IN Magazine: November 2015

celebrating canada’s lgbt LIFESTYLE | November 2015

GET SHOPPING WITH

OUR HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

SPECIAL REPORT

GAY MEN & THE TRANS COMMUNITY TRAVEL SAFE

OUR DOCTOR’S Important Tips

ARTFUL DRESSING A gallery of modern classics MEET A FOUNDER OF IMPRESSIONISM

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a

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MAGAZINE inmagazine.ca PUBLISHER Patricia Salib EDITOR Jim Brosseau Art director Nicolรกs Tallarico FASHION DIRECTOR Adam Webster CONTRIBUTORs Paul Gallant, Ruth Hanley, Dr. Malcolm Hedgcock, Tracy Howard, Orlando Lopez, Michael Pihach, Al Ramsay, Adam Segal, Casey Williams ON the cover Photographed by Adam Webster; styled by Kenisha Paranso, of I.D. Silhouette, and Nagham Cararah; makeup and hair by Mark Gonzales Models: Willem and Danny (Spot 6), Nicolas (Velocci) Location: the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto Senior Account Director Woodrow Monteiro DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Reggie Lanuza Controller Miki Ogiri OUR MISSION Inspire gay men and lesbians to live life to the fullest. Expand the gay and lesbian community by valuing diversity and individual choice.

Celebrate Canada. Provide readers with compelling news, information and entertainment.

ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES 416-800-4449, ext. 100 info@intorontomag.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES 416-800-4449, ext. 201 editorial@intorontomag.com PRODUCTION ads@intorontomag.com TALK BACK Feel free to share your comments on IN or articles in the magazine by emailing us at editor@inmagazine.ca.

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Contents

issue 66

november 2015

INFRONT 06 | THE DOCTOR IS IN Staying healthy on your world travels 08 | WHEELS Driving a Honda that makes a virtue of versatility 09 | MONEY$TYLE Getting the most out of holiday giving 10 | ON RELATIONSHIPS Making peace with an affair’s aftermath 11 | ON THE TOWN Scenes from the party circuit 13 | LOOKING GOOD A new season of stylish fragrances

FEATURES 14 | GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS A sampling of presents for everyone on your list 16 | GENDER MERCIES Exploring relationships between gay men and the trans community

Fashion 20 | ON EXHIBIT Celebrating the art and iconography of smart dressing

ART & CULTURE 28 | COLOUR, LIGHT, ACKNOWLEDGMENT Groundbreaking artist J.M.W. Turner gets his due at the Art Gallery of Ontario 34 | FLASHBACK A show way ahead of its time

IN fashion at the Art Gallery of Ontario, page 20

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21/10/2015 9:55:27 AM

INfront

collective wisdom for living well

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the doctor is in

Up, Up and Away! → Things the jet set should know about healthy travels

By Dr. Malcolm Hedgcock

T

here are two things that mark the end of fall in my clinic: Flu shots arrive, and men start coming to

see me for travel vaccination advice. I’m a huge fan of travel, and although high-quality research on the health benefits of globetrotting is lacking, there’s a general understanding that it promotes physical and mental well-being.

Challenging yourself with a new language or life experience can be unsettling, but the value they bring you is immeasurable. Yet even the most luxurious holiday can come with risk, so it’s important to prepare well in advance of your trip to ensure you stay as healthy as possible while you’re away.

One common pitfall many guys encounter while on holiday is running out of prescription medication. I’ve had frantic phone calls from all over the world from patients who simply miscounted their pills before leaving. I understand, preparing for a holiday can be stressful, but this has to be a priority.

Believe me, blood-pressure pills are just as important when you’re lying on the beach as they are in the city. When you see your doctor about travel vaccines, take the opportunity to make sure your prescriptions will last for the entire time you’re away.

Speaking of vaccines, check out www. cdc.gov/travel for up-to-date information on outbreaks and required vaccinations for your destination. This is the site I use when I’m giving travel advice. It’s user-friendly and can help make a visit to your doctor more useful if you’ve clearly outlined all of the countries and regions you plan to visit.

I’m often asked about the traveller’sdiarrhea vaccine advertised on TV called Dukoral. The big problem with this vaccine is that it protects against only two of countless bugs that can make you sick. I worry that taking it gives people a false sense of security. If you prefer to be aggressive with

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vaccination, then by all means take it—it’s actually available without a prescription— but continue to be careful with food handling and water safety while you’re away. I would still carry a short course of antibiotics for severe traveller’s diarrhea lasting longer than three days (two if you see blood). The type of antibiotic actually depends on where you’re going. Old reliable ciprofloxacin, for example, is no longer effective in Asia due to overuse. Ask your doctor to consider azithromycin instead for that region.

