Gay fans of True Blood (and there are thousands) are usually disheartened to learn that series star Nelsan Ellis is straight as a pair of fangs in real life. The bootylicious black actor who plays gay medium Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO serial says in order to get into character he simply imitates his mother’s mannerisms. 

Reynolds comes from an extremely religious household. His father is a deacon, a “super-duper-deacon” as Ellis says; the kind of African-American pastor who leads a flock of singing parishioners.

However, Ellis says playing the role of Lafayette allowed him to meet gay and lesbian fans who changed his opinion on the plight of queers. After meeting so many young queer fans, Ellis created and produced the I Am Damn Wonderful documentary which profiles six young gay and lesbian poets and encourages all young queers to live with no regrets.

“We give them a platform to tell the world that they are relevant, they don’t have to deal with being bullied and suicide is not an option,” Ellis said on a recent episode of Chelsea Lately.

Fangbangers rejoice. He may not be one of us, but he’s on our side.

Check out I Am Damn Wonderful, here. 

Alas, the run of the popular Beaver Tales blog has come to an end. We're sad to see Sanita go; her posts were fun and informative.  

A new blog will debut in this space soon.

Stay tuned.

Who doesn't need a good laugh? I don't know about you, but I find it hard to laugh at stand-up comedians. I've seen a few shows and I've always laughed -- mainly because I didn't want anyone to feel bad. It's true I haven't seen that many, and it's also true that I can't relate to many of the jokes. I don't watch television; I'm not into pop culture. I like books, history and arts.

Maybe that's making someone laugh (with me, right?), or maybe you can relate to my point of view?

And then there's the man: Russell Peters. He always makes me laugh. I love his "Beating Your Kids" video because it's so very layered. I love his Indian accent gig. He completely embraces his heritage and difference and through laughter, he is able to bridge gaps. One day I want to see a member of the LGBTQ community do it as well as he does; there are a few comedians that pop to mind, like Ellen DeGeneres or Shawn Hollenbach, but none make me laugh like Russell. 

He'll be at Scotiabank Place on Sept 21 -- get your tickets now, ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure he'll sell out fast.

Some of the sharpest commentary on the current debate over Ontario's anti-bullying law comes from the National Post's Kelly McParland.

"One of the classic episodes from the Seinfeld comedy series was one in which Jerry and George are mistakenly identified as gay and try to convince a reporter it’s not true, couching each denial with the line “not that there’s anything wrong with that” as insurance against accusations of homophobia.

It was a hit because it managed to make both sides of the argument look ridiculous. Overwrought homophobia was lampooned at the same time the show skewered simple-minded political correctness. Too bad people in the Ontario education community don’t watch TV, because leaders in both the Roman Catholic church and the Ontario Education Ministry are in the process of making themselves look silly in a confrontation of Seinfeldian proportions.

As the article points out, the issue is serious, but the terms are becoming a little absurd. Cardinal Tom Collins, Catholic archbishop of Toronto, wants the word gay out of "gay-straight alliances" and is heading a debate over it, stalling the law. And the government insists on exactly this wording.

Cardinal Tom Collins, Catholic archbishop of Toronto.

In the article, McParland has something to say about both sides: the Catholic church needs to be straightforward (no pun intended) about where it stands on the LGBTQ issue, while the Ontario government should be concerned about bullying at large and not mandating specific language for clubs/alliances. 

While I personally think the word gay should appear, since in this case we're talking about an alliance for LGBTQ youth, I'm also beginning to wonder if we're not taking the bullying law too far into the sexuality realm. Other categories of kids get bullied too: overweight, unattractive, different, whatever. We never hear about them! I remember when I was in high school and they were the ones everyone picked on.

It seems to me that a truth is coming to the surface: kids bully kids who are different (including queer, but not only), while adults bully kids who don't fit with their religious and political points of view. That's a bit simplistic, maybe -- but how else do you explain that the entire debate on bullying (which is vast) is so utterly focused on queer youth? And who is fighting this out, if not us, the adults? 

What a great example we're setting on tolerance, negotiation and compassion. 

A recent article on CBC News has reminded me of the politics of gay film and television. 

It reminded me of the timing of Obama's announcement of support for gay marriage and how this will affect votes -- and how these issues are already evolving on screen.

Gay characters have already evolved, we are told. No longer are we seeing "coming out" stories, but everyday living: trying to secure a house, get married, make babies and retire peacefully.

In short, gay pop culture is now completely "mainstreamed." Good thing, bad thing? Some queer theorists would say that we're being prepackaged into a heteronormative lifestyle. Others would welcome this shift -- it might mean gaining acceptance and the realization from the world that we are the same; we are equal and therefore deserve equal rights and freedoms.

From CBC News: "When Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis decided to take a role in Cloudburst, a small budget Canadian film, it was because she liked the feisty, rebellious character of Stella."

I think there's truth to both arguments, though one is more subtly dangerous than the other: we deserve equal rights not because we're the same, but because our difference should be celebrated, or at least, not penalized. While sexuality does not define an individual, this invisible minority we carry gives us a unique perspective and understanding of human nature, and this insight can prove useful in navigating life and in influencing policy and politics.

The queer community has a lot to offer: compassion, activism, perseverence, forgiveness, understanding, creativity, hope. While some members want to go to church on Sundays, get married, have babies, work nine to five, retire and watch their grandchildren grow up, others don't. 

