Pittsburgh's Out #58 January 1982

Summary

This January 1982 issue of Out magazine features:

An exclusive profile on Graham Chapman of Monty Python, where he discusses his coming out experience.
An Out reporter goes “inside” the Moral Majority.
The Pittsburgh City Council is set to hear its first gay rights bill.
A Pittsburgh gay activist, Richard Meritzer, is running for the state legislature.
A profile of the artist Erté, focusing on his life and art.
An article on mediating the end of a relationship.
A look at heroes of foreign gay cinema.
The play “Bent” is opening in Oakland on January 15.
A special report explores tattoos and sexual allure, examining their move into the mainstream.

News & Politics:

A gay equality ordinance, drafted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Political Club, is expected to be introduced to the Pittsburgh City Council. If passed, it would protect gay men and lesbians from discrimination in employment, housing, and city-funded services.
The proposed ordinance in Pittsburgh is considered innovative because it would direct discrimination complaints to Community Relations Officers in the Pittsburgh Police Department for investigation and citation, rather than a bureaucratic civil rights commission.
The “Family Protection Act” (S. 1378), supported by Mr. Jepsen and Senator Laxalt, is criticized for its anti-gay provisions, which would deny federal funds for promoting homosexuality as a lifestyle and could impact access to Medicare, Social Security, and student loans for gay individuals.
The Senate unexpectedly omitted an anti-gay amendment (the “McDonald amendment”) from the Legal Services Corporation appropriations bill, a move welcomed by the Gay Rights National Lobby (GRNL).
Richard Meritzer, a gay activist and administrative assistant to Pittsburgh city councilman Jim O’Malley, is seeking the Democratic party endorsement for state legislator in the 21st district.
A local gay cable TV show is in the planning stages, with an organized framework established for individuals and groups to use Warner Cable’s facilities.
Places of Interest (gay map guide USA/Canada) and Places of Interest to Women have been recommended for public libraries by Library Journal, marking the first time a non-gay publication has reviewed a gay guide book.
The International Gay News Agency (IGNA) plans to publish Daniel Curzon’s controversial novel, From Violent Men, despite fears of a libel lawsuit from Dan White.
A gay former Brink’s guard, George Bosque, who stole $1.85 million, was apprehended in San Francisco after being a fugitive for 15 months, having returned to be near his lover and friends.
The Modern Language Association’s Executive Council has approved a full-fledged Gay Studies Division in Language and Literature, legitimizing gay studies with organizational tenure.
Porn star John Holmes, also known as “Johnny Wadd,” is being held in Los Angeles in connection with the beating deaths of four people in Laurel Canyon.
The Gay Rights National Lobby (GRNL) has established a “National Speaker’s Bureau” to aid its campaign for national gay/lesbian civil rights legislation and to combat groups like the Moral Majority.
A female impersonator’s tour was cancelled after a “disgusting” performance in Vancouver, where Craig Russell reportedly annoyed promoters and the audience.
Police in Springdale, OH, arrested 31 men in a crackdown on sexual activity in shopping mall men’s rooms, releasing their names and addresses to a daily newspaper.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, influenced by the Moral Majority, voted to remove provisions from the Federal Crime Code bill that would have opposed federal prosecution of homosexual acts in private between consenting adults on federal lands, and lowered the age of consent for certain sexual acts. However, provisions removing gender identification from rape and providing protection for gay prisoners from abuse were left intact.
Cult deprogrammer Ted Patrick’s bail was revoked after an Ohio grand jury indictment for kidnapping related to an attempted “deprogramming” of a lesbian couple.
Tennis star Billie Jean King plans to write a book about her affair with Marilyn Barnett.
A gay rights bill in New York City was rejected by a City Council committee for the seventh time in ten years, largely due to opposition from Roman Catholic and orthodox Jewish organizations, including Hassidic Jews who demonstrated against the bill.
Alternate Publishing, owner of Drummer magazine, won a copyright infringement suit against Blueboy, Incorporated, resulting in a settlement of over $20,000 in advertising space.
Pope John Paul II replaced the superior general of the Jesuits, reportedly due to concerns about the Jesuits’ sexual behavior and social activism.
Discussions at United Methodist and Catholic conferences indicate a slow but present shift in attitudes towards homosexuality within religious communities, despite continued traditional opposition.
San Francisco is identified as the most dangerous city for gays, with 17 gay men violently murdered in 1981, leading to increased police patrols and a statement from Mayor Dianne Feinstein against anti-gay criminality.
The Reagan Administration is reportedly considering a plan to deport approximately 100,000 “undesirable” Cuban refugees, including gays, back to Cuba.

Departments: The issue also includes regular departments such as “Bazaar” (classifieds), “Bicrostic Puzzle,” “Butcherblock” (cooking), “Dear Dan” (advice), “A Disturbed Peace” (personal commentary), “Doing America” (travel), “Faces and Places” (social photos), “Fortunes” (astrology), “Gallegraphy and art on loan,” “Lost and Found” (reviews), “The Meet Market” (personal contact ads), “Newsworthy” (hard news), “Ourstorylumn,” “Out and about” (upcoming social events), “Outbursts” (gossip), “Outfront” (profile feature), “Outguide” (advertisers directory), “Outrageous” (soft news), “Outspoken” (editorial opinions), “Readers’ Turn” (letters to the editor), “Resources” (gay guide and map), and “What’s happening” (monthly calendar).