Calgary Pride Week celebrates 25 years

EDITOR'S NOTE: First posted in September 2015.

Back in 1990 more than 100 peoplefrom Calgary'sLGBTQcommunity gathered in Central Memorial Park in what would later become the city's firstPride rally.

It was organized to fight fear and ignoranceand would go on to become an annual event that attracts thousands of people from all over the world.

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"For us that was really the beginning of theLGBTQrights movement in Alberta in a big way," said Nancy Miller, who was one of the original organizers.

"It was the first real gathering of people who were willing to say, 'We're notgoing to take this anymore.'"

Calgary Eyeopener6:13Calgary Pride Week history

We look back at the history of Pride Week in Calgary with two participants who have been involved since day one.

The next yearsawthe first parade, which brought outroughly 400 people. But it was a different time back in 1991.

Initial fear

She said not everyone in theLGBTQ community was happy about what they were doing.

"I think there was a lot of, 'Don't rock the boat, we're doing OK as long as nobody notices us we won't get fired from our jobsorlose the custody of our childrenor bekicked out of our house.'"

She said some, particularly social workers and teachers, wanted to participate but felt they would lose their jobs.

"Because they worked with children they were perceived as extra evil," she said.

Lone Ranger masks

So they decided to hand out Lone Ranger masks.

"I think that that saddened us more than anything else," said JoeySayer.

Hemarched in the first pride parade with his friend Michael McAdam, who isknown todayfor his work as a popularWestJet attendant.

Back in 1990, Sayer was 24-years-old and part of Gay Youth Calgary.

"As a gay youth we weren't reallyparticularly concerned about outing ourselves.... So we weren't so concerned about hiding our identity. So we went out there loud and proud without really realizing what we were doing," hesaid.

Mayor Duerr proclaims gay pride week

Miller saidthe year they "really got loud and proud" waswhen theyasked Mayor Al Duerrto proclaim gay pride week.

"He agreed to it, sothen there was the backlash," she said. "City council was just in a flap and people were saying it was an inappropriate thing to do."

Duerrwasn't able to walk in the first parade because he was out of town, but he remembers the atmosphere.

"We got a lot of hate mail. It was very controversial at that time," he said. "It had to be done. And now, like most things, it's eventually evolved in to mainstream where it should be."

Overcoming threats

Miller said police were concernedbecause the group got a lot of threats, so they brought in aSWAT team to keep an eye from the roofs of nearbybuildings in downtown.

"I remember not really caring about them, thinking, 'You have no power over us,'" said Sayer.

She said there was some ultra-right wing protesters who would yell and spit at them.

"One fellow brought his trio of pitbulls to frighten us," said Miller.

"I think every time someone saw the abuse that was hurled at us it just made them more determined to come back the next year."

Today's celebration

Miller said today people of all sexual orientationsbring out lawn chairs and setthem outalong the parade route, just like the Stampede.

And this year it will be held on the Stampede route on Ninth Avenue, since the parade has outgrown its traditional route on Stephen Avenue. It will take place onSunday from noon to 2 p.m.

She says it's such a celebration of community, but feels theyaren't done their work until everyone in the world has the freedom to love who they choose.

The struggle for inclusion

9 years ago

Duration 1:26

Here is a look back into CBC's archives about the fight to bring a gay music festival to Calgary in the 1990s.