Religion is a drug best served with moderation and skepticism...

On this Good Friday, when all North Americans (and many others in the West) get a statutory day off - a privilege not extended to any other faiths, yet some Christians still say they feel like victims of unfair treatment - I'm reflective upon the role of religion and faith in our society.

Canada is a country of great moderation, secularism and pluralism I am proud to call home.  I'm glad to say the vast majority of Canadians decades ago threw off the shackles of social conservatism.  Debates about women's rights, abortion, same sex marriage, equality and many others seem to be completely settled here.  Attempts to revisit those questions invariably go nowhere, even though an unhappy few still unsuccessfully try to champion those old causes.  More often than not, they do their own causes more harm, like when anti-abortion activists circulated postcards recently to try to hurt Justin Trudeau. 
  
Most Ontarians recently responded with shrugs and "It's about time!" to the long overdue school curriculum revamp, despite cries of opposition from religious fanatics, who mostly misrepresented the changes to try to attack them.   Some social conservatives continue to make noise against it with the help of some misguided Conservative leadership candidates, but it seems Ontario's tenacious premier Kathleen Wynne will be more than happy to face them down.  These days, siding with secularism and pluralism in Ontario is a political winner. 

Am I complacent now in Ontario?  It's hard not to feel a little secure when we re-elected our openly lesbian premier last year.  There has been much progress.  But of course, instances of homophobic violence and discrimination do still occur.  But it does seem that homophobia in the culture continues to decline.  The culture shift seems to be permanent.

That's why when I look at other countries like the U.S. or Brazil which still debate these questions, I am confident that eventually they too will achieve the kind of peace that we have mostly won here in Canada. 

Why has Canada progressed this far, while pockets in America and other countries still resist full equality?

The answer is simple: Religion.  Fundamentalist or conservative religion to be precise.

To me, religion is like a drug.  And not all drugs are bad.  Caffeine is a drug.  Sugar is a drug.  Red wine is a drug.  Money is a drug.  Marijuana is a drug.  Heroin is a drug.

Of that list, I'd only advise against trying heroin.  Why?  Because it seems heroin can't be enjoyed in moderation.  It's an "all-in" experience, and one that easily becomes addictive.

To me, fundamentalist religion is like heroin.  It's "all-in".  Followers of fundamentalist religion - be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or whatever - are so desperate for some kind of perceived salvation that they cling to sets of beliefs that "guarantee" it.  Of course, those sets of beliefs often compel them to do strange things, wear certain clothes in public, and also impose their values on others, like recently in Indiana and other U.S. states.  Sometimes, those beliefs are so extreme that they turn believers into murderers, like we saw this week in Kenya.  

What is the cure for these fundamentalists?  I'd say moderation and skepticism.

I grew up in a Roman Catholic family.  My parents were so-called "smorgasbord Catholics."  Sure they believed in the basic concepts of the Catholic faith involving Christ being the Son of God, who came to Earth to show humanity how to live and how to face death, with a glimpse of eternal life, etc., etc.   But their faith was fluid.  It allowed for skepticism.  It evolved when my parents learned new things or read new ideas, like 'The Pagan Christ.'

Such an open-minded approach to religion is just fine, in my books.  Sure, you can attend mass every week if it gives you a sense of community and ritual.  I can appreciate such needs.  If you also refuse to impose your religion on others, then I think that's wonderful.  These are people who are using the drug of religion in moderation.  They are healthy.  And there is much good that religious people can do in this world, including helping their fellow human beings. 

I am not a religious person. I am agnostic.  I decided long ago that all organized religions were inherently corrupt and fallible.  Adherence to any one religion is misguided, in my estimation.  I simply cannot tolerate the injustices still rampant in most of them (including the discrimination of the Catholic Church.)  I don't judge those who still need a religious outlet in their lives, but only if they oppose discrimination and embrace real equality for all human beings.   

