Timeline History
1960s:
1964: ASK is formed, Canada’s first pro-gay organization.
1965: Everett Klippert acknowledges to authorities that he is gay, has had sex with men over a 24-year period, and is unlikely to change. In 1967, Klippert is sent to prison indefinitely as a “dangerous sex offender,” a sentence which was backed up by the Supreme Court of Canada that same year.
1969: Stonewall Riots- In Greenwich Village New York; three-day violent riots that sparked the modern-day GLBT Movement.
1969: Pierre Trudeau’s amendments pass into the Criminal Code, decriminalizing
homosexuality in Canada.
1970s:
During the 1970s there began a movement to ensure safety in schools for gay people,
including both teachers and students. The movements looked to protect the rights of homosexual teachers and to encourage inclusivity of homosexual students in public education.
1971: The first Gay Liberation Day March in Canada is held in Ottawa.
1973: The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of
psychiatric disorders.
1977: The province of Quebec became the first jurisdiction in the world to ban
discrimination based on sexual preference under the Quebec Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.
There is very little documentation of LGBT studies in the curriculum during this time. If it was implemented in the classroom at all, it would have been completely off the record and at the discretion of the teacher. Homosexuality was seen as a mental illness that could be cured. The largest extent to which it was included in the curriculum was to equip teachers with the “know how” in terms of dealing with students who were homosexuals.
1980s:
During the 1980s efforts continued to promote safer schools for those who identified themselves as LGBT or gender non-conforming youth. Efforts were made to diversify resources within schools libraries. During the 80s visibility of gay and lesbian issues became more and more apparent. As is such, the education system realized the need to acknowledge the presence of gay and lesbian youth as a significant part of the school population.
1982: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms pledges the “right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination,” ignoring sexual orientation.
1985: Kenneth Zeller is murdered in Toronto's High Park, a hate crime which spurs the Toronto District School Board to create and implement one of Canada's first programs against gay violence and discrimination.
1985: Under Section 15, LGBT rights become protected under the law of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
1990s:
1991: For the first time ever “Pride Day” is announced in the City of Toronto.
1995: Ontario becomes the first province in Canada to make it legal for same-sex couples to adopt.
1996: The TDSB launches the Triangle Program, Canada's first alternative high school program for at-risk LGBT youth.
1996: Bill C33, which formally adds sexual orientation to the Canadian Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds of discrimination, receives Royal Assent.
1997: Safely Out, Canada’s first curriculum support document was implemented in order to aid teachers with the process of integrating sexual diversity into the existing curriculum. This document was not mandatory for teachers to implement; however, was a resource for teachers who decided to incorporate sexual diversity into their courses.
Since the creation of this document, others have also been created, though none of which were a requirement.
1999: The supreme court of Canada rules same-sex couples should have the same benefits and obligations as opposite-sex common-law couples and equal access to benefits from social programs to which they contribute.
2000s:
2001: Thanks to a large financial settlement, Jeremy Dias creates Jer's Vision to promote a safe "Positive Space" for sexual and social diversity in schools. Jer’s vision currently conducts anti-bullying workshops in schools and universities all over Ontario, including Ottawa University.
2002: Marc Hall vs. Durham Catholic School Board, a judge orders the Durham Catholic District School Board to allow Marc Hall, an openly gay student, to bring a same-sex date
to the high school prom.
2004: The Supreme Court of Canada rules that the federal government can change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, but does not answer whether such a change is required by the Charter.
2004: The Canadian Teacher’s Federation, a national union representing all of Canada’s teachers, approves a policy seeking “to protect teachers and students against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation” (Canadian Teachers’ Federation, 2004).
2004: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario releases “Imagine a World That Is
Free from Fear,” a K-8 resource that speaks about homophobia and heterosexism.
2005: The federal government passes same-sex marriage legislation in the House of Commons and Senate.
2007: The newly revised Ontario Curriculum Guidelines for high school students, “invite a critical examination of commonly-held assumptions regarding sexual orientation” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007).
2009: The Minister of Education released the document Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy (the strategy). The document set out a vision for an equitable and inclusive education system.
2010s:
2010: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario releases “Social Justice Begins with Me”, a literature-based kit that includes monthly grade-level themes and integrated lessons for grades k-8.
2011: Gay-straight alliances are formed in schools throughout Canada, in order to raise awareness toward issues such as homophobia toward LGBT students, sexual diversity, etc.
2013+: the new 2 year teacher training in bachelor of education programs throughout
Ontario will include an improved understanding of gender and sexuality to bring to the
classroom.
