It’s June, and that means Pride is upon us. This year, Pride Toronto has upped the celebrity quotient significantly with recognizable names like Cyndi Lauper, Chaz Bono, David Furnish, John Waters, and Pussy Riot all participating in some capacity.

As usual, there is plenty of opportunity to party throughout the 10-day festival, and here’s a list of some highly recommended events  for our readers check out.

Sweetness Pride BEACH PARTY – Sunday June 21st

Headlining the event all the way from Tel Aviv will be the circuit king Aron, along with London’s stunning Jodie Harsh and Toronto’s own Jeremy Khamkeo.

Bend It Like Bombay – Friday June 26th

Celebrate with International Grand Marshall, Bollywood superstar and activist Celina Jaitly, and Besharam’s DJ Amita. With tantalizing performances by musicians, activists and fusion dancers such as, Bollywood fusion dancers from Divine Heritage Artistry and Broken Dance Company,

50 Shades of Blu – Friday June 26th

Massive dance party with Sydney Blu, Alyson Calagna, Joel Smye, and more

Drag ON! – Saturday June 27th

Kitty Glitter returns to Pride Toronto all the way from Sydney, Australia. Joining her will be her many drag brothers and sisters, leading up to headliner Bianca Del Rio as you’ve never seen her before! Winner of last year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bianca Del Rio will take the stage at 7pm to host the evening.

Bear Garden – Saturday June 27th

The night will host incredible international and local entertainment like LA superstar Paulo, Grammy Nominated Dave Audé, Vancouver’s bear-licious Nick Bertossi and Toronto’s cutie Neill MacLeod ft. Sima.

Dirty Disco – Sunday June 28th

Hosted during the day by Miss Raquel, followed by the Juno Award winning MC Flipside in the evening, who will introduce talents such as JELO, Deko-ze, Robb G, Ticky Ty, Jerome Robins and much more.

Pride Toronto happens June 19th to 28th, 2015 throughout the city.

Bryen Dunn, Editor-in-Chief

The post Happy Pride, Toronto! appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

As well, in honour of Toronto hosting the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games this year, there will be a special presentation of a Sports Hero Award to our communities inspiring LGBTQ Athletes. Mark Tewksbury (swimmer and Canadian Gold Medal Olympian), Fallon Fox (USA Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter), and Kinnon Mackinnon (Canadian power lifter who competed at the Gay Games) will be presented with a Sports Hero Award.

These individuals will be joined by Barbara Hall, a former Mayor of the city of Toronto who was name Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, George Pratt, one of the first to invest in queer entertainment in the Church and Wellesley village, MPP Cheri DiNovo who officiated the first legal same-sex marriage, and Ashley Murphy who was born with HIV and was on life-support until she was five months old, and who has now devotes herself to helping other people with HIV and AIDS.

On top of all this fabulousness, there will be even more fabulousness with the wide array of entertainment happening throughout the evening. Celebrate the LGBTQ community and friends; while enjoying a cocktail reception with host Ryan Hinds, followed by the ceremonies hosted by comedian Shannon McDonough and PROUD FM Host Richard Ryder. There will also be a late night buffet, and dancing in the garden under the stars.

Performances include Darcy Feaver, Guy Moreau, Singing Out Choir , Johnny B Goode, Forte Men’s Choir, and multiple JUNO award winning Simone Denny will take the stage at 11:30 PM to celebrate our diverse LGBTQ* community. Special late show will be made by Donnarama, Carlota Carlisle, Eve Summers, and Boa.

The 5^th Annual INSPIRE Awards will take place at Hart House, May 29^th 2015.

Click here for a full list of nominees and recipients, and to purchase tickets.

The post Inspire Awards offers Celebrities, Cocktails, and Celebration appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

This winter was yet another harsh one for many across Canada, and throughout the United States, as temperatures dropped well below freezing for extended periods of time. As well, who can forget the first big storm of this winter? Our dear neighbours in Buffalo just south(?) of us had upwards of a few metres of snow dumped on them literally overnight in November. Niagara Falls also froze over for the second year in a row, drawing many people out of their homes to view this rare sight.

