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1974, January * WUGLM: Gemini II Newsletter, 2nd Vol., 1st Issue
The header on the cover of this issue read: “GEMINI II. Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation
Movement Volume 2 issue 1”
Near the bottom of the cover was the note: “january '74”
This issue had 5 pages including the front page; its format size was 27.9 cm x 21.6 cm (11.0" x 8.5").
The cover also featured a drawing by Bob Williams.
It contained a letter to the editor about the arrogance of political activists, a note about
a dance sponsored by the University of Western Ontario Homophile Assocation (UWOHA) in London,
a brief summary of events of concern to the local community in the previous year (1973),
a report on the First Annual Mr. Club of Toronto Contest, and a couple of reports of crimes in the
Toronto gay community.
The issue contained a report on the December 10 WUGLM meeting where some Toronto activists discussed
the National Gay Election Coalition, and
a report that plans for a local community centre had been shelved and the associated committees
dissolved.
There was also a note indicating that although the dances at the IOOF Hall (on Lodge St. in Waterloo)
had been quite successful, the Hall was not available in January and February because of renovations, and
consequently WUGLM's social committee was looking for a location for the dances that they wanted to have.
There was also a piece on the perils of medical psychology, a note about a new word
(“homex”), a couple of short pieces about interpersonal relations, and a little
short story entitled “peut-être”.
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 1, 1974, January.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | publications | Gemini II]
1974, January * Community Group Plans Shelved
“After the community meetings and four months of various committee meetings
plans for a community organization have been shelved. The planned community meeting in
January has been cancelled and all committees have been dissolved. The reason behind
such action appears to be the general lack of support for such a move into the
community. It seems that in the meantime fresh blood has been brought into the social
committee which has as its first job the finding of a location for all those dances we would
like to have. The dances at the IOOF Hall have been quite successful; however, it is being
renovated during January and February and thus is unavailable.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 1, 1974, January, p.3.]
[categories: community groups | Kitchener-Waterloo]
1974, January 19 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON NEWS January 19- dance at the Party Room, 517 York Street London sponsored by the
UWOHA. The location of the January 26 dance will be announced later (but there is one).”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 1, 1974, January, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, January 26 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON NEWS January 19- dance at the Party Room, 517 York Street London sponsored by the
UWOHA. The location of the January 26 dance will be announced later (but there is one).”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 1, 1974, January, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, February * WUGLM: Gemini II Newsletter, 2nd Vol., Issue 2
The header on the cover of this issue read: “GEMINI II. Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation
Movement Volume 2 Issue 2”.
Based on dates mentioned on p.2 of this issue, it seems reasonable to conclude that it was issued between
February 4 and February 9; we have therefore labelled it as a February 1974 issue.
This issue had 8 pages including the front page; its format size was 27.9 cm x 21.6 cm (11.0" x 8.5").
The cover also featured a drawing by Bob Williams.
This turned out to be the last issue of the Newsletter to be published.
The issue included a report on several upcoming dances in London, evidently organized by the
University group, University of Western Ontario Homophile Assocation (UWOHA).
It also included a report on the second Guelph dance at the Royal Hotel, mentioning among other
things that at times “there were so many people dancing that the floor began to
vibrate.” [Jim Parrott says: I well remember what a hair-raising experience that
vibrating floor was!] Other activities of the Guelph group were also mentioned. The issue
described the difficulties that the WUGLM social committee had in January and early February in booking
the hall of the Waterloo Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion to hold a dance there.
Regular dances held by the Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation group were mentioned. The issue reported on
police harrassment of a group of four Toronto women who had been treated poorly by the manager
of the Brunswick House on January 5.
The issue had another diatribe against medical psychology, and a brief piece on the Carriage House Hotel in
Toronto, which had opened in September as Toronto's first gay hotel.
Three pages of the issue included a
cartoon captioned “Kweer Komix Presents Aminal Theatre, featuring Hooty and Tooty in
‘Coming Out’” chronicling the misadventures of two gay owls as they come out, and morph
into Flopsy and Mopsy, two humans; the author (Jim Parrott) was evidently too dignified to
sign his name to this creation.
The issue concluded with a positive comment about homosexuals
by a heterosexual person, some news items related to Toronto and Montreal,
a report on a lesbian conference in Montreal, and a poem by Ed Phillips.
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | publications | Gemini II]
1974 * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): Dances, Office, Groups and Zap-Ins
“Regular dances, at first biweekly and later weekly, were held in the
Club Room of the Royal Hotel in Guelph. We fought for and finally got our own office,
at first in Massey Hall and then in the new University Centre.
Big things at the time included consciousness raising groups and zap-ins
at the campus pub.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
“The second Guelph dance at the Royal Hotel proved to be a great success, with
lots of physical contact necessitated by the close quarters of the Club Room.
The big event of the evening proved to be the performance of the Gilda Girls from St.
Catherines. Although the act was not perhaps as glittery as the name, they were rather
good and proved to be popular with the audience.
The evenings music was reminiscent and easy to dance to. During some of the music, however,
there were so many people dancing that the floor began to vibrate.
