Tag Archives: queer

Reading yycgayhistory for the holidays

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Queerly Festive Dinner and Show was a great success with more than 200 people gathering in good cheer. It was at this event that the YYC Legacy Project released its “Story Map.” This interactive map collected the feedback of 400 people who participated in the project’s community consultation process.

You can find the Story Map: here. It is recommended and engaging reading for the holiday season.

The YYC Legacy Project will be embarking on Phase II in the new year, which will include design charettes and other public input initiatives to further refine the idea of what a community commemoration project will look like. Please participate as you are able.

Our friend, Aftin, from Theatre Junction, asked us to let you know about the queer multidisciplinary performance, MDLSX, which they are presenting January 25-27, as part of the High Performance Rodeo. Tickets start at $20 at theatrejunction.com.

Finally, it recently occurred to us that the Calgary Gay History Project started about five years ago. Our history continues to surprise and inspire us. Thank you, readers, for your ongoing enthusiasm for this work.

We warmly wish you a safe and joyous holiday season with a good slip into 2018!

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, gay, lesbian, MDLSX, queer, Story Map, Theatre Junction, transgender, YYCLegacy

Apologies, Auditions, & Gathering

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Phew. The recent LGBTQ2 apology by the Government of Canada had us run off our feet with media interviews and correspondence with journalists. Fortunately, we found several volunteers to pitch in, to address the volume of sound bites requested. Here are some of the more interesting links if you missed them:

Kevin Allen’s interview with CBC North about Everett Klippert.

Playwright Natalie Meisner’s interview with Global TV about Everett and her upcoming play featuring his story.

Activist Nancy Miller’s interview with CITY-TV.

The Calgary Journal interview about the significance of the apology.

Donald Klippert’s interview with the Calgary Herald about his Uncle Everett.

The LGBTQ2 apology on November 28th was instigated by the Globe and Mail’s John Ibbitson who requested a posthumous pardon for Klippert from the Prime Minister’s Office. He made the ask in February 2016, after he wrote an in-depth feature chronicling Everett’s story. Last week we received a personal email from John referencing the historical research we shared. He wrote: “thanks once again for all your help. Wouldn’t have happened without it…”

Art has the power to both remedy and mend. We are excited to be collaborating with Sage Theatre and Third Street Theatre on the world premiere of Legislating Love: The Everett Klippert Story in March 2018. Sage Theatre has put out a call for theatre actors, and they are accepting auditions until December 20th.

Finally, Calgary’s LGBTQ2 community is gathering for the holidays on December 21st at the Palomino Lounge for A Queerly Festive Dinner. Nine community organizations have come together to produce this holiday meal and drag show which will be both delicious and free! (Donations are gratefully accepted). At this event, Alison Grittner from the YYC Legacy Project will reveal the voluminous community feedback that has been gathered for Calgary’s forthcoming LGBTQ2 commemoration project.

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history

Tagged Alison Grittner, bisexual, Calgary Journal, CBC, CIty TV, Donald Klippert, Everett Klippert, gay, Global TV, globe and mail, Justin Trudeau, Legislating Love, lesbian, Natalie Meisner, queer, Sage Theatre, Third Street Theatre, transgender, YYCLegacy

“Sorry,” the word we are waiting for….

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 2 comments

{Firstly a plug for Tereasa Maillie from the Calgary Gay History Project. She is reading from her new work of personal fiction, Just A Walk, Friday, Nov. 24th from 5-7 PM at Loft 112. – Kevin}

Justin Trudeau announced recently that Canada’s historic apology to the LGBTQ2 community had been scheduled. He will deliver it on Tuesday, November 28th, 2017 in the House of Commons. Research the Calgary Gay History Project amassed has been used by many authors in the lead up to this date, and we are grateful to have been a resource for this moment of national reflection and remorse.

One key event leading up to this apology was John Ibbitson’s Globe and Mail feature on Everett Klippert in February 2016. He specifically asked the Prime Minister’s Office for a posthumous pardon in advance of the article being published and got a surprise commitment to do so.

EGALE later launched in June 2016 the comprehensive Just Society Report on Canada’s criminal justice system providing detailed recommendations on provisions in the Criminal Code that have a discriminatory effect on LGBTQ2SI Canadians.

In November 2016 openly gay Member of Parliament (MP) Randy Boissonnault was named special advisor on LGBTQ2 issues to the Prime Minister. The advisor’s mandate includes rights protections as well as addressing both present and historical discrimination

The Government formed an apology advisory committee under MP Boissonnault which consulted broadly across the country.

The guiding questions for the apology were:

From your perspective, why should the Government of Canada apologize to LGBTQ2 Canadians?
Are there specific examples of wrongs that you feel should be addressed?
What actions can the Government undertake in order to promote awareness of the issues LGBTQ2 people have faced and foster understanding going forward?
What can the Government do to demonstrate ongoing commitment to promoting equality for LGBTQ2 people?

The apology input process was also non-partisan. Calgary MP Michelle Rempel participated, soliciting answers to these questions directly from the Calgary Gay History Project. We shared our preoccupation with the sad story of former Calgary bus driver Everett Klippert (see: Klippert month) and answered all of the guiding questions.

Klippert Family Photo

The University of Toronto’s Centre for Ethics recently hosted a symposium on the ethics of apologies and solicited some thought-provoking papers on Canada’s gay apology. Academic Steven Maynard challenges homonationalism and outlines our messy gay history in Canada and the problems in sanitizing our queer past. Lawyer Douglas Elliot, who also was a lead author in the Just Society Report, argues there are more compelling reasons to apologize than not, with much potential social good arising out of the Prime Minister’s efforts.

Locally the same thoughtfulness is fueling the YYC Legacy Project. How will we acknowledge and commemorate our LGBTQ2 history here in Calgary? Stay tuned.

In the meantime, we will be watching the apology with great anticipation next Tuesday.

{KA}