Back in 1973 …
As MCC Toronto celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2023, we have launched a new weekly column looking back at the year 1973 to identify the news, happenings and trends that defined the year of MCC Toronto’s founding.
Metropolitan Community Church Denomination (column posted June 2)
Anyone who knows me – even a little bit – knows I love books. I have five floor-to-ceiling bookcases as well as an old-fashioned “spinner” rack filled with Agatha Christie paperbacks.
SPOILER ALERT: I don’t own any titles on the New York Times best-selling Fiction Books list from July 15, 1973.
- Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut
- Once is Not Enough, by Jacqueline Susann
- Facing the Lions, by Tom Wicker
- The Odessa Files, by Frederick Forsyth
- Harvest Home, by Thomas Tryon
- Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, by Richard Bach
- The Matlock Paper, by Robert Ludlum
- Evening in Byzantium, by Irwin Shaw
- The Summer Before the Dark, by Doris Lessing
- The Hollow Hills, by Mary Stewart
I know most of these writers, but other than Thomas Tyron’s The Other (about a boy whose evil twin brother may or may not be responsible for a series of deaths, published in 1971) ,I haven’t read any of their works. And while Jonathan Livingstone Seagull is a touchstone book for many – and indeed was one of the year’s biggest sellers – I haven’t read it either. Perhaps I am not as well-read as I thought?
Canadian literature was still in its infant stages in 1973. Established and upcoming Canadian writers like Margaret Atwood, Robertson Davies, Margaret Laurence, and Mordecai Richler did not publish in 1973.
Other notable books published in 1973: William Golding’s The Princess Bride, Sybil: The Classic True Story of a Woman Possessed by Sixteen Personalities by Flora Rheta Schreiber, Sulu by Toni Morrison and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72 by Hunter S. Thompson. Most notable of all (to me, at least!), Agatha Christie’s Postern of Fate became the Queen of Mystery’s last novel published in her lifetime (two other novels were published after 1973, but they were both written in the 1940s; Agatha Christie died in 1976). It is said that next to the works of Shakespeare and The Bible, Agatha Christie is the world’s best-selling author.
What books do you remember reading in 1973? Let me know.
– John R. Farrell,
Senior Director of Development & Communications
Metropolitan Community Church Denomination (column posted May 26)
For perspective, on October 6, 1968, 12 worshippers gathered in the home of Reverend Troy Perry in Huntington Park, California, birthing what is today an international movement promoting a life-transforming message of spiritual acceptance and affirmation for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons. MCC has a presence in over 20 countries and on every inhabitable continent.
In 1969 congregations were formed in LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Costa Mesa, Chicago, Phoenix, Hawaii, Dallas, and Miami.
- In 1973, in response to a petition, UFMCC began its Global Outreach with congregations in London, England and Toronto!
- By-laws were written at the General Conference to be less sexist and more inclusive.
- Reverend Freda Smith became the first ordained woman in MCC and was also elected to the MCC Board of Elders.
- In January 1973, the MCC LA sanctuary was destroyed by a blaze.
- In March 1973, a fire was set at the Nashville MCC.
- Most tragically, on June 24, 1973, a suspected arsonist attacked the Up Stairs Lounge gay bar in New Orleans. The second-floor location had previously hosted MCC services and was frequently a gathering spot for parishioners. 29 people, including the MCC pastor, Reverend Bill Larson, died. Nearly a third of their members were killed or injured. The official cause is still listed as “undetermined origin”. (This story has been documented in a terrific book called Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge and the Rise of Gay Liberation by Robert W. Fieseler)
- July 17, 1973: UFMCC sent Reverend Bob Wolfe from LA to establish MCC Toronto. The first service was held in office space above a bar on Yonge Street.
Our denomination was founded when 12 people had the audacity to believe they could be both gay and loved by God. Rev Perry apparently remarked that “Nine were my friends who came to console me and to laugh, and three came as a result of an ad in the Advocate promoting a worship service for gays.” We have been on the vanguard of fighting for GLBTQ+ rights ever since – and our work is not yet done! In the words of Elie Wiesel: “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”
– Jennifer Alexander & Lori Boyce
Movies (column posted May 19)
So writing a story for a church about the top films of 1973 gets interesting when one of the top-grossing films turns out to be…..The Exorcist!
