SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Breaking Boundaries: Women’s Lives In and Out of the Closet

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, 50th Anniversary of the Decriminalization of Homosexuality in Canada Special Issue, 2019

By Elise Chenier

When the Canadian government updated the criminal code in 1954, it made a small but significant change to the law regarding gross indecency. It removed the phrase “male person.”

Gross indecency was a catch-all statute used to charge someone with behaviour deemed indecent according to the morals and values of mainstream society, but it was most commonly used against men who engaged in sexual acts with other men. During World War II (1939–1945), it became more widely known that women also engaged in same-sex relations, partly because the war brought many women into single-sex environments, like military barracks. After the war, a flood of paperback novels, most of which were written by men, popularized the image of sex-crazed lesbians preying on unsuspecting and naïve women.

For the first time, lesbians were viewed as more than just sinful and repulsive. They were a danger to society. By removing the phrase “male person” from the crime of gross indecency, the Canadian government declared sex between women a crime.

The law was revised yet again in 1969, this time eliminating gross indecency as a crime when the two individuals involved were over the age of 21 and engaged in sexual relations in private. Did women breathe a sigh of relief? Yes and no. The change in law mattered, but not because lesbians were able to be open about their sexuality. It mattered because it signalled the beginning of a new era of greater freedom and acceptance, and, for the first time, allowed women to hope for better days ahead.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $16.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Elise Chenier is a Professor of History at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, where she is the founder and Director of the Archives of Lesbian Oral Testimony (alotarchives.org). She has been researching and writing on the history of sexuality for thirty years, and is currently writing a book on same-sex marriage from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Education News

Trent University and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Launch First-of-its-Kind Double Degree

Students will graduate with both a Bachelor of Arts and Science and a Doctor of Naturopathy degree in this accelerated seven-year pathway.

Communities Nationwide to Defend the Freedom to Read at “Right to Read Night” During Banned Books Week

At a time when the very freedom to read is at risk, communities across the nation are joining together for Right to Read Night, a powerful evening of discussion, reflection, and action.

Debut YA Graphic Novel Explores Grief, Friendship, and the Great Unknown

This Fall, Emanata, the young adult graphic novel imprint of Conundrum Press, will publish “Quiet Crossings,” a poignant and visually rich debut by Toronto-based artist Vivi Partridge, with colour by Janaina Spada.

Leaves and Literacy: 8 Strategies to Get K–2 Students Back into Reading This Fall

Fall is a season of fresh starts. The habits established in these first months ripple forward into lasting reading success.

Join Our Newsletter

Join now for a chance to win 1 of 2 $25 Indigo e-gift cards this month!

Elise Chenier
Elise Chenier
Elise Chenier is a Professor of History at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, where she is the founder and Director of the Archives of Lesbian Oral Testimony (alotarchives.org). She has been researching and writing on the history of sexuality for thirty years, and is currently writing a book on same-sex marriage from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Advertisement

Read More

Planting Seeds of Knowledge: Life Lessons from an Educational Farm

Waynesboro Education Farm is an ambitious project. It sits on 1.5 acres of land adjacent to Berkeley Glenn Elementary school in the city of Waynesboro, VA.

Trent University and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Launch First-of-its-Kind Double Degree

Students will graduate with both a Bachelor of Arts and Science and a Doctor of Naturopathy degree in this accelerated seven-year pathway.

Communities Nationwide to Defend the Freedom to Read at “Right to Read Night” During Banned Books Week

At a time when the very freedom to read is at risk, communities across the nation are joining together for Right to Read Night, a powerful evening of discussion, reflection, and action.

Debut YA Graphic Novel Explores Grief, Friendship, and the Great Unknown

This Fall, Emanata, the young adult graphic novel imprint of Conundrum Press, will publish “Quiet Crossings,” a poignant and visually rich debut by Toronto-based artist Vivi Partridge, with colour by Janaina Spada.

Explorations in Biology Through Origami, 3D Modeling, and Optical Illusions

Blending art and biology through hands-on paper-folding activities is a fun and unique way to engage students at the elementary level.

4 Places Teachers Can Buy Custom Assistive Technology Devices for Schools

Custom assistive devices empower students with disabilities by fostering independence, building skills, and supporting full inclusion in the classroom.
juegos de casino online gratis | salon casino | ganar dinero jugando minecraft | ruleta amazon descuentos | casino delmy | winclub casino | el casino del diablo leyenda completa | ruleta de comprensión lectora pdf | tragamonedas nuevas 2020 | casino online mexico | bingo online casino | hotel pueblo amigo plaza casino tijuana | live casino online bonus | silverton casino | betway | ruleta de gustos y preferencias | casino emotion | ruleta rusa 2018 | como ganar dinero con bitcoin 2019 | aplicaiones para ganar dinero | spin bet casino | yak casino online | no deposit bonus casino | bitcoin blackjack online trust dice | como ganar dinero con el futbol | casinos guadalajara | parlay | casino en linea gratis | big bola iniciar sesión | el reto de la ruleta de ricky | como ganar dinero con clicks | casino online deportes | casino mustang | playcity casino andares | casino del rio | tragamonedas gratis 5 tambores casino ladbrokes | juego de loteria mexicana | como funciona calientemx | radiante casino | stake | la ruleta rusa | ruleta biologia |