Honoured "arts builder" Janet Hammock, 84, appeared on the "Sackville Arts Wall" downtown Main Street. More here with Janet Hammock and David Gordon Koch, CHMA FM:
Learn more at this link: pflag Canada - Family For Allpflag Canada
"At pflag, we help 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and their loved ones connect with resources and find a supportive community. We are a family for all. In communities across the country, the pflag Canada network provides peer support, education, and advocacy for a Canada that affirms, respects, and values all sexualities, genders, and gender expressions"
More here from CBC on the "haters":
More here:
Saint John drag king has no plans to stop hosting events for kids, despite online hate | CBC News
More here: "Literacy queens: Saint John's drag performers hosting reading events for kids"
"Craft is also gay and only started doing drag recently.
"[During) most of my middle school, high school, I was just afraid to be who I was," he said. "I just pretended to be the typical ... as straight as I could be. So I'd fit in, not get teased."
"I was bullied extensively in elementary. I think if I had had these types of examples I maybe would have been more open to being just myself. I learned to go with the flow and be myself [but] I could have done it and been happier at a much earlier age."
The drag performers said children asked them questions and also pointed out it's not typical for a boy to carry a purse, but there was no hidden motive behind it.
"'My brain made up this question just now, please satisfy it. I need the answer,'" Saunders said, imitating the thought process of children.
Asking questions is OK and in fact, encouraging curiosity is the whole point, the readers say.
"If we can reach one kid that maybe does have an interest in drag, or is confused about their gender, or think they might like boys or girls and they're a boy or a girl — it was worth it," said Craft."
source: Literacy queens: Saint John's drag performers host reading event for kids | CBC News
"Builder" Janet Hammock has also received a 2022 Platinum Jubilee Queen Elizabeth II medal... Imagine that?
Final curtain call here:
Final curtain call for celebrated Sackville concert pianist | PNI Atlantic News
More here from Tantramar on Janet's accomplishment and legendary status:
"Janet Thom Hammock was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1942. After receiving her Artist Diploma at the University of Toronto and a Master’s Degree and Doctor of Musical Arts at Yale University, specializing in piano, she went on to teach as a Professor of Music at Mount Allison University (1975-2001). She was given the distinction of Professor Emeritus of Music in 2003. In her retirement, Hammock begin working with her friend Rev. Elden Hay taking over the Sackville/Amherst Chapter of Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians (PFLAG). Hammock was the president from 2003-2015 and her fonds contains material from her leadership role as well as personal documents such as letters to the editor and speeches. A few of the documents in the collection were created by her partner, the poet Marilyn Lerch."
