Montréal
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Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
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Issue
no 3 –
July 2005
As Montréal prepares to host
the 1st World Outgames in July and
August of next year, Montréal
2006 – the Outgames Organising
Committee – is pleased to
present a monthly series of articles
profiling the Outgames, the Host
City and its legendary charm and
openness towards the LGBT community.
In
this third installment,
readers will see a more personal
approach to understanding Montréal,
Québec and Canada as premiere
gay and lesbian destinations of
choice.
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Montréal
Outgames: The Perfect Host is Having You
Over
Written by Sean Morrow
1 July 2005
Have you ever noticed how
some cities are known for their cultural
wonder while others for their social freedoms?
And what of those recognised for the advanced
political ideas floating about the air?
It is rare that a city carries all of these
characteristics at once but Montréal,
Québec’s trend-setting cosmopolitan
hub of diversity, magically lives with all
of these features in harmony. And, Montréal’s
LGBT community is no exception.
As the 1st
World Outgames fast approach, there is palpable
buzz of excitement running around this island
city. The invitations are out, worldwide
registrations are pouring in and everyone
is preparing to play host to an estimated
16,000 participants and 250,000 spectators.
Even more, with one of North America’s
largest LGBT populations and one of the
foremost gay neighbourhoods in the world,
Montréal is the premiere gay and
lesbian destination for an event of this
kind.
But what is it really
that makes this city so hot? Why does it
seduce me so?
Breaking
News:
Opening Ceremonies
Montréal’s
internationally acclaimed Cirque
du Soleil will be performing
as part of the Outgames
Opening Ceremonies. |
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A little
bit of context…
Montréal
became my home a little more than five years
ago. I had been living in the Province of
Alberta – Canada’s answer to
right wing politics. The boy I just met
was a Montrealer, and after two weeks in
the Caribbean together, I did the only rational
thing that one does after falling in love
so quickly: I packed my bags, hopped on
a plane and moved here to live in sin. We
were 20 then, and desperately lost in the
awe of the sweetest honeymoon one might
dream.
Of course, like most first
loves, it ended after only a few months.
I found myself faced with a decision then:
stay in Montréal or return to Alberta.
I remember weighing the pros and the cons
of the situation; Montréal had French
boys and French kisses and open attitudes
to a young gay man. Alberta, on the other
hand, was not that open and had pick-up
trucks and cowboy boots. Deciding that cowboy
boots were as out as I was, I knew I had
to stay.
But there was more that was
keeping me here and I knew it. I could see
that this was a city of action, a hotbed
of passions, and I was young and on the
prowl. Even more, I could see that there
was magic found in the way that Montréal
constantly looked to its subculture to challenge
the mainstream ideas of ‘normal.’
Here, local thoughts seemed to bridge with
mainstream attitudes anywhere they could.
That, in turn seemed to push for growth
and constantly leave the city positioned
as a leader in setting distinct trends and
fashionable politics. Daring to be original,
choosing to be cultural, Montréal
proudly embraces this reputation with pride.
I wanted to live in it as long as I could
because this city welcomes anything different.
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Complexe
Bourbon in the Village. |
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© Tourisme Québec,
Jean-François Leblanc
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Resolution (5,502 KB) |
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The
Village had me at ‘bonjour’
Montréal, I knew, had the famous
Gay Village to offer and it formed the core
of the LGBT community here. I had heard
that it was one of the largest in North
America and was alive with culture and festivities.
I wanted to see the architecture, explore
the shops and experience the excitement
of an entire neighbourhood completely out
of the closet. All right, perhaps I really
wanted to pick-up (I had anticipated a large
assortment of potential), but I quickly
learned there was far much more available.
Beyond the clubs and parties lay city attractions
for every taste.
