For the first time 2019, McMaster EngiQueers marched in this year’s Toronto Pride Parade
The Toronto Pride parade returned to the city’s streets for the first year since 2019. Among the official marchers was the McMaster EngiQueers, a student group focused on advocating and providing a safe community space for 2SLGBTQIA+ engineering students.
The club was founded in 2013 when five McMaster University engineering students attended the Toronto Pride parade and saw engineering student groups from three other universities representing their school and community. Inspired by what they saw, they started McMaster EngiQueers.
Today EngiQueers has expanded across the nation with over 25 participating universities. EngiQueers Canada collectively represents all the member groups and is now a nationwide non-profit organization. The organization aims to celebrate, promote and advocate for diversity and inclusivity in engineering.
"Our main purpose as a club is to create a safe and welcoming space for any queer identifying engineering student but, of course, also any queer student on campus. We are a very small and niche community, so it is important to show other students that they aren’t alone in their engineering, under-grad or grad school journey and that they have a community to support them,” said Nasim Paknejad, co-president of McMaster EngiQueers along with Mymoon Bhuiyan.
"Our main purpose as a club is to create a safe and welcoming space for any queer identifying engineering student but, of course, also any queer student on campus. We are a very small and niche community, so it is important to show other students that they aren’t alone in their engineering, under-grad or grad school journey and that they have a community to support them."
Nasim Paknejad, co-president of McMaster EngiQueers
Marching at the Pride Toronto is one of the club’s major events and members were excited to participate again in this annual tradition. This year McMaster EngiQueers marched alongside University of Waterloo’s Engineering Society and UWaterloo EngiQueers.
The clubs organized the march together as they had done in previous years, prior to the pandemic. They also provided marchers with t-shirts sporting the combined logo of the McMaster Engineering Society and the Waterloo Engineering Society, flags, other merchandise, food and transport.
Tickets to walk the parade with the group were open to engineering and non-engineering students at both McMaster and Waterloo.
With over 75 per cent of the tickets sold, many students, including non-engineering students, joined the parade and represented McMaster. A few alumni also returned to celebrate pride, diversity and love with the rest of the team.
"We had a very good reaction and response from the people who joined us. A lot of people really liked the shirt design that we had and everybody who came to the parade said they had a lot of fun,” said Paknejad.
This year was Paknejad’s third time as an attendee but their first time as a marcher. Throughout her three years in the club, she says the parade was her most memorable experience.
When they first joined the club, it was small and the pandemic had taken a big toll on them. During the pandemic, they poured in great effort to make the club more visible on campus through hosting games and movie nights. However, nothing surmounted to the excitement they felt when finally connecting with club members in-person at the parade and having the engineering faculty recognize finally them as well.
"There were a lot of people watching the parade who saw us. A couple of people told me and Moon that they got accepted into Mac just by seeing us. Both of us were really touched by that,” said Paknejad.
"There were a lot of people watching the parade who saw us. A couple of people told me and Moon that they got accepted into Mac just by seeing us. Both of us were really touched by that."
Nasim Paknejad, co-president of McMaster EngiQueers
Outside of the parade, McMaster EngiQueers hosts a variety of community events and have an active Discord server with channels for checking-in with others students, sharing memes or music and seeking mental health support. Membership to the club is open to allies as well as queer students in or outside of the engineering program at Mac.
The success of the parade meant more than just great planning and organization — it was a day of forming new connections, reinforcing the community voice and celebrating love and living your truth.
For students interested in McMaster EngiQueers, applications for rep positions will be released in the first few weeks of Septem-ber and students can also look forward to fun Welcome Week events this year.
C/O Yoohyun Park
PCC’s book club provides opportunity for dialogue about 2SLGBTQIA+ literature
On Oct. 29, McMaster Student Union’s Pride Community Centre held their first Pride Book Club meeting of the year. The introductory meeting allowed members to meet each other and discuss possible queer and trans book options for the book club, as well as the importance of representation in media to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Although the first book club meeting was held on a Friday, the PCC will be announcing a different meeting date and time after determining what schedule works best for all book club members.
According to club facilitators Shruthi Krishna and Matt Aksamit, the Pride Book Club is a space for students to access and discuss 2SLGBTQIA+ literature. Both Aksamit and Krishna noted the significance of having a space for 2SLGBTQIA+ literature available to students.
Aksamit highlighted the importance of having a safe space when discussing 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences and Krishna emphasized that shared experiences among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals make the book club experience even more unique.
“It's always really nice to have a space where everyone who is talking about the books relates on some level,” said Krishna.
“It's always really nice to have a space where everyone who is talking about the books relates on some level.”
Shruthi Krishna, PCC Social and Political advocacy Coordinator
Outside of a sense of comfort and shared experiences, Krishna and Aksamit also highlighted the role of the Pride Book Club in 2SLGBTQIA+ education.
“It provides a sense of learning more about the community, which is something that we're always striving to do and it’s a continuous process. I think books always allow you to empathize deeply and to learn more about other people and other struggles, which I think is really interesting,” said Aksamit.
“It provides a sense of learning more about the community, which is something that we're always striving to do and it’s a continuous process. I think books always allow you to empathize deeply and to learn more about other people and other struggles, which I think is really interesting.”
