This was followed by a Pride week held in the following year, featuring another picnic but also a small march in the city. It was organized by the Community Homophile Association of Toronto (CHAT) and Toronto Gay Action. The first ever Pride picnic in Toronto was held on August 1, 1971, at Hanlan’s Point. George Hislop, cofounder of CHAT, and the first openly gay city council candidate, joined the younger activist for the inaugural march in 1972. As the group of approximately 300 people marched up University Avenue, defying the city with their unsanctioned parade, Moldenhauer noted the “unmarked police cars, with cameras, taking pictures…”. In the former synagogue that housed CHAT at the time, Pride had “panel discussions, there was an art exhibit, there was enough space to have dances – everything.” But it wasn’t all fun and games.
Jearld Moldenhauer, who spoke to queerstory.ca about CHAT’s involvement, detailed the first gay pride week held in 1972.
The ArQuives has a full collection of archival artifacts, vertical files, video and photography documenting the events and activism that infused this movement and the early iterations of Pride. Regardless of this debate, the 1970s ground swell of grassroots activism, individual sacrifice, risk and the innovative community building of Toronto’s gay community must be acknowledged and heralded as the beginning of the national queer movement that is responsible for the rights we now cherish. To celebrate Pride month, we wanted to take a look at the very first Pride in Toronto: when was it? What was it? The date of the first “ Official Pride” will continue to be debated among academics, scholars and activists. Pride however has its roots, as we all know, in much humbler beginnings. Today, there are 45 sponsors listed on Pride Toronto’s Pride 2018 page, and it seems like the third annual instalment of Pride month in Toronto will be bigger than ever. In June 2017, Pride Toronto held its second annual “Pride Month.” More than 2.1 million people attended programming that spanned 25 days. A recent Pew survey found that just 16 per cent of Russians think homosexuality should be accepted by society.Where were the seeds of our Pride Month planted? How did it start? Petersburg, where some 60 gay rights activists were arrested. “This would not be able to happen in Russia,” he said, referring to Saturday’s crackdown on Pride celebrations in St. Hawkes noted the dire conditions for LGBT people in many countries around the world. “The bible says to whom much is given, much will be required,” he said. The minister added that the gay community in Toronto had much to be grateful for, including “overcoming the worst of the AIDS crisis, when every week there was another funeral.”īut in his sermon, Hawkes cautioned against getting “caught in the bubble of gratitude.”
“We’re so proud of who you are and what you do,” he told Wynne, who was sitting in the front row, flanked by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and his predecessor Bob Rae. Hawkes said he never thought he would live to see a gay Ontario premier.
Wynne received a hero’s welcome from the hundreds gathered on the final day of Pride Week, as Rev. A celebratory mood prevailed at the “Church on Church Street” Sunday morning, as the gay village congregation hosted a slew of top Canadian politicians, headlined by Kathleen Wynne, Canada’s first openly gay premier.