Roger-Luc Chayer
In the current state of the Village, official showcase of LGBT movements in Quebec, we could question the vitality of our communities as economically, socially and humanly, but we do not have to rely on appearances. If the Village is undergoing a transformation, it is because the traditional gay core is emancipating itself from the mother house and settling more and more on the outskirts of downtown Montreal, in Hochelaga, Rosemont or the Plateau Mont- Royal. We must see the vitality of the rue Masson, the multitude of gay flags at the doors of shops and the tremendous residential development of Molson Street to understand that gays, although less visible in the Village, are strongly implanted in districts that their have always been open. LGBT communities are moving towards full development since all of their social rights have been protected and covered by the Quebec Charter, but also through sustained education about our collective values and capabilities. That’s the end of the time gay men claimed, here’s the time when LGBTs are fully involved in all spheres of society! And more than ever, it is relevant wherever it is!