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Upfront Odyssey could reopen on Hastings New owner waiting for business licence and city permits E 8 ‘Yes, uh, guilty, guilty’ Man pleads guilty to assault on lesbians exiting Hastings bus E 8 Parents sue Vancouver School Board Lawyer says trans-policy challenge will fail E 8

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@RobinPerelle your vision is blurred vision [“Sharing My Vision,” Xtra #553, Nov 6]. Real vision is creating real affordable housing & eliminating homelessness.

It is 1 thing to recognize Q village but it will be an empty shell cuz queer folks can no longer afford to live in West End.

These haters are not going away.

We need [school board] trustees who will defend human rights against this ugly assault.

RE: ELECTION PICKS

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MIKE TROPP VANCOUVER, BC

If Vision is so pro-gay, why did they drop @trishkellyc from the ballot?

PAUL TOLNAI TWITTER

Agree absolutely with your school board picks: Patti Bacchus and the rest of Vision, Jane Bouey of the Public Education Project, and the Greens’ Mischa Oak. The bigots have just announced they are suing the Vancouver School Board (VSB) over the trans rights policy update, which is the original work of Jane Bouey and the VSB trustees in the current term. These haters are not going away. We need trustees who will defend human rights against this ugly assault.

FLATLANDER DAILYXTRA.COM

Thanks for the support, Robin. I am deeply troubled by Ken Denike and Sophia Woo’s fear-based election campaign. I don’t want to give them more attention, but there is a real danger, particularly if voter turnout is low, that they could be reelected.

In 2005, I was targeted by homophobes because of my role in the development and implementation of the Vancouver School Board’s LGBTTQ+

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS #553 NOV 6–19, 2014

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So LGBTQ have a seat at a sympathetic, decision-making table at city hall.

Well, HUB (the cycling advocates) also has a seat at city hall, and they, too, get Vision’s sympathetic ear and taxpayer dollars — way disproportionate to their numbers. That Vision gives major benefits to marginal demographies deflects from the civic majorities that Vision acts against. Vision can brag about leaning heavily toward LGBTQ and HUB, while the developers and architects and unionists applaud Vision and shower them with votes and large donations.

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If the mayoral debate at Langara College was a rough template of how Vancouver’s electorate experienced Election 2014, then it’s no wonder citizens tune out.

I learned nothing about the candidates at that Oct 22 gathering and instead had to swallow a whole lot of posturing and, in some cases, downright ineptitude. Not because the candidates were necessarily inept, but the format didn’t allow any room for perspective beyond snark, sound bite, deflection and refutation.

The mayor and his opponents were allotted a couple of minutes each to introduce themselves, their record and the issues they deemed important, another half minute to rebut a rival’s argument, followed by a less-than-illuminating pairing of debate opponents who squared off against each other on topics chosen by a media-stacked panel. Like an SAT test, it was mostly about managing time and knowing how to take the exam. Not a lot of substance.

But no matter how many times people say it’s not working for them, the electoral campaign format remains largely unchanged.

As the campaign approached its final weeks, I got word of an intriguing attempt to organize a gathering of queer candidates from all civic parties (which was, unfortunately, aborted in the end because of time constraints). But consider the potential: a means for candidates to get to know each other and the election’s resonating issues better and where community members can meet the people seeking their votes and their trust.

“I think it’s important just to have candidates who are running, who understand the importance of having dialogue about issues that matter to our community overall, regardless of which party we may belong to,” says Vision’s Trevor Loke, who tried, with the NPA’s Rob McDowell, to organize the gathering. “I think that’s really an important thing for people to know

Election picks

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EDITORIAL NATASHA BARSOTTI

what commonalities they have with their candidates, what values do we share, what experiences do we share.

We weren’t planning to go into this event with a sense that we were going to have a debate on issues amongst ourselves, but that people will get to know us one on one.”

How un-run-of-the-mill refreshing.

In many respects, our community is very much like any other in the wider society, with all its various prejudices and segregating “isms.” And as we blend more and more into the mainstream, those cleavages become more defined and visible. But we do have a legacy of fighting the good social-justice fight together, and it’s a vein that Loke, McDowell, the Greens’ Mischa Oak and others were looking to tap, rather than get mired in the usual politics of mutual demonization that is one of the signatures of party politics.

“I’ve really been impressed by the other queer candidates from all the parties. We’ve been able to stay away from that,” Oak says. “I’ve worked to nurture those relationships with the other queer candidates because I see us as the links between our parties. We are all uniquely positioned to be the bridges that can help us move into the much-needed and desired era of truly progressive politics and community building.”

Idyllic? Maybe. Except when I think back to the archaic model on display at Langara, not to mention the desperate, election-eve attack ads. The idea of having forums where the city’s voters can casually but substantively engage with candidates about issues — without predetermined questions, stopwatch constraints and false debates — is compelling as an alternative.

I think it’s even likely that voters in that setting could insist on their clearly and directly asked questions being clearly and directly answered.

Big-picture stuff, as Oak puts it. Not the partisanship-as-usual that is often mired in the narrow and for the benefit of a favoured select.

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GREGOR’S VISION Mayor Robertson and Vision Vancouver have granted the gay community unprecedented access to city hall E12

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policy. I lost. Again in 2011, I was targeted by homophobes and transphobes because I was working on early drafts of the updated Sexual Orientation & Gender Identities Policy. I lost.

I am queer and proud. I will never stop standing up for LGBTTQ+ kids and all kids who face barriers in receiving the education that is their right. The Vision Vancouver board (especially Patti Bacchus and Allan Wong) have been vital and strong allies. Please take this into account when you are voting for school board.

Do not reward those who fan hate or stand aside in silence.

JANE BOUEY DAILYXTRA.COM

What Davie Village needs As a longtime resident of the West End, I agree with some of the observations that Davie Village does not need another bar [“Refreshing Oasis,” Xtra #551, Oct 9]. By that I mean bars with very loud, eardrum-splitting music or sports TV screens, which inhibit conversation. They have their place. But what Davie Village needs is a neighbourhood piano bar, where a pianist plays or sings lighthearted tunes, without electronic magnification. Where people can sit, talk, listen, relax and enjoy a glass of wine with or without food. No dancefloor, no loud

music, just a relaxing, pleasant ambiance for after work or in the evening or a weekend conversation — a real alternative to all the other bars and restaurants, be they gay, straight, mixed or neutral. Many friends of mine and I are looking forward to such a venue.