Over the next couple of weeks, things will slowly change as we transition into another season. We really are lucky to live in a region that does offer a full circle of experiences in all four seasons. I can’t imagine living somewhere with the same weather pattern all year round. While some grumble and complain about the cold, or the heat, we can all take comfort in knowing it’s not permanent. We have four seasons, so why not make the best of all of them?

Although I will miss winter, this (almost) spring-like day has put a little ump into me, knowing that my next seasonal experience is about to begin. I do have to admit that the longer daylight in the summer is quite welcome, and perfect for outdoor lounging and activities. For those who dream of the sweat and heat those dog days of summer can bring, today must provide a huge smile of things to come.

For all of you that have been in hibernation these past few months, welcome back. I for one am going to be outdoors watching the later sunset this evening, and looking forward to my next season of adventures.

Whichever season is your favourite, we’ve got Daylight Savings Time with us until November 1st, 2015, then we head into winter again. Enjoy!

Bryen

The post Seasonal Change appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

A new year often brings new beginnings, and for me 2015 brings me to the helm of PinkPlayMags, taking over the duties and responsibilities of Editor-in-Chief from Jeff Harrison. Jeff had been with the magazine from its inception seven years ago, and was instrumental in getting it to where it is today as a publication.

My goal is to continue in that direction, by providing outstanding journalism from a great collection of writers. We are calling 2015 “The Year of Sequels”, as we’ll be going back to revisit some of our most popular issues from the past, and bringing them back to life once again.To begin, we’re going back to Spring 2010 which was our “geek” issue. Five years later and “geekdom” continues to flourish with gaming, comic books, and new technology exciting throngs of dare I say, “nerdy types”.

I’ve thought of myself as a word-nerd on occasion, but I’ve never thought of myself as a geek. I haven’t the slightest idea how to play video games, the last comic book I read was in my childhood, and I still hesitate when adapting to new technology. Perhaps a better term to describe myself might be a “luddite”. So working with everyone to put this issue together will be an enlightening journey for me, and I hope it will be just as exciting for you to read.

Another area of focus that I’m looking to expand on is our Bloggers section on the home page of our website. This was spearheaded by Jeff and launched in the spring of last year. He had graciously passed me the torch of overseeing this project last summer, and it’s been great working with such fantastic contributors. We began by covering a wide array of topics that includes fashion, physiotherapy, parenting, finance/insurance, spirituality, and fitness. Since then we have added law, and our new addition is feminism. If you have a topic of interest that you think our community might be interested in, please feel free to get in touch and pitch your ideas.

In conclusion, may I suggest that you have a look back to the year 2010 with our original Geek issue, while waiting for the sequel to arrive. From all of us here at PinkPlayMags – writers, publisher, designers, volunteers, and those behind the scenes – we welcome you to 2015!

Bryen

The post Danger – Work in Progress appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

All too soon the hectic rush of the The festive holiday season with travel and relatives will be upon us, so autumn more than any other time, affords me the luxury of kicking back in an Adirondack chair, switching from an ice cold bevy to a robust glass of red, and basking in another year that has just whirled by. Canada’s stunning fall foliage is renowned the world over, drawing tourists far and wide to enjoy our harvest season. I plan on soaking in the glory of the weather and multi-coloured leaves at more than a few feasts with family and friends.

So however you plan on spending the autumn, I wish you the blessing of good food, soothing drinks and comforting company.

The post Autumn – A Time for Reflection appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

Originally coined by the Romans, according to Wikipedia, it was the hottest time of the year when “the Sea boiled, the Wine turned sour, Dogs grew mad, and all other creatures became languid; causing to man, among other diseases, burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies [the archaic spelling for frenzies].” (Brady’s Clavis Calendaria, 1813). It was so named not because of animals and people gone mad however, but because Sirius–the Dog Star–was the brightest in the sky this time of year.

