Righting Canada's Wrongs: The LGBT Purge and the fight for equal rights in Canada

by Ken Setterington

From the 1950s to 1980s, the Canadian government persecuted LGBTQ+ employees and tried to erase them from the military, the RCMP and the civil service under the guise that they were a “security risk,” an event that became known as the LGBT Purge. Those who were suspected of being homosexual were put under government surveillance, interrogated and intimidated. They were fired from their jobs. Many quit to avoid being exposed. Some committed suicide as a result. In the 1980s, victims of the Purge fought back with a class-action suit against the government that helped shed light on the systemic discrimination that members of the LGBTQ+ community faced from the government and the rest of society. In 2017, the federal government issued a formal apology on behalf of the government and Canadian society for the treatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

In this highly visual book, author Ken Setterington presents the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights using photographs, first-person accounts and excerpts from archival documents. Significant events in the struggle include the establishment of Pride parades, the Bathhouse Raids, the decriminalization of homosexuality, the passing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the LGBT Purge and the legalization of same-sex marriage.

While the government’s formal acknowledgement of past injustices started Canada on a better path toward equality, there is still work to be done. This book would be a welcome addition to any classroom or library’s social justice collection and will appeal to adults interested in LGBTQ+ rights in Canada.

Genres: History, Canada, Nonfiction, LGBT

Unknown Binding

Published December 1, 2021

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the Righting Canada's Wrongs series, which is an excellent way to introduce people of all ages (approx. 10+) to the darker parts of Canadian history. The LGBT Purge and the Fight for Equal Rights in Canada is an excellent example of why I love this series.

This serves as a great primer on the history of LGBTQ+ rights in Canada. It covers the LGBT Purge (the government efforts to have all LGBT members of public service, military, and RCMP removed from their positions), LGBTQ+ activism, bios of those impacted, and overall movements towards change. I honestly have had shamefully little education on LGBTQ+ history in Canada (particularly as a queer Canadian), so I found lots to learn here. It's a short read, so there isn't time to cover everything, but it's a great primer.

Highly recommended!

[Scott Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not perfect but it’s an excellent introduction/overview of LGBTQ2+ history in Canada. It focuses on The Purge and gives brief bios of some of those who were affected. It also includes brief bios of some activists, and a helpful timeline of most of the critical events.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I feel I should’ve learnt/discovered/researched earlier

[Heather Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting summary of LGBT history in Canada