Abstract
In December 1977, the Québec government, formed by the Parti québécois (PQ), amended the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to include sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination. Québec thus became the first jurisdiction in North America to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This paper examines the reasons why the PQ government stood ahead of everybody else in this matter. It argues that the Québec lesbian and gay movement drew on favorable political and cultural opportunities to secure legal protection against discrimination.
Original reference: Tremblay, Manon (2013). Mouvements sociaux et opportunités politiques: les lesbiennes et les gais et l’ajout de l’orientation sexuelle à la Charte québécoise des droits et libertés, Revue canadienne de science politique 46(2):295–322.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank Miriam Smith for her precious comments on an earlier version of this article. Thanks also to the Journal’s co-editor, Professor Daniel Salée, for his advice and professionalism.
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