My favourite 2008 flicks and my Best Picture Oscar predictions...

Last year, I published a top ten list for the 2007 feature films I had seen by Dec 31. It was a pretty solid list, but not being a professional film critic with free tickets to see all major feature releases, it was incomplete. And upon viewing the great 'There Will Be Blood' in January of this year, my list became obsolete rather quickly as I now see that great flick as the best of 2007.

So I hesitate this year to provide any kind of similar top ten list, except to point out those films I most enjoyed this year, as well as predictions for this coming awards season (the best part of winter, as far as I'm concerned.)

My two favourite films of 2008: Slumdog Millionaire (pictured) and The Dark Knight. Both were absolutely astonishing and deserving of the Oscar nominations they're due to receive next month; I can't seem to decide which one I like better.

I also loved Milk, The Reader, The Bucket List, Rachel Getting Married and In Bruges.

The most disappointing film I paid money to see this year: George Clooney's Leatherheads (a complete waste of time and talent.)

Those films on my list I hope to see asap, in order of priority:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wall-E
Frost/Nixon
Wendy and Lucy
Doubt
The Wrestler
Gran Torino
Valkyrie
Revolutionary Road

Thus, it's entirely possible that one of these or other films could overtake my current 2008 favourites (I love everything by director David Fincher, who made Benjamin Button and my 2007 fave Zodiac, among other great films). But we'll have to see.

With movie awards season now upon us, it's anybody's guess which five films will land a coveted Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. But I'm betting when the nominations are announced on January 22nd, these five films will be on the list: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire.

Of these, I expect that Slumdog will take the top prize in February. Here's hoping.

Obama's holiday gift to the world...

I've seen other shirtless/beach pics of President-elect Barack Obama, but man, this guy has been hitting the gym and is looking good! I think I may hit my condo's gym tonight after all...lol

Gus Van Sant's 'Milk' a great portrait of leadership...

Since seeing Gus Van Sant's Milk last week, I've been contemplating what to write about this great film that hasn't already been said? What did I like about it most?

There's Sean Penn's uncanny performance, he's still at the top of his game. There's Van Sant's subtle touch perfect for this vital history lesson in queer liberation. There's Dustin Lance Black's screenplay that so thoroughly explores Harvey Milk's unique journey from New York closet case to community leader. There's the meticulous attention to detail that makes it inspiring and unforgettable.

Harvey Milk (pictured in the suit) was the first openly gay man to be elected to major office in the United States (in 1978 as a local supervisor (like a district councillor) in San Francisco.) Milk chronicles Harvey's growth from ordinary man to icon.

The supporting turns are all wonderful. James Franco is mesmerizing, embodying the almost perfect partner that got away. Emile Hirsch is an energetic work of art in this flick. I won't soon forget his "Out of the bars, into the streets!" chants, nor his smooching scene with fellow cutie Joseph Cross. I agree with Susan Cole there weren't enough lesbian characters in this flick, but it's a minor flaw amid the great accomplishments.

This is a story about a community desperately in need of a strong voice to lead it, and how one man's greatness was tragically cut short because of a cold-blooded murderer's inability to cope with the world around him. Josh Brolin captures the disturbing contradictions of his character, Dan White. What an enigma! The climactic scene when White walks Milk into his office to shoot him dead makes clear that White was guilty of first degree murder, not the disgustingly lenient conviction for voluntary manslaughter.

The film does a beautiful job showing how one man's inspirational hope and unique political skills could push for greater gay acceptance. The climate against homosexuals in the 1970s, even in San Francisco, was clearly hostile. The fight over Proposition 6 in 1978, which would've banned gay teachers, shows how important Milk's strategy truly was. Milk advocated that all gay people "come out" of the closet to put a human face on the issue for their straight friends, family and neighbours.

It's sad that our community lost Harvey Milk so early. Sean Penn is probably right that Milk, had he lived, would've fought and raised greater awareness about AIDS much sooner due to his high profile and energy.

In the end, Milk is a portrait of an ordinary man finding it within himself to become the leader he and his community need him to be.

Every gay man (and as many lesbians, bisexuals and heterosexuals, etc. as possible) should see this movie.

Pink Christmas shocks Amsterdam

It seems Christians in Holland resemble many in Canada where they only like freedom of expression when they are the ones who get to practice it...

"By portraying Joseph and Mary as homosexuals, a twisted human fantasy is being added to the history of the Bible," wrote Christians for Truth in a statement ahead of this Amsterdam event.

For the record, it appears that Pink Christmas performers are portraying Mary as a drag queen, not necessarily a homosexual...

And which parts of the Bible aren't twisted to conform to human fantasy?

Hate the singer, love the songs...

I used to be a huge fan of gay crooner Rufus Wainwright. I couldn't get enough of his sweet, melancholy melodies.

But when he totally trashed my city of Toronto (quite unfairly and unnecessarily), my love suddenly slipped away. I've barely listened to any of his music for months. (Yes I do sometimes let politics get in the way of my artistic appreciation). I guess he figured he could write off the lonely Toronto market without much consequence and perhaps he was right.

Now this little controversy with Rufus once again spouting off at the mouth has erupted - he dissed those who actually like the idea of getting married, and compared gay marriage to marrying one's dog.

The backlash was severe (and obviously widespread) that the opera-loving queen felt compelled to write a less-than-convincing mea culpa on his website yesterday. Unlike my friend Scott, I'm not so forgiving. Rufus is 35 going on 15, as far as I can tell. Grow some brains, Rufus, before spouting off and offending more of your select fan base.

In the mean time, I'll continue to try to forget the man behind the voice (and perhaps even ignore his next foot-in-mouth incident) and just focus on the great music.

Back from shooting 'The Golden Pin'; Congrats to 'Slap Upside the Head'

I took the last few days off from blogging (and from my day job) to work on a short film project I co-wrote with Toronto director Cuong Ngo.

The film is called, 'The Golden Pin' and it's the story about a young closeted Vietnamese-Canadian swimmer caught between his conservative family and his gay lover teammate. The film stars L.A.-based actors Kris Duangphung and Ben Bela Boehm, as well as Minh Nguyen of North Dakota, Tien Nguyen of Toronto and Lily Nguyen of Kitchener, Ontario. Produced by Ngo and Igor Szczurko, shooting started in Toronto last Wednesday and ended Sunday. I'm exhausted after the intense schedule we've been keeping (I'm also an associate producer on the film) but I'm absolutely thrilled with how well it went. Ngo is a brilliant director and working with him has been an absolute joy. The crew he and Szczurko assembled was top notch.

Post-production begins now, and we're looking forward to the first screening in Toronto in April, with many more to hopefully follow. I'll keep you posted on these exciting developments.

In the mean time, I was pleased to read today that Slap Upside the Head won the Best GLBT Blog award this year at the Canadian Blog Awards. Congrats, it's very well-deserved without a doubt!

Once I recover from the lack of sleep, I'll be back to my usual blogging self. Cheers.

Proposition 8: The Musical

This video/musical satirizing the recent passage of Proposition 8 in California must not be missed. Brilliant!

The Silver Fox humbled by Michael Phelps

I thought we needed a break from the ongoing drama in Ottawa with this light, little piece from this past weekend's '60 Minutes' featuring homoerotic icons silver-haired Anderson Cooper and Olympic gold god Michael Phelps. Enjoy.