Matt Aksamit, PCC Assistant director
Aksamit noted that this can help members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to understand their common and differing experiences.
Krishna added that 2SLGBTQIA+ literature can also provide insight into how intersectional identities impact experiences within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Aksamit also discussed the role of escapism in fiction, specifically noting that this sense of escapism is often especially important to members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“I think that we live in a world that can be very exhausting to exist in just being queer and trans inherently. So I think that [the project] allows people to escape their reality for a second and just join in on a space where they can have fun engaging [in] discussion with other queer and trans folks,” said Aksamit.
“I think that we live in a world that can be very exhausting to exist in just being queer and trans inherently. So I think that [the project] allows people to escape their reality for a second and just join in on a space where they can have fun engaging [in] discussion with other queer and trans folks.”
Matt Aksamit, PCC Assistant director
Krishna and Aksamit have many titles lined up for the coming weeks. Krishna specifically noted that they would likely read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Detransition, Baby. Aksamit also expressed excitement about another upcoming title, The House on the Cerulean Sea.
“[The House on the Cerulean Sea] really is escapism to the max. It's a queer story, but it's so heartwarming. And it's really nice to have a nice, warm and heartwarming story. It's really good,” said Aksamit.
Students are not required to have their own copy of the books that they will be reading. The PCC will be providing students with digital copies of the chosen books. After compiling a list of possible books, books are chosen based on votes from members of the book club.
Queer and trans representation is often lacking in media. The PCC is a service that provides McMaster University students with a safe space to engage in dialogue regarding 2SLGBTQIA+ issues. With the Pride Book Club, students have the opportunity to find representation in queer and trans books while sharing their thoughts with a supportive community.
To commemorate what would have been the Pride festival this weekend, the Silhouette has put together our very first Pride special issue. We have a lot of really great pieces about a variety of different topics touching the 2SLGBTQIA+ community such as being comfortable with in your own skin, supporting Black Lives Matter, navigating the virtual realm of Pride and interviews with Hamilton’s own Kamilla Flores Kameleon and “Canada’s Drag Race” contestant, Priyanka!
This issue came together rather quickly on a tight schedule, so thank you to everyone who lent a helping hand. Although we don’t typically publish special issues during the summer due to the time constraint of only having one full-time staff member — throwing a pandemic on top of that — I’m really proud of the work we were able to accomplish with such short notice. You can view our special issue on our website: https://www.thesil.ca/category/pride2020
It was really important to me to get this out before, what would have been, Pride weekend. I believe the take away from this digital special issue is that the Queer community doesn’t just need Pride month to celebrate or to advocate — that can and should be done year round as there is always more work to be done.
Take this weekend to reflect on what Pride means to you and hopefully next year, we can all celebrate it together.
Happy Pride,
Andrew Mrozowski
Managing Editor
The Silhouette, Volume 91
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Articles:
Sil Sit Down with Priyanka, by Andrew Mrozowski, Managing Editor
Bringing Pride back to its roots, by Lauren O’Donnell, Contributor
Independent review looks into Pride 2019 events, by Trisha Gregorio, Contributor
The fantabulous world of drag, by Nadia Business
McMaster alumna dazzles Digital Pride with drag show, by Adrian Salopek, Contributor
The trials and tribulations of virtual Pride, by Andrew Mrozowski, Managing Editor
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Pride month is coming to an end, but its impacts can be seen throughout the year with the increase of queer culture coming into the mainstream. One such example is the popularization of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, a show that puts drag queens through competition-style challenges, competing to become America’s next drag superstar. The show has recently expanded to Thailand, Chile, the United Kingdom and on July 2, “Canada’s Drag Race” premieres on Crave.
12 drag queens from across the country will showcase their various drag styles. One contestant, Priyanka, hails from Toronto. Not only has she been crowned Miss Crews and Tangos (2018-2019) and NOW’s 2019 Readers’ Choice winner for Best Drag Performer, but you may know her as a former host of YTV’s “The Zone”. Priyanka recently decided to do drag as a full-time profession due to its boundless limitations.
“Whenever you do something for so long and you have a creative frame, you tend to get bored because your brain is always [wondering], ‘what’s next?’ . . . At the end of my kids TV career . . . I kinda hit my ceiling and the natural progression was to enter drag and see what I can do there. [T]he cool thing about drag is there is no limit on what you can do. You can do everything, which I love,” said Priyanka.
July 5 marks the queen’s birthday, having been involved with the Toronto drag scene for three years. In that amount of time, Priyanka has carved out her own space within the queer community while representing people of colour, which is reflected on “Drag Race” as she is the first Guyanese contestant. Much of Priyanka’s drag is representative of pop stars such as Beyonce or Rihanna; however, she integrates her cultural heritage into each and every performance.
“[G]rowing up, you’re so scared to bring your chicken curry to school because you don’t want your white friends to smell it, and now everyone is like ‘Oh my god Priyanka is the first ever Guyanese drag queen on Drag Race’, said Priyanka. “At this time in my life, I am the proudest to be who I am because I’m representing people who need to be proud of who they are.”
