Growing up as gay men the word “Queer” was often used as a derogatory term for people like ourselves. But it wasn’t always used the same way. In fact, isn’t Newfoundland and Labrador quite queer in its own right? If nothing else, Newfoundland has actually always been PROUDLY queer haven’t we?
Hear us out.
Our grandparents would refer to things or people they saw as uniquely odd or different as “a bit queer”, “a queer bunch” or “queer heads”.
But speaking of being different, for so long our province has PRIDED itself on marching to the beat of a different drummer.
We were the last province to come out of the closet as Canadian in 1949 and we have always stuck out from the bunch. Not just literally sticking out into the middle of the Atlantic ocean more than anywhere else in North America, but DIFFERENT and UNIQUE in personality, landscape, culture and values.
We are the loudest and proudest when it comes to colour with streets of flamboyant rainbow houses making St. John’s and our province one of the most colourful places in the world. And that vibrancy extends across our arts scene. Even our night sky is colour blasted by the northern lights!
Aside from the polar bears that visit us from the north pole for vacation, our wildlife is further diversified by our hairiest and burliest of men as world-famous glittery fin-tailed mermen called Merb’ys.
We eat the tongues of cod, seal pie, blood pudding, dildonuts (Yep.) and have a very unhealthy obsession with vienna sausages, bologna and boiling food in salt until it’s a mere remnant of what it once was. But let’s be honest, they’re delicious.
And if you’re a “come from away” who wants to become an honorary Newfoundlander, you better be ok with kissing a cod on the lips at your screech-in ceremony.
We come from towns called Dildo, Cow’s Head, Come by Chance and Conception Bay because why not.
We’re famous for the way we talk as after hundreds of years our communities still have Irish accents. We’re even the most populated place outside of Ireland where St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday and we’re the only place in Canada with a Gaelic name.
We’re even proud to be the 4th corner of the flat earth. Yes that’s a thing.
At Christmas “boys dress as women and girls dress as men” as a celebrated tradition. We even have a festival and much beloved song about it.
We’re always the first North Americans to the party at New Year’s. It’s very possible that party may be in a shed, a supremely revered activity but we love to party in general which is why St. John’s has the most bars per capita in all of Canada!
We even used “snowmageddon”, a state of emergency, to keep the party going by building beer fridges and snow bars in our backyards. Ain’t nobody, especially Mother Nature, gonna keep a Newfoundlander down.
And when thousands of complete strangers from all around the world show up at our doors in a global emergency, we invite them into our homes as family. There’s even a hit Broadway musical about it.
Newfoundland and Labrador is DIFFERENT and PROUD! And according to our grandmothers…unquestionably queer.
So let’s accept our queerness and celebrate being different by also celebrating our differences!
Let’s be the most accepting province in Canada. Where being different is not just accepted but CELEBRATED and supported!
The LGBTQ+ community, indigenous peoples, those with disabilities and those either born or settled of every skin colour and heritage are all bright colourful patches on Newfoundland and Labrador’s ever growing rainbow quilt. And every patch makes up an important part of our unique and thriving culture. It’s past. It’s present. And most importantly, it’s future.
So here’s to being stronger, together.
Much Love,
Chris and Larry
For more Newfoundland and Labrador culture and global travel stories follow us on:
Facebook – Gays Around the Bay
YouTube – Subscribe Here
Instagram – @GaysAroundTheBay
