Xtra Toronto #781

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#781 OCT 2–15, 2014

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Our toast to 25 years of Woody’s E17–24

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2 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Brandon Matheson

#781 OCT 2–15, 2014 EUGEN SAKHNENKO

Roundup

XTRA Published by Pink Triangle Press TORONTO’S GAY& LESBIAN NEWS

FASHION

IF LOOKS COULD KILL Politics and fashion mix and clash in new Design Exchange exhibit E 26

Editorial Here we go again By Matthew DiMera E4 Feedback E4 Xcetera E5

Upfront

History Boys Da Vinci’s little devil By Michael Lyons E14

Special supplement

25 years of Woody’s Celebrating the vibrant history of Toronto’s greatest gay bar

Confronting suicide Study reveals gay men die from suicide more than HIV/AIDS E7

E17–24

Sean Hillier resigns Pride co-chair steps down E8

Arts roundup Jordan Tannahill’s Concord Floral, Dark Chocolate erotic tales and Operanation E25

Man attacked on Church Street Alleged assault took place near O’Grady’s E9 Election updates John Tory, Ward 27 and wishful thinking E10

Out in the City Playlisp Perfume Genius, the flaming pop star E28 What’s On E30

on dailyxtra.com E Community mourns death of Jim Deva E Daniel Paquette digs up Woody’s dish E Queers of colour shine in the second annual afteRock Plays E Toronto council candidate says Pride not about nudity MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Club Scene E31

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew DiMera ARTS EDITOR Phil Villeneuve ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andrew Jacome COPY EDITOR Lesley Fraser STAFF REPORTER HG Watson EVENT LISTINGS: listings@dailyxtra.com CONTRIBUTE OR INQUIRE about Xtra’s editorial content: matthew.dimera@dailyxtra.com, andrew.jacome@dailyxtra.com, phil.villeneuve@dailyxtra.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Drasko Bogdanovic, Kyle Burton, Rolyn Chambers, Nathaniel Christopher, Chris Dupuis, Tony Fong, David Hawe, JP Larocque, Becca Lemire, Erica Lenti, Jeffrey Luscombe, Michael Lyons, Alistair Newton, Anna Pournikova, Kevin Ritchie, Eduardo Sabate, Rob Salerno, Alejandro Santiago, Sissydude, Mike Vichnitchkine, Johnnie Walker, Jeremy Willard ART & PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lucinda Wallace GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Darryl Mabey, Bryce Stuart, Landon Whittaker

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Xposed By Anna Pournikova E32

Daily Xtra Travel Palm Springs is more than just ‘gay and grey’ E34 Classifieds E36 Xtra Hot By Drasko Bogdanovic E37 COVER PHOTO BY DAVID HAWE (SPECIAL THANKS TO GEORGIE GIRL, DEAN AND STEVE FOR THEIR HELP)

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XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 3

Comment EDITORIAL MATTHEW DIMERA

4 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

Tim McCaskell would like this to be “a dead issue,” but as long as QuAIA continues its hypocritical and very vocal stance, there is no reason to believe it is dead at all. Tory is right. The QuAIA mantra doesn’t belong at Pride — it has nothing to do with gays, and it isn’t even honest in its declarations. KEN DAILYXTRA.COM

Doug Ford and Pride The mayor represents the people and should therefore represent all the people, not just the straight ones [“Doug Ford Won’t Commit to Attending Pride Parade,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 24]. He shouldn’t be running for mayor if he’s not prepared to support all of his constituents. CHRISTOPHER PARR FACEBOOK

The last thing happy people want is someone in their midst who doesn’t want to be. There is no victory or celebration in this. HOWARD WELLS FACEBOOK

I think Jesus will make his “second coming” long before Doug Ford marches in any gay pride parade. MARKKU VUORENSIVU FACEBOOK

John Tory is gay-positive. I know [many] won’t support him because, as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, he supported state funding of religious schools (including Muslim schools). But Doug Ford is just too crass. We need a centrist mayor like Tory (rather than a far-right mayor like Ford or a far-left mayor like Chow) to bring the city of Toronto together on the things that we can all agree on, like better transit and less wasteful spending at city hall. BRENT S DAILYXTRA.COM

MAGNOTTA TRIAL JURY SELECTION TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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E9

PROUD POLITICS E11

ANN-MARIE MACDONALD

E20

LAMBDA RETREAT E 22

The scandalous life of author Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco E18

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Xtra is published by Pink Triangle Press, at 2 Carlton St, Ste 1600, Toronto, M5B 1J3.

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RE: GAY MEN AND SUICIDE

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The outcome that we seek is this — gay and lesbian people daring together to set love free.

John Tory is right [“John Tory Says QuAIA Has No Place in Pride Parade,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 20]. Yes, Pride has always been about politics — gay liberation politics. What does a proPalestinian group have to do with gay liberation politics? Absolutely nothing. Why is a group that has nothing to do with gay politics or gay life allowed to hijack the Pride parade year after year?

dailyxtra.com

Matthew DiMera is the new managing editor of Xtra.

John Tory and QuAIA

I believe we would have less suicide in our community if we learned to have more compassion for each other and ourselves.

More at

That was the feeling in the Xtra newsroom when mayoral hopeful and current frontrunner John Tory announced recently that he would vote to deny funding to Toronto’s Pride celebrations if Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) were allowed to continue to march in the annual parade. At a Sept 19 afternoon debate held at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies and then again that night at an LGBT issues debate, Tory held his ground and reiterated his view that the phrase “Israeli apartheid” is hateful and has no place at city-funded events. To his credit, and despite accusations that he was trying to score political points with supporters of Israel, Tory was merely repeating the same position he has taken publicly several times before. Less to his credit was the subsequent release by his campaign team of a list of prominent LGBT endorsements, in what seemed like a clumsy attempt to point out that Tory does in fact have gay friends. To QuAIA members and their supporters, the right to march has been long-fought and is a dead issue. But for those on the other side of the controversial issue, who believe that QuAIA is anti-Semitic, Tory’s position is a welcome invitation to resurrect a debate that has left a bad taste in their collective mouths. While we have often heard from the very vocal pro-QuAIA and anti-QuAIA camps, we sometimes forget about a different faction. To those who don’t support QuAIA’s message but who rankle at the idea of inhibiting free speech, the spectre of another round of political wrangling over Pride is exhausting. Now all we’re left with are speculation and supposition. A

lot can happen between today and election day, and Tory’s win is by no means guaranteed. If Tory does become mayor, there’s no telling if a majority of the newly elected councillors would vote to support his desired changes to the city’s antidiscrimination policy that would effectively exclude QuAIA. Even then, we don’t know how Pride Toronto would respond. Three Pride board members have said they won’t run for reelection this fall and a new executive director is being sought. Would Pride side with QuAIA in the name of free speech, or would the organization fall in line to maintain its civic funding? What I find concerning is the oftrepeated and nonsensical refrain that Pride shouldn’t be political. Pride started off as a protest — a protest for the very existence of our communities. To argue now that it should be stripped of any controversy is a blow to the freedoms that our elders fought so hard to win. Besides, what is more political than politicians? Yet, I don’t hear anyone saying — at least not very loudly — that we should also keep the politicians out of the parade. Equally concerning to me, however, is the idea that the very existence of the Pride parade could be subject to the mercurial whims of Toronto’s oh-so-dysfunctional city council. Despite legal opinions from the city manager and the city’s lawyer that the phrase “Israeli apartheid” is protected speech and doesn’t violate any city policies, Tory wants to ban it from the parade anyway. Today it’s QuAIA they want removed; who will it be tomorrow? The leather and rubber community? The nudists? It would set a dangerous precedent for Pride Toronto to give in to any demands from city politicians.

FEEDBACK

#780 SEPT 18–OCT 1, 2014

Here we go again

email comment@dailyxtra.com comment dailyxtra.com & facebook/dailyxtra.com tweet @dailyxtra

Jim Deva Jim Deva was a doer not only in the Vancouver LGBT community, but in LGBT communities everywhere [“Community Mourns Sudden Death of Hero Jim Deva,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 22]. LGBT folks everywhere are far better off because of his work in our community. WAYNE M DAILYXTRA.COM

Gay men and suicide In addition to homophobia, there are other factors that may explain why too many [depressed] gay men end their own lives [“Study Finds More Gay Men Now Die of Suicide than HIV,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 17]. These include a lack of traditional supports like spouses and in-laws; a lack of community connectedness, with gay neighbourhoods declining; alienation and isolation; alcoholism; unhealthy social connections; and unfriendly gay spaces (both real and online); et cetera. Obviously, suicide is more complex than just one or two things, but I do believe we would have less suicide in our community if we learned to have more compassion for each other and ourselves. RYAN DAILYXTRA.COM

Matthew Vines Be careful what you wish for, Matthew, because I’m quite certain you’ll get it [“Matthew Vines Wants to Convince Christians,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 20].

Pandering for the acceptance and approval of Christianity in general will eventually lead to just that. They’ll accept gay people with open arms if it means that LGBT people will join their cult of delusion. They’re in need of numbers and members to perpetuate their dogma. It’s going to take a long time for that acceptance, but it will happen. It always happens. The church always adapts to what they’ve previously condemned and then carries on as if they’ve never persecuted a soul. LGBT people need to be beacons of humanity because they know with intimate pain the experience of being hated for something beyond their control or choosing. If you believe in a deity, feel free to pursue your spirituality, but please spare the rational thinkers in your midst the public display of begging for acceptance and love from humanity’s most prominent purveyors of our segregation and disdain. JOHN DAILYXTRA.COM

Nunziata and Pride nudity Why is the sight of humans offensive to the general public [“Toronto Council Candidate Says Pride Not About Nudity,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 16]? Everyone there is human. We all know what humans look like, more or less. The only thing it could possibly be is that it offends your delicate sensibilities. If your sensibilities are that easily offended by humans, the way humans dress, human sexuality and more, just stay away from Pride. TOM BALINT DAILYXTRA.COM

LGBT Ugandans Meeting a Ugandan lesbian who qualified for asylum was incredible [“LGBT Ugandans Brace for Déjà Vu,” dailyxtra.com, Sept 16]. Her face was full of joy. She couldn’t stop speaking about WorldPride. One of her greatest joys was to hold the hand of the woman she loves on Church Street. PAULA KEY DAILYXTRA.COM

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Sushi

XCETERA

A BIWEEKLY HELPING OF POP CULTURE, SERVED Ă€ LA CARTE S ‘There Must Be More to Life Than This’ T Title of an unreleased duet by Michael Jackson and Freddie M Mercury.

FROM THE ARCHIVES 30 YEARS AGO

BODY POLITIC #107, OCT 1984 Between Dinner Along the Amazon and Not Wanted on the Voyage, author Timothy Findley ďŹ nds time to sit down for a conversation with Gordon Montador: “I hope people don’t have to go through that kind of thing now. It’s so silly, but I’m sure they do,â€? Findley says of homophobia. “The stigma is still the same, although the world you can move in is so much wider.â€? OUT ON THE STREET BY KYLE BURTON

Freddie Mercury A three three-metre statue st crea created in his honour h overlooks over Lake G Geneva in Montreux, Mo Swi Switzerland.

QUOTABLE

What was your craziest night at Woody’s?

Barbie Swallows

Ricky

ADULT ENTERTAINER

I pulled my pants down there once. It was for the best ass contest. It was fun.

I’m banned from Woody’s. They think I’m a troublemaker. Maybe it’s my alternative attire.

The Circle Gay docudrama that is Switzerland’s submission for the 2014 Best Foreign Language Oscar category.

Travis

STUDENT

FULL-TIME REDHEAD

I went up for the best ass contest. I made out with the contestant next to me and we were both disqualiďŹ ed.

I got a blowjob in the bathroom, and the guy wanted me to take photos of him going down on me. We got caught by a friendly bouncer.

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Woody’s asked me to decorate the bar for their opening party. I ripped up the fabric from my leopard-print couch to make the decorations. They thought it was cool, and I’ve been working there ever since. I’m always most happy with my Christmas display. People bring their mothers to look at my work. Barry Booth, Woody’s full-time decorator for 25 years.

300 Approximate number of bars and discotheques in this Old Town district. Skinny-dipping 300 people recently attempted to break the world record for most nude swimmers in Druridge Bay, England. Butt cheeks 600 of them got in the water that day.

4 Number of butt cheeks featured in the new Jennifer Lopez video, “Booty.�

Turn to pages 17 to 24 for our special Woody’s 25th anniversary supplement. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 5

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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Upfront

I was very happy to serve with the organization and wish them the best of luck. Sean Hillier E8

Confronting suicide Study suggests HIV/ AIDS is no longer biggest health issue for gay men HEALTH NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

