''Rites'' was a Canadian magazine, published for

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...

lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...

bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...

, and

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

communities in Canada from 1984 to 1992.

Founding

The magazine was published in

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 ...

, Ontario, by Rites Publishing and was produced by a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

collective. Founding members of the ''Rites'' collective were Peter Birt, Romaine Brooks, Lyn Freese,

Gary Kinsman Gary William Kinsman (born 1955) is a Canadian sociologist. Born in Toronto, he studies lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.Doug Wilson. Many of the founding members had previously been associated with ''Pink Ink'', a monthly national publication for lesbians and gay men of which five issues were published between July 1983 and January 1984."Pink phoenix?". '' The Body Politic'', Vol. 102 (April 1984).

Membership

Over its almost eight years of operation, additional ''Rites'' collective members included (in the order in which they joined): Mary Louise Adams, Stuart Blackley, Susan Wilkes, Scott Ferguson, Celest Natale, Doug Stewart, Ruthann Tucker, Robert Champagne, Becki Ross, Michael Nicholson, Shawn Syms, Mark Michaud, Anne Vespry, Rebecca Frank, Regan McClure, Lynn Iding and Rachel Aitcheson.

Issues

A total of 76 issues of ''Rites'' were published – from Vol. 1 No. 1 (May 1984) to Vol. 8 No. 6 (January/February 1992). ''Rites'' was published 10 times a year, until Vol. 8 No. 4 (September/October 1991) when the frequency of publication changed to six times a year. Two thousand copies of each issue were printed and distributed through paid subscriptions and distribution to retail outlets across Canada and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The readership of ''Rites'' was 60 per cent lesbian and lesbian/gay-positive women, and 40 per cent gay and lesbian/gay-positive men.

Subjects

An expressly political magazine, ''Rites'' was published to further lesbian and

gay liberation The gay liberation movement was a social and political movement of the late 1960s through the mid-1980s in the Western world, that urged lesbians and gay men to engage in radical direct action, and to counter societal shame with gay pride.Hoff ...

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

, and progressive social change. The ''Rites'' collective saw the magazine as part of building an active lesbian and gay liberation movement. ''Rites'' was committed to cross-Canada coverage and the equal involvement of lesbians and gay men in all aspects of the magazine's production. ''Rites'' explored the interconnections between the lesbian and gay liberation movement, the

women's movement The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and women. Such issues are women's ...

anti-racist Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and delibera ...

struggles,

peace Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence, and everything that discusses achieving human welfare through justice and peaceful conditions. In a societal sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (suc ...

activism, the

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

movement, struggles related to class, age and

disability Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be Cognitive disability, cognitive, Developmental disability, d ...

, and other liberation struggles, including the fight to end

apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. ''Rites'' was also committed to developing a political response to the

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 ...

crisis, supporting persons living with AIDS (PLWAs), and eroticizing

safe sex Safe sex is sexual activity using methods or contraceptive devices (such as condoms) to reduce the risk of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially HIV. "Safe sex" is also sometimes referred to as safer ...

. Rites rejected the sexual

libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

politics commonly asserted by other lesbian and gay publications that it saw as failing to challenge sexist and racist forms of social power underlying the experiences of women, lesbians, and gays of colour.

Rites' news group

''Rites news group – an extensive network of volunteer news correspondents across Canada – produced news articles and shorter news briefs covering, amongst other issues: the rights of sex workers, feminist struggles related to

pornography Pornography (colloquially called porn or porno) is Sexual suggestiveness, sexually suggestive material, such as a picture, video, text, or audio, intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolv ...

, anti-

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...

struggles (including the legal case brought by Toronto's

Glad Day Bookshop Glad Day Bookshop is an independent bookstore and restaurant located in Toronto, Ontario, specializing in LGBT literature. Previously located above a storefront at 598A Yonge Street for much of its history, the store moved to its current location ...

and the Canadian Committee against Customs Censorship challenging

Canada Customs The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA; , ''ASFC'') is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border control (i.e. protection and surveillance), immigration enforcement, and customs services in Canada. The CBSA is responsib ...

' censorship of ''The Joy of Gay Sex''), police harassment of lesbians and gays,

International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

rights, Take Back the Night marches, lesbian and

gay pride In the context of LGBTQ culture, pride (also known as LGBTQ pride, LGBTQIA pride, LGBT pride, queer pride, gay pride, or gay and lesbian pride) is the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, Social equality, equality, and increas ...

marches across Canada, lesbian motherhood, anti-apartheid struggles (including those of

Simon Nkoli Simon Tseko Nkoli (also spelled Simon Nkodi; 26 November 1957 – 30 November 1998) was an Internal resistance to South African apartheid, anti-apartheid, gay rights, and HIV/AIDS activism, AIDS activist in South Africa. Active in the Congress ...