Malaria, yellow fever and, more recently, chikungunya and dengue are severe mosquito-borne maladies that will seriously interfere with your vacation. Even in touristfriendly places like the Dominican Republic, malaria is a small but real risk. Wherever you plan on going, check the CDC website to see if you’ll need malaria prophylaxis, and remember mosquito safety. Wear repellent and long pants at sunrise and sunset.

And try to stay in air-conditioned accommodations: Malaria mosquitoes can’t tolerate the cold. For more nuanced travel advice, consider visiting a travel clinic. It will have expertise and vaccines that aren’t available in most doctors’ offices and pharmacies.

Unfortunately, as gay travellers we often have more to worry about than just travel bugs. Personal safety is a real concern if you want to go out and be out in certain countries. The international lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex association website www.ilga.org provides a clear summary of the local laws on homosexual activity around the world. I encourage you to take a look even if you don’t plan on travelling. It’s a fascinating visual representation of those who are still struggling for the acceptance we take for granted in Canada.

The picture is even more complicated for those travelling while living with HIV. A fabulous resource is the global database on

HIV-specific travel and residence restrictions, www.hivtravel.org. As a general rule I recommend that HIV-positive men travel with their antiretroviral medication in their carry-on in generic pharmacy bottles with the medication name listed. Don’t carry your medication in original pharmaceutical bottles; they often identify that the medication is used for HIV treatment and will disclose your status. That’s your business and not that of a customs agent. Carry a letter from your doctor listing all of your current medications, so it’s very clear that the pills you are carrying belong to you and are important.

For HIV-negative travellers, if you know that holidays are a time when you tend to party more and perhaps have more sex, consider speaking to your doctor about HIV preexposure prophylaxis. It works exceptionally well but is not a substitute for safer sex.

There are plenty of other sexually transmitted infections from which it won’t protect you. That means keeping your senses intact.

Overusing alcohol and drugs can be dangerous at the best of times but particularly when you’re away from your social supports and a reliably familiar medical system. Consider a vacation from partying on your next getaway: You might feel much better for it.

While many of us will be staying home with our limp Canadian dollars in hand, a lucky few will be off to sunny beaches and desert palms. The next time you travel, plan ahead. Take some time to visit the websites noted here to get some medical background on your destination. You don’t want to return home like so many others do— needing a vacation to recover from the one you just had.

Dr. Malcolm Hedgcock is a Toronto-trained family doctor living and working in Vancouver. He has a special interest in gay men’s health issues, including the primary care of those living with HIV and AIDS.

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INFRONT

Wh e e l s

Nimble and Nice → Smart use of space and versatility lend comfort to the Honda HR-V ride

By Casey Williams

H

onda is known for building vehicles that aren’t overly power­

ful but run like little, finely tuned sewing machines. All the while, they reward owners with effi­ ciency,

utility

and

longevity.

That’s pretty much the formula employed by cars like the Civic, Accord and…the 2016 HR-V. Looking face-on, there’s a connection to other Hondas through its big grille and highset headlamps. Body styling is pure crossover, with an arching roofline, kicked-up rear window line and deep, swooping side sculpting. Rear door handles are cleverly hidden in the C-pillar. It looks expensive and tough, and it’s undeniably Honda.

Stylists had their way with the interior, too. The sleek cen­ tre console has large cup hold­ ers, and storage underneath with a USB port. Almost every­ thing feels expensive and is

upholstered with stitched faux leather. Audio, navigation and climate are controlled with a swipe-sensitive touch screen above and glassy touch pad below. The heated seats and sunroof are a delight.

It’s packed with enough stor­ age tricks to excite a tiny house maven. Even with four aboard, there’s enough luggage space.

Flip the rear seats and front seat to fit in a bicycle or surfboard.

Creative placement of the gas tank allows the rear seat bot­ tom to flip up to haul large items across the floor.

Under the hood, it needs a turbo. It’s not the 105kW/141 horsepower 1.8-litre four-cylin­ der engine that betrays it, but the continuously variable trans­ mission and all-wheel-drive that sap the fun out of anything that might have been fun. Step into it and you’ll think Zeus is in an epic battle with your power drill. Press the green “Eco” but­

2016 Honda HR-V Five-passenger, AWD crossover POWERTRAIN 105Kw/141 hp 1.8-litre I4, CVT SUSPENSION F/R Ind/torsion beam WHEELS F/R 17”/17” alloy BRAKES F/R disc/disc MUST-HAVE FEATURES Style, utility FUEL ECONOMY 8.3/6.7 litres/100km city/hwy ASSEMBLY Celaya, Mexico BASE/AS-TESTED PRICE $20,690/31,815

ton to maximize fuel economy, which is rated 8.3/6.7 litres/100 km city/hwy.

