Julia Steinecke

Moving On Up!

2012-01-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

This blog has moved to www.juliast.net. Hope to see you there!

2011-07-12T07:45:00.001-07:00

Pick up a copy of Curve magazine and read about my Cuban escapades. http://www.curvemag.com

2011-06-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Read about my memorable NYC stay, a full-on Pop Art experience. Don't miss the link to the Ukulele jam. www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/1006629--new-york-s-gershwin-hotel-is-music-to-your-ears

2011-05-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Just found this story I did for Verge a while ago; brings back some great memories of my visit to Big Brother Mouse, a cool organization in Laos. Here's the story: Hello, My Name Is...

You can't just stand still and watch

2011-04-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

I've been to a lot of parades around the world but the New York Dance Parade is one of my feel-good faves. Here's what I said about it in the Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/977268--new-yorkers-dance-in-the-streets

New directions in my travel writing

2011-04-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here are my thoughts and reflections on the last 6 years with Pink Planet.

TheStar Times have changed for LGBT travellers

I'm continuing to write for The Star and looking forward to covering some new topics and destinations. Stay tuned!

Gay Havana Tastes Freedom

2011-02-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

Pink Planet finds big changes in Cuba's capital city. The Toronto Star version is shorter, so I've pasted the full story below

HAVANA, CUBA—We arrive before midnight. My local friend walks two blocks in front of me to avoid arousing police suspicion that he could be a straight hustler. Our destination is a bar called Habaneciendo, where the marquee advertises, “Estrellita Jaime Jimenez.” It’s early for a night out, even on a Tuesday. Eventually gay Cuban men of all ages fill the small space, talking over the romantic music videos. An hour later, the show begins with Chantal, a cross between Dolly Parton and Wonder Woman, who inspires the audience to sing along and tuck plenty of money into the front of her dress.

Five years ago, on my last visit to Cuba, this scene would have been unthinkable. Back then, most parties were illegal and were held in secret locations under the constant threat of police raids.

Friday brings more surprises, when friends and I head for Café Cantante, in the back of the National Theatre, on the highly symbolic Plaza of the Revolution. Tonight is the one year anniversary of a disco night called, El Divino. Hundreds of men file in, undergoing a rigorous security check and full-body frisking, which, locals assure me, is also common at straight events. The show features an operatic soprano doing Ave Maria, followed by a drag queen called Maridalia, who sweats profusely from her back, followed by hours of dancing.

On Sunday night, I return with my Canadian friends to Habaneciendo for an event publicized by a woman named Milagros. Along with the gay men, there are more lesbians than I’ve ever seen together in one place in Cuba. They cut in on our dances, ask for drinks and drag us around the bar to meet their friends. One of our group suddenly finds herself cornered by a hefty woman sporting a bandana who wants a kiss.

Events, and lesbian dramas like this can happen more openly now, partly because of the changes wrought by the daughter of President Raúl Castro. Mariela Castro Espín is the director of CENESEX, the government’s National Centre for Sex Education. Influenced by her feminist mother, Mariela (who locals refer to by her first name, like they do with her father and her uncle, Fidel) has helped bring in a number of progressive laws, some of which would put Canada and the U.S. to shame. In 2008, Cuba announced that gender reassignment surgery would be performed free of charge for transsexuals who qualify. Only a few dozen individuals have qualified and about ten operations have taken place so far.

Mariela has been working on same-sex partnership recognition for some time now, and continues to say that one day it will become a reality, though some Cubans expressed their doubts to me. Mariela has also spearheaded celebrations of the International Day Against Homophobia with a parade in Havana, an outdoor drag show in Santa Clara, and other events.

As with any legal Cuban gatherings, these are the work of government agencies. Online, there are reports of non-government events, like the Mr Gay Havana Contest, encountering fierce opposition. Organizations such as the Reinaldo Arenas LGBT Memorial Foundation are reportedly persecuted and accused of being controlled by anti-Cuban U.S. interests. According to The Friends of Cuban Libraries, the Foundation was screening a documentary film at a private gay library in November 2010, when the police broke in and arrested participants.

Still, my gay Cuban friends, who were much more critical of the government five years ago, speak of Mariela in glowing terms. They quote her statements from TV interviews, where she describes LGBT people as “partners in the revolution.”

Next month: the gay-friendly city that no-one’s heard of, in the middle of Cuba.

SIDE BAR

Accommodations
The best way to find out about local events and meeting places is to stay at a gay-friendly Casa Particular such as the award-winning Casa Aleido in Central Havana (www.cuba-junky.com/havana/casa-aleido.htm). Gay casa hosts can update you on the constantly shifting venues and dates. Parties which were once advertised by people in front of the Cine Yara are now publicized via cell phone text messages, which makes it essential to have local contacts. Ask about the roving Pink Party.

Women’s events are known as Fiestas de Milagros and Fiestas de Lila, depending on who is organizing them. Check at Habaneciendo, on the north side of Neptuno Street, just east of Italia Avenue. Habaneciendo is the back space of the more famous Casa de la Música Centro Habana.

