When deciding where to go next, LGBTQ tourists encounter certain queries that aren't asked of other passengers. There are still pockets of danger even in modern nations like the United States and Canada. When evaluating what locations may be the most welcoming, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking in terms of blue states against red states or rural versus metropolitan settings. As a result, the discovery of Dawson City, a surprisingly gay outpost in the sparsely populated Yukon Territory of Canada, came as a welcome relief.
This settlement of 1,500 people is incredibly isolated; the closest major city is Vancouver, which is 1,200 miles to the north, or Anchorage, which is 400 miles to the east. The downtown area of Dawson City looks like it was taken right from a movie set in the 1950s, and the city itself is home to some incredible outdoor activities. However, the fact that it is also home to a varied LGBTQ population blew many tourists' preconceived notions about the level of acceptance that can be found in smaller and more rural places. This fact interested me.
I made the decision to stay at the Dawson Lodge, which is a quaint hotel located smack dab in the middle of the main business district. A trendy hotel with an industrial feel and an emphasis on sustainability may be found hidden behind the modest western front of the building. There is no front desk, and visitors get an email the day before their arrival with the keypad code for the front entrance as well as the code for their room. Despite its size, the lodge has a spa called Yukon Spa, which offers cosmetic treatments like as dermaplaning, microneedling, and facials in addition to Raynor massage therapies.
Lee Manning and Mike Ellis, a British homosexual couple, are the owners of Dawson Lodge, and they have ambitious goals for the development of the quaint little village that they happened across by chance. In 2017, when they made the decision to dordle leave the United Kingdom, Manning told them that Dawson City was the only city in Canada where they could readily get work permits.
"Dawson City is just amazing, the most inclusive community I have ever lived in," Manning said, explaining that he appreciates the friends they've made, the business opportunities in town, and the fact that there is a great work-life balance there. "Dawson City is just amazing," he said. "I have never lived in a community that was so welcoming." "Although it may seem that you are in a "border" region, everyone is welcome here, which is an extremely unusual occurrence."
A few streets away, on property that Manning and Ellis have acquired, they are in the process of constructing a whole new and far bigger version of the Yukon Spa. The remodeled spa will have an increased number of treatment rooms in addition to a café and a private patio. The owners noted that this decision is significant since alcoholism is a severe problem in remote areas like Dawson City, which get very little sunshine during the worst portion of the winter.
Together with Janice Cliff, who is the National Historic Site and Visitor Experience Manager for Parks Canada, I went on a walking tour of the quaint downtown area. Cliff, who identifies as queer herself, stated that the park system is focused on themes other than the gold rush narratives that are popular with tourists in order to broaden its appeal. Parks Canada is expanding the scope of the discussion to include the history of the Tr'ondk Hwch'in First Nation People, who have lived on this territory for 12,000 years, as well as tales focusing on the LGBTQ community and women.
As I explored the city, I came across several instances of the accepting culture that pervades Dawson City. At the Klondike Institute of Art Culture, flyers for the monthly "Gaaaymes Night" were placed alongside notifications for skiing festivals and pottery lessons. I had a wonderful meal at BonTon, which is operated by gay people and is considered to be one of the top new restaurants in the nation. And I was lucky enough to stumble onto the touring show titled "Queer Newfoundland Hockey League" at the ODD Gallery. The artist Lucas Morneau crocheted 14 fictitious hockey jerseys in a cheeky manner, coming up with team names that reclaimed LGBTQ slurs. In addition to the jerseys for the Bonavista Buggers and the St. John's Sissies, Morneau also produced goalie masks that resemble doilies and trade cards for the teams.
