Xtra Vancouver #541

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#541 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014

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Exploring: never stop Single Tablet Regimens (one pill, once a day) are a step forward in HIV treatment. Explore more at exploreHIV.ca

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While they’re not a cure, these treatment options are designed to be effective and convenient. If you’ve been exploring different HIV treatments, talk to your doctor about Single Tablet Regimens too. It’s good to know what is out there.

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#541 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

Roundup

XTRA VANCOUVER’S GAY& LESBIAN NEWS

NEWS

VSB trans policy draws fire

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‘What this is doing is setting up a war,’ opponent warns E8

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Editorial Michael Sam’s game-changing smooch By Natasha Barsotti E4 Feedback E4 Xcetera E5

Upfront Uniformed RCMP on Wreck Beach Cops cite drugs, alcohol and ‘public lewdness’ as risks E7 Street party to be fenced again Davie party unlikely to shed cage for Pride E9 Cover story Bully pulpit Now that gay people are part of the establishment, are we abusing our newfound power? E10

on dailyxtra.com

E St Louis Rams draft Michael Sam E Uganda passes bill

that criminalizes HIV transmission

Ask the Expert Sidestepping the rush to anal sex By Dr Pega Ren E13

Out in the City Girl power revival Drag Spice Gurls impress Texas on three-city tour E15

An all-inclusive Oasis New manager wants to maintain strong ties to gay community E17 Trek and tango through Argentina Designer Trips wants to whisk you away for free E19 Xposed Mr/Miss Cobalt Drag Competition By Tallulah E20 Blitz & Shitz The face of East Van By Raziel Reid E21 What’s On E22 Real Estate E23 Xtra Living E24

change gay blood-donor rules

The Brotherhood By Tyler Dorchester E25

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Storefronts Over easy From old favourites to new, breakfasts that won’t disappoint E16

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E Church of England to tackle homophobia in its schools

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It seems that the decision to grant Trinity Western University a law degree program [“BC Law Society Approves Trinity Western Law School,â€? dailyxtra. com, April 11] is primarily based on the 2001 Supreme Court decision to allow it a teachers’ degree program. I hope Trevor Loke’s lawsuit goes all the way to the Supreme Court. Lawyers and different provincial law societies are in disagreement about the decision, and much has changed since 2001. It is time for the law to catch up. TWU requires those attending its programs to sign, and adhere to, a covenant that states that sexual relations must be restricted to those in a marriage between a man and a woman. Since same-sex marriage has been legal since 2005, it seems to me that TWU is creating different classes of that legal institution. How could the Supreme Court allow that? Are we not all equal under the law? Also, as there is more and more agreement that being gay is not a choice and the “pray away the gayâ€? myth has been discredited, TWU’s covenant should be seen to be as discriminatory as if it expected people in, say, mixed-race marriages to agree not to have sex while attending its programs. This is wrong, and if our current laws are allowing it to happen, then the laws must be changed. We should all be behind Trevor Loke. We’ve had them before, but currently, he is our hero. DAVID NASH (EMAIL)

#540 MAY 8–21, 2014

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Except — as expected — not all of us were so inspired. Among the moments of misplaced aversion and resentment over what men and masculinity ought to look, act and sound like: the Miami Dolphins’ Don Jones tweeted Sam directly about his “horribleâ€? kiss, while former Ole Miss college basketball player Marshall Henderson deemed it “sickeningâ€? and declared he would boycott ESPN “til this michael sam nasty ass shit is off.â€? As if that predictable homophobic manure wasn’t enough, Washington DC lobbyist Jack Burkman pledged to release the Christian hounds via a boycott against the Rams and Visa for signing Sam, predicting “terrible ďŹ nancialâ€? repercussions while advocating for legislation to ban openly gay players from the NFL and other pro sports. Michael Sam has the second-bestselling jersey of his NFL draft class . . . so good luck with that anti-gay agenda, Jack. Something is wrong — almost pathologically so — when we muster the kind of anger rightfully reserved for cold-blooded murders like Dana’s, the kidnapping of Nigerian children, the vicious cauldron that is Syria and growing civil strife in Ukraine and unleash it instead on two men joyfully sealing a landmark moment with a kiss.

PRIDE LEGACY AWARDS

MR SPIKED PHOTOS E 23

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Mere blocks from where I used to live in my home country of Trinidad, the life of a woman revered for her take-no-prisoners candour and clear-as-crystal explanations of complex legalese was snuffed out, assassination-style. Dana Seetahal’s murderers — still at large — cut in front of her as she drove home in the early morning hours of May 4 and emptied their gun clips. For the better part of a decade, Trinidadians have come to expect the almost-daily ticking over of the murder count. The bold, chillingly executed hit on Seetahal brought the toll, at that point, to 160 killings for 2014, more than for the same period last year. In many people’s shell-shocked minds, her murder and the meticulous manner in which it appears to have been commissioned, conceived and concluded signalled that the ante on violence committed by professionals with reptilian blood has been upped. “We woke up Sunday morning knowing in a very concrete way that a message was being sent to the legal

profession, journalists, columnists, activists, anyone bold enough to question the criminal and corruption status quo. Toe the blasted line, or this will be you,â€? a Trinidadian cultural studies researcher wrote in an opinion piece 48 hours later. We are meant to be — called to be — outraged and heartbroken. So when I clicked on to the NFL Network a week to the day after that stomach-churning news broke, the sight of a tense, then sobbing Michael Sam bear-hugging and kissing his equally delighted boyfriend, Vito Cammisano, was a relief from the sombre daze in which I had been drifting for days. My own tears blurred my vision. My hands were balled into ďŹ sts, pumping the air in the direction of the new St Louis Rams player, who is poised to become the ďŹ rst active, openly gay NFL-er if he makes the team’s ďŹ nal cut in the fall. Sports networks, the domain of loud, bravado-fuelled commentary, didn’t slink off to a commercial break about muscular trucks but lingered on the Sam smoochfest, which became contagious enough to inspire a callout for Facebookers, Instagramers and tweeters to share their own lip-locking moments.

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Sam’s game-changing smooch

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Leo Mantha was the last man executed in BC. Would a straight man have been spared? E 15

Uncomfortable with ‘queer’ Thank you [“Use of ‘Queer’ Split Largely by Age in Vancouver,� dailyxtra.com, March 20]. After seeing “queer� used thousands of times in Xtra, I thought that I was alone in being alienated by it. It’s a huge relief to see that others dislike it as much as I do. “Queer� to me now means “extremist who puts his or her politics ahead of the issue of sexual orientation.� The huge amount of ill feeling that this has generated also is an issue that has to be addressed. UNLEARNED (DAILYXTRA.COM)

Evenhanded reporting I found “Accused Denies MLA Office Attack� [Xtra #538, April 10] remarkably evenhanded and fair in its presentation. Hainsworth presented Chandra Herbert’s and Williams’s statements without bias. That Williams was allegedly intoxicated when he was arrested, but presumably sober when his statements were recorded, is not irrelevant. Kudos to Hainsworth, to Xtra and to its managing editor (my daughter, by the way). DAVID PERELLE (EMAIL)

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XCETERA

Achieving great things together.

FOR BETTER OR WURST!

ORF/THOMAS RAMSTORFER

Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst, aka Tom Neuwirth, after winning the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. The Russian politicians who called the contest a “sodom show” and deemed her win the “end of Europe” are no doubt thrilled that Conchita’s number, “Rise Like a Phoenix,” quickly topped Russia’s iTunes chart.

Congratulations to Morgan Camley, 2014 PRIDE Legacy Award Finalist for Community Leadership.

GAME CHANGER

THE LIP LOCK SEEN AROUND THE WORLD

Miller Thomson is proud to recognize her significant contributions to Vancouver’s LGBTQ community. Miller Thomson is one of Canada’s most respected national business law firms. Morgan Camley practices in the firm’s Litigation group where she represents clients in complex commercial disputes. She can be contacted at 604.643.1234 or mcamley@millerthomson.com.

“I just said, ‘Michael, hi. This is Jeff Fisher. You are a Ram. The wait is now finally over. Congratulations. We think you can come help us win.’ I don’t know how much he heard of that.”

Added experience. Added clarity. Added value.

The head coach of the St Louis Rams describes his call to a sobbing Michael Sam, poised to become the first active, openly gay NFL player if he makes the team’s final cut. As if that wasn’t history-making enough, the NFL Network and ESPN didn’t scramble to a commercial break when Sam gave his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano, a lingering celebratory kiss.

Miller Thomson LLP

millerthomson.com VANCOUVER CALGARY KITCHENER-WATERLOO

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This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in peace and freedom. You know who you are. We are unity, and we are unstoppable.

