Transmission from Toronto's Pride Weekend

PRIDE WEEKEND -- I am still recovering from this past weekend. It was a blur of rainbows, sweat, bass-laden music, and delicious Canadian queers and allies en masse. Church Street overflowed with couples, singles, and families of all varieties braving the fierce heat to bask in another glorious year of being out and damn proud.

2010 Pride is a memorable one for me, I admit. It marks the first time I have attended as an out woman which alters the entire landscape of the event. Even though I still have work ahead of me when it comes to integrating myself into the community, I know I can do it with the support of immediate family members and close friends at hand. Ah, revelations mingled with searing summer heat -- quite the way to usher in the season, I believe.

And, in usual Moffatt fashion, I turn to lists for the rundown:

Saturday, July 3/10

• Daytime hours: Not enough queer. In Toronto, Saturday Pride = Dyke March and all associated woman-centric events. Alas, I was without a companion to traverse the gorgeous grounds of the women-exclusive parties. Never fear, though -- much eye candy was to be had that night.
• Ship Sharp, The Advocate, and I dashed out to Toronto to see if we could catch the FREE Cyndi Lauper concert at Queen's Park. WHOA. What a line. The vendors were even fenced off to prevent a rush on the stage. The line circled all of Queen's Park. And no, that is not an exaggeration.
• Mad flurry of friend sightings from high school and beyond. Even encountered the one other queer girl from my year in secondary school -- it was fun to share one of those knowing glances with someone from the past.
• Headed over to Church Street with a mission in mind -- Ship Sharp was on-the-clock for work and scouting out some buff gentlemen for a popular CBC show. She and The Advocate scanned the crowd for biceps, I was distracted with the dense ratio of queer girls to all other groups in some areas. *Commence immature giggling at the wonder therein*
• Walked the length of Church Street, occasionally stopping for impromptu dance parties spilling out into the streets. Spotted a Japanese restaurant/bar I will need to hit up in the future.
• Marveled at the openness and excitement in all Pride revelers and the ease with which strangers can become fast friends. Ah, Pride -- it has such potential to bring out the best in us, even while it tends to encourage the unpredictable TNT (Totally Naked Toronto) men.

Sunday, July 4th/10

• MIZ MOFFATT ATTENDS HER FIRST MAIN PRIDE PARADE! ... She also wilted in the 35C weather. I even caved to wearing shorts. I have not worn shorts for about a decade prior to this past Sunday. It was serious.
• Gigantic step forward: Attended Pride with The Sister. And she was the one to suggest it. I even got to openly discuss Pride plans with the entire Moffatt clan. It was so surreal at times. Given the fact I came out to Lil' Brother and the parents last July/August, I found myself buzzing with such confidence and self-assurance.
• Also attended Pride with The Advocate! Again, I reeled with such excitement throughout this weekend. She is a proven Pride veteran and it was stunning to have her at my side for what would prove to be a landmark Pride weekend for me on numerous levels.
• ENTER: THE PARADE. Ah, the roar of the Dykes on Bikes is such a momentous start to a parade of this nature. Ha, and having the police encouraging the crowds to douse all officers on site with water to stave off the heat was a fun addition to the day. Such an about face from the destructive forces of last weekend's G8/G20 Summit -- the officers on duty carried rainbow flags, donned bright beaded necklaces, and were all a-glow with the energy of Pride. Serious, it is mind-blowing to witness.
• Found myself getting misty-eyed when PFLAG marched past. I imagine most queer kids experience that press of pride to see those parents walk past in full support of their children.
• Highlight: An EMS driver blaring the Spice Girls' "Stop" from his truck and tackling the pre-set dance moves as he drove. Brilliant.
• I quite appreciated the drag queen who dressed in royal regalia to honour Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Toronto (it coincided with the main Pride Parade). We joked about her being a "Queen among queens" for the weekend.
• No parade is complete without bagpipers. But queer bagpipers? Even more perfect.
• I also love the fact that two leaders of Canada's federal political parties manage to make appearances at Pride Toronto regularly. Jack Layton of the NDP donned a bright pink shirt and compiled an energetic, bright orange sea of dancers to celebrate. And, Elizabeth May of the Green Party rode her way through the parade on a rickshaw with a drag queen. God, I love Canada.
• The Sister, The Advocate, and I got to be all heroic-like for a girl who almost passed out in front of us. Like I said, the heat was raging that afternoon. The kids in front of us needed more water in them, methinks. Of course, The Sister came prepared with hand towels and tons of water while The Advocate knew where to douse the poor girl in order to cut the heat. We had a whole pocket of civilian medics leap in to help her out.
• After that point, the heat took hold and forced our group out of the parade lines. Serious, we were all flushed and exhausted after about an hour and a half of direct sun exposure. We relocated to a bit of shade on a side street, but the heat was unrelenting. We called it an early day to avoid passing out like that girl did in front of us.

