Torquere (E-Journal - York University)

Lee, Rick

English

Generation Trouble: Reflections on Gay Male Identity, Generational Consciousness, and Social Belonging

Lorey, Christoph

216 I Lorey 
Tom Warner. Never Going Back: A History of Queer Activism in 
Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. 430pp. Ill. 
Index. $95.00 (Cdn). ISBN 0-8020-8460-2. 
CHRISTOPH LoREY (University of New Brunswick) 
C ontrary to common perception and government newspeak, Canada's record as a guardian of human rights is neither long nor particularly clean. As any minority group can 
readily testify, bigotry and intolerance, injustice and oppression have 
been a constant element throughout most of Canada's history. Tom 
Warner's Never Going Back is the story of how one of the most 
tenaciously victimized groups - those who love, and make love, 
differently from what a heartless majority perceives to be the norm 
- organized and learned to fight back. This enormously important 
study, written by one of Canada's most experienced gay activists 
and cofounder of the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 
Ontario, chronicles the complex history of queer activism and 
organizing on a national scale, covering a period of over thirty-five 
years. In contrast to the title of his book, Warner deliberately avoids 
the use of the term queer, using instead the more limiting phrase 
"lesbians, gays, and bisexuals" throughout his near encyclopedic 
account of what he calls the "lesbian and gay liberation movement." 
The author does, however, show an extreme sensitivity to the many 
different needs voiced by individual sexual identity groups, and he 
makes every effort both to include and debate the range of issues 
that have informed queer activism in Canada over the past three 
decades, particularly in terms of race, religion, class, health status, 
and location. 
Never Going Back is well structured, well written and highly 
readable. In thirteen chapters, grouped into three main parts each 
reflecting distinct historical periods, Warner investigates the ongoing 
struggle of sexual minority groups to achieve positive recognition, 
liberation, and equality. The book begins with an analysis of the 
emergence of lesbians and gays as a visible and identifiable 
community and culture prior to 1975, covering the social 
transformation in the 1960s prior to Stonewall, the amendments to 
the Criminal Code in 1969, and the growing consciousness and 
community building in the early 1970s. The author continues with 
Book Reviews/Comptes rendus I 217 
an exploration of the conservative backlash during the following 
decade, caused by the rapid expansion of lesbian and gay 
communities in many parts of Canada, and with an examination of 
the dissent raging within activist groups over such central issues as 
the promotion of queer sexuality, social and political strategizing, 
and the perpetuation of sexism. This part also tackles the early impact 
of AIDS and the subsequent radicalization of queer activism and 
politics. The final section focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on 
the ongoing challenges of provincial human rights legislation to 
include sexual orientation in nondiscrimination clauses. 
Recent studies on lesbian and gay advocacy have mostly 
concentrated on the barrage of legal challenges that have been 
launched since 1985 and sought to analyze individual equal rights 
achievements. David Rayside's On the Fringe: Gays and Lesbians 
in Politics ( 1998), Kathleen Lahey's Are We 'Persons' Yet? Law and 
Sexuality in Canada ( 1999), Miriam Smith's Lesbian and Gay Rights 
in Canada (1999), and Bruce MacDougall's Queer Judgments: 
Homosexuality, Expression and the Courts in Canada (2000) may 
first spring to mind, but others could easily be added to the list. What 
sets Warner's work apart here is his unbending focus on crucial 