ET, PHONE VATICAN

Get your Martian baptism here! In keeping with his professed reticence to judge gay people, Pope Francis now says he’s open to blessing aliens. In a recent sermon in which he presented the case of a hypothetical Martian seeking baptism, the PR-savvy pope asked, “Who are we to close doors?” GAY MARRIAGE USA

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN:

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

3

Number of American states with same-sexmarriage bans that have yet to be challenged in court. They are North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. A lawsuit is set to be filed in South Dakota any day. XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 5

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VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Upfront

For 2014, really, the train has already left the station. Tim Richards, Vancouver Pride Society president E9

Uniformed RCMP on Wreck Beach Cops cite drugs, alcohol and ‘public lewdness’ as risks

There is certainly an enormous amount of risk. Public lewdness, where we’ll have people out there openly masturbating or voyeuring on people...

POLICING NIKO BELL

Police officers will watch over Wreck Beach almost every day from the May 19 long weekend until Labour Day, according to a new RCMP plan. Sergeant Drew Grainger, of the RCMP’s UBC branch, says he wants to establish a “storefront police presence” at the beach — a tent with uniformed police officers — to protect public safety. Grainger says police will crack down on illegal drug and alcohol sales, which he says are a threat to beachgoers. In the past, RCMP officers have sometimes cast a blind eye on vendors selling beer and pot at the beach. “There’s certainly some different tolerance levels down there,” Grainger says. “The way we want to approach it this year is to reduce those tolerances. Our overall objective is to make sure everyone is safe and secure.” Grainger says the RCMP will not go after individual drinkers unless they are causing trouble. “If a family wants to come down or a group of people want to come down and have a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer and continue to behave to the point of not causing harm to themselves or other people, then we can manage that,” he says. “As long as they aren’t blatantly showing it off to the public sphere.” The changes are the initiative of Grainger and UBC RCMP commander Darren Malcolm, both of whom transferred last summer from Surrey, where, Grainger says, they used similar tactics to tackle drug crime. Last August, the RCMP arrested and charged Alana Thomson, a woman who openly sold homemade alcoholic freezies at Wreck Beach. Grainger says it is his goal to go after “other Alana Thomsons” who might show their faces this year. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

RCMP SERGEANT DREW GRAINGER

Rick Fearman, who has been visiting Wreck Beach for 30 years, doesn’t object to the RCMP presence. As long as gay beachgoers keep their cruising in the bushes, they shouldn’t have any trouble from police, he says. RANDALL COSCO

Grainger says the RCMP will not make any trouble for the beach’s usual community of nudists. “We fully understand and embrace and respect that it’s a clothing-optional beach,” he says. “We feel privileged to be part of that culture. We respect their rights to do that, and we want to protect them from people who might be preying on them.” Longtime gay beachgoer Corey Giles (who works for Xtra’s publisher Pink Triangle Press) says he does not want police protecting him at Wreck Beach. “I think having a police presence on the beach will anger a lot of people, and

I don’t think it will help anything at all,” he says. “And it will really kill the vibe.” Giles thinks a permanent RCMP presence will have a chilling effect on the nudist and gay communities at Wreck Beach. “I’m not an unlawful person; I’m not a troublemaker, but almost every encounter I’ve had with police has been negative,” he says. “They’re antagonistic.” But Rick Fearman, a gay representative in the Wreck Beach Preservation Society who has been visiting the beach for 30 years, says the RCMP is a welcome presence. “They’re doing their job,“ he

says. “I get along with them fine. The gay community gets along with them fine.” Fearman says RCMP officers help remove drunk, aggressive young men, who often arrive on boats, and help keep the busy main beach under control. As long as gay visitors get along with everyone else and keep cruising and hookups well hidden in the bushes, Fearman says, they have nothing to fear from the police. “If you’re going to do it, just stay well in the bushes,” he advises. “They don’t go hunting for people in the bush. I’ve never seen them do it once.”

When asked if there have been any incidents that prompted the new police presence, Grainger says no. “But there is certainly an enormous amount of risk,” he says. “Public lewdness, where we’ll have people out there openly masturbating or voyeuring on people down there . . . There’s the drugs and alcohol down there, which can become a competitive market. We’ve seen that in the Downtown Eastside, where drug dealers will be against other drug dealers to make sure they’re the dealer in the area. We want to remove that kind of competition atmosphere.” Giles says that if the RCMP really wants to tackle voyeurism, it should focus instead on the speedboats that anchor offshore and ogle naked beachgoers. Judy Williams, chair of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society, agrees. “The real issues are beach safety because authorities will not ban jet skis in our swimming areas, because the party boats are being allowed to bombard and blast us with a cacophony of noise, fumes, angry engine noises, and water pollution, and because authorities go after the more-easily enforced orders to chase us off the beach before we can enjoy the beauty of afterglows,” she writes in an email. “Drinking is not the problem, but ill-advised, heavyhanded policing that refuses to address the serious issues of human and wildlife safety from jet skis and muscle boats are.” XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 7

VSB trans policy draws fire ‘What this is doing is setting up a war,’ opponent warns EDUCATION NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

Hundreds of supporters and opponents packed a Vancouver School Board meeting May 14 to discuss the board’s plan to update its anti-homophobia policy to make schools more welcoming to transgender students. The new policy addresses areas such as washroom and change-room accessibility, proper use of pronouns, access to physical education and sports, as well as a commitment by schools to reduce or eliminate sex-segregated activities. The board is expected to vote on the policy next month. Vancouver Technical Secondary student Roan Reimer spoke in favour of the policy update. “I can tell you about how I spent months using only the washroom in the basement in my school where no one ever goes. About how I would sneak in it so nobody would see, just so I wouldn’t get yelled at for using the ‘wrong’ washroom,” Reimer said. Many of the policy update’s opponents are part of a group called Protecting All Children in School (PACIS), which believes the proposed changes are flawed and being rushed in without proper consultation. Cheryl Chang, who spoke on behalf of PACIS, decried the consultation process and asked that the policy conversation be slowed down so that “proper” consultation could take place with parents and health professionals. Chang also urged the board not to vote on the proposed policy changes without prior approval from the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons and the BC College of Psychologists. “In my view, you should cancel all further public meetings until this goes back to the staff to talk to the professional organizations that should be involved in approving this policy,” Chang said. “What this is doing is setting up a war, and I call tell you in my petition it says we care for all people, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.” Chang claims that she has faced ac8 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

Above, dozens of protesters brought signs to the Vancouver School Board meeting on May 14 to oppose proposed policy changes to make trans students safer in the district’s schools. Right, opponent Cheryl Chang, spokesperson for Protecting All Children in School. NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

cusations of homophobia as a result of that petition. “I don’t hate those people. I care for those people, and yet rumours are being spread around, and by the way, I have served my PAC [parent advisory council] for four years — two as chair — and now the whole Grade 12 class is upset because they are saying that I’m homophobic. How do you think that affects my child? Bullying? You want to know about bullying? Try being a Christian in this town; try being a Conservative in this town.” Chang said she supports the school board’s existing anti-homophobia policy, which was implemented in 2004. Several opponents of the policy voiced their support for Chang. Some, who said they were more comfortable speaking in Cantonese, attempted to allot their five-minute speaking time back to Chang to give her extra time to

Bullying? You want to know about bullying? Try being a Christian in this town; try being a Conservative in this town. CHERYL CHANG, PACIS SPOKESPERSON

speak on their behalf. Many opponents also cheered Charter Lau, who was a key player in the opposition to the Burnaby school board’s anti-homophobia policy in 2011. Lau, a Burnaby resident who says he spends more time in Vancouver, said parents need to have more say on this policy. “We don’t have to rush it, in my opinion,” he said. “Your challenge is to make a good policy that appeals to both sides so that every child, both trans

and non-trans, will be protected and be welcomed in the school.” Hesther Chan expressed concern for children who may later regret their transition. “I’m a very concerned parent. I believe this transgender issue requires extensive research and consultation, and there are many side effects of the hormonal blockers and [it] will be extremely damaging to a child’s physical and emotional health if he or she takes hormonal blockers for a long time,” she said. “It will be very traumatic for the child as the development of the sexual organs has already been greatly interfered with by hormonal therapy, and I believe we should leave this to medical professionals.” Karen Chan objected to what she considers the policy’s attempts to regulate feelings and expressions of attitude instead of behaviours. “When I look at the glossary of what homophobia and transphobia means,” she said, “it means an expression of fear. Fear is an emotion and it’s not healthy to suppress a child’s emotion, and we should allow the child to express that emotion, and we should not punish them or discipline them because of that emotion.” Andrea Szewchuk, a family physician with four years’ experience working with gender-diverse and trans communities, said the 2004 policy no longer meets the needs of today’s youth. “A national study in 2010, long after the last VSB policy was put into place, showed that nearly 80 percent of trans kids felt unsafe in their own schools, and when half of them went for help it was not to be found.” Fiona Chen, a proud mother of a gender-nonconforming child, said the policy would better protect her child and other gender-nonconforming students. She spoke about her child’s struggle with coming out in Grade 5 and praised the support provided by VSB teachers and administrators. “And I tell you, [during] this process she was depressed and had a lot of anxiety, and six months later, through the help from the school and with the help of the school principal and teachers and supportive classmate, he’s much happier and more confident at school. It’s a day-and-night difference, I will tell you. So that’s why I’m here to support this proposed policy. This policy is not coming out of nowhere. It’s the result of the needs of these students.” Read the full story on dailyxtra.com.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Street party to be fenced again Despite new laws, Davie party unlikely to shed cage for Pride PRIDE ROB EASTON

