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A review by anacereading
Before the Parade: A History of Halifax's Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Communities, 1972-1984 by Nova Scotia), Rebecca Rose (Halifax
5.0
Really enjoyed reading this local queer history. I would love to read more, especially a follow up of the 90s and early 2000’s (when I was growing up in Halifax 👀). As the title suggests, this one ends with some brief talk about the first pride parade in Halifax, which was in 1988. The year of my birth! Huh. I hadn’t known. There was lots I didn’t know tbh, but I was happy to learn about it all.
Overall the tone was proud (shock!) and hopeful, but Rose still made it clear it wasn’t all fun and partying and notes issues from outside the community as well as within.
One of my favourite parts of this book was all the great names places and organizations had. I particularly liked:
The Elderberries (“a group of LGBTQ people over fifty”)(okay okay this is my fave.)
Red Herring Cooperative Books
The Turret (bar/community centre)
Rumours (club/bar)
And also;
GAE (Gay Alliance for Equality)
FLAG (Fredericton Lesbians And Gays)
GLARE (Gays and Lesbians Against the Right Everywhere)
APPLE (Atlantic Provinces Political Lesbians for Equality)
And the United Spinsters.
(I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting).
I also loved that queer parents were mentioned so many times. It sometimes feels weird to be a parent in aroace bubbles, so I appreciated stepping out of that.
And I shall end this random reviewishness with a quote from the preface that I really loved: “our community is made of people ‘who have nothing in common but their difference from societal norms’”.
💜
Overall the tone was proud (shock!) and hopeful, but Rose still made it clear it wasn’t all fun and partying and notes issues from outside the community as well as within.
One of my favourite parts of this book was all the great names places and organizations had. I particularly liked:
The Elderberries (“a group of LGBTQ people over fifty”)(okay okay this is my fave.)
Red Herring Cooperative Books
The Turret (bar/community centre)
Rumours (club/bar)
And also;
GAE (Gay Alliance for Equality)
FLAG (Fredericton Lesbians And Gays)
GLARE (Gays and Lesbians Against the Right Everywhere)
APPLE (Atlantic Provinces Political Lesbians for Equality)
And the United Spinsters.
(I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting).
I also loved that queer parents were mentioned so many times. It sometimes feels weird to be a parent in aroace bubbles, so I appreciated stepping out of that.
And I shall end this random reviewishness with a quote from the preface that I really loved: “our community is made of people ‘who have nothing in common but their difference from societal norms’”.
💜