Montreal Simon gets my vote, baby!

Sadly, I didn't make the final five in the Best GLBT Blog category in the Canadian Blog Awards this year. I want to congratulate the five finalists, particularly Montreal Simon, Slapped Upside the Head and Gay Persons of Color all of whom were nominated with me last year. Moved to Vancouver looks interesting, I must say. I'll have to read it more often. I'm not a fan of GayandRight, who seems more interested in demonizing Islam than promoting greater understanding of queer issues. Perhaps he's just been trying to appear as non-threatening as possible to his fellow hetero conservatives, hoping that shared hatred of the "other" will make his own otherness less threatening to them? I dunno. His latest post today: denying climate change and the connection between the rising amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and rising temperatures. Ugh. Can I nickname him GayandWrong? He's the kind of conservative who reminds us why the Coalition for Change is gaining momentum in this country.

It's been a great year of blogging for me and I look forward to more. And since I'm not in the final five, that makes my vote quite easy: Montreal Simon all the way, baby!

Can't wait to see Van Sant's 'Milk'...

Holiday movie season is upon us. For a cinephile like myself, the onslaught of great (or at least the best the Hollywood studios can pump out every year-end) movie releases makes the earlier sundowns and colder temperatures easier to bear.

I can't wait to see director Gus Van Sant's 'Milk,' with Sean Penn, James Franco and Josh Brolin, chronicling the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Milk, along with then-San Francisco mayor George Moscone, were assassinated by fellow politician Dan White a year later, in a case that coined the phrase, 'The Twinkie defense'.

Opening this week,initial reviews have been strong. Already, there is talk that Penn's achievement playing Harvey Milk will land him another Oscar nomination and perhaps his second Best Actor award. But it's early yet and movie awards season is just taking shape.

Milk's arrival on big screens coincides with the aftermath of California's recent passage of Proposition 8. The film, itself, delves into a similar California referendum in 1978 that would've banned gay and lesbian teachers and Milk's efforts to defeat it.

If you don't know much about Harvey Milk, I'd recommend a viewing of the extraordinary 1984 feature documentary, 'The Times of Harvey Milk', which won the Academy Award for best documentary feature.

Please expect a review from me of 'Milk' very soon.

Oshawa attack reminds us of our collective, tragic histories...

Much has already been written by other bloggers on this terrible incident involving a lesbian couple attacked last week in Oshawa in front of their son.

My heart goes out to Jane Currie and Anji Dimitriou. For anyone who doubts that virulent homophobia isn't still a major problem in Canada, please remember this incident. This kind of violent attack is merely the most extreme form of homophobia going on out there. Taunts, homophobic slurs, sneers, rude comments, you name it, are still commonplace in most parts of Canada.

It's truly sad. It makes me angry at writers like Barbara Kay in the National Post who continue to say that the LGBT community has no shared commonalities or history, no common tragedies that bind us together like other "legitimate" minorities. Bruce had a lovely response to Kay's words on the weekend (it was his post that alerted me to Kay's column, as I don't normally read the National Post on a daily basis if I can help it.)

Last week, Kay wrote: "African-Americans, Jews, aboriginals, the Roma people and other historically disadvantaged ethnic or racial groups experience their collective memory through the narratives they inherit from their parents and grandparents and ancestors. Indeed, they are a true identity group because they have a collective history and common memories. The sufferings they endured are directly related to who they are historically, to characteristics and events they cannot change, to their skin colour and bloodlines, to the deeds of their ancestors. Where is their commonality with individuals disconnected from the great chain of human history, whose "identity" isn't a culture, an ethnicity, a race or a civilization - just a mere sexual preference that rules out both a collective past and a collective future, the sine qua nons of a true identity group."

Yes, sadly, LGBT people don't usually learn about historic injustices committed against gays and lesbians from their parents. No, we have to seek out our history on our own, usually in isolation and confusion. In fact, I would argue that it's that sense of youthful isolation from the mainstream (and even our own families), often initially leading to despair, and sometimes eventually followed by the experience of "coming out of the closet" that binds the LGBT community. Most of us share in these experiences and are profoundly changed forever by them. I remember quite fondly the friends I made after I came out, sharing stories of the closet and the joys of finally being true to oneself.

When we hear about a lesbian couple getting bashed in Oshawa, the entire community feels their anguish and anger. We don't need to have children to pass along our history (although it obviously helps), it lives in other ways: through art, through literature, through spoken word and collective memories and culture, through LGBT organizations dedicated to chronicling the LGBT experience for future generations. I'd recommend that Barbara Kay, if she purports to be a fair journalist, make a visit to the Canadian Lesbian Gay Archives and do a little learning before she publishes again on this subject.

What constitutes an identifiable group worthy of protection from discrimination in law and hate-inspired violence? Well, if the group has historically been targeted (because of how they looked or talked or dressed or kissed, etc) for discrimination in law, hatred, harassment and/or violence, that's about it, as far as I'm concerned. Heck if that community is still being targeted today for hatred and violence, we constitute a legitimate group worthy of specific protection. Take that, Barbara Kay!

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann weighs in on Prop 8, marriage and love...

The great Keith Olbermann has a new fan in me, I must say. Even if you've long made up your mind on the issue of equal marriage, have a listen to Olbermann's great commentary on the subject. I've never watched Olbermann's show on MSNBC, but that will have to change.

It's truly sad that, based simply on some exit polls in California, that African-Americans are being "blamed" for the passage of Proposition 8. On this point, I have a couple of comments: one, it seems that the pro-equality folks failed to adequately reach out to ethnic minority communities in California during the campaign, as this commentary makes clear. Two, this isn't about race, it's about religion.

On my first point, there's no doubt that the lily white nature of most LGBT organizations and campaigns needs to change if our movement is going to broaden its support. Luckily, in Canada, we don't put minority rights to majority votes (at least yet.) Sadly, as long as America remains drunk on democracy, these kind of referenda will continue to be fought. Thus, the simple intellectual argument in favour of full equality isn't going to cut it.

I read earlier this week about an African-American man who voted for Proposition 8 who was quoted saying that the gay experience is nothing like the African-American experience as blacks are "born that way," while gays "choose" to be gay. This ignorance of the truth of queer life is astonishing. There's no doubt that the lying bigots who make up establishment religion in America and elsewhere have been successful promoting the myth that gays choose to be gay.

GAYS ARE BORN THAT WAY!

What's needed now is a greater effort among all LGBT people, especially LGBT people of colour, to educate their communities about the truth of their lives so fewer straights, like the one I mentioned above, cling to the lie that homosexuality is not a natural part of the human condition. And we also need to ensure that our movement stops being so lily white and does a better job of walking the "inclusive" talk we often preach.

Fighting back in California against bigotry...

I can imagine how angry many LGBT citizens must feel in California or Arizona or Florida or anywhere else in the United States right now. Voting to exclude gays and lesbians from the lifetime commitment, responsibility and benefits of civil marriage is nothing more than pure bigotry that has no place on this Earth! Supporters of equality held a rally last night in Santa Monica. The following article was sent to me by activist blogger Julie Phineas at Lez Get Real and I thought I'd re-post it here verbatim:

Lez Get Real's own contributors were at the Prop. 8 Protest Rally held in Santa Monica, CA earlier tonight.