Incongruous with Cuba’s progress is the controversial UN vote in November 2010, when Cuba voted to remove “sexual orientation” from the list of categories under which people are unfairly targeted for extrajudicial executions. After an international uproar, the vote was repeated on December 22 and the original language restored, with Cuba’s support.

(c) Julia Steinecke 2011

TheStar Pink Planet: Everyone joins in on the fun in Perth

2011-01-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest Pink Planet, which came out last Saturday. Perth, Australia, where it's summer right now!

TheStar Pink Planet: Everyone joins in on the fun in Perth

The Star: Travel writing that gets to the (queer) heart of a place

2011-01-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

Feel like curling up with a good travel yarn? Some suggestions from Pink Planet:

The Star: Travel writing that gets to the (queer) heart of a place

Places to remember John Lennon

2010-12-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.thestar.com/travel/article/900602--beatles-fans-will-imagine-john-lennon-was-still-here

Originally this piece was going to be about the memorial in Havana, but then we discovered that people will be gathering in many unusual places... like Iceland!

The LGBT scene in Sydney goes beyond the tourist maps

2010-11-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest Pink Planet story at

http://www.thestar.com/travel/asiapacific/article/892942--gay-sydney-that-s-way-out-there

good memories

2010-11-18T16:29:00.000-08:00

...of fun days in Laos. This is at the Xieng Khuan Buddha Park near Vientiane.

2010-10-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Pink Planet flips Down Under--here's the complete story

NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN SYDNEY’S GAY SCENE

by Julia Steinecke

The crowd is screaming with enthusiasm for a pretty woman in a 1950s dress with red taffeta, who’s lip-synching, “If I knew you were coming I’d have baked a cake.” By the end of the show she’s got the rolling pin sticking out of her strap-on-harness and she’s thrusting it into a pie, while the crowd treats her like a rock star.

The Supper Club, above the Oxford Hotel, is packed with lesbians, trans men and everyone in between for this Pussycat Club event, featuring burlesque by Lillian Starr.
Near Taylor Square, The Oxford (www.theoxfordhotel.com.au) is in the centre of Sydney’s LGBT scene, on a section of Oxford Street that has gay bars (often called “hotels”), shops and restaurants.

The scene is changing. When I stroll through on a Saturday night, I notice a lot of straight-looking people out for a good time. Some locals say that crime and violence are increasing in the area. I don’t feel threatened but, one night, I see over a dozen police officers gathered with a sniffer dog. After my visit I read reports of a bashing at the Colombian Hotel, in April. Four months later, a man reportedly attacks six people near Taylor Square.

Along with campaigning against violence, Australians are fighting for marriage rights and leading in global activism around gender issues. Same-sex marriage has been banned since 2004, but in 2009, ten thousand supporters across the country marched in favour of equal marriage, and, according to the Equal Love organization, they held the world’s largest mass illegal wedding. 2010 is the National Year of Action for equal marriage. After the March 20 demo in Sydney, I chat with some of the organizers, and meet norrie mAy-welby who was briefly recognised as the world’s first officially gender neutral person. In early March, norrie received an identity document with gender listed as “sex not specified” but a couple weeks later the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages cancelled the document. Norrie has launched an appeal to the state Administrative Decisions Tribunal.

Sydney’s numerous gay-friendly beaches are an irresistible distraction from more serious issues. Tamarama (aka “Glamarama”) is a mixed beach specializing in hot bods. Lady Bay (aka “Lady Jane”) is a clothing-optional beach tucked under a scenic cliff and popular with gay men. As we peer down, my guide, Jason Webb, is surprised to see a couple of nude women lounging among the men. He points across to a small patch of sand on the other side of Sydney Harbour and tells me that it’s Obelisk Beach, a more secluded nude gay beach used by local guys. (See his descriptions at www.gaytraveller.com.au/NEW-SOUTH-WALES/Sydney/Beaches)

Lesbians are more likely to hang out at the McIvers Baths for women (www.nswoceanbaths.info/pools/b043.htm) at Coogee Beach. I arrive one morning and follow the plant-lined pathways down the cliff. The sun is shining directly on the rock-edged swimming pool, its water salted by the surf breaking on the edge. A group of older women swim past, wearing flowery bathing caps. Most of the area is invisible from above, but there are a couple of spots where men can lean over the cliff and catch a glimpse. Jillian Eugenios from LOTL Magazine tells me about the lesbians sunbathing who will leap up suddenly and shake a fist at the sky, yelling, “Get the f--- out of here!”

Everyone goes to the world-famous Bondi beach, home of the Drag Races during Mardi Gras. There’s a gay area on a grassy patch on the north side near Ramsgate Avenue. At the other end, Jason and I are dining at the Icebergs restaurant when Lady Gaga walks in with her bodyguards. We linger over our meal and steal a few glances at the surprisingly tiny singer in her Stars and Stripes dress.

Later that night we get a little more face time with Laidee Babooshka, at the Midnight Shift (www.themidnightshift.com) on Oxford. Her plastic polka-dot dress looks like it’s made from a game of Twister, with a double spinner bustier. On stage, she presides over a deep throat contest performed on a lifelike male appendage glued to the wall.

