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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
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2 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Roundup
XTRA Published by Pink Triangle Press TORONTO’S GAY& LESBIAN NEWS
#782 OCT 16–29, 2014
GOOD READS
THE PAYING GUESTS Rachel Giese reviews the latest from author Sarah Waters E 21
Editorial A tip of the hat to Jim Deva By Phil Villeneuve E4 Feedback E4 Xcetera E5
Upfront Fostering support for LGBT seniors New 519 initiative addresses shortcomings in care E7
on dailyxtra.com E Challenger says Wong-Tam is holding back Ward 27 E Stephen Andrews’s education through art at Paul Petro E Radical representation in gay porn E Tannahill nominated for Governor General’s Award E VIDEO: An interview with Matthew Shepard’s parents MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
News Election roundup Ward 27 debate and queer school-board candidates E9 Cover story City hall’s homophobia problem A timeline of hatred in Toronto politics E10 History Boys In a lather over Ludwig Wittgenstein By Jeremy Willard E14
Out in the City Arts roundup Evita at LOT, Clans at ImagineNative festival and Roxane Gay at IFOA E19
PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Brandon Matheson EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew DiMera ARTS EDITOR Phil Villeneuve ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andrew Jacome COPY EDITOR Lesley Fraser STAFF REPORTER HG Watson EVENT LISTINGS: listings@dailyxtra.com CONTRIBUTE OR INQUIRE about Xtra’s editorial content: matthew.dimera@dailyxtra.com, andrew.jacome@dailyxtra.com, phil.villeneuve@dailyxtra.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE S Bear Bergman, Drasko Bogdanovic, Kyle Burton, Rolyn Chambers, Daniela Costa, Chris Dupuis, Tony Fong, Rachel Giese, Ryan G Hinds, Erica Lenti, Michael Lyons, Eduardo Sabate, Rob Salerno, Sissydude, Jeremy Willard
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XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 3
Comment
Phil Villeneuve is Xtra Toronto’s arts editor.
The outcome that we seek is this — gay and lesbian people daring together to set love free. Xtra is published by Pink Triangle Press, at 2 Carlton St, Ste 1600, Toronto, M5B 1J3.
4 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
There is a big difference between a group who are anti-women and those who are against a government that many, including Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter (who brokered a peace deal with the PLO and Israel), call unjust and apartheid [“Ward 27 Debate Marred by QuAIA Accusations,” dailyxtra.com, Oct. 9]. Pride is about politics and pride in what we’ve achieved, not booze we are buying or what latest fad items we have to have.
[RE: KRISTYN WONG-TAM AND QUAIA] It’s not a party for everyone. FREE 36,000 AUDITED CIRCULATION
TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS #781 OCT 2–15, 2014
Kristyn Wong-Tam and QuAIA
Desperate Living is one of my favorite movies [“Celebrating Cookie Mueller,” dailyxtra.com, Sept, 29]. I am a huge fan of Cookie, who acted outstandingly in this movie. I remember Cookie Mueller’s great contribution to the movies in the old times.
JUSTIN DAILYXTRA.COM
Ms Wong-Tam admits that she is not a resident of Ward 27. And yet, she has the nerve to (a) spearhead park name changes without consultation from our community; (b) be disingenuous about the painted-over venerable Molson cowboy mural; and (c) herald the abysmal mural installations, which have intentionally rewritten the history of the gaybourhood, again with no consult from the folks who actually live here. This to me is no different than if a stranger were to enter my home and redecorate it without my prior permission to do so. She’s got some real chutzpah. MOONDOGGIE DAILYXTRA.COM
Benjamin Dichter Accusing Kristyn Wong-Tam of being “very divisive” is ridiculous to anyone who knows her and is familiar with her work. Kristyn went above and beyond the call of civility by frequently giving Rob Ford opportunities, during his first few years as mayor, to step up to the plate. She recognized that Torontonians had, as a majority, voted for him in 2010, so she calmly and diligently provided opportunities for him to demonstrate he was mayor of all people, including the LGBT community. He consistently rebuffed her gentle outreach until it became so painstakingly obvious he didn’t deserve the time of day. Another example of how nondivisive she is: residents of affected areas within the ward were given an opportunity to vote on traffic redirection proposals to address complaints related
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IAN MACDONALD FACEBOOK
I voted for Kristyn in the last election, but with this QuAIA involvement and renaming of parks, I will be voting for Benjamin Dichter on Oct 27.
RAINN DAILYXTRA.COM
Cookie Mueller
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I know I need to thank Thomas Edison for electricity, Alexander Graham Bell for my phone and Adolf “Adi” Dassler for my extensive Adidas shoe collection. I’m aware I have Belgium to thank for french fries, American Idol for Jennifer Hudson and Jean Paul Gaultier for my favourite era of Madonna. Thinking in more serious terms, I know I have to thank the brave people on the frontlines of the Stonewall riots, Harvey Milk and even folks like kd lang or RuPaul. But it’s the people I’m not aware I should be thankful for that surprise and delight me most. Case in point: Jim Deva. I had heard the name and knew he was one of the owners of Little Sister’s — Vancouver’s gay bookshop — but not much else. Little did I know Deva was the man I should be thanking for the right to buy “obscene” books and magazines. I couldn’t have picked up issues of Butt or The Advocate without his courage and determination. Xtra Vancouver recently dedicated an entire issue to Deva and his groundbreaking activism, paying tribute to him after his sudden passing last month. I watched the pages go up on our editorial wall as the issue was carefully laid out. I had only a vague idea of who this man was, but after reading the issue (which I highly recommend — all the articles are now available on dailyxtra.com’s Vancouver page), I realized he is also someone I need to be thankful for. Deva, along with Bruce Smyth and Barb Thomas, opened Little Sister’s in 1983. They had to ship the majority of their stock from the US, and in May 1985 Canada Customs seized a shipment of lesbian magazine Bad Attitude at the border. Though Customs didn’t say officially why the publication had been held, the next month
the federal Department of Justice issued Memorandum D9-1-1, listing materials that would be deemed obscene by border officials and destroyed. Six months later Customs seized a shipment that included 59 titles ordered for the busy Christmas season at Little Sister’s. Deva and company responded with a press released entitled “Canada Customs Declares War on Little Sister’s.” There were bombings and threats, Supreme Court cases and Charter challenges, and in 2000 the court finally ordered Customs officials to stop blatantly targeting gay and lesbian publications coming over the border (less than a year later, a shipment of books about bondage and fetish was seized). In the end it became too costly to continue challenging the government and the court battles stopped. Deva was determined to fight for justice and equality for LGBT people, and it’s thanks to his commitment in challenging censorship that stores like Toronto’s Glad Day Bookshop and Ottawa’s After Stonewall — also frequent victims of Canada Customs’ hit list — remain open and learned how to fight like their Vancouver brothers and sisters. In 1987, Glad Day took Canada Customs to court and won the right to sell the previously banned Joy of Gay Sex. Apparently, Canadians were allowed to have butt sex and watch it on video, but not read about it; that is, until Glad Day’s victory. “To write about homosexual practices without dealing with anal intercourse would be equivalent to writing a history of music and omitting Mozart,” Judge Bruce Hawkins said of the case. I need to thank Jim Deva for the freedom to read about gay sex in books and magazines. I also need to thank Xtra Vancouver for putting together such an informative and important tribute to a Canadian gay activist we were lucky to have.
“Pride is about politics and pride in what we’ve achieved, not booze we are buying or what latest fad items we have to have.”
dailyxtra.com
EDITORIAL PHIL VILLENEUVE
FEEDBACK
More at
A tip of the hat to Jim Deva
email comment@dailyxtra.com comment dailyxtra.com & facebook/dailyxtra.com tweet @dailyxtra
Our toast to 25 years of Woody’s E17–24
to sex work on Homewood. She didn’t take sides; she just facilitated the process through which the community was able to express itself. So, when Dichter suggests she’s been “very divisive,” he only undermines his own credibility. GILLES MARCHILDON DAILYXTRA.COM
Rob Wolvin Frankly, I wonder if the councillors thought they should grab and run with all these developments, thinking increased intensification means more taxes and makes the balance sheet look prettier [“Former Gladaman’s Den Owner Seeks Ward 27 Seat,” dailyxtra. com, Oct. 8]. If so, that was very shortsighted. It implies they want to grab the cash and jobs now for political expediency while ignoring desolation of community and infrastructure tomorrow. It also disregards a long-term vision of complete communities with a better quality of life that attracts residents and investment, with higher property values and a more lucrative tax base. Without taking the time to direct responsible development today, the city sets itself up for footing the entire bill in the near future or doing without much-needed community enrichment. GLADAMAN DAILYXTRA.COM
Nuit Blanche Good for you for mentioning how sex workers are affected [“Nuit Blanche Gay Guide,” dailyxtra.com, Oct 2]. We need to consider how events like this affect marginalized people in our city.
BESTDISSERTATIONS DAILYXTRA.COM
Woody’s turns 25 Those were the days (and the nights). [“25 Years of Woody’s,” dailyxtra.com, Oct 1] ED STINES FACEBOOK
Matthew Shepard It was sad to think, even back then, that something like that could happen [“Video: Matthew Shepard’s Parents on the Fight Against Hate,” dailyxtra. com, Oct 8]. My thoughts are with the Shepards. DAN36252 TWITTER
Chaste life He’s missing a lot of fun! The mainstream gay community has become a self-policing bastion of heteronormativity [“Gay Virgins Saving Themselves for Marriage,” dailyxtra.com, Oct 9]. We have shamed each other into sexual silence. We don’t talk about sex, unless it’s the kind that is on its way to becoming part of an acceptable marriage. HUGO ARES FACEBOOK
Christian minority She got a degree from a Sunday-school University [“‘Minorities Should Be Protected,’ Says TWU Grad Denied Job,” dailyxtra.com, Oct 9]. That alone is reason to rebuke her “credentials.” She either chose Christianity or was brainwashed into it. Not my fault, not my cause, not my concern. Get a real education. SCOTT GLEN FACEBOOK
TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
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French philosopher and diplomat Joseph de Maistre once said, “In a democracy, people get the leaders they deserve.” On the election of Rob Ford, equally insightful AIDS Action Now activist Tim McCaskell says, “I only hope he is such a buffoon that he won’t do that much damage.” To say the least.
