Community

The Voices Bookclub of The Dr. Chun Resource Library presents . . .
as a co-screening with the Trans Inclusion Group . . .

Free movie screening of Orlando.

Join us on Tuesday November 18th to watch Orlando, a film adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel. Independent filmmaker Sally Potter's gender-bending epic stretches through the perspective of four centuries of sexual politics through the eyes of a sex-switching main character while dramatizing changing relationships throughout.
Dir. Sally Potter
w/ Tilda Swinton
Rated: unrated

Free Film, Free Snacks, Free Talk
Everyone welcome - allies welcome.
There will be time for discussion afterwards – hosted by Voices Bookclub.

* Everyone is invited to check out the Voices Bookclub and learn about future events, development, and involvement. Reading the book is optional.

Trans Day of Remembrance @ U of T
Thursday, November 20, 2008
12 PM – 4 PM at Sidney Smith, 100 St. George St. (on the steps)
4 PM – 6 PM at The Centre for Women & Trans People, 563 Spadina Ave., Rm 100

Come out on Tuesday, November 20, 2008 outside Sidney Smith (St. George side) at noon for a remembrance service for trans people and those who have lost their lives in the face of discrimination from our society that rigidly defines sex and gender. Come listen to their stories of challenges and continuing struggles.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, trans woman of colour who was also a sex trade worker, whose murder in Boston on November 28th, 1998, kicked off the Remembering Our Dead web project and a San Francisco
candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most
anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of transgender people who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance gives transgender people and their allies a chance to step forward and stand in vigil, memorializing those who’ve died by anti-transgender violence. Putting on the Day of Remembrance in schools can also be used as a way to educate students, teachers, and administrators about transgender issues, so we can try to prevent anti-transgender hatred and violence from continuing.

“Toronto Wilde Chats - Queer men creating community”
Wilde Chats a community partner of QueerWest.orgis a loosely structured community-driven gay men's group gets together on the first Sunday of the month in neighborhood cafe. The group is lead following a "Socratic" model; rather than talk about solutions and answers to problems, the idea is to expand on the days topic by analyzing it and breaking it up into other questions.

Wilde Chats has been running in various Queer West Toronto cafes since May 2006. A whole range of men attend regularly. Men with jobs rub shoulders with men with careers or those who are on public assistance. The usual age range is from thirties to seventies, sometimes younger, sometimes older. "It's not very often people from their 20s to their 70s get together," said Michael Paré, moderator. Wilde Chats was created to give gay men creative ways to simply connect in positive ways and to let other gay men know, they are not alone. Wilde Chats was created to give gay men creative ways to simply connect in positive ways and to let other gay men know, they are not alone.

The discussions typically focus on the hidden/unspoken assumptions, generalities and concepts that we as gay men make, and the differences that our various points of reference imply. It's purpose is to give gay men a place to chat about things that matter to them and is also an alternative way of meeting people and making new friends. It’s for everybody and it’s fun! We talk about things like “What is a friend?”, “What does the concept of gay community mean in Toronto?” Is there a prevalence of porn in our lives and does it affect the way we connect to each other? Do we suffer from more than our share of political apathy? The best part is that you meet the nicest people.

Topic: November 2, 2008 - “What is the affect of casual sex on a long term relationship?”

The Details: We meet informally at Gladstone Hotel, Medody Bar, 1214 Queen St W. Moderator: Michael Paré Look for the guy wearing a Cool Beer cap, with glasses, likely in one of the booths. We never know who's coming, so pull up a chair and mind the peanuts on the floor. Time: 2 PM to 3:30 PM, 1st Sunday of every month starting November 2008. Please RSVP if possible, so we know how many chairs are needed 416-551-1709 (Please be on time) Event Not Held: If Snow and icy conditions, rain storms or long weekends . Wilde Chats, was founded by the San Francisco Gay Men's Community Initiative Get on Mailing list or for more information: wildechats@yahoo.ca

A is for Acsexxxable!!!

A workshop series designed with community building, anti-oppression politics, and good "ol' fashioned" sex ed in mind. Hosted by the Acsexxxable Working Group, these sexy "how-to" skill building, discussion-based, and anti-oppression workshops are part of creating an accessible sex party that is fun, respectful, thoughtful and HOT!!!

Trans 101 & Beyond
Rethinking privilege: making spaces and encounters sexy and trans-inclusive!

Free pizza and refreshments!

Jordan and Rebecca are two trans activists and educators who are super excited for this workshop! It's time for a trans 101 that fosters discussions on the operation of privilege in sexualized spaces, in sexual encounters, and in intimate relationships. We will be exploring considerations of healthy, trans-inclusive sexualities in a way that is relevant to, and inclusive of trans bodies and trans lives.