JOHN VANDERLEE VANCOUVER, BC

Credit to the BCCLA Why was there no mention in Robin Perelle’s “To the Man Who Empowered Us” [Xtra #551, Oct 9] of the absolutely crucial role the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) played in the long struggle that Little Sister’s waged against Canada Customs? A good place to start would be the role of the BCCLA’s lead counsel, Joe Arvay.

Acknowledging how Jim Deva was also empowered by Little Sister’s many supporters — financial and moral — and by the BCCLA in that fight takes nothing away from his legacy.

DON LARVENTZ VANCOUVER, BC

It is one thing to discuss homosexuality in the context of the West; it is another to discuss realities in other countries around the world that were Christianized by Jesuits and others [“The Vatican Two-Step,” Xtra #552, Oct 23]. As a lesbian former Catholic who works with LGBT refugees, if there is a changing attitude toward LGBT people, I implore the pope and the magisterium of the church to demand that bishops and clergy working in such countries as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya and beyond denounce governments of countries who criminalize homosexuality. In no way must they be accomplices in the atrocities meted out to people based on their sexual orientation.

CHRIS MORRISSEY VANCOUVER, BC

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

XCETERA

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They are tight all the way down to the ankles. It’s not appropriate. It’s not sound of mind. The homosexuals that are designing these clothes — they’d like you in tight pants.

OOPS

Huckabee rhymes with ...

Fox News host Megyn Kelly delighted many Nov 10 by introducing former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as . . . Fuckabee. Considering his less-thancomplimentary stance on gay relationships (unnatural) and gay marriage (icky), it was perhaps a fitting — and Freudian? — flub.

Press is more enjoyable because I don’t have to have certain conversations.

For instance, I’m never going to have to have a conversation about a dress, or heels, ever again.

— Actress Ellen Page, who came out on Valentine’s Day this year, on one of the perks of ditching the closet.

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PERFECTLY PLAYED PROPAGANDA Alyona Fursova and Irina Shumilova turned up at a St Petersburg, Russia, registry in their finest bridal whites and tied the knot — gay-propaganda laws and gay-marriage ban be damned. Shumilova, who identifies as transsexual, is still listed as male in official documentation and took advantage of that technicality to marry Fursova.

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VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Upfront

We have our liquor licence and space confirmed.

New Odyssey owner Bijan Ahmadian E8

Gregor Robertson wins third term Vision Vancouver keeps council majority but loses seats on school and park boards

I consider it a real signature accomplishment that someone can win three races in a row in a city like this.

It’s a very challenging city to run.

POLITICS NATASHA BARSOTTI & JEREMY HAINSWORTH

An initially anemic Vancouver municipal election evolved into a hotly contested race to decide who would run the city for the next four years, with Vision Vancouver’s Gregor Robertson staving off a late campaign surge by the Non-Partisan Association’s Kirk LaPointe.

To the beat of Pharrell Williams’s “Happy,” Robertson emerged at about 11:30pm to savour his reelection, albeit with one fewer Vision colleague in council and lost majorities on the school and park boards.

The last municipal election saw Vision win seven out of 10 council seats, five out of nine school board seats and five out of seven park board seats. This time, Vision secured only one park board seat on what will now be an NPA-led body.

Vision also lost ground on the school board and, like the NPA, will now field four trustees out of nine. Janet Fraser, whose Green party saw its fortunes improve across the board, particularly for Councillor Adriane Carr, won the ninth school board seat.

In 2011, Robertson defeated his then-NPA opponent Suzanne Anton by almost 16,000 votes.

This time, his margin of victory decreased, as he defeated LaPointe by just 10,086 votes.

“I am so humbled and honoured to have been reelected as your mayor,” Robertson told supporters in the grand ballroom of the Wall Centre. “We also have a wider diversity in council, park board and school board,” he said. “We still share many of the same values and we’re going to find common ground. We’re going to continue to build a green, inclusive and vibrant city together.”

Throughout the day, long lines and wait times were reported at a number of polling stations across the city, including the West End and Roundhouse community centres. As 8pm approached, word came that voting hours at four of the city’s 117 polling stations would be extended to as late as 8:45pm because of the heavy turnout MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

— KIRK LAPOINTE, NPA MAYORAL OPPONENT

Mayor Gregor Robertson savours his Nov 15 victory with supporters at the Wall Centre, even as his Vision party lost one council seat and majorities on the school and park boards. JANET RERECICH

and a shortage of ballots.

“I’m really nervous,” activist Yogi Omar confessed early on, saying he wasn’t sure what the big turnout meant for Vision, even though he welcomed it.

At 9:21pm, the first reserved cheer of the night went up as Robertson took a 1,000-vote lead over LaPointe. Just before 10pm, Robertson extended his lead to 2,000 votes.

In his concession speech, LaPointe called Robertson a “real role model” in terms of his “commitment to his priorities.”

“I wished him congratulations,” LaPointe

said to boos from the crowd. “I consider it a real signature accomplishment that someone can win three races in a row in a city like this. It’s a very challenging city to run.”

Development, lack of affordability, homelessness, transparency and accountability were among the heatedly debated issues during the campaign. In an unprecedented move, parties contesting the election even released their donor lists before election day, seemingly in acquiescence to the emphasis that candidates and voters placed on the need for transparency.

The deafening silence at the beginning of the

campaign gave way in the final days to an increasingly vitriolic atmosphere in which LaPointe and Robertson sharpened their rhetoric and votesoliciting strategies. Clearly feeling the pressure of the rapidly closing gap between LaPointe and himself, and worried that disgruntled progressive voters were turning to COPE and the Greens, Robertson even apologized to voters whose expectations he hadn’t met during his party’s two-term tenure at city hall.

“I am sorry, and I know that if I am reelected again and honoured to have that position going forward, that I can do better,” he said during a Nov 12 debate. He then made a direct pitch to COPE voters to throw in their lot with Vision, which he called the “progressive team that can win.”

Whether progressives heeded his 11th-hour appeal or independently concluded that an NPA victory would be the worse of two perceived evils, a relieved Robertson said he heard “loud and clear” from many Vancouverites that there are things Vision could do better. “And we will, over these next four years,” he pledged.