For better or worse, Oxford Street is livelier than ever, but a lot of Sydney’s LGBT scene has moved to neighbourhoods like Newtown that aren’t even on the tourist maps. Next month, Pink Planet checks out these gay ‘burbs.

BIO

Julia Steinecke (www.JuliaSt.net) is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Her visit was subsidized by Tourism Australia (www.australia.com) and Qantas (www.qantas.com).

JUST THE FACTS

Qantas (www.qantas.com) flies daily from Toronto to Sydney.

Accommodations and other information can be found at www.rainbowtourism.com and
www.gaytraveller.com.au. The Medusa (www.medusa.com.au) is very close to the action on Oxford Street. The Diamant (www.diamant.com.au) and the Sebel (www.mirvachotels.com/sebel-surry-hills-sydney) aren’t too far.

Local publications and flyers are available at The Bookshop (www.thebookshop.com.au) at 207 Oxford Street. Look for the Star Observer (www.starobserver.com.au) and LOTL (www.avalonmedia.com.au). Online resources include Sapphic Sydney (www.sapphicsydney.com.au) and Facebook pages like The Pussycat Club @ The Oxford Hotel, Fancy Piece, Points of Difference Events, and www.facebook.com/lillian.starr.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (www.mardigras.org.au) runs from February 19 to March 6, 2011. One of the best ways for visitors to get involved is to be in the parade, as a group or a single. Apply in November.

2010-09-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

THIS DESERT IS NOT A DRAG
Except on Sunday nights at Toucans

By Julia Steinecke

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA—How do you describe a gay scene in a city where at least a third of the population is LGBT? Almost every bar is a gay bar sometimes. In every neighbourhood you’ll see middle aged gay men and lesbians walking their dogs, getting out of their classic cars, tending their cactus gardens.

Still, I’d have to say, the ambience at Toucans Tiki Lounge on a Sunday night is especially gay. This north end LGBT venue, popular with locals, is packed for the weekly show of Tommi Rose and the Playgirls. Under the thatched ceiling and fake parrots, it’s hard to move through the crowd. Half a dozen drag queens perform everything from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds to Melissa Etheridge’s, “I’m the Only One”. Tommi herself comes on as Dinah Shore in a retina-burning yellow dress to celebrate Dinah Shore Week. Then, as Helen Reddy, she sings, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” When she reaches the line, “I've had so many men before, in very many ways,” she swings her butt up in the air suggestively and the audience cheers.

Since the 1930s Palm Springs has been known as a secluded getaway for Hollywood Stars, including some, like Rock Hudson, who had a secret. When the town was hit by recessions in the 80s and 90s, it was LGBT folks who started fixing up the old mid-century Modern buildings, turning many into small resorts. The city continues to attract gays and lesbians who are also spreading through the other cities of the Coachella Valley. In 2003 the city elected its first LGBT and first African-American mayor. The current Mayor is also gay. The police department might not be with the program yet: in 2009 they conducted a controversial sting operation and arrested 24 men on indecent exposure charges.

Around 30 gay resorts (mostly male-only and legally clothing-optional) are scattered around town, but the highest concentration is in an area just south of downtown known as Warm Sands and nicknamed, “Warm Glands.” Choosing a guesthouse may be the most difficult and exhausting part of your visit. I see a range from tattered old budget-style rooms to luxurious suites, hosted by a range of people from a wholesome guy who likes to hike in the desert, to a mid-day drinker who greets me with a big weird hug. The ones that sell day passes to non-guests may have a particularly cruisy atmosphere.

Bars are also scattered around town, and the lines between straight and gay establishments are blurred. Not far from Warm Sands, there’s a cluster of full-time gay bars and businesses on East Arenas Road between Indian Canyon Drive and Calle Encilia, where some weekends are busy and some are not. As one hotel clerk tells me, “Palm Springs is not a nightlife place—it’s about partying during the day. You find a nice pool and spend the day, then have dinner with a bottle of wine and some friends.”

Triangle Inn owner, Michael Green likes the ambience. “Having lived in a large city, and grown up in a tiny town,” he says, “Palm Springs has an urban sensibility in a small town setting. I think it’s the best of both of those worlds.”

On my last day, I finally get a chance to venture into the desert. It’s in bloom this spring, after an unusually rainy winter (meaning, it actually rained). Clumps of yellow flowers dot the boulder-strewn landscape, and trickles of water run at the bottom of the arid valleys. To the urban and small-town aspects of this place, I would add, wilderness.

Julia Steinecke is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Her visit was subsidized by the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, the Riviera Resort and Spa, Holiday Inn, Travelodge and Bike Palm Springs.

