==> LOOKING FOR YOUR IDEAS (MAR 24 or 25, 2012)Here you will find news about the Club and articles contributed by LYC-Toronto members, our Committee, and (occasionally) non-members - updated periodically as items are submitted. If you have an item that you think may be of interest to our members or the rest of the world, please submit it to toronto@longyangclub.org. We reserve the right to reject submissions or edit them where necessary. Please indicate how you would like the article be signed.
We will still be publishing an online Newsletter for members only, but future content will be published as a web page (or pages) only, rather than in a downloadable PDF format. If you are an LYC-Toronto member you can find the latest content here.
==> LOOKING FOR YOUR IDEAS (MAR 24 or 25, 2012)Members who have come to most of the club events in the past half-year have probably noticed that the second event in each month has been lunch or dinner at a downtown restaurant. We think it is time for something different.
If you have ideas for an event you would like to help organize, the club is open to suggestions. So, think of those things that you like to do that you are passionate about, and come up with an event suitable for up to about 20 people to do as a group. Think of sports, culture, recreation and games as just a few areas to be considered. We are looking not only for this month, but throughout the year for ideas.
Describe your idea in a paragraph or two, and e-mail it to the club at toronto@longyangclub.org. We are looking forward to seeing it. If you can, please include a telephone number so we can discuss it with you.
Our February 2012 dinner at Young Thailand Restaurant (Parliament St.) was well attended with 18 members and friends which included a few people we had not seen in months. The restaurant is nicely decorated - although a few people questioned the dim LED lamps over the artwork, and we speculated on the purpose of the long ramp. But the food and service was good, and the turnout showed that having a dinner a little away from the village and the subway was not an obstacle to people turning out.
Find out more information.
Press Release (PDF): Comedian Dat Phan to Headline International Gay Conference
James Dubro, a writer who we were privileged to have speak at a recent Potluck, writes in Xtra! about the passing of an era:
http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Elegy_to_Club_Toronto-8528.aspx
In the article one of our members, Fred Strickland, talks about his wild youth and visits to the Club!
Ed, our President, who hosted the lunch, reports that there was a big turnout. Despite the inclement weather 14 people came to the Japanese lunch. It was extremely nice of the Sushi Supreme restaurant to provide complimentary endamame appetizer and green tea ice cream dessert. It was a wonderful Japanese lunch for a wonderful price and service. Great intimate conversation including the Winter Olympics, which Michael got to see in Vancouver--he recently arrived in Toronto from a long trip. Next time don't miss this highly recommended Japanese hang out and LYC lunch. We guarantee that you will like it. For next month, we will do dimsum.
Ed
President, LYC-Toronto
We just received an email from Tony Crespo, a gay NYC Police Officer, about problems the LGBTI community in the Philippines is having. Tony's email is included below. As he says, our brothers and sisters abroad need our help. Also, Tony's story as an out gay police officer who was presented with the Medal for Valor by the New York City Police Department for saving the life of a fellow officer is inspiring: please take a look at his website.
Paul.
==========================================
From:
Tony
To:
info@apifamilypride.org, apicha@apicha.org, contact@apipridecouncil.org, info@apgf.org, gapsn@gapsn.org, info@dragonfliesofdallas.org, robert@gapa.org, tarrance@gapa.org, Tony@gapa.org, lycnj@aol.com, toronto@longyangclub.org, info@afcmh.com, president@anfatlanta.com, vpresident@anfatlanta.com, secretary@anfatlanta.com, treasurer@anfatlanta.com
Date:
Hi
I am contacting your organization in an effort to spread the message of discriminatory remarks made by the Commission on elections against the LGBTI Community in the Philippines. I have been contacted by the producers of this video, Mr. Jethro Cuenca Patalinghug, who lives in the Philippines. Mr. Patalinghung has personally asked me to help him here in NYC to spread the message. We would like to know if it is at all possible if you can somehow link this video to your organizations Web Site. We are trying to make as many people within the Asian and Pacific Islander community aware of what has been going on in the Philippines. Our brothers and sisters abroad need our help in trying to spread the Universal message of claiming that WE ARE NOT IMMORAL. A simple link will help us spread this well made Video which can be viewed on YouTube at the following link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ6r1ri8gNw (embedded below)
We would also like to encourage all the viewers of the video to post or create their own "I am Not Immoral" video and post it to the YouTube Video Responses.
Consolidated reactions of different LGBTI individuals from the Philippines resulting from the discriminatory and unjust act of the Commission on Elections when they rejected the LGBTI political party Ang Ladlad to run for the 2010 Elections on the grounds of "immorality".
