Outlooks - February 2012 by Nicolas Tallarico

F E B RUARY 2012

COOL SWEATERS FOR COLD NIGHTS 8 HIP AND STYLISH LOOKS

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PUBLISHER PATRICIA SALIB EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM BROSSEAU CREATIVE MARKETING DIRECTOR NELSON TOMÉ TRAVEL EDITOR RANDALL SHIRLEY ACTING FASHION DIRECTOR ADAM WEBSTER DESIGNER NICOLÁS TALLARICO PRODUCTION COORDINATOR JARA SOLIS

EDITOR AT LARGE BRETT TAYLOR ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES (416) 792–2400 EDITORIAL INQUIRIES EDITOR@OUTLOOKS.CA OUTLOOKS IS PUBLISHED 10 TIMES PER YEAR BY THE MINT MEDIA GROUP ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 542 PARLIAMENT ST. TORONTO, ON, M4X 1P6 THE MINT MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT PATRICIA SALIB DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS REGGIE LANUZA DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING & MARKETING NELSON TOMÉ PROJECT COORDINATOR JARA SOLIS

CONTRIBUTORS JODY BOYNTON, DEREK DOTTO, BRYEN DUNN, DR. MALCOLM HEDGCOCK, BRAD MCPHEE, MICHAEL PIHACH, KRISHNA RAU, PHIL THOMPSON, JENNY WATSON, DAVID WRIGHT ON THE COVER LADY GAGA, COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA

OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN OUTLOOKS MAGAZINE ARE THOSE OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE MAGAZINE. ALL CONTENTS ARE COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN PART OR IN WHOLE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. THE APPEARANCE OF AN AD IN OUTLOOKS MAGAZINE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE MAGAZINE ENDORSES THE ADVERTISER. THE APPEARANCE OF A MODEL OR OTHER PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBJECTS DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE THEIR SEXUALITY. BEFORE YOU MAKE TRAVEL PLANS, DOUBLE-CHECK DATES, TIMES, AND PRICES. THINGS DO CHANGE. WHILE EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ENSURE ACCURACY, OUTLOOKS AND ITS CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ERRORS IN CONTENT.

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CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 2012 | ISSUE 197

18 | HOT STUFF Valentine’s Day gifts from the heart 46 | SNAPSHOT Hollywood shows its true colours

TRAVEL 19 | TRAVEL TALK Courting a rainbow of big-spending consumers

34 | AVENUE Q Why “queer” is much more than a word

ART+ CULTURE 44 | FRAMED: MURRAY DUNCAN Repurposing the everyday

FASHION

12 | THE DOCTOR IS IN Exploring a vaccine’s pros and cons

27 | MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR NEXT CRUISE Gay at sea is what you make it

13 | CIVILITY What it means to be a gentleman

30 | SENSORY RELOAD Kauai’s special piece of paradise

14 | MONEY $TYLE Speaking the language of finance

20 | THE HISTORY OF… PLAID Finding the cool in the corny

FEATURES

36 | SWEATER WEATHER Eight styles for a chic warm-up

16 | FOOD & DRINK An “Affair” to remember… dinner by Toronto’s Fuzion

23 | LADY GAGA A boy’s best friend

15 | THE BREAKDOWN Sailor’s delight: nautical looks for spring

23 LADY GAGA

FOOD & DRINK P. 16

36 SWEATER WEATHER

OUTLOOKS

EDITOR’S_NOTE

Under the Big Tent

Julie Skarratt

6 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

ome years ago, there was an off-Broadway hit called “Making Porn.” As the title suggests, the show was about the filming of pornographic movies—gay pornographic movies. In one memorable scene, a newcomer tells a veteran star he can’t wait to phone his mother to say he’ll be in a “gay movie.” The world-wise old-timer tells the upstart, “‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a gay movie. You’re in porn.” That vignette comes to mind as I assess what it means to be gay in Canada today. Not because those who would romanticize being gay ought to be—if you’ll pardon the expression—set straight. It’s because in the real world, away from the stage, the notion of what it is to be gay has been uprooted as surely as Dorothy’s house was transported to a land of tin men and talking scarecrows. To be gay or to know someone who is (and what honest person doesn’t) in this moment is to be the beneficiary of that proverbial wish for you to live in interesting times. Interesting? Maybe on a slow day. Selfishly speaking, the velocity of change in our society makes editor in chief of Outlooks a journalist’s dream job. Reporters, editors and writers—I’m blessed to be all three—live for great stories. The forces shaping our country and the vastly shrinking world of which it’s a part have everything to do with all of us. (And if I eschew the term LGBT, it only reflects my belief that a “gay” tent is, by definition, large enough for all guests.) Yes, in each tale of our evolving culture, we have a take. But wait! What exactly is the “gay” take? Ah, there’s the excitement. As Outlooks enters the next phase of its evolution, we won’t be retiring the word “gaydar” entirely. But we won’t be overly reliant upon it in determining what fills our pages. The only litmus test to which we’ll subject the people, places

and other lifestyle topics we cover will be one requiring them to be engaging, entertaining and worthy of your time. Speaking of time, it’s arguably the greatest luxury in a world of multitaskers. But, thankfully, it’s not the only luxury. We recognize that a well-crafted pen is no more gay than a sleek automobile is straight. The effects of the good life belong to everyone. In our view, the good life itself belongs to everyone. The traditions of our great, if imperfect, country go a long way in making that good life a distinct possibility for all. Gay Canadians have a particular appreciation for the liberties of their home, where same-sex marriage has been the law of the land for nearly a decade. But it’s also the country where late last year the gayrelated bullying of an Ottawa teen led to his suicide. There is Oz, and then there are countries where real people live and work and aspire to better, fuller lives. Some of those people happen to be gay. In addressing the broadening canvas that is their lives, our lives, we want to be sure the outlook is always promising. And when it’s not, we want to investigate why. Outlooks is, after all, a magazine for interesting times.

Jim Brosseau Editor In Chief

We’d be delighted to hear from you. Share your thoughts on the magazine and stories you’d like to see covered in its pages. Email us at editor@outlooks.ca. Many thanks.

I_SPY

OUTFRONT

Jonathan Nathaniel STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT GAY LIFE Honest and unwavering in his convictions, Jonathan Nathaniel is helping pave the way for gay youth in Canada and beyond. As a panelist on MTV’s hit show “1 girl 5 gays,” now in its third season, the 24-year-old tackles everything from pop culture and gay rights to sex and dating. “There’s so much power in sharing,” he says. “So much power in being vulnerable and forthcoming, because other people can benefit from it.” Topics can switch from raunchy to heartfelt at the drop of a hat, allowing Nathaniel to talk openly about anything from escapades between the sheets to his mother’s passing when he was 13: “I’ve never felt like I’ve had to hide anything on the show. That would defeat the purpose.” Critics have attacked the show, saying it perpetuates gay stereotypes. But Nathaniel shrugs off the accusations. “We’ve never tried to be the voice of the gay community,” he says. “We’re all in our early to mid 20s, which doesn’t give you the entire spectrum. It’s just one aspect of it.”

“1 girl 5 gays” airs on MTV Fridays at 11pm.

— DEREK DOTTO

: Jeffery Straker

An aspiring actor, Nathaniel plans to carve his own niche in show business while remembering a greater responsibility. “You can have a lot of fun on camera, but, at the end of the day, we’re role models.”

OUTLOOKS

OUTFRONT

WALKING DOWN THE AISLE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH? Advocates of gay marriage recently got a boost from an unexpected source: a medical journal. Researchers in the U.S. looked at some 1,200 visitors to a health clinic catering to gays and bisexuals in the state of Massachusetts. Records were assessed in the year prior to the state’s 2004 adoption of same-sex marriage and the year after. In the latter year, according to the results published in the American Journal of Public Health, doctor visits dropped by 13 percent and healthcare costs by 14 percent. Among the study group, there were marked decreases in depression, high blood pressure and sexually transmitted diseases.

UN OFFICIAL TELLS NATIONS TO END GAY EXECUTIONS

The United Nation’s top human rights official has urged countries to abolish legal discrimination against gays, including the death penalty for con8 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

sensual sex. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says governments should also outlaw all forms of abuse based on sexual orientation. Navi Pillay’s appeal came in a report released late last year to the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council. In June, the Genevabased body passed a resolution condemning, for the first time, antigay discrimination. It was hailed as historic by the U.S., European countries and others but decried by some African and Muslim nations. Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen have the death penalty for samesex relationships on their statute books.

TEACHER LEAVES FUNDAMENTALIST SCHOOL The gay teacher who fought to keep his job at a fundamentalist Christian school in Oegstgeest, Netherlands, has reached an agreement to leave the school, after all. A court in Leiden ruled in favour of Duran Renkema when he challenged his dismissal, saying the simple fact of his going public with his homosexuality and living with a man was no reason to suspend and then sack him. (Both sides have agreed not to comment on the terms of the agreement.) The

MITCHAM DIVES TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Sports and humanrights enthusiasts are still celebrating Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham’s win in the 10-metre platform at December’s National Diving Championships. The Gay Games ambassador won the national title on the last day of the event in Adelaide, Austrailia. The top two divers from the national titles qualify for the World Cup in London this month. Mitcham had a two-week preparation time for the event, having spent much of last year recovering from an abdominal injury. The victory came even with “my limited preparation,” he noted. “I have made the qualifying standard and hopefully will be selected for the World Cup team.… I can now continue with my final rehab, have a bit of

a rest and strengthen all my muscles around the tear.”

of fully equal same-sex marriage now has support from all three major parties in Westminster.

