Peter Gregory McGeheePeter Gregory McGehee (1955–1991)
Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, June 16, 2009. (October 6, 1955 – September 13, 1991)
. glbtq.com, 2005. was an American-born Canadian novelist, dramatist and short story writer. Born in

Pine Bluff, Arkansas Pine Bluff, officially the City of Pine Bluff, is the List of municipalities in Arkansas, tenth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, Jefferson County. The population of the city wa ...

to Frank Thomas and Julia Ann May McGehee, Peter moved with his family to Little Rock when he was six. He was the second of three children. McGehee played the trombone at Parkview High School in Little Rock where he graduated in 1973. McGehee studied at

Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

before moving to

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to work in theatre. While living in San Francisco, he wrote his first play and first comedic musical revue ''The Quinlan Sisters'', and later met Canadian activist Douglas Wilson, who became his partner. He moved to

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

in 1980 to be with Wilson, and subsequently the couple moved to

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

in 1982. However, due to the lack of recognition afforded to

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...

at the time, he often faced potential deportation because of his citizenship status, twice entering marriages of convenience with female friends. He briefly moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1984, but had returned to Toronto by 1986. He published his first

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...

, ''Beyond Happiness'', with Stubblejumper Press in 1985, and premiered his second revue, ''The Fabulous Sirs,'' in 1987. In 1988, McGehee and Wilson were both diagnosed

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

-positive. McGehee subsequently wrote two novels, ''Boys Like Us'' and ''Sweetheart'', and a book of short stories, ''The IQ Zoo''. ''Boys Like Us'' was published in 1991, shortly before McGehee's death of

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

-related causes; ''Sweetheart'' and ''The IQ Zoo'' were both published posthumously. The novels focused on the life of Zero MacNoo, a character who much like McGehee himself was an American living in Toronto, and his family and circle of friends. Using notes that McGehee had written in preparation for his third novel, Wilson subsequently wrote ''Labour of Love'' before his own death in 1992. That novel was published in 1993.

Books

* ''Beyond Happiness'' (1985) * ''Boys Like Us'' (1991) * ''The IQ Zoo'' (1991) * ''Sweetheart'' (1992)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McGehee, Peter 1955 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American novelists 20th-century Canadian novelists American male novelists 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights Canadian male novelists Canadian male short story writers 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights Canadian gay writers Writers from Arkansas Novelists from Toronto University of San Francisco alumni Southern Methodist University alumni AIDS-related deaths in Canada American expatriate writers in Canada People from Pine Bluff, Arkansas American LGBTQ dramatists and playwrights American LGBTQ novelists Canadian LGBTQ dramatists and playwrights Canadian LGBTQ novelists American male short story writers Canadian male dramatists and playwrights American male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Canadian short story writers 20th-century American short story writers 20th-century Canadian male writers 20th-century American male writers 20th-century Canadian LGBTQ people American gay writers Gay dramatists and playwrights Gay novelists 20th-century American LGBTQ people