, then South Africa's leading black gay activist), and the formation and operation of AIDS Action Now! in Toronto. ''Rites'' also covered the struggle for legal protection against discrimination in provincial and federal law, including the anti-discrimination case of fired racing steward John Damien in Ontario and the campaign that led to inclusion of "

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...

" in the

Ontario Human Rights Code The Human Rights Code is a statute in the Canadian province of Ontario that guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination in specific social areas such as housing or employment. The code's goal specifically prohibits discrimina ...

. ''Rites'' also contributed extensively to Canadian news coverage of the AIDS crisis, including reporting on activism at the 1989 Montreal International AIDS Conference and publishing "Talking Politics: Diary of an AIDS Activist", a regular column by George Smith, who was also a founder of Toronto's Right to Privacy Committee. ''Rites'' was a vital early source of information on AIDS treatment, publishing Sean Hosein's regular column "AIDS Treatment Update" from September 1987 onwards.

Other areas of interest

In addition to news coverage, ''Rites'' was a forum to examine the rites and rituals of lesbian and gay culture and published new works of lesbian and gay fiction, poetry, photography and visual arts. Writers published in ''Rites'' included: Michael Riordan, Ian Young, Mariana Valverde, Sara Diamond, Makeda Silvera, Robin Metcalfe,

Sky Gilbert Schuyler Lee (Sky) Gilbert Jr. (born December 20, 1952) is a Canadian writer, actor, academic and drag performer. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, he studied theatre at York University in Toronto, Ontario, and at the University of Toronto, before b ...

, Michael Achtman, Thomas Waugh, Marusya Bociurkiw, Anne Cameron, Steven Maynard, Audrey Butler, Doug Stewart, and François Lachance. Amongst others, ''Rites'' also published the poetry of Brenda Brooks and

Ian Iqbal Rashid Ian Iqbal Rashid (born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and poet, known for his volumes of poetry, for his work on the Peabody Award-winning and Canadian Screen Award-winning HBO Max/ CBC TV series '' Sort Of'' (2021� ...

, the photography of Cyndra MacDowall, the visual art of

Persimmon Blackbridge Persimmon Blackbridge (born 1951)Inductee: Persimmon Blackbridge
The ArQuives, The ArQuives: Cana ...

and Sheila Gilhooly, the graphic illustrations of Alanna Marohnic, and '' The Chosen Family'' cartoons of Noreen Stevens. ''Rites'' also published extensive cultural reviews of plays, movies and books, including Peter McGehee's "In My Opinion", a regular cultural review column. A number of occasional columns, "Lesbiantics", "Fairy Tales", and "No Regrets", explored personal experiences and opinions. Scott McArthur and David Adler wrote a ground-breaking column on disability issues in the lesbian and gay community.

Social status

''Rites'' was an important forum for the publication of Canadian lesbian and gay history, publishing the first interview with Jim Egan, Canada's first public gay activist in the 1950s (who initiated a lawsuit – '' Egan v Canada'' – that ultimately led, in 1995, to a landmark

Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; , ) is the highest court in the judicial system of Canada. It comprises nine justices, whose decisions are the ultimate application of Canadian law, and grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants eac ...

decision interpreting the

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms The ''Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms'' (), often simply referred to as the ''Charter'' in Canada, is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada, forming the first part of the '' Constitution Act, 1982''. The ''Char ...

to prohibit discrimination by the state based on sexual orientation). The magazine also carried articles on the history of lesbian and gay communities in Toronto and

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, and published a special supplement of lesbian and gay history book reviews. Other special supplements published in ''Rites'' over its history included features on families, youth, lesbians and gays of colour, lesbian and gay survivors of childhood sexual abuse, AIDS prevention,

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

, aging, and relationships. In Vol. 7 No. 8 (January/February 1991) ''Rites'' published "Queer Entries", a comprehensive index to its first six volumes (from May 1984 to April 1990). ''Rites'' was also indexed in the Alternative Press Index.

Disbandment

Rites Publishing ceased operation in April 1992, citing a shrinking volunteer workforce and growing debts caused by escalating costs and declining revenues. Collections of ''Rites'' can be found in a number of public libraries in Canada, as well as at the

Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives The ArQuives: Canada's LGBTQ2+ Archives, formerly known as the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1973 as the Canadian Gay Liberation Movement Archives. The ArQuives acquires, preserves, and pro ...

in Toronto.

References

{{Portal bar, Canada, Journalism, LGBTQ 1984 establishments in Ontario 1992 disestablishments in Ontario Defunct LGBTQ-related magazines published in Canada Defunct magazines published in Toronto LGBTQ-related magazines published in Toronto Magazines established in 1984 Magazines disestablished in 1992