Calgary Gay History

Pride Panel Announced

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 2 comments

October is Queer History Month! The Calgary Gay History Project has organized a panel to explore Pride’s local history in collaboration with Calgary Pride and the Calgary Public Library. Join us Tuesday, October 24th, at 6 PM for Calgary Pride: A Catalyst for Social Change.

To speak with us, we have found four amazing people from different points in Calgary Pride’s history: Nancy Miller, James Demers, Dallas Barnes, and Sumit Munjal.

Nancy Miller joined the Military Police right out of high school. Following her release, Nancy testified to the Canadian Human Rights Commission during their 1983 cross-country hearings on discrimination against homosexuals in the military. Nancy was recognized in 2016 with the Chinook Fund LGBTQ Hero Award for her role in coordinating Calgary’s first Pride marches and other equity-seeking actions as a member of the Calgary Lesbian and Gay Political Action Guild (CLAGPAG) in the early 1990s.

James Demers has been involved in Calgary Pride in various capacities since 2007. James is a senior strategist and equity educator specializing in gender and sexual diversity (GSD) communities. He has worked as a local community builder ranging from trans health advocacy to public education to performing and producing queer art with Fake Mustache Drag and Reading with Royalty. Currently, James is championing non-violent protest intervention strategies to address increasing misinformation and charter violations against queer citizens.

Dallas Barnes is a queer feminist, activist, and writer who has worked with Calgary Pride, Interpride, Calgary Outlink, and the Treaty 7 Dyke and Trans March. Dallas joined the board of Calgary Pride in 2008 after it financially collapsed and was part of the leadership team which moved the parade from June to September and incorporated Pride as a non-profit society.

Sumit Munjal is the current Manager of Production and Programming at Calgary Pride. Sumit is an Indian-born Canadian with a diverse communications, marketing, retail development and design background. As an avid supporter of minority groups and diversity in the workplace, Sumit takes a unique inclusionary approach to design and marketing that challenges the status quo high art. He believes the narrative of Canadian diversity needs to shift from tokenism to shared beliefs of fundamental human rights and respect for lived experience.

The panel will be hosted by the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen.

Seats are limited. Reserve your spot (free) for Calgary Pride: A Catalyst for Social Change today.

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, Calgary Pride, calgary public library, Chinook Fund, Dallas Barnes, gay, Gay history, James Demers, lesbian, Nancy Miller, queer, Sumit Munjal, transgender

Calgary Pride: A Catalyst for Social Change

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Pride Movement has been a mighty agent of social change. But how did Pride impact Calgary specifically? Join us Tuesday, October 24th, from 6:00-7:30 PM, at the Central Library, where we delve into that question with a history panel of former and current Calgary Pride leaders.

Calgary Pride has come a long way since its inception rally in 1990. The Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen will lead discussions with panelists about the evolution of Calgary Pride. We will begin by revisiting the humble beginnings of Calgary Pride, tracing its roots back to the early activists who paved the way. Discover how their courage and resilience shaped the movement we know today.

Learn about the impactful initiatives and events organized by Calgary Pride that continue to make a positive difference in our city. Our panelists will share their experiences and discuss the ongoing challenges and opportunities for social justice in Calgary. Looking ahead, we will explore the exciting prospects for Calgary Pride as it continues to evolve.

Panelists will offer insights into the strategies and goals of Calgary Pride as they work towards a future where everyone can live authentically. Take advantage of this thought-provoking evening that honours the past, celebrates the present, and embraces the future of Calgary Pride as a catalyst for social change in our city.

Calgary Pride: A Catalyst for Social Change is presented in collaboration with the Calgary Public Library and Calgary Pride. Spaces are limited—reserve a spot here.

*Pride March in 1991: Calgary Herald Photo*

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, Calgary Pride, calgary public library, gay, Gay history, human-rights, lesbian, queer, transgender

That Certain Summer

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Queer representation on TV today is commonplace—a relatively new development. On November 1, 1972, an ABC Movie of the Week called That Certain Summer premiered, and it is widely considered the first sympathetic depiction of gay people on American television.

The plot turns on a divorced man, in his mid‐40s, who has to de-gay his living arrangement when his 14‐year‐old son comes for a vacation visit. The son wises up to the existence of his father’s younger lover, and Dad is forced to explain his situation—pathos ensues.

Actors Hal Holbrook and Martin Sheen in 1972’s *That Certain Summer*

Screenwriter William Link reported that it was tricky to find a network to green-light the project and also challenging to cast. Eventually, the project attracted stars Hal Holbrook and Martin Sheen, which was a big deal at the time. The New York Times critic John J. O’Connor observed the movie “is not ‘about’ homosexuality. It is about personal relationships being affected by the fact of homosexuality. In terms of average television, however, it is something of a major event. The performances throughout the film are excellent, “…and the movie “can lay claim to some of the most impressive and sensitive acting ever contributed to television.”

In The Guardian’s 2021 obituary of Hal Holbrook, Brian Baxter writes that Holbrook’s “big break came in 1972 with the controversial television movie… Television had not tackled a gay theme so sensitively – or directly – before, and the film became a minor classic.” Martin Sheen has spoken about how groundbreaking his role was in That Certain Summer while famously playing a gay man again in the breakout Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie.

That Certain Summer was nominated for many awards; it won a Golden Globe and an Emmy. Distressingly, the TV movie triggered bomb threats at ABC affiliates during its broadcast. Given that it played during prime time in its day, and was the same era as the emerging Gay Liberation Front, That Certain Summer is significant queer history viewing. It can be watched for free on the website RareFilmm.

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