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Gay Asians of Toronto

Gay Asians of Toronto was an organization encouraging political advocacy and social support for gay individuals with an Asian background living in Toronto. The group was formed in 1980 in the midst of the development of radical social movements. The organization strived to provide a nurturing environment where gay Asians can find support through shared personal experiences and exchange of information. The organization was open to all individuals regardless of age, race or sexual orientation. GAT was a pioneer group raising awareness of the issues that Asian-Canadian faces within the community by challenging existing and conventional Asian perspectives on homosexuality. Furthermore, they played a vital part in providing support within the gay Asian community. The group lasted from 1980s to early 2000s. However, on the World AIDS Day of December 1^st, 1994, Gay Asians Toronto’s AIDS project merged with Southeast Asian Service Centre’s Vietnamese AIDS project and the Toronto Chinese Health Education to form a new alliance organization called Asians Community AIDS Services (ACAS). The new organization formed symbolizes the unity amongst different sociopolitical movements and their commitment in fighting for the rights of the marginalized sector of the communities, as well as a united response against AIDS.

Background on Gay Asian Activism in North America

The 1970s and The Gay Asian American Manifesto

Gay Asian Americans have been part of the long history of gay liberation. However, early LGBTQ Asian activists criticized Asian American movements that refused "to acknowledge their LGBTQ existence", as well as, early LGBTQ movements for prioritizing "white aspirations" than those people of colour. Due to their dissatisfaction, LGBTQ Asian Americans began to form their own distinct movement. The publication of Bridge, the first Asian American periodical that was circulated nationally, is instrumental for encouraging LGBTQ Asian American to become more politically active.

On 1975, Bridge published the essay "Gay Awareness" written by Dan Tsang, which highlights the homophobia, racism and other oppressions that gay Asian Americans face in the society. Tsang encourages LGBTQ Asian Americans to come out and build a movement were they can support each other in facing oppression as Asians and members of the LGBTQ community. Tsang’s essay served as the LGBTQ Asian manifesto throughout the years for it yielded support, unity and encouragement amongst the LGBTQ Asian Americans during the midst of the gay liberation movements. Here is an excerpt of the manifesto:

"In opting for gay liberation, we strike a blow against sexism, machismo and political repression. Coming out as both Asian and as gay enables us to relate better and more honestly with our yellow sisters and brothers. It liberates us from one of the major obstacles in the Asian American struggle: the alienation of Asians from other Asians. No longer will Asians who meet on the street avert their eyes: we shall embrace each other with joy. Let us get rid of pretense, and live honestly. Gay sisters and brothers, unite in the struggle."

1979: The First National March of Gay and Lesbian Rights to Washington

Gay and Lesbian Asian Americans have a long history of fighting for their rights in United States, beginning from the homophile movements of the 1950s and 1960s to the iconic Stonewall Riot of 1969. However, despite most of the LGBTQ movements were concentrated on local levels. Initially, there was a lack of unity amongst local organizations to address collective grievances. Most LGBTQ activists argued that there was a need for a national coalition movement for gay liberation. Therefore, on 1978, the National Gay Task Force (NGTF), elected gay officials in San Francisco and Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) organized Interim Steering Committee (ISC) which facilitated the organization of the national march. The march has two main purpose. First, to recognize gay rights as human rights. Then, to unify local LGBTQ organizations.

Despite the challenges experienced during the planning stages, such as disagreement over lobbying strategies, the historical and first national march of gay and lesbian rights to Washington in North America on October 1979 occurred. The national march is a political rally that was attended by at least 125,000 individuals, who identified as gay, lesbian, queer, trans* and allies.

Gay Asians were part of this historic moment as they proudly proclaimed "We're Asian, Gay & Proud", as they marched beginning from black neighbourhoods of Washington through Chinatown to the Washington Monument. The march had a great impact for LGBTQ Asian Americans since the march forged unity amongst the Asian American communities, who were being framed as alienated from each other due to their difference of ethnicities.

Formation of Gay Asians of Toronto

1980: Founding of Gay Asians of Toronto

Richard Fung is a Canadian intellectual and artist. He attended the 1979 march on Washington. The effect of the march to Fung was phenomenal. The march inspired Fung to organize an organization that would create a sense of inclusivity and belonging for the Asian Canadians in Toronto, similarly to what he experienced during the events of the march. When Fung got back from the conference, he contacted Gerald Chan who published “Out of the Shadows”, an article on being gay and Chinese, on the Toronto based magazine Asianadian. Hereafter, they were joined by Nito Marquez, Tony Souza and Tony Chung. On 1980, after posting countless around Toronto, the organization began to receive positive responses leading for them to meet regularly at 519 Church Street every other Saturday discussing various theme each meeting.

Gay Asians of Toronto: Advocacy

Gay Asians of Toronto (GAT) has come a long way since its humble beginning. GAT successfully organized social, cultural, educational and recreational activities for its members, by providing culturally sensitive social and support services. As an organization, GAT aims to promote unity and mutual support among Gay Asians by organizing social, cultural and educational activities for our member. In addition, the organization wants provide culturally sensitive social and support services for our member, as well as, to advocate on issues relevant to our community’s concerns. Moreover, GAT aims to strengthen the networks of its members by collaborating with other community organization for joint activities of mutual interest. Furthermore, as a social and political organization, GAT wants to educate and promote a positive relationship between the Gay Asian communities and the general Canadian Society.

Celebrasian

Magazine

Celebrasian is a quarterly magazine published from 1983 onwards. The publication of Celebrasian marks the beginning of Gay Asians of Toronto as a formal organization created to enhance the sense of community. Celebrasian served as a forum that help the organization to communicate effectively. The magazine is usually consisting of community news both local and international, personal stories, poems, interviews of Asian-Canadians and different ads seeking for partners.

Events

1982: Lead the Toronto Gay Parade in Toronto

In 1982, Gay Asians of Toronto were honoured by being the hosts of Toronto's Gay Parade, Alan Li was the speaker. In his speech, he explains that this is a large milestone, and part of his journey in coming out acceptance himself for who he is, as well as he thought it would be a large stepping stone for others who had attended. He not only explained the difficulty of being a gay man, but a gay Asian man, “as an Asian I have additional battle in the fight for my own liberation and for the liberation of the Asian community. As gays, we have to fight for our rights in the straight society, but Asian gays, like black gays, Jewish gays, sexual minorities, and the handicapped among us and every other minority within the minority have other battles to face as well." Li explains the multilayered issue being gay and Asian has, the interlocking and intersecting discourses of oppression and the battle for recognition and identity. He goes on to say "as gay asians we have to fight a triple source of rejection: rejection as Asian in the white community, rejection as gays in the Asian community and rejection as asian gays in the white gay community.” (Alan, 1982, pp.2) His speech gives recognition to the displacement gay asians experience, as not experiencing a place of belonging, and the importance of solidarity. He references the Stonewall Riots and the value of the events taken place on that day as they "awakened our consciousness of true gay liberation" (Alan, 1982, pp.3).  

1998: First North American Conference for Lesbians and Gay Asians in Toronto

Richard Fung is a Canadian artist who is known internationally for is work around gay asians, specifically in pornography. ^[2] He is one of the founding members of Gay Asians of Toronto, and involved in many other activist groups, as well as an Associate Professor in the Integrated Media program at the Ontario College of Art and Design^[2]. As Fung was learning about his own sexuality and identity, he discovered a magazine written by Gerald, co-founder of GAT, called Asianadian, about the issues around the issue of sexuality, identity, and Asian's. This magazine inspired him to attend the national march of gays and lesbians in Washington, where he was delightfully greeted by other racialized and oppressed gay communities.