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#556 DEC 18–31, 2014

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

HEROES&VILLAINS The activists who fought Trinity Western are our newsmakers of the year

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#556 DEC 18–31, 2014

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

HEROES&VILLAINS The activists who fought Trinity Western are our newsmakers of the year

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The Diorama Party goes out with a bang But not before raising a bunch more money E20 Editorial Trinity Western heroes and villains By Robin Perelle E 4 Feedback E 4 Xcetera E 5

Upfront BC won’t change policies for LGBT seniors Ministry says recommendations would violate human rights E 7 Cover story Heroes and villains of 2014 From Trinity Western University to Laverne Cox, the newsmakers who shaped our year E 8 BC revokes TWU approval Gay student thanks government for listening to concerns E 11

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Comment

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As long as the covenant stands, I salute the thousands of lawyers and law students across the country who have stepped forward to vociferously oppose a school they consider discriminatory. and lesbians becoming lawyers and judges. A crucial part of democratic life is the openness of the profession.”

If a crucial part of democracy is our equal access to the law and those who practise it and judge its application, I still support the idea of a Christian law school, particularly as courts continue to struggle to balance gay rights and religious freedoms. It’s Trinity Western’s covenant that’s the sticking point.

“I support freedom of religion,” lesbian lawyer barbara findlay told a special meeting of members of the BC law society who convened in June to challenge the society’s initial approval of the law school. “You have every right to believe I am a sinner,” she said, “but when your religious belief turns into action that discriminates against me, that’s when you cross the line.”

What’s at stake, Trinity Western president Bob Kuhn replied, is the right to hold an opposing view, “as unpopular as that might be.”

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

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

4 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

I’m inclined to agree with Kuhn every time I reread this exchange — until I remember the covenant. I’m willing to wrestle with opposing views and even to debate them in court no matter how high the stakes may be. So why isn’t Kuhn willing to drop his covenant? If he’s so willing to engage opposing views, why limit the views admitted to his school? Why explicitly reject the views most likely to oppose his own?

As long as the covenant stands, I salute the thousands of lawyers and law students across the country who have stepped forward to vociferously oppose a school they consider discriminatory.

Allies and queer people alike, they are holding their profession to account, convincing their peers and demanding better decisions when law societies and the government accept a school they believe will diminish the law and the people who practise it.

Does that make the Christian university the villain in this story? Only so long as it clings to its unnecessary and discriminatory covenant.

Robin Perelle is the managing editor of Xtra Vancouver.

#555 DEC 4–17, 2014

sex, lies,

Thank you, Mr Burtch, for your very wise and provocative piece (“Anger on World AIDS Day,” dailyxtra.com, Dec 2). However, this article may give the impression to the uninitiated that this type of anger is an older generation’s deal . . . something that victims and patients and caregivers and activists only expressed in the 1980s and ’90s (and, like you pointed out, seem almost quaintly historical in light of all the movies and telefilms and documentaries that have been recently produced).

As destructive as a steady diet of anger can be, it does have its upside. As recently as 2010, I watched the great love of my life — in the miserable throes of life-ending HIV-related illnesses — attempt to find his inner peace while ensconced in a barbaric acute-care ward located in a major, supposedly modern, 21st-century hospital in downtown Toronto; attended by harried, inexperienced physicians sorely lacking in comforting bedside manner; forced to eat food that was indigestible to him, and manhandled by some nurses who treated him like an annoyance, like a sack of potatoes. It was anger on my part, and on his sister’s part, which protected him to a degree. And, like I said, this was not 20 or 30 years ago . . . this was in 2010. Fortunately, I was able to (with his permission) get him out of that snake-pit and into a warm, loving, compassionate bed at Casey House. (God bless Casey House.) He died there three days later . . . in peace, surrounded by love and care and quiet.

I’ve seen terrible things in my day; I’ve witnessed old friends and partners get treated abominably by communities and the medical profession (all in the 21st century). But I have never encountered such appalling circumstances as I witnessed and tirelessly notated and railed against as I did in 2010.

I guess my point here would be this: life can be better than ever before for HIV/AIDS patients nowadays, but complacency is a mighty dangerous thing.

Anger — and vigilance — are still required. For as long as even one patient continues to be treated like a leprous piece of shit, the war is far from over.

Again, thank you for your article.

I think there is an important message to take away from the studies of the LGBTQ community: stigma is alive and well in 2014 (“Sex, Lies and Statistics, Xtra #556, Dec 4).

While 11 percent of persons have experienced some same-sex attraction and fully 8.2 percent have engaged in same-sex behaviour, only 2.2 percent identify as gay and 1.1 percent as lesbian, according to researcher Gary Gates. Really?

Even more tellingly, of those who identify as lesbian or gay, why is it that only 10 percent of men aged 18 to 24 identify as gay, whereas 36 percent of men aged 35 to 44 identify as gay? In the UK this trend is reversed. There is no scientific reason why these types of differences exist. It is not as if people need to watch a certain number of Ellen episodes before some magical gay gene is activated.

Obviously, if 8.2 percent of people identify as engaging in same-sex behaviour, then the true statistics for the queer community are much higher. How many readers initially said they were bisexual when they first came out? A vibrant queer community is predicated, in part, on feeling safe enough to self-identify. Evidently, we have a long way to go.

MOONDOGGIE DAILYXTRA.COM

TOM MCKENNA EMAIL

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When I first heard about Trinity Western University’s plan to open a Christian law school, I shrugged. Unlike lawyer Clayton Ruby, I was neither alarmed nor opposed.

Why shouldn’t a Christian university have the opportunity to form its own legion of lawyers, steeped in its own morals and values, to bring forward the Christian community’s best arguments in court? Our community has certainly benefited from the skills and sound arguments presented by our own corps of lawyers, who have ably defended our rights and advocated for our interests in courts across the country, incrementally turning the tide in our favour over the last few decades.

Arguably, our time had come, but it likely wouldn’t have come without the cogent representation of our community’s lawyers, who convinced courts at all levels that we deserve to be protected from discrimination, to have equal access to state-regulated benefits and to have our relationships legally recognized.

If we get to present our best arguments in court, why shouldn’t our opponents?

Because the school they propose to open won’t even allow openly gay students to enroll, Ruby says.

To attend Trinity Western, students must adhere to a covenant promising to uphold biblical Christian values and abstain from any sex that “violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.” Students who break the covenant risk being expelled.

“It’s immoral and unconscionable and we think unconstitutional,” Ruby told Xtra a year ago, before suing the BC government for approving the school (the government backed down Dec 11).

The covenant will create a “queer quota” on incoming law students by limiting the number of seats openly gay students in Canada could apply for, Ruby warned. “The door has moved a little more tightly closed against gays

World AIDS Day anger

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EDITORIAL ROBIN PERELLE

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VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Poking holes in the 1 in 10 theory E10

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FEEDBACK

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Thanks to the editors who gave Michael Burtch the guest spot. And thank you, Michael Burtch, for writing what I really needed to hear on World AIDS Day. Those of us who are still breathing and still angry often feel alone. But in many ways, big and small, some are still fighting. Clearly, you are among the warriors. Thank you.

NANCY IRWIN EMAIL

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Upfront

I have decided to revoke my approval of the proposed law school at Trinity Western University. Amrik Virk E11

BC won’t change policies for LGBT seniors Ministry says recommendations would violate human rights

As the population ages, there’s going to be more LGBTQ people that need to be supported so they can live how they choose to live.

SENIORS SHAUNA LEWIS

A care facility in Vancouver’s West End is attempting to implement recommendations from a three-month-old report on providing better care for LGBT seniors. But neither the provincial government nor its local health authority will mandate all facilities and intake workers to follow suit.

Released Sept 22, the “Aging Out” report from BC’s Qmunity queer resource centre recommends that all intake workers be trained to ask seniors about their sexual orientation and gender identity so they can place them in more welcoming facilities. It also recommends that LGBT seniors get more than the usual 48 hours to ensure that any bed offered to them is in a facility where staff have been trained to meet their needs.

Focus-group participants told the “Aging Out” researchers that they would be willing to answer appropriately posed questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in order to ensure they’re placed in care homes better equipped to serve them.

Since the report’s release, Catherine Kohm, director of Haro Park Centre, which provides independent housing, assisted living and residential care for seniors in the West End, says her staff have participated in a sensitivity-training seminar, where one staff member even came out to fellow co-workers. “The report has highlighted the attention on the LGBTQ community and some of the extra challenges that they face going into a care facility,” she says.

In April, prior to the report’s publication, Kohm told Xtra that Haro Park staff already attended workshops on how to better meet the needs of LGBT seniors. Of the approximately 150 seniors in residential care at Haro Park, Kohm estimates that about a dozen are openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Mae Quon-Forsythe, manager of residential care for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA), which collaborated with Qmunity on the research, welcomes the report and the information it offers care providers. “As the population ages there’s going to be more LGBTQ people that MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

— MAE QUON-FORSYTHE, VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY

Catherine Kohm, director of Haro Park Centre for seniors in the West End, says Qmunity’s September report highlighted “some of the extra challenges [LGBT seniors] face going into a care facility.” So why won’t the government implement its recommendations? SHAUNA LEWIS

need to be supported so they can live how they choose to live,” she says.

But VCHA won’t order facilities to train their staff. “We don’t mandate education; we promote it,” Quon-Forsythe says. “It’s really up to the [LGBT] community to get that lobbying done,” she adds.

The report recommends amending provincial intake forms so data regarding sexual orientation and gender identity can be recorded and used for better residential placement. But a spokesperson

for the Ministry of Health says intake workers can’t ask those questions.

“Patients are welcome to express their preference for facilities and factors they would like considered for their placement,” Stephen May says.

“This may include their sexual preference if they volunteer that information. However, asking for it is a violation of human rights, and intake forms cannot be amended to require this information.”

The report also recommends that LGBT seniors

be given more than the standard 48 hours to assess the first bed they’re offered in care so they can assess whether staff in the facility are sufficiently trained on gay issues. But May says two days are generally considered adequate to assess a facility.

“Every effort is made to consider each patient’s needs and preferences when health authorities offer a placement to patients,” he says. “In most cases, 48 hours is an appropriate amount of time to make a decision. If the health authority feels that the patient needs more time to assess the fit of this facility for them, they have the authority to make provisions in certain cases to extend the 48-hour First Available Bed policy timeline considered for their placement.”

May directed Xtra to BC’s Residents’ Bill of Rights for adults living in residential care. The document outlines the importance of freedom of culture, religion and spirituality but doesn’t mention sexual orientation.

Qmunity executive director Dara Parker says caregivers at several facilities approached by the researchers denied having any LGBT seniors in residence. Many make the mistake of “assuming falsely that everyone is straight,” she says.

“Relocating to a residential care facility is tough on all seniors, but for many queer seniors, the transition can be closeting,” Kohm says. “When you’ve been out for 30 or 40 years and you come into a facility and you’re living with people you don’t know, you’re bound to meet someone who’s not going to be as open or accepting. We can’t force everybody to be open and accepting, but at least we can talk about it.”

Parker hopes Qmunity’s “Aging Out” report will help move the conversation forward. “We believe that by increasing visibility of the issue, folks will start to pay attention and, hopefully, start a dialogue around what can be done for seniors and where we can get support,” she says.

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 7

COVER STORY

Heroes & villains of #HEROES

#VILLAIN

Slippery Bill Whatcott With his bright pink hair, cheerful hugs and revealing short-shorts, evangelical activist Bill Whatcott slipped into Vancouver’s Pride parade this year with the fictitious Calgary Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to hand out anti-gay leaflets disguised as condoms. “I made this Pride parade way more diverse,” he later told Xtra. “It’s not all leather men and naked dudes. Now it includes Christian people with diverse messages on homosexuality. True diversity.” Maybe next year he’ll hand out real condoms and cheerfully partake in the diversity of their enjoyment.

#HERO

The lawyers and law students who challenged TWU With its contentious law school and even more contentious covenant banning gay and premarital sex, Trinity Western University (TWU) moved thousands of lawyers and law students across Canada to stand up for their convictions and wade into the battle between gay rights and religious freedom.

The heroes: The lawyers and law students who objected to the Christian university’s plan to open a law school whose admission policies they consider discriminatory (and whose future instruction they consider suspect).

Not only did the lawyers and law students vigorously oppose TWU’s plan, they also held their own professional associations to account. When the Law Society of British Columbia agreed to admit TWU’s future graduates, many of its members demanded a new vote. When the directors refused, more than 4,000 lawyers held a historic special general meeting in June to force a new decision. The law society rescinded its approval on Oct 31.

Like BC, New Brunswick’s law society initially approved the school but is now reconsidering under pressure from its members. Manitoba and Newfoundland are waiting to see what the rest of the country decides, Nunavut is still thinking about it, Alberta is awaiting judicial review, Canada’s umbrella Federation of Law Societies approved the school, and Ontario and Nova Scotia rejected it, though the latter offered to reconsider if TWU amends its covenant.

TWU is now suing the law societies of Ontario and Nova Scotia (whose hearing begins as Xtra goes to press), while a gay plaintiff’s lawsuit against the BC government likely contributed to the ministry’s decision to revoke its approval for the school on Dec 11.

Not to be forgotten: the Christian university that arguably just wants to train its own corps of lawyers steeped in the morals that it holds dear. Does that make Trinity Western the villain in this story?

