Tag Archives: human-rights

Intrepid Jane’s Walkers who Love Queer History

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

Please remember to vote online for our short video proposal in Telus’ STORYHIVE competition. 11 more days left for voting. If successful we will get $10,000 to produce a short queer history doc. Vote: here!

The Jane’s Walk went ahead with 15 hearty souls who did not mind the sudden snow storm we found ourselves under when we awoke on May 3rd. The walk actually went longer then expected due to the nature of having a smaller group who could converse. Thank you everyone who came out and shared stories. The history project is richer because of it! Thanks also to Michael Wright for these candid Jane’s Walk photos.

Beginning walk on the steps of CommunityWise (Old Y). Note the snow in May! This building has been the defacto gay community centre since the early 1970s.

Catching a break from the elements in the Palliser Hotel - former location of the Kings Arms Pub.

Catching a break from the elements in the Palliser Hotel – the former location of the Kings Arms Pub, a much visited gay drinking hole from the 1960s.

Near the Bay downtown. Department store washroom cruising was a well-documented phenomena across North America. In this case, reading the threatening washroom notice, put up in the early ’80s to deter and intimidate gay men.

Walk. Vote. Educate Yourself.

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

The Calgary Queer History Project is excited to be participating in Jane’s Walk again this year. We will be launching a new gay history walk heading Downtown instead of last year’s Beltline Walk. We are meeting up at CommunityWise (the Old Y), 223 12 Ave. SW on Saturday, May 3rd from 10-11:30 AM. Dress warmly!

Do you like the Calgary Queer History Project? You can show your affection for us by voting for our short video proposal in Telus’ STORYHIVE competition. If successful we will get $10,000 to produce a short queer history doc. Vote: here!

Finally, did you know that our project researcher and volunteer Tereasa Maillie, has her own blog too: HistoryMinion. She describes it as: “a porridge of history as it relates to current events in the news.” Check out her latest post about Russia, gay rights, and how they are now moving backwards on the human rights front and potentially creating a public health disaster.

[KA]

Slaying Premiers – Then & Now

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

The recent abdication of Premier Alison Redford as head of the Alberta Progressive Conservative (PC) Party caused a reflection here on political transitions in the past, and former culture wars between the government and Alberta’s queer community.

Premier Don Getty was also chased out by his party in the early 90s, which started the reign of “King Ralph” Klein who became Premier in December 1992. He then took the PCs to an electoral victory in June, 1993.

The run-up to that provincial election was marked with high-profile anti-gay comments from Alberta Government Cabinet Ministers. Then Deputy Premier Ken Kowalski, publicly mused on CBC Radio that: “taxpayers’ money shouldn’t be used to support people with ‘abnormal’ lifestyles.” He was referencing provincial government arts funding that had gone to the Banff Centre who had supported a performance art piece which dealt with themes of lesbian sexuality.

Diane Mirosh, the PC Cabinet Minister responsible for the Human Rights Commission said that: “gays and lesbians had [already] too many rights and perhaps they should be rescinded.” The irony, of course, is that they had fewer rights than other Albertans because sexual orientation was then not a protected ground of the Alberta Individual Rights Protection Act: the provincial human rights legislation of the day.

The Calgary queer community was vocal in its outrage and organized an anti-PC campaign during the election, which happened to be the same month for Calgary and Edmonton’s Pride Celebrations. This was also the year Edmonton’s Mayor Jan Reimer proclaimed Edmonton Gay and Lesbian Pride Day, in sharp contrast to the ruling provincial government’s position.

Despite the dodgy comments from PCs about human rights, they cagily advertised in Calgary’s gay press for their candidate, Stephen Yu, in Calgary Buffalo, long considered the queerest riding in the city (he came in 2nd, taking 40% of the vote).

Interestingly, in the last provincial election (2012), it was widely believed that anti-gay comments from Wild Rose Party candidates were a deciding factor in Alison Redford’s sweep into power despite polls predicting her demise. The PCs rhetoric around tolerance in modern times is in stark contrast to the past. However, the fact that the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party takes down its own leaders – from within – remains similar.

[KA]