JUST THE FACTS

Where to stay
Options for men include the Triangle Inn (www.triangle-inn.com); All Worlds, where four varied resorts combine to make one large clothing optional place (www.allworldsresorts.com); and East Canyon Hotel and Spa, a men’s resort where the shorts stay on (www.eastcanyonps.com). Women can choose between Casitas Laquita, with colourful Mexican-style décor (www.casitaslaquita.com); and Queen of Hearts, on a quieter street (www.queenofheartsps.com). Mainstream stays include the Riviera Resort and Spa near Toucans (www.psriviera.com).

Getting around
Most people rent cars, but one of the best ways to get around, day or night, is on a bicycle, which you can rent at Bike Palm Springs (www.bikepsrentals.com). Bring a bright bicycle light because many streets are unlit to allow for star gazing.

For more information
Pick up local publications like the Desert Daily Guide (www.desertdailyguide.com), The BottomLine Magazine (www.psbottomline.com), and Talk of Palm Springs (www.talkpublications.com) at Toucans, or the Gaymart on Arenas. Online information can be found at www.lspotpalmsprings.com (for lesbians),
www.palmspringsgayinfo.com (from the Desert Gay Tourism Guild) and www.visitgaypalmsprings.com (from the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism). For information on some of the numerous LGBT events in Palm Springs, check out these recent Pink Planet columns: www.thestar.com/travel/article/766961--a-world-of-lgbt-festivals and www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/795930--dinah-shore-lives-on-in-the-desert

Pink Planet in New York City

2010-06-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest Toronto Star piece at www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/824602--new-york-has-a-gaybourhood-for-every-taste. We did so much, it was hard to fit in all into 750 words!

If the Cheer New York link in the Toronto Star page doesn't work, you can catch it here.

Some more info on local resources:

One of the best places to pick up local scene publications is The Centre (www.gaycenter.org) at 208 West 13 th Street, tel 212-620-7310. Look for Next (www.nextmagazine.com), Gay City News (www.gaycitynews.com) and Go (www.gomag.com). You’ll find countless bar listings as well as a selection of gay-themed theatre and comedy happenings. For more information on New York City, visit www.nycgo.com

To everyone in NYC right now, Happy Pride!

Be my Facebook friend

2010-02-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

Now you can keep in touch and meet other readers. My Facebook name is Julia Steinecke Traveller. See you there!

2009-09-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Pink Planet--Crossing Borders

Going through Immigration and Customs is stressful for everyone, but LGBT travellers face a whole other set of challenges. For a variety of perspectives, along with some practical suggestions, check out my August 15 column at www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/680107

On August 27 Maclean's magazine published a piece by Mark Steyn entitled, "Do you notice anything shrivelling?" Steyn quoted from the above-mentioned column, but his intentions were very different. My response was published in the September 28 issue:

Dear Editor,

I was saddened to see how my August 15 Toronto Star column on border crossings was used in Mark Steyn's column entitled, "Do you notice anything shrivelling?" In his column Steyn seems uncomfortable with the level of diversity that has always existed in human societies. He appears to suggest that trans and gender variant travellers should not hope for the same level of respect that many of us expect when crossing borders. The travellers I interviewed are not expecting border guards to be experts on gender theory, they just want them to listen. I wonder if Steyn has listened closely to any trans or gender variant folks describing their experiences; if he had he might understand that their gender is no more a personal choice than his.

Regardless of whether the Toronto Star is on "the hunt for new bigotries," they haven't found a new one here. Transgender and transsexual people have been outlawed, discriminated against and murdered for centuries if not millennia. On the other hand, they've also been held in high esteem for centuries in some cultures, but Steyn doesn't show much interest in that, dismissing two-spirited traditions as "supposedly some First Nations thing."

I'm disappointed that my column was used in this small-minded piece and that the people I interviewed were shown such disrespect.

Julia Steinecke

Happy Anniversary, Pink Planet!

2009-06-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

On June 20, the Toronto Star will publish the 50th edition of Pink Planet at www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/94592. Time to celebrate! Join in the blog party, it's already begun! Please post your comments here. We'd like to know what you've enjoyed most about Pink Plant. What places and parties would you like us to cover next? Where have you travelled in the Pink universe? We look forward to hearing from you!

Pink Planet--Endless Summer of LGBT Festivals

2009-06-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Pride season comes and goes, but there are oodles of friendly festivals throughout the summer and into fall. Check out the latest Pink Planet at www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/94592

Here's some more festivals to check out:

Bone Island Bare it All Weekend is a gay naturist event at Key West (nakedkeywest.com) in July 17 to 19 and again December 4 to 6.

This year the Pines Party at Fire Island, New York (pinesparty.com) has a 1970s surf culture theme. July 24 to 26.

Provincetown, Massachusetts hosts Family week (familyequality.org/events/familyweek) from August 1 to 8.

Homo A Go Go is a diverse, multi-disciplinary arts festival in San Francisco from August 13 to 16 (homoagogo.com).

Festival of the Babes is an annual lesbian soccer festival in San Francisco, September 4 to 6 (festivalofthebabes.com).

Key West hosts Womenfest (womenfest.com) from September 8 to 13.

Billing itself as the world's largest leather event, the Folsom Street Fair® hits San Francisco on Sunday, September 27 (folsomstreetfair.com).