You see, the Village spans
more than 15 blocks from east to west and
another four from north to south. Walking
here you find yourself wide-eyed, amazed
and thinking that sometimes, size really
does matter. This ‘quartier’
is unique, and fabulously enchanting. Its
old world charm temps anyone who’d
enjoy the European flavour decidedly original
and fresh. To me, however, it is the colourful
composite of everything all together –
the narrow, winding streets, the Art Deco
architecture, old style carriage garages,
flowered balconies, quaint bed and breakfasts
and churches – that make strolling
with your partner in this area a welcomed
adventure every time. Young or old, single
or coupled, into the nightlife scene or
not, the Village’s offering caters
to every taste.
If you do want to go out in
the Village, you have your pick of spots.
Lesbian, gay, mixed, leather, hiphop, dance,
karaoke, pub-like and cabaret bars line
the main street. Strip bars are all over
too and, again, there is something everyone.
There are bars with younger boys and others
with muscle babes, straight-acting or, okay,
even a little flamboyant. When you are staying
in Montréal, it isn’t uncommon
to go out and have a few pre-dinner drinks,
pick a restaurant from the vast array available,
hit a strip bar and then dance until the
bars close at 3:00. Of course, your night
doesn’t have to end there, no. Instead,
hit one of the after hours clubs, a 24 hour
restaurant for an early breakfast or a poutine
before crashing back at your hotel or –
ahem – dare I say, a sauna?
These days, things are even
better down there. The city and business
owners are spending countless dollars refurbishing
the Village. Roads are being repaved, building
exteriors are being renovated and, all over
the neighbourhood, bars, stores, bed and
breakfasts, restaurants, cafés and
saunas are undergoing a makeover. Even the
park areas are being redeveloped. Whatever
your interest, the Village is poised to
be more fun than it’s ever been.
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The Gay Village |
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© Tourisme Québec,
Jean-François Leblanc
High
Resolution (5,012 KB) |
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Hold
my hand in the street …
I was amazed, too, the first time I walked
out of the Village, and beyond. Throughout
downtown streets, in parks, in theatres,
at festivals – wherever – people
from all walks of life were out laughing
and holding hands. Arm in arm, comfort is
shared between friends and strangers alike.
In the day and in plain view, couples of
every variety simply live their lives in
a way that I have since come to know myself.
Perhaps it is found in the seduction and
romanticism of the French language, mixed
freely with the English. Or, maybe it’s
the fact that you don’t have to speak
French to get by (although making the effort
does draw a warm smile) in the biggest French-speaking
city outside of Paris. I think though, that
it is the abundance of smiling faces –
and seductive glances – found in every
color and every culture, all used to living
together. Or maybe it is the ‘Live
and Let Live’ attitude. Whatever it
is, there is a world found here that greets
any individual and allows them to be free.
Welcoming and inviting, Montréal
calls out to the international LGBT community
and begs them to visit the Village and every
other corner of the city. No doubt, this
open invitation is one of the reasons that
Divers/Cité’s
Pride festivities and, as well, the
events of the Bad
Boys Club of Montréal (Black
and Blue, Red, Hot and Dry, Twist and the
Bal des Boys), welcome so many lesbian and
gay tourists here each year. Thank you to
the organizers of each. Because of you,
I have enjoyed becoming a man many times
over.
Kidding aside, I can’t
help wonder if there was more to why Montréal
is so open and accepting. As it turns out,
Montréal has a long-standing tradition
of welcoming and supporting the LGBT community
specifically. Tourisme Montréal,
the local tourist office here, has won numerous
awards over the last 10 years for their
leadership in being the first to position
a city among the world’s most solicited
destinations for gay travellers. That goes
for the province of Québec as well.
I don’t know which I find more attractive:
the fact that I can kiss my boyfriend anywhere
I want or the fact that we have governments
and tourist offices that actively promote
our ability to do so.
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A
Montréal Village Scene |
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© Tourisme Québec,
Jean-François Leblanc
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I was talking with a good
friend of mine, Joanne, about being so comfortable
here. She said that she and her girlfriend
go wherever, whenever, and however they
want in this city too. Its nice to know,
I suppose, that I’m not crazy in thinking
all of this is true. Actually, Joanne insists
that it is, in fact, as open as I see it
here. We go people-watching sometimes and,
sitting on some random bench, I can see
she enjoys the game, silently offering smiles
to the girls that pass, happily content
when they smile back. Okay, so our heads
are turning in two different directions
but two girls together is just as hot as
two guys. Isn’t freedom grand?
