OutWeek

As we continue our celebration of Gay Outrage Month, I thought it would be nice to take a look back at some of the other gay outrage we have enjoyed over the years.

Let's go back in time to Gay New York, late 1980's. The AIDS crisis is reaching its pinnacle. ACT UP and Queer Nation have both come on the scene. One member of ACT UP decides that the "mainstream" (well, as mainstream as it was) gay press was not representing this new, more radical approach to activism. He teams up with a guy who wants to advertise his gay phone sex businesses and voila, OutWeek was formed.

Started on the 20th anniversary of Stonewall. Are you almost ready for Stonewall 40?

OutWeek only published for two years but it was incredibly influential. It is most famous for starting the "outing" movement, which began in Michelangelo Signorile's "Gossip Watch" column, but it also routinely broke major news stories. It really achieved national notoriety when it outed Malcolm Forbes in a cover story just after his death.

No context was given for this list, but everyone knew what they were talking about. They may have
been somewhat indiscriminate in casting their net, but they called some of those pretty early.

We will out you after you die, if not before.

OutWeek only lasted two years, but it changed gay journalism. After its publication the Advocate officially became a magazine for lesbians and gay men, for example. And gay activism, which previously could have a hard time getting media coverage, gained a permanent place in the public image of the gay community.

Because Jesus loves us, the entire run of OutWeek magazine is available online in PDF format. Take a look through them - they are ALL great reading! And a little bit of a cultural time capsule too, as you can see in these ads.

One upon a time most gays met in person, but even back then you could
still dial up on your 2400 baud modem and chat on the BBS!
It turns out it really was the new frontier in gay communications. Who knew?

There's always room for the fabulous in gay journalism. Then? A fabulous store.
Now? We know her better as the woman who created the looks on Sex and the City.

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