To much fanfare, BC’s attorney general announced the next stage of the province’s liberalized liquor rules on April 26, saying attendees will now be able to walk freely — beer in hand — around festival grounds without having to stay inside a fenced-in beer garden. But if you are expecting to walk with ease from bar to street party on Davie Street during this summer’s Pride celebrations — even without a beer — think again. “For 2014, really, the train has already left the station,� says Vancouver

have to have some type of barrier,� Richards says. The same controlled-entry regulations will affect the VPS’s Sunset Beach festival, which runs alongside the end of the Pride parade route. Richards says he’s aware of the new laws that mean the festival’s beer garden will no longer have to be fenced in. “Instead, you have to fence in a larger area, which to us would be a bigger cost,� he explains. Still, he says, the VPS will consider how it serves alcohol for its 2015 events, including the possibility of fencing in a much larger area at the Sunset Beach festival, rather than

*+ $ , - $ Stefan Oeser and Skeeter Stanbak enjoy the 2013 Davie Street party, despite the fences. JON HAYWOOD

Pride Society (VPS) president Tim Richards. “We submitted plans for all of our events back in February, so to reverse-engineer that at this point would be difficult.� The VPS has heard from many Pride-goers unhappy with the wall of fencing that cuts off the street party from the bars and restaurants in the Davie Village, Richards acknowledges. BC’s new liquor regulations initially offered a glimmer of hope that the Davie Street party fencing could come down. But, it turns out, beer gardens can be fence-free only if the event in which they’re housed has controlled entry and exit points. “Liquor is still a controlled substance, so you still have to have it in a controlled area, which means you MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

caging only a small beer-garden area. The VPS might also consider asking Davie Street bars and restaurants to expand their patios into the street to allow for outdoor liquor sales on their premises during the street party, for a different “fencelessâ€? approach, he says. When reached for comment on the disconnect between the promise of fenceless beer gardens and the reality that many festivals will not take advantage of the new rules, the Ministry of the Attorney General provided a brieďŹ ng statement citing the need to limit access to alcohol by minors. The statement also said each application is subject to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch, which approves licences on a case-by-case basis.

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XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 9

COVER STORY

BULLY PULPIT

Now that gay people are part of the establishment, are we abusing our newfound power? BY JUSTIN LING ILLUSTRATION BY SISSYDUDE

I TRIED TO STIFLE A LAUGH. “The activists don’t bring up marriage first of all; they start with one thing, then they move on to something else. Before you know it, they want same-sex marriage, then they want equality of adoption, then they want to promote homosexuality in schools. That’s the process.” That was Diane Watts, a researcher and spokesperson for REAL Women of Canada, a socially conservative advocacy organization that I’ve profiled on numerous occasions. I was speaking to her on the evening that her group threw down the gauntlet over Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s “promotion” of homosexuality abroad. (Baird had criticized Uganda and Russia for passing anti-gay legislation.) “We value the family, and our institutions have been changed because of the homosexual activism,” Watts told me. Their views, of course, were readily brushed off. Every metre of their rhetoric was laughed at. How drôle. Some comments were wry: “Why don’t they go off and suck up to their fundamentalist patriarchal and gay-hating friends in the Taliban?” 10 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

But 10 years ago, that rhetoric was pretty well commonplace. Politicians and proselytizers alike warned of the “homosexual lobby” and of the dystopian hellscape that would exist if gays kept receiving substantive, broader rights. They were right, in the end; there really was a gay lobby, and it was damned effective. That lobby made sure that our rights were not just an ebbing of the tide but became the core of our progressive society. Where the gay community was once a marginalized faction, we are now a part of the establishment. Where once the state worked to stunt our movement, it now fights other states who do the same. While the struggle continues for smaller minorities within the queer community — trans people, for example — it is now blasphemy to advocate standing still on gay rights, let alone taking a step back. From the bathhouse riots to grassroots organizing and ACT UP, we made it into the courts and eventually stuck our foot in the door of the political system. But in this round of musical chairs, there is one group left standing. VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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John McKay

Ted Bird

John McKay is the federal Liberal member of Parliament for Scarborough-Guildwood. In his 17-odd years as an MP, he’s come to be known as a sharp policy mind and as a dedicated social conservative. He was a member of the ever-shrinking pro-life caucus and was offside on his government’s stated position on the gay marriage vote. McKay, an evangelical Catholic, argued that legalizing gay marriage would hurt the institution and increase divorce rates. He didn’t end up voting against his government’s bill; he abstained. When discussing his support for a study to examine when human life begins — seen as a backdoor into regulating abortion — he told Sun News that his contrarian position on the issue made things “awkward” at times. “I don’t like to go against my colleagues or the platform of the Liberal Party. It is not a lot of fun,” he said. But, he continued, “I think my opinion should count for something.” But McKay’s opinions have become less the convictions of one man and more the indictment of a political party. In the last week of the Toronto Centre federal by-election, Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland, then just a candidate, posted a picture in which she had her arm around McKay. That set off the ire of Justin Stayshyn, who works for the Ontario NDP. “It may come across as a bit odd to have a candidate for the riding with Canada’s highest proportion of LGBTQ people posing with her arm around a guy with a long record of opposing gay rights,” he wrote on his blog. He also took to Twitter to flatly suggest that Freeland’s support for the queer community ought to be in question. Other partisans joined the pile-on, especially thanks to the awesome power of social-media groupthink. Freeland’s repeated and emphatic support for gay rights was irrelevant in the context — touching a man who opposed gay marriage eight years ago somehow taints that support, like he was afflicted with a terminal virus. Like a leper. Merely touching him could communicate the contagion and turn you, too, into a virulent homophobe. This isn’t just one-off partisan opportunism — though it is certainly that, as well — it’s symptomatic of a shift. Bring up Employment Minister Jason Kenney in queer company and you’re sure to hear some mumbling of “self-hating gay.” (There is no evidence of Kenney being gay, for the record.) Kenney opposed gay marriage while the debate was had. When it was over, he muted his objections. Whether he opposes it now or not is immaterial — if he ever vocalized it, his political capital would plummet. And continuing to chide Kenney, or any other federal politician, over his past non-support of gay marriage dwarves, in a way that is emblematic of a long narcissistic streak in the cisgendered gay community, the fact that he refused to support the federal Trans Rights Bill. The gay community has a chip on its shoulder from the politicians and preachers that it once fought, passing it off as a never-again mentality. That’s bunk. It’s not a popular opinion, but it’s true: the gay lobby has become the bully.

