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

Hot Cakes & Hot Takes on History

Event Date: Thursday, July 16
Event Time: 7-8:30 pm | Doors open 6:30 pm
Cost: $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 masculinity, athleticism, and the ideal western man, these photographs often featured remarkably sculpted cowboys, ranch hands, and athletes posing in various states of undress.

The intention may have been to promote strength, virility, and frontier values. The result, however, was often something a little more... complicated.

Kevin examines photographs, advertisements, postcards, and popular culture, and how these images reflect changing ideas about gender, masculinity, and desire. Along the way, he'll explore how queer audiences found meaning in images that were never intended for them, and why some of Calgary's most iconic symbols of masculinity have aged into something unexpectedly homoerotic.

This conversation is a reminder that history is rarely as straightforward as it appears — and that sometimes the most revealing stories are hidden in plain sight, usually without a shirt.

Come for the hot cakes, stay for the realization that Calgary has been accidentally serving queer subtext for decades.

For more information, including speaker bio, visit theconfluence.ca/events/hdht-july2026

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ABOUT HOT DOGS & HOT TAKES ON HISTORY

Debunk and debate local histories at Hot Dogs & Hot Takes on History! Every month, a historian or specialized expert will share their research and offer new perspectives on the history we think we know.

Every Hot Dogs & Hot Takes event kicks off with a short presentation on a historical topic by the guest speaker, followed by an interview facilitated by The Confluence President Jennifer Thompson, and an open discussion where you can offer your knowledge and questions about the evening’s topic.

For this special edition event, pancakes are included with your ticket.

Learn more about this event and all upcoming topics at theconfluence.ca/hotdogsandhottakes