Below is our listing of upcoming local lesbian events in Toronto. These Toronto queer women events have something for everyone, and are updated on a regular basis by someone who lives in Toronto. Check back often!
The Trans Inclusion Group hosts a FREE screening of "All About My Mother” – Thursday Mar.11th 6pm.
Film Overview:
About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre) is a 1999 Spanish drama film directed by Pedro Almodóvar. The screenplay deals with complex issues such as AIDS, trans lives, sex work, family, faith, and existentialism.
Spoiler Alert:
"A Greek saying states that only women who have washed their eyes with tears can see clearly. This saying does not hold true for Manuela. The night a car ran over her son Esteban, Manuela cried until her eyes ran completely dry. Far from seeing clearly, the present and the future become mixed up in darkness.
That same night, while waiting in the hospital, she reads the last lines written by her son in a notebook that he always kept by his side. 'This morning I looked through my mother's bedroom until I found a stack of photographs. All of them were cut in half. My father, I suppose. I have the impression that my life is missing that same half. I want to meet him, I don't care who he is, or how he treated my mother. No one can take that right away from me.'
She never told Esteban who he was, "your father died long before you were born" was all she ever told him. In memory of her son, Manuela leaves Madrid and goes to Barcelona in search of his father. She wants to tell him that their son's last written words were directed to him, even though he never knew his father. But first she has to tell him that, when she abandoned him eighteen years ago, she was pregnant, they had a son, and he has just died.
She must also tell him that she named their son Esteban, like his biological father, before he changed his name to Lola. Lola the Pioneer.
Manuela goes to Barcelona in search of Lola, her son's father.
The search for a man with that name cannot be simple. And indeed it isn't.
Lives becomes entwined. When do entwinements become relationships? And what kind of relationships?
dir: Pedro Almodóvar
rated: R (for sexuality including strong sexual dialogue, language, and some drug content)
<runtime 101min>
Everyone welcome. Allies welcome.
Open (casual) discussion follows.
** This event is brought to you in connection with The Centre's IWD (International Women's Day) Programming **
Like nothing you've ever seen before, Keys N Krates combine live instrumentation, turntablism and live sampling to remix existing pop music and samples from MGMT to Jay-Z right before your eyes. Pushing the envelope beyond the ideals of laptop-centric remix culture, this unique trio changes the game by bringing an explosive live analog presence to their sought-after sound and performance.
DONNIS | www.donnismusic.com
Donnis made a big buzz last year with his Diary of an ATL Brave mixtape. The project’s breakout hit, “Gone,” scored a one off single deal with indie Fools Gold Records. The former U.S. Air Force member is currently prepping the release of the video for March and has just recently inked a deal with Atlantic Records.
GRANDTHEFT | www.myspace.com/grandtheezy
Grandtheft is a Producer/DJ based out of Montreal, Canada and is one half of the Team Canada DJs duo. Known well for their live party-rocking and their acclaimed remix cd series "Classic Material", GT and Team Canada DJs have rocked a bunch of the best clubs worldwide. In Montreal, Team Canada DJs opened their own indie dance club on St. Laurent called Blue Dog.In 2007, TC also started their own management firm in Canada - The Eh! Team DJ's.
PIPER DAVIS | www.myspace.com/piperdavis
Piper Davis sings electro-blues. With vocal influences ranging from Tim Armstrong to Betty Davis, and self-made, micro-sampled beats that have drawn comparisons to MIA and Santigold, her songs represent a mixed bag of musical genres.
$10 Earlybird Advance tickets available at Rotate This, Soundscapes and wantickets.com
HOSTED BY SALACIOUS SOUND & ROBIN LOX. A GUY BROWN AFFAIR.
http://www.salacioussound.com
WRONGBAR | 1279 Queen Street West Toronto
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CLASSIXX
Barely into their twenties, Classixx have begun redefining a new sound for the Los Angeles electronic music scene. A refreshing change from the trance and techno inspired Electro that has been dominating dance floors, their Donna Summer’esque grooves have caught the ears of music aficionados, fans and artists alike. With recent remixes for groundbreaking artists such as Phoenix, The Ting Tings, Shiny Toy Guns and The Sounds their funky midtempo sound is turning heads everywhere. This past summer saw the release of their single, “I’ll Get You” featuring Jeppe (Junior Senior), as the debut track from the new collaboration between Kitsune Records and photoblogger Mark The Cobrasnake.
AZARI & III
Moments in love, soft lights of the metro night. The dream and the illusion. In the city concrete dissolves to dust, metal to rust, and from the empty darkness...
DON'T MISS THE CRYSTAL KAGE FROM 6-9 PM.
