Xtra Vancouver #480 by Pink Triangle Press

RURAL CULTURE SHOCK A BC teen moves north ›7

KEEPING OUR VOICE City’s gay committee needs people ›7

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

‘THEY’ IS ME Ivan Coyote addresses pronouns › 10

#480 JAN 12, 2012

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150

Tyler Dorchester’s Brotherhood celebrates six years in Xtra ›14

COMMENT 4 XCETERA 5 NEWS 7 OUT IN THE CITY 13 XPOSED 17

PLUS!

G U ID E M A G . C O TRAVEL SECTI M ON M u n ic h & Cologn e ›19– 22

MORE AT XTRA.CA

Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Making a difference in the lives of the LGBT community

Roundup #480

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THEATRE

Glory Days › 13

How glorious was high school if friendships fall apart when you come out? NEWSFRONT

The shock of moving to rural BC

When a 17-year-old lesbian moved from Vancouver to the Bulkley Valley for her senior year of high school last September, she found herself fairly isolated, with only a tiny gay-straight alliance and very few resources for support. ›7

Will Portia walk her pro-gay talk?

In a country notorious for its homophobia, Portia SimpsonMiller said gay people could serve in her cabinet, a week before Jamaicans went to the polls. And her People’s National Party still won by a landslide to reclaim 41 out of 63 available seats on Dec 29. Are things beginning to change in Jamaica? › xtra.ca

City’s gay committee needs people Battle for hearts “We need to make sure that there’s and minds rages on an LGBTQ critique of council policies, council programs, council funding and also to work with Parks Board and School Board on their joint policies,” says former city councillor Ellen Woodsworth. ›7

OPINION

‘They’ is me

Call us what we wish to be called, writes Xtra columnist Ivan Coyote. ›10

Sero-shunning

Should we, as a community, now switch to seeking out poz guys with undetectable viral loads and shun the supposedly “negative” guys, columnist Bill Coleman asks. ›11

ONLINE

A heated trans action

“There’s been a storm of controversy regarding the public posting of a trans woman’s birth name on Xtra editor Danny Glenwright’s personal Facebook page. People were upset. As a queer trans woman, I was upset,” writes Pink Triangle Press’s quality assurance analyst Tera Mallette. › xtra.ca

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY TYLER DORCHESTER COVER PHOTO BY SHIMON KARMEL

While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s no-holds-barred gayrights-are-human-rights speech at the UN in Geneva in December continues to reverberate and the UN takes steps in the right direction, anti-gay protesters in Sierra Leone and Hungary’s new constitution show the battle is far from won. › xtra.ca

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Commentary ›4 Xcetera ›5 Xposed ›17 COLUMNS

Naked Eye Robin Perelle ›4 Loose End Ivan Coyote ›10 Open Wide Bill Coleman ›11 Blitz & Shitz Raziel ›16 CARTOONS

The Brotherhood Tyler Dorchester ›14 The Village Ken Boesem ›26 LISTINGS

Parties ›13 Community ›13 Arts, festivals & performance ›13

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Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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Comment Opposition swells Naked Eye Robin Perelle

DIDN’T SEE THE SWELL COMING when Parents’ Voice formed last May to oppose the Burnaby School Board’s passage of its antihomophobia policy. I didn’t see the swell building when conservative activist Kari Simpson suddenly re-emerged from an all-too-brief moment of silence to take aim at Out in Schools. I didn’t fully register the connection when Vancouver School Board (VSB) candidates Ken Denike and Sophia Woo parroted Simpson, then got caught echoing her in a video filmed for an American antigay-marriage group’s fundraising campaign. I only realized the dots likely weren’t so random when Denike and Woo got caught blatantly lying to voters in a second video. We know that Simpson and Parents’ Voice (PV) are working together. Simpson encouraged PV to file a human rights complaint against Xtra three days before the municipal election in November. Tribunal records name her as “the complainant’s agent in this matter,” and PV spokesperson Charter Lau credits Simpson with “really helping us.” What we don’t yet know is where Denike and Woo fit in. Did they simply get inspired by the backlash in Burnaby and Simpson’s spiel against Out in Schools and decide to capitalize on it for a few votes of their own? Or did they all sit down for tea to plan their election strategies together?

It wouldn’t be the first time a vocal conservative minority has pooled its resources in the Lower Mainland. The last wave of concerted anti-gay protest swelled (then fizzled) in September 2006 after the BC government admitted its classrooms lacked queer content and reached an agreement with Peter and Murray Corren to slowly foster gay-friendlier schools. About 1,000 people attended a rally then, including representatives from the Catholic Civil Rights League, BC Parents and Teachers for Life, REAL Women, the Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association, and a new group launched specifically to oppose the Corren agreement: Concerned Parents of BC. “We’re not fighting against homosexuality,” Concerned Parents leader Brian Roodnick told me at the time. “We’re fighting for parents’ rights.” Sound familiar? Roodnick assured me he had no objection to making the curriculum more inclusive, provided it’s done right. “What’s the right way to teach kids about gays and lesbians?” I asked. “It’s kind of like evolution and creationism,” he replied. “The theory of evolution, it’s still just a theory. I mean, a lot of people think it’s a fact, but they call it the theory of evolution.” In other words, according to Roodnick, teachers should respect the demonstrably outdated beliefs some parents are still feeding their kids and tell the kids “you’re completely within your right to have that view.” Roodnick and his cohorts were particularly adamant about parents maintaining the leeway to yank their kids out of classes they find morally

objectionable — leeway the government restricted when it enforced existing policy exempting kids only from health and planning classes. Imagine my surprise when Denike trotted out the old “parents’ right to withdraw kids” argument when pressed about his appearance in the two videos. “It’s a matter of the parents having a right to withdraw kids if it’s something that they consider sort of goes against their culture, morals or whatever,” he told CKNW host Simi Sara on Dec 20, trying to evade questions about the Christian video. In that video, Denike and Woo explicitly tell voters at a Christian Social Concern Fellowship picnic that, unlike Burnaby, the VSB has no policy specifically addressing homophobia. Vancouver has only a general anti-discrimination policy, they say, warning everyone to vote for them and their party if they want to keep it that way. As Denike should well know, the VSB passed anti-homophobia policy in 2004. He was on the board when the policy was first presented in 2002 and funded in 2005. Denike and Woo are entitled to their views. They are entitled to jump on a Conservative bandwagon, form coalitions, oppose policy, seek its repeal and openly run on that promise. What I find repugnant is their dishonesty — their willingness to misrepresent policy, stoke unfounded fear and seek votes on false pretenses. For that, they should resign at the next VSB meeting on Jan 16, whether they’re part of a concerted swell or not. Robin Perelle is the managing editor of Xtra.

“The outcome that we seek is this — gay and lesbian people daring together to set love free.” Xtra is published by Pink Triangle Press, at 1033 Davie St, Ste 501, Vancouver V6E 1M7.

GO DOWN TO THAT MEMORIAL AND LISTEN TO MY DEAD FRIENDS TELLING YOU ABOUT THEIR LIVES.

INBOX To Mike Tropp IN HIS LETTER [XTRA#478, Dec 15], Mike Tropp writes: “For myself, I could never understand why those who died from AIDS were designated heroes (witness the monument at Sunset Beach). Dying of a disease doesn’t confer hero status.” Dear Mike, upon reading the comments above, I felt a stab in my heart. The monument is a memorial to many of my personal friends and friends of thousands of others. We all lived at the time of liberation from centuries of oppression. We celebrated. When HIV started to be known, and research showed us how it was transmitted, many of us had already been infected. Following the discovery, politicians, the medical establishment and the population at large ignored it as “the gay plague.” As a result, through ignorance and misinformation, more were infected. People died alone, cast out by their families, rejected by society and shunned even by other gay people. After this time, women, lesbians, gay men and allies created support systems, activated society and forced the medical establishment and politicians to act. The people in these organizations driving the change needed in society were people with HIV and their allies. Due to their bravery, they saved thousands, maybe millions of lives. Mike, the comments you made were hurtful and unnecessary. My need for society to understand its history and have compassion for our feelings during this time of loss is not supported by your comments. I feel angry and frustrated that a person can allow himself to slag something he knows nothing about. My request is that you go down to that memorial and listen to my dead friends telling you about their lives. You will be in the presence of people who made a difference to your life, my life and

everyone else’s — humans and heroes we can no longer share our lives with. The least you can do is respect them. Michael Brian Wicks Vancouver, BC

Sex-addict Shame EXCELLENT ARTICLE [“THE Shame of the Het Sex-Addict Movie,” xtra.ca, Dec 13]! I, too, saw Shame and left the theatre wondering what I had just sat through. There wasn’t a plot or anything leading up to why these characters were so damaged and conflicted. Michael’s acting job was spectacular, but Carey’s left a lot to be desired. I loved the movie Hunger (to the point of tears), but Shame left me feeling like something was missing. A plot maybe? Julie Neumann Naperville, IL

QQ rekindles memories AFTER READING YOUR ARticle [“So Long, Doughnut Set,” Xtra #479, Dec 29] I had a wonderful dream — that I was alive again! I remember Champagne Charlie’s, but in my day it was primarily a lesbian bar. If you wanted to see a good drag show you would go to the August Club. I hold many fond memories of the shows I saw there, such as when Sandy St Peters mimed “Bridge over Troubled Water.” Those were the days when you could dance the night away at places like Faces, and AIDS wasn’t even on the radar. I lost so many good friends to that plague. Sometimes I wonder how much those intelligent and talented individuals could have contributed to life had they been able to live out theirs. Steve Morrison Vancouver, BC

Send your correspondence by mail to 1033 Davie St, Ste 501, Vancouver V6E 1M7, fax 604-684-9697 or email comment@xtra.ca. Letters must include your full name, which is published, and telephone number, for verification only. We may edit letters.

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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Xcetera

TAKE THAT

OWN YOUR SHIT

Employment @

SOMETHING XTRA ON THE WEB

THEY READ XTRA!

On their radar

— a reader responds to whoever has been smearing shit on Xtra’s newspaper box at Production Way, near the base of SFU mountain in Burnaby.

