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1972, Winter Term * WUGLM : Sensitivity Groups
Prior to the Winter term, several WUGLM members had expressed an
interest in what was variously (and probably inaccurately)
described as sensitivity groups and consciousness-raising groups.
So we decided to start one up in the January term of 1972. The
group that we formed was closed in that participants signed up
beforehand, and no new participants were admitted after a certain
point. We met weekly in the residences of various participants,
moving from one home to another. (We felt a home atmosphere would
be more congenial than an institutional one.) None of us were
trained therapists, but we saw ourselves more as a support group
than a therapy group. The group had an experiential, rather than
intellectual, base. I believe that we may have had topics for
each evening, but that we didn't make a major effort to stay on
topic, so that participants were free to report on situations or
feelings that might have been important to them in the previous
week. When the end of term came, it was clear that the experience
had been a fulfilling one for participants. And we decided to
continue. (see Spring Term 1972).
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | discussion groups]
1972, Winter Term * WUGLM: Zapping Campus Dances
In 1972, it was common for a society, like the Science Society,
that wanted to sponsor a pub/dance to arrange one in a large
location such as the Festival Room of South Campus Hall. In the
Winter term of 1972, WUGLM “;zapped” several pubs of
this sort (mostly in South Campus Hall). “Zapping” was
the new term to describe the “gay-ins” of the previous
year. The basic idea was that between 15 to 30 WUGLM members
would go to the pub and integrate the dance floor. We usually
began by having lesbian/gay male couples dancing, until we had
sufficiently built up our collective nerve. Then we switched
partners! The interesting thing is that the responses from other
people were generally rather restrained, with a few exceptions.
These experiences were invariably exhilarating, but a bit
nerve-wracking as well. We did these zaps primarily as a way of
exposing the public to more diverse life-styles than most of them
had probably experienced before. We did that in the hope of
encouraging people to see homosexuality as a natural part of the
human experience. These zaps were also fun, but could not take
the place of our own pub/dances, since the zaps were much harder
on the nerves.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dance zaps]
1972, Spring Term * WUGLM: Sensitivity Groups With London Group
Because there were fewer WUGLM members here during the Spring
term, we decided to have a joint sensitivity group with the gay
group in London. This was quite an interesting experience. One
week the group met in Kitchener-Waterloo, and the next week in
London. This group was very similar in its operation to the one
we had in the Winter term.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | discussion groups |
community groups | Homophile Association of London]
1972, Spring Term * WUGLM: Dances at Hammerskjold House
This term our Social Committee arranged some dances in the
Hammerskjold House Co-operative Residence.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | dances]
1972, May 15 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay Liberation Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome. 8 pm CC113.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.1, 1972, May 12 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, Spring or Early Fall Term * WUGLM: Participating in Toronto Demonstration
WUGLM members participated in a gay demonstration in Toronto.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | political activism]
1972, Fall Term * WUGLM: U W Counselling Services & More Sensitivity Groups
“With the aid of counselling services from the U of W, three sensitivity groups were
formed this past fall [i.e. the Fall of 1972]. They consisted of a mixture of gays and straights.
At the same time a few members from G.L.M. were meeting with many of the counsellors to discuss
homosexuality. Our meetings with them were an attempt to broaden their awareness of gay people as well
as to personally aquaint [sic] ourselves with the counsellors.&38221;
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 1, Issue 1, 1973, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | discussion groups]
In response to the success of the sensitivity groups in the two
previous terms, we arranged three separate sensitivity groups
this term. Because some people were not comfortable without a
trained group leader, we arranged the groups through Counseling
Services. As I recall, the groups were well received; but I
believe that this was the last term that we had sensitivity
groups. Perhaps by this time we had had a surfeit of sensitivity.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | discussion groups]
1972, August 18 (Friday) * Chevron: Article on Gay Liberation
On p.7 of Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), which was the Fall Orientation issue, there was an article
by Jim Parrott entitled “Gripping gay lib”, which was primarily about how his
coming-out experiences had been helped by his involvement with WUGLM.
He emphasized that he was not trying to generalize:
“I'm speaking for myself, of my own experiences, and to a lesser extent of those that friends
have shared with me. For other people the experience has been very different.”
He spoke of his experiences from the time of joining WUGLM at its first meeting on 1971, March 8 to
the summer of 1972 when he came out to his father.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), p.7.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1972, September 7 (Thursday) - September 10 (Sunday) * Federation of Students: Screening of Fortune and Men's Eyes
On p.22 of Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), which was the Fall Orientation issue, in a section entitled
“FALL MOVIES”, under “Sept. 7,8,9,10”, screenings of two films were listed:
“Fortune in Men's Eyes” [in which “in” is used in place of “and”]
and “Fixer”.
