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Celebrating a History of Diversity:

Lesbian and Gay Life in Saskatchewan, 1971 - 2006
A Selected Annotated Chronology

The 1970s

1977

1977	Regina
The Odyssey Club discontinued its BYOB policy and began operating under special occasion liquor permits. Since only one permit was allowed each week, socials with liquor were usually only held on Saturdays.
[Hockley]

1977	Regina
Gary McDonald submitted the first academic thesis on a LG subject to a Saskatchewan university. His psychology MA thesis at the U of R was entitled The Relationship between sex-role stereotypes and attitudes toward women and male homosexuality in a non-clinical sample of homosexual men.

February	Toronto
The Body Politic, Canada’s national gay newspaper, marked the fifth anniversary of the GCCS with a feature describing Saskatoon as having ‘one of the biggest gay centres in the country.’
[Tom Warner, “Saskatoon,” The Body Politic, (February 1977) p. 11.]

February 8-10	Saskatoon
The GAU presented three nights of LG themed films at Place Riel Theatre. The program included Fox and His Friends, If, and Sunday Bloody Sunday.
[Gay Community Centre of Saskatoon. Newsletter, (February 1977) p. 1.]

March 9	Saskatoon
The GCCS appointed a committee to review the structure and operations of the Centre. The group had become paralyzed by personality conflicts and differing visions of the Centre’s mandate and organizational structure.
[Saskgaytoon (newsletter of the GCCS), (April 1977) p. 1.]

March 12	Regina
The Saskatchewan Association on Human Rights sponsored what was called “the largest gay rights demonstration ever held on the Prairies” at the Saskatchewan Legislature. One hundred and twenty-five protested the government’s lack of action on human rights amendments.
[“Gays stage protest,” RLP, (March 14 1977) p. 4. / “Marchers protest for human rights,” The Carillon, (March 17 1977)]

May 9	Ottawa
Private Barbara Thornborrow was questioned by the Canadian Armed Forces about her lesbianism. She decided to go public and fight officials who wished to expel her as a sexual deviate.

June 25	Ottawa
Parliament passed an amended Immigration Act removing homosexuals from the list of inadmissible classes.

June 29	Toronto
A Gallup Poll reported that 52% of Canadians believed homosexuals should be protected against discrimination.

June 29 - July 3	Saskatoon
Towards a Gay Community, the fifth national conference of lesbians and gay men, attracted delegates from across the country. The plenary sessions held at the U of S were raucous and bitter. The special conference guest was Private Barbara Thornborrow, who was at the time threatened with expulsion from the Canadian Armed Forces. The conference featured a large march for LG rights through downtown Saskatoon. An ambitious cultural and social program included an art exhibition, book displays at the University and public libraries, film screenings, and a cabaret and dance.
[“Gay rights conference,” Saskatoon Commentator, (June 29 1977) p. 12. / Doug McGee, “Gays march through Saskatoon…protection demanded,” SSP (July 2 1977) p. 20. / Mark Stobbe, “Gays Unit,” The Sheaf, (July 5 1977) p. 1.]

August 14	Regina
A special general membership meeting amended the constitution of the Atropos Friendship Society renaming it the Gay Community of Regina (GCR).
[Hockley]

December	Regina
Discussions in Regina led to the establishment of the Saskatchewan Gay Coalition (SGC), an alliance of groups who wished to “effect political, social and educational action to ensure full human rights for all gay men and lesbians in Saskatchewan.” The coalition aimed to be non-sexist and feminist. Early organizers included Kay Bierwiler, Wiesia Kolansinka, Susan Langer, Terry Nelson, Marg Taylor and Doug Wilson. The organization folded in 1982.
[“New groups formed: Saskatchewan Gay Coalition,” The Body Politic, (February 1978) p. 13.]

December 15	Quebec City
Quebec’s National Assembly amended the province’s Charter of Rights to include sexual orientation, becoming the first province to prohibit discrimination against lesbians and gays in housing, employment and accommodations.

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