The HR-V comes with plenty of standard equipment. You will check no boxes for power windows with driver’s auto up/down, CD player, USB input, Bluetooth calling/audio, 17-inch alloys or rearview camera. You will pay about $800 more for an automatic transmission.

Honda built its reputa­ tion with precisely engineered bikes and compact cars. None

attracted fans through a mon­ soon of power, but offered a sense that people who love cars engineered them. That’s the spirit in which the HR-V was created. It starts at $20,690 but came to $31,815 as tested.

Casey Williams is a contributing writer for Gaywheels.com, and a frequent business traveller to Montreal. He contributes to the New York-based LGBT magazine Metrosource and the Chicago Tribune. He and his husband live in Indianapolis, where Williams contributes videos and reviews to wfyi.org, the area’s PBS/NPR station.

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INFRONT

MONEY$tyle

Giving Thanks → The holidays are filled with opportunities to spend wisely

By Al Ramsay

I

t should be the most wonderful time of the year, but the holiday season can sometimes be the most stressful.

Besides all the socializing, there’s the pressure to buy gifts, many of which are not usually in most people’s budget. Still, we simply close our eyes and swipe our credit cards or dip into our overdraft. I’m as guilty as anyone, even though it’s a no-no!

I don’t want to sound like the Financial Scrooge, but to be fiscally responsible, as with everything else in life, you need a good plan.

Otherwise, you’ll spend the new year playing catch-up. To avoid that, I’d like to share a few tips I hope you’ll find helpful.

1. MAKE A LIST AND PRIORITIZE Have you ever made an invitation list only to find it’s grown way bigger than expected? If, like me, you’re a social butterfly, this can prove overwhelming. Therefore, you need to determine who gets a gift vs. a card, email, text or phone call—a greeting that, frankly, many people might simply prefer.

2. DEVISE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT Check in with your financial adviser for guidance on holiday budgeting. Calculate an amount you think you can comfortably manage to spend over the season without going into excessive debt—or no debt at all. Allocate something for everyone on your gift list. If, after this exercise, your heart and pocket aren’t in synch, go back to Step 1 to re-prioritize or reduce your spend per person.

As discussed in a previous column (see Money$tyle, June 2015), cards like the TD Aeroplan or TD Cash Back credit cards can

A Helper’s Hand If you’re looking for some sound advice on creating a budget, you can find it by visiting the website www.tdcanadatrust.com, and then searching budgeting.

Goals Happily Met As part of its support for this year’s Toronto Pride Week, TD and Aeroplan donated one Aeroplan mile to organizations that fight for LGBT rights worldwide for every dollar that TD Aeroplan Credit Card holders spent during Pride Week. That means each time cardholders used their card from June 19 to 29, they made a measurable difference in the quality of life everywhere.

The campaign achieved its donation goal, resulting in 21 million miles donated to Aeroplan’s Beyond Miles charity program. The Aeroplan miles have been split three ways (seven million miles each) and donated to Eagle, Rainbow Railroad and The

help you earn points and dollars.

Using them for holiday purchases lets the cards work harder for you.

3. START SHOPPING EARLY It may seem obvious, but pro­ crastinating will lead to impulse purchases. From my experience, you’ll end up overpaying for gifts.

Shopping online could not only give you greater flexibility and convenience, but you may find lower prices, more deals and greater selection.

4. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX • Cash is King and a great way to stay on budget. My teenage nieces and nephews prefer money over gifts.

• Buy gift cards for redemption at a friend’s or loved one’s favourite store or restaurant.

• Score bonus points at the office by suggesting that “Kris Kringle” put a dollar limit on gifts to coworkers. You might also consider helping the needy, perhaps through one of several “Adopt a Family” programs where everyone helps to buy food or gifts, or simply donate to your favourite charity—in most cases you get a tax receipt.

• Recommend that presents be for children only and preferably educational toys or monetary gifts for education savings con­ tributions, such as a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), in which the government will match contributions up to a given amount (see Money$tyle, July 2015).

• How about some DIY presents instead of purchases? There are

Stephen Lewis Foundation. For some perspective, 21 million miles would translate into approximately 105 return flights to Africa or 650 hotel-night stays in downtown Toronto.

numerous DIY websites you can use if you need advice.

The holidays are an occasion for you to focus on quality time with loved ones and helping those in need. As for the best gift, most times all that’s required is YOU being present.

Al Ramsay is TD Bank Group’s regional manager, LGBTA Business Development.