While I've embraced the secularism of our society, there's no doubt that my religious upbringing formed a foundation for my beliefs.  I'm not some boat flailing in stormy waters without a sail.  I do think there is much good in the story of Jesus Christ as a role model.  But I consider the story to be fiction.  Like all religious stories about saviours.

My firmest spiritual belief: human beings can never know the absolute truth of the universe.

Religions try to offer that absolute truth to their followers, but the dogma they provide is mostly false. 

Sure, it's healthy to learn about various religions and ideas.  Perhaps even follow one or two from time to time.  But it's best to allow your beliefs to continue to evolve with new experiences and information.  And not tie yourself to one religion for life. 

In the mean time, I find it best to borrow from the Christian tenet: love your fellow human beings as yourself.  That's an idea I and all of us can most definitely live with. 

Trans Day of Visibility!

On this 'Trans Day of Visibility,' I give you Laverne Cox.

And a link to this nice story about Yasir Naqvi and Cheri DiNovo working together to fight federal Tory anti-trans shenanigans. 

'Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine' opens in Toronto

Director Michele Josue, father Dennis Shepard and mother Judy Shepard
address crowd at gala event in Toronto last night.

I attended the gala screening last night of the documentary feature 'Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine' by director Michelle Josue at Toronto's Carlton Cinemas, and later the Q&A session at the Marquis of Granby pub where the filmmaker as well as Shepard's heroic parents, Judy and Dennis, answered audience questions.

Judy Shepard is a force of nature, working tirelessly since her son's tragic death in 1998 to promote tolerance and better understanding through the Matthew Shepard Foundation.  That spirit was on full display last night as she took most of the audience questions.

The film is a loving and tender portrait of the young man whose life was tragically cut short in 1998 by two gay bashers in Wyoming.  The emotional doc offers greater details about Shepard's life, fleshing him out as a human being.  We learn that Matt was passionate and political and suffered from personal demons. Still searching for himself but perhaps finding some peace in school in Laramie, it's clear he hoped he'd make a difference in the world.  One can't help but think about how great a person he could've become had he lived.  It's been almost 17 years since this tragedy and the film acts as a great reminder of Shepard's legacy as well as how far we've come since then. 

Check it out at the Carlton this week if you can! 

HuffPost's Michelson: "Yes, Billy Crystal DID Just Make A Homophobic Statement (And Here's Why It Matters)"

This story about Billy Crystal has been making the internet rounds this week.  

I thought I'd comment, mostly to post a link to this great article by Noah Michelson, executive editor of the HuffPost's Gay Voices section, who beautifully sums up the issue and articulates many of my own thoughts in reaction to Crystal's homophobia.

But first some background.  Crystal appeared on a panel this past weekend in Pasadena when he was asked what it was like to play one of the first gay characters on American TV (on the ABC show "Soap" in the late 1970s) and how television's treatment of gay characters has changed since that time.

Crystal reportedly said, "There were times where I would say to [the actor who played his boyfriend], 'Bob, “I love you,' and the audience would laugh nervously, because, you know, it’s a long time ago, that I’d feel this anger. I wanted to stop the tape and go, 'What is your problem?' Because it made you sort of very self-conscious about what we were trying to do then."

So far, so good.  But then Crystal started talking about recent television depictions of gay people: 

"And now it’s just, I see it and I just hope people don’t abuse it and shove it in our face -- well, that sounds terrible -- to the point of it just feels like an everyday kind of thing."

Crystal then alluded to some TV shows today (such as the new show 'How To Get Away With Murder,' which contains numerous sexy man-on-man sex scenes):  

"Sometimes I think, 'Ah that’s too much for me...Sometimes, it’s just pushing it a little too far for my taste and I’m not going to reveal to you which ones they are."

Michelson, in his HuffPost article, then quotes a follow-up comment from Crystal reacting to the negative feedback his comments received:

"First of all, I don't understand why there would be anything offensive that I said. When it gets too far either visually...now, that world exists because it does for the hetero world, it exists, and I don't want to see that either. But when I feel it's a cause, when I feel it's "You're going to like my lifestyle," no matter what it is, I'm going to have a problem and there were a couple of shows I went 'I couldn't watch that with somebody else." That's fine. If whoever writes it or produces it...totally get it. It's all about personal taste."

