Tag Archives: Modern Pink

Be your own queer historian!

October is queer history month in Canada. We want to highlight some local and digital queer history resources that are public and accessible. Curious historians take note!

The new Calgary Gay History Project Collection at the University of Calgary launched during Pride and are already being used by researchers. We’re planning a launch party on October 22 at 5 PM, details TBA.

Dr. William Bridel, Archivist Kim Geraldi, and the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen exploring the collection. Image by Andy Nichols, 2024, University of Calgary Archives Photographs, Libraries and Cultural Resources.

Our colleagues at the Edmonton Queer History Project launched an online digitized queer Alberta magazine collection. Of particular interest to Calgarians are Outlooks, Modern Pink, and A.G.L.P. They’ve kindly pledged to add more Calgary publications in the near future.

The Central Library has hard copies of queer publications Outlook, Clue! and QC Magazine in their fourth-floor Local History collection (as well as circulating copies of Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary).

Gay Calgary and Edmonton magazine has their back catalogue digitized and online (2003-2019).

Cover August 2006 of GayCalgary Magazine

Many significant queer archives are digitizing some of their holdings and creating online exhibits—notably the ArQuives in Toronto and the Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria.

When you are travelling, seek out the queer histories of the places you are visiting. We just went to Spokane, Washington, last week and discovered Spokane Pride’s queer history project online—fascinating!

1950’s newspaper advert from the Spokane Pride History Project

Finally, when you have discovered something interesting, share it! You can use the social media tags @2SQHMCan and #2SQHMCan to link up with a national conversation about queer history.

{KA}

Edmonton Queer History Collection

The Calgary Gay History Project recently contributed historic gay media to our colleagues in Edmonton for digitization. Heroically, they have already digitized hundreds of magazines! You can find the collection: here.

Most of this online collection focuses on Edmonton, but several publications have a provincial reach. We contributed issues of Modern Pink, Alberta Gay and Lesbian Press (AGLP), and Outlooks Magazine, which were all published in Calgary but distributed province-wide.

Outlooks Magazine, September 1998 Issue with GLCSA’s OK Campaign

The close connection between our two cities is long-standing. Importantly, this collection includes several Club 70 Newsletters. Club 70 was the sister organization to Calgary’s Club Carousel, and the Club 70 Newsletter was similar in format and style to Carousel Capers. In their newsletters, one can read about the camaraderie between the Clubs. 

For example, on July 29, 1972, Club 70 hosted their “Klondike-Calgary Night” after a blanket invite was sent to the members of Club Carousel.

Club 70 Newsletter with Calgary Invite!

This digital archive has been spearheaded by the Edmonton Queer History Project, an innovative university-community project designed to help celebrate the people, places, and moments that have helped to build Edmonton’s 2SLGBTQ+ community. 

{KA}

Rocky Mountain Singers—Remembered

On Monday, April 19th at 7:30 PM, join the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen (and guests) as we explore the history of Calgary’s first lesbian and gay chorus, the Rocky Mountain Singers. This remembering event has been commissioned by One Voice Chorus as part of its new online programming series, OVC Talks: A Rainbow of Ideas.

The Rocky Mountain Singers (RMS), 1989-2002, became an important focus of artistic expression in Calgary’s LGBTQ2 community. In interviews with Kevin, past choristers expressed very fond and cherished memories of RMS. The chorus actively built and strengthened the LGBTQ2 community in Calgary and through their participation choristers created enduring friendships that have lasted into the present.

Rocky Mountain Singers at the international GALA Choral Festival in Tampa, Florida (1996)

RMS had a well-known public presence and performed regularly; they were musical ambassadors for many gay community organizations including Calgary Pride. The chorus participated actively in the growing gay choral movement of the 1990s and represented both Calgary and Canada at national and international festivals. RMS paved the way for future LGBTQ2 choral organizations in the city, including the contemporary Calgary Men’s Chorus and One Voice Chorus.

The first public mention of RMS in Modern Pink, September 1989

Join us Monday, for an hour of conversation, archival footage, images and song, as we remember this historic and noteworthy organization. This event is free to attend. Be sure to RSVP through One Voice Chorus to receive a zoom link to join on April 19th. #OurPastMatters

Former alto Nicole Frandsen’s RMS pin.

{KA}