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1971, Early * WUGLM: Announcement
A constitution for WUGLM (which was still being organized) was
published in the Chevron (the student newspaper at the time), the
Federation of Students was approached, and a first general
meeting was announced.
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 1, Issue 6, 1973, August - September, p.5.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM]
1971, January 22 (Friday) * Chevron: Article: Women's Liberation and Lesbians
On p.22 of Chevron,
Vol.11, No.39, 1971, January 22 (Friday), there was an article by Mary Damon entitled
“An open letter to the Women's movement”), with the note “Adapted from
CUP”; this was evidently based on a piece published in some student newspaper in Canada,
and then made available to other student newspapers by the student news service, the Canadian
University Press (CUP).
In the article, the author described how she began to realize that she was lesbian through her
involvement in the women's movement. She also explained how she felt alienated within
the women's movement, because of the latter's unwillingness to accept homosexuality as being equally
valid as heterosexuality.
The editorial staff of the Chevron ended the piece with comments on it that they had
solicited, evidently locally.
That text read as follows.
“When this article was read by women both involved and not involved with the women's
liberation movement, the following reactions were noted:
‘. . . for me as a woman who has always been able to relate well to some men on at least
some levels, the rejection of men as sexual partners has never been a consideration, rather the
understanding of the possibilities for the sisterhood of women's lib, for relating warmly,
closely, lovingly to a whole half the population with whom before I could only be superficial or
competetive, is simply mindblowing.’
‘. . .I guess I want to have my cake and eat it too. But I have found that with some men
(however few) I can have a relationship of love and understanding and honesty and (yes) equality.
This does not mean that we can ignore our socialization, my oppression, his chauvinism; it does
mean however that we can recognize the necessity for dealing with that, honestly and continuously
as human beings—with love because we've all been fucked ober [sic] in the same kinds of
ways and for the same kinds of perverted ends.’
‘. . .Perversion is not when two people of the same sex sleep together or when two people
deviate from the traditional kinds of male dominant “love making” positions.
Perversion is the process whereby we are made incapable of love, or whereby the sensual expression
of love, the sexual extension of warmths and love and sensuality is denied by our very selves
because our understanding of ourselves is external and fragmented and perverted by our history and
our society; whereby false dichotomies exist between sensuality and sexuality, homosexuality and
heterosexuality; whereby our humanity is overthrown by rigid role definitions, and the concept of
sex as an end in itself instead of the logical expression of love.’
‘. . .gay people will at some point have to deal with the humanity of the opposite sex, with
the need for human love relationships with them as people, for precisely the same reasons that we,
who have never had overtly homosexual experiences must deal with the humanity of our own sex. The
problems for both are similar, the reasons for the difficulty of doing that arise directly from the
perverted morality of the society that we were all brought up in.‘”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.11, No.39, 1971, January 22 (Friday), p.22.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | Women's Movement and Lesbians]
1971, February 23 (Tuesday) * University of Guelph Homophile Association (1st One): Inaugural Meeting
On p.63 of Lesbian and Gay
Liberation in Canada: A Selected Annotated Chronology, 1964-1975 (Donald W. McLeod,
1996),
is an entry for the inaugural meeting of the first University of Guelph Homophile Association.
The textual part of the entry (excluding bibliographic notes) read as follows.
“February 23 * Guelph, Ont. * Between forty and fifty men and women
attended the inaugural meeting of the University of Guelph Homophile
Association (UGHA). Guest speakers at the meeting were Charles Hill of
UTHA and Rev. Ritchie McMurray, an Anglican chaplain. The UGHA believed
that ‘morally, socially, physically, psychologically, emotionally, and in every
other way the homosexual is not inferior to the heterosexual, and homosexuality
is in no way inferior to heterosexuality as a valid way of life.’ Paul
Maurice, editor of the student newspaper the Ontarion, became the group's
first chairperson, UGHA had problems organizing in its early days and
collapsed in late 1971, but was revived in September 1973 with Heather
Ramsay and Rick Stenhouse as prominent members. The revived UGHA
sponsored a speaker's bureau, dances, and a newsletter. The group received
much publicity in the Ontarion; the paper ran a regular ‘Gays at Guelph’
column starting in autumn 1973. Late in 1975 UGHA was renamed Guelph
Gay Equality.”
