The 'Out'port by Ryan Crocker

THE ‘OUT’PORT

Photo by joegazzola.com

St. John’s LGBT Guide/Lifestyle Magazine

NL leads Canada in LGBT education

DJFabian’s Top 10

LGBT-Themed Movies

Transgender Week of Awareness & Action

November/December Edition 2013

www.theoutport.com

|DJ Fabianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 10| 10. Live for the Night |Krewalla|

9. Blurred Lines (various mixes) |Robin Thicke|

2. Wrecking Ball (various mixes) |Miley Cyrus|

8. Love Me Back to Life (Dave Aude mix) |Celine Dion|

1. Work Bitch (various mixes) |Britney Spears|

7. Wake Me Up |Avicci with Aloe Blacc|

6. Do What You Want (Craig Welsh Pop mix) |Lady Gaga|

s l i a N

e i s s a by C

709-743-9403

|2|

November December

LGBT Events - Provided by November November 15, 2013 Flashback Friday with DJ Fabian & Digital Dan All your favorite retro tunes from the 70s, 80s & 90s and beyond Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street November 16, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street November 18-22, 2013 Transgender Week of Awareness and Action Get details at www.facebook.com /TransWeekSTJ

November 22, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge 2 for $5 beer & Highballs until 12:30 Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

November

December

November 23, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

December 6, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge 2 for $5 beer & Highballs until 12:30 Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

November 28-30, 2013 Engine Productions presents ‘You Are Here’ by Daniel MacIvor Meet Allison, an independent, vulnerable and unconventional woman who is searching for meaning in her life. $20 advance/$25 door 8pm Barbara Barrett Theatre (Arts & Culture Centre) 95 Allandale Road

December December 13, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge 2 for $5 beer & Highballs until 12:30 Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

December 7, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

November 29, 2013 Divas After Dark: A Gaga Celebration Betty Boo hosts this month’s Divas After Dark Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

December 14 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street

November 30, 2013 Velvet Club & Lounge Doors open 11pm – 3am Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water Street Events are subject to change. Visit www.stjohnsscene.com to see the latest events

|3|

September November October November December October

|Gender Bending through andro-drag| Last month, I opened this column by touching on a few issues My answer, both as Taylor Stocks and Doctor Androbox, that are pertinent to the genderqueer community, highlighting some key terms that are often bandied about without any real understanding behind them. This month, in light of the tenth anniversary of Drag Idol, I’d like to explore gender bending in the drag world. Though the ideologies behind drag fuse nicely with those of the genderqueerverse, in practice, drag can serve to perpetuate many gender norms with its adherence to the binary system.

Drag usually follows a simple formula: take the body you

were born with and swap it to the other gender extreme. Hence, drag queens are usually male-bodied, and kings, female-bodied. By switching from one gender to another, drag seeks to subvert typical gender norms by overexaggeration and camp, making us believe in the woman of the man on stage and vice-versa. By showing that men can be women and women can be men, drag critically questions what it is that actually makes us one particular gender. And yet, while drag promises us freedom from the gender norms in society in one way, it also reinforces them in another. Inherent to the drag world is the system of gender binary, that is, there are two genders and success in the drag world depends on going from one to the other in a convincing manner. Those who lie in the ‘middle’, along more androgynous lines, are criticized for not adopting the opposite extreme that their physicality dictates. This necessitates a certain subscription to the gender binary in the first place; you can only be a drag queen if you are male-bodied, identify as male gendered, and use stereotypical cues to identify you as a female [e.g. lots of makeup, long hair, dresses or skirts]. Where, then, does this leave us folk who do not ascribe to the gender binary and thus can’t make an exaggerated switch from one end to the other? Do genderqueer people have a place in drag?

would be that there isn’t really a well-defined space for the androgynous character yet, especially female-bodied ones, but there’s no reason why that should continue to be the case. I believe that it comes from a certain reframing of drag: instead of understanding drag as the practice of a switch from one gender to the other within the given binary, I think it instead can be seen as simple subversion of any gender subscription. With this definition, drag is the construction of a gender identity that is in dra(g)stic contrast with the gender identity by which someone chooses to live. Thus, for us genderqueer folk, the creation of an androgynous character can be incredibly meaningful, as it can allow us to exercise different versions of gender identity that are outside the binary but are still different from how we experience everyday life.

