Paying tribute to transgender victims of violence

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This article was published 23/11/2014 (1748 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE: It was a big turnout for the saddest of reasons.

About 130 people crowded into the basement of Crossways in Common at Young United Church on Thursday to remember the 1,509 murdered and missing transgender people recorded worldwide since 2008. (Many countries do not report.)

The names of 2014's 81 new victims were read out, one by one. MLA Sharon Blady choked back tears as she turned the pages in the scrapbook containing photos from Winnipeg victims during the last decade, with the added words "taken from loved ones" spoken after each name.

At the end of the program, people came up to the microphone, including friends and family, many struggling with their emotions. Large painted hearts with photos of murdered and missing transgender Winnipeggers lined the wall behind the speakers, most of them women of colour.

The best friend of Divas Boulanger, who was slain 10 years ago, spoke anonymously. "They caught the guy but he still walks free among us. It's been 10 years... he should have been incarcerated and dealt with," she said bitterly, adding the case has been put off yet again.

Shandi Strong and Dayne Moyer, who were the evening's MCs, spoke to the need for universal washrooms, showers and transgender resources. Strong spoke about opponents to Bill C-279, which is being called the transgender bill of rights, who are focusing on the bathroom issue.

"We are not predators, but people who need to use the bathroom like anybody else," said Strong. "Senator (Donald) Plett and Stephen Harper need to get out of the bathrooms of the nation!"

Moyer emphasized that transgender folk are often subject to violence and their hope is in "getting together and lobbying to implement safe space."

 

PIRATE TO COWBOY: Winnipeg's John Razos, the "Greek Pirate" at famous V.J's Drive-In, which stays open all winter, has exchanged his signature pirate's bandana for the Greek cowboy look — a Stetson with a waxed moustache. Yours truly caught Razos before his shift, sitting in his big white Chevrolet Monte Carlo, looking every inch the movie star.

His cousin and business partner, John Calogeris, was watching Razos relax, Zen-like, in his car while wearing his handsome new cowboy hat.

"I bought that hat for him because he's the type of man who creates style," says Calorgeris. "He exudes style. You could give him a paper sack and he'd do something with it and look great."

The V.J.'s Drive-In gang started wearing bandanas years ago, when cooking their famous Greek chili burgers and hotdogs.

"John just turned his to the side and suddenly he was a pirate."

So why does the 63-year-old gent go for stylishness at a burger stand? "I do it so the girls will love me!" he says with a laugh.

V.J.'s is right across from Union Station. They've pulled lineups for years after Lonely Planet travel books told the world to drop in. At lunchtime, politicians, insurance types, bankers and lawyers stroll down Broadway and sit on the snowy picnic benches to eat and laugh... Hey, it's Winnipeg, and we're tough.

 

HIDDEN TREASURE: And now for something completely different. Japanese restaurant Dwarf No Cachette (look for garden gnomes hidden about the place) was recently opened by Takikumi Akimoto and his playful wife Yasuko at 157 Provencher Blvd., in the former Step'N Out restaurant location.

What most people don't know — because there's no sign — is that they have a unique gift shop up the stairs from their main-floor eating space. It's filled with unique-to-Canada Japanese crafts and products like soft, spongy buns that smell faintly like sugar cookies.

"They're actually wrist rests for people using computers!" says Yasuko, holding out her arms as if on a keyboard.

She imports a lot of what westerners call "oriental cute culture." Much is from her home country, but the famous Pullip dolls with lifelike eyes that blink and move side to side — worth around $125 — come from South Korea.

She also makes funky fake-food crafts herself. For instance, her Deco Den cases are elaborate phone covers, with resined-over fake sweets so real-looking you'll want to eat them.

"Most things in the shop are around $10," she says. Great place to shop for kids and the young at heart!

 

BALLET SCHOLARSHIPS: Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet is famous worldwide and it's a huge honour for a dancer to be chosen to train there. Studying costs in blood, sweat, tears — and money for tuition and lodging.

Recently, 50 scholarships were given out by the RWB School Professional Division to students who come from as far away as Thailand, Argentina, and Japan to study here. Award presentations at the school also included performances by senior students — a combo of numbers that included classical excerpts from Nutcracker and La Bayadère, along with contemporary works such as an interpretation of Leonard Cohen's song Suzanne, and hip hop by local choreographer Eugene Baffoe.

Winnipeg award-winners were Madison Chisholm, Noah Franck, Alexandra Strandberg, Hannah Smith, Emilie Lewis, Michel Lavoie, Kazuki Nishikiori, Miranda Lazarenko and Daniel Borrett. Julianne Chartier from Ste. Anne won a Royal Bank of Canada Award and Jonah Schroeder from Morden took the Jane McEvoy O'Donnell Scholarship.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Singer Shandra Leverault of band Slow Motion Walter said on Facebook: "Best of luck explaining why you're still single over the holidays and Charles Manson isn't..."

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