John Damien was a respected and well-liked Ontario racetrack official. Then in 1975, he was told he needed to resign from his job because he was homosexual. He spent the last years of his life fighting for justice, even as he lost everything. This is his story. 🧵 1/7 - ThreadSky

cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social • 10 days ago

John Damien was a respected and well-liked Ontario racetrack official.
Then in 1975, he was told he needed to resign from his job because he was homosexual.
He spent the last years of his life fighting for justice, even as he lost everything.
This is his story.

🧵 1/7

Comments

alexismac.bsky.social•10 days ago

Looking back, it's absolutely astounding this was the attitude of the day. Heartbreaking.

sailorgirl2017.bsky.social•10 days ago

And worse there is a segment of the population who want to go back to that bigotry and the #CPC is quite willing to support that.

mikeologie.bsky.social•9 days ago

Thank you for sharing these important stories.

supernanamel.bsky.social•10 days ago

Thank you for sharing this story. It's heartbreaking to learn that someone had to lose absolutely everything to protect the rights of others. I hope he at least had the support of a partner throughout this horrendous ordeal.

cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

By 1975, John Damien had spent two decades working as a racetrack official. His co-workers liked him but when it was discovered he was homosexual, he was told he had to resign in return for $1,200. He refused and was offered $1,700. He refused again.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

He was then fired. Damien contacted the Toronto Gay Alliance Towards Equality to launch a legal case. On Feb. 14, he stated he was submitting his case to the Human Rights Commission. The next day, his mother suffered a massive stroke due to the press coverage.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

The stress of the case began to take its toll on Damien as well. Dealing with the court cases and the publicity led him to smoke 50 cigarettes a day.
While waiting for the Commission to hear his case, he ran out of savings. He sold his car, furniture and apartment.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

With the support of people like June Callwood behind him, the Commission finally heard the case and stated it could not rule on the matter.
He launched lawsuits against the Ontario Racing Commission but mounting legal debts forced him to file for bankruptcy in 1978.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

Finally, in 1986, the Commission paid him $50,000 & the Ontario government added sexual orientation into the human rights code.
It came too late for Damien. On Dec. 24, 1986, he died of pancreatic cancer after spending the last 11 years of his life fighting for equality.

🧵 6/7

cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•10 days ago

I hope you enjoyed that look at the story of John Damien.

If you enjoy my Canadian history content, you can support my work with a donation at 👇
http://www.buymeacoffee.com/craigu

*sources in next post*

🧵 7/7

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