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The Body Politic

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For a state or subordinate civil authority, seeBody politic.
The Body Politic
The Body Politic(Issue 1, November–December 1971, Toronto)
CategoriesLGBT
Frequencymonthly
PublisherPink Triangle Press
FounderJearld Moldenhauer
First issueNovember 1, 1971(1971-11-01)
Final issueFebruary 1987
CountryCanada
Based inToronto,Ontario
LanguageEnglish

The Body Politicwas a Canadian monthly magazine, which was published from 1971 to 1987.[1]It was one of Canada's first significantgaypublications, and played a prominent role in the development of theLGBTcommunity in Canada.[1]

The Body Politicwas a queer, activism-based Canadian monthly magazine that published from 1971 to 1987. It was one of the first significant gay publications in Canada, and played a large role in amplifying the Gay Liberation Movement and creating a space for queer issues and voices to be heard.The Body Politicfocused on issues related to Gay and Lesbian sex, Queer culture, and other issues relating to the LGBT community at the time. AlthoughThe Body Politicwas often criticized for talking about taboo topics such as queer sex and relations, queer media continued to grow.Xtra!,an LGBTQ focused magazine expanded in 1993 by launching its sister editions,Xtra! West,based in Vancouver, andCapital Xtra!,based in Ottawa. All three of these publications remained in print until 2015, when Pink Triangle Press discontinued the print publications of the magazines, however,Daily Xtracontinues to publish as an online magazine.The Body Politicwas ranked as the 17th most influential magazine in Canadian publishing history by Masthead, and in May 2016 the Canadian actor and playwright Nick Green premiered his historical play,Body Politic.This play discussed the role of the magazine in the early Gay Liberation Movement. In 2017, the play was awarded with the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play.[2]

History

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The magazine was first published on November 1, 1971, by an informal collective, operating out of the home ofGlad Day BookshopownerJearld Moldenhauer.[3]Many members of the collective had been associated with the underground publicationGuerilla,which had been relatively gay-friendly but alienated some of its LGBT contributors when it altered Moldenhauer's article about the We Demand protest of August 28, 1971.[1]At a September meeting of the Toronto Gay Alliance, Moldenhauer first proposed the idea of launching a gay-focused publication.[1]Names considered for the magazine includedMandalaandRadical Pervert.[1]

In 1973, the publication ran into difficulty with theToronto Star,which refused to print an advertisement for the magazine because of its policy of refusing to accept ads relating to sexual activity.[1]While the magazine won anOntario Press Councilruling that theStar's refusal of the ad had been discriminatory, theStarretaliated by discontinuingThe Body Politic's printing contract with its commercial printing subsidiary Newsweb Enterprises.[1]

The magazine's editorial collective also created theCanadian Lesbian and Gay Archivesin 1973.[1]

The collective was incorporated asPink Triangle Pressin 1975.[1]In that same year, the magazine ran into minor legal difficulties when an installment of cartoonistRand Holmes'Harold Heddstrip depicted an act offellatio.[1]

The Body Politicwas twice charged with publishing obscene material, in 1977 forGerald Hannon's article "Men Loving Boys Loving Men", and in 1982 for "Lust with a Very Proper Stranger", an article onfisting.[1]The 1977 raid sparked international protests, especially to the police's seizure of the magazine's subscriber list—Harvey Milkwas one of the organizers of a protest at the Canadian consulate inSan Franciscoagainst the action.[4]The magazine was ultimately acquitted in both trials,[1]although materials seized by police in the Hannon trial were not returned to the magazine until 1985.[1]

In 1977 and 1978, the magazine was involved in the production ofGay News and Views,an LGBT magazine series on Toronto cable.[5]

In 1982,Toronto City CouncillorJoe Piccininnifailed in an attempt to have the magazine barred from the city council's press gallery, following a cover story on theSisters of Perpetual Indulgencewhich Piccininni deemed disrespectful toRoman Catholicism.[1]In this era, the magazine also became noted for its coverage of the emergence ofHIV and AIDS.[1]

The magazine ceased publication in 1987, following Pink Triangle Press's launch of the tabloidXtra!in 1984.[1]

Legacy

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Xtra!expanded in 1993 to launch sister editionsXtra! WestinVancouverandCapital Xtra!inOttawa.All three publications remained in print until 2015, when Pink Triangle Press discontinued the print publications, but remain in operation today as the online magazineDaily Xtra.

In 2008,The Body Politicwas ranked as the 17th most influential magazine in Canadian publishing history by Masthead, the trade magazine of the Canadian magazine publishing industry.[6]

Body Politic,a historical play byNick Greenabout the magazine and its role in the early gay liberation movement, premiered atBuddies in Bad Timesin May 2016,[7]and won theDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Playin 2017.[8]As well, actor and writer Diane Flacks was nominated for a Dora award for outstanding performance in the play Body Politic.

Contributors

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Writers associated with the magazine includedGerald Hannon,Rick Bébout, Chris Bearchell,Hugh Brewster,Stan Persky,Michael Lynch,Stephen O. Murray,John Greyson,David Rayside,Herbert Spiers,Ian Young,Ed Jackson,[9]Sue Golding,Robin Hardy,Richard Summerbell,Thomas Waugh,John Alan LeeandGary Kinsman.[10]

References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopBradburn, Jamie (14 February 2015)."Historicist: I SingThe Body Politic".Torontoist.Toronto. Archived fromthe originalon 18 April 2015.Retrieved25 May2024.
  2. ^"Toronto Interviews".AIDS Activist History Project.2016-10-14.Retrieved2022-01-27.
  3. ^"Glad Day now oldest gay bookstore",Xtra!,February 6, 2009.
  4. ^"Homosexuals plan Canada boycott".The Globe and Mail,February 23, 1978.
  5. ^"TV series on the air".The Body Politic,October 1, 1977.
  6. ^Masthead
  7. ^"The original power dyke couple, Gertrude and Alice".Daily Xtra,March 2, 2016.
  8. ^"A Dora Awards to make you verklempt".Now,June 27, 2017.
  9. ^"The Collective and Key Figures of the Body Politic".uwo.ca.Retrieved2019-03-18.
  10. ^History of The Body Politic: The Collective and Key Figures
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