Queer Ontario, in partnership with Xtra, are proud to announce the joint screening of Track Two, documenting the 1981 bathhouse raids and riots.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Operation Soap — the infamous bathhouse raids of 1981 that saw the pillaging of four Toronto bathhouses and the charging of 309 men as keepers and found-ins of a common bawdy house. Track Two, follows the raids themselves and the subsequent uprising from the community.

On Tuesday, March 29, Queer Ontario and Xtra will be screening Track Two at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (located at 12 Alexander St.). Doors open at 6:30 PM with the event commencing at 7:00 PM. We’re pleased to have some of those involved with the film present to speak to their experiences as well as some speaker’s who make the linkage between the ’81 raids and modern day discussions of sex spaces and policing.

As well, at the screening, we will be accepting donations that will be given to seniors programs to support those in our communities who fought for our rights and now make use of programs such as these at the 519.

We also would like to take this opportunity to re-invite everyone to continue to share their stories of the raids and the subsequent riots as part of The NO MORE SHIT! Remembrance Project.

See you there!

This Monday, March 21, the NDP have committed to asking a question during Question Period at Queen’s Park on the Ministry of Education’s responsibility to enforce their Policy related to Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) – Policy highlighted in our January 24, 2011 letter to Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Education.

Recently, students at St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga were told “no” when they asked to form a GSA – the fully story can be found here.

Continuing our ongoing work on the issue of GSAs in Catholic School Boards, we will be releasing a public statement soon once again calling on the Ministry to enforce their Policy (PPM 145) and allow these students their right to form and/or participate in a GSA. As well, we will be hosting a Public Education Forum on the International Day of Pink – April 13 – in downtown Toronto to discuss the benefits of an updated Sex Ed Curriculum as well as GSAs. Details on this forthcoming.

In the meantime, we are calling on you today to make your presence heard and show up to Question Period at Queen’s Park on Monday, March 21. Question Period starts at 10:30 AM and runs until 11:30 AM. It is open to the public and all you need to do is head to Queen’s Park and head to the main/front entrance and you will be re-directed from there.

We encourage all Queer Ontario members who can to make their way to Queen’s Park to do so and show that you support the rights of not just Mississauga students but students across Ontario to form and/or participate in GSAs.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the infamous bathhouse raids of February 5, 1981, Queer Ontario Political Action Chair Casey Oraa and Queer Ontario Chairperson Nick Mulé braced the cold yesterday to install the NO MORE SHIT banner with the help of a handful of generous and dedicated observers. Found on Church Street just south of Wellesley, we are hoping this banner becomes a familiar feature leading up to the 30th anniversary of the Gay Freedom Rally on March 6th, the first Pride event to ever take place in the city of Toronto.

Indeed, don’t forget to pass by the banner and wave hello on February 6th and February 20th, which mark the days of the two largest anti-police rallies organized in response to the raids.