Gay Councillor Tim Stevenson, who said he was “very worried” as election day approached and polls showed LaPointe and the NPA gaining significant ground, says he feels wonderful about winning a fifth term on city council. He reiterated the work to be done to realize a new queer community centre and to ensure LGBT seniors have the facilities and resources they need as they age.

But Stevenson is disappointed that gay park board colleague Trevor Loke lost his bid for reelection. He says Loke has been a strong advocate for the community and has a lot of potential.

For his part, Loke says he’s happy about Robertson’s reelection and Vision’s continued majority on council, which, he says, will ensure a continuing emphasis on LGBT priorities.

XTRA! NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 7

Odyssey could reopen on Hastings New owner waiting for business licence and city permits GAY SPACE NATHANIEL CHRISTOPHER

After closing its Howe Street doors in 2010 to make way for supportive housing for HIV-positive people, the Odyssey nightclub will likely reopen at a new location on West Hastings Street in early 2015.

“We have our liquor licence and space confirmed, and we are just now waiting on approval for our business licence, building permit and development permit from the city,” says new owner Bijan Ahmadian. “I’ve already met with the city, and they are very excited and thrilled about everything. Things are progressing and moving forward, but I can’t guarantee it will go ahead until all the pieces are in place.”

If approved, the Odyssey will be lo-

cated in the old Pop Opera Nightclub location at 686 W Hastings S, near Granville Street.

Ahmadian, who is a lawyer and a former president of the University of British Columbia’s Alma Mater Society, says the Hastings location quickly became the top choice in part because of its proximity to two SkyTrain stations.

“Members of the LGBTQ community live all over the Lower Mainland, and if we’re close to a SkyTrain station we will be more accessible than on Davie Street,” he says.

The new 5,000-square-foot location will offer some familiar amenities, including an onstage shower and a performance space to support LGBT talent.

“I am passionate about building a queer community that doesn’t just tolerate, but embraces diversity, and I think

there’s a lack of good quality space outside of Davie Street that caters to a range of functionalities,” Ahmadian says. “A nightclub is just one of our functionalities. It will also be open for receptions and networking events and allow people in community to rent our space.”

Former Odyssey manager Will McGuire, who is a consultant on the new project, says the decision to use the old name was not made lightly, but he is confident the new club will live up to expectations.

“I think there’s always a concern when you’re trying to remake something as iconic as the Odyssey that you’re going to completely replicate it,” McGuire says. “Everyone knows it wouldn’t be possible to replicate such a fantastic space. What I love about this new space, though, is that we can design some nods to the original space and capture some of the pieces that made the Odyssey what it was while still giving fresh room for innovation and room to take on new projects.”

‘Yes, uh, guilty, guilty’ Man pleads guilty to assault on lesbians GAYBASHING JEREMY HAINSWORTH

The man charged in connection with a Sept 18, 2013, assault on two lesbians who were exiting a Hastings Street bus pleaded guilty Nov 12 to assault causing bodily harm.

Andrew Joseph Walko, 46, had been charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm for allegedly following the women off the bus and punching one in the face and one multiple times in the head.

Walko had been due to begin a threeday trial in Vancouver Provincial Court when he entered the guilty plea before Justice of the Peace K Butler.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) announced the charges against Walko on Jan 14, 2014, after releasing TransLink surveillance footage and asking the public for help in identifying 8 NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 XTRA!

Jacqueline Clarke and Ali Matson allege that their attacker targeted them for flirting and kissing on the Hastings bus. ROB EASTON

The Odyssey stood as an anchor of gay nightlife for more than 20 years on Howe Street. NATASHA BARSOTTI

the suspect. The footage shows a man boarding a westbound 135 Hastings express bus at about 5:15pm on Sept 18, 2013, at Hastings and Kensington in Burnaby. The tape also shows Ali Matson and her girlfriend, Jacqueline Clarke, boarding the bus at 6pm at Hastings and Renfrew.

The women alleged the man followed them as they left the bus at Commercial Drive, where they say he attacked them.

“He grabbed me by the shoulder, and he punched me in the face with all his body strength,” Matson told Xtra last year. “My nose was bleeding everywhere, and he gave me two black eyes.

He was not holding back at all.”

When she tried to pull him off Matson, Clarke alleges, the approximately six-foot-three, 200-plus-pounds man punched her several times in the head.

Matson and Clarke both believe they were attacked because of their sexual orientation after they exchanged a kiss and were flirting during the bus ride.

They allege the man screamed repeatedly, “Shut up, you sluts!” during the unprovoked attack.

“He just did not like to see two girls kissing,” Matson suggests.

“Yes, uh, guilty, guilty,” Walko said, when asked by the court for his plea.

Butler adjourned the case to Jan 12 for the preparation of a pre-sentencing report.

“I have nothing to say,” Walko told Xtra outside court.

Parents sue school board Three Vancouver parents have filed a petition to the BC Supreme Court to overturn the Vancouver School Board’s (VSB) new policy on trans students. The petitioners have so far stayed silent and declined through their lawyer to speak to Xtra.

But their lawyer, Masao Morinaga, tells Xtra the parents have no problem with trans students using washrooms appropriate to their gender identities; they just think the rules are too vague.

According to the petition, the parents think the VSB rules are so broad that nearly any student could use any washroom of their choice even if it made other students uncomfortable. In addition, they say the policy of respecting a child’s privacy could unlawfully shut them out of decisions about their children’s gender identity.

“In my opinion, there is zero chance that this will result in a change to the VSB’s policy,” lesbian lawyer barbara findlay says. She says trans children’s right to privacy and to use a washroom fitting their gender identity are both well protected by law. — Niko Bell

Read the full stories on dailyxtra.com.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Untangling the ‘gay serum’ rumour Letter to Burnaby voters tied to BC Parents’ Voice, says Lau POLITICS NIKO BELL

Rumours, recrimination and anger marred Burnaby’s election campaign after an article in the Burnaby NewsLeader suggested that one party was spreading rumours about a “serum” to turn students gay. Xtra investigated the claims and determined that the “gay serum” rumours are likely lifted, at least in part, from the writings of conservative political activist Frank Liang.