liberationist issues, including among others the fight against recurring 
state repression in the form of ongoing police harassment, targeted 
censorship, and pornography legislation. Convinced that equality-
seeking as a strategy for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals has nearly run 
its course, Warner argues persistently that it is necessary to continue 
with sexual liberation activism, which has fallen short in recent years 
in favor of the struggle for nondiscrimination and equality legislation. 
In Warner's eyes, equality-seeking activism has downplayed, if not 
negated, "the very real differences that exist between heterosexual 
and homosexual sexuality and relationships" (235). But successes 
on the equality issues front have not succeeded, the author warns, in 
eradicating homophobia and heterosexism precisely where both are 
most dangerous and pervasive- namely, in the domains of state 
regulation and law enforcement. Positive acceptance of same-sex 
sexuality "as a natural and normal alternative equal in all respects 
to heterosexuality," Warner concludes, "continues to be very much 
a minority view" (355) that has not yet infiltrated society at large. 
The book's shortcomings are few, though some of them are truly 
annoying while others may merely alienate a few overly picky 
218 I Lorey 
academic readers. The weakest part of the study is Warner's badly 
flawed historical sketch in the very first chapter of section one, "From 
Oppression to Liberation: Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals in Canada 
Prior to 1975." In a truly spectacular, horrendously imprecise 
historical sweep, the author goes back to Roman times in order to 
dig out the very roots of (sexual) oppression. Unfortunately, this time-
lapse from Justinian civil law to thirteenth-century measures against 
lesbianism in France to Victorian notions of sex and marriage does 
little to enlighten the reader; at best, it perpetuates a number of false 
perceptions concerning same-sex sexuality in terms both of its 
cultural significance and of its history of repression, views that linger 
stubbornly in the gay and straight presses alike and that tend to 
muddy contemporary debates on human sexuality and sexual 
liberation. Furthermore, Warner often remains vague where precision 
would be essential , and goes into lengthy detail where a brief 
summary would have sufficed. Important court challenges are 
inadequately annotated, making it difficult to read up on the subject. 
Leading civil rights victories on the international front, such as same-
sex marriage laws in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, are 
reduced to "consenting-adults amendments ... in some European 
countries" (57), leaving readers ignorant about significant changes 
affecting civil liberties policies of the European Union. The history 
of the continuing internationalization of queer activism and the forged 
connections between Canada and countries other than the United 
States are completely disregarded, creating the impression that 
Canadian queer activism operates in a vacuum. At times, senior 
political and religious leaders who fought against queer activism are 
identified only by their title or position (e.g., "a liberal candidate, 
later a senior cabinet minister, who told ... " 76) and are quoted from 
secondary or even tertiary sources, making it difficult to verify the 
accuracy of their (usually venomous) statements. 
Granted, Warner is not a historian, and we should not forget that 
he writes deliberately from the standpoint of an activist who was 
and still is an integral part of the movement he sets out to describe. 
Taken as a whole, Never Going Back is both a timely tribute and an 
invaluable resource, as well as an urgent reminder that queer activism 
is as important today as it has been in the past. 