Streets were closed in the area to accommodate the gathering. Here is what happened at that rally, as reported to me via text message from p.Johanna:

"There was a reverend speaking and also another woman, who said this is a human rights issue. The crowd was really hyped. They said we need to stay angry! We need to keep going against Prop. 8 and towards civil rights and equality in the U.S. The crowd cheered in unison 'Yes we can! Yes we can!' They said we shouldn't be violent, but that we should work together to not be at the back of the bus anymore. The crowd yelled 'Equal rights! Equal rights! News channels began to arrive and it seemed like they didn't know this event was happening. A call was issued to march on the Mormon Temple at 10777 Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles at 2pm tomorrow November 6th. Bring your signs and video cameras.

Jerry Brown the State Attorney spoke saying that the marriages performed between June and yesterday are still valid. They are fighting for us and it's a legal mess. They are working around the clock on this. Jerry Brown says that we need to walk together, to walk in solidarity. The crowd yelled together 'Yes we can! Yes we can!'.

Javier Angulo called for a Chicano clap. The crowd yelled 'Si se puede! Si se puede!'. A helicopter flew overhead, and the crowd cheered at it. Javier Angulo quotes Martin Luther King Jr. saying that he had a dream and Obama made part of that dream come true. He says that now our fundamental rights have been infringed upon, but hold onto hope - all the votes have not been counted. Regardless, he said to take pride in achieving social justice. He said that the Latino community is often overlooked, and that Latinos value social justice. He says we have an ally. At that point everyone, even other nationalities chanted 'Si se puede! Si se puede!'. The helicopter shined its light on the crowd. He said they were shining the light on discrimination.

At that point, the woman began to speak again and said that bigotry is not only here, but in Arkansas, Arizona and Florida, but said that years to come the people who voted Yes on Prop 8 and in the other States will be ashamed of themselves. The crowd cheered 'Shame! Shame!'. She said that we are on the right side of history. Now, we're mad. And when we get mad, we work harder and we work smarter. The opposition will wish they didn't mess with us. At that, the crowd went crazy. I would often hear, 'TAX THEM! TAX THEM!'

She continued by saying that if we look at Prop. 22 we lost by a higher margin. This time we were within 5 points. That is enormous progress. The crowd yelled 'Not enough! Not enough!'. They were very angry! She went on to say that we make a promise to our opponents that we will gain our rights back, and we will crush discrimination. She said don't lose heart; use this as a push; don't give up... vow to continue the fight. She said to talk to everyone you know and tell them why the vote was wrong and how it was wrong from the start. Tell them how the majority was tyrannical to the minority, she continued. Tomorrow we will march on the Mormon Temple. The crowd cheered. The emphasis seems to be against the Mormons, and to fight against them. The crowd cheered in unison 'Equal rights! Equal rights!' There was a sign next to me that said 'You can't amend love.'

At that point she told us the rally was over. She said that tonight do not take it to the streets. We aren't taking it to our streets, she continued, tomorrow we take it to theirs."

Impolitical has a great post on this issue too today.

Land of the heterosexual free...

Like most queers, I have bittersweet feelings following last night's historic win by Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential election.

Of course, I'm elated that a great man will now occupy the highest office in the world. The message sent to all by electing an African-American man named Barack who opposed the Iraq war will have profound significance and change the world. I wish him and his team the best of luck as they begin the battle to put America back on its feet.

But yesterday's votes in a handful of states on the issue of gay rights were a major blow to equality and freedom yesterday. While Obama's victory shows that Americans are turning the page on their Republican/war-mongering/racist/neo-conservative economic past, they appear to be regressing badly when it comes to their queer brothers and sisters.

California narrowly voted 52% to ban same sex marriage in the state.. This could reverse all of those beautiful expressions of lifetime devotion we witnessed thousands of gay couples make this summer. The state's attorney general, Jerry Brown, has said those marriages will remain valid, although legal challenges are possible.

Furthermore, anti-gay measures in Arizona, Florida and Arkansas were passed by the requisite margins. Glancing at various other ballot measure results from last night, it appears that heterosexual Americans did very well for themselves, like in California where they even failed to approve a social conservative measure that would've forced teenage girls to get parental permission before obtaining a legal abortion. Or in Michigan where medical marijuana was approved.

But sadly, Americans seem to be in no mood to embrace equality based on sexual orientation. Very sad, indeed. Obama himself refused to support equality, saying instead gays should be contented with less-than-equal civil unions. So while heterosexuals in California will continue to drink from the fountain of marriage, gays will have to contend with the lesser tap around back for a while yet, it seems.

Exit polls in California showed Proposition 8 was most favoured by African-American voters, while Whites were largely opposed and Latinos divided. Today, those same African-American voters are undoubtedly elated at finally breaking through with an historic win in the Presidency. I very much share their joy at this symbolic victory. Racism is evil and Obama's win last night is huge in the ongoing battle against it. Most people of colour I know are, of course, also very supportive of queer rights. For those friends, I truly share their joy.

But for the majority of African-American voters in California who voted yesterday to promote discrimination against gays and lesbians, I have little enthusiasm. How can one group understand so clearly the evils of discrimination, yet so disgustingly support discrimination against another group of citizens? It's beyond hypocrisy. Discrimination in law, whether based on race, or gender, or sexual orientation, is simply wrong and perhaps one day all Americans will understand that. Of course, that's a topic for another day perhaps.

Same sex marriage comes to Connecticut!

I was in New York City this past weekend with friends for a nice vacation, having left on Friday and returning today. As a news junkie, I picked up a few newspapers and turned on CNN a couple times in my hotel room, but heard nothing of this landmark decision from Connecticut on Friday. (Granted, I did spend most of my time simply having fun and seeing the sights, so it's not surprising I missed this story.)

Connecticut now becomes the third American state to allow same sex marriage, following California's court ruling earlier this year and Massachusetts's historic court ruling in 2004.

What a difference four years can make! This issue practically turned the election in favour of George W. Bush in 2004. But this year, it's barely registering. The Connecticut ruling is especially telling because that state had adopted a 'separate, but equal' civil unions law. This Boston Globe editorial nicely dissects why a policy which reserves civil marriage for straights just won't stand up under America's equality guarantees.

I predict several more American states will also experience similar rulings in the years to come. Hopefully they will help convince President Obama to reconsider his current opposition to equal marriage in America. ;-)

*************

On another note, this is the last day of the Canadian election campaign. Having spent the last month plus immersing myself in Canadian election coverage, it was interesting to head south of the border this weekend where there was almost no mention of our country or its election. I did read a fairly decent article in today's Wall Street Journal which mentioned that 'Canada's Conservatives' were expected to increase seats tomorrow, but probably not enough to form a majority.

I'll post later tonight with my overall thoughts on the Canadian election campaign, how it went for the party leaders as well as my predictions on seat counts.

Guilty pleasures for political junkies...

I've actually been enjoying this federal election campaign. The most striking difference from the last campaign would be the widespread use of rolling polls.

My favourite rolling poll has to be the daily CPAC-Nanos polls, mostly because of how accurately they called the 2006 election result. I usually log onto Nanos' site every day around 2 pm to check out the latest national party numbers. It's become like a drug for many Canadian election junkies...lol.

I also check out Greg Morrow's sensational DemocraticSpace.com/Canada 2008 site for daily fluctuations in seat projections based on a complex formula I don't understand, yet seems to be likely accurate, at least based on most polls.

There's also the always impressive Election Prediction Project, predicting seat totals since the late 1990s (when its bandwidth isn't exceeded.)

There are other fun gadgets around the net to play with. The Globe & Mail's Poll of Polls is cool.

The best site page of this political season: the Washington Post's Pick Your President page. Check it out asap if you haven't. And let's not forget 'Electoral-Vote.com'.

Yes I'm a nerd, I must admit. Election nights for me are like the Superbowl for football fans. I'm sure I'm not alone in that opinion...

And of course Warren's Clear Canadian Campaign Coverage always brings a smile to my face and great insight. A daily read for sure.

I check out other blogs or sites once and a while, but none as much as these gems. Please feel free to comment with the sites you can't stay away from this election...

Singer Clay Aiken finally comes out of the closet

I guess I could say, "It's about time!" But I don't think coming out publicly as a homosexual when you're a celebrity is ever an easy decision. I'm glad he's finally acknowledged it. Better late than never.

Other celebs who have come out recently have seen no damage, and frequently in fact advancements in their careers (ie. Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Fox, and Cheyenne Jackson, to name but three).

To be honest, this'll probably get Aiken more fans. All the power to him...

Brad Pitt admits to hot affair with male stripper...

Okay, the headline is fictitious, merely designed to evoke the kind of reaction that I'm sure Transformers hottie Megan Fox (pictured) will elicit with the new revelation that she had a lesbian affair at age 18. I don't buy it, but I'm sure Fox's many straight male (and gay female) fans won't mind and will buy more copies of the upcoming GQ Magazine as a result.

All the power to her. International stardom is a hard thing to build. Hot, young actors or actresses need to give their fans something to chew on if they're going to keep buying tickets and guaranteeing that star a higher salary. No, I'm not too cynical, am I?

Fox's lesbian affair couldn't be more perfect. Fox was 18 when it happened (of course), and it was with a Russian stripper named Nikita (In the words of the great Liberal ads from 2006, "We are not making this up.")

Fox is not the only female Hollywood star who is using male fascination with lesbo-eroticism to gain greater notoriety.

No matter how much I try not to, I continue to see stories about Lindsay Lohan's "relationship" with her female buddy Samantha Ronson and Lohan's father's never-ending disapproval. I'm sure he won't be happy reading about Lohan's upcoming same-sex wedding! Get over it and support your daughter, you dolt!

Do I believe any of these cooked up lesbian fantasies? Not really. Nor do I believe most Hollywood romances are real either.

But would I like to read about how Brad Pitt once had a hot affair with Edward Norton while filming Fight Club? Sure I would. How about Pitt and Tom Cruise while filming Interview With A Vampire? Okay, I won't go there...lol. Sorry, Tom, you are not gay! lol

Until then, I'll have to content myself with the latest book about John Lennon's alleged homosexual lust for Paul McCartney.

*******UPDATE********

Okay, as of Sept 23, Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson have apparently confirmed they're together. Okay, I guess I'm too cynical and will need to work on that...lol. I'll start by believing Megan Fox's stripper story.

TIFF: Two feet from The Edge, and still alive to talk about it...

A good friend from work, a gorgeous reddish-brunette named Deana, invited me to a Toronto International Film Festival party last night at the Soho.

The party for the Jimmy Page/Jack White/The Edge documentary It Might Get Loud, by Davis Guggenheim (who did 'An Inconvenient Truth') was pretty pumped.

We got there around 11:30 pm and it was almost too busy. Felt like no air conditioning at first in the main entrance area. It was a mixed crowd of rock lovers, of which I really don't claim to be. I'm more into Pop, Indie, Classical and Jazz. I'm not even much of a fan of Led Zeppelin or Jack White, but who of course doesn't like U2?

At one point, my companion and I, brave with a couple glasses of wine, got past a security guard's velvet rope after he told her her dress was "hot."

We wandered down a hallway to a kitchen area and, almost welcomed along, made a right through a different doorway into the special V.I.P area, otherwise cordoned off from the main party by walls and more efficiently guarded velvet rope.

It was definitely creamier. We immediately saw The Edge, chatting in a crush of well-dressed people. I turned to see Michael J. Fox having a chat with Jack White on a luxury sofa nearby. Davis Guggenheim was there. A few minutes later, Jimmy Page entered. We just stood by the wall, a bit overwhelmed and sipped our new glasses of champagne. At one point, The Edge stopped right in front of us, no more than two feet away. I tried to look nonchalant, but I don't think I convinced him. Of course, we said nothing. What do you say to a legend, "Oh my God, I really loved 'Where The Streets Have No Name'"? They moved along.

We enjoyed it for about five more minutes until we got busted by security and were politely shown the exit back to the main party.

It was fun while it lasted. We went on to great conversations with other party goers for the next two hours. Also enjoying themselves in the main party area with the rest of the peasants were Geoffrey Rush and Eric Balfour.

For more on the It Might Get Loud party, check this out.

Did we like the movie? I'll let you know after we both see it...lol

The amazing Matthew Mitcham!

With the Beijing Summer Olympics now wrapped up, I'll join the chorus of congratulations for Aussie dreamboat diver and openly gay Matthew Mitcham (pictured above and below), who won the gold medal for the men's 10-meter platform final in Beijing, denying China a clean sweep of this year's diving gold medals.

The adorable, 20-year-old Mitcham was the only openly gay male athlete at this year's games (there were nine lesbians out of the closet in competition), making this upset victory all the sweeter, not only for his home country, but for openly queer athletes everywhere.

You can read more about Mitcham here, here and here. Thanks to Gay Persons of Color for the tip today on Mitcham's win.

Montreal Simon also writes eloquently about the importance of Mitcham's win to gay youth around the world. Check out his lovely post here.

While I'm at it, let me also congratulate the Canadian Olympic team for its great performance this year, taking 18 medals, their best since Atlanta in 1996.

Canadian Adam van Koeverden came back yesterday from a tough week to finally score a silver medal in the men's K-1 500-metre final.

To celebrate, here's a nice pic of him directly below because we can never see too many...lol.

Snobby Rufus Wainwright should learn to respect his Toronto fans...

I've been a loyal fan of Montreal native Rufus Wainwright for 10 years. I've been a Torontonian for 13 years. Wainwright is one of my favourite performers today, I love all of his music. I also love living in Toronto.

It's too bad that Wainwright felt the need to spout off about his apparent contempt for the Big Smoke for Xtra recently.

Said Wainwright: "I hate visiting Toronto. I can't stand it. The place drives me mad. I have friends there, I work there, but I find it really hard to like. I will have to go back there, but I wish I didn't have to."

It sounds all so very Montreal/New York snobby, the kind of criticism we've gotten used to from types like Rufus, who himself couldn't wait to get out of Canada for New York and parts of Europe in his 20s. It's been funny listening to Wainwright struggle to compliment his native Canada for our progressive same sex marriage laws, while at the same time show general disregard for his birth country abroad.

