How Canada's LGBT Purge Got Started - Pt.2

About this episode

This episode explores the origins of Canada's LGBT Purge through the lens of paranoia and government actions against homosexuals.

This is a true-crime episode. Gripped with paranoia about Soviet spies using 'human weaknesses' to steal government secrets, Canada and its allies started hunting for and eliminating homosexuals from government employment. Investigative journalist Dean Beeby tells the incredible story about how the RCMP interrogated a retired Canadian ambassador to death for being gay; plus Patrizia Gentile, co-author of The Canadian War On Queers and a professor at Carleton University, gives you context for how the Government of Canada invented an imaginary enemy in "gay people".

People in this episode

Guests: Dean Beeby, Patrizia Gentile

Topics covered

• LGBT history
• true crime
• government persecution
• Canada
• homosexuality
• interrogation
• historical context

Keywords

• LGBT Purge
• Canada
• true crime
• RCMP
• Dean Beeby
• Patrizia Gentile
• government persecution
• homosexuality
• historical context

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: RCMP, Government of Canada

Books & works: The Canadian War On Queers

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• We Demand An Apology - Pt.7 · July 4, 2024 · 50 min
• The Ban On Gays In The Military Ends (On Paper) - Pt.6 · June 27, 2024 · 50 min