Jordan Zaitzow is the current co-facilitator of Trans Youth Toronto: a weekly drop-in for trans youth ages 26 and under. Jordan has been involved in various different kinds of trans activism and has been facilitating trans/cis privilege – focused workshops in Toronto for the last 5 years. Jordan is also a current member of the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH).

Rebecca Hammond is a former co-facilitator of Trans Youth Toronto and currently works as a sexual health counsellor at Hassle Free Women's Clinic. She is a health researcher and trans health advocate, a co-investigator in both the Youth Gender Action Project (Y-GAP) and the Trans PULSE Project and a member and organizer within the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH). She regularly facilitates workshops and lectures to community groups, health and social service agencies, and academic audiences on a variety of topics including: trans people and HIV, trans oppression and cis privilege, trans sexual health and trans sexuality, and trans health care needs and trans health access.

The purpose of the conference is to educate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) business leaders of the future and to bring together companies and LGBT students at a career fair. The event will provide gay positive organizations with a venue to meet with and talk to university students in business, economics, law, engineering, and related fields that are looking for open and accepting organizations in which to build their careers.

CINSSU and Hillel are presenting "The Bubble", a critically acclaimed Israeli film and the second of a free monthly series of Israeli cinema, always with English subtitles.

Three young Israelis share an apartment in Tel Aviv's hippest neighborhood. When Noam, who spends his weekends serving at checkpoints in the National Guard, falls in love with a Palestinian man named Ashraf, he and his friends conspire to help Ashraf stay on in Tel Aviv illegally. But will their utopian dream be shattered by the political and social realities of the Middle East?

Winner at the 2007 Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival and a selection at the Toronto International Film Festival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou4UFIiY1wk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Xj-EZmO1Y

http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=31927266332&ref=mf

Happy Taps Tuesdays hosted by Devine Darlin (Miss. Gay Toronto 2008 with vocal house music by DJ Daren

DAY PRICES ALL NIGHT LONG, $3.25 PINTS

On the main dance floor, we promise entertainment, music, and tons of surprises.

Divine will be hosting on the main dance floor with shows by herself, special guest, and even GO GO BOYS!!!!

Have a talent of some sort??? Come on out and show it off...

Every Tuesday will be different.... and we promise something for everyone.

CLUB ALIBI
529 YONGE ST.

10:30PM -2 AM... DJ starts at 10:30 ... Devine starts at 11...

US / CANADA : QUEER POLITICS TODAY
FILM PREMIERE AND BOOK LAUNCH

No admission fee. Refreshments will be served. Cash bar. Wheelchair accessible.

“Political Institutions and Lesbian and Gay Rights in the United States and Canada”

by Miriam Smith, Routledge 2008.

Miriam Smith examines why these similar societies have produced such divergent policy outcomes, focusing on how differences between the political institutions of the US and Canada have shaped the terrain of social movement and counter-movement mobilization. Miriam will briefly explain why dry topics such as federalism, state constitutions and the division of powers are relevant to queer rights.

“One Summer in New Paltz, a cautionary tale” (54 min., 2008)

by Nancy Nicol

Director/Producer Nancy Nicol will introduce the film.

Set against a backdrop of the Bush administration’s policy of endless war and assault on civil liberties, One Summer in New Paltz is a cautionary tale of a young mayor of a small village who decided to do the unthinkable. “One Summer in New Paltz”, probes into the debate on same-sex marriage examining the intersection of same-sex marriage, war, the Constitution, race and the family.

With Performance by: D-lishus:

poet mother fire goddess diva storyteller, dispensing words of wisdom, laced with dub and framed by womanly hips, hard hitting political sistah telling it like it is.

What Next? “InterSexions : Queer Visual Culture at the Crossroads.”- one night only Tuesday September 30 from 7pm to 9 pm.

Java Knights Public Forum brings you. “Intersexions a Panel Discussion on Queer Visual Culture at the Crossroads.” State of the queer and the visual, historically or today. A discussion to assess our overall theme: the crossroads of goals, tactics, and resources at which queer culture and all alternative/progressive cultural activism find themselves in the rapidly changing political and artistic landscape.

“InterseXions” is intended to foster exchange of ideas about historical and contemporary arts among scholars, artists, curators, and other arts personnel, and to encourage cross-fertilization among disciplines and between writers and artists, theory and practice.

Why we need to rethink notions of identity and sexual politics to adapt to changes in the wider world and within our own evolving culture.

Some of the questions that may be answered by the panelists time permitting: What Brings Us to These Crossroads? Queer eye for Ancient Material Culture. AIDS and Queer Art. What it means to be a queer artist. Race, Ethnicity, and Geography in Queer Culture. Queer Pleasures, Queer Desires. Queer Visual Culture. This will be a Fabulous panel conference: new ideas, new and familiar art, networking, meeting people whose names are legend, and integrating snippets of knowledge.