If there are any questions that you may have please feel free to contact us at the following:
In NYC
Tony Crespo
(718) 507-5552
www.nycgaycop.com
In the Philippines
Jethro Cuenca Patalinghug
+63-906-2979922
Email Address: jethp21@yahoo.com
Team Pilipinas Organization
Email Address: teampilipinas.org@gmail.com
Yahoo Group: team-pilipinas@yahoogroups.com
Google Group: team-plipinas@googlegroups.com
http://teampilipinasorg.multiply.com
+63-916-2826781=
Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, C.M. is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, a large congregation of progressive Christians. On Sat. Jan. 9, he talked to LYC Toronto about the relationship between sexuality and spirituality. He assured the attentive audience that GLBT people have no reason to believe that there is any conflict between their sexuality and Christianity. True Christianity embodies God's love for all people without exception or condition. He illuminated his talk with the story of his personal growth from a child of fundamentalist parents in rural New Brunswick to senior pastor, energetic fighter for equal rights for all, implacable opponent of ignorance and bigotry. The history of the fight for equal rights, in which Brent has been involved for more than 30 years, rounded out the talk. This fight has progressed much further in Canada than in most other countries, but he reminded us that even in Canada this fight is �far from won, and that in some other countries GLBT people are still so disadvantaged that they can be imprisoned or even executed merely for attempting to express their sexuality. The audience showed by its questions at the end of the talk that they are very interested in this subject and are eager to learn more. LYC Toronto thanks Brent for taking time from his busy schedule to talk to us.
Bruce
Membership Officer
Footnote from Paul:
This was our first Potluck at St. Andrew's, a modern building adjacent to the subway and ample parking. We were in a different room than the one we will normally be in, but it should prove to be a good place to hold our potlucks in the future.
Although our last two locations have been churches and our guest speaker this time was from MCC, LYC-Toronto is not a faith-based club, and we embrace members and guests from all religions, or none. Nor are we a political or activist group, but a social club.
That being said - and not being a churchgoer or much of an activist myself - I now understand how Brent has the ability to move my friends to tears with his church sermons. I was greatly moved by his history of gay rights here, and he reminded us that not only has he been honoured as a Member of the Order of Canada - remarkable that a gay rights activist should receive one of our country's highest honours - but also posesses a bullet-proof vest, dating back to when he performed the first same-sex marriages here in Toronto.
Unfortunately, most of the photos taken at the potluck didn't turn out so well, so I won't be posting any this time around.
Pride parades in all metros, the historic Delhi High Court's verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, relaunch of India's first gay magazine Bombay Dost, the Indian Election Commission's decision to recognize transgender as a separate category... �the pink flag is rising over India, queer (or LGBT - lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) visibility is increasing.
Mainstream Indian cinema too has recognized this to an extent, with queer characters in several recent films (still mostly negative though). But there are still many undiscovered, unseen films with queer themes that have neither reached the movie hall nor had a platform to reach wider audiences. These are the small budget, independent films, short films, documentaries and projects by media students.
Kashish - Mumbai Queer Film Festival, 2010 is an attempt by Solaris Pictures and Bombay Dost to unearth these films and showcase them, celebrating the creativity of the filmmakers (whether heterosexual or queer) and the increasing visibility of the queer community. The festival will offer cinema as a medium to understand what being queer means today and how it impacts both the queer community and the society at large.
"Our vision is to not only encourage original Indian queer cinema but also showcase it to queer and mainstream audiences both, in order to make them aware about Indian queer thought, desire and expression," says Sridhar Rangayan, festival director. "We want to reach out to as many Indian filmmakers and audiences as we can."
Bombay Dost has been screening queer themed films, both indigenous and those made abroad, for nearly six years. Known as 'Sunday High', these events are held twice a month, yet there is a felt need to have a film festival such as Kashish to bring together the audience, the films and their makers.
Kashish will be held between April 22 and April 25, 2010, and will be spread across two venues in Mumbai - one in the city and one in the suburbs. Features, short films, documentaries and experimental films will be screened, highlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters and stories. The films will explore the diverse realities, complexities, joys and sorrows that make up the Indian queer experience as well as celebrate, reclaim, and explain LGBTQ identities while engaging and entertaining audiences.
Eminent personalities from films, art, fashion and media and queer activists will be part of Kashish selection committee and jury for its competitive sections, which will carry awards.
The festival will push the envelope even further by including films made outside India but those which relate to the Indian experience - films from the Indian Diaspora. Several prominent desi filmmakers from the US and the UK will exhibit their films at Kashish. In addition, two internationally acclaimed curators will showcase recent cutting-edge queer films from North America and South-East Asia in a special package.
A series of discussions about on Indian queer culture and its portrayal on film, and a photo-exhibition will also be a part of Kashish.
Kashish is being organized by Solaris Pictures and Bombay Dost.
Kashish is supported by "Movies That Matter" (an initiative of Amnesty International in the Netherlands).
For more details, please contact:
Sridhar Rangayan (Solaris Pictures), Festival Director
Email: kashishmqff@gmail.com