Xtra Vancouver #536

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#536 MARCH 13–26, 2014

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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#536 MARCH 13–26, 2014

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belle ancell, David P Ball, Leah Bromley, Tom Coleman, Tony Correia, Tyler Dorchester, Jeremy Hainsworth, Gareth Kirkby, Shauna Lewis, Kevin Dale McKeown, Aefa Mulholland, Raziel Reid, Rob Salerno, Denise Sheppard, Tallulah, Stacy Thomas, Tanja Tiziana ART & PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lucinda Wallace GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Darryl Mabey, Bryce Stuart, Landon Whittaker

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Ross Johnstone leaving for NFB School climates are changing, Out in Schools’ co-founder says, but there’s still work to be done E dailyxtra.com Editorial Helping others is hardly tedious By Gareth Kirkby E4

Blitz & Shitz Flash mob meets the French Revolution By Raziel Reid E16

Feedback E4

What’s On E18

Xcetera E5

Real Estate E19

Upfront Gay MLA’s office attacked ‘He was screaming about faggot flags,’ Chandra Herbert alleges E7 Gay-panic sentence delayed E8

BC Law Society may block TWU grads E8 Still QQ What’s in a name?

By Kevin Dale McKeown E9 Good eats HIV fundraiser Dining Out for Life turns 20 E10

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

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

Gareth Kirkby is the former editor-in-chief of dailyxtra.com’s predecessor, xtra.ca.

GORDON HARDY (DAILYXTRA.COM)

One of the most important statements

by Dara Parker at the recent Qmunity meeting was “creating a space we can’t afford to operate is unsustainable.�

I would add that it’s also the road to ruin. Far too many community institutions have done well, then reached too far, and then crashed and burned.

#534 FEB 13–26, 2014 @dailyxtra facebook.com/dailyxtra

About the time that Vancouver Councillor Tim Stevenson was probably conďŹ rming his window seat to head back to the True North Strong and Free after meeting with Olympic officials in the True North Strong and Not-So-Free, I was sipping an Americano in a Gastown cafĂŠ. Stevenson had gone to Sochi to ask the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for policy changes that would prevent future Games going to nations with discriminatory human-rights laws.

Three middle-aged gay men sat near me as I sipped my coffee. I wasn’t paying much attention to their dish until one of them, who’d been speaking loudly and more often than his luncheon partners, let go this zinger: “I’m so tired of politicians trying to save the world.�

A dramatic pause, then: “It gets so . . .� arm waving, voice rising, “tedious!�

He looked to his friends for affirmation. From where I sat, they seemed embarrassed for him.

Tedious. Wow. Now that most Canadians more or less have our rights recognized to love and play, are we really so self-absorbed as to ďŹ nd tedious the efforts of those among us working for similar rights around the world?

IÂ think not.

I’d bet most of us are proud of Tim Stevenson taking our values to Russia and calling the IOC to account.

Most people I talk to know that though gay life is comparatively good in Canada, our culture still has a huge hang-up about sexuality that leaves many of our brothers and sisters locked in straitjackets. We need to keep pushing for acceptance of all expressions of sexual expression and gender, together.

Russia and Uganda have dominated the news lately with harsh new antigay laws that have already left a trail of blood. There are about 10 nations in the world that execute gay men and sometimes lesbians. Another dozen or so punish us with long jail sentences that people usually don’t survive.

Others execute or harshly punish all non-marital sex play. A few more have police that turn a blind eye to people killing gays in “moral� judgment.

Yes, some of these are Muslim states.

But some are Christian states, heavily inuenced by the fundamentalist movements of the US. And a disproportionate number of countries with official homophobic laws are, like Canada, former British colonies. That’s right, former British colonies have generally worse homophobic legacies than those of Spain or France. Check out the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) website for details and heartache.

You raise some good questions, Robin [“Daring to Dream a Little Bigger,�

Xtra #535, Feb 27]. The 10,000 square feet planned for by Qmunity is considerably less than people envisioned.

Like you, I wholeheartedly congratulate Qmunity and thank the City of Vancouver for this new community centre. What’s not clear is why we’re talking about 10,000 square feet (and not some other ďŹ gure).

My guess is that the $7 million concession from the Jimmy Pattison group (Burrard Gateway) is the best the city could come up with in return for some concessions to the developer. What’s not clear is how the $7 million translates into 10,000 square feet. I presume that the $7 million is the estimated cost to build 10,000 square feet to the speciďŹ cations of Qmunity. Dara Parker will be able to provide us with the answers in the near future, I’m sure. If it does turn out that the new space is fixed at 10,000 square feet, we should still regard this as a victory for Qmunity and the LGBT community at large. You can do a lot of things with 10,000 square feet, especially if it is better designed, better located and more accessible than Qmunity’s current premises.

dailyxtra.com

EDITORIAL GARETH KIRKBY

Qmunity sustainability

So, what should we do?

Key leaders of the gay movements of Russia and Uganda have speciďŹ cally asked that progressive nations avoid economic boycotts or interrupting development aid. Such actions lead only to local gays being blamed by their fellow citizens, and boycotts almost always hurt the poor more than the powerful in any case.

Instead, they suggest we show solidarity through two key measures that target the very lawmakers and their powerful backers, many of them corrupt or incompetent (hence the homophobia to divert attention from their mismanagement), that passed the laws. Put them on no-y lists that prevent them entering or ying across a country’s airspace, and freeze their bank accounts and conďŹ scate their property (such as real estate and corporate investments).

Hit them where it hurts: their international lifestyles and hideaways for their ill-gotten ďŹ nances. We could start with Russian and Ugandan politicians and broaden out from there, paying particular attention to our fellow Commonwealth nations.

Let’s face it: we gays and lesbians are sitting pretty comfortably now in Canada. We could choose to see it as our destiny to spread the love, share the freedom. It’s an honour, a responsibility and perhaps a destiny. It’s deďŹ nitely not a tedium to be abhorred as we drink our Americanos.

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The current Qmunity plan is a practical effort to build sustainability and signiďŹ cant improvements for our community centre. And it’s based on current commitments — and hopefully at least one more city/developer ďŹ nancial commitment to come.

Aiming at creating a much bigger centre would, if successful, put off the actualization of that centre for many more years than the current (probably optimistic) timetable of four years. If people with lots of money to donate want to come to the community meetings and offer up direct investment to help expand the plan, I say let them come and propose — but bring your chequebooks with you.

The centre (under all its different names) has always been a “getting by with what we’ve got or can get� operation. I think that is why it’s still here after all these 35 years. I would love to see a big, modern, all-inclusive, multi-use centre with all the bells and whistles, but we may have to work toward that as we go, rather than putting all our chips on the table and doubling down on a bet that we can’t pay off if we lose.

