History of Edmonton’s Gay Bars, Part 1: The Begng | Edmonton Cy as Mm Project ECAMP

Contents:

• HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 1: THE BEGNG
• LIST OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS
• HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 4: THE EXPANDG SCENE
• HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 3: THE LONG-RUNNG
• HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 2: A FLASHBACK TO FLASHBACK

HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 1: THE BEGNG

When the landlord found out that gay people were g his buildg, he promptly put locks on the doors and nied further entry. Ias nnected to social pury activism that emerged the 1890s began impactg how society was expected to thk, and as the Send World War began, so did the persecutn of gay men.

It was beg difficult to meet other gay men, and Edmonton-based law enforcement were creasgly chargg dividuals wh crim such as gross cency, buggery, and posssn of obscene lerature.

Bill C-150 opened the doors to the gay and lbian muny Edmonton, fally allowg for the opportuny to meet others a “public” place. Many tabl were filled wh gay men shortly after openg each day.

LIST OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS

In the evengs, the back sectn of the Mayfair Hotel tavern was a haven for members of the gay and lbian muny, often meetg to swill back untls draft glass, sloshg beer over the terry cloth table vers that were required by the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB) which then dripped down onto the beer-soaked rpet (another requirement of the ALCB.

HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 4: THE EXPANDG SCENE

The on clost to the back were for the “gays, ” and this ctom was rpected by hotel staff and ctomers alike.

There was a ph to create safe spac for gays only, where ls termglg wh other populatns lsened the chance of abe. In the fall of 1969, when homosexuals were no longer thrown jail for their sexualy, a small group of people cid to open a place dited to gay and lbian folk. In the later part of 1969, they opened the very first gay bar Edmonton.

This historic se was schled for moln Augt 2020, which wip away the begng of Gay Bar History Edmonton.

HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 3: THE LONG-RUNNG

This also meant that to be a member or a gut, one had to be gay or lbian. The dour-lookg person monorg the entry would grill any prospective guts wh qutns about their purpose for g, their sexualy, and more- to get “proof” they were gay or lbian. It was a meang procs to first-timers already nervo about g to a gay tablishment, but served to protect the clientele those early years.

HISTORY OF EDMONTON’S GAY BARS, PART 2: A FLASHBACK TO FLASHBACK

Dpe the bt efforts to ensure the safety of those g to Club 70, asslts om “gay bashers” happened many tim through the years, and police were often lled when fights took place outsi.

She had bee Mother Jean to many gay guys om her daily viss to the Kg Eddy Tavern, and her excln om Club 70 beme too much.