[source: Lesbian and Gay
Liberation in Canada: A Selected Annotated Chronology, 1964-1975 (Donald W. McLeod,
1996), p.63.]
[categories: campus groups | UG groups | University of Guelph Homophile Association]
1971, February 26 (Friday) * Chevron: News Note: Beginning of WUGLM
On p.3 of Chevron,
Vol.11, No.45, 1971, February 26 (Friday), there was a brief news note entitled
“Homophiles organize”, with the following reference
“See page 19 feature also”.
The text of the note read as follows.
“There is a move afoot to establish a gay liberation movement in Waterloo, based predominantly
within the two university communities. Following the examples of well established groups in the
US such as Mattachines [sic] society of Washington or the gay liberation movement in Los Angeles.
Similar movements have been started in the last year at the university of Toronto, York and
Western universities, and there are also current attempts at Guelph and McMaster universities.
In starting up the group, spokeman [sic] point to their problem as a ‘struggle to
live authentically in what is, overtly at least, an exclusively heterosexual uptight community.
They site [sic] experts who testify to their normality in their arguments which inherently
testify to the bigoted nature of canadian students and the public in general.
Gays are one of the groups in our supposedly just society who can really be labelled oppressed
without any exaggeration of the use of the word.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.11, No.45, 1971, February 26 (Friday), p.3.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, February 26 (Friday) * Chevron: Article: Beginning of WUGLM
On p.19 of Chevron, Vol.11, No.45, 1971, February 26 (Friday), there was a feature article by Robert Rogers (with the designation “chevron staff”) entitled “Gay group on campus”. The article appears to have been compiled from interviews with various people who had been in the process of organizing a campus gay group, whose name is given (probably for the first time in a publication) as Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement. It seems likely that much of the information came from one of the spokemen described as “a grad student in psychology at uniwat”, clearly John Dunbar, who later became the first president of WUGLM. The article referred to changing attitudes to homosexuality in the psychological community, but also pointed out the feeling of alienation that many gay students feel at university, particularly at Waterloo's universities. The article concluded by outlining the social philosophy and objectives of WUGLM, indicating that the group would strive “to meet the needs of the gay student and to advance the cause of gay freedom in the following ways:
1971, March 8 (Monday) * WUGLM: 1st Meeting
The first Meeting of Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement (WUGLM) was held.
Over a hundred men and women attended.
[source: Chevron, 1971, March 12, Friday, v.11, no.47, p.3;
Gemini II,
Volume 1, Issue 6, 1973, August - September, p.5.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, March 15 (Monday) * WUGLM: 2nd Meeting
The second meeting of WUGLM was held.
[source: Chevron, 1971, March 12, Friday, v.11, no.47, p.3.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, March 17 (Wednesday) * WUGLM: Gay-In at Guelph
The first of two “gay-ins” (later to be known as
“zaps”) was held at the University of Guelph. It was
apparently unscheduled, since WUGLM came one night too soon, but
the pub was successfully integrated anyway.
The following report appeared on p.4 of the first issue of
Gemini.
“Approximately fifteen members of the Gay Lib Movement converged on the pub in Creelman Hall
at the U. of Guelph Wednesday, March 17, with the purpose in mind of joining others for a gay-in, or
at least to integrate the pub. Unfortunately it turned out to be the wrong night and aside from the
President of the Guelph group we were the only ones that showed.
Fortunately, spirits were high, and inhibitions were loose, and once one couple started dancing, many
others joined and the evening is to be considered a success.”
