Feisty Gay Bookstore That Fought Canada Customs Up For Sale

[WillParkinson]

(Vancouver, British Columbia) They've been bombed three times, received death threats and stood before the red-robed justices of the Supreme Court of Canada.

No, Jim Deva and Bruce Smyth are not killers or terrorists.

The soft-spoken Vancouver men sell books.

And in some peoples' eyes, Deva says, that made the gay owners of Little Sister's Book & Art Emporium dangerous.

``Because we were (openly gay) and we were very, very blatant about being open . . . we were threatening to homophobes,'' Deva says.

Only two years after the store opened in 1983, the owners took on a fight that bolstered and exhausted them, lasting until just last year and challenging Canada's censorship laws.

After 23 years of fighting Canada Customs' seizures of books bound for the gay and lesbian bookshop, the partners have put Little Sister's up for sale.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/04/042108sis.htm

[DarkTirade]

1. Nothing like a little government sponsored harrassment to show who's a second-class citizen...

:\

[LisaM]

2. Was there a movie about that? (Not the documentary they mention)

I saw a movie on LOGO a year or so ago with a very similar plot, also set in BC. In this movie, the bookstore owner was a woman. But it sounds very, very familiar.

[lightningandsnow]

5. "Better than Chocolate"?

Oh my god, that is like my favorite movie EVER. Seriously. :)

I think that movie was loosely based on that situation - I definitely thought that the first time I saw it.

[LisaM]

7. Yes, that's it

It IS a good movie (and beautiful scenery).

[Lautremont]

3. Silver lining: I was in my early teens at the time of the Little Sisters fight,

and it politicized me. I knew who the bad guys and good guys were. I had a cousin who had just come out and progressive parents, so I knew gay people weren't to be feared. It was very well-publicized in Canada, and helped frame the debate for me, and in a larger sense all sorts of social issues. The government ended up looking like foolish bullies.

[DarkTirade]

8. Looking like?

[tuvor]

4. I think these guys deserve a recommendation.

As you can see from the article, they've gone through a hell of a lot.

I hope the store stays. Davie Street just wouldn't be the same without Little Sisters.

[Tyo]

10. Davie wouldn't be the same at all

As far as I know it's the only store of its kind in Vancouver and its closing would leave a huge gap not just on Davie but for the whole city. Hope new owners can be found for it.

[ccharles000]

6. I thought Canada was a liberal country.

[tjwmason]

9. Every liberal country has a few bigots in it.

It's the same here in the U.K. - generally attitudes are relaxed and/or accepting, but a few years ago a bomb was planted in a famous gay pub in London.

[tuvor]

11. These guys aren't worth two more measly votes toward Greatness?

Show some love, people!