Avie Bennett Historica-Dominion Institute Chair in Canadian History
From a kiss to the courts: Canada's First Capital 'L' Lesbian Sexual Assault Trial
Willimae Moore was charged with "indecent assault on a female" in the winter of 1955, when she attempted to kiss a fellow stenographer working in Yellowknife. It was a romantic overture that was unreciprocated and resulted in what appears to be Canada's first prosecution of a woman for sexually assaulting another woman. Renowned legal scholar Dr. Constance Backhouse brought this fascinating historical case to life on November 23 as part of the 2010 Avie Bennett Historica Public Lecture in Canadian History.
Dr. Backhouse provided a glimpse into sexual norms and gender roles at the time in the unusual context of Canada's far north in the Cold War era. She explored some of the most pressing questions about the case, such as: What forces came together in the North West Territories in the 1950s to make this possible? How did the police, the courts, and the community respond? How did this case differ from the usual prosecution for sexual assault historically?
Dr. Backhouse is a Distinguished University Professor and University Research Chair at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. She is internationally known for her feminist research and publications on sex discrimination and the legal history of gender and race in Canada. Her recent research profiles the ways in which women and racialized communities have struggled to obtain justice within the legal system.
For more information, please visit her Web site.
Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Where: Robert R. McEwen Auditorium, Schulich School of Business | campus map
When: 7:30pm
The lecture was followed by a Q&A and reception.
It has been made possible thanks to the Avie Bennett Historica Chair, which was established by York Chancellor Emeritus Avie Bennett in 2004. The purpose of the Chair is to promote the study of Canada's heritage and to ensure the academic vitality of the discipline.
