Gay Village, Montreal
Encyclopedia
Montreal's Gay Village
(The Village, French
, Le Village gai or simply Le Village) is located on Saint Catherine Street
East, centred on Beaudry
metro
station, and on Amherst Street in the Ville-Marie borough of the city. The Village runs approximately from Berri Street to De Lorimier Street on Saint Catherine Street
, and between Sherbrooke Street
and René-Lévesque Boulevard on Amherst Street, a distance of nearly two kilometres, making it the largest in North America in terms of scope of the complete area.
Formerly a poor working-class neighbourhood, part of the Centre-Sud area of the city, the area was occupied by the gay
and lesbian
community after the huge expulsion of many gay businesses from an area closer to Saint Lawrence Boulevard
(or "The Main" as the locals call it). The area has been considerably brightened up, thanks in part to recent investment from the various levels of all governments.
Indeed, despite repression as late as the early 1990s, recent government support of "Le Village" has been significant. All three levels of government are aggressively promoting the Village, and with the accepting climate of Quebec, and gay life in Montreal as a tourist attraction. In recognition of the Village's importance to the city, Montreal's Ville-Marie borough that includes the Village recently hung a rainbow flag in its council chambers, and recently redecorated the entrance to the Beaudry Metro station
found in the heart of the Gay Village with rainbow pillars. The Village is specifically marked on official city map
s as "Le Village".
) in 1869.
There were generally two concentrations of establishments where gays were welcome, or that, by the 1970s, became openly gay businesses. This mirrored Montreal's more language-segregated culture. These were the Montreal West End (mainly anglophone) and The Main (mixed, but mainly francophone):
and Drummond Street
, and with Shaughnessy Village
west of Guy Street
(officially rue Guy) as its residential neighbourhood. In fact, this was seen as the mostly anglophone gay village. By the 1950s, Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square
) was seen as an area where men could meet and cruise and the centrally located "Dominion Square Tavern" was known as a place where gays could meet (it still exists today but has lost its gay clientele). As is traditional, until the 1980s, gay life was centered around bars and taverns, and some restaurants, who tolerated a gay clientele. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, many gay-owned or gay-open businesses existed, and it became the city's main gay concentration, though it was still relatively marginal and kept discreet.
The businesses consisted mainly of clubs, where men could dance.
East, an area also known as "Le Red Light", since the businesses catered to a marginal clientele. The east had a more francophone
clientele. Here, the businesses consisted mainly of taverns, often featuring drag
shows.
World's Fair
and the Olympic Games
in 1976. Montreal mayor at the time Jean Drapeau
established The Comité de moralité publique (in English
Public Morality Committee) to clean-up the city. "Sauna Aquarius" was closed in February 1975 followed by "Les Bains Clubs" (23 January 1976), "Sauna Cristal" (11 February). In mid March 1987, "Sauna Neptune", "Taureau d'Or", "Studio 1", "Club Stork", "le Jilly's" and many others were closed and a number of proprietors had to close after dubious accusations. A number of proprietors and clients were arrested.
and Papineau Avenue
, in Montreal's Centre-Sud
area. Eventually, a new generation of gays also moved into the neighbourhood, both anglophone and francophone
. Many came from other parts of Quebec. This was encouraged by the creation of a "Quartier Latin" (in English
Latin Quarter) dominated by the new campus of the Université du Québec à Montréal
.
The phrase "Le Village de l'Est" (the Eastern Village) was coined by one of the original bar owners from then-popular bar/club called K.O.X. in an advertisement. After living in New York City, it was his intention to create a strong vibrant gay community similar to the East Village
in New York. The phrase was used as a way to refer to this new community, referring to its eastern geographical location from downtown, as opposed to the traditional west end. Eventually the name shortened to simply "Le Village" by the gay community itself. The success was solidified by the fact that it became both a gay residential and commercial district. But its success reflected the near disappearance of gay businesses from the west of downtown.
By the 1990s, "The Village" had already started its expansion on Amherst Street, with the departure of many antique shops, more gay owned and operated businesses were emerging. At the same time, it had become well-established, and gained political recognition, acceptance by all LGBT persons, and by heterosexuals as well. It has continuously thrived, gaining popularity, the area beautified, the housing renovated. Almost all gay businesses in Montréal are now situated in this area.
Although many gays reside and are also very present in other parts of Montreal, the Gay Village remains the heart of, and service centre for, Montreal's LGBT
community. Each year, Sainte-Catherine Street - heart of the Village, is handed out to pedestrians from May to September. This wide outdoor area is offering many terraces, welcome tourists with major events such as Festival International de Montréal en Arts , Fierté Montreal Pride and Divers-Cité's Festival .
Events
General
Publications
Gay village
A gay village is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people live or frequent...