He can be reached at al.ramsay@td.com or you can follow him on twitter at AlRamsay_TD. Orlando Lopez contributed to this article. He is a Financial Planner at TD Bank and can be reached at orlando. lopez@td.com. inmagazine.ca

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INFRONT

O n Re l at i o n s h i ps

past perfect? → An affair to remember…or maybe not

By Adam Segal

IS YOUR PARTNER A LYING OR CHEATING DOGG?

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A few years ago I had a three-month-long affair that I truly regret.

I told my partner about it back then after it ended, and we have since made a lot of progress in rebuilding trust. To talk it through, we even saw a therapist. We continue to be monogamous, and I feel so lucky to have a really great relationship. I am mostly at peace with things between my partner and me.

The only problem is that I can still feel haunted by how good the sex was with the guy with whom I had the affair. It was so intense and hot and was much more adventurous than what I have with my partner.

With the other guy, I felt I could share my deep fantasies and take more uninhibited risks. Today I’m grateful for getting to keep a loving relationship yet feel as if the consolation prize is under-whelming sex.

How do I truly move on from the experience of the affair and let go of the constant comparisons?

Monty Dear Monty: One of the greatest challenges of an affair comes once it’s been concluded. There is the rebuilding of trust, and it sounds like you’ve both done quite nicely where that’s concerned. There’s also the grieving of the affair connection while in the context of another relationship, and this can prove particularly tricky.

Often the most damaging aspects of extracurricular action in a supposedly monogamous relationship is that comparisons get set up. They can be very difficult to shed. The connection to your everyday partner is likely incapable of matching the intensity of being with a shiny, brand new person. And all the sneaking around probably ramped up the sexy quotient even higher.

It sounds as if the affair helped you connect with a wilder side of your sexuality, and that ultimately could be a gift to you and your partner—but only if you find ways of incorporating that side of yourself into your real life rather than something reserved for the vacuum of a fling. There’s a good chance that you were only able to fully inhabit that part of yourself because the affair was fragmented off from your everyday life. When we connect with a new person,

and especially in a secretive way, it can be oddly liberating in that we can, in a manner of speaking, start over and be whoever we want to be without the baggage of past roles, hurts and routines that can come with an LTR (long-term relationship).

What takes more bravery is having your long-term partner, who has smelled your bad breath and seen you whine when you have the stomach flu, witness this kinky part of you in a way that is integrated into your relationship. The only way your sexual connection will become more fulfilling is if you’re willing to introduce your partner to this more adventurous persona within to see if the sex with him can become more expansive. But as long as you are leaving your inner sex beast out in the hallway, sex will continue to feel stale.

And you’ll be left with haunting memories of your wild (yet com­ partmentalized) sexual past.

Adam Segal, writer and therapist, works in private practice in downtown Toronto. Ask him your relationship or mental-health question at relationship@ inmagazine.ca.

TALK BACK Feel free to share your comments on IN or articles in the magazine by emailing us at editor@ inmagazine.ca.

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INFront

on the town by Michael Pihach

College Night at Church on Church

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TSO Opening Concert at Roy Thomson Hall

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→ 1. Daniel Haase, John Diaz, Brandon Mahon 2. Joey Monda, Whiitnay Powell, Arvin Kamal 3. Mark Daryl, Cameron Rae 4. Justin Cappelletti, Emily Einsmann, Nate Webster, William Hudson, Graham Smith 5. Scott Delaplante, Julius Manapul 6. Bob Rae 7. Alison Dalglish-Pottow, Susan Baxter 8. Kamala Jean Gopie 9. Florian Fructuoso, Aaron Strumpolious 10. Renette Berman, Trish Moran 11. Mauricio Ayala Terrazas, Amanda Forsyth Zukerman 12. Sandi and Jim Treliving 13. Olga Fershaloff, Jeff Melanson 14. Gustavo Guimaraes inmagazine.ca

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21/10/2015 10:00:31 AM

Looking Good

Making Scents → Finding a fragrance that fits the season

By Tracy Howard

T

here’s something about fragrance that lends a bit of spice to this time of year. Whether you wear it to glam up for a winter soiree or want to add it to the gift list for your hard-to-buy-for boyfriend, a well-chosen fragrance will get you noticed—for all the right reasons. Among top trends hitting fragrance counters are rhubarb, rose, peony and wood-based notes, and niche scents with unusual

ingredients. We’ve nosed out four new arrivals.

