November 10 Tecumseh, Ont. Cam Frye, […]

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November 10 Tecumseh, Ont. Cam Frye, the reeve of Tecumseh, lost in an attempt to be elected mayor of the town. In 1977, Frye had pleaded guilty to committing an indecent act likely to make a male child a juvenile delinquent, and was granted a conditional discharge. Frye subsequently won re-election as reeve. His campaign to unseat the incumbent mayor, Don Lappan, was marked by the distribution of hate literature that claimed Frye would promote "a gay lifestyle" and would lead the town into "moral decay." Lappan was returned to office by a vote of 1,954 to 1,164. One week after the election, Frye made an impassioned speech before the Tecumseh town council, declaring his homosexuality but also admitting that he was not proud to be gay and hoped to be cured. The negative tone of the remarks upset members of WGU, whose phone line was soon besieged by crank calls from teenagers asking for Cam Frye, or asking if there was a cure for homosexuality and how much it would cost.

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Don Lappan Cameron Frye

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Windsor Homophile Association, Windsor Gay Unity WGU

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Jim Monk, "Victim of Hate Mail Loses in Bid for Mayor," Body Politic, no. 69 (1980–81), p. 15.Jim Monk, "Reeve Gauche: A Sad Come-out," Body Politic, no. 70 (1981), p. 14 Arthur G. McClelland, "Oppressive Stereotypes" (letter), Body Politic, no. 73 (1981), pp. 4–5 Cameron Frye, "Not Proud" (letter), Body Politic, no. 72 (1981), p. 7

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Don Lappan

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