08-29-2011, 01:48 AM
I've always had a fascination with Stonewall's impact on American conceptions of gay identity, especially looking at pre and post stonewall literature by writers like Vidal and Baldwin vs. Edmund White and Larry Kramer.
Although, personally as a Canadian gay rights followed a much different path here. It arose less by mass political action, like the civil rights movement patterns in the US, but more by the political vision of the Pearson and Trudeau Liberals who dominated Canadian politics in the late 60s through to the early 80s. Pierre Trudeau tabled a bill in 1967 with the intention of legalizing homosexuality and also expanding abortion rights, (saying in an interview that "the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation") it was all tied up with the wave of left wing action the Libs were able to achieve with their close to 15 years in power. In Quebec, the socialist Parti Quebecois passed the first anti-discrimination law in the Americas to protect gays and lesbians. Gay rights sort of remains as a symbol of Quebec's cherished ideals of secularism and progressiveness, largely driven by the anger and resentment against the Catholic Church's disastrous influence in the past.
The American gays rights movement is an important one, and culturally significant, but it hasn't been the universal model of gay rights globally.
Although, personally as a Canadian gay rights followed a much different path here. It arose less by mass political action, like the civil rights movement patterns in the US, but more by the political vision of the Pearson and Trudeau Liberals who dominated Canadian politics in the late 60s through to the early 80s. Pierre Trudeau tabled a bill in 1967 with the intention of legalizing homosexuality and also expanding abortion rights, (saying in an interview that "the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation") it was all tied up with the wave of left wing action the Libs were able to achieve with their close to 15 years in power. In Quebec, the socialist Parti Quebecois passed the first anti-discrimination law in the Americas to protect gays and lesbians. Gay rights sort of remains as a symbol of Quebec's cherished ideals of secularism and progressiveness, largely driven by the anger and resentment against the Catholic Church's disastrous influence in the past.
The American gays rights movement is an important one, and culturally significant, but it hasn't been the universal model of gay rights globally.
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