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SCENT CONFECTION What would you get if you unleashed the talents of a famed French pastry chef on a skin-care and fragrance company? That’s what L’Occitane founder Olivier Baussan explored when he invited master macaron-maker Pierre Hermé to compose a scent for holiday 2015. Pierre Hermé Grapefruit-Rhubarb Eau de Toilette is one of two fragrances he created, inspired by the island of Corsica. In addition to grapefruit essence and rhubarb, this crisp unisex scent features lemon and cypress balanced with warmer notes of clove and cedar. ($65 for 75 ml, at L’Occitane boutiques and ca.loccitane.com)

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GOOD SPORT Designer Miuccia Prada has long riffed on androgyny in her collections, so it’s not surprising her house’s new scent for men smells creamier and sweeter than your dad’s aftershave. The latest offspring of the Luna Rossa line, Prada Luna Rossa Sport is an eau de toilette that offers up a bouquet of ginger, juniper berries, lavender, tonka bean and vanilla. ($92 for 100 ml, at Sephora and sephora.ca)

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LUCKY NUMBER Looking for a present for your selective sis or glamour-girl BFF? Consider TWENTYSIX, a gift that gives back. The limited-edition eau de parfum was created by PR dynamo Natasha Koifman and custom-scent house Aromachology to benefit Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ). Koifman, president of the Toronto and NYC agency NKPR, and board chair of APJ, will donate all her profits on the scent to the non-profit, which supports education and other community programs in Haiti. Befitting the fragrance’s name, it combines 26 ingredients, including grapefruit, bergamot, three kinds of rose, peony, and base notes of patchouli, sandalwood and Haitian vetiver. ($75 for 50 ml, at Hudson’s Bay and www.26forapj.com)

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HERE AND NOW Almost 28 years after Calvin Klein launched Eternity comes its latest update, Eternity Now for Men. Combining spicy and juicy qualities, the eau de toilette opens with ginger, coconut water and star anise, leading to star fruit and patchouli, and it finishes with cedar wood and Madagascar vanilla. ($89 for 100 ml, at Hudson’s Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart and Jean Coutu)

Tracy Howard is a writer and editor specializing in lifestyle topics. She’s the creator of beautyinthemiddle.com, a blog that takes an inside-out approach to looking good and feeling good at any age. inmagazine.ca

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Gifts for

the Holidays A selection of smart, fun presents sure to bring smiles to everyone on your list

ABOUT TIME Hip is the operative word with this cool addition to the Projects Watches collection.

The stainless-steel case is complemented by a one-piece leather band and buckle. $100 (www. projectswatches.com)

HAND IN GLOVE You’ll be glad it’s winter (or at least not as sorry) when you can wear gloves like this chic pair from the Holt Renfrew Collection. $150 (Holt Renfrew stores across Canada) AIR WORTHY The lively and fun patterns by this small shirt maker are sure to be conversation starters on the party circuit.

Stretch cotton, machine-washable; long sleeves, $69; short sleeves, $59 (www. seaplaneshirts.com)

COLOUR ME HAPPY Try something fresh but familiar for the youngsters in your life. FCTRY’s Gnome Crayons are sure to add some fun to that next colouring session. The Bavarian gnome crayons come in a set of six. $15.95 (gift shop of the Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W., Toronto, or www.ago.net/shop)

READY TO RUN The goal of Nike’s ThermaSphere Max jackets is to help athletes focus on their performance, not the weather.

They’ll send you off in comfort and style. $220 (www.nike.com)

GET CRACKING You’ll crack nuts and start a conversation with the Nutwork Nutcracker from Monkey Business. Designed by Yaacov Kaufman, the smart device takes its whimsical cue from the tool box. $27 (gift shop of the Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W., Toronto, or www.ago.net/shop)

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GET THE BOOT Who says you can’t look stylish in even the most nasty weather? Not the makers of these To Boot New York numbers. Look smart and stay comfortable—and let the snow and sleet fly. $535 (Holt Renfrew stores across Canada) HOLDING ALL THE CARDS The House of Prada isn’t about to let you down, especially in selecting a holiday gift for the discerning gentleman in your life. The Saffiano leather wallet includes six slots for cards and a secure money clip. $415 (Harry Rosen and www. harryrosen.com)

SHADY AND CHIC Hide behind these shades by Oliver Peoples, and make a statement about your classic yet modern sensibility. $440 (Holt Renfrew stores across Canada)

TIME FOR TOM Tom Ford’s eau de parfum combines amber-drenched woody notes with sweet vanilla, creating a scent that a certain someone won’t easily forget—starting with the distinctive black-and-gold packaging. $115 (Harry Rosen and www.harryrosen.com)

WRAPPED IN WARMTH Keep warm with the help of fashion-forward Joe Fresh in this burgundy acrylic knit scarf for men. $19 (Joe Fresh dealers and www.joefresh.com)

RANCH DRESSING You can butch it up all winter in this comfortable Men’s Buffalo Plaid Sweater

by J.Crew. $143 (www.jcrew.com)

LINKED TO LUXURY Add a touch of whimsy to your formal dressing this holiday season.

