4 queer and trans happenings the week of Dec. 10

What to watch, read, listen to or look at now

What to watch:
Isolated

Social X’s Henrique Magoo. Credit: Courtesy of instagram.com/henriquemagoo

The second episode of YouTube channel Social X’s new documentary series, Isolated, is available to watch now. The person behind Social X, Henrique Magoo, created the series to shed light on how LGBTQ2S+ artists and musicians in Canada and around the world are dealing with the difficulties of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The documentary features queer artists like Toronto drag queen Lucy Flawless and Berlin-based trans performer and model Kalil. Episodes from the series are being released weekly on YouTube, but the full documentary is available to stream on Social X’s Patreon. 

The second episode of documentary series, Isolated, is now available to watch on YouTube. The full documentary is available on Social X’s Patreon

What to read:
Good White Queers? Racism and Whiteness in Queer U.S. Comics by Linke Kai

Berlin-based educator Linke Kai is releasing his latest book, Good White Queers? Racism and Whiteness in Queer U.S. Comics, on Dec. 15. The author has a PhD in American studies, and his work focuses on queer and trans issues, racism and whiteness. The new book analyzes LGBTQ2S+ representation in U.S. comics and questions how white queer creators portray their own whiteness in titles like Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For and Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse. 

Good White Queers? Racism and Whiteness in Queer U.S. Comics by Linke Kai will be available on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada on Dec. 15. 

What to listen to:
“Some Gravity” by Regulus Red

Regulas Red.

Italian-Welsh pop singer Regulus Red is releasing his latest single, “Some Gravity,” on Dec. 11. The song reflects on love and the pop singer’s current relationship with his boyfriend of two years. Just in time for some holiday canoodling, the ’80s inspired single is an uplifting reflection of love, packed with vibrant, retro-synth instrumentals. 

 

“Some Gravity” by Regulus Red is available on Spotify and Apple Music on Dec. 11.

What to look at:
Roasted Chestnuts virtual fundraiser

Toronto’s Queer Orchestra Songbook.

The Queer Songbook Orchestra is presenting their sixth annual Roasted Chestnuts fundraiser virtually this year on Dec. 17. The Toronto-based 13-piece pop ensemble aims to showcase and uplift queer narratives through pop music. This years’ event is in support of the Toronto-based, youth-led organization Black Women in Motion, dedicated to empowering and supporting the advancement of Black women and survivors of sexual violence. The event will feature a gayly curated selection of songs, including previously filmed full-ensemble performances and new remote performances. 

The Queer Songbook Orchestra’s Roasted Chestnuts holiday fundraiser takes place on Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. EST. Tickets for the event are available here.  

Sarah Taher

Sarah Taher is a Toronto-based multimedia journalist. She is an associate producer at CBC News: The National. Her freelance work can be seen in Xtra and The Pigeon, where she typically covers LGBTQ2S+ arts and culture, intersectional identities, and religion. Sarah has a BA in Journalism from Humber College. You can follow her on Twitter @sarahftaher

Read More About:
Culture, Books, Music, Event listings

Keep Reading

Karla Sofía Gascón as Emilia Perez in Emilia Perez. Gascón wears black with colourful embroidery, has long hair, and a brown purse and delicate chain.

Trans cartel musical ‘Emilia Pérez’ takes maximalist aesthetic to the extreme

REVIEW: The film’s existence raises intriguing questions about appropriate subjects for the playful machinations of French auteurs
Dorothy Allison sits behind a microphone. She has long, light-coloured hair and wears glasses and a patterned button-up shirt.

5 things to know about Dorothy Allison

The lesbian feminist writer passed on Nov. 6

‘Solemates’ is a barefoot stroll through the history of our fetish for feet

Queer historian Adam Zmith’s newest book allows us to dip our toes into the past of a common, yet stigmatized, kink

‘Masquerade’ offers a queer take on indulgence and ennui 

Mike Fu’s novel is a coming of age mystery set between New York and Shanghai