To me, this was just Crystal expressing probably what a lot of heterosexual men of his generation feel about the gays: you can exist, I just don't want to see too much of you.  Or something to that effect.

But I urge you to read all of Noah Michelson's commentary, who is fair to Crystal while also calling him out for his "homophobia."  Here is just a small snippet:

"I think we can all read between the lines there. Let's not forget that one of the great things about being straight is that no one is ever going to accuse you of pushing your "lifestyle" on anyone else because your "lifestyle" is already the status quo. It's everywhere! You don't have to worry about your televised kisses or -- sweet baby Jesus help us! -- sex scenes being referred to as some kind of gratuitous political statement (or a "lifestyle") because your kisses and -- sweet baby Jesus help us! -- sex scenes are fundamentally seen as normal and healthy. What other "lifestyles" could he be talking about? People in relationships with balloon animals? Vegans who refuse to stop wearing leather? Whatever they are, I'm willing to bet my 401k he isn't talking about being straight as a "lifestyle."

Now to celebrate how far American TV has truly come, I give you one of the hot gay sex scenes featured this past fall on ABC's 'How To Get Away With Murder."  Enjoy!   

Two great films up for Golden Globes tonight: 'Selma' and 'Pride'

I have been busy lately catching some 2014 films I missed last year.

Scene from 'Selma'

The most recent viewing was director Ava DuVernay's superb 'Selma,' (pictured on the right) which chronicles the efforts of many led by the late Martin Luther King Jr. to achieve full voting rights for African-Americans in Alabama and across the racist southern states in the 1960s, specifically the Selma marches in 1965.

The direction of this film by Ava DuVernay is artful but also completely accessible.   The acting is exceptional, including the lead performance by David Oyelowo as King, who really captures the passion, determination, intelligence and grace of the man.   As a work of art and entertainment, the film works on all levels and is most deserving of the praise it's receiving, including a Best Picture (Drama) nomination in tonight's Golden Globe Awards.

As with any high-profile feature film about contentious events, there has been some controversy about the film's depictions.  Most particularly, a former Lyndon Johnson adviser, Joseph A. Califano Jr., has taken issue with the film's portrayal of his former boss, claiming it shows the former president "at odds with Martin Luther King Jr. and even using the FBI to discredit him, as only reluctantly behind the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and as opposed to the Selma march itself.  In fact, Selma was LBJ’s idea, he considered the Voting Rights Act his greatest legislative achievement, he viewed King as an essential partner in getting it enacted — and he didn’t use the FBI to disparage him."

The film's director effectively rebuffed the accusations on her Twitter account with:

"Notion that Selma was LBJ's idea is jaw dropping and offensive to SNCC, SCLC and black citizens who made it so.

"More detail here. LBJ's stall on voting in favor of War on Poverty isn't fantasy made up for a film. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/07/08/the-color-of-law"

"Bottom line is folks should interrogate history. Don't take my word for it or LBJ rep's word for it. Let it come alive for yourself."

Sage words not to forget.  That New Yorker article is a very detailed account of the events that led up to the 1965 marches from Selma to Montgomery, many of which seem to be depicted quite accurately in the film.   

"Johnson recognized the need for additional voting-rights legislation, and he directed Nicholas Katzenbach, soon to be his attorney general, to draft it. “I want you to write me the goddamnest toughest voting rights act that you can devise,” is the way he put it. But then progress slowed. Johnson had the most ambitious legislative agenda of any President since F.D.R. (his idol), and he explained to King that he was worried that Southern opposition to more civil-rights legislation would drain support from the War on Poverty and hold up bills on Medicare, immigration reform, and aid to education. He asked King to wait."  