I've attended numerous Rufus concerts in T.O. and have always felt he had a certain, subtle contempt for his Toronto audiences, people who had paid good money to see him perform. He once brought out a giant glass of red wine during his Convocation Hall concert and messed up a couple songs; I certainly didn't feel I got my money's worth at that one.

I think I might be through with Rufus concerts if this keeps up. Will I still listen to his music? Of course I will, but I'll probably only download it. Thank you Limewire! Maybe one day he'll learn to respect his Toronto fans and show a little love...

Despatie and Burnett do Canada proud...

Incredible performance by Canadian heartthrob diver Alexandre Despatie (pictured above) in the men's three-metre springboard Tuesday at the Water Cube, taking the silver medal.



Kudos also to Torontonian Jason Burnett (the redhead), who won the silver in the men's trampoline.

I'm so enjoying watching (the eye candy in) this year's Beijing Olympics...lol.

Click here for CBC's Olympics site...

All of our athletes are really starting to kick ass.

Yay for Canada! ;-)

Queen of pop Madonna turns 50 today!

The Queen of Pop turns 50 today! Wow, time flies. I remember first seeing her 'Lucky Star' video back in 1983 or so. This certainly makes me a bit old too. I was 11 back then, a mere puppy. Now I'm 36. Ugh. Well, at least I'm not (yet) 50! lol

Hallejulah!: Controversial U.S. church group stopped at border...

Read the National Post article here...

It's interesting to see a religious extremist group shut out of the country by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day.

This is a victory over despicable, hysterical hatred. Keep your poison south of the border, please...

************ UPDATE

Sadly, some of that poison did make it north of the border, the wackos claim.

My friend Warren Kinsella has a great post today about this issue. I completely agree with him when he asks what Ezra Levant and other Canadian "members of the lunatic, absolutist "free speech" league...Rex Murphy? Mark Steyn? The National Post? Macleans?" think of this. I'd like to know too.

'Dark Knight' hype is justified...

I saw Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' this past Sunday and was very impressed. Everything the pundits and critics have been saying about this flick was true: it is almost the perfect superhero movie for our morally ambiguous times, where the fine line between doing good and doing evil can often be blurred.

And yes, the late Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is mesmerizing and unforgettable. He blows Jack Nicholson's previous incarnation out of the water. And Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent character in this one makes Tommy Lee Jones' Two-Face (from the 1995 version of Batman Forever) look pathetically childish.

Longtime fans of Batman have told me that director Nolan has reinvigorated the franchise and returned it to its basic roots, putting to shame previous efforts in many ways. For those who haven't seen Nolan's first Batman Begins from 2005, it could be worth a look before seeing this one. But still, The Dark Knight is a self-contained masterpiece that will be talked about for years, I'm sure. Go see it.

I am so watching 'Weeds' this fall...

Wow. I couldn't help but notice the recent buzz about the TV show 'Weeds,' now well into its 4th season down in the U.S. on Showtime (Showcase will pick it up north of the border starting in September.)

It seems that 21-year-old actor Hunter Parrish (pictured above) has been causing quite a stir this season with American gay male fans, with frequent shirtless scenes and apparently this past weekend on Showtime his first butt shot. Considering the queer friendly vibe of the show, it's clear the producers are looking to expand their viewership greatly this season and they are certainly being smart about it.

Loved "How to Solve A Problem Like Maria?"

Summer is the time to kick back, enjoy the weather and catch a few summer blockbuster movies in air-conditioned theatres. And in recent years, it's also been the time to catch the odd summer evening T.V. hit, preferably light fare that only tries to charm.

This summer, for me, that T.V. show is the CBC's 'How To Solve A Problem Like Maria?'. Like many gay men, I've been a fan of the 1965 movie 'The Sound of Music' since I first saw it as a child. And there has been a decidedly gay bent to the CBC show this year: hosted by gay comedian Gavin Crawford, with at least one gay judge on the panel (the amazingly charismatic John Barrowman of Torchwood fame, whom I wouldn't be surprised to see play Captain Von Trapp in this fall's Toronto production alongside the winner) and as many as 10 very talented singing divas vying for the top spot. I've been hooked, as have about 700,000 other Canadians. For another take on the hit show, check out Xtra's article.

Good on CBC for such a success. This isn't Canadian Idol where the winner goes on to an uncertain and likely unsuccessful future. The winner on Maria goes on to star as the lead in this fall's remounting of The Sound of Music.

The final three - Elicia, Janna and Jayme - are amazing. Personally, I think Elicia will take the top prize but it could easily go to any of them. This Sunday night, they compete one last time with final performances, one is eliminated from competition and then Canadian viewers vote on the final two overnight, with the winner announced Monday night at 8 pm on CBC. You can bet I'll be watching!

*********** UPDATE JULY 29 2008 **************

As it turns out, I was correct predicting Elicia would take the top prize. I'm quite pleased. Watching the Sunday night show, I had a difficult time choosing between Elicia and runner-up Janna Polzin, but in the end gave Elicia my vote for her general likeability, her stronger ability to connect emotionally with the audience and her tomboyishness. That being said, I have no doubt that runner-up Polzin will go on to a great musical theatre career.

Surprising news out on Tues July 29, though, that the absence of Maria panelist Simon Lee from this weekend's final shows was due to more than simple 'personal reasons.' The National Post has the alleged sordid details here. Ouch.

Heath Ledger's Joker named 5th Best Movie Villain of All Time: Moviefone

Moviefone has published a very interesting list of their top 25 movie villains of all time. Landing at number five, just behind Anthony Hopkins' legendary performance as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, is the late Heath Ledger for his take on the Joker in this week's big release, The Dark Knight.

Only the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, Darth Vader from Star Wars and Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter are considered better screen villains by Moviefone. Ledger is two notches ahead of Javier Bardem's Chigurh from last year's No Country for Old Men (and Bardem won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that one.)

That's quite the accomplishment for the late actor and will no doubt add to the ongoing Oscar buzz surrounding his performance. I can't wait to see The Dark Knight.

What does this have to do with queer politics? Not much, except that I continue to admire Ledger for his tragically brief career and talent. He touched my heart so profoundly in Brokeback Mountain. It would be truly amazing to see him receive a posthumous Oscar nomination for his final screen performance, or indeed the Oscar this winter.

'New Yorker' cover might help dispel lingering anti-Obama prejudices

Six months ago, my mother sent me and various other members of our family an email string she had been forwarded with the subject heading, "read it - spread it - scary!"

The original emailer, some guy named Sam Meerkin, wrote, "I'm not an American, but I'm frightened at this revelation. Please tell all of your U.S. friends to beware."

The email went to list the litany of anti-Barack Obama prejudices with which we news junkies are now well familiar. This despicable underground campaign has been simmering in certain circles for months, even forcing the Obama campaign to launch its own website to counter the smears.

Now the shit hit the fan yesterday with the release of the New Yorker's latest edition, specifically the magazine's controversial cover illustration by the Canadian-born, Connecticut-based artist Barry Blitt, titled 'The Politics of Fear' (pictured). The Globe has a great piece today detailing the controversy.

The New Yorker says it intended the illustration as a satirical thumb in the eye of those who have attempted to smear Mr. Obama as unpatriotic or a terrorist sympathizer.