I write this before I’ve had the chance to test out my own androgynous persona on stage and within the drag community. I do hope that this article and the Drag Idol competition this year will incentivize more genderqueer identified people to step forth and show that us non-binary folk most certainly have a place in the drag world. *Doctor Androbox won second place Drag Idol 2013*

What is potentially problematic about this interpretation

is that it relies somewhat on knowing the initial individual who is creating the drag persona. After all, how can we judge subversion if we don’t quite know the typical norms that the person ascribes to? I’d say this question is moot; much like we acknowledge that gender is self-identified, I believe we can say that drag is self-identified as well. There may be a few objective cues we can use to identify drag, like contour-changing makeup, the use of wigs or extreme hairdos, or flamboyant fashion, however, drag in the end is really up to the person performing. You tend not to get into drag if you don’t ascribe to subversion of gender in some way. As for judging whether or not someone’s drag is ‘good’, I believe that excellence in subversion can show through any interpretation of gender on stage, and reasonable critique can be made that doesn’t perpetuate the gender binary.

Taylor Stocks’ persona, Doctor Androbox, can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/doctor.androbox.

|Transgender Week of Awareness and Action| Transgender Week of Awareness and Action is a community effort from It is a chance for us to acknowledge and recognize the systems of oppresconcerned citizens as well as trans-focused and trans-inclusive organizations.

The purpose of this week is to bring awareness to the unique and difficult obstacles faced by people in the trans* community, and to help educate our allies about how they can take action to create safer spaces, foster social change, and rally for policy changes that give trans* people the opportunity to feel comfortable, safe, supported, and valid.

Throughout the week, we have events planned to pique the interest of

many and varied groups. There are workshops for service providers to learn about trans cultural competency, as well as how to counsel trans clients; there will be events that are youth-focused to help promote dialogue and understanding in the younger generations.

sion which often culminate in the unnecessary murder of individuals for reasons based solely on their trans status. It is also a time when the trans* community can come together in solidarity with our allies to create, foster, and recognize the systems of support that do, can, and will exist for us and our community.

This week is a chance for the trans* community to raise its profile, to ed-

ucate the public on the struggles we face, and to celebrate our accomplishments, and to mourn the loss of those than have been taken from us.

Transgender Week of Awareness and Action will take place from November 18 – 22, with the vigil and panel taking place on Wednesday, November 20.

or more details, check out the facebook event at The centrepiece of the week is a panel discussion and vigil surrounding F www.facebook.com/TransWeekSTJ Transgender Day of Remembrance. TdoR is a yearly, internationally-recognized day to show respect for the trans people who have been taken from us over the past year, and to allow our community a chance to mourn.

|4|

November December

|Ask Doris!|

Advertise

Hello kittens! Normally, I address three or four questions, but this one always erks me, so if it applies to you... take note!

with us!

Dear Doris: Hi, I’m middle-aged and I used to be active in the social scene. After a few years of being in gay bars, I realized it’s full of DRAMA! I try to hook up and they shoot me down, or when I do hook up they never speak to me again. Everyone in the gay community is drama, where can I go to find people that aren’t dramatic? - Drama Free

Dear DF: Do me a favor, don’t think the gay community is completely different from other members of St. John’s. For the most part, these days we are fitting nicely into society. Here are a few similarities. Straight people have drama too. I work with straight people. They have relationship drama, friend drama, hook-up drama... it HAPPENS. It doesn’t matter WHAT BAR! For some reason, people in the gay community have a notion that the only gay establishment in the city holds all the drama... No. It’s either you have bad luck... or it’s most likley you. Think about it... You most likley post a Facebook status, Manhunt bio, or Grindr description about no drama, fed up with it more than once a week, complaining about guys, and going so far as to tag people... who is dramatic now? All I have to say is think about what you are doing, what you are saying and how you interact in person and online. Being a drama queen is one thing, but being in denial and not self aware is another thing... And just because you are gay, and there is a gay bar with many different people with different attitudes and flavours, doesn’t mean they want drama. It means they just want to have fun!

theoutport@outlook.com

Love,

|5|

November September November October December November December October

Doris

Doris Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DorisAnitaDouche Doris Twitter: @OfficialDoris E-Mail Doris: AskDorisAnitaDouche@Gmail.com “White Trash Glamorous” available on iTunes

NL leading Canada in LGBT Education Part 1

to ensuring schools are ortunately, when EGALE brought these W hena safeit comesenvironment for LGBT youth, F troubling survey results to the government Newfoundland and Labrador leads the country - but there’s still a long way to go. Rose, President of EGALE Canada, sat S usan down with The ‘Out’port to share the great

news and detail the steps her organization is taking next to build on our remarkable progress. It all began with EGALE Canada’s seminal report, Every Class in Every School: The First National Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools. The results were horrifying.

of Newfoundland and Labrador, the province decided to support their efforts.