And while some pop culture characters truthfully reflect aspects of our community, others were made with the aim to soften heterosexuals to our "cause," such as The Kids Are All Right. In this movie's "lesbian" relationship, we see more straight sex than any other. And if you don't think this is an important point, then let me ask you this -- what is the main difference between gays and straights if not sex? I see how the movie warms the hearts of those who aren't gay. And I think such stories are important, but we shouldn't lose sight of the unique quality and texture of the queer experience and substitute our strong voices just so we can be mainstreamed. In the long run, the cost will be paid by those members of the community who don't fit into a heteronormative lifestyle. 

Don't be blind to this trap: no matter how much you behave like a heterosexual, you are not straight. You're still two guys or two girls. Those who are homophobic will not tolerate you more because you have babies and are married. What the queer cause seeks is not just legally equal rights, but a policy to end homophobia, educate and heal hundreds of years of discrimination and internalized pain, both for queers and their families, and I would argue, all of those who have internalized homophobia. 

It's great that we can be the same as heterosexuals. We also need to be safe in our differences.

For all those gays who want to party and die young -- for all those gentle souls who feel they were born into the wrong body -- for all those crazy mo-fos who just don't give a fuck: this article signed by The Beaver captures your spirit. Freedom is by nature defiant and different, and my pen is at your service. 

36th Annual Traditional Pow Wow is a beautiful display of colourful dancers in regalia with the beat of the drum -- our native community will be showcasing their heritage, and what a beautiful weekend to attend.

There will be an arts and crafts market with a display of handcrafted work by aboriginal people of North America. And for the gastronomes, there will be a food court with traditional meals. 

Details:

Sat, May 26: Gates open at 10am, Grand Entry at noon
Sun, May 27: Gates open at 10am, Grand Entry at noon

It's that time of the year again . . . for the Great Glebe Garage Sale. And it's green, capital letters and all.

This year, the local environmental group Ecology Ottawa will be hosting it. There will also be local performances: Phantom Shores, The Pelts, The Hornettes, Umbrella Protest, DJ Eric Roberts and DJ Hobo vs DJ Sweet Cheeks.

It starts bright and early tomorrow morning at 8am and runs until 4pm. But if you really want to get the best deals, show up earlier and bargain or show up late and get whatever's left over for super cheap. A few years ago we got a brand-new-never-opened fondue set for 10 cents. 

Pat Durr: Persistence of Chaos closes on June 3, and you know as well as I that the date will come and pass with the blink of an eye unless you commit to seeing this exhibition.

Dreams of Black Rainbows, by Pat Durr at Ottawa Art Gallery. (Photo by Peter Simpson, Ottawa Citizen)

It's worth it. The Ottawa Art Gallery's choice to showcase the talented and accomplished artist/activist is a good one. First of all, Durr's a local artist and her message is timely: "While navigating between distinct media, she has engaged with subject matter ranging from overt political commentary, to the destruction of environmental habitats, to a more concentrated interest in the waste produced and consumed by society; all intermingled with personal experiences and narratives. In 1987, she wrote, “Central to my work, whether it is formal or allegorical, is a celebration of life and its complexities.”

Durr effectively summed up a relationship she has consistently explored in her work: the interplay between life, as represented by the cyclical, orderly nature of things, and its complexities, as represented by personal experiences and environmental, political and social interventions. The resulting investigation is of the excitingly chaotic interaction of these parts, and indeed, of our being in the world.
 

A recent article in the Ottawa Citizen has shed some light on an elf I cross every day. I've always liked these mythical creatures for their beauty and elegance. They sort of have a very . . . gay quality to them, don't they?

Local artist Andrew King has given this elf a second life. 

Artist Andrew Kind in front of the elf -- notice one foot is missing! 

According to the artist's website, "This odd little creature has adorned the side of the Elphin Apartments building in downtown Ottawa since 1966 and can still be enjoyed today, minus his leg. I sketched and coloured my own replica version of this Ottawa icon (with a new leg) and have contacted some local talent to put the Elphin emblazoned shirts into production."

King describes the elf as an “exclusively Ottawa piece of nostalgia," and for those downtown crawlers, he's absolutely right. I've always lived in Centretown and the area has a luring, magical and tranquil elflike quality.

The T-shirts sold out almost right away, but you can buy some more at the New Art Festival on June 2 and 3. You can even preorder them by emailing here. 

In this morning's Long Island Newsday, we find out that Dharun Ravi will receive a one-month jail term for spying on his gay college roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later committed suicide.

I'll abbreviate the background info for you: Dharun and Tyler were randomly assigned a room together at college. Tyler was gay and Dharun didn't like it. One night, Tyler asked for privacy and the other left on his web cam, which he accessed elsewhere in the company of friends -- spied on Tyler kissing another boy. The next time Tyler asked for privacy, Dharun tweeted about his web cam and invited others to watch; Tyler committed suicide. It was later revealed that Tyler was accessing Dharun's Twitter account, probably feeling pretty bad about his roommate's actions. 

Dharun Ravi. Photo credit: AP

The article, titled "Dharun Ravi 30-Day Jail Term Splits Legal, Gay Observers," says it all. There comes a point of tension between ethics and philosophy and law, and it feels to me this is one of them.  

According to the Newsday article: "I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi," Judge Glen Berman said Monday. "He had no reason to, but I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity."

The trial must have been difficult for everyone, no doubt. Do I think Dharun is responsible for the suicide? No. Do I think he might have been a catalyst? That is not for me to say. Do I think he bullied and hurt Tyler? Yes. Do I think he hated him? I don't know. 

I want to know what you think. Is justice served?