DAVID MYERS (DAILYXTRA.COM)

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RECORD-BREAKING RUN

XCETERA ELLEN’S OSCAR ORGY NUMBER OF VIEWERS 43.7 million (the highest ratings for the awards in 14 years)

BROADCAST BLOOPER

Meet Foreign Minister ‘Gay Lover’

4.8 million (the highest in the Emmy-winning show’s 11-year run)

NUMBER OF RETWEETS OF THE SELFIE FEATURING DEGENERES AND VARIOUS HOLLYWOOD STARS More than two million by the end of the TV broadcast (easily beating the previous record, held by Barack Obama, who sent out a post-reelection image of he and Michelle hugging with the message “Four more years”)

BELLE ANCELL

In an oh-so-perfect subtitle snafu, Britain’s Channel 4 translated the name of Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov — who supports his country’s gay propaganda law — as “so gay lover.” The channel was reporting on a meeting between Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry from Kiev, Ukraine.

NUMBER OF VIEWERS WHO TUNED IN TO ELLEN’S POST-OSCARS SHOW

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Vancouver boxer River “The Fox” Tucker, who won the women’s provincial title in May 2013 before claiming the province’s Silver Gloves championship in Richmond, is continuing her winning ways, recently earning the Tacoma Golden Gloves title.

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Former Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir appeared in a New Jersey court March 4, where his husband, Victor Voronov, asked a judge to dismiss charges against the skater, who had sunk his teeth into Voronov during a pre–Sochi Games spat. Voronov tweeted a selfie with the message, “Life back to normal pace at least for today.” Weir says he and his husband often fight over who gets to “wear the pants” in their feisty relationship.

XTRA! MARCH 13–26, 2014 5

6 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Upfront

Is ‘queer’ really the best we can do?

Kevin Dale McKeown E9

Gay MLA’s office attacked ‘He was screaming about faggot flags,’ Spencer Chandra Herbert alleges GAYBASHING JEREMY HAINSWORTH

Past the colourful flowers from well-wishers in Spencer Chandra Herbert’s constituency office, a fist-sized hole in a door remains as a mute reminder of an allegedly homophobic assault on the politician’s executive assistant.

Michael Melvin Williams, 53, of Vancouver now stands charged with assault and mischief under $5,000 in connection with the assault, Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Randy Fincham tells Xtra.

Williams is due in Vancouver’s Community Court on April 4 to face the charges, Fincham says.

“He was screaming about faggot flags,” Chandra Herbert alleges. “We called the police and he was arrested.”

Vancouver’s gay NDP MLA for the West End says he won’t take down his office’s rainbow flag despite the alleged attack on his office and staff on Feb 21.

According to Chandra Herbert, the altercation began after a man expressed his opposition to the rainbow flag flying at the West End Community Centre across from his Denman Street constituency office. The man then allegedly entered Chandra Herbert’s office, shouted more homophobic slurs — targeted partly at the rainbow flag in the window and partly at the MLA’s constituency assistant — then punched the assistant in the face and punched a hole in the office door.

“The safety of the people who work here has been violated,” Chandra Herbert says. His assistant preferred not to comment publicly.

Chandra Herbert says they won’t back down, and they certainly won’t take down the rainbow flag.

“We’ll keep standing up to the hate,” he says. “We’re emboldened to keep working harder on this.”

At the time of the arrest, Vancouver police said a 53-year-old intoxicated man had been apprehended and released without charges.

“When police arrived a few minutes later, they found the man standing on the sidewalk, down the street from the office. He was arrested without incident and taken to jail,” Fincham said in a statement. “Due to the nature of the allegations, the incident is being investigated by the Vancouver Police Hate Crimes Unit.”

“We are continuing to work with the police department to make sure charges proceed and hate like this is not allowed to go unchallenged,” Chandra Herbert says. Hateful emails or letters are not unusual at his office, he notes, but it’s the first time things have turned violent.

“I believe that acts of hate and violence are MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

If such senseless acts of hate and violence can happen in an MLA’s office in Vancouver’s West End, they can happen anywhere.

SPENCER CHANDRA HERBERT

A 53-year-old man has been charged with assault and mischief in connection with the Feb 21 attack on gay MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert’s office (above) that injured one of his staff members and left a hole in his door.

JEREMY HAINSWORTH

serious matters that should be reported to the appropriate authorities,” he says, explaining why he thinks criminal charges are worth pursuing in this case. “If such senseless acts of hate and violence can happen in an MLA’s office in Vancouver’s West End, they can happen anywhere.”

Chandra Herbert tells Xtra that the incident rattled his staff but that his assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, is all right.

“My assistant is recovering from the incident, but we are both shaken and shocked that someone felt it acceptable to express their hateful views by assaulting a government worker and damaging government property,” he says.

Though he has always felt safe in the West End, he says, he now feels uneasy. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.”

Staff at the community centre and library across the street from Chandra Herbert’s office say they still feel safe despite the incident but refused to

comment further, referring all questions to their communications department.

Premier Christy Clark’s press secretary, Sam Oliphant, tells Xtra, “The premier obviously finds this type of behaviour deplorable. The premier has been a strong advocate against bullying, especially in our schools and workplaces.”

On behalf of the premier and the BC Liberal Party caucus, Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart rose Feb 25 in the legislature to offer some words of support to Chandra Herbert and his constituency assistant. “I would also like to give our entire caucus’s support to the member for Vancouver– West End and his constituency assistant over the shocking incident last week in his office,” Tegart said, according to a Hansard transcript provided to Xtra by the premier’s office. “We stand united against this type of hateful attack, and we wish the member’s constituency assistant a full and speedy recovery.”

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Gay-panic sentence delayed Sentencing for the man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Jan 12, 2013, death of Dolan Badger has once more been delayed, this time until June.

William Robert Kootenay, 24, claimed he was only protecting himself from a sexual assault after a night of drinking. He was initially charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of the 49-year-old HIV outreach worker, artist and former Vancouverite.

According to a statement presented jointly by the prosecutor and the defence to a Whitecourt, Alberta, judge, Kootenay claims he woke up to find Badger, without pants, on top of him.

Kootenay pushed Badger off and repeatedly punched him in the face and kicked him in the abdomen, then left him to die.

Badger’s friend Duane Gastant Aucoin says it sounds like Kootenay is using a gay-panic defence to try to justify his actions. People often use a

The man who killed Dolan Badger (above) now won’t be sentenced until June. FACEBOOK.COM

BC Law Society may block Trinity Western grads An upcoming motion before the BC Law Society could stop Trinity Western University’s (TWU) proposed law school in its tracks.

“Pursuant to Law Society Rule 2-27 (4.1), the Benchers declare that, notwithstanding the preliminary approval granted to Trinity Western University on Dec 16, 2013 by the Federation of Law Societies’ Canadian Common Law Program Approval Committee,

the proposed Faculty of Law of Trinity Western University is not an approved faculty of law,” the proposed motion reads.

BC Law Society board members will vote on the motion April 11.

TWU president Bob Kuhn tells Xtra he’s disappointed with the notice of motion. He says the application has been turned into a public event. “We’re sort of stuck in a process we didn’t create. We did

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gay-panic defence to cover up a gaybashing, he told Xtra in December.

“Who knows? Maybe they were having sex. Just because he’s saying Dolan was trying to rape him doesn’t mean that’s what happened. It doesn’t sound like the Dolan I know,” Aucoin says.

At the time of Badger’s death, he was widely remembered as a gentle, kind, warm and deeply supportive two-spirit aboriginal man.

