Despite a successful letter-writing campaign only one year ago for issues of the comic Wonder Woman to return to its original chronological numbering, to celebrate the 600th issue of Wonder Woman being printed, D.C. has once again re-launched the title, starting right back at number 1. And this time, an editorial decree has been handed down at D.C. that all women in their titles should sport more practical outfits; so goodbye Supergirl’s mini-skirt, Batwoman’s high heels, and Wonder Woman’s star spangled swimsuit bottoms, and hello pants!

Sadly Wonder Woman’s 2nd re-design in only a year losses the practical support  top straps and jacket pockets that I loved, and keeps her awful choker, but she does hold onto many of my favourite Jim Lee re-design elements, including the black pants and bustier detailing. She’s also set to return and take her rightful place as a founding member of the Justice League of America! So it will be interesting to see what is in store for the Amazing Amazon in the coming months.  Let’s hope the new creative team behind the latest incantation of  Wonder Woman can keep her in the top 40 of comic book sales, keep her feminist message alive, and maybe give her a best gay friend named Michael who has HIV, tattoos, and loves Smarties? Hint, hint Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang!

The invitation said to dress in your ’super-hero finest’. In January I won the AIDS Activist of the Year Hero Award from Ottawa’s Capital Xtra, after having been nominated three years in a row by the paper, and was having my photo taken for a two page centre spread.  
 
I arrived at Flamingo Bar to have my photo taken with three other activists. Our photos were to be spliced into a larger group shot with another photo taken the day before, through the magic of photo shop. The theme was ‘super heroes’. I arrived, and immediately started to get ready for the shoot. I had decided on wearing a Wonder Woman cardboard mask that still clearly showed my beard, had the photographer and a Capital Xtra reporter help tie me up in Wonder Woman’s ‘magic lasso of truth’ (i.e. a yellow rope), and stripped down to leopard print boxer shorts, which I thought overall was a tad funny, a tad gender-fucked, a tad BDSM, and a tad F.U. to body fascism (this is what a real guy looks like shirtless! Enjoy my gut! lol), and a tad sexy. (Poz guys are often de-sexualized and viewed as undesirable. Couple that with people’s assumptions of what a poz guy looks like, and pow!, presenting yourself as HIV+ and sexual can be very threatening).  I quickly noticed as I prepped for the group photo that I was the only one in a costume.  

I took my place with the Volunteer of the Year under the hot camera lights and waited to be joined by the Youth Activist of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. Through the narrow eye slits of my mask I tried to ascertain what the hold up was as I sweated and shifted uncomfortably in my yellow bonds.  

From what I could see and overhear, the other two winners had  taken the photographer aside and said they were not comfortable posing with me because of my overt sexuality and wanted a finished product they could share with their “straight allies and friends“. The Youth Activist was actually shacking. Capital Xtra approached me and asked if I would consider covering up. I respectfully hesitated and suggested that doing so doesn’t fit my values of sex-positivity and anti-oppression. I then asked, even if I did cover up, how will they feel about being photo shopped next to the Community Activist of the Year, who would be wearing only her ‘Sex Work Is Work’ T-shift, a garter belt, and panties, given their stance? (She had told me the day before her outfit choice during a conversation.)

The photographer shared this with the two, and they asked to see the photo. After viewing the Community Activist of the Year’s photo, they decided it was fine to pose next to her, but not to pose next to a queer man having fun with his sexuality. Finally I got up, waddled over like a penguin, (still tied up and wearing my goofy mask!) and said, “I’m sorry if you’re uncomfortable. I’ve won AIDS Activist of the Year and sex-positivity is an important aspect of my work.” The Lifetime Achievement Award Winner assured me it wasn’t personal.

After further deliberation it was agreed they would pose with me but I could not kneel, I would have to stand (in the back I might add). Both Capital Xtra and the photographer were very apologetic about the experience. In the end, I got my photo, and an illustrative example to share with my readers that perfectly encapsulates homophobia, and the struggle queer men face daily to access, celebrate and explore their sexuality, even from their own community.

Sex-negativity can be silencing, hypocritical, harmful, and ultimately hurtful; as I left the photo shoot  I became increasingly angry at the condemnation I had been exposed to by my own community and peers.  It was sobering to stand in a circle of ‘winners’ and ’allies’ that day and be made to feel like ‘a bad gay’ because I would not conform, but instead chose to celebrate my diversity and sexuality and champion my cause. Clearly, gay sex is still a very scary thing for a lot of people, even gay people. But it shouldn’t be. Gay sex is super!

