Bradley
Originally from Australia, Bradley’s been living like a true Canadian in Winnipeg for more than 20 years. Bradley went through the ringer trying to deny his sexual orientation at first and now he delivers some great advice for those who are just coming out.
Did you miss us? onmyplanet.ca is back after a 6 month hiatus with lots more stories and more issues of Lesbian News circa 1990s! Stay tuned, we have a number of stories coming up from World Pride in Toronto last year and a handful from Saskatoon SK.
Bradley’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: www.medianetvictoria.org in Victoria, BC, www.trinitysquarevideo.com in Toronto and the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies – Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Richard
Richard’s story is Story Number 100 in the Queer Story Archive.
Who would have thought onmyplanet.ca would see Story Number 100?
But here we are. I’m so proud.
Richard is a Cree, Metis with full status. Over his life Richard has struggled with a number of issues; bigotry, racism, and the lack of recognition of Two Spirit People within his culture just to name a few. Richard talks about his response to this discrimination, and his role in a cultural knowledge transfer process, focusing on the cultural history of Two Spirit People.
Richard’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: www.medianetvictoria.org in Victoria, BC, www.trinitysquarevideo.com in Toronto and the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies – Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
We keep putting together the bits of Queer her/his/hirstory and all those bits keep teaching us all a little bit more about our communities.
On this auspicious occasion, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who have shared your story – to those who have told your stories and are still waiting for them to be posted, and to those who are waiting patiently to share your stories in the future – Onmyplanet.ca is nothing without you.
Thank you also to all of you for continuing to watch the stories and for continuing to support the site through your donations and by being members of onmyplanet.ca.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at The University of Toronto for honouring The Queer Story Archive at onmyplanet.ca with The Lynch History Grant this year. We are forever grateful and with this grant we will continue to post the stories collected in Toronto over World Pride in June of 2014.
A big thank you also goes out to our unfaltering sponsor, MediaNet in Victoria, BC, for providing equipment and support in an ongoing way since onmyplanet.ca began in 2011.
Special Thanks goes out to all the sponsors and groups that have helped us in countless ways with donations, travel expenses, accommodations, a space to record in, snacks and refreshments for the video afternoons, helping us find storytellers, by inviting us to their conferences, and by supporting and promoting the project to their local communities:
Victoria Lesbian Senior Care Society, UVic Pride, The Transgender Archive at University of Victoria, in Victoria BC, Yukon Queer Film Alliance, in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Qmunity, Vancouver, BC Trinity Square Video, in Toronto, Ontario, Paved Arts, and The Avenue Community Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Here’s to the next 100 stories!!
xo
Lulu
Linh
Although Linh (pronounced Link) knew he was gay from a very early age he didn’t come out until a few years ago. Giving himself time to accept himself, in a country that also accepted him. Linh eventually made his way to Toronto where he is now a practicing artist. You can find more about Linh at: Roseswithoutthorns.net
Linh’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC, Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Mary Ann
Mary Ann started off working in the social service sector and was heavily involved in LGBTQ and women’s issues politically. She then became an executive chef in Montreal and recently has rekindled her activism through her political writing and within the labour union that she is now a part of Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Mary Ann’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Julian
Julian talks about their experience as a young, queer, gender queer, new comer to Canada who has a disability. Having already faced a multitude of challenges, Julian manages to find the stamina and motivation to perform their drag queen characters in the hope of inspiring others to find their own self-worth and confidence. You can find ‘Lady Boy Sparkle’ on Youtube or Twitter.
Julian’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Flare
Clare or King Flare talks about coming out and starting her life-long gender performance as a drag king. Clare has been a producer of drag king shows and has been a key player in drag king culture internationally for many years.
Clare has also directed a documentary called Drag King Extravaganza available at:
Frameline Distribution or at Amazon.com: Instant Video Or DVD
Clare’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Francisco
Francisco, an artist and activist, talks about how his gravitation towards the arts made for a relatively easy coming out process. Francisco has been involved in many LGBTQI initiatives in Toronto, he was a founding member of the Inside/Out Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, is a founding member of Nuit Rose, is on the advisory committee for Nuit Blanche and is currently on the board of Toronto Pride, organizers of World Pride 2014.
Francisco’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
James
James talks about the psychological build up around coming out and his current work helping to promote queer artists as role models.
James was part of the collective of artists that produced the Nuit Rose art show during World Pride in Toronto, 2014. He also produces 10 x 10, a show of photography that celebrates queers in the arts. More about James can be found at:www.jamesfowlerart.com/
James’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Anna
Anna talks about coming out in the 80s, Feminism, baseball, non-monogamy, butch/femme, and her lifetime of being an activist and an educator, all inherent in being a butch dyke.
Anna’s story is the one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: media-net.bc.ca in Victoria, BC and www.trinitysquarevideo.com in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Julius
Julius, a young artist from Toronto, talks about his experiences of coming out – First recognizing his same-sex attraction in the Philippines and then once he immigrated to Canada, he notes some significant differences in the coming out process. He continues to work with issues of acceptance and homonormativity in his art practice. Julius’s artwork can be viewed at:
http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/98229-julius-poncelet-manapul
Julius’s story is the one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.