These Loding Two-toned Knot cufflinks will get you noticed for all the right reasons. $50 (Loding dealers and www.loding.ca) NOTE: Prices may vary.

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DOG DAYS You value your identity, so why shouldn’t Fido? Say how much you care this holiday season with a Personalized Dog Bone from L.L. Bean. $12.99 to $14.99 (L.L. Bean dealers and www.llbean.com)

inmagazine.ca

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Gender Mercies

What’s behind those tensions between gay men and the trans community?

By Paul Gallant

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S

ome

of

the

most

distressing

moments for Sophia Banks as a trans woman have come when she’s been among gay men. In Toronto’s gay village she’s as likely to hear “tranny”

and “shemale” as anywhere else—and more likely to be casually manhandled.

“Gay men will grab my crotch to see what I have, or grab my chest to see if I’m wearing prosthetics or if my breasts are real,” says the photographer and bartender. “There’s a lot more entitlement to my body, as if it’s public property. It’s sexual assault, but it’s so normalized among gay men.”

Banks offers an astute theory about the predatory behaviour: “They don’t think they can be misogynist because they’re gay.”

Trans people in Canada and the U.S. have made incredible progress in recent years. More and more politicians and activists are working for their protection and equality. Society’s evolution on the subject has been aided by such celebrities as Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox and the ubiquitous Caitlyn Jenner.

Their high visibility has triggered conversations about transgender issues even among the least aware and least sympathetic of heterosexuals.

Yet the relationship between trans people and cis gay men (“cis” refers to those having been identified as male at birth—I’ll get to trans gay men later) can be tense and acrimonious. Some trans people say they feel excluded from spaces dominated by gay men, particularly Pride festivities, and that gay men’s carelessness around pronouns and slurs can rival that of unenlightened straight people. Some gay men, on the other hand, complain

Milloy contends that this new division is a side

of having to walk on eggshells around trans issues

effect of the mainstreaming of gay and lesbian

or, perhaps even more frustrating for trans people,

people through civil-rights gains. Oppressed people

As the use of the Internet and smartphone

wonder aloud why they should care about trans

may stick together, but formerly oppressed people

apps—and the comforts of same-sex domesticity—

issues now that they themselves have achieved

don’t like to look back.

have eroded the array of shared LGBT spaces, real-

equal rights and broad social acceptance.

Toronto-based journalist and activist Christin Milloy suspects that the falling out between G and T is a relatively recent phenomenon.

During

New

York’s Stonewall riots in 1969, oppression and hate toward homosexuals was spewed with little differentiation and fought against as a group. The film

Sheer numbers, too, must also play a part.

of transgender survey respondents was too small to be statistically significant.)

life touch points become more hotly contested.

“When someone says ‘shemale’ to me, I’m waiting for them to hit me.”

Stonewall, which makes the

Even as Toronto’s Trans March has gained stature and funding over the past few years, Milloy resigned from Pride Toronto this summer, claiming the organization failed to represent people who don’t identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Perhaps there is something inherent that

in

explains

gay-male its

culture

sometimes

indifferent—if not flat-out hostile—

historically dubious decision to portray a white gay

Though many statistics on sexual orientation and

attitudes on trans issues. In North America, gay

man as the lead protagonist, illustrates how that

identity are largely guesses, it’s clear that gay

men have positioned themselves as tastemakers,

time of unity may have slipped away, pushing trans

people outnumber trans people by perhaps 10 to

arbiters of style and gatekeepers of the culturally

people to the margins. “I know for a fact that trans

one. According to a 2013 survey by the U.S.-based

relevant. Wherever there are gay men, it seems,

people were involved in organizing the first Pride

Pew Research Center, gay men are more likely to be

there are sharp-tongued opinions on every

that arose out of [Toronto’s 1981] bathhouse raids

attached to LGBT venues such as neighbourhoods

trend, including trans ones. What vulnerable

here,” says Milloy. “Here we are at each other’s

and bars than lesbians, and so are more likely to

person, maybe in the midst of transition, wants to

throats when we should be hand in hand.”

dominate those places. (It’s telling that the number

face that crucible?

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femininity, combined with harsh humour full of “bitches,” “sluts” and “whores,” providing gay men with a poor, perhaps misleading education about trans people. “When trans people get upset over the word ‘shemale,’ people will say we’re being too sensitive,” says Banks. “But we’re still living in a culture where, when someone says ‘shemale’ to me, I’m waiting for them to hit me.”