Xtra’s attempts to contact prosecutor Robert Marr to ask why he accepted Kootenay’s gay-panic defence have so far been unsuccessful. Proceedings in the sentencing were initially scheduled for Jan 14, then delayed to Jan 28 while the judge waited for a pre-sentencing report, then delayed again to Feb 25 because the judge was reportedly ill and not sitting that day.

On Feb 25, the court reconvened to set a date for the sentencing, which will now take place on June 18.

— Jeremy Hainsworth

everything right. We played by the rules.

The rules have changed.”

Other provincial law societies are also debating whether they would accept graduates with a degree from TWU’s law school.

Some BC benchers requested more information prior to the April vote, such as how consistently TWU enforces its student covenant, which bans homosexuality. — Jeremy Hainsworth

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What’s in a name?

One person’s reclaimed name is another’s bad memory STILL QQ KEVIN DALE MCKEOWN

“Language evolves” is the usual justification for bad grammar and malapropisms. It’s apparently how “gay” went from meaning happy and carefree to whatever it means now and how “queer” went from being a putdown to describing an entire community.

The last issue of Xtra featured another evolutionary twist in the language: “fag stags,” a butch way to describe straight men who hang with gay friends.

Obviously a remaking of “fag hags,” though in my youth you seldom referred to a woman as a fag hag to her face. “You fag hag” might be hurled in anger in the midst of a tearful scene, but it sure wasn’t a term of endearment.

But our women friends took “fag hag” into their own hands and claimed the title with pride. The next thing we knew it was on everyone’s lips. And then it was passé.

As reported in my last two columns, a group of friends has been gathering every few weeks to discuss the origins and impacts of names and identities. The tongue-in-cheek title of our Facebook group is Who’s Queer Now? We have been struggling with the challenge of how to inclusively describe everyone in a “community” so diverse as to include homosexual men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender men and women, intersex folks and the relatively recent identity of “gender variant.”

Is “queer” really the best we can do?

“I’m not queer,” avows 70-year-old Reg Manning, one of our town’s very senior drag performers and Vancouver’s Empress II. “It’s an ugly, ugly word.”

“I’m not queer either,” agrees 72-year-old Pamela Leaman, who transitioned in 1969. “I’m a heterosexual woman.”

“Queer” is repugnant to many elders (my 64-year-old self included) because it is the word we were most taunted with in our youth. Younger people might argue that abusive words are often “reclaimed” by a new generation.

I can think of a number of words being “reclaimed” that would still never be used to identify a social collective or brand a community centre.

To show that we are not totally huMORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

mourless in our debate, 1970s-era Gay Liberation Front co-founder Gordon Hardy, in response to Reg’s concern that there is no word exclusive to homosexual men, suggested we try “homonormative cisgender males.”

I recently discovered that, in a charmless effort to include everyone and offend nobody, the Committee of Progressive Electors uses “LGBTTIQQPP2S” to describe us all, in response to which Reive Doig, not a Who’s Queer Now member but a poster on a member’s Facebook discussion, opined, “When an initialism is harder to interpret than internet routing protocols it’s time to agree on a simple identifier.”

He suggests “Let’s Get Better Titles That Intelligently Quite Quickly Present Perspective 2 Society.”

And what about the group that Gordon says we keep overlooking in our discussions? The homosexual men and lesbians who are busy living their lives with partners, spouses, children, mortgages and careers, whose connection to the “scene” may be as casual as a twiceyearly visit to Celebrities. Do they feel, as I do, that “queer” is a word and a concept that has been foisted on us by a relatively small faction of academics and political activists that has nothing to do with their lived experience?

New York University professor

and self-described “queer historian” Lisa Duggan has been cited as saying that “to be queer means to refuse the hegemony of domesticity, marriage, consumption and aspirations to middle-class prosperity.”

Thanks, Lisa, for pointing out how unqueer so many of us really are! And for assuming the authority to tell us that.

The Who’s Queer Now gang will get together one more time to work out the format and content of a larger conversation, as a next step toward a public community town-hall discussion. Our goal at the moment is to clear some ground and air some views in anticipation of the consultation process that Qmunity plans to launch later this year for the new community centre made possible by the $7 million endowment through the city.

At our next meeting, an Xtra reporter will take over the task of documenting these discussions, while, to my immense relief, I will return to rehashing old gossip. There are still stories to be told!

Here’s hoping that in our upcoming conversations we can leave the divisions engendered by our inescapable diversity behind as we create a safe space for all.

Including fag stags.

Kevin Dale McKeown was Vancouver’s first out gay columnist, penning QQ Writes . . . Page 69 for the Georgia Straight through the early 1970s. Contact him at stillqq@dailyxtra.com.

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Good eats HIV fundraiser Dining Out for Life turns 20 this year HIV/AIDS TONY CORREIA

When Lorne Mayencourt brought Dining Out for Life to Vancouver from the United States 20 years ago, AIDS was still one of the leading causes of death in Canada. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember when we had 20 clients die in one day,â&#x20AC;? says Easter Armas, the

founder of A Loving Spoonful.

A generation later, HIV/AIDS is not the death sentence it once was, thanks to protease inhibitors; however, the need for access to nutritious food and alternative therapies has increased. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cure for AIDS and there really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? says Sheena Sargeant, executive director of Friends for Life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our challenge is to bring in

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all the other pieces that are more than taking one pill or a handful of pills every day to keep people living vibrant, healthy lives for many years to come.â&#x20AC;?

Lisa Martella, A Loving Spoonfulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive director, points out that with people living longer with the virus, both organizations have had to increase their capacity.

A Loving Spoonful gets referrals from doctors every week. Last year its prenatal program helped six HIV-positive mothers deliver six healthy babies.

They recently doubled their space to make room for â&#x20AC;&#x153;incredibleâ&#x20AC;? freezers and coolers that allow them to deliver extra produce and waste less food. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Food is medicine,â&#x20AC;? Martella says.

Sargeant is thankful for how far we have come around learning how to live with the virus but notes the many ways HIV/AIDS continues to affect the community, including poverty and inadequate access to nutritious food. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just coming out of one generation in terms of the lifespan of people with HIV,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dying right away as they did in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s around the corner.â&#x20AC;?

Between the two organizations, the money raised by Dining Out for Life helps deliver an average of 100,000 meals a year and funds 50 to 60 holistic wellness programs, despite limited government funds. Events like Dining Out for Life and Art for Life account for

A Loving Spoonfulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lisa Martella and Friends for Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sheena Sargeant don aprons for Dining Out for Life. DINING OUT FOR LIFE/CHARLES ZUCKERMANN

approximately 60 percent of Friends for Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenue.

This year, in honour of its 20th anniversary, Dining Out for Life is offering a new Platinum Table program where the host of a party of 20 or more will receive a pair of commemorative wine glasses.

Though the face of HIV/AIDS may have changed, Dining Out for Life still

attracts businesses and individuals who either witnessed the urgent need for direct services for people with HIV/AIDS in the early days or who care about their friends and still want to protect them from the virus today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re living with one generation living with the virus,â&#x20AC;? Sargeant says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but we have the support of many generations.â&#x20AC;?