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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Upfront
Schools are really important parts of the community; they’re our green spaces. Chris Moise E9
The 519 sees gains The 519 Community Centre held its annual general meeting on Sept 27. Executive director Maura Lawless, pictured here in a 2010 meeting, reported an increase in revenue this year, due in no small part to the success of the Green Space parties during WorldPride. XTRA FILE PHOTO
The 519 starts LGBT seniors’ initiative Senior care and research takes spotlight COMMUNITY DANIELA COSTA
When Toronto’s 519 Church Street Community Centre screened the documentary Gen Silent on Sept 27, it was to a packed room surprisingly light on seniors. Stu Maddux’s film tells the story of six Boston-area LGBT seniors and their challenges with later-life care. But only a small group of seniors witnessed the parallels between their lives and that of their American counterparts that evening. “It probably speaks to the fact that a lot of seniors don’t want to talk about MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
it,” says Lorraine Purdon, director of planning and partnerships for the Family Councils’ Program. The community is having the conversation regardless. The screening was the official launch of a new initiative from The 519 that will see it work with long-term care facilities to foster supportive environments for LGBT seniors and their families and friends. The 519 will also look at in-home care and other care options. “All of those options in terms of the LGBTQ community need to be safe and inclusive,” says Steven Little, manager of education and training at The 519.
Are they not? According to Purdon, the answer is no. Over the last three years, it’s become evident to her that there is a problem. Staff, volunteers and families have contacted her, expressing their concerns about sensitivity to LGBT issues in long-term care facilities. “I realized we really needed to help somehow.” She reached out to The 519, and, in a case of really good timing, it turned out that The 519 was in the midst of planning this initiative. Little’s team had already identified several priorities. For one, LGBT seniors in these facilities should be free from exposure
to negative language or behaviour from other residents and staff. Their partners should feel accepted in that environment. They should not have heteronormative assumptions about their gender identity of sexual orientation imposed on them. LGBT seniors should not feel the need to go back into the closet or detransition, and they should not have to worry about having services denied or facing any kind of discrimination. But many do. They’re often frightened and alone. Little says many LGBT seniors feel disconnected and isolated from their community as they age. Life in care facilities, where they may not have access to their “chosen family,” amplifies that feeling. Tom Lewis, 71, vouches for the importance of chosen families. “A lot of us built coalitions in our lives,” he says. “I started building a coalition of friends
because that was eventually what my family was going to become.” Historical context here is key. Many of today’s seniors were young guns during the early stages of the gay rights movement and saw decades go by without “sexual orientation” being added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They experienced discrimination on a regular basis. And while lesbian, gay and bisexual seniors have seen tremendous gains in their lifetime, trans seniors are still largely grasping for similar glory. It’s no surprise that a distrust of authority persists. “Because of this history of stigmatization and a bit of an outsider status, I think they’re really hyper vigilant to cues of inclusion and exclusion,” says Steven Mock, assistant professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo. Mock has been researching LGBT mid-life and aging matters since the early 2000s. He is now spearheading a survey on retirement planning for sexual minority adults in Canada, as well as collaborating on a study that will look at how LGBT seniors are preparing for later life and end-of-life. He’s actively looking for participants. “We want to hear directly from people, ‘What are your experiences in planning for later-life issues?’” The timing of his research and The 519’s new program clearly indicate that this is a hot issue. And it’s one The 519 is committed to. Funding is secured for the next two years, but Little says this is a long-term project. Three facilities are working with The 519 on the initiative, all of which reached out to the community centre. “We will be building that up,” Little says. The project has an advisory group, consisting largely of service providers and LGBT seniors. In fact, The 519 plans to provide training and support for LGBT seniors so that they can volunteer in the participating care facilities. Little says these seniors will bring “lived experience and knowledge.” Lewis is certainly trying to do just that. He’s a member of The 519’s board of management and is on the advisory group for the new program. “Hopefully, I can be an advocate for programs here and the senior community here and wherever.” He’s adamant that the community should not be complacent as it tackles this latest struggle. “My impression is that we think a lot of the battles have been won,” he says. “Not in this area.” XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 7
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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
LGBT candidates vie for school board Nine openly queer people seek seats as trustees MUNICIPAL ELECTION ROB SALERNO
In what may be a record, nine openly gay, lesbian or bisexual candidates are running for school board trusteeships across Ontario in the coming election, including six in Toronto and three incumbents. The huge number of openly LGBT candidates this year may stem from a renewed focus on LGBT issues at the board, particularly in the wake of the well-publicized homophobic and transphobic comments of Scarborough trustee Sam Sotiropoulos, as well as controversies arising from repeated reports of misspending by trustees. Residents in Ward 14 (Toronto Centre) will get a repeat of the contest between lesbian incumbent Sheila Ward, who has sat on the board since 1997, and gay challenger Chris Moise, who placed second in 2010. Moise, who says he uses school grounds regularly, says that he worries about cuts to art and music programs in schools in low-income areas and that he’s concerned about school closures in the neighbourhood. “Schools are really important parts of the community; they’re the green spaces in our communities,” he says. This year, Moise thinks he has the edge over Ward, whom he characterizes as “not involved.” He claims support
from teachers’ unions and both the ward’s city councillors, Kristyn WongTam and Pam McConnell. “She hasn’t been around. One of the complaints from our councillors and parents is that she doesn’t return calls,” Moise says. “I think she’s just been a disappointment, and it’s time for a change.” Ward did not respond to an email, and Xtra was unable to schedule an interview by phone before press time. Next door, in Ward 10 (Trinity-Spadina), Ybia Anderson, who identifies as queer, is in a nine-way race for the vacant seat left by retiring trustee Chris Bolton. Anderson is hoping to bring her experience working for one of Toronto’s major auditing firms to a school board often wracked with transparency issues. “In my job, the clear, transparent recording of expenses is critical,” she says. Anderson, who is the mother of a oneyear-old, is also concerned about overcrowding and bussing in neighbourhood schools, particularly in the high-growth waterfront area of the ward. “At the end of my term, [my son] will be entering a public school in my ward, which is great motivation for me to do my best in the ward,” she says. Further west, in Ward 7 (ParkdaleHigh Park), former Pink Triangle Press employee Jeffrey Freeman hopes to win in a seven-way race with no incumbent. He says he wants to make the board environment more respectful so that
Ward 27 candidates face off Wong-Tam accosted by audience members A mostly civil Ward 27 debate turned sour on Oct 8 when one audience member stole a microphone and decried Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam’s alleged involvement with Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA). After the debate, while Wong-Tam was speaking with Xtra, a young man walked up to the podium and announced that he had something to say about the councillor to the quickly thinning audience. As organizers of the debate attempted to take the microphone from the man, he ran away and eventually looped over to where the councillor was standing and yelled at her directly. Several other audience members joined the protest. Meanwhile, another man, wearing a MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
shirt that identified him as a supporter of Ward 27 candidate Megan McIver, approached Wong-Tam and started berating her about a matter unrelated to QuAIA. The first man’s allegations stem from a 2010 Toronto Sun story that revealed that Wong-Tam had loaned QuAIA group members her credit card to pay their website hosting fees. She was listed as the owner of the website until Aug 31, 2010. However, there is no evidence demonstrating that she has been involved with QuAIA in any other capacity. Wong-Tam did not respond directly to the man who yelled about QuAIA but said after that she was disappointed that decorum failed at the end of the
Chris Moise is making his second attempt to win the TDSB Ward 14 (Toronto Centre) seat from Sheila Ward.
trustees can focus on important issues, such as his ward’s $75-million school repair backlog and overcrowding that’s arisen because of all the new developments in the neighbourhood. He’s also taken a firm stand against a proposed partnership with China’s Confucius Institute, which would provide instructors in the Mandarin language and Chinese history. The move is op-
posed by members of Parkdale’s large Tibetan community, who accuse the institute of glossing over China’s human rights issues in Tibet and elsewhere. “The agreement is on hold, but by no means is it dead. The way that it came about was an affront to our core values as a democratic society,” Freeman says. As a gay man without children, Freeman says he’s faced some homophobic
scrutiny from rivals for the trusteeship. “I sort of received some feedback from some opponents that’s a homophobic comment on my status of not having children,” he says. “I don’t think the vested interest of having a child in the system is something you need to be successful, but even in a very progressive ward, there are elements of conservatism there.”