Ted Bird was a morning radio host on Montreal’s TSN 990. In July, I was about to hop on the metro in Montreal and head to a panel discussion on a friend’s podcast about the Sochi boycott. I got a message pointing me to Bird’s blog, so I gave it a read. “Gay rights have evolved into a political issue in North America, but in many parts of the world it’s still a moral issue, and it’s no one’s place to impose their moral standards on someone else’s culture,” Bird waxes. “Russia will evolve at its own pace. It always has, and always will. In the meantime, calls to boycott all things Russian from vodka to nesting dolls to Olympic Games because Bill can’t hold Bob’s hand at the Olympic Village in Sochi are as dubious as they are impractical,” he concluded in his on-air remarks, the text of which appeared on the blog. I posted the link to Twitter and hopped on the metro. When I got out, it had turned into a tweet war between Bird and the rest, myself included — the situation in Russia is dire, we pointed out, and that’s nothing to take lightly. But the effigy burning of Bird went further. The bare-knuckles boxing match culminated in repeated calls, including from some other radio personalities in the city, to have Bird fired. It also included a blog by Adam Goldenberg, Kirby Simon Human Rights Fellow at Yale Law School and former Liberal speechwriter, in Maclean’s. “Why do we tolerate statements by sportscasters about the persecution of LGBT people in faraway places that we would instantly condemn if they were about any other group?” Goldenberg wrote. Later, he concluded, “Homophobia’s defenders have a right to their opinions, and to express them how they wish, but the rest of us are just as entitled to demand that their patrons stop paying them to do so. We should hold advertisers and station owners accountable for what they’re sponsoring.” Homophobia? Is that what Bird’s views are? In another version of history, one where gay rights were still but a marginal notion, would gay advocates — such as myself, or Goldenberg — be chased off the airwaves for suggesting that Russia shouldn’t be implementing such laws? Would that call-to-arms target us? Is it really free speech if you can expect pitchfork-wielding townspeople after you, and your livelihood, for each controversial opinion you express — even if it is odious? Bird’s views may force the hair on the back of our necks to stand up, but they are not akin to taking to air with the view that Russia’s Jewish population should be rounded up. In that regard, some want us to have it both ways — they want us to be considered normalized, and accepted, yet still maintain that we are a political movement. Rest assured, we are very much a political movement. And political movements can expect opposition. Which is why we must continue to agitate and reach out instead of trying to sublimate those who speak out. I sent Bird an email and invited him for coffee. We met up at an ungodly early hour at the Tim Hortons in Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. continued next page E XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 11

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I asked him why he decided to opine on the gay issue at all. “The more I read about calls for a Sochi boycott, the more I thought, ‘Well, a boycott doesn’t do any good.’ We’ve seen that historically. Then the other angle of it, of course, is what I perceived as the automatic assumption that anyone who is not vehemently and unconditionally opposed to the Russian laws is automatically a bigot and a homophobe,” Bird said. Bird says he’s not necessarily in favour of the Russian laws — and certainly doesn’t excuse the violence against the minorities there. He says he wanted to offer some perspective on those who did hold conservative, moralist views on homosexuality but who don’t necessarily hate gays. People like his family. Acknowledging that it sounds like a classic “one of my best friends is gay” defence, Bird told me the story of his openly gay cousin who died of AIDS in 1986. While Bird says his family may not have been entirely onside with his cousin’s sexuality, they still loved him, in a time when that wasn’t the norm. But those people, the ones who did not evolve on the matter as fast as society at large, are painted as homophobes. Bird never said anything homophobic, or even anything tremendously controversial, in his post. He tells me he’s largely indifferent to most questions concerning homosexuality — he accepts it’s biological and calls initiatives like You Can Play “terrific.” He did, however, fail to entirely condemn the legislation, like most people. That, apparently, is grounds to have him fired. He calls it a “lynch mob mentality.” And maybe it is. Bird wasn’t the only one who faced the wrath of the Sochi boycott crew. During the Games, a gaggle of Canadian athletes dared to take selfies with Russia’s autocrat-in-chief, Vladimir Putin, and post them on social media. Their comments were fawning and perhaps a little undignified. But the responses were swift and exact — those selfies are homophobic. “You’re all dead to me,” wrote one Canadian gay rights activist, epitomizing a wrong-headed, albeit well-intentioned, campaign to demonize the athletes. All in all, Putin’s anti-gay law is odious and contrary to the fundamental right to freedom of expression. But is it not less extreme than his decades-long campaign against the Chechens that has claimed thousands of lives? And what of his considerable support for the iron grip of ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych? Or, perhaps, his obstruction that is costing thousands of Syrians their lives? How is it that when a Canadian athlete hugs Putin it is an endorsement of homophobia but not of a genocidal foreign policy? And how have we expended so much energy in attacking fellow Canadians who never signed up to be activists? Energy that could be better spent on lobbying efforts for struggles that have obtained hardly a modicum of the attention that we focused on Sochi — like in Uganda, where gay rights group GEHO is struggling for resources as the state enforces draconian new laws that threaten to elevate state-sanctioned homophobia to 12 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

government-sponsored cleansing. Similar horrors are repeating themselves in Gambia, Nigeria, Kenya and elsewhere. How is it that selfies are the real issue? Perhaps it’s because we feel threatened at the first sight of seeing fellow Canadians not fitting into the narrative that we’ve demanded of them. It is a very recent phenomenon, demanding that society at large need not just stop beating us, nor just tolerate us and not even just accept us, but that they have to like us. The queens ducking batons at Stonewall didn’t give a shit who liked them. We shouldn’t, either. Quite the opposite: we should revel in the fact that nobody can defend or propose homophobia in this country and that we have to read into a selfie or a vague on-air rant on early-morning sports radio to delineate even a whiff of anti-gay attitude. Bird was fired, in the end, but he says it has nothing to do with his on-air pontificating.

Bill Whatcott Bill Whatcott is a socialconservative activist from Toronto. In 2013, the Supreme Court fined him $7,500 for dropping leaflets into mailboxes in Saskatchewan. Those leaflets, the court decided, contravened the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. They further saddled him with the legal costs of his opponents. During his long run-in with the state, Whatcott has even seen the inside of a Calgary jail cell. Whatcott’s flyers — and his almost comedic sandwich boards warning of the dangers of homosexuality — certainly bridged on hateful, and they were entirely incorrect. They warned of the horrifying sexually transmitted diseases that, he contends, are thanks to the vile homosexuals. Civil liberties groups intervened in the Supreme Court decision, arguing that Whatcott’s freedom of speech ought to be protected. “In their view,” wrote Justice Marshall Rothstein, delivering the unanimous decision of the court, “speech that is made in good faith and on the basis of the speaker’s religious beliefs should be given greater protection.” But Egale Canada, the country’s premier gay rights group, argued that even someone’s deepseated beliefs can be dangerous — they argued that Whatcott marginalized the opinions of sexual minorities. This seems absurd when you consider that Whatcott is one man, facing a crushing majority of pro-gay Canadians. He’s no more likely to sway the population to backtrack on their overwhelming

support for gay rights than a forum post on neoNazi website Stormfront will convert the broader population into anti-Semitic racists. Egale made the case that people like Whatcott present a danger and their opinions could inspire others to violence against the gay community. One of the best arguments against that idea, however, comes from an unlikely duo — noted conservative commentator Ezra Levant, channelling the ideas of former Egale head Gilles Marchildon, to the House of Commons committee on justice and human rights. “Marchildon was asked why he didn’t want to ban anti-gay speech, even the most vicious kind. He gave three reasons why he was for freedom of speech,” Levant told the committee. “One, he wanted to know who the bad guys were so he could isolate them and argue against them. Two, he wanted what he called a teachable moment: ‘Look, people, we just saw an act of bigotry; let’s reeducate people on why that was wrong.’ Three, which I think may be the most important, he did not want to outsource his civic duty to some bureaucracy.” Whatcott was certainly isolated. Yet, rather than just leaving him be to espouse his ill-informed insanity in peace, they went after him. He was dragged through the courts, flogged and even put inside a jail cell. His finances were destroyed; his life, essentially, ruined. And for what?

IT IS A VERY RECENT PHENOMENON, DEMANDING THAT SOCIETY AT LARGE NEED NOT JUST STOP BEATING US, NOR JUST TOLERATE US AND NOT EVEN JUST ACCEPT US, BUT THAT THEY HAVE TO LIKE US.

