Gay Toronto - Map

Gay Toronto - Map

This map, taken from the well known gay Toronto magazine <em>The Body Politic</em> in their summer 1974 issue, depicts places around the city where queer social events and activities were held. These spots were primarily frequented and dominated by white gay men, though there were Black drag performers, many of whom were quite respected and had big reputations. Their presence put a foot in the door for other Black gay men to start frequenting the spaces. With that said, patrons who were not white tended to have had satus or popularity of some kind and were not the simply average customer. Though homosexuailty was widespread across Toronto, a section of Yonge street, Church street and Wellesley Street, famously encompassed most gay bars, bathhouses and nightclubs, earning its reputation as being Toronto’s “Gay Village”. Many protests, marches and pride parades took place in this space such as the mass protest after the Toronto bathhouse raids of 1981.

The Body Politic

“Gay Toronto,” The Body Politic, volume 14, July/August 1974.

Pink Triangle Press

Summer 1974

Internet Archive

Map