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Gay Pride Flag Saskatchewan Resources for Sexual Diversity
Saskatchewan Resources for Sexual Diversity

Celebrating a History of Diversity:

Lesbian and Gay Life in Saskatchewan, 1971 - 2006
A Selected Annotated Chronology

The 1990s


1996

1996 Ottawa
The federal government amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation.
January Regina
SSN printed an advertisement for Buzzword Books at 2926B – 13th Avenue. This independent bookstore featured a section of LG literature and sold a variety of LG magazines. The store is still operating in 2005.
[SSN, (January 1996)]
February – March Saskatoon
The Mendel Art Gallery presented a touring exhibition of works of Canadian painter Attila Richard Lukacs. The exhibition included many of the homoerotic images of skinheads and soldiers that had catapulted him to art stardom in Berlin.
[“Beauty, cruelty merge in odd ways,” SSP, (February 3 1996) p. C16.]
February 3 Saskatoon
The Bridge City Chorus presented a concert Zing! Zing! Zing! Went My Heart Strings with special guests the Edmonton Vocal Minority.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 8 (December 6 1995) p. 2.]
February 22 Saskatoon
U of S Chaplain Colin Clay received the second Doug Wilson Award. Clay’s gay advocacy began in the 1970s when he opposed Anita Bryant’s homophobic views at a Moose Jaw rally. Bryant’s supporters tried without success to have Clay dismissed from his university position.
[“Clay receives award for support of gays,” SSP, (February 22 1996) p. A9.]
April 15 – May 7 Regina
Queer City Cinema presented Coming Out to a Theatre Near You, Regina’s first queer film and video festival. This first of what became a biennial festival curated by Gary Varro featured fifty-five films from six countries. The festival was presented at the Dunlop Art Gallery and received support from the Canada Council and the Saskatchewan Arts Board (SAB). The SAB funding was criticized by Conservative MLA Ben Heppner.
[Greg Beatty, “Queer City Cinema,” RLP, (April 27 1996) p. D2.]
May 4 Regina
Saskatoon’s Bridge City Chorus performed a benefit concert for Pink Triangle Community Services at Wesley United Church.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 3 (April 24 1996) p. 11.]
May 6
The Saskatchewan AIDS Network, a coalition of provincial AIDS organizations, launched Saskatchewan Has AIDS, a campaign to highlight the effects of AIDS and to encourage more action by governments. The campaign included billboards, bus signs, television and newspaper advertisements.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 3 (April 24 1996) p. 10.]
May 9 Saskatoon
Saskatoon District Health presented GLHS with its Stanley J. Stead Health Promotion Award for significant contributions.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 4 (June 5 1996) p. 13.]
May 17-18 Regina
Oscar Wilde & Company presented Guy Michaud’s play Zack at the Schumiatcher Theatre. The love story of two gay teens was later presented at the Regina Cathedral Village Arts Festival and at the 1997 Saskatoon Fringe Festival.
[Nick Miliokas, “Play is truly satisfying experience,” RLP, (May 18 1996) p. D6.]
May 19-22 Saskatoon
Over two thousand visited a display of panels from the Canadian AIDS Memorial Quilt held at the Granite Curling Club. Forty-two panels memorialized losses to AIDS in Saskatchewan. An interprovincial conference on HIV/AIDS was held in conjunction with the exhibition.
[Katherine Lawrence, “The Lonely battle with AIDS,” SSP, (May 18 1996) p. C11. / “Quilt panels honor victims of AIDS,” Saskatoon Sun, (May 19 1996) p. 37.]
June 16-23 Saskatoon
The city’s Lesbian and Gay Pride Week included a dance, a screening of The Celluloid Closet at the Broadway Theatre and a reading by lesbian novelist Karen Tulchinsky at Cafe Browse.
[SSN, (Summer 1996)]
Summer Regina
SSN published an ad from Madeline Browne announcing the establishment of her own law firm “proud to be the first openly lesbian lawyer serving the LGBT communities in Saskatchewan.”
[SSN, (Summer 1996)]
August 31 - September 1 Regina
DIGNITY Canada, an organization of gay and lesbian Catholics, held its national House of Delegates meeting in Regina.
[Perceptions, v. 16 no. 6 (September 11 1996) p. 9.]
September Regina
Oscar Wilde & Company presented Guy Michaud’s Forgotten, a play about street youth, to benefit Pink Triangle Community Services.
[SSN, (September 1996)]
September 10 Regina
James McNinch organized the first practice of what became Regina’s Prairie Pride Chorus. McNinch had sung with the Bridge City Chorus before taking a job in Regina. Vernon McCarthy was the first artistic director. Subsequent music directors were Lori Erhardt and David L. McIntyre. The chorus has been a mixed voice LG community choir since its inception and is still performing at the date of this compilation.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 6 (September 11 1996) p. 12.]
September 11 Regina
A meeting established Gays, Bisexuals, and Lesbians at the University of Regina (GBLUR). The group is still operating in 2005.
[SSN, (September 1996)]
October Saskatoon
The SHRC ruled that there were probable grounds to justify Christopher Lefler’s complaint that his freedom of expression had been restricted by the U of S but rejected his complaint that he had been discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation. The University indicated that it was not willing to negotiate a settlement.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 7 (October 23 1996) p. 14. / U of S reluctant to settle student artist’s complaint,” SSP, (October 12 1996) p. A3. / “Gay artist appeals human rights commission decision,” SSP, (November 8 1996) p. A9.]
October Swift Current
Four people in the Swift Current area formed the South-West Gay, Lesbian Bisexual Support and Social Group and placed advertisements in two local newspapers.
[Perceptions, v. 14 no. 8 (December 4 1996) p. 12.]
October 25 Regina
The Wyrd Sisters, a Winnipeg feminist folk trio, performed for the Regina Folk Music Guild.
[SSN, (October 1996)]
November 16 - December 13 Regina
Neutral Ground presented Gary Varro’s Gaynada, an installation work that evoked an exposition pavilion from a fictitious country of gay white males.
[Greg Beatty, “Fictitious country of gay males makes point of exclusivity,” RLP, (November 30 1996) p. D2.]
December 1 Regina
A World AIDS Day commemoration at the Mackenzie Art Gallery featured a display of memorial quilts, music by the Regina Symphony Chamber Players, and the first public performance of the Prairie Pride Chorus.
[Jason Matity, “AIDS Day marked,” RLP, (December 2 1996)]