About Canada: Queer Rights

Questioning whether or not Canada is a “queer utopia,” this document reflects on the country’s growth of acceptance of the LGQBT lifestyles, speculating if it was truly the goal that queer activists hoped to achieve. Using the origins of the 1970s gay and lesbian liberation movement as a starting point, the history of the struggle for queer rights in Canada is highlighted, creating a clearer understanding of the present day. Covered topics include regional organizing; legal reform; institutional homophobia; children, youth, and education; health; and difference and privilege. Contending that Canada’s queer community is as diverse and multicultural as the country itself, this study also emphasizes that they are not easily generalized, arguing that they have not yet achieved equality.