Gay culture’s obsession with masculinity might also be to blame. Some psychologists would suggest that encountering someone first identified as male who is now a woman may be threatening, especially for someone who’s spent his life trying not to be a “sissy.” But maybe the simpler explanation is more accurate: Misogyny trumps sexual orientation. In the decades of community politics I’ve witnessed, I’ve found the relationship between cis gay men and trans men to be much less fraught. So it could be a guy thing. The trans men I talked to have had more positive experiences than the women.

“I think the relationship between gay people and trans people is getting better,” says Taylor K. Gesner, arts and culture manager at Pride Toronto.

“If it seems worse, I think it’s just because we have more opportunities to hear people’s opinions.”

When he came out as trans, his straight peers were more straightforwardly congratulatory, his gay ones more vocal—judgmental even. (Lesbians who feel betrayed by trans men are fodder for a whole other story.) For Gesner, that’s an aspect of community engagement. We argue, we learn, we continue the struggle. “We all wish we were all together,” says Gesner, “and fighting together and Last July, writer, broadcaster and motivational

exactly that frenemy turn that can damage trust.

all on the same page and all for the same things, so here’s our list of six things. But there’s really a

speaker Shaun Proulx wrote a SiriusXM piece about

In a February 2015 interview with U.S. lesbian

Caitlyn Jenner, who originally rose to fame as the

activist Cathy Renna, Proulx started a question

track superstar Bruce Jenner. The piece raised a

warmly with, “I’ve always had a special place of

When you’re looking at 600 things—for

firestorm with sentences like: “Her walk in heels is

admiration and respect in my heart for anyone who

example, full access to health care, supports

clunky, the handbags are not yet carried skillfully,

is so hell-bent on their own authenticity that come

for LGBT youth, inclusive education and hiring

list of 600 things we need to change.”

practices, homophobia and transphobia outside urban centres—there’s still much unfinished

“Here we are at each other’s throats when we should be hand in hand.”

business on which gay and trans people can work together. If gay men and trans people didn’t rush to judgement about appearances or carelessly used pronouns, if they could find compassion in both humour and politics, they might see how much they still have in common. “Our struggles are still interconnected,” says queer activist and artist John Caffrey. “We are sadly mistaken if we can’t see that.” Recognizing that won’t just

and a lot of the movements on the whole made by

hell or high water, they’re going to be authentic,”

benefit trans people, but gay men, too, if they take

the former muscular Olympic athlete are less than

only to quickly shift gears into what sounds like

a look at the big picture and where they’ve come

feminine and nowhere near that of the graceful

conspiracy theorizing: “Do you feel there’s been a

from themselves.

supermodel she is being touted as.” Proulx, a

trans take-over of the LGBT movement?”

friend I’ve worked with in the past, declined to

And

then

there’s

the

cultural

bubble

comment for this story, but seemed blindsided by

created by drag. Despite their delight in gender

the controversy, particularly because he’s written

transformation, female impersonators employ

admiringly about trans people in the past. But it’s

an exaggerated and sharply defined sense of

TALK BACK Feel free to share your comments on IN or articles in the magazine by emailing us at editor@ inmagazine.ca. inmagazine.ca

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ON EXHIBIT Artful dressing for a look both classic and modern

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM WEBSTER Styled by Kenisha Paranso, of I.D. Silhouette, and Nagham Cararah Makeup and hair by Mark Gonzales Models: Willem and Danny (Spot 6), Nicolas (Velocci) PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO, TORONTO (SEE RELATED STORY, PAGE 28)

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LIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

(left to right)

Blazer by ami, Alexandre Mattiussi (Holt Renfrew) Shirt by Zara Pant by Naked and Famous Sweater by Rag & Bone (Holt Renfrew) Shirt and Tie

by H&M Pant by Stylist’s Own Shirt by Rag & Bone (Holt Renfrew) Pant and scarf

by Zara

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BLAZER OF GLORY Blazer by Paul Smith (Holt Renfrew) Top by H&M

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LINE DANCING Sweater and shirt by Zara Jeans by Stylist’s Own

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21/10/2015 10:10:48 AM

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21/10/2015 10:11:37 AM

POISED FOR ANYTHING Suit by Givenchy (Holt Renfrew) Top, PantS & Shirt Suspendersby byZara Zara Tie byKlein H&M Shoes by Calvin

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On Dylon: Pant: Zanerobe Polo: Ralph Lauren Boots: Hugo Boss On Alex: Polo: Ralph Lauren Pant: Publish Boots: John Varvatos On Cameron: Polo: Ralph Lauren Pant: Publish Boots: Hugo Boss

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CLASSIC COMFORT Jean Jacket by ami, Alexandre Mattiussi (Holt Renfrew) T-Shirt and shoes by H&M Jeans by Zara

21/10/2015 10:12:29 AM

GREY MATTERS Blazer by ami, Alexandre Mattiussi (Holt Renfrew) Shirt by Zara

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21/10/2015 10:13:25 AM

Colour, Light, Acknowledgment A groundbreaking exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario honours painter J.M.W. Turner

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T

he Canadian art world is abuzz about

watercolours on loan from Tate Britain. The works,

a show that made headlines in the

created in the last 15 years of Turner’s career,

U.K. last year and is now set to open

represent what the AGO declares “a fulfillment of the

an ocean away. At first glance, its

artist’s upward trajectory.”

