It’s Still All Bad News

Bad news for our neighbours in Steeltown, as US Steel Canada announces plans to close its mills in Hamilton. But where will Canada’s gay steelworkers go?

It’s tempting to think they may end up in the arts, since The Star has been tripping over itself to play up a supposed exodus of artists down the QEW, but today also saw the cancellation of this year’s Canadian Film Fest, thanks to — you guessed it — the souring economy.

But it’s not all parties being cancelled in today’s Toronto diary. If you happen to be a student at one of Toronto’s post-secondary institutions, why don’t you take a break from your studies Thursday night, and enjoy the First Annual Hawt Spring Break Spa Luau, hosted by LGBTOUT and St. Marc’s Spa? The event says it’s designed to “to dispel the myth of the bathhouse and… firmly establish St. Marc Spa as more than a place of sex.” Sounds like a good mix of awkward and ambitious, which also fairly summarises my college sex life.

Rob Salerno is a playwright and journalist whose writing has appeared in such publications as Vice, Advocate, NOW and OutTraveler.

Keep Reading

Trans issues didn’t doom the Democrats

OPINION: The Republicans won ending on a giant anti-trans note, but Democrats ultimately failed to communicate on class

Xtra Explains: Trans girls and sports

Debunking some of the biggest myths around trans girls and fairness in sports

How ‘mature minor’ laws let trans kids make their own decisions

Canadian law lets some youth make medical or legal decisions for themselves, but how does it work?

To combat transphobia, we need to engage with the people who spread it

OPINION: opening up a dialogue with those we disagree with is key if we want to achieve widespread social change