DAILY

Conservative website Life Site News ran a Jan 2 story by BC Parents and Teachers for Life opposed to an editorial Xtra ran in October. “You have to feel for Kari Simpson. It must be tough knowing you’re on the wrong side of history,” the editorial, called “Left Behind,” began. Life Site’s take: “Those who said there was a pro-homosexuality agenda were treated with scorn as alarmists before the propagandists for that agenda became as bold as they are now. But we have it directly from the managing editor of Xtra Vancouver: as clear an enunciation of the homosexual activist agenda for the schools as we may have seen anywhere. “In the October 20th, 2011, edition of the Vancouver edition of the homosexual magazine Xtra, the managing editor of that magazine wrote in the online edition: “. . . the gay rights movement is shifting norms in Canada. And with that comes a message to those who won’t evolve: your outdated morals are no longer acceptable, and we will teach your kids the new norm.” I wonder what they’ll think of this issue’s editorial? —Robin Perelle

BITCHSLAP

Dumb + dumber

Xtra, Canada’s premier gay and lesbian media group, operated by Pink Triangle Press, is expanding and redeveloping our web presence. In spring 2012, we will launch our new online news and informationsharing community, Daily Xtra (dailyxtra.com). Replacing our current website, Daily Xtra will be the place to go for the latest news and most current information relevant to readers who appreciate Xtra’s unique point of view. To prepare, we’re expanding our editorial staff and recruiting for three new positions in our Toronto office:

EDITOR

As Editor you will act as the primary shepherd of content for Daily Xtra. With a proven background in professional journalism, you have solid judgment regarding news and features, strong news-writing skills and knowledge of editorial standards and defamation law. You know a story and its hook when you see them. Ideally, you have previous experience as an online news editor (or webmaster) and are enthusiastic about using social media tools for both investigation and engagement. Passionate about advocacy journalism but committed to fairness and accuracy, you are often skeptical of what you read in the mainstream press. You are highly organized, an eager team player and a natural leader of people. You are familiar with Xtra and our editorial products and support our work. You are familiar with gay and lesbian communities and their politics. This is a full-time salaried position, with benefits.

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR (PART-TIME)

The Associate Copy Editor will support the Copy Editor to ensure that copy generated by our editorial team reaches its audience error-free. As the ideal candidate, you have a solid background in journalism or publishing, excellent copyediting skills and knowledge of editorial standards and defamation law. You have a freakishly keen eye for detail with the ability to spot errors amid huge volumes of text and can concentrate on the task at hand for extended periods. You have sophisticated knowledge of Canadian Press and are familiar with the major style guides. Completion of a copyediting course is essential and solid writing skills are an asset. You work well with others and realize that your colleagues depend on your ability to meet deadlines. This is a part-time salaried position, with benefits.

SOCIAL MEDIA AGENT —Adam Lambert’s somewhat sheepish tweet after spending the night in a Helsinki jail for fighting with his Finnish boyfriend, Sauli Koskinen, outside a gay club on Dec 21. No charges have been laid and neither one was injured in the altercation, apparently. —Helen Whitehead

Wedding bells for Weir

IBTIMES.COM

NO MORE PUH-POKER FACE

Newly wed gay Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, 27, is revelling in all the benefits of marriage to Georgetown University law graduate Victor Voronov, 28. For one thing, he tweets, “no more livin’ in sin.” For another, “marriage gives your skin an amazing glow.” Weir says he’s looking forward to “introducing my world of glitter and Fabergé eggs to Victor.” Victor’s take? “I can be guaranteed of one thing — with Johnny, I will never be bored.” The two made it official at an early-morning civil ceremony at the New York City Courthouse on Dec 30, with both sets of parental units present. Weir’s wish: “I hope more states pass laws allowing all Americans to be united through love and marriage.”

BREAKING NEWS › MP CHAMPIONS HUMAN RIGHTS IN COLOMBIA > DID WORK IT LIVE DOWN TO THE HYPE? > STARTING A LIBERAL GAY CAUCUS MORE AT XTRA.CA

As Social Media Agent you will engage gay and lesbian people at home and around the world, introducing them to Daily Xtra, its communities, its contributors and their work. As the ideal candidate, you have a background in social media and new journalism, strong writing and technical skills and knowledge of editorial standards and defamation law. You believe in the power and versatility of social media, and you know there are as many applications for it as there are stories to tell. Addicted to news and information, you love to participate in online communities, and you have a vision for how the media landscape will change in the coming decade. A congenial team player, you love to work in a collaborative environment, and you realize that your colleagues look to you to promote and disseminate their work. This is a full-time salaried position, with benefits. As an ideal candidate to work at Pink Triangle Press, you support our work and are familiar with Xtra and our other editorial products. You are familiar with gay and lesbian communities and their politics. Experience in or knowledge of gay and lesbian communities beyond the GTA is an asset. We provide a generous benefits package for both full-time and part-time employees, three weeks’ annual vacation and an energetic, progressive work environment. If you have the qualifications for a position outlined above and know you are the right fit for the work and our company, APPLY NOW. We will fill each position as soon as we meet the right candidate.

Submit your application, including resumé, by email to matt.mills@xtra.ca. No phone calls, please. Pink Triangle Press is an equal opportunity employer.

Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

CONTACT US ADDRESS: 501–1033 Davie St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 1M7 OFFICE HOURS: Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm (closed holidays) PHONE: 604-684-9696 FAX: 604-684-9697 ONLINE: xtra.ca GENERAL EMAIL: info.vancouver@xtra.ca FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING rates or information, call 604-684-9696 or email advertising.vancouver@xtra.ca. Display advertising deadline for the Jan 26 issue: Fri, Jan 20, 4pm. FOR LINE CLASSIFIEDS rates or information, call 604-684-9696 or email classifieds.vancouver@xtra.ca. Line classified deadline for the Jan 26 issue: Mon, Jan 23, noon.

The publication of an ad in Xtra does not mean Xtra endorses the advertiser. SEND A LETTER to the editor: mail to Xtra, 1033 Davie St, Ste 501, Vancouver, BC, V6E 1M7, fax 604-684-9697 or email comment@xtra.ca. Letters must include the writer’s full name, which is published, and telephone number, for verification only. We may edit letters. SUBMIT A LISTING to Out in the City: oitc.vancouver@xtra.ca. Listings deadline for the Jan 26 issue: Wed, Jan 18, 5pm. SUBSCRIBE Phone 1-800-268-9872 x204 or email subscriptions.vancouver@xtra.ca. $55 for one year (26 issues); US$65 in the United States; US$100 overseas. HST included where applicable. Xtra is free in Greater Vancouver; elsewhere, retailers may charge up to $1 to cover transportation costs. FOR DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION or to suggest a distribution outlet, email craig.palmer@xtra.ca. FOR SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION, email craig.palmer@xtra.ca. CONTRIBUTE OR INQUIRE about Xtra’s editorial content: email editor.vancouver@xtra.ca.

XTRA

Published by Pink Triangle Press PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brandon Matheson EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Mills MANAGING EDITOR Robin Perelle STAFF REPORTER Natasha Barsotti COPY EDITOR Lesley Fraser CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lucinda Wallace PRODUCTION MANAGER Leslie Miller GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bryce Stuart, Andrew Tran, Darryl Mabey JUNIOR ADVERTISING DESIGNER Ashley Calla ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Ken Hickling NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Jeffrey Hoffman DISPLAY ADVERTISING Corey Giles, Samantha Homenick CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Jessie Bennett ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Gareth Kirkby DISTRIBUTION & SPONSORSHIP Craig Palmer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Lexi Chuba

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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ISSUE: Ken Boesem, Bill Coleman, Nathaniel Christopher, Ivan Coyote, Richard J Dalton Jr, Matthew DiMera, Tyler Dorchester, Alvin Grado, Shimon Karmel, Raziel, Mark Robins, Helen Whitehead ISSN: #1198-0613 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN CANADA ©2012 PINK TRIANGLE PRESS. XTRA IS PUBLISHED EVERY TWO WEEKS BY PINK TRIANGLE PRESS

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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Upfront CITY HALL

The shock of moving to rural BC

Vancouver’s gay committee needs people THE CITY OF VANCOUVER’S LGBTQ advisory committee, one of several bodies required to dissolve after the Nov 19 civic election, is now looking for volunteers to fill its 12 vacancies. Established in February 2009 to serve a three-year term, the committee is intended to facilitate the queer community’s access to and participation in city services. Its term expired Dec 4, as did all the other council committees. It’s a vital vehicle for advancing queer rights, policies and funding in the city, says former city councillor Ellen Woodsworth. With only one openly gay councillor reelected (Vision Vancouver’s Tim Stevenson), the committee is extra important, Woodsworth notes. “We need to make sure that there’s an LGBTQ critique of council policies, council programs, council funding and also to work with Parks Board and School Board on their joint policies, as well as use the strength of city government to confront any homophobia that raises its nasty head,” she says. “We’re in very fragile times right now, where I think queer rights can be lost,” she warns, “and we need to make sure we use any possible organizations that can help us advance those rights and enshrine them.” Stevenson says he’s “absolutely confident” the committee will continue to exist and says he’ll continue to be its liaison to council. The committee lived up to his high hopes, he says. “It was a very, very good committee that dealt with many of the issues in our community.” Members who served in the committee’s first term are welcome to reapply, though few plan to, due to other commitments, says former co-chair Ryan Clayton. Neither Clayton, who is stepping away to complete his studies, nor Woodsworth anticipates any difficulty filling the vacancies.

Loose End › 10

YOUTH

The first-term committee, clockwise from back left: Tim Stevenson, Jim Deva, Steven RodRozen, Ryan Clayton, Mette Bach, Fatima Jaffer, Ellen Woodsworth, Karen McVeigh and Mark Robins. SHAUNA LEWIS

Natasha Barsotti

CALL US WHAT WE WANT TO BE CALLED.