Would-be politician Trish Kelly When Trish Kelly’s run for a seat on the Vancouver park board was unexpectedly cut short this summer, she could have quietly slunk away. But she did nothing of the sort. Outspoken yet diplomatic, she questioned Vision Vancouver’s decision to cut her from the ballot and argued persuasively that sex-positive art and activism should be supported, not shunned. Thumbs up to Kelly and her courage; thumbs down to Vision for its reluctance to stand up for her speech in a sexually immature society that might have been ready for some growth.

TWU PROTEST: DAILY XTRA VIDEO; TRISH KELLY: BELLE ANCELL

8 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

2014

From Trinity Western to Trish Kelly, from Kathleen Wynne to Michael Sam, here’s a look back at some of the newsmakers who shaped our year.

ROBIN PERELLE WITH JP LAROCQUE

#HEROES

Vision’s school and park board policymakers Holding majorities on both the Vancouver school and park boards, Vision Vancouver trustees and commissioners seized the opportunity to lead both boards to pass groundbreaking policies in 2014, making schools and public spaces such as parks, pools and recreation centres more welcoming to trans people. The park board unanimously accepted the 77 recommendations of its Trans and Gender-Variant Working Group in April, while the school board stood firm in June on its support for trans students, despite an unexpected swell of opposition from “concerned parents.”

#HEROES

#VILLAINS

Proud Ontarians In the span of one impressive month, Ontarians elected Canada’s first openly gay provincial premier, Kathleen Wynne, and Torontonians opened their arms to warmly welcome queer people from around the world for WorldPride. June will be remembered for its groundbreaking election, its incredibly long Pride parade (clocking in at nearly six hours in the heat), its WorldPride Human Rights Conference and all the other Pride parties and events that, for once, really did make Toronto the centre of the queer universe — at least for a few weeks.

#VILLAINS

#HEROES

Uganda’s president and anti-gay MPs The Fords and Ford Nation Fallen heroes: in memoriam In some ways this was a sad and difficult year for our Vancouver community, as we lost several pioneering heroes, including drag court founder and gay rights activist ted northe and the inimitable Jim Deva, who fought for the freedom to tell our stories uncensored and without shame and who mentored so many of us along the way.

JIM DEVA: DAVID ELLINGSEN; TED NORTHE: THE EMPRESS OF CANADA FOUNDATION; KATHLEEN WYNNE AT WORLDPRIDE: ADAM COISH; THE FORDS: SISSYDUDE; UGANDAN PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI: RUSSELL WATKINS/DEPT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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The end of an error, as it were. With the Ford brothers finally out of the mayor’s office in Toronto and the city regaining a comparative sense of normalcy under the Tory administration, it would be easy to write off the last four years of drug videos and drunken stupors as a collective bad dream. But the Fords did tremendous damage to Toronto’s civic character, cracking open the veneer of acceptance that had been fostered for decades to reveal a hotbed of intolerance, resentment and division. Even politically neutered, the Ford family remains a potent symbol of a portion of the city that isn’t interested in accepting the LGBT community.

When the Anti-Homosexuality Act, signed into law in February by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was struck down by the country’s Constitutional Court in August, gay Ugandans and their allies both local and around the world rejoiced. Victory, right? Not quite. The court nullified the bill based on a procedural point about insufficient quorum. In refusing to comment on the actual content of the bill, the court left open the option for another anti-gay bill to surface, and one now has — a harsher bill that seeks to punish not only homosexuals, but landlords of gay tenants and LGBT civil rights groups. One step forward, two giant leaps back.

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XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 9

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#HEROES

#HERO

The talented Michael Sam When Michael Sam was drafted by the National Football League, he made history as the first openly gay athlete to potentially play in the league. That he still hasn’t been given his chance to shine speaks to the league’s ongoing discomfort with gay athletes. Both the St Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys cut him from their rosters, but Sam, seemingly undaunted and upbeat, still wants to play. And the genuine kiss of pure joy that he shared with his boyfriend on prime-time TV immediately following his draft by the Rams on May 10? That should top the sports highlights reels for years to come.

#HERO

Gay-for-pay corporations Starbucks has drag queens, Burger King celebrates gay families, and Kellogg’s makes Tony the Tiger wear rainbowcoloured stripes. This year marked a new high for corporations going to bat for the LGBT community, ignoring various calls for boycotts and religious backlash and bravely marketing to our demographic. Congrats, everyone! Our copious amounts of disposable income are finally being acknowledged by capitalism. Freedom comes with a gift card and a delicious Mushroom Swiss Bacon Whopper.

#HEROES

#VILLAIN

BioWare’s groundbreaking Dragon Age: Inquisition The transcendent Laverne Cox From her Emmy-nominated performance on the Netflix super-hit Orange Is the New Black to her history-making Time magazine cover, Laverne Cox has made a name for herself as an outspoken advocate for trans issues, deftly educating hosts like Katie Couric and Gayle King on trans etiquette in interviews, speaking up for trans woman CeCe McDonald’s need to use deadly force against her vicious attackers, and being heralded as Glamour’s 2014 Woman of the Year.

Video-game developer BioWare is used to courting controversy, and company spokespeople have given countless interviews describing their commitment to creating rich, entertaining games populated by diverse casts of straight, gay and bisexual characters. And with Dragon Age: Inquisition, the company went even further, creating its first trans character, a second-in-command named Krem who has been heralded as a huge step forward in gaming representation.

Crazy Pastor Manning The passing of Reverend Fred Phelps left a career opening for crazy religious bigots everywhere, and so we now have Pastor James David Manning of Harlem advocating stoning homosexuals to hell, accusing President Obama of destroying the black community, and accusing Starbucks of flavouring its coffee with the “semen of sodomites.” Well, I guess that explains the drag queens.

MICHAEL SAM: YOUTUBE; PASTOR JAMES DAVID MANNING: YOUTUBE

10 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

BC revokes TWU approval Gay student thanks government for listening to concerns EDUCATION JEREMY HAINSWORTH

After weeks of publicly wavering on its initial approval of Trinity Western University’s (TWU) proposed law school, the BC government revoked its approval Dec 11.

Minister of Advanced Education Amrik Virk cites the “uncertainty” created by the Law Society of BC’s decision to revoke its own approval for the school on Oct 31. “The current uncertainty

over the status of the regulatory body approval means prospective graduates may not be able to be called to the bar, or practise law, in British Columbia,” Virk said in a statement. “This is a significant change to the context in which I made my original decision.

“Based on the current situation, I have decided to revoke my approval of the proposed law school at Trinity Western University,” he said. “This means the university cannot enroll any students in its proposed program.”

Shaken not stirred Is a straight man still an ally if he doesn’t like kissing men?

ASK THE EXPERT DR PEGA REN

Dear Dr Ren, I had an experience recently that has me shaken. I have never considered myself homophobic. I have friends all over the spectrum. I really think about gender issues. Hell, I’m an ally!

So when I was asked to play a gay character in a community theatre play, I didn’t think twice. But during a kiss in the performance, I had a very negative reaction. It felt wrong! I hid my anxiety, but I haven’t been able to shake my distress.

I thought I had this stuff figured out.

Am I just as much of an ass as the folks I’ve been mocking all these years?

Straight and maybe still narrow Dear Straight, et cetera, Ah, yes, you have encountered the distinction between intellectual enlightenment and gut-level wisdom.

Before beating yourself up too badly, understand that what you have experienced is just another step in the coming-out process — of appreciating the many layers of bias we learn about those who are “other.”

If we grow up in a multicultural, inclusive environment, we tend to be more accepting of differences, and the opposite is generally true. Our opinions are moulded by our cultural messages. Sounds like you had that part pretty much figured out. And for MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

that you deserve kudos.

What you ran into with your manto-man kiss struck a different, deeper chord. As a straight man, you are sexually attracted to those of the opposite gender. Kissing those people feels right. You undoubtedly have parameters within that category. For you to feel attraction, you may require the women to be peer-aged (or not), taller than you (or not), of a certain race (or not), et cetera, et cetera. Those you meet who fall outside your preferred

The government was scheduled to appear in court Dec 1 to begin hearings in a case brought by Trevor Loke, a prospective law student who is suing the Ministry of Advanced Education for its approval of a school that he argues would be discriminatory in its admissions policy. Virk sought an open-ended adjournment in the case, but the court refused, instead giving him until Jan 5 to decide whether to reverse his approval of the law school.

Virk acknowledged to Xtra Dec 1 that he requested the adjournment because he was “reconsidering” his decision on TWU. Loke’s lawyer, Clayton Ruby, tells Xtra the minister’s decision to

withdraw his approval “makes sense.”

“He made a mistake. Why should he be pilloried for it? He wants out,” Ruby says.

However, Ruby is not convinced that the BC law society’s recent decision to rescind its approval is the real reason for Virk’s reversal. It’s just an excuse to get out of an unconstitutional situation, Ruby suggests. Either way, he says, “it’s a great day for justice.”

TWU president Bob Kuhn is disappointed with Virk’s decision. “It is difficult to conceive of a justifiable basis for the minister to have revoked his approval of the school of law program,” Kuhn said in a Dec 11 statement. “As a private Christian University, Trinity Western has demonstrated its place in Canada’s academic community, delivering some of Canada’s highest ranked professional programs. We believe in diversity and the rights of all

Canadians to their beliefs and values.”

Kuhn says Virk had been under pressure to revoke his consent since Oct 31, when the BC law society reversed its decision.

Loke tells Xtra he’s thankful that Virk has listened to the lawyers of British Columbia and to the law societies who opposed his original decision.

“It should be the right of all Canadians to have equal access to law school based on educational merit, and today’s decision by the minister shifts the government’s position to the position we have taken,” Loke says. “We feel vindicated and thankful that the fight of so many people across Canada has been heard.”

“I now hope that Trinity Western University can look within itself to remove their covenant and welcome all students to learn within its halls,” Loke adds.

exciting and perplexing. It may have propelled you to reexamine your sexual identity, and that would have been all right, too. We come to our realizations in all sorts of manners and junctures in our lives.

Let me address a related matter. You were sufficiently distressed about what you saw as your potential “enlightenment failure” to pen this letter. Are you always so hard on yourself? Many straight men never consider what it means to be an ally, whereas you beat yourself up for possibly losing the title.

Please understand that allies are appreciated and treasured. Give yourself the credit you deserve.

You may also come to find some feelings you have not yet uncovered.

I’m not trying to insinuate anything that isn’t there, but your reaction to the kiss may signal more conflict about your sexual identity than you acknowl-

Many straight men never consider what it means to be an ally, whereas you beat yourself up for possibly losing the title. criteria won’t be attractive to you, and kissing them will feel awkward, too.

In other words, you will be uncomfortable kissing anyone to whom you do not feel some sort of sexual attraction. Sensible. It doesn’t follow, however, that because you don’t feel rapturous lip-locked with someone that you hold them in any sort of contempt.

If anything, perhaps this experience serves to reconfirm what you already knew: that you are straight. It does not make you narrow.

What might have happened, in contrast, is that you could have experienced a kind of “sexual awakening” and discovered that your theatrical kiss felt

edge yet. That’s all right, too. Acquiring knowledge about how we are our best sexual selves takes time.

It may be helpful for you to relax about this whole question for a while.

Sit with it loosely. Examine it again periodically. Notice if and how your attraction to men and women changes. Though men’s identifications are commonly consistent, we are flexible creatures. You may find your tastes are more inclusive than you thought.

Regardless, you sound like a thoughtful, insightful person. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.

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

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 11

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12 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

OutintheCity

We live in a time of amnesia where the ability to understand our history and compare it to the present is at risk. Don Larventz E14

“I don’t want to be a total queen, but at the same time I don’t want to be afraid of being flamboyant or getting into the part,” says Seth Little, who plays Oscar Wilde in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily. JUAN I GUGLIERI

Holmes & Watson meet Oscar Wilde Play blends real and fictional characters to help the Jersey Lily ONSTAGE PAT JOHNSON

Since Arthur Conan Doyle invented Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in 1886, other writers have run with the characters, creating their own mysteries to be solved by the deductive duo. Seattle actor and playwright Katie Forgette has mashed up the fictional Holmes and Watson with fictionalized versions of the very real Oscar Wilde and Lillie Langtry. The result — Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, a comic mystery — opens in Vancouver on Dec 28.

Director William B Davis (best known as The Smoking Man on The X-Files) says the inclusion of real people alongside fictional characters presents challenges but perhaps none so great as capturing Holmes and Watson themMORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

selves. Historical figures need to be approached in ways that respect the facts, he explains, but audience expectations around authentically portraying Holmes and Watson can be equally or even more daunting.

The play owes much of its levity to its fictional portrayal of Wilde, who, in real life, was responsible for many of the greatest things ever said. Wilde is probably on more “living or dead dinner guest” lists than anyone, so writing him into a contemporary play is a good bet.

Langtry, played by two-time Jessie nominee Corina Akeson, may not resonate with modern audiences the way her friend Wilde does, but she was a sparkplug in her day, known as the Jersey Lily, for the Channel Island where she was born. An actress who made men (and some women) swoon, this play supposes

she is being blackmailed over purloined love letters to a certain royal.

The intrigue is byzantine, with a bit of genderbending of the sort the British stage has featured at least since Shakespeare’s time.

“When I sat down to think about writing a Sherlock Holmes, I wanted to do something different,” Forgette says. “I’d always been a big fan of Oscar Wilde, and when I discovered Lillie Langtry — she’s also a stunning character — and the fact that they were friends, I thought, ‘Holy cow.’ She lived her life kind of like she was a guy — so really attractive to women who are independent.”

Having experienced the theatre’s deficiency of good roles for women, Forgette tries to write plays that are more 50/50, she says. In this case, the gender balance isn’t quite there, but the women in the play are forces of nature.

“I wanted to at least come up with two really strong women’s roles that are not damsels in distress but who have large appetites,” she says. “And who might be

on occasion venal and make the unlady- but at the same time I don’t want to be like choice, you might say.” afraid of being flamboyant or getting The Vancouver production is by The- into the part,” he says. “It’s just being ater Crossing, whose founder, Brent able to find the happy marriage. I’m tryFidler, plays Holmes. “I’ve been looking ing to be seriously unserious, I guess.” to produce a Sherlock for a long time, As Wilde, Little gets all the play’s but most of the pieces Conan Doyle best laughs. “All his lines in the play are wrote were kind of dated parlour-room absolutely outrageous,” he says. “Even [dramas]. They just didn’t really hold with a gun to his head he’s saying, ‘The up for a modern audience,” Fidler says. tension is so horrible, I hope it lasts.’

Forgette’s script stays true to the That’s his coping mechanism, I think. cadence of the time but seems paced for He’s always apparently flippant.”

21st-century attention Bissett has given spans, with a few castthought to the reSHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE ing twists. Watson, one lationship between JERSEY LILY of literature’s more Holmes and Watson, Sun, Dec 28–Sat, Jan 10 Jericho Arts Centre notorious ladies’ men, one of the written 1675 Discovery St is played by openly gay word’s most famous jerichoartscentre.com actor Tim Bissett. Apmale twosomes. propriately enough, “My feeling about Wilde is also played by a gay actor, Seth their relationship is that it’s a very deep Little, who was thrown into the role just relationship, a very personal one, that weeks before curtain after two previous they’re great kindred spirits in many Wildes left the cast. Playing the notori- ways and great fans of each other,” he ous and notoriously witty Wilde is a says. “That’s one thing I really love balancing act, Little says. about those characters. I think they are “I don’t want to be a total queen, an iconic example of male bonding.”

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 13

Saving Gayblevision VIVO Media Arts fundraising to digitize gay archive HISTORY MARK ROBINS

A piece of Vancouver history is at risk of being lost forever if VIVO Media Arts can’t raise enough money to preserve Gayblevision, considered by many to be Canada’s first gay and lesbian television show.

The half-hour news and variety program aired on the now-defunct West End Cable 10 station from the late 1970s until the mid-1980s, after the CRTC first ordered cable companies to open up their local studios to community groups.

And while we may take for granted today that we have a nationally broadcast television channel focused solely on the LGBT community, Gayblevision came at a time when homosexuality had only recently been legalized and gay rights were still in their infancy.

From footage of Vancouver’s first

Pride parade to interviews with politicians, activists and prominent authors such as Jane Rule and Tennessee Williams, the Gayblevision tapes capture slices of our history well worth preserving. The tapes were donated to VIVO Media Arts by the late Mary Anne McEwen, one of the show’s original producers.

“The media was doing negative stuff on gay people, and we just wanted more positive stuff,” McEwen told Xtra in 2010, a year before she died.

Consisting of approximately 41 episodes, as well as a number of additional tapes that are thought to include civic elections and specials on the AIDS crisis, the tapes’ specific content can be revealed only through the preservation process.

“When we start working on a collection like this, we start to connect with the players that are still around and do

Gayblevision producers (clockwise from top left) Don Durrell, Barry Spillman, Mary Anne McEwen, Greg Cutts and Don Larventz. COURTESY OF VIVO MEDIA ARTS

video interviews so we can assemble a history,” says Karen Knights, VIVO’s director of development. “None of the tapes has been fully catalogued yet.”

One of those original players is Don Larventz, who worked on Gayblevision in its early years. For Larventz, who only just discovered that the tapes had survived, it is about preserving a rich history of media activism.

“We’re in danger of losing our history,” Larventz says. “We live in a time of amnesia where the ability to understand our history and compare it to the present is at risk.”

VIVO staff share his concern and add an extra note of urgency: the original videotapes are quickly deteriorating.

“These tapes are now 30 to 35 years old and are essentially at end-of-life,” Knights says. “We are pushing to digitize essential collections from the pre-’90s era before we lose them forever.”

While a number of the original Gayblevision tapes have been made available for viewing through the VIVO library, the intent is to eventually offer the entire collection online.

Preserving and digitizing the tapes is expected to cost $12,000.

VIVO is accepting donations online (vivomediaarts.com/gayblevision), where you can also view three clips from the show.

Diorama concludes in style Fuller & co send fundraiser off with bold farewell BLITZ & SHITZ

RAZIEL REID

If you’re going to say goodbye, say it with gingerbread cookies in a sex swing.

Legendary Little Sister’s book nerd Janine Fuller made Diorama’s 25th and final year a bold farewell.

In previous years, the Diorama fundraiser helped with legal costs during the court case brought by Little Sister’s against the Canada Border Services Agency. This year, the cause was equally close to Fuller’s heart, as proceeds benefited the Huntington Society of Canada.

Huntington disease runs in Fuller’s family. Her twin brother is a sufferer, and in an open letter posted on the Diorama website and on dailyxtra.com, Fuller has come out as positive herself.

“The time has also come to raise money for a disease that too few people know about but one that has made every part of who I am,” Fuller writes. “It is time for me to step forward into the spotlight of Huntington’s disease and I do that with a great sense of reverence and pride 14 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

and for those with HD in the world and especially for my twin brother Joel.”

The dioramas were nostalgic at this year’s event. The late Jim Deva, cofounder of Little Sister’s, featured heavily amidst the classic and not-so-classic Christmas scenes — I wasn’t joking about that gingerbread cookie in a sex sling. He totally had a lineup — his balls and erect cock were made of candy!

Barb Snelgrove hosted and didn’t fail to deliver on the teabagging Santa jokes.

The huge cast included performers Bill Monroe, Andrew Alcalde, Austin Reid, Buster Cherry, Carlotta Gurl, Coco, Conni Smudge, Edward, Iona Whipp, Jenny Magenta, Luke Wolf, Mandy Kamp, Martina Griffiths, Owen, Princess Sparkleberry, Raye Sunshine, Symone Says, Vera Way, Vivian Von Brokenhymen and Willie Spanker.

There were so many performers that it took me a while to track down Fuller for a photo; she was busy tipping everyone who took the stage.

Bill Monroe is so regal. I get chills whenever I see him perform. He is raw and easy. Ha! I meant that in a non-

sexual way, I swear. When Monroe’s number ended, the person sitting next to me said he’s been watching Monroe perform since the early 1980s. Monroe wasn’t the only Vancouver legend in the room. It was a turnout worthy of the Celebrities name.

The show was filled with more holiday cheer than I got at the door. I forgot my ID and was treated like a terrorist by the bouncers, so naturally I transformed into Miranda Priestly. But it was actually grande dame Fuller who came outside to my rescue. The bouncers buckled like the Border Services Agency and let me in. Girl’s still got it.

A few nights earlier I was at 1181, and I met this sexy French boy who was James Franco’s doppelgänger. Within a few minutes of meeting he was showing me his dick pics. I thought he was into me, but I couldn’t be quite sure. In the gay community, it sometimes feels like showing dick pics is a way to break the ice with a stranger. Dick pics are the new small talk!

It was perfect. Eight inches and uncut. I fell instantly in love.

Raziel and Janine Fuller, the grande dame of Little Sister’s and co-creator of the Diorama Party. TALLULAH

But I had some competition. We connected initially because I was at 1181 with my straight girlfriend and future mother of my beautiful blond babies, and he was there with his straight girlfriend and future mother of his Franco babies.

When he started groping me, I still wasn’t sure if he was interested. I spend a lot of time around drag queens. But then we made out, and once someone’s tongue is in my mouth I usually have them figured out. Their dick? Still iffy.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t want

it. We went to the bathroom together, and, forgetting I wasn’t in East Van, I got on my knees.

Within minutes we were interrupted by his girlfriend banging on the door like a maniac and screaming in French.

I had stolen her man and paid for it with a glass of chardonnay to my face.

Two lessons learned: never get between a woman and her well-hung babies, and stick to doing just drugs in bar bathrooms.

One must be dignified.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

WHAT'S ON

Bingo for Life Christmas Eve This weekly extravaganza is filled with brilliant prizes, cheap drinks and snappy drag queens.

8–10:30pm. Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $10 donation at door for bingo cards. celebritiesnightclub.com

FOR MORE LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

Thurs, Dec 18

Andrew Christian Underwear Andrew Christian models Cory Zwierzynski and Topher DiMaggio walk the runway in part two of this fashion show presented by TFD and Celebrities. 10pm–3am.

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

Fri, Dec 19 AJ’s Café Join other HIV-positive gay men every Friday for this free group sponsored by Positive Living BC. 3–6pm. The Junction Pub, 1138 Davie St. positivelivingbc.org Temporal Corporeal III: The Third Matt Troy’s Tattoo Pop-Up party is back to adorn your flesh. Guns $60– 120, pokes $40–60, plus karaoke.

4–11pm. Vancouver Arts & Leisure Gallery, 35 East 3rd. facebook.com/ matttroy.net Showgurlzz Celebrate the holiday season with some Christmas cosplay. Doors 8pm, show 9–11:30pm. The Rio Theatre, 1660 E Broadway. $10 advance; $12 door, $10 in costume. riotheatretickets.ca Flashback Enjoy nostalgic videos from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

9–11pm. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Meatrack Junita Werk hosts, with DJs Ammonia Moss and Maxwell Maxwell. 11pm–2am.

Heaven’s Door, 1216

Fri, Dec 26

Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents

Sat, Dec 20 Not So Strictly Ballroom Holiday Dance Party Celebrate the holidays with Vancouver’s same-sex ballroom dance group.

Newcomers are always welcome; no partner required. 8–11:30pm.

Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville St, 2nd floor. $12–15, sliding scale, at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or notsostrictlyballroom.ca.

The Junk Yard A no-holes-barred sex party on the first, second and third Saturday of the month. 8pm– 3am. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $10; two for one before midnight. 8x6.ca Monroe: Holiday Roulette The game is simple: each queen brings a song, but the performance is chosen at random by host Kristina Cash. 9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. $5, with partial proceeds benefiting the Dogwood Monarchist Society. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Ho Ho Ho DJ Del Stamp helps you find out what Santa really has in his bag. 10pm–4am. Steamworks Baths, 123 W Pender St. $6 and up; more for a locker. steamworksbaths. com/vancouver Joy Big Roger presents Alain Jackinsky and DJ Quest for a pre– Whistler Pride and Ski Festival celebration. 10pm–3am. Club 560, 560 Seymour St. $15 advance, $25 regular at ticketzone.com and bigrogerevents.com.

THINKSTOCK

Wed, Dec 24

Bingo for Life — Celebrities, Wed, Dec 24 THINKSTOCK

Sun, Dec 21 Queer Men’s Book Club This trans-inclusive book club for gay, bisexual and queer men meets the third Sunday of each month.

5–6:30pm. Qmunity’s Generations office, 610–1033 Davie St. Free. To register call 604-684-5307 or email mensbookclub@qmunity.ca.

Caliente Nights The Junction’s Latin beats night presents its Feliz Navidad show, featuring Miss Funtasy, Rebecca Wolf and CashaOnly. 9pm. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. $5. junctionpub.com

Mon, Dec 22 Naked Yoga Nude Dude Yoga hosts a weekly class to help men develop greater body awareness.

7:30–9pm. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $15 per class. Also runs Saturdays 10–11:30am. 8x6.ca Hominum This group for gay, bisexual and questioning men dealing with the challenges of marriage, separation or single life meets every Monday in locations around the Lower Mainland. 7:30– 9:30pm. For meeting places and to register, go to hominum.ca.

Queer Prov A little improv comedy to start your week off right.

8–9:30pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. 1181.ca

Cubshack DJ Sollors spins a little something new for all you cubs, bears, bear-chasers and hairless ursine admirers.

9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Hershe Bar DJ Miss M spins a mix of house and hip-hop anthems at this popular lesbian party. 10pm– 2am. Bar None, 1222 Hamilton St. $12 early bird, $15 advance at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or flygirlproductions.com.

Backdoor Matt Troy promises a sexy party for Boxing Day. 10pm.

Vancouver Arts & Leisure Gallery, 35 E 3rd. $5. facebook.com/ matttroy.net

Sat, Dec 27 Bears, the Baths and Beyond Steamworks hosts an afternoon for bears the fourth Saturday of every month. 1–6pm. Steamworks, 123 W Pender St. Membership and rental rates start at $6. steamworksonline. com/vancouver Madhaus DJs Pandemonium, Evilyn13, Taffi Louis and Abasi host a monthly alternative black-light party. 9pm. Hindenburg, 23 W Cordova St. $6 before 10pm, $8 after. facebook.com/taffilouis

Sun, Dec 28 The Teabag Sessions DJ Taffi Louis brings you a weekly tea-dance in Gastown. 4–8pm. 303 Columbia, 303 Columbia St. No cover.

303columbia.ca

NEW YEAR'S EVE EVENTS Divas Through the Decades Sing along to the best lady jams of all time, with music by the Underneath the Harlem Moon band, featuring vocals

by Krystle Dos Santos, Keisha Haines, Tonye Aganaba and more. 7pm. Guilt & Company, 1 Alexander St (downstairs). $30, $45 VIP. guiltandcompany.com Numbers New Year’s Eve Party favours, hors d’oeuvres, champagne at midnight and lots of men to kiss when the clock rings in the new year. 8pm. Numbers, 1042 Davie St. Cover TBA at door. numbers.ca Man Up: New Year’s Eve Ball A special edition of the popular drag-king party, featuring three shows, two dance rooms, a blackjack table (with drag king dealer), queer Chippendale go-go dancers and entertainers roaming in character throughout the night.

8pm–4am. Emerald Supper Club, 555 Gore St. $25 at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or brownpapertickets.com. facebook.com/manupvancouver Naked Heaven Ring in the new year with the PacificCanadian Association of Nudists. 8pm–1am. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $15 door, $10 for members. p-can.org Vancouver Outdoor Women’s Club NYE Celebrate New

Model Cory Zwierzynski — Celebrities, Thurs, Dec 18 ANDREWCHRISTIAN.COM

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Year’s Eve with this primarily lesbian group of outdoor enthusiasts. 8:30pm. Ukrainian Hall, 805 E Pender St. $30 at Sophie’s Pet Palace, 1280 Commercial Dr. groupspaces. com/outdoorwomen

Wallflower Ball The Cobalt hosts an optional dress-up party, featuring Tragic Kingdoms (No Doubt tribute band) and The Nevermores (a Halloween mashup band).

9pm. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $10 advance at brownpapertickets.com or thecobalt.ca.

Confessions on the Dancefloor Party Martyr Productions presents a queer NYE confessions party. 10pm.

Red Gate Arts Society, 855 E Hastings St. $10 before midnight, $15–20 sliding scale after, cash only. facebook. com/partymartyrproductions A Very Rent Cheque Amateur Strip Nudity, mayhem, live music, comedy and more. All bodies and genders welcome.

10pm–4am. The Astoria, 769 E Hastings St. $10 advance at eventbrite.ca, $15 door.

PLUR PLUR productions and Sin City present a sex-positive, kinky play party for everyone: straight, gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, swingers, leather, BDSM, et cetera. 2am–7am.

8x6, 1775 Haro St. $30 at eventbrite.ca. sincityfetishnight.com/events/nye

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

Deadline for the Jan 1 issue is Wed, Dec 17.

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 15

A world of gay adventure

Travel Snap up a stateroom on an LGBT cruise and sail off into the sunset

Cruising through winter AEFA MULHOLLAND

It’s that time of year again when those of us in chillier lands eagerly eye outbound flights and temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the perfect time to snap up a stateroom onboard one of the enticing LGBT cruises about to sail off into the sunset. This winter has some wonderful escapes on offer for lesbians and gay men, from a luxurious Amazonian riverboat adventure set for deepest Peru to the marvellous mayhem of two itineraries that coincide with the greatest LGBT carnival of them all, Sydney Mardi Gras.

Panama Canal to Costa Rica Cruise

taken care of by comedian Sandra Valls and singer/comedian Lisa Koch.

Olivia’s Panama Canal to Costa Rica Cruise, on the five-star, 148-passenger, four-masted MS Wind Spirit, offers ample opportunities for adventure in Panama and Costa Rica as it sails from Colón, Panama, through three locks of the Panama Canal, to the UNESCOvenerated coral reef destination Coiba Island (the largest island in Central America). Continuing on, ports of call include the stunning Costa Rican beaches of Golfito and Bahia Drake — with its crags, crocodiles and tapirs — and the rainforest town of Quepos, before it’s time to disembark in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Onboard entertainment is

Jan 24–31, 2015 Olivia, olivia.com Clientele: Mostly lesbian Price: From $4,199 (all prices in US dollars) for ocean-view cabins

16 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

Silhouette Caribbean Cruise Escape winter in the most luxurious way possible aboard the 2,800-passenger Celebrity Silhouette as she sails from Fort Lauderdale for the warm waters of the Caribbean. Among a host of amenities, the Silhouette boasts an incredible spa, an outdoor barbecue grill and wooden decks. Tea-dances, parties and

Above and right, frolicking onboard and onshore during an Olivia cruise.

OLIVIA.COM

events confetti the social calendar for this seven-day sailing to Labadee, Haiti; Philipsburg, St Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Feb 1–8, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,349

RSVP 30th Anniversary Caribbean Cruise The 3,500-passenger Regal Princess is the birthday-party boat for RSVP’s big 3-0 cruise. The youthful Princess took to the waters only in May 2014, so it’s a shiny, new ship with such spectacular features as a glass-bottom sea walk (extending 8.5 metres off the side of the ship); a vast, ornate atrium; and an enticing Bellini bar. This cruise sails from Fort Lauderdale and visits the private Princess Cays, Cozumel and George Town in Grand Cayman, before returning to Florida.

Feb 8–15, 2015 RSVP Vacations, rsvpvacations.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,059

Australia and New Zealand Cruise Odyssey Trot onboard Holland America’s 1380-passenger MS Amsterdam for a week of Australian summer fun with none other than Olivia Newton-John.

The crew of fine, funny women includes

Lisa Koch, Vickie Shaw and Karen Williams. Departing Sydney, the cruise explores Tasmania, Fiordland National Park, Dunedin and Christchurch, before docking in Auckland.

Feb 13–24, 2015 Olivia, olivia.com VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

party boat has left Miami’s docks for four fantastic gay days on the ocean to celebrate Miami Pride. The boat in question is the activity-packed Majesty of the Seas. With parties, cocktail parties, beach barbecues and a Key West stop en route to the Bahamas, it’s an understandably popular departure, so book early if you’re keen to take part.

April 13–17, 2015 Source Events, sourceevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $429

Amazon Discovery Top, the view of the sunset from a cruise ship is always incredible. Above, a dinner of freshly caught lobster. Left, an Atlantis Events cruiser enjoys some quiet time.

JEFFREY LUSCOMBE

Feb 24–March 8, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,599

Singapore to Hong Kong Cruise

Clientele: Mostly lesbian Price: From $2,099

All-Gay French Caribbean Cruise Explore the French Caribbean on the 72-metre SV Mandalay, built in 1923 MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

and remodelled in 2012, as she sails from St Martin to Anguilla, Nevis, St Barts and Tintamarre and back to St Martin. Visit the famed Saltine nude beach and shop on St Barts; experience the quaint bistros and beaches of the Dutch and French sides of St Martin; sip daiquiris on Anguilla; snorkel, cycle or scuba on lush Nevis; and picnic on deserted Tintamarre.

Feb 15–21, 2015 Source Events, sourceevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,849

Auckland to Sydney Mardi Gras Cruise Holland America’s floating pamper palace, the 11-deck Oosterdam, will see 1,900 passengers board in Auckland.

The vast vessel then charts a course for Napier, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin before crossing the Tasman Sea for Melbourne and the final stop, Sydney, where a smorgasbord of Mardi Gras celebrations awaits, complete with a trio of LGBT mega-icons: George Michael, Kylie Minogue and Boy George.

Celebrity Millennium will be the floating address for 2,138 passengers for the 11 days of Atlantis Events’ Asian journey from Singapore to Hong Kong.

Teak decks, a solarium with a thalassotherapy pool and a gloriously indulgent Persian-garden spa add to the luxurious nature of this cruise. After leaving Singapore, this trip of a lifetime goes on to explore the stunning lagoons of Koh Samui, the cultural contrasts of Bangkok, the French colonial sights of Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang’s golden sands, UNESCO-acclaimed Hue and the 1,600 islands of breathtaking Halong Bay. The final port of call is glittering Hong Kong.

March 29–April 9, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,599

Miami Pride Cruise 2015 This is the sixth year in a row that this

One of three Amazon riverboat adventures on offer from Brand G this year, but the only sailing not sold out at press time, this all-gay rainforest odyssey explores the world’s most biodiverse region from the comfort of the fivestar, 32-passenger, colonial-era Delfin II. Daily shore excursions offer insight into the culture, wildlife and history of this fascinating region. There are more than 1,000 species of bird in the Peruvian Amazon alone, plus countless mammals to encounter. Once the riverboat portion of this adventure ends, travellers continue on to the Sacred Valley, near the Incan capital Cusco, and to 15th-century Machu Picchu via a scenic train trip.

April 20–30, 2015 Brand G, brandgvacations.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $3,995

If these all-LGBT dates don’t rock your boat, there are many other “affinity group” options: organized gay groups on mainstream cruises. You’ll find a link to an extensive list of them in this story on dailyxtra.com.

More on dailyxtra.com Is taking a cruise vacation right for you?

Tips and tricks for high-seas cruising ‘Straight’ cruising the gay way XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 17

A world of gay adventure

Travel

Get your downward dog on A yoga retreat will leave you stretched and unstressed

includes meditation, massage, delicious home-cooked food and use of a heated pool, Jacuzzi, gym and sauna. Run by the charming Mark, Tom and Nancy, the relaxing, romantic Finca has an enthusiastic roster of devoted return guests who come back year after year to this hidden gem.

AEFA MULHOLLAND

Frog Meadow, Vermont Frog Meadow bills itself as a “country bed and breakfast and massage oasis for men” and runs a summer men’s gathering each July. Yoga, pilates and guided massage-exchange sessions all star, along with workshops and excursions to the gay men’s beach at Rock River and local distilleries and artisans’ studios.

Other optional activities include soaks in the wood-fired hot tub and saunters along the leafy trail network that surrounds the 25-hectare property.

If daily drudgery and the tasks of the day are downward dogging your progress toward enlightenment, limber joints and a stress-free life, consider escaping to one of these LGBT yoga retreats around the world.

Blue Osa, Costa Rica Set on Playa Tamales on the idyllic Osa Peninsula, the gay-owned and -run Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa has the glittering ocean in front and a swath of atmospheric rainforest at its back.

Those attending the weeklong retreats can swim in the ocean each morning and surf between sessions.

Blue Osa also offers monthlong immersion yoga-teacher training. The next such offering is June 19 through July 18, 2015. The next gay men’s yoga program takes participants on a Tantra yoga journey and runs May 23 to 29, 2015.

Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts Sacred Sexualities, a retreat for lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, takes place from March 6 to 8, 2015, led by the Reverend Irene Monroe, a lesbian feminist theologian who has been featured in Oprah Magazine. The retreat centre is perched on a hilltop that overlooks Lake Mahkeenac and the woods below. The centre is a vast 15,000-square-metre facility on 50 hectares. More than 750 programs are on the calendar each year.

Kalani, Pahoa, Hawaii Situated close to the dramatic lava flows of the Big Island, the LGBT-owned and -operated Kalani offers an extensive list of yoga retreats, many for the LGBT community. It’s a very appealing way to escape winter. Gay men can pick from a calendar that includes men’s yoga retreats, a men’s hula retreat, a men’s yoga and massage retreat, and a men’s tropical holiday. The New Year’s Naked Men’s Yoga Retreat runs Dec 27, 2014 to Jan 2, 2015, overlapping with Thrive New Year’s Retreat for Gay/Bi Men (Dec 29, 2014 to Jan 3, 2015).

Hawaii Blue Hands Yoga and Massage Retreat takes place from March 31 to April 5, 2015. Kalani offers lesbianspecific retreats during the year, as well as popular women’s retreats, such as the Pulse of the Radiant Feminine Heart and the Kalani Experience. Trans guests are welcome to participate in the year’s array of workshops and retreats, including men’s and women’s retreats. Other Kalani workshops focus on hula, Hawaiian 18 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

Over the Rainbow, Wales, UK

Finca la Maroma, in southern Spain’s Andalucia region, overlooks valleys of almond and olive trees. FINCALAMAROMA.COM

culture, massage and performing arts.

Harbin Hot Springs, Middletown, California More and more gay men (and a few gay women) are making for Middletown, just north of the Napa Valley, in Northern California, for the slew of workshops and retreats put on at Harbin Hot Springs. Popular with Bay Area naturists, Harbin has amazing massage and yoga offerings, plus beau-

tiful trails and an enticing selection of those eponymous hot springs. Yoga and meditation classes take place almost on the hour from 7am until 7pm daily, with added bonuses such as Reiki, belly dancing and weekend movies. Harbin is set on 2,000 hectares, and guests can choose to camp or to stay in tent cabins, dorms, private rooms or cottages.

Finca La Maroma, Spain In lovely Andalucia in southern Spain,

gay men’s guest house Finca La Maroma looks out over valleys of almond and olive trees just a few kilometres from the coast. It offers occasional yoga retreats, such as Exploring the Heart (held from May 3 to 8, 2015) and Rhythm and Flow (held from May 10 to 15, 2015), both naked men’s retreats. These book up quickly, so reserve your places early.

Guests can add a “chill-out weekend” before or after at a discounted room rate. In addition to yoga, the program

Over the Rainbow is a gorgeous restored Georgian mansion on seven hectares of woodland on Cardigan Bay, close to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the craggy and dramatic western coast of Wales. Castles, dolphin-spotting opportunities and quaint towns crammed with tearooms and antique shops abound in the immediate vicinity. This vegetarian, lesbian guesthouse is the site of several lesbian yoga retreats during the year, run by Jenny, one of the founders of the UK’s Inner Yoga.

Read this story on dailyxtra.com for live links to many of the retreats mentioned.

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Proceeds from the event’s grand finale will benefit the Huntington Society of Canada, a cause that is close to Fuller’s heart.