On winning the fight

The absurdity of it all is that we’ve won. Not every member of the queer community. Far from it. And hardly all of our brothers, sisters and fellow queer people worldwide have experienced the same victory that we have. But if we’re talking about middle-class white gay men in Canada? Hell, we arguably have it better than the average straight guy. That’s not a comfortable, or perhaps even conceivable, thought for a population so well trained in cultural guerrilla warfare. Violence still occurs and discrimination still happens, but we don’t solve that by rooting out every homophobe and destroying them. Xtra knows better than anyone. On Jan 5, 1978, charges were brought against the paper’s predecessor, The Body Politic, and its parent company, Pink Triangle Press, for publishing “immoral, indecent and scurrilous material.” Those charges stiffened the editorial backbone

of the publisher. “They reinforced our opposition to state censorship as a form of social control — even control of material that might be controversial within our own communities,” Pink Triangle Press’s website reads. It was an uphill battle from then on. You can find online a rather unnerving list of attacks on this paper by the Toronto Sun, which, in retrospect, verge on the comically absurd. But the spirit of the paper, which would eventually become Xtra, survived. Its position is cemented as an utterly normal, mainstream publication. And it has maintained an editorial position that emphatically refuses to gang up on the little guy — even if that little guy doesn’t fit into the queer-friendly line that it commits to. At the end of the day, where does it end? Do we go after every person who actively works against us — like Diane Watts and REAL Women? Do we destroy every funder of anti-gay movements — like Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich? Do we attack everyone who speaks out or makes a one-off comment — like Ted Bird or reality-TV bachelor Juan Pablo? Where does it end? Institutionalized homophobia, transphobia, racism or discrimination should always be fought. But teasing out the personal convictions of anyone and using it as a basis to take them out? That’s exactly what we experienced, and we know how oppressive it feels. The queer community won its rights — and will continue to win its rights — by engaging the debate and winning. We won’t cement those rights in place by turning around and taking shots at those who haven’t come around to seeing us as normal, yet. And we don’t reduce violence by engaging the state to attack our enemies. We do the opposite. Gay rights are not a lucky break brought about by fooling the populace at large. Gay rights are not a fragile peace that can be broken by a man in a sandwich board with a strongly worded leaflet. Gay rights are the product of decades of struggle, and if you think a few holdouts are going to threaten that, you have another think coming, sister. If you want to stand up for closeted youth or marginalized queer populations or our oppressed cohorts overseas, do it not by demonizing the few who don’t like us, but by holding up the millions who do. I remember when, back home in Cape Breton, we held our first Pride parade. There was initially some nail-biting over the moral preening of a half-dozen anti-gay protesters assembled, but it was otherwise uneventful. In the years that followed, as the area’s small gay community became an integral part of the town, the small crowd dissipated to one man. The local paper described him as “dressed neatly and all alone.” Pride president Peter Steele spoke to the Cape Breton Post about that neatly dressed man: “We never mind him being there. Every time he’s there, we all make it a point to wave and say, ‘Hi, how are you?’“ We are the majority, now, and we should take a lesson from our experience as the vocal minority. We should wave and say, “Hi, how are you?” To comment on this story, go to dailyxtra.com. VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Sidestepping the rush to anal sex ‘Can I be neither top nor bottom?’ newly single man asks ASK THE EXPERT DR PEGA REN

Dear Dr Ren, I am recently single and enjoying meeting new men. Although I have been able to connect with men easily, I am a little put off by the obsession with being identified as a top or bottom. Does the position each person chooses really need to be the first thing I know? Maybe I’m alone here, but for me the decision to have penetrative sex seems rushed and shallow. How can I have a discussion about sex where I can tell them . . . neither? – Fish nor Fowl Dear Fish nor Fowl, Not only do I appreciate such a pertinent question, but I’m heartened that you realize the solution lies in communication! Funny, isn’t it, that it is often more comfortable for us to engage in sexual behaviour than it is for us to talk about it? The reasons for this are understandable, given our ambivalent cultural attitudes toward sex. We’re fascinated by sex yet shy about it. Compartmentalizing our behaviours permits us the luxury of sexual release while insulating us from emotional closeness, which requires far more skill and vulnerability than many of us can handle. In any new relationship, we risk rejection. To decrease our anxiety about that potential outcome, we start in a defensive stance and lower our barriers only as we receive positive feedback. Sensible. When the object of our desire is significant, we project even more what we hope will be well received. When enjoying purely casual sex, however, we need to exchange only sufficient information to move recognized desire into quick consummation. This quick pace reduces the significance of potential rejection, but it also requires some complex questions to be asked and answered almost instantaneously. Hence the development of the shorthand of labels like top and bottom. Routes to pleasure get demoted to methods to climax. When the nuances are eliminated, so are the possibilities for adventurous exploration. Foreplay MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

is foreshortened, and coming becomes the only goal. Without plans to develop an ongoing relationship, efficient behaviours reign. Since our limited expectations necessitate rapid arousal and release, we disregard sensual activities in favour of sexual ones. When the goal is to get more, faster, sex with strangers is the consequence. If you are seeking ways to have a conversation about your hopes for a successful — and pleasurable —sexual encounter without the assumption that it will end with penetrative sex, the BDSM community has developed respectful and efficient sexual negotiation skills and the language to talk about sex in various situations. You can find copious resources, including current terms and sample contracts, by exploring the BDSM blogs. Good communication requires your awareness of what you like sexually and your willingness to risk divulging that information very early in your negotiations. It requires sufficient interest in your hookup’s likes and dislikes to listen to his list and imagine how best to incorporate your wishes and his into a mutually enjoyable experience. You’re then ready to discuss your options and plan your encounter. If you find resistance to such a discussion, perhaps you are engaging in sex you don’t really want, with men who are unprepared or disinclined to invest in meeting your needs. You can ask for what you want and even demand it, but it’s more difficult with anonymous partners. Nevertheless, the better you get at communicating clearly and respectfully, the easier it will be to expand the possibilities beyond fucking. Seek guys who share your appreciation for a slower, more nuanced approach to the enjoyment of sexual excitement. Wait for those opportunities that promise fulfillment rather than instant gratification. Risk, and appreciate, personal revelation. Set your standards and stick to them. You are not alone in hoping for more authentic encounters, however brief they may be. Have a question for Dr Ren? Send an email to asktheexpert@dailyxtra.com.

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ARE YOU

GAY? ARE YOU QUEER? What words do you use to describe yourself? What words do you use to describe our community? Do any of these terms make you feel left out? Join us for a community town hall on the words we use and why they matter.

XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 13

14 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

OutintheCity

It takes more than a cute outfit and a Gaga song to impress the judges and this crowd. Blitz & Shitz E21

Girl power revival Drag Spice Gurls impress Texas on three-city tour ONSTAGE RAZIEL REID

“It was ‘Fuck you, bitch, fuck you, fuck you!’” Celestial Seasons says with a laugh. “But as soon as we stepped onstage, we were sisters.” In other words, it was just like a real Spice Girls tour. So here’s a story from A to Z: last May, Peter Breeze and The Rio presented a screening of Spice World with a live drag shadow cast. It sold out and caught buzz all the way to Texas, where the Spice Gurls recently travelled for a three-city, six-show tour. Filling the platforms were Celestial Seasons as Scary Spice, Jadis Vanity as Baby Spice, Lady Jem as Sporty Spice, Jane Smoker as Posh Spice and Laura Vanity Tyme as Ginger Spice. Laura was brought in after Raye Sunshine impersonated Geri Halliwell so well that she left the group! “When I first was told of the tour in Texas, it all sounded fantastic and I was willing to put some differences aside for the better of the group,” Raye says. Rumour has it those differences were between her and Lady Jem, but Raye remains discreet. “Lady Jem and I have a professional relationship,” she demurs. “Like Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj . . .” Ultimately, Raye decided to focus on her other partnership with The Rio and Peter Breeze — she also plays Sailor Mars in the Sailor Moon shadow cast — rather than tour with the Gurls. She helped find her replacement, Laura — literally a perfect fit, since she’s shared costumes with Raye in the past. The Gurls travelled to Texas in a single van with eight people, even sharing a single hotel room for one stopover. Not surprisingly, drag in such close quarters saw Union Jacks and sequins flying. The bitch fights got so intense one night that even Ginger Number 2 quit the band. “The first night, Sporty and I got in a screaming match,” Jadis says. “There was only one mirror,” Lady Jem shrugs. The road to sisterhood may be paved with meltdowns, but the group came together in the name of girl power to honour all the 1990s gay boys (Baby Spice for life) who grew up acting out scenes from MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Clockwise from left: Posh Spice (Jane Smoker), Baby Spice (Jadis Vanity), Ginger Spice (Laura Vanity Tyme), Scary Spice (Celestial Seasons) and Sporty Spice (Lady Jem) channel their girl power backstage at the Fortune Sound Club. TALLULAH

Spice World during recess. When I interview the Gurls backstage at Fortune Sound Club before their homecoming performance on May 1, they talk all over each other like one campy, shared consciousness. “I just want to say, my mother’s my best friend,” Jadis says, with a flip of her Emma Bunton pigtails. “Baby Spice is always wasted,” someone says with a laugh. “I do lots of ecstasy,” Jadis says. Jadis’s Baby Spice is a little rough around the edges. She’s spent the last decade raving, got a few facial piercings and lost all that baby chub the old-fashioned way: cocaine. The state’s slogan may be Don’t Mess with Texas, but that doesn’t mean don’t get messy in Texas. “We came and we conquered,” the Gurls boast. “Without RuPaul!”

