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Inqueeries: 2SLGBTQ+ Histories of Southwestern Alberta


  • Galt Museum & Archvies 50 1 Street South Lethbridge, AB, T1J Canada (map)
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This community-generated exhibit explores 2SLGBTQ+ histories in southwestern Alberta. Guided by a group of youth curators, the exhibit is an opportunity to begin gathering stories, artifacts and other materials that have not yet been collected or recorded in “official” community histories.

This exhibition was created in partnership between the following organizations:

  • Galt Museum & Archives

  • Boys & Girls Club of Lethbridge & District

  • Taber Equality Alliance

  • University of Lethbridge Institute for Child and Youth Studies

  • University of Lethbridge Department of Women and Gender Studies

  • McKillop United Church Affirming Ministry

  • OUTreach Southern Alberta Society

Special thanks to Liam Devitt and Kyra Nicolacopoulos for their valuable contributions and research assistance, and to everyone who generously participated in oral history interviews; their names are used with permission in this exhibition along with excerpts of their stories.

We are deeply grateful to the youth in the Queer Impact Club of the Boys & Girls Club of Lethbridge & District for their questions, insights and voices as curators in this project.

Articles
The Galt's Vaults: Actively collecting Pride materials
The Galt's Vaults: Actively collecting Pride materials

Collections Assistant Kirstan Schamuhn talks about how the Galt Museum & Archives collects objects and what the difference is between passive and active collecting, using a recent donation of buttons from Lethbridge Pridefest as an example.

Inqueeries: What makes a community?
Inqueeries: What makes a community?

Individuals’ experiences differ widely between generations or depending on their own background. Lethbridge today is made up of many shifting queer communities; some are just small groups of friends, while others are larger, more formal organizations.

Inqueeries: 2SLGBTQ+ Histories of Southwestern Alberta
Inqueeries: 2SLGBTQ+ Histories of Southwestern Alberta

Queer lives are rich, vibrant and compelling. However, we do not tend to think of them when we think of “history.” Even when queer histories are examined, they tend to look at large cities in the United States, like New York and San Francisco—or, in Canadian examples, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. So far, very little has been documented about smaller centres like Lethbridge.

Earlier Event: October 5
It Pays to Shop at Eaton's
Later Event: November 4
Wonders of Southern Alberta