service to the community made him a sympathetic figure. When Powell died, his debt was passed on to his widow. Wood eventually forgave the debt. Wood bought a great deal of property in 1826, in what’s now downtown

Toronto, though this land went mostly undeveloped until after his death. His nickname, “Molly Wood” (molly being an insult for homosexuals at the time), meant the land became known as “Molly Wood’s Bush.” He returned to Scotland in 1842 for a visit, but remained there until his death two years later. His Canadian land passed on to distant relatives and eventually became the Church-Wellesley Village. I drew much of this information from my favourite LGBT history resource, historian Hamish Copley’s The Drummer’s Revenge. On the scandal that kept Wood alive in public memory, Copley writes, “It’s become increasingly fashionable to claim that the rumours were made up by Wood’s enemies. Between homophobes on one side who’ve tried to erase homosexuality from Canadian history, and gay activists on the other who’ve tried to turn Wood into some kind of hero, Wood has been portrayed as a victim of a whisper campaign.” Wood’s statue is worth a visit; not as a monument to a hero or villain, but to a man as fallible or perverse or prone to goodness as the rest of us. Go to dailyxtra.com for an interview with Del Newbigging, the sculptor who created the Alexander Wood statue. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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OutintheCity

It’s nice to have a party that’s got such a huge demographic of people of colour. It’s hard to find queer parties anywhere that do that. Nino Brown E14

A beautiful romp

The ambiguous lesbian coffee date is a quintessential part of the queer woman’s experience. It goes like this: two women meet over coffee (or perhaps herbal tea), and one or both are unclear on the nature of their meeting. Is it a date? Are they just friends? Will they fuck? Should they rent a U-Haul? Daniel MacIvor’s A Beautiful View plays like a lifelong version of this scenario. Two 20-something women, known only as M and L, meet in a camping goods store and strike up a conversation about their shared fear of bears. Over the next two decades, they drop in and out of each other’s lives, through a long friendship complicated by a sexual tension neither of them totally understands. “It’s a kind of existential romp,” says Ross Manson, director of Volcano Theatre’s current production. “It’s both delightfully quirky and startlingly insightful. What should just be silly ends up being heart-wrenching. It’s truly a masterpiece of Canadian theatre.” First staged in Toronto in 2006, the original production featured MacIvor’s long-time friends and collaborators Caroline Gillis and Tracy Wright. A Beautiful View is the kind of theatre MacIvor has made his signature: plays that use whatever fiction exists within them as a sort of ironic pretence to talk about something larger. In this case, he takes on a near universal sub-

Becky Johnson (left) and Amy Rutherford, in A Beautiful View. HILDA LOBINGER

ject, that of friendship, which is rarely seen as a subject in drama. An occasional sticking point for both audiences and critics is how precisely to categorize the play. Like the ambiguous lesbian coffee date, the action reads very differently depending on your perspective. In fact, the question of how to categorize what happens in the play becomes a focal point of the work itself. “MacIvor understands extremely well that categorizing something can narrow it,” Manson says. “It’s not a queer play, just as it’s not a straight play. It’s a play about love and how indefinable and fragile love between two people can be.” —Chris Dupuis A Beautiful View runs Thurs, Feb 27–Sun, March 9 at Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St. volcano.ca

Goodnight Desdemona director Carly Chamberlain.

Shakespeare: remixed Ann-Marie MacDonald is one of Canada’s great- through the rabbit hole (or in this case, a garbage est cultural assets (a fact that both Oprah and the can) into The Bard’s canon, where she encounters governor general have agreed on), so when one a host of familiar folks: Tybalt, Romeo, Iago and of her plays is produced, it’s a good idea to grab Othello. Of course, the best scenes are with Desa ticket. When the play in question is her classic demona, Juliet and Constance, winding their way comedy Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning through everything from sex to identity to the Juliet), attendance is mandatory. F-word: feminism. “It is an intensely intelligent, It’s a safe bet that the upcoming Hart House joyful love letter to Shakespeare and a celebration Theatre production will be a hot seller; the com- of feminism,” director Carly Chamberlain says. pany’s been on a solid streak lately, with a strong “It’s over 25 years later, and this is still a big deal!” production of Twelfth Night back in Don’t come expecting passive November. It’s great to see them close heroines of yore. MacDonald’s suGOODNIGHT DESDEMONA (GOOD out their season with a Canadian play, perb writing allows these newly posiMORNING JULIET) headed by a powerhouse cast that tioned characters to help Constance Fri, Feb 28–Sat, March 8 Hart House Theatre includes Cydney Penner, Katie Rifind her own identity. “What could be 7 Hart House Circle bout and Theatre Inamorata’s Lesley more important than that?” Chamuofttix.ca Robertson. berlain asks. “It is only with strong The award-winning play was writself-worth that we can truly be generten in 1990, has been mounted around the world, ous, loving and make our greatest contributions to and plays out like Shakespeare remixed. The play- the world — free from fear. Of course, she goes on within-a-play-within-a-subconscious sees Con- that journey within two hours on our stage. But for stance, a modern-day, mousy academic, going the rest of us, it’s a lifelong journey.” —Ryan G Hinds MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

MARRIED TO MUSICALS with a particular song. Because of how it’s Wondering how to spend a Saturday night constructed, a huge amount of the story is left alone has plagued single folks since fasting to the interpretation of the team.” before Sunday communion fell out of fashion. Sportelli is well versed in Sondheim’s Marry Me a Little opens with two New Yorkers catalogue, having worked on productions pondering this question musically. of nearly all his shows. Though he’d Known only as Young Man and never seen Marry Me before this Young Woman, the pair navigate production, he knew many of the their respective evenings of songs from his days playing in solitude in separate bachelor New York piano bars. apartments, stacked on top Like many gay men, his love of each other. of musical theatre dates back First staged off-Broadway to childhood. His mother was in 1980, Marry Me was the a regular performer in smallbrainchild of Craig Lucas and town Connecticut community Norman René, creators of the theatre, and she would often Paul Sportelli hit musical Prelude to a Kiss take him to rehearsals. While the (later adapted as the considerother kids were chucking rocks in the ably less successful Meg Ryan film). parking lot, Sportelli was inside mesmerConceived as a sort of salvage project for ized by the action onstage. That spark led to a Stephen Sondheim’s “trunk songs,” the revuecareer that now spans three decades. style piece builds its story almost entirely with “I was playing piano for musicals by the time tunes cut from Sondheim’s other shows. I was in grade school,” he says. “I think my fate “It’s a very open piece, in terms of the was pretty much sealed then.” —Chris Dupuis concept and the lyrics,” says Paul Sportelli, musical director of Tarragon Theatre’s current Marry Me a Little runs Wed, March 5–Sun, production. “In rehearsals, we’re constantly April 6, at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave. asking ourselves what a certain lyric means tarragontheatre.com in this context and what story we want to tell

XTRA! FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 13

YES YES WE CAN! COVER STORY

INTERVIEW BY PHIL VILLENEUVE PHOTOS BY N MAXWELL LANDER

Toronto’s most diverse dance party turns five

The world of hip hop is all about boasting. Who’s the biggest, who’s the best, who’s wearing the most expensive labels possible on their body. So it’s not so out of place for Toronto’s Yes Yes Y’all crew to stick out their chests and big up themselves in light of their thriving hip-hop and dancehall jam turning five this month. The five members of the posse have a lot to be proud of. Their monthly dance bash has been a firecracker since its inception in 2009, and thanks to their belief in community, queer talent and bubble butts, the party shows no signs of slowing down.

14 FEB 20–MARCH 5 XTRA!

ILA STUNTS (ILA KAVANAUGH)

Xtra: How did Yes Yes Y’all come to be?

ILA: We DJed parties in Toronto

together before . . . Sticky Fingers, Hump Day Bump. L-ROCK: We all DJed separately and were already friends. NINO BROWN: Then basically, we ended up in a relationship together. L-ROCK: Yeah, a five-way poly relationship . . . It’s a small queer world. Did you have a mandate for the bash in the beginning or did it evolve?

L-ROCK: I think we had an intention

for the party and what we wanted it to be. SAMMY: But we didn’t have any expectation about the party growing to what it’s become. ILA: It wasn’t contrived. SAMMY: I remember the first party,

YES YES JILL (JILL FOSTER)

we thought 50 people would show up, then there was a lineup around the block. YES YES JILL: Then our biggest worry was “Oh no, we need more coat-check tickets!” L-ROCK: Back then we were renting the equipment ourselves and setting the party up — SAMMY: — in a youth hostel at King and Spadina called Global Village Backpackers. We would trash the fuck out of the place. Now that baby is grown up, how do you think it turned out?

L-ROCK: I think it’s one of the most

diverse queer parties in Toronto because of gender, race and all sorts. NINO: I haven’t been to a party anywhere in the world that seems as diverse, and we really tried hard to

have a specific type of person come, and all that was was an open-minded person. Of course it’s queer-friendly, but we are also straight-positive. ILA: That was our mandate from the beginning. We were straight-friendly but with zero tolerance for any kind of homophobia or transphobia — anything aggressive. NINO: And it’s nice to have a party that’s got such a huge demographic of people of colour. It’s hard to find queer parties anywhere that do that. L-ROCK: And I think strategically, we did it at a place in the city that was easily accessible for the east end and west end. NINO: And we can see that it’s reaching out to the GTA now, too. We have the suburbs coming out; there’s double the amount of people if you include them. And that happens to be very diverse

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

L- ROCK

SAMMY ROYALE

NINO BROWN

(LIAM SKINNER)

(SAMMY RAWAL)

out there, too, and luckily for us, people caught on, and in five years the numbers aren’t really dropping. SAMMY: It’s actually growing still. Why hip hop and dancehall always and forever?

NINO: We lied when we said we didn’t

set out with a specific agenda, because we most certainly did. And that was to have a queer, safe-space party that didn’t have to rely on pop, house and techno. We like hip hop and dancehall, and a lot of queer people look down upon that because there is a lot of homophobic content in it. But if you love it as much as we do, then you can find the good stuff. What about the homophobic artists and lyrics in so much of the music?

L-ROCK: It all depends on what the

lyrical content is. For the most part, we’re careful about listening to the lyrics and hearing what’s actually being said, and we’re not going to necessarily play it if the lyrics are explicitly violent or homophobic. There’s a bit of room for what you can play with, because there’s a song like “Ramping Shop,” by Vybz Kartel, with the lyrics “Man to man/gyal to gyal/ dat’s wrong.” SAMMY: But we cut the lyric and all yell out “That’s bomb!” instead. NINO: Hip hip and dancehall are very much a part of Toronto’s culture. So you can’t really deny that music because most of us grew up with that being our guardianship. For me at least, dancehall and hip hop were so much a part of my upbringing that I needed to find the stuff that I identify with, because most of it I do.

(ANEELA QURESHI)

Tell us about your favourite guests. Y’all bring in some amazing queer talent to the city.

SAMMY: That’s also what sets us apart

from other parties, is that we bring in international talent, like Angel Haze, Lady, House of Ladosha, Yo Majesty, Bonjay. JILL: Zebra Katz, Le1f, Mike Q. NINO: For the fifth anniversary party, we have Princess Nokia, who I think is going to blow up. She’s from Harlem and raps like Lil’ Kim.

queer-ally hip hop and dancehall happening right now. We even see it with Beenie Man apologizing for his past comments. You can see a shift happening in the culture, and I think we knew that all along. SAMMY: We have a good pulse on that shift. NINO: It’s got a long way to go, but it’s happening. How does this shift reflect in the people who attend?

L-ROCK: Where is there a Why these artists?

space that’s ever proven to be a good balance of queer and straight? You just don’t find that. Things are generally queer or straight-based. ILA: If they go too straight, shit goes down. We’re really mindful about our

YES YES Y’ALL: FIFTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY Fri, Feb 21, 10pm Coda, 794 Bathurst St

LILA: We’re fans, and we do our research. We’re paying attention to what is happening. SAMMY: I think there’s a total zeitgeist of queer hip hop happening right now. NINO: There’s a lot of queer and

crowd and their safety. Anybody can come, but no bullshit. JILL: People want to dance to hip hop and dancehall, but they can’t go to a regular club in the city because they don’t feel safe. ILA: Straight people love our party. NINO: They can take their top off and not care; no one will bother them. What do you see for the future of Yes Yes Y’all?

NINO: I think we’re all riding on the

momentum. SAMMY: Right now we’re able to afford

to bring in bigger names and talent, especially with WorldPride coming. NINO: We have some nice surprises, so I don’t feel like we’ll be shutting down anytime soon. L-ROCK: Maybe we’ll do our second Xtra cover for the 10th anniversary!

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special workshops, and seek the support of Supporting Our Youth’s community mentors. For more info, contact jcaffery@ sherbourne.on.ca. Every Monday, 5:30–8pm. Sherbourne Health Centre, 2nd floor, 333 Sherbourne St. Free. soytoronto.org

A peer-led support group for gay men working through substance abuse issues. Takes place the first and third Tuesday of each month. Tues, March 4, 6–8pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. pr2r.org

Bisexual Women of Toronto

Idiot’s Delight

A peer-support and discussion group focused on community and solidarity. Thurs, March 6, 8–10pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. torontobinet.org

A host of eccentric and international figures — arms dealers, showgirls, revolutionaries and lovers — spend a weekend in the Italian Alps while the dark clouds of war roll in. Runs until Sat, March 1, various showtimes. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, Distillery Historic District. Cost varies. soulpepper.ca

Positive Routes to Recovery

Tea Time: Mapping Informal Networks of Women Living with HIV

FOR MORE EVENT LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

COMEDY & CABARET Chris Tsujiuchi’s Christerical Jazz Cabaret The cabaret marvel returns to the Pubaret with special guests Scott Christian, Matt Marcoccia, Anthony Rinaldi and Ross MacIntyre. Sun, Feb 23, 8pm. The Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St. $10 advance, $15 door. pubaret.com

Live Staged Reading of Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy All five members of Kids in the Hall perform a live reading of the 1996 film, including a debut screening of the film’s original ending. Tues, March 11, 8pm. Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 190 Princes’ Boulevard. $39. torontosketchfest.com

HEALTH & ISSUES

Gay Trivia

The 519 Legal Clinic

Drag divas Gina Hamilton and Bunni Lapin host a night of outrageous trivia and fabulous prizes. Every Tuesday, 9pm. O’Grady’s, 518 Church St. Free. ogradyschurch.ca

A free, accessible service for low-income people. Volunteer lawyers provide legal advice, referrals and help with forms and letters. The confidential and private visits are first-come, first-served. Bring any necessary documents. Every Thursday; registration 6–6:30pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. the519.org

Queer As Fuck: New Talent Night The creator of Laughs at Slack’s presents a twice-monthly comedy night in the west end. Features a lineup of queer and queerfriendly comics. Wed, Feb 26, 9:15pm. The Steady Café, 1051 Bloor St W. PWYC. thesteadycafe.com

Paul Bellini’s Liar Liar Pants on Fire Guests tell dubious tales, and audience members are challenged to decide whether the stories are true. Thurs, March 6, 7:30pm. The Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St. No cover. pubaret.com

Bondassage for singles and couples — Good for Her, Sat, Feb 22

FTM Support Group Trans men share their experiences in a supportive environment. Takes place the first and third Friday of each month. For more information, contact ftmtoronto@ yahoo.ca. Fri, Feb 21 and Fri, March 7, 7:30pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. the519.org

SOY Monday Night Drop-In Queer youth ages 14 to 29 gather to watch movies, participate in art projects and

Komunka While the Olympics are going on in Sochi, six tenants in a communal apartment in Moscow try to answer two questions that have plagued Russia for centuries. This is a workshop of a play, and attendance is by invitation only. To be invited, contact komunka@yahoo.ca. Sun, Feb 23, 2–8pm. Glad Day Bookshop, 598 Yonge St. Free. gladdaybookshop.com

LEISURE & PLEASURE The Daisy Theatre — Factory Theatre, until Sun, Feb 23 RONNIE BURKETT

Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. PWYC–$20. buddiesinbadtimes.com

This launch of Jessica Whitbread’s book, on connecting women living with HIV in Canada, is also a celebration of the women who helped her in her studies. Sat, Feb 22, 1–4pm. The Toronto Fringe Creation Lab, Unit 403, 720 Bathurst St. Free. jessicawhitbread.com

Queer Fear: Lost Boys A screening of the 1987 film The Lost Boys, starring a sort of hot Kiefer Sutherland and the “sexually questionable” Corey Haim. This is part of a screening series aimed at bringing the fiercest skeletons out of the closet. Wed, Feb 26, 8pm. Videofag, 187 Augusta Ave. Free. videofag.com

Carole Pope Returns The lesbian rock goddess performs up close and confidential. Fri, Feb 28, 9pm. The Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St. $20 advance, $25 door. pubaret.com

The Queer Family Mixer Queer parents, grandparents, caregivers and their children are invited to meet other such families while enjoying snacks, activities and discussion. Takes place the first Saturday of each month. Sat, March 1, 10:30am–1:30pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. the519.org

Queer Confessions: An LGBTQ Memoir Reading Series Various community members tell their tales, including David Bateman and Ricardo Rodriguez. Takes place the first Thursday of each month. Thurs, March 6, 7pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. queerconfessions.com

PLAYS & MUSICALS Ronnie Burkett’s The Daisy Theatre Burkett performs his queerest marionette show to date, with characters ranging from a crossdressing British major-general to a gay rabbit named Jim Bunny. Runs until Sun, Feb 23, various showtimes. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St. $30. factorytheatre.ca

