Category Archives: Uncategorized

Queer History Conference

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

We are thrilled to be attending the first National Queer and Trans+ Community History Conference in Edmonton this weekend. The conference is set to take place at MacEwan University, where researchers from all over the country will be coming together for a unique queer history immersion experience.

The conference “is designed to bring together 2SLGBTQ+ community members, non-profit organizations, heritage professionals, academics, historians, and emerging scholars who have an interest in documenting, preserving, and celebrating diverse and intersectional queer and trans+ histories in Canada. This conference serves as a scholarly community gathering space to share best practices, foster research collaborations, mobilize knowledge, and build upon existing community and professional networks.”

Registrations are sold out, and the program of outstanding scholars, community historians and activists looks stimulating. The Calgary Gay History Project is contributing a poster about the history and significance of Club Carousel—Calgary’s first gay bar—to the conference. We are happy to represent Calgary at this national gathering and hope to glean many new ideas of how to best preserve and share queer history in our City.

*Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Lois Szabo, and Councillor Evan Woolley (2021) at the opening of Lois Szabo Commons commemorating the founding of Club Carousel. Photo source: City of Calgary.*

A special shout-out goes to Dr. Kristopher Wells and his colleagues, who have been labouring behind the scenes to manifest this remarkable gathering—thank you!

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Tagged bisexual, Club Carousel, Evan Woolley, gay, Gay history, Kristopher Wells, lesbian, Lois Szabo, Lois Szabo Commons, MacEwan University, Naheed Nenshi, National Queer and Trans+ Community History Conference, queer, transgender

Backlot Commemoration

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Backlot, a historic Calgary gay bar, will be moving (again). Founded in 1976, its current and third incarnation at 10^th Avenue and 1^st Street was established in 1996. However, the City has approved this site for redevelopment despite organized resistance last year called “Save Our Backlot.”

Interestingly, the developer is keen to acknowledge the history of the site—both its contemporary importance to the queer community as well as its location in Calgary’s second Chinatown from 1901-1910.

The queer history commemoration proposal (Brief) includes a commissioned mural at the site of the Backlot and an information panel and wayfinding bench.

*A rendering of the future intersection from the Brief*.

Senior Urban Planner Zack Hoefs is looking for community feedback through a survey.

He writes:

On behalf of Truman Homes and in partnership with FAAS Architecture, I’m reaching out today to share an opportunity for discussion on a commissioned piece of art for a recently approved development called Gallery at 1001 1 ST SW and 209 10 AV SW.

The approved project involves redeveloping the Calgary Gas Co. Workshop building, which is significant to the Queer Calgarian community in its use as The Backlot and the significance of The Backlot’s name to Queer Calgarian history. There is a Brief that, on pages 16-17, outlines what our project team currently knows about the site from the perspective of Queer Calgarian History, links to documentation that we used in our research, and a description of the location of the art.

What we are missing in this work is valued feedback from the Queer Calgarian community and Backlot ownership on what they would like to see in this commissioned art. We are looking for your opinions and feedback! Our team will combine this feedback with the history we know to create a brief that future artists will interpret when bidding on the work. The main questions we will be asking are included in the Brief.

The survey will be available to complete until Friday, April 26.

*The first Backlot bar at 808 9 Ave. SW* *circa 1980. Photo:* *Philip Hannan*.

{KA}

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Tagged Backlot, bisexual, Calgary, Calgary Gas Co., Chinatown, FAAS Architecture, gay, Gay history, lesbian, lgbt, lgbtq, Philip Hannan, queer, transgender, Truman Homes, Zack Hoefs

The Dyke and Trans March Part 3

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

Marching On

The Dyke and Trans March has been a point of inclusivity and celebration of gender and identity for Calgary’s lesbian and transgender communities. We had the opportunity to interview Gio Dolcecore (They/Them) on the history and future of the March. Our previous entry in this three-part series covered memorable events regarding the March that Gio valued. This final installment will speak to the March’s progress and its current role and future in serving Calgary’s LGBTQ+ community.

When asking Gio about how representation has changed and grown throughout the years, they mention that the younger generation’s higher participation is a key factor of representation. They also spoke about wanting to make the March more inclusive for intersections of the dyke and transgender communities who may not be as visible, particularly for BIPOC LGBTQ+ folk. Although this representation is lacking now, Gio hopes that the March will continue to evolve throughout the years, saying, “That is something that I want to focus more intention on; how do we make this more inclusive for our BIPOC community?”

*Gio Dolcecore at the 2023 March. Source: CBC, ICI Alberta*

Due to the current political climate of LGBTQ+ rights in Canada, particularly for the transgender community, we asked Gio about the March’s role in relation to transphobia. Gio stated that this new anti-transgender movement has been “disheartening” to see and that the March plays a crucial role in promoting inclusion and safety for the community. However, they also state that community members need to keep themselves safe—first and foremost—whether through participation in the March or advocating in safer ways. They explain that the March is “reminding people that there are multiple ways to be an activist, and the most important part of being an activist is ensuring your own safety.”

When asking Gio if there was anything else they would like to say about the March, they expressed their love for the event and re-iterated that the March is not purely a celebration but a form of activism, stating that “even though for 99.9% of the time that we’re together, we’re laughing, it’s going to the root of marches. We’re going back pre-Stonewall as to why we would gather and why we would march as a reminder that, yeah—things are good—but things can be great.” Gio also spoke that the March’s next steps are to be more inclusive of dyke and trans intersections, which may impact participation in the March. Overall, the March was clearly a source of pride for Gio, and they remained cognizant of the next steps to make the event even better in the future.

We sincerely thank Gio for their time and willingness to participate in this interview, as well as their valuable insights on the history and future directions of the Dyke and Trans March.

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