“Newfoundland and Labrador endorsed the results and became the only province in the country to begin a mandatory LGBT Safe School initiative,” Rose said. “The fact it was mandatory was critical. There are school boards across Canada that, to this day, won’t let us in the door. But your province said: in Newfoundland and Labrador, every single principal, vice-principal, administrator, and guidance counsellor will get EGALE’s intense training. And they did. The feedback we received was tremendously positive, even from those who confessed they would have opted out had that been an option. Several educators told us they’d been waiting for something like this for years, but were too afraid to face the potential backlash alone - so having the Department of Education on their side, making it mandatory, made all the difference.”

Canada, almost 65% of LGBT youth A cross felt unsafe in their schools (compared to

just 15% of non-LGBT students). And it was no wonder why: 68% of trans students were verbally harassed, as well as 55% of lesbian or bisexual women and 42% of gay or bisexual men. Sexual harassment was also a huge problem, reported by 49% of trans students, 40% of gay students, and 33% of lesbian students. A full 20% of LGBT students were physically abused at school. The results specific to Newfoundland and Labrador varied little from the national average.

ccording to Rose, the training has led to some very positive changes in the school system - especially for trans students, who until recently did not enjoy the same protection from discrimination in this province. Students at any school have the right to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance. Trans students now have the right to demand to be addressed by the name they choose, even if they have not legally changed it. Documents that must use the student’s legal name still will, of course, but in class, in daily conversation, referring to a trans student by a name they no longer identify with is classified as harassment and no longer tolerated. New schools being built in the province will have gender-neutral washrooms available for anyone more comfortable in that environment. The list goes on and on.

“These results are a clear human rights violation,” Rose said, noting that taught for years at a suburban school in the St. John’s region and experienced the destructive impact of homophobia first hand. “It was happening every day. The environment at some schools was absolutely toxic, including the one where I taught. I left teaching in 2006 because of all the harassment I experienced. I couldn’t handle it. And I’m an adult. I can’t even imagine how much harder it was on students, on these children.”

|6|

November December

Next steps said there’s still a lot more to do. She Rose wants the province to continue with the next two steps of the LGBT Safe School initiative: training all of the province’s teachers and introducing LGBT-friendly curriculum.

She has every confidence that, although Danny Williams is no longer Premier and there may be a change of government in the relatively near future, the province will continue with the LGBT Safe School initiative.

“...It’s about saving lives And Newfoundland and Labrador is really leading the way for Canada.” “Right now, an LGBT student can go from Kindergarten to Grade 12 without ever learning anything about others like them,” Rose said. “That sends the message that we’re not valued, that we’re not worthy, that we’re not an accepted part of society. It has a huge impact.” said providing the same training for S heteachers that other school officials have already received is a critical step since teachers are the ones who interact most with students.

“And the curriculum is just meant to show that we exist, and we’re valued in this society,” she said, noting LGBT existence will be acknowledged even in courses like math and science (Mary and her wife Jane each have 8 apples...). “We want everyone to know there are LGBT youth in our school system, and there are heterosexual children who have LGBT parents. We want to ensure they all feel safe, that they see themselves represented in the curriculum, that they feel they belong. We lose about 600 children to suicide in Canada every year, and 40% of them are LGBT. It’s about saving lives. And Newfoundland and Labrador is really leading the way for Canada.”

- Ryan Crocker

|Theatre St. John’s| I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Darryl Davis and I will be the theatre columnist for The ‘Out’port. I’m a graduate from Memorial University and I am currently working with the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services in the St. John’s Metro Region. In addition to this, I’m a huge entertainment enthusiast. I enjoy music, film, dance and especially love theatre work. The availability of local theatre and the abundance of talent was one of the primary reasons I enjoy living in this city. I’m looking forward to regularly reviewing a variety of local productions from the many talented theatre companies operating in the province for ‘Out’port Magazine, while interviewing and getting to know those directly involved behind the scenes, such as the directors, musicians, set designers, and dancers - as well as the actors. I hope readers enjoy this column and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to write and share it.