CADETS SHARE HISTORIC KISS AT NAVY HOMECOMING Until the U.S. military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was officially repealed last September, Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta and Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell had kept their relationship a secret. Not anymore. In mere seconds, the couple upended the Navy homecoming tradition in which one sailor is chosen by raffle to be first off the ship to kiss a loved one. When Gaeta won the raffle at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Virginia, her shipside smooch quickly came to symbolize changing times in the military. “It’s nice to be able to be myself,” said Gaeta, who upped her luck by buying 50 raffle tickets at a dollar apiece.

UK GAY MARRIAGE BACKED BY LABOUR MEPS Former EastEnders actor Michael Cashman is urging his colleagues in Westminster to follow his example and that of his 12 fellow Labour MEPs in unanimously supporting the Equal Love campaign. Financed by the Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund, the campaign is working to overturn the twin bans on same-sex marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships in the UK. The idea

MR. GAY NAMIBIA BRUTALLY “MUGGED”

Melanie Nathan

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONTLINES

Netherlands has dozens of fundamentalist Christian schools which oppose homosexuality on Biblical principles. While funded by the government, they are run independently. Such schools may not discriminate but are free to determine their own “professional demands” for teachers. In practice, that means they are allowed to refuse gay teachers and pupils on the grounds that homosexuality conflicts with their religious principles.

Matthew Mitcham

360°

The prize money awarded in a gay competition appears not to have been lost on the thugs behind a Namibian hate crime. Wendelinus Hamutenya, the Mr. Gay Namibia title holder, was physically assaulted near his residence in Katutura, Windhoek, in what has been described as a brutal “mugging” with monetary gain as its motive. Hamutenya was on his way home at about 10pm from visiting with friends and was dropped off at the corner of his street. As he neared his house, two men approached him and demanded “the money he won at the Mr. Gay competition.” After a brief confrontation, one of the perpetrators kicked Hamutenya to the ground, while the other aimed for his mobile phone and wallet. Several punches were exchanged between Hamutenya and his attackers. In the end, blows from a glass bottle by one of the two attackers seriously injured Hamuntenya’s head, face, chin and ribs. He was hospitalized for observation at a Windhoek private clinic for 24 hours. — BRETT TAYLOR

FITNESS

Boxing Days THE WORKOUT THAT CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A CHAMP

ith the growing popularity of mixed martial arts, it seems every gym I step in to these days has some form of contact-sport-based fitness class. Always one to check out trends, I decided to put my inner Rocky to the test and see what Boxfit is all about. Can a fun groupfitness class be based on a sport with so much machismo and aggression? All boxing/mixed martial arts classes do have a high “play-it-straight” factor, but who hasn’t imagined risking a black eye just for a chance to cuddle Georges St. Pierre? In my search for an engaging cardio-centric boxing class, I found Coach Paul Brown (boxfit.com). He has been in the business for 30 years and in his younger days was ranked second as a professional Canadian lightweight fighter. Since then he’s coached a world middleweight kick-boxer and a North American lightweight champ. His Boxfit classes promise to be non-aggressive, energetic and vigorous cardio workouts. Brown has 10 or so group classes a week— beginner, intermediate and advanced—and he also offers private coach ing. The cost for such sessions around Canada will vary, but group classes with Brown in Toronto are $20 to drop in or $175 for a package of 10. The day I show up, the class is small, with a couple of fit 30-something guys and a few sporty women. Thankfully, it’s the beginner class, so I hope I don’t risk embarrassing myself too much. Brown starts the pre-class with an optional little 10k spin class; mostly for those who are here to lose weight. It’s followed by some light stretching. So far I’m hanging in, however the core work was to follow. Old-school bodybuilders like myself really only do abs to get ready for a show. It seems Paul likes counting to 10, because he did that a lot! The crunches are intense, feet up, side, crossed, etc., and he counts to 10 up to 10 times per exercise.

The last time I did 100 crunches Sylvester Stallone only had a few movies under his belt. We crunch for what seems like 1,000 times—more likely, about half that. I can’t do every set, and I’m obviously the novice of the group. Brown changes up his ab routine every two weeks so that it’s always challenging for his clients. Again a light stretch and water break and it’s time to get to the boxing! For newcomers, Brown puts on our wrist wraps himself. That gives him face time with new participants and a chance to assess where they’re at in terms of fitness, attitude, etc. The wraps are to give the wrist and small bones of the hands some support to reduce the chance of injury from hitting the bag. (That and, well, it looks pretty damn tough!). We begin with some shadow boxing to the mirror, left jab and right punch. Then some foot work. I don’t quite feel like Rocky in the meat locker but start to get the rhythm. It’s all about rhythm: Step-jab, step-jab, punch, jab, punch! With a little practice, the combos get easier; if you can dance, you’d be a natural with this part. Me? Not so much. We get coached on the movement and about hand and foot positions and punching postures. I have the most trouble keeping my arms up and close to my head. They weigh a lot, and I’m used to having

wide shoulders. But for boxing you try and make them narrow, so you’re a smaller target to your opponent. Then it’s time for the bag work. Gloves are passed out, and I’m assigned the 16-ounce ones. The weight feels good at the end of my arms, like I could really punch! I do what you always see boxers do and bang my fists together and give my partner a gloved fist bump. I got paired with the manliest of the bunch, so I was, of course, concerned about making a good show. Even though I’m feeling all “eye of the tiger,” it soon becomes apparent how little skill I have. We are given sequences: Punch, jab, left, right, head height or body blow. Both people on the bag try to punch the opposite side at the same time. My skilled partner is landing punches faster than I can comprehend. My lame jabs are hitting the bag off center, so the bag is spinning left and right, which I’m sure is not supposed to happen. As I get into punch mode, the commands come faster, with longer punch sequences. The bag is not spinning as much, either because the punches are coming quicker, my off-center hits are cancelling each other out or (as I prefer to think) I’m simply getting better. Next is the killer round—timed punches as many and as fast as you can land while your OUTLOOKS

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Come In From the Dark WHO SAYS THERE IS NO CURE FOR THE WINTERTIME BLUES BY JODY BOYNTON

ebruary is here! It’s hard to be excited about a month that, although it’s the shortest, often feels the longest. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a depressive condition that reaches beyond the winter blues and can be severely debilitating for some, especially those who are already prone to depression. SAD is difficult to diagnose but has similar symptoms to bipolar or depressive disorders. Generally, you could have some form of seasonal depression if you have two consecutive winters with the following symptoms: • Fatigue • Decreased energy •W eight gain and uncontrollable cravings for starchy carbs and sugars • I ncreased sleep and difficulty waking in the morning • Irritability • Inability to concentrate •F eelings of anxiety or despair and avoidance of social situations We are products of thousands of years of evolution, and our natural biological internal clock or circadian rhythm responds to differences in the length of day. Now, of course, we can work up to 10 or more hours a day all year long (thank you, Thomas Edison). We began to fall into relative darkness toward the fall equinox, getting progressively darker until Dec. 21 then gradually brighter as the days get longer on the way to spring. The good news come February is that spring is mere weeks away—no matter what the groundhog may say. The bad news is since most of Canada is above the 49th parallel, our moods along with our serotonin levels are hitting rock bottom about now. So what’s really going on? There is

David Wright

partner holds the bag. The sequences are, I believe, 30 seconds long, but they feel like hours of hammering the bag. Two full minutes in the ring must feel like an eternity. My boxing mate steps in first. We are instructed to hold the bag at the top away from our body, so we won’t have to absorb the punches. My arms feel like bags of sand. I can hardly hold them aloft, so I end up hanging onto the bag and leaning my chest into it. I attempt to keep the bottom from spinning with my thigh as my partner hammers the other side of the bag. Then it’s my turn. In the heat of the moment, I start hammering left/rights into the bag. Coach is encouraging us to go faster, but what started out as spirited pummeling is reduced to lame taps by the end of the time. This was round one! By the end of round seven or so, my lungs are on fire, my arms seem to be made of lead, and the idea of hanging onto the bag while my partner indirectly pummels me seems like a relief. Finally time for a water break and stretching. I can’t wait to get those heavy gloves and wraps off. My hands are hot, red, sweaty and—I won’t lie—smell a little like feet after a long run. (Note: If you’re going to continue boxing classes, you might want to invest in your own wraps.) After the class, I had a crazy shoulder pump, and my arms were so heavy and shaky that a handwriting expert couldn’t have recognized the notes I’d taken. One Boxfit workout won’t make you a killer, but I can see why Brown has built a loyal following. It’s not your everyday workout, and, despite its rigors, it’s great fun. Brown touts Boxfit as the ultimate workout with a combination of muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. His clients gain strength, coordination, endurance and aerobic fitness. Hitting the bag 600 times can relieve stress after work, or pump you up to take on the day ahead. I have gained a whole new respect for the sport. If you’re looking to change up your workouts, you might want to look into boxing programs near you. Just remember to keep your guard up! — JODY BOYNTON

some discussion on exactly how the lack of light affects our lives, but basically light levels can have an impact on our hormones. They are, of course, the messengers for our body and our brain. Biochemically, it all boils down to serotonin, which is one of the 10 main neurotransmitters responsible for helping brain cells communicate. It helps us feel calm, confident and in control. It’s our feel-good hormone, our happy welladjusted hormone. When we’re in darkness, the pathway turns serotonin into melatonin. This hormone allows us to have a deep, restful sleep which helps restore and repair our bodies. In the presence of sufficient light, melatonin production is turned down and serotonin stays up, allowing us to have a productive, pleasant day. Serotonin is made in the brain from an amino acid called tryptophan that we must get from our diet. But it has

WELLNESS

can also make time to get outdoors on sunny days to take in the light. Better yet, booking a vacation to a beach down south can go a long way toward improving your mood. EXERCISE.

