2018 Lynch Grant Winner Prabha Khosla Releases Labour Pride: What Our Unions Have Done For Us

Prabha Khosla, the winner of the 2018 Lynch Grant, has completed her project: Labour Pride: What Our Unions Have Done For Us. The full PDF in both English and French can be found below the excerpt.

“The publication honours the hundreds of gay and lesbian workers who organized for rights and visibility – all those who came out, organized for inclusiveness and diversity, and fought for equal rights on shop floors and in hospitals, libraries, hotels, schools and offices. As workers, activists, and staff of unions, they challenged their unions, but did not always succeed. Many of them came out and tried to get elected to union leadership positions but were not elected. Many tried again and again to raise their voices but were ridiculed and marginalized. Many eventually quit their jobs, went elsewhere, ‘played straight’ or gave up on the union movement. Many indigenous and racialized people faced so much racism from workers, unions and management that coming out was not an option. All these workers’ struggles were a passage to later victories.

This publication primarily documents the struggles and positive changes and victories of gay and lesbian workers and the unions that supported them. These victories have been critical to the success of the struggle for equal and legal rights for LGBTQ2 peoples in Canada. Without the engagement and investment of unions in the struggle for equality, it is doubtful we would be where we are today, even though many gains remain to be made on several other fronts.”

Excerpt from the introduction of Labour Pride, ‘A Tribute to All Who Fought For Our Rights’

English:

French: