Intersectional LGBT Feminist Newspaper, Gay Community News, 1978-81

[LGBTQ][Periodicals] Archive of five issues of Gay Community News, a vital grassroots publication by and for the LGBTQ+ community. Published weekly in Boston MA between 1973 and 1992, GCN served as a critical organ of queer political, social, and cultural expression. This archive spans 1978–1981, documenting key moments in lesbian and gay activism, institutional persecution, media representation, and anti-racist solidarity. Each issue is printed in tabloid format on newsprint, 16–24 pages each, with black-and-white photojournalism and bold typographic covers. Archive includes:

[1] Vol. 5, No. 48 (June 17, 1978). Features a Lesbian & Gay (truncated) Pride Calendar and a report on the expulsion of two gay men from a Methodist seminary. Other stories include Part 3 of a fire safety research project for LGBTQ+ households and a debate over tax-exempt status for queer organizations. The front cover shows a powerful pride march photo with a “Women Unite” banner.
[2] Vol. 6, No. 8 (September 16, 1978). Documents a break-in and ransacking at the GCN office—the fifth such attack that year—and includes coverage of Anita Bryant canceling Boston rallies and a feature on Adrienne Rich’s poetry.
[3] Vol. 6, No. 44 (June 2, 1979). Covers the White Night Riots following Dan White’s conviction for the manslaughter of Harvey Milk and George Moscone, with front-page images of protest outside San Francisco’s city hall. Also includes analysis of the Thorpe trial and a legal challenge to Oklahoma’s anti-gay laws.
[4] Vol. 7, No. 48 (June 28, 1980). Reports on the U.S. Navy’s anti-lesbian purges, titled “Women Undergo Psychological Testing in Navy’s Lesbian ‘Witchhunt.’” Also includes stories on Black lesbians defeating bar discrimination in Chicago and aid efforts for Cuban refugees.
[5] Vol. 8, No. 42 (May 16, 1981). Covers the outing of tennis icon Billie Jean King with the headline “Yes, There Are Lesbians in Tennis,” and explores media backlash and lesbian visibility in sports. Also features articles on Latin American gay movements, antiwar protests, and women running the Boston Marathon.
All issues show edge wear, creasing, and moderate toning consistent with age and fragility of newsprint; some issues with closed tears at creases. Overall good to very good condition. A scarce primary source of early queer resistance, intersectional feminism, and state surveillance of LGBTQ+ lives during the volatile post-Stonewall decade. (Inventory #: 22074)