They weren’t always so confident. When they first hit the road, they were a bit worried about the reception they’d receive in Texas, and whether it would involve guns. But the only guns encountered were on grade A Texan beef. “They embraced us with open arms,” Jadis says. “The men were beautiful,” the Gurls all agree. So beautiful, in fact, that they hooked up with “14 guys simultaneously.” I thought they were joking until I went to Lady Jem’s house for some wine in teacups (which, by the way, is illegal in Texas) and she showed me her sex tapes from the road. I watched some uncut Southern boy jerk off for Jem in a bar bathroom. “I’m famous in Texas for blowjobs!” Jem says. *Insert Sporty Spice high kick* The Gurls were so popular in Texas they even had a stalker. A man hid in the bushes outside

their hotel one night and kept creepily calling out to them, “Hey, I’m gay, too.” Now that’s how you get strangled — or have the best sex of your life! Sometimes, both. The drag Spice Gurls are the closest thing people can get to the real band. Not only because the Spice Girls aren’t currently touring, but because these drag queens have the vivacity the real deal lost by 1998. The chemistry is so hot there’s been interest in taking their show as far as Singapore. It’s a serious dream for the Gurls, as Lady Jem showed me when she shared all her Spice Girls memorabilia, including several boxes of dolls, magazines and newspaper clippings she has collected over the years. She grew up in foster care, and the Spice Girls were her childhood escape. “They were like drag queens,” she says, so it’s fitting that drag queens should revive them. XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 15

STOREFRONT

From old favourites to new, breakfasts that won’t disappoint

OVER EASY

BY GREG ARMSTRONGMORRIS PHOTOS BY LEAH BROMLEY

Whether you’re looking for hearty, classic fare or something more suited to dress pants, at the end of a long and loaded night or the beginning of a bright and shiny day, knowing where to find a good breakfast is de rigueur. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day.

The Elbow Room 560 Davie St theelbowroomcafe.com There’s a fine line between charming sass and run-of-the-mill bitchiness, and Patrick Savoie and Brian Searle know where it lies. In fact, they may have invented it. The owners of the infamous Elbow Room have been serving their nononsense breakfast with a side of cheeky insolence for 30 years. They’ve been featured in every local paper, are listed with the Japanese Tourist Board and have cult status in Hollywood. “Whether you’re famous or not,” Savoie says, “we will treat you with abuse!” And while it might be this very cockiness that brings people in the door, it’s the consistently awesome food that keeps them coming back. That and the quiet community-building commitment that has seen patrons and owners together donate more than $78,800 to A Loving Spoonful since 1993.

Red Wagon 2296 E Hastings St redwagoncafe.com From what people had to say about this joint, I thought it was the newest, hippest breakfast spot in the newest, hippest Vangroovey neighbourhood. But no! After almost three years in the East Village, the Red Wagon has established itself as beyond trendy and has cultivated a loyal and plentiful following. The fare is deliciously lacking in pretension. And the same can be said for the service — no grating “My name is Whimsy and I’ll be your server today” banalities. Check them out midweek, as that loyal and plentiful following makes for understandable lineups on the weekends.

La Brasserie 1091 Davie St labrasserievancouver.com I have two words for you: poutine and hollandaise. And gravy. And roast pork neck and eggs. And bacon. You get my point. And not just bacon, but lardon — a French cut of bacon. Because only the French would dare to improve on bacon. Why has it taken me this long to discover this intensely satisfying breakfast combination? Because I’ve never treated myself to brunch at La Brasserie before. This Davie Street bijou knows exactly what it’s doing. Sturdy French and German fare, served by Derek and his dapper staff sans attitude, mais avec panache!

16 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

Joe’s Grill 1031 Davie St joesgrill.ca Breakfast all day. Three of my favourite words. There are four locations to choose from: Denman Street, Davie Street, 4th Avenue or Main Street. And I’d wager a plate of corned beef hash that these are the only places in Vancouver where you can get a basic eggs benny (two eggs served with pan-fries) for less than $10! My personal favourite is the Davie Street location. With a 7am opening and being just an elevator ride down from Xtra’s office, it’s the perfect spot for over-caffeinated deadline cramming!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

STOREFRONT

AN ALL-INCLUSIVE OASIS New manager wants to maintain strong ties to gay community Glen Calizon says the Oasis isn’t abandoning the gay community; it’s “just widening the net in terms of our target audience.” The new general manager of the popular Davie Village lounge’s rebranded restaurant and bar says it’s not financially feasible to maintain the business solely as a gay nightclub. After five years of trying to make a go of it, owner Thuy Dinh was ready to sell the Oasis on Craigslist, Calizon says, when he stepped in and suggested OASIS RESTAURANT a way to salvage AND BAR the business: make 1240 Thurlow St facebook.com/ it “an all-inclusive oasisrestaurantandbar establishment.” “We really want to be an extension of people’s homes,” he explains, “and treat them accordingly.” Chef Ash is the talent behind the Oasis’s newly emphasized, locally sourced Part of the home treatment is a new kitchen, which opened March 15. RANDALL COSCO emphasis on serving good-quality, locally sourced food, better than the maintain strong ties to the gay business model on the type of esaverage pub fare, he says. community.” The Oasis hasn’t gone tablishment that he would like to Calizon calls the new and improved straight, he stresses; it continues to frequent but has a hard time finding Oasis “a modern social house — at support many community groups, in Vancouver: a fun nightclub for a the end of the day, we welcome such as the West End Slo-Pitch Asslightly older-than-Granville demoeveryone.” sociation (WESA). graphic that offers good food, good But, he says, “We really want to Calizon based the Oasis’s new drinks and a positive, welcoming vibe.

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

xtralivingvancouver.com MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 17

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VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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of the Argentine tango? Make a solemn pilgrimage to the tomb of Santa Evita? Shop for gauchos? Whatever your desire, Designer Trips and North South Travel (a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association) has the perfect opportunity for you: the Argentina Watch to Win Sweepstakes. A view of the breathtaking Argentine countryside. DAVID WALBERG

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The grand prize? A once-in-alifetime, 12-day, fully escorted, luxury trip for two to Argentina valued at more than $12,000. The journey takes you on a 4,600-kilometre round trip from Buenos Aires to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Iguazu Falls to the vineyard-blanketed hills of Mendoza near the Chilean border. Entering the contest is so simple a niño could do it. Visit watchtowinargentina.com to view enticing videos highlighting the regions you’ll be visiting and look for the “Watch to Win” code words. Complete the online entry form and submit for your chance to win. Three videos: three chances to win! Buena suerte y buen viaje! Or contact Darryl Grace at Designer Trips and North South Travel to skip to the prize and book your whirlwind Argentine adventure today.

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XTRA! MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 19

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Mr/Miss Cobalt Drag Competition The creators of Hustla, Queer Bash, Jerk It, Spit and Apocalypstick joined forces May 11 to launch their third annual “ultimate East Side talent orgy” at The Cobalt. Stay tuned for the finale on Saturday, May 24. 1E Anna Propriette 2E Travis Battaglia & Ikue Ueno 3E Beardoncé seeks the title. 4E Isolde N Barron 5E Dylan Archambault & Taylor Padget 6E Jan van Vianen & Crystal Meth

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6 20 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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The crossdressing visionaries of Hustla, Queer Bash, Jerk It, Apocalypstick and Spit have united “for the ultimate East Side talent orgy” — the third annual Mr/Miss Cobalt Competition. Fourteen contenders kicked off the competition May 11 to represent their favourite East Side homo haunt as the ruler supreme. The winner will receive three bookings at a Queer Bash Inc event and a $500 cash prize. Sponsored by X-site East Van, JQ Clothing Ltd and Poetry Is Dead magazine, the contest is hosted by The Baddest Bitch, Peach Cobblah, and The Toonie Tramp, Junita Werk. In the judging thrones are the Queen of East Van herself, Isolde N Barron; last year’s Mr Cobalt, Tranapus Rex; and rotating guest judges. And, of course, the first Ms Cobalt, Lady Jem, who may get drunk and scream mean things at you. The Mr/Miss Cobalt Competition is my favourite drag battle of the year because it’s about more than winning for yourself alone. Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar competition may be fun, but ultimately, it’s about each individual queen fighting to win a ticket to New York City to party with the RuPaul’s Drag Race girls. The Mr/Miss Cobalt Competition is a little different. It can’t be all about the winner because the winner can’t be all about him- or herself. It’s like being elected into an official governing position. You not only represent yourself as a drag performer, but you become head of the court of drag queens and kings who can always be found at The Cobalt, as well as all the common people who make it their weekly queer playground. It’s a serious responsibility (being messy always is), similar to the Dogwood Monarchist Society electing an Empress and Emperor each year. As Mr/Miss Cobalt, you may not be expected to do any charity work, but you are expected to give back with more theatrics, camp and shock value MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