Aerobic exercise can use up extra carbohydrates and amino acids that are in the bloodstream and make way for tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier. Any cardiovascular workout indoors or such outdoor activities as snowshoeing, skiing, running or even playing a game of pick-up hockey can improve your outlook on winter. REDUCE STRESS.

Short-term stress can improve serotonin, but long-term stress that results in reduced adrenal function produces cortisol, which among other things can inhibit serotonin production. to be in sufficient amounts and be able to cross the blood-brain barrier to even have a chance of becoming an amiable feeling. It is generally higher in proteinrich foods, such as beans, chickpeas, eggs, chocolate, dairy and meats. Let’s think of the blood-brain barrier as the bouncer to the brain club. The brain only wants a certain type of client, no ne’er-do-wells or hangers-on. But if there is a whole group of other amino acids in the bloodstream and only a few tryptophan, not enough will get in the door to have an effect. So a high-protein meal doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the necessary tryptophan into the brain. Also, some molecules called pro-inflammatory cytokines can create enzymes that deplete tryptophan in the blood. Inflammatory conditions in the body can be from immune issues, foods, allergens, toxins, etc. What do we crave most in the winter? Sugar! A high insulin level can be like Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras. It’s as if all the bars are open throughout the body. That means the riffraff can get into other areas, giving the circulating tryptophan open access to the brain club. Once tryptophan gets into the brain we can produce serotonin, but only if we have enough basic nutrient levels of magnesium and B6. Bear in mind, though,

that chronic high insulin supports the inflammatory process, which can reduce circulating tryptophan. Let’s face it, riding that sugar high/sugar low can leave you feeling all Jekyll and Hyde.

It’s pretty complicated science, but we can give ourselves a good shot at achieving wintertime happiness by creating an environment that promotes and supports serotonin production. Here are a few simple steps to follow (and don’t forget to start your happiness protocol earlier next year): THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS.

Don’t worry/be happy can be more than just a song refrain. If you can, when necessary, fool yourself into thinking things are better than they appear. (I tried this at my in-laws over Christmas with some success.) You just might keep the pathway toward serotonin production running. LET THERE BE LIGHT.

There are lightboxes available that have to be used in a prescribed way—for example, not looking directly at the light, but have it hitting your eyes for 30 to 45 minutes in the morning. We

HEALTHY DIET.

Eat a balanced diet, ensure you get enough protein and get in your greens. Try more fish to increase Omega 3 fats (for anti-inflammatory effects in the body). Avoid inflammatory foods (fried and/or processed) and dietary allergens. Stay away from too much of a good thing: sugar, alcohol, stimulants and caffeine, all of which can have a boomerang effect on your mood when you crash. There are some nutritional supplements (nutraceuticals) that can help as well, but you should consult a skilled practitioner or your MD before self-medicating. Not all supplements are appropriate for everyone. And, of course, if the symptoms of SAD veer into what could be serious depression, by all means seek professional help. Looking out the window in February, it’s not as easy as saying, “Hey we’re Canadian! Get over it!” But if you put a little effort into keeping active and making good lifestyle choices, the remaining weeks of winter might just fly by.

OUTLOOKS

THE DOCTOR IS IN

HPV vaccines: in search of letter-perfect answers BY DR. MALCOLM HEDGCOCK

ne question that I’ve been asked a lot lately is whether or not men should be receiving the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a virus that comes in more than 100 different types or “strains.” It is exceptionally common, since it is very easy to pass from person to person through simple contact. In fact, a recent study revealed that about half of young HIVnegative men who have sex with men (MSM) have evidence of a current HPV infection. Most men who are infected with HPV have no idea it’s there, because they don’t have any symptoms. A small number of infected men will develop warts in the anal or genital area, the most common manifestation. Warts can be treated with topical medications or liquid nitrogen. A more worrisome result of an undetected HPV infection is cancer of the anus, mouth or penis. Luckily, our immune system usually fights off each strain of HPV infection without any treatment or complication in about a year. An excellent way to prevent HPV infection is by getting vaccinated. There are two vaccines available in Canada: Cervarix® and Gardasil®. Cervarix protects against two strains of HPV, while Gardasil protects against four strains of the virus. Both vaccines will prevent infection from the most common cancer-causing virus strains. In a recent study Gardasil was given to more than 300 young MSM. It prevented about 90 percent of vaccinestrain HPV infections and more than 75 percent of precancerous changes in the anal canal. Consequently, guidelines in the U.S. now recommend HPV vaccination in all young boys.

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The evidence clearly favours vaccination of males 26 and younger, but what about older guys? Well, once someone has become sexually active they very quickly get infected with at least one strain of HPV found in the vaccine. The vaccine will not protect against strains of the virus to which someone has already been exposed. Older men or those with more sexual partners will have been exposed to more strains of HPV over the years and are less likely to benefit. This is why vaccine manufacturers have not studied it extensively in older men and also why Health Canada has not yet approved the vaccine in men or women over the age of 26. That said, a Canadian research study has just shown that the vast majority of men will not be infected with all four vaccine strains, and that older men are at risk for new HPV infections. These two important points support the idea that the vaccine may provide benefit to older, sexually experienced MSM. Another consideration in the vaccination question is the expense. In Canada, Gardasil costs about $140 per shot, and three are required for a full course. For most people without private drug coverage, this vaccine can simply be too expensive.

Overall the vaccine is safe and effective in protecting against the most common strains of HPV found in the MSM community. It has also been shown to be safe in older men and those who are HIVinfected. While most of us have already been exposed to at least one vaccine strain of HPV, we can still be protected against a few others. It comes down to whether you’re prepared to spend upwards of $400 on a vaccine that might only provide a small benefit. A lot of the data involving HPV vaccination in men has only come out within the last year. It may take some time for it to catch on, but it is certainly something I’ve started to discuss in my clinic.

Malcolm Hedgcock is a family doctor in Toronto with a special interest in conditions that are common in the GLBTQ community. The information contained in this column is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease and in no way should substitute for consultation with one’s own healthcare professional. Send questions or comments about your health concerns to The Doctor Is In at editor@outlooks.ca.

CIVILIT Y

Mastering the rules that separate the men from the gentlemen

t’s a word that sounds hopelessly out of date: gentleman. So infrequently is it used that it’s often misused. Surely you’ve heard a television personality, law officer or eyewitness to a crime carelessly refer to a “gentleman” whose behaviour was anything but gentlemanly. My hunch is that using “gentleman” interchangeably with “man” (or thug or murderer…) is but one sign of a larger decline in manners. Not that those of us who pine for more civility would necessarily want to go back in time. Sure, society might have been a little less coarse, but gays and other minorities were also a lot less free. As the comedian Bill Cosby once said to me, “There were no good old days for black people.” He could have been speaking about a lot of others once considered on society’s fringes. Who would want to go back if that meant going backwards? Still, the past did have a few towering examples of public figures with impeccable manners. Take a moment, for example, to think about where the gentlemen are in today’s Hollywood, a place, for better or worse, where many look to find role models. Okay, a few, like George Clooney, might come to mind. But where are those figures who seemed to have style, grace, wit and humility to spare. On that score, the matinee idol Cary Grant comes to mind. Once at a dinner party, he was seated beside a woman who wasn’t up on pop culture. To make conversation, she asked Grant, who was at the time a mega-star, what he did for a living. Not wanting to further embarrass his table mate, Grant replied, “Oh, I’m in the perfume business.” The person who shared that story with

me was a gentleman of the highest rank, the producer of such movies as “Jaws” and “Chocolat,” the late David Brown. I had occasion to meet and get to know David while I was at Town & Country magazine. Among other things, I edited a column on modern manners, and David contributed several essays to the series. David embodied so many of the qualities I associate with a gentleman: He was soft-spoken, a

GEORGE CLOONEY, gentleman

• Keep your sense of humour, and if you don’t already have one, cultivate one. Among David’s many other rules was my sentimental favourite: Give credit even to those who are undeserving but in need of it. It strikes me that in striving to be a gentleman, it takes a relatively small

IT STRIKES ME THAT IN STRIVING TO BE A GENTLEMAN, IT TAKES A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT good listener, always punctual, generous of spirit and quick with those magic words “please” and “thank you.” Indeed, on the few occasions we’d had lunch, he was the natty picture of refinement. I remember that he had a way, without missing a beat in conversation, of seamlessly thanking waiters and busboys for delivering drinks or clearing away dishes. It didn’t surprise me, then, that David should have had a few of his own rules for gentlemanly conduct. They include: • Never let someone else’s bad behaviour drag you down to their level. • Acknowledge every gift, no matter its value. • Be respectful when others express their opinions, no matter how unpopular those opinions might be.

amount of effort to have a big impact. So why wouldn’t a guy want to do those little extra things, take that one more moment to think about what he says or does. In the workplace, family life or the dating scene, good manners can be a great asset. Besides doing the right thing, you can also gain all kinds of points with those you wish to impress. Which reminds me of another of David Brown’s rules: Don’t eat with your hands. Of course, he said nothing about someone eating out of yours.