Priyanka recalled her early beginnings as a drag queen, comparing her looks to driving down a long road and seeing roadkill, but then blossoming into a gorgeous gay goddess. She attributes much of what she knows about drag to her drag mother, Xtacy Love, who has been with Priyanka since the beginning of her career.
“There was one time where I was painting my face and my drag mother, Xtacy Love, sat across from me, [watching] me paint and questioned everything I was doing. I wanted to be put up for adoption because it was the worst experience of my life. It was awful, but the thing is because she was questioning me, I was learning so much about makeup and why you’re putting things in the places you’re putting [them] . . . for my kind of drag, you’re sculpting your face to really sell into this illusion,” said Priyanka.
Typically Pride month is a busy time of year for drag entertainers. With festivals across the province moving to an online platform, performers have been finding different ways to still participate. Priyanka has been hosting Zoom parties, posting on YouTube, livestreaming on Instagram and performed as a part of Pride Hamilton’s Digital Pride.
Priyanka believes that a virtual Pride has its own merits as it allows people to reevaluate the importance of why we have a month dedicated to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and to focus on how to create inclusivity amongst one another. While it might not be fun staying indoors during a time usually spent celebrating, it’s important to remember Pride’s roots and why we are all here.
Advocacy and drag have always been intertwined within the Queer community. For Priyanka, it’s important to use the platform she has acquired to share information with those who follow her.
“Here’s the tea. Drag entertainers are the mascots of the [2SLGBTQIA+] community. People listen to us, people will hear us and they will jump on things . . . drag queens have always been political. We kind of fell into a pocket where it was all lipsync for your lives, sparkly costumes, big wigs and glittery eyeshadow, but as I said before, it’s so good that we’re all at home because drag queens have to use their platforms to help share the information to what’s politically correct,” said Priyanka.
“Here’s the tea. Drag entertainers are the mascots of the [2SLGBTQIA+] community. People listen to us, people will hear us and they will jump on things . . . drag queens have always been political. We kind of fell into a pocket where it was all lipsync for your lives, sparkly costumes, big wigs and glittery eyeshadow, but as I said before, it’s so good that we’re all at home because drag queens have to use their platforms to help share the information to what’s politically correct,” said Priyanka.
“We are like the approachable popstars, like you can’t talk to Beyonce, you can’t talk to Lady Gaga, but trust and believe when you message the Queen Priyanka, she will hit you back with [a] message because I’m desperate for love”, she joked.
As we approach the end of June and the end of Pride month, “Canada’s Drag Race” serves as a reminder that there is always time to be loud and proud about who you are regardless of the time of year. For many Canadian queens in particular, the show also offers an opportunity for worldwide exposure and a chance to showcase their talents on a platform that is tried and true.
“Here’s what I’ll say. Canadian TV shows have a reputation of whenever they do a spin off, it looks a little janky . . . the cool thing about Canada’s Drag Race . . . is the quality of the show is beyond,” said Priyanka. “So now, [“Canada’s Drag Race” has] opened up this whole new ball game for drag entertainers to really work on their style, get better and thrive to do something, because there was a time where being a local girl in Toronto, you could only do so much but now you can do all of it”.
For the Queen Priyanka, getting onto Drag Race felt like the next step in her drag career, both personally and professionally as it was the culmination of a dream. She feels like this is a sentiment that students could apply to their academic lives as well.
“I think that being in school is weird. Being in high school, being in med school, being in university and college is also very weird because you’re like, ‘oh, once I graduate, I have to go find a real job’. But I think that it’s just important to whatever program that you’re in and [whatever] you’re doing, just keep focused, keep your eye on the prize and if your heart isn’t in it, get out while you can because you have to love it to do it for the rest of your life.”
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By Lauren O’Donnell, Contributor
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, there was a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village. The Stonewall Inn was one of the only places where 2SLGBTQIA+ people were able to gather as it was one of few places that accepted drag queens as well as trans men and women. On June 28, the police raided the bar, assaulted patrons and arrested 13 people. The riots that followed were not about fighting for marriage equality, they were a response to police brutality against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Stonewall is frequently hailed as a catalyst for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in North America, and it began with riots.
Many of the pioneers of the 2SLGBTQIA+ rights movement were Black trans women and trans Women of Colour, like Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and Sylvia Rivera. These women paved the way for Pride as we know it today. Griffin-Gracy is still alive, and continues to be a pillar of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. You can support her retirement fund here. Within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, People of Colour — and particularly trans Women of Colour — are still routinely attacked. While the mainstream 2SLGBTQIA+ movement may be slowly gaining acceptance, the people who made it possible are still in constant danger.
Many of the pioneers of the 2SLGBTQIA+ rights movement were Black trans women and trans Women of Colour, like Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and Sylvia Rivera. These women paved the way for Pride as we know it today. Griffin-Gracy is still alive, and continues to be a pillar of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. You can support her retirement fund here. Within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, People of Colour — and particularly trans Women of Colour — are still routinely attacked. While the mainstream 2SLGBTQIA+ movement may be slowly gaining acceptance, the people who made it possible are still in constant danger.
Oppressive systems are able to continue because they pit oppressed groups against one another, fearing that if we work together none of us will have rights. It’s an either/or mentality that drives a wedge between oppressed groups. As a result, we push away the very people that we should seek to work with. A case study of this can be seen at the 2016 Toronto Pride parade, where the parade was paused by activists from Black Lives Matter until Pride Toronto signed a list of demands. The media response to this event was varied, but there is a common theme— let’s take a moment to unpack it.
