January 14–15 Toronto On January 14, […]

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When

1978-01-14 – 1978-01-15

Description

January 14–15 Toronto On January 14, more than 1,000 people attended a rally at St. Lawrence Market and marched in the freezing cold to protest Anita Bryant's visit to Toronto. To date, this was the largest gay rights demonstration in Toronto's history. The coalition that formed to protest Bryant and her Save Our Children campaign was the most broadly based, politically diverse collection of lesbian, gay, and feminist groups seen in Toronto to that time. This coalition sparked the interest of the RCMP, which conducted undercover surveillance of the anti-Bryant protests in Toronto. The rally itself was hosted by Pat Murphy of WAVAW. Twelve speakers representing a wide range of community groups addressed the rally; there were also three women singers and three skits. A march up Yonge Street followed, which was the largest and loudest gay demonstration in Toronto's history to that time. On January 15, Anita Bryant spoke at the People's Church in North York, while five hundred anti-Bryant demonstrators protested across the street. At the end of the service, Rev. Paul Smith of the People's Church was hit with a lavender cream pie, thrown by a protester. This was the first stop on Bryant's Christian Liberation Crusade, sponsored by Rev. Ken Campbell and the fundamentalist Christian group Renaissance International. Campbell announced plans for further Bryant rallies in major Canadian cities, to be held over the next six months. At the same time as Bryant's appearance at the People's Church, an inter-denominational service in support of gay rights was held at MCC Toronto, organized by Rev. Brent Hawkes. Among those present were Rabbi Mark Shapiro of Holy Blossom Temple; Rev. Bruce McLeod, past moderator of The United Church of Canada; a Roman Catholic priest; and an official representative of the Anglican church.

All Places

Toronto St. Lawrence Market People's Church North York Metropolitan Community Churches Toronto Holy Blossom Temple

All People

Mark Shapiro Anita Bryant Patricia Murphy Paul Smith Ken Campbell Brent Hawkes Bruce McLeod

All Organizations

Dominion Police, North-West Mounted Police, Royal Northwest Mounted Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP Women against Violence against Women Renaissance International United Church of Canada