— JIM BROSSEAU

Do you have questions about navigating social situations? Share them with Civility at editor@outlooks.ca. OUTLOOKS

MONEY$T YLE

Terms of Endearment: Who’s Doing What With Your Dough? BY BRAD MCPHEE MORTGAGE INSURANCE COMPANIES

re you the lone player in the financial forum? You might at times feel that way, but there are many others we rely upon to manage our financial lives. Sometimes it’s wise to take a moment to evaluate the various “players” tasked with helping us make the most of our money. If I organize those players into five categories, it’s because they pretend to (or actually do) play in one another’s sandboxes.

BANKERS

Banks are said to insure you, but in reality they administer self-protection under the Creditor Protection Act. Bankers’ value to us is that they secure our money and pay it out to us as we direct them. This is a good thing. The excess of our money on deposit they use to provide loans. The more money you deposit, the more they have to lend out. They make their income using the spread between locking it up and lending it out. Their “product” for rent is actually yours. They do not have money of their own, per se. Banks, credit unions and trust companies are all in business to lock up and loan out money. 14 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

You pay premiums on your mortgage, and banks receive the money if you’re sick or pass away. Just as banks are about security, so, too, are insurance companies. Your security is their product. If you want insurance, then you must speak with a licensed insurance agent. The fact that you ticked the box when you applied for a mortgage from your bank did not insure you. You’re not the owner either, because the bank is the sole beneficiary if and when any insurance is provided. Banks are prohibited from providing insurance as defined under the Financial Institutions Act. We are resolute in Canada about keeping our financial institutions under strict guidelines and as distinct organizations with clearly defined boundaries. It is this choice and approach that had Canadian banks rated number one in the world in 2008. Regulation is not the bane of capitalism but the balance to it. For this reason, Canada did not experience the full extent of the U.S. sub-prime crisis. ACCOUNTANTS

Among the other prominent players in our financial lives are the accountants, who record and report on our money. They tell us when, where and how to record it. Once they are satisfied, it is duly recorded. They are then the best people to report it to others (shareholders or company owners, bankers, stock markets and government). Accountants create new and often very complex ways of recording and reporting. The core thought of this group is counting. It is absolutely fundamental to our system that we have good recording and reporting. Accountants are the best at doing this, but we cannot allow only the accountants to understand the entire universe of money management.

BROKERS

The broker is the one with whom I—as a financial consultant—am most often confused. Brokers invest our money to make money. They are transactionalists (okay, it’s a new word but a good one if I do say so myself). They can broker many types of investments, including stocks and mutual funds. They think odds and concentrate on returns. The core thought of this group is selling. It can be tough to deliver what they promise, because they have no control over it. Markets determine returns, and if you think the weather is difficult to predict just start watching more of the business news as it relates to markets. FINANCIAL PLANNERS

This is the category to which I proudly belong (which explains the glowing review). To qualify as a planner, a person must be licensed to sell investment products and life, accident and sickness insurance to protect your financial health. One without the other only satisfies part of your true needs. My colleagues and I are paid to deliver three primary results: a) simplify the complexity of the financial world so clients understand their decisions; b) customize solutions to the myriad financial challenges clients encounter to build and protect their wealth; and c) satisfy their financial needs (food, housing, etc.) and financial wants (entertainment, travel, etc.). Your financial planner is doing his or her job if you have a comprehensive document detailing how much you need now and in the future, where it’s coming from and how it’s protected.

Brad McPhee is a Vancouver-based consultant with Investors Group and past chair of the Gay and Lesbian Association of BC. Views expressed in Money$tyle are solely McPhee’s. Outlooks, as well as Investors Group and its affiliates are not responsible and cannot accept any liability. The column is intended as a source of information and not a solicitation to buy or sell investments nor to provide investment, financial, legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice.

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1. Aluminum-bonded Cotton Peacoat Stone Island $1498 at Harry Rosen

2. Red Folded-collar Pullover RLX Ralph Lauren $105 at Harry Rosen 3. White Polo With Striped Collar Diesel $80 at the Bay 4. Cotton Trousers Boss Orange $175 at the Bay 5. Wool Toque Prada $170 at Harry Rosen

6. Black Suprema Sunglasses Persol $391 at the Bay 7. Tri-face Watch with SONAR LCD Graphic Diesel $315 8. Black Leather Belt H&M $19.95 9. Waterproof Fabric And Leather Shoulder Bag Tod’s $795 at Harry Rosen

10. Nautical Leather Boots Sperry Topsider $180 at Town Shoes

THE BREAKDOWN - A LIFE AQUA-TECH Indulging in a life at sea doesn’t require looking like Captain High Liner. As the winter thaws into spring, forget looking like a sailor and prepare for high seas adventures in sartorial digs with a high tech edge. Smart fabrics and a streamlined silhouette bring the nautical aesthetic into the 21st century. Water-resistant cottons keep you warm and dry, replacing rubber jackets and thick sweaters. Swap out navy blue in favour of black for an added sense of modernity. Landlubbers need not lament, this look is as good for the streets as it is for the sea. Anchors aweigh!. — DEREK DOTTO

OUTLOOKS

FOOD_&_DRINK

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Rosti EDRIC DE VILLA Inspired by his father’s passion for Filipino cuisine, Toronto-based chef Edric de Villa is famous for creating sizzling dishes that transcend traditional fare. A graduate of George Brown College’s prestigious culinary program, de Villa is head chef at Fuzion, an elegant, dimly-lit bistro and lounge in Toronto’s Church and Wellesley neighbourhood. There, he spends evenings providing guests with a first-class dining experience. (Fuzion, 580 Church St., Toronto, ON, 416-9449888, www.fuzionexperience.com)

— MICHAEL PIHACH

INGREDIENTS: 1 pork tenderloin, cleaned and butterflied STUFFING: 4 cups of homemade croutons 1 onion diced 1 carrot diced 1 piece of celeriac diced 1 bunch of thyme 500 grams of bacon 3 litres of vegetable or chicken stock ROSTI: 1 sweet Potato grated 2 Yukon gold potatoes grated Heirloom carrots blanched and cooked with butter and honey Butter Oil Salt and pepper 16 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

WILD MUSHROOM DEMI GLACE: 500 milliliters of beef stock Vegetable oil Your desired selection of mushrooms ROSTI: Prepare the stuffing by rendering off the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan then add mirepoix: carrots, celeriac and white onions. Sauté mirepoix until softened. Add thyme and rendered bacon back into pan with croutons. Stir contents and gradually add chicken stock until the croutons have softened. Prepare the rosti by grating one sweet potato and two Yukon gold potatoes in a bowl of acidulated water. Strain contents and squeeze

out any residual moisture. Season with salt and pepper and form into 4 x 4 patties. Fry in butter and oil until golden brown on both sides. To prepare the wild mushroom demi glace, mix vegetable oil and mixed mushrooms together in a very hot pan. Add sauté, diced shallots and chopped herbs. Add demi and reduce until desired thickness. Finish with 1 tbsp of butter for shine. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butterfly pork tenderloin and place stuffing into pork. Sear pork on all sides and put into oven for 12 minutes or until desired wellness. Remove and rest for five minutes. When ready to serve, slice into medallions.

FOOD_&_DRINK

INGREDIENTS Servings: 1 1 oz vodka ½ oz Soho Lychee ½ oz Pama Liqueur (pomegranate liqueur) 2 oz pomegranate juice DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a martini shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until cold. Pour contents into a martini glass. Garnish with a candied orange slice. The Affair martini is available at Toronto’s SoHo Metropolitan Hotel.

The Affair THEY DON’T CALL IT THE AFFAIR FOR NOTHING…. JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY, THIS SWEET AND TART-TASTING MARTINI IS A RUBY RED-COLOURED CREATION RICH WITH ROMANTIC NOTES OF POMEGRANATE AND LYCHEE JUICES THAT EXCITE AND STIMULATE THE SENSES.

