Journals @ The Mount
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From Courtship to “Occasional Prostitution”: Acceptable and Unacceptable Public Displays of Sexuality in Canada from 1880 to 1920
Get PDFThis paper explores the sexual regulation and the social construction of sexual norms for men and women in the period of 1880 to 1920 in Canada. At this time, sexuality was closely tied with reputation, character, and morality, which required strict regulation of behaviour. With the growth of urban centers, social norms were tested, resulting in what I call an "early dating culture," which was mistaken as "occasional prostitution." I argue that as “proper” societal norms were tested by the effects of urbanization, there emerged an early dating culture that challenged notions of morality in relation to acceptable and unacceptable public displays of heterosexuality.
Sodomitical Butterflies: Male Homosexual Desire in Colonial Latin America
Get PDFDespite the vast research done by contemporary historians concerning the history of sexuality, relatively little is known about gender and sexual identities in what is now Latin America. Much of what is known has been altered by the experiences and backgrounds of historians in this field, leading to interpretations which are either dismayingly negative or wholly positive. Some publications focus more on inference than fact, or ignore much of the context for why homosexuality and non-binary gender identity were treated as they were by Spanish colonists and conquistadors. This paper aims to construct a more complete analysis of sodomy throughout the history of colonial Latin America by comparing existing discourses regarding sodomy in colonial Latin America, as well as a few select colonial documents and court cases. An evaluation of this documentation reveals that the nature of sodomy in Spanish America is too complicated to describe in a binary manner. Authority did not always condemn homosexuality outright, and though most criollos were not for same-sex relations, some had more neutral feelings towards homosexual desires. This anaylsis adds to the growing body of research regarding American sexuality before and after European ideology altered continental perspectives. In using publications with varying perspectives, the role of male homosexuality, the perception of sodomy, the culture of honour in regards to sodomy, and the consequences of same-sex desire in Spain\u27s American colonies can be better understood
The Critical Years: Role of the Events of the 1780s in Strengthening the Abolitionist Movement of Britain
Get PDFMuch of the success that the British abolitionist movement had over the course of the late 18th century and early 19th century was a result of a transformation that took place in the abolitionist movement during the 1780s. As the decade progressed, the abolitionist cause became a powerful force and organization as a result of the rise in powerful and charismatic individuals, that provided a voice and guidance for the cause; the Quaker’s involvement in laying down the foundation for a unified abolitionist movement; and finally, the refinement of pro-abolitionist arguments that were used to counteract anti-abolitionist tracts. Though the British slave trade was not abolished until 1807, with slavery being outright abolished in the Empire in 1833, the 1780s saw abolitionist sentiments spread across the British Isles and British citizens becoming actively involved in the cause to free the slaves. By the end of the decade the debate over slavery had become a flash point in British politics that led to heated debates in Parliament as to what course of action should be taken. Though the end of the decade did not see slavery abolished it did lay the foundation for the eventual abolition of slavery in Britain and the Empire
Communism and Toronto Schools: Contention and Politics in the Toronto School Board, 1941-1962.
Get PDFIn the decades following World War II, the Toronto School Board was subjected to the Cold War anti-communist fear that permeated political, religious, and educational concerns in Toronto. Despite this continuous anxiety, communists were able to hold positions on the board and enact influence upon schools. Communists on the Board exercised a certain degree of influence in the Board’s decision making and continued to be a voice of opposition among increasingly anti-communist members until 1951. The politics of the Toronto School Board occurred within a larger context of communist anxiety related to education. Throughout the Board’s changing membership and elections during the 1940s and into the early 1950s, The Globe and Mail covered its policies and campaigns through an often anti-communist lens, reflecting the increasingly hostile public opinion towards communists in Toronto’s government and public life
Anti-Slavery Movements in British North America and the Transnational life of “Obedient Servant” Samuel Ringgold Ward
Get PDFThis paper argues that the writings of abolitionist Samuel Ringgold Ward and other anti-slavery groups were indicative of a larger trend of African Americans becoming influenced by Moral Colonialism. This colonialism was based on the belief that British colonizers were civilizing and therefore saving non-white populations, through measures such as appointing “protectors” to prevent non-white people from being taken into slavery and other forms of exploitation. In these writings, there are many descriptions given to the British Empire, describing it as a “glorious nation” and other similar labels, which argued that the British Empire was the most progressive power. Samuel Ringgold Ward lived a mobile life in America, Canada, Switzerland, Britain, and Jamaica, so this paper will use a transnational approach, showing the connections British North America had to other colonies in the British Empire, while also demonstrating the many influences on the views of Ward and other African Americans
