VANCOUVER—On August 18, 1958, ted northe stood on the steps of the Vancouver Courthouse dressed in drag, holding up a sign that read “I am a human being.” While northe and four other protesters were quickly shooed away by police, the act represented a significant moment in the gay rights movement.

Sixty years later, members of Vancouver’s LGBTQ community returned to those same steps — now the Vancouver Art Gallery — to recognize the work of northe (spelled without capital letters) and remember how much has changed in the past six decades.

“We really want to recognize that 60 years ago today, a key moment in the human rights movement for LGBTQ-plus people occurred,” said Paul Therien, the chair and founder of the Q Hall of Fame Canada, which recognizes the contributions of LGBTQ+ people in Canada.

Therien said that in the 1950s, it was illegal to impersonate a woman — making the act of dressing in drag dangerous for people like northe.

“For ted, it was taking a stand, it was saying enough is enough,” he said.

An outspoken activist for gay rights, ted northe was one of the first openly gay men in Vancouver in the 1950s and ’60s. His activism, which came before the Stonewall riots that lead the way for gay rights across the world, was instrumental in moving forward the rights of LGBTQ people in Canada.

“As Canadians, it’s important we recognize and honour our own heritage”, said Therien. “It was illegal to be gay and people were thrown in jail for that, and anybody with the courage to stand up against that ... it’s a big thing.”

Although Paul Therien only met ted northe a few years before his death in 2014, the gay rights icon had a huge impact on his life, making the occasion especially significant for him.

“He changed my life. He made me very aware of not only our history, of what it means to be a gay man in today’s age, but what it means to be a human being,” said Therien.

“I made a promise to him that I wouldn’t let his legacy die with him.”

But northe also had a historical impact that is felt by many members of Vancouver’s LGBTQ community.

Dave Davey Decarlo, a local artist and fashion designer who appeared at the event, said that he was there to help raise awareness of northe’s work and how far the movement has come.

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“Sixty years ago, I was five years old,” he said. “When I think about what it’s done for me, it’s really important to remember that rights are not something that are just given.”

“I am being me and that’s what this whole thing is about.”

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