Tess McNaughton is the 2024 Historian in Residence

As I wrap up my residency, I’m excited to share everything I have been working on. Through this blog post, I will be discussing my approach to completing this project through interviews, presentations, and finally, an exhibit!

In my previous post, I mentioned my focus on conversations with both youth and seniors. I conducted 8 meetings with 16 individuals—8 youth (ages 18-29) and 8 seniors (30-50+). To find participants, I put out a call on social media and reached out to community groups in Calgary, including the Lavender Club YYC, the U of C Q-Centre, and the Rainbow Elders, asking them to share my graphic for the survey.

I received interest from 34 participants, predominantly from the University of Calgary and mainly youth. My survey included questions about age, pronouns, sexual orientation, gender identity, experiences as queer individuals in Calgary, and personal interests. After careful consideration, I decided to make the questions about identity—such as sexuality, gender orientation, and pronouns—open-ended instead of multiple-choice. I am glad I did so as it allowed for a wider array of diverse responses than I would have received if I gave options to choose from.

One area I’d improve upon is how I asked about identifying as a member of a visible minority and whether participants wanted to be paired with someone of a similar ethnic or racial background. I consulted with friends and community members before including this, aiming to strike a balance between gathering necessary information and respecting privacy. In hindsight, I wish I had gathered more specific details to facilitate pairings where people could connect further on their shared identities.

Despite this, I was surprised by how well-connected the participants were; despite my uncertainties about how they would relate, each pair found common ground to build upon, whether bonding over spirituality, an interest in history, or disabilities. Each person was excited to have the opportunity to connect and share their story. I find these stories are often not shared because people feel that they are insignificant or redundant of one another; in reality, everyone has a unique coming out experience and queer experience within Calgary. A number of the students who participated cited the Q-Center at the University of Calgary as a place they felt a queer community, but there were few other spaces noted. Instead of finding safety in physical, specifically queer spaces, individuals found queer joy through the connections they made in schools, clubs, and dating apps, but not everyone knew about the expansive queer clubs and opportunities within Calgary. Individuals deeply wanted these connections, but with the layout and size of the city, there was a feeling of being unable to embrace everything there was to offer. I felt that through these interviews, people were able to learn more about the city and have a relationship with someone they otherwise would have never crossed paths with.

I was fortunate to receive significant media coverage throughout this process, including the opportunity to present at Historic Calgary Week. This experience allowed me to engage with the community and share what I had learned from my first couple interviews with pairings. After Historic Calgary Week, during Calgary’s Pride Month, I was interviewed by the Calgary Herald and Livewire, and I had live interviews with CBC Calgary and QR770 News. I was honoured by the interest in queer history and thrilled to share more about my project and research journey.

Overall, my time as the Historian in Residence has been incredibly rewarding. I appreciated the freedom to explore my interests in research in my own way, and I felt supported by the staff during unforeseen challenges. This role is vital, as it provides the public with a glimpse into the rich tapestry of history, showcasing its diverse narratives. I’m grateful for the opportunity to conduct this research, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the creation of this exhibit, especially the participants who shared their stories.

I’m excited to announce that my research exhibit will be on display at the Calgary Public Central Library from October 7 to October 28, 2024.

Tess McNaughton is the 2024 Historian in Residence. With expertise in queer and women's history, Tess is dedicated to documenting the experiences of queer women, nonbinary, and transgender individuals in Calgary. Tess aims to create a dedicated queer archive, commemorating overlooked stories of these marginalized communities.

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The Historian in Residence is presented in partnership with Calgary Public Library.