Today's tonic: "Michael Coren: My conversion on LGBTQ rights tells an important story"

Thank you, Michael Coren, for your advocacy and inspiration.  

"Jesus doesn’t mention the issue, and St. Paul’s comments, mainly in his letters to the Romans, are more about men using young male prostitutes in pagan initiation rites than about loving, consenting same-sex relationships. There is, however, one possible discussion in the New Testament. It’s when Jesus is approached by a centurion whose beloved male servant is dying. Will Jesus cure him? Of course, and Jesus then praises the Roman for his faith. The Greek word used to describe the relationship between the Roman and his “beloved” servant indicates something far deeper than mere platonic affection.

"Then there’s the love of David and Jonathan, Jesus refusing to judge and the pristine beauty of grace and justice that informs the Gospels. Most of all, there’s the permanent revolution of love that Jesus didn’t request but demand. His central teaching, remember, is to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. We’re told this in three of the four Gospels — Matthew (22:35-40), Mark (12:28-34) and Luke (10:27). It’s a transformational moment for Christians, to know that only by loving others can we properly know and love God." 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/12/opinions/priest-conversion-lgbt-rights-coren/index.html

Today's tonic: "Protests during Pride. Pushback against LGBTQ events. Inside the fight galvanizing some conservative Muslims in Canada"

Counter-demonstrators in Ottawa June 9

Today's tonic: "Protests during Pride. Pushback against LGBTQ events. Inside the fight galvanizing some conservative Muslims in Canada" by Toronto Star staff reporter Omar Mosleh.

This fair and thorough piece does a good job detailing the various sides of the ongoing debates in our societies.  It does an excellent job detailing how Christian fundamentalists, who used to demonize Muslims and do everything they could to exclude them from Western societies, are now using Muslim conservatives to try to bolster their hateful, anti-LGBTQ agenda.  

The most interesting points of the piece for me are made by Anver Emon and Junaid Jahangir about the nuances on the issue amongst more moderate Muslims:  

"While the Navigating Differences letter highlights a conventional Islamic view — that sexual relations are only permitted in a lawful marriage between a man and woman and that medical transitions are only allowed for people with “biological ambiguities” — there are also Islamic scholars who point out that there is precedent in the Islamic tradition for recognizing non-binary genders, such as the khuntha, or someone with both sex organs (or hermaphrodite)...

"There have been debates in Islamic jurisprudence on whether a khuntha could lead prayers, a role traditionally restricted to men, says Anver Emon, Canada Research Chair in Islamic Law and History and director of the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto...

"...Junaid Jahangir, an economics professor at MacEwan University and co-author of “Islamic Law and Muslim Same-Sex Unions,” has written about how there is precedent of non-binary gender identities being recognized in Islamic societies, such as mukhannathun (effeminate men) and the khuntha.

"Jahangir, who is gay and Muslim,...told the Star in an email that mainstream Islamic discourse on LGBTQ issues doesn’t capture the full spectrum of views on the subject.

“Islamic texts offered such individuals prayer space between the rows of men and women. Even in recent times, there was a fatwa (religious edict) by a Sunni group of clerics in Pakistan permitting them to marry. This is apart from the permission on gender reassignment surgery from the highest bodies of both Sunni and Shia Islam,” he said.

“The Muslim position on gender and sexual variance is far more diverse than what the Christian right and the Muslim right would like us to believe.”

Today's tonic: "Canada’s conservative rage farmers get a taste of their own crop," by Max Fawcett

Today's tonic: "Canada’s conservative rage farmers get a taste of their own crop," by National Observer columnist Max Fawcett. 

"Farmers aren’t usually caught off guard when it comes time to harvest the crops they’ve dutifully planted and fertilized. But some of the prominent conservative pundits who have spent years farming rage against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seem genuinely surprised by the latest ugly outburst against him in Belleville, Ont., last week, one that included antisemitic slurs and accusations of pedophilia and treason. Who knew that reaping what you’ve sown could be so much trouble?"

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/07/26/opinion/canada-conservative-rage-farmers-trudeau-belleville

Today's tonic: "Trump is gearing up for his ‘final battle’. So should we," by Robert Reich

"Trump and the Republicans will lose this battle. Even if they win Republican primaries, they will lose the general election..." by former US Labour Secretary Robert Reich.

"...We want to live in a nation where no one is above the law. We want to be able to sleep at night without worrying that a president might unleash armed lackeys to drag us out of our homes because he considers us to be his enemy...

"...Folks, it is finally time to lance this boil. It is time to decidedly rescue democracy and the rule of law. It is time to defeat Trump and his enablers who are determined to defy the core values of America.

"Let the battle begin."

