Say his name: Dexter Pottinger

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Via Facebook: Dexter Pottinger

His name is Dexter Pottinger. He was a model, fashion designer, LGBT activist, photographer, makeup artist, the face of Jamaica Pride and judging from the multitude of condolences from people he’s touched, a brilliantly kind, creative and devoted human being. “Never apologize for being yourself”, he said, “they should apologize to you for asking you to be someone else”. He was murdered in his home last week in Jamaica. As a gay black man from the Caribbean, this hits uncomfortably close to home.

 

 

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Pride Postmortem 

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Street Art GiraffeMy perspective on life always seems a lot clearer after Pride. Reality sinks in and I realize that I put too much emphasis on things that don’t really matter at the end of the day. The epiphany that there’s no one way of being and no real need to fit into anything other than my own skin is freeing.  Continue reading →

For Orlando 

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It’s a hard day for our community- it’s been one year since the Pulse nightclub attack. Through the devastation we came together, rallied world wide and pledged our commitment to building a stronger, more unified community in the face of hatred. That gut wrenching feeling after hearing the news that night hasn’t left me. It looms every time I pop into a gay bar, club or any queer gathering.  But as we’ve demonstrated time and again, backing down is never an option.

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Queer Black History- Deep in Vogue: Willi Ninja

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willi1Before voguing made it’s mainstream debut via Madonna in 1990 and the classic Jennie Livingston doc Paris is Burning in the same year, voguing was a dance pioneered by black drag queens in the 1960’s  NYC Harlem ballroom era. The dance itself began as an admiration of the lifestyle of the rich and the famous, the fifth ave steppers and high fashion magazine models and their poses- hence the name. By the 80’s, as shown in Paris is Burning, the dance evolved into a form of shade and was used to distinguish who was legendary and who wasn’t. One such legend was Willi Ninja, the mother of the House of Ninja who not only mastered the dance form but aspired to take voguing from the ballroom to the real Paris and make the real Paris burn. And did he ever.

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Lessons from Obama

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obamaTo do right in a world of wrong requires strength, compassion and sheer determination. All of which were pillars of the final presidential address delivered by Barrack Obama earlier this week. ‘Change only happens when ordinary people get engaged and come together to demand it’, he said. And this is true not only in the political sense but especially so in our growing society of indifference towards each other.

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World AIDS Day: Fuck Stigma

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red-ribbonIt’s the 28th anniversary of World AIDS Day. It’s an important day for the community- a day of remembrance for everyone we lost to the disease and a day when we should reach out to those affected and let them know we’re here for them and that we won’t stigmatize or pass judgement. This year’s campaign’s on point- has our knowledge and attitudes towards HIV changed with the times? Or is HIV Stigma on the increase? If you’ve used a gay dating app recently it’s pretty clear that stigma still exists and it’s right here in our own community.

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Black Pride Matters

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Members of the Black Lives Matter movement stand amidst coloured clouds from smoke grenades at the annual Pride Parade, in Toronto on Sunday, July 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch

From Orlando to now I’ve gone through feelings of sadness and appreciation, a joyful abundance of Pride in who we are and how far we’ve come to now absolute fucking despair. The aftermath of last Sunday’s Black Lives Matter-Toronto protest at the Pride parade  march shattered any false sense of community formed since Orlando. It’s sickening to read the multitudes of ridiculous anti-black comments and articles on social media from people who either have no right speaking on the topic i.e. straight people who felt inconvenienced  by the 25 min delay and literally booed BLMTO marchers and the white privileged queens who can’t seem to understand or appreciate that non-white LBGT’s simply do not feel welcomed or valued in this community. If you’re already offended then this is especially for you..  Continue reading →

Guest Feature: #PrayForOrlando

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People gather at a vigil in solidarity for the victims killed at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in New York on June 13, 2016. The American gunman who launched a murderous assault on a gay nightclub in Orlando was radicalized by Islamist propaganda, officials said Monday, as they grappled with the worst terror attack on US soil since 9/11. / AFP PHOTO / KENA BETANCURKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

I apologize for the length of this post but I need to get some things off my chest. It has been days since we heard about the horrific events in Orlando and I still can’t process it.  I know there’s no logic to senseless acts so it’s difficult to reason in your heart and mind.  I thought I was okay about it, but as days  passed I realize I am in mourning.  Mourning those that were murdered and injured but also for thinking that we were at a place with our humanity that this no longer happened. Continue reading →