Author Archives: Kevin Allen

Downtown Gay History Walk @ Design Week Calgary

Posted on July 24, 2025 | 1 comment

The Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen is enthusiastically participating in the inaugural Design Week Calgary, taking place from August 7th to 9th—chock-full of stimulating programming (and cool design).

On Saturday, August 9th, we will stroll through the city centre, highlighting significant political and social events that affected the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Along the way, we will pass by several former watering holes where Calgary’s queer community used to gather.

The one-hour walk begins and ends at the Hyatt Regency Calgary (700 Centre Street SE), specifically at their 8th Avenue Entrance/Pride Sidewalk.

🟢 When: Saturday, August 9th, 2025
🟢 Where: Hyatt Regency Calgary (8th Avenue Entrance/Pride Sidewalk) | 700 Centre Street SE
🟢 Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
🟢 Tickets: free with registration {Please register in advance, as some events are already full!}

*Design Week Calgary’s Inaugural Festival*

Explore the untold stories of Calgary’s 2SLGBTQ+ history—join us for a meaningful walk downtown.

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history, Press Release

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, Design Week, Design Week Calgary, gay, Gay History Walk, Hyatt, lesbian, queer, transgender

Same-Sex Marriage @ 20

Posted on July 19, 2025 | 1 comment

This Sunday, July 20th, marks the 20th anniversary of the legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada. It was quite an achievement back in 2005. We were only the fourth country in the world to legalize it, the vote in the House of Commons was incredibly close, and it forced the Alberta government to blink in its opposition to gay marriage.

As someone who married a same-sex partner in 2006, this issue is meaningful and personal. Although it happens infrequently, it’s always a surprise to be told with candour by a stranger that they don’t believe in gay marriage when they find out I have a husband. (The sentiment also doesn’t feel very Canadian, in that the offence should be more indirect…)

Fortunately, the rate of Canadians who support same-sex marriage has grown significantly in the last 20 years. In 2025, 78% of Canadians polled support it, with 11% opposing (the remainder are undecided). However, we can’t take this consent for granted. There is evidence that support is slipping globally, particularly in the United States, as our community’s existence becomes a wedge issue for partisan politics.

The Civil Marriage Act was introduced to the House of Commons of Canada by Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberal minority government on February 1, 2005, as Bill C-38. The House of Commons narrowly passed the bill on June 28, 2005, and the Senate approved it on July 19, 2005. It received royal assent the next day. {For a more detailed timeline and the legislation’s impact in Alberta: read this.}

To celebrate this milestone, the community is coming together at Contemporary Calgary from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on Sunday for a same-sex marriage event. Four couples will be renewing their vows. There will be live music by JazzYYC, a history segment featuring journalist Gary Bobrovich, and performances by drag artists Terry Stevens and Mystare. The celebration is being supported by: Safelink, Skipping Stone, Centre for Sexuality, and the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

Sponsors for the event are the Alberta Federation of Labour, Texas Lounge, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, United Nurses of Alberta, and Contemporary Calgary.

We wish everyone a happy and love-filled celebration!

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history

Tagged alberta, bisexual, Canada, Civil Marriage Act, gay, Gay history, history, human-rights, lesbian, news, Paul Martin, politics, queer, same sex marriage, transgender

Writing Calgary: Shelf Life Event July 24

Posted on July 9, 2025 | Leave a comment

{Kevin Allen from the Calgary Gay History Project is delighted to participate in this event—please join us! At the same time, you can check out the newly installed gay history artifact at Shelf Life Books!}

Industry Night #8: Writing Calgary: Local Interest Literature

Thursday, Jul 24th, 2025 at 7:00 PM

Join Shelf Life Books for Industry Night #8, our series of panel discussions on writing, publishing, and all things books! Each event will feature several panellists and an expert moderator/host.

The theme for Industry Night #8 is Writing Calgary: Local Interest Literature. The panellists will be Charles Agopsowicz, Kevin Allen, Lori Beattie, and Dale Leckie. The moderator will be Jim Ellis.

In this event, our panel will discuss the planning, writing, and publishing that goes into these local landscape books, and share these exploration opportunities that exist in our city and surrounding areas. Whether you have an interest in the process of writing these books or just want to know more about our city and activities to do, either way, this event is for you. These authors will walk you through the process of writing, publishing and connecting with the community through local interest literature. The information shared will allow you to get out there and explore with newfound awareness.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Charles Agopsowicz | withthesetwohands is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Comic/Zine Creator, Musician, and Twitch Streamer in Calgary / Mohkinstsis Treaty 7 whose comix and zines focus mainly on Canadian history, labour history, challenging Canadian identity, and reconciliation. Charles taps into Canadian history for the subject matter of much of his work. He sees Canadian history as “something not just to learn about, but to learn from”, and seeks to inspire others to learn more and reflect upon Canada’s past and what it can inform us about our present and future.

Kevin Allen is a fourth-generation Calgarian who has been documenting and profiling queer people and events for 30+ years. Kevin started the Calgary Gay History Project in 2012 to uncover and preserve stories from Calgary’s 2SLGBTQ+ past (www.calgarygayhistory.ca). The Project has achieved national recognition and led to the award-winning documentary film: Gross Indecency: The Everett Klippert Story; and the best-selling book Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary. Additionally, Kevin works as a senior election administrator for both Elections Canada and Elections Alberta.

Lori Beattie is the face behind Fit Frog. She has been organizing and leading year-round Calgary walks, hikes, and snowshoe days since 1997. She is also the author of Calgary’s Best Walks, now in its 3rd edition, and Calgary’s Best Bike Rides, and features walking, biking, hiking, and connecting cities on foot and by bike in monthly articles in the Calgary Herald, her walk series on CBC Homestretch and many years as segment host on CTV Morning Live. She presents to groups on the pleasure of self-propelled urban exploration, being a tourist in your own city, building communities through walking, and making Calgary feel like home, one step, or pedal, at a time.

Dale Leckie, Ph.D., is a geologist who worked at the Geological Survey of Canada and after as chief geologist at Nexen, a large Canadian energy company. He has edited numerous books and published widely on the geology of western Canada. He is an adjunct professor in Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary. Dale has written three bestsellers on the scenic geology and landscapes of Alberta. He lives in Calgary, AB.

Jim Ellis is a professor of English and Director of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities at the University of Calgary. He has edited a number of books with a Calgary focus (Calgary, City of Animals; Water Rites; Intertwined Histories: Plants in their Social Contexts) and is the editor of the Calgary Atlas Project, a series of maps of lesser-known histories of Calgary.