Shrew Bianca cannot marry until her older sister, Katherina does. Unfortunately, in this unique take on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, Kate is the wildest, loudest, maddest shrew in the Klondike. Runs until Sun, March 2, various showtimes. The Storefront Theatre, 955 Bloor St W. PWYC–$19.99. redonetheatre.com

The Wanderers A father and son escape the horrors of war in Afghanistan, only to be haunted by a mysterious presence that reminds them of the devastation they escaped. Runs Sat March 1–Sun, March 23, various showtimes. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. PWYC–$37. buddiesinbadtimes.com

SEX & BURLESQUE Bondassage for Singles and Couples Workshop Lady Viktoria introduces participants to the ultimate in kinky sensual massage. To register, contact 416-588-0900. Sat, Feb 22, noon–2:30pm. Good for Her, 175 Harbord St. $33. goodforher.com

Sapphic Aquatica Women and trans people enjoy a sauna, outdoor heated pool, plush playrooms and ice-breaker games. Takes place the last Sunday of each month. Sun, Feb 23, 8pm– 2am. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. $20. oasisaqualounge.com

Latin Night Horny hunks enjoy Latin music and decorations, games, sea-salt scrubs, a 50/50 draw and a safe-sex workshop. Thurs, Feb 27, 8–11pm. Spa Excess, 105 Carlton St. Regular rates apply. spaexcess.com

CLUBS Thurs, Feb 20

Steers and Queers Nancy Bocock, Judy Virago, Axel Blows and the House of Shimmy perform while DJs Joe Blow, Katie Richie and Sigourney Beaver spin honkytonk. Suggested dress code: one-piece long underwear, boots. 9pm. Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave. thedakotatavern.com Spooky Bitch Jenna Syde and Allysin Chaynes dig up classic goth industrial, new wave, post punk, death rock and shoe-gaze hits. 11pm–2am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. thebeavertoronto.com

Fri, Feb 21 Woody’s Friday Toronto Gay Hockey Association’s annual Jock Auction, sponsored by Pump Underwear and hosted by Sofonda Cox, at 9pm; Cruiseline’s Best Men’s Ass Contest, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Jada Hudson and DJ Mark Falco, at midnight. Woody’s, 465-467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com Le Kif Kif DJ Sticky Cuts and guest are on decks for the east-end queer crowd the third Friday of every month. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. waylabar.com Pop Asia: After School DJ Sumation spins top 40, house, electro, K-pop and J-pop. Performance by the DestinAsian Dance Crew. 10pm. Fly, 8 Gloucester St. No cover before midnight, $4 after. flynightclub.com Barber Shop: LumberJacked DJs Michael K and Mumbles (Vancouver) throw down for plaid-clad west-enders. 10pm. The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St W. No cover before 10:30pm, $5 after. barbershopto.ca Birthday Sex DJs Diego Bros spin ’90s to 2000s R&B and hip hop, with birthday shout-outs and requests encouraged. 10pm. The Shop at Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St W. No cover before 11pm, $5 after. facebook. com/partsandlabourto DFMO DJs John Caffery and Phil V encourage dancefloor tongue wrestling, with a performance by Igby Lizzard. 10:30pm. Buddies, 12 Alexander St. $5. buddiesinbadtimes.com It’s Hot Out DJs KiKiLeaks and CBB spin queer hip hop and hot dance jams. 11pm–2am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. beavertoronto.com

Boylesque TO’s Boylympics Toronto’s all-boy burlesque troupe presents the only sports event that matters this winter. Features cold sports and hot men, such as Dew Lily, Wrong Note Rusty and James & The Giant Pasty. Fri, Feb 28, 9pm. Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St W. $22 advance, $28 door. leespalace.com

The 35th Rhubarb Festival For two weeks, Buddies in Bad Times and the surrounding area become a hotbed of artistic experimentation, featuring new works in performance art, dance, music and more. Runs until Sun, Feb 23, various showtimes. Buddies in

16 FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 XTRA!

Drag Race viewing parties — Mon, Feb 24 & Tues, Feb 25 OUTTV

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

SCENE Sat, Feb 22

Naked Dance TNT!Men hosts the monthly au naturel party. 4–9pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $8, $5 members, $4 students. tntmen.org Blood, Sweat & Queers: Sissydude Edition Party with the king of internet sexy! Sissydude salon and dinner party, with DJ Grant Heaps, 7–10pm. Sissydude celebration, with DJ Phil V, 10pm–2am. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. $5. sissydude.com

Woody’s Saturday The Riverside Campground Red Hot Event, at 8pm; Squirt.org Best Men’s Ass Contest, hosted by Sofonda, with Devine Darlin and DJ Chris Steinbach, at midnight. Woody’s, 465-467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com Feminist Porn Awards Fundraiser CuePoc and Good for Her raise a bit of cash, with DJs Sissy Fuss and Chantelle Eff, host Hiba Al-a-Mode, raffle prizes and porn screening. 9pm–3am. Cold Tea, 60 Kensington Ave. No cover before 11pm, $5–15 after. goodforher.com/feminist_porn_awards Crush: Grease Lightning Drag kings The Yes Men bring your Danny and Kenickie fantasies to life. Hosted by I’d Tap That. Fifties attire encouraged. All-welcoming;

sexually respectful folks only. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10. id-tap-that.com Sin DJs Chez and Dwayne Minard spin house and electro beats for the bearish, anything-goes crowd. No dress code. 10pm–4am. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. $5 before midnight, $10 after. blackeagletoronto.com Wayne’s Girls DJs Garth and Wayne welcome Delaware with rock-and-roll classics. 10pm. Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St W. henhousetoronto.com Sissyboy Hissyfit DJ Orange Pekoe and guest MC Jazz spin top 40 and dance faves for pretty boys, prancers and bottom wigglers. 11pm–2am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. $5. beavertoronto.com