Is
everything a party though?
In an attempt to explain why I love this
city, I tend to center much of the argument
on the fun, the comfort and well, shall
we say, the boys…Let us not ignore
the throngs of women that flock here too,
equally excited to share in the excitement
of this city. But beyond the freedoms that
the LGBT community shares with the mainstream
here, however, there is even more to offer.
Every year, Montréal plays hosts
to hundreds of cultural festivals, international
conferences and sporting competitions that
entice, seduce and arouse passions in any
individual. Going far beyond simple events
or performances, Montréal has become
renowned for its ability to host any kind
of event and to do so with great success.
Somewhere, in so many of them, you’ll
find me walking around with my friends,
each of us breathing in as much of the air
as we can. Millions of people join us in
these experiences each year and regardless
of their age, race, religion, sexual orientation,
HIV status or nationality.
Some of my favourite festivals
are ones that you might also find personally
enriching. The Montréal International
Jazz Festival for instance has been alive
for more than three decades and presents
all varieties of jazz and blues music on
some 500 stages each summer. Artfest is
another good one, welcoming hundreds of
artists to show and sell their work on the
streets of the Village; simply amazing,
this festival becomes one of the most spectacular
open-air galleries every year. Want to laugh?
The July Just for Laughs Festival brings
humour from all aspects of society: politically
incorrect, gay, Jewish, British, Irish,
Canadian, French, local, romantic, female,
uptown, novice, experienced and alternative.
The Image & Nation LGBT world film festival
brings other variety of connoisseurs to
our city and ones eager to take in as many
local and international LGBT long and short
films as possible.
If you’re a sport enthusiast,
you’ll not easily be disappointed
either. Athletes compete here year round
in any number of local, provincial, national
and international competitions. Men and
women of every age have adopted sport like
a religion and it is serious business here.
In Montréal, people play and watch
with so much enthusiasm that stadiums are
filled, crowds go wild and the competitions
just don’t stop. To further add to
the regular excitement to date, the city
of Montréal has just announced the
coming construction of a new soccer stadium
that will help accommodate the thousands
of professional and amateur players that
are increasingly flocking to this sport
each year. This stadium will join the Olympic-level
venues already prominent on the list of
facilities available. This brings up another
thing I like about this city: there is a
game for everyone, (sport or otherwise).
We
may be better dressed too
Montréal has another trump card up
its sleeve and one that I enjoy to play
whenever I return to Alberta. With ‘gay-straight’
labels flying so far out the window, this
city, in general, may simply be the best
dressed around. Montréal is typically
the first to bring in the international
fashions and throw them on the racks. We
have some of the best internationally recognized
talent located right here too: Luc Laroche,
Philippe Dubuc, Marie Saint-Pierre, Nadya
Toto, JM – we are often the first
North American city outside of New York
to send out what’s cool on a regular
basis. And here, every Montrealer embraces
these fashions whole-heartedly. In fact,
straight men are flocking so much to fashion
that I often find myself wondering if my
‘gay-dar’ is still working or
if ‘that’s just some Metrosexual
over there.’
Of course, the repercussions of this reality
are far more significant when one considers
that the LGBT community is simply not confined
to those 15 by 4 city blocks that make up
the Village. We share bars, restaurants,
stores, museums, streets and now can be
seen racing with our Metrosexual counterparts
for the last pair of designer sunglasses
sitting under the glass counter in a Saint-Laurent
Street boutique. Someone, anyone, please
tell me how I’m supposed to find a
partner under these conditions?
There
must be a solution, right?
Where a question is asked, there should
be an answer, just like a problem must yield
a solution. If the city pace is just a little
bit too wild or you simply want to explore
a little more, Canada, and Québec
have so much to offer. Looking over some
tourism statistics, I read that an estimated
78% of the LGBT community have valid passports
versus about 28% of the mainstream population.
I guess it’s safe to say we like to
travel.
