Elska’s New Toronto Issue Makes Canada Even More Appealing To Election-Weary Gays

"They talked about Trump and looked forward to an influx of Americans," jokes editor Liam Campbell.
From: NewNowNext

 The current election season has many Americans looking wistfully toward Canada, especially if a certain candidate should score a surprise victory.

So it’s perhaps kismet that the latest issue of queer magazine Elska spotlights Toronto, one of the shining gems of our neighbors to the north.

 “Absolutely Toronto is one of the best cities for LGBT life I’ve ever visited,” editor Liam Campbell tells NewNowNext.

 “It has a wide-ranging and rather normalized spirit of inclusiveness. Many cities claim to have safe spaces for LGBT people… but gays are welcome and accepted well beyond Toronto’s Gay Village.”

Campbell joked that the men he spoke with have been following the U.S. presidential election with great interest.

“They talked about Trump and looked forward to an influx of Americans—‘fresh meat’ according to one guy.”

This issue is one of the magazine’s most diverse, featuring men ages 19 to 72, and also Elska’s first trans cover model.

 “It was my favorite shot, partly for the symmetry of the window and for the inclusion of the skyline,” says Campbell.

“But also, I just really enjoyed meeting Tate and was inspired by the way he carried himself with such confidence. He’s not oblivious to the difficulties of life as a trans man, but not complaining about it either.”

 Campbell says he’s always striven to present images that are natural, without lots of airbrushing or staging, “so showcasing Tate—scars and all—speaks really well to our mission and aesthetic.”

The Toronto issue of Elska magazine is out now.