Rupert
Rupert is an incredibly accomplished trans activist, author and psychotherapist who has been blazing Trans and LGB trails for over four decades. His prolific body of work and accomplishments speak to his dedication to the communities. Rupert has received a number of awards for his work and is recognized in the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives’ portrait collection: Here.
Rupert’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC, Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Andrew
Andrew talks about coming out as queer and the double whammy of being queer with a disability. He has an open and disarming way about him and has made it his goal in life to help bring the level of discomfort around disability to something more manageable for everyone. Andrew is a disability awareness consultant and a public speaker and can be reached at: www.andrewgurza.com. Visit Andrew’s website to find out more about the #deliciouslydisabled campaign.
Andrew’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC, Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History GrantSpecial thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Sandy
Sandy talks about growing up and coming out in South Western Ontario. She began volunteering with People Living With AIDS at the beginning of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. Sandy shares her continuing insights from working in this field, about the meaning of family, and reaching her fifties.
Sandy’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC, Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Andrée
Andrée talks about coming out in a small town in Quebéc and eventually finding the lesbian community in Montréal. Andrée has worked for most of her life on LGBT political causes including being on the board of the Canadian AIDS Society and is still involved with LGBT issues in her current position at CSN – the Confédération Des Syndicats Nationaux (Confederation of National Trade Unions). Andrée tells her story in both French and English.
Andrée’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks goes to the sponsors of this series: MediaNet in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks goes to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Wes
Wes’s Story was recorded in November of 2014 in Saskatoon SK. at the Avenue Community Centre (Now OUT Saskatoon). It was with great sadness that I learned that Wes passed away on October 10th, 2015 in Edmonton, AB. Wes was a perpetually cheerful, glass half full (especially in a Star Trek outfit) kind of guy. He consistently produced his own writing (author of four books and a book of poetry), promoted fellow Saskatchewan Writers and literature through his Shaw Cable show ‘Lit Happens‘, and taught workshops on self-publishing and promotion. Wes will be sorely missed. Wes always found the good in people and situations, and never apologized for who he was or how flaming a creature he truly was. Rock on Wes.
Wes’s story is one in a series of videos that were recorded at OUT Saskatoon, in November of 2014. Heart felt thanks goes to the sponsors of this series: media-net.bc.ca in Victoria, BC and www.outsaskatoon.ca in Saskatoon, SK. Special thanks to Liz Senecal at OUT Saskatoon.
Bradley
Originally from Australia, Bradley’s been living like a true Canadian in Winnipeg for more than 20 years. Bradley went through the ringer trying to deny his sexual orientation at first and now he delivers some great advice for those who are just coming out.
Did you miss us? onmyplanet.ca is back after a 6 month hiatus with lots more stories and more issues of Lesbian News circa 1990s! Stay tuned, we have a number of stories coming up from World Pride in Toronto last year and a handful from Saskatoon SK.
Bradley’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: www.medianetvictoria.org in Victoria, BC, www.trinitysquarevideo.com in Toronto and the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies – Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Richard
Richard’s story is Story Number 100 in the Queer Story Archive.
Who would have thought onmyplanet.ca would see Story Number 100?
But here we are. I’m so proud.
Richard is a Cree, Metis with full status. Over his life Richard has struggled with a number of issues; bigotry, racism, and the lack of recognition of Two Spirit People within his culture just to name a few. Richard talks about his response to this discrimination, and his role in a cultural knowledge transfer process, focusing on the cultural history of Two Spirit People.
Richard’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: www.medianetvictoria.org in Victoria, BC, www.trinitysquarevideo.com in Toronto and the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies – Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
We keep putting together the bits of Queer her/his/hirstory and all those bits keep teaching us all a little bit more about our communities.
On this auspicious occasion, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who have shared your story – to those who have told your stories and are still waiting for them to be posted, and to those who are waiting patiently to share your stories in the future – Onmyplanet.ca is nothing without you.
Thank you also to all of you for continuing to watch the stories and for continuing to support the site through your donations and by being members of onmyplanet.ca.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at The University of Toronto for honouring The Queer Story Archive at onmyplanet.ca with The Lynch History Grant this year. We are forever grateful and with this grant we will continue to post the stories collected in Toronto over World Pride in June of 2014.
A big thank you also goes out to our unfaltering sponsor, MediaNet in Victoria, BC, for providing equipment and support in an ongoing way since onmyplanet.ca began in 2011.
Special Thanks goes out to all the sponsors and groups that have helped us in countless ways with donations, travel expenses, accommodations, a space to record in, snacks and refreshments for the video afternoons, helping us find storytellers, by inviting us to their conferences, and by supporting and promoting the project to their local communities:
Victoria Lesbian Senior Care Society, UVic Pride, The Transgender Archive at University of Victoria, in Victoria BC, Yukon Queer Film Alliance, in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Qmunity, Vancouver, BC Trinity Square Video, in Toronto, Ontario, Paved Arts, and The Avenue Community Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Here’s to the next 100 stories!!
xo
Lulu
Linh
Although Linh (pronounced Link) knew he was gay from a very early age he didn’t come out until a few years ago. Giving himself time to accept himself, in a country that also accepted him. Linh eventually made his way to Toronto where he is now a practicing artist. You can find more about Linh at: Roseswithoutthorns.net
Linh’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC, Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Mary Ann
Mary Ann started off working in the social service sector and was heavily involved in LGBTQ and women’s issues politically. She then became an executive chef in Montreal and recently has rekindled her activism through her political writing and within the labour union that she is now a part of Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Mary Ann’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.
Julian
Julian talks about their experience as a young, queer, gender queer, new comer to Canada who has a disability. Having already faced a multitude of challenges, Julian manages to find the stamina and motivation to perform their drag queen characters in the hope of inspiring others to find their own self-worth and confidence. You can find ‘Lady Boy Sparkle’ on Youtube or Twitter.
Julian’s story is one in a series recorded at World Pride in Toronto, Ontario in 2014. Heart felt thanks go to the sponsors of this series: Media Net in Victoria, BC and Trinity Square Video in Toronto and The Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Lynch History Grant. Special thanks to Milada Kovacova at Trinity.