Pervers/cité: in the streets and between the covers
More : Pervers/cité, POMPe, Pride Parade, Queer art, Queer People of Colour, student strike
Pervers/cité isn’t so much a festival as it is a joyful confrontation. This year, the self-proclaimed “Underside of Pride” is being enriched by the parallel (and connected) 2-QTPOC event series, with performances, workshops, parties, art shows and a book fair leading up to the Pride parade. It kicks off with a punk show tonight (Thurs, Aug 9) @ Coop Katacombes.
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“We believe it’s important to build strong links across social movements and communities,” says Pervers/cité organizer Joshua Valentine Pavan. “At a time when governments are granting gay rights, we need to be in touch with what’s happening to other social movements in this country. Queers can’t become the progressive gloss on socially regressive agendas,” he added in a collectively written statement.
The purpose and inspiration behind this “Underside of Pride” festival has been, since its inception in 2007, to raise the political and socially critical questions that other LGBT groups are afraid to touch: Is the LGBT movement racially inclusive enough, or at all? Should LGBT politics embrace the student strike and oppose tuition hikes from a government that seems pro-homo? Should governments withhold aid from foreign countries that mistreat homosexuals? What is the place of intersex people in the LGBTIQ rainbow? These and other conversations will have their place at over 24 events in numerous locations throughout Montréal Aug 9 – 19.
For the first time, Pervers/cité’s programme will be enriched by the parallel 2-QTPOC event series for two-spirited, queer and trans people of colour being hosted at the articule art centre (262 Fairmount Ouest). Organized and curated by Montréal artist Elisha Lim, the 2-QTPOC events will include artist talks, parties, and a performance art show “Self/Lust” (Sat. Aug 11, 8pm @ Studio XX, 4001 Berri). Known for his witty and touching staged monologues, Asian-Canadian artist Ryan Kai Cheng Thom headlines the event, along with musician Sika and newbie Kama La Mackerel.
There will also be parties aplenty, with four major nighttime events, the Disque-chromatique (Fri. Aug 10 @ Il Motore) with DJ Cassenoire (aka Benni E), a special edition of POMPe to raise funds for legal battles wrapped up in the student strike (and celebrate DJ JNNYBNNYRCK’s birthday, Thurs. Aug. 16), and a vogue-themed closing party, DROP CUNT, MC’d by Baltimore rapper DDM (Sat. Aug 18 @ Coop Katacombes).
Don’t forget tonight’s QUEER ASS PUNK rock show (also at the Katacombes) with raucous troublemakers the Dirty Housewives and Antonio Bavaro & the Bad Ideas (from last year’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch). For those who prefer a more lady-like gathering, the Femme Tea Party (Sat. Aug 11, 2pm in Parc Jarry) has become an annual tradition.
Amongst the many “thinky” events going on over the 10-day festival, the Q-team Collective’s “Queer Between the Covers” book fair returns to the Centre St-Pierre on Saturday, Aug 18, to coincide with Fierté Montréal’s community day. For one busy, joyful day, the book-fair aims to counteract the absence of an alternative queer bookstore in Montréal. The literary side of Pervers/cité gets extra room in the calendar this year with readings at Le Cagibi (Wed. Aug 15, 6:30pm), followed by much-anticipated screenings of short films by John Greyson, to be presented by queer scholar Tom Waugh (9pm @ Le Cagibi, 5490 boul. St-Laurent).
Queer Between the Covers, Sat Aug 18, 11am-6pm (1212 Panet)
Oh, and did we mention the marches? Pervers/cité is playing its informal boycott of Fierté Montréal Pride non-dogmatically, committing to the GLBT contre la hausse contingent for the Aug 19th parade (at 1pm), but choosing the Radical Dyke March (Tues. Aug. 14, 6pm @ Place Émilie-Gamelin, lesbian-identified and queer women only) over Montréal Pride’s “Marche des femmes.”
“The 22nd anniversary of the brutal police raid at Sex Garage, the origin of our Pride movement in Montréal, should be an opportunity to join the movement started by the students and embraced by all outraged citizens. Against Austerity! Against Bill 78! Against Police Brutality!” the Pervers/cité collective shouts. The next ten days should prove to be exciting, marginal, messy and fun: with a little collective learning on the side.
Pervers/cité
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