From the "Faubourg à m'lasse" to the "Gay Village"

This district was one of the first to develop outside the walls in the 18th century. It was an industrial and working-class district until the middle of the 20th century. A little neglected by the move of port activities to the east, the Sainte-Marie district was up for grabs. In the 70s and 80s, gays found themselves there, in search of a refuge from the prevailing homophobia. A Village was born. A generation later, the Village has been transformed, it has become a place of free expression, where the strange rubs shoulders with the ordinary, and where, in a way, everyone can be themselves. We will visit together some significant places of the district and the Village. We'll talk about misery and resilience, and we'll remember snatched freedoms and friends. We will remember the names of those who made this district, who invented it, and who transformed it. Whether it is called Faubourg-Québec, Quartier Sainte-Marie, Faubourg à m'lasse, this neighborhood of Montreal has been one of resilient people.