Initial reaction has been swift and predictable. The Obama campaign condemned the illustration, calling it "tasteless and offensive". The John McCain campaign agreed.

At the Huffington Post, the novelist Trey Ellis said that, while, "I get the intended joke ... dressing up perhaps the next president of the United States as the new millennium equivalent of Adolf Hitler is just gross and dumb."

A coalition of African-American media and political organizations called for the magazine to be pulled from store shelves, while irate readers deluged the publication's midtown offices with phone calls and e-mails that were met with automated responses.

Commentators on the right, who were the caricature's presumed target, reacted with glee. Many promised to sell T-shirts bearing the image.

I think those right-wing types simply expose their own stupidity by reacting this way. My initial reaction to the illustration was also mild outrage. Then I saw the media explosion that ensued yesterday in reaction. Clearly, the New Yorker has hit the mother load with everybody now talking and thinking about its latest issue.

Will this cover and the ensuing controversy actually hurt the Obama campaign? I highly doubt it. Quite the opposite.

Will it help expose these underground rumours and falsehoods that continue to make the rounds as the lies we know them to be? It may just. By bringing these whispers out into the open, we help dispel them. Such crap can't withstand the shining light of full public discussion.

The New Yorker cover is satire at its best.

ON HIATUS for early July

After a very successful June for this blog (almost 5,500 visits, my best month yet), I'm going to take a week or two off to re-charge, relax and enjoy this weather. Of course, if inspiration or outrage strikes, I'll be back with my thoughts. But until then, please take it easy and enjoy the summer.

Talk soon...

HAPPY PRIDE WEEKEND TO ALL!

See you after the lovely, long weekend!

Homophobic U.K. viewers push Heinz into pulling Deli Mayo TV ad

We've heard way too much complaining lately in Canada from conservative and religious activists about alleged censorship.

Many claim their right, for example, to promote hatred against the LGBT community by comparing us to pedophiles or drug dealers and publicly demanding followers "take whatever steps are necessary" to "reverse the wickedness of the homosexual machine" are legitimate expressions of religious faith rather than hate speech designed to dehumanize us and promote violence.

I completely disagree with most of their arguments on this issue. Most of these right-wing and religious types don't truly believe in equality and freedom, as they claim. They only believe in their own freedoms. In their minds, they have a right to dominate mainstream society and control the rest of us.

Compared to the LGBT community, when it comes to censorship, Christians have nothing to complain about. Gays have long been so absent from the mainstream, we don't even bother to complain about it anymore. When we do get a small piece of the mainstream pie, we are completely unsurprised when homophobes lash out and demand we be silenced again.

The latest example: Heinz Co. recently went out on a limb and produced a sweet, charming little commercial posted above showing two men briefly kissing. Hundreds of bigots complained about it, forcing the company to pull it. Read more about the sad story here. Big shame.

Should we expect new columns soon from Ezra Levant, Lorne Gunter and others like them decrying this latest example of anti-gay censorship? Let's just say I won't be holding my breath.

Queers struggle for Pride around the world

It's Pride Week in Toronto with two parades set for this weekend - the Dyke March on Saturday June 28th and the Pride Parade on Sunday June 29th. Once again, one million visitors are expected to attend at least part of the celebrations. All the info you'd ever need on Toronto's Pride can be found here.

We, in gay-friendly Toronto, often forget the struggles that queers continue to experience in other, less accepting parts of the country and most of the world.

In India, while several dozen activists have marched in Calcutta in recent years, organizers are preparing for their first gay pride parades in New Delhi and Bangalore this year.

A court in Jerusalem ruled yesterday to allow that city's outdoor Pride parade to go ahead this Thursday. During the 2005 gay parade in that city, an Orthodox Jew stabbed three participants. The assailant was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison. A year later the gay community held a closed event in the stadium of the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University amid pressure from religious elements in the capital.

Even in lovely Dublin, Ireland, this year's recent Pride celebrations were marred when a bomb alert occurred at the city's most popular gay pub. The bomb hoax at the George Pub - a grand establishment I had the pleasure to visit in 2004 - caused a major evacuation and the sealing off of a Dublin street.

Queers in the Czech Republic have also fought for their first chance to march. The so-called "Rainbow Parade" event, planned for this Saturday in Brno, has already caused controversies among far-right and Christian groups.

Beyond these and many other cities around the world, there are also many other countries where Pride celebrations remain a distant dream. Let's not forget that as we safely and responsibly party and celebrate our communities this weekend.

Study confirms my theory of homosexuality...

I'm a philosopher and a writer, not a scientist. But my beliefs and theories surrounding homosexuality (plus heterosexuality and bisexuality for that matter) have been largely informed by personal observations and experience, not by ideology or faith. I've read every article I can get my hands on dealing with the origins of queerness and why it seems that a relatively constant percentage of all human populations - crossing all demographics, religions, races, classes, etc. - continue to be primarily sexually attracted to their own gender.

Like many, I've found contradictory or inconclusive evidence. A recent theory - that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he'll be gay - is intriguing but I suspect probably false. Why? Because of my own personal experience. I have an older brother who is straight and married. I'm the middle boy who turned out gay. My younger brother is as straight as they come. Another study says that most gay men's index fingers are even length or longer than their ring finger (just like those of women). Not so for me: my index finger is much shorter than my ring finger, just like most straight men. So much for those theories. This article nicely dissects the various theories and studies circulating out there.

I'm beginning to suspect the roots of our sexuality are ingrained so intangibly within our human make-up that pinpointing the exact gene or exact biological or environmental condition that creates homosexuality in a person may be impossible, at least in terms of today's science. But just because we can't seem to pinpoint how a person's sexuality gets determined, of course doesn't mean such causes don't exist.

This study came to light this week showing that gay male brains have more in common with female straight brains than they do with straight male brains. The study also showed that lesbian brains have more in common with straight male brains than they do with straight female brains.

I've long given great credence to the notion espoused by some Aboriginal communities about 'Two-Spirited Peoples' or others about the so-called "Third Sex" or "Third (gay male) and Fourth (lesbians) Sex."

For me there are two primary forces that manifest themselves in the physical world: Female and Male. Both are equal, yet interchangeably linked, sometimes in conflict. On one end, we have the ultra masculine; on the other end of the spectrum, we have the ultra-feminine. All of humanity finds itself born somewhere along this spectrum. I know many heterosexual women with many masculine qualities. I know many heterosexual men who have many decidedly feminine qualities. At the same time, I know many lesbians whom I would never describe as "butch" and I also know many gay men who are decidedly "straight acting".

We all have varying degrees of masculinity and femininity. Yet when it comes to gender, the world is still pretty clear cut. All humans are either born female or male (with the exception of hermaphrodites). But of course, we don't all fit neatly into the social constructions of male and female, never have and never will.

Human beings don't choose where on the spectrum they'll be born. These innate characteristics are chosen for us, perhaps by fate, or by God, or what have you; our only choice is whether or not we'll accept who we are.