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.1, 1971, June, p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | UG groups | WUGLM | dance zaps]
1971, March 18 (Thursday) * WUGLM: 2nd Gay-In at Guelph
The next evening, the scheduled gay-in took place in conjunction
with the gay group at Guelph, and some people from York
University.
This following report appeared on p.4 of the first issue of
Gemini.
“The following night we returned to join others from Guelph and York and this night, too,
with the support of the manager of the pub was greatly successful. About forty people in all joined in
a circle and enveloped straight couples as well as gays. Many new friends were made and the evening
seemed to be enjoyed by all, as no hassles were encountered. Since then the Guelph pub has been
successfully integrated by only a few at a time who can now say they are gay and they are
proud.”
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.1, 1971, June, p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | UG groups | York groups | WUGLM | dance zaps]
1971, March 23 1971 (Tuesday) * WUGLM: 3rd Meeting
Third meeting of WUGLM, featuring recorded talks by Troy Perry
and Franklin Kameny.
[source: Advertisement in “This Week On Campus”
(TWOC), Chevron, 1971 March 19, Friday, v.11, no.48, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, April 6 (Tuesday) * WUGLM: Meeting
Meeting of WUGLM, on religion and homosexuality.
[source: Advertisement in TWOC, Chevron, 1971 April 2, Friday, v.11, no.50, p.???]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, April 9 (Friday) * WUGLM: Spring Term Meetings
Announcement of regular ongoing meetings throughout the spring
term.
[source: Advertisement in TWOC, Chevron, 1971 April 9, Friday,
v.11, no.???, p.???]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, Spring * WUGLM: Dance
A dance was sponsored by WUGLM some time in the Spring. For some
of us, that was the first time we had ever seen same-sex couples
dancing together.
[source: Jim Parrott.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dances]
1971, May 31 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Waterloo University Gay Liberation Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161 Grad Student Lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.3, 1971, May 28 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, June * WUGLM: Gemini Newsletter, 1st Issue
Volume I, Number 1 of the Gemini newsletter was published in June 1971.
This first issue had 4 pages; its format size was 28.0 cm x 21.6 cm (11.0" x 8.5").
On the front cover near the bottom was the note: “WATERLOO UNIVERSITIES' GAY LIBERATION
MOVEMENT, WATERLOO, ONTARIO” and on the back cover was the note:
“ is published by the Waterloo Universities' Gay
Liberation Movement, c/o Federation of Students, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario.”
This issue reprinted the Constitution of WUGLM.
The issue included an editorial entitled “On the Foundation of Gay Lib”
by President, John Dunbar, assessing the experiences of WUGLM in its
first few months of existence; he indicated that the group felt that helping individuals, particularly
“the frightened, alientated homophile”, was “the real core function of GAY
LIBERATION.”
It also contained an article entitled “??What is Gay Liberation??”
by Joel Hartt (an instructor at Waterloo Lutheran University, now called
Wilfrid Laurier University) on the nature of gay liberation; at one point he stated that
“Gay dances, ‘gay-ins’, homophiles walking arm-in-arm in the streets, kissing in the
parks, just as heterophiles are permitted to do, are some of the specific measures that can be
taken.”
There was also a news item entitled “Two Guelph Gay-Ins Successful”
about the two “gay-ins” (March 17 and 18) that took place at the
University of Guelph pub.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.1, 1971, June.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | publications | Gemini]
1971, June 4 (Friday) * Chevron: Article on WUGLM
On p.3 of Chevron, Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday), there was a short article on
WUGLM entitled “Gay lib has ‘great future’”, which was
based on an interview with WUGLM President, John Dunbar. The article read as follows.
