Sky Gilbert is an outspoken gay activist. A writer, director and drag queen extraordinaire, Gilbert was the artistic director of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (North Americars"s largest gay and lesbian theatre) in Toronto for 18 years. Since leaving in 1997, he has published four novels, two books of poetry, four plays, and a memoir. Recently, he received both The Margo Bindhardt Award from the Toronto Arts Foundation and the ReLit Award for his fourth novel, An English Gentleman. Gilbert holds the University Research Chair in Creative Writing and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph.