Gay Liberation Newspaper "The Body Politic" Archive, 1970s

Gay Liberation The Body Politic

Archive

[LGBTQ][Gay Activism] Archive of five issues of Canadian LGBTQ newspaper The Body Politic. Toronto: The Body Politic Collective, 1973–1977. Archive of five issues. Tabloid format (folded newsprint). Five issues of one of Canada’s most influential gay liberation newspaper, which ran from 1971 to 1987. Produced by the Toronto-based collective of the same name, The Body Politic was a cornerstone of queer political and cultural life in the 1970s and 1980s, distinguished by its intellectual rigor, transnational reach, and unflinching stance on sexual politics and free expression. This five-issue archive captures the journal during a period of growing militancy, intensified state repression, and internal ideological conflict within the gay movement. Archive includes:

[1] The Body Politic, No. 10 (November 1973). Includes the front cover illustration “Jewellery” by Jean Bouillet and news coverage of early Canadian gay rights efforts including Saskatoon’s Human Rights Code amendment and Toronto’s City Council non-discrimination vote. Feature essays analyze the West German gay movement, the films Boys in the Sand and Bijou, and the life and poetry of W.H. Auden. Early editorial commentary reflects a blend of countercultural and Marxist influence, prior to the paper’s full embrace of sexual radicalism.

[2] The Body Politic, No. 25 (August 1976). Landmark issue addressing “POLICE: Entrapment, Olympic Crackdown.” A thorough investigative feature documents a mass police operation in advance of the Montreal Olympics that targeted gay men with violent raids and illegal surveillance. Articles offer detailed accounts of state repression, protest strategies, and the coordinated resistance of national LGBTQ+ groups. Editorials and letters reflect deepening concern over state retaliation and civil liberties.

[3] The Body Politic, No. 26 (September 1976). One of the most controversial publications in the history of queer media. This issue includes Gerald Hannon’s “Men Loving Boys Loving Men,” which discusses intergenerational gay relationships and calls for the abolition of age of consent laws. The cover headline, “Anthony is 15. So is Gary,” sparked widespread outrage. The article ultimately led to criminal charges against the paper’s editors in 1978, which were later dismissed after a high-profile trial. The issue also documents gay organizing efforts in Toronto parks and public demonstrations such as “kiss-ins.”

[4] The Body Politic, No. 28 (November 1976). Features “Suicide or Murder?”—a major exposé on the suspicious death of gay artist Philip Slone, who died following a brutal gang assault in Hamilton. The article reveals a pattern of escalating street violence against queer men and police inaction. Additional reports cover the lack of national coordination among gay groups, tensions within the women’s movement, and the institutional failure of the legal system to protect LGBTQ+ citizens. Editorials advocate for stronger national organizing.

[5] The Body Politic, No. 29 (Dec–Jan 1977). The Fifth Anniversary Issue. Includes new fiction by Jane Rule and critical essays on queer identity under socialism, with comparisons of LGBTQ+ life in East Germany and Canada. Features a historical article on an 1838 sodomy scandal in Upper Canada and retrospectives on the evolving gay liberation movement. News coverage highlights nationwide labor activism by queer workers, feminist coalition-building, and the growing tension between assimilationist and radical factions in the movement.

Issues exhibit toning and light wear consistent with age, with some chipping and separation at folds. Overall good to very good condition. An archive showcasing The Body Politic at its most radical and politically potent—documenting the collision of queer life, state surveillance, and the internal struggles of a movement that refused to conform. A vital resource for scholars of LGBTQ+ history, Canadian media, and liberation-era print culture.

Item #21942

Price: $285.00