“When I was doing up our final report, it was 19 pages; we had done so much stuff. It’s an incredibly valuable part of the city,” Clayton says. Clayton lists the Day Against Hate Crime and Purple Shirt Day vigils, their accompanying city proclamations, liaising with the Outgames, and research around queer access to housing, among the committee’s highlights. “A lot of the work we did was to build a ground, and I actually think the exciting time is going to be this new term,” says Fatima Jaffer, who won’t be returning, either, due to academic demands. “There’s been a lot of thought put into what needs to happen, and not much time to actually do it.” Jaffer would like to see a more diverse committee. “I represent one piece of it. You have one queer of colour who has to represent everybody’s interests, which just isn’t right.” Commitments will also keep Mark Robins from reapplying. “It was a great three years. It’s great the City of Vancouver takes the LGBTQ committee seriously by having the committee in the first place, and I’m just over the moon that they decided to continue with it,” he says. “We need to have a voice at city hall.” Clayton would like to see new members tackle some of the unfinished business of the last term, including a push to make community centre policies more trans-inclusive. He would also like to see Pride designated a civic event. “That’s a huge issue that’s within council’s purview and makes a lot of sense,” he says. “I really hope the next committee takes that on.” The application deadline for prospective committee members is Jan 22. For more information, visit vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/ civicagencies/civicindex.htm or call 604-873-7269.

Self-censoring in a school with a tiny GSA Matthew DiMera SHAUNA HUNTER MCLEAN NEVER once considered going back into the closet. But when the 17-year-old out lesbian moved to the Bulkley Valley in rural BC for her senior year of high school in September, she found herself dealing with a culture shock of sorts. Though she had witnessed it happen to friends before, Mclean says Smithers Secondary School “is probably the first place where I’ve actually experienced homophobia personally.” The incidents have all been verbal, she says, and she’s never been afraid of being physically attacked. Still, it’s a shift from her old public fine arts school in Langley, which didn’t have a gay-straight alliance (GSA) because it wasn’t really needed, she says. “Homophobia was rejected on a school-wide level.” When she transferred to Smithers, she immediately sought out the local GSA. “It was partly because I couldn’t really let go of the privilege I had of being in such an accepting community of students. I kind of had a reaction of ‘Oh no, I’m being taken away from an open-minded community and being put into a rural Christian-like school,’” she explains. She misses the feeling of not having to self-censor or worry about what she says in front of different people. In a school of roughly 800 students, Smithers Secondary’s GSA has only four members — a record high number, according to Mclean. “It’s pretty slow right now. There’s a huge pressure to stay quiet about differences. “There’s not much we can do yet in the way of spreading awareness and acceptance,” she adds. “You know that if you put posters up, there’s going to be a certain amount torn down.” Bulkley Valley is one of the 45 school districts in BC that don’t have a specific anti-homophobia policy. Mclean thinks a policy is sorely needed. “Not only does it put pressure on students to realize what part they play in being bystanders or actual aggressors, it puts more pressure on teachers to realize it’s not a matter of bullying anymore; it’s a matter of discrimination,” she says. Education activist Ryan Clayton, who attended high school in Salmon Arm, BC, believes the Ministry of Education needs to step in and create a provincewide policy specifically

“There’s a huge pressure to stay quiet about differences,” Shauna Hunter Mclean says of her new high school in Smithers, BC. She’s still waiting for a provincewide anti-homophobia policy. SHAUNA HUNTER MCLEAN

addressing sexual orientation and gender identity. He says that smaller school districts often have fewer resources to develop policy and that the consistency would benefit all students, no matter where they attend school in BC. “It would give students the confidence of looking at their agenda books and saying, ‘Okay yes, my administration is looking out for me, I’m protected. It’s in writing. It’s clear,’” he says. “It would make students feel a lot safer and protected in their schools.” Mclean shares Clayton’s concern about the lack of resources and connections available to queer youth in Smithers and other rural areas in BC. “I think we need a kind of straightstretch connection, like a highway, to the same media that exists in larger cities like Vancouver,” she suggests. “The effort that is involved for [access to resources] in smaller towns is too great. There is just that barrier of communication.” Mclean has reached out to vari-

IT’S A TOUGH SITUATION FOR FOLKS THAT DON’T LIVE IN URBAN CORES AND LIVE IN REMOTE COMMUNITIES.

— Jennifer Breakspear, executive director of Qmunity

ous queer community groups from Vancouver, writing letters and asking them to send support in the form of posters and pamphlets. She also hopes to one day have Out in Schools offer workshops in her school. Jennifer Breakspear, executive director of Qmunity, BC’s queer resource centre, concurs that there are huge areas throughout the province that are underserved and says that her organization hopes to help change that. Qmunity currently offers PrideSpeak anti-homophobia workshops to elementary and high schools in the Lower Mainland, but Breakspear says taking those workshops on the road to the rest of BC would require more funding. “It’s a tough situation for folks that don’t live in urban cores and live in remote communities, and we believe that it’s important that [we] reach out as best we can,” she says. “We feel that we have a responsibility to be doing this work beyond Vancouver, beyond the Lower Mainland, and to be doing it in partnership with the communities themselves, because they best know what they need.” In the meantime, the Smithers Secondary GSA will continue to reach out to increase awareness in its community. Mclean says the group has been invited to speak about queer issues on a local radio station. She hopes that as the word gets out, more students will feel empowered to join the GSA. “Even trying to find information about the GSA can be a daunting task,” Mclean says. “You have to put yourself out there a little bit, which is huge for a lot of these students. Even just going to a teacher and asking privately is a huge step that takes a lot of confidence.”

Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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Interior doctors ignore gay questions Nathaniel Christopher MUCH OF WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT gay men’s health reflects the experience of populations in larger cities, according to the Community Based Research Centre (CBRC). “Across Canada, and even the US, most of the research that’s been done on this population has been in places like Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and New York, but there has been very little research in the experiences of gay men living in these smaller areas,” says Susan Holtzman, assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, and principal investigator of its Engaging Physicians Project aimed at men who have sex with men in BC’s Interior. Last summer, UBCO distributed a questionnaire to physicians throughout the Interior Health region, which covers about 22 percent of BC. The project’s aim was to inform physicians of the needs of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, reduce stigma and discrimination, and allow men to safely disclose sexual

Researcher Kevin Saya-Moore (right, with UBCO student Karly Drabot) blames low feedback on busy practitioners and discomfort with gay issues. NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

practices and health concerns, coordinator Kevin Saya-Moore explains. Only 11 physicians completed the online questionnaire, which contained questions to help evaluate physicians’ knowledge base of gay men’s healthcare needs. “We have, unfortunately, encountered very low response from the [medical] community so far,” SayaMoore reports. “I suspect this is the result of a number of factors. One is that physicians are very busy and have a very full practice and not a lot of spare time, so when you try to do any research with physicians, it’s challenging. There may also be a response of discomfort in talking about these issues.” Though physician response was low, Saya-Moore noted that 10 of 11 agreed that the new information provided in the PowerPoint presentation would have an effect on their practice. The information disseminated in the project came from the first-ever health survey of men who have sex with men in the Interior, conducted by the Health Psychology Laboratory at UBCO in 2010. Holtzman notes that 37 percent of those respondents had not disclosed that they have sex with men to their physicians, and that 25 percent had never been tested for HIV. The survey further revealed that 11 percent of respondents reported that they felt discriminated against by their healthcare providers in the previous 12 months.

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I got an email from a young woman, a college student, who claimed that her professor had assigned her entire class a special little assignment, for extra credits, for students who could track down my legal name and bring it to class. This young woman had tried and tried, she said, to find it online, but couldn’t, and she really wanted those extra marks. Would I be so kind as to just tell her? I took a deep breath. I was flabbergasted, skin crawling with chill fingers at how totally creepy this felt, an entire college English or writing or queer studies or whatever class assigned the task of violating my privacy for extra credit at school. Exactly what educational or literary purpose could my legal name serve, anyway? Jesus, I thought, I need to find out who this professor is and write him or her a carefully worded yet very stern letter. So I wrote the student back, politely asking for her prof’s name, the class number and the name of the college she attends. I did not, of course, answer her question. I have written her twice now, and my cyber-savvy buddy has possibly tracked down the kid’s school, if she indeed attends the college whose pink hoodie she was sporting in her Facebook profile picture, and I have written an instructor there who very well might be said professor but have yet to hear back from anybody. This leaves me frustrated, and feeling violated, and worried that this will happen all over again this semester, that I will get a new crop of letters from eager students asking me about my legal name. For those people who use their legal name and have never had any dissonance in their head or life with the name given to them at birth versus the name that feels like their name, well, I am glad for you, I really am. It must be fantastic to have all your ID match your face and your gender and your tits

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and your birth certificate and what the border guard sees when he looks at you and decides whether or not to let you on the plane. You are lucky. I am not one of those people. I don’t like my legal name, first or last; it doesn’t suit me, it never fit, and what is more, I never really knew the man who I got it from, my grandfather, and the few times I did spend any time with him, I didn’t like him much. He died when I was 21. I think I met him about three times in my entire life. I changed my name in 1990. That was 22 years ago. Some of my family still call me by my birth name, and I let them do this only because they are my family. I cash cheques and do business and perform and publish and live and fuck and talk to my neighbours as Ivan. Because this is my name. It feels good to be called who I am. A couple of months ago my friend and collaborator Elisha Lim (they drew the book covers for Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme and for One in Every Crowd, my latest two books) was approached by Xtra to do an interview about their work. Elisha prefers to use “they” as a pronoun. Many of my friends do. Xtra, much to my chagrin and embarrassment, refused to honour this seemingly simple request, citing grammar considerations and awkward language concerns, I believe. I was mortified that the paper I have been writing this column for since 2001 (that’s right, 11 years) would not honour my trans friend’s simple request to be referred to by their choice of pronoun. I had a long chat on the phone with my editor. She heard me out, but nothing changed. I kept writing my column. I had to. I keep my promises. I do what I say I am going to do with my writing commitments. I am a professional. I needed the money. Then last week my other buddy and collaborator Rae Spoon, who I regularly play, tour, write and record with, wrote a blog post about how they recently turned down a full-colour cover and article with Xtra Ottawa, over concerns that the paper would not respect Rae’s pronoun choice as well, which also happens to be they. I humbly request that Xtra do some serious thinking about what it means for a queer paper to refuse to honour such a fundamentally basic issue so

I WAS MORTIFIED THAT THE PAPER I HAVE BEEN WRITING THIS COLUMN FOR SINCE 2001 WOULD NOT HONOUR MY TRANS FRIEND’S SIMPLE REQUEST TO BE REFERRED TO BY THEIR CHOICE OF PRONOUN. important to many of its readers, or potential readers. All of its trans, gender non-conforming, gender-queer readers and all of our many allies. Call us what we wish to be called. And in case you are still considering calling upon rules of proper grammar to justify ignoring our need to be seen and respected for exactly who and what we are, well, my lovely wife has prepared a fairly comprehensive reading list of reference materials proving that not only is it perfectly correct to use “they” as a singular pronoun in the English language, it was first done in the 16th century. My wife is my favourite ally of them all. So, Xtra, it is too late for you to lead the way on this issue, but you still have an opportunity to step up and be a better and more accurate and diverse voice for the true GLBTTQQI communities that seek to find information and support and recognition in your pages. Please, this is not a complaint. It is an opportunity. An opportunity for you to make this paper better. More diverse, more trans-inclusive, more relevant, more courageous, more real, more truly queer. Call us what we want to be called. Be a part of changing our language to better reflect the world that uses it to communicate. Make me proud. Proud enough to keep on writing here for another 11 years. Loose End appears monthly in Xtra.