Sun, Feb 23 Underbear DJ Stephen Knight spins a fundraising underwear party for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. 4–10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com Stumpgrinding: Flaming furs, fiery fashion DJs Mary Mack and ChooZe spin house, pop, electro, post-punk, R&B, hip hop, soca and more for the hawt-couture crowd. 11pm–2am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. beavertoronto.com

Mon, Feb 24 Drag Race Viewing Party Scarlett Bobo and Daytona Bitch host the dinner and bitchfest every Monday, with Bradley serving up food and libations. 8pm. The 8th Deadly Sin, 6 Gloucester St. No cover. the8th.ca OUTtv Drag Race Viewing Party D’Amanda Tension, Roxy Rollover, Michael Ain and Alfredo Scaini dish, host, throw shade and give away prizes. 8:30– 10:30pm. Pegasus, 489B Church St. No cover. outtv.ca

Tues, Feb 25 Dinner and a Drag Race The House of Filth girls return to host a screening of RuPaul’s Drag Race, followed by Untucked. Performances by Judy Virago, Igby Lizzard, Nancy Bocock and Allysin Chaynes. 8:30pm. Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St W. No cover. henhousetoronto.com

Wed, Feb 26 Club120 Wednesday Open-mic for comedians, magicians, illusionists and burlesque performers; hosted by Sasha Van Bon Bon and Rob Testa. Featuring performances by comics Mandy Goodhandy, Dawn Whitwell, Andy Fruman, Steven Pryce and Amish Patel. Open-mic performers must arrive by 8:45pm. 8pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $8, $5 guest list (toddklinck@gmail. com). club120.ca

Thurs, Feb 27 Crews & Tangos Thursday The Butch & The Bitch, with Tyler Uptight and Daytona Bitch, at 9pm; DJ Craig Dominic in Tangos and Vocal Rehab karaoke, with Elyse, in the Zone, both at 10pm; Drama Queens, with Ivory Towers and guests, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com Ladyplus Party DJ Todd Klinck spins for the meet-and-socialize event for T-girls, their friends, allies and admirers. Spontaneous T-girl go-go shows and

private VIP dances throughout the night. 8pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $5 before 11pm, $10 after. club120.ca

Fri, Feb 28 Wack Slacks: Frozen Edition The DJ throws down ’90s dance hits, from Madonna to Roxette. 11pm–2am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. beavertoronto.com

Sat, March 1 Tramp DJ Jacqie Jaguar on decks for the dykes, rug munchers, femmes, hussies and lezzies. This is a party for femaleidentified folks, but all respectful people are welcome. 10pm. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. No cover. thesteadycafe.com Fake Prom The GTA Rollergirls host their 6th annual fundraising evening of fun and games, with DJs B-Radio and Apex Hunter. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10, $5 for skaters with insurance. gtarollergirls.com Tapette DJ Phil V spins franco-fag for the steamy west-end dance party. Special performance by Barbie Jo Bontemps. 10pm. Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St W. No cover before 11pm, $5 after. henhousetoronto.com

BT 4 LG AL 201 V O , I T T 1 ON FES NE R U TO ILM O J F 2T 2 AY M

I N S I D E O U T F O U R - PL AY S C R E E N I N G S ER I ES

Reaching for the Moon (Flores Raras) Rio de Janeiro in the 1950s provides the stunning backdrop for Reaching for the Moon, which chronicles the passionate yet tempestuous love affair between Pulitzer prize-winning American poet, Elizabeth Bishop, and Brazilian architect, Lota de Macedo Soares.

Short Circuit DJ The Robotic Kid spins Italo and nu disco, deep house and robo wave. No dress code.10:30pm–2am. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com

Best Feature Film Audience Award - 2013 Toronto LGBT Film Festival & 2013 Frameline Film Festival. Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film Audience Award - 2013 Outfest Film Festival **Portuguese with English subtitles**

Party Gras 2014 DJ/producer Cajjmere Wray spins heavy on the house beats for the boys drenched in purple and gold beads. Surprise live performance. 11pm. Byzantium, 499 Church St. No cover. byz.ca

TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King St. W.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 7:30PM Single Tickets - General $12 | Members/Seniors/Student ID $10 For more details or to purchase tickets online, visit:

Sun, March 2 Woody’s Sunday Hollywoody Broadway Show, co-hosted by Mahogany Brown and Brooke Lynn Hytes, at 6pm; Old School, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Michelle Ross, at 9 pm; Five Smokin’ Hot Divas, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Devine Darlin, Tynomi Banks, Kitanya and DJ Blue Peter, at 11pm. Woody’s, 465-467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com

Mon, March 3 WAYLA’s ’90s Trivia Night Kaleb Robertson and Miss Fluffy Soufflé take turns hosting the retro quiz event, with dance moves, audio clues and more. Madonna, Nirvana and Fly Girls galore. 7pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St W. No cover. waylabar.com, kalebrobertson.ca Singular Sensation: A Musical-Theatre Open Mic Amateur crooners perform their favourite show tunes with a live band every Monday night. Hosted by Jennifer Walls. 10pm–1am. Statlers, 487 Church St. No cover.

Tues, March 4 Rock & Retro DJ Chris Steinbach hits the turntables, while Lee turns the Bad Boy Prize Wheel. 8pm. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodytoronto.com Industry Night DJ Quinces spins top 40, hip hop, reggae, Latin pop, house, moombahton and more. 10pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com

Wed, March 5 Toronto Drag Kings Tyler Uptight, Cameron, Kenny and Chase Manning perform in the weekly drag-king show. Every Wednesday. 11pm–2am. Zipperz/ Cellblock, 72 Carlton St. No cover. facebook.com/zipperz

Volcano presents

A BEAUTIFUL VIEW By Daniel MacIvor

Starring Becky Johnson and Amy Rutherford Directed by Ross Manson Presented in association with BeMe Theatre, Munich

“ Factory Studio Theatre $25 full price $20 students, seniors & arts workers PWYC March 4

Süddeutsche Zeitung (Munich, 2012)