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The Diorama Party goes out with a bang But not before raising a bunch more money E20 Editorial Trinity Western heroes and villains By Robin Perelle E 4 Feedback E 4 Xcetera E 5

Upfront BC won’t change policies for LGBT seniors Ministry says recommendations would violate human rights E 7 Cover story Heroes and villains of 2014 From Trinity Western University to Laverne Cox, the newsmakers who shaped our year E 8 BC revokes TWU approval Gay student thanks government for listening to concerns E 11

on dailyxtra.com

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Comment

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As long as the covenant stands, I salute the thousands of lawyers and law students across the country who have stepped forward to vociferously oppose a school they consider discriminatory. and lesbians becoming lawyers and judges. A crucial part of democratic life is the openness of the profession.”

If a crucial part of democracy is our equal access to the law and those who practise it and judge its application, I still support the idea of a Christian law school, particularly as courts continue to struggle to balance gay rights and religious freedoms. It’s Trinity Western’s covenant that’s the sticking point.

“I support freedom of religion,” lesbian lawyer barbara findlay told a special meeting of members of the BC law society who convened in June to challenge the society’s initial approval of the law school. “You have every right to believe I am a sinner,” she said, “but when your religious belief turns into action that discriminates against me, that’s when you cross the line.”

What’s at stake, Trinity Western president Bob Kuhn replied, is the right to hold an opposing view, “as unpopular as that might be.”

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

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

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I’m inclined to agree with Kuhn every time I reread this exchange — until I remember the covenant. I’m willing to wrestle with opposing views and even to debate them in court no matter how high the stakes may be. So why isn’t Kuhn willing to drop his covenant? If he’s so willing to engage opposing views, why limit the views admitted to his school? Why explicitly reject the views most likely to oppose his own?

As long as the covenant stands, I salute the thousands of lawyers and law students across the country who have stepped forward to vociferously oppose a school they consider discriminatory.

Allies and queer people alike, they are holding their profession to account, convincing their peers and demanding better decisions when law societies and the government accept a school they believe will diminish the law and the people who practise it.

Does that make the Christian university the villain in this story? Only so long as it clings to its unnecessary and discriminatory covenant.

Robin Perelle is the managing editor of Xtra Vancouver.

#555 DEC 4–17, 2014

sex, lies,

Thank you, Mr Burtch, for your very wise and provocative piece (“Anger on World AIDS Day,” dailyxtra.com, Dec 2). However, this article may give the impression to the uninitiated that this type of anger is an older generation’s deal . . . something that victims and patients and caregivers and activists only expressed in the 1980s and ’90s (and, like you pointed out, seem almost quaintly historical in light of all the movies and telefilms and documentaries that have been recently produced).

As destructive as a steady diet of anger can be, it does have its upside. As recently as 2010, I watched the great love of my life — in the miserable throes of life-ending HIV-related illnesses — attempt to find his inner peace while ensconced in a barbaric acute-care ward located in a major, supposedly modern, 21st-century hospital in downtown Toronto; attended by harried, inexperienced physicians sorely lacking in comforting bedside manner; forced to eat food that was indigestible to him, and manhandled by some nurses who treated him like an annoyance, like a sack of potatoes. It was anger on my part, and on his sister’s part, which protected him to a degree. And, like I said, this was not 20 or 30 years ago . . . this was in 2010. Fortunately, I was able to (with his permission) get him out of that snake-pit and into a warm, loving, compassionate bed at Casey House. (God bless Casey House.) He died there three days later . . . in peace, surrounded by love and care and quiet.

I’ve seen terrible things in my day; I’ve witnessed old friends and partners get treated abominably by communities and the medical profession (all in the 21st century). But I have never encountered such appalling circumstances as I witnessed and tirelessly notated and railed against as I did in 2010.

I guess my point here would be this: life can be better than ever before for HIV/AIDS patients nowadays, but complacency is a mighty dangerous thing.

Anger — and vigilance — are still required. For as long as even one patient continues to be treated like a leprous piece of shit, the war is far from over.

Again, thank you for your article.

I think there is an important message to take away from the studies of the LGBTQ community: stigma is alive and well in 2014 (“Sex, Lies and Statistics, Xtra #556, Dec 4).

While 11 percent of persons have experienced some same-sex attraction and fully 8.2 percent have engaged in same-sex behaviour, only 2.2 percent identify as gay and 1.1 percent as lesbian, according to researcher Gary Gates. Really?

Even more tellingly, of those who identify as lesbian or gay, why is it that only 10 percent of men aged 18 to 24 identify as gay, whereas 36 percent of men aged 35 to 44 identify as gay? In the UK this trend is reversed. There is no scientific reason why these types of differences exist. It is not as if people need to watch a certain number of Ellen episodes before some magical gay gene is activated.

Obviously, if 8.2 percent of people identify as engaging in same-sex behaviour, then the true statistics for the queer community are much higher. How many readers initially said they were bisexual when they first came out? A vibrant queer community is predicated, in part, on feeling safe enough to self-identify. Evidently, we have a long way to go.

MOONDOGGIE DAILYXTRA.COM

TOM MCKENNA EMAIL

@dailyxtra

and statistics

facebook.com/dailyxtra

When I first heard about Trinity Western University’s plan to open a Christian law school, I shrugged. Unlike lawyer Clayton Ruby, I was neither alarmed nor opposed.

Why shouldn’t a Christian university have the opportunity to form its own legion of lawyers, steeped in its own morals and values, to bring forward the Christian community’s best arguments in court? Our community has certainly benefited from the skills and sound arguments presented by our own corps of lawyers, who have ably defended our rights and advocated for our interests in courts across the country, incrementally turning the tide in our favour over the last few decades.

Arguably, our time had come, but it likely wouldn’t have come without the cogent representation of our community’s lawyers, who convinced courts at all levels that we deserve to be protected from discrimination, to have equal access to state-regulated benefits and to have our relationships legally recognized.

If we get to present our best arguments in court, why shouldn’t our opponents?

Because the school they propose to open won’t even allow openly gay students to enroll, Ruby says.

To attend Trinity Western, students must adhere to a covenant promising to uphold biblical Christian values and abstain from any sex that “violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.” Students who break the covenant risk being expelled.

“It’s immoral and unconscionable and we think unconstitutional,” Ruby told Xtra a year ago, before suing the BC government for approving the school (the government backed down Dec 11).

The covenant will create a “queer quota” on incoming law students by limiting the number of seats openly gay students in Canada could apply for, Ruby warned. “The door has moved a little more tightly closed against gays

World AIDS Day anger

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Thanks to the editors who gave Michael Burtch the guest spot. And thank you, Michael Burtch, for writing what I really needed to hear on World AIDS Day. Those of us who are still breathing and still angry often feel alone. But in many ways, big and small, some are still fighting. Clearly, you are among the warriors. Thank you.

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Grindr votes Hillary Clinton is Grindr users’ choice for the 2014 Ally of the Year.

Other notable mentions Enemy of the LGBT Community: Vladimir Putin Best Coming-Out Story & Best Song: Sam Smith, for “Stay with Me” Hottest Instagram Account: Nick Jonas Gay Icon of the Year: Neil Patrick Harris Biggest Loss of the Year: Robin Williams

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3,701 52% 48%

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Upfront

I have decided to revoke my approval of the proposed law school at Trinity Western University. Amrik Virk E11

BC won’t change policies for LGBT seniors Ministry says recommendations would violate human rights

As the population ages, there’s going to be more LGBTQ people that need to be supported so they can live how they choose to live.

SENIORS SHAUNA LEWIS

A care facility in Vancouver’s West End is attempting to implement recommendations from a three-month-old report on providing better care for LGBT seniors. But neither the provincial government nor its local health authority will mandate all facilities and intake workers to follow suit.

Released Sept 22, the “Aging Out” report from BC’s Qmunity queer resource centre recommends that all intake workers be trained to ask seniors about their sexual orientation and gender identity so they can place them in more welcoming facilities. It also recommends that LGBT seniors get more than the usual 48 hours to ensure that any bed offered to them is in a facility where staff have been trained to meet their needs.

Focus-group participants told the “Aging Out” researchers that they would be willing to answer appropriately posed questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in order to ensure they’re placed in care homes better equipped to serve them.

Since the report’s release, Catherine Kohm, director of Haro Park Centre, which provides independent housing, assisted living and residential care for seniors in the West End, says her staff have participated in a sensitivity-training seminar, where one staff member even came out to fellow co-workers. “The report has highlighted the attention on the LGBTQ community and some of the extra challenges that they face going into a care facility,” she says.

In April, prior to the report’s publication, Kohm told Xtra that Haro Park staff already attended workshops on how to better meet the needs of LGBT seniors. Of the approximately 150 seniors in residential care at Haro Park, Kohm estimates that about a dozen are openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Mae Quon-Forsythe, manager of residential care for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA), which collaborated with Qmunity on the research, welcomes the report and the information it offers care providers. “As the population ages there’s going to be more LGBTQ people that MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

— MAE QUON-FORSYTHE, VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY

Catherine Kohm, director of Haro Park Centre for seniors in the West End, says Qmunity’s September report highlighted “some of the extra challenges [LGBT seniors] face going into a care facility.” So why won’t the government implement its recommendations? SHAUNA LEWIS

need to be supported so they can live how they choose to live,” she says.

But VCHA won’t order facilities to train their staff. “We don’t mandate education; we promote it,” Quon-Forsythe says. “It’s really up to the [LGBT] community to get that lobbying done,” she adds.

The report recommends amending provincial intake forms so data regarding sexual orientation and gender identity can be recorded and used for better residential placement. But a spokesperson

for the Ministry of Health says intake workers can’t ask those questions.

“Patients are welcome to express their preference for facilities and factors they would like considered for their placement,” Stephen May says.

“This may include their sexual preference if they volunteer that information. However, asking for it is a violation of human rights, and intake forms cannot be amended to require this information.”

The report also recommends that LGBT seniors

be given more than the standard 48 hours to assess the first bed they’re offered in care so they can assess whether staff in the facility are sufficiently trained on gay issues. But May says two days are generally considered adequate to assess a facility.

“Every effort is made to consider each patient’s needs and preferences when health authorities offer a placement to patients,” he says. “In most cases, 48 hours is an appropriate amount of time to make a decision. If the health authority feels that the patient needs more time to assess the fit of this facility for them, they have the authority to make provisions in certain cases to extend the 48-hour First Available Bed policy timeline considered for their placement.”

May directed Xtra to BC’s Residents’ Bill of Rights for adults living in residential care. The document outlines the importance of freedom of culture, religion and spirituality but doesn’t mention sexual orientation.

Qmunity executive director Dara Parker says caregivers at several facilities approached by the researchers denied having any LGBT seniors in residence. Many make the mistake of “assuming falsely that everyone is straight,” she says.

“Relocating to a residential care facility is tough on all seniors, but for many queer seniors, the transition can be closeting,” Kohm says. “When you’ve been out for 30 or 40 years and you come into a facility and you’re living with people you don’t know, you’re bound to meet someone who’s not going to be as open or accepting. We can’t force everybody to be open and accepting, but at least we can talk about it.”

Parker hopes Qmunity’s “Aging Out” report will help move the conversation forward. “We believe that by increasing visibility of the issue, folks will start to pay attention and, hopefully, start a dialogue around what can be done for seniors and where we can get support,” she says.

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 7

COVER STORY

Heroes & villains of #HEROES

#VILLAIN

Slippery Bill Whatcott With his bright pink hair, cheerful hugs and revealing short-shorts, evangelical activist Bill Whatcott slipped into Vancouver’s Pride parade this year with the fictitious Calgary Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to hand out anti-gay leaflets disguised as condoms. “I made this Pride parade way more diverse,” he later told Xtra. “It’s not all leather men and naked dudes. Now it includes Christian people with diverse messages on homosexuality. True diversity.” Maybe next year he’ll hand out real condoms and cheerfully partake in the diversity of their enjoyment.

#HERO

The lawyers and law students who challenged TWU With its contentious law school and even more contentious covenant banning gay and premarital sex, Trinity Western University (TWU) moved thousands of lawyers and law students across Canada to stand up for their convictions and wade into the battle between gay rights and religious freedom.

The heroes: The lawyers and law students who objected to the Christian university’s plan to open a law school whose admission policies they consider discriminatory (and whose future instruction they consider suspect).

Not only did the lawyers and law students vigorously oppose TWU’s plan, they also held their own professional associations to account. When the Law Society of British Columbia agreed to admit TWU’s future graduates, many of its members demanded a new vote. When the directors refused, more than 4,000 lawyers held a historic special general meeting in June to force a new decision. The law society rescinded its approval on Oct 31.

Like BC, New Brunswick’s law society initially approved the school but is now reconsidering under pressure from its members. Manitoba and Newfoundland are waiting to see what the rest of the country decides, Nunavut is still thinking about it, Alberta is awaiting judicial review, Canada’s umbrella Federation of Law Societies approved the school, and Ontario and Nova Scotia rejected it, though the latter offered to reconsider if TWU amends its covenant.

TWU is now suing the law societies of Ontario and Nova Scotia (whose hearing begins as Xtra goes to press), while a gay plaintiff’s lawsuit against the BC government likely contributed to the ministry’s decision to revoke its approval for the school on Dec 11.

Not to be forgotten: the Christian university that arguably just wants to train its own corps of lawyers steeped in the morals that it holds dear. Does that make Trinity Western the villain in this story?

Would-be politician Trish Kelly When Trish Kelly’s run for a seat on the Vancouver park board was unexpectedly cut short this summer, she could have quietly slunk away. But she did nothing of the sort. Outspoken yet diplomatic, she questioned Vision Vancouver’s decision to cut her from the ballot and argued persuasively that sex-positive art and activism should be supported, not shunned. Thumbs up to Kelly and her courage; thumbs down to Vision for its reluctance to stand up for her speech in a sexually immature society that might have been ready for some growth.

TWU PROTEST: DAILY XTRA VIDEO; TRISH KELLY: BELLE ANCELL

8 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

2014

From Trinity Western to Trish Kelly, from Kathleen Wynne to Michael Sam, here’s a look back at some of the newsmakers who shaped our year.

ROBIN PERELLE WITH JP LAROCQUE

#HEROES

Vision’s school and park board policymakers Holding majorities on both the Vancouver school and park boards, Vision Vancouver trustees and commissioners seized the opportunity to lead both boards to pass groundbreaking policies in 2014, making schools and public spaces such as parks, pools and recreation centres more welcoming to trans people. The park board unanimously accepted the 77 recommendations of its Trans and Gender-Variant Working Group in April, while the school board stood firm in June on its support for trans students, despite an unexpected swell of opposition from “concerned parents.”

#HEROES

#VILLAINS

Proud Ontarians In the span of one impressive month, Ontarians elected Canada’s first openly gay provincial premier, Kathleen Wynne, and Torontonians opened their arms to warmly welcome queer people from around the world for WorldPride. June will be remembered for its groundbreaking election, its incredibly long Pride parade (clocking in at nearly six hours in the heat), its WorldPride Human Rights Conference and all the other Pride parties and events that, for once, really did make Toronto the centre of the queer universe — at least for a few weeks.

#VILLAINS

#HEROES

Uganda’s president and anti-gay MPs The Fords and Ford Nation Fallen heroes: in memoriam In some ways this was a sad and difficult year for our Vancouver community, as we lost several pioneering heroes, including drag court founder and gay rights activist ted northe and the inimitable Jim Deva, who fought for the freedom to tell our stories uncensored and without shame and who mentored so many of us along the way.

JIM DEVA: DAVID ELLINGSEN; TED NORTHE: THE EMPRESS OF CANADA FOUNDATION; KATHLEEN WYNNE AT WORLDPRIDE: ADAM COISH; THE FORDS: SISSYDUDE; UGANDAN PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI: RUSSELL WATKINS/DEPT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

The end of an error, as it were. With the Ford brothers finally out of the mayor’s office in Toronto and the city regaining a comparative sense of normalcy under the Tory administration, it would be easy to write off the last four years of drug videos and drunken stupors as a collective bad dream. But the Fords did tremendous damage to Toronto’s civic character, cracking open the veneer of acceptance that had been fostered for decades to reveal a hotbed of intolerance, resentment and division. Even politically neutered, the Ford family remains a potent symbol of a portion of the city that isn’t interested in accepting the LGBT community.

When the Anti-Homosexuality Act, signed into law in February by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was struck down by the country’s Constitutional Court in August, gay Ugandans and their allies both local and around the world rejoiced. Victory, right? Not quite. The court nullified the bill based on a procedural point about insufficient quorum. In refusing to comment on the actual content of the bill, the court left open the option for another anti-gay bill to surface, and one now has — a harsher bill that seeks to punish not only homosexuals, but landlords of gay tenants and LGBT civil rights groups. One step forward, two giant leaps back.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 9

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

#HEROES

#HERO

The talented Michael Sam When Michael Sam was drafted by the National Football League, he made history as the first openly gay athlete to potentially play in the league. That he still hasn’t been given his chance to shine speaks to the league’s ongoing discomfort with gay athletes. Both the St Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys cut him from their rosters, but Sam, seemingly undaunted and upbeat, still wants to play. And the genuine kiss of pure joy that he shared with his boyfriend on prime-time TV immediately following his draft by the Rams on May 10? That should top the sports highlights reels for years to come.

#HERO

Gay-for-pay corporations Starbucks has drag queens, Burger King celebrates gay families, and Kellogg’s makes Tony the Tiger wear rainbowcoloured stripes. This year marked a new high for corporations going to bat for the LGBT community, ignoring various calls for boycotts and religious backlash and bravely marketing to our demographic. Congrats, everyone! Our copious amounts of disposable income are finally being acknowledged by capitalism. Freedom comes with a gift card and a delicious Mushroom Swiss Bacon Whopper.

#HEROES

#VILLAIN

BioWare’s groundbreaking Dragon Age: Inquisition The transcendent Laverne Cox From her Emmy-nominated performance on the Netflix super-hit Orange Is the New Black to her history-making Time magazine cover, Laverne Cox has made a name for herself as an outspoken advocate for trans issues, deftly educating hosts like Katie Couric and Gayle King on trans etiquette in interviews, speaking up for trans woman CeCe McDonald’s need to use deadly force against her vicious attackers, and being heralded as Glamour’s 2014 Woman of the Year.

Video-game developer BioWare is used to courting controversy, and company spokespeople have given countless interviews describing their commitment to creating rich, entertaining games populated by diverse casts of straight, gay and bisexual characters. And with Dragon Age: Inquisition, the company went even further, creating its first trans character, a second-in-command named Krem who has been heralded as a huge step forward in gaming representation.

Crazy Pastor Manning The passing of Reverend Fred Phelps left a career opening for crazy religious bigots everywhere, and so we now have Pastor James David Manning of Harlem advocating stoning homosexuals to hell, accusing President Obama of destroying the black community, and accusing Starbucks of flavouring its coffee with the “semen of sodomites.” Well, I guess that explains the drag queens.

MICHAEL SAM: YOUTUBE; PASTOR JAMES DAVID MANNING: YOUTUBE

10 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

BC revokes TWU approval Gay student thanks government for listening to concerns EDUCATION JEREMY HAINSWORTH

After weeks of publicly wavering on its initial approval of Trinity Western University’s (TWU) proposed law school, the BC government revoked its approval Dec 11.

Minister of Advanced Education Amrik Virk cites the “uncertainty” created by the Law Society of BC’s decision to revoke its own approval for the school on Oct 31. “The current uncertainty

over the status of the regulatory body approval means prospective graduates may not be able to be called to the bar, or practise law, in British Columbia,” Virk said in a statement. “This is a significant change to the context in which I made my original decision.

“Based on the current situation, I have decided to revoke my approval of the proposed law school at Trinity Western University,” he said. “This means the university cannot enroll any students in its proposed program.”

Shaken not stirred Is a straight man still an ally if he doesn’t like kissing men?

ASK THE EXPERT DR PEGA REN

Dear Dr Ren, I had an experience recently that has me shaken. I have never considered myself homophobic. I have friends all over the spectrum. I really think about gender issues. Hell, I’m an ally!

So when I was asked to play a gay character in a community theatre play, I didn’t think twice. But during a kiss in the performance, I had a very negative reaction. It felt wrong! I hid my anxiety, but I haven’t been able to shake my distress.

I thought I had this stuff figured out.

Am I just as much of an ass as the folks I’ve been mocking all these years?

Straight and maybe still narrow Dear Straight, et cetera, Ah, yes, you have encountered the distinction between intellectual enlightenment and gut-level wisdom.

Before beating yourself up too badly, understand that what you have experienced is just another step in the coming-out process — of appreciating the many layers of bias we learn about those who are “other.”

If we grow up in a multicultural, inclusive environment, we tend to be more accepting of differences, and the opposite is generally true. Our opinions are moulded by our cultural messages. Sounds like you had that part pretty much figured out. And for MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

that you deserve kudos.

What you ran into with your manto-man kiss struck a different, deeper chord. As a straight man, you are sexually attracted to those of the opposite gender. Kissing those people feels right. You undoubtedly have parameters within that category. For you to feel attraction, you may require the women to be peer-aged (or not), taller than you (or not), of a certain race (or not), et cetera, et cetera. Those you meet who fall outside your preferred

The government was scheduled to appear in court Dec 1 to begin hearings in a case brought by Trevor Loke, a prospective law student who is suing the Ministry of Advanced Education for its approval of a school that he argues would be discriminatory in its admissions policy. Virk sought an open-ended adjournment in the case, but the court refused, instead giving him until Jan 5 to decide whether to reverse his approval of the law school.

Virk acknowledged to Xtra Dec 1 that he requested the adjournment because he was “reconsidering” his decision on TWU. Loke’s lawyer, Clayton Ruby, tells Xtra the minister’s decision to

withdraw his approval “makes sense.”

“He made a mistake. Why should he be pilloried for it? He wants out,” Ruby says.

However, Ruby is not convinced that the BC law society’s recent decision to rescind its approval is the real reason for Virk’s reversal. It’s just an excuse to get out of an unconstitutional situation, Ruby suggests. Either way, he says, “it’s a great day for justice.”

TWU president Bob Kuhn is disappointed with Virk’s decision. “It is difficult to conceive of a justifiable basis for the minister to have revoked his approval of the school of law program,” Kuhn said in a Dec 11 statement. “As a private Christian University, Trinity Western has demonstrated its place in Canada’s academic community, delivering some of Canada’s highest ranked professional programs. We believe in diversity and the rights of all

Canadians to their beliefs and values.”

Kuhn says Virk had been under pressure to revoke his consent since Oct 31, when the BC law society reversed its decision.

Loke tells Xtra he’s thankful that Virk has listened to the lawyers of British Columbia and to the law societies who opposed his original decision.

“It should be the right of all Canadians to have equal access to law school based on educational merit, and today’s decision by the minister shifts the government’s position to the position we have taken,” Loke says. “We feel vindicated and thankful that the fight of so many people across Canada has been heard.”

“I now hope that Trinity Western University can look within itself to remove their covenant and welcome all students to learn within its halls,” Loke adds.

exciting and perplexing. It may have propelled you to reexamine your sexual identity, and that would have been all right, too. We come to our realizations in all sorts of manners and junctures in our lives.

Let me address a related matter. You were sufficiently distressed about what you saw as your potential “enlightenment failure” to pen this letter. Are you always so hard on yourself? Many straight men never consider what it means to be an ally, whereas you beat yourself up for possibly losing the title.

Please understand that allies are appreciated and treasured. Give yourself the credit you deserve.

You may also come to find some feelings you have not yet uncovered.

I’m not trying to insinuate anything that isn’t there, but your reaction to the kiss may signal more conflict about your sexual identity than you acknowl-

Many straight men never consider what it means to be an ally, whereas you beat yourself up for possibly losing the title. criteria won’t be attractive to you, and kissing them will feel awkward, too.

In other words, you will be uncomfortable kissing anyone to whom you do not feel some sort of sexual attraction. Sensible. It doesn’t follow, however, that because you don’t feel rapturous lip-locked with someone that you hold them in any sort of contempt.

If anything, perhaps this experience serves to reconfirm what you already knew: that you are straight. It does not make you narrow.

What might have happened, in contrast, is that you could have experienced a kind of “sexual awakening” and discovered that your theatrical kiss felt

edge yet. That’s all right, too. Acquiring knowledge about how we are our best sexual selves takes time.

It may be helpful for you to relax about this whole question for a while.

Sit with it loosely. Examine it again periodically. Notice if and how your attraction to men and women changes. Though men’s identifications are commonly consistent, we are flexible creatures. You may find your tastes are more inclusive than you thought.

Regardless, you sound like a thoughtful, insightful person. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.

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

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 11

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VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

OutintheCity

We live in a time of amnesia where the ability to understand our history and compare it to the present is at risk. Don Larventz E14

“I don’t want to be a total queen, but at the same time I don’t want to be afraid of being flamboyant or getting into the part,” says Seth Little, who plays Oscar Wilde in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily. JUAN I GUGLIERI

Holmes & Watson meet Oscar Wilde Play blends real and fictional characters to help the Jersey Lily ONSTAGE PAT JOHNSON

Since Arthur Conan Doyle invented Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in 1886, other writers have run with the characters, creating their own mysteries to be solved by the deductive duo. Seattle actor and playwright Katie Forgette has mashed up the fictional Holmes and Watson with fictionalized versions of the very real Oscar Wilde and Lillie Langtry. The result — Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, a comic mystery — opens in Vancouver on Dec 28.

Director William B Davis (best known as The Smoking Man on The X-Files) says the inclusion of real people alongside fictional characters presents challenges but perhaps none so great as capturing Holmes and Watson themMORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

selves. Historical figures need to be approached in ways that respect the facts, he explains, but audience expectations around authentically portraying Holmes and Watson can be equally or even more daunting.

The play owes much of its levity to its fictional portrayal of Wilde, who, in real life, was responsible for many of the greatest things ever said. Wilde is probably on more “living or dead dinner guest” lists than anyone, so writing him into a contemporary play is a good bet.

Langtry, played by two-time Jessie nominee Corina Akeson, may not resonate with modern audiences the way her friend Wilde does, but she was a sparkplug in her day, known as the Jersey Lily, for the Channel Island where she was born. An actress who made men (and some women) swoon, this play supposes

she is being blackmailed over purloined love letters to a certain royal.

The intrigue is byzantine, with a bit of genderbending of the sort the British stage has featured at least since Shakespeare’s time.

“When I sat down to think about writing a Sherlock Holmes, I wanted to do something different,” Forgette says. “I’d always been a big fan of Oscar Wilde, and when I discovered Lillie Langtry — she’s also a stunning character — and the fact that they were friends, I thought, ‘Holy cow.’ She lived her life kind of like she was a guy — so really attractive to women who are independent.”

Having experienced the theatre’s deficiency of good roles for women, Forgette tries to write plays that are more 50/50, she says. In this case, the gender balance isn’t quite there, but the women in the play are forces of nature.

“I wanted to at least come up with two really strong women’s roles that are not damsels in distress but who have large appetites,” she says. “And who might be

on occasion venal and make the unlady- but at the same time I don’t want to be like choice, you might say.” afraid of being flamboyant or getting The Vancouver production is by The- into the part,” he says. “It’s just being ater Crossing, whose founder, Brent able to find the happy marriage. I’m tryFidler, plays Holmes. “I’ve been looking ing to be seriously unserious, I guess.” to produce a Sherlock for a long time, As Wilde, Little gets all the play’s but most of the pieces Conan Doyle best laughs. “All his lines in the play are wrote were kind of dated parlour-room absolutely outrageous,” he says. “Even [dramas]. They just didn’t really hold with a gun to his head he’s saying, ‘The up for a modern audience,” Fidler says. tension is so horrible, I hope it lasts.’

Forgette’s script stays true to the That’s his coping mechanism, I think. cadence of the time but seems paced for He’s always apparently flippant.”

21st-century attention Bissett has given spans, with a few castthought to the reSHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE ing twists. Watson, one lationship between JERSEY LILY of literature’s more Holmes and Watson, Sun, Dec 28–Sat, Jan 10 Jericho Arts Centre notorious ladies’ men, one of the written 1675 Discovery St is played by openly gay word’s most famous jerichoartscentre.com actor Tim Bissett. Apmale twosomes. propriately enough, “My feeling about Wilde is also played by a gay actor, Seth their relationship is that it’s a very deep Little, who was thrown into the role just relationship, a very personal one, that weeks before curtain after two previous they’re great kindred spirits in many Wildes left the cast. Playing the notori- ways and great fans of each other,” he ous and notoriously witty Wilde is a says. “That’s one thing I really love balancing act, Little says. about those characters. I think they are “I don’t want to be a total queen, an iconic example of male bonding.”

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 13

Saving Gayblevision VIVO Media Arts fundraising to digitize gay archive HISTORY MARK ROBINS

A piece of Vancouver history is at risk of being lost forever if VIVO Media Arts can’t raise enough money to preserve Gayblevision, considered by many to be Canada’s first gay and lesbian television show.

The half-hour news and variety program aired on the now-defunct West End Cable 10 station from the late 1970s until the mid-1980s, after the CRTC first ordered cable companies to open up their local studios to community groups.

And while we may take for granted today that we have a nationally broadcast television channel focused solely on the LGBT community, Gayblevision came at a time when homosexuality had only recently been legalized and gay rights were still in their infancy.

From footage of Vancouver’s first

Pride parade to interviews with politicians, activists and prominent authors such as Jane Rule and Tennessee Williams, the Gayblevision tapes capture slices of our history well worth preserving. The tapes were donated to VIVO Media Arts by the late Mary Anne McEwen, one of the show’s original producers.

“The media was doing negative stuff on gay people, and we just wanted more positive stuff,” McEwen told Xtra in 2010, a year before she died.

Consisting of approximately 41 episodes, as well as a number of additional tapes that are thought to include civic elections and specials on the AIDS crisis, the tapes’ specific content can be revealed only through the preservation process.

“When we start working on a collection like this, we start to connect with the players that are still around and do

Gayblevision producers (clockwise from top left) Don Durrell, Barry Spillman, Mary Anne McEwen, Greg Cutts and Don Larventz. COURTESY OF VIVO MEDIA ARTS

video interviews so we can assemble a history,” says Karen Knights, VIVO’s director of development. “None of the tapes has been fully catalogued yet.”

One of those original players is Don Larventz, who worked on Gayblevision in its early years. For Larventz, who only just discovered that the tapes had survived, it is about preserving a rich history of media activism.

“We’re in danger of losing our history,” Larventz says. “We live in a time of amnesia where the ability to understand our history and compare it to the present is at risk.”

VIVO staff share his concern and add an extra note of urgency: the original videotapes are quickly deteriorating.

“These tapes are now 30 to 35 years old and are essentially at end-of-life,” Knights says. “We are pushing to digitize essential collections from the pre-’90s era before we lose them forever.”

While a number of the original Gayblevision tapes have been made available for viewing through the VIVO library, the intent is to eventually offer the entire collection online.

Preserving and digitizing the tapes is expected to cost $12,000.

VIVO is accepting donations online (vivomediaarts.com/gayblevision), where you can also view three clips from the show.

Diorama concludes in style Fuller & co send fundraiser off with bold farewell BLITZ & SHITZ

RAZIEL REID

If you’re going to say goodbye, say it with gingerbread cookies in a sex swing.

Legendary Little Sister’s book nerd Janine Fuller made Diorama’s 25th and final year a bold farewell.

In previous years, the Diorama fundraiser helped with legal costs during the court case brought by Little Sister’s against the Canada Border Services Agency. This year, the cause was equally close to Fuller’s heart, as proceeds benefited the Huntington Society of Canada.

Huntington disease runs in Fuller’s family. Her twin brother is a sufferer, and in an open letter posted on the Diorama website and on dailyxtra.com, Fuller has come out as positive herself.

“The time has also come to raise money for a disease that too few people know about but one that has made every part of who I am,” Fuller writes. “It is time for me to step forward into the spotlight of Huntington’s disease and I do that with a great sense of reverence and pride 14 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

and for those with HD in the world and especially for my twin brother Joel.”

The dioramas were nostalgic at this year’s event. The late Jim Deva, cofounder of Little Sister’s, featured heavily amidst the classic and not-so-classic Christmas scenes — I wasn’t joking about that gingerbread cookie in a sex sling. He totally had a lineup — his balls and erect cock were made of candy!

Barb Snelgrove hosted and didn’t fail to deliver on the teabagging Santa jokes.

The huge cast included performers Bill Monroe, Andrew Alcalde, Austin Reid, Buster Cherry, Carlotta Gurl, Coco, Conni Smudge, Edward, Iona Whipp, Jenny Magenta, Luke Wolf, Mandy Kamp, Martina Griffiths, Owen, Princess Sparkleberry, Raye Sunshine, Symone Says, Vera Way, Vivian Von Brokenhymen and Willie Spanker.

There were so many performers that it took me a while to track down Fuller for a photo; she was busy tipping everyone who took the stage.

Bill Monroe is so regal. I get chills whenever I see him perform. He is raw and easy. Ha! I meant that in a non-

sexual way, I swear. When Monroe’s number ended, the person sitting next to me said he’s been watching Monroe perform since the early 1980s. Monroe wasn’t the only Vancouver legend in the room. It was a turnout worthy of the Celebrities name.

The show was filled with more holiday cheer than I got at the door. I forgot my ID and was treated like a terrorist by the bouncers, so naturally I transformed into Miranda Priestly. But it was actually grande dame Fuller who came outside to my rescue. The bouncers buckled like the Border Services Agency and let me in. Girl’s still got it.

A few nights earlier I was at 1181, and I met this sexy French boy who was James Franco’s doppelgänger. Within a few minutes of meeting he was showing me his dick pics. I thought he was into me, but I couldn’t be quite sure. In the gay community, it sometimes feels like showing dick pics is a way to break the ice with a stranger. Dick pics are the new small talk!

It was perfect. Eight inches and uncut. I fell instantly in love.

Raziel and Janine Fuller, the grande dame of Little Sister’s and co-creator of the Diorama Party. TALLULAH

But I had some competition. We connected initially because I was at 1181 with my straight girlfriend and future mother of my beautiful blond babies, and he was there with his straight girlfriend and future mother of his Franco babies.

When he started groping me, I still wasn’t sure if he was interested. I spend a lot of time around drag queens. But then we made out, and once someone’s tongue is in my mouth I usually have them figured out. Their dick? Still iffy.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t want

it. We went to the bathroom together, and, forgetting I wasn’t in East Van, I got on my knees.

Within minutes we were interrupted by his girlfriend banging on the door like a maniac and screaming in French.

I had stolen her man and paid for it with a glass of chardonnay to my face.

Two lessons learned: never get between a woman and her well-hung babies, and stick to doing just drugs in bar bathrooms.

One must be dignified.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

WHAT'S ON

Bingo for Life Christmas Eve This weekly extravaganza is filled with brilliant prizes, cheap drinks and snappy drag queens.

8–10:30pm. Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. $10 donation at door for bingo cards. celebritiesnightclub.com

FOR MORE LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM

Thurs, Dec 18

Andrew Christian Underwear Andrew Christian models Cory Zwierzynski and Topher DiMaggio walk the runway in part two of this fashion show presented by TFD and Celebrities. 10pm–3am.

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

Fri, Dec 19 AJ’s Café Join other HIV-positive gay men every Friday for this free group sponsored by Positive Living BC. 3–6pm. The Junction Pub, 1138 Davie St. positivelivingbc.org Temporal Corporeal III: The Third Matt Troy’s Tattoo Pop-Up party is back to adorn your flesh. Guns $60– 120, pokes $40–60, plus karaoke.

4–11pm. Vancouver Arts & Leisure Gallery, 35 East 3rd. facebook.com/ matttroy.net Showgurlzz Celebrate the holiday season with some Christmas cosplay. Doors 8pm, show 9–11:30pm. The Rio Theatre, 1660 E Broadway. $10 advance; $12 door, $10 in costume. riotheatretickets.ca Flashback Enjoy nostalgic videos from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

9–11pm. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Meatrack Junita Werk hosts, with DJs Ammonia Moss and Maxwell Maxwell. 11pm–2am.

Heaven’s Door, 1216

Fri, Dec 26

Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents

Sat, Dec 20 Not So Strictly Ballroom Holiday Dance Party Celebrate the holidays with Vancouver’s same-sex ballroom dance group.

Newcomers are always welcome; no partner required. 8–11:30pm.

Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville St, 2nd floor. $12–15, sliding scale, at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or notsostrictlyballroom.ca.

The Junk Yard A no-holes-barred sex party on the first, second and third Saturday of the month. 8pm– 3am. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $10; two for one before midnight. 8x6.ca Monroe: Holiday Roulette The game is simple: each queen brings a song, but the performance is chosen at random by host Kristina Cash. 9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. $5, with partial proceeds benefiting the Dogwood Monarchist Society. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Ho Ho Ho DJ Del Stamp helps you find out what Santa really has in his bag. 10pm–4am. Steamworks Baths, 123 W Pender St. $6 and up; more for a locker. steamworksbaths. com/vancouver Joy Big Roger presents Alain Jackinsky and DJ Quest for a pre– Whistler Pride and Ski Festival celebration. 10pm–3am. Club 560, 560 Seymour St. $15 advance, $25 regular at ticketzone.com and bigrogerevents.com.

THINKSTOCK

Wed, Dec 24

Bingo for Life — Celebrities, Wed, Dec 24 THINKSTOCK

Sun, Dec 21 Queer Men’s Book Club This trans-inclusive book club for gay, bisexual and queer men meets the third Sunday of each month.

5–6:30pm. Qmunity’s Generations office, 610–1033 Davie St. Free. To register call 604-684-5307 or email mensbookclub@qmunity.ca.

Caliente Nights The Junction’s Latin beats night presents its Feliz Navidad show, featuring Miss Funtasy, Rebecca Wolf and CashaOnly. 9pm. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. $5. junctionpub.com

Mon, Dec 22 Naked Yoga Nude Dude Yoga hosts a weekly class to help men develop greater body awareness.

7:30–9pm. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $15 per class. Also runs Saturdays 10–11:30am. 8x6.ca Hominum This group for gay, bisexual and questioning men dealing with the challenges of marriage, separation or single life meets every Monday in locations around the Lower Mainland. 7:30– 9:30pm. For meeting places and to register, go to hominum.ca.

Queer Prov A little improv comedy to start your week off right.

8–9:30pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. 1181.ca

Cubshack DJ Sollors spins a little something new for all you cubs, bears, bear-chasers and hairless ursine admirers.

9pm–2am. Heaven’s Door, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/ heavensdoorevents Hershe Bar DJ Miss M spins a mix of house and hip-hop anthems at this popular lesbian party. 10pm– 2am. Bar None, 1222 Hamilton St. $12 early bird, $15 advance at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or flygirlproductions.com.

Backdoor Matt Troy promises a sexy party for Boxing Day. 10pm.

Vancouver Arts & Leisure Gallery, 35 E 3rd. $5. facebook.com/ matttroy.net

Sat, Dec 27 Bears, the Baths and Beyond Steamworks hosts an afternoon for bears the fourth Saturday of every month. 1–6pm. Steamworks, 123 W Pender St. Membership and rental rates start at $6. steamworksonline. com/vancouver Madhaus DJs Pandemonium, Evilyn13, Taffi Louis and Abasi host a monthly alternative black-light party. 9pm. Hindenburg, 23 W Cordova St. $6 before 10pm, $8 after. facebook.com/taffilouis

Sun, Dec 28 The Teabag Sessions DJ Taffi Louis brings you a weekly tea-dance in Gastown. 4–8pm. 303 Columbia, 303 Columbia St. No cover.

303columbia.ca

NEW YEAR'S EVE EVENTS Divas Through the Decades Sing along to the best lady jams of all time, with music by the Underneath the Harlem Moon band, featuring vocals

by Krystle Dos Santos, Keisha Haines, Tonye Aganaba and more. 7pm. Guilt & Company, 1 Alexander St (downstairs). $30, $45 VIP. guiltandcompany.com Numbers New Year’s Eve Party favours, hors d’oeuvres, champagne at midnight and lots of men to kiss when the clock rings in the new year. 8pm. Numbers, 1042 Davie St. Cover TBA at door. numbers.ca Man Up: New Year’s Eve Ball A special edition of the popular drag-king party, featuring three shows, two dance rooms, a blackjack table (with drag king dealer), queer Chippendale go-go dancers and entertainers roaming in character throughout the night.