A Terrible Beauty Edward Burtynsky Final Week – Until May 26th, 2014 Toronto-based photographer Edward Burtynsky is internationally renowned for his captivating images of natural and man-made landscape that reflect both the impressive reach of human enterprise and the extraordinary impact of our hubris. Mr/Miss Cobalt hosts Junita Werk and Peach Cobblah warm up with Raziel. TALLULAH

The winner has to have a strong grasp of what queer East Van means and how that meaning manifests as performance art. than every other ratchet bitch who shows their hairy asshole onstage midperformance or lights a toilet on fire. (Here’s to you, Bambibot and Brent Ray Fraser!) Many kings, queens, DJs and other such vagrants consider themselves part of the “Cobalt family” — which would make Mr/Miss Cobalt the family patriarch or matriarch. There are always a few amateur performers who try out each year, only to realize that it takes more than a cute outfit and a Gaga song to impress the judges and this crowd. Not to dismiss the considerable courage of first-timers as they hit the stage. As many local competitions have proven, new performers sometimes go straight to the crown. But I’m not sure if that’s possible for Mr/Miss Cobalt because it’s like being the face of a brand, so the winner has to have a strong grasp of what queer East Van

means and how that meaning manifests as performance art. Last year, East Van’s Dumpster Cupcake and bio-queen Anna Propriette competed, and I remember watching her Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” number and thinking, Sure, have your fun, girl — why not? Anna is back this year, but she’s not the only girl having fun anymore — she has learned how to take the audience on the ride with her. Her performance of “The Age of Aquarius” with Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence backup dancers was all sorts of divine and encapsulated the East Van spirit of wonderment and surprise from a busted hooker with 10 pounds of makeup on her face. Now if that isn’t drag, I don’t know what is. Making it to round two are Anna Propriette, Beardoncé, Crystal Meth, Delica Cee, Evita Versace, Lea Ven Detta, Marcia Gay, Mila Dramatic, Shanda Leer and Valynne Vile, all of whom have been given a selfie challenge to see who can get the most “favourites” and “retweets” on Twitter. Follow the hashtag #MrMsCobalt2014 to keep track of the contestants. I’m a guest judge on May 18, and because of an early press time for this column, you can find my review of round two on my blog, Blitz & Shitz, on dailyxtra.com. Don’t miss the finale of the Mr/Miss Cobalt Competition on May 24!

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

Wed, May 21 The End of AIDS: Reality or Hyperbole?The Peter Wall Institute hosts speaker, diplomat and politician Stephen Lewis. 7:30–9pm. Vogue Theatre, 918 Granville St. Free; to reserve, visit pwias.ubc.ca.

Thurs, May 22 Reinvention of Disco Three vocalists and six dancers reinvent the hits of Donna Summer. 8pm. Rio Theatre, 1660 E Broadway St. $20 advance, $25 door. reinventionofdisco.com Queering Citizenship Ten Canadian and international artists explore ideas around queer citizens in global politics. Runs until Sat, June 28. satellitegallery.ca Leaping Thespians The lesbian theatre troupe seeks models of all body types for its July 2 and 3 Butch & Femme Fashion Show, showcasing lesbian-inspired fashions from the early 1900s to current trends. leapingthespians@hotmail.com Helicopter The Junction’s new night features the strippers of fantasymen.ca. 11pm doors. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. $5. junctionpub.com

Rainbow Support Group BC’s Alzheimer Society offers a support group for LGBT caregivers and those caring for LGBT people with dementia. Call 604-675-5153 or email kturner@alzheimerbc.org. Timberline Vancouver’s countrywestern dance group meets every Thursday; all levels welcome. 7pm. St Paul’s Anglican Church, 1140 Jervis St. $10 donation partially benefits A Loving Spoonful. timberlinedance.org Gay and Bi Men’s Bereavement Support This support group for men grieving the loss of a samesex partner meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month. 7–9:30pm. Qmunity, Room 610, 1033 Davie St. Free. qmunity.ca

Fri, May 23 Dressing on the Side Freedom Cabaret presents the return of Symone Says, with special guests. 6pm doors, 8pm show. Lux Lounge, 1180 Howe St. $7. luxlounge.ca

Mpowerment Turns Two YouthCO’s peer health program for gay, bi, trans guys and their allies celebrates its second anniversary. 7pm–midnight. 205-568 Seymour St. $5. facebook/mpowermentyvr

The Drag Show Miz Adrien welcomes special guests Celestial Seasons and Robin Loveless. 7pm doors, 9pm show. The Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St, New Westminster. $5. theheritagegrill.com

Monroe The Saturday-night party has relaunched and is going full force in its new location. DJs Adam Dreaddy and Kristina Cash spin. 9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. $5. tfdpresents.com

Sat, May 31 Off to the Races Friends for Life heads to the track for a community day. Work your “hoedown country best” or your finest Ascot. Noon. Hastings Racecourse, 188 North Renfrew. $20–75 at fflraces.eventbrite.ca.

Bears the Baths and Beyond Steamworks hosts an afternoon for bears the fourth Saturday of every month. 1–6pm. Steamworks, 123 W Pender St. $6 and up. steamworksonline.com/ vancouver Dandy Operandi: Cor Flammae Vancouver’s new queer classical choral ensemble presents a salon, followed by a karaoke party. Doors 8pm, show 8:30pm. Pat’s Pub, 403 E Hastings St. $15 at the door and at brownpapertickets.com. corflammae.com Mr/Miss Cobalt Finale The organizers of Hustla, Queer Bash, Jerk It, Apocalypstick and Spit present the finale of their East Side talent orgy. 9pm. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $9. Followed by Queerbalt. thecobalt.ca

Joan-Eleveneightyone Joan-E hosts an evening of drag fun and special guests, followed by DJ Mumbles. 10:30pm–3am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. facebook.com/1181lounge

Man Up: East Side Story The Man Up drag-king crew sprinkles some gender-twist glitter on all your favourite musicals. 9pm doors, 11pm show. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $8 before 10pm; $13 after. thecobalt.ca

modern guilty pleasures. Leather, glitter and drag strongly encouraged. Featuring DJs Nikki Nevver, Taffi Louis and Killdear. 9pm–1 am. The Astoria Pub, 769 E Hastings St. $5. theastoriapub.com Dvote Nova Bhattacharya and Noam Gagnon explore lust, madness and mayhem through dance. 8–9pm. The Cultch, 1895 Venables St. Runs until Sat, May 31. $17–38 at thecultch.com.

Dogwood Monarchist Society AGM Anyone can attend the drag court’s AGM, but membership (available for $3 before the meeting) is required to vote on any items. 7pm. Qmunity, 1170 Bute St. Search “Dogwood Monarchist Society” on Facebook. mothercourt.ca Men on Men A weekly discussion group for men who have sex with men. Every Tuesday, 6:30pm. Gordon Neighbourhood House, 1019 Broughton St. checkhimout.ca

Wed, May 28

The Bobbers The queer improv-comedy troupe is back in the Davie Village with a whole new show. 7–9pm. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. No cover. heavensdoor.ca

Gay & Grey Join this group of gay senior men every Wednesday for friendly, supportive discussions. 7pm. Roundhouse Community Centre, second-floor boardroom, 181 Roundhouse Mews.

Tues, May 27 Tonight Is Forever: A Queer Disco A dance party featuring Italo-disco, ’80s hits, glam, late ’70s punk and

tickets to Lady Gaga’s concert on Fri, May 30. To compete, email james@celebritiesnightclub.com. 10pm–3am. Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $5. celebritiesnightclub.com Gay Poz 30-Something Positive Living hosts a discussion group for 30-something,

Gear Saturday: VML Join the Vancouver Men in Leather for their monthly get-together. Dress code: leather, rubber and fetish. 9pm. PumpJack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover. pumpjackpub.com Rough Trade 2 Wear your jockstraps, mustaches and tube

Shame Spiral Peach Cobblah brings her East Side debauchery to her favourite West End lounge for a night of drag, perverse games, and true shame-spiral stories. 9:30pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. 1181.ca

Mon, May 26

BiFocus This peer-led support group for bi- and pansexual people meets the second and last Monday of every month. 7–9pm. Qmunity Generations, 1033 Davie St. Free. qmunity.ca

22 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

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

Sat, May 24

Sun, May 25

THE CULTCH

Queer Women on the Drive This activities- and crafts-based get-together meets the last Friday of each month. 7pm. Britannia Community Centre, Seniors’ Lounge, 1661 Napier St. For more info, email generations@qmunity.ca.

