The Joy of Masks

A Long Overdue Team Name Change

Hello everyone! I'm popping back from my little blogging hiatus due to exciting, breaking news!

After years of criticism about its inappropriate use of an "indigenous-people-as-mascots" team name, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League finally bowed to pressure yesterday and dropped the name. YAY!

Until then, team management had tried to avoid this result by relying on a series of evasive, intellectually dishonest and increasingly nonsensical rationalizations. Desperately clinging to that insensitive name also simply reinforced the Canadian stereotype of Albertans as a bunch of backward rednecks who can't move with the times, another negative image that we don't need either.

What changed? Taking a page from the playbook of sponsors who forced the Washington NFL team to change its racist name, a couple of Edmonton's sponsors similarly threatened to withdraw financial support. The entire CFL is on the verge of economic disaster right now anyway due to Covid-19 so no team can afford to lose any sponsors. MONEY TALKS, BABY!

A new team name will be chosen in due course. There's no huge rush because it's not clear if there will even be a CFL season this year. But, as always, I am ready, willing and able to offer suggestions, advice and wise counsel on this important matter.

The team does want to keep its "Double E" logo, so that will put some alphabetical limitations on a new name. If we go the wildlife route, there's the following possibilities: eagles, elks, emus, egrets, elephants or eels. The "Edmonton Eagles" is a bit too American, I think (despite most of our players actually being Americans). The "Edmonton Elks" could be a good choice since elks are plentiful and native to Alberta, and can be kinda scary, badass mofos if provoked, which brings a bit of an intimidation factor. The other E-wildlife names are clearly non-starters.

Five years ago on this blog, I advocated the "Edmonton Edge" as a new team name because it sounds modern and, well, edgy. Shut up, it's still my favourite until I hear anything better! I will email the team and offer it to them gratis. I'm sure they'll get right on it. If it gets chosen, remember you read it here first, LOL!

My sister rather waggishly advanced the "Edmonton Enemas" as the new team name, but she's a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan and you know how they are.

I strongly suspect, however, that the new team name will be something like the "Edmonton Energy" in order to remind everyone of Alberta's oil-and-gas based economy. Even though hard times are upon that industry right now, Alberta never gives up hope of reclaiming its powerhouse economic status.

See You in August!

Her Royal Highness the Cat tells me

that it's time to take a little break.

"You're getting even duller, more

boring and repetitious than ever,"

she purred at me the other night.

"You need to pause, refresh, and

read a few books for a change.

You need to follow MY good example."

So I've decided to do exactly that.

I'm going to take July off from blogging,

sit out on my balcony, and

read some ACTUAL BOOKS!

NOT JUST 

Steve 'n Bucky
fanfiction online, 

I promise.

And I'll also be . . . 

Wasn't That A Party!

Time to put up our feet

and enjoy a nice cookie

and latte because --

TRANSLESBIGAYAPALOOZA

is a wrap for another year!

Thanks for all your comments,

support and participation!

Smooches to all!

Rainbow Books Redux

During last year's Translesbigayapalooza, I wrote a post about the first lesbian book and the first gay book I ever read. Afterwards, I realized:

"D'oh! I should have written about

the first TRANS book I ever read too!"

So, on the principle of better late than never, here it is!

In her early life, Jan Morris was James Morris, a well-known Welsh historian, author and travel writer. He was also the reporter embedded with Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 when they reached the summit of Everest. A former soldier and British spy as well, James Morris began transitioning in 1964 at the age of 38. In 1974 Jan Morris released her autobiography Conundrum about her life path from male to female. The famous opening words of the book are:

"I was three or perhaps four years old

when I realized that I had been born

into the wrong body, and should really be a girl.

I remember the moment well, and it is

the earliest memory of my life."

In the 1970s, openly transsexual/transgender people were still pretty rare and the book became a sensation and a best-seller. I think Jan Morris's honest and moving account helped many people, including me, understand this profound journey better than we might otherwise have.

In 1949, James Morris had married Elizabeth Tuckniss and they had 5 children together. British law forced the couple to divorce following Jan Morris's transition (because same-sex marriage was illegal), but their relationship endured and they remain a couple to this day, 71 years later.

Now 93, Jan Morris's latest book Thinking Again: A Diary has just been published in the UK and will be released in North America in a few months. Among her many honours, she has been named by The Advocate as one of its 2020 Women of the Year.

Virtual Pride Parade!

Covid-19 can't stop Pride!

So are we ready?

Rainbow flag, check.

Rainbow bling, check.

But that photo doesn't really do justice to

my rhinestone rainbow ball cap, 

so here's a better shot, LOL --

Every Pride Parade needs music

with a loud, driving dance beat,
so turn up the volume and let this

video mix play while you're

scrolling through the Parade!

Okay, we're all set now!

Let's get this 

Parade going!

First up, a beautiful

rainbow scarf handcrafted by 

anne marie in philly of

 From My Brain To My Mouth --

David of The Adventures of Travel Penguin 

is here with a great photo he took at the

March on Washington for Marriage Equality --

This wonderful rainbow art stone is from

brewella deville of Fort Kickass --

Next up, Shirley of BootsandBraids 

is here in full rainbow mode! 

And Cat with all her colourful 

stripes on display too! 

Peace, baby!

Liz of Finding life hard? has brought along

all her rainbow flowers plus a great sign --

Jackiesue of Yellowdog Granny is next 

with her artist friend Michael 

and his outstanding rainbow art . . .

. . . plus Michael's rainbow vase collection!

Hold on to your wigs, girls!

Yes, it's Mistress Maddie 

of A Day With The Mistress Borghese

in her rainbow drag finery! 

And the Mistress has a special

greeting for you all --

"I'm not ladylike, nor am I manly.

I am something else altogether. 

There were so many different 

ways to be beautiful."

Happy Pride to all! Cheers!

Give a big cheer for the
out 'n proud pets of

Frank from Reluctant Rebel blog . . .

. . . plus Frank himself in a striking rainbow fedora!

And here's Frank's husband Leon in a few 

Pride Parade shots from years gone by --

Next, a parade participant from our

hidden historical past has been brought

by Jim of Road to Parnassus!

In 1938 at the University of Kansas, Miss Erlene Hale

was voted "Perfect Male" by her "co-ed" peers

(i.e. other women students) in the annual

"Puff Pants Prom" to which no men were admitted.

The handsome Miss Hale lived all her life in Kansas

and [*wink*] never married.

[Photo © Acme Newspictures, 1938]

Say, who's this hopping along

the parade route?

It's Tundra Bunny and she says:

"EVERY BUNNY LOVES A PARADE!!"

The very colourful Anne of The Gods Are Bored

is a seasoned marcher, protester and mummer!

Now she's gracing our Pride Parade too --

Linda of Yéyé Dolls is celebrating with her

exuberant "Rainbow Dress Fashionista Barbie" --

But alas, all good things
must come to an end.

Our Pride Parade concludes

with a wonderful new painting created

by Stacy of Magic Love Crow, entitled:

"Beautiful, YOU Are" --

Sincere thanks to

everyone who participated!

I appreciate the time

and effort you took to

make this Virtual Pride

Parade a success!

Happy Pride, Everybody!

Something For Everybody!

And remember, the Q in LGBTQ+

stands not only for "Queer"

but also for "Questioning."

Finally, last but not least,

a shout-out to

GOOD OL' MOM!

AND ONE LAST REMINDER --

TODAY is the deadline

to submit photos for the

VIRTUAL PRIDE PARADE

being held on this blog. 

See this post for all the details

if you want to participate!