Opportunities to meet new people in a small city are few and far between, but for members of the LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) it’s even scarcer.
It was by “sheer luck” that local music producer and founder of record label Plush Labs, Luca Kuchinka, made connections with other LGBT members in Estevan over the years.
“In a small city like this, it’s hard to find people who are similar to you,” Kuchinka said. “It’s that small town attitude that makes it hard to branch out as a queer person and find other queer people.”
Kuchinka identifies as an agender and pansexual, which means being attracted to not only the traditional male and female genders, but also transgendered, androgynous and gender fluid people.
“Gender identity has nothing to do with my sexual preference,” Kuchinka said, noting they don’t identify as male or female and request to be identified as ‘they,’ rather than ‘he’ or ‘she.’
Kuchinka said a lack of understanding and education has attributed to some of the negativity aimed at the LGBT community in the area, which may not appear to be very prominent at the moment, largely because of the backlash some expect to receive upon revealing their true sexual orientation.
“I feel like the actual people who live here are great people and don’t care either way, but sometimes you meet kids or transients in the oilfield business who don’t understand and seem to be mad at everything,” they said.
Ali King, curator at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, said LGBT people in Estevan don’t have an organized community. She stressed the importance of having a safe and comfortable environment queer people and allies can use to interact with each other.
“Visibility is important,” King said.
School is often considered to be a safe place for youth, and though that is often the case, instances of homophobia and transphobia are common.
Kuchinka recounted an assembly they attended while in high school that hosted Jessica Billard, a transgendered woman, who had paid a visit to the school to raise awareness of transgendered people in the city.
“I had a first look at how teens and other people were reacting to her, and a lot of it was surprisingly negative,” Kuchinka said, noting a lot of comments from students revolved around Billard’s physical appearance and confusion surrounding the purpose behind identifying as transgendered.
Anyone considering coming out should have a support system in place, Kuchinka said, adding it’s in everyone’s best interest to be who they are and be happy. However, without that support in place, especially during high school, waiting to come out should be considered.
“With coming out, whether you like it or not, you’re going to be closing quite a few doors,” they said. “Sure you might be opening a few others, but some people, like your friends, might start bullying you or harassing you.”
On March 30, a new door, open to everyone, will emerge at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum and will be in the form of a new monthly meet-up session for queer folk and allies called Q’munity.
In celebration of Transgender Awareness Week, the EAGM’s Q’munity kickoff hopes to provide that safe space for anyone interested in learning and sharing.
“The EAGM has been a declared safe space for over a year now, and we don’t tolerate bullying,” King said. “This is a place for discussion, of course, but it’s also a place where we want people to come and feel very comfortable.
“All staff members here are queer friendly and pretty on board with contemporary queer issues.”
King said she hopes Q’munity is well received by the “untapped” queer community and that any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Kuchinka will be performing at the event with a beloved digital guitar called the Misa Digital Tribass. The guitar doesn't make any noise on its own, but instead uses an external synthesizer that emits the sounds.
The producer of Plush said their musical identity isn’t set in stone, but it consists of an up-tempo vibe with a variety of sounds.
Their performance at the EAGM at the end of March will be Kuchinka’s first one in years they said, but that hasn’t stopped them from remaining confident in their work.
“I started making music six or seven years ago, just slapping things together. It was very primitive,” they said. “Now I’m making a lot of music, and I’m honestly really proud of the work I’ve done.”
Musical inspirations are aplenty for Kuchinka, but Amber Coal, a transfemale musician based out of Portland was one they heavily praised. She has been on the receiving end of intense online harassment and death threats over the past several months due to her involvement in the gaming community as a transgendered individual.
“She's a pretty big emotional inspiration,” Kuchinka said, noting the way Coal dealt with cyber violence and other forms of abuse over the past year instilled a great amount of confidence in themselves and how Kuchinka approaches any situation they encounters.