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XTRA! MARCH 13–26, 2014 11

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Richmond Cultural Centre 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, BC

PRESENT

March 22 - 30, 2014 PREVIEWS March

Ga Ting

20 and 21

SHOW TIMES:

By

Minh Ly

March 20 - 22, 25 - 29 at 8pm MATINEES:

March 23, 26, 29, 30 at 2pm

“FAMILY”

TICKETS: ADULT FEE

$20, STUDENT & SENIOR FEE $15

Tickets can be purchased online at www.vact.ca, at the RCC front desk or by calling our information line at 604-247-8300.

Directed by: Rick Tae Starring: Michael Antonakos BC Lee Alannah Ong DETAILED DIRECTIONS AT

12 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

Set + Costume Design: Christopher David Gauthier Lighting Design: Gerald King Lighting Apprentice/TD: Sean Malmas Stage Manager: Shannon Macelli

thefranktheatre.com

ASL interpretation available March 27 and 29

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Out in the City

I always liked Oasis and I’ve had a good time there, so I’m not sure why it struggles to bring in crowds. Raziel Reid E16

Paradise by the console light The Vancouver Gaymers club is where gay geeks go to belong COMMUNITY STACY THOMAS

In a corner of La Fontana Caffe in Burnaby, amid the noise of the Vancouver Gaymers’ fifth anniversary party on Feb 28, Reina Sato looks up from the rules of Clue to explain why she tagged along with a friend to play board games with complete strangers.

In doing so, she inadvertently sums up why 70 or so other people have joined her and why this group of queer gaming enthusiasts — who generally refer to themselves as gaymers or geeks — continues to grow.

“I’m kind of an introvert,” she says. “I really wanted to meet new people, share interests and play games, just have fun. I learned that it’s a really safe place for everyone to play and be accepted, so I came along.”

Beyond their love for board and video games (and the people who play them), the Vancouver Gaymers are filling what its members see as a gap in the gay community.

“They’ve been around gaming their whole lives; they’ve grown up with it, and now they identify in that fashion, and there’s no real connection to find other people of that same ilk,” says founding member Justin Saint.

“Even now in the geek community, there are a lot of issues surrounding safety,” he explains.

“At standard geek events, there’s still that level of ‘I can’t hold my boyfriend’s hand.’ So for me, creating that space was really important because there is a need to connect with other people who like the geeky things you do.”

Gay gamers can suffer a double-edged sword: alienated from the straight gaming community by homophobic themes and language and straightmale-centric imagery, yet not particularly part of a gay scene that might feel less than welcoming to some geeks.

“You grow up and you’re gay, you’re a recluse in that way. You grow up and you’re a nerd, and you’re a recluse that way,” says 25-year-old Shane Flynn, who helped start the Vancouver Gaymers along with Saint. “A lot of people who come for MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

You grow up and you’re gay, you’re a recluse in that way.

You grow up and you’re a nerd, and you’re a recluse that way.

GAYMERS CO-FOUNDER SHANE FLYNN “At standard geek events, there’s still that level of ‘I can’t hold my boyfriend’s hand,’” says Vancouver Gaymers’ founder Justin Saint (centre), who created the group to help gay game-lovers connect. LEAH BROMLEY

the first time, they’ve never met anybody in the gay community at all.”

Five years ago, Saint posted a call-out on the forum of a popular queer-focused gaming website and essentially opened the floodgates, as a whole new subculture of gay video- and board-game enthusiasts has since come out to play.

Saint estimates that about 50 people, gay and straight, now turn up to any given meeting. And the worldwide gaymer community is becoming a more viable phenomenon every year — it even hosts its own gaming convention, GaymerX, launched in San Francisco in 2013.

To the Vancouver Gaymers, it’s about creating an accepting space, Saint says.

“It’s arguably the most positive space for gam-

ing groups in Vancouver, because usually other ones are very hostile and they’re very rooted in ideas of heterosexism,” Vi L says. “I don’t identify as male . . . this group has been the most receptive to pronoun changes in reference to me, as opposed to other groups who haven’t been as receptive . . . for video games, or even other queer groups in general. This seems to be the mixture of gaming and queer that is the most accepting.”

As the Gaymers continue to grow and to search for bigger venues (ideally in the West End), Saint suggests that their subculture is still taking shape.

“Because we don’t have a hierarchy to call on,” he notes, “like the queens or the leathers or the bears — all the established groups — we are still figuring out exactly how to be a community.”

XTRA! MARCH 13–26, 2014 13

COVER STORY

g n i p p e t s iS de

shortcuts Playwright Minh Ly complicates stereotypes with compassion in Ga Ting

M

inh Ly is emphatic as he resists any attempt to pigeonhole his new play.

“I don’t see my play as a ‘gay play,’” the gay playwright insists. Nor is Ga Ting, premiering this month in Richmond, simply about Chinese-Canadian immigrant parents grappling with their gay son’s death.

“It’s about parents who happen to be Chinese immigrants coming to terms with that,” he agrees, “but I don’t see it as an ‘Asian play’ either.”

Ga Ting opens on a sombre note, in the aftermath of a gay man’s overdose, as his boyfriend Matthew meets his partner’s Cantonese-speaking parents for the first time. The parents, played

by BC Lee and renowned Hong Kong television star Alannah Ong, didn’t know their son was gay and want to understand him better. Matthew wants to help them understand. But that doesn’t mean communication comes easily.

For Ly, Ga Ting (which means “family” in Cantonese) is ultimately about exploring the chasm of communication that can lie between parents and children. It’s about understanding loss and bridging gaps.

14 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

In staging the play at the Richmond Cultural Centre, in collaboration with Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, the frank theatre company (formerly Screaming Weenie Productions) wants to explore new terrain and reach more diverse audiences.

Ly, who went to school in Vancouver and now lives in Toronto, hopes to offer “authentic” Canadian theatre “where what we see onstage reflects who we actually are, that we’re not all white.”

Matthew’s arrival with a bamboo plant for his dead lover’s parents prompts the Chinese couple to remark that Greeks, Italians and others of European ancestry all look the same to them. Meanwhile, Matthew struggles to understand why the parents can’t simply accept their late son’s sexuality.

“You care too much about what people think,” Matthew tells the father, Hong. “If you just let go of —” “Do not tell me how to think until you bring up a family with nothing but your bare hand and having eyes that are different kind look you up and down and judge you,” Hong replies.

“It’s hard enough being an Asian growing up in a white society. That’s already a minus,” Ly explains. “I don’t want the parents to come off as just conservatives. They’re not bad people.

DAVID P BALL

They’re simply brought up in a different way; they have a different understanding of the world. I want the audience to also understand where they’re coming from and not to judge them.”

Hong, who has faced his share of discrimination as an immigrant and a visible minority, has struggled to fit in, to not stand out in a way that might set his family back. Learning his son was gay reignites that struggle and determination to fit in.

