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It was 50 years ago today that 15 men and one woman met in a room at University College to form what would become the University of Toronto Homophile Association – the first gay and lesbian student group on any Canadian university campus.

The date â€“ Nov. 4, 1969 â€“ was commemorated with a plaque in 2011 that is located on the east side of University College facing Hart House Circle. Sponsored by Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies and the Ontario Heritage Trust, it was Ontario’s first LGBTQ-related provincial plaque.

In his book The University of Toronto: A History, Emeritus Martin Friedland writes that the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Homophile Association was founded by Jearld Moldenhauer, who was a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine and founder of the Glad Day Bookstore in downtown Toronto.

Citing the writings of David Rayside, a professor emeritus in the department of political science who has been involved with sexual diversity studies at Â鶹ÊÓƵ since its beginnings, Friedland says the group established a significant community profile in Toronto and challenged issues of discrimination and policing, among other issues. The group’s first chair – Charlie Hill – became a well-known community organizer and activist who later worked as a curator for the National Gallery of Canada.

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ group influenced the formation of similar organizations in Ontario and across Canada.