The date hasn't been set yet for Wigstöckel, Berlin's transgender festival, but check wigstoeckel.com for updates.

Fantasia Fair brings trans folk to Provincetown from October 18 to 25 (fantasiafair.org). For other P-town festivals visit ptownchamber.com.

The European Bears and Big Men's Convergence lands in Brussels from November 4 to 9 (ebmc.biggerworld.com).

Queer arts festivals are the new rage, launching in various locales over the fall. Check out Glasgay in Scotland (glasgay.co.uk), Homotopia in Liverpool (homotopia.net), Exposure in Edmonton (exposurefestival.ca) and Feast in Adelaide, Australia (feast.org.au).

On the Pink Planet page you'll also find previous columns about gay-friendly carnivals, sports tournaments, Halloween events, and Provincetown festivals.

Finally, here's a relic from the August 2005 Pink Planet story on LGBT Film Festivals, which appeared in the Toronto Star:

When The Lights Go Down

by Julia Steinecke

Even the lineups are fun at lesbian and gay film festivals around the world: imagine standing single file among outgoing locals with nothing to do but flirt. If it’s raining, the umbrellas come out, with invitations to huddle, until the line starts to move, then cheers resound, and slowly, you make your way inside to the screening room.

You can learn a lot about a local community at an event like this. Do lesbians and gay men party together or do they cluster in separate camps? Are folks outrageous, or subdued? In some countries where homophobia and fear may keep participants away from Pride events, there’s a higher attendance at film festivals, where people can meet in relative privacy. Last year’s turnout at the Czech “Mezipatra” festival topped 8000, setting a record for the number of participants at any gay event in the Republic.

There are over 150 lesbigay film festivals, from San Francisco to Budapest. London, England has a fifteen day spectacle with over 200 screenings. London, Ontario has the London Lesbian Film Festival, proudly organized for the last fourteen years by the Reeling Spinsters.

What these events have in common is their diversity. Organizers, whether volunteer or paid, try to include as many perspectives as possible: lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, transsexual. There’s a blend of local talent and international films. Most are low-budget indie productions but there’s a growing contingency of mainstream flicks with big-name actors.

Another common element: the parties, which accompany opening night, closing night, and any excuse in between. Last year, the Hong Kong Gay and Lesbian Film Festival held a Pink Party to celebrate the film, “A Touch of Pink.” The London Lesbian Film Festival usually has a women’s dance. Sydney’s Mardi Gras Film Festival takes place during the famed Mardi Gras celebrations, with unlimited party opportunities.

Some festivals receive government funding; some face censorship, public denouncement and red tape. Vancouver’s Out on Screen festival gets funding from all three levels of government, yet, as recently as 2001, BC’s Film Classification Board tried to censor their Opening Gala, a documentary called “Little Sister vs. Big Brother” on the subject of, ironically, censorship. A public outcry caused the FCB to back down. Undaunted, festival organizers have created an innovative, “Out in Schools” project, where they collaborate with student groups to show films in local high schools.

Hong Kong’s festival is rarely threatened with censorship, though promotional materials are not allowed to be sexually explicit. This relative freedom of expression, according to programmer, Raymond Phathanavirangoon, is part of the reason why Hong Kong has the biggest LGBT film festival in Asia. The event enjoys mainstream support from television and radio outlets, and has a lot of straight attendees, most notably, the droves of female office staff, who come because, according to Phathanavirangoon, “they want to see cute guys.”

Montreal
image+nation
www.image-nation.org
Nov 3 - 13 2005

Czech Republic
Mezipatra
www.mezipatra.cz
Prague, November 14 - 20, 2005
Brno, November 4 - 12, 2005

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
www.hklgff.com
November 17 to 27, 2005

Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ljubljana Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
www.ljudmila.org/siqrd/fglf/
November 26 to December 3, 2005

Amsterdam
De Korte Roze Filmdagen
www.rozefilmdagen.nl
December 14 to 18, 2005
also, Nederlands Transgender Filmfestival
www.transgenderfilmfestival.com
was May 18 to 22, 2005

Sydney, Australia
Mardi Gras Film Festival
www.queerscreen.com.au
February 16 to March 2, 2006

South Africa: Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban
Out in Africa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
www.oia.co.za
was March and April 2005

London, England
London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
www.llgff.org.uk
was March 30 to April 13, 2005

London, Ontario
London Lesbian Film Festival
www.llff.ca
was April 29th - May 1st 2005

Toronto
Inside Out - Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival
www.insideout.on.ca
was May 19 to 29, 2005

New York City
NewFest 16th New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
www.newfestival.org
was June 2 to 12, 2005

San Francisco
Frameline: San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
www.frameline.org/festival/
was June 16 to 26, 2005

Budapest, Hungary
www.gaypride.hu
was July 7 to 10, 2005

Tokyo
Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film and Video Festival
www.tokyo-lgff.org
was July 14 to 18, 2005