Friday Yoga Drop-In The Health Initiative for Men offers yoga sessions every Friday night. Bring your own mat. 7–8:15pm. Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St. Free; donations gratefully accepted. checkhimout.ca

Queerbalt: A Messy Queer Dance Party After Mr/Miss Cobalt is crowned, dance the night away to tunes by DJs That’s So Raven and G-Luve. 11:30pm–2:30am. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $9; free with Mr/Miss Cobalt cover. thecobalt.ca

Dvote — The Cultch, Tues, May 27

Fetish Friday Club 8x6 devotes the last Friday of each month to fetish lovers. $15; lockers available. 8pm–2 am. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. 8x6.ca

DJ Nick Bertossi at Freedom Friday — Lux Lounge, Fri, May 30 GRAHAM COOK

Bingo for Life Joan-E hosts this weekly Friends for Life fundraiser, with prizes, cheap drinks and snappy drag queens. 8–10pm. Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $10 donation at door for bingo cards. celebritiesnightclub.com

Thurs, May 29 Liberace: Lady Gaga Drag Competition The winner gets two

Reinvention of Disco — Rio Theatre, Thurs, May 22 L MENDEZ

HIV-positive gay men every Thursday. 6:30–8pm. Positive Living, 1107 Seymour St. Free. positivelivingbc.org The Sundown The Cobalt hosts a laid-back clubhouse-style night for queer women every Thursday. 9pm. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $3–6. thecobalt.ca

Fri, May 30 Freedom Friday Freedom Cabaret presents a new showcase of local and international DJs. DJ Nick Bertossi spins tonight. Midnight. Lux Lounge, 1180 Howe St. $10. luxlounge.ca

socks to Mount Pleasant’s historic porno theatre for this monthly ’70s-themed party. 10:30pm–1am. Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main St. $12. foxcabaret.com

Sun, June 1 Cruisey Cinema Sunday Hang out with other porn-loving guys in a safe, comfortable space. 2–8pm. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $10; $5 each with a buddy. 8x6.ca Sunday Service Fall to your knees and make it your weekly religion. Featuring Vancouver’s best DJs. 4–8pm. Steamworks, 123 West Pender St. $6; $8 locker rental. steamworksbaths.com

Submit your event listing to oitc.vancouver@dailyxtra.com. Deadline for the June 5–18 issue is Wed, May 28. VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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Accounting Services Felicity Webb 604-721-7537

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AIDS Vancouver 604-893-2201

West End Seniors’ Network 604-669-5051

Playland Amusement Park 604-253-2311

AIDS Vancouver Island 800-665-2437

Vancouver Primetimers 604-564-4783

ANKORS 800-421-AIDS

Community Organizations

Dr Peter AIDS Foundation 604-608-1874

Community Based Research 604-568-7478

Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001

Construction

Positive LIving 604-893-2200

maison d’etre design build 604-484-4030

Airlines

Cosmetic Services

Harbour Air Seaplanes 604-274-1277

Daher Orthostyle – Dr Sam Daher 604-662-3290

Alternative Health Ignite Smoke Shop 778-786-0977 Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary 604-255-1844

Antiques 21st Century Promotions 604-980-3159

Apartments Capreit caprent.com

Art Galleries Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art 604-682-3455 Museum of Vancouver 604-736-4431

Automotive Alan Davis 604-308-5545

Tricia Antoniuk MSW, RSW 778-378-2633 Willow Tree Counselling 604-521-3404

Couriers

Boat Cruises & Charters

Mail Box Plus 604-683-1433

Waterway Houseboats 877-928-3792

Dental Services

Business & Professional Organizations Gastown Business Improvement Society 604-683-5650

Aarm Dental Group 604-647-0006

Martin Brothers Funeral 778-330-7799

Grocery Stores Nesters Market 604-682-3071 Safeway Davie: 604-669-8313 Robson: 604-683-6155

Hotels

Health

Lawyers

RodRozen Designs 604-558-4443

Dr Aaron Van Gaver BSc ND 604-629-1120

Life Coach

Kitty Kare 604-813-4239

Pet Stores & Supplies Happy Pups 604-782-7337

21st Century Dynamics 778-877-6276

Community Based Research 604-568-7478

Marketing C&C Communications 604-664-8995

Massage

Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001

Relaxation Massage 604-789-0857

Sound Hearing Clinic 604-687-1488

Check it out! THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN VANCOUVER

Exploring the new East Van Bakeries that hit the sweet spot Summer fun in the city

Dr Reuben Dinsmore, ND 604-568-7655

Pet Care

Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001

Healthcare Services

Dr Aaron Van Gaver BSc ND 604-629-1120

Integrative Healing Arts 604-738-1012

Dahl & Connors 604-687-8752

Health – Men’s

Arbor Richmond: 604-273-3748 Valley View Memorial Gardens: 604-596-7196 Valleyview Funeral Home: 604-596-8866

Naturopathy

Interior Design

Farmers’ Markets

Funeral Services

Motorcycle World 604-582-9253

Quality Hotel Vancouver 604-682-0229

North Shore Law LLP 604-980-8571

Your Local Farmers’ Market 604-879-3276

Motorcycles & Scooters

maison d’etre design build 604-484-4030

The Health Shows 888-999-1761

Iosono Counselling Services – Ron Paviglianiti, RPC 604-290-1445

Monique Silverman MA, RCC, CCC 778-228-8456

Home Improvement & Repairs

The Dance Centre 604-606-6412

Counselling BC 604-729-6059

Lehmann Counselling Service 604-614-8121

Health Initiative for Men 604-488-1001

Health & Wellness

Counselling

Joe Ramirez Integral Counselling 778-227-9423

Sequoia Thom Lundy 778-786-3677

barbara findlay 604-251-4356

MAY—OCT 2014

AIDS/HIV Resources

Holistic

BCSMSSA 604-682-6482

Tisol 14th & Main: 604-873-4117 12th & Arbutus: 604-730-1768 Grandview Hwy: 604-436-3001 Gilley Ave, Bby: 604-434-2812 Market Crossing, Bby: 604-431-8458 #3 Rd, Richmond: 604-276-2254 Richlea Sq, #3 Rd, Rmd: 604-241-7586

Langley Bypass, Langley: 604-276-2254 152nd St, Surrey: 604-536-2330

Physiotherapy & Rehab Andrea Martens 604-669-8233 Burrard Physiotherapy 604-684-1640

Printing Mail Box Plus 604-683-1433 Minuteman Press 604-572-8558

Psychologists

Joe’s Grill 1031 Davie St: 604-682-3683 948 Denman St: 604-642-6588 2061 West 4th Ave: 604-736-6588 3048 Main St: 604-879-6586 Oasis Restaurant & Bar 604-685-1724 Ten Ten Tapas 604-689-7800

Seniors Prime Timers 604-564-4783

Dr Joachim Sehrbrock 604-366-3112

West End Seniors’ Network 604-669-5051

Publications

Studio Space

Pink Triangle Press 1-800-268-9872

The Dance Centre 604-606-6400

Xtra (Toronto) 416-925-6665

Transportation

Xtra (Ottawa) 613-986-8292 Xtra (Vancouver) 604-684-9696

Real Estate Agents

Harbour Air 604-274-1277 Helijet International Inc 800-665-4354

Travel – BC

Darryl Persello 604-306-1340

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort 877-762-5011

Ian Eggleton 604-773-1443

Tourism Harrison 604-796-5581

Lyn Hart 604-724-4278

Travel – General

Susan Cameron 604-266-1364

Renovations & Restorations maison d’etre design build 604-484-4030

Restaurants & Cafés Ciao Bella Restaurant 604-688-5771 Gallery Café & Catering 604-688-2233

Travel Clinic 604-736-9244

Websites Daily Xtra 416-925-6665

Weddings Ceremony Pathways 778-688-5555 2DQ Weddings 604-306-1340

Wine & Spirits West End Liquor Store 604-689-3100

THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIAN VANCOUVER — ON YOUR DESKTOP AND ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE!

Daher Orthostyle – Dr Sam Daher 604-662-3290

Check out the interactive digital edition of Xtra Living at

Dr Dean Wershler 604-688-4080

xtralivingvancouver.com

West End BIA 604-696-0144

24 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

NEXT AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MAY 28 @ 4PM NEXT LINE CLASSIFIEDS DEADLINE: MAY 30 @ NOON

Classifieds

To place an ad, call 604-684-9696 or email classifieds.vancouver@dailyxtra.com

HEALTH & FITNESS MASSAGE CERTIFIED

West End Massage Fully trained in massage & certified fitness trainer. Text David @ 604-725-0172 www.davidchacon.ca

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7 in 10

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26 MAY 22–JUNE 4, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

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