OUTLOOKS

HOT STUFF

Seeing Red for Valentine’s Day “ROMANCE IS MUSH,” GOES A LINE IN THE DUKE ELLINGTON CLASSIC “LUSH LIFE.” WELL, COME VALENTINE’S DAY, SO BE IT. GO AHEAD, SHOW HIM YOU ALSO HAVE A SOFT SIDE WITH SOMETHING IN RED. FROM A NOVELTY FOR THE BUDGET-CONSCIOUS TO A SPLURGE WITH THAT LEFTOVER BONUS CASH, HERE’S A HANDFUL OF SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR HANDFUL:

Liven up his collection of wardrobe staples with a bold splash of red. He won’t go unnoticed—nor will your thoughtfulness— when he sports this Classic Fit Interlock Polo from Ralph Lauren. ($80; The Bay, www.thebay.com)

Ermenegildo Zegna knows from ties. This limited-edition, elegantly simple silk classic will lend style to a day at the office or a fancy night on the town. (Quindici tie, $250, exclusive to Harry Rosen, www.harryrosen.com)

This is one red face you’ll be happy to wear. The uniquely coloured self-winding Breitling Skyracer, with stainless-steel case and bracelet, is water-resistant (200 metres) and features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and bidirectional bezel. ($6,440; La Swiss, Toronto’s authorized Breitling dealer, or your local Breitling dealer)

Wear your national pride on your sleeve, literally. The mapleleaf cufflinks are from a Canadian-based company and can be shipped anywhere in Canada and the U.S. These patriotic accessories are rhodiumplated, and their enamel covering adds a clear protective layer. ($39.95; www.stunningselection.com)

18 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

2012

Give him breakfast in the shape of a heart, and he won’t be thinking about cholesterol. The silicone heart-shaped egg or pancake ring comes in red and can be fetched from the cupboard whenever your romance could use some sizzle. ($4.99; www.trudeau.ca)

Wake him up with the aroma of something brewing in the BRAZIL French Press® Coffee Maker from Bodum. For diehard coffee lovers, it can convert coarsely ground beans into 34 ounces of aromatic seduction. ($29.95; www.bodum.com)

Overnight or overseas, send him out into the world in style. He’ll make a smart impression with a beautifully crafted perforated leather card case from Bally with fabric detail. The red stripes will remind him of the gift-giver. ($195; at select Holt Renfrew locations across Canada, www.holtrenfrew.com)

Take the Valentine’s Day spirit to new heights. The Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC, features ski packages throughout the winter. Surprise your special someone with a getaway, even if he doesn’t ski. Mother Nature’s beauty and Red Resort’s pampering will help create a memorable holiday. (800-663-0105; www.redresort.com)

TRAVEL NOTES

Hey, Big Spenders THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY GETS MORE HIP TO THE GAY MARKET BY RANDALL SHIRLEY

ach year, the San Francisco-based company Community Marketing, Inc. surveys the LGBT community regarding travel habits. In 2011, it released the results of 7,240 North American survey respondents—540 (about eight percent) of them were Canadian.

Denni Danieli-Polloni

Some of the key findings: • After two years of declines, LGBT people increased travel during the past year. • Some 77 percent of LGBT Canadians indicated that in the past year they travelled the same amount or more as in the previous year. • About 92 percent of LGBT Canadians have a passport. The organization Travel Gay Canada also collects information on gay travel habits. Information it released last year includes: • The annual dollar amount of the Canadian gay travel market is upwards of $7 billion, based on estimates that 1.8 million LGBT travellers spent on average $1,131 per trip (in 2010). • LGBT travellers are almost twice as likely to go on vacation or leisure trips as the general public. Destinations, resorts, airlines and other travel-related organizations see the resulting data and can better understand the power of the gay dollar. But what does it do for gay travellers? Why should gays willingly provide information about travel habits in polls and surveys? Consider this: I started travelling as an openly gay man in about 1995; I can’t remember any major hotel chain or airline actively courting my business. At that time, I had no confidence when I checked into a hotel with my boyfriend that we would be welcome. Today, my partner and I regularly check into mainstream hotels around the world—requesting just one bed. There’s

LAN AIRLINES SHOWS ITS (RAINBOW) COLOURS

South America-based LAN Airlines has launched a new travel website dedicated specifically to gay and lesbian travellers. The site, found at www.LANdiversity. com, showcases the diversity experienced throughout South America. It features information and resources for the prospective gay and lesbian traveller to South America, including detailed descriptions of key destinations.

Travel Editor Shirley on Kauai

rarely a raised eyebrow anymore. We fly across continents and oceans exhibiting intimate behaviours: holding hands and sleeping on each other’s shoulders. We’ve openly shopped for wedding rings in mainstream jewelry stores in rural Italy and rural Hawaii (see page 30). We slow-dance together amid straights on mainstream cruise ships (see page 27). While it’s not the only reason, the availability of gay people’s travel data is among the factors that help the travel industry become more aware and inclusive. I, for one, will continue to provide my information to any pollster who wants it—because while the data are generally quantitative, the resulting experience is, in my opinion, 100 percent qualitative. Sources: www.communitymarketinginc.com, www.travelgaycanada.com.

QPONCHICAGO: FIND GAY-FRIENDLY DEALS IN THE WINDY CITY

QponChicago.com, Chicago’s gay daily deals site, marked its six-month anniversary in November. The website has featured more than 100 deals for a wide range of businesses during its launch period. These included restaurants, theatres, travel, AIDS and LGBT non-profit benefits, services, gyms and more. If you’re travelling to Chicago, sign up in advance and watch your email to see if there’s a bargain that could fit into your trip.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Our coverage of the Munich area in the November 2011 issue identified King Ludwig II as “likely” gay. Although a number of sources strongly support that possibility, the king’s sexuality remains the subject of ongoing debate. OUTLOOKS

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The History of… Plaid FROM HIGHLANDERS TO HIPSTERS, THIS AGE-OLD PATTERN HAS SEEN IT ALL — DEREK DOTTO

1815

Early 1700s

William Wilson & Sons catalogues more than 200 types of tartans including clan tartans, as the pattern was now used to identify families rather than regions.

Highlanders truly are mad for plaid. Different patterns are worn at the same time on kilts, breeches, jackets, etc.—a serious fashion crime by today’s standards. Tartans are used to distinguish inhabitants of different regions.

George IV visits Edinburgh, prompting a revival of the tartan. Society members were urged to attend festivities in traditional tartans while the king was also bedecked in the pattern.

David Morier

National Museum of Scotland

1822

250s BC One of the earliest examples of true tartan fabric dates back to the 3rd century. The Falkirk tartan, dug up in Scotland in 1933, was used as a stopper in a pot.

1765

1848

Large-scale commercial weavers start producing tartan fabrics. The most notable is William Wilson & Sons of Bannockburn, which is the sole supplier of tartan cloth to the Highland Regiments.

The start of the royal love affair with tartan. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert buy Balmoral Castle and decorate it in migraineinducing levels of the pattern. To this day, members of the royal family wear tartan when visiting Scotland.

Early 1600s Though they’ve been wearing it for hundreds of years, the western world finally recognizes the Highlanders’ love of tartan. The pattern is worn on large, belted cloth wraps, originally called plaides.

The Jacobites are defeated at the Battle of Culloden. Because of the Highlanders’ support for rebelling forces, the British monarchy outlaws the wearing of tartan other than by upperclassmen and military regiments. The ban lasts 36 years. 20 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

David Wilkie

1746

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1950s

Today

The Duke of Windsor and wife Wallis Simpson wear tartan, setting off a craze among the international jet set. In North America, plaid flannel is adopted by labourers and becomes a symbol of the working man.

Marc Jacobs

Plaid enjoys one of its highest levels of acceptance in modern times, embraced by hipsters, preppies and punks alike. Everything in plaid; from shirts to bow ties, even shoes.

Late 1970s Tartan recaptures its rebellious roots with the embrace of the emerging punk scene.

1920s

1960s

Burberry patents its famous check and puts it in the lining of its signature trench coats.

Gay men, striving to evoke a hyper-masculine image, start wearing plaid窶馬ow thought of as a manly pattern..

1980 Plaid goes preppy when American designers including Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger put the pattern to use.

2000s Plaid re-emerges in high fashion with avant garde designers taking it in new directions.

Early 1990s Tortured youth of the grunge movement adopt over-sized plaid in their uniform. The look enters high fashion when Marc Jacobs shows a grunge-inspired spring 1993 collection for Perry Ellis.

OUTLOOKS

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

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Universal Music Canada

TECHNOLOGY

A BOY’S BEST FRIEND BULLIES, BEWARE! LADY GAGA IS IN THE HOUSE.

BY PHIL THOMPSON/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE OUTLOOKS

LADY GAGA GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORD “OUTRAGEOUS.” (YOU’LL RECALL THE MEAT DRESS.) BUT THE SUPERSTAR IS DEAD SERIOUS ON THE SUBJECT OF BULLYING. FEW OTHER ENTERTAINERS HAVE MADE THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY SO MUCH A PART OF THEIR IDENTITY. THAT’S THE SINGER AND ACTIVIST EVERYBODY KNOWS. NOW THE PUBLIC GAGA LETS DOWN HER HAIR—STAND BACK!— TO SHARE SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE PRIVATE GAGA.

our recent video “Marry the Night” is pretty intense. Is it entirely fictional, or is that part of your life? It’s very autobiographical. It’s me. It’s my worst fears; it’s about the chaos in my life.

