Provocative writer and former Xtra contributor Ivan Coyote is in Ottawa this week reading from their (Coyote prefers the non-gender-specific pronouns "they/their") latest book, a collection of stories aimed at young adults (and their parents) titled One in Every Crowd. Hailing from Whitehorse, Coyote will read as part of the Northern Scene series Saturday, April 27. Xtra chatted with Coyote in advance of the event.

You visited Ottawa’s Spectrum Youth Group this week. Tell me about that experience. What do you make of the queer youth of today?

It was fantastic. We had a great time. I did a school show in the morning, at Sir Wilfred Laurier. They flew a rainbow flag for me. It was organized by the Ottawa Public Library. I’m in town for the Northern Scene. It’s a festival of northern performers, so performers from all over the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Northern Labrador, all over northern Canada. I’m here as part of that festival, which is a coproduction with the Ottawa Writers' Festival. The Ottawa Public Library got in touch with me and asked if I wanted to do some stuff with the youth, and I said yes. I did Sir Wilfred Laurier school yesterday, and I’m going to Ridgemont High today. I did a reading and question-and-answer and hung out with the youth at Spectrum last night.

Were there any surprises?

I’m not surprised anymore because I do a lot of work in public high schools, but I’m always taken aback by how savvy the queer youth are, how smart they seem. And how together and self-aware. I don’t remember feeling like I had that kind of political analysis or that kind of big-picture, world view of politics that I see. I’m talking about kids from rural places, too. I go to some really small towns to do some high school gigs, as well, right to inner-city Toronto, right across the spectrum.

What are your thoughts on gender expression not being included in the federal trans rights bill, C-279?

Obviously I think that passing legislation isn’t going to force anyone to be compassionate, but it’s part of the whole multitiered approach that we have to use, that we have to enact and keep fighting for until trans people are treated the same way as everybody else in the country. I think it should be part of it.

Our prime minister didn’t vote in favour of C-279. Along with that move and the funding of the religious, private institution Crandall University, some activists say that our prime minister is transphobic and homophobic. What do you make of this statement?

I hate Stephen Harper. On so many levels, I don’t think he’s a friend to any of us. I don’t just mean queer people; I mean Canadians.

"A Butch Roadmap" 

Northern Scene: Ivan Coyote and Taqralik Partridge

Sat, April 27, 8:30pm 

Knox Presbyterian Church

120 Lisgar St 

$12 

Two drag queens with ties to Ottawa are vying for a valuable Mexican getaway in RuPaul’s Lip Sync for Your Life video contest.

Robyn DeCradle, who now calls Toronto home, and Club Edge staple Jade London are currently sitting in third and fourth place respectively.

Always inventive with her costumes, DeCradle’s video finds the diva paying homage to Madonna and geisha culture.

London pops in her video, which is dripping with glamour and highlights the queen’s upbeat attitude.

The prize is a trip to Puerto Vallarta valued at $2,500.

Voters can cast one vote every 24 hours. The contest ends May 7.

Watch the entrants’ videos.

First celebrated in Canada on Sept 11, 1980, Earth Day is an annual, international (but unofficial) holiday staged to draw attention to the need for environmental protection.

Here in Ottawa, Earth Day activities include a tree giveaway by Junk.ca at City Hall and Earth Day yoga at PranaShanti Yoga Centre.

But perhaps the largest happening today was Canada’s environment minister, Peter Kent, and Alberta’s environment and sustainable resource development minister, Diana McQueen, releasing federal and provincial data on the environmental effects of the oil sands to the public through an online portal.

“Today, as the world celebrates Earth Day and showcases commitments to protecting the environment, Canada is contributing and doing its part. We are delivering on our promise to ensure that scientific data from the monitoring activity is transparent and accessible,” Kent said. “With this portal, our respective governments are actively encouraging informed discussions and analysis on the impacts of oil sands development based on high-quality scientific information.”

“Alberta is proud to co-lead the development and implementation of this world-class, science-based monitoring program for the oil sands,” McQueen said. “By openly reporting on our data and our progress, we are ensuring the rest of the world recognizes our commitment to responsible and sustainable resource development.”

Given the fervent opposition to the oil sands and the Keystone XL pipeline in Canada and the US, transparency seems like a step in the right direction. However, the portal may end up giving more ammunition to protesters who will now have concrete evidence that the oil sands are doing more harm than good.

Here are five environment-themed songs for Earth Day that either comment on humans' impact on the planet or question government action (or inaction).

“Kyoto Now,” Bad Religion

“The Last Living Rose,” PJ Harvey

“Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth,” Neko Case

“The Earth Died Screaming,” Tom Waits

“Big Yellow Taxi,” Joni Mitchell

International Record Store Day, which has been bringing together hardcore music fans and rare collectibles since 2008, is Saturday, April 20.

The event was conceived by an independent record store employee (with the debatably unfortunate name of Chris Brown) in 2007, and since then, each third Saturday in April sees myriad bands and artists release limited-edition vinyl.

This year’s official ambassador is Jack White of the White Stripes. A special two-tone vinyl edition of the White Stripes' Elephant, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, will drop at select stores.

Other artists releasing special editions this year include queer favourites Ani DiFranco and David Bowie.

Tyler Clark, manager of Compact Music, adjacent to Ottawa’s gay village, says the store will have limited-edition vinyl up for grabs and free seven-inch records with a purchase. In addition, Warner Music has stocked the Bank Street store with free cloth record tote bags.