debate. The man eventually left of his defunding Pride if QuAIA marched in own accord. the Pride parade. Wong-Tam also said “When you stand for public office, that she believes it is important that you stand and have to take a position, Pride maintain its roots as a political and there are times when your position demonstration. is not going to please everyone,” she Benjamin Dichter, who pointed out said after. “We all have during the debate that to take a deep breath men’s rights group Caand cool off. We have nadian Association for some big, big challenges Equality was banned before us as a city. We from walking in this want to be able to work year’s parade while together and reach QuAIA was able to across the political march, said afterward spectrum.” that people are very During the debate, a passionate. “There’s question about QuAIA’s a double standard for involvement with Pride those people, and they Kristyn Wong-Tam. ADAM COISH was one of the few to think [Wong-Tam] is raise the ire of both the audience and being disingenuous, I guess,” he says. the six candidates in attendance at Candidates at the wide-ranging the debate organized by the ABC Resi- debate affirmed their support for the dents Association. Wong-Tam and Rob LGBT community as a whole but were Wolvin were the only two candidates divided on a number of other issues, to say clearly they would not consider including whether the island airport
should expand and what the city’s transit priorities are. Candidates were also asked which mayoral candidate they support. While Wong-Tam said she would be happy to work with any of the candidates, some came out strongly for one of the top three contenders; Megan McIver said she supports John Tory. Several candidates raised the point that Wong-Tam does not live in the ward, a fact that was also brought up during a debate on Rogers TV Sept 23. Wong-Tam does not feel that this is a disadvantage — in fact, she believes it can be advantageous in that she has no conflicts of interest to declare. “I have actually divested myself of many of the financial interests within the ward,” she says, noting that her connection to the community is still strong. — HG Watson For more election coverage, go to dailyxtra.com. XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 9
COVER STORY
AN UGLY ELECTION CAMPAIGN HAS DREDGED UP TORONTO’S DARK SIDE
CITY HALL’S HOMOPHOBIA PROBLEM BY HG WATSON
‘Fucking faggots.’ Kristyn Wong-Tam and Matthew Cutler couldn’t believe what they had heard. The city councillor and The 519’s director of development and community engagement, along with another staffer from the city-funded community centre in the Church Wellesley Village, Barb Besharat, were walking through city hall’s cavernous rotunda when, they say, a woman wearing a Ford Nation T-shirt yelled the slur at them. Earlier that day, outside city hall, Mayor Rob Ford had presided over the unveiling of the countdown clock to the Pan Am Games. But the true spectacle was the embattled mayor, who earlier that week had refused to stand to honour city staff’s work on WorldPride and was the only vote against a motion supporting a report on developing support for LGBT youth in homeless shelters. Xtra arrived late that day. I was there to take his brother, Doug Ford, up on his challenge that Rob would help any member of the LGBT community, just as he would any constituent who called the mayor’s readily available cellphone number — we figured Xtra counts as a member of the LGBT community — but we had to catch up with the mayor as he crossed Nathan Phillips Square on 10 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
his way back to his second-floor office. The media scrums that follow the mayor are always large, but this one was unwieldy; not only were what felt like all Toronto’s reporters there, but the mayor’s coterie of staff and supporters were also present, plus some eager onlookers. I can’t remember if the woman who Wong-Tam and Cutler say allegedly yelled the slur at them was there; I was focused on yelling a question at the mayor. Later, I would see a post from Cutler on Twitter identifying a woman with black, wiry hair, spectacles and a Ford Nation T-shirt as the one who’d voiced the slur. Her name is Iola Fortino; in the photo, she is outside and yelling at the assembled crowd. I would see Fortino again: first, at a Ford Fest barbecue in Scarborough where she berated a group of LGBT activists, and later, at a mayoral debate at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in Toronto’s west end. Police escorted her out after she repeatedly interrupted the debate between candidates Olivia Chow, John Tory and Doug Ford. Fortino is just one member of the odd circus that seems to follow the Fords. A select few have become in-
famous figures, appearing fleetingly in reporters’ Twitter feeds, much like the man who yelled at Chow during a debate — the same debate Fortino was escorted out of — that she should go back to China. National Post reporter Christie Blatchford, who first tweeted about the heckler, later described him as “unrepentant” in a story. There are many more Ford supporters you wouldn’t ever notice unless they had tiny Ford Nation flags in their hands. People like Ines Anra, who told me after the debate that she understands why Doug Ford — who at the time would not answer clearly whether he would march in the Pride parade — wouldn’t march in the parade, because she wouldn’t either. Wong-Tam believes, unwaveringly, that the Fords’ actions have allowed this kind of homophobia and racism to come bubbling to the surface. And as an openly gay woman and person of colour, she’s seen firsthand how people use her identities as basis for attacks. She has been told repeatedly to go back to her “own country” — Wong-Tam has been in Canada since 1975. “This is my country,” she tells me, on the heels of receiving a letter in which the author
George Hislop was the first openly gay man to run for city council. XTRA FILE PHOTO
calls Wong-Tam a faggot and wishes that she would die from AIDS while in public office. Though she has received other letters, Wong-Tam says the threat included in this one motivated her to report it to the police. In another incident, a volunteer canvassing for Wong-Tam had a confrontation with a man who allegedly directed hateful comments at the councillor. Wong-Tam says the political climate wasn’t this charged during her first run at council. “But in 2014, it’s really hard to imagine how all of a sudden my race is an issue, and all of a sudden my sexual orientation is an issue,” she says. “This is not encouraging.” She is also concerned that her staff are often on the receiving end of hate. It’s a throwback to a time when electing an openly gay councillor was more contentious. George Hislop, who ran for council in 1980, was hurt by accusations that “gay power politics” were taking over city hall. He was the first openly gay man to run in a municipal election in Canada; he did not win. It wasn’t until Kyle Rae’s election to council in 1991 that an openly gay person made it to city hall. Chris Phibbs was Rae’s executive assistant from 1991 to 2003. She recalls that during Rae’s first year in office, he advocated publicly for Toronto’s fire department to hire more women, a move that proved unpopular because it criticized an institution that was a “bastion of white maleness,” as Phibbs puts it. “We started getting horrible, horrible hate mail about what he was trying to do,” she says. “And, of course, instead of just criticizing him for trying to change the status quo, they attacked him for being gay.” One letter received by Rae’s office in December 1992, and later published in
Xtra, read, “Hello you faggot bastard would you like to have your nut’s cut off or better to fuck a red hot rod in your asshole that a good cure for AIDS [sic].” The rest of the letter is incomprehensible, save a few drawings of swastikas and the author’s cheery salutation, wishing Rae a “merry Xmas.” Police were called in to investigate — it was one of the times Rae’s staff thought a letter to his office warranted police involvement, according to Phibbs — but there was always abuse from the public. “I think we were the only office that had a hate mail file. And it was big, because Kyle was an outspoken politician,” she says. Rae declined to be interviewed for this story. Speaking out about LGBT issues in the early 1990s could earn a politician hate mail, even if they themselves were not gay. Bob Gallagher, Olivia Chow’s executive assistant while she was on Metro Council, said that Chow frequently received hate mail and phone calls. “It was just a given that when you take on that issue you were going to get that,” he says. But Gallagher also saw people’s attitudes change. He agreed to be Chow’s executive assistant only if she would advocate for spousal benefits for Metro employees. The cause was near and dear to Gallagher’s heart — his partner was HIV-positive. Gallagher credits Chow’s advocacy work for helping get the measure through but also believes that his presence made an impact. “Having a person — in this case myself — who people could actually see as a human being and look in the whites of their eyes and realize they should not say, ‘Your partner of 10 years should not actually get medical care.’” Toronto politicians began to come TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HOMOPHOBIA AT CITY HALL 1980 George Hislop runs for city council but is defeated. Homophobia plays a role in his defeat after some people raise the fear of “gay power politics.”
1985 June 30 Mayor Art Eggleton denies a request to proclaim Lesbian and Gay Pride Week.
1991 Nov 10 Kyle Rae becomes the first openly gay man elected to city council and is later named to the executive committee. George Smitherman’s mayoral run was affected by homophobia. XTRA FILE PHOTO
around on LGBT issues. Giorgio Mammoliti — who had said gay people shouldn’t be allowed to adopt children because they were into “electric torture, whipping, water sports and scat” — voted in favour of same-sex spousal benefits in 1998, prompting Rae to cross the council floor and shake his hand. Norm Kelly, who once voted against same-sex spousal supports, voted in favour of supporting gay marriage in 2002 and has since become a vocal LGBT ally. But as more rights for the LGBT community were won, less attention was paid to city hall. Save the odd update on Rae’s office, there was nary a city hall story to be found in Xtra from about 2000 to 2010, unless it was an election year. But all that time, Rae was still getting hateful calls and letters, though Phibbs notes they slowed in number the last few years she worked with him. If municipal politics ever had any lustre, it was gone by the new millennium. In Globe and Mail reporter Robyn Doolittle’s book Crazy Town, she writes that she wasn’t sure if she was being punished when she was moved to the city hall beat from the crime beat in 2010 while she was working for the Toronto Star. “As I envisioned long days of boring committee meetings and agendas and debates about sidewalk widths and tree removal, I boxed up the contents of my office at Police Headquarters and began the grieving process,” she writes. And for the LGBT community, at least, many of the key battles at the municipal level had already been won. By the time David Miller took office, things like walking in the Pride parade were considered part of the job — Mel Lastman, who had to be talked into doing it, ended up joining the parade with relish. MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
Kristyn Wong-Tam, Ward 27 councillor, still receives homophobic letters. ADAM COISH
1992 June 21 June Rowlands becomes the first mayor of Toronto to proclaim Pride Day. June 25 John Campey, a Toronto Board of Education trustee, is the subject of personal attacks and homophobia at a board meeting over a new teachers’ resource guide on homosexuality. Nov 26 Councillor Chris KorwinKuczynski faces opposition at the Toronto Board of Health when he goes after an AIDS Committee of Toronto pamphlet on safe BDSM practices, even though it wasn’t produced with city money. He will eventually be removed from the board.
1993 Feb 19 Kyle Rae gives Xtra some of the hate mail he’s received, including a letter containing swastikas and threats.
Hate mail came often to Kyle Rae while he was at city hall. XTRA FILES
One of the few times city politics slipped into Xtra was in the June 28, 2001, issue, in a barely 400-word article about a little-known Etobicoke city councillor who, along with Doug Holyday, voted against funding a video about LGBT inclusion aimed at South Asian families. Consider it coincidence or providence, but the first Xtra story about Rob Ford falls on page 13 of the issue. In the pages of a 2006 election issue, Rob would appear again, this time in an op-ed where writer Chris Jai Centeno begs Ward 2 residents not to reelect him, citing a laundry list of offences: he was a man who said if you’re not gay or an IV drug user, you won’t get AIDS; questioned a grant to the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line because he didn’t understand what transgenderism is; and compared racism to criticizing someone for wearing glasses or having braces. In the same article, Centeno lists a number of ways a candidate could unseat Rob, primarily by getting more people to vote by word of mouth and working on a campaign team. It’s exactly what unlikely mayoral candidate
Rob Ford did to get elected in 2010. His campaign was a harbinger of things to come. One moment, Ford was telling an HIV-positive man he was sorry if he had ever offended him (with a Toronto Star reporter present); the next he was proudly being endorsed by homophobic Pastor Wendell Brereton and announcing his support for “traditional marriage” — Doolittle writes in Crazy Town that both stunts were orchestrated by the Ford brothers alone and caught their campaign team off guard. These mixed messages around LGBT issues would characterize how the Fords addressed the queer community, both on the campaign trail and as they took office. The impact of these actions affected George Smitherman, Rob’s closest rival in the election. According to a Toronto Sun report from Oct 24, 2010, two anonymous attack ads premiered in the fall that encouraged people to vote for Ford because he was in a heterosexual relationship. There is no evidence that the Fords had anything to do with the ads, but
by then, the lines were clear: Rob supported “traditional marriage,” while Smitherman campaigned with his husband in tow. He was an easy target for anyone with homophobic inclinations. Within city hall, there is no indication that the Fords have done anything that could be considered homophobic to staff or politicians. But there are many things both brothers have said that have raised eyebrows, whether they were racist, homophobic or sexist, as well as the actions of their followers. “I am not so naive to think discrimination and bigoted behaviour is not felt,” Wong-Tam told me not long after Fortino allegedly called her a faggot. Chris Haskim, Sarah Doucette’s executive assistant, says city hall is one of the most accepting, progressive places he has ever worked as an openly gay man. We’re sitting in the councillor’s office in late July. Her windows open up on an impressive view of Nathan Phillips Square — people walking by can also see directly in, so they all see the Pride flag Doucette displays in the window. It was a Pride flag that brought
May 8 Councillor Tom Jakobek suggests that Buddies in Bad Times Theatre “nurtures homophobia.” Earlier in the year, a Toronto Sun article had quoted Jakobek as saying that council shouldn’t fund the theatre.
1995 June 26 Mayor Barbara Hall presides over the flag-raising and proclamation of Pride Week. Soon after, she becomes the first mayor to walk in the Pride parade.
1997 March 26 Metro Council votes to drop its appeal of an Ontario Human Rights Commission decision in support of same-sex spousal benefits. Sept 25 Mel Lastman tells Xtra that he hasn’t marched in the Pride parade because he was never invited; he marches for the first time the following year.