It is hard to explain the popularity of The Exorcist, based on a William Blatty novel that came out a few years earlier. It is a horror film that takes its time getting to the “good parts.” And while people may find some of the possession scenes funny now, at the time, they were shocking (and I think many of those scenes still are!). For anyone unfamiliar with the movie, it is about a single mother noticing her daughter doing uncharacteristic things that progressively get worse and worse. When medical science offers no answers (after some graphic showing of tests that are almost as disturbing as the possession scenes), she turns to the Catholic Church and opens herself to the idea that her daughter may be possessed by an evil spirit.
The other top-grossing film of 1973 was much more traditional: The Sting, starring the very handsome duo of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It was the second pairing of these two movie superstars, after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid four years earlier. This film ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1974 Academy Awards, beating out the head-turning The Exorcist.
So, what was everyone checking out to see at the movie theatres on July 16, 1973 when MCC Toronto formed? Well, they were going to see someone who we are still keen to see even now. Prepare to be shaken and stirred. His name is Bond. James Bond!
Yes, Live and Let Die, the eighth film in the Bond franchise was number one at the box office on July 16, 1973. In this outing, Roger Moore was playing the super spy, his first time taking on the role. He had a few other familiar names co-starring with him: Jane Seymour as Solitaire, the “Bond Girl”, and Yaphet Kotto as the villain, Mr. Big. I don’t think this movie is on anyone’s list as “Best Bond Film”, but on the plus side, it does have a great theme song by Paul McCartney and Wings and the ridiculous scene of Bond running across the backs of crocodiles.
There is no denying that 1973 was an interesting time for the movies. What were your favourite films of 1973? Let us know.
– Trevor Scanlan (movie-loving partner of John R. Farrell)
What Things Cost (column posted May 12)
For those in the housing market in Toronto in 1973, we are sure the prospect of having to pay almost the equivalent of your annual family income to buy an average home in Toronto felt daunting! Especially with a 5-year mortgage at 9.56%!
• The price of oil doubled due to the Yom Kippur War, contributing to inflation nearing tripling to 9.6%. Stats Canada estimated food price increases averaged 13.3% from Jan to August of that year.
• A recession began in the western world that lasted until 1975.
• Canada’s average family income was $47,231 while the average “unattached” individual earned $19,125.
• Toronto’s average home price was $40,605.
• Toronto’s average rent was less than $150.
• Household costs:
– Milk: $1.31/carton
– Eggs: .78/dozen
– Coffee, instant: $1.09/10 oz jar
– Bread: .29/loaf
– Oreos: .59/box
– Cereal: .55/15 oz box
– Shampoo: .99/15 oz bottle
• Amusement/everyday costs:
– A comic book: .20
– A Canadian first-class stamp: .08
– Movie tickets: less than $1.50
– Stereo, AM/FM radio, 8-track player: $70-150
• For car fans:
– Mercedes-Benz had starting prices at $10,000.
– Most Volvos cost more than a Corvette that year.
– An AM radio for your Dodge Colt cost more than half as much as an automatic
transmission.
– You could choose from a souped-up Toyota ST for $3,093 or a convertible Super Beetle
from Volkswagen for $2,844.
What do you most wish still cost the same today as it did in 1973? Let us know!
– Jennifer Alexander & Lori Boyce
Canada (column posted May 5)
- Canada’s population was 22.4 million. Today it is 38.7 million.
- Roland Michener was our Governor General and Pierre Trudeau was our Prime Minister. His son, Justin was two.
- In Pride Week of August 1973, a national gay rights event, occurred simultaneously in several major cities, including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
- A jury refused to convict Henry Morgentaler for performing abortions.
- On April 1, Toronto’s Interval House opened at 173 Spadina Road, in the Annex area, becoming Canada’s first women’s shelter.
- The international oil crisis in October 1973, set the stage for a dramatic increase in the price of gas. The crisis would benefit Alberta while taking a toll on the rest of Canada.
- The RCMP celebrated their 100th anniversary.
- Montreal announced Canada’s first lottery to help pay for the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Montreal Canadiens defeated the Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley cup and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Edmonton Eskimos to win the Grey Cup at CNE Stadium.