Chaos in your life? Don’t you live a great life? You know, I think we all look back on our memories and fill in the black holes, the moments we don’t want to remember. We forget the bad things in life. It’s just human nature. I wanted to show that in this video. What was your worst fear? I always wanted to be a ballerina, and I knew I couldn’t. When you are young, you have this ideal of who you could become. And when you get older, you realize that some dreams just won’t be fulfilled. But you are a megastar today. Didn’t all your dreams come true? A lot of them did, sure. And I do believe that you should never give up on your dreams, on your ambitions. But when you are young, naiveté works in your favour. You seem pretty hard on yourself? I am. Up to this day, I still blame myself when something falls apart. Who supports you when you are down? My parents. They have been married for over 30 years now. It’s just wonderful. I want that some day. I want to

24 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

have a husband and grow old with him. You can do no wrong in front of your parents? No, I can’t. My dad always says how proud he is of me. He’s just the best. Would you say that in the video “Marry the Night,” it’s the most honest you have ever been? Yes, absolutely. If you watch this video, you will know a lot about me. Do you think you will ever give up your provocative outfits? You know, I think delusion is the greatest gift for an artist. What’s this about you working with Elton John? Yes, it’s true. I wrote some stuff for he and I. But he can change it if he wants to. I will see him soon again. You are so famous now that you can’t even go out into the streets. What do you do for fun these days? I invite a couple girlfriends over to my house, and we have somebody do our nails or get a massage. It’s awesome. I love spending quality time with my girlfriends.

“I WANT TO HAVE A HUSBAND AND GROW OLD WITH HIM.”

Universal Music Canada

FEATURE

OUTLOOKS

Gaga Extra THE LADY ON…. MEDIA

“When they start saying that you have extra appendages, you have to assume that they’re unable to destroy you.” —Rolling Stone GAY, THE WORD

“You say the word gay in a song and suddenly all the other words float away and the focus goes in just on one word. I’m happy that everyone focused on that word, though.” — Financial Times magazine HER DREAM

“My dream would be to be in a Woody Allen movie.” — The Ellen DeGeneres Show BULLYING

“I felt disenfranchised by my school and by the people in the school that would make fun of me and bully me and tease me and make me feel less cool.” — 60 Minutes SEXUAL ATTRACTION

“It ranges from a really big d-ck to a degree at Harvard.” — The Sun STING

“Performed last night with my sweetie pie STING for his birthday! Sang one of my favorite songs of his “KING OF PAIN.” —@ladygaga tweet, October 2011 U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON’S STYLE

“Hillary Clinton has more important things to worry about than her hemline.” — The View

“One of my greatest artworks is the art of fame. I’m a master of the art of fame.” — 60 Minutes

26 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

Universal Music Canada

ART

TRAVEL

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR NEXT CRUISE

SEVEN TIPS FOR SMOOTH SAILING

Oosterdam and Azamara Quest

BY RANDALL SHIRLEY

OUTLOOKS

Randall Shirley

o you remember the first time you were cruised on a cruise? I sure do—he was a hot Mexican guy, and I was a naïve, closeted 22-year-old Mormon on my very first cruise—with my parents. Unfortunately, that first cruise didn’t turn out to be my love boat. But in the years since, I’ve spent a lot of time on cruises—including recent trips on gay-friendly Holland America Line and Azamara Club Cruises. I’ve learned there is plenty of fun to be had by gays on almost any ship. Here are seven suggestions that may help you select your first cruise or try something different for your 50th.

about gay cruising, www.meetmeonboard.com; search for “myths.”)

Azamara Club Cruises Quest (previous page); relaxing on a Holland America voyage (above)

2. THINK ABOUT A GAY GROUP CRUISE.

as they arrive, even if there aren’t many attendees. It has been my experience on mainstream cruises that we are well-accepted. On a recent mainstream Holland America “Oosterdam” cruise down the Mexican Riviera—visiting ports once frequented by the “Love Boat”—my partner and I held hands all around the ship, shared an occasional kiss and felt completely comfortable. (Holland America ships have been used for many all-gay cruises.) Of course, everyone has to find his own comfort level in such settings. Thankfully, regardless of the number of other gay people you may think you’ve spotted on board, it’s getting easier all the time to be yourself.

This type of cruise can give you the best of both worlds. Generally, a gay travel agent or event planner organizes these trips, taking a group of gays onboard a mainstream itinerary. Depending on the size of the group, there may be some specialized entertainment just for you. These trips afford the opportunity for passengers to get to know the cruise’s non-gay travellers, as well. Some of the gay group organizers are Aquafest, Pied Piper and Bear Cruise USA.

1. CONSIDER AN ALL-GAY CRUISE.

3. WATCH FOR A GLBT MEET-UP.

Bear in mind that just like other cruises, you can pick and choose from the myriad activities available to you. They are not floating bathhouses or nonstop circuit parties. And in my experience, there are as many “normal” people as there are swimsuit models on board. Atlantis and RSVP continue to dominate this market. (Several years ago, I wrote a list of myths about all-gay cruises which can be seen on the site where I blog

If you choose to cruise mainstream (i.e., not with a gay group or all-gay), check with the cruise entertainment staff upon boarding to see if a LGBT Meet-Up has been set up (old code for gays in such situations was “Friends of Dorothy”). These days, it’s likely they’ve already got one on the schedule. Chances are it won’t be hosted by the staff (although that does happen)—so be a friendly Canadian and welcome people

28 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

4. CONSIDER A THEME CRUISE.

There are many group cruises that are not necessarily gay but certainly of interest to many gay people. One that is particularly appealing to me is a Broadway cruise (www.thebroadwaycruise. com), and I suspect many of my gay

5. GO UPSCALE ON A SMALLER BOAT.

As mainstream cruise ships get more, well, mainstream—not to mention boats getting bigger—you might enjoy the refined experience of a small, upscale ship. I recently sailed on Azamara Club Cruises in the Mediterranean, on a ship my partner compared to a Fairmont hotel, with only 700 passengers! Our fellow guests seemed more sophisticated than some I’ve met on other mainstream cruises. The staff—from the captain down—were approachable and friendly, and for seven nights we truly understood the word “service.” Some of the other small, upscale lines include Seabourn, Crystal and Regent Seven Seas. Depending on the line, you’ll find different value-added services—“free” airfare, drinks included, shore excursions included, etc. A good

travel agent can help you find the right line.

Randall Shirley

Denni Danieli-Polloni

friends would enjoy one of the several wine-lovers cruises available. An excellent resource for finding theme cruises is www.themecruisefinder.com. There are also themed cruises targeted to gay constituencies—such as an upcoming gay film festival at sea (www.prideoftheocean.com).

All-gay cruises are a lot of fun for people of many “types.” This RSVP sailing was onboard Holland America’s Westerdam.

6. GO FARTHER AWAY FROM HOME.

Cruise ships call on ports you may have never considered. Think of it as a more refined version of the old-fashioned “city a day” by tour bus. On a cruise ship you unpack once and your hotel takes you to the destinations. Regions you might cruise include the Persian Gulf, where Royal Caribbean and Princess have itineraries sailing round-trip from Dubai, or perhaps a trip into the Indian Ocean— Princess has fascinating 12-night sailings from Dubai to India and back. Cruising around Australia and New Zealand is another possibility. You might also choose part or all of a “world” itinerary—Cunard and P&O offer this option. Remember that cruises go on rivers, too! 7. PLAN YOUR VERY OWN GAY SHORE EXCURSIONS.

Azumara Club Cruises Quest at Kotor, Montenegro Cruising into Kotor, Montenegro, on board the small, upscale line Azamara Club Cruises

serves a great lunch. It won’t happen in every city, but in larger ports, such connections are a very real possibility. You might also connect with other gay passengers before your cruise to plan shore time together—sharing a taxi to a gay beach, for example, is more economical, safer and maybe more fun! The site www.meetmeonboard.com is specifically designed to help you connect with other gay cruisers, free of charge. The mainstream site cruisecritic.com also has some gay bulletin boards.