→ VENETIAN SPLENDOUR The Dogano, San Giorgio, Citella from the Steps of the Europa, exhibited 1842 (opposite); the dramatic lightandcolour (above)

popularity—and transatlantic wings—would seem

Not that Turner (1775-1851) was a stranger to

Having trained as a draftsman, the painter

a bit unlikely. After all, there aren’t that many

acclaim long before those triumphal years. At just

perhaps naturally brought a realistic sensibility to

households in which Joseph Mallord William Turner

the age of 13, he was selling paintings at his father’s

his early landscapes and other renderings. But that

is a household name.

shop in London, where the artist was born.

changed dramatically over the years. A more liberated

But Turner, it turns out, is long on name and

Although he’d attended the Royal Academy of

use of colour informed the latter half of his career.

influence. That will become evident to visitors to

Arts, Turner had relatively little formal education.

Given his increasingly adventurous engagement with

the just-opened Art Gallery of Ontario show “J.M.W.

He was schooled in part by his travels throughout

colour combined with his creative use of light—which

Turner: Painting Set Free.” The Toronto exhibition

Europe, taking particular inspiration from his many

earned him the prestigious designation among the

features more than 50 large-scale paintings and

trips to Venice.

day’s artistic cognoscenti as the “Painter of Light”— inmagazine.ca

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21/10/2015 10:14:28 AM

Turner has come to be acknowledged for his early

British art critics. Their raves included: “an exciting,

influence on Impressionism.

entrancing show” (The Guardian) and “sensational”

“By bringing an exhibition of this calibre to Toronto this fall, the AGO will offer an exceptional experience

(London Evening Standard).

“J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free” focuses on

“Through his art, Turner invites us to bear witness to the rapidly changing world of his time.” to its members and visitors, and we’re delighted to

the final and most experimental phase of the

be partnering with one of the world’s most renowned

artist’s career. Beginning in 1835 and closing with

art institutions to do so,” says Stephanie Smith, the

his last exhibitions at the Royal Academy in 1850,

AGO’s chief curator. “Turner was a great artist who

the AGO’s exhibition sets out to show how Turner’s

reimagined the medium of painting to create powerful

final years were a time of exceptional energy and

and beautiful works. Through his art, he invites us to

vigour, initiated by one of his most wide-ranging

bear witness to the rapidly changing world of his time

tours of Europe. Turner’s late works are famous for

and to delight in the power of the artistic imagination.”

their colour palettes, textures and light. Highlights

When the exhibition opened at Tate Britain in

of the exhibition include the large historical works

September 2014, it became the instant darling of

Ancient Rome: Agrippina Landing with the Ashes

→ DARKNESS FALLS The moody and mysterious burialatsea (above)

of Germanicus (exhibited 1839); Snow Storm-Steam Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth (exhibited 1842) and his iconic Angel Standing in the Sun (exhibited 1846).

There are also numerous watercolours, including The Blue Rigi, Sunrise (1842) and Fire at the Grand Storehouse of the Tower of London (1841).

The installation at the AGO will be coordinated

by Lloyd DeWitt, the gallery’s curator of European art. “J.M.W. Turner is a towering figure of British 19th-century art,” says DeWitt. “His innovative approach remains an ongoing inspiration to contemporary artists and audiences. And yet it was during this last, most fruitful period of his life that his art was most misunderstood. Mocked publicly, Turner baffled his critics with his radical approach.

Nonetheless, he carried on experimenting with unusual subject matters and different canvas formats, and mastering his free and spontaneous techniques in both oil and watercolour.” (“J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free” runs until Jan. 31, 2016. For more information, visit www.ago.net.)

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FLASHBACK November 1932 in LGBT History

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T

o say it was a daring move for 1932 is putting it mildly. A show titled The Incubator opened on Broadway and almost immediately caused a firestorm. Set in an all-boys school, it entailed, according to one account, two of the male characters “developing an unnatural affection” for the hero. After opening on Nov. 1, 1932, 83 years ago this month, it seemed doomed for “dealing with twisted relationships,” as one critic wrote. Indeed, the show closed after only seven performances.

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