Many of the responses suggested that Black Lives Matter sought to undermine Pride. In 2016, The Globe and Mail published a particularly vitriolic opinion piece by columnist Margaret Wente. In the piece, Wente suggested that Black Lives Matter was usurping Pride Toronto.
“You'd think, just weeks after the slaughter [at PULSE Nightclub] in Orlando, that they might have chosen to cede the spotlight to the dead and wounded, who really were under attack. But no. The Black Lives Matter activists are firmly convinced that they are at the very top of the pyramid of oppression. Only after the parade's executives meekly agreed to all of their demands (basically, more money for their projects) did they allow the show to go on,” said Wente in her article.
The pyramid of oppression — or the oppression olympics — is one illustration of putting oppressed groups in opposition. Being at the top of the so-called pyramid supposedly brings along with it more media coverage and public support. Wente uses this term to undermine Black Lives Matter’s protest, framing it as an attempt to dismiss the suffering of others.
In particular, Wente points to Black Lives Matter’s demand that the police be removed from Pride as being “wrong, and sad and bad,” and that their claims of being oppressed by police are over-exaggerated. Defending the police’s right to be at Pride is not uncommon, but the urge to defend the police should be examined. The first Pride was a riot against police brutality.
“Defenders of Black Lives Matter insist that the gay rights movement was birthed in protest against police harassment at Stonewall, and in Canada, amid riots triggered by raids on a gay bathhouse. Gay people, thus, should indulge BLM in its anti-police agitation. But invoking Stonewall and similar episodes of historic police abuse only shows how far our two countries have come. In so many places around the world — Russia, and, most recently, Turkey — the police attack pride parades and arrest gay rights activists. In North America, police protect them,” reads one article from the Los Angeles Times.
To be blunt, the fact of the matter is that North American police don’t always protect Pride. Our countries have made progress, certainly, but not for everyone. Progress isn’t the same as completion. Sometimes direct action is necessary in order to draw attention to the insidious ways that systemic oppression functions.
Thus far we’ve looked at how non-Black people covered the event. However, the Black 2SLGBTQIA+ community is not monolithic, and not everyone in the community supported the actions of Black Lives Matter, instead suggesting that they were detracting from Pride for their own agenda, or ignoring systemic problems within their own communities.
“Black Lives Matter could use their political and social power to actually raise awareness about this issue, but it is apparently easier for them to target the white gay community than it is to tackle black homophobia. And Pride Toronto yields to their requests, as if the black community is a monolithic entity represented by a single group,” said Orville Lloyd Douglas in an opinion piece for CBC.
Critiques from within the Black 2SLGBTQIA+ community are infinitely more important than those from outside the community. It’s nigh on impossible for a reporter from L.A. to see problems in Toronto, so in order to fully understand all sides of the issue, it’s important to seek out the voices within affected communities.
Speaking of listening to voices from within the community, what was the intention of Black Lives Matter in stopping the event? Let’s turn to the motivation behind the protest, from an article interviewing Alexandra Williams, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto.
“We are not taking any space away from any folks. When we talk about homophobia, transphobia, we go through that too . . . It should be a cohesive unit, not one against the other. Anti-blackness needs to be addressed and they can be addressed at the same time, in the same spaces,” she said.
The execution of the protest may not have been flawless, but the intent matters. As Williams points out, these issues are interconnected. Highlighting Black Lives Matter doesn’t usurp Pride, it returns it to its roots. Pride was spearheaded by Black trans women and trans Women of Colour as a protest against police brutality. How can we turn our back on the people who helped us the most?
So where do we go from here? White folks in particular need to use our privilege to support the movement however we can. We need to call out public officials, sign petitions and continue supporting Black Lives Matter long after the hashtags fall off the trending page. There are a number of ways in Hamilton that you can practice active allyship, including supporting local grassroots organizations, buying from local Black-owned businesses and being proactive in seeking out additional resources and education. Redefine Twenty is a local organization and an excellent place to start. Allyship is not an identity, it’s a constant action.
Ultimately, however, it isn’t up to us to lead this movement; we need to amplify melanated voices through direct action. This is not about us. This is about us showing up for the people who always showed up for us, from the very beginning. This isn’t about retribution, it’s about restitution.
As you celebrate Pride this year, know that any time you side with the police, or dismiss the actions of protesters, you are telling your Black 2SLGBTQIA+ friends that they cannot trust you. You are telling them that you value your own safety and comfort above their lives. Just because we can’t see systemic oppression doesn’t mean it’s not there.
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By Trisha Gregorio, Contributor
On June 15, 2019, the annual Hamilton Pride event was disrupted by groups of homophobic and white supremacist protesters, resulting in a violent confrontation between them and some of the Pride attendees. The police had not been invited to the event due to the fraught history between them and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and complaints that the Hamilton Police Services took too long to respond to the Pride altercation soon followed.
Nearly a year later, Scott Bergman — a lawyer with the Toronto firm Cooper, Sandler, Shime and Bergman — has published an independent review into the Pride 2019 incident. The firm was hired by the Hamilton Police Services last fall after the police services board voted unanimously for an examination of police conduct in the Pride 2019 event.