The group at Guelph is also active with an educational programme and supplies a weekly
column to the university newspaper, THE ONTARION. Sometime in February or March
THE ONTARION will run a special issue of commentaries, poems and graphics written by
the gay community.
They have a weekly radio call-in programme on the unversity station and hope to run a film
night sometime in the near future.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA | dances | discussion groups | dance zaps]
1974, February 9 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON February 9 - Dance, University Community Centre, 8:00 p.m. Members $1.00,
Non-members $1.50.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, February 23 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON ... February 23 - Dance, University Community Centre, 8:00 p.m. Members $1.00,
Non-members $1.50.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, March 1 (Friday) * Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation Movement: Dance
“HAMILTON The regular dance of Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation will be held the first
Friday in March at the Textile Workers Hall, Main Street East.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | McMaster groups | Hamilton-McMaster GLM | dances]
1974, March 2 (Saturday) * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): Kissing Booth, Etc.
“The U.G.H.A. offered a kissing booth and information centre during the University's
open house, better known as College Royal. We managed to hand out 10 dozen minced tarts
and 50 dozen cookies to curious but supportive on-lookers.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA]
1974, March 2 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dinner and Dance
“LONDON ... March 2 - Dinner and dance, Party Room, 517 York Street, 7:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. Advance
tickets only (before February 25) for dinner and dance are available from Waterloo GLM. ($4.00 members,
$4.50 non-members) Tickets ($2.50) for the dance portion only, will be available at the door.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, March 9 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON ... March 9 - Dance, University Community Centre, 8:00 p.m.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, March 23 (Saturday) * UWOHA: Dance
“LONDON ... March 23 - Dance, Party Room, 517 York Street, 8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Effective February 9, 1974, door prices for regular London dances have been increased to $1.00 for members
and $1.50 for non-members. The increase in admission will be used towards establishing a community
organization.”
[source: Gemini II,
Volume 2, issue 2, 1974, February, p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UWO groups | UWOHA | dances]
1974, May 18 (Saturday) - May 20 (Monday) * WUGLM Victoria Day Weekend Conference
WUGLM hosts a conference on Victoria Day weekend entitled "Gay Liberation and Human Growth."
It is intended to focus on self-growth rather than focus activism, which had been the focus
of most queer groups.
[source: Jim Parrott]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | conferences]
1974, June * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): Politics & Trudeau
“Four gay demonstrators at a Liberal rally in Guelph managed to upstage Pierre Trudeau
and got his 1974 attitude on gay rights (‘You didn't thank us in 1969.’).
Guelph participated in the National Gay Election Coalition, which preceded the National
Gay Rights Coalition.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA | political activism]
1974, August 16 (Friday) * Chevron: Article Describing WUGLM
On p.17 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.10, 1974, August 16 (Friday), there was an article by Margaret Murray
[writing as “Marg Murray”] entitled “Closet doors opening”.
The article began by speaking about changes in attitudes to homosexuality and the beginning of
the gay liberation movement in 1969.
The article concluded with a description of WUGLM; the text of that passage follows.
“The Waterloo Universities' Gay Liberation Movement has been in existence since March 1971
and is presently located in the campus centre, room 217c (ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line]).
The group is mainly concerned with education and social activities such as pubs and picnics, and
has an extensive library with a cross-section of the better psychological, sociological and
literary material available on sexuality. Regular meetings are held in room 113 of the campus
centre at 8p.m. on Monday nights and membership in the group is available to any individual
regardless of sexual orientation. Personal growth includes the exploration of one's sexuality
and it is hoped that anyone with questions and/or interest in the movement will feel free to use
the groups resources.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.10, 1974, August 16 (Friday), p.17.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, August 30 (Friday) - September 1 (Sunday) * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): 2nd National Gay Conference
“Five members of our organization attended the second National Gay Conference in
Winnipeg, forming the largest Ontario delegation.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA | conferences]
1974, September * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): Censure of Newspaper
“In September, we joined with various women's and racial groups calling for the
censure of a sexist, racist and anti-gay residence newspaper.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA | political activism]
1974, Fall * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): Other Activities
“We spoke at many university classes and in residence halls, and took part
in the club week each semester. In fall we purchased our sound equipment and continued
holding dances at the Royal Hotel....
We had also set up a small library of gay liberation books and periodicals.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA]
1974, October 4 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.4 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.15, 1974, October 4 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“PERSONAL” was the following notice.
“Gay lib office CC217C open Monday-Thursday 7-10pm and most afternoons for counselling and
information. Phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.15, 1974, October 4 (Friday), p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, October 4 (Friday) * Chevron: Article: Gays and Canadian Immigration
On p.5 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.15, 1974, October 4 (Friday), there was an article by Mike Gordon
entitled “Immigrations hassles Gay Lib”
The text of the article follows.
“It looks like gay people on campus who hold landed immigrant status may have trouble
obtaining their Canadian citizenship. On Aug. 26, 1974, John Kyper, a gay American citizen, was
given a deportation order at the Niagara Falls border point because he is an admitted homosexual.
Despite the recent liberalization of homosexuality for consenting adults and a 1966 White paper on
immigration which recommended that homosexuals no longer be regarded as ‘undesirable
types’ in immigration matters, federal officials are still continuing glaring discrimination
against homosexuals.
