Deep Dish issue 458 #2

I am currently banned from attending events put on by certain members of the leather community. Some of them have no sense of humour so I have a member of their own with the ultimate sense of humour report on Leather Pride Day. Meet J.J. Deogracias, the Hello Kitty of the leather community. In a good way. This is what he had to say: With the Church St Village (née Fetish) Fair axed from its regularly scheduled spot, Heart of the Flag Federation brought back a Taste of the Fetish Fair to the Toronto Leather Pride Day Celebration party held at Zipperz as an end to Toronto Leather Pride weekend. All folks – kinky and vanilla, two-legged and four-legged (yes, cats and dogs too) - perused the outdoor Fetish Market where vendors sold fetish photographic art, jocks, kilts, collars, accessories, toys, gear, whips, and floggers. Performers Dante inferno of Les Coquettes and local drag king Clint Lyckher entertained the crowd. People in the leather community were honoured for their achievements including the new titleholders for 2013 – Robert Miller (Mr. Leatherman Toronto), Youkali (Ms. Leather Toronto)and Peter Rex (Mr. Rubber Toronto). Everyone drank, ate, laughed, danced, paddled, and flogged – consensually, of course. A friend commented, "(It's) where everyone gets along. Even cats and dogs." Imagine banning a pussy!

I was almost banned once from attending Divers/Cite in Montreal. Tonight however I tap dance into the French music inspired party Tapette for their 2^nd year anniversary party at Henhouse. We pull up and pile in as a lineup waiting to get in eyes us with prying eyes. They should. We’ve come to party and the party is clearly taking off inside. DJ (and Fab editor) Phil Villeneuve is chipper and smiles as he takes brakes from spinning to kiss his many well-wishers like a proud papa . . . or a least a hot gay uncle. Old school partier Brian Hui is taking a break from being make-up artist to the stars and is busting out on the rammed dance floor with graphic designer Tim Prentice. James Chiranni takes a break from dancing by gorging out on fresh baguettes, which are humorously hung around the dance floor like some odd phallic edible decor. “They were freshly baked today, so why not?” Villeneuve shrugs. Cutie Frank Griggs is here solo without partner, fashion designer Jeremy Laing. “He’s busy designing, he says. “He took a break last night.” Life is about taking breaks, without care of being banned, and tonight we break bread . . .  or as the French prefer . . . baguettes.