PWYC and $3 drinks all day!!
Followed by Karaoke with Foofer @ 10pm. FANTASTIC!!
Here is what they are saying about Crystal Kage:
Influenced by Sheryl Crow, Janis Joplin, Slash & Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Crystal Kage is an engaging rock/blues/folk-rock four piece from London, Ontario with heart-stopping vocals and a catchy foot tapping guitar riffs.
Originally started as a duo in August 2008 with Crystal Curran as the lead vocals & rhythm guitarist with a powerful & passionate voice and enthusiastic, engaging stage presents and Kory Adcock (aka Kage) as the lead guitarist playing both acoustic & electric guitar with remarkable shredding speed & quick finger changes.
Evolving into a powerful four-piece in October 2009 with Ryan Cruickshank on bass creating a powerful bottom end and smooth back beat and Darren Fleury on drums adding strong fills and rhythm, The Crystal Kage has head in a new direction, upping the energy and intensity in their music and performances.
Stay tuned for their Live Album, planned to be released in June 2010 and their upcoming
2nd Album "Not Waiting For Tomorrow", planned to be released in December 2010.
"The Joy of Gender", a provocative and gorgeous slide show, identifies trans experience as an ordinary, if ‘unusual’, aspect of human diversity. Chapters include: "Disrupting gender: the Opposite Sex is Neither." "Policing Gender: who does it?" "Trans communities here and now: we're fabulous, get used to us!" Thought-provoking experiential exercises, film clips and plenty of time for Q&A make for a lively and interactive workshop readily adaptable for a broad range of audiences from trans activists and academics to cisgendered people seeking answers to the most basic questions.
The event will also be an opportunity to learn about – and complicate – the current politics around the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and the University’s problematic ties. Let’s educate, activate and mobilize around the issues together!
Open community discussion will follow.
All welcome. Allies welcome.
Bio.
Hershel Russell is an older, white, trans man, experienced as psychotherapist, educator and activist. He has been counselling trans people and their families since 1995, has worked in a range of capacities with Sherbourne Health Centre from its inception and has critiqued the practises of the Gender Identity Clinics at CAMH for many years, both within CAMH and at a range of public venues from UofT to TVO. Current activism includes work developing proposals for Province-wide trans health care and trans specific health-care promotion. He is keen to see and join more local activism around the upcoming DSM_V. He loves presenting to a range of audiences, both workshops offered through larger agencies, (CAMH, CMHA, CAS, RHO) and his own workshops " The Joy of Gender: Trans 101" and "Homophobia is so gay: LGBT 101" . As an educator he believes that learning is always an active process, that respect for everyone’s dignity is key and that shared laughter can accomplish much! Participants often say that it feels easy in his workshops to raise difficult or awkward questions and to discuss them with complexity.
For more info check out this interview with Hershel in dialogue with Dr. Kenneth Zucker:
Light dinner (an array of vegan magnificence) and fair trade coffee provided.
** Please note: This is the rescheduled date for the same event postponed due to illness in 2009. The Centre apologizes for any inconvenience and greatly looks forward to seeing you on the new date: March 15th, 2010.
RSVPs encouraged.
If you require any accommodations please email or phone ASAP to ask about arrangements.
"Get down ladies you've got nothing to lose" - The Runaways, 1976
CHERRY BOMB: Spring Equinox Edition
with resident CB DJs
COZMIC CAT & DENISE BENSON
playing what we love
Spring is in the air and it’s time to come alive! CHERRY BOMB co-founders ‘n resident DJs DENISE BENSON and COZMIC CAT resuscitate your soul and bring the heat with fresh new sounds and dancefloor faves. We love nothing more than to throw this sexy, sweaty party called CHERRY BOMB each month, and all we need to add to the mix is YOU!
9pm – 3am
a licensed, 19+ inclusive event for queer women + our friends
put a little extra spring in your step with SWAGGER...
Come thaw out to the tunes of DJ D-Styles bringing the hottest hip hop, RnB, soul and house
+ a raffle with proceeds going to the Toronto QPOC Bathhouse for Women and Trans People sponsored by Foxy Originals, Balisi shoes & DaLish Cosmetics
Time: 10pm- 2am
* a QPOC event. All allies welcome!
What is SWAGGER all about?
SWAGGER, Toronto’s Premiere Production Company specifically for urban queers is all about having a good time while also giving back to the community
The Muff Mob at Slack's is excited to bring you the third installment of C♀CKBL♀CK, THIS Saturday March 27th. Maddy and Courtney will be on the bar, serving up some great drink specials and body shots.
