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Exhibition highlighting Canada’s LGBT Purge on display at West Vancouver library

ABBYLUCIANO

aluciano@nsnews.com

LocalJournalismInitiativeReporter

WayneDaviswasonanupward trajectoryattheRCMP.

He joined the Mounties at just 20 years old in 1967 Being on the force took him across the country and he moved up the ranks,eventually landing a role in charge ofﬁnance forthe RCMPin their admin ofﬁce inToronto.

But all that changed in 1985 when his boss called him into his ofﬁce fora chat

“He says,‘You were seen in a gay bar on the weekend,why were you in a gay bar?’”Davis said,reﬂecting back Davis didn’t thinkthere was anything

wrong with the question.The Charterof Rights and Freedoms was put in place earlierthat year,and being part ofthe 2SLGBTQ+ communitywas decriminalized in 1969

“So I said,‘Well,I was in a gay bar because I’m gay,’”he said.“The closet is a verytight space and I’d been in it for manyyears and it was like,‘Oh good,I can throw this dooropen at last,’thinking I [could] still have my career.”

That moment oftruth led Davis to his immediate dismissal,with his boss giving him the option to eitherresign orbe ﬁred, and pack up his belongings by 4 p.m.He resigned.

‘LoveinaDangerous Time:Canada’sLGBT Purge’isanexhibition originallyfromthe CanadianMuseum ofHumanRightsin Winnipeg,Man. AARONCOHEN/CMHR

“It was very surreal,”he said.“I was devastated,angry,upset.” Davis wasn’t alone.TheVancouver resident was one ofthe roughly 9,000 people impacted bythe LGBTPurge, where people from the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the CanadianArmed Forces,RCMPand federal public service were investigated,harassed and ﬁred through discriminatory policies and practices due to theirsexuality between the 1950s to 1990s.

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Davis is sharing his story as part of a larger exhibition coming to the West Vancouver Memorial Library called Love in a DangerousTime: Canada’s LGBT Purge

The exhibition was originally put togetherbythe Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.The selfguided exhibit will be in the WestVan library’s main hall,where visitors can learn the history behind the purge and take in ﬁrst-hand experiences ofthose involved through 12 visual panels and an audio component.

“The LGBTPurge is an important part ofCanadian human rights and workplace history,but not many people know about it,”said Kailash Srinivasan,head of communications at the WestVancouver library “By hosting this exhibition,we are hoping that the community learns about this chapterand has the space to reﬂect on it.”

QueerCanadians were falsely constructed as a threat to national security,stemming from concerns in the

Cold War,said Scott de Groot,curatorof the exhibition in Winnipeg.

“The LGBT Purge is an important part of Canadian human rights and workplace history, but not many people know about it.”

But survivors fought back.The exhibit also focuses on the activism and resistance ofthose who battled against those policies.

“QueerCanadians didn’t simply accept what was happening to them,” de Groot said.“This history is not just one ofsuffering and injustice but also extraordinary courage,resistance and collective action.”

In 2016,a nation-wide class action lawsuit was ﬁled against the Canadian government,with a $145-million settlement reached in 2018 Anon-proﬁt called LGBTPurge Fund was created to distribute funds from the settlement.

HAPPY VANCOUVER PRIDE!

Seaspanhas been an integral part of themaritime industry forover100 years. As theNorth Shore’slargest employer,weare proud to foster inclusive workspaces that support andcelebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.Happy Prideeveryone! seaspan.com

Then Prime MinisterJustinTrudeau formally apologized forthe purge in 2017

Davis has been a board memberfor the LGBTPurge Fund forthe last eight years and does talks at schools,churches and conferences sharing his experience. He tells his storyto make sure history doesn’t repeat itself,he said.Davis will share his experience at the West VancouverlibraryAug.5.And ifthere’s anything Davis wants to emphasize,it’s that knowledge is power.

“And to hopefully make people into reactors,”he said.“We want to make sure people are aware and everybody should have a little bit ofsupport and allyship in them because that’s very important to making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Love in a DangerousTime: Canada’s LGBTPurge is running at the West VancouverMemorial Library fromJuly 31 to Sept.15.”

Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporterforthe North Shore News This reporting beat is made possible by the LocalJournalism Initiative.

WayneDavisisa survivoroftheLGBT Purge,wherehewas forcedtoresignfrom hisrolewiththeRCMP.

How to celebrate Pride on the North Shore this year

ABBYLUCIANO

aluciano@nsnews.com

LocalJournalismInitiativeReporter

PrideontheNorthShoreiscomingin hotthisyear.

RunningJuly27 toAug.3,the North Shore PrideAlliance is marking Pride Weekwiththetheme of“freedomto be,” bringing in old favourites likethe annual Pride atthe Pierevent as well as new activities like a HeatedRivalry trivia night

“North Shore PrideWeekis about celebrating ourdiverse communityand creating spaces where everyone feels welcome,valued and included,”said Gary Woods,co-founderofthe pride alliance.

Things were popping with colouron Monday,July27,with allthree North Shore councils raisingthe pride ﬂags attheir municipal halls,while Heated Rivalryfans had a chancetotesttheirknowledge at a trivia nightTuesday,July28 at 6 p.m.inside

the Lonsdale QuayFoodhall,hosted bythe fabulous duo ofGlimmerRouge andAlter.

Parkgate Societyisthrowing a drag dinnershowtonight,July29,starting at 5:30 p.m.at Parkgate Plaza.Thisyear marksthe ﬁfth annual show,serving barbecue style food and featuring performances fromAdam Zapple,Homo Hardware and Eden Essance.

Onthe evening ofJuly30,expectto see some drag entertainment before Cates Deckturns into a movietheatre playing action ﬁlm SpeedRacer Woods saidthe performance will relatetothe movie,but it’ll be a surprise untilthen.

Woods saidJuly31 is an exciting day attheWestVancouverMemorial Library, where people cantake part in Pride Bingo from noonto 2 p.m.,hosted bydrag queen Carlotta Gurl.

FromJuly31to Sept.15,the libraryis holding a free pop-up exhibition originally

GaryWoods,co-founder oftheNorthShore PrideAlliance,isready towelcomeeveryone toPrideWeekevents happeningacrossthe NorthShore. PAULMCGRATH/NSN

fromthe Canadian Museum forHuman Rights inWinnipeg called Loveina DangerousTime:Canada’sLGBTPurge The WestVan libraryis also hosting a series oftalksthroughoutAugust,ranging from purge survivorWayne Davis sharing his storyto booktalks and historypanels.

Apride march will betaking place from Lonsdale Quaytothe Shipyards before the grand event,Pride atthe Pier,onAug. 1.Anyone can join inthe march,Woods said,with participants askedto meet at the Lonsdale Quayatrium at 4:30 p.m.The

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Pride atthe Piercelebration will start at 5 p.m.featuring performances,a DJ dance party,a drag show and a market withinthe Pipe Shop

“It’s avibrant gathering place,”Woods said about Pride atthe Pier.“With live music,drag,vendors,community organizations and activities forall ages,it’s a great example ofthe entire North Shore comingtogetherto celebrate diversityand inclusion.”

Last,but certainlynot least,North Shore PrideWeekis ending offwith a pride hangoverdrag brunch at Khaghan Restaurant nearCapilano Mall at noon onAug.3.Woods said guests can expect an afternoon offun,laughter, fantastic performances and delicious food.All proceeds will help support the pride alliance andtheiryear-round workin creating inclusive spaces and programming forthe 2SLGBTQ+ community,he said.

Whetherit’syourﬁrst or15th Pride, Woods saidthere’s always something funto do during PrideWeek,addingthat

“With live music, drag, vendors, community organizations and activities for all ages, it’s a great example of the entire North Shore coming together to celebrate diversity and inclusion.”

he hopesthe week’s events also act as a reminderofthe need forPride recognition year-round.

“Pride continuesto be a celebration but also a call forinclusion,allyship and action,”he said.“Everyone deservesthe freedomto bethemselves authentically [It’s] about living authentically,feeling safe and knowingthat we belong regardless of who we are,genderidentity,who we love orwhatthat expression looks like.”

Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporterforthe North Shore News

This reporting beat is made possible by the LocalJournalism Initiative.