ted northe
Ted Northe, born on September 13, 1939, in Edmonton, Alberta, was a prominent figure in the Canadian LGBTQ+ rights movement and is best known as "The Empress of Canada." Raised in a supportive environment, he became an advocate for gay rights, famously protesting the criminalization of homosexuality in 1958 while dressed in drag. Northe co-owned August, Vancouver's first licensed gay club, which was a safe haven for the queer community during a time of significant societal challenges. He founded the first Canadian Chapter of the Imperial Court System in 1971, creating a nonprofit organization that provided a safe space for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Northe played a key role in significant advancements, including a letter-writing campaign that contributed to the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada in 1969. He was honored with numerous awards for his humanitarian work and was recognized by notable figures, including Queen Elizabeth II, who awarded him the Meritorious Diamond Jubilee Medal. Beyond activism, Northe enjoyed hobbies such as boating and gardening. He passed away on March 30, 2014, leaving a lasting legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and representation in Canada.
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Subject Terms
ted northe
Drag queen and activist
- Born: September 13, 1939
- Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Died: March 30, 2014
- Place of death: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Significance: Ted Northe (often stylized as “ted northe”) was a drag queen and civil rights activist who advocated for the decriminalization of LGBTQ+ lifestyles in Canada during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1971, Northe created the first Canadian chapter of the Imperial Court System. The Imperial Court System was a nonprofit organization and a “safe space” for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Background
Ted Smith Northe was born on September 13, 1939 in Edmonton, Alberta. He was the second youngest of four children. Northe was raised by his parents and grandmother in the Cooking Lake area. When Northe told his parents he was gay, they supported him unconditionally. He believed their support was crucial to his own activism. Growing up, Northe traveled frequently but ultimately settled in Vancouver.
Northe was the co-owner of August, a bottle club that featured drag queens, including himself. People brought their own alcohol to the club and kept it hidden behind the bar, in case of police raids. Eventually, August became the city’s first licensed gay club. As a drag performer, Northe indulged in extravagance. For one of his most famous acts, he performed Anne Murray’s song, “Snowbird,” wearing a yellow chenille gown adorned with sparkling glass shards. Northe sold August in 1972. Following his club ownership, Northe managed a number of apartment buildings.
Life’s Work
Northe was an advocate for gay rights. In 1958, he and other protestors stood at Vancouver’s then-courthouse and called for an end to the criminalization of homosexuality. Northe was dressed in drag and held a sign that said, “I am a Human Being.” Although Northe and the protestors were chased away, Northe learned that to attract the attention he wanted, protesting in drag was the way to go about demonstrating. In 1964, Northe was crowned “The Empress of Canada.” Northe launched a massive letter-writing campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and provide the gay community with more rights and protections.
In 1967, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada’s fifteenth prime minister, introduced legislation to decriminalize homosexuality. On 14 May 1969, Bill C-150 was passed and Trudeau called Northe himself to pass on the news. In the phone call, Trudeau addressed Northe as “Your Majesty” because of Northe’s drag-queen status as the Empress of Canada.
Although LGBTQ+ activity was decriminalized, gay people were sometimes still persecuted, and Northe and other activists continued to advocate for change. In 1971, Northe founded the Imperial Court System of Canada. The group was a nonprofit organization and a “safe space” for the LGBTQIA+ community. José Sarria, or “Mama José,” began the first International Imperial Court System in San Francisco in 1965. Although the Canadian Imperial Court System initially operated outside of the International Court System, Northe’s group eventually reconciled with the council and joined the International Imperial Court System. Northe also played a role in the founding of the Gay Businessman’s Guild and Gay Sports League in Canada, as well as early gay pride parades in Vancouver.
In 2011, Northe spoke at the Q Hall of Fame Ball in Toronto. The Q Hall of Fame is a Canadian hall of fame that pays tribute to LGBTQ+ history. In his speech, Northe acknowledged the positive changes that were being made to help the gay community.
Impact
Northe received many awards including the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian and Distinguished Citizen Award, the British Columbia Cancer Society Citizen’s Award for Fundraising, the Rita Rhinestone Pegasus Humanitarian Award, and the first ever José Award. Northe also received keys to San Francisco and Portland, a Citizenship Award from the Bay Area Reporter, and the Empress II of Ensenada, Mexico.
Northe is also featured as part of the “Really Gay History Tour” for Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours. The tour began in 2018 and takes participants through the history of Vancouver’s LGBTQIA+ community. In 2022, Matthew Hanns Schroeter paid tribute to Northe at 958 Denman Street with a mural for Vancouver’s Mural Festival. The piece was titled, “I am a Human Being.”
Personal Life
Ted Northe was known internationally as “The Empress of Canada,” including by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2012, the Queen honored Northe with the Meritorious Diamond Jubilee Medal. The medal was created in 2012 to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen’s 1952 accession. In addition to advocacy and community work, Northe enjoyed boating, gardening, and traveling. Northe died on 30 March 2014, following a long bout with cancer.
Bibliography
McKeown, Kevin Dale. “Gay Rights Pioneer Dead at 74,” Xtra Magazine, 31 March 2014, xtramagazine.com/power/gay-rights-pioneer-ted-northe-dies-at-74-59434. Accessed 28 June 2023
Mickleburgh, Rod. “‘Activist in a Dress’ Doggedly Sought Change,” The Globe and Mail, 8 May 2014, www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/activist-in-a-dress-doggedly-sought-change/article18578909/. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Nadalini, David & Hassar, Hana Mae. “Vancouver Mural Artist Honours Late 2SLGBTQ+ Activist While Fighting Back Against Hate,” Vancouver City News, 1 Aug. 2022, vancouver.citynews.ca/2022/08/01/vancouver-mural-honour-2slgbtq-activist/. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Seucharan, Cherise. “‘It was Saying Enough is Enough’: Vancouver LGBTQ Community Marks 60th Anniversary of Groundbreaking Protest,” Toronto Star, 20 Aug. 2018, www.thestar.com/vancouver/2018/08/18/it-was-saying-enough-is-enough-vancouver-lgbtq-community-marks-60th-anniversary-of-groundbreaking-protest.html. Accessed 28 June 2023.
“Ted Smith Northe,” Dignity Memorial, 31 March, 2014, www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/chilliwack-bc/ted-northe-5917371. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Thomas, Sandra. “‘Activist in a Dress’ Fought for LGBT Rights,” Vancouver is Awesome, 2 April 2014, www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/news/activist-in-a-dress-fought-for-lgbt-rights-2975671. Accessed 28 June 2023.
“Vancouver’s Hidden History: A Drag Queen’s Fight for Decriminalization,” Daily Hive, 6 July 2019, dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-history-ted-northe. Accessed 28 June 2023.