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HIV

Sero-shunning Open Wide Bill Coleman

H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T scientific breakthrough of 2011, according to the journal Science, was a study called HPTN 052, which found that having an undetectable viral load reduces the risk of an HIV-positive person transmitting the virus by 96 percent. Does this mean that gay guys should start having more sex with poz guys with undetectable viral loads because they’ll no longer seem so scary? Are negative guys actually scarier to play with because 2.5 percent of them may be poz but not know it? A newly poz guy can be 20 to 25 times more likely to pass on HIV. So who do you choose when you want to get fucked and have two guys in front of you? Both are hot: one is poz with an undetectable viral load, and the other thinks he’s negative but actually just got infected. If you choose the negative guy and he’s actually positive and fucks you raw, you could have a 1 in 10 chance of getting infected, compared to the 1 in 38,000 chance with the poz guy with the undetectable viral load. So where does that leave us? Should we, as a community, switch to seeking out poz guys with undetectable viral loads and shun the supposedly “negative” guys? The science suggests there may be a good case for this. But do we really want to just shift — rather than challenge — the HIV stigma to the guys now considered most likely to infect us? Many negative guys already fear and stigmatize poz guys. But that fear comes from prejudice, not science. It’s a prejudice that’s unlikely to change

easily. It will take more than science and facts to help reduce the stigma against being HIV-positive. That stigma is even reinforced by a lot of safer-sex campaigns and organizations that tell us we are at higher risk if we have sex with poz guys. Surveys will ask, “Do you have sex with poz guys?” then tell us we’re more at risk if we do. To me this is a form of institutional stigmatization. It is not true that having sex with poz guys with undetectable viral loads is riskier than having sex with randomly chosen guys who think they are negative. The institutional response should be, “Know your partner’s viral load not his HIV status!” Granted, the 96 percent reduced transmission figure comes from a study with heterosexuals, but other studies show that the risk of transmitting HIV through anal sex is the same for heterosexuals and gay guys. It’s also worth noting that viral loads can fluctuate. If a guy gets his viral load tested for five years and it is always undetectable (under 40), then it likely will be undetectable when you have sex with him, too. But even if it, by chance, registers 100 at that moment, or even 500, many experts say he will still not pass on HIV. Either way, you will likely never find a long-time positive guy with a viral load as high as a newly infected guy whose viral load can be 1 to 10 million. No matter what you decide to do, and who you choose to have sex with, nothing is ever risk-free. The question is: do we want to stigmatize and shun anyone based on assumptions? Is it just a question of stigmatizing the “correct” (ie statistically riskier) guy? Or should we drop the HIV stigma altogether, since science shows we can no longer reliably know who to stigmatize? Open Wide appears monthly in Xtra.

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Come Out and Dance Party Not So Strictly Ballroom event, with DJ/host/instructor Murray Schellenberg. Singles and couples welcome. Sat, Jan 21, 8–11:30pm. Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville St. $10– 15, sliding scale. Tickets at Little Sister’s, or reserve online at notsostrictly@hotmail.com.

COMMUNITY Volunteers Needed: LGBTQ Advisory Committee Application deadline: Sun, Jan 22. Committee mandate is to enhance queer communities’ access to, and participation in, city services. For application, visit vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/ civicagencies/lgbtq/index.htm.

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Play’s Glory Days hampered by homophobia

Mark Robins

OW G LOR IOU S WE R E the glory days of high school if homophobia lurked just beneath the surface? How genuine were the friendships formed if they later reel from the revelation that one of the gang is gay? Based on the dynamics of playwrights Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner’s high school circle, Glory

Days is the story of four best friends who reunite a year after graduation. As the four catch up, their friendships are tested when Jack, played by local gay actor Darren Burkett, announces he is gay. The surprise announcement prods his friend Andy’s latent homophobia and becomes the catalyst for the play as the group realizes things are not quite as they were back in high school. Playing the foursome in the Vancouver production are real-life best friends Adam Charles, Brandyn Eddy,

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Real-life best friends play a foursome of recent high-school grads rocked by the revelation that one of them is gay in Glory Days. THE BOYS UPSTAIRS EQUITY CO-OP (PAUL H WRIGHT)

Colin Sheen and Burkett. “To do this with my best friends, in a show that hits upon issues so close to my heart, is really special,” Burkett says. In “Open Road,” one of the musical’s early numbers, Jack recounts his post–high school trip across the United States, where he first came to terms with being gay. Surprisingly, the inspiration for the song comes from a story Blaemire’s father once told him about a road trip he took as a young man. “The time alone on the road, and the choice to do something solely for himself, gave Jack a chance to really take a closer look at himself,” Blaemire explains. “As he tells the story to his friends, it became the opportunity for him to tell them [he’s gay].” As Jack’s revelation sets in, Andy’s previously hidden homophobia starts to take shape. In “Other Human Beings,” Jack sings of tolerance and acceptance and pulls no punches, reminding Andy “that other human beings don’t fuck with each other, unless they want to lose each other.” “After Andy reveals how uncomfortable he is with all the changes he’s witnessing, it felt like the perfect time to have Jack come forward and explain how careful we all have to be with each other, no matter what we may think,” Blaemire says.

But don’t expect a typical Hollywood feel-good ending, as the playwrights deliberately leave relationships unresolved. “It’s a sad truth that people just don’t know what to do with things they don’t understand,” Blaemire says. “So the grey area that it ends with feels much more true to life than any kind of closure to that conflict we could have written.” Colin Sheen, who plays the role of Andy, agrees: “It’s not tied up in our society, so I’m glad the writers didn’t pretend everything was okay.” Burkett expects the play’s ambiguity will leave room for audiences to come to their own conclusions, though he hopes it will move younger audiences, whom he sees grappling with these same issues in real life, to become more understanding. For an older generation he has a different wish: “I hope it reminds them of their youth, the friends they had in high school and how far they have come in their own world. Maybe they’ll be surprised as to how much further there is to go, even if they are 50.”

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Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

BEHIND THE BR COVER STORY

Richard J Dalton Jr YLER DORCHESTER dreams about his comic strip The Brotherhood, sometimes waking up to scribble ideas on a memo pad, other times mentally composing on the mattress, and occasionally jumping out of bed. Recently celebrating its 150th episode in Xtra Vancouver, the strip has been in the making since the early 1990s, when Dorchester began jotting ideas in a book, long before he conceived of the cartoon. There are tabs in the two-inchthick, sticky-note-filled binder with epiphanies for the self-righteous Henkl, moderate Ian, party-boy Myles,

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hunky tree-hugger Thomas and lovelorn Pete. They’re amalgamations based on Dorchester’s friends, though Thomas’s counterpart isn’t HIV-positive and the real Henkl’s grandmother wasn’t a crossdressing cowboy. The binder overflows with ideas. How about a rich gay man trying to obtain the foreskin of Christ? A fitting folly for the iconoclastic atheist Henkl. If an apocalypse turned people into cannibals, what would be the best baste for a leather daddy? A twink? An evangelical? How about alien anal probes conducted by closeted Republicans trying to indulge their tendencies in disguise? “A lot of them won’t go anywhere,” Dorchester says, referring to the ideas, not the anal probes. “They

Cartoonist Tyler Dorchester (centre) is surrounded by his creations, Brotherhood characters Ian, Thomas, Henkl and Myles (sitting). SHIMON KARMEL

won’t germinate.” Even a character hasn’t germinated. Dez the lesbian has no counterpart in his life, Dorchester says, because gays and lesbians segregate themselves in Vancouver. He might just have her self-reflect: “Sorry guys, but I don’t have anything to offer you. I’m sort of a token character because my artist really likes the boy-girls, but we run in different worlds.” A rural Alberta native, Dorchester studied English and history. He moved to Vancouver in 2001 because he was “too much of a hippie for Alberta.” Out for half his life, the 38-year-old perennial bachelor describes his fictional counterpart, Pete, on his Facebook page as “perpetually luckless in love, dating is to him what the Road Runner is to Wile E Coyote.” Dorchester rebuffs my questions about bachelorhood in his late 30s —

more at xtra.ca

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

ROTHERHOOD “Don’t do that to me, man.” A moment later, he likens a relationship to a side dish: “If you had Thanksgiving dinner and the cranberry sauce was missing, you would not be bitching with your mouth full.” He’s part geeky PC guy — bespectacled and self-deprecating. “I’m going to like what I do maybe 10 years from now,” he says. “Right now, I like about a third of what I do, and the rest is like — errrrhhhh — I almost had it but not quite.” And he’s part cool Mac dude — quirky and unique. (He uses a Mac.) The cartoon started out goofy, like Kids in the Hall, he says. Lately, it’s been verging away from strictly gay topics. “If we kind of go down the path to the well-rounded individuals, the fact that we’re gay might end up third or sixth on our list,” he says. “We’re a husband first, or we’re an uncle first,

or we’re a doctor above that.” The storyline of the last year reflects on Pete’s returning, with his gay city and rural friends, to his rural roots in Alberta to be at his father’s deathbed. Dorchester’s noble, gentle father, the family’s linchpin who raised — and accepted — Dorchester despite driving on the chuckwagon circuit of Canada’s heartland, died in 2008. His father’s death made Dorchester realize “how important each person’s individual story is. And when they’re gone, you realize how many stories you’ll never hear, especially when it’s someone who’s been around for a while. They saw things that you’ll never be party to.” The storyline melds with Dorchester’s near-death experience from Castleman’s disease, with which he was diagnosed two months before his father

The Brotherhood

got cancer. The rare disease caused heart arrhythmia and kidney failure. At one point, he accumulated 13 pounds of water from his sternum down. “When I was fading, it was in a very similar way to my dad,” he says. But a new treatment saved him. Following the serious storyline, Dorchester says he’s eager to return to the cartoon’s goofy roots, and did so briefly in the fall, having Ian and Myles gleefully roleplay — erections prominently evident — first as Jesus and Santa, then as Britney and a paparazzo, a pirate and a mermaid, Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore, and Han Solo and Chewbacca. “Anyone who stuck with me for all these verbose plots — here’s a bone,” Dorchester says, all puns intended. The Brotherhood runs in every issue of Xtra.

