Heritage Minutes
Jim Egan
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 visit The Canadian Encyclopedia.
For more information about Jim Egan visit The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Archival photo courtesy of Pink Triangle Press and the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives.
CREDITS
- Jim Egan (young) - Theodore Saunders
- Jack Nesbit (young) – James Daly
- Jim Egan (old) – Clyde Whitham
- Jack Nesbit (old) – Brian Edward Thwaites
- Narrator – k.d. lang
- Director – Stephen Dunn
- Director of Photography – Bobby Shore