New research suggests that suicide has surpassed HIV as a leading cause of death among gay and bisexual men in Canada. The study, published in the current issue of Critical Public Health, examines suicide and HIVrelated mortality data from Statistics Canada, the Canadian Community Health Survey and other sources from 2000 to 2011. The findings reveal that gay and bisexual men are four times more likely to have attempted suicide than straight men and are 42 times more likely to be living with HIV. In 2011, the most recent year of data, 157 gay and bisexual men died from suicide compared to 97 who died as a result of HIV-related illnesses. “I think that the underlying cause of all of these problems, including suicide, is pervasive antigay or homophobic societal attitudes,” says lead author Travis Salway Hottes, who is a doctoral student at the University of Toronto. “We know from Statistics Canada data, as well as individual stories, that sexual minorities experience higher rates of violence and face very overt forms of oppression, as well as incidents that happen in more minor ways that accumulate day-to-day. Unfortunately, I think the most severe outcome that we see as a result of those factors is suicide. It’s the most immediate and stark example of what’s happening to gay and bisexual people who are facing this level of antigay sentiment.” For the purpose of the study, the authors estimate that two percent of Canadian men are either gay or bisexual. “If anything, that’s an underestimate, which is probably on the low end of actual number of deaths,” Salway Hottes says. “This is our most conservative, cautious estimate. In reality, it’s probably a lot higher. Even at that low bar, the really key point for us is the number of deaths by suicides is higher than or as high as HIV. This surprises a lot of people because it’s a common idea that HIV is the biggest health issue for gay men. It still is important, but there are other causes of MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

of 30. How do we reach out to people who aren’t necessarily going to reach out for help when they are 30 or 40?” Salway Hottes notes that research on gay, lesbian and bisexual people is constrained by the lack of sexual-orientation data in demographic studies such as the census. Research addressing suicide among gay and bisexual men is sparse. The study found that from 2003 to 2012, four percent of research on HIV and 0.5 percent of research on suicide are specific to gay and bisexual men. “There is no easy way to go about studying LGBT people, but [we] shouldn’t be deterred by that,” he says. “Even if we had sexual orientation on the census — which I think would be a major step forward in terms of getting data — we need to acknowledge that as long as non-heterosexual sexualities are stigmatized, we should expect that people will underreport LGB identity on a census or community health survey. We have to expect people won’t feel comfortable. We shouldn’t not do it but need to acknowledge that limitation.” He says that heavy focus on HIV research narrows the scope of mental-health services for gay and bisexual men. “The way we organize our services are all around sexuality and sex with other men,” he says. “What if the issues are bigger than that? How do we prevent other mental-health issues like suicide? It might not mean bathhouse or going to bars.” He says that organizations such as Vancouver’s Health Initiative for Men (HIM), which address the overall mental-health needs of gay and bisexual men, are crucial supports. If you or a friend or loved one “We have dedicated proare thinking about suicide, grams to improving gay men’s there are people who can mental and social health, inhelp you find other solutions. In an urgent situation, concluding a social-marketing tact your local crisis centre. campaign called Take Time for Visit suicideprevention.ca for Your Mind, professional counassistance finding help near selling, as well as a peer supyou. port program called Change Doctoral student Travis Salway Hottes is lead author of a new study entitled “Suicide In Toronto, Egale and Advocates,” HIM program As a Leading Cause of Death Among Gay and Bisexual Men.” NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER PFLAG offer support services manager Jody Jollimore says. related to mental health for death that are probably right up there with HIV.” make sure children are getting a “We also are working with LGBT communities. While HIV-related deaths in Canada have de- good education and a good start AIDS Vancouver to help declined steadily since 2000, suicide rates remain and support around sexuality, liver their health-promotion relatively static, surpassing HIV as a leading cause we also need to figure out what we can do for the case-management project, and we know that’s goof death for gay and bisexual men in 2007. person who doesn’t come out until they are an ing to rely heavily on improving, again, gay men’s Salway Hottes notes that suicide attempts are adult,” he says. “I think we need to pay attention to mental and social health. So that program will more common during adolescent years but that adults who are struggling with this issue because be dedicated to working with HIV-negative men fatality rates increase with age. “While we need to most people dying from suicide are over the age around some of their mental-health needs.”

THERE IS HELP

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 7

Pride co-chair to leave board Board plans to hire new ED by mid-December COMMUNITY HG WATSON

The co-chair of Pride Toronto’s board of directors is leaving the organization, along with two other directors, this fall. Sean Hillier — who co-chairs with Shelley Craig — Chad Simon and Mark Smith will not be running for reelection at Pride’s annual general meeting on Oct 30. Susan Gapka, whose term is also up, has confirmed she will run again for her seat. Hillier, who has served on the board for three years and worked with Pride Toronto for seven, feels that it is time to inject some fresh blood into the organization. He also wants more time to focus on completing his PhD. He notes that this level of turnover is not unusual for the board on a year-to-year basis.

Pride Toronto co-chair Sean Hillier is not running for reelection.

“I was very happy to serve with the organization and wish them the best of luck,” he says. Hillier will also be staying on to help with board transition and the search for a new executive director. After Kevin Beaulieu’s departure on Aug 31, the Pride Toronto board took over the operational roles usually overseen by the executive director. An executive hiring firm has been retained to start the search for the new executive director; Hillier hopes they will hire a replacement by mid-December. He and Simon are hopeful that the organization will continue in the positive direction it has found. Smith could not be reached for comment. “I took on this role because I always believed that Pride isn’t just a thing; it wasn’t an entity. For me it has always been that feeling I get during Pride,” says Simon, who served two and a half terms on the board. “I just hope . . . I was able to express and share with everybody else that feeling.” Simon, who works at Ryerson University as an academic adviser, had reached his term limit and was unable to run again. “It’s going to be interesting to be a spectator,” he says. The application deadline for the vacant Pride Toronto board seats was Sept 26. Voting for board positions will take place at Pride Toronto’s annual general meeting Oct 30.

ON OCTOBER 27, VOTE TO GET TORONTO BACK ON TRACK. Find out more at JohnTory.ca

Authorized by the official agent, John Tory, for mayor campaign.

8 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Man attacked on Church Street Victim required stitches and hospitalization after assault CRIME HG WATSON

Toronto police are investigating an alleged gaybashing on Church Street in early September. On Sept 10, just after 5pm, Mathieu Warren was walking past the parking lot that separates Crews & Tangos, a drag nightclub, and O’Grady’s pub when, he says, his umbrella accidentally hit a woman who was walking in the opposite direction. “I said, ‘Excuse me, sorry,’” Warren says. “And then she turned around and said, ‘You fucking faggot.’” Warren, who was shocked by the exchange, says he responded to her by saying, “Excuse me.” “Then next thing you know, I had a punch in my face,” he alleges. He says he tried to push her off but in doing so ripped her shirt. As a result, her friends joined the fray. Warren alleges they also called him

a batty boy — a Caribbean slur for a gay man. Several witnesses interviewed by Xtra gave conflicting answers about the number and gender of people who allegedly attacked Warren but agreed that he was beaten by a group of people who, once bystanders became aware what was happening, fled south on Church Street. Though the detective assigned to the case was not available to comment, Toronto Police Service’s (TPS) Constable Victor Kwong confirms that police were dispatched to O’Grady’s at 5:38pm on Sept 10. Their records indicate that there were three suspects involved in an incident that is now being investigated as a case of assault causing bodily harm. Kwong says police have looked at surveillance-tape footage from a nearby business that may have captured one or more of the suspects leaving the premises just prior to

Mathieu Warren says he was assaulted near O’Grady’s. ROB SALERNO

the alleged incident. TPS is not releasing the footage at this time. Two bystanders assisted Warren and called police and an ambulance. Warren says he was transported to Toronto Western Hospital, where he was treated

for bruising and given seven stitches for a cut under one eye. In pictures Warren provided to Xtra that were taken after the incident, his face is swollen and clearly shows at least one laceration.

HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORTS Organizers of an international study on gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in sports are seeking Canadian input, saying the country is underrepresented in fact-finding so far. The researchers want to hear about the experiences of LGBT community members in schools, the homophobia they may have faced in team sport situations, and how those experiences have influenced sports involvement in later life. “It’s about what kind of decisions you made around sport because of homophobia,” explains Erik Denison, a former CBC reporter now living in Australia, where he helped kick off the project. Sports is one those areas that causes us much trauma when we’re younger. This is the last frontier of homophobia in general society.” “By launching the study, we will get the data needed to hopefully motivate change around the world,” he says. “Without identifying the extent of the problem, it’s hard to motivate sport administrators to do anything. We need really accurate data as to why people are going into individual sports instead of team sports,” he says. “We need to understand the ‘why’ of that. It’s the only way we’re going to be able to ensure team sports are safe for LGBT people.” The study is being done in partnership with the Federation of Gay Games and You Can Play, an American organization started by hockey’s Burke family and dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation. — Jeremy Willard To participate in the study, visit outonthefields.com.

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Tory speaks out on QuAIA Mayoral candidate would change human rights policy to ban term ‘Israeli apartheid’ HG WATSON POLITICS

John Tory isn’t budging from his stance that the phrase “Israeli apartheid” shouldn’t have a place at Pride, or any other city event. At a debate held at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies on Sept 19, the Toronto mayoral candidate waded into the issue of whether Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) should march in the yearly Pride parade. Tory told the audience that he would vote against funding Pride if QuAIA were allowed to march, and he held firm to his opinion later that night when the question was asked again at proudTOvote’s debate on LGBT issues. He explained that while he believes in free speech and understands that QuAIA’s actions have not been found to be in violation of the city’s human rights policy, he would be willing to change the policy so that the phrase “Israeli apartheid” could not be used at city-funded events. Tory says that for him, this is a matter of principle. “I think a lot of people who support Pride as I do, and understand its fundamental importance to the community and support public funding for it, would also support what I said,” he says. “We probably have to have a better, more explicit policy than to say if you are going to use words like that, which in my view are hateful and are abusive of a community that shares our city of Toronto with the LGBT community and everybody else, that we shouldn’t publicly fund those, or they can withdraw the use of those words,” he adds. “They have a choice.”

Olivia Chow and John Tory get the LGBT “chain of office” from moderator Jaime Watt after the Sept 19 proudTOvote LGBT issues debate.

“This is a dead issue,” says Tim McCaskell, a spokesperson for QuAIA. He points out that QuAIA has twice faced Pride Toronto’s internal disputeresolution panel, which ruled that they

applicable laws. “For him to once again attack freedom of speech at Pride and Pride’s independence, promising to use his position of mayor to open up this whole

I think a lot of people who support Pride as I do, and understand its fundamental importance to the community and support public funding for it, would also support what I said. Tory’s views might be old news, but the fact that they are raised now, after QuAIA quietly marched in the WorldPride parade this past June, is surprising to both QuAIA and Pride Toronto. 10 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

could march. As well, both the city manager and city solicitor have found separately that the phrase “Israeli apartheid” does not violate the city’s anti-discrimination policy or any other

divisive issue and potentially defund one of the city’s largest summer festivals is probably the most foolish thing I could think of him to actually do as a mayoral candidate,” McCaskell adds.

Sean Hillier, co-chair of Pride Toronto’s board of directors, says he is disappointed that this debate is being raised again. “It always put the festival in a great deal of limbo in the lead-up to it, so we were hoping that this was behind us,” he says. In 2013, Pride Toronto received $139,960 of city grant funding, though that amount reportedly rose to about $160,000 this year. In 2013, the organization also received just over $1.3 million in sponsorships, which makes up a significant part of its yearly revenue. Pride Toronto will always adhere to the city’s policies, Hillier says. But he thinks that it is important that the parade maintain its identity as a political demonstration. Changing the human rights policy to ban “Israeli apartheid” could have

HG WATSON

consequences beyond Pride. In April 2013, Xtra reported that QuAIA had previously partnered with the Images Festival, which takes place at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the TIFF Bell Lightbox — two institutions that also receive city funding. Tory’s rival Chow said at both debates that, while she doesn’t agree with QuAIA’s message, she respects the decision of Toronto City Council to continue to provide funding for Pride. “The Pride parade is about celebration, it’s about inclusion, it’s about celebrating who you are,” she said after the proudTOvote debate, adding that QuAIA is a small organization taking part in the parade. “I would hate to see that the parade itself would lose its funding because of it.” TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Doug Ford noncommittal on Pride parade Mayoral candidate refuses to say whether he will march if elected HG WATSON POLITICS

Doug Ford, during his first mayoral debate on Sept 23, ducked a question on whether he would march in future Pride parades. In front of a packed auditorium at York Memorial Collegiate in the city’s west end, the mayoral candidates were all asked if they would attend the annual event. Olivia Chow and John Tory were emphatic yeses, both explaining that they have already attended the parade multiple times. However, when Ford was asked, he refused to answer the question directly, instead explaining that he supports equality, has been to one Pride event and has made a $3,500 donation to Pride in the past. His opponents took the opportunity to hammer him on the question, with Tory using part of his allotted speaking time to demand that Ford answer the question directly. Ford still refused to answer and attempted to pivot to his position on transit instead. An Xtra investigation in 2011 found that members of Family Pride, a group within Pride Toronto, contacted Deco Labels, the Ford family’s label-making

company, and requested a sticker donation. The donation was provided, though the financial worth of the contribution was never clear. Separately, the Ford family printed stickers advertising Rob Ford for mayor that Doug says they handed out during Pride festivities in 2010. After the debate, Ford dodged most of the reporters assembled, leaving through the auditorium’s back door into the parking lot. He refused to answer Xtra’s questions about why he wouldn’t say whether he would attend the Pride parade if elected mayor. A majority of the audience were Ford supporters; many openly heckled Tory and Chow, at one point drowning out the latter’s pre-debate media scrum with cheers. The circus-like atmosphere of the debate harkened back to this summer’s Ford Fest, where several LGBT protesters were faced with a loud and taunting crowd. Police escorted Iola Fortino, an outspoken Ford supporter, out of the debate after she repeatedly interrupted the candidates. Fortino told Xtra she had wanted to ask a question — questions could be submitted only on paper — but no one came around to give her a paper. National Post reporter Christie

Doug Ford tried to divert attention to his transit plans after being grilled about Pride by John Tory and Olivia Chow.

Blatchford identified another man who yelled that Olivia Chow should “go back to China.” Though Rob Ford officially dropped out of the race on Sept 12, after he announced he was ill, his presence still loomed large at the debate, with many supporters cheering his name. Several Ford supporters told Xtra after that it made no difference to them that Doug

was running in Rob’s place. “It’s the same platform,” said Mohamed Belkadi, a Ford supporter who attended the debate. “Given it’s Doug, and knowing that he’s run a company as a CEO, gives me further assurance that we’ve got the right guy on the spot.” He says he believes that it’s Doug’s prerogative to march in the Pride pa-

HG WATSON

rade or not, a sentiment echoed by other members of Ford Nation. “He’s probably like the way I am,” says Ines Anra, who adds that she’s not prejudiced but would be embarrassed to attend the parade because of her Italian upbringing. “It’s just the way we are. We can agree with things, but we don’t want to participate. I understand why he doesn’t want to participate.”