The controversy started with an article

by NewsLeader journalist Wanda Chow, headlined “Campaign Trail Tarred with ‘Gay Serum’ Rumour.” Chow spoke to an anonymous source, “Bonny,” who said she was approached by campaigners claiming to be members of the Burnaby First Coalition (BFC). The campaigners, according to the story, told Bonny that unless the BFC beat the incumbent Burnaby Citizens Association, the school board might give her children drugs that could change their sex.

The BFC reacted furiously, calling the story a “racist smear campaign” in a press release and challenging Chow to produce evidence. Campaign manager Bruce Friesen told Xtra that the BFC flatly denies any involvement in spreading such a rumour. “There is no way we would be associated with this sort of thing,” he said. “That is no part of our agenda.”

Friesen says he is proud of his support for gay people and expects the same from his party.

Among the BFC’s candidates are Charter Lau and Heather Leung, who ran for office in 2011 on a platform opposing the Burnaby School District’s newly adopted policy protecting gay and trans students in schools. Lau and Leung, who ran with their own Burnaby Parents’ Voice party in the last election, said the rules took away parents’ rights to direct their children’s education.

According to Friesen, Lau and Leung’s views on LGBT school policy is not part of BFC’s platform.

Xtra could not verify Chow’s story independently but found other information similar to Bonny’s story. The MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

The Burnaby First Coalition has denied any association with the “gay serum” rumour. Above, BFC candidate Heather Leung speaks at a Nov 5 meeting. NIKO BELL

NewsLeader’s quote from Bonny closely echoes a mailout letter from an organization called the BC Parents’ Voice.

In Chow’s story, Bonny says the campaigner told her, “If another party wins, they support the gays and they can also change the kids’ sex at school . . . at school they will give the kids something like a drug injection . . . and the school won’t tell parents.”

The mailout letter, translated from Chinese, claims that if the BFC loses, Burnaby could enact a policy under which “teachers could suggest that students take hormone blockers to delay puberty, to win time to determine whether or not to change sexes.

Students’ choice of gender can be kept secret, and hidden from parents.”

As in English, the Chinese version maintains an ambiguity about whether the use of hormone blockers would be hidden from parents. The Chinese word used for “hormone blockers” also uses a character that could be easily translated as “serum.” The letter does not say

anything about turning students gay.

The letter’s warning refers to a BC Teachers’ Federation document, “Gender Spectrum — What Educators Need to Know,” that discusses hormone blockers but does not say teachers should recommend them, let alone administer them, to students.

Vancouver School Board policy does allow teachers to keep a student’s gender identity secret at the student’s request, even from parents.

According to BFC candidate Charter Lau, the authors of the mailout, BC Parents’ Voice, are an advocacy organization that split off from Burnaby Parents’ Voice shortly after their defeat in the 2011 election. Lau stayed on the organization’s board until he resigned to join the BFC as a candidate. BC Parents’ Voice, he says, is run by Frank Liang.

Liang was an activist for Burnaby Parents’ Voice but never ran as a candidate. A YouTube video from 2011 shows him speaking to the Burnaby School District against the new sexual

orientation policy. In October, an article under the name Frank L was published in a Chinese periodical, West Coast Digest. The article rehashes many of the same claims as the mailout letter and uses identical phrasing and slogans.

According to Lau, both the mailout and the article were written by Liang.

Xtra phoned Liang multiple times for confirmation and comment. A woman who answered the phone said she had relayed the message to Liang, but Liang did not call back. When asked how to contact Liang, Lau laughed. “You will never find him,” he said. “As soon as you mention the word Xtra . . .” He then mimed a bird flying away.

The West Coast Digest article, titled “Come On Out, Protect Vancouver,” is a call to political action aimed at conservative readers, begging parents to fight back against perceived assaults on traditional Chinese values: “Today, we find that our interests have been infringed upon, our values have been assaulted, our political position has

been marginalized. We start to worry, plead and resist, but it is no use, because we are already being ‘represented’ by those elected by other people.” Then, the author turns to LGBT issues.

The author is very concerned that the Burnaby School District will follow in Vancouver’s footsteps and adopt a revised policy toward transgender students, which he equates to supporting gay rights. He then lists statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control to show that gay men suffer disproportionately from HIV and uses them to suggest that children are in danger of HIV infection if they are taught about homosexuality.

“The statistics are startling,” he writes, “and strike every politician with a conscience: for the sake of political correctness, tolerating or even advocating for the gay lobby while wreaking havoc in the schoolyard, we may damage our children.”

The mailout letter says that Burnaby’s existing anti-homophobia policy “in the guise of anti-bullying, actually holds up homosexuality and all sorts of other novel sexual knowledge, and forces it on students as a superior lifestyle.” The letter warns that under Vancouver’s policy, teachers can recommend hormone blockers and that parents could be kept in the dark. The only way to prevent the same thing happening to Burnaby, the letter concludes, is to vote for the Burnaby First Coalition and the old Burnaby Parents’ Voice candidates.

Xtra has no evidence to suggest that Liang is in any way affiliated with the BFC. When asked about Liang’s rhetoric, however, Lau says his former colleague is just “trying to inform Chinese parents.”

Lau says the issue is not homophobia at all, but rather parents’ rights. He says that parents of Chinese background, as well as parents in other “traditional cultures,” feel a strong need to be directly involved in their children’s lives. “That someone would tell our children what to do without telling us, it leaves a bad taste in our mouths,” he says.

Heather Leung refused to answer Xtra’s questions about Liang or talk about her own positions. However, she told Chinese-language newspaper Global Chinese Press that she thinks teachers should not teach about homosexuality and that mentioning homosexuality in schools might lead to confusion or problems later in life.

Read the full story on dailyxtra.com.

XTRA! NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 9

Vintage

LEATHER Ten years in, the Vancouver Men in Leather have more than stood the test of time

T

GREG ARMSTRONG-MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT-JOHN FARROW

he first time Vancouver Men in Leather (VML) founder Peter Beauchamp pulled on some gear, a new sense of confidence washed over him. That was “many, many years ago,” he says from his home in Kamloops. “It was a big step. It made you stand out, made you feel bigger than you were.”

Now on the eve of its 10th anniversary, VML has offered many of its members a similar sense of sexy confidence over the years.

“I see leather as gay men’s lingerie.

It makes you feel masculine and sexy, and it’s empowering. It’s accepting of all body types and ages,” says member Mike Thompson (who asked that his real name not be used).

