THUNDER BAY -- This Ontario city of 100,000 people, witnessed the formation of its first gay liberation organization in January. Lakehead Gay Liberation was formed as a result of three years of effort on the part of a very small number of concerned gay people. Previous attempts to organize the city's homosexual community had been unsuccessful, seldom progressing beyond the discussion stage.
However, in January the conditions were right for the establishment of a group and, aided by the catalytic effect of a visit by Jearld Moldenhauer of "The Body Politic", the new organization was formed. Since then Lakehead Gay Liberation, although small in numbers, has received recognition as an official organization at Lakehead University and has begun to hold regular meetings. The group operates on social, educational, and political levels, but sees its primary
function as that of a vehicle for the self-education of the gay community and for the re-education of a prejudiced straight community.
Lakehead Gay Liberation has made plans for using the local media as a way of reaching out to large numbers of people. Its first public educational effort in this respect consisted of a twelve-minute live interview with members of LGL on the local CBC radio station. In addition the group's members are seeking out opportunities to give lectures and talks to other community organizations in an attempt to promote a dialogue between gays and straights.
The group reports that to date gay people in Thunder Bay have been indifferent and hostile, however, to the formation of a gay liberation organization and points specifically to the local gay bar as one of the most serious problems which it has to face. This bar has become the focal paint for gay social activity in the city. In the past, individuals have occasionally been subjected to physical assault, but recently there have been several violent attacks on the bar and its patrons. The increase in the frequency and violence of the attacks has created even more fears within the gay community.
The Lakehead organization has discussed alternative social functions as a supplement to the bar situation but few people are yet willing to risk any sort of public exposure by working on them. Meanwhile, the violence at the bar continues. -30-
17 Oct 1979
BACKSTREET AUXILIARY --- NEWSLETTER
BACKSTREET AUXILIARY - WHO ARE WE? A group of gay women and men got together about a month ago at the club to explore the possibilities of group activities not necessarily attached to the regular bar nights. We have been meeting regularly, on Tuesday evenings since then.
CGR0 SUB-COMMITTEE At one of these meetings, Joe Smith gave a lecture about CGRO - the Coalition for Gay Rights in Ontario, and its activities. The Coalition is a provincial organization working to improve gay rights across the province. A sub-committee of the Auxiliary was formed to approach CGRO for a group membership and to begin organizing materials about the up-coming battle to ammend(sic) the Human Rights Code in Ontario. Changes to the Human Rights Code are expected to be introduced in the legislature sometime this fall, and CGRO is attempting to organize province-wide support to have "sexual orientation" included in the ammended(sic) code as a clause protecting gays from discrimination. Backstreet Auxiliary are seeking your support in raising $50 towards the group membership in CGRO. There is a jar for donations by the cash-register on the bar. Please help us out.
HALLOWEEN DINNER/DANCE Backstreet Auxiliary is hosting a grand, spectacular dinner/dance on Saturday, Octobre(sic) 27th. There will be a choice of menues(sic), entertainment, and waiters/waitresses. Individual tickets are $6.50. For more detailed information please check out the posters on the wall in the club.
TUESDAY NIGHT MEETINGS The series of Tuesday night activities at the Club are open to all gays at no charge. They begin at 8:00 and usually go for a couple of hours, depending on what is on schedule that night. Past nights have included a movie, the lecture and discussion on CGRO, the playing of a documentry(sic) tape about the gay scene in Thunder Bay - made by CBQ a few years ago. The activities can be as varied and wide-ranging as your own interests. All are welcome.
Next Tuesday, Octobre(sic) 23 will be an evening of theatre games and encounter exercises, led by Michael Sobota. Wear old, or loose and comfortable clothes, as we may get into wild and wonderful things on the floor. Then again, you never know.
If we get enough positive feedback and/or support, there may be more of these Newsletters. For now, this is all the news that fits. Come and join our Tuesday nights for first hand information.