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Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Benylin and glitter

The To-Do List ROBOTERIA into the mic, “Nothing like starting the new year with a dick in your ass!” Girl, who was standing behind you, and can you give him my numba?!

Blitz & Shitz Raziel

ECAUSE GOD IS MY SADISTIC master and I am his subservient slave, I was sick on New Year’s Eve. The self-prescribed pills I was swallowing (okay, gulping like one of the leather studs in the dungeon at Hard) didn’t make me want to dance till the world ends but simply sustained my health and sanity long enough for some power-partying. Which is almost as fun as power-bottoming. Some say how you spend your New Year’s Eve sets the stage for how you will spend the rest of the year. I guess that means I can look forward to a year of convincing bouncers that I am in fact on the guest list, looking so puffy you’d think I’d just had a Restylane binge, and being as alone as I was at Celebrities when the clock struck 12, watching couples tie their tongues in knots like cherry stems, with confetti landing in my eye. At this rate, I’m counting on the apocalypse.

The best of NYE BEST MUSIC: Sorry, DJ Shelly at Numbers, I’m sure you’re lovely, but for NYE

HEADS

Club pages

Best NYE performance goes to Syren (right) for her high-energy rendition of “Marry the Night,” which blew away a very medicated Raziel. ALVIN GRADO PHOTO

cake because, well, that’s where I got checked out the most.

2012 I want to hear the future, not a Britney song from last decade that I’ve heard so many times I’ll probably still know all the words on NYE 2030. The obvious winner is Five Sixty for diversity. They had six DJs — Adam Dreaddy, Quest, Gluv, T, Jeffery Michael and RSquared — spinning the new year into a frenzy.

BEST THEME: Oasis, Heaven & Hell. A fitting kickoff for a year that is supposedly the beginning of the end. (Again, if I’m lucky.) Plus, sexy boys with angel wings never get old.

BEST CROWD: Celebrities was the busiest (even though everyone looked about 12); Numbers had the cutest out-oftowners (I love me some Seattle boys who let the crazy Canadian put Happy New Year hats on their heads — no, you slut, not that head); but 1181 takes the

BEST HOST: We have a tie! Quanah Style, for fighting me and my photographer’s entry into Junction (never mess with a seven-foot tranny best known for a song called “Coke Whore”); and Raye Sunshine at Celebrities, who, during the countdown to midnight, screeched

FIVE SIXTY

560 SEYMOUR ST, VANCOUVER 604-678-6322 fivesixty.ca FIVESIXTY is a destination venue that fosters the progression of music, arts and entertainment. We’re reshaping what you are thinking. Connect with us, as announcements of our new brand launch are coming soon! For more details, sign up for the Five Sixty newsletter for exclusive offers and content at fivesixty.ca.

FOUNTAINHEAD PUB 1011 DAVIE ST, VANCOUVER 604-687-2222 WEDNESDAYS Red Truck pints; Beefeater gin highballs. THURSDAYS Grower’s Cider; Alexander Keith’s pints. FRIDAYS Polar Ice vodka highballs; Kokanee pints; Naughty Shots. SATURDAYS Smirnoff Ice coolers; Granville Island pints; Naughty Shots.

Upcoming events:

SUNDAYS Caesars; OK Spring pints.

FRI, JAN 21 Official Vancouver Taboo Show Afterparty: A Lingerie Affair.

MONDAYS Labatt’s Blue pints; Jackson Triggs wines.

SUN, JAN 22 Official Exhibitor Appreciation Wrap-Up Party

TUESDAYS Smirnoff Twisted coolers; Russell pints.

THURS, JAN 26 Vertality 2: Board of Change Event. FRI, JAN 27 Studio 54: Relive the Legend.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Syren blew me away with her choreographed performance of “Marry the Night” at Celebrities. She and her backup dancers deserve this accolade for their high-energy number, which she tells me they spent only a couple hours rehearsing. I don’t believe the bitch (it was too good), but she was performing a song by an artist who proclaims in the video, “It’s not that I don’t want to see things exactly as they happened, it’s just that I prefer to remember things in an artistic way.” Judge for yourself by checking out a video of the performance on my blog, Blitz & Shitz, on xtra.ca. HONOURABLE MENTION: I didn’t make it to Man-Up, but as I drove past The Cobalt heading to the Village, there were so many people partying outside, I can only imagine the delirium on the other side of the door.

PS Gay Friday gets the gay from Thursday! Former promoter Fabricio Borges and DJ Jeffery Michael, from The Helm’s We Like Boys, are crossing the street to join the Oasis Ultra Lounge promotional team.

“This is the future the ’80s promised you.” Prepare yourself for a night of retrofuturistic audio delights and underground machine funk. Friday the 13th is the preview night at The Den at the Barclay. Roboteria is taking over Robson the second and fourth Friday of each month.

CAMERA/WHORE On Jan 14, East Van’s new art gallery/performance space Rubble Gallery is catering its premier event to hos who prefer to spread it for a clicking lens. There will be photobooths set up by innovative photographers, including Erin Hurst and David Roth, and all participants will receive photos of themselves posted on Facebook by each artist.

RED A fictionalized account of iconic artist Mark Rothko’s commission to paint murals for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. It’s being billed as a “visceral and passionate debate of ideas, art and relevance.” Red runs at Vancouver Playhouse from Jan 14–Feb 4.

more at xtra.ca

XPOSED

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Photos by Alvin Grado

A Gay Auld NYE Just in case you forgot — conveniently or otherwise — how 2011 became 2012, here’s a visual roundup of who did what as the countdown loomed at Vancouver’s gay and gay-friendly venues.

1) Happy New Year . . . Celebrities-style! 2) Tzehyung Kim, Kiya Pellerin and Kevin Bruno gettin’ their 2012 groove on. 3) Joanna Kruk and Sara Gebriel cozy up at Celebrities. 4) Jeremy Long, an angel in the Oasis. 5) David Baynhan and Daniel Kingshott at Junction. 6) Mauricio Rosado, Ricardo Rosales and Victor Iniestra. 7) Jam-packed Junction.

NUMBERS

1042 DAVIE ST, VANCOUVER 604-685-4077 WEDNESDAYS Karaoke Night 8–11pm and DJ Dom 11pm–2am. No cover. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs. THURSDAYS ’90s Night. Join DJ Del for a fabulous night. Doors open at 8. No cover. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs. FRIDAYS Dance Party, with DJs Drew and Del. All your favourite dance tunes. Best sound. Doors open at 8. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs. SATURDAYS Dance Party, with DJ Shelly. Best light show in the city. Doors open at 8pm. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs. SUNDAYS Karaoke Night 8–11pm and DJ Del 11–2am. No cover. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs.

MONDAYS Trivia Night. Starts at 8pm. Hosted by Shari and Richard. Are you smarter then a fifth grader? Doors open at 8. No cover. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs.

discount with student ID. Bring in your valid student ID and receive a free 90-day student membership and $5 off your rental, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 6pm–midnight.

TUESDAYS DJ Del spins a fusion of music. Make a request. Doors open at 8pm. No cover. Pool, darts and Karaoke Funbox all night upstairs. Ask us about fundraising.

WEDNESDAYS Lights-out party. 4pm-4am. Find out who goes hump in the dark.

STEAMWORKS 123 WEST PENDER ST VANCOUVER steamworksonline.com

THURSDAYS Lights-out party. 4pm–4am. Find out who goes hump in the dark. SUNDAYS Sticky buns Sundays. 4am–8am. Sunday mornings starting at 4am, complimentary baked treats and freshly brewed coffee. MON-TUES Cram-session student night:

Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

indexdirectory.ca Vancouver’s online directory of gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses

indexdirectory.ca ACCOMMODATIONS - BRITISH COLUMBIA Bluff View Cottage 250-539-3475 The Eagle’s Nest B&B 1-866-766-9350

ACCOUNTANTS Accounting+ Best Books Inc Felicity Webb

604-374-1424 604-215-8872 604-721-7537

ADDICTIONS Orchard Recovery

604-947-0420

ADULT Wega Video

1-800-361-9929

AIDS/HIV RESOURCES A Loving Spoonful 604-682-6325 AIDS Vancouver 604-893-2201 AIDS Vancouver Island 250-384-2366 ANKORS, Kootenay/Boundary HIV/ AIDS Network, Outreach & Support 1-800-421-2437 Dr Peter AIDS Foundation 604-331-5086 HIM - Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001 Positive Living Society of BC 604-893-2200 Youth Community Outreach (YouthCo) AIDS Society 604-688-1441

AIRLINES Harbour Air Seaplanes 604-274-1277

ALTERATIONS Simdy’s Fashion Alterations

604-633-0828

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH Access Healing Centre 604-568-4663 BC Compassion Club Society 604-875-0448 Dr Anita Komonski 604-568-7655 Inhale Smoke Shop 778-786-0977

