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Pittsburgh’s Out #45 December 1980

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Summary

The December 1980 issue of Pittsburgh’s Out includes:

Gay Books Special Supplement (Page A10): This section profiles the growing business of writing, publishing, and selling books of interest to gay men and lesbians. It discusses the significant increase in gay and lesbian book titles since 1971, the demographics of gay readership, and challenges and developments in the publishing industry. It also lists local and mail-order sources for gay and lesbian literature.
Machine Gun Terror at Gay Bar (Page A6): Reports on a November 19, 1980, machine-gun attack at the Ramrod Bar in New York City, a popular gay establishment. Two men were killed and six wounded. The perpetrator, Ronald Crumpley, a former transit cop, was arrested and charged, reportedly stating his hatred for homosexuals.
Election Analysis (Page A7): Reviews the results of the November 4, 1980, general election. While nationally it was seen as a conservative Republican resurgence, locally there were some successes for gay rights advocates. The article discusses the impact of the election on the gay rights movement, the performance of endorsed candidates, and the split in the gay vote for presidential candidates.
No Clear Picture on Gay Rights, reports Lambda Fund’s Richter at Pitt symposium (Page A8): Summarizes a presentation by Roz Richter of the Lambda Legal Defense Fund, who spoke in Pittsburgh about the uncertain state of gay rights in employment, sodomy law repeal, military discharge policies, child custody, and immigration.
Debunking some harmful historical myths (Page A11): A review of John Boswell’s book Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality. The review highlights Boswell’s argument that the pervasive intolerance of homosexuality in Christian culture is a misimpression, and that Judeo-Christian scriptures do not sanction homophobia.
Other features: Include a gallery centerspread by George Antoon, an analysis of Halloween as a “gay holiday,” a profile of producer Joe Franze, and a look at gay filmmakers.
Regular Departments (Page A3): The issue contains 16 regular departments such as “Newsworthy,” “Outfront,” “Outspoken,” and “Reader’s Turn.”