“According to gay liberation president John Dunbar, the homophile club on this campus has a
‘great future’. Gay lib was organized two months ago ‘to provide an alternative by
which (a person) may decide what is the most personal, relevant and meaningful sexual experience’
he is to hold. Dunbar regrets that most of the joiners seem to be people with no emotional hangups. He is
concerned about the frightened and alienated student with homosexual tendencies who feels he has no place
to go. There is also a noticeable lack of female members, both homosexual and heterosexual. It would
seem most people are frightened to join such organizations. For the most part university reaction has
been favourable. The group recently received the support of the student federation and counselling
services which feels the club has a lot to contribute by helping people who previously had no place to
receive advice if they were concerned with their homophilic tendencies. Next year's plans include
regular meetings with guest speakers (authorities) to discuss such topics as religion and homosexuality,
and homosexuality and the family. Representatives will be helping at registration to make students
aware of the organization. Film nights are planned as well as other camp surprises. A meeting to be
held soon will determine if gay lib is active through the entire summer.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday),
p.3.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, June 4 (Friday) * Chevron: Attempt at Gay Humour
On p.12, the back cover of Chevron, Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday), there was what
was apparently an attempt at gay-oriented humour. Someone decided that it
would be entertaining to display a photograph of a large woman wearing almost no clothing,
with the caption “Gay is better”, followed by two interlocking male symbols, and then the
statement “Support your local GLF.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday),
p.12.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | humour]
1971, June 7 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Waterloo University Gay Liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161 Grad Student Lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, Summer * WUGLM: Dance
A dance was sponsored by WUGLM some time in the Summer.
[source: Jim Parrott.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dances]
1971, Summer * WUGLM: Toronto Island Picnic
A picnic was held at Toronto Island and attended by WUGLM
members.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.2, 1971, August, pp.1 & 8;
the picture on p.1 shows signs spelling “CHAT” (Community Homophile
Association of Toronto).]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | picnics]
1971, Summer * WUGLM: WLU Class Visits WUGLM
A professor from Waterloo Lutheran University (now known as
Wilfrid Laurier University), Joel Hartt, brought his class to one
of the WUGLM meetings. Later on, his class came to a party/pub
that WUGLM organized.
[source: Jim Parrott.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM]
1971, June 28 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Waterloo University Gay Liberation general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161 Grad student lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.7, 1971, June 25 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, July 12 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Waterloo University Gay Liberation Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161, Grad Student Lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.8, 1971, July 9 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, July 19 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Waterloo University Gay Liberation Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161, grad student lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.9, 1971, July 16 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, July 26 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Waterloo University Gay Liberation Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm HUM161, grad student lounge.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.10, 1971, July 23 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, August * WUGLM: Gemini Newsletter, 2nd Issue
Volume I, Number 2 of Gemini was published in August 1971.
This issue had 8 pages; its format size was 28.0 cm x 21.6 cm (11.0" x 8.5").
The header on the cover of this issue read: “GEMINI Volume I, Number 2, August 1971.
Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.”
The rest of the cover consisted of a large photograph (showing signs spelling “CHAT”
(Community Homophile Association of Toronto) with the caption
“SUN AND FUN. Gay Picnic on Toronto Island was great success. (Additional pictures on p.8)”
The masthead on p.7 included the note:
“GEMINI is published by the Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement, c/o Federation of
Students, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.”
This issue contained an article entitled “Psychotherapy & Homosexuality” referring to the
beginning of a shift in psychotherapy away from viewing homosexuality in itself as pathological.
There was a list of 7 books (published between 1948 and 1969) on “informative and useful scientific
studies on the subject of homosexuality“.
There was also a report on a cordial meeting between WUGLM President John Dunbar and
Dr. B.C. Matthews, the President of the University of Waterloo.
There were two poems, as well as an opinion piece by Don Miller in a feature entitled
“Bitchbag” complaining about the lack of help from WUGLM members in planning events.
There were reprints of newspaper articles on homosexuality and psychology, on police entrapment of gay men
in Toronto (an interview in a Toronto paper with George Hislop of the Community Homophile
Association of Toronto), and on a 1928 appeal for homosexual rights.