After watching the film and doing my own research, I'd have to agree that the portraits painted in the film 'Selma,' are pretty much accurate.  Grassroots organizers including King found Selma as a primary example that could be used to justify the crucial importance of voting rights reform.  They did the heavy lifting.  There's no indication in the film that LBJ used the FBI to disparage King.  But the film does post verbatim transcripts of FBI logs that clearly show that King was being monitored throughout the entire period.  

It's probably true that LBJ first wanted political conditions to be in place before pushing for voting rights reforms over other priorities.  And the Selma experience ultimately created those conditions.   The film portrays King as being fully aware of that political reality and organizing to make it happen.  Without a doubt, King and his supporters and other activists were the primary players in those marches including their conception, plus obviously the execution: they walked those miles, they put their lives at risk.  The televising to millions of Americans and others across the world of the first march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge which ended with unarmed and peaceful protesters being brutally attacked by police under orders from the Alabama governor marked a turning point for the civil rights movement.  And the events gave Washington the impetus to push the reforms.

All in all, 'Selma' is a great example of civil rights history that deserves to be viewed and studied.

Another film nominated for the Globes tonight, 'Pride,' (pictured on the right) also depicts historical efforts against injustice and discrimination, albeit with a lighter, more humorous tone than 'Selma.'

Directed by Britain's Matthew Warchus, 'Pride' is a lovely film with great heart about gay activists in 1980s Britain raising money to help support striking miners in Wales and across the U.K.   Beautifully acted by a huge U.K. cast including Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy, Dominic West and a bevy of cute young men including Ben Schnetzer, the movie succeeds because it shows the great benefits of forming alliances between the downtrodden or attacked groups that otherwise might never interact.   Through those unlikely alliances, greater communication, understanding and personal growth result, sometimes in small intimate ways, and also in larger ways: because of the efforts of those few gay activists, huge swaths of Britain's labour movement became more supportive of queer rights.  

Some might take issue with the alliance between coal miners and gay activists if they value equality but not industries that clearly had grown inefficient.  In fact, the burning of coal is one of the main sources of greenhouse gases and continues to fall out of fashion.  Ontario has shut down all of its coal-burning energy facilities, as we know.   The film barely mentions the word, "coal," and instead focuses on the relationships between the characters.  The workers under threat in the film are fighting for basic survival and a way of life, not simply for coal.  They had followed paths laid out for them by their communities (most of which were single industry towns), only to see their livelihoods threatened in the name of an uncaring ideological government only concerned with the bottom line.

Had I been among the gay activists in the U.K. in the 1980s, I would've joined this movement for certain.  The film succeeds in depicting that era in the gay rights movement extremely well.  They were different times, indeed, and it's great to have this gem of a film to depict them.

While 'Selma' succeeds in showing both black and white activists coming together to fight injustice, the activists in 'Pride' are all lily-white.  No doubt, London's gay scene in the 1980s wasn't too racially diverse, nor were the mining towns of Wales.   But the themes of different groups coming together to fight for their rights resonate in both films.

I urge you to check out both of these films as soon as you can. 

UPDATED YET AGAIN: My favourite 2014 films

***Updated Feb 1, 2015

Actor Ellar Coltrane as seen in "Boyhood" from age 6 to 18

My Top 14 Films of 2014:

1)  Boyhood (One of my favourite directors, Richard Linklater, finally looks poised to win big at the Oscars with this gem of a film, shot with the same actors over 12 years, showing the evolution of a family through the eyes of a boy who literally grows up before our eyes within 165 onscreen minutes. Intimate, quiet, heart-breaking, highly-relatable, these characters remind us of ourselves, warts and all. It's so nice to see what could've been a filmmaking disaster instead turn into such a masterpiece.) 

2) Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson's finest film was a delight from start to finish, hilarious, colourful, charming, with great performances from what seemed like half of Hollywood appearing at least once.  I truly hope Ralph Fiennes gets a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars for this.)

3) Pride (I just got a chance to watch this lovely film about gay activists in 1980s Britain raising money to help support striking miners in Wales and across the U.K.  And I can say it's jumped into my Top 11 list.  Told with great heart and humour, beautifully acted and directed, the movie succeeds because it shows the great benefits of forming alliances between the downtrodden or attacked groups that otherwise might never interact.  A very lovely experience watching this.  I'm going to blog about it very soon with its own post above.)