1998 Giorgio Mammoliti, who once vehemently opposed spousal rights, votes in favour of them and apologizes for his derogatory comments about gay men. However, he still doesn’t think LGBT couples should be allowed to adopt. Continued on next page E
XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 11
E Continued from previous page
2000 Nov 13 Kathleen Wynne is elected to the board of trustees of the Toronto District School Board. In anonymous pamphlets distributed in her ward prior to the election, she is called an “extremist lesbian.”
2001 June 26 In Rob Ford’s first term as a councillor, he, along with Doug Holyday, opposes a $5,000 grant for a documentary made by a South Asian queer group.
2005 July 6 Ford tries to cancel $100,000 in funding for Pride Toronto and $3,000 for the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line, saying he doesn’t understand what transgenderism is.
2006 June 29 Ford says that if you’re not gay or an IV drug user, you will not get AIDS. Later that year, Kyle Rae tells Xtra that council is tired of Ford.
2010 Aug 4 Fundamentalist Christian Pastor Wendell Brereton endorses Ford, who says he supports “traditional” marriage but is not worried what people do in their private lives. Oct 18 Ford skips the LGBT issues mayoral debate at The 519, citing scheduling conflicts. Earlier in the month, he had told Xtra that he has no problem with gay people. Oct 25 Rob Ford is elected mayor. Dec 2 James Pasternak says he will pressure council to defund Pride Toronto because of Queers Against Israeli Apartheid’s involvement in the parade.
2011 June 7 An Xtra reporter calls Ford’s cellphone number and asks if he plans to read the proclamation for Pride Week and raise the flag. He skips the flag raising in June. July 12 Giorgio Mammoliti fails to defund Pride over QuAIA’s participation after resolving to do so. He caused controversy earlier when he was spotted filming Dyke March participants carrying pro-Palestine signs. The QuAIA issue will continue to make waves at city hall.
2012 May 17 Rob Ford is a surprise guest at a PFLAG flag raising for the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.
2013 May 16 Gawker and the Toronto Star break the news that they have seen a video of Rob Ford smoking crack, in which he also calls federal Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau a fag. June 24 Rob Ford attends a Pride event for the first time ever — the flag raising outside city hall.
2014 Feb 7 Rob Ford demands that the city manager remove a Pride flag being flown to support LGBT athletes and Russians during the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
12 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
Doucette into the limelight this year. On Feb 7, 2014, when council decided to raise a rainbow flag outside city hall to show solidarity with LGBT athletes and Russians during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Rob declared his intention to take down the flag because, according to reports, the Games were about the Olympics, not “sexual preference.” Shortly after, Doucette went on live TV and said that if Ford removed the flag, she would put it back up, according to Haskim. “[It] was a great moment for me, but, as expected, 30 seconds later Ford Nation starts calling,” he says. “I’ve never heard such vile things in my life.” It was the first time he had experienced that kind of targeted homophobia at his workplace, and it was the only time anyone has ever called him a fag. Ford Nation has been a pesky nuisance for councillors at best. At its worst, it can be downright threatening. In addition to the letters received by Wong-Tam over the last few months, a city hall source told me that their councillor had received a letter with similar handwriting around the same time Wong-Tam received hers, also laced with a generous helping of obscenities and slurs. Even those who have not been direct recipients of hatred feel the impact when the Fords are in the news for their behaviour. “When the news comes up and it happens, it’s hard not to have that resound with you personally,” says Sarah Buchanan, a constituency assistant in Janet Davis’s office, who is openly gay. “It’s hard not to watch statements and feel that little twinge.” When Rob refused to stand to honour the work done organizing WorldPride, many decried the action as a snub to city staff. But Chris Brillinger, executive director of social development, finance and administration at the City of Toronto, who organized the recognition, says the big story to him is still the work city staff and their partners did. He notes that the Toronto Public Service has an understanding of queer issues and a commitment to improving queer staff members’ experience. “I think queer staff, like any other demo of city staff, want to see a mayor or political leadership who reflect them, represent them, understand them,” he says. “That’s a desirable thing to see happen that at the end of the day is up to the voters.” Cutler is also a City of Toronto staff member and was working the day he was called a faggot in the city hall rotunda. “For us as public servants to have that experience as well was incredibly problematic because it is our workplace — we were at the office,” he says. For all the things they do, Rob and Doug Ford both insist they are not homophobic. Rob attended a PFLAG event in 2012 and the Pride Week flagraising in 2013. While his voting record is generally negative for any kind of city
spending, Doug voted to put rainbow crosswalks on Church Street, for the 2011 AIDS Prevention Community Investment Program allocations recommendations, and for releasing Section 45 funds to Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (Rob voted against the first two motions and was absent for the third). Rob has never attended Pride, and won’t say if he ever will, but Doug has recently had a change of heart in this regard, telling the Sun’s editorial board definitively that he would go. At a recent Ward 27 debate, WongTam said that she is able to work with the senior Ford. In our most recent interview, she said Doug had called her to apologize for what she had been going through on the campaign trail. However, she says, he stopped short of taking up her offer to release a joint
the offensive and homophobic things Rob has said were not mistakes, but an attempt to galvanize his socially conservative base. “He appeared to be playing for the camera, cultivating a persona, even if he wasn’t consciously thinking about it.” What is most telling is how Ford supporters describe the brothers. At the debate at York Collegiate, people tell me that Doug is a good businessman, that he takes care of the community, that he’s smart and comes from a good family. “He’s determined and courageous and always tries to do what is right,” says Bibi, declining to give her last name. But most interesting are the views of Fortino. “[Rob] has got some morals and, what, he has to leave them behind? He’s not politically correct; he’s not going to
Rob Ford at a flag-raising for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in 2012. ANDREA HOUSTON
Rob’s not politically correct; he’s not going to stamp on God to get his votes — and that’s what we love about him. FORD SUPPORTER IOLA FORTINO
unity statement saying they would not tolerate bigotry, homophobia, sexism or racism — she says he said he would have to check with his campaign team. But on Sept 24, Doug condemned any homophobic or racist comments from his supporters, according to a report in the National Post. The Fords are not homophobic crusaders in the vein of American politicians Michele Bachmann or Lyndon LaRouche. What is dangerous is their absence of a clear position. Summed up by Davis, who marches in the Pride parade with her openly gay son, the Fords have created an atmosphere that allows hatred to ferment. “[Rob] has created the space; he has given permission; he has allowed for those views to become more explicit and for people to express them openly,” she adds. And they understand this. In Crazy Town, Doolittle suggests that some of
stamp on God to get his votes — and that’s what we love about him,” she says after her ejection from the mayoral debate. Fortino says she was not politically engaged until Rob was elected mayor, though a source says she is well known to trustees of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Her primary issue, she says, is that a gay agenda is taking over the schools. We’re at the back in the high school auditorium where the debate took place, and as we talk, the volume of her voice gets louder and louder until some of the leftover media are peering at us and, I assume, wondering what the hell is going on. “Why don’t we step outside?” I ask. Five minutes later, on the steps of the high school, I prod her about the accusations against her, asking if she has ever called any city councillor a faggot. She denies it initially but adds
a caveat. “If I did, it was out of anger, because they were harassing me,” she says, adding that she was angry at one councillor who “harassed” Rob for sitting down during the WorldPride recognition at city hall. I ask if she is referring to Wong-Tam. She is. “She was harassing him.” With each question her voice raises; Fortino is angry. But when I ask her directly — “Did you call Kristyn Wong-Tam a faggot?” — she denies it. “No, I wouldn’t say that to her.” In the absence of affirmation or condemnation, the Fords have created an environment where they can be anything their supporters need them to be, whether it’s just a great pair of guys who save people money or defenders of the religious right. As Davis says, it gives people who may have been ignored or pushed to the fringes a platform, neatly organized under one brand — Ford Nation. Despite the tendency to view members of Ford Nation as a sideshow to the election, their actions are serious for the people who face discrimination because of them. It’s a point made abundantly clear when Olivia Chow is faced with an audience question at a debate that begins by pointing out that she immigrated to Canada. She must loudly reaffirm that she is Canadian — as if it were even up for debate. Then there is the “what if” scenario. Wong-Tam tells me it is one thing to yell a slur, but what if someone becomes brave enough to assault somebody? This was before she received the second hate letter or learned one of her volunteers was threatened. I have made numerous requests to interview both the Fords. They have gone mostly ignored, except for one in-person attempt with Rob’s media relations aide at the time, Amin Massoudi, who told me, “The man has a very busy schedule.” I have no answers from either of them that make clear why they can’t fully commit to supporting LGBT rights or being homophobes. So, what can we do about Ford Nation? When I spoke to Cutler over the phone, months after his alleged encounter with Fortino, I asked what he did when he heard her words. “I decided to go over and engage with her,” he said. “I said, ‘Excuse me, would you mind explaining what you just said to us? I think I heard you use homophobic language.’ And she said, ‘Yeah, but all that matters is you stop harassing the mayor.’” According to Cutler, she stormed off immediately after. It may not have gone the way he wanted it to, but his approach reflects one I have heard repeatedly since Torontonians have started to have a more open discussion about the impact discrimination has had on the mayoral campaign. You have to name it — homophobia or sexism or racism — or it will never stop. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
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XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 13
My bathtub buddy In a lather over Ludwig Wittgenstein HISTORY BOYS JEREMY WILLARD
JOB OPPORTUNITY Freelance Reporters Needed Xtra Ottawa is expanding its base of freelance reporters. We need intrepid freelance reporters with strong news judgment and well-honed journalism skills. As an ideal candidate, you thrive on being a news reporter. Thick-skinned, you’re not afraid to tackle sensitive issues or ask hard questions, even within a small, tight-knit community. A creative thinker, you have a natural “nose for news” to identify great story ideas. You are outgoing and skilled at networking with sources, newsmakers and community leaders. You are an aggressive self-starter who gets things done. A quick and thorough reporter, you will generate news stories for our website, dailyxtra.com. Your commitment to fairness matches your meticulous attention to detail, spelling and accuracy. Your superior writing and self-editing skills enable you to quickly turn around error-free copy. Ideally, you are proficient enough with digital photography to capture good images and process them for posting online. Being an avid user of social media who understands how to harness its power to engage our communities and promote your work is an asset. Email a detailed cover letter, resumé and news writing samples to managing editor Matthew DiMera at matthew.dimera@dailyxtra.com.