Today's tonic: "York’s Catholic school trustees are abusing their power by refusing to raise the Pride flag. Their day of reckoning is coming"

Today's tonic: "York’s Catholic school trustees are abusing their power by refusing to raise the Pride flag. Their day of reckoning is coming," by Martin Regg Cohn

I couldn't  agree more with the columnist on this.  

It's long past time for an Ontario leader to be brave enough to take on this sacred cow of a separate system just for Catholics and unite our public education systems to end this systemic discrimination based on religion.  No faith should have special rights in modern Ontario.  

 In 2007, the public made clear in that provincial election (with the crushing defeat of John Tory's PCs who advocated that year expanding funding to all religions) they certainly don't want to further silo off our public education system to create even more religious public schools.  

Instead, the solution to this discrimination is clear: one system for all. 

Today's tonic: "COVID-19 misinformation cost at least 2,800 lives and $300M, new report says"

Today's tonic: 

COVID-19 misinformation cost at least 2,800 lives and $300M, new report says

The report — released by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), an independent research organization that receives federal funding — examined how misinformation affected COVID infections, hospitalizations and deaths between March and November of 2021.

The authors suggest that misinformation contributed to vaccine hesitancy for 2.3 million Canadians. Had more people been willing to roll up their sleeves when a vaccine was first available to them, Canada could have seen roughly 200,000 fewer COVID cases and 13,000 fewer hospitalizations, the report says.

"In a democracy, the public should be able to understand the risks we're facing … and act on that basis," he said. "But if you're drenched in misinformation … then you're distorting the public's ability — and you're denying people the right — to be informed about the risks they're facing."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cost-of-covid-19-misinformation-study-1.6726356

Today's tonic: "Seriously, why should we care about anything Twitter trolls have to say?"

Today's tonic: "Seriously, why should we care about anything Twitter trolls have to say?" by @reggcohn

https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2023/01/23/seriously-why-should-we-care-about-anything-twitter-trolls-have-to-say.html

#cdnpoli #Twitter

UPDATED: My Favourite Films of 2022

'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

I’m a huge film fan, as many will know.  I didn’t have time nor money to see any Toronto International Film Festival movies during the festival.  So I’ve been playing catch up since.

I’m happy to share my top favourites of the year below.  As I see more, I reserve the right to add them to my favourites list.  

UPDATED March 31, 2022:

MY FAVOURITE MOVIES FROM 2022:

1: Everything Everywhere All At Once - So much fun to watch again and again, original, zeitgeisty, hilarious, with a heart of gold at the centre of its bagel, this feels like this year’s Parasite (meaning, the small awesome indie that wins hearts and takes the top prize at the Oscars over other more conventional, respectable but less loved flicks.)

2: Riceboy Sleeps - The struggles of the immigrant experience in Canada are laid bare in this quiet, touching, beautiful story about a Korean single mother raising her son in suburban Vancouver in the 1990s.  Its quiet authenticity including both comedic and tragic story lines deeply moved me.  When news of an illness convinces the mother, played beautifully by Choi Seung-yoon, to take her now teenage son to South Korea to finally meet his family, the cinematic journey moves into unforgettable territory. 

3: She Said - This compelling, riveting thriller / tribute to investigative journalism follows two New York Times journalists taking on the sexual monster Harvey Weinstein and inspiring the beginnings of the #MeToo movement.

4: Nope - Truly creepy, slow burn horror flick by Jordan Peele.  Not as good as Get Out nor Us, but still quite something to behold. Remembering some scenes still makes me shudder, which means it got under my skin.  And that’s always a great thing in a movie.

5: Top Gun: Maverick - I was late to the party watching this only last month on the big screen (where it should be seen).  It’s totally entertaining and hits all the right notes, or all the right moves.  Good job, Tom Cruise!

6: The Fabelmans - Touching and very personal memory play by the esteemed Steven Spielberg, beautifully crafted and acted. 

7: Aftersun - Small, subtle indie about a lonely, troubled single father played by the gorgeous Paul Mescal trying to connect with his teenage daughter on a trip abroad.  

8: The Batman - Finally caught this artful, very dark, brooding, slightly twisted take on the franchise starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz.  The art direction and various other technical effects, plus the acting were superb, although Pattinson is no Christian Bale.  Not sure his take brought much new to the role.  I enjoyed it though as I do dig super hero movies like this but this won’t be for everyone.  Plus like many movies this year, they could’ve easily cut 30-45 minutes from the long running time.

9. The Whale: Brendan Fraser deserves the acclaim he's been receiving for his deeply effecting embodiment of a grotesquely obese, gay man near the end of his life.  There wasn't an inauthentic moment from him, so much emotion and love shines through the incredible make-up.  I cried a few times. 

