Tag Archives: human-rights

Coming Out YYC & Heading Out YYJ

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

Next week, the Coming Out Monologues touch down in Calgary. The 7th iteration of this popular event will be held at the downtown John Dutton library theatre March 16, 17, & 18. Doors open at 7:30 pm, and the shows begin at 8:00.

The Coming Out Monologues celebrates diverse local stories from our queer community. Most people who perform have little to no performance experience, and are generously coached and supported to become stage ready. Tickets and info can be found: here.

Next week also, the Calgary Gay History project heads to the University of Victoria, to take part in Moving Trans History Forward 2016 conference. We look forward to immersing ourselves in trans history and trans activism connecting Calgary to these larger conversations. We will be in Vancouver for a few days post conference. If you know any former Calgarians who we should interview while we are present, please let us know – we would love to meet them.

And if that is not enough happening next week, Friday, March 18th, we have the final instalment of It’s Getting Drafty in Here, and the development of the play: 69 Legislating Love and the Everett Klippert story at Loft 112 at 5 PM. So you have lots of opportunities for queer culture and history next week. See you out there.

{KA}

Klippert back in the news 50 years later

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Kevin Allen | 2 comments

This has been quite a week in gay history. The Prime Minister’s Office promised a posthumous pardon for approximately 6000 men who were arrested and charged with gross indecency or buggery for consensual sexual acts between men in prior decades.

This was initiated by John Ibbitson’s in-depth review of Everett Klippert’s famous court cases published in the Globe and Mail last weekend, including the first ever published photos of Everett. The Calgary Gay History Project was proud to have supported that article through research findings and interviews.

The news set off a mini-storm of media interview requests locally. Calgary Gay History Project representatives Kevin Allen and Jonathan Brower, also of Third Street Theatre, were kept busy for days.

Jonathan Brower, interviewed twice at CBC in one day, February 29 2016

Here are some links to the highlights:

John Ibbitson’s breaking the news of the PMO pardon in the Globe and Mail.

CTV National coverage of the story.

Calgary Sun editorial, seeking a local response to the injustices of the past.

CBC Calgary interview on the Eye Opener.

Edmonton Journal editorial in support of a Klippert pardon.

Comment from a NWT Legislator.

Toronto Star editorial in support of pardons for gay men.

John Ibbitson’s follow up article about the speed of change in Canadian society.

We are truly grateful that this injustice has finally come to light in such a public arena. Journalists can change the world!

{KA}

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, CBC, Everett Klippert, gay, Gay history, globe and mail, human-rights, John Ibbitson, lesbian, queer, Third Street Theatre, transgender

Finally, a Kid’s LGTBQ History Book!

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

With the current calls for recognizing LGTBQ diversity in Alberta schools, a timely new book aimed at educating children about LGTBQ history has just been released. Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: The Century-Long Struggle for LGTB Rights focuses on the last 100 years of the struggle for human rights. With a brief section on the history pre-1900, this book focuses on personal stories and firsthand accounts of events, which makes reading easy and relatable for all. Even better, the writer Jerome Pohlen, has actively used the stories of non-whites and transgender people in the text.

Gay & Lesbian History for Kids does not shy away from the truth, beautiful and terrible all in one. The book makes sure the reader understands this with the activities: they encompass many disciplines in arts and history that could be used in the classroom. One that is very poignant is to perform a monologue from the Laramie Project, a play on the murder of a young gay man, Matthew Sheppard, in 1998.

Because of its focus and content, this book is very much for older children and teenagers. The other caveat is that it focuses primarily on the American story, with some break out sections on English and Canadian issues. While important for Canadian readers to know these early origins, any educator will have to supplement the text with our own narratives.

At least, until someone writes a Canadian book for children on LGTBQ history. Any takers?

The book is available also at the Calgary Public Library.

Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights, with 21 Activities by Jerome Pohlen. From the For Kids series: Chicago Review Press (Oct 2015)

{TM}