“I’m tired of wearing just jeans and T-shirts to go out,” he says. “You can be very creative with gear, expressing your mood, personality, fantasies.”

Dave Boyack, who founded VML with Beauchamp, grew up on a farm northeast of Calgary and credits that environment with engendering a fledgling appreciation for the rough and masculine aesthetic of leather.

“Leather’s been part of my wardrobe for decades,” he says. “All the men worked outside together in leather gloves and cowboy boots and flan10 NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 XTRA!

nel shirts, in the dust and dirt of the farmyard.

“And when you think about it,” he says, “it’s not any different than wearing hockey jerseys to a hockey game. Leather identifies who your brothers are.”

Boyack remembers the first time he walked into a leather club in Montreal, in the early 1970s. “It was exhilarating,” he says, “finding a place of trust and safety and self-discovery. And I think we offer that now for men in Vancouver. A place where everyone can feel at home.”

Twenty-four-year-old Sterling (who asked that his last name not be used) vividly remembers feeling welcomed and surprisingly at ease at his first VML event, one of the organization’s twice-yearly, members-only Whistler weekends.

“The first night I wore a harness and some skimpy little leather-looking underwear,” he says. “The rest of the time, most of the gear was off — it was a ‘leather or less’ weekend. At first it was a bit weird not wearing any clothes. But people were just cool. It made me feel really good about myself, and I thought, ‘I could get used to this!’”

While internet hook-up sites entice us to stare preternaturally into the blue glow of our smartphones in the solitude of our tiny condos, VML’s 10th anniversary is proof positive that we are still social animals who long to

gather with our familiar pack and sniff out the newest members. But a decade ago, Beauchamp says, Vancouver was a city without a gathering place for this particular pack.

“We had lost so many of our elder leathermen; there was a small group left, and I figured it was time to bring the remaining old guard together with men showing a new interest and those who were just curious,” Beauchamp says. “It was time to teach and to share the BDSM world with like-minded men, and in order to do this we needed a group, a focus.”

While drawing inspiration from brotherhoods like Seattle Men in Leather and clubs like the Black Eagle in Toronto and Montreal, Beauchamp began to solicit the help of other local leathermen. One of the first people he approached was Boyack.

“I’d only just recently moved to Vancouver, and this was a great opportunity to meet the leather crowd and give something back,” says Boyack, who is now part of the anniversary committee planning VML’s upcoming weekend of celebrations, Nov 21 to 23.

For its first six years, VML met upstairs at Numbers Cabaret on Davie Street, which eventually renamed its third floor The Leather Loft in the club’s honour and gave its members free rein to roam. For years, the club’s regular get-togethers consistently reached ca-

pacity, drawing about 80 to 100 people each month.

In 2010, leather and fetish retailer Priape took notice of this success and approached VML. “It was a perfect storm,” Thompson recalls. “Priape reached out to us, Club 560 was a much bigger venue that had just opened, and we had a board eager to put in the time and effort to bump things to the next level.”

Together, VML and Priape (with

sponsorship from Xtra) launched the Hard Parties: four leather-fetish balls at Club 560 between November 2010 and May 2012.

“The Hard Parties were a turning point in getting younger guys to view the leather scene as fun and friendly — not the intimidating environment they might have imagined,” Thompson says.

For Sterling, his discovery of leather and kink took him by surprise. “My VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

IT WAS TIME TO BRING THE REMAINING OLD GUARD TOGETHER WITH MEN SHOWING A NEW INTEREST. PETER BEAUCHAMP, VANCOUVER MEN IN LEATHER FOUNDER

From left: Powder, Rodney, Dave, Sean, Andy and Figaro will celebrate Vancouver Men in Leather’s 10th anniversary this month.

boyfriend was the kinkier one. I was pretty vanilla, I guess,” he confesses.

“Before joining VML, there were some things I didn’t know I was into! It was an eye-opener for sure.”

With events for everyone from “the curious to the serious,” VML now hosts not one but three monthly events: Gear and the VML Social at the PumpJack Pub and the Leather Den for Men at Club 8x6.

VML also nurtures robust relaMORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

tionships with other volunteer-run, sex-positive groups like the Pacific Canadian Association of Nudists, Rubbout (Vancouver’s rubber enthusiasts) and Van-PAH (Vancouver Pups and Handlers), as well as Noir and Metro Vancouver Kink from the pansexual kinky community. VML even has borrowing privileges with the latter.

“We’ve borrowed SM equipment from Metro Vancouver Kink — a cross or

a spanking board,” Thompson says.

“They’re always saying they wish more of our guys would come out.”

Thompson thinks the increasing exploration of kink and fetish in the broader community has helped boost VML’s popularity. “The explosion of the internet has helped people explore their fantasies and discover others are turned on by the same things they are,” he says.

“The leather scene in Vancouver

this was an impetus for the club to get creative and think about how we wanted to create new relationships with other local businesses,” Boyack says.

VML found new retail partners, though none has filled Priape’s shoes to co-produce the Hard Party. But that hasn’t deterred the club’s 10th anniversary committee, which will host Hard Again on Saturday, Nov 22 at Club 8x6.

Boyack sees VML’s first 10 years as part of a natural urban evolution. “If VML hadn’t come along, someone else would have created a new leather club.

The leather community has always reinvented itself in this city. For decades there’s been some kind of leather culture here. VML is one part of that history.”

Whatever the secret to its ongoing success, the club has proven itself to be as durable as a well-made and well-cared-for leather DECADE: harness, particularly in a VML’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY world of ephemeral fads WEEKEND and fleeting celebrity, where Fri, Nov 21– anything that can capture Sun, Nov 23 For a full list of our interest for longer than events, go to a viral YouTube clip is rare. meninleather.ca/ “The launch of VML was has grown and evolved over decade.html more than any of us could the past decade,” he says. have expected,” Beauchamp “I think more guys, and in a broader age range, have leather gear says. “It taught me that when you bring hanging in their closet than 10 years the right mix of people together with a similar mission and a strong desire, ago.”

Unfortunately, relations with Club anything can really happen.

“And here we are 10 years later en560 soured in late 2012, and in 2013 Priape announced the closure of all but joying something many said would one of its stores (the flagship store still never happen or never last,” he adds. survives in Montreal). “But change like “So proud of my brothers in leather.”