The Internet makes it ever easier to study the ports you’ll be visiting. Plan ahead, and you might find a local gay tour guide who’s willing to meet you at the pier, or a gay-owned restaurant that OUTLOOKS

Randall Shirley

SENSORY RELOAD THE UNSPOILED ISLAND OF KAUAI 30 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

BY RANDALL SHIRLEY

acific waves crash onto the lavarock shoreline just feet from our bedroom window. Their rhythmic white noise infuses the night with a lullaby from some island god. It lures us into a deep sleep and gently wakes us in the morning, just in time to see the Hawaiian sunrise—impossibly framed between swaying palms. The smell of fresh-brewing, locally grown and roasted coffee blends into the sensory mix. My partner sneaks back from the kitchen and slips into the fourposter bed, joining me for the sunrise. I smell papaya, pineapple and passion fruit on his lips—local produce we picked up the day before at the weekly farmer’s market in Lihue, the island’s biggest town. We relax and savour the moment the way you should when staying at a place called Spouting Horn Cottage. The interpret-it-how-you-will name of this beach house made it impossible to resist for a few nights’ stay on Kauai. (The house is actually named for a nearby geologic formation—one of Kauai’s most famous spots, where water spouts up through holes in seaside rocks). As a property managed by gay-owned The Parrish Collection (www.parrishkauai. com), Spouting Horn is well-maintained

and has everything we would need to live there for a while, including a southfacing patio looking out to sea where we take coffee and fruit salad in the mornings. Exhausted from our busy lives back home we are tempted—oh, so tempted— to become a pair of birds of paradise and nest here the entire trip. That would be a mistake, at least on a first visit to Kauai, because the “garden island” turns out to be a spectacular place that evokes a bygone Hawaii.

he Na Pali Coast is the most beautiful spot in the world. Or at least it’s among the top contenders. As our tour catamaran from Holo Holo Charters rounds a point and the Na Pali coastline gradually comes into view, complete with a rainbow, jaws simply drop (www. holoholokauaiboattours.com). We’ve seen it before—on TV, in movies, maybe a postcard from Aunt Pam—but Na Pali’s majesty can only be understood when you’re there. The coastline is essentially a series of very steep mountains and valleys all quite close together and covered in lush vegetation. Viewed from some angles, it appears to be a 4,000-foothigh wavy curtain of green velvet. Na Pali is only completely visible either from

The patio of a beach cottage is a great place to chill during a visit to Kauai’s Poipu Beach.

the sea or sky—tourist helicopters and airplanes can be seen far overhead. (Much of the region is accessible through some reportedly magnificent trails we plan to attempt on a future visit.) As our boat leaves Na Pali and heads south, someone shouts, “Whale,” and sure enough, a pod of humpbacks is spotted. We’re treated to a couple of nice blowholes and tail sightings. From the sea it’s easy to view parts of Kauai’s landscape that are cultivated. Despite the fact that most of the island is relatively inaccessible wilderness (only three percent is urbanized), former sugar cane fields are easy to spot. The final Americanization of Hawaii happened in 1959. That year, it became the 50th U.S. state, and the islands’ sugar industry began its slow death due to stricter labour and wage laws. Luckily, Americans’ interest in visiting their latest acquisition—coupled with the advent of jet travel—helped the islands transform from an agricultural economy to one that continues to be based largely on tourist dollars. We’re reminded of this history by OUTLOOKS

Randall Shirley

Hilary, our guide on an ATV tour through some of Kauai’s former sugar-cane fields (Kauai ATV, www.kauaiatv.com), as she leads a small convoy of two-person “mud bug” dune buggies through some rugged tropical terrain, stopping for a swim at a waterfall and showing off scenery used in such movies as “Jurassic Park.” It’s muddy good fun, and thankfully protective clothing is provided.

ugar cane wasn’t native to Hawaii. Neither are most of the plants we see on Kauai today. When we signed up for a downhill cycling tour of Waimea Canyon—sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific—we didn’t expect a horticulture lesson (Outfitters Kauai, www.outfitterskauai.com). But we get it from our guide Harold, a native of Kauai who explains that some of the fields once used for cane are now being used by big business to grow and test various GMO crops. Early one morning, Harold drives us, along with about 10 other guests, from Poipu through the small towns of southern Kauai, eventually turning off for the steep climb up Kauai’s mountains. We stop for magnificent Waimea views. The canyon is partially the “other side” of Na

32 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

Pali. Eventually we reach the point where we change our transportation to bikes with disk brakes for the ride back down. Pedalling is rarely required as we coast, single file, 3,600 feet back down to sea level, covering about 13 miles. Another guide, Danny, leads the ride while Harold follows in the van, blocking traffic from passing us. We stop frequently to learn about the stunning flora and fauna. The ride is gorgeous, invigorating and educational. The fresh smells of eucalyptus accompany us part of the ride, while the surprising smell of pancake syrup is created by molasses grass. One of the plants we discuss—but don’t actually see—is the maile, popular for its fragrant leaves. We’ve smelled it in the soap products at our cottage and are intrigued to learn that its leaves are often used as groom’s leis. We discover it carved into rings at Na Hoku, one of Hawaii’s major jewelers, where the sales clerk doesn’t miss a beat when we tell her we’re shopping for our wedding rings (www.nahoku.com). We feel the comforting aloha spirit as she reminds us that gay civil unions have just become legal in Hawaii.

Kauai’s Na Pali Coast is among the planet’s most beautiful places.

ime to dine. While there’s plenty of standard American fare available, Hawaii’s regional cuisine is characterized by such yummy stuff as kalua pig, poi and tropical fruits. A great midday option is a “plate lunch,” which basically means meat (often kalua pig), rice and/or poi, and maybe some macaroni salad. It’s fattening as hell but sinfully good. We enjoyed this from a trailer at the Lihue farmers’ market, but plate lunches are available many places, including the food window at Sueoka grocery in Koloa town, near Poipu (www. sueokastore.com). With tropical fruit on our minds, we go for the outstanding breakfast/brunch option at Red Salt Restaurant, inside Poiup’s hipster hotel, the Koa Kea (www. koakea.com). It’s likely you’ve never experienced anything quite like their soufflé pancakes with pineapple. Lunch on Kauai should be washed down with an afternoon shave ice, Hawaii’s version of the snow cone, which even adults love. I order mine with guava syrup, coconut syrup and a condensed-

KAUAI PLEASURES Surprise yourself by trying something different on Kauai, like an ATV tour of old sugar cane fields. Farmers’ market at Lihue, Kauai, offers local experience. Shave Ice—available all around the islands. The tropical selections available at Kauai’s fruit stands and markets will remind you you’re someplace special. A downhill bike tour at Waimea Canyon is a holiday highlight. A stay at a vacation rental, like Spouting Horn Cottage at Poipu Beach, is a great way to experience life on Kauai.

OutfittersKauai.com

milk “snow cap.” Paradise in a cup. Shave ice shops are everywhere on the island. I particularly enjoy the fusion of island and Italian cuisine in a kalua pig calzone at Pizetta, in Koloa (www.pizzettarestaurant.com). For a romantic meal beside an artificial lagoon with swaying palms and musicians playing island music, we spend an evening at Keoki’s Paradise, where I chow down a slab of pork ribs (next time I would request the sauce on the side) and my partner tries a local white fish (www.keokisparadise.com). On our final day under Kauai’s spell, we indulge in side-by-side lomi lomi massages at the magnificent Grand Hyatt Resort, one of the few major hotels on the island (www.kauai.hyatt.com). It’s hard to decide which feels better: the therapists’ talented hands or the tropical breezes kissing us through the open-walled spa area. Followed by drinks and pu-pus on the Hyatt’s deck, it’s quite a way to end this voyage of sensory reload. Beyond beautiful Poipu and the activities we’ve enjoyed on the sunny side of Kauai, so much more island beckons for future visits. Whether for the gorgeous beaches of the north and east shores, the hippie hangout called Hanalei or those hikes into Na Pali, we’ll be back. For now, though, our senses are renewed and ready for their return to reality.

Randall Shirley

Travel notes: More information at www.poipubeach.org. Westjet offers seasonal nonstop service to Kauai from Vancouver. The Parrish Collection offers accommodations for a variety of budgets. OUTLOOKS

AVENUE Q THE EVOLUTION OF A TERM THAT CAN’T STOP IGNITING SPARKS BY BRYEN DUNN

ords have a way of conjuring up many different emotions. How they affect us, of course, is often dependent upon the context of their use. As well, with the evolution of society, some words inevitably change and gain new meanings. Consider the original use of the word “queer.” It was meant to define something that was odd, strange or otherwise different. It described individuals who had a bizarre social manner, even to the point of mild insanity. In a broader sense, it was meant to reflect on anything out of the ordinary. At some point in the early 20th century, the word morphed into a derogatory term for homosexuals. Given the time’s prevailing cultural winds, gay people, indeed, would have been considered by many to be odd, strange or certainly different from mainstream society. The word, with its original meaning, was used mostly by the older generations of the time to describe strange objects or situations, while younger people, meanwhile, began to direct it toward the gay community. It wasn’t until the politically charged 1960s that the first signs emerged suggesting the pejorative might be in for an overhaul. As the gay-liberation movement sought its voice, the author Paul Goodman upended the conventional understanding of the “Q” word with his provocatively titled 1969 book, “The Politics of Being Queer.” By the 1980s, a new meaning was surfacing, not by accident in tandem with the burgeoning AIDS crisis. Members of the gay and lesbian community started employing the formerly dreaded term “queer” themselves, mostly from a political or activist perspective. In that heated context, it was used as an inclusive, sociopolitical unifying device. Its intent was to encompass all those who were sexually dissident or who embraced any other transgressive form of sexuality. The outsider implications in the term’s new usage only grew as AIDS became inextricably associated with the gay community. As associate editor of the Oxford English Dictionary in 34 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

the UK, Peter Gulliver makes constant assessments of how evolving meanings of words can be part of a wider linguistics process, influenced by a complex mix of social and cul-

