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Although there has always been discrimination against homosexual, bisexual and transgendered people, the first recorded accusation occurred in 1810. This timeline demonstrates the wrongful discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community in Canada. We have come quite far, though, and I assure you it ends quite happier than it begins.
The "Triangle Program" is launched by the Toronto District School board which is recognized as the very first alternative high school program in Canada aimed to help lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered students from harassment and bullying.
This is one of the first steps enacted to help LGBT youth in Canada who may be suicidal or wish to drop out of school due to homophobia in the regular school system.
In 2011, Mike Farnworth (MLA) becomes the second openly gay candidate in British Columbia's leadership race. He also becomes the 4th gay BC legislator member ever.
Also in BC's 2011 election, two gay MP's- Rob Oliphant and Mario Silva- are defeated in their riding, and MP Bill Siksay retires from politics. Although it may seem at first as if the LGBT community suffered some setbacks in the political area, three new openly gay candidates win seats in Parliament: Randall Garrison, Dany Morin and Philip Toone.
The Green Party of Canada elects their newest leader, Chris Lea, who becomes Canada's first openly homosexual leader of a political party. He still holds the record for being the party's longest-serving leader, even though he is no longer in power but still continues to participate within the party.
During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the event includes its first ever Pride House designated specifically for athletes who are members of the LGBT community. This is the first time an area like this has ever been included in any Winter Olympics, and it just goes to show how open and accommodating Canada has become to our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community.
BC Cabinet Minister Ted Nebbeling legally marries his partner after same-sex marriage is allowed by British Columbia's courts. Ted becomes Canada's first homosexual serving Cabinet Minister to legally wed his partner.
This is significant because it demonstrates action performed by the government which supports the LGBT community.
2012 was an outstanding year for LGBT's in the beauty portion of society. Jenna Talackova, Canadian transgender competitor enters the 2012 Miss Universe beauty pageant. Shortly after her original gender was discovered, she was disqualified from the competition. But after a strenuous legal battle to reverse these actions, Jenna Talackova is once again readmitted into the pageant. She became the first transgender woman to compete in Miss Universe, and was even awarded the title of Miss Congeniality.
Following this success in the LGBT community, Kathleen Wynne wins the 2013 election to govern the Ontario Liberal party, in turn becoming Ontario's very first lesbian premier.
The same company that introduced The Body Politic and the Canadian Gay Liberation Movement Archives released yet another publication: Xtra!. Xtra! is a Toronto LGBT newspaper that still exists today, and has even widened its readership to Vancouver and Ottawa.
Canada's federal Civil Marriage Act allows gay marriage across the entire country, making it legal for same-sex partners to finally wed. This act is so prominent in Canada's history, it is awarded Royal Assent and celebrated throughout the entire country.
Toronto's Chief Of Police, Bill Blair, becomes Toronto's first Chief of Police to participate in the city's annual Pride Week Parade.
The Canadian Gay Liberation Movement Archives were launched as a non-profit organization by the same company who published The Body Politic: Pink Press Triangle. The CGLMA was an organization that collected any material that included any historical facts about the LGBT community. Two years later, the organization changed its name to the Canadian Gay Archives, and then again to the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives in 1993 which is what is still stands as today.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community has suffered many setbacks and been the victims of many acts of harsh discrimination, but the have also made it so far in the world, they can finally be who they really are with no fear of disapproval. It has been a tough journey, but for the LGBT community it was worth everything.
In fact, in September of 2010 auther Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller created a YouTube video in hopes of making the lives of thousands of LGBT kids better. Ever since then, more than 50,000 videos have sprung up all over the internet. These videos are all part of what is called the It Gets Better Project.
These videos have collectively gotten over 50 million views all over the world, and people such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,Adam Lambert, Colin Farrell, Anne Hathaway, Ke$ha, Matthew Morrison, Sarah Silverman, Joe Jonas, Ellen DeGeneres and many, many more.
I have included a video clip produced by 20 members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police all sharing their stories, and assuring any lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered youth that
In 2007, Canada's first LGBT specific radio station- 103.9 Proud FM- airs as a commercial broadcasting station. Proud FM is not only Canada's first LGBT radio station, but also the first of the rest of the world as well. The radio station airs on Toronto airwaves and is the first LGBT station to be broadcasted commercially rather than non-profit.
The year was 1971, and a monthly LGBT magazine began its publication. "The Body Politic" was originally started by Jearld Moldenhauer, owner of Glad Day Bookshop but later incorporated with Pink Triangle Press four years later. Although it was designed specifically for members of the LGBT community, in 1977 the magazine was first charged with publishing obscene material and again in 1982. A couple decades later, in 2008, the publication was ranked #17 in a trade magazine for being the "most influential magazine in Canadian publishing history".
Also in 1971, Canada experienced its first public gay liberation protest on Parliament Hill in Ottawa named "We Demand". This was an outstanding jump for the LGBT community and is still referenced in today's society.
In Canada during the 1950's and continuing into the 1960's, homosexual people as well as the gay bars they may have attended were kept under watch by the RCMP. In fact, they were under such high surveillance that when a homosexual person wished to cross the border into the United States, the RCMP would notify
the American FBI in advance.
In 1964, Canada's first gay-positive organization arose, which led to the publication of the first LGBT magazines: "ASK Newsletter" and "Gay". A gay-themed film in 1965 called "Winter Kept Us Warm"by David Secter became the first Canadian film screened in France at the Cannes Film Festival. A couple years later in 1967, Scott Symons published the first notable gay novel in Canadian history called "Place d'Armes".
These social advances of the LGBT community into the rest of society marked the start of a long and persistent battle for their rights as equal individuals along with the rest of the country.
On the May 12th provincial election night, three members of the LBGT community are each elected MLA of their riding. In the Vancouver-West End, gay MLA Spencer Herbert is re-elected, and in Powell River-Sunshine Coast gay MLA Nicholas Simons is re-elected as well. Mable Elmore, an out lesbian, is elected for the first time in the Vancouver-Kensington district.
Each of these people elected into the provincial government signify what a strong voice British Columbia holds for the LGBT people of Canada.
Canada passed the Criminal Law Amendment Act which stated that homosexual acts were no longer considered criminal offenses as long as both adults gave their consent. This Bill included a minimum age for acts of homosexuality (21), but was soon lowered to age 18. This passing of the Bill caused anti-gay protests and hatred aimed at Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who was nicknamed "the beast of Sodom" for including homosexuality in the bill.
This discrimination through surveillance got so bad that the government had maps that plotted red dots on the coordinates where a homosexual person lived or frequented. Fortunately, all maps of this kind were disposed of, sparking hope for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people.