Tag Archives: ArQuives

Queer History Round Up for Pride Week

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Calgary Pride’s 2025 season starts this Friday with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall and concludes with the Parade and Festival on Sunday, August 31st. Here are the queer history events we are involved with or are looking out for {click the links for more information and to register}.

August 21, 7 PM — Hot Dogs and Hot Takes on History at the Confluence: Colonial Calgary Was So Gay! (sold out).

August 25, 6 PM — Beltline Gay History Walk sponsored by Calgary Outlink. Register online: spaces limited. Free, but donations to support Outlink are welcome.

August 27, 7 PM — We Say Gay: Queer Kid Lit and Censorship in the Sunshine State.

The Calgary Institute for the Humanities presents Dr. Kenneth Kidd for the 7th Annual LGBTQ2S+ Lecture, in partnership with UCalgary Alumni and Calgary Central Library. In person AND online: register here.

August 28, 5 PM — Downtown Gay History Walk sponsored by Calgary Public Library. Register online: spaces limited. Free event!

August 30, 6 PM — Fake Moustache’s 20th Anniversary Party and Zine Launch!

This summer, Fake Mustache turns 20 years old, and they are celebrating with a once-in-a-lifetime show. More than 32 cast members will take the stage to bring to life dozens of true stories from two decades of gender-bending, boundary-breaking performance art. It’s a night of defiance, community, and unapologetic queer joy. Tickets: here.

The evening also marks the launch of Fake Mustache: A Graphic Community Memoir. This limited-run comic book captures our outrageous, heartfelt, and defiant legacy. Pre-sales run August 16–26 (pickup at the show), with only small-batch printing available.

“This is more than an anniversary — it’s a living archive of Calgary’s queer history, and we want you there with us to celebrate. With love and glitter,” — James Dean

Fake Mustache’s Kait Hatch also let me know about this queer community calendar for Calgarians, which they are involved in—so many events!

Finally, don’t forget the Arquives National Survey closes at the end of August. Your feedback matters!

*This survey will take about 10 minutes to complete, and you have a chance to **WIN one of FIVE ArQuives tote bag prize packs** (merchandise valued at $150)!*

Happy Pride Calgary!

{KA}

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged ArQuives, Beltline, bisexual, Calgary, Calgary Institute for the Humanities, Calgary Outlink, calgary public library, Central Library, CIH, Fake Moustache, gay, Gay history, Gay History Walk, Hot Dogs & Hot Takes on History, human-rights, Kaitlyn Hatch, Kenneth Kidd, lesbian, queer, The Confluence, transgender

ArQuives National Survey

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

{The Calgary Gay History Project is happy to share this national survey from the ArQuives! – Kevin}

The ArQuives is gearing up for an exciting new chapter, and we want you to be part of it! With support from Women and Gender Equality Canada, we launched Community Ties: Our Future Together, an initiative to strengthen our organization and expand our impact across Canada.

We’re at a pivotal moment for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across Canada. With rising threats to queer and trans rights globally and locally, it’s more important than ever to protect, celebrate, and share our stories. The ArQuives is stepping up to meet this moment by imagining how we can best serve our communities for the next 50 years.

Community Conversations

As part of this work, in February and March 2025, we hosted intimate, community gatherings in 12 cities across Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Saskatoon, St. John’s, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Winnipeg, and Yellowknife. With approximately 15 participants in each city, we hosted intimate and generative community discussions to best understand how The ArQuives can best support local interests. Each session included opportunities for relationship building, networking, a brief presentation on The ArQuives, and interactive ways of sharing feedback.

Taking the Community Conversations Online

Now, we’re hoping to reach more folks from around the country through our online national survey, community conversations, and one-on-one interviews that will be scheduled individually with participants.

Take the survey now

We especially want to reach out to and hear from:

LGBTQ2+ community members who already are or might be interested in our programming;
Researchers, academics, and media who already or might use The ArQuives’ collections in their work; and
Partner organizations, including libraries, archives, museums, arts and heritage organizations, cultural institutions, and other LGBTQ2+ organizations.

The ArQuives values diversity and is committed to addressing historical inequities within our organization. We would love to hear from LGBTQ2+ communities that have been systematically marginalized, including from rural communities and those who are Indigenous, women, trans, nonbinary, gender non-conforming, Black, people of colour, newcomers, and persons with disabilities. We’re hoping to have a wide range of conversations, including young adults and older members of our communities.

{KA}

Join the Conversation: Community Ties with The ArQuives

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

{The Calgary Gay History Project is pleased to promote the ArQuives’ Community Ties: Our Future Together conversation in Calgary on Thursday, March 6th!}

The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives is gearing up for an exciting new chapter and we want you to be part of it! We are starting a national conversation about how The ArQuives can best serve communities across Canada over the next 50 years. In February and March, we are hosting intimate, in-person gatherings in 12 cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Saskatoon, St. John’s, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Winnipeg, and Yellowknife. Bilingual facilitators will conduct sessions in Ottawa, Montreal, and Fredericton to serve Francophone participants in those cities. If you prefer a one-on-one conversation in French, please let us know and we will arrange that with you directly.

In each city, we’re gathering 15 LGBTQ2+ community members to share challenges, hopes and dreams related to how we Keep Our Stories Alive. There will be a short presentation and friendly facilitation by The ArQuives, and there will be an opportunity to participate in collaborating to make a zine that captures what makes your community great! Snacks and drinks will be provided.

While we’re in your city, we especially want to reach out to and meet:

LGBTQ2+ community members who already are or might be interested in our programming;
researchers, academics, and media who already or might use The ArQuives’ collections in their work; and
partner organizations, including libraries, archives, museums, arts and heritage organizations, cultural institutions, and other LGBTQ2+ organizations.

We have developed an RSVP form for potential participants with a brief questionnaire designed to help us prepare for each session. Please share this link with others in your community, especially those from historically marginalized communities.

The ArQuives values diversity and is committed to addressing historical inequities within our organization. We would love to hear from LGBTQ2+ communities that have been systematically marginalized, including those who are Indigenous, women, trans, nonbinary, gender non-conforming, Black, people of colour, newcomers, and persons with disabilities. We’re hoping to have a wide range of conversations, including young adults and older members of our communities.

There is limited space, and honoraria are available for community members for whom attending is not part of their professional duties. If you cannot attend in person, there will be other ways to participate, including a national survey.

Thanks for your assistance and collaboration! Your insights will be crucial in building a stronger, more connected future for The ArQuives and the communities we serve.

If you have any questions or want to chat more about the project, please reach out to Nico Mara-McKay at projectcoordinator@arquives.ca.