The issue also reprinted part of a letter from Dr. Franklin Kameny, “founder and President of
the Mattachine Society of Washington, the oldest homophile organization in the United States” in
reply to a letter from John Dunbar containing a copy of the first issue of Gemini.
The back cover included a “Gay Guide to Toronto” and a couple more pictures from the gay
picnic on Toronto Island; it also gave a detailed calendar of events planned by WUGLM from September 13 to
December 17.
Finally on this last page (page 8) there was an announcement that read:
“GEMINI has several addresses for people seeking accommodation in a gay household. For information
contact ###-####.” This was evidently the forerunner of WUGLM's housing registry.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.2, 1971, August.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | publications | Gemini]
1971, August 20 (Friday) * Chevron: Article on WUGLM
On p.4 of Chevron, Vol.12, No.12, 1971, August 20 (Friday), there was a short article on
WUGLM entitled “Gays promise fun ”, which was
based on an interview with WUGLM President, John Dunbar.
This article was essentially a shortened, updated version of the article on p.3 of
Chevron, Vol.12, No.4, 1971, June 4 (Friday), which was entitled
“Gay lib has ‘great future’”.
The August 20 article read as follows.
“According to gay liberation president John Dunbar, the homophile club on this campus has a
‘great future’. Gay lib was organized four months ago ‘to provide an alternative by
which (a person) may decide what is the most personal, relevant and meaningful sexual experience’
he is to hold. Dunbar regrets that most of the joiners seem to be people with no emotional hangups. He is
concerned about the frightened and alienated student with homosexual tendencies who feels he has no place
to go. There is also a noticeable lack of female members, both homosexual and heterosexual.
For the most part university reaction has
been favourable. The group recently received the support of the student federation and counselling
services which feels the club has a lot to contribute by helping people who previously had no place to
receive advice if they were concerned with their homophilic tendencies. This year's plans include
regular meetings with guest speakers (authorities) to discuss such topics as religion and homosexuality,
and homosexuality and the family.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.12, 1971, August 20 (Friday), p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, August 28 (Saturday) * WUGLM: Ottawa Rally and March
In the Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), on p.3 there was an article
entitled “Gays ‘liberate’ the Hill” (captioned “Local activities
planned”).
The part concerning the Ottawa march and rally read as follows.
“About 15 university of Waterloo homosexuals were among more than 100 members of Ontario's
homophile movement who demonstrated in Ottawa late in the summer.
According to local gays, the august 28 march on Parliament Hill was a vital experience for members to
admit openly that their homosexuality was not something to be ashamed of.
Waterloo universities' gay liberation movement president John Dunbar said the small turnout probably
could be blamed on the constant rain. Dunbar said reaction to the demonstration was favorable among
observers on the Hill though others, notably Dick Smyth, news director of Toronto's CHUM, reacted with a
scathing radio denunciation of the ‘mental and sexual abberation’ of homosexuality.
Smyth said the prospect of homosexuality was about ‘as savory as a demonstration for equality and
acceptance by militant alcoholics, lepers ot lunatics.’
Smyth was forced by CHUM's owners to allow equal editorial time to pro homosexual spokesmen after the
Toronto Gay Action group published its own searing attack on Smyth's views.
Toronto Gay Action in an off-shoot of the Community Homophile Association of Toronto which works with
services and social agencies to counsel homosexuals and arrange non-private dances and social events.
A brief prepared by Gay Action and directed to the federal department of justice was presented by
demonstrators at the Parliament Hill event. A major recommendation of the brief calls on the
government to amend the canadian bill of rights to guarantee freedom from repression on the basis of
‘sexuality’ as well as race, national origin, color, religion or sex.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), p.3.]
Gemini, Volume I, Number 3,
1971, October contained some photographs of the gay rally and
march in Ottawa held Saturday, August 28, 1971.
The front cover had a photo of three people at the event; p.2 had a photograph showing some people from
WUGLM at the event; and the back cover (p.12) had the header: “Gay Day Demonstration in Ottawa”
and featured two more photos from the rally and march.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October: photos on pp.1, 2 & 12.]
