1960s Timeline of LGBT history in Canada

1 1960s

1.1 1962
1.2 1963
1.3 1964
1.4 1965
1.5 1967
1.6 1969

1960s

the rcmp, throughout late 1950s , entirety of 1960s, kept tabs on homosexuals , patrons of gay bars in ottawa , other cities. force worked fbi s own surveillance of homosexuals , alerted fbi when suspected homosexual had crossed border united states.

1962

jackie shane, gay rhythm , blues singer toronto performed in drag, has chart hit other way . song s lyrics include explicit , deliberate play on dual meaning of word gay .

1963

the rcmp directorate of security , intelligence s a-3 unit (a unit dedicated rooting out , removing homosexuals government , law enforcement, subsection of unit dedicated finding out character flaws in government employees in aftermath of second red scare) produced map of ottawa replete red dots marking alleged residences , frequent visitations of homosexuals. however, map filled red ink , disposed, , after 2 larger maps of city being used similar purpose , outcome, mapping ended.

1964

canada sees first gay-positive organization, ask, , first gay magazines: ask newsletter (in vancouver), , gay (by gay publishing company of toronto). gay first periodical use term gay in title , expanded quickly, including outstripping distribution of american publications under name gay international. these followed 2 (by gayboy (later kamp) publishing company of toronto).
journalist sydney katz publishes homosexual next door , 1 of first articles in mainstream canadian publication ever portray homosexuality in relatively positive light, in maclean s.

1965

winter kept warm, gay-themed independent film david secter, becomes first english canadian film given screening @ cannes film festival.
poet edward a. lacey publishes forms of life, credited first volume of openly gay-identified poetry in canadian literature.
george klippert, last person in canada ever imprisoned homosexuality before legalization in 1969, arrested , charged 4 counts of gross indecency after admitting police investigator had consensual sex men.

1967

writer scott symons publishes place d armes, 1 of first notable gay novels in canadian literary history.
john herbert s play fortune , men s eyes, important landmark in history of both lgbt literature , general canadian theatre, premieres @ actors playhouse in new york city.
december 21: justice minister pierre trudeau introduces criminal law amendment act, 1968-69, omnibus bill reforming criminal code, liberalizes canadian law around social issues such homosexuality, abortion , contraception. trudeau s characterization captured in statement there no place state in bedrooms of nation.

1969

may 14: canada decriminalizes homosexual acts between consenting adults passage of criminal law amendment act first introduced in december 1968. receives royal assent on june 27.
october 24: first meeting of university of toronto homophile association held.




^ brief history of queer music in toronto . blogto, november 29, 2014.
^ gary william kinsman, patrizia gentile (2010). canadian war on queers: national security sexual regulation. ucb press. p. 159. 
^ mcleod, donald w. brief history of gay: canada s first gay tabloid, 1964-1966. isbn 0-9683829-1-6. 
^ our silver anniversary: canadians have been organizing twenty 5 years! . newsletter of canadian gay archives. national archives lesbians , gay men. 7. june 1989. 
^ hugh brewster, outcasts . walrus, june 2014.
^ fraser sutherland, edward lacey . canadian poetry (vol. 57), fall/winter 2005.
^ nik sheehan,scott symons: proud life. xtra!, march 12, 2009.
^ john herbert dies @ 75; wrote of prison life . new york times, june 27, 2001.