Mark MacGuigan, secretary to the Minister of Manpower and Immigration, claims ‘despite the
formal prohibition against homosexuals in the Immigration Act, immigration officials tell me that
they are not aware of any case in recent times in which a person has been denied admission, or
even questioned, because of homosexuality.’
But the facts speak for themselves, immigration officials are able to carry out policies which
contradict the official stand.
The major concern for gay people with landed immigrant status is that they can be denied their
citizenship at the whim of an official. This type of situation leaves gay people open to blackmail
by people who do not like homosexuals and who could inform immigration officials of their
sexuality (thus leaving them in danger of having their citizenship refused).
The Toronto-based Gay Alliance Towards Equality (GATE) is mounting a petition to demand that
John Kyper be permitted to enter the country. All interested in this issue and petition should
contact the Gay Liberation office in the campus centre.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.15, 1974, October 4 (Friday), p.5.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | Gays and Immigration]
1974, October 11 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.8 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.16, 1974, October 11 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“Personal” was the following notice.
“Gay lib office CC217c open Mon-Thurs 7-10 pm & most afternoons for counselling and
info. Phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.16, 1974, October 11 (Friday), p.8.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, October 16 (Wednesday) * WUGLM: Meeting
“Wednesday ... Gay Lib general meeting. All welcome for more Info call
ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line] evenings.”
Note the change from Monday evening to Wednesday evening; this may have been because
Monday, October 14, 1974 was Thanksgiving.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.16, 1974, October 11 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1974, October 18 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.12 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.17, 1974, October 18 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“PERSONAL” was the following notice.
“Gay Lib office CC217C open Monday-Thursday 7-10pm and most afternoons for counselling and
information. Phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.17, 1974, October 18 (Friday), p.12.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, October 25 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.4 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.18, 1974, October 25 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“PERSONAL” was the following notice.
“Gay Lib office CC 217C open Monday-Thursday 7-10pm and most afternoons for counselling and
information. Phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.18, 1974, October 25 (Friday), p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, October 30 (Wednesday) * WUGLM: Coffee House
“WEDNESDAY ... Gay Lib coffee house. 8:30pm CC110. All welcome ”
Note: Due to the sporadic manner in which the meeting / coffee house was advertised in the Fall of
1974, it is difficult to assess whether these shifts to Wednesday evenings were an aberration or
intended to be semi-permanent.
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.18, 1974, October 25 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1974, November 1 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.6 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.19, 1974, November 1 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“PERSONAL” was the following notice.
“Gay Lib office CC 217C open Mon-Thurs, 7-10pm and most afternoons for counselling and
information phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.19, 1974, November 1 (Friday), p.6.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, November 8 (Friday) * First Bridgeport Dance
A dance was held in the Bridgeport Community Centre. This was the start of the famous
“Bridgeport Dances,” the first attempt to provide regular and frequent dances for the
gay community in a time when commercial gay bars did not exist.
In fact, people came from miles around (Guelph, London, Hamilton, and Toronto).
And no wonder: after the first few months, attendance was usually between 150 and 200 people.
One Hallowe'en dance saw 300 people crammed into the Centre. The schedule varied between once a week
and once every two weeks. Over the next several years, other groups scheduled their own dances around
the Bridgeport schedule.
Here is an enumeration of the first 43 dances (each held on a Friday evening) from 1974, Nov. 8 to 1976, Apr. 23, along with some estimates of attendance for some of these dances:
1974, November 22 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.4 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.22, 1974, November 22 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“Personal” was the following notice.
“Gay Lib office CC217C open Mon-Thurs. 7-10 pm & most afternoons for counselling and
information. call 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.22, 1974, November 22 (Friday), p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, November 27 (Wednesday) * WUGLM: Coffee House
“Wednesday ... Gay Lib coffee house. Everyone welcome. CC 110 at
8:30pm.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.22, 1974, November 22 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1974, December 6 (Friday) * Chevron: Ad for WUGLM Counselling & Information
On p.4 of Chevron,
Vol.15, No.24, 1974, December 6 (Friday), in the “classified” section under
“Personal” was the following notice.
“Gay Lib office CC 217C open Mon-Thurs. 7-10pm and most afternoons for counselling and
information. Phone 885-1211 ext. #### [WUGLM's telephone line].”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.24, 1974, December 6 (Friday), p.4.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | Chevron | WUGLM]
1974, December 11 (Wednesday) * WUGLM: Coffee House
“Wednesday Gay Lib coffee house. Everyone welcome.
8:30 pm CC 110.”
[source: Chevron,
Vol.15, No.24, 1974, December 6 (Friday), “twoc,”
p.2.]
[categories: campus groups | UW groups | WUGLM | meetings]
1974, December * University of Guelph Homophile Association (UGHA): 1st International Gay Conference, Edinburgh
“In December, we sent a delegate to the first international gay conference
in Edinburgh, Scotland.”
[source: OUT!,
Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1978, p.4 (an article entitled
“GGE 5 Years”).]
[categories: campus groups | Guelph groups | UGHA | conferences]