Jim Parrott recalls: “Members of WUGLM participated in a gay rally and march in Ottawa.
We had a lot of fun, in spite of the rain.”
[source: Jim Parrott.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | political activism]
1971, September 10 (Friday) * Chevron: Article on Future WUGLM Activities
On p.3 of Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), there was an article
entitled “Gays ‘liberate’ the Hill” (captioned “Local activities
planned”).
The part concerning the local activities planned read as follows.
“Local gay activity begins with a gay orientation pub on the 16th of september which will feature
male go-go dancers from a Toronto gay club.
The club here has about 100 members at this university and Waterloo Lutheran and plans a full schedule
of activities through the year.
Speakers addressing the group will include health services' director Dan Andrew, federation of students
lawyer Morley Rosenberg, local NDP member Max Saltzman and doctor Franklin Kameny, founder of the
Mattachine Society, fore-runner of today`s gay liberation cells.
The club is also organizing empathy and encounter sessions with the aid of counselling services. The
sessions, open to anyone, are designed to ‘raise gay people to a realization of their true sexual
integrity.’
Club members suggest new people may be interested in film nights, drag balls, camping trips and
Christmas fairyland, which the club also intends to sponsor.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), p.3.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, September 16 (Thursday) * WUGLM: Dance at Campus Pub
Gemini,
v.I, no.2, p.8 gave a “Calendar of events” covering the period
September 13 to December 17, including an entry for September 16 entitled “Pub”, in which
the digit “6” in the date was clearly a handwritten correction.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.2, 1971, August, p.8.]
“THURSDAY ... Gay Liberation Pub in campus centre with Whiplash and and [sic]
Go-Go Boys. 9 pm. 10 cents members, 25 cents non-members.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.12, 1971, August 20 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
On p.3 of the Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), in an article
entitled “Gays ‘liberate’ the Hill” (captioned “Local activities
planned”), there was the following note.
“Local gay activity begins with a gay orientation pub on the 16th of september which will feature
male go-go dancers from a Toronto gay club.”
Jim Parrott recalls that some problem developed, and the dancers from Toronto did not
appear at the event; as a result, some WUGLM members performed as go-go boys in their place.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.13, 1971, September 10 (Friday), p.3.]
Jim Parrott recalls that pub dance as follows.
“In October of 1971, WUGLM sponsored a pub dance
in the Campus Center Pub (now called ‘Bombshelter’).
There were many non-LesBiGay people in attendance. A special
feature that particularly amused the feminists was that a couple
of male WUGLM members acted as go-go dancers. [Go-go dancing was
usually performed with minimal clothing, and on a raised
surface.] Our two ‘go-go boys’ were dancing, rather
precariously, on two tables in the pub. It became clear that a
group of engineers was determined to disrupt the pub, and they
thought the most interesting way of doing that would be to
prevent the go-go performance. [Or perhaps they were less amused
by the spectacle than the feminists.] In any case, they were
prevented from disrupting the reverse-sexism performance by a
human wall formed of LesBiGays and friends. Two of the engineers
evidently decided to salvage the disruption attempt by mimicking
the go-go performance. They found two tables of their own, and
began dancing with their shirts off. One of the engineers
obligingly responded to calls of ‘Take it off!’ by
lowering his pants completely and mooning the assembly. It was a
night to remember.”
Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October included pictures taken at the pub on pp.10 and 11; the middle
photo on p.10 is of the talented pair of engineers; the picture on p.11 is of a very young
and slender Jim Parrott, along with some unidentified people at the pub.
[Source: Jim Parrott;
Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October, pp.10 and 11.]
Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October, p.3 included a letter to the editor from Dave Jones
that read as follows.
