Overcoming The Fear: HIV Stigma Among Healthcare Providers

This Positive Effects blog post shares Ron’s experience as part of a Digital Storytelling project led by the United Voices of HIV Alberta. The project was supported by REACH Nexus through the Positive Actions initiative, which aims to reduce HIV stigma by empowering local teams across Canada to develop and lead community-driven stigma reduction projects.

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Edmonton’s overlooked queer history

Edmonton has a big place in Canada’s 2SLGBTQ+ history — but it doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Now, there are people trying to change that. In recent years, projects highlighting Edmonton’s queer history and stories have gained traction, and there is work being done to preserve decades of activism and community for the next generation. Host Clare Bonnyman sits down with Ron Byers of the Rainbow Story Hub, to talk about Edmonton’s queer history and what’s so unique about our city’s story.

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CBC RadioActive talks The Gay Straight Jacket

June 11, 2025

In 1981, the Pisces Health Spa in Edmonton was raided by Edmonton police, who arrested 60 gay men. It’s believed to be the largest mass arrest in the history of Alberta. This week, in honour of Pride, Metro Cinema is screening a CBC documentary from that year, called The Gay Straight Jacket. Ron Byers was a staff member at the Pisces but was not arrested that night. Now, he is a queer historian in Edmonton with the Rainbow Story Hub.

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Edmonton to have 2 LGBTQ bars this summer as Evolution Wonderlounge begins move

For the first time in nearly a decade, Edmonton will have two gay bars this summer.

Evolution Wonderlounge will open a new location on Jasper Avenue and 115 Street, as its downtown location on 103 Street near 102 Avenue winds down operations.

Ron Byers, director of Rainbow Story Hub, says opening a queer bar on street level is a significant milestone.

“Most of them have been down in the basement or up on the second floor. Very few have been main floor. Part of that is because of the fear of being found out,” Byers said.

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Queer History Month kicks off in the City of Edmonton

“Our queer history doesn’t just date back to the 60s when we started becoming more visible; it actually dates back centuries but our opportunities to start telling those stories have only begun recently,” said Ron Byers a queer historian. “Back in the 60s when I came out, it was illegal to be a gay man. I could have been thrown in jail and most of the young folks today don’t understand that,” said Byers.

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