4) Selma (I also just got a chance recently to see this great history film, which depicts the efforts by Martin Luther King Jr. and many others to achieve full voting rights for Blacks in Alabama and across the racist southern states in the 1960s.  The direction of this film by Ava DuVernay is artful but also completely accessible, detailing the campaign to raise awareness and pressure the political powers-that-be to dismantle racist barriers to voting for African-Americans.  I'll blog too about this film separately soon.  It's sickening that many right-wing Republicans still try to limit voting rights today with rules designed to disenfranchise the vulnerable, and many of the issues raised here are still absolutely relevant today.)   

5) Whiplash (Wow...just wow.  I finally checked out this little masterpiece and it's jumped into my ever-expanding favourite list as high as number five.  This film is better and more entertaining than 'The Imitation Game' or 'The Theory of Everything.'  Miles Teller is perfect as the ambitious drummer hoping to impress an abusive genius of a music teacher played by J.K. Simmons, who very much deserves all the accolades he's receiving for this.  Mesmerizing, brutal, this portrait of unlimited ambition will be remembered years to come.) 

6) Guardians of the Galaxy (Finally, a superbly crafted and entertaining "super heroes" movie with flawed, lovable characters we can relate to.  Hollywood will try to imitate this unique success in the years ahead and may or may not succeed.  Looking forward to the sequels.)

7) Tom at the Farm (I wasn't a Xavier Dolan groupie fan until I saw this stunning suspense thriller and now I have to admit the Canadian wunderkind can do no wrong.  This was released in festivals starting in 2013, but I saw it this year at Inside Out in Toronto and it's still making the festival rounds.  I can't wait to see Dolan's new film 'Mommy'.)

8) Birdman (Finally checked this out due to all the hype and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised, after disliking most of the director's previous films.  The film took a little while for me to get into it, but once I got used to the rhythm including the never-stopping camera, I was hooked.  Michael Keaton is superb as the aging and troubled actor who may be hiding either mysterious super powers or slight insanity.  I also very much appreciated Edward Norton's sexy performance as an uber-narcissist actor, as well as Emma Stone's great work as Keaton's daughter.  The film does soar as high as its hero. Well done!)

9) The Imitation Game (Not perfect, but pretty damn close.  The film puts the tragic story of an obscure gay hero named Alan Turing front and centre.  Turing literally saved millions of lives and helped to end WWII early thanks to his genius breaking the Enigma Code, only later to be prosecuted as a gay man.  In the role, Benedict Cumberbatch is superb.) 

10) The Theory of Everything (Thoroughly enjoyed the love story and the great acting.  One might've hoped for more physics and explorations of Stephen Hawking's ideas perhaps, but as an adaptation that looks at his life through the eyes of his wife, this was great.)

11) Still Alice (Julianne Moore is simply great in a tough role in a film about a subject most of us don't want to know much about: early onset Alzheimer's.  She should hopefully win her first Oscar for this.)

12) Under The Skin (Weird, mesmerizing and unforgettable, one of Scarlett Johansson's great roles this year.)

13) Nightcrawler (Surprisingly strong and disturbing portrait of the media's obsession with violence and the vicious exploitation it creates.  Jake Gyllenhaal and everyone else here are amazing.)

14) Praia do Futuro, or Future Beach (Atmospheric, contemplative portrait of a Brazilian gay man struggling with identity, love and family.  Loved it from start to finish.) 

Totally Awesome, but not quite top 14:

X-Men, Days of Future Past

Elena

The Way He Looks

Foxcatcher

St Vincent

Life Itself

Lucy

Wild

Words and Pictures

Maleficent

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies

Land of Storms

Into The Woods

Love in the Time of Civil War

Love Is Strange

Dear White People


Haven't seen these, but they're on my list to watch asap:

Mommy

Snowpiercer

Mr Turner

Ida

Chef

Starred Up

Unbroken

Cake

A Most Violent Year


Quite decent:

Noah

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

American Sniper

Neighbors

The Interview

My Mom Is A Character

Dracula Untold

My Straight Son

The Great Beauty

Interior. Leather Bar.