“In view of the tremendous success of the pub which was held September 15/71, I would like to
suggest that a similar pub night be held once a month if possible. It would likely be more convenient
for most people if it were held on a Friday since the majority do not have classes or work the
following morning. Future events of this nature should prove to be very popular.”
Note that the event was actually held on September 16, as other sources make clear.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October, p.3 and pictures on pp.10 and 11.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dances]
1971, September 20 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
HUM161 Grad Lounge 8pm”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.14, 1971, September 17 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.7.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, September 24 (Friday) * Chevron: Letter: Gay Lib Pub
On p.5 of Chevron,
Vol.12, No.16, 1971, September 24 (Friday), in the
“feedback” section there was an letter by Jim Parrott
entitled “Gay lib thanks you”.
The text of the letter was as follows.
“We'd like to thank all the people who came out and made our gay lib orientation pub such a
success. Special thanks go to the rugger team who responded to the performance of our go-go boys with an
impromptu striptease. That's what gay lib's all about—people coming out and enjoying themselves.
We'd also like to thank all the other people straight and gay who, although they didn't join in the rugger
strip-in, did the best they could, and created a very together feeling on the dance floor. We have more
carnivals of this nature planned, and hope they will meet with the same acceptance and
enthusiasm.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.16, 1971, September 24 (Friday), “feedback”,
p.5.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, September 27 (Monday) * WUGLM: Party
“MONDAY ... Gay Lib party everyone welcome Monday sept 27, 8 pm
Hum 161.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.16, 1971, September 24 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | parties]
1971, October * WUGLM: Gemini Newsletter: 3rd Issue
Volume I, Number 3 of Gemini was published in October 1971.
This issue had 12 pages; its format size was 28.0 cm x 21.6 cm (11.0" x 8.5"); the entire issue was
printed in pink ink, including the photographs.
The header on the cover of this issue read: “GEMINI Volume I, Number 3, October 1971.
Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.”
The rest of the cover consisted of a large photograph showing a few people who were participating
in the gay rally and march in Ottawa held Saturday, August 28, 1971.
The back cover (p.12) had the header: “Gay Day Demonstration in Ottawa” and featured two
more photos from the rally and march; there was another photograph on p.2.
The issue included a brief news item about a recent celebration by the University of Rochester's Gay
Liberation Front.
There was also a brief report on an informal meeting of Ontario Gay Liberation Groups held in Toronto
on Saturday, Oct. 15 and attended by several WUGLM members, noting that a further informal meeting was
planned for the end of November at the University of Waterloo.
The Editorial exhorted readers to help accomplish things instead of just complaining about things that
WUGLM was or was not doing.
There was a comment piece in “Bitchbag” from a young lesbian who had become disillusioned
by her experiences in trying to make friends and establish a relationship in the local gay community.
There was a letter from Dave Jones about the recent pub sponsored by WUGLM (the date for which
he gave as September 15, but which was actually September 16, Thursday); he suggested that this be done
once a month, but preferably on Fridays.
The issue also contained three poems.
The issue had a four-page centre insert (stapled in and numbered as pp.5-8) entitled “Gay Day Brief
to the Federal Government”, which was a reprint of a brief that people from “various Gay
Liberation groups tried to present to the Federal Government in Ottawa.”
The brief is from the “August 28th Gay Day Committee”; its cover letter was dated a week
earlier, August 21, 1971.
The issue followed this by a reprint of a letter from John Dunbar to the local Member of Parliament,
Max Saltzman, in which Dunbar pointed out the size of the homosexual component of the latter's
riding, noted that much remained to done to improve gay rights, and expressed the hope that our local MP
would employ his “political prestige to promote these objectives of freedom and equality for all
citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation.”
This was followed by a reprint of a letter from Saltzman in response.
There was an announcement of the visit by Dr. Franklin E. Kameny, President, Mattachine
Society of Washington, D.C., on November 15 and 16, along with a photograph of Kameny.