Submit your event listing to listings@dailyxtra.com. Deadline for the March 6 issue is Wed, Feb 26. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

XTRA! FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 17

1

3

XPOSED 1E Pageboy haircut, faux-fur

2 5

4

6

coat, lace body suit: Kayla over here is extremely on point at the first anniversary for Regretro at the Henhouse. Jiz-worthy. 2E TK and Pascal’s faces tell the whole story of just what kind of shit-show of love the Regretro party was. It’s this kind of joie that probably kept this party going for the last year. 3E Emad did some DJing at Unfriendly Bitch, and Cameron pressed up the craft drag on crack. That paper bag has lipstick and a blonde ponytail. A fucking Barbie-level ponytail. Could you just die? 4E J/A/L’s face is the perfect stink-face. The disco-ball hat and the snap-on bow tie really make the pure stink-face stand out, like the most perfect framing for a beautiful piece of art. I think J/A/L should be the face of the next poster for Unfriendly Bitch at The Beaver. Like really, can you get any more unfriendly or bitchy than this? 5E It was chilly out the night of Vogue Ball, so Davey came prepared with his best feather boa,

ANNA POURNIKOVA PHOTOS BY BECCA LEMIRE

which provides just enough coverage to keep the flu at bay but not so much that you hide your money-maker of a bod away from the adoring public. Smart man. 6E The Vogue Ball at Harbourfront was so incredibly rife with talent Becca had a panic attack in the bathroom at one point. Check out Alistair here and his lovely outfit, inspired by Leigh Bowery. Oh swoon. 7E Jo, François and Benjamin were prancing through the Vogue Ball in all the things I love in life: eyelashes that read from the back of the room, cut-off athletic jerseys and one well-waxed dandy mustache. It’s more of an ensemble piece than a star of the show, this trio, but all the best acts are. 8E Mitchell bears a striking resemblance to a 1980s Rick Astley in that green plaid-onplaid suit, and I say that in the nicest way possible; that suit is beautiful and it matches him to a tee. Adamo, by his side, ain’t so bad either. Perfect 10. 9E Sexy couple Darlene and Julie did it up on the dancefloor for Joseph and The Mercurials’ show at Soho House. That place has so much skin-tight leather and perfect blowouts flipping around, you’d think it was upper Manhattan in the late 1970s in there.

Xposed appears in every other issue of Xtra. For this week’s Deep Dish column, by Rolyn Chambers, visit dailyxtra.com.

8

7 18 FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 XTRA!

9 TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

E indexdirectory.ca

Mortgages Investors Group Financial Services – Kenton Waterman 416-860-1668 Linda Rudolph at The Mortgage Centre 416-282-1677

Moving & Storage

THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN TORONTO Accountants Ms Hema Murdock, CA 416-696-6653 Susan Calverley MBA, MSc, CMA 416-605-1553

Automotive Sales & Leasing Ken Shaw Lexus 416-776-0055

G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

Construction G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

Bars & Clubs

Newbright Construction 416-985-8639

Fly Nightclub 416-410-5426

Contracting & Renovations

Butchers

G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

St Jamestown Steak & Chops 416-925-7665

Cheese Shops

Counselling

Leslieville Cheese Market 416-465-7143

CareerCycles.com careercycles.com

Chiropractors

Change4U2 416-827-7578

gesund 416-913-5170

Churches Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto 416-406-6228

David Moulton, MEd Canadian Certified Counsellor davidmoulton.ca

Fashion Take a Walk on the Wildside TM 416-921-6112

Florists Astra Florists astraflorists.com

Foundation Repairs Basement Waterproofing G J MacRae Foundation Repair 905-824-2557 G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

Gardening Davenport Garden Centre 416-929-7222

Graphic Design Mixtape Strategy mixtapestrategy.com

Health & Fitness Evolution Fitness 416-220-7883

David W Routledge (MSW, RSW) Psychotherapist 416-944-1291

Health Foods & Nutrition

Phillip Coupal Counselling 416-557-7312

Home Improvement & Repairs

Dental Services Adelaide Dental 416-429-0150

Basement Waterproofing G J MacRae Foundation Repair 905-824-2557

Broadview Dental Clinic 416-466-6400

Bryant Renovations 416-260-0818

Concierges

Dr Kevin Russelo & Associates 416-966-0117

As You Wish Concierge 647-208-2884

Galleria Dental, Dr Iudita Costache 416-534-9991

G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

Concrete – Contractors

Dog & Cat Grooming

Basement Waterproofing G J MacRae Foundation Repair 905-824-2557

Tailspin Dog Spa 416-920-7387

Fuel Plus 647-352-8807

Community Groups & Services Enterprise Toronto 416-392-6646

Computer Sales & Service Contemporary Computers ccomp.ca

Entertainment The Reading Salon thereadingsalon.ca

The Big Carrot 416-466-2129

Newbright Construction 416-985-8639

Insurance Kenton Waterman – Investors Group Financial Services 416-860-1668

ADVERTISE IN XTRA LIVING! Book your ad now! Call 416-664-5214 or email advertising.toronto@dailyxtra.com

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

DEC 2013–MAY 2014

Coffee Shops

Investment Services

Agility Moving & Storage Ltd 416-654-5029

Kenton Waterman – Investors Group Financial Services 416-860-1668

Naturopathy

Juice Bars

Painting

Juice Box 416-924-4671

Newbright Painting 416-985-8639

Lawyers Harvey L Hamburg 416-968-9054 Ivan Steele Law Office 647-342-0568 Law Office of El-Farouk Khaki 416-925-7227 Paul T Willis – Barrister & Solicitor, Notary Public 416-926-9806 Robert G Coates 416-925-6490 Timothy E Leahy – Forefront Migration Ltd 416-226-9889

