Out in Toronto: Sept 24–30, 2015

Choice events in the city this week


Clubbin

Whatchu Know ’Bout Me: Back to School

Class is in session and your favourite ladies of hip hop are on the reading list: Lil’ Kim, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliot, Azealia Banks and Lauryn Hill. DJ “Principal” Orange Pekoe is spinning, and both attendance and dancing are mandatory.

Saturday, Sept 26, 11pm. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. For more info, visit Facebook.

Community

Proud to Vote

With the federal election soon upon us, various local organizations present a political debate on queer issues. Moderated by Brenda Cossman, the debaters are candidates Bill Morneau (Liberal), Craig Scott (NDP) and Chris Tolley (Green).

Thursday, Sept 24, 5pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. buddiesinbadtimes.com

Gaymers

Game n’ Gear Night

Kinky pups and pup enthusiasts gather for an evening of gear wearing, socializing and playing such games as Brawl, Mario Kart and Cards Against Humanity. It’s also an unintimidating way for newbies to the world of puppy play to get their feet wet (but not the carpet).

Saturday, Sept 26, 7pm. Glad Day Bookshop, 598 Yonge St. For more info, visit Facebook.

Sex

Sapphic Aquatica

Women and trans folk fantasize, flirt and fuck in a spa environment. When not getting wet in the pool (or the rooms, for that matter), attendees enjoy Carlyle Jansen’s workshop, Sex Yourself, and a performance by drag kings Spencer Munny and Maximum Capacity.

Sunday, Sept 27, 8pm. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. oasisaqualounge.com

Stage

Woven

Choreographer Peter Chin’s dance performance is about (as billing for the event says), “the spirit of traditional weaving communities” in Cambodia, Indonesia, Mexico and Canada. Called Woven, the performance includes live music, five dancers and a weaver.

Thursday, Sept 24Saturday, Sept 26, 8pm. Harbourfront Centre, 231 Queens Quay W. danceworks.ca

 

Gay Play Day

Now in its fourth year, this festival of queer theatre includes eight plays about the “queer experience.” It includes Josh Downing’s The Wedding, about a mother who won’t attend her son Alex’s wedding because she can’t say the words “gay wedding.”

Friday, Sept 25Saturday, Sept 26, various showtimes. Fraser Studio, 76 Stafford St. gayplayday.brownpapertickets.com

Comedy Whore: Fall Down Laughing

Mandy Goodhandy, the self-proclaimed first Canadian trans woman stand-up comedian, hosts an eclectic evening in the cozy nook beneath Club 120. It includes musicians and a lineup of comedians to go with your schmoozing and boozing.

Saturday, Sept 26, 9:30pm. 120 Diner, 120 Church St. 120diner.com

(For more event listings, visit dailyxtra.com/lgbt-events)

Jeremy Willard is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor. He's written for Fab Magazine, Daily Xtra and the Torontoist. He generally writes about the arts, local news and queer history (in History Boys, the Daily Xtra column that he shares with Michael Lyons).

Keep Reading

‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Season 5, Episode 5 power ranking: Grunge girls

To quote Garbage’s “When I Grow Up,” which queen is “trying hard to fit among” the heavy-hitter cast, and whose performance was “a giant juggernaut”?

‘Canada’s Drag Race’ Season 5, Episode 5 recap: Here comes the sunshine

We’re saved by the bell this week as we flash back to the ’90s

A well-known Chinese folk tale gets a queer reimagining in ‘Sister Snake’

Amanda Lee Koe’s novel is a clever mash-up of queer pulp, magical realism, time travel and body horror, with a charged serpentine sisterhood at its centre

‘Drag Race’ in 2024 tested the limits of global crossover appeal

“Drag Race” remains an international phenomenon, but “Global All Stars” disappointing throws a damper on global ambitions