Jim Egan is remembered in Canada’s first LGBTQ themed Heritage Minute…
A new Heritage Minute tells the story of Canadian gay activist Jim Egan, who spent years fighting homophobia in the media and in the courts. The 60-minute spot is the very first LGBTQ themed Heritage Minute.
The just-released clip follows the career of Egan as he tries to change negative perceptions of gay culture in mainstream media. In 1949, he began writing letters to newspapers in response to continuous articles that villainized gay men and eventually becoming one of the first openly gay politicians in Canada.
Egan is also known for launching a lawsuit against Ottawa for the right to claim a spousal pension under the Old Age Security Act. The case led to the Supreme Court’s decision to deny him and his partner Jack Nesbit spousal rights in 1995.
The Egan tribute was directed by St. John’s filmmaker Stephen Dunn, whose semi-autobiographical Closet Monster won the 2015 Canadian feature film award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Watch the first LGBTQ Heritage Minute about pioneering gay activist Jim Egan below:
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