HistoryFirsts

This page lists history-making events (with a Halifax focus) and when they happened.

Each item should be linked to the encyclopedia page for that event.

December 9, 1752 & April 28, 1753

arrest of soldiers for "Sodomical Practices" -- Halifax Gazette1

April 1, 1873

The wreck of the SS Atlantic, with the discovery that one of the sailors - had a vagina. The story is told in the beautiful graphic novel, CallMeBill.

1882

OscarWilde visits Halifax (we'll figure out what this is a first of, later)

December 31, 1970

Club777, the first of the GayBars, opens.

1972

June 4, 1972 : Newsletter says that Gay Alliance for Equality was established

GayLine formed

October 24, 1972

The UniversalistUnitarianChurch welcomes the Gay Alliance for Equality to use their space for meetings.

March 3, 1973

A Brief Regarding The Human Rights Act presented to the legislature2

May 24, 1973

GaeGala's first newsletter3

August 19, 1973

Picnic near Peggy's Cove, see PrideCelebrations

November 19, 1973

GAE incorporated

January, 1976

First dance at The Turret4

February 17, 1977

first public protest - about CBC Radio's refusal to run notices.5

April, 1977

Halifax's own mini version of Stonewall, at the JuryRoom

June, 1977

The Turret's first Women's Night6

September 2, 1977

Signed the lease on The Turret7

October, 1977 8-10 : first AtlanticConference, "Atlantic Gay Conference For Lesbians and Gay Men"

October 10, 1977

First march8

1978

First Pride March, see PrideCelebrations.

First gay play mounted: TheNightTheyRaidedTruxx by PaulLedoux at The Turret, June 28, 1978 - July 6, 1978

First art exhibition during the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Rights Coalition conference9

July 1, 1979

PinkTriangleDay resolution proposed by RobinMetcalfe

1982

Beginning of the ChristianGayMovement

1984

MattHughes launches a challenge against AcadiaUniversity to secure same-sex spousal benefits from a Canadian university. They succeeded in late 1986 or early 198710

September 2, 1984

GraemeEllis dies, the first known to die of AIDS in the city

May 5, 1988

first AidsVigil

1990

GaeGala hires fulltime activist

1990

First feature-length movie with gay theme made in Nova Scotia, ThomFitzgerald's Movie Of The Week

1990

Act Up chapter for Halifax formed. First demonstration December 1, 1990 - marching with pickets and a donkey through the streets of Halifax to Province House.

1995

WilsonHodder & GrantMacNeil? file same sex spouse human rights complaints. Daily News article about the hearings, ca. 1998 Article mentions that JimBigney? is also in the middle of a lengthy legal challenge against federal agencies, and mentions DanielMacKay and NorvalCollins.

1997

BobStead elected as the first openly gay mayor in Atlantic Canada

1997

History book / Art catalog, QueerLookingQueerActing published

May 11, 2000

based on a complaint by a local, and three others, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council rebukes homophobic bible thumping talk radio shock jock Dr Laura Schlessinger. See IanCrowe's page for details.

September 24, 2004

First marriages in Nova Scotia. RossBoutilier and BrianMombourquette, BryanGarnettDoucette and RonGarnettDoucette, KimVance and SamMeehan

2007

Halifax Chamber of Commerce publishes DougMelanson a Gay Businesses section in the directory

May 20, 2007

WayvesMagazine mentioned in the Halifax Daily News for the first time, in connection with the 2007-05 Murders. Wayves was contacted by The Chronicle-Herald, The Daily News,The Globe & Mail, CBC, CTV, Global, and Xtra.

October 7, 2010

"Ginny and Julia James" Worlds First MTF Transgendered Couple and Openly Married Transgendered Couple

July 22, 2011

Halifax's first DykeAndTransMarch

October 8, 2013

JoanneBernard? becomes first "openly gay" member of the Nova Scotia Legislature

February, 2020

History book BeforeTheParade published

October 15, 2020

Official launch of the RainbowSeniorsArchive (it had been collecting for several months.)

This page is part of the HistoryProject. Thanks to JohnYogis for the idea and the initial research on legal firsts.