CANADA’S GAY& LESBIAN NEWS
14 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) has always been my bathtub buddy. I can’t imagine why else he’s been on my mind ever since I first learned of him in Grade 12. I’ve certainly never been able to make much sense of his philosophy. But then, it’s hard to say. He’s one of those thinkers you read and think is fairly straightforward but about whom people are always saying, “He’s so complicated, so complex, so hard to grasp,” and you start to doubt whether you really understand — if he’s so friggin’ complicated, how could you? In 1920, after finishing his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1922) — which, in his mind, solved all the problems of philosophy — Wittgenstein gave away his inheritance (his family was fantastically wealthy), abandoned his studies at the University of Cambridge and went off to teach elementary school in a small Austrian village. He terrorized his students with two hours of math every morning, often caning them and boxing their ears when they made mistakes. When I first studied him, I read somewhere that he spent his nights lying in a scalding bath contemplating suicide. I’ve never been suicidal, but I have always loved baths, and when I first encountered him I was a gay teenager (bisexual, but calling myself gay) with some intense anxiety issues. I’d always been a loner, and nothing sounded quite so sweet to me as quitting everything and taking off to a remote village where I could lie in a tub, getting out now and then only to smack Austrian children. That still sounds pretty sweet. Before finishing the Tractatus and visiting his wrath on innocent schoolchildren, Wittgenstein was an intense, nervous and domineering young student at Cambridge. There is a famous story from about 1911 about his early relationship with philosopher Bertrand Russell, who was teaching at Cambridge at the time. Russell once asked Wittgenstein to consider the proposition “There is not a hippopotamus in this room at present.” They were in a classroom at the time, and even though Russell peered under all the desks to make his case, Wittgenstein refused to admit there was no hippopotamus there. However,
While there is disagreement on the subject, many people think philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was attracted to both men and women. SISSYDUDE
Russell soon decided that Wittgenstein was “the most perfect example I have ever known of a genius as traditionally conceived, passionate, profound, intense and dominating.” While there is considerable disagreement on the subject, many people think Wittgenstein was attracted to both men and women. William W Bartley was probably the first to broach the subject, when, in his 1973 biography, he claimed that Wittgenstein used to cruise parks in Austria and England. In 1912, while at Cambridge, he probably had a relationship with David Hume Pinsent, who was a descendant of philosopher David Hume (the empiricist and skeptic famous for arguing that “reason is, and ought only to be, the slave of the passions”) and a math student. They travelled together to Iceland, where Wittgenstein paid for everything, including a private train. They later visited Norway together. They last saw each other in 1913, just before Wittgenstein, deciding his peers lacked intellectual depth, took off to Skjolden, Norway, to philosophize in seclusion. Wittgenstein returned to England in 1929, a while after leaving his job
at the remote Austrian school. He decided he probably hadn’t fixed (or done away with?) philosophy and returned to Cambridge to continue his work. He taught there until 1947. The same year he returned to Cambridge he is thought to have started a romantic relationship with philosopher Frank Ramsey; he started another the next year with architect Francis Skinner. He also probably had a relationship with a man named Ben Richards in the late 1940s. After his retirement in 1947, Wittgenstein moved to the isolated west coast of Ireland to work on his second treatise, Philosophical Investigations. It was published in 1953, two years after he died. Many consider Wittgenstein a great philosopher. For me, he’s a crank lying in a scalding bath — the epitome of reclusiveness, whom I strangely admire for it. Maybe from now on, as a memorial as bizarre as Wittgenstein himself was, whenever I take a bath I’ll insist to any passing Austrian schoolchildren that there’s an elephant in the tub with me. History Boys appears in every issue of Xtra. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN A
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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Taking care of trans bodies The Canadian Cancer Society’s new initiative encourages the trans community to get checked STOREFRONT SERAFIN LARIVIERE Whether it be festooned with pink ribbons or unfortunate 30-day mustaches, cancer is still nobody’s idea of a fun time. It’s scary. It’s exhausting. It’s the most horrible kind of unexpected surprise. And as daunting as the prospect of screening and treatment is for people comfy with the gender of their birth, it can be doubly so for trans patients. It’s a demographic that I’m embarrassed to say I never considered: the trans woman unaware that years of hormone therapy may lead to an increase in the risk of breast cancer; the
woman.” But if you’re over 50 and have been on hormones for more than five years, you should consider getting a mammogram. “For a trans man who feels his body isn’t aligned with what he feels, getting a mammogram or pap smear might be really intimidating. Removing your clothing from the waist down can be a scary experience,” Mehta adds. Get Screened has been active in the LGBT community since the program launched in June 2013. Pride-goers may remember their cheeky Check Your Ass and Check Your Boobs stickers, which were handed out by the hundreds. Cancer may be a scary business, but Mehta and her team un-
There are so many emotional and systemic barriers ... the health system is set up in a very gender-conformed manner. trans man whose cervix still requires regular checkups to make sure everything is tickety-boo. “There are several statistics that show we are less likely to get screened or seek preventative care, perhaps because of past homophobia or transphobia,” says Arti Mehta, coordinator of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Get Screened initiative here in Ontario. “Yet our communities have higher risk factors, including higher rates of obesity, higher rates of alcohol consumption and two to three times higher rates of smoking.” Get Screened isn’t just sloganeering or a postering campaign. The Canadian Cancer Society has recruited and trained health ambassadors from the trans community to raise awareness about screening and to provide information and support with accessing a largely uninformed healthcare system. These ambassadors share their own experiences with screening, preventative and active treatment with members of the community, offering advice and support to newbies trying to navigate a path of least resistance. “There are so many emotional and systemic barriers if you think about it,” Mehta says. “The healthcare system is set up in a very gender-conformed manner. If you are male-assigned on your health card, you can’t self-refer for a mammogram like a female-assigned
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derstand that humour can soften the seriousness of disease prevention and treatment. “We’ve tried to create a fun campaign that will draw people to our website,” she says. “We have tabs for service providers, resources and information on things like mail-in colon-cancer screening tests. Telehealth will mail out a fecal occult blood test to you if you don’t have a doctor. You smear three different stool samples on a card and mail it back in a pre-paid envelope.” Precious little data has been collected on cancer risks for transgender people, though there are indications that trans men on testosterone may have an increased risk of breast cancer. Given the overtly feminine approach of many of the awareness groups gearing up for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mehta hopes that offering alternate avenues for trans men will help ease any resistance in getting checked. “One of my health ambassadors said that, as a trans person, you work so hard to get the body you want and to feel really good in your body. To not take care of it would be counterintuitive.” For more information on cancer screening and treatment, visit cancer. ca/getscreened.
Cancer may be a scary business, but Arti Mehta and her team understand that humour can help soften the seriousness of disease prevention and treatment.
XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 17
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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Outinthe City
Badass
feminist Of such stuff is Bad Feminist — still charting on the New York Times’ bestseller list and generating invitations to gatherings across North America — made. However, Gay is known for bringing surprises and delights to her public events — sexiness, silliness and seriousness all. Having name checked, via email, two harrowing new books by young women (Love Me Back, by Merritt Tierce, and Cinderland, by Amy Jo Burns) about secrets, struggle and longing, Gay then hints that she might read from the Harbourfront stage about the sex appeal of Mister Rogers. One never gets the sense, though, that Gay is just being interesting to build a persona. Her live tweets about her love of Ina Garten or desire to cuddle a baby elephant have the same muscular grace as her prose. Gay is working on another novel, titled Hunger, to follow her critically acclaimed An Untamed State and reports that there’s a seed of it in a long-ago-published short story called “Knife Man” if readers want to get a head start. As to IFOA, the queer literary phenom says she can’t wait to regale Toronto audiences (and secretly hopes festival director Geoffrey Taylor has invited Beyoncé). — S Bear Bergman
The refreshingly frank Roxane Gay The International Festival of Authors, now in its 35th edition, brings all the literary talent to Toronto’s yard. In recent years, IFOA has turned in a near-perfect record of having invited winners of major literary prizes well before the shortlists were announced. Among the literary lights comes badass Bad Feminist (that’s the title of her bestselling book) Roxane Gay, who has rocketed onto the mainstream scene after being a long-underappreciated favourite of discerning readers. A queer-identified Haitian-American who split her growing-up time between Port-au-Prince and Nebraska, Gay writes with a refreshing frankness and tremendous thoughtfulness about questions of contemporary culture. Often tapped to provide a “women-of-colour” perspective to media outlets, part of Gay’s charm has always been how willing she is to call out exactly what she thinks about any emerging question — whether it puts her on the popular side of the issue or not. It does a queer heart good to watch a writer lay waste to some homophobic nonsense reproduced in pop culture, with a tall side-order of eyeroll because we are still seeing it.
It’s a masterful set piece that is at once sexy and menacing, ugly and ridiculous. Rachel Giese E21
Roxane Gay can’t wait to regale audiences at the 35th International Festival of Authors. JAY GRABIEC
Roxane Gay reads at IFOA Sun, Oct 26, 11am at Harbourfront Centre, in the Brigantine Room, 235 Queens Quay W. In Conversation with Roxane Gay is Sat, Oct 25, 2pm at the Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay W. ifoa.org
CLASH OF CLANS It’s probably unavoidable that Larissa Behrendt would end up working in social justice. In the aboriginal Australian household she grew up in, the subject of human rights was omnipresent. At the same time, she understood on a deeply personal level the hypocrisy a narrow view of equality can cause. “We talked about our rights but tolerated anti-gay attitudes,” she says from Sydney, where she lives. “Two of my favourite uncles were gay and struggled due to the homophobia within the community. This wasn’t even a rights issue for me. It was a family issue.” Behrendt’s film Clan looks at the life of one young man in exactly this situation. Gay and aboriginal, James is rejected by his family but struggles to navigate the queer world, ultimately finding salvation with a local gay rugby MORE AT DAILYXTRA.COM
team. Told as a sort of flashback, it’s a highly stylized chronicle of his journey to self-acceptance. “It seems bizarre to do a biography on someone who’s so young, but it felt like he’d already lived several lives,” Behrendt says. “I was spellbound when he told his story. The fact he’s so handsome didn’t hurt, either.” The piece is part of a larger body of work, a career really, in promoting human rights. In addition to her filmmaking, the Harvard-educated lawyer has published several novels and books on social justice, including the cheekily named Indigenous Australia for Dummies. She says being part of a historically marginalized group made her passionate about gay rights, particularly Australia’s battle around marriage equality. “When we talk about discrimination
against indigenous people, we often talk about how our lives were so regulated, where we could live, if we could work, whether we got to raise our own children and whether we could marry,” she says. “Interracial marriage was prohibited in some places. We look at that and say, How badly were we treated?