1964: ASK is formed, Canada’s first pro-gay organization.
1965: Everett Klippert acknowledges to authorities that he is gay, has had sex with men over a 24-year period, and is unlikely to change. In 1967, Klippert is sent to prison indefinitely as a “dangerous sex offender,” a sentence which was backed up by the Supreme Court of Canada that same year.
1969: Stonewall Riots- In Greenwich Village New York; three-day violent riots that sparked the modern-day GLBT Movement.
1969: Pierre Trudeau’s amendments pass into the Criminal Code, decriminalizing
homosexuality in Canada.
1970s:
During the 1970s there began a movement to ensure safety in schools for gay people,
including both teachers and students. The movements looked to protect the rights of homosexual teachers and to encourage inclusivity of homosexual students in public education.
1971: The first Gay Liberation Day March in Canada is held in Ottawa.
1973: The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of
psychiatric disorders.
1977: The province of Quebec became the first jurisdiction in the world to ban
discrimination based on sexual preference under the Quebec Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.
There is very little documentation of LGBT studies in the curriculum during this time. If it was implemented in the classroom at all, it would have been completely off the record and at the discretion of the teacher. Homosexuality was seen as a mental illness that could be cured. The largest extent to which it was included in the curriculum was to equip teachers with the “know how” in terms of dealing with students who were homosexuals.
1980s:
During the 1980s efforts continued to promote safer schools for those who identified themselves as LGBT or gender non-conforming youth. Efforts were made to diversify resources within schools libraries. During the 80s visibility of gay and lesbian issues became more and more apparent. As is such, the education system realized the need to acknowledge the presence of gay and lesbian youth as a significant part of the school population.
1982: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms pledges the “right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination,” ignoring sexual orientation.
1985: Kenneth Zeller is murdered in Toronto's High Park, a hate crime which spurs the Toronto District School Board to create and implement one of Canada's first programs against gay violence and discrimination.
1985: Under Section 15, LGBT rights become protected under the law of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
1990s:
1991: For the first time ever “Pride Day” is announced in the City of Toronto.
1995: Ontario becomes the first province in Canada to make it legal for same-sex couples to adopt.
1996: The TDSB launches the Triangle Program, Canada's first alternative high school program for at-risk LGBT youth.
1996: Bill C33, which formally adds sexual orientation to the Canadian Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds of discrimination, receives Royal Assent.
1997: Safely Out, Canada’s first curriculum support document was implemented in order to aid teachers with the process of integrating sexual diversity into the existing curriculum. This document was not mandatory for teachers to implement; however, was a resource for teachers who decided to incorporate sexual diversity into their courses.
Since the creation of this document, others have also been created, though none of which were a requirement.
1999: The supreme court of Canada rules same-sex couples should have the same benefits and obligations as opposite-sex common-law couples and equal access to benefits from social programs to which they contribute.
2000s:
2001: Thanks to a large financial settlement, Jeremy Dias creates Jer's Vision to promote a safe "Positive Space" for sexual and social diversity in schools. Jer’s vision currently conducts anti-bullying workshops in schools and universities all over Ontario, including Ottawa University.
2002: Marc Hall vs. Durham Catholic School Board, a judge orders the Durham Catholic District School Board to allow Marc Hall, an openly gay student, to bring a same-sex date
to the high school prom.
2004: The Supreme Court of Canada rules that the federal government can change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, but does not answer whether such a change is required by the Charter.
2004: The Canadian Teacher’s Federation, a national union representing all of Canada’s teachers, approves a policy seeking “to protect teachers and students against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation” (Canadian Teachers’ Federation, 2004).
2004: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario releases “Imagine a World That Is
Free from Fear,” a K-8 resource that speaks about homophobia and heterosexism.
2005: The federal government passes same-sex marriage legislation in the House of Commons and Senate.
2007: The newly revised Ontario Curriculum Guidelines for high school students, “invite a critical examination of commonly-held assumptions regarding sexual orientation” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007).
2009: The Minister of Education released the document Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy (the strategy). The document set out a vision for an equitable and inclusive education system.
2010s:
2010: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario releases “Social Justice Begins with Me”, a literature-based kit that includes monthly grade-level themes and integrated lessons for grades k-8.
2011: Gay-straight alliances are formed in schools throughout Canada, in order to raise awareness toward issues such as homophobia toward LGBT students, sexual diversity, etc.
2013+: the new 2 year teacher training in bachelor of education programs throughout
Ontario will include an improved understanding of gender and sexuality to bring to the
classroom.