Jim was born in 1921, and he had an ordinary childhood. But as he grew up, he knew he was a little different than his friends. As a young man, Jim joined the war effort and travelled the world. He discovered there were other people like himself — he was gay. Jim hadn’t even known there was a word for it when he was growing up.

At that time, being identified as a member of the LGBTQ2S+ community wasn’t safe. People lost their jobs, their families, got put in jail — or worse. Hiding who they were felt safer to most. But not Jim. He picked up his pen and started to fight for his rights. This battle would lead to protection for the LGBTQ2S+ community under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and open the door to further equal rights, including same-sex marriage.

The Scholastic Canada Biography series is an award-winning collection of titles focused on fascinating people who have shaped Canada’s past and present. Written by acclaimed non-fiction author Elizabeth MacLeod, each book also features comics-inspired illustrations by Mike Deas which bring each story to life for today’s young reader.