Vancouver
Out on Screen
www.outonscreen.com
was August 4 to 14, 2005

Pink Planet--Cool Places to Tie the Knot

2009-05-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

When I researched this column I was amazed at how many unique places there are to have an LGBT friendly wedding or commitment ceremony, even in countries that condemn our relationships. I don't always call them same-sex weddings because trans folk of all orientations face similar challenges and even more discrimination. Read on at www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/630023

School for Monks in Laos

2009-05-25T05:15:00.000-07:00

This is a great place to interact with monks in Luang Prabang, Laos. See my story in the Toronto Star at http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/563213

Pink Planet--Another Way to Experience the World

2008-11-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about volunteering abroad? Do you hesitate because you're gay or lesbian or bi or trans and you don't know if folks will accept you "out there"? Check out the newest Pink Planet column on how to "be the change you want to see" as Gandhi put it. www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/94592
Here are some more resources to kick-start your journey:
www.idealist.org
includes a searchable database with some LGBT focused volunteer opportunities, mostly in the U.S. but also in places like Ghana and Thailand.
www.MagnificentHill.ca
In northeastern Ontario, this lesbian owned farm welcomes all volunteers in their work-stay program, where visitors can participate in farm chores, gardening, trail development and construction projects for a weekend or up to 30 days.
www.cubaaidsproject.com
This organization sends delegations to visit and volunteer at Cuban HIV treatment centres, which have come a long way since the quarantines of the 1980's. The stringent requirements outlined in the website do not apply to Canadian applicants. For more information, contact Costa Mavraganis.
www.mardigras.org.au/internal.cfm?sub=Volunteer&nav=Be%20Part%20Of%20It
Sydney's Mardi Gras also uses international volunteers as parade marshals, medics, and assistants at the party (work 4 hours and party 8 hours). For most roles, you'd need to arrive in Sydney by February 20, 2009. Media relations requires a longer commitment: email marketing@mardigras.org.au. For information on volunteering in the workshop contact justin.green@mardigras.org.au.
www.cciorg.ca
Canadian Crossroads International provides information to help volunteers make informed choices on how they want to negotiate their sexual orientation in the host country.
www.psi.org/where_we_work/laos.html
Population Services International in Laos can use volunteers to teach English to MSM (men who have sex with men) and others. For more information, email bsihamano@laopdr.com.
www.ikando.org
This UK/Dutch/Ghanaian organization recruits volunteers to work with the local LGBT population at the Human Rights and Education Centre in Accra. According to Ikando founder, Laura Daly, the government has not targeted the Centre for its work on behalf of sexual minorities.
www.cwy-jcm.org
Canada World Youth actively seeks out young applicants from sexual and gender minorities as well as other equity-seeking groups, to ensure diversity in their volunteer teams.
www.culturalcanvas.com
Cultural Canvas offers work in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with MSM (men who have sex with men) and transwomen on sexual health issues. Activities include workshops, English lessons, and Gay Pride Week.
www.cetlalic.org.mx/3x3.htm
This gay-friendly Spanish school in Cuernavaca, Mexico, offers free lessons in exchange for volunteer work in their office. For more information on Cetlalic, see www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/253478
www.capetownpride.co.za
Cape Town's festival, running from February 20 to March 1, 2009, uses international volunteers for marshalling, set-up, clean-up and ticket sales. Skilled positions include personal assistant to the Director, media liaison, webmasters and administrative assistants. Write to queer@24.com.

Pink Planet--Yes, there is gay life in Laos

2008-10-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Laos has a really interesting LGBT community and scene. I was there in February and I wrote this piece.
www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/514161
Many thanks to Anan Bouapha, Jason and everyone else who helped me.
The lesbians and bi women were super-hard to find but worth the effort. Read all about it at www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/531177

It's Out! Verge Magazine's Fall Issue

2008-09-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

We're very proud of this issue, with the 2009 Go Abroad Directory, a special section on Laos, and much more. Read about my encounters with Lao NGOs, and Kees Sprenger's encounters with villagers in the remote corners of Luang Namtha province. You can order a copy from our website or come and see us at the free Go Abroad Fair in Toronto September 20 and 21. For more information visit: http://www.vergemagazine.org/newsletter/current.html#preview

Hong Kong -- Lamma Island's Most Famous Son

2008-06-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that movie star, Chow Yun-Fat grew up on the idyllic Lamma Island? Check out this story, which appeared in the Toronto Star on May 24. I had a lot of fun researching this one. Special thanks to Rita Leung, who hiked up and down the hills with me for four marathon days! www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/428332

Pink Planet -- "Coming Out" for a Journey Within

2008-06-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

This story appeared in the Toronto Star on March 8, 2008. Visit www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/94592

April Frederick Quintana felt like a new woman. When she'd arrived at Hawaii's Kalani Oceanside Retreat she was, "In a million pieces after being chewed up and spit out by New York City." Soon she was chanting and drumming at a Temescal sweat lodge, near Big Island's Kilauea volcano.

"It truly and profoundly was a rite of passage," she says. "It was an opportunity to let go of some painful things in my past, to shed some old skin, and to really step forward in my life with a new found sense of freedom, acceptance and healing." What's more, she had this experience in the company of queer women like herself.