10. Triangle of Sadness:  Fascinating, provocative satire exploring class and the excesses of clueless wealth amid characters on a doomed private cruise.  And lots of yummy Harris Dickinson throughout.  Magnificently acted and crafted, I'm giggling about parts of it now a couple hours after watching it.  

11: Women Talking - Beautifully written and acted and very timely.  It often felt like a play rather than a movie.  But clearly this hits so many important notes about the power of collective action to overcome systemic oppression and abuse.  

12: The Banshees of Inisherin - I first found this a tad boring and confusing (why is he cutting off his fingers?!!) but later I came to appreciate it as a big metaphor for the uselessness of civil war (the Irish civil war to be specific.)  

13: Good Luck To You, Leo Grande - Wonderful, sex positive story about an older woman learning to get comfortable and embrace her sexuality with the help of a gorgeous male escort.

14:  Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Entertaining but not as good as the first one.  But beautiful and superbly acted.  

And the rest of my favourites in order:

Elvis

Armageddon Time

The Woman King 

Tár 

All Quiet On The Western Front 

Bros

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Turning Red

Glass Onion: Knives Out 

The Wonder

Golden Delicious

The Swimmers 

Thor: Love and Thunder

White Noise

The Menu 

Doctor Strange 2: The Multiverse of Madness

My Policeman

Uncharted

The Edge of War

The Good Nurse

I want to see as soon as possible, in order:

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

 

Argentina, 1985

Till 

Babylon 

Empire of Light 

Decision To Leave

RRR 

Crimes of the Future

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Living

Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris

Emancipation

 

Devotion

I have no plans to see Avatar’s sequel as the first one didn’t do much for me. 

Today’s tonic: “(Dis)Ordered Liberty” by Erin O’Toole

Today’s tonic: “(Dis)Ordered Liberty” by Erin O’Toole.  Refreshing and I wish we had heard more of this tone from him when he was in charge of the CPC 

https://erinotoole.substack.com/p/disordered-liberty 

#cdnpoli 

Today's tonic: "Putting Christ back into Christian"

Today's tonic: "Putting Christ back into Christian" by Michael Coren

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/12/24/putting-christ-back-into-christian.html  

#MerryChristmas, everyone!

My 2016 comedy short film "Tri-Curious" is back on YouTube!

Actors Rob Salerno and Trevor Ketcheson

My first short film as a director Tri-Curious is now available for the world to see on YouTube as of December 1, 2022.

The film spent the last 5 years available on Dekkoo, a fine, paid subscription media streaming service focused on gay male content, until last month when the licence they purchased from me expired.  (Man, how time flies!)  Before Dekkoo, Tri-Curious had racked up 1.5 million hits on YouTube.  The video has been private these five years to respect the licensing agreement.  But now I think it's time the public be able to watch the film again without a subscription for a while.

Re-watching it, I'm super proud of the moments the filmmaking team captured with sexy actors Trevor Ketcheson, Rob Salerno and Michael Went.  For my directing debut, I'm very happy with it.  The opening wide shot of Queen Street East in Toronto facing south across a long-gone parking lot is no longer possible as condo construction has blocked the view we captured in late 2015.

A special shout out to the crew who worked hard over two days of shooting in autumn 2015, including cinematographer Nico Stagias, assistant director Allen Braude, associate producers Jefferson Darrell and Tom Yarith Ker, sound guys Randy Resh and Pirhan Dastoor, make-up artist Mishka Prefontaine, and musician extraordinaire Mike Freedman. 

The film chronicles the last minute anxiety that threatens to ruin a young couple's first threesome together. 

As a young gay male couple gets ready for their first threesome together, one half of the pair gets cold feet and wants to cancel.  The trouble is, it’s 20 minutes until their “guest” is set to arrive at their apartment. 

The film wasn't autobiographical but did explore some issues around sexuality, monogamy and relationships that continue to intrigue me to this day.   I followed up Tri-Curious in 2020 with my next short film The Big Snore, which also did a festival run and got picked up by Dekkoo in 2021 where it will play exclusively until March 2026.  

In the mean time, if you haven't seen it yet, please have a look at Tri-Curious.  If you have seen it, give it another view.  I hope you enjoy it!   

Tonight's tonic: Tina Kotek becomes the 2nd ever out lesbian elected as a U.S. governor, after Maura Healey won in Massachusetts earlier this week...

Tonight's tonic: @TinaKotek becomes the 2nd ever out lesbian elected as a U.S. governor. The 1st @Maura_Healey was declared the winner in Massachusetts on Tuesday night. Both strong awesome women.  

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/11/politics/tina-kotek-christine-drazan-oregon-governor-race-result/index.html 

 #USPolitics #LGBTQ