First EVER Toronto Pride Publication

One Sunday afternoon in 1971, a few activists and their friends gathered in Toronto for a picnic. A celebration of pride in who they were, together, was born. Since then, millions of people from Toronto, Canada and around the world have attended and supported Toronto Pride. Today, it is one of the largest gatherings of the LGBTQ2+ community and their allies in the world.

Until now, more than 50 years later, the significance of Toronto Pride on acceptance, social development, and human rights recognition in Canada has never been seen within its historical context. The Magenta Foundation has proudly partnered with The ArQuives: Canada's LGBTQ2+ Archive, the only such organization with a national scope, in recognition of its own 50th anniversary in 2023.

JOY. SORROW. ANGER. LOVE. PRIDE. A celebration of Toronto Pride from 1970 to Present through the lens of The ArQuives, is the first publication and accompanying exhibition on the subject to be shared with a national and global audience. Incorporating photography, ephemera, posters and writings by community leaders, this publication is the culmination of a comprehensive research project focused on acknowledging and celebrating the impact of Toronto Pride - throughout its long and sometimes turbulent history.