While we are not having the most sultry of summers, for which I am grateful, August always seems a bit melancholy to me, marking the end of vacation and a return to school. Never a pleasant thought. WorldPride is long over for us here in Toronto, but Montréal’s is set to kick off on the 11th of this month and Ottawa’s follows immediately after on the 15th, so there are still some festive celebrations to enjoy before the cool evenings usher in the autumn and harvest time. I saw a poster for the CNE on a streetcar that drove by yesterday–a sure sign that summer is giving us her final flourish.

It’s been quite the year–my busiest in a long time–one spent between juggling work and quality time with family and friends sipping G&T and sharing in great company and stimulating conversation.

How’s yours been? Did you get up to anything exciting, go somewhere exotic, or just spend it hanging out in the city? Having such easy access to Toronto Island ensures a quick mini-vacation just for the day. I love the sound of the waves on the beach, the gorgeous view of the city.

What have been your most memorable moments this season?

The post Dog Days of Summer appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

What a party it was!

We had LGBTQ+ activists, parade participants and partiers from every corner of the world. It was a literary, artistic, cultural, entertainment and human rights extravaganza!

When I attended the WorldPride press preview on Friday June 20th, I had no idea of the scope of events planned. Sure I’d edited the interviews and read over the line-up of entertainment while putting together our issue of summerplay!, but the moment I walked out into Nathan Phillips Square for the Official Opening Ceremonies, the magnitude of Toronto hosting the world finally sunk in. When Deb Pearce took to the stage as the evening’s hostess, it hit me like a Super Soaker to the face: the WORLD was here, in our fabulous city and we were going to show them a good time they wouldn’t soon forget.

And show them we did.

There were over 560 official events–the official WorldPride Guide was as thick as one of our PPM magazine issues. That alone kept people busy from dawn until well past the extended last call every night of the 10 days of partying. There were so many things to experience and people to encounter, but I think one of my favourite moments was meeting Ugandan LGBTI activist Richard Lusimbo. It was surreal when I was introduced to him in person by my writer, Jeffrey Luscombe; I’m sure it was even more surreal for Richard to have made it to Toronto to enjoy our out-and-proud jubilation. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure you take a moment to scroll to the end of our WorldPink feature “WorldPride 2014 Part 3: LGBTQ+ Rights Around the World and read our interview with him. It really gives you new eyes to reflect on how blessed we are with our Pride celebrations.

I spent most of my Pride surrounded by close friends and family. We enjoyed the parade, danced each night until the music stopped, and immersed ourselves in a sea of people from all walks of life, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Even when we were hit with the deluge Sunday evening–the first time I’ve ever experienced that much rain during a Pride celebration–people were laughing and having a wonderful time. To have it all capped off by that gorgeous double rainbow surrounding the downtown in a glimmering dome of love, really seemed to say we are blessed. What more of a sign could you expect from the powers above that love is the answer?

So on that note, let me sign off with an unofficial tribute to my blog by Donna Summer.

Enjoy the rest of this fabulous season!

Much love,

Jeff Harrison

Editor-in-Chief

The post Last Dance, Last Chance for Love appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

Did you know that Pride is considered one of the Seven Deadly Sins? According to some religious texts it is the deadliest of sins. It is represented by the peacock, an animal considered by most to be vain.

I find this most intriguing.

