New exhibition highlighting stories from the LGBT Purge debuts in Winnipeg

A new exhibition highlighting stories from 2SLGBTQ+ purge survivors is coming to Winnipeg and is set to debut at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on Friday.

“It talks about this period from the 1950s to the 1990s when about 9000 Canadians were surveilled, harassed, and fired because they were queer or trans,” explained Matthew Cutler, the vice president of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

‘Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada’s LGBT Purge’ is the first major exhibition in the country to deal with 2SLGBTQ+ rights with the goal of educating Canadians on a part of history that is largely unknown.

“When people first learn about the LGBT Purge they’re shocked, it’s something they never knew happened in this country,” said Cutler.

Martine Roy, a purge survivor & the Co-Chair of LGBT Purge Fund added, “Every time and still today I tell this story and people say I didn’t know that, I didn’t know that and it’s like oh my god how come people don’t know that, and we did that to 9,000 people.”

During this time, 2SLGBTQ+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, and federal public service were systematically discriminated against resulting in thousands losing their jobs.

“I was the top candidate on every military course I took. On my release documents, it still says the words, not advantageously employable due to homosexuality,” said Michelle Douglas, a purge survivor & the executive director of the LGBT Purge Fund.

Roy added, “I got arrested, I didn’t know why. I thought it was part of an exercise or something like that and I thought they were lost tourists, but they were SIU, special investigator unit, and brought me to the barrack to interrogate me for hours.”

Survivors of the purge fought back for years, resulting in a $145 million class action settlement, which has allowed this exhibit to come to life.

“There’s pain and joy side by side in this exhibition,” explained Scott de Groot, the exhibition curator.

Douglas adding, “Every time you see the loss you also see the hope which is really about resilience and how so many of us were able to come together and work for change.”

The exhibition will be at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights until early next year.