It's Gay Ol' Times at this Toronto seniors' home
"Thank you for having me back," Minhi Wang told the crowd at The Gardens earlier this week. "This means a lot to me.... I think it just says a lot to have an event like this — to have a drag queen perform regularly in a long-term care facility. I also think it speaks volumes about acceptance."
Gay Ol' Times was created in partnership with Minhi Wang as a way to foster inclusion in long-term care, educate residents and staff, and celebrate 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Check out Thursday's show below.
Before her show started, Minhi Wang also said she sees it like planning for the future "because I hope that when I grow old, there will be a drag queen performing for me. (Minhi Wang is the stage name of David Shih-Ming Yao.)
"OK, let's get this party started," said Minhi Wang, who has been performing at The Gardens since 2017 and was a finalist in Season 5 of Canada's Drag Race.
(Alex Lupul/CBC)
(Alex Lupul/CBC)
The event also included remarks from president and CEO Adil Khalfan of Kensington Health, a not-for-profit organization that offers such services as long-term care, hospice care and community care.
"The beauty of Kensington has always been about showing up to work, being who you are, looking after the people in this community and allowing them to be who they are," Khalfan said. "Because together we are so much stronger."
(Alex Lupul/CBC)
Others present for the performance included Anne Howard, a resident at The Gardens since 2016 and a fierce advocate and ally of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Naija Market brings vibrant African market experience to Winnipeg
Vendor stalls in Naija Market in The Forks is shown. (Daniel Timmerman/CTV News Winnipeg) A lively celebration of African culture returned to Winnipeg this weekend as Naija Market Day brought the sights, sounds, and tastes of a traditional African market to The Forks. Held Saturday at the CN Stage and Field, the event featured Afrobeat music, Nigerian and African food vendors, and a vibrant atmosphere reflecting markets commonly found across Africa. Originally launched in Winnipeg last year, Naija Market Day has since grown in popularity, expanding to cities across Canada, including Brandon, Edmonton, Calgary, and Brampton. 'We've gotten awards and recognitions from different provinces, and it's just amazing how people have missed our kind of markets and how they're really warming up to it,' said Abiodun Adetu, the event coordinator. Adetu emphasized the family-friendly nature of the event, describing it as more than just a marketplace. 'You see kids running around the market — they're playing, they're eating — they're doing all sorts. That's what we're trying to exemplify here: where everybody's having fun and coming together. You aren't just shopping, you're exchanging culture with us.' This year's Winnipeg market featured around 100 vendors and nearly 20 community organizations. Naija Market Day will next head to Brandon, where the event is scheduled to take place at Princess Park on Saturday, July 19.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
High school girls from across Canada participate in Ottawa hackathon competition
Ottawa will host its first 24-hour, all-girls game jam for 70 high schoolers from around the country. Game jams, also known as hackathons, are made up of students teaming up in groups of three to create a video game together from scratch. The girls will stay up all night coding, collaborating, using their imagination and testing their creativity to potentially become future game developers, engineers and creatives. The students are starting with no previous experience. They will learn to build the game through trial and error without someone assisting them through the process. Organizers say the event shows all genders are capable of excelling in the profession in a heavily male-dominated industry. Game jams are mainly held in the United States and around the world but there are very few in Canada. This will be the first in Ottawa. The event takes place at Carleton University from Saturday afternoon to Sunday.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Trade war supercharges Montreal Comiccon attendance, spokesperson says
Robert Tremblay dressed as Darth Sidious, an alias for Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine, as he attends Comiccon, in Montreal, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press) A spokesperson for the Montreal Comiccon says the trade war with the United States could supercharge attendance at the colourful pop culture gathering. A large crowd of people, some dressed as superheroes and TV and movie characters, were already filtering into Montreal's convention centre shortly after doors opened Saturday. The crowd was thickest in the autograph zone, where Star Wars fans lined up for a chance to meet Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid, who plays Emperor Palpatine in the films. Comiccon spokesperson Jason Rockman believes the three-day fan convention will surpass its estimate of 65,000 attendees. He says the presence of Lord of the Rings stars Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Andy Serkis are a big part of the draw, but he also believes many people are avoiding going to the United States due to the trade war. 'I think people don't really want to travel (to the United States) now, so there are a lot of people staying here and it helps us,' he explained. He also feels like a weaker Canadian dollar means the event is more attractive for American tourists. 'We just opened our doors for regular tickets and it's busy (everywhere),' Rockman said. He suggested that Friday's attendance may have broken a participation record. One guest, dressed as the wizard Gandalf from the Lord of Rings, said he was there to see the headliners. Elsewhere, a group of friends who came dressed as characters in the Canadian animated TV series 'ReBoot' said they were there for the ambience and to meet like-minded fans. In addition to McDiarmid and the Lord of the Rings actors, the headliners include 94-year-old William Shatner of Star Trek fame as well as Famke Janssen of the X-Men franchise. Rockman said it can be a challenge to attract headliners, because there are other events happening the same weekend. 'But the fact that it's in Montreal, during the summer, there are a lot of people who want to be here,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025. Audrey Sanikopoulos, The Canadian Press
