Punk Smurf pens a bilingual blog

I am very excited - I was planning on visiting TO again anyways:

Toronto is already planning the festivities for when it hosts the World Pride event in 2014.

The city beat out Stockholm to host the international political and cultural event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

Mark Singh, chair of the city’s World Pride committee, said the festival will highlight the acceptance of the gay community by Canadians.

So far the program calls for an opening ceremony with a parade of nations and an international human rights conference. There will also be an AIDS candlelight vigil along with three parades including a Trans March, a Dyke March and Pride Parade.

The 2014 events will replace the city’s usual Pride Week, and will be scheduled to celebrate Canada Day and the U.S. Independence Day.

Toronto resident Matthew Middleton celebrated Sunday’s announcement on Church Street. “This is fantastic for strictly gay tourism, and for showing how accepting a city we are,” Middleton said.

Organizers estimate that it will cost $10 million to host the international event. Coun. Kyle Rae said he hopes Ottawa will help cover part of the cost.

“I would expect the federal government would get on board and highlight our achievements as an equity-seeking society,” Rae said.

Rae said the decision to give the event to Toronto is a reflection of the city’s reputation as a gay-friendly city.

“I think people in other jurisdictions recognize that there’s something speical in Toronto,” Rae said.

Pride Toronto officials said last summer’s Pride Week contributed more than $100 million to the province’s economy. Organizers said World Pride could contribute five times that much.

The effort to have World Pride in Toronto was led by Pride Toronto. Read its press release here.

Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen married several couples including five gay couples, each with a partner from Amsterdam and New York, on a boat in a canal during the city’s Gay Pride festival on Saturday.

Reuters reports: “Tens of thousands of spectators cheered as Mayor Job Cohen performed the ceremony on a cruise around the city’s canals to celebrate the high point of the city’s gay pride festival. Eight years ago Cohen presided over the first legal Dutch gay marriage. All five couples had at least one partner from New York, where a battle over the legalization of gay marriage rages on. ‘For me it’s a message to New York, the most liberal state, the most hip state, to get with it,’ said Ira Siff, an opera professional from New York who was about to marry his partner, opera singer Hans Heijnis. The New York-Amsterdam connection is much in the news this year, with the cities celebrating a 400-year relationship in 2009. Cohen called the couples a ‘figurehead’ for that bond. ‘Your transatlantic love is proof of the lasting connection between old and new Amsterdam,’ Cohen said in the service.”

This year’s Canal Parade attracted a record 560,000 spectators.

Watch a video of Cohen marrying Jorge Vazquez of the U.S. and his dutch partner Stanley Doorn:

Currently listening to Theory of a Deadman (album: Scars & Souvenirs), The Dudes (album: Blood, guts, bruises, cuts), Shinedown (album: The Sound of Madness)

I’m over my jetlag and I’ve finally finished the last of my posts on my most recent Canada trip. In case you’ve missed it: part 1 - part 2 - part 3. I recommend you have a mug of whatever beverage or drink you feel like having before sitting down and enjoying the read. AND my latest column’s published on EurOut. Read it here.

The other day I had a genuine WTF?! moment when I stumbled across an article on how British laws makes children book authors who visit schools to submit their names to a national database that aims to protect children from paedophiles. That includes J.K. Rowling and Philip Pullman. And speaking of J.K. Rowling, the premiere of the latest Harry Potter movie probably hasn’t escaped you either. I admit I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m waiting till the Potter fans have seen it and then it’s my turn. Don’t get me wrong, I’m crazy about the books, but I can’t stand the massive throngs of people well. Anyhoo, apparently actor Daniel Radcliffe doesn’t mind being mistaken for a gay dude. He’s laughing it off like the good sport he is and continues to repeat he’s grown up around gay people. Sounds as if he’s been around normal, wholesome queers. Oh, and let’s not forget his parents; yay for parents who don’t discriminate against gays.

On the subject of movies… I’ve seen the trailer to “Whip it” (directorial debut of Drew Barrymore) and it has Ellen Page and kick ass chicas in it. I want to see WHIP IT! (Doesn’t that remind you of that 80s Devo song?)

A while ago I reported about how an elementary schooler in California got barred from doing her presentation on Harvey Milk. That school was forced to appologize. Isn’t it funny how kids are sometimes more mature than adults?

It’s no secret homophobia runs rampant in soccer (or any other “manly” sports for that matter). In Turkey a referee claimed he was dismissed from his duties because he’s gay. And next season, a 25-year-old trans man will become the first to play competitive football in a men’s team in Australia. Wow.

