Home > Back to Search Results >
New York City Gay Rights Bill of 1986...
New York City Gay Rights Bill of 1986...
Item # 718320
March 25, 1987
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, March 25, 1987
* New York City Gay Rights Bill of 1986
* NYC Council passes the LBGTQ legislation
* Protection from discrimination for gay & lesbians
The front page has a headline that reads: "What the Gay Rights Bill Means for New York" with lead-in: "Free At Last ?" (see images)
And page 19 has a similar heading which is an editorial by Richard Goldstein on the new law which continues on multiple inside pages with a few related photos. Great to have from the epicenter of the gay community.
AI notes: On March 25, 1986, just days after the New York City Council passed the long-contested gay rights bill, Richard Goldstein published an editorial in the Village Voice that captured both the triumph and the tensions surrounding the historic moment. Goldstein, a pioneering voice in queer journalism, framed the legislation—not just as a legal victory, but as a moral reckoning for a city that had long tolerated open discrimination against LGBTQ people. In his editorial, he acknowledged the 15-year struggle led by grassroots activists and community organizers, many of whom faced fierce opposition from religious conservatives and political powerbrokers. While celebrating the bill’s passage as a watershed for civil rights, Goldstein also cautioned that the vote was only the beginning—that legislative equality would not automatically dismantle deeply embedded cultural prejudices. With his signature blend of sharp political insight and impassioned advocacy, Goldstein’s editorial underscored the significance of the law while insisting that the fight for dignity, visibility, and full equality was far from over.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete with 144 pages, tabloid size, one fold along the center, nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
Available Now
$62.00