300 Rise of an Empire

Pasolini


Not good, but noteworthy for prurient reasons:

I Am Happiness On Earth (Mexican director Julián Hernández has made several artsy gay films that feature massive amounts of beautiful male nudity, and he does so again with this film.)

That Awkward Moment (Nothing special, but it contains Zac Efron's first onscreen nude scene, so it deserves some attention.)

Disappointing:

Gone Girl (Sorry, but I hated the characters and didn’t care about what happened to them.  Why didn’t she just kill Ben Affleck and set it up like he killed himself?  And spare us this long, drawn out piece of bullshit masquerading as "intelligent, subversive commentary on modern relationships"?  But at least it was slickly produced.) 

Interstellar (Re-thought this from my initial assessment.  It was visually stunning at times but also way too drawn out with way too many ideas, most of which weren't really explored in satisfying ways.   Perhaps this is Christopher Nolan's weakest film.)

A Most Wanted Man

Test

The Third One (How could a movie about a hot gay threesome be so boring?) 

Maze Runner (It should’ve been Lord of the Flies, but instead was full of shit)

Enemy  (Misogynist crap.  Denis Villeneuve just dropped several points in my estimation.) 

Divergent  (Crappy, boring, unoriginal.) 

Transcendence


Just plain bad:

Pompeii

Horns

2nd openly LGBT Canadian premier on the horizon in 2015

University of Prince Edward Island President Wade MacLauchlan in his Charlottetown office.
(Nina Linton For The Globe and Mail)

2015 may also bring a second openly LGBT premier in Canada: Prince Edward Island's Liberal Party seems poised to elect Wade MacLauchlan, former president of the University of Prince Edward Island, as the successor to outgoing premier Joe Ghiz. 

"The openly gay, aspiring politician – his partner, Duncan McIntosh, is the artistic director of the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico – is also from a wealthy and well-respected island family..."

Good news, indeed!  To find out more about him, click here for his leadership website.

Happy New Year, everyone!  

Poland makes history by electing its first openly gay mayor, Robert Biedron

Poland makes history by electing its first openly gay mayor

Wonderful news!

Gay rights campaigner Robert Biedron has pledged to ditch the limos and ride a bike

01 December 2014
| By Joe Morgan

Poland has made history by electing the country's first openly gay mayor.



Voters in the Eastern European country, which is 90% Roman Catholic,
showed their support behind LGBTI campaigner Robert Biedron.



The 38-year-old, a member of maverick MP Janusz Palikot’s ultra-liberal
‘Your Movement’, won the mayoral elections in Slupsk, northern Poland,
today (1 December).



He secured 57% of the vote, beating the ruling Civic Playform candidate Zbigniew Zonwinski.



'I will lead a very modest [local government], as this town is modest,
as well as being one of the most debt-ridden in Poland,' Biedron told
PAP news agency.



'The three limousines which are available to the mayor will no longer be mine, as I go everywhere by bicycle.'



Biedron is perhaps best known for when he ran as a MP and won the
Gdynia-Slupsk constituency. He also set up the charity Campaign Against
Homophobia.



The elections saw a small wave of liberalism fighting to be heard, with
the elections for regional parliaments and municipal government seeing a
record number of openly gay candidates in the race.



With none of the others won seats, Biedron's success is being hailed as an inspiration.

- See more at:
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/poland-makes-history-electing-its-first-openly-gay-mayor011214#sthash.i81OxIjZ.dpuf

"Poland has made history by electing the country's first openly gay mayor.

"Voters in the Eastern European country, which is 90% Roman Catholic, showed their support behind LGBTI campaigner Robert Biedron.

"The 38-year-old, a member of maverick MP Janusz Palikot’s ultra-liberal ‘Your Movement’, won the mayoral elections in Slupsk, northern Poland, today (1 December).