Tom Warner. Never Going Back: A History of Queer Activism in Canada

 ,  

torquere 
Journal of the Canadian and Lesbian Gay Studies Association I 
Revue de Ia Societe canadiemze des etudes lesbiennes et gaies 
torquere is published by the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Studies Association I 
torquere est I' organe officielle de Ia Societe canadienne des 
etudes lesbiennes et gaies. 
Editor I Directeur 
John L. Plews (University of Calgary) 
Associate Editor I Directeur adjoint 
Heather Zwicker (University of Alberta) 
Book Review Editor I Redactrice associee pour les comptes rendus 
John L. Plews (University of Calgary), Acting 
Creative Submissions I Soumissions des oeubres de creation 
Kathryn Payne (George Brown Community College) 
French Language Submissions I Soumissions de textes fram;ais 
Claudine Potvin (University of Alberta) 
Secretary I Secretaire 
Rachel Warburton (Lakehead University) 
Treasurer I Tresorier 
Gamal Abdel-Shehid (University of Alberta) 
Editorial Board I Comite de redaction 
Rick Lee (Rutgers University) , Christoph Lorey (University of New Brunswick), 
Bobby Noble (York University) 
Website Manager I Directrice du site "Web" 
Mo Engel (Univer.sity of Alberta) 
Advisory Committee I Comite consultatif 
Barry Adam (University of Windsor), Douglas Arrell (University of 
Winnipeg), Katherine Binhammer (University of Alberta), Glenn Burger 
(University of Albena) , Heather Cameron (York University), Sheila 
Cavanagh (University of Western Ontario), Dianne Chisholm (University of 
Alberta), Dennis Dennisoff (Ryerson University), Lee Easton (Mount Royal 
College), Garrett P.J. Epp (University of Alberta), Gloria Filax (Athabasca 
University) , Terry Goldie (York University), Nathalie Kermoal (Directrice 
du journal Le Franco), Rosalind Kerr (University of Albe1ta), Michael 
MacKinnon (Boston University), Robert K. Martin (Universite de 
Montreal) , Nasrin Rahimieh (McMaster University), Sharon Rosenberg 
(University of Alberta), Eric Savoy (Universite de Montreal), Debra Shogan 
242 
(University of Alberta), John Stout (McMaster University), Gerard Theoret 
(Cornish College), Janice Williamson (University of Alberta) 
Aims and Scope 
t01·quere seeks to publicize scholarly and creative work on topics concerning 
queer aspects of Canada and its social , political, material, and textual 
culture, or on queer topics outside Canadian Studies by scholars conducting 
queer research in Canada. We welcome a diversity of approaches from a 
wide spectrum of areas- from Sociology, History, Political Science, 
Anthropology, Education, the Sciences, Business, Law, English, French, 
Modem Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Native Studies, Women 's 
Studies, Philosophy, Drama, Film and Media Studies. Religious Studies, 
Religion, Music and the Fine Arts. torquere also welcomes previously 
unpublished creative writing and visual art by and about Canadian queer, 
lesbian, gay, and transgendered people. We are particularly interested in 
work that seeks to play with conventional forms and genres in ways that are 
innovative and challenging. 
Objectifs 
torquere se propose de publier des articles scolaires, des nouvelles, des poemes et 
des dessins et photos portant sur les dimensions sociales, politiques et textuelles 
de Ia culture queer au Canada. On publiera egalement des articles ecrits par des 
chercheur(e)s en etudes lesbiennes et gaies aux universites canadiennes mais qui 
travaillent dans des domaines de specialisation autres que les etudes canadiennes. 
On est ouverts a des approches diverses venant de toute une gamme de champs, 
tels que Ia sociologie,l'histoire, la science politique, l 'anthropologie, la 
pedagogie, les sciences, le commerce, le droit, les etudes culturelles, les etudes 
autochtones, les etudes feministes, Ia philosophie, le theatre, le cinema et les 
media, les sciences religieuses, Ia musique et les beaux arts . On aimerait recevoir 
aussi des textes de creation et des photos et dessins qui n'ont pas encore ete 
publies ailleurs et qui presentent un point de vue queer, lesbien, gai, bisexuel ou 
transgender. On s' interesse surtout a des oeuvres innovatrices. 
Information for Contributors 
Submissions may be written in English or French. Please send scholarly 
submissions in triplicate to the incoming editor (Lee Easton, Editor, 
torquere, Department of English, Mount Royal College, 4825 Richard Road 
SW, Calgary AB, T3E 6K6 I e-mail: LEaston@mtroyal.ca). Essays should 
follow the format outlined in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research 
Papers (Fifth Edition). We require footnotes , not endnotes. Preference will 
be given to manuscripts between 15 and 25 pages. Please send creative 