The issue also contained details of the budget request of $1430.00 for the 1971-72 year to the Federation
of Students, and the response by the Treasurer of the Federation of Students, granting WUGLM $600.00 for
that time period.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | publications | Gemini]
1971, October 8 (Friday) * WUGLM: Dance at Campus Pub
“TODAY ... Gay Lib Pub with Whiplash. 8 pm CC pub.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.20, 1971, October 8 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dances]
1971, October 12 (Tuesday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“TUESDAY ... Gay Lib general meeting. 8:30 pm HUM161.”
[Note the change from Monday to Tuesday, which was necessitated by the fact that Monday, October 11 was
Thanksgiving.]
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.20, 1971, October 8 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, October 15 (Saturday) * WUGLM: Toronto Meeting of Ontario GLM Groups
On p.2 of Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October was a brief report on an informal meeting of Ontario
Gay Liberation Groups held in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 15 and attended by several WUGLM members.
The report began: “On Saturday, Oct. 15, several members of the movement attended a meeting of
Ontario Gay Liberation Movements. The meeting, held at Hart House, University of Toronto, was called
to exchange views and experiences between the various groups and organizations.”
The report noted that the question of creating a privincial organization was discussed briefly;
members concluded that that “at this time informal get-togethers would be more beneficial,
especially since each group is experiencing different problems and issues.”
The report concluded with the following:
“It was therefore decided to call another informal meeting of this nature to be held toward the end
of November at the University of Waterloo. Main topics of discussion will be: publicity, exchange of
information, how to start movements in other centres, and related topics. Details will be announced
early in November.”
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | conferences]
1971, October 18 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting: Speaker: George Hislop
“MONDAY Gay Lib meeting. Guest speaker George Hislop, head of the Community Homophile
Association of Toronto (CHAT) 8pm HUM161.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.21, 1971, October 15 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, October 21 (Thursday) * Under Attack Taping at University of Waterloo
On p.3 of Chevron,
Vol.12, No.24, 1971, October 26 (Tuesday), there was an article
entitled “Germaine Greer: warm and human responses” (captioned “Lang ripped for
homosexual discrimination”).
The article reported on the taping at the University of Waterloo of an episode of “Under
Attack”, which consisted of two parts: the first featuring Otto Lang (federal Minister of
Manpower and Immigration), and the second featuring Germaine Greer, noted feminist.
The report on the portion featuring Lang included the following passage mentioning a question from
WUGLM President John Dunbar.
“The panel—all male— challenged the minister of manpower and immigration on his
government's bias against the unskilled, non-white and homosexual immigrant.
John Dunbar asked Lang if the immigration laws against homosexuals were not putting the Canadian
government into the bedrooms of other nations in opposition to Prime Minister Trudeau's comment on the
revision of the Canadian criminal code.”
The report continued with the following response by Lang.
“Lang replied that Canada has the right to decide who is desirable enough to come into Canada,
and suggested that he would not even want to change the paragraph in the immigration act which links
homosexuality with pimps and prostitutes.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.24, 1971, October 26 (Tuesday), p.3.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1971, October 25 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Gay Lib general meeting. All people welcome. 8 pm HUM161.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.23, 1971, October 22 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, November 1 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay Lib meeting. Everyone welcome. 8pm HUM161.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.12, No.25, 1971, October 29 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.27.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1971, November 15 and 16 * WUGLM: Franklin Kameny Visit
WUGLM sponsored a visit by Franklin Kameny, a Washington D.C.
activist who campaigned for homosexual rights well before the
birth of the North American Gay Liberation Movement in 1969.
[source: Gemini,
v.I, no.3, 1971, October, p.9.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | Franklin Kameny Visit]
“Gay Lib has two video tapes, each about forty minutes in length, made when Dr. Franklin Kameny
visited campus last year. Upon our last viewing, it was decided to reduce them to one tape by means of
editing. This tape will then be available for use by classes on either of the two campuses.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 1, Issue 1, 1973, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | Franklin Kameny Visit]