Date: Thu, 06 Jul 95 07:38:29 -0400 From: Timothy Ross Wilson ambidge@ecf.toronto.edu (Chris Ambidge) wrote: >from the >Toronto Star< Monday 1995 07 03 / pg A1 >no permission / typos mine-all-mine > >=== begin text === > >GAY PRIDE DRAWS 500,000 PEOPLE >>Annual Parade is the biggest yet< > >by Michelle Shephard and Vicki White/Staff Reporters > >More than half a million people celebrated yesterday at the annual Gay >Pride Parade, making it what organisers said was one of North America's >largest gay pride event ever. > >Metro Police said there were between 500 000 and 600 000 spectators and >50 000 participants. > >"It's really an achievement for the gay community," said Sean Roach, a >volunteer and owner of Crews Bar on Church St. "Definitely the biggest >and best so far." > >The parade, which 15 years ago had only 2500 participants, took three >hours to wind its way along Mutual St [??error here -- it went south on >Church, Mutual was where the floats marshalled], across Gould St and >north on Yonge St to finish at Bloor St [?no, it went along Bloor to >Church]. > >Messages on t-shirts of paraders included "Same Sex Rights are NOT Special >Rights" and "Heterosexuality is not normal, just common." > >There was also an anti-Mike Harris sentiment as people waved signs with >the face of the new Tory premier crossed out with the word "SHAME" in >bold black letters. Some wore jackets that said "Don't Harris Me." > >"The election brought very disappointing results to the whole community," >said 32-year-old Rebecca Taylor. > >"There are going to be a lot of demonstrations and fighting for our >rights with the Government." > >[continued on pg A3 with the headline HARRIS BASHING MARKS PARADE] > >James Miller, walking in the parade behind the banner "Gay Fathers," >said he is bringing up his 10-year-old twins with two fathers and a >mother. > >"The kids are really great and accepting," said the 43-year-old University >of Western Ontario professor. > >Miller marched with his partner, John and two children, William and >Alice, to demonstrate what he calls his "out family." > >He separated from his wife of eleven years and now he and his gay partner >share joint custody of the children with her. > >Leading the parade in a red BMW convertible were Jim Egan, 73, and Jack >Nesbit, 67. The Courtney, BC couple, who have been together for 47 >years, recently took their case for same social benefits paid heterosexual >couples to the Supreme Court of Canada. > >The court unanimously ruled in May the Charter of Rights prohibits >discrimination against homosexuals, even though it doesn't specifically >state it. > >But the court also ruled 5-4 that needy gay or lesbian couples won't >necessarily be entitled to the same federal social benefits as >heterosexual couples. > >Others warmly received by the crowd yesterday were NDP MP Svend Robinson >and Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall. > >Also yesterday the Metropolitan Community Church held a special service >for a congregation of about 800 people. "On Lesbian and Gay Pride Day, >we will seize the day" said Rev Brent Hawkes. "Justice must be pursed, >no matter what the cost. Have confidence in our collective strength. >We can change the world." > >It was a message designed to rebuild hope and determination in a community >frightened by the Progressive Conservative sweep in the provincial election, >said Hawkes, who ran as an NDP candidate in the riding of St George-St >David and lost to Tory Al Leach. > >Hawkes emphasised that the provincial Tories have yet to show how they > will respond to the gay community's struggle for equality. > >If necessary, he said, the courts will still be open to those who are >willing to fight. > >=== end text === > >[the story covered the top 2/3 of page A3. there were four pictures: > >1) [view down Yonge from Wellesley, showing the parade in progress, >with large crowds] GAY PRIDE: More than 500 00 people, some in costume, >some with banners, fill Toronto streets yesterday for the annual Gay Pride >Parade. Organisers called it the "biggest and best so far". > >2) FLOWER POWER: with petals framing his face, this man happily marches >the downtown route. > >3) ALL SMILES: Vancouver MP Svend Robinson, a gay activist, gets loud >applause from onlookers > >4) PARADE LEADERS: Jim Egan, 73, left, and Jack Nesbit, 67, of Courtney >BC, lead the parade. They recently took their same-sex benefits case to the >Supreme Court. > >=== end == > >Chris >who was one of the 50 000 in the parade, and who was on the CITY-TV >newscast for a couple of seconds, in rainbow-maple-leaf-flag t-shirt >and pearls >-- >Chris Ambidge / ambidge@ecf.toronto.edu / ambidge@ecf.utoronto.ca > chemical engineering / university of toronto > 200 college st / toronto ON / M5S 1A4 // 416 978 3106 -- ____________________________ tim@magi.com ae913@freenet.carleton.ca http://www.magi.com/~tim/ (updated 950617) Public Key Server -- GET ``tim@magi.com'' at http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/~bal/pks-commands.html