After centuries of huddling in the shadows of many religions, lesbians and gays are experiencing spiritual, emotional and physical transformation at a growing number of retreat centres around the world. Some of these cater mainly to LGBT folks, others provide special gay-focused events, or create communities of integration where everyone is welcome.

At Kalani (www.kalaniyoga.com) there is integration, as well as LGBT focused events.

"Kalani Honua means harmony of heaven and earth, and this is what we aspire to," says Marketing Manager, Nathan Marcy. "We are guided by the Hawai'ian tradition of 'ohana -- extended family -- respecting our diversity yet sharing in unity." The retreat centre has a diverse group of owners and a large number of lesbian volunteers. Organized events include "Unleashing Your Fire," a planned women's erotic creativity retreat, co-facilitated by Quintana.

Michael Cottrell, a United Church minister, also found his life changed, after attending Body Electric workshops at the Easton Mountain Retreat Center. (www.eastonmountain.com) At this intentional, interfaith community, near Albany, New York, gay men live together and host a variety of events, like Hot Nude Yoga and a Gay Shaman's retreat.

Cottrell had to confront his own anxieties first. "My fear was centred around body image. Because the work is a lot of body work, naked body work, I was afraid that my body just wouldn't be good enough."

He soon learned otherwise. "When you are standing in a room of men, naked men of every age shape and size you realize how wonderfully and marvelously we are made... I have come to lovingly accept my body. I have learned to live in my truth and to celebrate my queer perspective. Through the workshop, Power, Surrender and Intimacy, I have confronted, and continue to work on, the power to surrender. I have become a much more lovingly powerful person. My sexuality and the expression of my sexual energy have magnified and taken me into some exciting paths."

Another men's retreat that celebrates the body is "Come to Your Senses," a weeklong escapade (www.cometoyoursensestravel.com) in Tuscany, Italy. Following the tenets of ancient Epicureanism, the program devotes one day to each of the five senses.

"The approach is relaxed and helps explore the good life by noticing how Italians go about life," says co-facilitator, John Ballew. "This is very different from the way many North Americans travel; the focus is on the quality of the experience... not on seeing every possible tourist attraction."

There aren't as many well-known lesbian retreats to choose from, but the girls do gather. Ferron, a folk musician with a cult following, has opened a women's creativity sanctuary called The Fen, near Kalamazoo, Michigan. (www.thefensanctuary.com). The website says, "Our mission is to hold a space where women can get connected or stay connected with their creative passion."

There's a recording studio and Ferron's musician friends are known to drop by and give concerts with her. Workshops cover topics like creative writing, visual arts, mothers and daughters.

Some people prefer a less busy retreat, a chance to sink into silence and pure consciousness. John Pollard, a sociologist, therapist and teacher has done a number of meditation retreats at the Dharma Centre in Haliburton County. (www.dharmacentre.org) These are silent retreats, where even eating is a meditation in which participants savour the goodness of the food and give thanks for the life force that brings it to the table.

Pollard knows some of the other LGBT participants and has always felt accepted, and, for him, once that base line is established, sexual orientation doesn't matter so much anymore.

"There's a sense of interconnectedness that goes beyond boundaries and categories... It's like, life, spirit. You get to know people more in a silent retreat... there's an incredible bonding that takes place."

Julia Steinecke can be reached at www.juliast.net.

OTHER RETREATS

Dhanakosa Buddhist Retreat Centre offers yoga, hillwalking, Tai Chi, and health getaways in the Scottish highlands. It's affiliated with the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order which has a large contingency of LGBT participants. www.dhanakosa.com

Radical Faeries hold retreats in rural and urban sanctuaries around the world, with a focus on gay liberation, communal living and earth-based spirituality. See www.faeriecampdestiny.org, www.folleterre.org, www.kawashaway.org, www.zms.org.

Womongathering is a Goddess spirituality retreat in Pennsylvania, open to womyn and gyrls of all ages, races and sexual preferences. www.womongathering.com

Five Oaks is a United Church retreat centre near Paris, Ontario, which has been officially recognized as an LGBT Affirming Ministry. www.fiveoaks.on.ca

Kirkridge is an ecumenical Christian retreat centre in Pennsylvania, with four annual LGBT programs. www.kirkridge.org

Saratoga Springs is a gay-owned retreat centre in Northern California which offers yoga, meditation and spiritual group retreats. www.saratogasprings.com

The Body Electric School offers workshops and retreats around North America. Faculty include LGBT and gender-fluid therapists. www.thebodyelectricschool.com

Gay Men's Yoga offers Gita style yoga retreats in Thailand, Puerto Rico, Greece and Spain. www.gaymensyoga.com.au

Pink Planet -- Caribbean in Transition

2008-06-04T04:27:00.000-07:00

EACH ISLAND OFFERS A DIFFERENT KIND OF WELCOME TO GAY AND LESBIAN VISITORS

by Julia Steinecke

This story appeared in the Toronto Star on November 10, 2007, launching a four part Caribbean series. To see the rest of the series, visit www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/94592

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES -- In St. Maarten, we criss-cross the island in vain, searching for a lesbian who will talk to me – though, later I hear the cafés in Marigot are full of them.