In the meantime, to my pleasant surprise, a Pakistan court orders equal benefits for trans people. Again: wow.

Pride is up next. Are you attending? Dutch bookstore American Bookcenter (you’ll find a lot of American expats there) is doing their thing to show their support to the gay community:

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The following from Dal’s Office of Human Rights, Equity and Harassment Prevention reached my inbox today:

This year, Dalhousie will take part in the Halifax Pride Parade for the first time as a university-wide initiative. We are looking for people to join us and show off our pride and spirit! The parade is the fourth largest in Canada and has been designated a Hallmark Event by HRM. The Dalhousie contingent is asked to meet on Saturday, July 25 at 12:30 at Provo Marshall Drive (in the parking lot at the intersection of Cornwallis and Upper Water Streets, near the HMCS Scotian). The parade begins at 1:30 p.m.

What does it mean if I march in the parade?

Your participation in the pride parade shows that you actively support the Rainbow community at Dalhousie and in the larger community. Because it is open to the LGBTTQ community and supporters, you are not ‘outing’ yourself by marching in the parade. Family and friends are also welcome to march with us. The more the merrier!

What does marching in the pride parade entail?

Participants can be involved as much or as little as they choose. Walk the parade route with the other Dalhousie groups and individuals. Dress up, carry posters or flags, or cheer us on from the sidelines. We have ordered Dal t-shirts in an assortment of rainbow colors to show our solidarity. (The parade route is detailed on the Halifax Pride website: www.halifaxpride.com).

What if I can’t commit to walking for the entire parade route?

We plan to have at least one vehicle with us for the march. If you want to participate but are concerned about the physical commitment, contact us about getting a spot in the van.

Questions? Please contact Gaye Wishart, Office of Human Rights, Equity and Harassment Prevention at gaye.wishart@dal.ca; 494-1137.

See you at Pride!

It seemed as if all of a sudden all kinds of shite on Kelly Clarkson popped up on the Net: people were disgusted by how fat she’s gotten. WTF?! She’s not fat. She looks fine to me. Wasn’t one of the reasons she won American Idol several years ago she looks like the girl next door? Well, having seen pictures I must say she does indeed look like an average American girl. Fortunately, some of the folks commenting on her current body do point out there are more qualities too Ms. Clarkson than looking thin, like here. And in case you were wondering: no, I’m not a fan of Ms. Clarkson. She has a good singing voice, but musically it’s just not my cup of tea.

Earlier this month Hillary Clinton made it a point of recognizing June as gay and lesbian pride month. On the other hand President Obama is still awefully silent when it comes to his GLBT agenda…

Unlike film director Ky Dickens, who turned her experiences (facing homophobia from the sisters in her Vanderbilt sorority) into a movie called “Fish out of water“. In it she not only tackles homophobia, Ky also takes on hate monger Fred Phelps. I think the trailer looks very promising.

And in the meantime Hong Kong government have announced that the Domestic Violence Ordinance will have an amendment to include same sex couples. Unfortunately, marriage for same sex couples is still not an option.

Europe is voting for a new EU Parliament, and it looks like the majority is leaning to the right. (FYI: I gave my vote to a left party.) I’m not happy with the outcome.

I was just reminded of Stephen Colbert as a serious actor in L&O: Criminal Intent. It was pretty good. So good, it took me a few moments to realize the actor who looked so much like Stephen is, in fact, mr. Colbert himself!

Finally, I’m stoked to see The Gaslight Anthem play Effenaar on Tuesday

De Roze Zaterdag, die volgend jaar in Den Haag wordt georganiseerd, vindt plaats op 20 juni 2009 in plaats van 27 juni, zoals eerder gemeld. Ook de aan de Roze Zaterdag voorafgaande Roze Week schuift dus een week naar voren.

Van 15 tot en met 20 juni kleurt Den Haag dus roze. De Roze week en Roze Zaterdag maken deel uit van de The Hague Festivals, de Haagse festivalperiode die komend jaar loopt van 12 tot 28 juni. Bij de The Hague Festivals horen ook Festival Classique, Parkpop en de Haagse Shopping Night.

Op Roze Zaterdag vinden op verschillende locaties op en rond het Lange Voorhout en de Hofvijver activiteiten plaats. Omdat op 27 juni op deze locaties de jaarlijkse Nederlandse Veteranendag plaatsvindt, is in overleg besloten om Roze Zaterdag een week te vervroegen naar 20 juni.