“[There will be] no tax storewide to celebrate that people still come into record stores and buy music the old-fashioned way,” Clark says.

I know I will be scouring local record stores for a special split vinyl by two of my favourite bands, Garbage and Screaming Females.

Record Store Day

Compact Music

190 Bank St 

"I Don't Mind It," Screaming Females

"Man on a Wire," Garbage

As a child, one of my friends would gross out crowds of onlookers by inhaling a gold chain through her nose and pulling it out through her mouth.

Now this disturbing feat has evolved, thanks to adventurous teens on YouTube. But it’s condoms these teens are inhaling nasally and then pulling out of their mouths.

Doctors are warning against the “condom challenge” because, if the condom were to be stuck in the nasal cavity, the challenger could quickly choke and die.

Please kids, save condoms for safe sex.

Led by Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, the Mars One project hopes to land a permanent human settlement on the red planet by 2023.

The requirements for prospective volunteer Martians are specific. And while the qualifications state that interested parties must possess a “can do attitude” and “be free from any disease, any dependency on drugs, alcohol or tobacco,” there is no stipulation regarding sexual orientation. However, if a queer astronaut did make it through the selection process, it is assumed they would be expected to procreate and populate Earth’s smaller neighbour.

Not counting Martian births, the Mars One team, which includes Concordia University professor Dr Raye Kass, hopes to fly 20 settlers to the planet by 2033.

Slate reports that almost 40,000 Earthlings have applied as of April 13.

From David “I was never gay, it was the ‘70s” Bowie, to a Misfits track that Carrie Brownstein says is “the perfect length for a song,” here is a playlist the lucky applicants may enjoy on their journey (which takes 150 to 300 days, depending on the speed of the launch.)

Godspeed, queer Martians.

“Life on Mars?” David Bowie “Ballrooms of Mars,” T Rex

“Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon,” The Flaming Lips

“Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons,” Pixies

“We Are Martians,” Volta Cab

“I Turned into a Martian,” The Misfits

Ottawa is bracing for an unseasonable storm this weekend, but the performers of the Burlesque Vanguard Tour are aiming to melt away the icy chill with white-hot routines.

Headed by “boylesque” performer Paco Fish, the comedic and theatrical tour stops in all 48 mainland states and three Canadian provinces. The Ottawa leg features established performers Cherry Typhoon and The Lady Josephine and hometown divas Miss Helvetica Bold and Mlle Jolie Stripes.

“My personal style of burlesque is a weird dichotomy of shameless, feminist, body-positive, self-sexualization and satirical,” Bold says. Her unique act addresses the stereotypes she faces as a plus-sized person, she says.

Miss Helvetica Bold from Grim Rabbit Productions on Vimeo.

Burlesque Vangaurd Tour

Friday, April 12, 8pm

Zaphod’s

27 York St

$10 advance, $15 door

“What’s wrong with us as a species?”

This is one of the many questions the documentary Occupy Love poses.

Although some might think the Occupy movement has wilted, dedicated supporters continue to fight for the cause. The movement began as a protest against economic and social inequality, but the makers of Occupy Love say the movement will now usher in a new beginning for global society.

“Love stories can be absolutely heartbreaking. There’s no doubt that part of the love story we are experiencing is a heartbreak,” the Canadian director of Occupy Love, Velcrow Ripper, says in a YouTube interview.

Climate change, the global financial crisis and the extinction of numerous species are just some examples of the heartbreak humans have imposed on the earth and ourselves, he says. “Recognize that we’re all in the same ship and it’s sinking.” 

A panel featuring Clayton Thomas-Muller, of the Polaris Institute, and Ben Powless, a member of Occupy Ottawa, will follow a screening of Occupy Love, April 11 at the Mayfair.

Occupy Love

Thursday, April 11, 7pm

Mayfair Theatre

1074 Bank St

Ottawa writer Amanda Earl is returning to Venus Envy to read her saucy and salacious erotic work as part of the Voices of Venus series.

The first writer to appear in the series when it began in 2009, Earl, who describes herself as a “polyamorous love anarchist, poet and pornographer,” says the material she’s presenting this time around encompasses all genders.

“[It’s] a kind of potpourri of smut. BDSM, trans, straight slut [and] humiliation and degradation,” Earl explains.

A celebration of women's spoken word and live literature, the Voices of Venus converge every second Wednesday of the month. Each gathering begins with an all-female open mic followed by a performance from a featured artist. 

Earl at the Tree Reading Series 2009

Voices of Venus

Wednesday, April 10, 7:30pm 

320 Lisgar St 

$5

For more info on Voices of Venus, visit the official site or the Facebook group.  

There’s nothing like an early-morning dip to shake off your Friday-night hangover.

The third annual swim-EAU-thon is Saturday, April 6 at 8:30am.

Hosted by queer swim club the Ottawa Rideau Speedeaus, the event aims to enhance community involvement and raise funds for PTS and Le Bureau Régional d’Action SIDA (BRAS).

Attendees will plunge into a newly constructed saltwater pool at the Centre Aquatique Paul-Pelletier, which features six 25-metre-wide lanes. Timers and lap counters will be available.

To register, visit the Speedeaus’ official site and fill out the appropriate forms.

swimEAUthon

Sat, April 6, 8:30am

Centre Aquatique Paul-Pelletier

325 Aylmer Rd