Bergman’s 125-page review looks at whether the HPS was slow to respond to the violence at Pride or whether they deliberately did not get involved as the violence continued. It brings into question the HPS’ actions during the Pride celebration, citing the police’s lack of preparation as the foundation for their failure to adequately respond to the public’s safety needs.
“[The] activities could reasonably have been anticipated by the police, but they weren’t. As a result, the police response was inadequate — before, during and after the event,” wrote Bergman.
“[The] activities could reasonably have been anticipated by the police, but they weren’t. As a result, the police response was inadequate — before, during and after the event,” wrote Bergman.
According to the review, the four police officers assigned to Pride 2019 did not consult with the organizers regarding the event. Furthermore, they did not have an operational plan until two days before the event, only for that plan to be found lacking details and failing to take into account the potential presence of agitators or any legal mechanisms that might be relevant.
These findings are in contrast to a similar report conducted by an HPS staff sergeant and submitted to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director. According to CBC, the OIPRD report claims that the police had a proper operational plan in place and that they did not stand to watch the violence unfurl without intervening.
"This investigation has discovered that the policies and procedures were followed in this instance and that there were no identified issues," read the 110-page report, which was signed by Det. Sgt. Gary Heron.
https://www.facebook.com/pridehamilton/posts/2627397237514278
In Bergman’s report, on the other hand, he highlights comments made by Police Chief Eric Girt four days after the Pride incident, which he believes demonstrated a lack of understanding of what 2SLGBTQIA+ Hamiltonians were feeling in response to the violence at the Pride 2019 event.
“We were not invited to the event. We were asked not to be at the event and we remained on the perimeter. We have to respect the requests, too. It’s kind of a no-win situation where you’re asked not to be there, and then when you’re not there, how come you weren’t there?” Girt had said in a local radio show.
Bergman’s review emphasizes the damage that has been done to the relationship between the HPS and the Hamilton 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He is now calling for several key actions to help repair this damaged relationship; among many others, this includes an apology from the HPS, more detailed operational plans for the annual Pride events to come and careful consideration of a potential diversity audit. He also calls for better communication between the police and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, which would entail experiential training and public acknowledgement of the HPS’ intent to build mutual trust.
At the same time, some members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community feel this is not enough.
“[Y]ou didn’t need to spend [$600,000] to find out the things the community was saying. You didn’t need two lawyers outside the Hamilton community and outside of two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities to come into Hamilton and then write down everything that community said. The community already said that everywhere” said Cameron Kroetsch, a Pride Hamilton board member. “This the process for this very austere board as part of a very broken police system to try and understand what happened at an event they didn’t attend.”
From page 69 of the report, "This sentiment was magnified by the fact that the first three people arrested in connection with the Gage Park events were Pride Defenders. 1/3 #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/jnbx9n3deC
— Pride Hamilton (@HamiltonPride) June 18, 2020
Youth programs such as speqtrum Hamilton have also expressed their dissatisfaction that they will not be able to afford an 2SLGBTQIA+ liaison officer — one of the recommendations to the HPS presented by Bergman’s report.
On June 11, the organization tweeted, “The cost of a [full-time] LGBTQ+ liaison officer is more than our current operating budget. We receive no funding from the City of Hamilton . . . Apologies feel so hollow when you are still struggling with broken bootstraps.”
Bergman nevertheless remains optimistic that the HPS can still repair their relationship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Hamilton. He believes that his discussions with the HPS during the independent review indicate their desire to work towards more trust, cooperation and transparency.
In his report’s conclusion, Bergman writes, “Much can be done by the HPS that will help foster a stronger relationship with the Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities in Hamilton … It requires a concerted effort on the part of all parties, but as a public institution, the onus rests first and foremost with the HPS.”
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Concerts, festivals and conventions are amongst a list of social gatherings currently cancelled by cities across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, both Pride Hamilton and Pride Toronto are two organizations who have seen many changes to their annual pride festivities due to the new limitations.
While pride festivities in Hamilton have taken different forms over the last 29 years, this incarnation has been incorporated since November 2018. Their first festival took place in June 2019 with Pride in the Park; however, it was interrupted by a hateful protest, causing tensions between the queer community and the city of Hamilton to rise.
“We had planned for the biggest, boldest pride ever in 2020, especially to what happened in 2019 with the violence at Pride. We wanted to make sure that 2020 was a place that was more inclusive and that everybody was able to come out and celebrate at Gage Park,” said Cameron Kroetsch, a member of the Hamilton Pride Board of Directors who has been involved since 2018.
After the pandemic hit, Pride Hamilton did not know whether or not they had the capacity to run any events this year due to the ever changing nature of the virus. After both internal deliberation and community consolation, the organization explored the virtual realm of possibilities. A month before the initial festival weekend, Pride Hamilton announced Digital Pride, a three hour live-streamed event featuring performances, kids programming and political activism.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CALmIgznX2L/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
“The big thing for us is that [Pride is] really a physical thing. It’s about hugs, it’s about flags, it’s about watching people, it’s about singing, it’s about celebrating and a lot of that happens in person. So with a pandemic, it’s very, very different,” said Kroetsch.