XTRA! NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 11

Erectionless sex A hard penis is not a prerequisite for a good time ASK THE EXPERT DR PEGA REN

Ever since I was about 20 (I’m over 40 now), I’ve had difficulty getting an erection. I know all about the anxiety connection, but I have trouble even solo with masturbation. Viagra helps but not for long, and the headache is so distracting I hate using it.

My boyfriend is patient and understanding and assures me he’s less concerned than I am. Still, I’d like to be able to count on a firm and lasting erection at least sometimes. Barring this, what can I do to boost the sensation during sex with a . . .

— Wilted Wiener Dear Wilted Wiener, I hope it helps you to know that only about 10 percent of men never experience erectile dysfunction (ED).

12 NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 XTRA!

Your penis is not bionic, you know.

It represents more than an indicator of sexual desire. It is, in fact, a pretty fair barometer of how things are going physically, emotionally and interpersonally.

ED can be caused by anxiety or other negative psychological emotions, including worrying about that erection! If you are happily coupled and generally content, let’s examine physical causes, which many researchers say account for about 85 percent of ED. Even if the cause is beyond your control, your emotional response to the situation exacerbates the problem.

First of all, you need a proper evaluation. Start with a physical exam and proceed to blood work (heart disease, diabetes, low testosterone levels) and urine tests (diabetes and other underlying conditions). This may be followed by an ultrasound to check on blood flow to

the penis and then an “overnight erection test” in which you put paper tape around your dick upon retiring. Tape ruptured in the morning? You’ve had an erection!

Regardless of whether you find an organic cause, evaluate how else you may be contributing to the ED. Do you smoke, drink or take meds? (Alarmingly, up to 25 percent of cases are attributed to drugs: prescribed, illegal and over-the-counter). All can make your phallus flag.

If you want to concentrate on getting an erection, there are myriad things for you to try.

You might ask for a prescription for yohimbe, sold under the name of Yohimbine. (Over-the-counter dosages are ineffective.)

You might consider surgical implants, or try (one of the many types of ) cockrings to maintain any boners that appear, or fluff with a mechanical pump prior to needing an erection; there are injections and intraurethral tablets.

You can likely find some combination of all that is available that will help you, even though you may always need to use some form of treatment rather than expecting a cure.

And while you continue to strive for firm erections, you can lower your performance anxiety and improve your

More difficult than learning to enjoy a limp dick physically is changing your attitude about how sex must be experienced.

sex life by “boost[ing] the sensation during sex with a . . . Wilted Wiener” as you suggested.

The point of sex is pleasure; a hard penis is not requisite to satisfying and exciting sex. Indeed, a soft penis, rather than remaining a source of embarrassment and disappointment, can provide you with delicious sensation and encourage extended lovemaking sessions.

More difficult than learning to enjoy a limp dick physically is changing your attitude about how sex must be experienced. Once you quit demanding your penis be erect to be sexual, you will notice the sensations you would otherwise discount or ignore altogether. Bernie Zilbergeld explains soft penis exercises in The New Male Sexuality (excuse his heterosexism).

Fun homework!

Given the longstanding and unremitting nature of your ED, and the fact that it occurs regardless of your situation, you may not be able to correct it completely. Some can’t. Regardless, address this proactively and sex-positively. You deserve a comprehensive assessment, robust and varied remedial options, and the chance to enhance your enjoyment of your penis, whatever its state.

Have a question for Dr Ren? Send an email to asktheexpert@dailyxtra.com.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Out in the City

I love how the backroom at The Cobalt is like a deleted scene from Requiem for a Dream. Peach Cobblah E14

Fashion forwarders Local gay designers credit East Van inspirations FASHION RAZIEL REID

As Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) showed for the 13th year in September, the city has not completely evolved past its fitness-wear-chic signature style — after all, one of the most popular shows was a new yoga line, called Lotusactivaa, from Real Housewives of Vancouver star Mary Zilba. But VFW has certainly come a long way from its 2006 season, when organizers worried they’d have to pull the event after securing only four to six designers.

This year, VFW hosted designers from 25 countries, including Italy, France, Brazil, India and Russia. Under an enormous white tent at the Queen Elizabeth Plaza, VFW provided a sweeping 90-foot runway with seating for 720 people. Spearheading VFW’s evolution into an increasingly relevant showcase of Canadian and international fashion are local gay designers, including 22-year-old Evan Clayton, who, for his Death Proof collection, paired his macabre allure with prints by artist Kat Thorsen and enlisted drag queen models he’d met in Vancouver’s underground.

“The great thing about Vancouver’s underground scene is that because it’s small it’s really concentrated, which I find very inspiring and exciting,” Clayton says. “I was so excited to work with Jane Smoker, Valynne Vile and ThanksJem last season. They were people I’d seen out countless times at underground East Van parties.”

The success of Death Proof saw Clayton receive the inaugural Nancy Mak Award, given in memory of the late Mak, one of VFW’s founders. The award included a plane ticket to Austria, where Clayton presented Death Proof at Vienna Fashion Week.

Clayton’s success has made it increasingly clear that if Vancouver’s fashion scene is growing, it’s thanks in part to seeds planted in East Van — the “zeitgeist” of Vancouver culture.

“There’s truly great gay artists [emerging from East Van] who are pushing boundaries of fashion and pushing Vancouver’s buttons,” Clayton says.

Evan Ducharme, another local young gay designer, agrees. “Lucrative brands are looking to Vancouver now not only because of the Asian MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Designers Evan Clayton (left) and Evan Ducharme are helping to turn Vancouver Fashion Week into a relevant showcase. EVAN EISENSTADT

market, but because East Van has become a catalyst for trends,” he says. “The most exciting things that are happening in the city are happening east of Main Street.”

As East Van’s cultural pulse quickens, some say gay men are driving the changes. “It’s a part of the legacy of gay culture that we’re trailblazers,” Ducharme says. “It’s always happened, but it’s especially present right now with all the great work being done in the East Van community.”

With affordable workspaces and a thriving community of fashion enthusiasts, East Van is the perfect platform for emerging designers. “In the past year, I presented my own show without the help of one of the governing bodies of fashion, like one of the fashion weeks. I did it with my own connections I’ve met since I started working out here,” Ducharme says.

His collection, inspired by the camp of Norma Desmond filtered through a dystopian New World

Order, was shown at East Van Studios. Buzz from the show led to Ducharme designing for Once Upon a Time actress Lana Parrilla, whom he has dressed for film festivals and premieres.

Ducharme says that if Vancouver’s film industry continues to thrive, so will its fashion.

Jason Matlo, an established gay Vancouver fashion visionary whose house recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, says that he has been “sashaying through this existence without any barriers” in part because of his astute ability to compromise.

“I’ve had to modify my aesthetic,” he says. “You have to really strike a balance between creativity and commerce. If I could design anything I want and didn’t have to worry about selling to customers, I’d probably be designing a very different line of clothing.”

Though his elegant and classic designs tend to skew toward a distinctly “uptown” customer profile, Matlo pays attention to what, and who,

is developing on the streets of East Van. “I keep a very close eye on that scene because that’s where I get the most inspiration,” he says.

Matlo acknowledges the growth in Vancouver’s fashion scene since he launched a decade ago but says he would still advise ambitious young designers to move to bigger markets. If they do remain in Vancouver, he suggests they mould their lines to create collections that will appeal to Vancouver consumers’ appreciation for practical pieces over innovation.

While young designers like Clayton and Ducharme may find more opportunities for success in outside markets, the only hope that Vancouver’s runways will reach a global scale comes from the devotion of our local fashion queens.

“The gay community pioneers any fashion scene,” Matlo says. “Right now the big trend is that gay guys look like straight men, and straight men look like gay guys three years ago.”

XTRA! NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 13

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THE BEST OF GAY & LESBIA VANCOUVE N R

Bang-up breakfasts Winter hotspots Burger joints

14 NOV 20–DEC 3, 2014 XTRA!

Dick, strip, vogue New talent revealed onstage and in the backroom at The Cobalt BLITZ & SHITZ

RAZIEL REID

“I love how the backroom at The Cobalt is like a deleted scene from Requiem for a Dream,” Peach Cobblah said at the third anniversary of Hustla. Seriously, I’ve written poems about that dressing room, which is always where the real party is. I sit on the leather seat or on top of a queen’s luggage and watch through a mirror framed by light bulbs — some burnt out in true East Van fashion — the crossdressing, drug-fuelled, artist-genius-poet revolutionaries I call friends.

But sometimes, I can’t get in.

“Show us your dick! Show us your dick! Show us your dick!” is being chanted in my sleep. If you’ve ever tried to get backstage at The Cobalt during The Gay Agenda, you’ve been confronted by men in jockstraps and wrestling suits demanding you whip out your cock before being admitted entrance. But I’m a lady! I show my dick only to people who can afford it.

The “show us your dick” demands are all good fun when you’re already inside (if you don’t show your dick, offering drugs will not only get you in, but on someone’s lap), because then you get to see other people’s dicks — and Big Dick James is in the house, after all. His strip to “Call on Me” with Khong Dong had me asking around for his number.

The dick isn’t restricted to the backroom of The Cobalt; it can be found onstage, of course. Even if most of the strippers don’t bare all, you can always count on Juan A Werk, whose strip was some of the best underground performance art I’ve seen in a while. If any of you follow Juan’s maker, Quinn Peters, on Facebook, you’ve read his posts calling out ignorant guys on hook-up apps who write things like “No femmes, no fats, no Asians,” or ask, “Are you clean?” in reference to STDs and otherwise offend and isolate with their terminology.

Jane Smoker, Peter Breeze and Raziel celebrate Celebrities’ 30th anniversary at the Vogue Ball. DANNY GRAY FOX

During his strip, Juan donned cardboard cutouts of different Grindr or Scruff profiles that reflected the bigotry and denial within our community.

“Gym buddies only, no sex,” anybody?

Juan then doused himself with oil before popping balloons that had been tied to the top of the stage, each balloon bursting with glitter that stuck to his skin.

There was new meat on The Cobalt stage, too, including 1181 bartender Dan Bevan, whose selfies of his abs have garnered him 40,000 Instagram followers (they are very nice abs).

Amazing Race star Ryan Steele also graced the stage but didn’t go completely naked because, as he says, “I’m on CTV!” But my favourite newbie was Chase Porter, who, in a helmet and jockstrap, was a sexy juxtaposition of butch and androgyny.

Porter also walked the runway in the Butch Realness category at the charity Vogue Ball at Celebrities Nightclub. It takes a forward-thinking man to strut in that category wearing platform boots. I’m liking the masc of the future!

The Vogue Ball was held in celebration of Celebrities Nightclub’s 30th anniversary and benefited the Vancouver Pride Society.

The ball was hosted by Symone Says, who was seven feet of insanity — aka

the perfect host. I felt like I was watching a TMZ clip of Britney Spears in 2007, only with a cheaper wig . . . At one point, Symone threw her clipboard on the middle of the runway. Papers scattered everywhere as she yelled into her mic, “Do not give me a script if it doesn’t make any fucking sense!”

I was in the presence of so much self-importance that the judge’s table where I was sitting looked modest in comparison — and keep in mind I was sitting next to a tweaking drag queen and Peter Breeze, who thinks he’s Oprah.

Jane Smoker performed her signature number, “Opulence,” and after seeing some fierce footage from other events, I was so glad to finally get to watch her take on Brooke Candy. The Steven Klein–directed video for “Opulence” is a masterpiece, and nothing embodies the glistening style better than Jane Smoker’s resting, diamondstudded bitch face.

The House of La Douche dancers brought the Vogue Ball back to its roots and showed New York City’s DJ MikeQ what this city can do. But House of Berlin stood out the most for how hard they stomped down that runway — so hard, in fact, that the next day Jadis Vanity exchanged her stilettos for a cast!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

WHAT'S ON

Wednesday, 7:15–9:15pm.

Roundhouse Community Centre, second-floor boardroom, 181 Roundhouse Mews.

The We Love Linda Show — The Junction, Sat, Nov 29

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 Men in Leather: Decade Registration Vancouver Men in Leather’s 10th anniversary weekend starts with a social, 4–7pm, followed by a Flaunt Your Fetish dance, 9pm–3am. PumpJack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Weekend pass $60. meninleather.homestead.com Yoga with HIM The Health Initiative for Men offers yoga sessions every Friday night. 7–8:15pm. Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St. Free, but donations gratefully accepted. checkhimout.ca Queer Women’s Book Club This monthly book club for queer women meets the third Friday of every month.