“A lot of times, I feel excluded from what it means to be Canadian,” Ly admits. “As a kid, I wanted to be white because I felt it would be easier to fit in. It’s not that I was rejected. But everything’s white, so it just made sense.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘the gay Asian experience,’” frank artistic producer Chris Gatchalian cautions as he cracks open a box of Ga Ting brochures in the theatre’s Downtown Eastside headquarters. “There’s gay Asian experiences.”

Reality, he says, is “always a little more complex. It’s not monolithic how immigrant families view this issue. That said, stereotypes exist because there’s sometimes an element of truth in them,” he adds. “We have to acknowledge that, too.”

Sitting beside Gatchalian, by the boxes of leaflets, is actor BC Lee. A one-term Non-Partisan Association (NPA) councillor and cultural diversity educator, Lee approached his portrayal of the father, Hong, from a universal perspective. In fact, his preparation involved watching YouTube videos of parents talking about their children’s suicides, as well as reflecting on the traditional Jewish father’s journey in Fiddler on the Roof.

Though he shies away from simplistic stereotypes, Lee says Ga Ting’s nuanced treatment of the parent-child chasm reflects

Minh Ly is careful not to cram his new play, Ga Ting, into either a gay or Asian box. It’s about communication, he says.

It’s about learning to bridge the gaps of understanding and cope with loss, and love, as a family. TANJA TIZIANA

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

As a kid, I wanted to be white because I felt it would be easier to fit in . . . everything’s white, so it just made sense. a current common Chang wrote his PhD on represenin many Chinesetation of Asian and queer identities Canadian families, in Canadian theatre. He applauds Ga including anxiTing for taking a complicated and nueties over being anced view of culture — not simplifying socially shamed everything down to “gay” and “Asian.” for individualis“The audience might latch on to tic behaviour, an what it means to live in an Asianemphasis on the Canadian family, but conservatism collective good, and isn’t culturally specific,” he points prioritizing actions out. “No culture is monolithically over phrases such as conservative or liberal.”

“I love you.”

He chuckles over the phone, adding “It’s a very coma reminder about Ottawa’s current mon two-generation Conservative regime: “I don’t want problem,” Lee says. to get all political or name names, but “I don’t look at this as a we live in a particular country with a ‘queer play.’ It’s about family, about particular government.” the collective requirements of how “Ly’s play is really complex,” he you can be an accepted individual in continues. “He reveals his characters’ a collective society. prejudices and then tries to debunk “I think it’s more about survival,” those assumptions. [Ly] complicates he says, “surviving in a new strange what it means to communicate across place. For the parents as firstthose boundaries.” generation immigrants, that’s their Asked if the dynamics in Ga Ting basic instinct.” resonate with his own personal exIn Lee’s experience, sexuality is periences and identity, Chang turns something rarely discussed in most the question around. Would he be Asian cultures. He says he’s honest less credible as a theatre scholar if he when asked about his own orientation didn’t identify as Asian-Canadian? but doesn’t necessarily volunteer or Or gay? emphasize it.

“In Vancouver, it’s too easy to use “All my friends and family, all these just two terms: queer and Asian,” years, they all know,” he says. “But Chang cautions. “I self-define in such there is one thing a diverse way — even if about outing is that my friends define me GA TING in Asia we don’t talk in a way more simplisSat, March 22–Sun, March 30 Richmond Cultural Centre about sex or sexuality; tic than I allow.

7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond it’s not part of our con“When others do it, thefranktheatre.com versation. It doesn’t it’s beyond my conmean I’m ashamed; it’s trol,” he says. “By askjust never come up in a conversation.” ing me to self-define, you’re saying That the characters in Ly’s play are to pigeonhole myself. In theatre, we even willing to engage, albeit relucneed those shortcuts. But in life, it tantly at times, in genuine converdoesn’t work.” sation with each other, shows Ly’s For Lee, the play is ultimately about commitment to bridging gaps, onstage communicating “before it’s too late.” and beyond.

“I hope it helps parents who have a “Plays never really represent whole gay son and still have to find ways to communities,” UBC theatre scholar understand and accept them,” he says.

Eury Chang notes. “They represent “But it’s not about, ‘You die, I survive.’ stories in communities.”

It’s about how we evolve together.”

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

XTRA! MARCH 13–26, 2014 15

Xtra and the frank theatre company bring you a chance to win a pair of tickets to see

Ga Ting, by Minh Ly, on Thursday, March 27 at 8pm at the Richmond Cultural Centre, 7700 Minoru Gate.

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Flash mob meets the French Revolution Gay takeovers and straight makeovers BLITZ & SHITZ RAZIEL REID According to its website, Guerrilla Gay Bar (GGB) “is a combination of flash mob and the French Revolution. Only gayer. (Fewer decapitations.)”

So get your Marie Antoinette on by asserting your right to frivolous fun — and diamonds, don’t forget the diamonds — and let the heteros eat cake while twice a month gays take over straight venues in the Lower Mainland, making them our own.

GGB is a movement that first took off in San Francisco and has since spread all over the United States, Europe and Canada. Started by gays dissatisfied with the segregation of subcultures in their local scenes, GGB aims to both expand the gay sphere and bring it together.

“Our ideal crowd is more diverse than your average bar,” GGB’s online manifesto reads. “Punks and twinks, bears and guppies, students and seniors — and, best of all, folks without a convenient label.”

The location is kept a secret until a few hours before the festivities begin to ensure the straights are unaware of the impending queer invasion (we come in peace, mostly). So you have to join the GGB Facebook page or mailing list to be in the know.

The inaugural takeover, kickstarting the biweekly event, took place at Malone’s Urban Drinkery sports bar.

With an early launch time, the party was casual and perfect if you wanted to grab a bite to eat while meeting fellow entitled gays looking to expand their horizons.

There may be hockey on the TV screens instead of Britney, but GGB proves that the gay is wherever you are, bitch.

RIP, Oasis Oasis Ultra Lounge has struggled to amass a devout following, except on successful Dyme Piece Wednesdays and Monroe Saturdays. Word through the grapevine is that in an effort to reinvent itself, Oasis is collaborating with new partners and has decided to follow Score’s lead by becoming mainly

With coaxing, Raziel (centre) enjoyed Pride’s burlesque fundraiser, with (from left) Burgundy Brixx, Veronica Vex, April O’Peel, Pride’s Christopher Hunte, Mistie Edge and Diamond Minx. TALLULAH

a sports bar in hopes of appealing to a larger straight crowd.

From Thursday to Saturday, there will be a mandatory $10 cover, which is more than I would pay for all the white-leather chochi couches in that place.

My broke ass would never go out if I couldn’t get on guest lists/manipulate men into buying me drinks, so I’m a little offended on behalf of all the notso-very-important-people who will be expected to pay up.

As a result of the changes, TFD Presents has chosen to keep the Monroe cover at $5 and has already secured a new venue for its relaunch in mid-April.

“We hope they find the success they think they deserve and look forward to collaborating with them again one day,” TFD wrote in a Facebook bulletin about their departure.

RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Jiggly Caliente is still scheduled to perform on March 15 at Monroe, which is moving to Heaven’s Door before its brief hiatus.

I always liked Oasis and I’ve had a good time there, so I’m not sure why it struggles to bring in crowds. Maybe they just can’t compete with the hottie bartenders at 1181? Few can.