tural factors. “Queer” is one such word. “I have sufficiently strong memories of the word’s usual unpleasant connotations before the late 1980s that I would generally not choose to use it as a self-description,” says Gulliver. But he acknowledges the word’s journey into new territory: “When it’s used as a neutral academic descriptive term, in compounds such as ‘queer theory,’ I don’t have a problem with it.” While some applauded a controversial 1980s song by Josie Cotton, others found the single “Johnny Are You Queer?” to be derogatory. Either way, it was propelled to the Top 40 in North America. “It was about breaking down barriers—sex

and politics, punk rock and corporate America, and prejudice that cut both ways,” says Cotton. “When the song hit the airwaves, the ‘queer’ word had mutated, and it was somehow liberating to hear it being used in this completely new way.” Today “queer” is frequently used as an umbrella term for the LGBT community, particularly within that community itself. Others have found its lingering shock value to lend just the right octane to certain political discussions or forums. “It can be a political identity,” says Alex Kapitan of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s office of LGBT Ministries. “It can be a noun, adjective or verb, and in the word ‘gender-queer,’ it can speak to the non-binary-ness of one’s own gender.” The 1990s were a lively time for the word, as scholars introduced “queer theory” into academic parlance. Teresa de Lauretis coined the word combination to serve as the title of a conference she held in February 1990 at the University of California in Santa Cruz, where she was a professor of the history of consciousness. She had heard “queer” uttered in a non-threatening context around New York City in the late 1980s by activists, artists and others on the fringes of so-called mainstream society. Her conference explored the relationship between sexuality and gender, both as analytic categories and as actual experiences. Another early attempt at giving the term a makeover came with the founding of Queer Nation, an organization formed in March 1990 by four victims of anti-gay violence. The group popularized the slogan, “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it!” David Rayside, professor of political science and sexual diversity at the University of Toronto, says his first recollection of “queer” being used in a positive light is linked

to Queer Nation. “It definitely had a more political connotation that proclaimed recognition of differences, and challenged the boundaries of the LGBT acronym,” says Rayside. In her book “Queer Theory,” Annamarie Jagose examines the word’s use from several viewpoints. In particular, states the senior lecturer in English at Melbourne University in Australia: “As queer is unaligned with any specific identity category, it has the potential to be annexed profitably to any number of discussions. If queer is to avoid simply replicating the normative claims of earlier lesbian and gay forma-

tions, it must be conceived as a category in constant formation. It is about promoting non-identity, or even anti-identity, politics—less an identity, than a critique of identity.” As its rebranding continues from within the gay community, “queer” has been increasingly used in reference to anyone who doesn’t fit within a hetero-normative gender or sexuality. Its edge has been further blunted with the popularity of such primetime TV shows as “Queer as Folk” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” It’s no longer uncommon to hear discourse around “queer” studies, politics, cinema, music… fill in the blank. There’s even a brew called Queer Beer out of Winnipeg, and last year, Toronto held its first “Queer Beer Festival.” Yes, the “Q” word’s potential as a marketing tool apparently hasn’t been lost on fad-watchers. Words and their meanings, of course, do not evolve in a vacuum. “The word ‘queer’ was obviously terribly offensive not too long ago, just like faggot, dyke and tranny,” notes Zachary Palmer, a transgendered male who’s a co-editor of the Art of Transliness, a transgender advice blog. Based on his extensive gender research, Palmer contends “queer” is on a trajectory that differs from that of other once-entrenched insults. “Those terms have also been reclaimed by the communities they’d been used as epithets against, but ‘queer’ has been uniquely claimed by the academy as well as the LGBT community,” says Palmer. Both he and his girlfriend identify as “queer” rather than bisexual. As Palmer puts it: “Bisexual reinforces the gender binary by assuming there are only two sexes or two genders.” If there is resistance to the wholesale use of “queer” interchangeably with “gay,” it may be largely generational. To people, say, 40 years or older—gay or straight—the “Q” word can carry the same force the “N” word does for people of color. “It’s one thing if we drop the word in a group with other gay people,” says a retired Toronto businessman who asked not to be identified. “But in that context, I know the shorthand, I know it’s an insider thing. If language can build bridges, why would we want to call ourselves something that puts up walls between generations, not to mention between gays and straights?” For some people, the very non-specificity of today’s usage of “queer” may be liberating, but clearly not everyone is comfortable in an identity without boundaries. Students of gay history would argue that the current fissure created by the queer-vs-gay debate is simply a continuation of the inhouse battles waged throughout the march toward equality. (Some gays, for example, vehemently opposed the occupation tactics of ACT UP in the 1980s and ’90s.) Although the latest uses of “queer” could be considered a full-circle return to its original meaning, many would question whether that suggests a constant state of remove from society at large. Small wonder so little a word raises such big questions. As those questions continue to be discussed—and occasionally argued—it might be wise to keep in mind writer Vanessa Friedman’s take on the subject. “The integral point is this,” she wrote, “choosing not to identify with the word ‘queer’ is as valid a choice as choosing to identify with it.” OUTLOOKS

NEWS

SWEATER WEATHER LOOKING CHIC, STAYING WARM PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM WEBSTER STYLING BY CARLTON ELLIS GROOMING BY JADE TRUSTCOTT, LINDA RADEN, SEAN MCGEE MODELS: JUSTIN AND TAYLOR FOR ICON MODEL MANAGEMENT INC., OMARI FOR CORESTONE TALENT 36 OUTLOOKS MONTH 2011

NEWS

SILK CARDIGAN, MARC BY MARC JACOBS (PREVIOUS PAGE); DISTRESSED CREWNECK, FRENCH CONNECTION (THIS PAGE)

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NEWS

MERINO V-NECK SWEATER, BANANA REPUBLIC; BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT, CLUB MONACO; SILK TIE, H&M

38 OUTLOOKS MONTH 2011

NEWS

CLASSIC TURTLENECK, CLUB MONACO

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WOOL-BLEND V-NECK, JOE FRESH

40 OUTLOOKS MONTH 2011

JOHN VARVATOS COAT – FIROZ TAILORED WAX SUIT – FIROZ VIVIENNE WEST WOOD DRESS SHIRT – FIROZ

NEWS

WOOL-BLEND V-NECK, JOE FRESH

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NEWS

DEEP-NECK SWEATER, ZARA

42 OUTLOOKS MONTH 2011

NEWS

SHAWL-COLLAR CARDIGAN, H&M

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ART_&_CULTURE

Framed: Murray Duncan TAKING HIS CUES FROM THE EVERYDAY

44 OUTLOOKS FEBRUARY 20 12

urray Duncan’s philosophy is that art must not be constrained by conventional applications, that there are limitless possibilities for expression and exploration in the most unlikely places… using just about anything. From a traditional perspective, Duncan’s artwork would be a cross between abstract and installation pieces, with a heavy emphasis on the message. Those messages, he explains, “come from who I am and my life’s experiences.” So his works are always somewhat autobiographical, with a motiva-

tional overtone. “I want people to get involved in the words and the emotions of a piece,” he says. The evolution of his work flows from within but also from his experience of the ever-changing world around him. Development of his art is steeped as much in questions as in answers. Inspiration is culled from conflict and resolution and expressed in layers that exist in an unlikely collective harmony. Duncan is not a formally trained artist and believes he came to where he is out of a series of progressions. He has always been a designer in one capacity or another, including work for the Steve Madden shoe

ART_&_CULTURE

lines and designing for a gemologist. The Toronto artist is co-creator of the design store Hardware Interiors, renowned for seeking out vintage pieces and extraordinary salvage to incorporate into its production to create an eclectic mix of furniture, lighting and art. “To work with a client on designing something that will be just right, I regularly use elements from the space of the room that they are working to enhance,” he says. “So color, size, textures, lighting differences must all come together in harmony. Each piece evolves from its original to an art form that allows the classic to be immersed in the contemporary.”

Often interpreted as a social dialogue, his work is accessible while retaining unique facets to promote individual insight. And Murray laughs as he says, “I am sometimes categorized as a graffiti artist, and that’s okay as well. After all, I do buy a lot of my paints from the same shop the ‘taggers’ do.”

— BRETT TAYLOR

murrayduncan.com hardwareinteriors.com

THE ARTIST: Murray Duncan OUTLOOKS

SNAPSHOT

GAY HOLLYWOOD IT WAS A BRAVE MOVE FOR ACTOR HARRY HAMLIN. IN FEBRUARY 1982, 30 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, THE FILM “MAKING LOVE” WAS RELEASED, AND HAMLIN, A RISING HOLLYWOOD HEARTTHROB, PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER IN A RARE MAINSTREAM MOTION PICTURE ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY. HAMLIN, WHO’S MARRIED TO ACTRESS LISA RINNA, HAS SAID OF THE 20TH CENTURY FOX RELEASE, “IT IS SOMETHING I WOULD DO AGAIN.” BUT HE ADDED, IN A COMMENT ON HOW MUCH—OR HOW LITTLE—HOLLYWOOD HAS CHANGED, “I’M NOT SURE THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR MY FUTURE FILM CAREER.”

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