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TWO

The Homosexual Viewpoint in Canada

1964-1966

 

TWO was published by Rick Kerr, and the office address given was that of the Melody Room (457 Church Street, Toronto), one of two gay clubs he owned (the other being the Music Room). The magazine name was obviously inspired by the American homophile publication "TWO (Truth Will Out)," a supplement to the magazine One, which began in 1953. With issue #6 the subtitle was dropped from the covers. The publisher name was initially Gayboy Publishing, and quickly changed to Kamp Publishing LTD.

The magazine's content was eclectic, with articles, local drag revue coverage, stories, and lots of teen model physique photography. Of the six issues in my collection, totaling 164 pages, physique photography made up half (82 pages). And the obvious reason was that Kerr also owned two studios, Rik Art and Can Art. He sold photos and books of the photography, advertised of course in the magazine. In TWO there were no nudes, and the "naughty parts" were blacked out with pouch-shaped black marker, a little distracting.

The original Editor, Claude Collier, left after three issues, as he felt Kerr was more interesting in turning it into a physique magazine, than in actual written content. Several pseudonyms of Kerr's can be found in various aspects, as author (Edmond Kaye), and editor (Alex Edmond). The last issue of TWO (number eleven) was published in July-August 1966, and it has been speculated that when Kerr sold his clubs he stopped the publication as well.

**Little can be found online regarding this history, so I was very pleased to find the information above as part of
"A Brief History of GAY: Canada's First Gay Tabloid, 1964-1966," by Donald W. McLeod. "Gay" was the main competitor of TWO, though they really were aimed at different markets, with "Gay" being more international.

Click to read an entire issue, or click on the covers

Volume 1, 1964
Volume 6, 1965
Volume 7, 1966
Volume 8, 1966
Volume 9, 1966
Volume 10, 1966

TWO
1964-1966

Below, I do not own these, but have found cover scans for
Vol 2 (1964), Vol 3 (1964 or 1965), and Vol 4 (1965)

  

If anyone can provide me with scans of issues I do not have, or even better,
original copies, I would be most appreciative. I'd love to make that info available here.
Please email me.

The above journal publication gives an excellent telling of this
story. It is likely a bit hard to find but worth the trouble.