If you would like to explore
a little more, a quick search would yield
any number of interesting possibilities.
Montréal is one of
the best cities to start from if you want
to explore a gay-friendly Québec
or hit some famous attractions nearby in
Ontario. By car, we are only a few hours
from any number of tour possibilities or
short-haul excursions sure to spice up your
adventure here. Mont-Tremblant and the Laurentians
are around an hour and a half from Montréal
and offer incredible views, luxurious spas
for any budget, fresh air, open skies, mountains,
and some of the best skiing around during
the winter. Charlevoix, another love of
mine, is an adventure in itself: visit here
for whale watching and outdoor sporting
– canoeing, kayaking, rafting, horseback
riding and more. Québec City, the
province’s capital and a historical
and architectural gem on its own, is about
two and a half hours away and Ottawa, the
Nation’s Capital, is about two. Toronto,
Niagara Falls, the Adirondacks in Upper
New York State and even New York City are
close enough to travel to easily as well.
If you’re coming, plan to visit one
of these places, especially if you won’t
be back in our neck of the woods soon.
And
if one stays?
When you do decide to come and stay, you
will find that Montréal is not an
expensive city to visit. All things considered,
you can go out, shop, get around and participate
in any variety of experiences with the smallest
or largest budget in mind. I found that
one out when my honey left me. A couple
of things to note:
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A
Taste of Montréal |
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© Tourisme Québec,
Jean-François Leblanc
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Restaurants of every flavour
and class are found in abundance here. So
are the cocktail bars, mind you, but that’s
a whole other article. International cuisine
is a Montréal specialty of which
I can attest to and savouring fine food
and everything delicious a favourite pastime
of locals and visitors alike. The famous
‘table-d’hôte’ is
also ever-present and so don’t expect
to pay much more for appetizers, dessert
and coffee when they accompany your main
dish. You can also try one of the many bring-your-own
wine restaurants that riddle Duluth and
Prince Arthur Streets or parts of the Village.
Much of what to do is free
and you won’t have to stand in line
or wait. Montréal is neither a line-up
city nor a city that will ask you to pay
entry fees every time you hit a club. Actually,
you shouldn’t expect to pay for most
of what you’ll do. Okay, so there
may be nominal fees for a few museums or
events but there is much you can do without
burning holes in your pockets. Even more,
early spring to fall sees streets lined
with free performances in the Old Port.
The Atwater Market, Lachine Canal walkways
and Mont-Royal Tam-Tam experiences are all
free things to do that no one should miss
anyway. Art and furniture galleries, stunning
architecture, the churches and basilicas
can be found throughout the city year-round
too. Remember, this is a city that likes
to share its culture so feel relaxed when
you do just that. You can always go window-shopping
too but I doubt many of us know how to do
that.
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Métro
of Montréal (Station Jolicoeur)
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© Tourisme Montréal,
Pierre Gingras
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Getting around in this city
is as cheap as it is easy. While that phrase
could easily be turned around on me, I say
it with pride. The public transportation
here is simple and goes wherever you could
possibly like to go. Regardless of where
an activity is happening, you can probably
get there on the underground métro
subway system. My mother suggests people
bring their walking shoes – she figured
it out. This city is big on the BMW (Bus-Métro-Walk)
phenomenon. Taxis, though, are also available
and they are typically well known for not
trying to take advantage of visitors and
maintaining honest intentions.
So, now back to
perspective…
With so much to do in a place where everyone
is welcome, Montréal remains the
premiere gay and lesbian destination and
a perfect host for the 1st
World Outgames in 2006. This city is affordable,
culturally vibrant and open to anyone, anywhere
and at anytime. Outgames participants will
live what promises to be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’
experience and contribute to its groundbreaking
success. Even more, the famous hospitality
that attracted me so – that which
asked me to stay – is now waiting
for you to explore. Without a doubt, people
will come for the games, live for the sports
and surely revel in every passion of the
international festivities at hand. Mark
it down in your calendar now; this is one
time when being 'fashionably late’
just won’t do! |