Those of us who have looked long and hard into the mirror have faced down our inner demons and the judgement of those around us who have challenged us for being different. Like a bird on fire we have “come out” much like the phoenix. If one is to look at the maligned peacock from the spiritual sense–and fire is the element of spirit–one gets a very different perspective:

“You are a person who always comes from a place of honor and integrity. You stand up for your beliefs and you live by them. You have a tendency towards flamboyance at times and enjoy showing your true colors to all those around you. You are completely trustworthy, self-confident and are good at discerning the truth in all matters. You are always willing to walk your talk. You revel in being the center of attention. Those with this totem often gain recognition for their talents and have the potential to be prominent leaders in their chosen field.” (spirit-animals.com/peacock)

Seems that the vaunted sin of Pride turned inside out represents our LGBTQ+ community perfectly. Wouldn’t you agree that one of the many things we’ve become so very good at is reclaiming hurtful labels and reforging them into words of power filled with love? Collectively, we are the flamboyant bird condemned by others as sinful and vain, gloriously reborn through the reforging of our spirits through the fires of bullying, discrimination and hate, into the essence of fierce self-love and acceptance.

Think about that as you wave your rainbow flag excitedly and welcome the world for Pride.

Have a fantastic celebration!

Much love,

Jeff Harrison

Editor-in-Chief of PinkPlayMags

The post Pride appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

I think the robin’s song is one of the happiest sounds in nature. This little guy with the bright red chest is proud of his job as the herald of the end of winter, welcoming the warmth of the sun and ushering in the tree buds and first sprouting flowers. He’s like a Parade Grand Marshal for the new season, a fearless leader no matter what the weather. When we had that snow storm back in April, he was still up that morning singing his loudest, although there seemed to be a subtle shift from happiness to pissed-off. It really sounded like he was cussing out Old Man Winter for overstaying his welcome. What a gutsy bird standing up to fickle Mother Nature and defending our right to spring!

Fearless leaders and gutsy entertainers could be considered the sub-theme of our upcoming summer issue of PinkPlayMags. We’ll be out at the beginning of June, just in time for WorldPride, so be sure to check out our features where we’ll look at the super-star line-up of entertainers hitting the various stages throughout the festival, what to expect at the three-day Human Rights Conference, the debut of Nuit Rose, as well as our usual helping of columns ready to help you celebrate hosting the world for our favourite party of the year. Talk about a fearless and gutsy group of people ready for some serious fun!

(painting by Kelly Riccetti)

The post Fearless and Gutsy appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

And we continue to evolve. For a couple of years now I’ve been harassing Antoine, our editor, to give me a blog, something that would allow me to touch base with the community on a more regular basis, rather than seasonally, as we’ve become so well known for. I have to say, typical to Antoine, when he finally came through, he went above and beyond what I expected and gave me—and you our faithful readers—a site populated with bloggers.

A few you’ll recognize. Shelley has been writing “From the Heart,” a perennial favourite, for five years now, and many readers express how she touches them deeply with her writing. Well now she’ll be coming to you monthly with her blog of the same name.

Kelly, a regular feature writer for us will delve into an area that’s becoming more and more mainstream: queer parenting. In “The Ginger Menace” she’ll tackle that question so important to anyone raising a child—how to raise them with confidence and joy.

Bryen, our long-time travel columnist will combine two of his loves: travel and home grown events. He’ll make the getting there and the staying there of these cool getaways part of the exciting experience.

cee, long our resident chronicler of “Hot Artist,” graduates in the coming summer issue with her own column, “Tops & Bottoms.” She’ll give you fashion advice, dos and don’ts, take you behind the scenes at events and introduce you to the creative minds that make it all happen, all the while keeping you dressed in style.

Damian, is new to the team, but eager to lend you his expertise on staying fit no matter your age or life-style, using a balanced approach of Physiotherapy and Pilates.

Finally, at least for this installment, we have another newcomer to PinkPlayMags, Karl, who will serve as our financial guru—someone we can all use I’m sure.

So enjoy us over coffee, tea, or your favourite beverage, and be sure to check back as we’ll all be returning at least once a month to connect, share and enlighten one another.

Until then,
Jeff Harrison
Editor-in-Chief of PinkPlayMags

The post A New Page appeared first on PinkPlayMags.