The End of the LGBT Purge – 30th Anniversary

Join us to commemorate the 30^th anniversary marking the end of the LGBT Purge in Canada.

Egale Canada, along with the LGBT Purge Fund, and Fondation Emergence are commemorating the 30^th anniversary marking the end of the LGBT Purge in Canada by hosting a series of regional events across the country. Join us at an event near you for a free screening of the award-winning documentary, The Fruit Machine, and hear from survivors of Canada’s LGBT Purge, including Michelle Douglas, executive director of the LGBT Purge Fund.

History of the LGBT Purge

Between the 1950s and 1992, LGBT members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, and other federal service employees were subject to discriminatory policy and practice. This became known as the “LGBT Purge.” In 1989 Michelle Douglas was released from the Armed Forces and told she was “not advantageously employable due to homosexuality.” In 1990 she filed suit against the Department of National Defence and was represented by Clayton Ruby. In October 1992, exactly 30 years ago, Michelle Douglas was successful in her claim and the federal government stated it would abandon its policy of banning gays and lesbians from the military.

Emerging from the Purge Report

The State of LGBTQI2S Inclusion in the Federal Workplace is a report written for the LGBT Purge Fund to support the Government of Canada in its efforts to foster a more diverse workplace that is equitable and inclusive of LGBTQI2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, Two Spirit) people. It forms part of ongoing reparations for 2SLGBTQIA+ veterans and public servants who were directly affected by the “LGBT Purge” within the Canadian government during the latter part of the 20th century. In 2016, survivors of the LGBT Purge launched a class action lawsuit against the Canadian government and reached a settlement of $145 million in 2018.

The Fruit Machine

Event Tour Schedule

Generously funded by

Organizers

Regional Partners