The gay liberation movement began in 1969 after police raided a gay bar in New York City called Stonewall. That night was a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ2 rights.
Back here in Canada, the movement gained momentum in 1971, when gay rights protests began popping up in both Ottawa and Vancouver. This was a pivotal moment for the queer community.
The Touchstones Nelson Museum created a documentary film on the history of LGBTQ2 history in the Kootenays. The documentary is called Queering the Interior, a collection of stories from people all over the Interior, including Robert Verigin, who marched in parades and fought for the right to be equal.
“We were illegal,” Verigin recalled. “We could have been thrown in jail, just being with another person.”
“When you’re in a small community you don’t really have any resources and you did not know where to go. When I was outed by my father, I had to leave home because people wanted to beat me up or kill me. I was told don’t go anywhere. I was in beauty school; I finished it and I just left home.”
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The film was created to coincide with the Touchstones Museum exhibition Kootenay Pride: We Love A Parade, that ran in the gallery in 2021.
The film shows some of the defining moments of activism here in B.C. and honours some of the trailblazers in the LGBTQ2 community.
“Queering the Interior celebrates the incredible bravery, determination and love of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community that has contributed so immensely to the spirit and life of Nelson,” says Nelson Museum Executive Director Astrid Heyerdahl.
The 30-minute documentary premiered in June and gives everyone the opportunity to learn about queer history. Verigin says he feels liberated, especially when he sees the younger generation fearlessly living their lives.
“It’s progressed immensely and to see the young people be a little freer and to be able to do what they can, to see the youth groups that are out there, it really hits me because that’s what we’ve been fighting for,” he said.
The film is not available on any streaming sites at the moment but there is a plan to host another viewing party in the near future. If you would like to set up your own screening you can contact the Touchstone museum to do so.
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