A variety of gay and lesbian artists, gallery owners, sculptors, and photographers will be invited to discuss their involvement in Toronto queer arts community. An interactive Q & A followed. 7 PM to 9 PM

Some of the Guest panelists - More to be listed

Jack Butler, Toronto artist. Butler's hybrid practice uses the means and methods of visual art to produce research in three distinct domains - Medical science, Cross-cultural collaborations with Inuit artists and Money. Butler exhibits internationally with work in public and private collections including the National Gallery of Canada.

Statement: "I draw. Grounded in my own sexual transformations (my body appears as erotic subject and surface in all my art-sci-sex works), the process of drawing has taken me into other mediums for presentation - video, installation, computer animation, performance (drawing on bodies) and into trans-disciplinary practices.

Observing my art career over the last forty five years of drawing, I have come to recognize that I am developing a core trajectory that focuses on sex and sexuality - the aesthetic, sensuous and even scientific experience of being sexual. My work ranges from my current interest in Somatechnics (theories and practices of alternative sex-gender embodiment) to early and on-going trans-disciplinary art/bio-medical research projects in genital embryogenesis (sexual differentiation in the human embryo) which art-based research is bringing me into collaborative work in trans-gender and intersex communities." said Jack http://www.fatemaps.ca |http://www.artcoldcash.ca | http://www.interlog.com/~fatemaps/breath

Drasko Bogdanovic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1977. An early fascination with the Hollywood magazines and black & white photography of the distant West instilled an early glamorous aesthetic and a constant desire to juxtapose Classical posture with natural light, especially in his later nudes. A classically trained musician and self taught painter, Drasko picked up a camera soon after emigrating to Canada as a means to capture images that he might later portray on canvas. Even his early work on this medium made attempts to develop a graphic aesthetic that he would only recognise and realise some years later when he turned to photography exclusively. Today his landscape and architecture photography capture cities’ geometry and abstractions and provocative nude and erotic photography continues to drive this bright young arrival to the Canadian Art scene to push his machine, medium, techniques, models and materials to new limits. His name and images are in the top rankings of search engine results of the nude photography and erotic art genres; his photography has appeared in domestic newspapers and magazines and as of this writing has been featured in a small but impressive and promising portfolio of advertising campaigns. His first solo exhibition of male nude and erotic photography "In Flagranti" was shown in Toronto this summer. Most recently he participated in First Queer Sarajevo Festival. http://www.draskobogdanovic.ca

Gurbeen Bhasin, Producer/President of Meow Films. Gurbeen Bhasin a.k.a. ‘G’ is an artist of sorts or as some may think a sorted artist! She has been writing as long as she could hold a pen and has over the last couple of years used film to further her artistic expression and capture that of others. Producer Herstories Documentary July 2006, Producer: Gurbeen Bhasin Docuvixen Films & Meow Films, Director: Lisa Robertson NSI, CBC & Film Festivals, Director: Dorianne Emmerton Bravo Fact & Film Festivals and Art Director Catch & Release Short Film Aug 2005 to name a few. Gurbeen is founder of Night at the Indies ~ established in 2005 as a non-profit artist collective in Toronto. .Her educational and professional background in Social Policy and International Relations helps her to tell the untold story in unique ways. Gurbeen is one of the founding members of Aangen and has been Executive Director since 2001. Gurbeen has taught communications and other courses to help others learn to live the lives they love and do so powerfully! Toronto is her home, where her heart has grown roots and soul attachments, after living in Iran, India and the U.S. http://www.meowfilms.com

Andrew Harwood is a Toronto-based artist, curator, drag queen and writer. Harwood, 42, hosts the popular Gaza Strip Club, a monthly night at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. The event brings out a wide variety of party-goers, from "art fags" to straight 19-year-old girls celebrating their birthdays, to exhibitionists who have been known to stage small pieces of risqué performance art. Among the first artists to establish a presence in what is now called the Queer West Village Toronto, Art and Design District, Andrew has unique expertise on the artists and galleries in this area of the city. His gallery, Zsa Zsa, operated in Queer West from 1998-2005. Andrew was also a founding member of the Toronto Alternative Art Fair International Collective and served as President of BOD A Space Gallery and BOD member Gallery TPW. He has given lectures on visual art and related topics at the University of Texas, Ontario College of Art and Design, University of Waterloo, Georgian College and at artist-run centres in Ontario and Alberta. Andrew's work, "The Canadian Musical Terrorist Series", was exhibited at Paul Petro Contemporary Art during Pride Week 2007. His work is also held in permanent collections at the University of Guelph, Queen's University and in private collections.

Java Knights Public Forum Homepage: http://www.queerwest.org/javaknights.php

After success in winning the right to marriage where in the queer movement going next? issues of immigration and refugees, sex workers, trans gender, race, corporate influence in Pride, and homophobia in the academic environment will be discussed.

An open discussion on next steps and what actions we need to take in the future to ensure that the issues and concerns of our communities are still being addressed.

Come out with an open mind and be ready to combine efforts in our struggle.