Tony/Toni Mauro

Tony and I are first cousins who became BEST FRIENDS as we grew up together, we came out as teenagers in the early seventies. I moved to New York for school in 1977. Tony came down and had the best time turning the city upside down.

He may have been infected with what at the time was “The Gay Cancer” or slightly later but after a falling sick in the in 1981, at this time The Toronto General was unable to identify Toni’s illness under unidentified tropical disease. HIV was identified in 1983 but i believe it was later that decade that he tested positive for HIV

He was a very popular bartended at Trax back bar for years. He was also a very BEAUTIFUL Drag Queen with an extraordinary talent as a costume designer, unfortunately his talent was unrealized as a career. It was CELEBRATED within Toronto’s Gay & Drag Queen Pageant Scene.

He was a Key Costume Designer for the Original DQ’s in the late 80’s produced and directed by Michael Oscars. June Callwood & the monies raised from the initial DQ’s raided the seed momey for Casey House where he took his last breathe on November 23rd 2004. He loved his Great Dane’s the first being Dana a blue dane which he had his Checker Cab painted the same colour to match.

The GREATEST Gift is when he shared with the Family his HIV Status in 1989, it made our Family and Friends address their prejudices and fears about HIV/AIDS. Some came around others TIPPY TOED and some discarded him one being his father which was a great tragedy!!!! on the other hand his mother my favourite Aunt from childhood came through with the love of her sister my mother. The two sisters were notorious at Casey House because when Toni was asleep they would visit whomever was awake and bonded with many who had few to no visitors.

During the last weeks of his life they broke the rules as they always did to love and cherish their TONY/TONI unconditionally. I remember very early when defining our roles as part Toni’s care team. A meeting at Dr Colin Kovacs office with his nurse Paul and a social worker who was trying to explain to my Aunt & Mother how provide support. Suddenly my Mom stops the meeting and sets everyone straight by saying she needs non of this and PROCLAIMED her LOVE for her Nephew & Sister and she with do whatever her sister needs and LOVE them both!!!! Don’t waist your time on us we can fight and disagree on many things but we don’t abandon each other we have had to lift each other from the ages of10 & 8 when we lost our Mother.

Tony TONI Antonio my BELOVED Friend & Cugino! You have what would of been your 66th Birthday on the 28th of April which i always try and spend with your MOM!

Love You Always, You LIVE in my Heart and Memory.

These images are of our family at a  by a project celebrating Italo-Canadians Queer Experience, which included Toni.

My Aunt, Mother and I with our Family were at the opening of the exhibition for Pride Month 2024 at the Columbus Centre.

Tony’s Mother would say, “he, she whatever He is my first born BEAUTIFUL & PERFECT!!!!!