Although a few technical glitches occurred, Pride Hamilton’s Digital Pride ran smoothly and was well received by the city’s queer community. Kroetsch did see some merits in a virtual festival this year.
“Safety is one of the things that immediately stands out as something that’s a little easier to handle, but I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily true. [Online platforms] are new kinds of celebratory spaces . . . no one has the tools to properly make sure that those are safe. That’s why we’re working with an outside company to help us fit [and] moderate this. It does mean that people can’t physically show up though and create the kinds of physical violence we saw last year and that’s one thing that has been better. It also meant that it’s given our organization the space and the time to allow conversations to happen about defunding police,” said Kroetsch.
Pride Hamilton has been very vocal on their social media about their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and for the Indigenous peoples within Hamilton. In a statement released on June 1, the first day of Pride month, the organization touched on three key ideals: sustainability through active listening and community engagement, ensuring there are safe spaces within the city and building trust. Kroestch elaborated on these topics.
“We can’t represent every person in Two Spirit or LGBTQIA+ communities and we don’t want to, but for people who find a home in the idea of Pride, who think it’s something to be involved in, we want to make space for there to be a celebration, but for it to always be political.”
While Pride Hamilton’s annual Pride Month festivities have come to a close, a recent collaboration with Pride Toronto has ensured a little bit of Steel Town is being represented at a larger scale. Two Hamilton-based drag performers, Karma Kameleon and Freddie Khalo took the virtual stage in this union of prides.
“We’re stronger together. We all face issues of homophobia, transphobia, erasure of identity, racism, systemic violence etc. Our community is stronger and more resilient when we come together to be seen, heard and understood. It is important to create a network to continue the Pride Movement, as there is so much progress to be made,” said Bobby MacPherson, Director of Operations for Pride Toronto.
“We’re stronger together. We all face issues of homophobia, transphobia, erasure of identity, racism, systemic violence etc. Our community is stronger and more resilient when we come together to be seen, heard and understood. It is important to create a network to continue the Pride Movement, as there is so much progress to be made,” said Bobby MacPherson, Director of Operations for Pride Toronto.
“Blood donation is still not even allowed in Canada, [you] have to be abstinent for [three] months and [there’s] no scientific evidence to support this discrimination. Trans people do not have the same access to health care. Queer and trans black folxs cannot even walk the streets safely without suffering police brutality. Bi+ invisibility, 2S lack of representation . . . it is endless. Queer people may be tolerated in today's society, but we are far from being accepted,” they said.
We live in a time that feels like things are moving a million miles a minute, yet we’re not seeing change. COVID-19 and its impact has been felt by those across McMaster campus to across the world, especially for those who might not be in safe spaces. Both Kroestch and MacPherson hope that their organization’s respective virtual Pride celebrations will provide some optimism during these dark days.
“We get that it’s difficult and that nothing we can say is going to solve people’s individual problems or provide hope for people’s individual lived experiences. But we do hope that Digital Pride is one bright light in people’s otherwise digital world . . . that’s why we’re doing this because we want to make sure that we’re claiming some space for celebration even if we can’t do what we really want to do, which is get outside, dance and celebrate,” said Kroetsch.
“It’s important to celebrate Pride month during the pandemic because our fight for existence is far from over. We must say resilient, we must continue to support each other and must do what we can to keep the injustices of Queer known,” said MacPherson.
A recording of Pride Hamilton’s Digital Pride can be viewed on their Facebook and YouTube. Pride Toronto’s Virtual Pride concludes the weekend of June 26 and can be streamed live from their website.
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By Adrian Salopek, Contributor
In light of COVID-19 prompting social gathering limitations, Pride Hamilton’s festival weekend was one such event that had been affected. Although not an ideal way to honour Pride and its roots, new ways of celebrating the 2SLGBTQIA+ community have emerged, bringing Hamiltonians together during these recent difficult and lonely times.
One of the most anticipated Pride events in Hamilton was “Pride in the Park”, originally planned for June 19. This was replaced by Digital Pride, which occurred on June 14, consisting of livestreamed Facebook and Youtube shows and featuring drag performers from the Hamilton drag scene. Heart, crown and even dollar bill emojis flooded the chats under the live performances along with the odd “yass” or “slay”.
Among the featured talents, McMaster alumna Kamilla Flores Kameleon, who also goes by the Spice of Hamilton, dazzled audiences with her virtual drag performance. Through a comically tragic love story and aggressive salsa dance, Kamilla starred in a mini telenovela reminiscent of the ones she watched growing up in Lima, Peru, and showed the world what it really means to be a Latina diva.
“I thought it would be a fun way to live out what I had always watched as a child [and] show a campier side of my drag,” said Kamilla Kameleon.
Behind the comedy, campiness and five pounds of makeup, Kamilla celebrates her background and culture with those who attend her shows. Many of the queen’s influences are of Latin descent, such as pop stars Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
“My drag has always been about representing my culture and a way I have done that is by paying homage to the legendary Latina pop stars that came before me,” explained Kamilla. “I have always felt Shakira embodied what it meant to be empowered and an entertainer and that’s what drew me to her.”