All Citations

"Woman Tosses Pie at Pastor for Asking Anita to Speak," Toronto Star, four star ed., 16 January 1978, p. A2.Tom Warner, Never Going Back: A History of Queer Activism in Canada (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002), pp. 134–37 Wages Due Lesbians—Toronto, "Wages Due Replies" (letter), Body Politic, no. 49 (1978–79), p. 6 Untitled article, Lesbian Organization of Toronto (LOOT) Newsletter, February 1978, p. 5 "Toronto Gays Challenge Bryant," Workers' Action, no. 33 (February 1978), p. 3 Joan Sutton, "Change the Subject, Please!" Toronto Sun, 10 January 1978, p. 36 Paul Stuart, "Juice-peddler Boosts Old-fashioned Family," Excalibur (York Univ., North York, Ont.), 19 January 1978, p. 9 Paul Stuart, "5-faith Service Supports Rights of Gays," Excalibur (York Univ., North York, Ont.), 19 January 1978, p. 9 Kevin Scanlon, "Bryant Storm Starts!," Toronto Sun, 15 January 1978, p. 3 Kevin Scanlon, "Anita, Cops Keep the Faith," Toronto Sun, 16 January 1978, p. 3 "St. Charles Tavern Uncooperative," Metro Community News 5 (February 1978): 10 "Responses to Anita," Metro Community News 5 (February 1978): 1 "Rally Draws Crowd," Metro Community News 5 (February 1978): 6 "Protesters March While Bryant Speaks," Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 16 January 1978 McKenzie Porter, Untitled Column, Toronto Sun, 16 January 1978, p. 3 "Pie Flies in Bryant Protest," Ottawa Citizen, 16 January 1978, p. 8 Paul Palango, "Bryant's Show Business and Religion: 3,000 Listen in Church, 500 Protest Outside," Globe and Mail, metro ed., 16 January 1978, p. 5 Pat O'Connor, "Gays, Feminists Protest Bryant's Toronto Speech," Georgian (Concordia Univ., Montréal), 17 January 1978, p. 3 Margaret Mironowicz, "'Out of the Bars and into the Streets,'" Globe and Mail, metro ed., 16 January 1978, p. 5 Margaret Mironowicz, "Homosexuals Join Forces to Protest Bryant Visit," Globe and Mail, metro ed., 13 January 1978, pp. 1, 2 Sarah McKenzie, "Anita (Orange Juice) Bryant," Canadian Free Press, June 1978, pp. 8, 11 Michael McGarry, "Crusade against Homosexuality: Homophobes in Canada," Peak (Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C.), 14 June 1978, p. 7 Michael Lynch, "Resistance," Body Politic, no. 40 (1978), p. 6 Bill Lewis, "Bigots Import Bryant: Women, Gays and Youth Unite in Protest," Body Politic, no. 40 (1978), pp. 6–7 Pat Leslie, "Feminists and Faggots Unite," Body Politic, no. 40 (1978), p. 7 Tom Alderman, "Saving the Children," Canadian Magazine, 15 September 1979, pp. 14–15 "Anita," Metro Community News 5 (January 1978): 11 "Anita Urges 'Bible Morality' as Protesters March Outside," Toronto Star, four star ed., 16 January 1978, pp. A1–A2 "Anita's Day" (editorial), Toronto Sun, 15 January 1978, p. 10 Chris Bearchell, "Women against Anita Bryant," Dignity Toronto, February 1978, pp. 2–3 Dick Beddoes, "Closet Doors Open on Anita" (column), Globe and Mail, metro ed., 16 January 1978, p. 8 Dick Beddoes, "Come Bryant, Come Tension" (column), Globe and Mail, metro ed., 4 January 1978, p. 8 "Dear Anita...," Grapevine: The Newsletter of the Lesbian Mothers' Defence Fund, Summer 1979, p. (2)John S. Bodis, "Speaking Out for Change," Metro Community News 5 (February 1978): 4 John Duggan, "Anita Bryant Visits Canada," NGRC Forum, 3, no. 1 (Winter 1978): (1)Justine Durrell and Steve Penner, "Gays Come Out Fighting," Socialist Voice, 23 January 1978, p. 5 George Edin, "Undesirable Alien Crosses Border!" After Stonewall, no. 5 (Spring 1978), p. 9 "Feminists, Gays Unite: Bryant," Toronto Clarion, 18 January–15 February 1978, p. 14 "Gays, Lesbians, Women Join Hands against Anita Bryant: 1,100 Rally & March," Gay Rising, January 1978, p. 1 "Gays, Women & Workers under Attack," Workers' Action, no. 33 (February 1978), p. 1 Andrea Goth, "Unite against Bryant's Crusade," Socialist Voice, 24 April 1978, p. 10 Gordon Green, "Anita Raps Gay Teachers," Hamilton Spectator, 17 January 1978, p. 1 "The Greening of the Media," Body Politic, no. 40 (1978), p. 6 "Ha Mishpacha Shows Bryant She's Not Welcome," Ha Mishpacha Newsletter (Toronto), February 1978, p. (1)Tom Harpur, "Anita Bryant Will Open Crusade against Godlessness in Canada" (column), Toronto Star, Saturday ed., 31 December 1977, p. E6 Tom Harpur, "Anita Comes to Town Warning of Moral Decay," Toronto Star, Sunday ed., 15 January 1978, p. A3 Rev. Brent Hawkes, "The Pastor's Corner: 'Thanks for Aiding the Cause, Anita,'" Metro Community News 5 (February 1978): 2–3 "Homosexual Tirades Maybe Backfired, Says Anita's Hubby," Toronto Sun, 15 January 1978, p. 3 Claire Hoy, "Bryant Speaks Our Mind!," Toronto Sun, 15 January 1978, p. 11 Rob Joyce, "Rebirth of Bigotry," Gay Tide, no. 19 (April 1978), pp. 1, 3 Joanne Kates, "Voices in the Street: Thanks to Anita Bryant, It Was the Largest Gay Demonstration in Toronto," Globe and Mail, metro ed., 18 January 1978, p. 8 Paul Kellogg, "Gay Rights Demonstrations Biggest Ever," Excalibur (York Univ., North York, Ont.), 19 January 1978, p. 9 Dorothy Kidd, "Wages Due Responds" (letter), Body Politic, no. 41 (1978), p. 3 Gary Kinsman, "Bryant's Toronto Visit Sparks Massive Gay and Lesbian Protest," Socialist Voice, 23 January 1978, p. 5 Gary Kinsman and Patrizia Gentile, The Canadian War on Queers: National Security as Sexual Regulation (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2010), pp. 330–32 Gary Kinsman and Ed Miller, "United Response to Bryant in Toronto Gay Rights Actions," Socialist Voice, 6 February 1978, p. 14 "Know Your Enemies," Body Politic, no. 40 (1978), p. 7 Bob Lamarre, "Anita Bryant Protest," Windsor Gay Unity Newsletter, 26 January 1978, p. (1)

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Justine Durrell and Steve Penner […]

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