Review: ‘Women Doin’ Men’ -

***

1/2 (out of four)

Written by Janet Cull, Kelly Ann Evan, Dana Parsons and Peter Halley Directed by Pete Halley Produced by Spirit of Newfoundland. Starring Janet Cull, Kelly Ann Evans and Dana Parsons. Venue Masonic Temple, 6 Cathedral Street, St. John’s, NL. City St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador Running Until November 16th, 2013

One of the many delightful theatrical presentations I’ve had the good fortune of seeing recently was the ‘Women Doin’ Men’ show produced by the Spirit of St. John’s at the Masonic Temple. Despite the obvious sexual connotation of a show billed as such, which might be unfortunate for some, the promise the show makes of highlighting some of Newfoundland’s best female vocalists doing covers of classics made famous by men was definitely upheld. It actually offered a great deal more. Aside from being trained vocalists, Janet Cull, Kelly Ann Evans and Dana Parsons are also great actors. Any theatregoer who has seen some of their recent performances in ‘An Evening with Andrew Lloyd Webber’ by Theatre St. John’s or ‘Avenue Q’ by Best Kind Productions can attest to this. They are true all-around performers. There is not only good music and vocals, but the audience is also treated to hilarious wordplay and perfectly timed comedic performances in the form of three ‘9 to 5’ gals competing in a male dominated workforce. It’s a running and reoccurring narrative that anchors the show well. Throughout the show, audience members are also provided with a thorough, retrospective review on the many influential men of Rock and Roll; in terms of music charts, sales figures, culture impacts, as well as some eye-popping visuals which are better seen than described here in print. The musical palette offered by the show is wide ranging and extremely diverse; wisely catering to a variety of personal tastes. I especially enjoyed the section that focused on the biggest boy bands in music; hair movements, choreography, and attitude was down pat. I was also a big fan of the ‘Stevie Wonder’ segment fronted by Dana Parsons, as well as, the dramatics of the ‘Queen’ and ‘Freddie Mercury’s’ segment led by Kelly-Ann Evans who had all audience members in a sing-along. Being that this is a distinctively Newfoundland production, there is also an emphasis of male singer-songwriters from this province and the rest of Canada. One of the many highlights of the show is Janet Cull and Kelly Ann Evans’ take on Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ which was jaw-droppingly beautiful, as well as a section dedicated to songs of Newfoundland’s own, Ron Hynes. In short, the dynamic vocal harmonies of Cull, Evans an Parsons were mind-blowing as they were beautiful and breathtaking. The amount of audience participation provided by these ladies were amazing, and the house band, composed of Bill Brennan, Mark Peddle, Sandy Morris and Scott Mansfield, were impeccable. ‘Women Doin’ Men’ comes highly recommended. Call Masonic Temple at 579-3023 for reservations. Showtimes November 13th & November 18th at 7:00 pm. Upcoming Theatrical Productions in St. John’s to Lookout For: ‘Fool For Love’ : Basement Theatre-Arts & Culture Centre, Running from November 7th to November10th at 8pm; as well as Matinee on November 9 at 2pm. ‘On Edge’: LSPU Hall, Running November 28 & November 29. ‘You Are Her’ : Basement Theatre-Arts & Culture Centre, Running from November 28th to November 30th at 8 pm; as well as Matinee on November 30 at 2pm. ‘Christmas Around The World’: Featuring Janet Cull, Peter Halley, Dana Parsons, Keith Power, Michael Power, Sheila Williams and Erin Windsor. Masonic Temple, Running November 22nd to January 6th. TADA Productions’ present ‘Our Divas Do Christmas’’: ACC Culture Centre, Running from November 21st to November 24th at 8 pm. ‘Do You Hear The People Sing?’: Cast from the upcoming production of Les Miserables, DF Cook Recital Hall-Memorial University Music, November 7th.

|7|

Best Kind Productions presents ‘Freckleface Strawberry’: Cochrane Street Church, Running December 5th to December 7th at 7pm, as well as Matinee on December 7th at 2pm.

