Billy Merasty (1960- )

Billy Merasty (1960- )

Manitoba-born actor and writer Billy Merasty comes from a distinguished line of First Nations artists. His uncles, the late ballet dancer Renee Highway and the writer Tomson Highway provided gay-positive role models for the young Two-Spirited man growing up in a homophobic small town in northern Manitoba. Merasty's involvement with Toronto's Native Earth Performing Arts Incorporated provided him with an artistic context in which he was accepted as a gay artist by other Aboriginal people. He is currently in the TV series Liberty Street and wrote the well-received play, Fireweed. Reflecting on his life, Merasty said, "I've always been open. Although a lot of people have told me not to be so gay if I want to be an actor, that it will limit me. I know that it has, but I'm not limiting myself, it's other people who limit me" (ICON February 1995). (1998 Induction Statement)

Comédien et auteur.

Andrew McPhail

Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives

1998

Medium: pencil on mylar

Dimensions: 27.5 x 42 cm (W x H)

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