In my mind, homosexuals are those humans who are born near the very cusp between Male and Female. It does make sense to me that among the entirety of the human race, that a certain percentage of people would always be born with a good mix of both feminine and masculine. We don't choose this, it's just the way we turn out. Once born, we are locked in for life, at least in terms of sexual orientation, and why shouldn't we be? Yes, I am saying that gay men are men with strong female sides and lesbians are women with strong male sides. In a way, queer people blur the lines between the genders. I choose to see queers as bridging the divide between the genders, in a way saying that both are valid, equal and worthy of dignity, respect and love. I even ascribe a likely divine design to this reality.

This line of thinking is, of course, in great conflict with the current mainstream world views espoused in Christianity, Islam and Judaism. For a typical extremist Christian response to this week's study, check out this post. The Abrahamic religions have always been about one thing: male supremacy and female denigration. These religious traditions are inherently unhealthy and violate the spirit and dignity of humanity - and this is why these traditions will slowly, over the next few centuries, continue to decline.

Congrats to Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin

As same-sex marriage goes into effect across California at 5 p.m. today, longtime lesbian partners Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin (pictured in an AP Photo by Eric Risberg) will be the first lucky couple to get legally hitched.

Martin, 87, and Lyon, 84, longtime lesbian activists who have been together for more than five decades, have become symbols for the movement to grant same-sex couples the right to marry in the United States. The pair also were plaintiffs in the California Supreme Court case that led to the legalization of gay marriage last month.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to officiate at the couple's wedding tonight, just as he did for them in 2004 (their ceremony as well as many others sadly were deemed illegal by court ruling shortly thereafter.)

Most cities and counties across California are waiting until tomorrow (June 17) to issue same sex marriage licenses. My sincere congratulations to this longtime couple.

Mike Myers' man-crush on Justin Timberlake?: "I will confirm that, yes!"

On a day when others are worried more about Maxime Bernier's bad memory, or Howard Hampton's pending departure as Ontario NDP leader, or even Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, yes I'm more concerned with Justin Timberlake's apparently stunning package (not that those other issues aren't important, of course.)

Blatant and refreshing homoeroticism in mainstream P.R. to promote a Hollywood movie doesn't get any better than this! Canadian comedian Mike Myers, promoting his upcoming The Love Guru, spilled the beans to reporters recently about his co-star's Speedo-clad endowments. Apparently, the 'SexyBack' singer left cast and crew stunned when he stepped on to set in a pair of tight Speedo swimming trunks which left nothing to the imagination.

Myers said: "What is amazing about the Speedo is that they have to do a lot of special effects to reduce the size. Oh, yeah - you heard it here first, folks!" Mike also admitted he developed a man crush on Justin while they shot the film, which also stars new mom Jessica Alba. When asked if he was harbouring feelings for the 27-year-old star, Mike replied: "I will confirm that, yes!"

Justin recently revealed he felt confident in the tight trunks in the hilarious scene but found it tough when they became wedged between his buttocks.

Timberlake said: "This may be too much information but I was constantly digging out those wedgies. "I work out pretty diligently. At the time I was on tour, I worked on this film for 10 days. I was on tour so I was in shape."

True or not, with this kind of funny talk, I'll have to see Guru in the theatres rather than waiting for DVD (which was my original plan until yesterday.) Brilliant!

Shia LaBeouf's latest transgression shows how far we haven't come...

Ouch! Apparently in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 or whenever this video featuring Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf (pictured) was shot, it's still okay to casually use the word "faggot" between friends, especially when you're at a house party and drunkenly goading a friend into bitch-slapping you.

Now LaBeouf, 22, has apologized profusely for this latest transgression.

“The videotape that is currently being circulated is several years old and captures Shia playing a game among friends in which he uses a derogatory word toward a friend,” LaBeouf’s rep has said. “He regrets having used the word in any capacity and is very embarrassed that this footage is being seen by anyone.”

This follows a couple other incidents that got LaBeouf some unwanted attention - he was arrested last year for refusing requests to leave a drugstore in Chicago and an arrest warrant was issued for him in March after he was accused of failing to turn up in court to face a charge of smoking in a prohibited area in California. The trespassing charges were dropped and LaBeouf pleaded guilty to the illegal smoking charges and was ordered to pay a fine. Perhaps LaBeouf won't end up being the next Hollywood It Boy after all.

The similarities with Saskatchewan MP Tom Lukiwski's anti-gay 1991 video rant are remarkable. Whether it be in 1991 or 2006 or so, just serve your average straight guy a little alcohol, turn on a video camera and wait - the homophobic bigotries will spew out in good time. I guess we, as a culture, still have a ways to go before such casual bigotries disappear. I'd be curious to find out when widespread usage of the word "nigg*r" disappeared from casual, drunken conversations in mainstream society.

I had been under the impression that today's younger generation of men might be less homophobic and unwilling to use such bigoted language so easily. I'm sorry to discover I'm wrong.

Gutless U.S. courts should follow California's example

Wow! It's sad when your political leaders fail to protect you and your community from discrimination. But when gutless courts defer to those politicians who instituted discrimination in the first place, what recourse do we have? This is the reality in which many LGBT citizens in the United States (and in most countries) continue to live.

"A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court's dismissal of a lawsuit filed by 12 gay and lesbian veterans who had challenged the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The plaintiffs had all been discharged under the policy, instituted by Congress.

1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jeffrey Howard said in the decision issued Monday that while some people may question the wisdom of the policy, the court had to defer to congressional decision making. The policy prohibits the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members, but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or engaging in homosexual activity. The plaintiffs argued in their lawsuit that the policy violates their Constitutional rights to privacy, free speech and equal protection."

This U.S. policy is odious and completely unjustified! The gay military ban was lifted in Canada in the early 1990s without much fuss or fanfare.

This deference to legislative authority is simply a license to tolerate discrimination and injustice indefinitely. As we know, the politicians are usually the last to act to remove discrimination against minorities. The rights of minorities always play second fiddle to the urges and inclinations of the majority. It's shameful.

This ruling echoes similar cases in the U.S. where courts have been too gutless to enforce constitutional guarantees of equality (like the recent New York gay marriage case). Thank God the Supreme Court in California is willing to challenge politicians who do the wrong thing.

Today marks five years of equality for gays and lesbians in Ontario

I'd be remiss not to mention today's five year anniversary of equal marriage in Ontario, when the last legal form of discrimination against gays and lesbians was struck down.

Five years ago today, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that same sex couples had the right to marry and the court made that right immediate. Later that afternoon, the first legal same sex marriage in Canada took place between Torontonians Michael Leshner and Mike Stark.

Since then, it's estimated that 15,000 gay and lesbian couples have wed throughout Canada.

Thanks to lawyer Martha McCarthy, who was lead counsel in the historic case, for reminding me of this milestone with this great column in today's Globe & Mail. It's definitely worth a read.

Brokeback Opera

One of my favourite flicks - Brokeback Mountain - is headed to the opera stage. The New York City Opera has commissioned an opera based on the 2005 Oscar-wrangling flick about closeted cowboys that starred Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger (both pictured). The opera's set to open in 2013.

My response: Why not? I'm sure it'll be entertaining and beautiful to watch and hear. This also further confirms the long-term cultural significance of Ang Lee's landmark film. Remind me - what was that other film that beat out Brokeback for the Best Pic Oscar in 2005 again? Something pretty forgettable, if I recall correctly....lol.