(The Village, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Le Village gai or simply Le Village) is located on Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
East, centred on Beaudry
Beaudry (Montreal Metro)
Beaudry is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is in Montreal's Gay Village, part of the Centre-South district in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
station, and on Amherst Street in the Ville-Marie borough of the city. The Village runs approximately from Berri Street to De Lorimier Street on Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
, and between Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
and René-Lévesque Boulevard on Amherst Street, a distance of nearly two kilometres, making it the largest in North America in terms of scope of the complete area.
Formerly a poor working-class neighbourhood, part of the Centre-Sud area of the city, the area was occupied by the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
community after the huge expulsion of many gay businesses from an area closer to Saint Lawrence Boulevard
Saint Lawrence Boulevard
For the Ottawa road, see St. Laurent Boulevard. For the Gatineau road called "Boulevard Saint-Laurent", see Boulevard des Allumettières.Saint Lawrence Boulevard or boulevard Saint-Laurent is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(or "The Main" as the locals call it). The area has been considerably brightened up, thanks in part to recent investment from the various levels of all governments.
Indeed, despite repression as late as the early 1990s, recent government support of "Le Village" has been significant. All three levels of government are aggressively promoting the Village, and with the accepting climate of Quebec, and gay life in Montreal as a tourist attraction. In recognition of the Village's importance to the city, Montreal's Ville-Marie borough that includes the Village recently hung a rainbow flag in its council chambers, and recently redecorated the entrance to the Beaudry Metro station
Beaudry (Montreal Metro)
Beaudry is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is in Montreal's Gay Village, part of the Centre-South district in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
found in the heart of the Gay Village with rainbow pillars. The Village is specifically marked on official city map
City map
A city map is a large-scale thematic map of a city created to enable the fastest possible orientation in an urban space. The graphic representation of objects on a city map is therefore usually greatly simplified, and reduced to generally understood symbology.Depending upon its target group or...
s as "Le Village".
History
The first recorded gay establishment in North America was Montrealer Moise Tellier’s apple and cake shop on Craig Street (now Saint Antoine StreetSaint Antoine Street
Saint Antoine Street is a street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs to the south of Downtown Montreal and north of Old Montreal and Griffintown and Saint-Henri. It crosses the Quartier international de Montréal....
) in 1869.
There were generally two concentrations of establishments where gays were welcome, or that, by the 1970s, became openly gay businesses. This mirrored Montreal's more language-segregated culture. These were the Montreal West End (mainly anglophone) and The Main (mixed, but mainly francophone):
Montreal West End
The West End of Montreal's downtown. It was centered in the western end of the downtown area of the city, with bars on Stanley StreetStanley Street, Montreal
Stanley Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It links Doctor Penfield Avenue in the north and De la Gauchetière Street in the south...
and Drummond Street
Drummond Street, Montreal
Drummond Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Spanning a total of 1.2 kilometres, it links Doctor Penfield Avenue in the north and De la Gauchetière Street in the south. Drummond Street opened in 1842 and owes its name to Jane Drummond , wife of Montreal...
, and with Shaughnessy Village
Shaughnessy Village
Shaughnessy Village is a neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, located on the western side of the Ville-Marie borough. It is bounded by Guy Street to the east, Atwater Street to the west, Sherbrooke Street to the north, and René Lévesque Boulevard/Ville-Marie Expressway to the south...
west of Guy Street
Guy Street
Guy Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Concordia University's Integrated Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Complex is located on this street, as is the John Molson School of Business building. The street is home to the Guy-Concordia metro station...
(officially rue Guy) as its residential neighbourhood. In fact, this was seen as the mostly anglophone gay village. By the 1950s, Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square
Dorchester Square
Dorchester Square is a large urban square in downtown Montreal. Together with Place du Canada, the area is just over 21,000 m2 or 2.1 ha of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard to the south, Peel Street to the west, Metcalfe to the east and Dominion Square to...
) was seen as an area where men could meet and cruise and the centrally located "Dominion Square Tavern" was known as a place where gays could meet (it still exists today but has lost its gay clientele). As is traditional, until the 1980s, gay life was centered around bars and taverns, and some restaurants, who tolerated a gay clientele. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, many gay-owned or gay-open businesses existed, and it became the city's main gay concentration, though it was still relatively marginal and kept discreet.
The businesses consisted mainly of clubs, where men could dance.
The Main
The Main, the strip of businesses on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, and east along Saint Catherine StreetSaint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
East, an area also known as "Le Red Light", since the businesses catered to a marginal clientele. The east had a more francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
clientele. Here, the businesses consisted mainly of taverns, often featuring drag
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
shows.
Closure of gay businesses in the past
The businesses in these two areas (West End and Main) came under regular repression, especially just before Montreal's Expo 67Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
and the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1976. Montreal mayor at the time Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
established The Comité de moralité publique (in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Public Morality Committee) to clean-up the city. "Sauna Aquarius" was closed in February 1975 followed by "Les Bains Clubs" (23 January 1976), "Sauna Cristal" (11 February). In mid March 1987, "Sauna Neptune", "Taureau d'Or", "Studio 1", "Club Stork", "le Jilly's" and many others were closed and a number of proprietors had to close after dubious accusations. A number of proprietors and clients were arrested.