Legal Services Craig Penney, Toronto Criminal Defence Lawyer 416-410-2266

Lighting Living Lighting on King 416-364-9099

Massage – Certified/ Registered gesund 416-913-5170 Japanese Male RMT 416-804-9248 The Power of Touch 647-330ALEX(2539)

gesund 416-913-5170

Personal Trainers Evolution Fitness 416-220-7883

Pet Care Tailspin Dog Spa 416-920-7387

Pet Stores & Supplies Helmutt’s Pet Supply 416-504-1265

St Jamestown Steak & Chops 416-925-7665

King Street treasures Cabbagetown gets Spruced up Roncesvalles renaissance Suit up for winter at MEC

Gaelen Patrick – Sutton Group Realty Systems Inc 416-801-9265 Roy Runions, Sales Representative RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd, Brokerage royrunions.com

Renovations & Restorations Bryant Renovations 416-260-0818 Newbright Construction 416-985-8639

Restaurants & Cafés C’est What? Brew/Vin Pub Restaurant 416-867-9499 Cora Breakfast & Lunch 27 Carlton St 416-340-1350 277 Wellington St W 416-598-2672 Hair of the Dog 416-964-2708

Pace Pharmacy and Compounding Experts 416-515-7223

The 8th Deadly Sin 416-960-3473

The Village Pharmacy 416-967-9221

Psychotherapy Bruce M Small, MSc Psychotherapist 416-598-4888

The Blake House 416-975-1867 The Churchmouse & Firkin 416-927-1735

Sex Shops Bed Time Toys bedtimetoys.ca

Nick Mulé, PhD, RSW Psychotherapist 416-926-9135

Condom Shack 416-596-7515

Publications

CJH Tax Services 647-270-8057

Pink Triangle Press 416-925-6665

Tax Services

Telecommunications

Xtra 416-925-6665

Acanac 416-849-8530

Radio Stations

Theatre

Proud FM 416-213-1035

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 416-975-8555

Nicholas Bohr – RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd, Brokerage 416-465-7850 Philip Kocev – Sales Representative 416-364-2036

THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN TORONTO

Nicholas Banks iPro Realty 877-306-4776

Pharmacies

Real Estate

Meats & Delicatessens

Real Estate Agents

RE/MAX Baywatch Ltd, Brokerage 705-756-7629 Theresa Forget, Sales Representative RE/MAX First Realty, Brokerage 905-686-3800

Veterinarians Blue Cross Animal Hospital 416-469-1121

Waterproofing Basement Waterproofing G J MacRae Foundation Repair 905-824-2557 G J MacRae Foundation Repair Service – Since 1975 905-824-2557

Websites dailyxtra.com 416-925-6665 Squirt.org squirt.org

XTRA! FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 19

Classifieds ANNOUNCEMENTS

PERSONAL

<<HEADER>> GROUPS

EROTIC MASSAGE

To place an ad, call 416-925-6665 x0 or book your line classiďŹ ed at classiďŹ eds.toronto@dailyxtra.com

HEALTH & FITNESS REGISTERED MASSAGE

EXPERIENTIAL EMBODIED EROTIC EXPLORATIONS

Married, Separated or Divorced Gay Father?

for Men

We’re here to support you on your journey. Our meetings are informal, FRQÀGHQWLDO DQG KHOSIXO Gay Fathers meet the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 8pm at the 519 Church Street Community Centre.

www.gayfathers-toronto.com

NEXT BOOKING DEADLINE: WED, FEB 26 @ 1PM

Weekend Touch Explorations Full-Day Erotic Experiments Afternoon Touch Exchanges Explore & Experience Erotic Sensual Touch Group or Individual Sessions

phillip@phillipcoupal.ca www.phillipcoupal.ca

FRIENDS MALE MATURE G.W.M. 55+ Single Non-smoker clean shaven squeezing, sucking, clamps plus shaved balls manipulation. Tel: 416-429-7706 evenings after 5.00 PM.

BE BOLD! Bold your line classiďŹ ed.

JACKIE LEESUN, EXPERIENCED Registered Massage Therapist with an innovative approach to treatment in the World of Movement. Massage Therapy Works 416-597-3903/416-566-4383

CLEANERS

Everything gay, every day. 20 FEB 20–MARCH 5, 2014 XTRA!

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4SEASONS MASSAGE THERAPY & WAXING Charles Guo, RMT Registered Massages, Waxing Hair Removal. Receipt for massage insurance. First Time Client 20% o waxing. 40 Wellesley St E, Ste 201. By appointment 416-944-3784 4seasonsmassage.ca

FRIENDLY, PROFESSIONAL & PRIVATE Specialized in combination deep tissue & relaxation. Trained in Swedish, Thai, Indian,Sport & Korean style acupressure point massage. Downtown, appointment only. Will - 416-910-7778

BRENT ROUSSEAU RMT For treatment of muscle injuries, pain and stress management, and enhancement of physical health and well being. Day, evening, and weekend appts. available. Insurance coverage, Visa accepted, free parking, 416-708-3996. Broadview/Danforth. brentrousseau.com

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER!

FULL BODY MASSAGE $60 /1hr - $90/$1.5hr. Enjoy a medium to deep pressure massage for a complete relaxation of the body. Avail Mon-Sun 11 am to 9pm. Call or text Marcos 647-881-1545. marcosmassage@gmial.com www.marcosmassagespa.com KEVIN SHORTT MASSAGE and Yoga Therapy: sensual, intimate bodywork with stretching. $15 o First Time Clients! Check out my website: www3.sympatico.ca/kshortt 416-961-8064

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES GAY MALE HOUSEKEEPER W/ 12 YRS EXP AS A BUTLER / HOUSE MANAGER W/ BEVERLY HILLS + UK EXPERIENCE. ALL CLEANING INCL. HEAVY CLEANING. LAUNDRY + ORGANIZING + SHOPPING+ ERRANDS. PROFICIENT AT PREPARING AND COOKING NUTRITIOUS MEALS. VERY RELIABLE + HARD WORKING CDN CITIZEN W/GREAT REFERENCES. CALL ENZO 416-500-7940