The aboriginal community should be the strongest supporters of marriage equality.” — Chris Dupuis Clan screens Fri, Oct 24 as part of the ImagineNative film festival at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St W. imaginenative.org
Evita redux Director Heather Braaten is devising clever strategies to make her Lower Ossington Theatre production of Evita work. As everyone knows, Evita is a musical about Eva Perón, who rose from the slums to become first lady of Argentina. Producing it takes some serious money. “Some casts on Broadway have been up to 30 ensemble members. They have extremely elaborate sets, extremely elaborate costuming. Which all comes with an extremely huge cost,” Braaten says. Evita’s cast includes large groups of soldiers, peasants and aristocrats that would usually be played by about 30 people employing lots of props and costume changes. Braaten is working to accomplish the same effect with 10 people. “It’s more through gesture and movements that we’re telling those different stories,” she says. Christopher Benjamin plays Ché, the narrator and, in this production, the leader of these groups — when they all become peasants, he’s the lead peasant. “At a moment’s notice, suddenly you have to move from being a peasant to an aristocrat,” he says. These 10 intrepid thespians will have a base costume, that of a peasant, onto which they must project their characters. But not to worry: Evita will be resplendent! “I’ve tried to scale back, but she needs costume changes, and even with a keen eye to scaling back, I think she has about 20 different outfits,” Braaten says. Benjamin, an Australian, has been in Canada two years, and this is his second performance with LOT. Evita has never been on his theatrical wish-list, but he’s looking forward to his juicy role. “[As the narrator], I can speak to Evita’s subconscious. I can speak directly to the audience. I can become a poor Argentinian. I can become an admiral. It’s a great role because I get the ability to play everyone.” – Jeremy Willard Evita runs Thurs, Oct 16–Sun, Nov 23 at Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Ave. lowerossingtontheatre.com XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 19
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TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
Sex&survival
New Sarah Waters novel is a thrilling tale of class struggle, lesbian love and murder of a well-bred woman doing the work of a char.” Frances’s meagre rewards are occasional trips to the cinema with Britain between the her mother, bittersweet visits to her exworld wars was an unset- girlfriend, who has moved on with a new tled place: the social order was topsy- woman, and a solitary nightly cigarette. turvy, hundreds of thousands were dead Enter Len and Lilian Barber, a somefrom battle and the Spanish flu, and the what tacky young couple from the government was grappling with mass striving working class — he’s a cocky unemployment and inflation. In The insurance clerk, she’s a sweet-tempered Paying Guests, novelist Sarah Waters bohemian housewife with artistic predelves into the era’s complexities and tensions — who move into the Wrays’ contradictions by narrowing in on house as lodgers. Despite a few early one particular household in suburban class-based missteps, within a matter London, which in its own peculiar way of weeks, Frances and Lilian have fallen stands in for the chaos and upheaval of into a scorching, clandestine affair, the country as a whole. complete with mash notes, midnight The upper-class Wrays have fallen grapplings in the kitchen and plots on hard times. The two sons have been to run away together. But before the killed in the war and the father has died, romance-drunk couple can come to too, leaving behind a collection of bad anything approaching their senses, investments and overdue debts. The they are involved in a murder and are survivors are Frances, a 26-year-old pulled into its tense investigation and spinster, and her sensitive, ineffectual aftermath. mother. To economize, the servants If any writer can pull off a story that have been let go, lamps are left unlit, combines elements of historical literand cheap cuts of meat have replaced ary fiction, social realism, courtroom lavish dinners. drama and lesbian pulp, it’s Waters. These are not Frances’s only sacri- Her 1998 debut, Tipping the Velvet, was fices. When she was a confident and sexy younger, she had been page-turner about a a suffragette and inVictorian-era genvolved in the war efderbending lesbian fort; she had also had theatre artist — its a love affair with a title was a reference female friend. That to old-time slang for independence and cunnilingus. Her subromantic pleasure sequent novels — all have long since been doorstopper-thick abandoned, in order historical dramas for her to struggle to — are Dickensian in keep up appearances character and plotand maintain the famting, high in emotion ily home. (whether lust or susAnd yet even as pense or both) and Frances uncomplaininfused with a gothic ingly scrubs floors, sensibility. She rencooks dreary meals ders her settings in beand empties chamber THE PAYING GUESTS witching detail, often pots, she is aware that depicting the lives of By Sarah Waters Penguin Random House Canada her step down in life marginalized figures sarahwaters.com makes others uneasy. at moments of social Neighbours, tradestumult and transformen and her mother’s friends, she ob- mation. Fingersmith told the story of serves, “had got themselves through the a clan of Victorian pickpockets, for worst war in history yet seemed unable instance, while The Little Stranger was for some reason to cope with the sight a shivery ghost story set in a crumbling RACHEL GIESE GOOD READS
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If any writer can pull off a story that combines elements of historical literary fiction, social realism, courtroom drama and lesbian pulp, it’s Sarah Waters.
post–WWII manor house. With The Paying Guests, Waters skillfully uses the central lesbian affair as complicating spoiler to dig at the general mood of social change and unease. Lilian’s husband, Len, comes across as a boor at times but also as bright and ambitious, eager to take advantage of loosening class structure to get ahead. He’s a rival to Frances romantically, but he also represents the demise of the former privileges of her class. Meanwhile, a posh young man whom Frances is set up with proves to be unattractive to her, not only because he is a man, but because the war has left him languid and disillusioned (and possibly, through the lens of a modern prospective, suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder). As he tells her about his experiences since the armistice — he’s bored, aimless and unemployed — Frances is “struck by the absolute lack of rancour in his manner; by the
absence of any sort of passion in him.” But, even as she uses the lesbian affair for these expositionary ends, Waters does not for a moment short-change her readers on the sexual front. The build of the growing attraction between Frances and Lilian is an act of seduction in itself. At first, Frances finds Lilian a little silly and vulgar but then takes notice of her prettiness and sensuality. Lilian “was all colour and curve,” thinks Frances. “How well she filled her own skin! She might have been poured generously into it, like treacle.” An erotic game of Snakes and Ladders between Lilian, Len and Frances could be its own separate novella: it’s a masterful set piece that is at once sexy and menacing, ugly and ridiculous. When Frances and Lilian finally do consummate their attraction, Waters paints in every part, without blushing or coy hesitation. She spares no details, either, when it comes to the gruesome. A painful, pro-
longed abortion is graphically, bloodily horrifying. And the violent death that provides the novel’s turn from romance to murder mystery is equally grisly. Their forbidden relationship carries its own undercurrent of the sinister: its star-crossed quality fuels its passion and its sense of doom. Waters gives the affair a sense of being a little unhinged, which makes a far more complicated union than if it were purely idealized or romanticized. As compelling and rich as the storytelling, at more than 500 pages, fatigue sets in at points. This is a palpably physical and closely observed story, and it can make for a claustrophobic reading experience — Waters spares no minutiae, no passing thought, no small piece setting or passing emotion. And yet, when she finds her momentum, she is unmatchable. She breathes, cries, exults, lusts and fears right alongside her characters, just as she compels her reader to do so, too. XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 21
Two not-so-scary Church Street revellers. TANJA-TIZIANA
SONGS OF TRAVEL Reflections on departures, arrivals, and wanderlust OCTOBER 28 & 29, 2014, 8 PM Trinity St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West box office: 416-978-8849 / uofttix.ca www.taliskerplayers.ca Talisker Players Music
Fearsome inspiration Costume ideas for the big night TORONTO AT NIGHT RYAN G HINDS
QUEER CONFESSIONS: AN LGBTQ MEMOIR READING SERIES Queer Confessions is a monthly Toronto-based LGBTQ memoir reading series that seeks to foster memoir writing in a supportive environment, and build community through storytelling. We are committed to showcasing diverse voices and experiences, including established, emerging, and beginVMZ _ZQ\MZ[ :MILQVO[ \ISM XTIKM \PM ÅZ[\ <P]Z[LIa WN M^MZa month at the 519 Community Centre in Toronto, and start at 8:00pm.
SEND US YOUR SUBMISSIONS! We all have a story (or two, or three) to tell, so please consider submitting one of yours! No experience necessary! Check website for monthly themes. Please include with your submission: the story (10 min max), your bio (50 words max), and the theme you are submitting for. Send your submissions to: queerconfessionstoronto@gmail.com
www.queerconfessions.com LIKE us on FACEBOOK: Queer Confessions 22 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the pumpkins are out, costumes are being planned, and candy is on sale in bulk. DJs are hauling out their seasonally appropriate tunes (that would be Bette Midler’s “I Put a Spell on You,” Lady Gaga’s “Teeth” and Saint Michael’s “Thriller”), party invites are going out, and drag queens are brushing out their Morticia wigs. The moon’s looking a little fuller, the nights are feeling a lot colder, and the things that go bump in the night can mean only one thing: Halloween is here! So why am I feeling ennui-ish this year? Make no mistake, this is one of my favourite holidays. Every year I pay lip service to the idea that I perform every other day and it’s the one day where I don’t have to wear a costume . . . and every year at the last second I give in to my urge to scare. I’ve been a ghost, Measha Brueggergosman, a drowned sailor, a sad clown, Pumpkinhead, a succubus, a glamour cat, a pirate, Black Swan . . . and that’s just in the past couple years! I try to go for costumes that elicit fear or involve some kind of illusion or transformation. Doing the Church Street stroll on Oct 31 is fun, but every year far fewer people are dressed up than should
be. Therefore, I’d like to propose that no one be allowed to set foot on Church Street on Halloween night unless they are in costume or giving out candy! And I don’t mean a dollar-store mask and booty shorts . . . we can be sexy every other time of year, so in my mind, Halloween should be reserved for our deep, dark fantasies and fears to manifest themselves. My fearsome inspiration has yet to hit me this year, and I’m concerned some of you might be in the same boat. To help out, here are some costume ideas that might get the ball rolling. SKY GILBERT: Shave your head, draw on tattoos, wear a tank top, put a gold hoop in your left ear, and presto! You are Canada’s most prolific playwright/drag queen/ professor. For added points, have your photo taken under the new Sky Gilbert Lane sign outside Buddies. FAY SLIFT: It’s never nice to steal
another queen’s look . . . unless you’re going all the way! Our beloved Fay has bouffant Peggy Bundy hair, layers of crinoline and a striking two-toned beard. Earn extra credit for stealing some glue-on hair from a drag-king friend for your arms and legs! THE OLD CHURCH STREET STEPS:
I’m not entirely sure about the logistics for this one, but it would
be a great excuse to have people sit on your face all night. FLYING BEAVER PUBARET: You could go literal with a beaver mask and a small prop plane or figurative with a vagina mask and angel wings. Your call! ALEXANDER WOOD: Too obscure? Most people won’t know who you are, but you’d get to wear that faaaaaabulous long coat. JOAN RIVERS AT THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE: It’s not too
soon! In fact, we hope to see some Joans and Melissas this year. If it hurts your throat to talk in a raspy voice all night, throw on a tiara and boom! You’re Michelle DuBarry. RYAN G HINDS: Yours truly is a super-easy costume: find something Dorothy Zbornak would wear, pair it with cut-off jeans and Dollarama glitter, park yourself at the Hero Burger window and bitchily rate every costume that goes by.
