After reading The Canadian War on Queers for his third-year seminar Historical Representations, David Tucker decided to walk in the author’s figurative footsteps.
Co-written by FASS faculty member, Patrizia Gentile, the book examines the government sanctioned persecution of homosexuals during the Cold War period. Fittingly, much of the action takes place on the streets of the nation’s capital.
For his final class assignment, Tucker, a third-year history and philosophy major, combined his own knowledge of the city’s hot spots with historical sites described in the book.
“When I looked over the different gay spaces in Ottawa, it came to me that the best and most interesting way of getting people involved in local history is through a walking tour,” explained Tucker.
He mixed the past with the current cityscape, making allowances for sites that have vanished with time, or are located far off the beaten track.
“Because there are plenty of modern spaces left in Ottawa – bars, bookstores, I decided that the end of the tour would include modern spaces to close off the tour from the Cold war to the present.”
Tour highlights include past clandestine meeting spots at the Lord Elgin Hotel, the YMCA, and Major’s Hill Park, with current businesses serving the gay community like After Stonewall bookstore.
When he has a little more time to spare, Tucker would like to offer guided tours, either in person, or through a smart phone app. There are lessons to be learned in retracing the footsteps of those who walked the streets before us.
“I hope they learn about local Ottawa history and come to understand that there is a dialogue in history,” said Tucker. “What we learn in school is not the ultimate truth in the history of Canada. While we enjoy many human rights today, Canada’s track record has not been perfect.”