Development of Gay Village
Originally, there were only a handful of establishments located in what is now the Village gai. In the early 1980s, some bars opened along Saint-Catherine Street East, between Berri StreetBerri Street
Berri Street is a major north-south street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Berri Street links De la Commune Street in the south and Gouin Boulevard in the north. The street is interrupted between Rosemont Boulevard and Jean Talon Street. Berri Street has two lanes in either direction from De...
and Papineau Avenue
Papineau Avenue
Papineau Avenue, is an important, and longest, north-south street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Part of the street, between Henri Bourassa Boulevard and Quebec Autoroute 40, is the Montreal portion of Quebec Autoroute 19, commonly referred to as Autoroute Papineau...
, in Montreal's Centre-Sud
Centre-Sud
The Centre-Sud neighbourhood is located at the eastern most edge of the Ville-Marie borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The neighbourhood is bordered by the Saint Lawrence River to the south, Saint Hubert Street to the west, the Canadian Pacific rail line to the east and Sherbrooke...
area. Eventually, a new generation of gays also moved into the neighbourhood, both anglophone and francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
. Many came from other parts of Quebec. This was encouraged by the creation of a "Quartier Latin" (in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Latin Quarter) dominated by the new campus of the Université du Québec à Montréal
Université du Québec à Montréal
The Université du Québec à Montréal is one of four universities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Basic facts:The UQAM is the largest constituent element of the Université du Québec , a public university system with other branches in Gatineau , Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec City, Chicoutimi, and...
.
The phrase "Le Village de l'Est" (the Eastern Village) was coined by one of the original bar owners from then-popular bar/club called K.O.X. in an advertisement. After living in New York City, it was his intention to create a strong vibrant gay community similar to the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
in New York. The phrase was used as a way to refer to this new community, referring to its eastern geographical location from downtown, as opposed to the traditional west end. Eventually the name shortened to simply "Le Village" by the gay community itself. The success was solidified by the fact that it became both a gay residential and commercial district. But its success reflected the near disappearance of gay businesses from the west of downtown.
By the 1990s, "The Village" had already started its expansion on Amherst Street, with the departure of many antique shops, more gay owned and operated businesses were emerging. At the same time, it had become well-established, and gained political recognition, acceptance by all LGBT persons, and by heterosexuals as well. It has continuously thrived, gaining popularity, the area beautified, the housing renovated. Almost all gay businesses in Montréal are now situated in this area.
Although many gays reside and are also very present in other parts of Montreal, the Gay Village remains the heart of, and service centre for, Montreal's LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community. Each year, Sainte-Catherine Street - heart of the Village, is handed out to pedestrians from May to September. This wide outdoor area is offering many terraces, welcome tourists with major events such as Festival International de Montréal en Arts , Fierté Montreal Pride and Divers-Cité's Festival .
See also
- Divers/CitéDivers/CitéDivers/Cité is an LGBT multidisciplinary arts and music festival taking place each year in the heart of Montreal, since 1993. An avant-garde event in the heart of downtown Montreal and in Montreal's Gay Village area held usually on the end of July and beginning of August every year and extending...
- Fierté MontréalFierté MontréalFierté Montréal aka in English as Montreal Pride is an LGBT multidisciplinary arts and music festival taking place each year in the heart of Montreal. It is the second biggest LGBT event in Montreal after Divers/Cité...
- OutGames
- Gay Village, TorontoChurch and WellesleyChurch and Wellesley is an LGBT-oriented community located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Gerrard Street to the south, Yonge Street to the west, Charles Street to the north, and Jarvis Street to the east, with the core commercial strip located along Church Street from...
- Gay Village, VancouverDavie VillageDavie Village is a neighbourhood in the West End of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the home of the city's gay subculture, and, as such, is often considered a gay village or "gaybourhood". It is centred on Davie Street and roughly includes the area between Burrard and Jervis streets...
External links
Directories- GAYroute.Info: Directory for local gay details
- Montreal Gay Listings & Info: Directory for gay community
- Key Gay Travel & Info: Directory for local gay services
- QueerMontreal.info -- All inclusive, updated weekly, with searchable maps /
- RestoMontreal: Directory of restaurants, bars and cafés in the Montreal Village /
- Montreal Gay Village Pictures and Architecture.
- Repertoiregaimontreal.com - Le bottin d'affaire Gai et Gay friendly du Québec. Hébergement, Massothérapie et plus - Montreal Gay Business Directory.
Events
General
- CAN-Reservations.Info -- The up-to-date Montreal lodging listings /
- Un Monde Un Village site: Listing of bars, restaurants, lodging and other businesses of the Village /
Publications