Imagine my surprise at receiving TRADE to review. I write for this great queer quarterly, so I’ll just let my bias be known now. This magazine sized black and white publication has quite a professional layout for what really lives its life as a zine. TRADE regularly features Canadian queer activists and artists of the writing, rocking, and photographing variety. If you see their names and faces on the pages of this zine, chances are they’re probably on their way to the local queer hall of fame, or quietly doing some damn fine work. The Autumn 2005 issue features Nadia Bello, the Program Co-ordinator for Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia (T.E.A.C.H), the upcoming bands battling for the sweethearts of the year award: Dance Yourself to Death and Hunter Valentine, and dirty photos transformed into “Burn” by Henry Golden. There is an ongoing “Gadabout” piece, and this issue features cutie John Caffrey from Kids on TV. A consistent component of TRADE that I enjoy is the book review section. Autumn 05 has a longer piece focused on the editors of We’re Here, We’re Queer, We’re Used to It. And it’s not too often I enjoy advertising in my read but TRADE advertises for the likes of T.E.A.C.H, the Anarchist Free University, and nolose.org (culture for fat dykes, bi-women, transfolk, and allies). Plus the editor lets writers of all experience levels take a crack at articles. I’d say there’s no other like it. (heze douglas)
Autumn 2005, Jon Pressick, zine, $4, #505-135 Bleecker Street, Toronto, ON, M4X 1X2, www.tradequeerthings.com