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Sex rethought

If you’re like most people and spend your days pondering the intricacies of fisting, the psychology and spirituality of erotic pain or the 10 rules of happy non-monogamy, Queer McGill has got your ass covered.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 16, they’ll be hosting (re)Doing It! A Week of Sex (re)Education, and all of the above and more will be duly explored via a series of workshops, lectures and events they’ll be holding at a series of venues over the week.

“Our intent is to critically explore sex and sexual politics,” says spokesperson Adam Wheeler, “so there’s definitely a wide and interesting range of subjects we’ll be covering, all exploring what kind of sex we’re having, the assumptions we have about it, what’s hot, what’s normal and what’s disgusting. We want to engage subjects they don’t necessarily address in the traditional sex education classes we all received—or didn’t receive—in high school.”

Wheeler is especially stoked that noted queer activist Patrick Califia will be giving the week’s keynote address. “He’s been incredibly influential in queer politics and culture since the 1970s and we’re really excited about his involvement with us over the week.”

For a full schedule of events, times, and locations, go to queermcgill.ca.

Chris Barry

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Pussy party

A new animal rescue group is urging all you pussies to come out in support of a good cause this Friday the 13th.

Eleven Eleven Animal Rescue is throwing a “Party for the Pussies” at Absolute (3697 St-Laurent) to raise funds for cats the group rescues, and will feature tunes by Peer Pressure DJ Hatchmatik, along with DJs Wildside and V&A.

“We want to get people together for a cause, raise awareness and make a difference. What better way to do this than putting to good use what people already do every weekend—party!” says Caroline Ross, who founded the rescue earlier this year.

The organization is geared to a young demographic, and Ross promises revellers can expect a “good, old-fashioned, gritty, sweaty party.”

The pussy party is one of a series of events Eleven Eleven has planned, each aimed at raising money for different animals. For example: an Easter “Hip-Hop Party” to raise money for—you guessed it—rescued rabbits.

“We hope to be able to make a huge impact on the city—one epic party at a time!” says Ross.

The party kicks off at 10 p.m. and tickets are $5 at the door. For details, including profiles of animals currently available for adoption, go to elevenelevenanimalrescue.org.

Elisabeth Faure

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Fashion cares

Shopaholics looking to dig into discount bins might find just what they’re looking for at the 24th edition of Au Coeur de la Mode, the biggest fashion charity event in Quebec. The semiannual fundraiser, which welcomes on average 5,000 people to the Palais des Congrès, is organized by the Farha Foundation to raise much needed funds for those living with HIV/AIDS in the province.

“In Quebec, we have about 20,000 people living with HIV,” says Farha’s communication coordinator Antoine Ardiley. “Among those, 6,000 live with AIDS. We have to take care of this vulnerable population, because it’s not an easy way to live.”

As advances in medicine have prolonged the life expectancy of those living with the disease, so have their needs in order to maintain a dignified quality of life.

“Over the years, we’ve worked with over 70 AIDS service organizations,” says Ardiley, “and they all provide indispensable care to these people, from counselling and homecare to food and palliative services.”

The event takes place all day Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Palais des Congrès (201 Viger W.), and attendees can sift through the bargain merchandise of over 80 boutiques like Philippe Dubuc, Miss Sixty and Rudsak. Admission is a $5 donation. Details at farha.qc.ca.

Michael-Oliver Harding

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Gamebuilders wanted

The Quebec video gaming industry has been tooting its own horn for years about steady growth and the abundance of employment opportunities, so for this year’s Montreal International Game Summit (MIGS), organizers Alliance Numérique are hoping to show curious job seekers what a prospective career in gaming might entail.

SPIN is the public accessible portion of the typically industry-only MIGS festivities, held from Friday, Nov. 13–Sunday, Nov. 15. It consists of three activities designed to break down the secretive doors of the city’s fast growing gaming empire. “With all the possible careers available, we wanted to create activities that would promote the industry and show what opportunities are out there,” says Alliance Numérique director Pierre Proulx.

The first event at the Montreal Science Centre is a contest where students and professionals will build a game with spectators observing their every move—working specifically on game design, concept art, modelling and sound—while a speaker describes the different steps. The other two activities are a night of video game cinematics (shown movie theatre style) for $10 at Place Bonaventure, and an open house at Deus Ex 3 developer Eidos Montreal’s Maisonneuve studio, where CVs will be welcome.

For more info, visit spinmtl.com.

Erik Leijon

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Rear-view mirror

14 YEARS AGO - NOV. 9–16, 1995

On the cover: Carrie Haber of Montreal band Goldfish, for NMM NMMs (New Music Montreal/Néo-Musique Montréal, pronounced “num nums”) music fest. Among the many international and local bands playing, including Goldfish: Garbage, Boss Hog, D.O.A., Bass Is Base, Sofa, Eric’s Trip, the Asexuals, 13 Engines.
•Post-referendum Canada, writes managing editor Peter Scowen, “you’re one fucked up country…. Canadians seem content to define themselves as people too cheap to fight for what they believe in unless there’s a seat sale involved and too craven to see their visions through, preferring instead to allow bureaucrats and politicians to shape their futures.”
•With two Canadian features at Cannes about Jamaican-Canadians in Toronto ghettoes, Rude director Clement Virgo says “in a mock bad-joke voice” that he has to wear promotional baseball hats because he and Soul Survivor’s Stephen Williams “look alike.”
•Letter writer Luc Fortin says the paper’s Nov. 2 “caricature showing Parizeau and Landry in KKK garb is a disgrace.”

Angel >> Pigs The growing field of pig cognition, reports the New York Times, tells us that pigs can use mirrors to find food, are quick to learn, slow to forget, will follow a mate who knows where food can be found and can shake off a hungry, lazy pig mooch. They can also play video games, jump hoops and make wordlike commands. Their genome compares favourably with ours, their hearts can be transplanted to humans, their teeth are similar to ours and they even behave like we do. Says one University of Illinois scientist, “Pigs like to lie around, they like to drink if given the chance, they’ll smoke and watch TV.” What’s not to love? Yay pigs

Insect >> H1N1 skullduggery This last week-and-change has revealed all kinds of shenanigans surrounding desperate people hoping to get an early vaccine against the dreaded swine flu (an unfortunate smear against our pig friends). In Calgary, most of the NHL hockey team got theirs before anyone else, resulting in the cashiering of two Alberta health officials. In Toronto, Mt. Sinai board members got theirs early. At Montreal’s Jewish General, 200 top donors, as well as non-medical staff like janitors and plumbers, and non-clinical personnel at other MUHC institutions, got their vaccines before other at-risk groups. What gives? Who gets to jump the line?