Marcel Lebrun Bücher

The Calgary Stampede, Canada’s largest Western heritage festival, is often seen as beneficial for the city and its residents. However, development studies have increasingly highlighted tourism as a catalyst for the global sex industry, with critical tourism scholars noting that events like the Stampede can reinforce exploitative ideologies linked to rape culture, leading to increased rates of gender-based violence. Local media report rising instances of sexually transmitted infections, divorces, pregnancies, sexual harassment, and assaults during the festival, illustrating a troubling trend normalized in a city ranked among the worst in Canada for women's safety. This ranking overlooks the diverse experiences of women based on race, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identity, which is particularly concerning in a city located on the territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy. The precarious situation of Indigenous women, exacerbated by colonial histories, remains largely unaddressed by policymakers. My book will explore these issues through an intersectional feminist lens, examining the gendered and racialized dynamics of the Calgary Stampede and challenging the notion that it is a universally family-friendly event.