How the West Got Shirtless: Beefcakes, the Stampede, and Queerness

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Hot Cakes & Hot Takes on History Event Date: Thursday, July 16Event Time: 7-8:30 pm | Doors open 6:30 pmCost: $15 (+ fees)Ages: 13+ Last year, Kevin Allen packed the house with Colonial Calgary Was SO Gay. This year, he's back — and somehow, things are getting even beefier. For one special summer edition, Hot Dogs & Hot Takes on History becomes Hot Cakes & Hot Takes on History. Diving into a surprising chapter of Calgary's visual history, we ask a very important question — just how much shirtless cowboy photography can one city produce before people start asking questions? Historian and author Kevin Allen returns to explore the world of "beefcake" imagery that flourished around the Calgary Stampede throughout the twentieth century. Originally created to celebrate rugged m