"Kids not rights, is their craving": sex education, gay rights, and the threat of gay teachers.
In July 1977, the Ontario Humans Rights Commission recommended adding sexual orientation to the Code. This move was generally supported but Toronto newspapers and evangelists sought assurances that school boards could still dismiss homosexual teachers. They demanded children be shielded from gay teachers, who they accused of sexual predation. I historically link this to a reenergized fear of homosexuals which emerged during Toronto sex education debates in the 1970s. Later, influenced by Anita Bryant's Save the Children crusade, Toronto newspapers and evangelists argued gay teachers were the dangerous effect of gay rights. After the 1977 murder of Emanuel Jaques and the publication of Gerald Hannon's "Men Loving Boys, Loving Men" article, anti-gay sentiment in Toronto exploded, temporarily halting the progress of gay rights.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 7th Floor-Loeb Building, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6. megraydo@connect.carleton.ca
Michael
M
Graydon
D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002961:Civil Rights; D004651:Employment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005178:Faculty; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006708:Homicide / Q000266:history; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000266:history; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000266:history; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D009864:Ontario; D011057:Politics; D012736:Sex Education; D013240:Stereotyping