Just a quick note to mark in your calendar that Shameless magazine will be hosting an all ages event at the Gladstone Melody Bar in Toronto on December 10. We’re doing so in partnership with the fabulous Granny Boots.

More details to follow, but for now jot it down!

Wed Dec 10th from 7:30-10pmish
Gladstone Melody Bar
1214 Queen St West

(Brought to you by the Gladstone Hotel and Chelsey Licht-a-Womyn, Granny Boots is FREE weekly entertainment for queers. If you love to be home by 11pm or like to party hard till midnight, this night’s for you. Every Week is Different! Email chelsey.lichtman@gmail.com if you wanna host a Granny Boots!)

The Canadian Federation for Sexual Health (formerly known as Planned Parenthood of Canada) proudly presents:

My awesome friend Sharon busts her butt every year organizing the Open Door Festival of Music. The festival has been running for eight years already! As usual, the festival has an amazing line-up of performers.

The 8th annual ‘OPEN DOOR’ Festival of Music BENEFIT!
Thursday, November 20, 2008 @ The MOD CLUB
722 College St. W. Toronto, Ontario
Doors at 6:30, Music at 7pm sharp!

Join us tonight in Toronto for an exploration of artist responses to historical Indigenous misconceptions and stereotypes. The discussion is moderated by Toronto curator/producer Kerry Swanson (imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, LIFT).

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Want to show the world that fashion isn’t just thousand dollar brand name outfits and underweight models? HERE’S YOUR CHANCE!

If you’re like me and appreciate fashion that strays from the norm, maybe the third annual Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week will be your style.

[FAT], as the event is known (yeah, we know), will be celebrating “the fusion of over 120 artists from around the World”.

Offering a stage and audience to designers daring to do something different, the show exhibits unique clothes, non-typical shows, and runways with models that are larger than a size 0 and darker than a pale ivory.

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This weekend Shameless magazine will be setting up shop at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair. Come by for a visit, say hello, and grab some magazines at some great prices!

The Small Press Action Network - Ottawa Presents:

The Ottawa Small Press Book Fair Fall Edition
Saturday, November 15, 2008
in room 203 of the Jack Purcell Community Centre (on Elgin, at 320 Jack Purcell Lane).

Noon to 5 p.m. Free

Read Shameless’ take on the Aqsa Parvez murder here.

Join the Urban Alliance on Race Relations in Calling Toronto Life on their Misrepresentation of Aqsa Parvez’s Murder

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 10:30 AM
YWCA, Main Lounge
80 Woodlawn Avenue East,
Toronto

The December 2008 edition of Toronto Life features the story of Aqsa Parvez, a young Muslim girl who was killed in her home in Mississauga last winter.

While featuring Aqsa’s story is recognition of a young woman’s life cut tragically short, the Toronto Life article perpetuates common stereotypes about Muslim and immigrant communities, diverting attention from the urgent issue of violence against women across Canada.

On Tuesday November 11th, join the Urban Alliance on Race Relations in a “Don’t’ Believe the Hype” Campaign! The group is asking you to raise your voice on the important issue of violence against women, racism, and Islamophobia.

Get Involved in Three Ways!

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The fantastic Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore is coming to town on her fabulous North American tour! I was lucky enough to meet Mattilda when I was a contributor to this groundbreaking book that she conceived and edited, and I’m so honoured be reading at the Toronto launch of her latest novel So Many Ways To Sleep Badly (which is one of the finest and most innovative books I’ve read in a long time.) I’ll be reading from my latest, Fear of Fighting, which is now available.

The bill also has some other fantastic readers:

This Ain’t the Rosedale Library launches Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore’s So Many Ways to Sleep Badly with introductions from Hal Niedzviecki, Stacey May Fowles and Tara-Michelle Ziniuk and host Sandra Alland at 7pm on Mon, Nov 3 at The Boat (158 Augusta Ave). Cover is free in advance; $5 at the door; call (416) 929-9912.

More on the book and the full North American tour is after the jump.

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Next month members and friends of Youth Poetry are gathering for a full day of free Master Classes and workshops with various established poets. Open to young Canadian poets aged 12 to 19; the meeting will take place in Toronto on Saturday, November 1st, 2008.

Although official registration closed October 22nd for poets visiting from out of town (with respect to sleeping arrangements), it is still possible to show up the day of the activity and partake in this friendly gathering, organized by members of www.youngpoets.ca/forum and supported in part by the League of Canadian Poets (www.poets.ca) and the Canada Council for the Arts. No costs are attached to any of the activities, except for meals with are left to the discretion of each participant.

CONFIRMED DAY VENUE: The Lillian H. Smith branch, Toronto Public Library
239 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R5 Canada
Phone: 416-393-7753 Fax: 416-393-7635

Full Schedule after the jump.

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