***

EPIC. It's a shame we were forced from the street due to the intense sunlight. The UV index was a perfect 10 and sipping on hot water from plastic bottles was making the three of us a touch sickly. I also discovered The Sister must have been a camel in a past life -- she downed two and a half Gatorades and about three bottles of water in the couple of hours we were at the Parade. I had one bottle of water, The Advocate had two.

Intense.

All in all, I was pleased with the course the weekend took. Had the heat been cut in half, you best believe I would have been at those barricades until the Parade closed. I realize I still have quite a bit of work to go when it comes to developing connections within the community, but, sometimes, you just need to relax and let the clubbing beats take you in.

Rain on This Parade

While the rest of North America unfurls their rainbow flags and storms the streets with effervescent Pride, Toronto is bracing for an unpredictable weekend.

Saturday heralds the G20 Summit in our midst -- world leaders are mingling, police forces are building, and protesters are rallying (or whining, depends on an onlooker's POV).

And, one of the first casualties this weekend is, of course, Toronto Pride.

Rumours throughout the queer centres of the city signal to alternative Pride events taking place across Toronto, most of them quiet affairs set in private venues far removed from the front lines. As for the main parade and its overdose of glitter, local queers and our gorgeous visitors await the postponed festivities scheduled for July 3rd and 4th.

What a drag.

Granted, it's a difficult position to complain from -- I for one want nothing to do with Toronto this weekend. The G20 Summit and its crush of protesters promises widespread disruption and a distinct decrease in civil liberties in exchange for enhanced safety. I've heard the criticism over this complete erasure of official Pride celebrations for such a tense climate, but, well, I have to side with organizers on this one.

Pride Toronto attracts three million or more revelers to the city -- how wise is it to blend all that with protesters promising violence and police forces armed with sound cannons and riot gear?

Still, it's tough to know Toronto queers are missing out on celebrating 2010 Pride with our sister cities. Though, I imagine plan-oriented kids foresaw the issues at hand and prepared a two-part Pride celebration -- this weekend encouraged travelers to discover their Pride in other Canadian cities or other North American destinations while still leaving ample calendar space for Toronto's later activities. See? It's possible to find the hidden opportunities even within "Fortress Toronto."

In other news, I foresee difficulties on the horizon for July 3rd and 4th -- as of this moment, I am coming down with what promises to be a wicked summer cold. The same woman at work who made me sick for Thanksgiving 2009 and gave me the flu right in time for my Sister's New Year's Ever wedding has now passed on another nasty cold to me right in time for Pride.

Did I mention this would have been the first Pride I celebrated as a completely out individual?

Yep.

Nothing significant or anything, right?

I am more than irked. I could use stronger, more foul language to describe this news, but it is futile. The germs have taken root and are starting their slow infestation. Seems my immune system is taking its signals from the Summit this weekend -- it is mass chaos in a microcosm.

Bah, physical metaphors. Quit being so well-timed.

More updates to follow on both fronts. Here's to Toronto and this body of mine making it out alive.

Cyndi Lauper + Free Pride Concert?!

Pride Toronto: WELL DONE.

While researching various 2010 summer festivals in Toronto, I naturally wandered over to the Pride website for details. Pride Toronto celebrates their 30th anniversary this summer and events are scheduled to rock the downtown core from June 25th to July 4th.

Little did I know what stunning information I would stumble upon.

On Sat. July 3rd, Cyndi Lauper is headlining a FREE CONCERT at Queen's Park. FREE, people. She is going to celebrate Toronto Pride and let us join her FOR FREE. Don't believe me? Check out the press release for yourself.

Former attendees to Pride celebrations in Toronto will note this as the first year Queen's Park numbers itself among the official venues for the festival. We're branching off from the main Gaybourhood of Church and Wellesley and the alternative scene on Queen St. West. In addition to the massive weekend draw of a FREE Cyndi Lauper show at Queen's Park, visitors will also find an array of queer-friendly exhibitors and a "beverage garden," as the site calls it.

KYAAAA, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL JUNE! I'm aiming for this to be the first visit to the official Pride Parade. I've been to the Dyke March twice and I also plan to mark this summer for the third visit. Still, I want to be part of the energy for the MAIN SHOW. And this is also my first Pride after coming out to all those nearest and dearest to me. 2010 -- it's a big deal, folks.

Now, if you will excuse, I am off to sing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" at the top of my lungs. I best prepare as early as possible.

Pride Weekend In Retrospect

So here we are, at the tail-end of another weekend full of sunshine, gorgeous women, and a whole lotta Pride.

I warn you now -- I'm not much of a 'scene queen.' I'm the quiet, reflective type who tends to hang out and observe from the sidelines. Regardless of that, I do have a story or two to share from the Pride events this year. So, let's not dally -- HERE WE GO!

Friday, June 26/09

I arrived home from work right as O'Neill was pulling into our driveway. O'Neill is a very close, and also very queer, friend of mine from my bright, shiny days as an undergrad. He was the first person I ever REALLY came out to and he is one of the few people who knows enough dirt on me to blackmail me from here to eternity if he so desired (but hey, I'm in the same position with him, too, for the record.) 

I was debating for about two weeks as to whether we should check out the 2009 Clam Slam (aka. The All- Queer Roller Derby Event) happening on the 26th. Trust me, I was salivating at the thought of it. However, after pouring over a map of the event location, I realized there was little chance of our traveling there. It's WELL OFF the beaten track in terms of TTC routes I'm familiar with. Plus, I knew it would be a hectic crunch to run from work to an evening event and then wake up bright and early for the next day. 

Alas. It was a no-go in the end.

O'Neill and I still had a great time, of course. I took him to a restaurant called Ami Sushi where I got to show off my recently-acquired chopstick skills. (I'm still very proud of that -- I was terrible with chopsticks up until, oh... maybe five months ago?). I tell you, there is nothing finer than tofu steaks and veggie tempura. *Drools at the memory* And O'Neill got to try miso soup for the first time and discovered the wonder that IS the bento box. Good times.

We finished the night off with tea, epic amounts of chocolate, and a glorious Japanese television show that featured an epic 24-hour game of tag. HARD. CORE.

Saturday, June 27/09

... And so began the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR, second only to Christmas -- THE DAY OF THE DYKE MARCH.

I put quite the bit of effort into this year's DM outfit. I decided to femme it up some and opted for this clingy, star-spangled black shirt I bought about a year ago. Picture this: a corset-like gathering around my waist, a trail of black ribbon down my back, a rather plunging neckline (for what I'm used to, anyway), and some short sleeves to show off all the hours I've spent at the gym. Mmm hmm. I felt fine. 

I even splurged on breakfast -- I made our classic "Toad in a Hole" (aka. A piece of bread with an egg fried right into the middle), some fresh watermelon and strawberries, and some heirloom tomatoes with olive oil, basil, and goat cheese feta. I know -- I was impressed with myself. Gotta have a breakfast to take pride in. *Will try and stop with Pride puns*

After that, it was an odd start to the day:

• Missed the 11:30 am Go Train.
• O'Neill helped a tourist carry her bags up a flight of stairs and her husband tipped him with an American $5 bill (Whoo hoo!)
• My camera batteries died right as we were going to take the first photos of the day. Did not come equipped with back-ups.
• Waited for, and caught, the 12:30 pm train. Got to be obscene and lather myself with sunscreen on our trip in. (I'm very pale and very obsessive about my skin care. And yeah, low-cut shirt + sunscreen = Fun for every commuter in our car.)
• Played "Spot the Other Queers" on our trek in to the city.
• Cruised in to Union Station at 1:15 pm. Opted for the subway to make sure we got to The Gaybourhood on time for the March.

OH MAN -- I tell you, it's such an amazing rush of excitement to step out of the subway station at Wellesley, especially during Pride. We were greeted with thudding bass lines, semi-naked women and men, and more rainbow flags than the eye could handle. It's just like when Dorothy Gale steps out of her hurricane-battered house and enters the colourful, magical world of Oz for the first time. I understand now why Judy Garland is considered a gay icon.

As we were walking down Yonge Street to the start of the March, we ran into some folks we'd known through various queer events/groups on campus. Hmm.... seems like that background story is better left to another post. All I can really say is, the group is definitely fun and energetic, but O'Neill and I just never clicked with them. We were two different worlds, it seems. Anyhow, regardless of that, we stuck with the crew and celebrated the March with them.