Dimpled Decadence “I’m not really into burlesque,” I told my friend while we watched the Decadence: Mardi Gras show at Fun House on Feb 28, a fundraiser for Pride 2014.

“If I wanted to see an ass jiggling with cellulite, I’d look at Kim K in a bikini.”

Maybe I was just in a bad mood because they served me chilled merlot?

My friend was deeply offended. “Girl bodies are different than boy bodies,” she said. “It’s biology, darling.”

She’s right, of course, and the cellulite wasn’t nearly as captivating as the dancers themselves. Plus, I hear cold red wine is in vogue for some reason, so maybe I should get on the bandwagon. It is for a good cause, after all.

Not that the Pride Society really needs gay money, or gays for that matter, if you’ve been to a Pride parade in the past few years . . .

The show featured Diamond Minx, Nicky Ninedoors, Burgundy Brixx, Mistie Edge, Veronica Vex and April O’Peel, and the ladies had the crowd in the seductive palms of their hands, which were much warmer than mine.

In the end, they pasty-whipped me into submission, and I surrendered to the luxurious self-indulgence.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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Artificial Cherry — Café Deux Soleils, Sun, March 23 ARSENAL PULP PRESS /MICHELLE BRAYTON

FOR MORE EVENT LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

Wed, March 12 Coronation Week The Dogwood Monarchist Society’s annual passing of the drag torch begins tonight, with the in-town show at 10pm at Junction, 1138 Davie St; $5. The out-of-town show takes place Fri, March 14, 7pm, at Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright St, Granville Island; $10. The coronation ball is Sat, March 15, 5pm, at Performance Works; $52. mothercourt.ca

Thurs, March 13 Liberace First Anniversary Ivy Winters, from RuPaul’s Drag Race, joins DJ Del Stamp and the go-go boys. 10pm.

Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $10 advance at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or celebrities. electrostub.com.

Rainbow Support Group BC’s Alzheimer Society offers a support group for LGBT caregivers and those caring for an LGBT person with dementia. Call 604-675-5153 or email kturner@alzheimerbc.org.

Pride Movie Night Christopher Hunte hosts a double bill to benefit the Pride Society, with Grey Gardens and Mean Girls.

7–11pm. Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway. $8 per movie or $10 advance /$12 at door for the double bill. vancouverpride.ca

Fri, March 14 PCAN Naked Heaven Join the Pacific Canadian Association of Nudists for their St Patrick’s Day party. 8pm–2am.

Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $15 non-members, $10 members. p-can.org DILF Steamworks and the PumpJack partner up on a night for men over 35 and the men who want them. Steamworks, 123 W Pender St. $6 monthly membership. steamworksbaths.com VML Social The Vancouver Men in Leather host their monthly social in the back of the PumpJack. 9pm until late.

PumpJack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover. meninleather.homestead.com

18 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

An Acceptably ’80s Night DJ Taffi Louis presents a pre-hipster, pre-ironic new wave/synthpop night. 9pm–2am.

Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. Free before 10pm, $5 after. heavensdoor.ca Ff: Filthy fresh Part 2 Adam Dreaddy hosts the second in a three-part series.

10pm. Lux Lounge (formerly The Helm), 1180 Howe St. Tickets $14 at eventbrite.ca.

Sat, March 15 Bearracuda Underwear Night Road trip! Bearracuda is back in Seattle for one night at the Eagle, with Vancouver’s DJ Del Stamp and DJ Freddy King, of Pants. 9pm– 2am. Seattle Eagle, 314 E Pike St. $5 before 10 pm, $7 after. bearracuda.com Auditions for Classical Chorus Cor Flammae is holding auditions for classically trained soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers today and Sunday. Contact Missy Clarkson, 604-724-1915, or hello@ corflammae.com for more information.

The Gay Agenda The makers of Queer Bash present a new gay strip-and-grind show. 9pm–2am. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $8. thecobalt.ca Saturday Nite Fever Not So Strictly Ballroom, Vancouver’s same-sex ballroom and Latin dance group, adds some disco to their monthly party. Learn the Hustle at 8:45pm; dance until 11:30pm. Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville St, 2nd floor. $12–15 sliding scale at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St. notsostrictlyballroom.ca Board Games Are So Gay Choose a game from the Heartwood’s collection or bring your own. All ages, genders and allies welcome. 7–10pm. Heartwood Community Café, 317 East Broadway. Free. heartwoodcc.ca

Sun, March 16 Boys and Their Toys Vancouver Jax invites men who love masturbating to get together to stroke penis. 2–5pm. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $10, includes locker. 8x6.ca

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Wed, March 19 Gay & Grey Join this group of gay senior men every Wednesday for discussions on topics such as retirement, housing, dating, self-image and more. 7pm. Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews.

Thurs, March 20

gay and lesbian bowlers from the Pacific Northwest. Registration party tonight at 7pm at Numbers, 1042 Davie St; tournament runs Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10am, at Rev’s Lanes, 5502 Lougheed Hwy. englishbaycup.shawwebspace.ca

Sun, March 23

Showtunes Night Sing along to your favourite musicals at 1181. 6–9pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. 1181.ca

Tues, March 25

Lipstick Jungle This month’s party for the “cosmopolitan lesbian” and her friends features vocalist Martina Griffiths, 8–10pm, then dancing with DJ Cho Cha until 2am. Ginger 62, 1219 Granville St. $6. ginger62.com

AJ’s Café Join other HIV-positive gay men every Friday for this free social gathering/ support group sponsored by Positive Living BC. 3–6pm. The Junction Pub, 1138 Davie St. positivelivingbc.org

Fri, March 21

Sat, March 22

Jasper Pride The Rocky Mountain Pride festival opens tonight and runs until Sun, March 23. For the complete schedule, go to jasperpride.ca.

Truckerdisco DJs Woodhead and Taffi Louis host a monthly event for guys, grrls, hipsters, homos, folks of all bearish persuasions and more. 9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. $10. truckerdisco.com

The Bridge Generation Join the elders of Quirk-e to launch their new anthology.

6:30pm. Britannia Services Centre Canucks Family Education Centre, 1655 William St. Free. 604-222-4606.

English Bay Bowling Tournament Vancouver’s annual tournament attracts

Hershe Bar DJ Miss M and Red City perform at this popular lesbian party. 10pm–3am.

Red Room Ultra Bar, 398 Richards St. $15 advance at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St; Kokopelli Salon, 2052 Commercial Dr; or flygirlproductions.com.

Artificial Cherry Billeh Nickerson reads from his new poetry collection, with special guests. 7pm. Café Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Dr. Free. cafedeuxsoleils.com

Dining Out for Life Choose a participating restaurant and 25 percent of your total food bill will benefit A Loving Spoonful and Friends for Life. diningoutforlife.com

Wed, March 26

Real Estate

XTRA’S GUIDE TO THE LUCRATIVE GAY & LESBIAN HOUSING MARKET

TO ADVERTISE CALL 604-684-9696

Songwriting for LGBT Youth

Qmunity’s Gab Youth and the Queer Arts Fest present a songwriting workshop for queer, trans and allied youth aged 14 to 25.

