The Really Gay History Tour in Vancouver, Canada

Posted By : Maria_P
Glenn was an amazing storyteller. He really was great at making the stores vivid. It really is a tour worth doing.
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Posted On : 2024-05-06

Posted By : Y1917XEtammyp
Glenn was fantastic. I would highly recommended this tour! He was knowledgeable, funny, and passionate. Thos tour is easily walkable and it showcases the good, the bad, and the ugly of queer history.
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Posted On : 2024-05-03

Posted By : asolotraveler2015
This was a very informative tour and I learned a lot of Vancouver’s queer history. Glenn was an excellent storyteller and was attentive to everyone.
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Posted On : 2024-04-15

Posted By : Liza_P
Amazing tour. You can tell our guide had really done a ton of research and gave accurate information. I never expected to learn so much and be so moved by the stories shared. Exceptionally well done. I would absolutely recommend if you’re even just considering it.
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Posted On : 2024-03-28

Posted By : myositis
we took the Really Gay History Tour with Glenn and it was fabulous. He is a brilliant story teller and he chose very compelling history to share with us.
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Posted On : 2023-12-28

Posted By : PookyCake
We’d taken part in the “Lost Souls of Gastown” and “Secrets of Stanley Park” tours last year. Both were excellent and we really enjoyed ourselves (see my reviews on this site). This year, we wanted to check out the “Really Gay History Tour” and finally did so near the end of October. And while we haven’t yet done ALL of Forbidden Vancouver’s walking tours, I’m going to go out on a limb and say this one is probably their best overall tour! Our guide, Glenn (with two n’s), was absolutely phenomenal! He’s a story-teller in the best sense of that word: As you zig-zag through downtown and the West End (the tour isn’t straight), he paints a beautiful picture that, while touching on the struggles for equality, is much more about the growth of our society and how we’ve become tolerant and liberated as a result. In short, the tour is a celebration of community and the passion with which Glenn tells the tale is moving, jarring, funny and beautiful. Our tour began at the Robert Lee YMCA building, which is noteworthy for a couple of reasons: First, it inspired the Village Peoples’ popular “YMCA” song (great to hear live!); and, 2) It is adjacent to ted northe Lane, which was named after, well, ted northe, a prominent LGBTQ2+ activist perhaps most well-known for showing up to protests outside the old Vancouver Courthouse – the current Vancouver Art Gallery – in full drag. northe’s efforts paid off with the passage of bill C-50 in 1969. Prime Minister Trudeau subsequently called northe and, as told by Glenn, asked to speak with “Your majesty!” After stopping within clear eyesight of the Hotel Vancouver (one of the first queer hangouts circa 1940s), we ambled near St Paul’s Hospital and talked about so-called “Patient Zero” Gaetan Dugas while concomitantly highlighting St Paul’s significant role in early HIV/AIDS patient care. From here, we ambled towards Nelson Park, which is historically significant because it functioned as the starting point for Vancouver’s early Pride Parades, the first of which began in 1978. The highlight of this stop, though? While Glenn was talking about how the early Pride Parades were dangerous affairs – with people chucking objects and debris at the participants while shouting obscenities – we were visited by “Dave Davie on Davie!” It was an awesome, albeit brief, cameo! One of the major highlights for me, oddly enough, came when we stopped at a parking lot in Davie Village. Here, Glenn told us of a building that no longer exists: It was two-storeys high, with a Korean restaurant on the lower level and, on its upper level, was a small bookstore founded by Bruce Smyth and Jim Deva in 1983: Little Sister’s. The bookstore was (and is) significant exactly because it became a sort of lightning rod for rights and equality. When it first opened over forty years ago, it was the first queer bookstore in Western Canada. It became an important gathering place; however, by 1985, the Little Sister’s was unfairly targeted by the CBSA for allegedly importing “obscene” materials (many of which were available in large chain bookstores). Then, in 1987, someone threw a bomb in the building’s stairwell. No one was killed, but the event highlights what a challenging time the 1980s were for the LGBTQ2+ community. The customs case went all the way to the Canadian Supreme court in 2000, with the court recognizing that government had violated the Canadian Charter. Indeed, Little Sister’s was punching well above its weight! Our tour concluded, appropriately, at Jim Deva Plaza, near Davie Street’s famous rainbow crosswalks. Throughout our 2-hour “parade,” Glenn enlightened us; he made us think; he made us shed a few tears; and he made us laugh at almost every turn. If you want to do a walking tour of Vancouver, make sure it is this one! You learn a lot about Vancouver’s Gay history, yes, but you also gain an understanding of how far we’ve all come and why this is both important and liberating!
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Posted On : 2023-12-24

Posted By : Neda_A
History of Vancouver and its people… Hearing it for the first time how it has been, how it has evolved and how far we have changed as society….though there is always place for improvement …
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Posted On : 2023-10-30

Posted By : wanderBhyn
It was a crisp Sunday fall morning when we met up with tour group, headed by the mesmerizing Glenn. We were going into the tour with excitement as we did not know what to expect but eager to learn more about queer history. From the very beginning, Glenn has presented himself with such expertise and openness, you can hear the passion behind the facts he was sharing with the group. The highlights and historical spots make you realize that the city never stops teaching you about human history and lessons. We can tell from how he explained information that any piece of knowledge has been thoroughly researched and fairly imparted - the happy, sad, frustrated, and violent parts contributed to a very grounded experience. There was never a dull moment and there were always giggles and laughter to lighten up some of the heavy history and the struggles of the heroes of queer history. It was nothing short of a raw and real tour that let us appreciate the triumphs of the queer community. We can truly say each LGBTQ+ has their own journey and they deserve all the kindness and respect we give as human beings. We hope lots of people get the chance on this tour as it really opens up your mind and heart that we are all one humankind. A few tips: 1. Come at least 5 minutes early to the meeting spot to check-in 2. Dress for the weather and wear comfy shoes 3. Bring water and aim to empty your bladder prior to the tour 4. Bring a Kleenex (you'll find out why during the tour) 5. Tip Glenn really good!
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Posted On : 2023-10-26

Posted By : 998keziak
Glenn was an excellent tour guide-composed, knowledgeable, warm, engaging. They were the perfect facilitator for an incredibly informative, inspiring, and moving experience. I participated in the tour as part of a university course and I highly recommend the tour for other students or school groups of all ages.
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Posted On : 2023-10-22

Posted By : floraw960
The tour guide, Glenn, is very knowledgeable and well-spoken. His passion for the subject matter truly shines through, making the tour not only informative but also engaging. I definitely learned a lot and would recommend this experience to everyone!
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Posted On : 2023-10-20