by MATTHEW HAYS

It was 25 years ago this week that the Truxx raid occurred in what was Montreal’s gay district. Both Truxx and Le Mystique, two popular gay bars on Stanley, were raided by police in the wee hours of Friday, Oct. 21. One hundred and forty-six gays were arrested and charged on spurious grounds.

Gays responded quickly and, quite correctly, with fury. They held a 2,000-strong protest the next night, Saturday, when they (including gays, lesbians, bisexuals, the transgendered and their straight friends) blocked the corner of Ste-Catherine and Stanley, effectively paralyzing the downtown core. What followed was massive media attention, in which most of Montreal’s newspapers carried editorials sympathetic to gays, arguing the minority should be left alone.

By the following December, the effects could be felt. Quebec’s National Assembly approved Bill 88, which adds “sexual orientation” to the Charter of Human Rights as an illegal basis for discrimination. This was the first major law in North America to protect gays and lesbians. It must also be seen as something which paved the way for other provinces and, ultimately, the feds to follow suit. It would take five more years for the charges against those 146 patrons arrested to be dropped. (In a further post-script, it must be noted that though Truxx has since folded, Le Mystique remains open to this day and is the city’s oldest gay bar.)

This Friday, Oct. 25, the Quebec Gay Archives will be commemorating the arrests and protests with a film screening and slide show. Projected will be Truxx, the short film by Harry Sutherland, followed by a slide show and talk by historian extraordinaire Ross Higgins. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Gay Community Centre, 2075 Plessis (metro Papineau). Info: info@agq.qc.ca

In somewhat creepier news, I report with great happiness that that mastermind of twisted film curatorship, Mitch Davis, is pumping the Cinéma du Parc full of gore in anticipation of Halloween. Check rep listings beginning this week for such outlandish and truly happening horror movies as Gary Sherman’s Dead and Buried, Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness (which will be preceded by the local satiric short Shine), Revenge of the Creature (in 3-D!), Two Evil Eyes (combining the talents of horror masterminds Dario Argento and George A. Romero) and that classy, timeless look at cannibalism, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Why settle for third-rate thrills? Head to the Parc to get your scares raw and drenched in blood! [This paragraph followed by loud, blood curdling laughter which is impossible to translate into print format.]

Short notice dept.: McLuhan’s Wake, an excellent documentary on Canuck media guru Marshall McLuhan directed by Kevin McMahon. The film offers some surprising new insights into the media guru and includes commentary by Lewis Lapham and Neil Postman. The film screens today, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the NFB downtown. :

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