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HOME, CONDO & OFFICE CLEANERS call Tomas - 416.878.9527 email: info@ecoscleaning.com FULLY BONDED AND INSURED visit: www.ecoscleaning.com

LEGAL SERVICES

PAINTING

Newbright Painting

Commercial/Residential, Interior/Exterior Painting l Design & colour consultation Light Reno’s and Repairs l Window Cleaning l Better Business Bureau Celebrating 13 years in Xtra l References provided on request l Fully insured

Sean 416.985.8639 newbrightpainting@gmail.com

COUNSELLING

Counselling + Coaching + Bodywork Communication — Relationship — Life Skills Gay Men — Male Couples $ZDNHQ 6WXGLR 416-557-7312 — phillip@phillipcoupal.ca www.phillipcoupal.ca

HAIR/SKIN & BEAUTY

El-Farouk

Khaki Barrister & Solicitor Refugee & Immigration Law 5FM t 'BY FMĂśO !SPHFST DPN t FMGBSPVL@MBX!ZBIPP DB BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

ARRESTED? CHARGED? AGGRESSIVE CRIMINAL DEFENCE 416.410.2266

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NO MESS, NO FUSS, JUST SUPERIOR WORKMANSHIP

NEW THOUGHT THERAPY Personalized Eective Conversations. Depression, Anxiety, Gender, Sexuality, Life/Executive Coaching Todd Kaufman, MDiv 647-230-2068 Genesissquared.com. See our ad in this issue of Xtra

MOVERS

WWW.GANYMEDE.CA Professional hair removal by certiďŹ ed specialist. Waxing, electrolysis and laser. Clean, private, downtown location. By appointment only. Call Darcy at 416-979-8801.

EMPLOYMENT HAIR/SKIN & BEAUTY MALE, FEMALE, TRANS aordable hair removal services by friendly, discreet, experienced CERTIFIED Wax Technician, in an immaculate, upscale home Wax Clinic. Stephen (647)973-4247 or www.maircare.ca

Manhattan Moving Services Toronto's Award Winning Gay Owned Moving Company

manhattanmovingservice.ca 416.259.2181 TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

XTRA HOT

DRASKO BOGDANOVIC

STOREFRONT

BODY BREAK

WITH

Checking in with Jeremy: Week 6

NAME: BRUNO DUARTE AGE: 34 SIGN: ARIES

Bruno comes from Madeira, a Portuguese island 1,000 kilometres from the European continent that’s also the birthplace of Cristiano Ronaldo. Like Ronaldo, Bruno is a soccer player, and his favourite pieces of clothing are V-necks and Speedos. His ideal vacation would be “mostly beach, with a touch of culture,” and on a night out you’ll see him in a club dancing the night away. Bruno says the “freedom to be creative and showcase my passion for design” is the best thing about owning his own business, Fresh Floral Creations on Danforth Avenue. Inspired by nature and architecture, Bruno’s favourite quote is “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” freshflorals.com; Facebook: facebook.com/freshflorals; Instagram: brunofloral To comment on or become an Xtra Hot guy or gal, email Drasko at xtrahot@dailyxtra.com.

Keep things hot while the temperature drops. Bring a little Stag Shop home.

StagShop.com

TORONTO 532 Church St

There once was a thin Jeremy, a Jeremy whose shoulders were wider than his hips, whose sweaters didn’t make him look like a woolen bag of pudding, who could wear a medium-sized dress shirt without his stomach breaking through the buttons in a kind of pathetically slow and wobbly jailbreak. That Jeremy has been gone for years, destroyed by sitting around and eating a lot of shitty cafeteria food at university. Before he left, he bequeathed me his clothing, which I keep in two large plastic bins. He had quite a nice selection of wool and cashmere sweaters, and I plan to fit into them again one day. Do I seem mentally unbalanced? Obsessive? I’m not, really. I used to be. I used to get very upset when people compared me to thin Jeremy. Did you know that he modelled nude for a bit in his late teens? But I got over him. I want to get thinner, but I don’t crave it the way I did, and I only keep those clothes because I have a whole wardrobe waiting for me just 20 pounds away. I’ll get there. Last week I felt a bit sick, so I didn’t eat or train very well, but I still lost weight. My trainer, Sam, says that momentum is very important, and I think that I have great momentum, such that 1) even when I’m not training

Jeremy thinks he has great momentum. JASON WEBSTER

that well, my routine keeps me training well enough, and 2) dietary changes mean that my metabolism is quicker and can compensate for the occasional late-night bowl of pasta (though, as a general rule, I need to avoid those). I’m no longer sick, but this coming week is going to be hard. The workouts keep getting more difficult. Sam sneakily hands me heavier weights to lift, but

I’m usually too dazed and exhausted to fight back. Of course, if thin Jeremy had known enough to stick around, I wouldn’t have to do all this hard work. Oh well: I have that jerk’s sweaters. Screw you, thin Jeremy! For more information about Evolution Fitness and its team of experts, visit personaltrainerstoronto.com.

Xtra and the AIDS Committee of Toronto bring you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the SNAP! Live & Silent Auction Gala on Thursday, March 6. To enter, send your name and phone number to contest@dailyxtra.com before Friday, Feb 28. Some restrictions apply. Only winners will be contacted. er, send your name and phone number

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Island House Award-winning clothing-optional resort for men. Luxurious rooms. Poolside café and bar. Gym, sauna, steamroom, Jacuzzis. Poolside massage pavilion. 800-890-6284 or 305-294-6284 islandhousekeywest.com

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Historic Hideaways An exceptional collection of Key West Vacation Rentals with private or shared pools. Private homes, cozy cottages & condominiums. Weekly-Monthly-Seasonally. 800-654-5131 or 305-294- 3064 historichideaways.com

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Key West has been an island of open-minded thinking for more than a century. So whether you come here for the clear waters and stunning sunsets, or the vibrant cultural scene, you’ll find a safe harbor for whatever floats your boat. fla-keys.com/gaykeywest 305.294.4603

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