Brian Crane | Calgary Gay History

As many readers of the Calgary Gay History Project know, a lot of our work has been focussed on the life of Everett Klippert—unjustly incarcerated for most of the 1960s for being gay.

*Everett (bottom right) with his brothers, the year before his first incarceration*

In 2020, the Klippert family applied to the Parole Board of Canada for an expungement of their uncle’s criminal record—a provision that was made available to them through the Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act. This Act was part of the Government of Canada’s formal apology to the LGBTQ2 community in 2017.

The expungement order was granted on November 18, 2020, which means Everett is deemed never to have been a criminal. Although he died almost 25 years ago, his family is deeply satisfied with the outcome.

Interestingly, Ottawa-based lawyer Brian Crane, who defended Everett in the Supreme Court trial of 1967, offered to assist the family with the application, pro bono. It’s remarkable that Mr. Crane’s career has spanned these two ends of Everett’s story.

*Kevin Allen and Brian Crane in conversation as part of Calgary Pride’s 2020 History Program*

The Calgary Gay History Project is very grateful to have been part of this journey with the Klippert family. To learn more about Everett’s story, and why it is important to Canadian history, we have included a few links.

Gross Indecency: The Everett Klippert Story, an award-winning 17 minute documentary by director Laura O’Grady.

Legislating Love, the podcast by playwright Natalie Meisner, Sage Theatre and the Alberta Queer Calendar Project.

Why I’m Celebrating 1969 and Calgary’s Gay Rights Anti-Hero in the Sprawl.

Everett Klippert in the Canadian Encyclopedia

Klippert Month: a series of articles on this website about th e life of Everett Klippert.

*A car loan due to Merton Klippert—Everett’s debts are paid in full.*

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Calgary Gay History Project Researcher, Tereasa Maillie, has curated a history series to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Calgary Pride!

Beginning tomorrow, the first of ten online programs, launches. The series includes the history of LGTBQ+ newcomers in Canada, the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Calgary, and films on gay and lesbian life in ‘50s and ‘60s. On September 4th, the series will go out with a kick and a twirl: History is a Drag will feature performances by top drag artists taking a new spin on our stories and histories.

“We really need a celebration of culture, of gender, and of sexually diverse communities in 2020! So let’s challenge the histories we hold at the same time,” Tereasa explains. The series intentionally explores history from different angles, lenses, and identities.

The series is free and held online through Showpass. View the full calendar of Calgary Pride’s Learning Series workshops at https://www.calgarypride.ca/learning-series/

Film Poster from the NFB’s groundbreaking lesbian history doc.

Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives (1992)
August 14, 7-9 pm
National Film Board – 1 hour 30 minutes with discussion to follow. A Queer film classic, Forbidden Love is a historical documentary on what was happening for Lesbians in ‘50s and ‘60s Canada. Interviews from women of all ages and cultures are interspersed with a pulp lesbian romance story. Join Natalie Meisner, Lalangi Ali, Tereasa Maillie, and Lois Szabo as they discuss the film’s impact on them personally and their understanding of Canadian history.

Gross Indecency: The Everett Klippert Story (2018)
August 15, 7-8 pm
TELUS Originals – 17 minutes with discussion to follow. Join director Laura O’Grady, Kevin Allen, and lawyer Brian Crane to discuss Everett Klippert, the last Canadian to be jailed for homosexuality. Winner of the Calgary International Film Festival 2018 Best Alberta Short.

Kevin Allen in a scene from the film, Gross Indecency: The Everett Klippert Story. Photo courtesy, Spotlight Productions

AIDS in Canada: The Forgotten Pandemic
August 20, 7-8:30 pm
HIV/AIDS is still with us: More than 70 million people have been infected with HIV and about 35 million have died from AIDS since the start of the pandemic in the late 1970s. A frank and open discussion on the epidemic with survivors, medical experts, and historians of our country’s response.

Queer the Music
August 21, 7-8:30 pm
Local musicians, including Toni Vere, speak about the history of Queer music in Calgary and share their own stories. Join us for some powerful musical performances too.

Rainbow Connection: History of LGTBQ+ Newcomers in Canada
August 24, 1-3pm
Canada has been a leader in recognizing LGBTQ+ refugee claims and resettling refugees fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation and gender-based identity. Join the discussion with a panel of experts on the history of LGTBQ+ immigration and refugees to Canada.

Small Town Queer- Film Series
August 27, 7-8:30 pm 
TELUS Story Hive – 2019 – Three 20 minute shorts with discussion to follow
Join us for an online screening of Laura O’Grady’s three excellent films about Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge’s Queer communities, which includes a discussion after each section about the history of small town life. Panelists include members of the Queer community from these towns.

Origins
August 28, 6-7:30 pm
An exciting discussion with the founders of Calgary Pride about the early days, the changes in our community, and how Pride has shaped our city.

Queering the Archives
September 1, 7-8:30 pm
Local historians and archivists will share stories hidden in the records and discuss the need for archives and museums to support Queer history.

Queer Art Destroys History
September 2, 7-8:30 pm
A lively panel with LGTBQ2S+ artists who tackle art, society, and history, confronting and sharing Calgary’s Pride.

History is a Drag – Performance
September 4, 7-8:30 pm
Three outstanding drag performers take a page from Calgary’s history to reinterpret it in their own way. Shane On You, Nada Nuff, and Farrah Nuff will transform your ideas on what history is with stories and songs.

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