Ward 27 candidates canvass for votes HG WATSON POLITICS

Every vote counts in Ward 27, which is why local candidates took to the campuses and the airwaves to get the word out about their campaigns. On Sept 16, three local city council candidates — Benjamin Dichter, Megan McIver and incumbent Kristyn Wong-Tam — camped out at Ryerson University’s Pitman Hall residence, trying to catch students to chat with as they made their way out of a nearby dining hall. It was a chance for candidates to get to know what students want for Ward 27, and for the students to get to know them. There are just over 38,000 students who attend Ryerson, and their actions have a significant impact on the ward. Megan McIver, a former provincial MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Liberal policy adviser, was one of the candidates canvassing. When asked what issue students were raising the most, she identified transit as a primary concern. There was also a lot of talk about neighbourhood revitalization. Dichter, an entrepreneur who owns a print shop on Ryerson’s campus, told one passing student that he wants Church Street to feel like Miami Beach. Wong-Tam’s canvassing table came complete with renderings for a revitalization of Yonge Street that her office has been working on since 2011. Environmental assessments for the proposed plan could begin as early as 2015, at which point Wong-Tam hopes more concrete visioning of what Yonge Street will look like will take place. Dichter and Wong-Tam, along with candidates Alain D’Amours, Rob Wol-

Benjamin Dichter, city council candidate for Ward 27, canvasses for votes outside Ryerson’s Pitman Hall residence. HG WATSON

vin and Jordan Stone, later took part in a pre-recorded debate that aired on Rogers TV Sept 23. Wong-Tam took the brunt of criticism from candidates, who took turns criticizing her for not living in the ward, her “ideological” bent and, according to some, grandstanding, when she led a pink-shirt anti-bullying protest against Mayor Rob Ford at the last city council meeting of the year. However, Wong-Tam pointed to her history of business ownership in the area and the fact that she now has four years of experience acting as councillor for Ward 27. None of the other candidates at the debate have held Toronto city council positions before. The Ward 27 candidates will meet again for a debate on Oct 8, during the ABC Residents Association general meeting. XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 11

A swish list for city hall ELECTION ROB SALERNO

Every election, we try to grill candidates on whether they support queer issues that are already top of mind. But this year, in an effort to lead the conversation, Xtra is tossing out new ideas to make our city better and our community stronger. We’re calling it the Swish List, and between now and the election, we’ll be publishing new ideas from our writers and members of the community. #1. Tear down Wellesley Station While candidates are busily promising new subway lines across the city, I have a simple proposal to improve public transit: destroy Wellesley Station. Hear me out. Wellesley is by far the ugliest station in the subway network from the outside. And it’s not even functional. It’s wheelchair inaccessible — and the TTC recently announced it was putting plans on hold for elevator installation. Worse, Wellesley Street itself is treacherously narrow for the 94 Wellesley buses turning in and out of the station loop — they’ve been known to clip cars on their turns or hold up traffic as they wait for a large enough gap to turn safely. They’re also a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists crossing the driveways. What if I told you the city could solve all these problems — free? The city is gearing up to sell the Green P parking lot across the street for condo development. What if, as part of the proposal, the street was widened enough to create safe bus lay-bys on both sides of the street, eliminating the need for the bus loop? The proposal could also include a new entrance structure and shelter on the south side of the street, with elevators to the subway platform. The city could require the developer to build the structure as part of the approval process for the new building — it’s already doing something similar with a new entrance to the station in a condo building on Dundonald Street. Once the two new entrances to the 12 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

station are open, the existing building could be redeveloped into a condo or office building, with another entrance and shelter built in at ground level. The station entrance/shelters could be designed to reflect the LGBT community in the neighbourhood with public art (more so than the tiny WorldPride plaque in the current station). We couldn’t possibly make it worse.

#2. Make the Village the most bike-friendly neighbourhood in Toronto Bike lanes. Every good activist loves ’em. But instead of just moaning for “more bike lanes now,” let’s put up a specific plan for how we can make our neighbourhood a model for the rest of the city with minimal fuss. The Village is already decently connected to the city’s bikeway network, with cycle tracks on Sherbourne and Wellesley. With just a few painted lines, the network could become even stronger, with minimal impact on traffic and businesses. Starting with the easy parts, let’s get the Bay Street bike lanes completed from Bloor to Queen — there are already bike lanes from College to Dundas, and the street is plenty wide enough for lanes in the missing sections. The College Street lanes could be extended from Bay Street along Carlton to Parliament. The only thing affected here are a handful of lightly used

Wellesley is by far the ugliest station in the subway network from the outside. And it’s not even functional.

parking spots. Next, create bike boulevards on all the Village’s east-west streets between Church and Carlton. Most of these streets are one-way with parking on the side but with enough room to add a counter-flow lane and sharrows, like what has been done recently on Shaw Street in the Annex. These would increase connectivity and convenience for cyclists while having almost zero impact on cars. Next comes the hard part: make Church Street a new north-south spine for the bike network. The bike lane would run right from Davenport and Bay down Church to Front Street. North of Bloor, there would likely be no impact on traffic, as the street is quite wide. Between Bloor and Carlton, we’d lose a lane of parking, but the street could be redesigned to preserve some of it. South of Carlton, all parking would likely have to go, because the streetcar tracks make a redesign impossible. Church Street lanes would have the advantage of adding capacity on a corridor where lots of people live

and where there are a lot of destinations for cyclists. It would also be much less controversial than reinstalling the Jarvis lanes would likely be. Top off the lanes with the already proposed (but not yet approved) Bloor Street bikeway from Sherbourne to St George, and the proposed extensions

ROB SALERNO

efficient bike-parking structures that could be added to the neighbourhood at convenient locations along Church and Yonge, near corners and parks where the sidewalk has a bit more space. With minimal impact on traffic, this proposal would add almost 15 kilometres of protected routes just through

The Downtown Yonge BIA has developed very efficient bike-parking structures that could be added to the neighbourhood at convenient locations along Church and Yonge. of the Richmond and Adelaide cycle tracks from University to Parliament. Neither would have a large impact on parking or traffic flow. Suddenly, the Village becomes a major route for cyclists across the city. But because we’d like them to stop, shop and hang out, we’re going to have to increase bike parking, too. The Downtown Yonge BIA has developed very

this section of the city. For comparison’s sake, that’s more than the total length of all bike lanes installed in Toronto from 2008 to 2013. If this model for safe neighbourhood bikeways works out, it could be easily recreated in places like Cabbagetown, the University of Toronto and the Annex, allowing the network to grow quickly and simply. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Are gay people avoiding the doctor? New program encourages early screening for colorectal, breast and cervical cancers HEALTH ROB SALERNO

Talking to a doctor about one’s sexual organs is uncomfortable for many people. But for LGBT people, asking questions and getting examined can open up a whole host of embarrassing, and scary, issues. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) believes that fear causes queer people to avoid being screened for treatable cancers, thereby endangering their lives. The organization is launching a new program called Get Screened to encourage LGBT people to screen for colon, breast and cervical cancers early while also training doctors to approach LGBT health issues in a sensitive way. “When working with LGBT clients, many have faced barriers to care in the past and may not absolutely be comfortable about discussing issues of sexual orientation or gender identity,” says Ed Kucharski, a physician at the Sherbourne Health Centre and a member of the Get Screened steering committee. “Often there’s sensitivity around discussing cancer screening because they’re in sensitive parts of the body, such as breasts or the cervix.” A targeted campaign has already distributed quirky, romance-moviethemed flyers and posters to doctors’ offices and LGBT organizations, while print ads are being placed in select

newspapers and on public transit. The CCS is helping to train health ambassadors in the LGBT community in an attempt to start the discussion on cancer screening. “ We have a cross section of all LGBTQ communities of different races and abilities, and they go out and talk to their friends and families, so if someone is experiencing a barrier to getting screened, they can talk about it with their friends,” says Arti Mehta, a coordinator of the Get Screened initiative. The message is clear: cancer doesn’t care if you’re gay, straight, bi or trans — everyone over 50 should be tested regularly for colon cancer. Women over 50 should get regular mammograms to check for breast cancer. These types of cancers, if caught early enough, can be successfully treated, and the tests are covered by provincial health plans. Not only concerned with empowering patients, the campaign looks to educate doctors and other healthcare providers about LGBT issues. “Lesbian women are still told that they don’t need pap tests, and we know that’s completely untrue,” Mehta says. All women who have ever had sex, even once, need to have regular pap smears to check for and prevent cervical cancer. A trans man, however, may not feel comfortable in a gynecologist’s waiting room or coming out to a technician who

Many LGBT clients have faced barriers to care in the past and may not be comfortable discussing issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, says Ed Kucharski, a physician at the Sherbourne Health Centre in Toronto. ADAM COISH

performs a mammogram. “Some providers will very coarsely say, ‘Everybody needs a pap who has a cervix’ and try and encourage a patient to get a pap smear for screening for cervical when they might not be ready,” Kucharski says. “I look at it as kind of a journey you have with a patient in developing trust and talking about the risks and benefits to screening.” The CCS is compiling research on best practices in LGBT health to help

train practitioners, but there is not a lot of conclusive research on treatment and screening options for trans people. “We don’t have a comprehensive evidence-based approach for how hormones and surgeries affect cancer and cancer screenings, but we’ve compiled as much information as is out there for service providers and trans people around how to get screened and how often,” Mehta says. The Get Screened materials were

developed with the support of the Public Health Agency of Canada, but its ongoing operations are funded out of donations to the Canadian Cancer Society. A fundraiser for the program, Cancer Is a Drag, will take place Nov 7 to 9 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Information and tickets are available at buddiesinbadtimes.com. Learn more about cancer screening for LGBT people at cancer.ca/getscreened.

Navigating sexual intimacy after cancer treatment A positive test for cancer is the start of a journey, not the end. But the road can be particularly fraught for gay and lesbian people who may not have the resources or the family to lean on for support. Luckily, there are community supports available. The Wellspring Centre offers two support groups for gay and lesbian people living with and affected by cancer to meet and discuss any issues they need to and ask questions of others who are experiencing the same things they are. “When men in general discuss cancer, it’s rarely ever discussed in the context of one’s sexuality,” says Tristan McFarland, a facilitator of the gay men’s group. “It’s an opportunity for people to know that they’re not on their own. There’s MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

an opportunity to relate to others in a way that’s meaningful, relevant and supportive, so they can come out of it with a skill set that helps them gain more confidence in navigating what can be, at times, a complicated healthcare system.” The group can be helpful for couples trying to navigate sexual intimacy after cancer treatments or to understand what different cancer treatment options mean for their sex lives. “I don’t think anyone ever talks about that,” says Stephen Weiss, a cancer survivor who had his prostate removed 10 years ago. Surgical removal of the prostate can reduce enjoyment of anal sex and make it impossible to experience normal ejaculations. “There has been no studying on the

issue of topping and bottoming. It’s all about the penis, whether you can get it up and penetrate,” says Weiss’s partner, Richard Durk. McFarland says hearing the stories from people who’ve been there helps the newly diagnosed cope through treatment. “Newcomers are often awed by the experience these men have had as longtime survivors of cancer,” he says. — Rob Salerno The Gay Men’s Cancer Support Group meets the first and third Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The Lesbian Cancer Support Group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 7 to 9pm. Both meet at Wellspring, 4 Charles St E.

Stephen Weiss (right) and his partner, Richard Durk, found the group helpful for understanding how cancer treatment might affect their sex lives. ADAM COISH

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Da Vinci’s little devil Leonardo’s erotic transfixion with a lifelong servant HISTORY BOYS MICHAEL LYONS

Leonardo da Vinci, one of history’s greatest artists and the deďŹ nition of a Renaissance man, was an accused sodomite by 1476. Homosexuality was endemic in his hometown of Florence; city council, in response, created a squad of officers of the night, preservers of morality. Da Vinci stood accused, along with three other men, of having sex with 17-year-old Jacopo Saltarelli. The charges were made anonymously and eventually were dropped, because the accuser never came forward with evidence. Saltarelli may never have been his lover, but someone did come into da Vinci’s life during the summer of 1490. Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno was the son of a resident of da Vinci’s vineyard outside Milan. He was 10 years old when he joined the da Vinci household as a fattorino — an errand boy who worked for lodging. Giorgio Vasari, a 16th-century Italian art historian, described Gian as a youth “most comely in grace and beauty, having ďŹ ne locks, curling in ringlets, in which Leonardo greatly delighted.â€? Da Vinci and his household had a better description for him: salaĂŹ, Tuscan slang for devil, demon or unclean one. The nickname quickly proved suitable to the child — da Vinci wrote in a letter to SalaÏ’s father that on the second day of his employment, da Vinci bought some clothes for his new errand boy, and “when I put aside some money

SISSYDUDE

Historian Ross King, in his biography Leonardo and the Last Supper, writes that not only did da Vinci keep SalaÏ in his household for years, he was constantly giving the boy gifts and clothing him in finery. King notes that in 1560, decades after da Vinci’s death, one artist wrote an imagined conversation between da Vinci and a Greek sculptor, where da Vinci reveals that he loved SalaÏ most deeply when the boy was 15, illustrating how

SalaĂŹ was a brat and an incorrigible larcenist, constantly stealing from da Vinci and his fellow assistants. to pay for these things he stole four lire, the money out of the purse, and I could never make him confess, though I was quite certain of the fact.â€? Evidence continued to mount against SalaĂŹ during his career with da Vinci; it’s not surprising that his father might have wanted to send the boy away from home. He was a brat — da Vinci wrote of how at a dinner, “SalaĂŹ supped for two and did mischief for four, for he broke three cruets and spilled the wineâ€? — and an incorrigible larcenist, constantly stealing from da Vinci and his fellow assistants.

speculation about their relationship continued long after they were gone. King points out that when SalaÏ was 15, da Vinci had just started The Last Supper in the Milanese convent. Indeed, SalaÏ was something of a muse to da Vinci. No official image of SalaÏ by his mentor exists, but a face crops up time and time again, most notably in da Vinci’s painting St John the Baptist. This bizarre, androgynous figure could very well be SalaÏ in his 30s — still working for da Vinci as an assistant and doing some minor painting of his own. Another

sketch, now referred to as The Angel Incarnate, gives the same figure a breast and an erection, making it something of an early transsexual porno. If this figure is SalaĂŹ, da Vinci seems to have had an erotic transfixion with his model. While SalaĂŹ continued his thieving ways, he was also a lifelong companion to da Vinci until the artist died in 1519. Mysteriously, while one younger assistant was the principal heir and executor of da Vinci’s estate, his will noted SalaĂŹ as only a servant but left him half the da Vinci vineyard, where SalaĂŹ had a house. SalaĂŹ married in 1523, at the age of 43, though the marriage was shortlived. He died from a crossbow wound received in a duel. Even with all the information King brought together about SalaĂŹ in Leonardo and the Last Supper, I was saddened to learn that da Vinci’s lover and muse remains a marginal ďŹ gure in the artist’s history. He may not be remembered as a great artist or even a great apprentice, but at least he has a place in history as a mischievous scamp who was nothing but trouble his whole life — da Vinci’s beloved, lifelong devil. History Boys appears in every issue of Xtra. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Road bangers Your car may be falling apart, but your dating life won’t be WHEELS MIKE VICHNITCHKINE

I write about cars with a bit of anxiety in my mind — I drive a junker. It’s bad. It’s the archetypal jalopy, grunting and puffing down a country road. The brakes squeak, one of the side mirrors is bolted on, and it has scratches on every surface, including the top (I don’t know how). It drives, which is its most important feature, but sometimes I wish it looked a little nicer. It’s embarrassing parking it next to a Mercedes. Having been stared at like a piece of meat during brisk walks through the Village, I was certain that other gay men judge my pathetic clunker at first sight. So I was curious: do gay men in Toronto prioritize automotive accoutrements as a means of distinguishing the duds from the studs? Do men like to be courted by expensive cars with cushy interiors? I might long for heated seats, but it seems many Toronto men just don’t count cars on their list of deal breakers. In an informal survey I conducted over a number of gay social apps, I found that the vast majority of men take a far more utilitarian approach to their vehicles. Many took the time to indicate their

Driving a lemon doesn’t seem to be a deal breaker for many Toronto men, so long as the back seat still works. THINKSTOCK

distaste with the shallow behaviour implied by my cheeky questions and stressed that cars should be considered first in terms of functionality and second in terms of appearance. One responder stated flatly, “Cars aren’t sexy . . . [they are] just meant to get you from point A to point B.” But not everyone was against the automobile. One commenter recalled his teenaged years out in London, where his car was the only place he could be alone with his boyfriend. Another responder fondly remembered his partner’s car, which he described as “the best shaggin’ wagon ever.” One can only imagine the joys his boyfriend’s spacious SUV afforded. A third had fond memories of a date picking him up to go camping in a beautiful, vintage Jaguar. So clearly, while we do maintain a relatively pragmatic attitude toward our automobiles, we also don’t mind being taken for a spin. Thankfully, the overwhelming consensus tended away from expectation and entitlement. In the city, we see cars as luxuries — fun, sexy, tushwarming-in-the-winter luxuries, but luxuries nonetheless. I can rest a little easier driving my lemon around, knowing that most guys would be happier in it than braving the TTC.

VIDEO: Pride week in September! dailyxtra.com

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 15

16 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

25 YEARS OF Looking back on the history of Toronto’s greatest gay bar BY JP LAROCQUE Woody’s is a sacred space. It’s a statement that could be seen as controversial to some, but for many people in Toronto’s queer community, the Church Street institution is much more than your average neighbourhood watering hole. And on a busy Friday or Saturday night, with the establishment’s four bars buzzing with life, the space possesses both a vibrancy and relevancy that belies its 25 years of existence. “For queers, bars are our temples; drag queens are the priests and DJs are the choir,” says Mitchel Raphael, photographer and former Fab magazine editor-in-chief. “Woody’s is the holy of holies of gay bars. [And] much like the best of true religious institutions, it has been incredible at giving back to the community it serves — whether it be funding for the arts or donating money for political battles like same-sex marriage.” Patricia Wilson, bar manager at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, agrees. “Woody’s was everything the world around us was not for the queers. Without that bar, the people in the community would have been like zombies wandering the MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

streets looking for compassion, strength and sex.” Tracing a true lineage of the bar requires going back to the late 1970s, when the city looked quite different. Long before Pride festivities brought huge crowds to Church Street, most of the city’s gay establishments were sprinkled along Yonge Street, an area Torontonians rather dubiously referred to as the Sin Strip. It was around this time that Alex Korn, a heterosexual entrepreneur and owner of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Charles Street, met Ward Hagar, the front-desk manager of the same facility. Korn, who had been in the bar business for years, forged a fast, if unlikely, friendship with the openly gay Hagar. One evening, Hagar invited Korn out to some of the city’s various queer establishments. Korn was surprised by what he discovered. “He took him on a tour of the gay bars in Toronto, and there weren’t a lot of nice options available,” says Dean Odorico, general manager at Woody’s. “So [Korn] saw an opportunity . . . He wanted to open a gay bar to be proud of and

travelled to New York City for research. And [partnering with Hagar in 1983], he opened Chaps on Isabella Street and put a lot of money into it.” A dance space with a restaurant and a bar downstairs, Chaps was an immediate success that attracted large crowds and had a huge impact on the city’s gay scene. But within a year of the bar’s opening, Hagar would succumb to an AIDS-related illness; the death had a tremendous impact on Korn. The bar began doing benefits for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. “It was a horrible time,” Odorico says. “But it was [in those spaces] where all the activism came from during the AIDS crisis. The money was raised in the bars and the clubs.” Korn and his wife, Dorry, established a resort in the Muskokas called Ward’s Retreat, where people living with HIV/AIDS could rest and escape the city. Still, he felt that there was more he could do. “He wanted to open another bar that was more community based,” Odorico says. “He had done so well with the community that he wanted to continue to give something back. So that was the

AN XTRA SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

mandate when he got [our current] space.” Korn chose a location on Church Street that had previously been a gay piano bar called Jingles. At that time, aside from a few queer staples like The Barn and 457, the area was occupied mostly by production facilities for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation or bars and steakhouses that catered to industry workers and the Maple Leaf Gardens crowd. Hiring a number of young staffers with experience in community establishments, including current general managers Odorico and Steven Clegg, Korn wanted the new spot to be different in a number of key ways. “When we opened [in June 1989], pretty much any gay bar wouldn’t have any window openings or anything like that,” Clegg says. “It would be blacked out or brick walls because of safety concerns. That was one of the things we did early on, open up the windows. People wouldn’t necessarily want to sit in them in the early days. They just didn’t want to be seen in a gay bar. And that was part of the evolution of Church Street. People XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 17

were more willing to be seen.” On the first night the bar was open, staff passed around donation baskets for the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), with Korn matching the amounts given by patrons. The bar later introduced a regular Staff Night on Mondays, with tips going to ACT and donations again being matched by Korn. The first version of Woody’s was a quarter the size of its current space. It was made up of two rooms, a kitchen, an office and a beer cooler in the back. Brunch was served on Sundays, and the capacity was small — roughly 100 people. The bar deliberately established itself as edgier than the more traditional gay dance clubs in town. “Previously, there had only been piano bars or dance bars,” Clegg says. “We weren’t either [of these], so we were kind of a new animal. We were the only bar that had alternative music, which was new wave back then. That was the music we all listened to at the time. Plus, we didn’t play disco and dance music, which worked really well for us.” Wilson remembers the early years fondly. “There was a middle bar and sawdust on the floor. It was an eye-opening experience,” she says. “I walked into [the bar] on my own the first time, and I was greeted by the bartender as I walked in with ‘Hey! You must be Patricia, the new person Sky [Gilbert] hired to work at Buddies. They’re all in the back.’” “So friendly and welcoming over 20 years ago, and it’s still the same.” Woody’s became immensely popular, with beer sales rivalling those of the Skydome (now the Rogers Centre) and the neighbouring Maple Leaf Gardens. At one point, the bar was selling the third-highest amount of beer of any establishment in Ontario. “It was busy every day,” Odorico says. “In those days, gay bars were like the epicentre of the community. That’s where you met guys, and that’s where you met friends. Gay bars and bathhouses were the two biggest options.” The bar expanded and began to incorporate various forms of live entertainment. The Best Chest Contest on Thursday nights was the first to appear, which drew in the college-aged crowd, followed soon after by regular drag nights and a rotating group of DJs. With the departure of the CBC and the closure of the Gardens, large sections of real estate along Church became available to entrepreneurs within the community. Crews opened across the street from the bar, and Xtra moved into the offices above Pusateri’s. Many of the old-style steakhouses transformed into gay bars, like Hair of the Dog and what would eventually become O’Grady’s, Flash and Church on Church. Korn soon took over the space next to Woody’s

EVERYBODY SAID WE’D BE CLOSED WITHIN SIX MONTHS, AND WE SORTA OUTLIVED THEM ALL. Steven Clegg, general manager 18 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WOODY’S

25 YEARS OF

Faces (and bodies) of Woody’s staff and patrons from years gone by.

with the intention of creating a two-storey dance bar. City bylaws prevented him from doing so, which led to the creation of the nautical-themed bar Sailor. “That’s been a big part of our work,” Clegg says. “Not working around the rules, but working with the rules that [the City of Toronto] gives us. Like smoking bylaws — it changed so many times over five years. And every time, we would make changes and evolve.” The bar attracted more attention in the early 2000s when the producers of the US version of Queer as Folk modelled the show’s fictional pub on it. They retained the name, used exterior shots of the bar and constructed a replica of it on a soundstage in Mississauga. “I remember the first Pride after the show aired and became a hit,” Clegg says. “It was just astounding, the people who came up and stood under the

awning to have their picture taken. There was this huge stream of people wanting to do that.” The bar has continued to evolve in the last decade, hosting fundraisers for various local sports teams, visiting theatre companies and TIFF parties for celebrities. And a number of famous faces have stopped by over the years. “Billy Zane was here for a movie of his,” Odorico says. “So was Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins and the Scissor Sisters. Chi Chi LaRue and a lot of gay pornstars.” “Ian McKellen was here,” Clegg says with a laugh. “I wasn’t here that night, which really annoyed me.” Though other businesses in the Village face challenges because of the advent of dating apps and internet hookups, Clegg is optimistic about Woody’s future.

25 YEARS OF WOODY’S

“I don’t think [the importance of a physical space] is diminishing,” he says. “Toronto has grown as a city, and other areas have popped up, and that’s all positive. I think there’s a need for them, and I think there’s still a need for this area, and there will always continue to be a need for it.” “The social aspect is still very, very important in people’s lives. They want to go out and meet up and have fun together. Certainly there are more options for people to hook up and explore that. But I don’t usually hear people say, ‘I met my boyfriend or I met my husband on a hook-up site.’ So I think better connections are made here, and they still are.” “Everybody said we’d be closed within six months, and we sorta outlived them all. So I’m Q not worried.” TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

QUEER CHEERS!

HEY, MR DJ

Woody’s regulars (and not-soregulars) share their thoughts on our favourite watering hole. “I brought my father to Woody’s once. He thought it was a straight strip joint. We saw a drag show together and he loved it. I love that my father had a great time at Woody’s. I have had several thousand good times at Woody’s.” — Keith Cole

The musical evolution of Woody’s EDUARDO SABATE To every great bar, there is a soundtrack. From vinyl all the way to MP3s, we spoke to the DJs who have shaped the sounds and vibes at Woody’s for the past 25 years.

“As the Village implodes, bar by bar, into condo oblivion, Woody’s is a beacon to me, a folksy church.” — Greg Kearney

When the plastic wasn’t spinning, cassettes were played during the daytime and drag queens brought in music for their shows.

“I don’t know if Woody’s was named for an erection, a cowboy puppet, a folk singer or a woodpecker, but I’ve met all four of them inside the place.” — Paul Bellini

DJ MARK FALCO Ace of Base and Whitney Houston were topping the charts in 1993, but Woody’s was still breaking out the REM and Nirvana. “It was such a different bar back then, a lot smaller obviously, and the music that played was rock and alternative,” Falco says of his first year. “I started working at Woody’s about 21 years ago, right before Sailor opened.”

“I’ve only been inside a handful of times. The stand ’n’ stare scene never appealed, but from my early days of being out, I just knew what Woody’s was. It was like unconscious information that had been downloaded.” — David Benjamin Tomlinson

SAILOR

DJ Shawn Riker

NEW WAVES Right from the start, Woody’s stood out. While everyone played pop favourites like Rick Astley and Belinda Carlisle, Dean Odorico and Steve Clegg and their staff filled the speakers with something harder. “We opened with new wave and rock, like Toni Childs, B-52s and the Pretenders,” Odorico says. “All the other places [on Church Street] were either piano bars or played dance music — and maybe a country and western one as well. We did have a piano. The owner thought everybody had a piano, so we had to have one. It took me six months to get rid of it.” In 1989, DJs David Christie, Robin and Jeanette spun the first sets, but if it weren’t for another big name in the community, they would have just been pushing down the play button on a cassette deck. Odorico is eternally grateful to Fly Nightclub’s Shawn Riker, who was responsible for setting up the sound system without taking a cent for his services. “Back then, it was more community. It wasn’t everybody after each other’s throats; it wasn’t like that,” Riker says. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Cue Smashing Pumpkins’ “Disarm.” Odorico remembers hearing the lyrics “I used to be a little boy” when the firewalls came down between the two buildings. As the space widened, the music got louder — it needed to fill the bigger venue — and became more mainstream. “Some people missed the old format, but it was something we needed to do. We still had Tuesday’s Bad Boys’ Night Out, which was all rock and retro with lots of Bowie,” Odorico says. It was 1994, and chart-topping divas like Mariah, Janet and Madonna were welcomed onto the collection shelf.

BLUE PETER The DJs undoubtedly keep spirits up

“I’m 55 and stopped going to bars regularly quite a while ago. Not going to Woody’s has been particularly hard because I now have no place to wear my beautiful sweaters.” — Brad Fraser “What does Woody’s mean to me? It means the Village. It was one of the first bars I ever went to. It’s been open in the same location the longest and it’s known worldwide.” — Richard Ryder

DJ Mark Falco

through the evenings, but it’s normal to see folks downing brews while mesmerized by what’s playing on the television screens. VJ Blue Peter Elie has ruled the video decks since 1998. His Mondaynight gigs are as popular as ever, with top 40 videos and all-time faves filling the screens. Elie and Falco remain loyal to Woody’s to this day.

“A lot of gay bars have come and gone, but Woody’s has stayed consistent. A lot of bars just collapse over time.” — David Hawe “Woody’s is quite simply a Toronto institution. It’s a place where everyone is welcome and accepted.” — Brooke Lynn Hytes

DJ CHRIS STEINBACH

VJ Blue Peter

“I went into Woody’s when it was first being built and applied for a job. They told me it wasn’t going to be a dance bar, so I never really took it anywhere forward. Here I am 20 years later coming back,” says Chris Steinbach, whose eventual first gig was in 2010. “Sooner or later, everybody comes through Woody’s.” There’s an old saying that every road leads to Woody’s, and that’s not far from the truth. To this day, people meet up with friends, exchange pleasantries with acquaintances and make new connections. Woody’s remains popular as an after-concert destination with AN XTRA SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

DJ Chris Steinbach

both attendees and performers: the Scissor Sisters and the cast of Wicked have paid visits to Woody’s after their shows. This past summer saw Nelly Furtado, Adam Lambert, Ron Goddard (from The Amazing Race Canada) and folks from Big Brother Canada walk through the doors. “I hope I get to stay here a long time. I’m in no rush to go Q anywhere,” Steinbach says.

