#FIRSTLOOK: 2025 PTP PINK AWARDS HIGHLIGHTS

The PTP Pink Awards 2025 sparkled tonight at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel with a vibrant celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ excellence, bringing together Changemakers, advocates, and allies from across the country.

The room buzzed with a veritable who’s who from the queer community including the five Pink Awards Champions Bilal Baig, Carole Pope, Devery Jacobs, Douglas Elliott, and Harper Steele; Pink Carpet host Shannon Burns, style expert and presenter Myles Sexton; Canada’s Drag Race Season 6 participants Eboni La’Belle, Star Doll, and Van Goth; Daniel MacIvor: Vanessa Dunn of Vag Halen; actors Kathleen Munroe, Qasim Khan and Sergio Di Zio; producer Julie Bristow and actor Wendy Crewson; and musical icon Sam Smith and Legacy Award winner Beverly Glenn-Copeland.

The evening of solidarity was punctuated with several powerful moments, culminating to the presentation of the Legacy Award in which Sam Smith declared Beverly Glenn-Copeland “a true statesman of the queer community, a calming force for our times, a singer and songwriter whose voice is capable of taking me to places I have always dreamt of being transported to.” Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his wife Elizabeth Copeland in turn provided one of the most touching performances of the evening with their song Harbour (Song for Elizabeth).

Guests were also treated to captivating performances by Canada’s premier male choral ensembles Forte Gay Men’s Chorus, singer-songwriter and CTV’s The Launch winner T. Thomason, the legendary pop/country/fierce femme band Shania Twink, with an explosive special appearance by agent provocateur and Pink Award Champion, Carole Pope.

PTP’s Executive Director and CEO, David Walberg best expressed the sentiment of the evening when he stated, “Our origins insist that we must tell our own stories, that we must celebrate our wins and lift up our own everyday heroes. That’s what we’ve been doing since 1971 – for more than 50 years – and that’s what we are doing here, with all of you, tonight. The very fact that we are here tonight, at this event, coming from different facets across our community and our allies, represents a meaningful expression of solidarity.”

Co-hosted by Emily Hampshire and Hollywood Jade, the gala honoured this year’s Champions for their extraordinary contributions to queer visibility and progress. Each champion selected an organization to be recognized as a 2025 Changemaker, with every recipient receiving a minimum $5,000 donation plus proceeds from ticket sales and the event’s Silent Auction, which featured exclusive items such as a Taylor Swift–autographed acoustic guitar, a Tuscany retreat, a boudoir session by Jie Su Studios, signed Raptors merch, and a glam experience from P1M.

The 2025 Changemakers recognized were:

Paprika Festival, championed by Bilal Baig – Amplifying queer voices through paid training and mentorship in the performing arts.

Native Youth Sexual Health Network, championed by Devery Jacobs – Empowering Indigenous youth to lead initiatives on sexual health and cultural reclamation.

CANFAR (Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research), championed by Carole Pope – Advancing HIV/AIDS research, education, and awareness.

Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance (W2SA), championed by Douglas Elliott – Advocating for the well-being, visibility, and rights of Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ people across the Wabanaki Territories.

Friends of Ruby, championed by Harper Steele – Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth through free counselling, housing, and social services.

Following the ceremony, attendees continued the celebration at the official Pink Awards After Party at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, produced in association with Precious Cargo by Common Froot and sponsored by Durex. Proceeds from both the gala and after-party support the charities championed by the honourees.

The Pink Awards 2025 were proudly presented with the support of DECIEM: The Abnormal Beauty Company, BMO, and The Fairmont Royal York, whose shared commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and community empowerment embodies the spirit of the event.

About Pink Triangle Press:

Pink Triangle Press (PTP) is Canada’s leading not-for-profit 2SLGBTQIA+ media and content organization. Founded in 1971, PTP produces 2SLGBTQIA+ journalism at Xtra Magazine and through a variety of content distribution channels in Canada and abroad. The Press also operates travel site Pink Ticket Travel, a gay adult dating website, and has produced a number of television projects. The organization began as a gay liberation newspaper, The Body Politic, named by Masthead Magazine as one of “Canada’s 20 most influential magazines of all time.”

(Photo credit: Lilac Media Group)