"He secured 57% of the vote, beating the ruling Civic Playform candidate Zbigniew Zonwinski.

"'I will lead a very modest [local government], as this town is modest, as well as being one of the most debt-ridden in Poland,' Biedron told PAP news agency.

"'The three limousines which are available to the mayor will no longer be mine, as I go everywhere by bicycle.'

"Biedron is perhaps best known for when he ran as a MP and won the Gdynia-Slupsk constituency. He also set up the charity Campaign Against Homophobia.

"The elections saw a small wave of liberalism fighting to be heard, with the elections for regional parliaments and municipal government seeing a record number of openly gay candidates in the race.

"With none of the others won seats, Biedron's success is being hailed as an inspiration."

Gay rights campaigner Robert Biedron has pledged to ditch the limos and ride a bike

01 December 2014
| By Joe Morgan

Poland has made history by electing the country's first openly gay mayor.



Voters in the Eastern European country, which is 90% Roman Catholic,
showed their support behind LGBTI campaigner Robert Biedron.



The 38-year-old, a member of maverick MP Janusz Palikot’s ultra-liberal
‘Your Movement’, won the mayoral elections in Slupsk, northern Poland,
today (1 December).



He secured 57% of the vote, beating the ruling Civic Playform candidate Zbigniew Zonwinski.



'I will lead a very modest [local government], as this town is modest,
as well as being one of the most debt-ridden in Poland,' Biedron told
PAP news agency.



'The three limousines which are available to the mayor will no longer be mine, as I go everywhere by bicycle.'



Biedron is perhaps best known for when he ran as a MP and won the
Gdynia-Slupsk constituency. He also set up the charity Campaign Against
Homophobia.



The elections saw a small wave of liberalism fighting to be heard, with
the elections for regional parliaments and municipal government seeing a
record number of openly gay candidates in the race.



With none of the others won seats, Biedron's success is being hailed as an inspiration.

- See more at:
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/poland-makes-history-electing-its-first-openly-gay-mayor011214#sthash.i81OxIjZ.dpuf

The sensational 'The Way He Looks' plays at Toronto's Brazil Film Fest this Saturday...

Opening scene from director Daniel Ribeiro's 'The Way He Looks'

I sadly missed a previous Toronto screening for Daniel Ribeiro's feature film 'The Way He Looks,' at the Inside Out festival back in May.  That's why I was thrilled to learn that Toronto's Brazil Film Fest teamed up with Inside Out to sponsor another screening this weekend of Brazil's official entry for the 2015 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film.  The Brazil fest even provided me with an online screener and I had a chance to check out the gem of a film last night. 

The story of 'The Way He Looks' concerns a blind teenager named Leonardo whose longtime friendship with female friend Giovana is threatened when he develops romantic feelings for a new male student at school named Gabriel. 

Leo's struggles at high school and with family are poignant and extremely honest, told without melodrama or an abundance of sentiment.  It's a fresh and beautiful film.  As Leo, young actor Ghilherme Lobo is sensational, reprising the role he first played in Ribeiro's 2010 short film which featured a small taste of this feature story, 'Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho.'   

In fact, the main cast from the short film returns as well, including Fabio Audi as Gabriel and Tess Amorim as Giovana.  And they are all fabulous, as is the rest of the cast.  Ribeiro's writing and direction is assured and deeply loving of his characters, nurtured over several years.  The result is an incredibly satisfying feature film that explores gay first love from an angle not before experienced by audiences.   I think this may be the best adaptation of a short film into a feature film I've ever seen.  None of the charm from the original short is lost; in fact, the experience is greatly enhanced.   Clearly, Ribeiro is a filmmaker to watch. 