Oh, how exciting the roar of those motorcycles are. The Dyke March starts with this intense cavalcade of Dykes on Bikes. I WISH I had my camera at a moment like that -- the parade was held up for a minute or two (not sure why) and all these women from the sidewalks poured out onto the street to get their pictures taken with some of the dykes. There were studded jackets, bikini tops, riding crops, and Pride flags EVERYWHERE for a brief moment. I totally would have gotten O'Neill to snap a few shots of me right in the middle of the mayhem.

I got to see my Roller Derby gals, too. AND I found out later that the Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club was in the March again this year!! They were the honoured group at the 2008 March and they returned for more girl-on-girl boxing action for 2009.

Nothing like fit women and a portable boxing ring to make any queer girl's heart sing.

I was beaming the entire time. What an experience it is to see queer, bi, and trans women of all backgrounds and age groups marching together and getting hollered at by all us ladies on the sidewalks. As you can see from the above photo, there are no barricades in place to separate the crowd from the procession, so there's this inclusive sort of energy that takes root. I mean, even though I was watching from the side lines, I still felt a part of the entire event. Haha, at least they didn't end this year's March with the entirely anti-social street cleaners that both metaphorically AND literally swept us away from the sidewalks.

After that, O'Neill and I headed down Church Street to check out the merchant stalls and to do a bit of crowd gazing. I feel like I'm gushing here, but it's still such a rush to be in the middle of the biggest queer gathering in Toronto -- I mean, you've got families with young children covered in rainbows; you've got the baby dykes and the twinks; there are the bears, the cougars, and all the cubs; you've got members from the 50+ queer groups; there are trans girls and bois; you've got straight allies showing their support -- EVERYONE is there. I always feel so fresh, energetic, and included during Pride. We were there for, what... maybe 5 hours or so, and I had this perma-smile plastered on me the entire time.

I even managed to pick up some of those rainbow, silicone bracelets in support of PFLAG. At long last, I own a piece of unabashedly queer-related jewelry. Haha, it was my goal to find an item this year and hey, it even supports an excellent organization that protects and informs queer youth and their families.

Had a late lunch/early dinner at a spot called Brownstone Bistro & Bar on Yonge St. It's classy, cafe fare with a clean and charming atmosphere. Had a grilled veggie, open-faced sandwich with a side salad and a bottle of Sleeman's Clear. (Yes, I'm obsessed with food -- can you tell? ;))

We took a second stroll down Church Street to get one last burst of Pride and then walked back to Union Station. It's such an amusing trek, I have to say. It's almost as if the volume on life gets turned down the further you walk from Church. And, I mean, that's not just because it's the Pride weekend -- even if it's a regular day, you can feel the mood shift. Not to mention, you can pick out fewer and fewer gay boys and girls the further you stray from the main hub of Church/Wellesley. You realize you're entering the "Real World" again. Paf.

Anyhow, we picked up some Dairy Queen at Union and hopped back on the train. O'Neill had to duck out once we got back to my place since he had plans with his boyfriend for today (Sunday, June 28). I'm still a bit down that I had to miss the main Parade for another year in a row. I've never actually had the chance to attend the big, blowout event that caps off the entire week. 2008 was the first time I'd ever attended ANY Pride events (that was for the Dyke March) and yeah, I'd been hoping to get to the main event this time around. 

I've decided that I need to find a lesbian entourage that will be available for the Pride parade. That, or I just need to come out to my high school friends since I know they'd all be down with the events. (I went to an arts' high school, we were/are all very liberal). 

It's something I still struggle with -- trying to find a niche for myself within the queer community. I mean, O'Neill and I are tight and I love the bond we've created as a couple of gay nerds. But, the same issues remain: A) There are only two of us to attend major events, and B) We both unintentionally cock-block one another. (e.g. I block all the boys from hitting on O'Neill and O'Neill blocks all the girls from hitting on me). HAHA, it's quite the conundrum. I think we just need to expand our ranks a little and then we'll be in a good place. Divide and conquer, that's what I vote for.

Alright, seems as though I've rambled quite a bit for this evening. Here's hoping that the rain during the day never dampened the energy of the LGBT kids in the city. Hope everyone had a crazy Pride weekend and I hope that the hangovers don't treat you too rough tomorrow morning for work. ;)

BRB

BRB -- TORONTO DYKE MARCH @ 2 PM.

Just found out this year's honoured group is the all-women's Toronto Roller Derby League.

SO. EXCITED.

*Rainbow fireworks!*