In the late 1970s a national organization of the gays and lesbians of Canada existed called the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Rights Coalition. They met once a year to pool resources, do workshops, network, and to plan and coordinate activities. In 1979 the conference was held in Ottawa, and the delegates at that time were celebrating one of the first major legal victories for the gay rights movement in Canada. The officers of the Pink Triangle Press had been charged with obscenity for the publication of an article called Men Loving Boys Loving Men, which discussed child sexuality. The victory came when they were acquitted.



Since that victory came from the courts on February 14, they declared an Annual Gay Holiday to be celebrated every year on that day. Christopher Isherwood had said that even though it was usually commemorated as Valentines Day, they wanted to take the opportunity to challenge the heterosexual dictatorship by affirming for ourselves and for the world, the existence, the strength, and the beauty of gay love.

Pink Triangle Day is not about copying Valentines Day. Its focus, rather, is to celebrate the diversity of lesbian and gay relationships. It is encouraged on this day to extend well wishes to all of the significant people in your life, and everyone should receive Happy Pink Triangle Day greetings. Pink Triangle Day provides people with an opportunity to acknowledge the important central role and the value that non sexual relationships play in peoples lives. Many supporters of Pink Triangle Day say that we are taught as children to pass Valentines out to our friends, and as we get older, we lose the importance of bestowing such greetings.

Pink Triangle Day is an opportunity to re awaken that drive to let those who mean the most to us know how much they are appreciated. 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the first Pink Triangle Day, and celebrations of all kinds have been discussed and planned.

Supporters of this unofficial Canadian holiday are proud to have such a holiday celebration that has been gaining more and more recognition as the years pass by. While the supporters of the gay rights movement continue to fight their battles with the law and push for better equality, Pink Triangle Day has become one day that we can sit and thank friends and family for all that they do, and supporters are hoping that Pink Triangle Day for gays and lesbians will continue to grow.