8pm–4am. Emerald Supper Club, 555 Gore St. $25 at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or brownpapertickets.com. facebook.com/manupvancouver Naked Heaven Ring in the new year with the PacificCanadian Association of Nudists. 8pm–1am. Club 8x6, 1775 Haro St. $15 door, $10 for members. p-can.org Vancouver Outdoor Women’s Club NYE Celebrate New

Model Cory Zwierzynski — Celebrities, Thurs, Dec 18 ANDREWCHRISTIAN.COM

MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

Year’s Eve with this primarily lesbian group of outdoor enthusiasts. 8:30pm. Ukrainian Hall, 805 E Pender St. $30 at Sophie’s Pet Palace, 1280 Commercial Dr. groupspaces. com/outdoorwomen

Wallflower Ball The Cobalt hosts an optional dress-up party, featuring Tragic Kingdoms (No Doubt tribute band) and The Nevermores (a Halloween mashup band).

9pm. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $10 advance at brownpapertickets.com or thecobalt.ca.

Confessions on the Dancefloor Party Martyr Productions presents a queer NYE confessions party. 10pm.

Red Gate Arts Society, 855 E Hastings St. $10 before midnight, $15–20 sliding scale after, cash only. facebook. com/partymartyrproductions A Very Rent Cheque Amateur Strip Nudity, mayhem, live music, comedy and more. All bodies and genders welcome.

10pm–4am. The Astoria, 769 E Hastings St. $10 advance at eventbrite.ca, $15 door.

PLUR PLUR productions and Sin City present a sex-positive, kinky play party for everyone: straight, gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, swingers, leather, BDSM, et cetera. 2am–7am.

8x6, 1775 Haro St. $30 at eventbrite.ca. sincityfetishnight.com/events/nye

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

Deadline for the Jan 1 issue is Wed, Dec 17.

XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 15

A world of gay adventure

Travel Snap up a stateroom on an LGBT cruise and sail off into the sunset

Cruising through winter AEFA MULHOLLAND

It’s that time of year again when those of us in chillier lands eagerly eye outbound flights and temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the perfect time to snap up a stateroom onboard one of the enticing LGBT cruises about to sail off into the sunset. This winter has some wonderful escapes on offer for lesbians and gay men, from a luxurious Amazonian riverboat adventure set for deepest Peru to the marvellous mayhem of two itineraries that coincide with the greatest LGBT carnival of them all, Sydney Mardi Gras.

Panama Canal to Costa Rica Cruise

taken care of by comedian Sandra Valls and singer/comedian Lisa Koch.

Olivia’s Panama Canal to Costa Rica Cruise, on the five-star, 148-passenger, four-masted MS Wind Spirit, offers ample opportunities for adventure in Panama and Costa Rica as it sails from Colón, Panama, through three locks of the Panama Canal, to the UNESCOvenerated coral reef destination Coiba Island (the largest island in Central America). Continuing on, ports of call include the stunning Costa Rican beaches of Golfito and Bahia Drake — with its crags, crocodiles and tapirs — and the rainforest town of Quepos, before it’s time to disembark in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Onboard entertainment is

Jan 24–31, 2015 Olivia, olivia.com Clientele: Mostly lesbian Price: From $4,199 (all prices in US dollars) for ocean-view cabins

16 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

Silhouette Caribbean Cruise Escape winter in the most luxurious way possible aboard the 2,800-passenger Celebrity Silhouette as she sails from Fort Lauderdale for the warm waters of the Caribbean. Among a host of amenities, the Silhouette boasts an incredible spa, an outdoor barbecue grill and wooden decks. Tea-dances, parties and

Above and right, frolicking onboard and onshore during an Olivia cruise.

OLIVIA.COM

events confetti the social calendar for this seven-day sailing to Labadee, Haiti; Philipsburg, St Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Feb 1–8, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,349

RSVP 30th Anniversary Caribbean Cruise The 3,500-passenger Regal Princess is the birthday-party boat for RSVP’s big 3-0 cruise. The youthful Princess took to the waters only in May 2014, so it’s a shiny, new ship with such spectacular features as a glass-bottom sea walk (extending 8.5 metres off the side of the ship); a vast, ornate atrium; and an enticing Bellini bar. This cruise sails from Fort Lauderdale and visits the private Princess Cays, Cozumel and George Town in Grand Cayman, before returning to Florida.

Feb 8–15, 2015 RSVP Vacations, rsvpvacations.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,059

Australia and New Zealand Cruise Odyssey Trot onboard Holland America’s 1380-passenger MS Amsterdam for a week of Australian summer fun with none other than Olivia Newton-John.

The crew of fine, funny women includes

Lisa Koch, Vickie Shaw and Karen Williams. Departing Sydney, the cruise explores Tasmania, Fiordland National Park, Dunedin and Christchurch, before docking in Auckland.

Feb 13–24, 2015 Olivia, olivia.com VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

party boat has left Miami’s docks for four fantastic gay days on the ocean to celebrate Miami Pride. The boat in question is the activity-packed Majesty of the Seas. With parties, cocktail parties, beach barbecues and a Key West stop en route to the Bahamas, it’s an understandably popular departure, so book early if you’re keen to take part.

April 13–17, 2015 Source Events, sourceevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $429

Amazon Discovery Top, the view of the sunset from a cruise ship is always incredible. Above, a dinner of freshly caught lobster. Left, an Atlantis Events cruiser enjoys some quiet time.

JEFFREY LUSCOMBE

Feb 24–March 8, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,599

Singapore to Hong Kong Cruise

Clientele: Mostly lesbian Price: From $2,099

All-Gay French Caribbean Cruise Explore the French Caribbean on the 72-metre SV Mandalay, built in 1923 MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM

and remodelled in 2012, as she sails from St Martin to Anguilla, Nevis, St Barts and Tintamarre and back to St Martin. Visit the famed Saltine nude beach and shop on St Barts; experience the quaint bistros and beaches of the Dutch and French sides of St Martin; sip daiquiris on Anguilla; snorkel, cycle or scuba on lush Nevis; and picnic on deserted Tintamarre.

Feb 15–21, 2015 Source Events, sourceevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,849

Auckland to Sydney Mardi Gras Cruise Holland America’s floating pamper palace, the 11-deck Oosterdam, will see 1,900 passengers board in Auckland.

The vast vessel then charts a course for Napier, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin before crossing the Tasman Sea for Melbourne and the final stop, Sydney, where a smorgasbord of Mardi Gras celebrations awaits, complete with a trio of LGBT mega-icons: George Michael, Kylie Minogue and Boy George.

Celebrity Millennium will be the floating address for 2,138 passengers for the 11 days of Atlantis Events’ Asian journey from Singapore to Hong Kong.

Teak decks, a solarium with a thalassotherapy pool and a gloriously indulgent Persian-garden spa add to the luxurious nature of this cruise. After leaving Singapore, this trip of a lifetime goes on to explore the stunning lagoons of Koh Samui, the cultural contrasts of Bangkok, the French colonial sights of Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang’s golden sands, UNESCO-acclaimed Hue and the 1,600 islands of breathtaking Halong Bay. The final port of call is glittering Hong Kong.

March 29–April 9, 2015 Atlantis Events, atlantisevents.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $1,599

Miami Pride Cruise 2015 This is the sixth year in a row that this

One of three Amazon riverboat adventures on offer from Brand G this year, but the only sailing not sold out at press time, this all-gay rainforest odyssey explores the world’s most biodiverse region from the comfort of the fivestar, 32-passenger, colonial-era Delfin II. Daily shore excursions offer insight into the culture, wildlife and history of this fascinating region. There are more than 1,000 species of bird in the Peruvian Amazon alone, plus countless mammals to encounter. Once the riverboat portion of this adventure ends, travellers continue on to the Sacred Valley, near the Incan capital Cusco, and to 15th-century Machu Picchu via a scenic train trip.

April 20–30, 2015 Brand G, brandgvacations.com Clientele: Mostly gay men Price: From $3,995

If these all-LGBT dates don’t rock your boat, there are many other “affinity group” options: organized gay groups on mainstream cruises. You’ll find a link to an extensive list of them in this story on dailyxtra.com.

More on dailyxtra.com Is taking a cruise vacation right for you?

Tips and tricks for high-seas cruising ‘Straight’ cruising the gay way XTRA! DEC 18–31, 2014 17

A world of gay adventure

Travel

Get your downward dog on A yoga retreat will leave you stretched and unstressed

includes meditation, massage, delicious home-cooked food and use of a heated pool, Jacuzzi, gym and sauna. Run by the charming Mark, Tom and Nancy, the relaxing, romantic Finca has an enthusiastic roster of devoted return guests who come back year after year to this hidden gem.

AEFA MULHOLLAND

Frog Meadow, Vermont Frog Meadow bills itself as a “country bed and breakfast and massage oasis for men” and runs a summer men’s gathering each July. Yoga, pilates and guided massage-exchange sessions all star, along with workshops and excursions to the gay men’s beach at Rock River and local distilleries and artisans’ studios.

Other optional activities include soaks in the wood-fired hot tub and saunters along the leafy trail network that surrounds the 25-hectare property.

If daily drudgery and the tasks of the day are downward dogging your progress toward enlightenment, limber joints and a stress-free life, consider escaping to one of these LGBT yoga retreats around the world.

Blue Osa, Costa Rica Set on Playa Tamales on the idyllic Osa Peninsula, the gay-owned and -run Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa has the glittering ocean in front and a swath of atmospheric rainforest at its back.

Those attending the weeklong retreats can swim in the ocean each morning and surf between sessions.

Blue Osa also offers monthlong immersion yoga-teacher training. The next such offering is June 19 through July 18, 2015. The next gay men’s yoga program takes participants on a Tantra yoga journey and runs May 23 to 29, 2015.

Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts Sacred Sexualities, a retreat for lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, takes place from March 6 to 8, 2015, led by the Reverend Irene Monroe, a lesbian feminist theologian who has been featured in Oprah Magazine. The retreat centre is perched on a hilltop that overlooks Lake Mahkeenac and the woods below. The centre is a vast 15,000-square-metre facility on 50 hectares. More than 750 programs are on the calendar each year.

Kalani, Pahoa, Hawaii Situated close to the dramatic lava flows of the Big Island, the LGBT-owned and -operated Kalani offers an extensive list of yoga retreats, many for the LGBT community. It’s a very appealing way to escape winter. Gay men can pick from a calendar that includes men’s yoga retreats, a men’s hula retreat, a men’s yoga and massage retreat, and a men’s tropical holiday. The New Year’s Naked Men’s Yoga Retreat runs Dec 27, 2014 to Jan 2, 2015, overlapping with Thrive New Year’s Retreat for Gay/Bi Men (Dec 29, 2014 to Jan 3, 2015).

Hawaii Blue Hands Yoga and Massage Retreat takes place from March 31 to April 5, 2015. Kalani offers lesbianspecific retreats during the year, as well as popular women’s retreats, such as the Pulse of the Radiant Feminine Heart and the Kalani Experience. Trans guests are welcome to participate in the year’s array of workshops and retreats, including men’s and women’s retreats. Other Kalani workshops focus on hula, Hawaiian 18 DEC 18–31, 2014 XTRA!

Over the Rainbow, Wales, UK

Finca la Maroma, in southern Spain’s Andalucia region, overlooks valleys of almond and olive trees.

culture, massage and performing arts.

Harbin Hot Springs, Middletown, California More and more gay men (and a few gay women) are making for Middletown, just north of the Napa Valley, in Northern California, for the slew of workshops and retreats put on at Harbin Hot Springs. Popular with Bay Area naturists, Harbin has amazing massage and yoga offerings, plus beau-

tiful trails and an enticing selection of those eponymous hot springs. Yoga and meditation classes take place almost on the hour from 7am until 7pm daily, with added bonuses such as Reiki, belly dancing and weekend movies. Harbin is set on 2,000 hectares, and guests can choose to camp or to stay in tent cabins, dorms, private rooms or cottages.

Finca La Maroma, Spain In lovely Andalucia in southern Spain,

FINCALAMAROMA.COM

gay men’s guest house Finca La Maroma looks out over valleys of almond and olive trees just a few kilometres from the coast. It offers occasional yoga retreats, such as Exploring the Heart (held from May 3 to 8, 2015) and Rhythm and Flow (held from May 10 to 15, 2015), both naked men’s retreats. These book up quickly, so reserve your places early.

Guests can add a “chill-out weekend” before or after at a discounted room rate. In addition to yoga, the program

Over the Rainbow is a gorgeous restored Georgian mansion on seven hectares of woodland on Cardigan Bay, close to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the craggy and dramatic western coast of Wales. Castles, dolphin-spotting opportunities and quaint towns crammed with tearooms and antique shops abound in the immediate vicinity. This vegetarian, lesbian guesthouse is the site of several lesbian yoga retreats during the year, run by Jenny, one of the founders of the UK’s Inner Yoga.

Read this story on dailyxtra.com for live links to many of the retreats mentioned.

VANCOUVER’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS

Canada’s first openly lesbian MP won’t run for reelection

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ANKORS 800-421-AIDS

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Dr Peter AIDS Foundation 604-608-1874

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