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Richard Labonté
| Fan | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Richard Labonté |
| Alias(es): | |
| Type: | Fan, Editor, |
| Fandoms: | Science Fiction |
| Communities: | |
| Other: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Richard Labonté (5 July 1949 – 20 March 2022)[1] was a Canadian science fiction fan and fanzine creator.
Early Days in Fandom
Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Labonté studied English and political science at Carleton University in Ottawa, where he was an editor for "The Charlatan"[2], an independent weekly student newspaper[3]. During these student days in the 1960s, he also led a club called "A Carleton University Speculative Fiction Organization of Sorts" (ACUSFOOS), and published a perzine[4] called Hugin and Munin[5] between 1966 and 1968.[6]
Contributors to HaM reportedly included Crayden Arcand, Isaac Asimov (LoCs), Mike Glicksohn (Energumen), Ray Nelson, Chris Redmond, Earl Schultz, Colin Stafford, Murray Long (artwork), Susan Wood (Aspidistra), Marg Yeo, and Roger Zelazny.[7]
He also reportedly published another zine called ACUSFOOS[7] and at least three issues of a zine called Lowdown, the latter of which is available at Fanac.
Later Life
After he left university, he settled down as an editor of gay anthologies, co-founder of the A Different Light bookstore chain (extending to New York and California), and became mentor to many authors. He edited over 40 anthologies, including a queer sci-fi anthology, "The Future Is Queer", co-edited with Lawrence Schimel.[8] He was awarded three Lambda Literary Awards, and became an active campaigner in the fight against AIDS during the 1980s.[9] This latter activism was undoubtedly inspired, at least in part, by the AIDS-related death of bookstore co-founder George Leigh in 1988.[8]
In 1990, he contributed a series of articles for the "Ottawa Citizen", in which he wrote about being gay. The resulting response included 300 readers cancelling their subscriptions and Labonté receiving abusive phone calls; however he also received thanks from some grateful queer readers who felt helped by his coming out.[8]
In 2008, Labonté received the Michele Karlsberg Leadership Award.[2]
He married his longtime partner Asa Dean Liles, who outlived him.[9]
Vale
Richard Labonté died peacefully on Sunday, March 20, 2022, after a battle with stomach cancer[9] and he was cremated.[10]
References
- ^ "Richard Labonté", Fancyclopedia 3
- ^ a b "Richard Labonté" at Wikipedia
- ^ "The Charlatan (student newspaper)" at Wikipedia
- ^ Richard Graeme Cameron, The Canadian Fancyclopedia: H, Version 1 (May 2009) (EFanzines)
- ^ "ACUSFOOS", Fancyclopedia 3
- ^ "Hugin & Munin", Fancyclopedia 3
- ^ a b "Hugin and Munin", Zinewiki.
- ^ a b c James Moran, "A lifelong love of gay words: Richard Labonté turns to queer sci-fi", Xtramagazine, 29 November 2006.
- ^ a b c "Richard LABONTE Obituary", The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "Richard Labonte" at Find A Grave.