4–6pm. Gordon Neighbourhood House, 1019 Broughton St. Free. qmunity.ca

Submit your event listing to oitc.vancouver@dailyxtra.com.

Deadline for the March 27– April 9 issue is Wed, March 19.

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A world of gay adventure

Travel

Catrinas & cliff diving Courting la muerte in Mazatlán

BY NATASHA BARSOTTI

Blanch-faced, dressed to the nines and ornately adorned with plumage, flowers and sugar skulls, las Catrinas sashay along Mazatlán’s crammed Plaza Machado to frenzied drumming, piercing trumpeting and firecrackers.

The pleasantly macabre signature characters of the annual Dia de los Muertos move among the sea of humanity that converges on the central plaza to jumpstart the carnival in honour of beloved departed relatives and friends, flirtatiously thumbing their noses at death or delighting in it.

The image of La Catrina, skull and bones wrapped in fine period fashion and elaborate head-wear, is associated with turn-of-the-20th-century Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada,

whose satirical work provided sharp commentary about race, making fun of Mexicans who aspired to be European in appearance and culture.

But it was artist Diego Rivera who took Posada’s image and turned her into “an icon of Mexican-ness,” geography professor Juanita Sundberg says. “That was what his work was about, creating this idea of a Mexican national identity, situated in its pre-Columbian and folk roots. He is reportedly the one who called her La Catrina.”

As Posada and Rivera have demonstrated, the Catrina image can be leveraged to make an array of statements, political and otherwise.

From the sidewalk patio of the Plaza Machado’s bustling Pedro y Lola restaurant, I wonder if I’ll see any genderbending Catrinas. I don’t have to

wait long to spy one or two amidst the promenading heteronormative calavera (skull) couples, some rushing — plastic cups in the air — to catch up with the burro-drawn carts of free beer that the “bartenders” are dispensing hand over fist.

“You can see how the image would lend itself to drag. It’s supposed to be all about playing with costume and playing with your identity. That’s what Posada was talking about, even though he wasn’t commenting about gender identity or sexuality,” Sundberg says.

The dead are very much part of life, and they have it made, at least on the first two days of November — Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Innocents) followed by Dia de los Muertos, the day of KFENGLER

22 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Clockwise from far left: literally throwing caution to the wind, cliff divers plunge into the churning waves; a freshly painted gravesite at Panteón El Quelite, to the northeast of Mazatlán; this Catrina couple joined hundreds who took to the Plaza Machado and surrounding streets for the annual parade commemorating Dia de los Muertos; a panoramic view of Olas Altas beach.

NATASHA BARSOTTI

remembrance for adults who have died.

Walk into restaurants, artists’ studios, businesses or homes and altares de muertos (altars to the dead) are front and centre, decorated with banderillas (small flags), bread of the dead, tequila, fruit, skulls of sugar and clay, and specific effects treasured by the deceased.

In Mazatlán’s historical centre, the storefronts of flower shops, some almost three generations old, are a riot of blooms, including cempasúchil — otherwise known as the Mexican marigold — touted as the ideal flower to adorn loved ones’ final resting places.

As Dia de los Muertos approaches, the panteones (cemeteries) are anything but sites of sadness and regret to be avoided. They are a flurry of preparation and anticipation: children run in and among the graves, which have been swept, weeded and given fresh coats of paint.

Entering the cobblestoned, colonial city of El Quelite, about 40 kilometres northeast of Mazatlán, a handful of families are in vigil mode in the local panteón, patiently awaiting the arrival of recent or long-gone loved ones whose favourite foods, drink, books and other personal items are laid out to entice them to a celebration of their lives.

“It’s about saying, ‘We honour the dead.’ It’s saying that our dead are with us, and we memorialize them,” Sundberg says.

The seeming absence of fear of the hereafter, or of mortality itself, extends into everyday life.

Situated along the six-and-a-halfkilometre seawall, Olas Altas, is a 14-metre rock where cliff divers literally throw caution to the wind that whips around its height and crevices.

Below, the churning waves submerge and expose the rocks below.

Timing is everything, the story goes.

As the waves come in, there is ideally just over two metres of water to execute a safe, head-first dive. Absent the “right” wave, the depth is a little more than a metre.

A mini-figurine of Mary and some flowers are tucked into the mid-section of the outcrop in memory of the last diver who, in 2006, did not emerge alive. It serves as a reminder, but hardly a deterrent, to fellow divers, who carry on — for the right price.

Approached at night, both rock and diver are shrouded in darkness, except for the fiery flares the latter brandishes to induce takers.

Guadalajara-born Mario Gonzalez Aguilar, 76, first flirted with cliff diving in 1962. He has taught almost every diver in Mazatlán the tricks of the trade.

While he stopped diving — for health reasons —four years ago, he is eager to take the plunge again.

Perched on a ledge on the landward side of the cliff he has mastered, Aguilar, with pet iguana astride his left shoulder, shrugs off questions about the risk of his profession and rejects any notion of fear.

He has no logical answer to give.

It’s just his life and a way to make a living.

NATASHA BARSOTTI

SQUAWK7984

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A world of gay adventure

Travel

California’s Pacific Coast Exploring the Golden State’s natural wonders ROB SALERNO

San Francisco and Los Angeles may be among the world’s top LGBT travel destinations, but there’s much more to California than The Castro and West Hollywood. With its lush scenery, sparkling blue ocean and quirky seaside towns, the Pacific Coast Highway route between these two cities can form the spine of a wonderful adventure on which journey is the destination.

The highway takes many different names along its route — Route 1, US 101, Coast Highway, Shoreline Highway, Cabrillo Highway — but by any marker it’s one of the most scenic drives in the United States. The best approach is by car, allowing for stops along the way.

Experienced cyclists can conquer the route by bicycle. In both cases, travelling south is the best option — you’ll get better views, and the wind will be in your favour.

By car, you can complete the trip in a day, but give yourself two or three to make the most of stops along the way.

Your journey begins before you leave San Francisco. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge is a part of Route 1, and the best way to experience its 2.7-kilometre span is on foot or by bicycle. For a different perspective, hop aboard a Blue & Gold Fleet cruise at Pier 39, on which you’ll learn the history of the bridge’s construction while passing underneath it.

Back on land, indulge in the touristy shops and restaurants along the pier.

Make your first stop on the road at Año Nuevo State Park, in San Mateo County, home to a colony of marine mammals, including elephant seals, sea otters and sea lions. The best time to visit is from December to March, when the seals arrive for mating season.

Hordes of tourists come every year to watch the males fight for dominance and the females give birth. (Reservations are strongly recommended.)

A more casual elephant seal refuge is further south, near Piedras Biancas Light. You’ll see signs for a lookout over a cliff down to the seal colony.

24 MARCH 13–26, 2014 XTRA!

Bixby Creek Bridge, in Big Sur, is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.

The highway bypasses the Monterey Peninsula, but it’s worth turning off to visit Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row, a street of repurposed factories named for the Steinbeck novel.