Whatever you end up looking like and wherever you end up going, make sure you put the “wheee” in Halloween. Whether it’s from the Hero Burger window or somewhere scarier . . . I’ll be watching! Toronto at Night appears in every other issue of Xtra. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
WHAT'S ON
Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St. $15 advance, $20 door. pubaret.com
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St. $175. clga.ca
Insatiable Sisters
SEX & BURLESQUE
Women and transgender people perform everything from spoken word to burlesque. Fri, Nov 14, 8pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. $20. buddiesinbadtimes.com
Urge Sex Maze While wandering the sex maze, guys enjoy glimpses of soccer hunks and Spider-Man (or some slutty approximation). Every Thursday, 5pm–midnight. Urge, 199 Church St. Free entry for those in sportswear, underwear or Lycra. urgetoronto.com
FOR MORE EVENT LISTINGS, GO TO DAILYXTRA.COM
ART & LITERATURE
COMEDY & CABARET
Stephen Andrews: Possible Outcomes
Queer as Fuck: The Feedback Show
An exhibition in two parts: part one is about describing light using paint; part two is a “sex-celebratory” work commissioned by the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange. Runs until Sat, Nov 8. Paul Petro Contemporary Art, 980 Queen St W. Free. paulpetro.com
Standup comedians often don’t know why some of their jokes get weird responses. This show helps them sort it out by soliciting feedback from the audience. Thurs, Oct 16, 9pm. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. PWYC. thesteadycafe.com
ArtAttack! Art work by more than 150 artists is auctioned off at this annual benefit for Buddies in Bad Times. Includes works by Stephen Andrews, Maurice Vellekoop and James Fowler. Thurs, Nov 6, 6pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. $30–150. buddiesinbadtimes.com
Singular Sensation: A Musical-Theatre Open Mic Jennifer Walls invites amateur crooners to perform their favourite songs accompanied by a live band. Every Monday, 9:30pm–12:30am. Statlers, 487 Church St. No cover. statlers.ca
Wizard of Odd: Comedy Hypnosis Brandon the Hypnotist presents a flying-monkey and tornado-strewn Wizard of Oz–themed hypnosis show. Wed, Oct 29, 7:30pm. The
HAUNTINGS & FLAUNTINGS Grindhouse Ghoulies This burlesque tribute to Grindhouse features blood-sucking babes, heart-tearing honeys and Satanic seductresses. Sun, Oct 19, 8:30pm. Revival, 783 College St. $25 advance, $30 door. greatcanadianburlesque.com
Night of Dread Following a parade where towering puppets, stilt walkers and fearsomely masked folks move through the streets of Toronto, everyone gathers in the park for a theatrical event. Sat, Oct 25, 6pm. Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin St. PWYC–$10. clayandpapertheatre.org
Naked Girls Reading: Demons, Devils and the Damned Bodacious, bare bookworms read passages dealing with exorcism, possession and dark forces. Sun, Oct 26, 7pm. Round, 152 Augusta Ave. $20 advance, $25 door. nakedgirlsreading.com
Hot Kiss: Andy Warhol Meets Halloween In addition to the usual spa amenities, scantily clad queer folks of all sorts take in a screening of the horror-porn film Succubus. Sun, Oct 26, 8pm. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. $30. oasisaqualounge.com
OUTrageous! With Robert Keller: Witch, Please!
Queer youth ages 14 to 29 gather to watch movies, participate in art projects and workshops, and chat with Supporting Our Youth’s community mentors. For more info, contact jcaffery@sherbourne. on.ca. Every Monday, 5:30–8pm. Sherbourne Health Centre, 2nd floor, 333 Sherbourne St. Free. soytoronto.org
The Black Queer Youth Initiative Black and multiracial youth aged 29 and under who identify as queer or questioning gather in a safe, social space. Every Wednesday, 6:30–8:30pm. Sherbourne Health Centre, 333 Sherbourne St. Free. soytoronto.org
Salaam Support Group
Re-Framing Porn Screening Night Good for Her screens a selection of the hottest submissions to the Feminist Porn Awards from the last decade. Fri, Oct 17, 8pm. OISE Auditorium, 252 Bloor St W. $12 advance, $15 door; U of T students get in free with student ID. goodforher.com
Fetish Party and Fashion Show: Scandal Northbound’s annual filthy fashion show is followed by playing in the dungeons and dancing to music by DJs Jimi LaMort and Dwayne Minard. Sat, Oct 25, 9pm. Polson Pier, 11 Polson St. $60–135. northbound.com
This three-day sex and relationship conference features workshops, panels and a keynote speech by sex and disability writer Kaleigh Trace. Runs Fri, Nov 7–Sun, Nov 9, various times. Holiday Inn Downtown Centre, 30 Carlton St. For more info, visit playgroundconf.com.
THEATRE Wicked Long before Dorothy drops in, two girls meet in the Land of Oz. One is smart, fiery and misunderstood; the other is beautiful and popular — the untold story about the witches of Oz returns. Runs until Sun, Nov 2, various showtimes. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. $36–150. mirvish.com
Evita The hit musical about the charismatic Eva Perón, first lady of Argentina, who won the hearts of her people as a champion of the poor. Runs until Sun, Nov 23, various showtimes. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Ave. $49.99–59.99. lowerossingtontheatre.com
Nagata Shachu Annual Concert
SOY’s Fierce 15th Bowlathon
A free, accessible service for lowincome people. Volunteer lawyers provide legal advice, referrals and help with forms and letters. The confidential and private visits are first-come, firstserved. Bring any necessary documents. Every Thursday; registration 6–6:30pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. the519.org
Nadine Thornhill hosts a workshop on maintaining a healthy sex life while being a parent. Pre-registration recommended. Thurs, Oct 16, 7–9:30pm. Good for Her, 175 Harbord St. $33. goodforher.com
Playground
LEISURE & PLEASURE
The Bruised Spirits of Southern Ontario
The 519 Legal Clinic
You Can Have It All
A Platinum Production presents an evening of burlesque, drag and cabaret to answer this question: which diva’s songs make for better burlesque? Sat, Nov 8, 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10. club120.ca
A support group for queer or questioning Muslims. For more info, contact salaamgroup.to@gmail. com. Tues, Oct 28, 6:30–8pm. The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St. Free. the519.org
A night of hilarity and horror with comedians Martha Chaves, Emma Hunter and Gareth Lloyd. Wed, Oct 29, 8pm. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond St W. $15. yukyuks.com
HEALTH & ISSUES
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Toronto’s preeminent taiko drum ensemble performs live. The event also marks the release of the group’s third DVD. Sat, Oct 18, 8pm. Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 207 Queens Quay W. $25–35. nagatashachu.com
Opera Arcana offers a surreal multimedia presentation on the folklore of Southern Ontario. Fri, Oct 31 and Sat, Nov 1, 8:30pm. Videofag, 187 Augusta Ave. PYWC. videofag.com
Michael Jackson vs Prince — Club120, Sat, Nov 8
Nadine Thornhill hosts You Can Have It All — Good for Her, Thurs, Oct 16
Michael Jackson Vs Prince
Bowling for a cause with prizes, raffles, food and friends. Sat, Oct 25, 1–4pm. Bowlerama West, 5429 Dundas St W. For more info, visit soytoronto.org.
Punk Rock Bingo In addition to bingo, drag queen Jenna Syde performs as Courtney Love. Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favourite punkrock icon. Wed, Oct 29, 9–11pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. PWYC cover; $1 per bingo card. facebook.com/punkrockbingotoronto
CLGA Disco Gala Groovy cats feel the love and boogie down at the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives’ annual gala. Includes cocktails, dinner, entertainment and an auction. Sat, Nov 29, 6pm.
The Bruised Spirits — Videofag, Sat, Nov 1 CAROLINE AZAR
XTRA! OCT 16–29, 2014 23
CLUB SCENE Thurs, Oct 16 Ladyplus Party DJ Todd Klinck spins upstairs for an evening of socializing with T-girls, their friends and admirers. 8pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $8 before 11pm, $15 after, additional $10 for all-night VIP booth access. club120.ca
DJs Kris Steeves and Phil V spin. Candy and fierce looks will be supplied, along with a prize for the most innovative outfit. 10pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. $5. beavertoronto.com
Crews & Tangos Friday Fierce and Flawless, with Ivory Towers, Katherine Hytes Dior and Carlotta Carlisle, at 8:30pm; Indigo Vibes/DJ Roxanne in Tangos, and Club Lite/DJ Relentless in the Zone, both at 10pm; Bitchapalooza, with Daytona Bitch, Xtacy Love and Allysin Chaynes, at 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. crewsandtangos.com
Puppy Love Spooktacular I’d Tap That presents an evening of pre-Halloween boo. Hosts Jesse and Caitlin bring out the candy, games and dancefloor moves. A benefit for Planned Parenthood Toronto’s Prevention Engagement Action and Knowledge (PEAK) project. Costumes encouraged. 10pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. $7. beavertoronto.ca, id-tap-that.com
1990s Video Dance Party It’s an actual MuchMusic video dance party, ’90s edition, with DJs Kris Steeves and Phil V. All proceeds go to the Rainbow Railroad. 10pm. House-Maison, 580-582 Church St. Suggested donation $10. house-maison.squarespace.com
Security Sonia’s Birthday Partiers and staff celebrate their favourite enforcer and guardian angel, with local DJs hitting the birthday decks. 10:30pm. Fly 2.0, 8 Gloucester St. No cover for first 150 before 11:30pm, $10 before 1am, $15 after. flyyyz.com
Sultry Saturday: Double X-Posure DJ Cajjmere Wray throws down classic and current Britney Spears and Lady Gaga hits all night. Performance by Ivory Towers. 11pm– 3am. Byzantium, 499 Church St. No cover. byz.ca
Sun, Oct 19 Woody’s Sunday The Hollywoody Broadway Show, hosted by Miss Conception, at 6pm; Old School, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Katinka Kature and D’Amanda Tension, at 9pm; Five Smokin’ Hot Divas, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Devine Darlin, Tynomi Banks, Carlotta Carlisle and Jada Hudson, at 11pm. DJ Mark Falco works the decks. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com
Mon, Oct 20 Spit Play Party and Live Porn Shoot
DJs Amita and Reshiv spin Bollywood, bhangra and desi faves, with a Broken Dance performance choreographed by Chase Constantino and munchies from Kathi Roll Express. 10:30pm–3am. Fly, 6 Gloucester St. $15 advance, $20 door. facebook.com/amita.handa
I’d Tap That hosts its fifth play party with some very special guests. Spit magazine turns on the cameras for the action in a sectionedoff room. If you’d like to participate, contact Jesse at westraejesse@ gmail.com. 8pm. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. $15. id-tapthat.com
Sat, Oct 18
Tues, Oct 21
Bearcode: Growlr
Varsity Tuesday
DJ Mark Falco spins electro-house, top-40 remixes and growling beats for the bimonthly bear party. 10pm– 4am. Black Eagle, 457 Church
Sofonda Cox hosts the amateur So You Think You Can Strip? competition, with a $100 cash prize. 11pm. Remington’s, 379 Yonge St. $5