APPLIANCES Coast Wholesale Appliances coastappliances.com Red Door Discount Warehouse 604-569-3232 604-844-3810

royalbank.com

BATHHOUSES Steamworks Vancouver 604-974-0602

BATHROOM 604-879-6999

BEAUTY CARE 604-688-2583

BEDDING Bernstein & Gold Interiors Simmons Mattress Gallery

Deluxe Junk Co

604-685-4871

COMMUNITY GROUPS & SERVICES Community Based Research Centre QMUNITY West End Seniors’ Network Society

604-568-7478 604-684-5307 604-669-5051

COMPUTER SALES & SERVICES Mac Station Vancouver WhiteWay IT Solutions Ltd

macstation.com 778-384-1210

CONSTRUCTION Aaron Construction 604-318-4390 maison d’etre design-build inc 604-484-4030

COSMETIC SERVICES Carruthers Dermatology Centre Inc 604-714-0222

COUNSELLING ah-ha! Counselling & Consulting 604-537-0130 Alex Sangha 604-842-7340 Bekar Counselling 778-990-1825 Dragonstone Counselling 604-738-7557 Lehmann Counselling Service 604-614-8121 Preece & Associates Psychological Consulting 604-685-5968 Tricia Antoniuk 778-378-2633 Willow Tree Counselling 604-521-3404

COURIERS 604-683-1433

DENTAL SERVICES

Emily Carr 604-844-3810 Vancouver Elementary School Teachers’ Association 604-873-8378 Vancouver Photo Walks 604-318-1277

ENTERTAINMENT

ActorWorks Vancouver 604-723-1776 Ballet British Columbia 604-732-5003 DanceHouse 604-801-6225 Playland 604-253-2311 ShowTimeTickets.com 604-688-5000/1-800-480-7469 Sounds & Furies Productions 604-253-7189 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra 604-876-3434

EVENT PLANNING & PROMOTIONS Flygirl Productions

604-839-9819

604-687-1535

FESTIVALS & FAIRS

604-733-0166

Out On Screen 604-844-1615 Queer Arts Festival queerartsfestival.com

BICYCLES Bernstein & Gold Interiors 604-687-1535 Jett Grrl Bike Studio 604-255-5097

BLINDS Budget Blinds

CLOTHING - VINTAGE

604-682-8881

BANKING

David Blue Hair Design

Paul: 604-685-7422 Gary: 604-875-1413 The Maids Home Services 604-987-8181

EDUCATION & INSTRUCTION

604-731-8644

Dueck Downtown 604-675-7900 Jim Pattison Hyundai Northshore 604-985-0055 Jim Pattison Toyota Downtown 604-682-8881

Ripples Kitchen & Bath

Clean Sweep

604-985-0055

604-875-9988 604-675-7900

AUTOMOTIVE SALES & LEASING

RBC Royal Bank

CLEANING & MAID SERVICES

Aarm Dental Group 604-647-0006 Dr Dean Wershler Inc 604-688-4080 Dr Langston Raymond 604-687-1008 Dr Sam Daher 604-662-3290 Redtree Dental 604-873-3337 Yaletown Laser 604-70-SMILE

AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS Axle Alley Dueck Downtown George & Berny’s Repairs Ltd Jim Pattison Hyundai Northshore Jim Pattison Toyota Downtown

FLORISTS Hanamo Florist

Davie St: 604-609-CAYA Gastown: 604-648-CAYA Denman St: 604-647-CAYA

Mail Box Plus

ARTISTS Emily Carr

CELLULAR CAYA

604-263-0050

FINANCIAL SERVICES Jennifer Maier

604-468-0888

FIREPLACES Vancouver Gas Fireplaces

604-732-3470

CATERING

FITNESS & EXERCISE

Emelle’s Catering 604-875-6551 Out To Lunch Catering 604-681-7177

Hot Stone Massage Therapy

604-366-4386

604-685-3649

FUNERAL SERVICES Walkey & Company Funeral Directors 24hrs: 604-738-0006

FURNITURE Bernstein & Gold Interiors Bravura Interiors Jordans Interiors Liberty Yaletown Interiors

604-687-1535 604-872-4880 604-733-1174 604-682-7499 604-669-7544

GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES Spread Media Inc

604-440-8792

Davie St: 604-669-8313 Robson St: 604-683-6155

HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE Carruthers Dermatology Centre Inc 604-714-0222 Vancouver Lipo Laser 604-904-0888 Yaletown Laser 778-323-7866

HEALTHCARE SERVICES Hot Stone Massage Therapy Orchard Recovery

604-366-4386 604-947-0420

HEALTH Hospital Employees’ Union heu.org The Vancouver Health Show 1-888-999-1761

HOLISTIC HEALTH Integrative Healing Arts Sequoia Thom

604-738-1012 778-786-3677

HOME ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES Wallmount Tronics

778-960-4447

HOME IMPROVEMENT & REPAIRS Crown Roofing & Drainage 1-877-628-5010 Klondike Contracting Corporation 604-708-3337 maison d’etre design-build inc 604-484-4030

604-278-8456 604-685-5625

KITCHENS Coast Wholesale Appliances coastappliances.com Klondike Contracting Corporation 604-708-3337 Red Door Discount Warehouse 604-569-3232 Ripples Kitchen & Bath 604-879-6999

PUBLICATIONS Pink Triangle Press Xtra Ottawa Xtra Toronto Xtra Vancouver

MEN’S HEALTH

Adriaan Schipper 604-818-8265 Amalia Liapis 604-618-7000 Annette Thomas 604-805-5572 Becci Dewinetz 604-230-1044 David Gering 778-822-0775 Fuller Service Realty 604-724-7964 Ian Eggleton 604-773-1443 Ian Holt 604-506-4264 Ken Chalmers 604-803-4966 Kim Monk 604-740-6615 Klaus Rode 604-760-5856 Lyn Hart 604-724-4278 Mark Hammer, Kathy Watkinson, Philip Watkinson 604-732-1336 Phil Warren 604-684-6155 Steve Jamieson 604-307-9167 Susan Cameron 604-720-1214 Trevor Ashcroft 604-602-1111 Tyler Barrs 604-602-1111 Wayne Blackburn 604-209-4775

Community Based Research Centre 604-568-7478 HIM - Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001 BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (BCSMSSA) 604-682-6482 Men’s Bereavement & Support Group 604-684-5307 xt 112

MORTGAGE Chris Cornborough

604-765-4823

MOTORCYCLES & SCOOTERS East Side Re-Rides

604-327-7433

NATUROPATHY Dr Anita Komonski

604-568-7655

OPTICAL SERVICES English Bay Eyeworx 604-685-7001

PAINTING Pro Works Painting

604-715-0985

PET CARE City-Dog.ca Pet Services Kitty Kare Latisha’s Pet Care

604-608-6959 604-813-4239 778-385-7313

PET STORES Pet Habitat

604-433-2913

PETS The Vancouver Pet Expo

1-800-626-1538

PHOTOGRAPHERS Feeling Photography 604-318-1277 The Shooting Gallery 604-254-5869 Vancouver Photo Walks 604-318-1277

PHYSIOTHERAPY & REHAB

JEWELLERY Benée Rubin Jewellery Design Saatchi & Saatchi Fine Jewellery

PSYCOTHERAPY Dragonstone Counselling 604-738-7557

MASSAGE - EROTIC

A1 Massage 778-828-4683 handsomehands.ca handsomehands.ca Masculine/Muscled/Mature Erotic Massage/Escort 604-719-3433

MEN’S SERVICES

GROCERY Safeway

Burrard Health Centre Massage Therapy 604-816-0210 Linda Duncan RMT 604-630-0101 Sharon Jackson RMT 778-320-5561

Eric Hoppe

604-669-8233

PLUMBING Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating

604-879-1415

PRINTING Mail Box Plus

604-683-1433

PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS

Baker Street Agency 604-294-6574

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

RELIGIOUS GROUPS & SERVICES Christ Alive Community Church 604-739-7959 Rainbow Community Church 604-299-9538 Renaissance Christian Church 604-636-4276 St Andrew’s Wesley United Church 604-683-4574 Trinity United Church 604-732-3075

RENOVATIONS & RESTORATIONS Klondike Contracting Corporation 604-708-3337 maison d’etre design-build inc 604-484-4030

RESTAURANTS & CAFÉS Adesso Bistro 604-568-9975 Checkers/ Bayside Lounge 604-682-1831 Ciao Bella 604-688-5771 Joe’s Grill Davie St: 604-682-3683 West 4th Ave: 60-736-6588 Denman St: 604-642-6588 Lift Bar View Grill 604-689-5438 Out To Lunch Catering 604-681-7177

ROOFING Crown Roofing & Drainage

LAWYERS Bell Alliance Lawyers & Notaries Public 604-873-8723 Dahl & Connors 604-687-8752 Ganapathi & Company 604-689-9222 Harrop, Phillips, Powell & Gray 604-688-8211 Holness Law Group 604-633-4878 Island IP Law 778-886-8626 Law Office of barbara findlay 604-251-4356 Rob Hughes 604-683-4176

LEATHER LIFE East Side Re-Rides

604-327-7433

LEGAL SERVICES Bell Alliance Lawyers & Notaries Public 604-873-8723

LIFE COACH Nextstep Communication

next-step.ca

MASSAGE Hot Stone Massage Therapy 604-366-4386 Relaxation Massage Vancouver 604-789-0857

MASSAGE CERTIFIED/REGISTERED Brian Mount RMT

604-254-4272

416-925-6665 416-925-6665 416-925-6665 604-684-9696

indexdirectory.ca

1-877-628-5010

SENIORS GROUPS & SERVICES West End Seniors’ Network Society

604-669-5051

SEX Priape 604-630-2330 Squirt.org squirt.org The TABOO Naughty but Nice Show 1-800-626-1538 Wega Video 1-800-361-9929

SHOPPING Denman Place Mall

604-684-9254

SPORTS & RECREATION The Vancouver Snow Show 1-800-626-1538 University Golf Club 604-224-7799

SPORTS TEAMS & ORGANIZATIONS The Cutting Edges Gay Men’s Hockey Club 604-684-9872 x2081

STORAGE Freeway Mini-Storage 604-251-2017

TELEVISIONS Wallmount Tronics

778-960-4447

THEATRE ActorWorks Vancouver 604-723-1776 ShowTimeTickets.com 604-688-5000/1-800-480-7469 Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company 604-873-3311

TICKET SALES ShowTimeTickets.com 604-688-5000/1-800-480-7469

TRANSPORTATION Helijet International

1-800-665-4354

TRAVEL Aquabus Ferries Ltd

604-689-5858

TRAVEL AGENCIES GayTrip.ca

gaytrip.ca

TRAVEL BRITISH COLUMBIA Black Rock Oceanfront Resort 877-762-5011 Bluff View Cottage 250-539-3475 Harbour Air Seaplanes 604-274-1277

WEBSITES Guidemag.com Squirt.org

guidemag.com squirt.org

WOMEN’S HEALTH North Shore Women’s Centre

604-984-6009

WEDDINGS Umbrella Events

604-315-4302

Vancouver’s Gay & Lesbian Business Directory – is online!

