The Activist

When Ron started Memorial University he was like any other teenager asking a whole bunch of questions. Some of those questions had to do with his sexuality He met a man and became involved with him. He also started to get politically active for gay rights. In the fall of 1987 he started a group at Memorial that he called MUNGALA (Memorial University of Newfoundland Gay and Lesbian Association). It was the only group in the province for a while. It attempted to let the public know that gays were not going away.

The group did little more than put up posters and hold some dances. But what was important for Ron at the time was to have a voice and a pubic face for gay rights. He wanted people to know that it is not just heterosexuals out there in the world. He was trying to get people to recognize that homosexuals, lesbians, and bisexuals are Newfoundlanders too.

After MUNGALA there was a series of groups that formed and then disbanded. In 1994 NGALE (Newfoundland Gays and Lesbians for Equality) started, and it is still running strong today. NGALE is very politically active and it is also proving to be very effective for gay rights. NGALE runs a phone line as well as talking to students and community groups. It meets with government, and has regular education and support meetings. It also has fun by holding social events such as dances. NGALE is a team of gays and lesbians working together to build a community, as well as educate the "straight" community.