C♀CKBL♀CK is an EXCLUSIVELY women-only event. No excuses, no exceptions - not even for our own staff! Come join us for a night of mayhem in a safe and sexy environment! The party starts at 10pm with drink specials, giveaways, and more.
10PM - 3AM
19+
Free Coat Check
$5 cover
C♀CKBL♀CK hits Slack's the last Saturday of every month. See you there!
Join us for a fun day of workshops and a sexual health fair for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and other women who have sex with women, including transgender and transsexual women who have sex with women.
Health Fair Highlights:
• Interactive health promotion stations
• Sexual health demos
• Art-making
• Sexual health resources
• Healthy snacks
Workshop Titles and Presenters:
• Yoga: Sex Love Spirit, by Salimah Kassim-Lakha
• This Is Me: Exploring Body Image through the Arts, by Zena Thomas
• Untying The Knots: Everyday Self-Massage Techniques, by Danielle Smith
• Turning Up The Heat: Hot Queer Sex Bent the Safer Way, by Carlyle Jansen
• Happy Paps: Pap Testing 101, by Arti Mehta and TBA
• Empowered Health Care: Tips on Navigating and Advocating within the Health System, by Phyllis Waugh and Amina Jabbar
• Whole Person Cervical Health: The Natural Medicine Approach to Prevention and Treatment, by Mahalia Freed
Please visit www.check-it-out.ca for mandatory registration and schedule of events. Registration deadline is March 14, 2010. Only those who register can attend the event. For more info or to register on the phone, please contact Arti Mehta at Planned Parenthood Toronto at 416-961-0113 ext 123 or amehta@ppt.on.ca
Want to tell your friends and loved ones about The Health Fest? Find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10150097633485570
This event is trans-positive, wheelchair accessible and scent-free. ASL interpretation and childcare will be provided.
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"The Hot Wholistic Health Fest: A Well-ebration of LGBTQ Women's Sexual Health" is a project of the Queer Women’s Health Initiative, a partnership between: Women's College Hospital, Sherbourne Health Centre, Rainbow Health Ontario and Planned Parenthood Toronto. Additional Community Parnters include Women's Health in Women's Hands, Good For Her and Asian Community AIDS Services. This project is generously supported by TD Bank.
Cozmic Cat and Denise Benson are excited to present the largest gathering of queer (and queer friendly) hip-hop and club music talent this city has ever seen. The 3 MCs all step with razor sharp flows, rapping 'bout love, sex, community and politics. The 2 DJ crews will keep both floors bouncing. Come early for the live shows, stay for the afterparty, grind all night long.
STARRING:
* INVINCIBLE * (Detroit) http://www.EMERGENCmusic.net
"One of the most talented emcees I've ever heard, black or white. male or female." -Talib Kweli
* BENNI E * (Philadelphia) http://www.myspace.com/bennipanama
Back by popular demand, the OUTspoken star of our Pride 2009 party returns to tear it up!
TORONTO reprezents with
* LA BOMBA * http://www.myspace.com/labombs
The Chilena MC brings lyrical fire with her bi-lingual rhymes!
* AIRHEART * http://www.airheartmusic.com
This local jazzy breakbeat duo performs an opening set at 10:30pm sharp!
PLUS...
2 DJ CREWS to make you DANCE SWEAT and CRUISE all night long:
Upstairs in REVIVAL * CHERRY BOMB resident DJs *
COZMIC CAT + DENISE BENSON
spin before, between and after the live sets!!!
While downstairs in the sexy, spacious STONE LOUNGE * YES YES Y'ALL DJs *
ELLE NINO, HOLLYROCK, J-ILL + SAMMY D
keep things bumpin' with their trademark blends of hip-hop RnB and dancehall.
This is the kind of party DB + COZ have wanted to produce since starting CHERRY BOMB in 2007, bringing together an amazing cross-section of talented, outspoken queer performers in a large venue with proper LIVE sound! It's an unprecedented live hip-hop event for Toronto's queer community. We invite you to make history with us!
it all goes down at REVIVAL . 783 College Street (at Shaw)
http://www.revivalbar.com . 416.535.7888
$12 ADVANCE TICKETS available from FEB 24th at:
Glad Day Bookshop 598A Yonge Street
Soundscapes 572 College Street
Toronto Women's Bookstore 73 Harbord Street
+ ONLINE AT Milkaudio.com (events/shop)
$15 AT THE DOOR.
This is a licensed (19+) inclusive event for queer women and our friends (meaning guys, trans folks and our straight allies are WELCOME!).
Revival + Stone Lounge (two sound systems)
783 College Street (at Shaw), Toronto
Text event listings are FREE. If you'd like your event added to the website, please contact us with your event information and we'd be more than happy to list it on superdyke.com.