Call now to book your spot in the 2012 spring edition For more information, contact 604-684-9696 or email: index.vancouver@xtra.ca

indexdirectory.ca

A World of Gay Adventure

Munich COMSTOCK/THINKSTOCK

Germany’s southern queen

M KEVIN FROST/THINKSTOCK TOP LEFT: A

gilded statue of the Virgin Mary stands in the middle of the Marienplatz, one of the best-known plazas in Munich. TOP RIGHT: Munich’s Christopher St Day, held in July, includes a parade through the gay neighbourhood and a street festival at Marienplatz. : The Angel of Peace, on the banks of the Isar River, commemorates the end of the Franco-German war of the 1870s.

Michael Luongo

UNICH, THE CAPITAL of Bavaria, in the south of Germany, has a very different feel from much of the rest of the country. Still, many of the traditional things associated with Germany — from pretzels to dirndl to lederhosen to Oktoberfest — all come from here. Until the early 1900s, Bavaria was its own kingdom, and it remains a largely Catholic region. Munich dates back to the 12th century, if not earlier, and though it’s a large city today, it retains a small-town provincial feel. Allied bombing damaged Munich heavily in the Second World War, but much of its original architecture was rebuilt. This emphasis on preservation gives Munich a charming whimsy, especially throughout its centre, that you won’t find in Berlin or many other German cities. For that alone it’s one of my favourite places to visit in Germany. The heart of Munich is Marienplatz, originally an old medieval market. The neo-gothic New City Hall, completed in 1909, dominates an entire

side of the plaza. Its main highlight is the glockenspiel, or clockworks, an elaborate two-level clock that tells stories about a noble marriage and the bubonic plague through dancing puppet-like characters. Every day at 11am, noon and 5pm, the clockworks are set in motion. The Old City Hall, built in the late 1400s to replace an earlier structure, is also on Marienplatz. Resembling a church, with its angular front and spire, it was partly destroyed in the war and rebuilt to exacting standards. Other historical monuments and fountains abound in Marienplatz. The most famous building in Munich is the Frauenkirche, also built in the late 1400s by the same architect who built Old City Hall, Jörg von Halsbach. Its prominence is ensured by Munich’s height restrictions, which allow it to dominate the cityscape. It too was heavily damaged in the war but meticulously rebuilt. The towers are capped by distinctive round-button domes, said to be modelled on Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock. A delight of Munich is to climb the south tower for its view of the surrounding city.

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Gay life in Munich You’ll find a warm welcome in Munich, with much of gay life focused within a few blocks of Sendlinger Tor, one of the old city gates dating from when Munich had a surrounding wall. You’ll find a cluster of businesses on or near Müllerstrasse, such as Edelheiss, a bar popular with bears (Pestalozzistrasse 6; edelheiss.de). Nearby is the modern and stylish M54 Sauna, with half-hour massage treatments starting at 35 euros. (Mullerstrasse 54; muenchengaysauna.de). The Sendlinger Tor Park gets a little bit cruisy, too. One of Germany’s most popular gay tour companies, Tom on Tour, is based in Munich. It’s run by Thomas Bömkes, who says that “Munich has a lot to offer the tourist. It’s easy to walk around and a very historical city. We have everything from charming neighbourhood gay bars, like the Ochsengarten, the oldest gay bar in Munich, to beautiful, well-preserved architecture. Everyone speaks English, too, so it’s great for Canadians and Americans who want to visit.” Tom on Tour’s website has more information on gay venues in the city (tomontour.com), and you can contact the company to book gay-friendly city guides or special Oktoberfest travel packages. Gay pride in Munich, as in almost all of Germany, is called Christopher St Day. A weeklong festival, in 2012 it will be celebrated from July 7 to July 15, with a parade on July 14. Visit csd-munich.de for more information. By the way, the German word for gay is schwule, so whenever you hear that, you know something gay is happening.

Oktoberfest Throw a really good wedding celebration and the locals will want to celebrate in the same style year after year. That’s the case with Germany’s most famous party, the Oktoberfest, which originated in Munich. The event owes its origins to the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Bavaria on Oct 12, 1810. Locals were allowed to throw their own party to celebrate on a field outside the city, now called Therese’s Meadow, known by locals as Wiesn. An agricultural festival was eventually added to the celebrations, and the Oktoberfest became a Bavarian tradition emulated the world over, with people dressing in lederhosen and dirndl and swilling beer. Munich’s Oktoberfest 2012 will run from

MIKE THOMPSON

Sept 22 to Oct 7. Visit oktoberfest.de, the official website of the event for more details. Gay highlights of the festival include Pink Wiesn (rosawiesn.de) and the Oktobearfest (oktobearfest.de).

Gay King Ludwig II The gayest thing in Bavaria isn’t a bar or a sauna — it’s a castle. Even if you didn’t know where it was or its name, you’ve certainly seen images of Neuschwanstein Castle, a mistshrouded, neo-medieval, fairy-tale structure nestled in the mountains. It’s been used for numerous movies, including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Neuschwanstein was the work of King Ludwig II, sometimes known as Mad King Ludwig, who built similar castles elsewhere in Bavaria. It’s not hard to believe that a man who built such romantic castles, liked historical costume and was a huge opera buff (and a patron of Richard Wagner) was also gay. It’s likely that one of his lovers was Richard Hornig, who was in charge of the horses. Ludwig’s own diary and letters serve as proof of his relationships with men, though exactly how he identified himself within the era is not fully known. Ludwig died young under mysterious circumstances; found in Lake Starnberg, his death was ruled a suicide, but some believe he was murdered by his enemies. › continued on page 20

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A World of Gay Adventure

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Munich

DISCOVER MUNICH

› continued from page 19

Munich GETTING THERE Franz Josef Strauss Airport, about 30 kilometres northeast of Munich, is one of Europe’s best. A shopping, business and recreation area that connects the two terminals is full of people from every corner of the globe. The S-Bahn S1 and S8 trains will get you to the Hauptbahnhof or Ostbahnhof central rail stations in 33 to 53 minutes, depending which train you take. Each takes a different route, so for points in-between consult the website. There is also bus service to various destinations. The main information desk, at level 3 of the Central Area, is staffed 24 hours. Information desks are located in each terminal building, from at least 5:30am until 10pm.

GETTING AROUND Munich’s historic, largely car-free centre is very walkable, and, with designated bike lanes on most major streets, it’s great for cycling. There’s a network of buses, trams, and U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains at your disposal. Trams offer late-night service and are perfect for getting home after a night on the town. Inexpensive one- and threeday visitor passes are available at the stations and at many tram stops. Visit mvv-muenchen.de for tranportation info in five languages. To get around in the principal gay area, around Müllerstrasse and Hans-Sachs-Strasse, you needn’t stray far from stops on tram routes 17 and 18, or the vicinity of the Sendlinger Tor U-Bahn station.

VIKTUALIENMARKT King Maximilian I established this victuals market in 1807 to provide the residents of the growing city with a central place to buy food. Major additions were built from 1823 on, with more halls added as the need arose. Fish markets, fowl and other meats, flowers, produce and baked goods each had their own pavilions. Like much of the city, the market was severely damaged in the Second World War but later restored, with fountains and other embellishments added during the reconstruction. A favourite of modern gourmands, the market covers five and a half acres, with more than 140 shops and stalls offering all kinds of ordinary and exotic produce, meats, fruit, flowers and plants, dairy products, honey, fish — and a wide variety of sausages. The area is also the site of many festivals and special events throughout the year, with music, dance, foods, and always plenty of beer to wash it down.

Guidemag.com

ENGLISCHER GARTEN

ages and ethnicities. Over barbecues and beer, they populate the riverside, bike the nearby trails, throw Frisbees, read or doze, all mingling together without fuss or offence. Nude sunbathers turn golden brown, and activities on the gay cruising trails, among the trees of the larger island just beyond the downriver footbridge, aren’t hard to spot. Alongside this, kids and dogs frolic, and lovers — straight and gay — get wrapped up in private worlds of their own. The area is easily reached by U-Bahn; go to Thalkirchen station and follow the people with beach gear. Munich’s famous zoo is nearby as well.

Englischer Garten (English Garden) Park, bigger than New York’s Central Park, is a sprawling area of woods and lawns in the middle of Munich. Scientist Benjamin Thompson was a Loyalist who was driven from his New Hampshire home during the American War of Independence. He settled in Munich, under Duke KarlTheodor, for whom he established this park in 1789. Modern visitors flock to the Greek-style Monopteros temple, designed by local architect Leo von Klenze; the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), with adjacent beer garden; and Japanisches Teehaus (Japanese Teahouse) and garden. The Schönfeldwiese (“beautiful meadows”) area is famous for the nude sunbathers who decorate the lawns; naturally, the park can be quite cruisy.

