Edmonton City as Museum Project ECAMP

Edmonton City as Museum Project ECAMP

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Featured Collection

After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: A Reflection on the 40th Anniversary

Early in the morning on May 30, 1981, the Pisces Health Spa was raided by RCMP and Edmonton Police. Fifty-six men were arrested for being “found-ins” in a “common bawdy house,” and three were charged with being “keepers of a common bawdy house.” The subsequent court proceedings, media coverage, and ensuing activism had an enormous impact on Edmonton’s LGBTQ2S+ community and the individuals involved.

On the 40th anniversary of the raid, award-winning playwright, author, and LGBTQ historian Darrin Hagen reflects on the event and captures the emotional personal stories of some of the men involved.

After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: John Kerr – Dance for Gramma

Darrin Hagen

In the years before John Reid launched his career as owner of Flashback, Edmonton’s first gay disco, he worked cleaning…

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After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: Michael Phair – LGBTQ2S+ Activist and Community Leader

Darrin Hagen

As of this writing, Michael is one of the few men charged as a “found-in” to speak publicly on the…

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After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: Dr. Henri Toupin – Dignity in the Eye of the Storm

Darrin Hagen

Henri Toupin was born in Legal, Alberta, on March 15, 1923. He acquired his B.Sc. in 1947 from the University…

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After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: Millie – I’m Number One

Darrin Hagen

Paul Chisholm’s first contact with another gay man occurred as he hitchhiked out of Saskatchewan in the late 1960s. Legend…

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The Pisces Bathhouse Raid: Igniting Four Decades of Activism

Darrin Hagen

After the Pisces Health Spa opened in Edmonton in 1978, word spread quickly that it was the best-kept gay bathhouse…

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An initiative of the Edmonton Heritage Council.

The Edmonton City as Museum Project acknowledges that ᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ / amiskwacîwâskahikan / Edmonton is located in Treaty 6 territory, and is a traditional meeting ground, gathering place, and travelling route of the Nêhiyawak (Cree), Anishinaabe (Saulteaux), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux; whose resiliency, along with their histories, languages, and cultures, continues to enrich our shared heritage.

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