“One year, Ken Fraser and I created a Pride intervention with ‘Woody’s lost our coats’ written big on our picket signs and a long story about showing up some cold February evening only to be told our coats weren’t there when we went to leave. All fabricated. Along the parade route, people advised us to sue them and demand our rights — ‘they had money.’ Others told us to ‘get over’ our coatcheck nightmare. Some told us it was terrible and typical of Woody’s — ‘just ridiculous.’ The best was an old drunk queen who came up and said, ‘Honey, when I go there, I always look good, but I wear a shitty old jacket to avoid that ever happening.’” — Roy Mitchell continued on page 23 E

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 19

25 YEARS OF

HOMO PROMOS

A collection of early ads from our archives

WOODY’S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Woody’s first-ever ad in Xtra was simply its name, address and the words “glad to be gay.” The bar opened its doors July 26, 1989, exposing its randy rhino horn and almost entirely mustachioed staff to the public for the first time. Behold, a timeline of the bar’s most notable events and accomplishments. — Jeremy Willard

1989 Woody’s sells food, making it possible to eat a Horny Rhino Hot Dog while listening to kd lang’s “Big Boned Gal.” The popular Sunday brunch ran until 2000. Woody’s kicks off a tradition of supporting local groups and teams by hosting the

20 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

Tour of Toronto ’89 volleyball tournament. Bad Boys Nite Out begins every Tuesday — because you have to be a bad boy to spend a Tuesday night at a bar. Woody’s advertisements include the names of songs it would play that night. According to one ad in Xtra, a visit to Woody’s would mean a night of rockin’ out to Kate

Bush’s “Sensual World,” Bonnie Raitt’s “Thing Called Love” and David Bowie’s “Panic in Detroit.”

1989–1991 Woody’s is heavily involved with JOLD (Jocks or Leather and Denim), a community group that gives out awards in categories such as best bartender, best community event, best fundraiser and more.

1990 On its first anniversary, Woody’s hammers home its rhino logo by publishing a full-page, highly detailed and beautiful drawing of a rhino in Xtra. The first Mr Woody’s Leatherman contest begins.

Woody’s begins its annual win-a-date contest, where patrons can win a date with a staff member of their choosing: $1 per ballot, and all proceeds go to the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation.

MID-1990 The bar starts a monthly Woody’s “Man of the Month” tradition. The first man is Rick Wood, a long-distance swimmer about to attempt a double crossing of Lake Erie to raise funds for the Canadian Diabetes Association. Pledge sheets are available at the bar.

25 YEARS OF WOODY’S

1991 Woody’s challenges owners, staff and patrons of all other bars and restaurants to participate in From All Walks of Life 1991, an AIDS walkathon. Woody’s begins a recurring event called Miss Draft, where folks can win prizes for their drinking technique, evening wear and ability to answer swill-testing questions. Hosted by Crystal Lite, the event is a fundraiser for Ward’s

Retreat and the AIDS Committee of Toronto.

1992 Woody’s hosts its first underwear party, with the slogan “Come in your pants!” Woody’s introduces what is perhaps one of its most bizarre slogans: “Feeling bonerable? Like, come on home to Woody’s.” When folks donate a large stuffed animal to the Woody’s Christmas toy drive, Woody’s gives $10 to charity.

Woody’s buys a full-page ad in Xtra just to print the message “Take care of each other.”

LATE 1992 The Best Chest competition begins, luring pec-hungry pervs out to the bar for a glimpse of muscular man bosoms.

1993 Woody’s hosts its first down-home screech Newfie night. Priape Toronto is opening, and Woody’s hosts the launch party, advertising “Help us welcome those Montreal men to our neighbourhood.”

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

SPECIAL THANKS TO TIM PRENTICE AND JEREMY WILLARD

1994

1995

1998

2005

Woody’s opens its nautically themed counterpart, Sailor. A short time later, the bar holds its first Sailor of the Year contest. Men compete in such categories as street wear, sailor wear and swim wear to win a cruise and $300.

For Halloween, preposterous possums compete in a Dame Edna lookalike competition, with a chance to win $300.

Their ninth-anniversary extravaganza is a salute to Studio 54, complete with disco divas, go-go boys from Remington’s and music by DJ Mark Falco.

Local laws change, and Woody’s installs a glasswalled smoking area.

Woody’s hosts its first Latino Night, complete with tequila boys and a draw for a trip for two to Mexico.

MID-1990S Growing Pride attendance brings the crowds at Woody’s to dangerous proportions.

1996 Woody’s throws a launch party for RuPaul’s new album Foxy Lady, which includes the single “Snapshot.”

1997 Woody’s continues the nights where staff donate their tips to ACT, with the total being matched by the bar; by 1997, the bar has raised $100,000.

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

In a benefit for Fashion Cares 1997, Woody’s auctions off RuPaul’s sequined high heels, Antonio Sabato Jr’s autographed underwear and Rosie O’Donnell’s autographed Hush Puppies watch. Woody’s strongly recommends voting for Olivia Chow and Kyle Rae as city councillors and Barbara Hall as mayor.

LATE 1990S Woody’s makes it to the top five in the entire province for beer sales.

1999 In addition to extended bar hours and coverless entry, New Year’s Eve at Woody’s has a “New Year’s Baby,” courtesy of Remington’s. (Anyone have any idea what this means? Is it bad?) Hosted by Pepsi, the Best Legs competition kicks off with a chance to win $200 in cash prizes.

2006 2000 The bar gains international fame when its façade is used in Queer as Folk, inspiring gaggles of gays to make pilgrimages to Woody’s and have their photos taken out front.

Woody’s celebrates its Sweet 16 with a highschool-style evening. Georgie Girl is the head mistress, Donnarama is the class clown, and Farra N Hyte and Heaven Lee Hytes are the cheerleaders.

2003

2008

Miss Conception wins Drag Idol at Zelda’s; part of her winning package is a booking at Woody’s. She calls it her “big break.”

Woody’s debuts its annual Smirnoff Czarina Pageant with a $2,000 first prize. The first winner is Pussy Noir, who

AN XTRA SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

performed Jully Black’s “Seven Day Fool” with Black in the audience!

2009 Woody’s celebrates 20 years with Big Daddy. Fab magazine features Woody’s bartender Big Dave on its cover.

2010 The Toronto Firefighters Calendar launch at Woody’s raises the temperature.

2012 Woody’s sponsors the new gay dodgeball league, which packs the house every Monday night.

2013 Woody’s theme for WorldPride — Nice Peace, a throwback to the 1970s — results in record sales and the highest attendance ever at the bar.

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 21

25 YEARS OF

LIFE OF A WOODY’S GIRL

The cream of the drag scene has always risen via the legendary bar’s stage ROLYN CHAMBERS “What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play. Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret.” Though “Cabaret” wasn’t the song drag queen Georgie Girl was singing live the first night Dean Odorico saw her performing at a bar called Solitaros, it was indeed Liza Minnelli she was channelling. As the general manager of Woody’s, Odorico had no idea who she was but knew he had to have her perform at the then four-year-old bar. “We didn’t start out with entertainment,” he recalls. Though Georgie was one of the original queens to perform at Woody’s, the first drag host was Pepsi, who enticed men up onstage with her acid tongue for the first Best Chest contest in 1992. “The only reason we created that night was because [former Fly manager and promoter] Gilles Belanger and Stephen Wong [now the designer behind fashion label Greta Constantine] were doing a night at The Phoenix, which really hurt our business on Thursdays.” The Best Chest Contest took off, effectively killing the night at The Phoenix. Pepsi, however, would not last as

Pepsi

22 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

Christopher Peterson

Georgie Girl Bitch Diva

host. “I replaced Pepsi because she was off her nut on drugs at the time,” Georgie says. At 49 years old, Georgie jokingly admits that she’s worked with the best and survived the rest. With the success of their Thursday nights, Odorico launched Woody’s Dream Girls, a drag queen revue every Sunday. Queens like Morgan Holiday, Phyllis, Connie, Bitch Diva and Georgie could be found on the small portable stage at the end of the now torn-down square bar. The success of this night spawned shows three nights a week, which allowed Michelle Ross, Robin Loren, Jackaé Baker, Chris Edwards, Dani Love, Crystal Lite, Scarlette Fever, Christopher Peterson and others to hone their craft. “You do drag at Woody’s not for money or tips,” Peterson quips from her home in Key West. “You tip cows. We were shown respect with gifts of monetary value or libations. You do drag for the love and maybe a quickie in the bathroom.” Singing live, Peterson became famous for her masterful skill at imitating the voice and mannerisms of famous gay icons like Lucille Ball, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Joan Rivers and others. Since

Chris Edwards

25 YEARS OF WOODY’S

getting her start in Toronto, she’s taken her act all over the US, even appearing as Lucille Ball in the film Rat Race in 2001. The addition of Sailor in 1994 doubled capacity and allowed for even more shows on an even larger, permanent stage. Woody’s was now a show bar, a cabaret of sorts. “Our contest nights helped propel stars like Sofonda and Miss Conception,” Odorico says. “Look at what they’ve become now.” Currently touring her one-man live singing show through North America and Mexico, Miss Conception remembers her start. “It was May 13, 2001,” she says. “The crowd was quiet that night as it was a Tuesday, but when I went onstage as Little Orphan Annie, they slowly moved in to see what was going on. To be a Woody’s Girl was a huge thing because the best of the best performed there. When I got my chance to shine on the stage at Woody’s, I knew I had to work hard to keep getting hired.” But working that prime piece of gay-bar real estate is not all glitter and sequins. “Every now and then some weird tranny-chaser will come after me,” Georgie says. “I had this one guy from Montreal who wanted to cut my eyes out with a knife and eat them. Another guy wanted to chop my head off and keep it. To them, it’s a compliment. To me, it’s a threat.” Most of the performers have stalkers/fans. It’s part of being a celebrity

in the gay scene, but a bouncer is always posted by the stage. New queens shouldn’t be frightened of putting on a wig, donning a dress and taking a chance on the stage: Odorico will give almost anyone itching to show her talent a try. But if someone wants to host a night, Odorico pairs them with Georgie. If they last the night, they’ll get rebooked. “Georgie doesn’t put up with any shit,” Odorico says. “You gotta have a thick skin and you gotta have a personality and be able to handle the crowd. There are some talented queens out there, but to be a host is a special category. You have the whole business in the palm of your hand. You can clear the bar out like that.” “Dean is a lovely man. [Assistant manager] Steve is a lovely man. [Owner] Mr Gordon is a lovely man. And if you’re allowed into their circle, appreciate it, but don’t assume that you will stay in that circle. You have to work at it. You have to be a lovely person back. You have to show up to work on time. Do your job. It’s a professional work ethic. I don’t believe in berating your audience because you think that they haven’t given you the just attention that you deserve because you bought a dress off the rack.” Drag queens aren’t the only ones who prance up those steps in heels. It’s an inclusive space where men and women — straight, gay and bi — are all welcome. The acceptance of gay communities worldwide ushered in hordes of straight women, sometimes accompanied by their boyfriends. And those ladies weren’t here to play: many would enter, and win, Woody’s contests. The new contest names — Best Men’s Chest, Best Men’s Legs and Best Men’s Ass — put the focus back on the boys. “It’s the objectivity of men for women’s happiness,” Georgie says, spinning the new rules into a positive. “Besides, no one wants to see your hairy lips up there.” But in the end, the stage is a showcase for the queens. “Toronto has the best talent in the world for drag performers,” Odorico says. “It’s unparalleled. Not just the old crew who have made a career of it — the new girls are brilliant, too. Woody’s is lucky to have some of it.” Q Special thanks to David Hawe for his drag queen identification skills. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

QUEER CHEERS!

THE GATEKEEPER

E continued from page 19

“I forget how some straight friends and I ended up there, but I remember us drinking beers while they awkwardly tried to avoid watching the hardcore porn on the televisions. I loved it.” — Jaime Woo

A chat with Big Bob, Woody’s beloved security daddy JOHNNIE WALKER

and they wanna see what’s happening, Woody’s is probably the first place they come to.

You’ve met Big Bob. That is to say, if you’ve been to Woody’s in the past decade or so (and of course you have), chances are he was the one checking your ID on the way in or kindly escorting you from the premises on your way out. For many queers new to Toronto, Woody’s is the gateway to the entire LGBT scene, and that makes Bob the gatekeeper. As part of our coverage of Woody’s 25th anniversary, we asked Bob to share his thoughts on the changing face of Church Street and some of his most memorable nights working the door.

And do they stick around, or do they tend to move on?

Well, you see different waves of young people. They come and you’ll see them for a period of three to five years, and then you’ll kind of get a new wave and you’ll see different people. They get older or have relationships and you see them less. And then you get to see a new crop. But Woody’s itself has remained very calm and very stable. Maybe the décor has changed and some of the personnel has changed, that’s all.

XTRA: So, how long have you been working at Woody’s?

What are some of the most memorable nights you’ve worked?

BIG BOB: I have been at Woody’s

since 2003 and have been working security there during that time. I have enjoyed it very much, and I’ve come to know an awful lot of people. The ownership here has always been great. It’s a good family, a good place to work and a good place to drink and be entertained.

There’s a lot of history. I remember quite vividly that we had a ceremony of remembrance for [Toronto gay activist] George Hislop when he died. And Jack Layton and Olivia Chow were there, of course. And I believe John Tory was as well. I’ve seen him at Woody’s many times. There were a lot of notable people there that afternoon. George was an important part of our community.

What were you up to before you started at Woody’s?

I’ve worked in the gay community for almost 40 years. I was at Remington’s for 10 years. And before that, I had worked at Colby’s and Chaps, and before that I worked at Club Manatee. So, I’d been at a lot of places over the years. You must have seen some big changes in the neighbourhood over the years.

Very much so. The whole scene has moved from the Yonge and Bloor area to Church Street. The bar scene has probably diminished somewhat because of everything that’s evolved with technology. When smoking became illegal in the bars, it really changed the whole dynamic. And the main thing I find now is that there’s really no after-hours place in the gay scene. There used to be so much, you know? There used to be three or four places where you could go when the

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And what about the parties?

ALEJANDRO SANTIAGO

WOODY’S IS WHERE YOU HANG OUT. THAT’S WHERE YOU MEET PEOPLE; THAT’S WHERE YOU GET YOUR FEET WET IN THE GAY COMMUNITY.

bars closed. You could go and dance or hang out, but there’s really nothing like that anymore. Do you think Woody’s still holds its place as a tent pole for the community?

When people are new in town, they come to Woody’s. That’s where you hang out. That’s where you meet people; that’s where you get your feet wet in the gay community, as it were. It’s very well known. And we get people from all over the world on any given night. If they’re new in town AN XTRA SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

There was our 20th anniversary; I remember that very well. That was a really wild night. We were very, very busy. We had a lineup over to Maitland and beyond. And then there was the time we had the release party for Madonna’s Confessions on a Dance Floor. And that was a really mad night, because the people from the record company had a big stretch limo all painted up like Madonna with all this about her release, and they parked in front. There was a big lineup, and everyone thought that Madonna was either at Woody’s or coming for this CD release. As long as that big limo was outside, you couldn’t move; it was crazy. Of course, Madonna was never there. She was never going to be there, but people never realized. Rumours, Q you know. That’s the way it goes.