BARS & CLUBS

Eden Bar Bau

LODGINGS

H’Otello Advokat Hotel am Viktualienmarkt

RESTAURANTS & CAFÉS

Café Glockenspiel Käfer Bistro

SAUNAS & SEX CLUBS

M54 Sauna Club Schwabinger Men Sauna

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Cutglass Piercing Max & Milian

Find information on more than 90 places of interest in Munich at guidemag.com.

on the web Munich Tourism Office ›muenchen.de/int/en/ tourism.html Oktoberfest ›oktoberfest.de/en MVV public transportation ›mvv-muenchen.de

ISAR RIVER FROLICS The Isar River, which flows out of the Tyrollean Alpine region of Austria, ranks among Munich’s greatest charms. Allowed to run naturally, its tributaries are little islands edged with sand or pebble beaches, big flat rocks and meadows of grass and wild flowers. All kinds of people come to the water on warm summer days — families with children, goth teens, gay couples and gatherings of friends of all

Trip advisor

The Schönfeldwiese area of Englischer Garten is famous for nude sunbathers and can be quite cruisy. TORSTEN KRÜGER

Out inOttawa

Visiting Ottawa

wa Out inOtta Y& XTRA’S GA

P GUIDE MA LESBIAN N 2011 EDITIO

A’S OTTAW BIAN GAY & LES NEWS

Check out Xtra Ottawa’s 2011 Out in Ottawa map for points of interest and gay & lesbian friendly businesses.

Out in Ottawa can be downloaded at xtra.ca/outinottawa

When the going gets tough, the tough find a really nice place to recharge.

There’s so much to do out here from hiking to biking to canyon exploring. Honestly. In fact, it doesn’t take much effort at all to totally forget you can also spend the entire day just doing absolutely nothing if you really want to. Which we offer in abundance as well. Then there are the museums. And the restaurants. And the clubs. And any of our 25-plus gay and lesbian resorts and inns to come home to after. Whatever your choice, we’ve got plenty to do. Or not do. It’s all up to you.

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A World of Gay Adventure

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Cologne Old Town panoramic view. UDO HAAKE

Discovering ‘the San Francisco of Germany’

Michael Luongo

HE MOST WELL-KNOWN feature in Cologne is the cathedral, which dominates the city centre and sparkles over the Rhine. One of the largest cathedrals in the world, it was spared the fate of most of Cologne during the Second World War, largely because the Allied forces used the towers as a navigational device when flying over Germany. Truth be told, on first glance, other

than the cathedral, unless you’re an aficionado of modern architecture, Cologne does not have the immediate charm of some other German cities that were meticulously rebuilt after the war with history in mind. In fact, I first visited the city as a college student, travelling on a Eurail pass, on a terribly rainy day. I hopped off the train, saw the cathedral, and quickly returned to the train station to make my way to other German cities. Looking back, I’ve always considered that a shame, as the history of the city dates

back more than 2,000 years; it takes its name from the Roman period, when it was called Colonia and was one of the most important Roman centres north of the Alps. On a later visit, spending a few days there, I learned that while most of the city is modern, it was rebuilt in human scale. The new post-war buildings follow the old street patterns, giving Cologne a surreal, cutting-edge architectural feel overlaid on a medieval city, where the streets in the city centre meander and bend. Even the

modern architecture that surrounds the cathedral seems to blend in and harmonize with the ancient structure. It was on this visit that I learned Cologne has a special reputation with Germans: called the San Francisco of Germany, it is said to have the highest percentage of gay and lesbian residents of any major German city. Edwin Seth Brown is an American who lives in Cologne; he is the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s German ambassador. Brown says that gay visitors should start at Rudolfplatz, a main square around which much of the gay life in the city is located, “and radiate out. The city is just a marvellous experience. I like to get on the Metro and get out at all the big squares. I am simply mesmerized by Cologne, and it has a wonderfully relaxed gay way of life.” Brown says that as an African-American, one of the main things he likes about Cologne is that “the people, in my estimation, are colour blind.” He adds, “The people of the city are wonderfully friendly. There is, I think, the largest collection of gay people here, and it is so a part of the culture of the city.” In addition to Rudolfplatz, the Old Town, based around the medieval plaza, has a concentration of gay venues. Here you’ll also find some well-preserved architecture, even the charming Hotel Domstern, a small gay-friendly hotel (Domstrasse 26; domstern.com). Another interesting hotel choice is Et Cetera, built into an old monastery. While we don’t know what the monks got up to, the hotel is not far from Rudolfplatz, so you don’t have to be celibate, as they vowed to be (Brüsseler Strasse 26: hopper.de). As in the rest of Germany, gay pride is called Christopher St Day and is held in July.

Cologne deets

GETTING THERE

Cologne-Bonn Airport is the most convenient gateway, but also consider flying into Düsseldorf or Frankfurt. InterCity and EuroCity DB trains connect you to cities in Germany and the rest of Europe.

GETTING AROUND

The downtown area is walkable, but if you’re travelling farther afield there are a network of buses, trams, and U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains at your disposal. See the KVB transit website for information. kvb-koeln.de/german/home

trip planner BARS & CLUBS

Backstage Diaries (ARTheater) Cox

LODGINGS

Maritim Hotel Marsil Bar & Hotel

RESTAURANTS & CAFÉS

Beim Sir Klaaf Bistro

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Babylon Sauna Vulcano Sauna

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Cosmic Ware Mega Gay World

Check guidemag.com for information on more than 80 places of interest in Cologne.

on the web Christopher St Day, Cologne ›csd-cologne.de Cologne Tourism ›cologne-tourism.com

N o r t h A m e r i c a ’s l o n g e s t r u n n i n g L G B T m u l t i - s p o r t e v e n t

S P O R T S

P A R T I E S

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A World of Gay Adventure

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

Guidemag.com

MARDI GRAS DOWN UNDER

Sydney Mardi Gras 2012 is set to explode in February with a wealth of big-name talents, including RuPaul, Trevor Ashley and Sneaky Sound System. The annual smorgasbord of arts, parties and social events will run from Feb 12 until March 4. “Mardi Gras festival gives us the chance to showcase the best in Australian and international talent — as well as providing a range of events that will delight, entertain, stimulate and provoke,” says program manager Sam Sweedman. This year’s Mardi Gras will boast more than 60 special events — including event favourites like the parade, fair day and the harbour party.

ANN-MARIE CALILHANNA

Go to mardigras.org.au to view the full program for Mardi Gras 2012.

Vallarta Girl hits PVR Long established as a gay-friendly beach destination, Puerto Vallarta will once again say Hola chicas! to one of the largest gatherings of lesbians in Mexico, during the 2012 Vallarta Girl party. For five days and four nights in February, Puerto Vallarta will host women from throughout the Americas and Europe, offering up a nonstop roster of lesbian-friendly events at the beaches, restaurants and nightclubs of the Zona Romantica. Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, Vallarta Girl 2012 features the return of several key performers, including San Francisco’s DJ Lezlee and celebrity hosts Rose and Whitney from Showtime’s The Real L Word. DJ Saratonin (Los Angeles) and DJ Chili D (San Francisco) have also signed on this year, as have burlesque performers Tessa von Twinkle and Pryde Banditt. Vallarta Girl has a packed long weekend planned, hosting events that include dance parties, outdoor adventures and a Banderas Bay booze cruise, as well as beach days and free parties that are open to everyone.

SGN

Seattle Ga ayy New wss

THAI LUXURY IN PATTAYA

The perfect way to beat the February blues, Vallarta Girl 2012 runs Feb 16 to 20. Event tickets are available in packages and individually. For more information and to purchase, visit vallartagirl.com. Check out last-minute flight deals. A half-dozen Canadian and US carriers have direct and connecting flights from Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta. — Keph Senett

US soldiers looking for rest and relaxation during the Vietnam War helped transform what had been a small Thai fishing village into the sprawling pleasure-dedicated resort town of today. Set on a beautiful bay with gorgeous beaches, Pattaya has seen many luxury hotels open in the past few years. But the city still has the feel of a frontier boomtown, its narrow streets bustling with pedestrians, food vendors, motorbikes, tourist-oriented bars, clubs and services. Where the beach meets the city, and a short walk from Pattaya nightlife, is the recently opened Baan Souy Resort. Set in a lush tropical garden setting, the tranquil and exotic hideaway offers 37 luxury suites and apartments. Each accommodation features stylish Thai décor, a kitchenette and the comforts of international standards. Discover a world of gay adventure in Thailand and read more about Pattaya on guidemag.com. For more on Baan Souy Resort, visit baansouy.com.

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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Vancouver’s gay & lesbian news

XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

REAL ESTATE

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$589,000 “THE SUNSHINE COAST’S BEST WATERFRONT BUY.” 4 bed/3 bath 3,300 sq.ft. beach house with easy access for launching a kayak or swimming. Granite counters, h/w floors, spacious outdoor decks & long, winding forested driveway. $899,000 “THE ULTIMATE WEEKEND GET-A-WAY.” Bright, sunny & private .4 acre 2 bed/2bath cottage in a quiet location. Hot-tub, out-door pizza oven, fire-pit & just a one minute walk to the lake. A very relaxing & low-maintenance retreat. $355,000 “The Sunshine Coast, with its proximity to Vancouver, housing affordability & its welcoming, safe communities make it the ideal escape from the City. Call us and we’ll help you discover our unique area!”

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HELPFUL

HINTS

GETTING YOUR FINANCES IN ORDER

Getting your finances in order is one of the most important steps you can take before you buy a new home. Your credit reports are an ongoing look at how you manage your finances. You must know exactly what your credit reports say about your financial history before you apply for a mortgage, because the reports play an important role in the mortgage approval process and in determining the interest rate and other loan terms that a lender offers you.

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Xtra 481 — Jan 26, 2012

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ›

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Construction

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

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XTRA! JAN 12, 2012

TDCT N0145 RSP 2012 N0145_Xtra_ST

1 in 3 expect to retire comfortably Let’s figure it out

Together we’ll discover the right direction to get you there. When you visit us to talk about your financial future, we’ll first ask a few questions to get to know you better and, more importantly, to understand your goals. Once we’ve accomplished that, we’ll help you on your retirement journey every step of the way. And now you can find out where your retirement stands by visiting www.tdcanadatrust.com/retire. Simply answer a few straightforward questions and we’ll help you determine where you and your investments are at. So get in touch with us before February 29th, the deadline for your 2011 contribution.

Find out where your retirement stands by visiting www.tdcanadatrust.com/retire and come in for a chat.

Banking can be this comfortable

Ipsos Reid, Canadian Financial Monitor. ® / The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.

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