On September 5th, Queen fans around the world, myself included, celebrated the 70th birthday of the man who is without a doubt one of the greatest rockstars of all time. Despite his untimely death in 1991 at the age of 45, Freddie Mercury has left an indelible mark on the music world. He had a…
Summer is almost over (sniff), but if you’re looking for something to do in these last couple of weeks, why not take part in Calgary Pride 2016? This year marks Calgary’s 26th annual festival, running from August 26th (today!) to September 5th. This festival is presented by ATB, through an organization called Calgary Pride, a…
As a writer, poet, singer, filmmaker, and visual composer, Toronto based artist Vivek Shraya has been generating a continuous flow of creative content for about 22 years. Her numerous and multimedia works have been critically acclaimed and recognized by institutions like The Globe and Mail, The Huffington Post, the CBC, and The National Post. Shraya is a…
Around 2 am this morning, a gunman opened fire on clubgoers of Pulse, a queer nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The hate crime resulted in the loss of 50 lives and 53 more injured and hospitalized. This tragic and horrific event marks the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. With so many mourning the loss of innocent lives…
Throughout the last couple of years, the North American society has progressed significantly in terms gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Something new that has recently emerged is gender-neutral bathrooms. There are many controversial opinions surrounding this topic as many schools, universities, and even workplaces, are hoping to use these restrooms. {source} A large conflict concerning the…
If you’ve been exposed to the news lately, then you have probably heard about the controversial Bill 10, a bill that, if initiated, would almost certainly have detrimental effects on the rights of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) students in Alberta. Last Thursday, Premier Jim Prentice put the bill on hold indefinitely…
Although this movie is not a “Netflix Original”, I discovered it on Netflix with my sister and decided to watch it, and instantly fell in love with movie. *Warning, this movie is rated R for sexual references. Get a parents permission before watching/watch at your own risk* The plot of this movie is simple. Three…
To put it simply, we are all about youth. Us youth come in many different personalities and beliefs; each of us are a part of different cultural and religious groups and have developed our own values. That being said, these differences are not always respected. Take sexual and gender minority youth as our featured group;…
Background Kaitlyn Hunt is an 18-year-old girl, a former student at Sebastian River High School in Florida, who is faced with two felony counts of “lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16” after the parents of her 15-year-old girlfriend pressed charges earlier this year. The girls began dating in November 2012, when Hunt was 18…
The presence of LGBTTIQ (an all-encompassing definition meaning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer that is more commonly shortened to LGBT) youth are demonstrated through an upsurge in awareness trends such as gay-straight alliances in High Schools and pride parades such the upcoming Calgary Pride 2013. Through these tides, however, the potential counterbalancing stereotypes…