https://xtramagazine.com/power/queer-history-on-film-stubblejumper-13147

Growing up in Saskatchewan, I learned quickly how small town Saskatchewan really was.  Aside from the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, Saskatchewan was not considered a place where fame derived from any notable people. I thought it was especially not a hot spot for social change and influencers to my knowledge until I reached a mature age. Upon watching the film, StubbleJumper, I realized that Saskatchewan actually has accumulated major influencers on social change, it was just something not talked about within my demographic until I attended University.  I learned about the story of a brilliant student named Doug Wilson, who went to the same school that I am attending at this moment and how he fought for his sexual rights while attending the University of Saskatchewan. The University denied him the right to teach and learn the fact that he was gay. This was an unjust turn of events for Doug therefore, it lead to him fighting for agency speaking up for gay rights in Saskatchewan. Many discourses shaped Doug’s experiences of sexuality, and the U of S ranked top spot for the worst with their examples of hegemony.

When he was growing up, however, prairie life in Saskatchewan was immensely conservative, therefore, leading him to keep his sexuality to himself. There was a lot of pressure from his father to be normal and it was understood by what Doug’s sister said that he did not have a relationship with his father when he came out. Even though Doug faced this, he still approached straight people with understanding because he knew that they did not understand at the time.  He knew that they do not know what it was like to wake up every day and feel ashamed about their sexuality because heterosexuality was the social norm in Saskatoon in 1975. After Doug went on his trip to Europe he came out to his sister that he was bisexual. The culture between Europe and Saskatchewan at the time differed drastically as well as the number of people who were openly gay where he was located in Europe. A larger population allows for more spaces for people to be who they really are because there is community. Saskatchewan was small (and still is relatively) and lived under a rock.

The Saskatchewan academic view on sexuality in 1975 was absolutely appalling. It seems like Doug would have been a wonderful student, classmate, and friend, which he was until the U of S took that away from him.  To be gay was to act in sin and the University in their understanding, needed to act professional to the public.  However, the fact they did nothing for Doug, even after the protests, was the worst part.  The U of S would not even take it into consideration that they had made a mistake.  I would like to believe everyone now sees the errors in this and can work to move away from this thinking.  It is wonderful to here that so much has changed at the U of S because of Doug’s work for the betterment of all queer people who attend its school.

After Doug established himself as an adult and met his boyfriend, it seemed that a lot changed for him including the people he surrounded himself with, such as his family. He gained a new family among friends and his boyfriend who were all sex-positive. The experiences he had with his sexuality were more positive then with his father because of the discourses that transpired between them.

Another example could be when he was running for politics. Doug wanted to support the resistance however, he was losing himself because he was too focused on gimmicks and clichés for winning his campaign.  Him running was also maybe a reason why it took him so long to face his sickness with aids.  Maybe he possibly had a suspicion but did not want it to be true for the eyes of the publics sake.  The aids crisis was an ever-growing epidemic however, it was not graciously excepted in to societal minds of the Toronto area yet.  There was a lot of stigma surrounding it which was problematic for Doug. His sickness became too much for him then later passed away 1992. His legacy however, will live on forever with in the University of Saskatchewan.

 

Bibliography:

• Darkbean. “Media Gifs – Find & Share on Giphy.” GIPHY, https://giphy.com/search/media.
• Davideo. “Stubblejumper.” Vimeo, 21 Oct. 2022, https://vimeo.com/132577926.
• Queer History on Film: Stubblejumper | Xtra Magazine. https://xtramagazine.com/power/queer-history-on-film-stubblejumper-13147.