November December

Baking with

Betty Boo H

alloween is over, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re probably wondering what to do with the leftover pumpkins from your festivities. Here are a couple of suggestions from my recipe files that involve pumpkin, and since there are a lot of leftover jack-o-lanterns about, I use mine to create my own puree for my recipes (canned puree is also acceptable.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree Wash before cutting in half. Remove all the seeds and place pumpkin halves

cut side down on a baking sheet. Fill the baking sheet with water, about half way up the edge of the baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the flesh of the pumpkins is very soft. This will depend on the size of your pumpkins. When cooked, remove from the oven and let cool just a few minutes. Scoop the flesh into a food processor, blender or large bowl (to blend with an immersion blender). Blend until completely smooth. If the pumpkin puree is thinner than the canned variety, line a large sieve with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin puree in and let drain as long as needed. Drain in several batches if needed. Once the puree has drained to desired consistency place puree in a new bowl and stir together (if done in batches). Place pumpkin in containers to freeze or refrigerate until needed. INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 CUPS TOP-QUALITY WHITE CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES, DIVIDED* 1/3 CUP GINGERSNAP COOKIE CRUMBS, PLUS MORE FOR GARNISH 1/4 CUP PUMPKIN PUREE 1/4 CUP GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS, PLUS MORE FOR GARNISH 1 TABLESPOON ICING SUGAR 1/2 TEASPOON ORANGE ZEST 1/8 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON PINCH OF FINE SALT 2 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED

1.In a double boiler over medium-low heat, melt 1/2 cup of the white chocolate; stirring

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Truffles

to keep the chocolate from burning. Once melted, remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. NOTE: White chocolate may be melted in the microwave for approximately 1 minute, stir and melt again, be careful not to scorch the chocolate

2.Add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin puree, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, and cream cheese to the melted chocolate; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl, cover, and refrigerate until just solid enough to roll into bells, approximately 2 hours.

3.Line a large baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. |8|

November October November December

4.Melt the remaining 2 cups white chocolate in a double boiler; remove from heat and transfer to a small deep bowl.

5.Using your hands, roll 1 heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin/cream cheese mixture into a ball; drop the ball into the melted white chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over the ball to coat.

6.Using a small spoon or fork, lift the coated truffle ball out of the chocolate, shake off any excess and chocolate, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet or tray.

7.Dollop a bit of extra melted chocolate on any parts of the truffle ball that remains

exposed, then sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top, if you like. Repeat process with remain pumpkin/cream cheese mixture and melted white chocolate. Refrigerate the truffles until the chocolate is completely set, approximately 1 hour. For best results, chill truffles until you are ready to serve them. Makes about 30 truffles.

NOTE: Truffles are generally bite-sized. So seeing that the recipe says it makes 30 and you see only a little amount of dough to work with, don’t worry. Chilling the dough before coating in chocolate is very important in making these successful. The truffle filling needs to be cooled 2 hours to firm up, but should also be cooled again after rolling. Don’t rush the chocolate coating process. Let it cool before coating. The truffles will melt otherwise

No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes FOR THE CRUST 1 SLEEVE GRAHAM CRACKERS (ABOUT 9 CRACKERS) ½ STICK (4 TABLESPOONS) BUTTER, MELTED 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 2 TABLESPOONS BROWN SUGAR

Place

the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse the crackers into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar and brown sugar and pulse until combined. Spoon the crumbs into individual 9-ounce plastic cups (or other individual-sized cups for serving). Place in the refrigerator to set while you are preparing the filling.

FOR THE FILLING 1 8-OUNCE PACKAGE CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED TO ROOM TEMPERATURE 1 15-OUNCE CAN PUMPKIN PUREE(ALMOST 2 CUPS OF FRESH PUREE) 3 TEASPOONS PUMPKIN PIE SPICE 1 1-OUNCE PACKAGE SUGAR FREE CHEESECAKE-FLAVORED INSTANT PUDDING MIX (OR 1/3 OF A NON-SUGAR FREE INSTANT PUDDING MAY BE USED) 1 14-OUNCE CAN SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK 1 12-OUNCE CONTAINER FROZEN WHIPPED TOPPING, PLUS EXTRA FOR GARNISH IF DESIRED

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until light and creamy. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and pudding mix and beat until completely mixed, scrapping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are well combined. Change your stand mixer attachment to the wire whisk. On slow speed, fold in the tub of cool whip until well combined. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up. Using a large pastry bag with a large tip, or a spoon, top the graham cracker crust in each cup with the pumpkin mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with additional whipped topping if desired. This recipe came from Miss Chloe Aguilera, and I had a chance to have this at a couple of recent dinner parties, it was a huge hit!

|9|

November December

‘Til next time, Happy Baking

xo BBK

Pop on The Rock

LGBT-Themed Movies If you ask anyone what they consider essential LGBT film viewing, you are bound to receive a wide variety of answers. Depending on the individual’s tastes and preferences, orientation, or even style, everyone’s favourite queer movies are as unique as them themselves. Take me, for instance: many would think that as a fairly stereotypical lipstick lez my favourite movie would be something like “Imagine Me & You” or “But I’m a Cheerleader” – but it’s not. *Gasp* Believe it or not, my favourite queer movie is the hilarious 90s romp, The Birdcage. I watched it on TV in my youth and thought it was just a regular comedy featuring Robin Williams and it’s been one of my favourites ever since. “Oh, what interesting china… It looks like young men playing leap frog.” Still kills me, every time. So, here’s a breakdown of what I consider essential LGBT viewing; some are ones I personally recommend, others are ones I have yet to see. Boys Don’t Cry (1999) Director: Kimberly Peirce Stars: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard. Known to most as the film that nabbed Hilary Swank her first Oscar, this film tells the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a transman portrayed by Hilary Swank, who is raped and murdered by his acquaintances after they discover he is anatomically female. The release of the film tragically coincided with the murder of a young gay man, Matthew Shepard, sparking additional public interest. The film managed to not only open the viewers’ eyes to the reality facing the LGBT community, but also lead to increased lobbying for hate crime laws in the United States. A Single Man (2009) Director: Tom Ford Stars: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode While many LGBT films portray the struggle of coming to terms with one’s sexuality, this film does not. Instead the film, set over the course of one day in 1962, stars Colin Firth as George, a college professor debating suicide upon learning his long-time partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), has been killed in an accident. Philadelphia (1993) Director: Jonathan Demme Stars: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington Philadelphia is seen by many as one of the first Hollywood films to acknowledge homosexuality and AIDS. Garnering leader actor Tom Hanks an Academy Award, the film has all of the trappings of a quintessential tear jerker: a man in a loving gay relationship is fired from a conservative law firm for having AIDS and has to rely on a homophobic lawyer to defend him for wrongful termination. High Art (1998) Director: Lisa Cholodenko Stars: Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy, Patricia Clarkson Radha Mitchell plays Syd, a young assistant at a photography magazine who discovers her neighbor, Lucy (Ally Sheedy), is a famous photographer whose career has stalled because of her heroin addiction. Syd persuades Lucy to work again and their connection evolved into a sexual relationship. But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) Director: Jamie Babbit Stars: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington Stars: Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, RuPaul Charles Most of the films on this list are pretty serious – various tear jerkers and coming of age stories. I’m a Cheerleader easily fits into the latter category, but in a hilarious way. The film stars Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is The New Black) as a popular cheerleader whose parents are convinced she’s gay and ship her off to “True Directions”, a conversion therapy camp. Hilarity ensues. The Birdcage (1996) Director: Mike Nichols Stars: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest The Birdcage is easily one of the funniest films ever made and it is at the pinnacle of my top ANTHING movies to watch. Nathan Lane in drag, a heavily moustached Robin Williams, Hank Azaria lisping in Daisy Dukes – what more could anyone want? In a nutshell, the film following two young lovers finally introducing each other’s families – Val Goldman (Dan Futterman) was raised by two cabaret-owning dads and Barbara Keeley, who was raised by right-wing conservatives. Naturally, the only solution is to pretend to be a straight couple and pass off Nathan Lane as a woman. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) Director: Stephan Elliot Stars: Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp This film highlights drag culture down under as it follows two drag queens and a trans woman romping through the Australian Outback in their tour bus “Priscilla.” The film has since been adapted into a musical that has opened in Australia, the UK, Canada and on Broadway. Bound (1996) Directors: Andy and Lana Wachowski Stars: Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano Bound is an erotic modern noir film starring Gina Gershon in a wife beater as ex-con handyman Corky, and Jennifer Tilly, a seductress in a relationship with a Mafioso. It’s mostly known for featuring lesbian sex scenes choreographed by a sex therapist. Longtime Companion (1989) Director: Norman René Stars: Bruce Davison, Campbell Scott, Patrick Cassidy, Mary-Louise Parker This ensemble film was the first film about the AIDS to receive a wide release. It follows a group of friends dealing with the dangers and consequences of the 1980s epidemic. The film’s title is from the words used to describe the surviving same-sex partner of someone who had died of AIDS. Milk (2008) Director: Gus Van Sant Set in the tumultuous 1970, Milk follows the last eight years in the life of Harvey Milk’s life – the politician and gay activist whose life changed history and whose courage still inspires people. Elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, Milk made history for being the first openly gay man in American history to be voted into public office. As usual, feel free to let me know what you would like to read in future Pop On The Rock columns via email at popontherock.outport@gmail.com or Twitter @ReallyCJB.

