Tag Archives: Calgary Olympics

Welcome William!

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

Thrilled to be a part of the Calgary Gay History Project, Dr. William Bridel brings a sociological lens to queer history, with a particular interest in sport, physical activity, and health. William completed his PhD at Queen’s University in 2011, accepted a postdoctoral research position at the University of Alberta from 2011-2012, and then moved to Ohio to teach at a liberal arts college named Miami University of Ohio. He moved to our city in the summer of 2014 to begin work at the University of Calgary. He is currently the Senior Associate Dean, Academic Programs, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology.

*William Bridel. Photo credit: @rising_solstice_photography*

Having been involved in sport and physical activity most of his life and experiencing both the benefits of and barriers to participation, William and his research team have, over the years, explored 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in various sports historically and in contemporary times. Of particular interest to us is his ongoing research project on the role of sport in Calgary’s queer history.

In October 2025, we posted some of his writing on Calgary’s queer hockey history. To coincide with the 2026 Olympic Winter Games (OWG), which run from Friday, February 6 to February 22, William will be sharing a series of posts featuring queer Calgarians who have competed in past Olympic Winter Games—as well as one that will focus on the 1988 OWG, held here in Calgary.

{WB}

Late in ’88

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Do you want to explore Calgary’s Queer History from an autobiographical grade school perspective? (I think you do…)

Late in ‘88 is a limited-series podcast created by Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda. The grade school classmates share their experiences of growing up queer and gender non-conforming in Calgary in 1988, at a time when there wasn’t language to describe identities that were fringe and undefinable. Shining a light on their middle childhood, Bronwin and Elinor explore the impact of historical context and the gift of contemporary language that allows more freedom of self-expression. The Calgary Winter Olympics acts as a backdrop to these conversations.

Elinor Svoboda and Bronwin Parks: creators of *Late in ’88*

Late in ’88 welcomes special guests and experts. The Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen makes an appearance in episode two, recounting his own queer history from 1988 as well as the story of Mark Perry Schaub, a Winter Olympics volunteer dying of AIDS.

Calgary is a different city than it was in the 80s. Late in ’88 explores how life has changed for queer people (and how it hasn’t) and the gravity of human connection which can make us whole. Recommended listening!

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history, Press Release

Tagged 1988, AIDS, bisexual, Bronwin Parks, Calgary Olympics, Elinor Svoboda, gay, Late in '88, lesbian, lgbt, lgbtq, Mark Perry-Schaub, non-binary, Pride, queer, transgender

Remembering Mark

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Kevin Allen | 3 comments

One of the moving aspects of working on local gay history is that—sometimes—the stories you are sharing of long dead activists come to life when living family members reach out and connect.

In April, I was writing a series about AIDS: reflecting on one pandemic while we move through another. I discovered the story of Mark Perry-Schaub, a thwarted Calgary ’88 Winter Olympics volunteer, who fought to regain his volunteer position after losing it, because he had AIDS.

After coming across the post, Ann—a relative—wrote to me. Mark died before Ann was born; this unknown Uncle left a haunting ache in Ann’s family.

Mark Perry-Schaub (photo courtesy of his family)

Ann explained: “I’ve always been drawn to learning more about Mark, and talking about him. That’s why I contacted [his friend] Dave McKeen when I was 16, and attempted to contact Doug McKay, Mark’s friend who’d been his roommate and cared for him in the final months (unfortunately McKay died in 2005 when I was a toddler). I’ve written a number of essays on Mark, and AIDS in general, for school… I just always wanted to know more, like as much as is possible without being able to meet him. I think being LGBT+ myself results in me being even more interested, like he could have been such a great supportive figure in my life. We could have been close.”

Ann shared photos, news clippings, and fleshed out details of Mark from family stories. Mark, even appeared in an AIDS Calgary video: Respect Yourself Protect, Yourself. Although I had seen it before, I did not make the connection that the man named Mark in the video was Mark Perry-Schaub. What a surprise to see Mark animated again!

Mark in a still from *AIDS Respect Yourself Protect Yourself*

According to Ann, Dave McKeen told her that: “Mark had a heart of gold and even when too ill to really help, he was still volunteering his time and energy to help those in greater need; no one volunteered as much as he did.”

Mark died on April 1, 1988, aged 26, just weeks after the Calgary Winter Olympics concluded. His memorial service was held at the Metropolitan Community Church. Although his parents weren’t in attendance, his siblings were; it was a profound loss.

Ann shares, “it sounds like he was an amazing person. Of everyone, alive or dead, he’s the person I’d want to meet the most. I imagine he’d have been an awesome uncle.”

I think Ann is right…

{KA}