It has been fascinating to research what was happening in Canada in 1973. The gay rights movement was gaining momentum after the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Women were demanding action in terms of the right to choose and protection from abusive partners. And we had a controversial Prime Minister named Trudeau! Déjà vu?
What other world events do you remember from 1973? Let us know!
– Jennifer Alexander & Lori Boyce
Deana Dudley (column posted April 28)
1973… It’s hard to believe that was 50 years ago. In 1973, I was a Junior, in 11th grade at Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California, just north of San Francisco. Naturally, I was caught up in all the things that teen-age girls get all exercised about. My big activities were Marching Band and Choir, and I was also “sporty” – I lettered in volleyball and badminton.
By 1973, I had dated a few boys, kissed a few, and… well, never mind. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about with regard to boys. I just didn’t get all the angst about having a boyfriend. Secretly (barely even acknowledged to myself), I had crushes on girls. I could still name all of them. Then, one day in 1973, I kissed a girl. (Well, actually, she kissed me, but I definitely kissed back.) And, need I add, I LIKED IT! I REALLY LIKED IT! Stars! Fireworks! Now I got what all the fuss was about!
Unfortunately, it was still 1973, and I was still pretty enmeshed in conservative Christian circles, and I jumped back in the closet and slammed the door shut for more than another decade. Ah, my wasted youth! In this Lesbian Visibility Week, I want to acknowledge all those young girls whose own lesbian identity is just becoming visible to them. #thankskarron!
Rev. Deana Dudley,
Acting Senior Pastor
World Events (column posted April 21)
The founding of MCC Toronto was not the only major event in 1973! From significant court decisions to medical and political controversies, cultural landmarks, and major conflicts…the year had it all. Sound familiar?
- Roe vs. Wade: US Supreme Court legalizes most abortions
- In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) asked all members attending its convention to vote on whether they believed homosexuality to be a mental disorder. 5,854 psychiatrists voted to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and 3,810 to retain it.Watergate hearings began as President Nixon declared “I am not a crook!”.
The World Trade Centre in New York became the tallest building in the world. - The Sydney Opera House opens and instantly becomes one of the most iconic buildings in the world.
- The United States ends its involvement in the Vietnam War after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.
- IRA bombing in Manchester City Centre.
- Yom Kippur War between Israel and a coalition of Arab nations.
- Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win the Triple Crown.
- Battle of the Sexes: Billy Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in exhibition tennis match
- Royal Wedding: Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips
What other world events do you remember from 1973? Let us know!
-Jennifer Alexander & Lori Boyce
Pop Music (column posted April 14, 2023)
Since 1958, Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 has been the definitive weekly chart for the biggest pop hits in North America. In 1973, disco had not yet taken hold of the pop charts, Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon, and Kiss and AC/DC played their first concerts. And on July 16, 1973, – the day that folks first met to worship together as what would become MCC Toronto– the number one song was Bad Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce. Sadly, that song has, as the saying goes, “aged like milk.” I suspect it would not get any airtime today, as it seems incredibly problematic – racist, even – considering that the singer was a white artist singing about a black man in rather stereotypical and uncomplimentary ways. Time in a Bottle, Croce’s posthumous number 1 from later that year, this ain’t!
Billboard Hot 100 – July 16 1973
1.Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce
2.Will It Go Round In Circles – Billy Preston
3.Yesterday Once More – Carpenters
4.Shambala – Three Dog Night
5.Kodachrome -Paul Simon
6.Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) – George Harrison
7.Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple
8.Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – Bette Midler
9.Playground In My Mind – Clint Holmes
10.Natural High – Bloodstone
As a pop music fan, I know most of these artists (other than Clint Holmes and Bloodstone). However, I am not sure anyone would select this week’s entries from the Carpenters. Three Dog Night or Paul Simon as their best. By title alone, I don’t think I even know these songs, though Rev. Deana assures me that Kodachrome is goofy fun!
On Billboard’s Year-End chart, the number one song of 1973 was Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando & Dawn, a song I find singularly embarrassing and dated, but was evidently loved by many pop music listeners in 1973.
What do you think? Do you remember/know any of these songs? Which are your favourites? Let me know.
John R. Farrell
Director of Development & Communications
Categorized in: News