Sexual Diversity Activism at the University of Toronto, Toronto
Having first met off campus, the University of Toronto Homophile Association (UTHA) convened again on November 4, 1969, at University College to advocate equality and freedom for gay men and lesbians. This was the first group of its kind at a Canadian university. Early on, UTHA attracted supporters far beyond the University of Toronto community, influencing the formation of like-minded groups on university campuses and in communities across Ontario and the country. UTHA was closely connected to a larger North American liberationist culture that sought to bring visibility to traditionally marginalized sexual minorities by challenging the discriminatory practices and beliefs of the state and society. This movement continued to grow through protest, coalition building and community education, countering prejudice and asserting the necessity of recognizing diversity.