“My drag has always been about representing my culture and a way I have done that is by paying homage to the legendary Latina pop stars that came before me,” explained Kamilla. “I have always felt Shakira embodied what it meant to be empowered and an entertainer and that’s what drew me to her.”
In the current political climate, this celebration of diversity and the artistic contributions of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour is needed now more than ever. Digital Pride not only celebrated the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, but also provided an opportunity for discussions surrounding racism and policing within Hamilton, and facilitated a platform for Black community leaders to speak. Moreover, the event showed that drag can offer artists an opportunity to advocate for issues they are passionate about.
For Kamilla, the art of drag plays an important role — especially in the current climate — in disseminating love and advocating for movements fighting for justice.
“Drag can play a huge role in the spread of information about these issues such as the Black Lives Matter movement and protests,” explained Kamilla, “I have experienced racism as a person of colour, and it is important, now more than ever, to not be silent when issues continue to persist.”
Behind the wigs and makeup, drag is a crucial part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community’s culture and history and plays a major role in catalyzing social change from within. Besides the laughter and enjoyment one usually finds when attending a drag show, attendees will surely find themselves learning something new and being inspired when watching the performances of drag queens like Kamilla.
In the queen’s own words, “Don’t stop fighting for what’s right and always wear your heart on your wig. Te amo McMaster!”
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By Nadia Business, Contributor
If you had told me five years ago that drag would become mainstream, I would have looked at you funny. Today, queer culture has permeated many aspects of society, from the way we apply our makeup to what we see on our TV screens. Like many others, I found drag during high school. It really let me understand myself in a myriad of ways, from my sense of gender to untapped aspects of my personality. But what even is drag?
Drag is the performance of gender often taken to its extreme. A typical show could include lip syncs, dancing, comedy and more. I would note that drag is different from being transgender, as one is a job or hobby, the other is an identity, respectively. Drag has been used as a tool to help many people discover that they are trans, nonbinary or fluid.
Growing up as a queer, closeted Arab kid was not particularly a fun experience. I was born in Hamilton but I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon where being soft-spoken, polite and sensitive was absolutely not the male norm. I got plenty of ribbing from male peers for being a little too effeminate and just as many tuts from my mother to stop crossing my legs or to “walk like a man”.
When I moved back to Canada near the end of middle school, I had barely accepted the fact that I was gay after years of trying to tell myself otherwise. Queer content did not exist within my own little bubble, which consisted of being bombarded with media idealizing hegemonic masculinity, which had no room for boys like me.
Meanwhile, I had always connected more with female characters — the ones getting wooed who looked beautiful and feminine. When I discovered “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in high school, my outlook on life and similarly, my own self perception, shifted into focus. These drag queens were everything I wanted to be but couldn’t express while living in a home that didn’t understand, during a time where the word “gay” was synonymous with “stupid”.
The queens were sassy, loud, beautiful and oozing with confidence. They had all the traits that I was trying to hide away, but somehow it all clicked. I realized that it’s okay for them to be like that and maybe I could be like that too.
I adapted accordingly, switching my wardrobe to a more colourful ensemble and (not so subtly) hinting to my classmates that I was gay. It was liberating. I finally let myself explore my identity as a gay person, not giving a damn about societal expectations. “Girly things” were not just for girls, I realized, they were just “things”.
I must acknowledge that I did not manage this alone. I was incredibly lucky and privileged to go to a high school that was tolerant and supportive of queer students. More importantly, my friend group consisted of other queer people. I finally wasn’t alone. My friends helped me thrive more than I ever could have on my own.
Finding your community as a queer person is paramount, as many of our biological families reject us for being anything but cisgendered and heterosexual. However, we do get to choose our non-biological families — whether they are friends, teachers, mentors, etc — the people who become your support system, who you get to celebrate your milestones with, like going on your first same-sex date, or finally getting a prescription for hormone replacement therapy. Many of us can’t tell our families this information, for a variety of reasons, be it fear of rejection or of being cut off financially or emotionally.
Until university, drag was always something I had witnessed through a screen, watching when I knew no one could catch me.
The first big change in my life was turning 19, finally giving me access to queer nightlife. A byproduct of homophobia was (and in some places, still is) queer culture going underground, hidden away in bars and nightclubs, inaccessible to questioning youth. As soon as one is of age, you are given access to a slew of new places and a community.
Then, Morgan McMichaels from “Drag Race” was booked to come to McMaster. I was ecstatic, and the day before the show was happening, Campus Events put out a call for students wanting to show off their drag skills. So naturally, without any experience whatsoever, I sent them a message stating my interest! In hindsight, I was truly delusional to think that I could go on stage without a wig or heel to my name. the show was eventually cancelled — but the silver lining was that I got hired by Campus Events through working on the show together!
September 2019 is when I got to see my very first in-person drag show at Supercrawl, featuring many talents that I’m friends with today, such as Karma Kameleon and Hexe Noire. I was giddy watching, and went hoarse cheering. I needed to see more, and as the Hamilton Queer Scene grew, I fell in love with it even more. These were my people — they were loud, they were proud, they were free.
An exciting opportunity was coming up: another queen from “Drag Race”, Jujubee, was booked by Campus Events to perform at McMaster and this time, Mother Nature was not going to intervene. More importantly, due to being part of the events team, I was asked to not only host but open the show. Keep in mind, I had never been in drag before and have only danced in heels and a wig a couple of times. So, I quickly got to work and spent a lot of money.
