Carol Philipps
Encyclopedia
Carol Anne Philipps was a Canadian
journalist and activist, most prominent as the original editor of Swerve, the first lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community magazine in Winnipeg
.
Philipps first came out in high school, at a time when Winnipeg did not yet have a gay and lesbian community centre or a Pride parade, and eventually moved in with her first partner, Noreen Stevens
. Although Philipps and Stevens eventually ended their relationship, they remained close friends and collaborators. She studied at the University of Winnipeg
and joined the university's student newspaper, The Uniter, where she helped to coordinate a controversial LGBT issue in 1991. She later moved to Vancouver
, where she campaigned for Betty Baxter
, an openly lesbian New Democratic Party
candidate in Vancouver Centre
in the 1993 federal election
, and returned to Winnipeg in 1994.
The LGBT community in Winnipeg was facing tough battles when Philipps returned to the city. Mayor Susan Thompson
had refused a request to proclaim the city's first Pride Day, the Winnipeg School Division
had voted against an anti-homophobia
curriculum and a man had recently been murdered in an anti-gay hate crime
. Against this backdrop, a small group of community activists, including Philipps, met to discuss launching what would become Swerve, and Philipps became the magazine's first editor.
While editing Swerve, she met her partner Virginia McKee in 1995. Philipps and McKee married in 2007.
She stepped down as editor of Swerve in 1997 for health reasons, but continued to contribute to the magazine, as well as to publications such as Xtra!
in Toronto
, as an occasional freelance writer. She also worked at Viewpoints Research.
According to Stephen Lawson, another member of Swerves editorial board,
She died on February 27, 2009, due to a congenital heart condition.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist and activist, most prominent as the original editor of Swerve, the first lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community magazine in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
.
Philipps first came out in high school, at a time when Winnipeg did not yet have a gay and lesbian community centre or a Pride parade, and eventually moved in with her first partner, Noreen Stevens
Noreen Stevens
Noreen Stevens is a Canadian cartoonist, who created and wrote the lesbian comic strip The Chosen Family....
. Although Philipps and Stevens eventually ended their relationship, they remained close friends and collaborators. She studied at the University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
and joined the university's student newspaper, The Uniter, where she helped to coordinate a controversial LGBT issue in 1991. She later moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where she campaigned for Betty Baxter
Betty Baxter
Betty Baxter is a Canadian athlete, activist and politician. She was a member of the women's national volleyball team at the 1976 Summer Olympics, and was later named the team's head coach in 1979...
, an openly lesbian New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
candidate in Vancouver Centre
Vancouver Centre
Vancouver Centre is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1917.-Geography:...
in the 1993 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, and returned to Winnipeg in 1994.
The LGBT community in Winnipeg was facing tough battles when Philipps returned to the city. Mayor Susan Thompson
Susan Thompson
Susan Ann Thompson was the 40th mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was the first female to serve as mayor of Winnipeg and served two terms as mayor and held this post from 1992 to 1998.Thompson graduated with a BA from the University of Winnipeg in 1971...
had refused a request to proclaim the city's first Pride Day, the Winnipeg School Division
Winnipeg School Division
The Winnipeg School Division is the largest of six public school divisions in Winnipeg, serving 77 schools and over 33,000 students and their families in the central part of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The division was founded in 1871...
had voted against an anti-homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
curriculum and a man had recently been murdered in an anti-gay hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
. Against this backdrop, a small group of community activists, including Philipps, met to discuss launching what would become Swerve, and Philipps became the magazine's first editor.
While editing Swerve, she met her partner Virginia McKee in 1995. Philipps and McKee married in 2007.
She stepped down as editor of Swerve in 1997 for health reasons, but continued to contribute to the magazine, as well as to publications such as Xtra!
Xtra!
Xtra! is a gay magazine, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History and content :...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, as an occasional freelance writer. She also worked at Viewpoints Research.
According to Stephen Lawson, another member of Swerves editorial board,
She died on February 27, 2009, due to a congenital heart condition.