submissions - poetry, short prose, photography, cartoons - in triplicate to 
the Creative Submissions Editor (Kathryn Payne, Creative Editor, torquere, 
Community Services and Development Centre, George Brown: The City 
College, P.O. Box 1015, Station B, Toronto, ON M5T 2T9 I e-mail: 
byz@sympatico.ca). Creative submissions must not exceed 12 pages. 
Manuscripts should not have been published previously. Authors of accepted 
manuscripts will be expected to forward a copy of their work saved to disk 
(IBM-formatted WordPerfect 9) along with one hard copy. Because all 
submissions are refereed blind, please include a cover note giving your 
name, address, telephone and fax numbers, email address, and the title of 
your work. Please include a SASE. 
243 
Note aux auteur(e)s 
Les articles et les oeuvres de creation soumis a Ia revue torquere doivent etre 
rediges en anglais ou en fran<;ais. Les articles scolaires doivent etre envoyes au futur 
directeur (Lee Easton, Editor, torquere, Department of English, Mount Royal College, 
4825 Richard Road SW, Calgary AB, T3E 6K61 couriel: LEaston@mtroyal.ca) en 
· trois exemplaires. Tout article doit suivre le modele MLA decrit dans le MLA 
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Fifth Editfon). Les notes seront placees 
en bas de page. On publiera de preference des textes et articles de 15 a 25 pages. 
Priere d'envoyer les textes de creation- poesie, nouvelles, photos, dessins - au 
directeur (Kathryn Payne, Creative Editor, torquere, Community Services and 
Development Centre, George Brown: The City College. P.O. Box I 015, Station B, 
Toronto, ON M5T 2T9 I couriel: byz@sympatico.ca) en trois exemplaires. Les 
textes de creation ne doivent pas depasser 12 pages. Seuls les textes qui n' ont pas 
ete publies ailleurs seront acceptes. Si Ia revue accepte !'article soumis, l'auteur(e) 
devra foumir une copie sur disquette (IBM formatee , WordPerfect 9) et une copie 
imprimee du texte. Tous les articles et les autres textes seront Ius par un lecturlune 
lectrice anonyme. On vous prie de faire parvenir vos documents en y joignant une 
lettre de presentation qui indique vos coordonnes : nom, adresse, numeros de 
telephone et de telecopieur, couriel. On vous prie d 'envoyer sous le meme pli une 
enveloppe pre-affranchie. 
Subscription Information 
torquere is published annually. Members of the CLGSA receive torquere with 
their membership. Subscription rates are as follows: $60.00 (CON) per year for 
regular members; $30.00 (CON) per year for students; $75.00 (CON) per year 
for institutions. For more information about membership with the CLGSA 
please contact the association's treasurer (Robert W. Gray, Secretary/Treasurer, 
CLGSAISCELG, 354-1755 Robson Street, Vancouver BC, Canada V6G 2B7 I 
e-mail: rwgray@telus.net). torquere is a member of CEU, the Conference of 
Editors of Learned Journals, and CAU, the Canadian Association of Learned 
Journals. t01·quere is able to offer reasonable advertising rates. 
Renseignements sur I' Abonnement 
torquere paralt une fois par an. Les membres de Ia SCELG re<;oivent Ia revue 
grace a leur cotisation : les droits seront de $60.00 (can) par annee pour les 
membres reguliers et de $30.00 (can) par annee pour les etudiants et les 
chercheur(e)s communautaires; le prix a payer par les institutions sera $75.00 
(can) par annee. To us ceuxltoutes celles qui voudraient devenir membres de Ia 
SCELG sont pries de s 'adresser au tresorier de Ia SCELG (Robert W. Gray, 
Secretary/Treasurer, CLGSAISCELG, 354-1755 Robson Street, Vancouver BC, 
Canada V6G-2B7 I couriel: rwgray@telus.net). torquere est membre de Ia 
CEU, et de Ia CALJ. Les tarifs de publicite sont disponibles sur demande. 
244 
Acknowledgments I Reconnaissances 
For helping to finance this project, the Executive and Members of the CLGSA I 
SCELG; for accounting assistance, Kris Calhoun; for expert guidance and 
consultation with French, Claudine Potvin; for generous support over the last five 
years, Charles Bidwell, Piet Defraeye, Donald Cochrane, Michael Eberle-Sinatra, 
Jim Ellis, Joerg Esleben, Lise Gotell. Stephen Guy-Bray, Thomas Kemple, Steven 
Kruger, Ann Martin, James McNinch, Dorrit Naaman, Heather Tapley, Monique 
Tschofen, Raleigh Whitinger, Cathy Van lngen, Nick Zwaagstra. 
Cover Credits 
Image ©Tamara Maggio. Cover design by Jaroslaw Malanowski, 
Mo Engel, John L. Plews, and Heather Zwicker. 
Printed in Canada I lmprime au Canada 
© Canadian Lesbian and Gay Studies Association I Societe canadienne des etudes 
lesbiennes et gaies 2003. All rights reserved I Tous droits reserves. 
CN ISSN 1488-5182 
http:llwww.arts.ualberta.ca/-torquere 


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