Stats Canada: Anti-gay hate crimes the most violent in Canada

Stats Canada came out Monday with 2006 stats on hate crimes in Canada. The results confirm that hate crimes made up less than one per cent of all criminal incidents reported by police in 2006. Here are highlights from the report:

Police services covering 87 per cent of Canada's population reported 892 hate-motivated crimes in 2006, of which six in 10 were motivated by race or ethnicity.

Another quarter of hate crimes were motivated by religion, and one in 10 by sexual orientation.

The report said 56% of all hate crimes against homosexuals were violent, higher than the proportion of violent incidents motivated by race or ethnicity (38 per cent), or religion (26 per cent). Common assault was the most frequent type of violent offence.

As a result, incidents motivated by sexual orientation were more likely than other types of hate crime incidents to result in physical injury to victims.

Half of all hate-motivated crimes reported by police were property-related offences, usually mischief, while a third were violent offences such as assault, the study says.

Among the 502 incidents motivated by race or ethnicity in 2006, half were targeted at blacks, 13 per cent at South Asians and 12 per cent at Arabs or West Asians.

Among the 220 hate crimes reported by police to be motivated by religion, offences against Jews were the most common, accounting for 63 per cent of religion-based incidents.

Another 21 per cent were against Muslims and 6 per cent against Roman Catholics.

Young people aged 12 to 17 were more likely than older age groups to be accused of hate crimes. The 120 youth accused in 2006 accounted for 38 per cent of all persons accused of committing a hate crime – more than double the proportion of youth accused of committing non-hate crimes (18 per cent).

I remain contented that the police continue to report these kinds of unique crimes and relieved that these stats show that hate crimes remain a small percentage of overall crime in Canada. Of course, it's likely true that many hate crimes continue to go unreported by victims across the country.

I've often heard some criticize police stats like this, arguing we ought not to differentiate between hate crimes and other crimes. I agree that all crimes are serious, but when one is motivated to commit a criminal act against someone simply because of the victim's perceived membership in a group, we should treat such crimes differently. They are in a different category from the rest.

Furthermore, releasing stats like this helps remind Canadians that such acts take place at all. We have a tendency, as a culture, to sweep such hateful crimes under the rug and pretend they don't exist, perhaps because acknowledging is too disturbing.

I have never been the victim of a violent hate crime, thankfully. I've been verbally harassed and have felt threatened before based on my sexual orientation.

It's interesting that these stats reveal that anti-gay hate crimes remain the most violent, while those hate crimes committed based on race, ethnicity or religion were more property-related offences, usually mischief.

I suspect that LGBT citizens are less likely to report non-violent hate crimes. If someone scratched 'faggot' on my car or home, would I call the police? It's hard to say.

Equal marriage starts in California June 17

The California Supreme Court rejected challenges yesterday to its historic decision permitting same-sex couples to wed, clearing the way for same-sex wedding ceremonies starting June 17.

This means when Californians vote this November whether to reinstate a ban on same-sex nuptials, they will be clearly voting whether or not to take away rights already granted, which provides a very meaningful and important dynamic to such a vote.

This is a deeply emotional human story. Canadian queers have enjoyed the ability to marry since 2003 with few meaningful threats to take those rights away (except for Stephen Harper's half-hearted attempt to revisit the issue in December 2006.) For more insight on the actual people affected by this ruling and upcoming referendum, check out this article.

Lesbian was dissenting judge in California marriage ruling

I came across this very interesting story today. Apparently, one of the dissenting three judges in last month's historic same sex marriage ruling in California (which struck down that state's ban by a vote of 4 to 3) was none other than lesbian Judge Carol Corrigan, a Republican appointee.

This columnist, Ann Bradley, chastises Corrigan for her dissenting opinion, while this article merely chronicles Corrigan's reasoning. Both are good reads. Corrigan says she's in favour of gay marriage, but wasn't willing to use the power of the court to make it happen.

I find I agree with Bradley about Corrigan. To simply defer to majority opinion on the question of equality for long misunderstood and/or hated minorities is a bizarre position.

Here's an excerpt from Bradley's column:

"In her dissent in re Marriage Cases, self-proclaimed centrist Corrigan writes, "Californians should allow our gay and lesbian neighbors to call their unions marriages. But I, and this court, must acknowledge that a majority of Californians hold a different view, and have explicitly said so by their vote. This court can overrule a vote of the people only if the Constitution compels us to do so. Here, the Constitution does not. Therefore, I must dissent."

But Corrigan has it wrong. Justices are not activist when they elevate constitutional freedoms based on historic wisdom and current understanding. That's their job.

Corrigan's argument eerily tracks Justice Henry Billings Brown's 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson opinion affirming segregation: "We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff's argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so, it is not by reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it."

Echoing Brown, Corrigan writes, "Requiring the same substantive legal rights is, in my view, a matter of equal protection. But this does not mean the traditional definition of marriage is unconstitutional." And further, "The people are entitled to preserve this traditional understanding in the terminology of the law, recognizing that same-sex and opposite-sex unions are different. What they are not entitled to do is treat them differently under the law."

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice Ronald George accurately points out that language influences treatment.

"(T)he state's assignment of a different name to the couple's relationship poses a risk that the different name itself will have the effect of denying such couple's relationship the equal respect and dignity to which the couple is constitutionally entitled."

As it stands, it looks like an initiative that would again outlaw gay marriage in California has qualified for the November ballot.

Race a factor in U.S. presidential election

Definitely a TV report on the Kentucky primary everyone should see.

May 17th: International Day Against Homophobia

On 17 May 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. But the fight for the recognition of equal rights for lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender people did not end there.

Today around 80 countries in the world still criminalize homosexuality and condemn consensual same sex acts with imprisonment, of these 9 (Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) still have the death penalty. Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is still not recognized formally by the member states of the United Nations (even though human rights mechanisms such as the Human Rights Committee have repeatedly condemned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity).

The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) has been fighting against discrimination and for the recognition of equal rights of lesbian, gays, bisexual and transgender people since its creation in 1978. That is why ILGA is strongly committed to celebrating this second International Day Against Homophobia, launched one year ago by the International Day Against Homophobia Committee (IDAHO).

For more information, go to IDAHO's website.

Ontario to re-instate funding for sex change operations

I think this is the right move. Delisting OHIP funding for sex change operations 10 years ago seemed vindictive and petty, considering the tiny cost to the provincial treasury, and more inspired by the "Us versus Them" approach to public policy under Mike Harris.

A good friend of mine is a F-M transsexual. I met him when he was female and we both worked for one of the worst employers we both ever had. Despite the working conditions, we hit it off and became good friends. Several years ago, he took me aside and told me he'd always thought of himself as male, even though he had been born female (and was still at that time). He told me how he used to look in the mirror before puberty hit and see himself as a boy. Once puberty hit, it was downhill from there, depression set in and many years of anxiety and confusion. For him, sex re-assignment surgery was very necessary for his mental health.

For me, this is an issue of compassion and acceptance of reality. While $20,000 in one-time funding isn't much for the province to provide, it is a huge expense for individuals struggling to make ends meet.

There are, of course, many other urgent health care needs that the province should fund for the mental health and betterment of all Ontarians (IBI programming for autistic children being one that easily comes to mind, which the McGuinty government has shamefully failed to improve as promised).

But a good policy decision should be applauded and this is one.