“Woody’s was the first venue that gave me a place to perform and grow my live show, and I will forever think of it as my home away from home!” — Lexi Tellings “Woody’s staff and clients always were willing to stand behind all those that needed the support. Besides, if they stood close enough behind, who knows what great, mutual, sexy pleasures could be had.” — Patricia Wilson “Dean and Steven have worked hard over all these years to keep it a friendly place, knowing what to change and mostly what to keep the same, which has helped it thrive when so many establishments have come and gone.” — John Caffery “OMG, Woody’s is 25? I have been working there for over 20 years, so I must have been underage when they hired me! I have nothing but love and respect for Dean and Steven and all of the managers and staff who have kept this place going for this long. Here’s to another 25!” — Mark Falco “I love that Woody’s has reliably served as a queer community anchor on an increasingly franchise-dotted strip. Woody’s gives back, and we should give it up for Dean and crew in return!” — Denise Benson “Even though I went only once or twice, I always admired Dean Odorico and his commitment to balancing business smarts and community smarts. Not many attempt that, and even fewer succeed.” – Gerald Hannon “Woody’s opened in 1989 with a simple mandate: to give back to the community. And they have. Dean, Woody’s manager — a gentle giant with the most twisted sense of humour — has keen business acumen and deserves his many accolades. There is one person at Woody’s who is rarely given his due and that is Mr Steven Clegg. Alex and Dean have done some great work, but they couldn’t have done it without Steven. I was a night manager at Woody’s for over eight years. Those are times I remember fondly.” — Crystal Lite

XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 23

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!

To our families, management team, staff, entertainers, DJs, suppliers, friends, community and most of all to our patrons... THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU! Without you we are nothing. Thanks for 25 most amazing years!

JOIN US

465-467 Church Street, Toronto 416-972-0887 woodystoronto.com 24 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

25 YEARS OF WOODY’S

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Outinthe City

You do drag for the love and maybe a quickie in the bathroom. Christopher Peterson E19

Disturbia The next time you’re driving back into the city, take a second look at the discarded and disused spaces around its edges. Those empty buildings, fields and parking lots are more alive than you’d think. Not just a haven for skyrocketing weeds and ingenious raccoons, they serve as an escape for suburban teenagers. “These places become sites for communion and coming of age,” writer Jordan Tannahill says. “The suburbs are specifically designed to counter subversion, so those who act subversively have to create their own spaces. Parents often see these environments as corrupting. But particularly for queer teens, they often become community meeting points and spaces of refuge.” Concord Floral imagines the goings-on at one such space. Named for a Vaughan-region greenhouse that sat vacant for 15 years, the “Twin Peaks–style” tale follows a group of teens fleeing both societal conventions and a mysterious skin ailment that seems to be infecting them one by one. Believing it might be some kind of curse connected to the disappearance of a girl after a debaucherous field party, they flock to the ramshackle nursery hoping distance from society will keep them safe. Though sexuality is foregrounded, in keeping with teenaged reality, much is left bubbling just below the surface. Relationships are ambiguous; touches are furtive. Sex is talked about more than it happens. Though not the defining element, Tannahill’s own experience growing up in an

Kwame K Kw Kwa wa w me me Stephens Stephe phens ns w wr rriites te sexy sexy “bl b la bl ack ck writes “black on o n black” bla bla bl ack” k” tales k tales th tha h t take tak ake k pl pla ac ace ce in n that place T Toronto. oronto oronto to o.

HOT CHOCOLATE

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play Man 2 Man left off, reconnecting readers with Damien and Emmanuel: two guys who met and fell in love at church, now about to get hitched and head out on their honeymoon. The stories, in keeping with Stephens’s tenets on erotica, aren’t pure wank material. His characters struggle with family, abuse, loss, health, history and cultural identity. With all those extra issues, is Dark Hard Chocolate pure intellectual stimulation or something you can genuinely get off to? “How can you tell a black gay story without talking about dick and ass?” Stephens asks with a laugh. “Seriously though, you should have some lube and tissues available while reading.” — Chris Dupuis The Dark Hard Chocolate book launch is Sun, Oct 12, 8pm, at Club120, 120 Church St. Followed by Ol Skool, with DJs Craig Dominic and Blackcat. club120.ca

TARA NOELLE/MEDIA NEEDS

There’s a definitive line separating erotica from porn for writer Kwame Stephens. According to him, it all comes down to a compelling plot — something he’s aiming for with Dark Hard Chocolate, his collection of sexy short stories about ebony dudes getting it on. He’s never found a shortage of black men in conventional spank-bank material, but what’s always been missing, in his eyes, was a representation of the blackon-black experience in Toronto. True to the city’s diversity, Chocolate features men from Jamaica, Ghana, South Africa and Canada, each at a different phase in negotiating his sexuality. “Street” follows a young guy who ends up working as a stripper after his mother finds porn on his phone and kicks him out. “Thabo’s Secret” looks at a couple struggling to negotiate their sexual relationship when one of them refuses to suck dick. The title story picks up where Stephens’s 2011

The cast of Concord Floral. ERIN BRUBACHER

Ottawa suburb percolates throughout. “I had dalliances, but I never actually dated anyone in high school or had an official relationship,” he says. “My sexual experiences were always furtive blowjobs in basements illuminated by the Lord of the Rings DVD menu. There was this sense of getting sex done quickly and quietly because the partner was always a straight-identified friend. I think that really informed my views on sexuality, and I had this idea that queer love was perpetually unrequited. It wasn’t until I got older I realized healthy, reciprocal relationships were possible.” — Chris Dupuis Concord Floral runs Sun, Oct 12–Sun, Oct 26, at The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St W. theatrecentre.org

OPERA RAVE Gesamtkunstwerk — the German term for artwork — was used by composer Richard Wagner to describe the intoxicating combination of drama, music, movement and design that fed his operas. Luckily for the thousands of pretty young things who will pack the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the Canadian Opera Company’s Operanation: Light up the Night will channel this spirit of artistic mashups and put it on fabulous display. Operanation is the COC’s premier fundraising event. It has grown from humble beginnings in 2005 to become

an annual sold-out extravaganza that routinely raises $100,000 in support of the Ensemble Studio professional training program. Since its inception, the party has drawn influence from each season’s operas to create a unique, multidisciplinary party experience. This year sees Randi Bergman, executive digital editor of Fashion magazine and co-chair of this season’s fundraiser, creating a pan-artistic experience for partygoers. “Fashion is the clearest connector between culture and everyday life,” she says. “This year’s Operanation brings all of that together pretty

fabulously by utilizing both the [COC’s] costumes and some of Toronto’s top design talents in ways that are both performance-like and wearable for the guests.” It’s neon ’90s rave revival meets Latin heat, all inspired by Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia), a crowd pleaser in the operatic repertoire. Bergman describes her curatorial vision for the evening — which includes live musical performances, fashions from The Room and installations by Canadian light artist and designer Orest Tataryn — as “Pablo Picasso meets Tracey Emin,” and she promises a “neon, ravelike atmosphere, with Spanish bits mixed in through the food, colours and nods to Cubism.” And as to the evening’s headlining performance — which in past years has featured members of the Ensemble Studio alongside Broken Social Scene and performances by Rufus Wainwright and Arkells? Bergman remains tantalizingly vague, though entirely encouraging. “I will say one thing: Keith Cole.” — Alistair Newton Operanation is Thurs, Oct 16, 9pm, at the Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St W. coc.ca XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 25

Sending love & light to

on their 2sa5rthy! Anniver

/TorontoSisters @TorontoSisters info@torontosisters.org torontosisters.org

If looks could kill Politics and fashion mix and clash in a new exhibit at the Design Exchange FASHION JOHNNIE WALKER

Can the right outfit start a revolution? That’s the question posed by Politics of Fashion | Fashion of Politics, a new exhibit at the Design Exchange, guestcurated by former Fashion Television doyenne Jeanne Beker. “The show opens with some examples of groups who are vocal about causes related to clothing, particularly PETA and Femen, as well as designers who are particularly active around issues, like Vivienne Westwood, whose recent work is drawing attention to climate change,” says Jeremy Laing, who designed the environment housing the show. “From there, the exhibit looks at subcultural movements, starting with the ’60s youthquake and hippie culture and moving through the decades to punk, as well as skinhead culture, exploring the role clothing has played 26 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

in defining such groups.” For couture junkies, there’s plenty to gag over in this exhibit, which features work by queer fashion giants Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen.

“Gaultier’s work in the show — skirts for men, underwear as outerwear — reflects his propensity for subverting and playing with notions of propriety, ‘good morals’ and ‘good taste,’” Laing TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

explains. “The McQueen pieces are used to explore the synthesis of royalist and military influences in the work of a designer who was, himself, an anti-royalist and a pacifist.” MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

While the exhibit features work by sartorial heavy hitters like Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, Stella McCartney and Mary Quant, it also saves room for work by underground icons. “I particularly love the pieces from Joey Arias, who sent a jumpsuit he used to perform in as well as Klaus Nomi’s space tuxedo costume,” Laing says. “RuPaul’s red patent-leather Mac Viva Glam outfit from the ’90s is a treat to see. Klaus, Joey and Ru are part of a section that looks at permissiveness around gender play in nightclub culture.” And what about that revolution? Can fashion really effect change, or is it all just playing dress-up? For Laing, the answer is clear: “From mayoral campaign T-shirts to a women’s basketball team pulling out of a competition instead of abandoning their hijabs, clothing plays an active role in the sociopolitical landscape.” Politics of Fashion runs until Sun, Jan 25 at the Design Exchange, 243 Bay St. dx.org

Decidedly different. Condominiums at Sherbourne & Bloor.

Clockwise from top: 1960s London, from the collection of Matt Robinson and Lena Kim; RuPaul’s Mac Viva Glam outfit, from 1994; metal gun dress, by Jeremy Scott. EUGEN SAKHNENKO

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From gay rage to gay realness Perfume Genius goes pop on his latest album PLAYLISP

KEVIN RITCHIE

Many musicians have a backstage ritual. Madonna gets a massage and a facial. The members of Coldplay reportedly engage in a “quiet and gentle” group hug. Erykah Badu lubricates her raspy wail with a bag of salted, plain potato chips. How does Mike Hadreas get the engine running pre-concert? By making up some bullshit and taking it to his boyfriend. “Before I go onstage, I always pick a fight with my boyfriend,” the 32-yearold known as Perfume Genius explains, laughing, over the phone from his home in Tacoma, Washington. “It’s helpful because I get anxious. I think he knows what I’m doing, but I need a little bit of defiance.” Hadreas’s Too Bright album is lit by a similarly rebellious fire, though it did not start out that way. Initially, the Seattle-raised singer/songwriter took a career-minded approach to record number three. He is ready to settle down; he recently moved with his boyfriend from Seattle to more affordable digs in Tacoma, considered one of the most livable cities in the US. “I mostly watch Netflix at home, so I might as well do that in a nicer house,” he explains. A full-time career in music was never Hadreas’s intent, but after posting homemade music videos online in 2010, he caught the attention of indie label Matador, which released his debut, Learning, to critical acclaim. The album was a collection of sparse piano ballads that bluntly tackled themes such as gay sex, addiction, hustling and suicide, recorded at home as a form of therapy following a stint in rehab. He recorded the follow-up, Put Your Back N 2 It, in a proper studio to give his striking melodies a greater clarity. For his third album, he tried to lighten up the dark subject matter and downplay the gayness by writing pop songs with universal (read: commercial) appeal. “That was a paralyzing thing,” he admits. “It just didn’t work, and I ended 28 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

A lot of my rage comes from growing up as a small-framed, feminine, weird, creature-like person.

up making a darker, more experimental and harsher album. The weird thing is I ended up making poppier music than I had before, even though the intent was to do the opposite.” Produced with Portishead’s Adrian Utley and engineer Ali Chant,Too Bright articulates Hadreas’s long-simmering rage at the very notion of having to water down his gayness. Swaggering riffs, demonic vocal effects, burbling synths on songs such as “My Body” and “Longpig” intermingle with the elegant piano bal-

weird, creature-like person. That didn’t always go over very well with other people. It made me feel embarrassed and ashamed, even. “But the way that I look at the world and myself is not working,” he says. “I don’t want to feel victimized, and I needed to filter that into something more empowering. A lot of the music is defiant towards both myself and other people at the same time.” Asked if he is over those feelings of resentment, Hadreas lowers his voice sheepishly. “No,” he replies. “I’m more overly defensive than I need to be. Nine times out of 10, you don’t need to have your guard up, but that one time that you should’ve and didn’t makes you feel like you constantly need to be on guard.” Sometimes he catches himself trying to ease other people’s discomfort with homosexuality by camping it up, an urge he PERFUME GENIUS satirizes on the fingerSat, Oct 4 snapping “Fool” — the The Mod Club 722 College St funkiest Perfume Genius matadorrecords.com/ song to date. perfume_genius “Sometimes people say things like, ‘I love gay guys! Like, just in general they’re all so funny! And they’re so good at doing hae-yer,’” he says, repeating the word in his gayest accent to emphasize the point. “‘Hae-yer!’ All that crap can make you feel like a non-person.” The middle part of “Fool” lapses into an eerie, show-stopping howl that he recorded in a studio lit with candles. “I was trying to summon up some gay ancestral, spiritual thing,” he says. “That’s, like, some gay realness in the middle.” During the sessions in Utley’s studio, Hadreas experimented with vintage synths, pitch-shifted vocals and saxophone freak-outs only to edit most of that down to his preferred two- to threeminute song length. The studio wizardry gives Too Bright a more visceral impact than his previous albums, but not at the expense of emotion. The challenge now will be ladry of “No Good” and “All Along.” conveying that energy onstage. He is Whereas the first two albums drew touring with a full band and will spend strength from vulnerability, Too Bright is more time at the front of the stage, occasionally sneering and confronta- mic in hand. To brush up he has been tional, much like the female-fronted studying Nina Simone and Karen O rock act Sleater-Kinney he adored as a performances on YouTube. teen. “No family is safe when I sashay,” “I like to see people that have comhe sings on lead single “Queen.” pletely lost themselves onstage, even if “Sometimes defiant women were it’s for a split second,” he says. “They’re the closest I got to hearing some of completely locked into the moment. my feelings being processed,” he says. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do “A lot of my rage comes from grow- emotionally, but now I have to get the ing up as a small-framed, feminine, message across physically.” TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

E xtralivingtoronto.com

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

Naturopathy gesund 416-913-5170

Painting

THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN TORONTO Accommodations – Ontario Holiday Inn holidayinn.com

