Winnipeg has long promoted itself with the slogan “One Great City”. Therefore, in 1997, when two local, gay artists decided to produce a campaign that highlighted how gay people didn’t always feel welcome, they decided to turn the slogan into “Winnipeg: One Gay City”.Back then, the Canadian city wasn’t as inclusive as it is today.
At the time, the city’s then-mayor, Susan Thompson, refused to acknowledge Gay Pride Day. Gay people were frequently subjected to verbal and physical abuse.Related: Gay bars in WinnipegIn reaction to this, artists Lorri Millan and Shawna Dempsey decide to produce an advertising campaign highlighting the city’s queerness.One of the images uses a smiling woman praising the city for its great fishing, over the.