Queer Legends: An Oral History Podcast
Season-2 tells the The True Story of Canada's LGBT Purge in a landmark eight part documentary series. It's the first documentary to share the full extent of Canada's anti-homosexual campaigns from WW1 to today, based on our research of thousands of pages of newly declassified documents released through the LGBT Purge class-action settlement. From ridiculous to shocking, you'll hear amazing true stories from courageous survivors; academics; researchers; former MPs, cabinet ministers and a retired Chief of Defence Staff. We even uncovered a 1960s Purge mystery that led all the way to Rideau Hall - and we have the exclusive interview! | BONUS CONTENT: https://lgbtpurge.ca/ Season 2 is supported in part by a community grant from The LGBT Purge Fund. Thank you!! ------- Season-1 of Queer Legends is the 2023 Canadian Podcast Awards winner of Outstanding Documentary series. Our first season is about the people who built the rainbow, created space and held their own! Discover the artists, activists, performers, politicians and pivotal moments that shaped Queer history and how the 2SLGBTQ+ community protests today. Host/Producer: Shawn Dearn Executive Producer: Ian Capstick
Episodes
Now streaming! Season two of Queer Legends tells The True Story of Canada's LGBT Purge in a landmark, eight part documentary series. This is the first documentary to examine the full extent of Canada's anti-homosexual campaigns using the newly declass...
One of the first openly Gay actors and comedians on Canadian television was Greg Malone. His comedic charm and unforgiving satire - of the Catholic Church or politicians - made him a star on the CBC.
Greg shares what it was like growing up "Gay" in Newfoundland and Labrador, discusses his TV legacy, AIDS activism, dabbling in politics and how he’s now focussed o...
The violent Montreal Police raid of a popular after hours party known as ‘Sex Garage’ sparked two days of LGBTQ2S protests and a Queer rights revolution in the province of Québec. We must never forget the police violence, even as we celebrate the courage of Queer Montrealers and the ACT UP New York "groupies" who helped change everything. This is their story, in their own words.
Jane Rule helped “create a nation” of Queer activists and activism along the west coast of Canada and the United States. She is one of the most influential authors and lesbians in Canadian history.
Rule wrote honestly and courageously about Lesbian love and relationships at a time when it was still illegal to be a Lesbian in Canada. She contributed to the unrav...
Discover how "Black music" transformed the 1990s club scene in Canada’s second largest city. Meet Claudy Philius, who created two of the hottest regular club events for Montreal’s Black Queer community. Hot Chocolate and the Girls In Da Hood celebrated Black culture and music, when black people were often made to feel unwelcome in the gay village. Philius’ events cut through the white privilege and w...
I bet you didn't know that it was a Black American with a flair for fashion who inspired a new kind of in-your-face gay activism in Montreal. Blane Charles had already made a name for himself in ACT UP New York by the time he attended the 1989 International AIDS Conference in Montreal.
Blane stayed in Montreal for a few years and co-founded ACT UP MTL with fell...
One of North America's oldest HIV/AIDS memorials is located In the heart of Montreal's Gay village. It wouldn't have been possible without the courage of AIDS and community activists.
This episode introduces you to some of the folks who fought to create the park against opposition from homophobic City of Montreal officials. Read more
This episode was released on World AIDS Day 2021 and the 30th anniversary of Montreal AIDS activists creating Parc de l'espoir.
This is the conclusion to ...
Everyone remembers going to their first big Gay Pride event. However, if you're from a small town, Pride plays a more important role in creating safe spaces for Queers to connect and be themselves. In this episode, we explore LGBTQ2S Pride in the BC interior, Northern Saskatchewan, the Arctic and a tiny island off an island in Atlantic Canada.
Between the 1950s and mid-1990s, the Government of Canada used to hunt down, harass and fire LGBT members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP and the federal public service. A young military officer named Michelle Douglas challenged the military and helped bring that shameful policy and the “LGBT Purge” to an end with the help of Canada’s first openly gay MP, Svend Robinson. This is the story.
Montréal, Québec recenlty hosted the 24th International AIDS Conference. It was more inclusive and 'hopeful' and a lot different than the fifth international AIDS conference in Montréal in 1989. In this episode it was a pleasure to speak with athiest-AIDS-activist turned Concordia University professor, Karen Herland, who takes you behind-the-scenes of the pre-internet activism and organizing that helped changed everything for peopl...
Did Canada already have its first gay Prime Minister? In Canada's capital, there's a romantic statue of Sir Galahad on Parliament Hill. It was created in 1905 by then future prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, in memory of a heroic act by his dearest friend. Former...
Did you know? After the community protests against the violent 1990 raid of the queer loft party 'Sex Garage' (listen to episode 1 for details), Montreal police continued to harass protesters. Linda Dawn Hammond's photos put police brutality against 2SLGBTQ+ Montrealers in the headlines and that made her a police target afterwards. This episode's story seems lifted from a movie script, but Montreal police (or somebody) did this. It...
This self-made black queen has one of the most fascinating origine stories you've ever heard. "Barbada de Barbades" has been exciting drag and comedy show audiences across Quebec for nearly two decades. She co-hosts Call me Mother across Canada on OUTtv, is always booked for drag story hour and is currently popping up in online French advertising on streaming services. Barbada hasn't had to race anyone for her success, she's just h...
In this episode of Queer Legends: An Oral History Podcast we're looking back at the legendary people and moments of 2022! Featuring queer activists, artists and community historians on what will be remembered about the “queer that was.” My guests include: Public health expert Michael Kwag, journalist Mel Woods, historian and author Hugh Ryan, recently elected Ot...
This Queer Legends Quickie introduces you to Sarah Worthman, founder of the Newfoundland and Labrador Queer Research Initiative. Worthman is investigating the persecution of 2SLGBTQ soldiers during the First World War by the Government of Canada and she has uncovered some amazing things.
This story is the about a young, queer Canadian hero from Brandon, Manitoba - Private Frederick Lea Hardy. He enlisted as a teenager, was imprison...
It was an honour to be invited by the Canadian Labour Congress to host a 'fire-side chat' with comedian, actor, writer and human rights activist, Margaret Cho at their #CLC2023 conference! Hear about Margaret's connection to the labour movement, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, her involvement in anti-racism campaigns and the fight for a more equitable future.
“Everyone is connected to the queer community, whether they realize it or not," she said...
Meet Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter, social justice activist and Member of the Order of Canada, Lorraine Segato in episode 17 of Queer Legends.
As co-founder of The Parachute Club, Segato and her 1980s bandmates struck a chord with Canadians with their top 10 hit Rise Up, which helped inspire a generation of human rights and other activism during a pivotal time in Canadian history.
Enjoy this fun, smart and candid conversatio...
The Calgary Gay History Project's Kevin Allen shares his research into an important and reluctant queer legend - Everett George Klippert.
Klippert was the only Canadian ever declared a "dangerous sexual offender" by the Supreme Court of Canada and he was sentenced to life in prison for being incurably gay.
Public and political outcry over the Klippert verdict helped lead to changes to Canada's criminal code in 1969 that (among othe...
Coming June 1, 2024 | Season 2 of Queer Legends shares The True Story of Canada's LGBT Purge in a landmark, eight part documentary series. This is the first documentary to examine the full extent of Canada's anti-homosexual campaigns using newly declassified documents released by the LGBT Purge Fund. From ridiculous to shocking, you'll hear amazing true stories from courageous survivors; academics; researchers; former MPs and cabin...
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