The screening of the 1971 film “Fortune and Men's Eyes”,
based on the 1967 play by John Herbert
about homosexuality in prison, would likely have been considered a controversial choice for the first
week of Fall Orientation.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), p.22.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Federation of Students | Fed Flicks]
1972, September 11 (Monday) * WUGLM: Speaker
On p.28 of Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), which was the Fall Orientation issue, in a section entitled
“FEDERATION OF STUDENTS ORIENTATION PROGRAM”, was an entry under “MON. SEPT.
11/72” that read “EVENING—GAY LIBERATION SPEAKER—8 p.m.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.10, 1972, August 18 (Friday), p.28.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, September 18 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay Lib Movement general meeting. Everyone welcome 8pm HUM280.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.12, 1972, September 15 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.7.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, September 25 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting: Discussion: The Gay Stereotype
“MONDAY ... Waterloo University Gay Liberation discussion meeting. Title:
The Gay Stereotype: An informal discussion about people stereotypes in our society.
Everyone welcome. 8pm HUM280.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.14, 1972, September 22 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, October 2 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay Liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8 pm HUM 280.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.16, 1972, September 29 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, October 9 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8 pm CC135.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.18, 1972, October 6 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.12.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, October 11 (Wednesday) * UW Campus Centre Board: Screening of The Killing of Sister George
“WEDNESDAY Campus centre movies. ‘The Killing of Sister George’
8 pm. Sponsored by Campus Centre Board.”
Note: ‘The Killing of Sister George’ was a 1968 lesbian-themed movie that was one of the
earliest films to be given an “X” rating in the United States, evidently because of a
graphic lesbian sex scene. This rating considerably limited its exposure to North American
audiences. It is not clear whether the screening in the UW Campus Centre was of a cut or uncut
version of the film.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.18, 1972, October 6 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.12.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | UW Campus Centre Board | film screenings]
1972, October 16 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting: Discussion: On Coming Out
“MONDAY Gay liberation movement ‘On coming out’ a panel discussion on
the hassles of coming out and the process of liberation, led by a counsellor, a gay woman and a gay
man. 8 pm CC113. Everyone welcome.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.19, 1972, October 13 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.12.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, October 23 (Monday) * WUGLM: Social Evening
“MONDAY Gay Lib social evening. Come and meet people. Everyone welcome.
8 pm CC 113.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.20, 1972, October 20 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.7.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | social evenings]
1972, November 6 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Gay Liberation Movement general meeting.
8pm CC113. Everyone welcome.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.22, 1972, November 3 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.9.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, November 13 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY Gay Liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8pm CC113.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.23, 1972, November 10 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.8.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, November 16 (Thursday) - November 19 (Sunday) & November 23 (Thursday) - November 26 (Sunday) * UW Humanities Theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest
On p.20 of Chevron,
Vol.13, No.23, 1972, November 10 (Friday), there was an article by lynn bowers
entitled “Another re-make of ‘Earnest’”, which described an upcoming
performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde.
According to the reporter: “It will be noted that Pat Young is playing a female role, that of
Lady Bracknell. This was not intended as a gimic, notes Scott [director Mita Scott]: there were
just no females suitable for the part whereas Pat possesses and can portray the dynamism which is
so much a part of Lady Bracknell's character.”
Jim Parrott notes: “Pat Young was an active member of WUGLM at the time; he gave a
truly imperious performance as Lady Bracknell in this production,
which was seen by many members of WUGLM.
I'm not sure whether the Stratford Festival had yet cast a man as Lady Bracknell by 1972, but they
certainly did so quite frequently in later years.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.23, 1972, November 10 (Friday), p.20; Jim Parrott.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | UW Humanities Theatre | plays]
1972, November 20 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Gay Liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8 pm CC113.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.24, 1972, November 17 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.8.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, November 23 (Thursday) - November 26 (Sunday) * Federation of Students: Screening of Sunday, Bloody Sunday
On p.8 of Chevron,
Vol.13, No.21, 1972, October 27 (Friday), in a section entitled “B.S.A. UPCOMING
EVENTS—NOVEMBER”, there was a listing of four screenings of “Sunday, Bloody
Sunday” (all at 8:00 pm) each evening from November 23 (Thursday) - November 26 (Sunday) as
part of the Fed Flicks series sponsored by the UW Federation of Students.
Note: “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”, a 1971 film by John Schlesinger was about a love
triangle between a gay man (played by Peter Finch), a bisexual man (played by Murray
Head) and a woman (played by Glenda Jackson). This was one of the first major films to
give a sensitive portrayal of a well-adjusted gay man; it also included one of the first romantic
kisses between two men in mainstream cinema.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.21, 1972, October 27 (Friday), p.8.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Federation of Students | Fed Flicks]
1972, November 27 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Gay Liberation movement general meeting. Everyone welcome.
8 pm CC113.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.25, 1972, November 24 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.9.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1972, December 4 (Monday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“MONDAY ... Gay Liberation movement general meeting.
8pm CC113. Everyone welcome.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.13, No.26, 1972, December 1 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.7.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]