With two issues of Wonder Woman hitting news stands in June, the hardcover collection of Wonder Woman issues 600-606 going on sale the same month, and the first official Wonder Woman sculpture (designed by Don Kramer) of the Amazing Amazon in her new costume going on sale in July, it’s shaping up to be an exciting couple of months for Wonder Woman fans! With the year long ’Odyssey’ storyline drawing to a close, I’m excited to see if Wonder Woman will keep her new costume and direction!

Project Runway's Tim Gunn is a fan of the new costume saying “I would imagine that this new look will allow Wonder Woman to morph into situations in a less noticeable manner and, thereby be even more effective at combating evil doers.” Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s likes it too saying “I'm sure it will make her even more efficient at fighting crime, and her old costume was a little silly …”  

With the Greek character changing her costume to one with less stars on it, Fox News called in “un-American” and “unpatriotic“, with some commentators calling her a communist! My friend, and lifetime Wonder Woman loyalist, Daniel Lennox took to the airwaves of the CBC to debate the costume change, and mocked the leather jacket. Fan reaction in the letters page on the DC monthly has been divided as well.

I for one love the new pants, the top with shoulder straps that keep her puppies tethered and supported, and her W engraved new bracelets.  Of course, leave it to feminist icon Gloria Steinem to settle the debate of her appearance for all of us; It doesn’t matter what she wears. All that matters is the message.  

So it was with great relief that I read this month that NBC’s Wonder Woman pilot starring Adrianne Palicki was not picked up. From complaining about her small bust size, to bemoaning her love life and rocking out to Katy Perry, the male written show that portrayed Diana of Themyscira as a capitalist, was promising to be a feminists nightmare! Just check out the attached picture of Adrianne Palicki  as Wonder Woman on set with a male stage wrangler. Misogyny and sexism and the objectification of women in a patriarchal society that fears their abilities, perfectly summed up in the picture! I’ll spare you the numerous pictures of  Adrianne Palicki’s nipples popping out from her ill fitting costume top as she attempts to run through the streets of New York City chasing a bad guy.

With Smallville ending its 10-season run, Fox cancelling Human Target and NBC passing on Wonder Woman, this will be the first time no comic book-based series have appeared on broadcast TV in a decade! There are rumours of course that the CW may pick up the now defunct Wonder Woman TV pilot, but it seems unlikely. I’ll just stick to the ’all new’ Wonder Woman as she appears in Straczynski and Hester’s comic. An avenger of genocide, a citizen of the world, and a young woman coming into her own. With or without painted on black leather pants.

The event helps fund the campaign to create a safer space on Bank Street (Ottawa) by paying note of the area’s queer history.

Regrettably I could not attend the wildly popular event at Café Paradiso because of  work and missed the live auctions, the EgoMen as guest servers, Karen Oxorn, DJ Ashley Gauthier, and others who were booked to entertain that night.

If you too were unable to attend, but wish to support the Village Initiative, visit them at www.villageottawa.com to donate or learn how to get involved. Too see pictures from the event as shot by Ben Welland (hyperlink: http://www.byfieldpitman.com ), join the The Village: Ottawa’s GLBT Neighbourhood on Facebook.

Based on Toronto’s Jessica Whitbread’s ‘No Pants, No Problem’ party, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa is throwing the ‘No Pants Dance’ on Saturday, May the 28^th at Gallery 101 (301 ½ Bank Street) with DJ Skid Vicious!

The sex-positive, anti-body fascist, queer, safer sex celebration aims to engage party-goers in a dialogue towards discussing anal and testicular/cervical cancer and health, HPV, and HIV in a holistic health model.

ACO outreach workers and volunteers will also be on hand to distribute safer sex materials, party favours from Squirt.org, and sell buttons. Also in attendance; representatives from the Underwear Affair who will be signing up any eager and/or drunk party-goers interested in helping The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation increase cancer survivorship for cancer’s that hit below the belt on their June 11^th fundraising run.

To purchase tickets, visit After Stonewall (370 Bank Street) and Venus Envy (320 Lisgar Street). Tickets are $5.