The nods to California’s maritime history and ecology include America’s only remaining whalebone sidewalk and one of the country’s largest aquariums. On a three-day journey, Monterey or the nearby artist colony of Carmel are good places to spend the night.

South of Carmel, you enter Big Sur country, a sparsely populated region known for its stunning views of and from the Santa Lucia Mountains, which rise dramatically from the ocean. On this stretch, the highway alternately runs right along the coast or along sheer cliffs up to 300 metres above the water.

Drive carefully — it’s easy to get distracted by the gorgeous vistas. Luckily, there are strategically placed turnoffs to stop and snap pictures. Take note of the picturesque Bixby Creek Bridge, one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.

Halfway through this stretch, you’ll

find the tiny hamlet of Lucia. Meals at the roadside Lucia Lodge are only soso, but the cliffside patio overlooking a crystal-blue bay is a major attraction.

Big Sur has little in the way of amenities, but that can be part of its charm. As long as you stock up on supplies — fill up your gas tank before you leave Carmel — the Big Sur River Valley is a great spot away from the bustle of the cities to rent a rustic cabin or pitch a tent for the night. As accommodations are limited in the region, be sure to book ahead.

Next on your itinerary is the must-see Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Built by publishing magnate William Hearst, on whom the film Citizen Kane was based, the sprawling 90,000-square-foot estate is a pastiche of styles inspired by — and in some cases, structures imported wholesale from — Hearst’s travels in Europe.

The building houses thousands of antiques and artifacts from Hearst’s private collection, which was donated to the state of California after his death. There are several tour options elaborating various aspects of the grounds, including the gardens and the grand rooms.

DAVID ILIFF

South of San Simeon, the highway veers inland slightly to the sleepy San Luis Obispo. Even if you’re not staying the night, stop at the Madonna Inn, a lavishly adorned motel with 110 themed rooms, including Love Nest, Rock Bottom or Cayucos Queen. Check out the rockwaterfall urinal in the men’s bathroom.

Wander San Luis Obispo’s quaint downtown, with its pedestrian-only streets. Don’t miss Bubblegum Alley, on Higuera Street, where the walls are lined with thousands of pieces of chewed gum. The town also makes a good base for an afternoon exploring the many small wineries in the Edna Valley.

Your next major stop is Santa Barbara, with its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and wharf, sandy beaches and luxury attractions. Take in the view from the courthouse tower, check out the brown pelicans at the end of Stearns Wharf, and sunbathe at Arroyo Burro Beach. A few miles west is More Mesa Beach, popular with nudists and gays.

You’ll enter Los Angeles County through Malibu, where the highway hugs the beach for the town’s entire length.

Some of the county’s most beautiful beaches are here, as is one of California’s most famous surf spots, Malibu Lagoon.

A short drive through Highlands Park will bring you to one of the best seaside views in LA county. From the cliff, you can see as far as Palos Verdes and watch surfers and dolphins below.

You’ll enter LA proper via Santa Monica. After your time on the road, it’s worth unwinding in the capital of the gay party scene, West Hollywood. The Ramada Inn WeHo has surprisingly posh rooms right on Santa Monica Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the best gay bars and clubs, as well as Sunset Boulevard’s comedy and music scene. In the morning, make up for your partying with a little history: Out & About Tours offers bus and walking tours of the city’s queer history.

From LA, the Pacific Coast Highway continues to Orange County, from which you can head on to San Diego or Mexico. Or you can turn east to explore the inland mountains, deserts and forests. With enough time and a car, the possible routes to explore the Golden State are endless.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

The Dinah: A five-day lesbian bacchanalia As temperatures in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere continue to lurk determinedly at the cold end of the thermometer, we’re desperately in need of a blast of heat. And it doesn’t get hotter than The Dinah, the world’s biggest lesbian event, hitting Palm Springs for five days of parties, pools, poker, comedy and film from April 2 to 6 this year.

What started out as simply a few gay women meeting when the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament came to town grew bigger and bigger with each passing year. In 1991, promoter Mariah Hanson, seeing a golden opportunity, took a risk, booked out a hotel and hired talent — and The Dinah was born. Now in its 24th year, the gargantuan girl extravaganza lures thousands of women to the desert town each spring for what Hanson, who still produces the energetic event, memorably describes as “a five-day bacchanalian whirlwind of lesbian delight.”

While some sources put numbers at 15,000 pool- and partygoing women, Hanson prefers not to dwell on figures, choosing instead to focus on delivering the best entertainment possible to however many thousands and thousands descend.

“We produce an event that rivals any in the country, straight or gay, which is not always the case with lesbian events. I don’t skimp on entertainment or production. We try to outdo ourselves each year. It’s a good recipe for delivering a five-star event,” she says.

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Some sources put The Dinah numbers at 15,000 pool- and partygoing women.

KURFEW

This year, Canadian lesbian heartthrobs Tegan and Sara headline and are responsible for what is set to be the Dinah’s largest audience yet, with a substantial influx of Canadians due to join the hordes.

“This year we’ve got a lot of Canadians coming because of our headliners, of course,” Hanson says, “but predominantly, it’s women from the western US states, although we get folks from all 50.” In the last few years, the fame of The Dinah has been spreading beyond

the continent; Hanson credits both word of mouth and the event’s starring roles onscreen. “We’ve had an international audience all along, but the L Word TV shows have definitely been instrumental in spreading the word — both the original L Word when they filmed an episode here in Season 1 and The Real L Word. They’ve now filmed here three times.” — Aefa Mulholland

ON THE WEB More details at thedinah.com.

Trevor Boris loves to live lavishly. Nic Kazamia prefers life on the edge. It’s a travel competition that takes you around the world with two completely opposite hosts.

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Saturday gay beach party in Vegas Opened in 1957, the Tropicana is one of the few original hotels remaining on the legendary Las Vegas strip. Now, after a $200 million renovation, “The New Tropicana” resort is promising to revolutionize the day-club experience for LGBT tourists.

Starting in the spring (the launch date has not yet been announced) the Tropicana Beach Club will be home to Xposed — the only Saturday gay pool party on the strip. It’s billed as the “ultimate Saturday beach party” for LGBT travellers, promising “sun-kissed go-go dancers, celebrity guest performers and DJs spinning all the latest hits.”

“From attending all major-city gay pride celebrations nationwide to hosting Sin City Shootout, the largest LGBT sporting event in the world, and the 2013 launch of TropLV GLAM, we support the community wherever we can,” MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

says Fred Harmon, chief marketing officer for The New Tropicana. “Xposed is the next phase in our property’s LGBTQ initiatives, and we look forward to providing the ultimate Las Vegas day-club for LGBTQ travellers.”

The all-new Tropicana Beach Club features breathtaking waterfalls, palm trees, luxury daybeds and cabanas, alongside two Olympic-sized sand volleyball courts, two heated pools and a high-rise stage for live entertainment.

A food menu will feature handcrafted cocktails and light bites.

And for Abba fans, starting in spring 2014 (tickets are on sale now), the Tropicana Theatre will be home to the smash Broadway musical Mamma Mia.

ON THE WEB The all-new Tropicana Beach Club.

TROPLVGLAM.COM

More details at xposedlv.com, troplvglam.com.

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