7–9pm. Qmunity, 1170 Bute St. Free. qmunity.ca Late Company Jordan Tannahill’s play about suicide, bullying, parents and blame opens tonight and runs until Nov 30.

8pm. The Cultch, 1895

World AIDS Day Luncheon — Terminal City Club, Fri, Nov 28 THINKSTOCK

The We Love Linda Show A fundraiser for local event producer Linda Eckess (aka Lovely Linda), who is in the ICU. Performances by Conni Smudge and special guests.

3–9pm. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. $5. junctionpub.com

Bingo for Life This weekly extravaganza features brilliant prizes, cheap drinks and snappy drag queens. 8–10:30pm.

Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $10 donation at door for bingo cards. celebritiesnightclub.com

KEVIN DALE MCKEOWN

FOR MORE LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

Fri, Nov 21

Sat, Nov 29

Venables St. $27, $22 students at the cultch.com.

Thurs, Nov 27

4Play Friday Lux presents a weekly lesbian event, hosted by Symone with rotating DJs. 9pm–2am.

Lux Lounge, 1180 Howe St. $10. luxlounge.ca

Youth Advisory Committee Meeting Youth ages 14 to 25 are invited to advise Qmunity’s GAB Youth Program. Snacks and bus tickets provided. 4pm. Qmunity, GAB office, 1170 Bute St. qmunity.ca

Royal Adam Dreaddy presents this club night, with special guest Jodie Harsh. 10pm–3am. Aura Nightclub, 1180 Granville St. $15–20 advance at Stratosphere, 1259 Granville St; $25 door.

Sat, Nov 22 Decade: Fetish Fest Celebrate the larger fetish world with Vancouver Men in Leather friends, including Rubbout and Van-PAH. 1–4pm.

PumpJack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover. meninleather.homestead. com Art for Life Auction & Gala The 21st annual charitable art event includes a cocktail reception at 5:30pm, followed by dinner and an awards presentation.

Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews.

Tickets at 604-6825992 x3. $90 without dinner, $180 with dinner. artforlife.net Pride Night at The Met Youth for a Change host an evening for the LGBT community, friends and supporters.

7pm. The Met Bar & Grill,

Man Up: One-Hit Wonders This month the Man Up kings tackle onehit wonders. 9pm doors, 11pm show.

The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $8 before 10pm, $13 after. thecobalt.ca

Plenitude Queer Readings

411 Columbia St, New Westminster.

No cover.

Glowjob Relive the ravey ’90s at this black-light event, with Isolde N Barron, Peach Cobblah and more.

9pm–2am. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $10. cobalt.ca Decade: Hard Again Dance Pull on your leather and dance, or enjoy the club’s darker corners. 10pm–3am.

Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. Cover TBA for public; entry included with $60 weekend pass at meninleather. homestead.com.

Sun, Nov 23 Decade: Celebration Brunch Vancouver Men in Leather host a brunch with games. 11am–2pm.

Junction, 1138 Davie St. Tickets $30; entry included in $60 weekend pass at meninleather.homestead.com.

The Teabag Sessions for the Well Hung Over There’s a new weekly tea dance in Gastown. 4–8pm. 303 Columbia, 303 Columbia St. No cover. 303columbia.ca

Tues, Nov 25 Men on Men A weekly discussion group for all men who love or have sex with men. Every Tuesday, 6:30pm. Gordon Neighbourhood House, 1019 Broughton St. checkhimout.ca

Dear John, I Love Jane This group for queer or questioning women meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 7–9pm.

Qmunity, 610-1033 Davie St.

Wed, Nov 26 Gab Youth Drop-In This fun, inclusive drop-in group for LGBT youth and their allies meets Wednesdays at 4pm and Fridays at 7pm. Qmunity, 1170 Bute St. gabyyouth@qmunity.ca Connect with HIM The Health Initiative for Men hosts weekly conversation nights open to all gay men (ESL and students of all ages welcome). Wednesdays, 6:30–8pm.

HIM Office, 310-1033 Davie St. checkhimout.ca Yoga in Surrey The Health Initiative for Men now offers drop-in yoga sessions in Surrey every week.

7–8:30pm. HIM Health Centre, #220-10362 King George Hwy, Surrey. checkhimout.ca Absolutely Badminton This friendly badminton club welcomes everyone. 7pm. King George Secondary School, 1755 Barclay St. Drop-in $6, annual membership $130. absolutelybadminton. wordpress.com

Plenitude magazine presents readings by local queer authors, including Rachel Rose and Brett Josef Grubisic, hosted by Amber Dawn. 8:30pm. Café Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Dr. $10. plenitudemagazine.ca

Glowjob — The Cobalt, Sat, Nov 22

Fri, Nov 28 World AIDS Day Luncheon BMO Financial Group presents a luncheon for Vancouver’s business elite to support A Loving Spoonful.

11:30am–2pm. Terminal City Club, 837 W Hastings St. $180 at alovingspoonful.org.

Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party Top Less presents electro, dance and glam-pop hits. 9pm.

Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $20 at celebritiesnightclub.com.

Abundant Love (and Sex) A free five-week themed discussion group on the rewards and challenges of consensual non-monogamy.

6:30–8pm. #310, 1033 Davie St. checkhimout.ca

Drag Roulette Drag queens sing songs chosen at random. 9pm.

Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. $5, with partial proceeds benefiting the Dogwood Monarchist Society. tfdpresents.com

Queer Women on the Drive A monthly women’s activities- and crafts-based get-together that takes place the last Friday of each month. 7–9pm. Britannia Community Centre, Seniors’ Lounge, 1661 Napier St. For more info, contact generations@qmunity.ca.

Sun, Nov 30 Red Ribbons 4 Life Bobby Drake, Miz Adrien and guests raise money for their charities. 5–10pm. The Columbia Theatre, 530 Columbia St, New Westminster. $30 at redribbons4life.com.

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

Deadline for the Dec 4 issue is Wed, Nov 26.

Gay & Grey Join this discussion group for gay senior men every

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WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE THE MOVIES Author Raziel Reid, Xtra’s social columnist, launched his Governor General’s Award–winning book, When Everything Feels Like the Movies, Nov 8 in Vancouver at 303 Columbia.

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