The fateful night arrived and Nadia Business was born.
I can confidently say that it was the highlight of my year. I met Jujubee and Karma Kameleon, who both chatted with me and made me feel comfortable. Karma in particular is a queen I greatly admire and has given me advice whenever I needed it. Not quite an official drag mother, but more like my kooky fun step-aunt who has a little too much wine at family gatherings. A drag mother is your mentor, teacher, and part of your chosen family, hence, “mother”. They typically put you in drag for the first time and help turn you from a baby queen to a seasoned performer.
As I did my last check in the mirror, I realized that Nadia was not just a character, but rather an extension of myself. She is the channelling of my “feminine energies” so to speak, and it is incredibly freeing to just be her. It’s not boy-me who’s on stage shaking their butt and making dirty commentary — that’s just Nadia doing what she does best.
I’m a people pleaser at heart, and getting to perform and have people enjoy this part of myself that a heteronormative society has tried to discourage makes me feel welcome and unafraid. Getting to express myself through Nadia has actually made me appreciate my masculinity in addition to my femininity. A long time ago, I used to constantly worry about how masculine I was because I didn’t want people to judge, but now? I’m just as happy in a fitted suit and tie as I am with wearing pounds of makeup and a wig.
I’m a people pleaser at heart, and getting to perform and have people enjoy this part of myself that a heteronormative society has tried to discourage makes me feel welcome and unafraid. Getting to express myself through Nadia has actually made me appreciate my masculinity in addition to my femininity. A long time ago, I used to constantly worry about how masculine I was because I didn’t want people to judge, but now? I’m just as happy in a fitted suit and tie as I am with wearing pounds of makeup and a wig.
Drag is a way to escape society’s, and even our own, expectations of gender — even if only for a night. Contrary to popular belief, drag is not just restricted to cisgendered gay men. As for myself, it has led to understanding and self-acceptance of all aspects that make me who I am today, and who I want to be in the future. Trans women can be drag queens, some of the most talented queens I know are ciswomen. You can even be an androgynous performer. Drag is an art form and there are no rules. Go wild, put yourself out there and explore who you are and who you want to be. Good luck, and don’t fuck it up.
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By Ouss Badran, Contributor
cw: mentions of homophobia, transphobia, ableism
A concerning trend that I’ve noticed — especially in more socially aware places such as university — is people adopting the label of “ally” and not actually doing anything about being one. In other words, they’re reaping the positive status of the word without actively being an ally.
What do I mean by this? There seems to be a misunderstanding when it comes to what being an ally actually entails. I can tell you that it isn’t like an article of clothing you can put on or take off at your convenience. Those who are actually marginalized can’t shed their identity at a moment’s notice, so neither should you.
So what actually is an ally? Well, for one, allies are people who are not part of the marginalized group for which they are advocating for. You don’t have to necessarily know what it feels like to be oppressed or experience the difficulties that marginalized groups go through. All being an ally means is that you are taking on and understanding their struggle with them.
If you’re new to the concept of allyship, being an advocate is a great start! This means, for example, not just claiming the title of ally because you watch RuPaul’s Drag Race, but actually fighting for better LGBTQ+ representation in the media.
Additionally, this also includes defending said marginalized groups when they’re not in the room, and especially when they are. What do I mean by this? On a more subtle scale, calling out bigoted comments such as “that’s so gay” or the use of the r-word publicly challenges the status quo and reinforces that these sorts of comments are not okay in any shape or form.
On the more extreme end, if you see a marginalized person disparaged in public or even private spaces, it’s your responsibility as an ally to stand up for them. Yes, that includes your racist grandparents and it also includes your parents who “just don’t understand all that transgender nonsense”.
While I don’t want to get too much into the intricacies of intersectionality (as it deserves its own article), I do want to touch on privilege. Most of us have it in some way, shape or form. Nowadays, the very word sets people on edge, and some people may even get defensive. Don’t worry straight, white dudes, I’m not going to attack you. For the sake of this article, privilege is an aspect of society or reality that you don’t have to worry about, but something that another marginalized group does.
For example, I’m speaking mainly from my experiences as a gay, able-bodied and cisgender man of colour. I face certain issues that are relevant to me and other people of my background, but I also lack knowledge and perspective on what it’s like to be a woman, a person under the trans umbrella or someone who has a physical disability. Being aware of your own privilege as an ally can potentially help you understand the struggles of the groups you’re advocating for.
Also, I mean this with all due respect, but if you are an ally, it isn’t about you. Bragging about how you support the Black Lives Matter movement, or about how you “only volunteer at camps for kids with special needs” makes you come off in a not-so-positive light. Specifically, it makes you look like you’re using these groups for your own social gain. Rein in the saviour complex and instead have some respect for those around you who fight for social justice out of a need to survive, not because it looks good on a resume.
So, if I’ve successfully convinced you to change your ways, there’s just one more thing for me to address with you. It’s that making mistakes is completely okay. Everyone has to learn somehow! Acknowledge it, accept responsibility, learn from it and move on equipped with the knowledge you have now.
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