Accountants Ms Hema Murdock, CA 416-696-6653 Susan Calverley, MBA, MSc, CMA 416-605-1553

Adult Yonge Cinemas yongecinemas.com

Advertising Raymond Helkio Advertising/ Design raymondhelkio.com

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

Bars & Clubs (Toronto)

Chiropractors

Dental Services

gesund 416-913-5170

Adelaide Dental 416-429-0150

Churches

Broadview Dental Clinic 416-466-6400

Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto 416-406-6228

Clinics Yonge Wellesley Medical Clinic 416-960-1441 yongewellesley medicalclinic.com

Coffee Shops Fuel Plus 647-352-8807

City of Toronto, Economic Development Division toronto.ca/business

Counselling Change4U2 416-827-7578

woodystoronto.com

David Moulton, MEd, Canadian Certified Counsellor davidmoulton.ca

St Jamestown Steak & Chops 416-925-7665

Career Counselling CareerCycles.com 416-465-9222

Cemeteries

Dr Iudita Costache – Galleria Dental 416-534-9991

Bryant Renovations Ltd

Dr Kevin Russelo & Associates 416-966-0117

Internet

Dr Martin Sterling 416-923-8042

Juice Bars

Fashion

Phillip Coupal Counselling 416-557-7312

astraflorists.com

Graphic Design Services

Cosmetic Dermatology on Bloor 416-922-6869

Legal Services

Handcrafted wood furniture

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

Massage– Certified/ Registered gesund 416-913-5170

Meats & Delicatessens St Jamestown Steak & Chops 416-925-7665

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A taste of Havana

Harvey L Hamburg 416-968-9054

Timothy E Leahy – Forefront Migration Ltd 416-226-9889

Astra Florists

Health & Personal Care

Lawyers

Law Office of El-Farouk Khaki 416-925-7227

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

mixtapestrategy. com

Juice Box 416-924-4671

Ivan Steele Law Office 647-342-0568

Tailspin Dog Spa 416-920-7387

Florists

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

416-260-0818

Squirt squirt.org

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APRIL–SEPT 2014

St John's Norway Cemetery and Crematorium 416-691-2965

Home Improvement & Repairs

Dog & Cat Grooming

Woody’s and Sailor 416-972-0887

Butchers

The Big Carrot 416-466-2129

Galleria Dental, Dr Iudita Costache 416-534-9991

Community Groups & Services

Health Foods & Nutrition

Philip Kocev 416-364-2036

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

Newbright Painting 416-985-8639

Restaurants & Cafés

Personal Trainers

Cora Breakfast & Lunch chezcora.com

SKLPT your body 1-866-600-3428

Pet Care

Hair of the Dog 416-964-2708

Tailspin Dog Spa 416-920-7387

Lola’s Kitchen lolaskitchen.ca

Pharmacies

The Blake House 416-975-1867

Pace Pharmacy and Compounding Experts 416-515-7223 The Village Pharmacy 416-967-9221

Psychotherapy Bruce M Small, Conscious SelfIntegration 416-598-4888 Nick Mulé, PhD, RSW, Psychotherapist 416-926-9135

Publications Pink Triangle Press 416-925-6665 Xtra 416-925-6665

Radio Stations Proud FM 416-213-1035

Real Estate Agents Gaelen Patrick – Sutton Group Realty Systems Inc 416-801-9265

The Churchmouse & Firkin 416-927-1735

Spa Services Cosmetic Dermatology on Bloor 416-922-6869

Tax Services CJH Tax Services 647-270-8057

Telecommunications Acanac 416-849-8530

Veterinarians Blue Cross Animal Hospital 416-469-1121

Waterproofing Waterproof Masters 905-822-2888

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

Nicholas Banks iPro Realty 877-306-4776

The best of gay & lesbian Toronto — on your desktop and your mobile device! Check out the interactive digital edition of Xtra Living at xtralivingtoronto.com

Riverdale café culture East-end art institution

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XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 29

WHAT'S ON FOR MORE EVENT LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

ART & LITERATURE Queer Zine Fair This alternative fair focuses on the subversive history of zines and provides a platform for under-represented folks, including trans women and two-spirited people. Sat, Oct 4, 11am–7pm. United Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St. PWYC–$5. torontoqueerzinefair.tumblr.com

Nuit Blanche Hundreds of artists transform Toronto into an all-night, multimedia, contemporary art exhibition. Sat, Oct 4, 6:53pm– sunrise. scotiabanknuitblanche.ca

Arsenal Author Showcase Raziel Reid, Vivek Shraya and Shawn Syms read from and sign their latest books. Mon, Oct 6, 7pm. Glad Day Bookshop, 598 Yonge St. Free. arsenalpulp.com

Stephen Andrews: Possible Outcomes An exhibition in two parts: part one is about finding ways to describe light using paint; part two is a “sexcelebratory” work commissioned by the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange. Runs Fri, Oct 10–Sat, Nov 8. Paul Petro Contemporary Art, 980 Queen St W. Free. paulpetro.com

Dark Hard Chocolate Kwame Stephens launches his new book with an evening of erotic stories about black men in Toronto. Sun, Oct 12, 8pm.

Club120, 120 Church St. $10. darkhardchocolate.com

COMEDY & CABARET Richard Ryder Live The 103.9 Proud FM host performs adult-oriented, gay-centric, curseword-riddled comedy. Fri, Oct 3, 9pm. The Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St. $15 advance, $20 door. pubaret.com

Singular Sensation: A Musical-Theatre Open Mic Jennifer Walls invites amateur crooners to perform their favourite songs accompanied by a live band. Every Monday, 9:30pm–12:30am. Statlers, 487 Church St. No cover. statlers.ca

Queer As Fuck: The Feedback Show Standup comedians don’t often know why some of their jokes get weird responses. This show helps them sort it out by soliciting feedback from the audience. Thurs, Oct 16, 9pm. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. PWYC. thesteadycafe.com

HEALTH & ISSUES The 519 Legal Clinic A free, accessible service for lowincome 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

underwear or Lycra costumes. urgetoronto.com

SOY Monday Night Drop-In

New Wave: Rope Bondage for Group Play

Queer youth ages 14 to 29 gather to watch movies, participate in art projects and workshops, and chat with 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

Men aged 35 and under participate in a workshop focused on tying multiple partners together for everyone’s fucking pleasure. Sat, Oct 4, 5–8pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com

Japanese Rope Bondage Workshop with Midori Kinky folks learn the ins and outs of rope work from an internationally renowned author and instructor. Pre-registration required. Sat, Oct 4, 7:30–10pm. Come As You Are, 493 Queen St W. Cost varies. comeasyouare.com

The Black Queer Youth Initiative Black and multiracial youth aged 29 and under who identify as queer or questioning gather in a safe, social space. Every Wednesday, 6:30–8:30pm. Sherbourne Health Centre, 333 Sherbourne St. Free. soytoronto.org

Pup Night’s Sixth Anniversary (42 in Dog Years)

LGBT Peer Support Drop-In Group

Adorable puppies and their handlers gather for belly rubs and puppy-on-puppy romping. Thurs, Oct 9, 9pm–midnight. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com

Queer people with mood disorders gather for support and discussion. If the building door is locked, press the button under the intercom near the wheelchair entrance. Wed, Oct 15, 7–9pm. Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, 36 Eglinton Ave W, Ste 602. Free. mooddisorders.ca

Possible Outcomes — Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Fri, Oct 10

LEISURE & PLEASURE

STEPHEN ANREWS

ProArteDanza 2014 The dance company celebrates its 10th anniversary with a stunning retrospective that features the Dora Award–winning ...In Between... Runs until Sat, Oct 4, various times. Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 207 Queens Quay W. $20–40. proartedanza.com

Queer Slowdance: Nuit Noir Booty-shakers make dance dates with one another, while designated dancers coax out the wallflowers. Fri, Oct 3, 9:30pm–3am. Gladstone

Hotel, 1214 Queen St W. $10 includes dance-card booklet. gladstonehotel.com

I’m Sexy and I Know It The Rose Centre for Love, Sex and Disability hosts a night of festivities that includes a fashion show, a burlesque performance and a silent auction. Sun, Oct 5, 6–10pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. No cover. therosecentre.ca

Pup Night — Black Eagle, Thurs, Oct 9 TONY FONG

Rainbow Toastmasters Open House An opportunity to learn about the Toastmasters program and club by socializing and observing one of its meetings. Mon, Oct 6, 6:30pm. Metropolitan Community Church, 115 Simpson Ave. Free. rainbow.toastmastersclub.org

Board Games Night The irretrievably geeky gather for a night of horror-themed board and card games. Sat, Oct 11, 7pm– midnight. Glad Day Bookshop, 598 Yonge St. $6 before 9:30pm, $3 after. facebook.com/torontogaymers

Nagata Shachu: Kaiso Toronto’s preeminent taiko drum ensemble performs live. The event also marks the release of the group’s third DVD. Sat, Oct 18, 8pm. Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 207 Queens Quay W. $25–35. nagatashachu.com

SOY’s Fierce 15th Bowlathon Bowling for a cause with prizes, raffles, food and friends. Sat, Oct 25, 1–4pm. Bowlerama West, 5429 Dundas St W. For more info, visit soytoronto.org.

THEATRE The Importance of Being Earnest Full of biting social commentary disguised as triviality, Oscar Wilde’s comedy about two Victorian aristocrats trying to escape their social burdens has stood the test of time. Runs until Sat, Oct 4, various showtimes. Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle. $10–28. harthouse.ca

Freda and Jem’s Best of the Week When two women who raised a family together split up, their family discovers that love doesn’t have to end at divorce, but it does have to change. Runs until Sun, Oct 5, various showtimes. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. PWYC–$37. buddiesinbadtimes.com

Wicked Long before Dorothy drops in, two girls meet in the Land of Oz. One is smart, fiery and misunderstood; the other is beautiful and popular — the untold story about the witches of Oz returns. Runs until Sun, Nov 2, various showtimes. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. $36–150. mirvish.com

Stupefied Comedian Paul Hutcheson workshops his new solo cabaret show. Runs Thurs, Oct 9–Sat, Oct 11, 8pm. The Box Toronto, 103-89 Niagara St. $15, $12 arts workers and students.

Evita

SEX Urge Sex Maze While wandering the sex maze, guys enjoy glimpses of soccer hunks and Spider-Man (or some slutty approximation). Every Thursday, 5pm–midnight. Urge, 199 Church St. Free entry for guys in sportswear,

30 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

The hit musical about Eva Perón, who used her charisma not only to ascend to the presidential mansion, but to win the hearts of her people as a champion of the poor. Runs Thurs, Oct 16–Sun, Nov 23, various showtimes. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Ave. $50– 60. lowerossingtontheatre.com

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

CLUB SCENE Thurs, Oct 2 Crews & Tangos Thursday Beauty & The Bitch, with Daytona Bitch and Katinka Kature, 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 guest, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. crewsandtangos.com Random Play DJ Dwayne Minard spins disco, yacht rock, new wave and classic rock for the queer-east peeps. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. No cover. facebook.com/ waylabarnounge

Fri, Oct 3 Butch Femme Salon: Fantasies and Fairytales Titus Androgynous and Belle Jumelles take a trip to fairy-tale lands of fearsome beasts and seductive sirens. DJ Linguist plays tribal tech, nu disco and house for trans, two-spirit, femme and butch folks and more. 8pm– 2am. Buddies, 12 Alexander St. $10. buddiesinbadtimes.com Big Primpin’ DJs Kevin Ritchie, Max Mohenu and Blackcat spin homo-rific hip hop and R&B for the west-end queers. 10pm. Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St W. $5. facebook.com/bigprimpin Out and Out Fundraiser DJ Mark Falco spins retro to raise money for the LGBT activities club. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. $5. facebook.com/waylabarnounge Woof Bearcode hosts a bears’ night the first and third Friday of every month. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com

Righteous Reunion Gavin Bradley and Dwayne Minard reunite for a live DJ set. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. $5. facebook.com/ waylabarnounge Bad Tuck: Attack of the Nob Gobbler Judy Virago and Igby Lizzard host a Thanksgiving festivity, featuring performances by Buzz Hunneedew and Champagna Enemea. DJ Aeryn Pfaff on decks. 10:30m. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. $5, no cover in turkey drag. beavertoronto.ca

10:30pm. Fly 2.0, 8 Gloucester St. No cover for first 150 before 11:30pm, $10 before 1am, $15 after. flyyyz.com Tapette: Edition Nuit Blanche DJ Phil V spins French disco, house and pop for French boys alongside a special art installation: a giant penis made from baguettes. Hercules & Love Affair ticket-holders get in free. 10:30. Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St W. $5.

Sun, Oct 12 Haus 101 DJ Relentless spins a lesson in house music, with all donations benefiting the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. 8pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. No cover. facebook.com/ waylabarnounge

Sun, Oct 5 Woody’s Sunday The Hollywoody Broadway Show, hosted by Miss Conception, at 6pm; Old School, hosted by Georgie Girl with Brooke Lynn Hytes and Carlotta Carlisle, at 9pm; Five Smokin’ Hot Divas, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Devine Darlin, Cassandra Moore, Scarlett Bobo and Vitality Black performing, at 11pm. DJ Blue Peter works the decks. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com The Danny Show Danny Adhim hosts a night that sees seven fresh standup acts taking the stage. 7pm. 120 Diner, 120 Church St. No cover. club120.ca Crews & Tangos Sunday Diva Supreme, with Michelle Ross and Alisha Van Horne, at 8:30pm; Sultry Sunday, with Farra N Hyte and guest, at 11:30pm.

DJ Blackcat at Go Hard: Noir — Club120, Sun, Oct 12 CHRISTOPHER CUSHMAN

Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. crewsandtangos.com

Mon, Oct 6 Woody’s Monday Blue Peter takes the DJ/ VJ deck for the dodgeball league’s theme-night party. 8pm. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com

Tues, Oct 7 Tits & Dicks Mandy Goodhandy hosts the sexy T-girl strip night, with pole, lap and VIP dances all night. 9pm. Club120, 120 Church St. club120.ca

Crews & Tangos Tuesday Do Gooders, with Carlotta Carlisle and Katherine Hytes Dior, at 9pm; Vocal Rehab karaoke, with Elyse, at 10pm; Industry Night, with Brooke Lynn Hytes and Vitality Black, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com Bingo with a Twist DManda Tension and the Gay Squad host a weekly evening of prizes, surprises and big bingo daubers. 9pm. Pegasus, 489B Church St. No cover. pegasusonchurch.com

Thurs, Oct 9 Woody’s Thursday The Absolut Best Chest Contest, with Sofonda Cox and Cassandra Moore performing before bringing the boys onstage for a chance to win $300 in cash prizes. DJ Mark Falco on decks. Midnight. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com

Daddy Next Door DJs Dwayne Minard and Mike B spin for beefy, house-loving gents and the boys who lust after them. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. $5. facebook.com/ waylabarnounge Fly 2.0 White Party Local DJs get decked out in the angelic colour for devilish boys on the dancefloor in celebration of Nuit Blanche.

