National 2SLGBTQ+ monument holds special meaning for those purged from civil service for being gay
A new monument in Ottawa honors 2SLGBTQ+ Canadians who were purged from the military, RCMP, and civil service between the Cold War and the 1990s. The memorial highlights a dark period of systemic discrimination where thousands were forced out of their careers due to their sexuality.
Why it matters
It serves as a public acknowledgment of historical state-sponsored discrimination and provides closure for victims of the 'LGBT Purge'.
For Wayne Davis, and the other Canadians purged from the military, RCMP and civil service for their sexuality between the Cold War-era and 1990s, the monument sheds light on the discrimination of 2SLGBTQ+ people during Canada's history.
"The visibility of the monument I love. People are not going to forget the glitter," Davis said, shortly after it was officially unveiled in Ottawa on Friday.
Davis says he also expects some will be learning for the first time about a dark time in Canadian history.
The 79-year-old from Vancouver still remembers the shock of standing before his RCMP supervisor after being asked why he'd been spotted in a gay bar.
"I said, 'I was in a gay bar because I'm gay.'"
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