Shameless
24 OCT 16–29, 2014 XTRA!
Underbear DJ Knight Muzik spins house and top-40 remixes for the popular afternoon underwear party, a fundraiser for the People with AIDS Foundation. 4–9pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com
DJ Matt Consola (San Fran) spins for barely clad bears and their admirers. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $15 advance. bearracuda. com/toronto
Fit: Halloween Warm-Up
Fri, Oct 17
Sun, Oct 26
Bearracuda: Underwear Night
Hot men of all shapes and sizes get au naturel in the ever-popular monthly event. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com
Georgie Girl hosts and Jada Hudson performs for the boys flexing their pecs for the Absolut Best Chest Contest. Cash prizes of $300 up for grabs. DJ Mark Falco on decks. Midnight. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com
DJ Mothers spins as CrushTO celebrates Halloween, with MC Johnny B Goode, burlesque, drag, prizes for best costume, and private booths to get hot and spooky in. Code of conduct enforced. 10pm. Club120, 120 Church St. $10. id-tap-that.com
St. $5 before midnight, $10 after. blackeagletoronto.com
Naked Night
Woody’s Thursday
Crush-O-Ween Carlotta Carlisle (left) — Crews & Tango, Tues, Oct 28
Hot Kiss-Andy Warhol Meets Halloween before 11pm, $7 after; no cover with student ID before 11pm, $2 after. remingtons.com
Wed, Oct 22 Zipperz Wednesday The Drag Kings of Toronto show what men are all about every week. 11pm. Zipperz-Cellblock, 72 Carlton St. No cover. facebook.com/zipperz
Queen of Halloween Miss Conception hosts Woody’s annual contest, with cash prizes. Step-down performance by Scarlett Bobo. DJ Mark Falco on decks. Midnight. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com
Thurs, Oct 23 Buzz Cut, Lash for Cash, Boot Shine & Cigar Party Spearhead Leather Denim Social Club, Northbound Leather and Black Eagle present a night of
manscaping, lashing, boot shining and cigars. Master Tony (ILS 2009) performs the buzz cut, while Susy (CCCB 2014) works the boot polish. Make a donation to flog or be flogged by a titleholder. 9pm. The Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto.com
Random Play DJ Dwayne Minard spins disco, yacht rock, new wave and classic rock for the east-end queers. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. No cover. facebook. com/waylabarnounge
Fri, Oct 24 Kink The female acoustic grunge/rock duo helps raise money for breastcancer research at the fourth annual Pinktober Breast Cancer Benefit. 8pm. Hard Rock Café, 279 Yonge St. $10. kinktheband.com 1990s Video Dance Party — HouseMaison, Fri, Oct 17 KRIS STEEVES
DJ Blackcat spins for the queerleaning, all-inclusive bimonthly event and costume contest. Performance by Amber Frost, plus an exclusive screening of the queer horror porn flick Succubus. Cover includes use of spa facilities, entertainment, a locker and fresh towels. 8pm. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. $30. oasisaqualounge.com
HOTFF Jail ’n’ Bail Toronto Leather Pride/Heart of the Flag Federation’s fundraising night returns, with men being tossed in the tank, then raising funds to get free. A Black Eagle tradition. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. No cover. blackeagletoronto. com, hotfftoronto.com
Mon, Oct 27
Woody’s Friday Dudes show their assets to win $300 in cash prizes in the Best Men’s Ass Contest, hosted by Georgie Girl, with Katinka Kature. DJ Mark Falco on decks. Midnight. Woody’s, 467 Church St. No cover. woodystoronto.com
Toastr DJs Recklezz and Sticky Cuts spin for the ladies and their friends. 9:30pm. White Elephant, 366 Queen St E. $8. facebook.com/toastrto
Tues, Oct 28
Sat, Oct 25
A Simple Man: CD Release Party
Latinoween DJ Jon spins for the caliente party and costume contest. 9pm–2am. Erotico, 461 Church St (above Pizzaiolo). $10 advance. erotico.ca
AX Halloween 2014 DJ Alex spins top-40 remixes, vocal house, club anthems, and J- and K-Pop for Asian folks and their friends. Performances by Sofonda Cox, Nikki Chin and the AX Maximus dancers. Cash prizes for best costumes. 10pm. Courthouse, 57 Adelaide St. $20 advance, $25 door. aznxp.com
Pop Machine: Pre-Halloween Icons DJ Aural and special guest Phil V spin pop faves for a crowd dressed as their favourite icons, with prizes to be won. 10pm. WAYLA, 996 Queen St E. $5. whatareyoulookingatbar. com
Sin DJ John Caffery spins deep house and nu disco for the men-only night where everything is permitted. Performances by the Men of Sin dancers. 10pm. Black Eagle, 457 Church St. $5 before midnight, $10 after. blackeagletoronto.com
Tim Boyle performs with Jordan Klapman, Jordan O’Connor, Carrie Chestnutt and Adam David. Art by Leo Dias. A portion of the proceeds from the art auction and CD sales benefits PWA. 7–9 PM. Paintbox Bistro, 555 Dundas St E. No cover. timboyle.ca
Tits & Dicks Mandy Goodhandy hosts the sexy T-girl strip night, with pole, lap and VIP dances all night. 9pm. Club120, 120 Church St. club120.ca
Crews & Tangos Tuesday Carlotta Carlise and Katherine Hytes Dior perform at 9pm; Vocal Rehab karaoke, with Elyse, in the Zone, 10pm; Industry Night, with Brooke Lynn Hytes and Vitality Black, 11:30pm. Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St. No cover. crewsandtangos.com
Wed, Oct 29 Punk Rock Bingo The all-female Hervana quartet belts out Nirvana tunes, while punk-rock drag queen Jenna Syde performs as Courtney Love. Dress as your favourite gender-blending punk icon. DJ Triple-X spins the afterparty. 9pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. PWYC. facebook.com/ punkrockbingotoronto
Submit your event listing to listings@dailyxtra.com. Deadline for the Oct 30 issue is Tues, Oct 21. TORONTO’S GAY & LESBIAN NEWS
XTRA AND TALISKER PLAYERS BRING YOU A CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO
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DEEP DISH
1
BY ROLYN CHAMBERS & TONY FONG
Woody’s 25th
Art with Heart
WED, OCT 1 @ WOODY’S
TUES, OCT 7 @ THE CARLU
Diamonds may be a drag queen’s best friend, but tonight it’s all about precious metals at the Woody’s Silver Anniversary Blowout. Drag queens, old and new, as far as the eye can see. Some to perform, some to remember past times and some, out of drag, here just to soak up the festive atmosphere. Thank you to the many who show up, including Miss Conception, Sapphire Tithi-Reign, Tynomi Banks, Jada Hudson, Georgie Girl, Daytona Bitch, Farra N Hyte, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Chris Edwards, Morgan Holiday, Carlotta Carlisle, Cassandra Moore, Nicolette Brown, Lena Over, Sofonda Cox, Scarlett Fever, Michelle DuBarry and Michelle Ross, who brings down the house performing the Shirley Bassey classic “This Is My Life” like only she can. In between the pop-up drag shows that take place every few minutes, the crowd, including delicious dudes from several decades (and mayoral candidate Olivia Chow), partakes of sugary birthday cake and a complimentary buffet laid out on the pool table. Not surprisingly, the only thing left by 11pm are some bread rolls. Gays like sweets but are wary of carbs. Sadly, though, two legends I had hoped would grace us with their presence are missing: Jackaé Baker and Pepsi. But as an out-of-drag Stephanie Stephens tells me, “Many of the older queens have other priorities now. It was good back in the day, but times have changed.” Indeed they have. I’m almost a silver fox.
Forget diamonds; invest in art. This seems to be the mantra of the high-bidding buddies in good times at The Carlu. But before bidding begins on almost 100 pieces at the 21st Art with Heart fundraiser for Casey House, it is necessary to fuel up, drink up and chat up (thanks, designer Glen Peloso, gallery owner Manny Neubacher and OCAD president Sara Diamond). In the auction room, it’s all bid business as auctioneers Stephen Ranger and Perry Tung wield their gavels, and carts of wine and ring boxes filled with hors d’oeuvres are passed out. Last year the thick wallets and the generosity of others impressed me, but this year I’m in awe. Works are going for double, sometimes triple, their estimates. All of this is great news for Casey House, which is about to break ground on a stunning new hospice and out-patient centre in January 2015. But I’m having a hard time keeping track of who has and who hasn’t got a ring on their finger. Paddles are going up and down so fast, it’s giving me eyeball whiplash. One of my favourite pieces, Slumberland, by Kris Knight (who was recently shot by talented photographer McKenzie James), sells for $1,200 above estimate. Artist Bobby Mathieson’s oilon-canvas portrait No Snakes sells for $5,500 to an audience paddler who wins out against a call-in bidder. But it is Keita Morimoto’s Girl in a Red Hood, a small oil-on-panel painting of a ruby-lipped young woman estimated at $700, which auctioneer Ranger cutely calls “better than an Instagram selfie” (duck-face and all), that tops out at almost 10 times its estimate, at $6,000, and has the room roaring. I’m almost TDbank green with envy.
1E Miss Conception 2E Sapphire, Jada, Devine & Carlotta 3E Georgie, Dean, Farrah N Hyte & Daytona 4E Cassandra Moore 5E Chris Edwards 6E John & Ian 7E Michelle Ross 8E Michelle DuBarry
2 5
3 4 7
6 8 10
9E Stephan & Michael 10E Shelley, Sasha & Kyle
Deep Dish appears in every other issue of Xtra. For this week’s Xposed column, by Anna Pournikova, go to dailyxtra.com.
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XTRA HOT
DRASKO BOGDANOVIC
NAME: LUIS CABALLERO AGE: 26 SIGN: ARIES
“I could live on tacos al pastor with cheese, water and tequila, and I would love to meet Moctezuma, the last Aztec emperor. I have lots of questions for him,” says Luis, who grew up in the city of Celaya in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. “Life is too short to live it upon someone else’s expectations. Starting my own clothing brand and watching it grow is one of the proudest moments in my life,” he says of his Near Your Place line. Luis likes to hang out along the Ossington strip, his favourite bar is the Drake Hotel, and, he admits, he has a thing for bearded skinny guys. nearyourplace.com To comment on or become an Xtra Hot guy or gal, email Drasko at xtrahot@dailyxtra.com.
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