By Cara J. Brown

|On our Gaydar|

|Hot Spot Reveiw|

Rick Mercer

Coffee Matters

Downtown St. John’s is no stranger to good coffee and intimate places to drink it. From the beloved upstairs of Hava Java, to the cool tables at the new Second Cup, to the artistic back room of Fixed Coffee and Baking, there’s something for everyone. This time The ‘Out’port stopped at Coffee Matters at the corner of Gower Street and Military Road (and King’s Bridge Road, and Ordnance Street, and Cavendish Square - oh, St. John’s!). The tables at this popular spot are usually crowded with people of all possible ages and interests, from trendy students on laptops to wealthy middle-aged women with addresses on Circular Road. They come, primarily, for the coffee. Four blends are available at any given time, and Coffee Matters prides itself on offering fair trade and organic coffee from beans that are freshly roasted right here in Newfoundland. And the selection of speciality drinks is impressive. I had the White Lotus Latte, a blend of Ghiradelli white chocolate and raspberry. It was absolutely delicious. If you’re hungry, Coffee Matters has you covered as well with a selection of homemade soups, fresh sandwiches, and high end desserts. I had the turkey with avocado and basil mayonnaise sandwich. If it wasn’t such a classy place, I would have licked the plate. It’s all the work of owner/operator Scott Hillyer. With more than two decades of experience in the service industry (he first started working with food at 15 years of age), he certainly knows what he’s doing.

Our very own Rick Mercer is a renowned comedian and po-

litical satirist, known internationally for his hit shows such as the Rick Mercer Report, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and the highest-rated comedy special in Canadian history: Talking to Americans. Over the years, he has earned more than 25 Gemini Awards, the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Artist of the Year Award, Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and many more. And he has given back through a generous donation to the LSPU Hall and much more. He works with Spread the Net, an effort to combat malaria among African children, and has worked extensively with groups combating HIV and AIDS at home, including Casey House and the Canadian AIDS Society. Mercer has also joined the It Gets Better campaign, a series of videos that aim to help LGBT youth overcome bullying. Mercer is On Our Gaydar because he’s made no secret of his homosexuality. In fact, it’s one of the only aspects of his personal life that he’s willing to discuss publicly - just to ensure our LGBT community can see all that he’s accomplished and know we can do it too. Out of respect for Mercer’s wishes, we won’t share anything about his personal life other than one widely-known, happy fact: it’s going very well. He has a loving partner who has been with him longer than many of our readers have been alive.

-Ryan Crocker

|11|

|11| November October Oc November September November December December

|Hot Sp NIGHTLIFE

1. Velvet Club & Lounge 208 Water St.

2. Grapevine 206 Water St. 3. Liquid Nightclub 186 Water St. 4. Martini Bar George St. 5. Club V George St.

RESTAURANTS 6. AQUA Kitchen|Bar 310 Water St. 7. The Sprout 364 Duckworth St. 8.Happy Hummus Hut 208 Duckworth St.

pot Map|

COFFEE SHOPS 9.The Rocket Bakery 272 Water St. 10. Hava Java 258 Water St. 11. Coffee & Company 204 Water St. 12. Fixed Coffee & Baking 183 Duckworth St. 13. Coffee Matters 1 Millitary Rd.

Accomodations 14. Gower House 180 Gower St. 15. Abba Inn 36 Queen’s Rd 16. Balmoral House 25 Queen’s Rd. 17. The Ryan Mansion 21 Rennie’s Mill Rd. 18. Banberry House 116 Millitary Rd. 19. Winterholme 79 Rennie’s Mill Rd.

STORES 21. Weare Junk 302 Water St.

NLBLOSSOMS.COM

MAKE MONDAY A HAPPY DAY! Find us on Facebook for the details.

LOVE FRUIT.

NEWFOUNDLAND BLOSSOMS PURVEYORS OF EDIBLE FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE ARRANGEMENTS. 10 FORBES ST. ST. JOHN’S 709 237-8222