DJ Linguist at Cherry Bomb — Round, Sat, Oct 4

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Mon, Oct 13

Witchness Woman’s Special DJs Sammy Royale and Nino Brown can’t wait for Halloween, with a performance by Allysin Chaynes. 10pm. Round, 152A Augusta Ave. $6. roundvenue.com

Crews & Tangos Monday Glitz & Glam, with Carlotta Carlisle and Katinka Kature bringing the bling to the drag stage, at 9pm; Dirty Monday, with Daytona Bitch and guest tarnishing the wholesome crowd, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com

Trade: Wrestling Singlet Party

Tues, Oct 14 Karaoke with Foofer Belt out one of the thousands of songs to choose from. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. No cover. facebook.com/waylabarnounge

Birkenrock Daniel McIntyre and David Van Poppel present a night of female alternative music and new jams. 11pm–2:30am. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. No cover. beavertoronto.ca

Cherry Bomb Launch Party Resident DJs Cozmic Cat and Denise Benson join DJ Linguist on decks. Performances by Taliya, Isabella Hoops and Roxanne Luchak help launch CB’s new home in Kensington Market. 10pm– 3am. The Round, 152A Augusta Ave. $5 before 11pm, $8 after. roundvenue.com Jockstrap: XXX Men Only Edition Ryan Russell hosts an evening of international pornstars performing onstage, with DJ Deko-ze spinning house and EDM for the sexy guys. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10, $15 VIP. facebook.com/ jockpartyto

Sat, Oct 11

Wed, Oct 8

Sat, Oct 4

Fri, Oct 10 Dirty Dishes: An Audio-Visual Orgasm DJ Steven Knight spins, with VJ Marc Joseph working the screens. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. $5. facebook.com/ waylabarnounge Daddy Cool: ’80s Edition DJ Joe Black spins unadulterated retro, no covers, no remixes and no remakes. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com Her: The Toronto Chainsaw MassacHer Edition DJs Kris Steeves and Omgblog.com throw down house and dark disco while the moon shines full. Hosted by LeatHERface. 11pm. La Perla, 783 Queen St W. $5. herherher.com

Go Hard: Noir DJs Pleasure, DC and Lissa Monet spin the birthday beats for DJ Blackcat’s big day, with hot ’90s throwback sets throughout the night. 10:30pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10 before midnight, $15 until 1am, $20 after. club120.ca

Allysin Chaynes at Witchness Woman’s Special — Round, Sat, Oct 11 DJs Frustra, David Picard and Scooter McCreight spin for the men getting down and dirty on the floor. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. $5 before midnight, $10 after. facebook.com/getsometrade Pitbull: Slapshot DJ Johnny OC spins for the queer hockey players from all over competing in the Eastern Canada Cup tournament. Strippers and go-go dancers play with their sticks and pucks at the hockey-themed party. 10pm. The Courthouse, 57 Adelaide St E. $15 advance, $20 door. pitbullevents.ca Fubar That’s Fucked Up Beyond All Repair, with DJs Dynamix, Havil and Kamsy spinning for the Nigerian Independence Day bash. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $20. club120.ca

Varsity Tuesday Sofonda Cox hosts the amateur So You Think You Can Strip? competition, with $100 in cash up for grabs. 11pm. Remington’s, 379 Yonge St. $5 before 11pm, $7 after; no cover with student ID before 11pm, $2 after. remingtons.com

Wed, Oct 15 Latin Live The best of Toronto’s Latin talent perform music, song, comedy and more onstage every Wednesday. 7pm. 120 Diner, 120 Church St. No cover. club120ca Crews & Tangos Wednesday Back End Burlesque, with Daytona Bitch and Red Herring taking it in the rear, at 9pm; Soul Sistas, with Michelle Ross and Jada Hudson bringing the soulful sounds, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com Zipperz Wednesday The Drag Kings of Toronto show what men are all about every week. 11pm. Zipperz-Cellblock, 72 Carlton St. No cover. facebook.com/zipperz

Submit your event listing to listings@dailyxtra.com. Deadline for the Oct 16 issue is Tues, Oct 7. XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 31

1

2

XPOSED

ANNA POURNIKOVA PHOTOS BY BECCA LEMIRE

4

3 5

7

1E Nancy Bocock is hosting a karaoke night at The Steady. It’s called Screech Karaoke and it’s free. They are also serving $4 screech and Cokes all night. If you are a Downhomer, then you know that screech is something that mainlanders buy at the liquor store. It’s made in Jamaica and accredited to Newfoundland because of the hellfire we’re known for drinking. It’s good with Coke and will definitely get the tunes rollin’ right off your tongue. 2E Did I mention there is a nine-inch-thick songbook at Screech Karaoke? This is the look on Erwin, Alexia and Kim’s faces when they found out that same fact. (Alexia is not that impressed.) 3E Is it weird if I spend a moment just gushing all over Robbie here? I mean, I’m pretty sure that Robbie is Alexia’s babe, but my lord, the hot factor is on super high there. Hard-nipple city. 4E Here’s a group shot to round it out: from left to right, Brodie, Caitlin, Tynan and Brianna. It’s not every day that you can get a group shot where every single person has a non-traditional name. This is the holy grail of party shots right here, and, coincidentally, there is also karaoke.

5E There’s a Queer Slowdance monthly that’s started at The Gladstone (the next one is Oct 3), and now we can all enjoy the cheesy hits from the ages, just like Geoff and Peter, all close and smiling and dreamy. 6E The best part about the Queer Slowdance party is that it’s listed as a “straight-ish slowdance.” Straight to bed is probably more like it. Sol is the lovely man who works the door, taking your money so you can sweat all over each other on the dancefloor. He’s a king. 7E So, The Drake has started a weekly Tuesday bingo night that I’m sure will be fun. Someone had to pick up where the Living Well left off when their long-running night died a slow and painful death. The regular hosts are Scarlett (on the left) and Judy (on the right), but Allysin was filling in for Judy on the launch night . . . although Judy still attended. With these ladies at the helm, I’m sure it’s going to be a blast. 8E Look how happy Shana and Sara are, playing bingo at the Drake. Also, I notice Shana is wearing one of those plastic chokers that were popular in the 1990s and have recently come back into fashion. I’m just gonna come out and say it: I like it better the second time around. Shana makes that shit look good.

8

6 32 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

Xposed appears in every other issue of Xtra. For this week’s Deep Dish column, by Rolyn Chambers, go to dailyxtra.com. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 33

A world of gay adventure

Travel

Desert oasis is more than just ‘gay and grey’

Palm Springs JEFFREY LUSCOMBE

What comes to mind when you think of Palm Springs? For most, it’s palm trees, sun, swimming pools and mid-century architecture. Then, of course, there is the large LGBT community and the huge number of retirees — affectionately known as the “gay and grey.”

Gay Palm Springs Palm Springs has a lot to offer the LGBT traveller looking for a hot time in the desert. In fact, the town’s gay roots go back almost 100 years, to 1919, when Chicago heiress Lois Kellogg (eccentric bohemian and rumoured lesbian) swept in to start construction on an enormous (though, sadly, never completed) Moroccan-Persian-style home. Since then, gays and lesbians have been travelling to this desert oasis in search of sun-drenched same-sex frolicking. After all, not only did Rock Hudson have a house here (far from the prying eyes of his movie studio), übergay Liberace owned two! Today, Palm Springs has one of the largest LGBT communities in the United States. And these folks love sharing hot fun with visitors. What are you into? Over the course of the year, Palm Springs probably has something to suit the taste of any LGBT traveller: a White Party in April, the Film Noir Festival in May, the Cinema Diverse Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in September, Pride weekend in early November and Leather Pride in mid-November. 34 OCT 2–15, 2014 XTRA!

If you head to Palm Springs during one of the non-festival weeks, you will still find lots to do after the sun goes down. After a good meal at one of the many restaurants downtown, hit one — or more — of the gay bars in town. The bar scene seems to start earlier than other cities, but make sure you hit Street Bar, Hunters video bar, Score: The Game Bar, and The Barracks and Tool Shed (for the leather and denim crowd). All have specialty nights throughout the week.

Let it all hang out One benefit of a Palm Springs holiday is that you can pack light. Very light. Back in the days when it was the winter playground of Hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich, resorts (with 20 or 25 rooms surrounding the ever-present pool) were built to accommodate all the families that flocked to town. Today many of these old resorts are gay-owned and have been transformed into men-only, clothing-optional guesthouses. In fact, no other city in the world has as many gay clothing-optional resorts as Palm Springs. So those inclined to spend their holidays in the buff can strip down and enjoy the sun without the fear of tan lines. Clothing-optional resorts are gated and walled, so you won’t have to worry about shocking anyone who might be strolling by. And yes, local drugstores carry 100 SPF sunscreen. Popular gay clothing-optional guesthouses include Escape Resort, Vista

Work on your tan line if you like, but no other city in the world has as many gay clothing-optional resorts as Palm Springs. PALM SPRINGS DESERT RESORT COMMUNITIES CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY

TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

PALM SPRINGS DESERT RESORT COMMUNITIES CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY

Clockwise from left: Delos Van Earl’s Jungle Red sculpture graces the entrance to Warm Sands, the most vibrant gay neighbourhood in Palm Springs; for shopping, El Paseo is the Rodeo Drive of Palm Springs; Miller House, designed by architect Richard Neutra and built of glass and steel, is a great example of Desert Modernism; the Joshua tree is a common sight in the desert. SCOTT BRASSART

PALM SPRINGS DESERT RESORT COMMUNITIES CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY

Grande Resort, CCBC, Bearfoot Inn and La Joya Inn. Many rooms also include kitchens, private verandas, continental breakfasts and WiFi. Some of the resorts have day passes, so decide before you reserve if you want to stay in a place that allows non-guests to use the facilities (for instance, CCBC sells 12-hour day passes). However, the practice does allow you to check out some of the other clothing-optional resorts for a day visit.

For the ladies For the past 24 years, lesbians have descended upon Palm Springs each April for their own brand of entertainment. Called “the biggest all-girl event in the world,” the Club Skirts Dinah Shore MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Weekend (better known as The Dinah) coincides with the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s Kraft Nabisco Championship tournament (formerly the Dinah Shore Golf Championship). Some of the events scheduled to get the ladies’ juices flowing during The Dinah are a comedy night, a film festival, pool parties, celebrity poker and ( just in case you boys thought this was your domain) a women’s White Party. And though many larger cities do not have even one hotel dedicated to the lesbian traveller, Palm Springs can boast two: Casitas Laquita and Queen of Hearts Resort.

For the greys The fact is, a lot of older people have

chosen to live in Palm Springs because of the year-round warm weather and the great number of leisure activities. According to the 2010 census, 26.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older and the median age was 51.6 years. This is not South Beach, folks. Still, older people, both gay and straight, are part of the charm. You will find a lot of friendly people and less attitude here than in many other gay destinations. Palm Springs welcomes everyone.

Other attractions Palm Springs is famous for its large number of Mid-Century Modern homes, and guided tours of these buildings are available year-round. But you

can always just stroll around the downtown yourself to get a flavour of great architecture by modernist masters such as Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Donald Wexler, Albert Frey and William F Cody. Palm Springs Modernism Week is held every February to celebrate the city’s architecture. For those looking to escape their resort for a few hours or days, nearby Joshua Tree National Park is a great place to enjoy camping, hiking and climbing. The forest covers a land area of 790,636 acres, or an area slightly larger than Rhode Island. A large part of the park (429,690 acres) has been designated a wilderness area. If you find the lure of the snowcapped mountains too strong to avoid, jump on

the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Described as the “world’s largest rotating tramcar,” it will take you on a breathtaking journey up the cliffs of Chino Canyon. The ride from Valley Station (elevation 800 metres) to the Mountain Station (elevation 2,600 metres) takes 10 minutes.

Weather Over the course of a typical year, the temperature in Palm Springs ranges from 7 Celsius to 41. The warm season typically lasts from early June to the end of September, with an average daily high of 36, while the cold season lasts from the end of November until the first of March and has an average daily high of 24. XTRA! OCT 2–15, 2014 35

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XTRA HOT

DRASKO BOGDANOVIC

Pride Toronto co-chair to leave board this fall

dailyxtra.com

NAME: WILLIAM HINES AGE: 34 SIGN: ARIES

A proud trans man and an avid snowboarder, William is a real wild child who thrives on adventure: “Anything from swimming with sharks, dog sledding in the mountains, ATV riding in an Egyptian desert, going way too fast in a Ferrari Spider convertible or winter camping in a yurt,” he says. “And these are the PG-13 stories.” He’s equally daring with his sex life, having done the deed in places like “a tennis court in broad daylight, a New York subway train and a Greyhound bus.” William mentions Sweaty Betty’s, The Beaver and an equal mix of Hanlan’s Point and Trinity Bellwoods in the summer as his favourite hangouts in the city. His favourite quote? “Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by the romance of the unusual,” from Ernest Hemingway. To comment on or become an Xtra Hot guy or gal, email Drasko at xtrahot@dailyxtra.com.

The best of gay and lesbian Toronto — on your desktop and your mobile device! Check out the interactive digital edition of Xtra Living at

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SALAH BACHIR PRESENTS

AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENING WITH

AND VERY SPECIAL GUEST

THEO TAMS WINNER OF THE 6 SEASON TH

OF CANADIAN IDOL

TH SUNDAY OCTOBER 19 THE 519 BALLROOM, 519 CHURCH STREET

SOLD OUT! Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of our Honourary Patron Salah Bachir, The 519’s Annual Gala is now sold out. Many thanks to the following individuals, corporations and foundations for helping us raise vital new resources in support of The 519’s year-round programs and services: PRESENTING SPONSOR:

ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR:

SPONSOR:

SPONSOR:

SPONSOR:

Frank Toskan and Darren Zakreski SPECIAL THANKS:

CIBC ' Kate Alexander Daniels and David Daniels ' Daniel Greenglass and Joe Brennan ' Mantella Corporation ' Manulife Financial Nancy’s Very Own Foundation ' RBC and RBC Foundation ' TD Financial Group

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