State of the nation

From left: Sammy Rawal, Shane Percy, DJ TK and Will Munro

**Scroll down for a list of the DJs we spoke to, and where to find them at Pride**

As Toronto’s annual queer Pride festival continues to grow — what was once a single day is now a 10-day affair, gathering an estimated one million participants — it impacts much of the downtown core, with hundreds of related events.

Pride is a time for queers to party, play and raise placards; to come together, commemorate and create. It’s also the busiest time of year for most queer DJs, seven of whom took the time to weigh in on what Pride means to them.

“I’m celebrating freedom, courage, sexuality, my life and yours,” says DJ Leticia Love, sentiments widely endorsed by the group.

“Pride means a celebration of trans, lesbian, gay and bisexual struggles that have been happening since well before I was born — realizing how much ground has been gained while also understanding that these struggles are far from over,” says DJ, artist and Vazaleen founder Will Munro, for whom this Pride is a special one.

“This year has definitely been more of a celebration of life than anything. I almost died, and have spent the year trying to destroy the cancer that is living in my head! So it is a time I want to see my boyfriend, family and close friends who have kept me going!”

For many of us, Pride is both about gains made and the oppression queer people continue to face globally. In a world still filled with much homophobic hatred, there is much to celebrate about simply being able to live our lives openly.

“Pride, to me, means being able to be out as a queer trans person walking down the street all 365 days of the year, fearlessly,” states DJ Nik Red, who’s also one of the producers of Sunday’s Blockorama stage. “Pride means celebrating the many communities I feel a part of and creating spaces where we can be who we truly are.”

The enormous diversity of the queer community is both an asset and challenge. As people from all walks of life come together during the Pride street festivities, we’re often far more polarized in the clubs, separated by gender, race, age, class and musical tastes. Some events are women-only, there’s been a recent surge in parties promoted by and to queers of colour, and many gay men are less than welcoming of women on “their” dancefloors. Yet most of the DJs I spoke with actively reach out to mixed crowds, a policy I also promote and prioritize.

“Similar to the dance music scene, Pride events splinter off into many subgroups,” says Deko-ze, who can be found blending tribal, tech and house for wide-ranging crowds across Canada. “On one hand it divides our community, but I also feel it important that there are events that cater specifically to each group so that everyone can feel they can express themselves safely.”

“It’s OK to want to be social with the people you relate to,” reasons Shane Percy, founder of the popular, poptastic Grapefruit monthly.

Sammy Rawal (a.k.a. Sammy D), co-producer and a resident DJ at hip-hop and dancehall monthly Yes Yes Y’all agrees, though his party draws a mixed, gay/straight crowd.

“It’s so rad to walk around the party and see just how many different types of people are all jamming out together,” he says. “But I think it’s human nature to gravitate towards something familiar so a polarization of the scene isn’t too surprising, as long as there’s no alienation.”

“I consider my events to be open to all sexualities and genders and won’t have it any other way,” asserts Nik Red. “I understand the need for some people to polarize; it makes them feel safer. But I like the vibe of never knowing who is going to walk in the door.”

“My core audience are not necessarily queer, but I always see queer folk at my shows,” says DJ TK, a.k.a. producer Ramlover. “I think in some ways that my presence encourages queers to go forth and check out some other spaces, just like I did. Let’s face it, you’re not going to hear banging techno on Church Street anymore, so if that’s what you’re into, you’ve got to go to other parts of the city.”

That said, a message to the increasing number of straight folks throwing so-called “Pride parties” without any actual queer involvement: it looks like a cash grab to us.

“I am all for straight clubs and promoters supporting Pride, but not if they are using it as excuse to piggyback off Pride, which the gay community has worked long, hard and tirelessly to create and develop — without booking any queer talent,” says Deko-ze.

Or as Sammy D warns, “Stop slapping rainbows and shit all up on your flyers and actually take part in the celebration.”

The DJs we spoke to, and a sampling of where to find them at Pride:

Deko-ze:
• Thursday June 25: ‘Pride Weekend at The Barn’ (with D-Formation)
• Sunday June 28: ‘Dirty Disco’ annual South Stage party (9pm)
• Monday June 29: ‘Come Get Your Beats - Pride Edition’ at The Comfort Zone

Leticia Love:
• Saturday June 27: ‘SNATCH Pride Edition’ at Voglie
• Sunday June 28: GirlPlay’s ‘Lick-It’ at The Barn 

Will Munro: 
• Friday June 26: Vazaleen ‘Shame’ @ Lee's Palace (with MEN)
• Sunday June 28: Big Primpin’ Pride @ The Phoenix’ Parlour (with Jaime Sin)

DJ Nik Red: 
• Saturday June 27: 519’s ‘Open Air Affair’ (6pm), TransAction Stage (10:15pm)
• Sunday June 28: Blockorama stage (2pm), Blocko afterparty at Lula Lounge

Shane Percy: 
• Friday June 26: ‘Grapefruit Pride’ at Fly

TK a.k.a. Ramlover: 
• Saturday June 27: Wellesley Stage (11pm)
• Sunday June 28: ‘Dirty Disco’ annual South Stage party (6pm)
• Monday June 29: ‘Come Get Your Beats - Pride Edition’ at The Comfort Zone

Sammy Rawal a.k.a. Sammy D
• Saturday June 27: ‘YES YES Y'ALL’ at Global Village Backpackers
• Sunday June 28: Official Pride Closing Party at Wrongbar