By Gaëtan Vaudry
On November 24th, Montreal's gay scene lost one of its pioneers. Armand Monroe - born Armand Larrivée - passed away in his sleep at St-Raphael's Palliative Care Home. His death sent shockwaves through those who admired him, a standard-bearer for numerous struggles for gay and lesbian rights over the years. These included the right for men to dance together at a time when homosexuality was criminalized in Canada, as well as the very first gay pride parade and much more.
Born in Saint-Henri in 1935, young Armand left his family home at 18 to move to the bustling downtown of Montreal, fully aware of the difficulty (and even the shame) of being gay at that time. However, he refused to hide his true self, stating that he never needed to come out of the closet because he had never been in it. Rejected by his mother, he created a new family with his gay friends, becoming an emblematic figure of the homosexual scene.
For ages, everyone affectionately nicknamed him La Monroe for his boundless admiration for actress Marilyn Monroe, especially since the release of the hit movie "How to Marry a Millionaire." It wasn't until 1957 that he was offered a job as a host at the Tropical Room on Peel Street. The venue would become Quebec's first exclusively homosexual establishment, where La Monroe introduced bingo, drag queen shows, and Mister Muscle contests. Notably, for his 23rd birthday, he persuaded the owner to allow men to dance together, which was, of course, forbidden at the time.
Growing in fame, Armand Monroe worked in several establishments including the Hawaiian Lounge, Quartier Latin, and Café Beaver. At the PJ's cabaret, he entertained with his role as the "flamboyant liberated fool," achieving immense success. In 1974, still at PJ's, La Monroe hosted the New York Dolls, opening the door of Montreal's underground to glam rock, and later to punk with the band Les 222. In 1980, he hosted the National Day celebrations at Carré Dominion, drawing many curious to discover who he was. In 1983, he produced a mega drag show at Vieux St-Vincent in Laval and, years later, appeared in the historic show Vice & Virtue, presented by Les 7 Doigts de la Main.
In March 2017, Armand Monroe confided to Hugo Lavoie, during the Gravel le matin radio show on ICI Radio-Canada Première, stating: "I thank all the homosexuals from 1957 to 1969 who, at the risk of losing their freedom, came to support me. They are the real pioneers."