Heritage Minutes: Jim Egan

Enjoy these Heritage Minutes brought to you by Historica Canada! While free to view and share, these productions remain under copyright. Re-uploads or modified versions are strictly prohibited without written prior permission. For all re-shares, please tag us (@HistoricaCanada). Pioneering gay activist Jim Egan publicly challenged a culture of rampant homophobia in the press starting in the late 1940s, when it was dangerous to speak out. In the late 1980s, Jim Egan challenged the Government of Canada to receive spousal benefits for his life partner, Jack Nesbit. Their case would ensure that sexual orientation is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms – a landmark victory for the LGBTQ2 community.

For more information about Jim Egan, please visit: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jim-egan/

Archival photo courtesy of Pink Triangle Press and the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives.

Thanks to William F. White International for their sponsorship of this Heritage Minute.

Credits:
Jim Egan (young) – Theodore Saunders
Jack Nesbit (young) – James Daly
Jim Egan (old) – Clyde Whitman
Jack Nesbit (old) - Brian Edward Thwaites
Narrator – k.d. lang
Director – Stephen Dunn
Director of Photography – Bobby Shore

Видео Heritage Minutes: Jim Egan канала Historica Canada