Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer is a new book from Coach House Books that draws on range of voices from Toronto’s queer community. Named after a song by Jackie Shane, the Nashville born, pioneering trans R&B singer who made good in Toronto, Any Other Way is an eclectic illustrated history of a city that so many of us call home.

Toronto is home to multiple and thriving queer communities that reflect the dynamism of a global city. Any Other Way is an eclectic and richly illustrated local history that reveals how these individuals and community networks have transformed Toronto from a place of churches and conservative mores into a city that has consistently led the way in queer activism, not just in Canada but internationally.

From the earliest pioneers to the parades, pride and politics of the contemporary era, Any Other Way draws on a range of voices to explore how the residents of queer Toronto have shaped and reshaped none of the world’s most diverse cities.

Any Other Way includes chapters on: Oscar Wilde’s trip to Toronto; early cruising areas and gay/lesbian bars; queer shared houses; a pioneering collective counter-archive project; bath house raids; LBGT-police conflicts; the Queen Street art/music/activist scene; and a profile of Jackie Shane, the trans R&B singer who performed in drag in both Toronto and Los Angeles, and gained international fame with her 1962 chart-topping single, ‘Any Other Way.’

Be sure to check out the following upcoming events:

Jul 25 – Jul 25 – Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church Street, Toronto Any Other Way Reading Series #4

Aug 26 – Aug 26 – Don River The Reading Line featuring Any Other Way

Available now at Glad Day Bookshop, and other fine retailers. Also, online at Amazon

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment, and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors, and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats. Reach out - bryen@thebuzzmag.ca