Authorization to Release Section 37 Funds to Commemorate the Bathhouse Raids - by Councillor Chris Moise, seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow

The men who were arrested were criminally charged with operating or visiting a "bawdy house", a place defined by law as housing "acts of indecency." At the time, gay people faced prejudice and discrimination in Canada. Being publicly outed could mean loss of employment, damage to personal relationships, or other serious consequences. In response, the gay community - with allies including feminist and Black activists, labour organizations, and civil liberties groups - rallied protests. On February 6, 1981, 3,000 people marched on Toronto Police 52 Division and Queen's Park. Former Toronto mayor John Sewell and community leaders like George Hislop (who was also a defendant) gave their support. The Right to Privacy Committee, created after an earlier raid, advised and gave financial support to those arrested. Most successfully defended their charges in court, but some were convicted. The raids damaged the relationship with the queer community, friction that continues over four decades later.