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Pittsburgh’s Out #60 March 1982

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Summary

This issue of Out magazine, from March 1982, covers a range of topics relevant to the LGBTQ+ community, both locally in Pittsburgh and nationally/internationally.

LGBTQ+ Rights and Discrimination:
- A significant portion is dedicated to the debate around H.R. 1454, the Federal gay rights bill, including excerpts from testimony by Jean O’Leary, Sen. Paul Tsongas, Jane Wells-Schooley, Rev. Avery D. Post, Connaught Marshner, and openly gay police officer Charles H. Cochrane, Jr. (Pages A4, A6).
- The continued struggle for a gay equality ordinance in Pittsburgh, with setbacks in the City Council and a call for victims of discrimination to come forward (Page A7).
- The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the reinstatement and back pay for an accountant fired for advocating gay rights (Page A7).
- Discussion of the “Family Protection Act” and efforts to form a local coalition to fight it (Page A11).
- The Florida Supreme Court striking down a law preventing gay groups at state schools from receiving state funds (Page A11).
- The British Foreign Office considering recruiting gay diplomats (Page A9).
Social and Cultural Issues:
- A personal letter from a lesbian mother to her son on his 18th birthday, reflecting on his rejection due to her sexual orientation (Pages A5, A11).
- An article on “Coming to terms with a gay alcoholic,” detailing the challenges and similarities to “coming out” as gay (Page A5).
- News about the first “gay” community college courses opening in San Francisco (Page A9).
- Psychiatrists’ ongoing disagreement on gay wellness, with a growing understanding of homosexuality as a normal variant of human sexual behavior (Page A11).
- A new movement called “Friends of Families” seeking to redefine the concept of “family” to include one-parent households and same-sex relationships (Page A11).
News and Events:
- The Pittsburgh Laboratory Theatre’s production of Bent becoming an all-time box office success, exploring the emotional impact of the play about gays and the Holocaust (Page B1).
- Gore Vidal’s campaign for U.S. Senator from California, where he spoke on “The State of the Union” and forthrightly on liberal issues, including gay rights (Page A8).
- The closure of an I-70 rest stop in Pennsylvania, with PennDOT blaming “gay gangs” (Page A7).
- The film Making Love, a gay-themed movie, performing successfully at the box office (Page A6).
- The Metropolitan Community Church of Pittsburgh celebrating its seventh anniversary (Page A10).
- The Gay Press Association (GPA) announcing its first annual convention in Denver (Page A10).
- The Gay Rights National Lobby (GRNL) and the National Coalition of Black Gays (NCBG) joining forces to support the extension of the Voting Rights Act (Page A9).
Controversies and “Outrageous” Incidents:
- A Houston police officer making obscene gestures at gay men testifying in court, leading to a $5,000 settlement (Page A12).
- The U.S. Olympic Committee’s refusal to allow the Gay Olympics to use the word “Olympic” (Page A12).
- Patty Hearst’s account of homophobia and “weird sexism” within the Symbionese Liberation Army (Page A12).
- The Moral Majority Report using the same photo of gay men for two different, misleading captions (Page A12).
- The possible connection of “poppers” to Paul Lynde’s death (Page A6).
- A former Republican State Legislator sentenced for corrupting the morals of a male high school student (Page A6).
- An imprisoned transsexual suing for $90 million, claiming guards allowed inmates to rape her in an all-male prison (Page A10).
- Brink’s money being used to finance a gay porn film (Page A9).
- Homosexual men being targets of Islamic Revolutionary tribunals in Iran (Page A9).

The magazine also includes regular sections such as “Bazaar Classifieds,” “Butcherblock Cooking column,” “Dear Dan Advice column,” “Newsworthy” (hard news), “Out and about” (upcoming events), “Outbursts” (gossip), “Outfront” (profile feature), “Outspoken” (editorial opinions), and “Readers’ turn” (letters to the editor).

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