In Jamaica, some Dancehall performers sing about shooting gay men in the head, pouring acid over them, and raping lesbians. So far this year, 100 LGBT folk have reportedly been attacked in 43 mob incidents. Yet, there's a huge, lively underground scene.

In Cuba, gays and lesbians can't get permission to start their own advocacy organization. Meanwhile, the government is working on same-sex partnership recognition as well as free sex-change surgery and hormones on demand.

This is the Caribbean, with some of the most complex and least understood gay and lesbian destinations in the world. Some travellers write off the whole district as homophobic, forgetting that each island has a distinctive history and culture; each has a unique intersection of sexuality, race, and class.

I visited three islands and spoke to residents, activists and tourism professionals. Over the next few months, Pink Planet will look at Curacao, St. Maarten and Saba. In the meantime, here's an overview of what else is happening in the region.

First, the bad news. Some say that homophobia is worse on the islands colonized by Victorian-era England, or the islands with the least present-day European and American influence. I suspect it has more to do with economic resources and other social challenges.

Jamaica, which struggles with a heavy foreign debt, large income gaps, and chronic unemployment, still enforces the old English laws against "buggery." Amnesty International is constantly reporting on mob violence and murder, including the attack, earlier this year by a crowd of 200 on a pharmacy in Kingston that supposedly harboured four gay men. In September 2007, the Jamaica Labour Party was elected, under the leadership of Bruce Golding, who has stated that he will provide "no solace" for gays and lesbians. In fact, during the 2001 campaign, the party used a song called "Chi Chi Man" which advocates for the shooting and burning of gays.

Through it all, Jamaican gays and lesbians meet and have fun together. Middle and upper class men drive in convoys to house parties in wealthy neighbourhoods. Promoters organize semi-public events at secret locations with high security. Playwright, Trey Anthony, creator of Da Kink in my Hair, told Torontoist.com that she visited the island recently and found a huge underground community -- and she got picked up by a lot more women than on Toronto's Church Street.

More good news comes from places like San Juan, Puerto Rico, which has a gaybourhood with bars, guesthouses, restaurants and stores. Pride has been celebrated there for over a dozen years. In local politics, many gubernatorial candidates include LGBT rights in their platforms. Homosexuality was legalized in 2005, and assaults can now be prosecuted as hate crimes. The Puerto Rican island of Vieques is known as a gay getaway, with gay-owned accommodations.

Some islands of the Netherlands Antilles are promoting themselves as gay-friendly destinations, with Curaçao in the lead (gaycuracao.com). On the three Antilles I visited, local activists tried to convey the importance of discretion, a sort of "don't ask, don't tell," that was hard for me, as a Canadian, to understand. A very active and out resident of tiny Saba tried to explain how strange it is, even on his open minded island, when a boat unloads a hundred gay men who don't always understand the low-key island culture. They've had better experiences with more seasoned travellers.

Cruise ships have been a sore point on many islands but acceptance is growing. In 2005, gay passengers were prevented by a port official from disembarking on Nevis, but the Tourism Minister later expressed his regrets and reaffirmed the island's welcome. In 2006, the Cayman Islands, which had turned down cruises for several years, admitted an Atlantis cruise with over 3000 on board. In the Bahamas, ships have encountered protesters, as well as an official on-board welcome from the Ministry of Tourism. In October 2007, Bahamian police raided an off-board party for the eighth annual Black Gay and Lesbian Pride Cruise. Police reportedly videotaped participants but no arrests were made. A few days later the Tourism Director General sent a written apology to the event producers, stating that the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation is against all forms of discrimination.

Cuba has come a long way since the 1959 revolution, when homosexuality was considered a sign of capitalist degradation. Legal reforms are being introduced by the government's National Center of Sexual Education, headed by Mariela Castro Espin, (Raúl Castro's daughter and Fidel's niece), who has publicly discussed the police harassment of gays and lesbians. Transsexual rights to name and identity document changes are already recognized.

Change is coming, sometimes where we least expect it.

Julia Steinecke's trip was subsidized by the Curaçao Tourism Board, the St. Maarten Tourist Office, and the Saba Tourist Bureau.

RESOURCES

wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_Americas
Describes legal and social environment on all islands of the Caribbean, with links to several detailed articles.

globalgayz.com/art-index.html#caribbean
Personal travel experiences, interviews and news from 13 Islands including Haiti.

gaycuba.ca
Educational tour described as the "historic first LGBT tour of Cuba."

jflag.org
Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays, which operates largely underground

Introducing Pink Planet

2008-04-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

My column on lesbian and gay travel appears in the Toronto Star on the second Saturday of every month. Visit www.thestar.com/opinion/columnists/94592. Read about new destinations, pride parties, film festivals, cultural happenings, new nightclubs, around the world. You'll find other travel feature stories too. Email the author, steinecke.julia(at)gmail.com.