The Trials of the Body Politic

Notes on sources

Sources

1. Published chronologies and compendium stories (in TBP unless otherwise noted):
   • "Victories and defeats: a gay and lesbian chronology, 1964-1982", in Flaunting It!
   • "The Year: A Chronology", in "Her Majesty the Queen vs Pink Triangle Press", Issue 49, Dec 1978-Jan 1979, pp 19-23
   • "Two years down", Issue 62, Apr 1980, p 10
   • "Double Jeopardy" (board game), in Issue 83, May 1982, pp 46-47
   • "Still not guilty after all these years", Issue 98, November 1983, pp 11-12

2. Other stories
   (Most listed here are specific to TBP cases, though others are cited in chronology below)
   • Issue 39, Dec 77-Jan 78: "Men loving boys loving men"; with collective intro, "Children", pp 29-33
   • Issue 40, Feb 78: "Crisis: In the midst of danger, a chance to unite" (editorial), p 1 Bigots import Bryant, pp 6-7; TBP raided and charged, pp 8-9
   • Issue 41, Mar 78: "Supreme Court hears TBP appeal" (of warrant), p 5 (with related support and funding stories)
   • Issue 42, Apr 78: "TBP to appeal Supreme Court decision", p 4 (with Fund update)
   • Issue 43, May 78: "TBP to test legality of search warrant in Supreme Court" (with sidebar on more media reactions), p 5
   • Issue 44, Jun-Jul 78: "Students safe; TBP dropped from summer program", p 8 (only TBP-related story in issue, and minor; all above big and prominent)
   • Issue 45, Aug 78: "Supreme Court quashes TBP; obscenity trial delayed", p 7 (see also support story below); "Arts Council split over TBP grant", p 8
   • Issue 46, Sep 78: "Trial date set for Body Politic", p 8 (only story, and small)
   • Issue 47, Oct 78: "Catholic 'anti-porn' priest joins cops in hunt for gay witnesses against TBP"; "Cops return some seized TBP material"; "Police search bank"; all p 8. "American sociologists vote support to TBP, condemn gov't", p 13
   • Issue 48, Nov 78: "Council increases TBP grant, Baetz criticizes 'impolitic' move"; and "Who's really cutting the arts pie?"; both p 13
   • Issue 49, Dec 78/Jan 79 (pre-trial compendium story; see above)
   • Issue 50, Feb 79: "Case may set precedent, decision expected Feb 14", pp 7-10. "Eclectic assistance" (review of performances at 30 Dec 1978 Raid party and 3 Jan 1979 rally), p 35
   • Issue 51, Mar-Apr 79: "Verdict: not guilty!", p 8-9. Excerpts from judgment, p 10. "TBP launches libel action against Toronto Star", p 12. "Sewell declares ongoing support but stays away from gay meeting", p 13
   • Issue 52, May 79: "McMurtry appeals TBP acquittal, refuses to return seized material"; and "Making the rules as they go along"; both p 12. Notice of appeal reprinted on same page. "When is a choice not a choice?" (collective "This Issue" ponderings on response to appeal), p 3.
   • Issue 53, June 79: "The porn squad would like you to have a few souvenirs" (full-page ad offering returned copies of Loving Man), p 2. "No student for TBP, Arts Council says", p 15
   • Issue 56, Sep 79: "Gay 'sit-in for justice' demands McMurtry end police harassment", p 9
   • Issue 57, Oct 79: "Attorney General grants meeting, sit-in forces McMurtry turnabout," p 12
   • Issue 58, Nov 79: "Cops raid Hot Tub Club, private homes on eve of opening of Ontario legislature", p 8. "Arts Council denies $1,000 grant to TBP", p 9. "TBP asks court to return materials", p 12
   • Issue 59, Dec 79/Jan 80: "Decision on materials to come December 27", p 13. "Appeal date set", p 16
   • Issue 60, Feb 80: "Judge orders materials back, tells Crown to pay court costs"; and "Stop Press" (Crown appeals); both p 7
   • Issue 61, Mar 80: "Civil liberties group intervenes at Body Politic appeal hearing"; and "Crown appeals order to return materials"; both p 15; "Eros replaces cupid for Pink Triangle Day", p 16; "Outreach to thousands" (Globe and Mail ad campaign), pp 20-21
   • Issue 62, Apr 80: "Appeal judge orders TBP back to trial", p 10
   • Issue 63, May 80: "TBP appeal cites 22 errors of law", p 14
   • Issue 66, Sep 80: "Ombudsman backs Arts Council in not funding student for TBP", p 11. "Crown's paid shrink has attack of candour", p 13
   • Issue 72, Apr 81: "Court rules AG not in contempt, holds decision on TBP appeal", p 17
   • Issue 73, May 81: "TBP to appeal to Supreme Court to overturn court order for retrial", p 12
   • Issue 74, Jun 81: "TBP takes final shot at top court", p 15
   • Issue 75, Jul-Aug 81: "Judgment reserved on appeal request", p 13
   • Issue 78, Nov 81: "High court sends TBP back for retrial", p 17
   • Issue 80, Jan-Feb 1982: "Class reunion" (photo and caption), p 13
   • Issue 81, Mar 82: "May 31 trial date set for TBP's next round", p 18
   • Issue 82, Apr 82: "Judge lets Crown keep 4-year-old TBP files"; "Church and state - together again at city hall"; both p 14; "Lust with a very proper stranger", pp 50-51.
   • Issue 83, May 82: "Double Jeopardy" (board game chronology; see above)
   • Issue 84, Jun 82: "Defending the right to read" (TBP, Glad Day, Numbers Calgary and Toronto police harassment cases) with sidebar, "Trial One: taking it from the top", pp 8-10
   • Issue 85, Jul-Aug 82: "The second time around" (editorial) p 6. "Double victory over double jeopardy", pp 7-8. Sidebar: "Trial II, take one", p 7
   • Issue 86, Sep 82: "Why don't you people just pay the fine, get out of court and get back to publishing?" (editorial run as ad), p 2. "Facing off against triple jeopardy", p 9.
   • Issue 88, Nov 82: "Testing tolerance: but for what community?" (analysis of issues in upcoming Lust/Fisting trial), with sidebar: "Non-players guide to TBP trials", p 17
   • Issue 89, Dec 82: "Another TBP trial, another not guilty verdict" (Lust case), p 11
   • Issue 90, Jan-Feb 83: "AG says no appeal on obscenity acquittal" (Lust case), p 15
   • Issue 93, May 83: "One mo' time" (newsbrief on dates of next appeal hearing), p 13
   • Issue 98, Nov 83: (compendium story on end of MLBLM case; see above)
   • Issue 101, Mar 84: "Now boys, that's no way to say goodbye..." (bust of TBP party at 24 Duncan St), p 12
   • Issue 115, Jun 85: "Seven years, three months and fifteen days ago..." (final return of seized material), p 17

3. Other sources to check:
   • Letters to the editor in TBP (not noted below)
   • Toronto daily papers (many clipped at the Archives)
   • Centerfold magazine (should be at the Archives)

There were too many....