To date, I'm not sure if this gem of a feature film has a Canadian distributor, so if you're in the Toronto area this Saturday night at 9 pm, please go check out 'The Way He Looks' at the Brazil Film Fest.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Another flick with a queer twist at Brazil Film Fest is Paulo Gustavo's hilarious film, 'My Mom is a Character' (pictured on the right). Based on his stage play, the romp details a mother played by Gustavo in amazing drag who takes some time off from her family after another spat with her adult kids including a cute gay son.  It's definitely worth a look if you're in the mood for something lighter, but no less charming.

The Brazil Film Fest opens tonight and plays until Sunday at TIFF Bell Lightbox on King West.

Here is the full, original 2010 short film 'Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho' by director Daniel Ribeiro.  If you like this, you'll love the feature version. 
 

I'm with Greg Sorbara on ending separate school funding in Ontario

I could write today about Russia's latest petty move in that country's despicable campaign against LGBT people by removing a memorial to Apple founder Steve Jobs in St Petersburg after the man who succeeded him at the helm of the company, Tim Cook, came out as gay.  But those bigots aren't worth my energy today.

I could also write about something closer to home in BC where, according to this report, many ignorant Chinese suburbanites are worried progressive school board forces are planning to inject their children with some kind of serum to turn them gay.

But those idiots aren't worth my energy either.  There seems to be no end to the stupidity of our species.

But one slight bit of hope has emerged from reading this article about former Ontario finance minister Greg Sorbara's (pictured) declaration that Ontario should finally scrap its antiquated, separate school system, in which one religion - Roman Catholics - receive special status by getting public schools funded by taxpayers, while all other religions do not.   Sorbara makes the comments in his new memoir. 

In a modern, secular, pluralistic society like Ontario, it's long past the time we do the right thing on this issue.  Of course, Premier Kathleen Wynne, who's openly lesbian and couldn't work as a teacher in the separate school system in Ontario if she wanted to, has said she has no plans to pursue the dismantling of public funding for Catholic schools.  I hope she changes her mind.  She has a majority now so she could begin a process to examine the issue and allow the voters to speak on the subject.   

The people of Ontario have never had the chance to weigh in on our public education system.   It's now time for a plebiscite that would allow them to do that. It's long past time Ontarians get a say into how their public education system money is handed out. 

Check out 80s musical spoof 'Eternity: The Movie' at the Carlton this week...

Tonight, my boyfriend and I saw and thoroughly enjoyed the charming 80s musical spoof comedy film, 'Eternity: The Movie,' at Toronto's Carlton Cinema.  I wanted to give the flick a shout-out.  

Directed by Ian Thorpe and starring the very adorable Barrett Crake and Myko Olivier (pictured)
as would-be R&B music sensations who launch the duo Eternity in 1985 (with more than a passing resemblance to Daryl Hall and John Oates), it was silly, sexy and playful from start to end, never taking itself too seriously.

And with tonnes of not-so-subtle homo-eroticism between the cute leads, there was plenty for gay male and gay-loving audiences to enjoy.  Honestly, I got a bit lost in Olivier's beautiful eyes (see why below), and his lovable loser routine never got tired.  Plus many of the ballads, including 'Make Love (Not Just Sex)' and 'Alana' were hilarious.   Crake and writer/producer Eric Staley were on hand for a Q&A after the flick and Crake mentioned he'll be appearing in an episode of the final season of 'Glee.'

It would be nice to see this indie flick turn into a cult hit.  It's not going to win any Oscars, but if you're not looking for serious fare and just want to laugh at an 80s spoof, check it out at the Carlton this week if you can.

Students want consequences for trustee after tweet about transgendered people

The newspaper reports on this were awesome to read.  But the TV story below from Global really does it justice:



"A dozen Toronto high school students are striking back at a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) school trustee over some of his controversial tweets.

"They students have urged the board to take some kind of action against Sam Sotiropoulos, the trustee for Scarborough-Agincourt, and presented a committee with a petition signed by more than 200 students, backing their position.

Georgia Koumantaros, a 16-year-old student at Malvern Collegiate Institute said some of Sotiropoulos’ tweets as atrocious."

Wonderful job, Georgia!   

I hope the sleazy jerk Sotiropoulos goes down to defeat on Monday!