Capital Gay
Encyclopedia
Capital Gay was a weekly free gay
newspaper
published in London
. It was founded by Graham McKerrow and Michael Mason and published its first edition on June 26, 1981, Pride Week. Its last edition appeared on June 30, 1995, having become Britain's longest-running gay newspaper. Despite its name it was also distributed in Brighton
and had a combined circulation, in the two cities of around 20,000 when it folded.
Capital Gay sponsored the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
and involved itself in events in the wider gay community in London; its editorial line tended to be strong. It is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary
with being the first publication in the world to use the term HIV
, (the second being the international science journal Nature
), with the first regular column on AIDS
in the world being written in Capital Gay by Julian Meldrum in 1982.
During the controversy over Section 28
in December 1987, the paper's offices were targeted in an arson
attack. Conservative
Member of Parliament
Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
was quoted as believing this was a good thing and when challenged in Parliament said "I am quite prepared to affirm that it is quite right that there should be an intolerance of evil."
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It was founded by Graham McKerrow and Michael Mason and published its first edition on June 26, 1981, Pride Week. Its last edition appeared on June 30, 1995, having become Britain's longest-running gay newspaper. Despite its name it was also distributed in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and had a combined circulation, in the two cities of around 20,000 when it folded.
Capital Gay sponsored the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
The London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is the oldest gay and lesbian telephone help line in the UK, based in London.LLGS was founded in March 1974, providing help and information to London's gay community...
and involved itself in events in the wider gay community in London; its editorial line tended to be strong. It is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
with being the first publication in the world to use the term HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, (the second being the international science journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
), with the first regular column on AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in the world being written in Capital Gay by Julian Meldrum in 1982.
During the controversy over Section 28
Section 28
Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 caused the controversial addition of Section 2A to the Local Government Act 1986 , enacted on 24 May 1988 and repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of Great Britain by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003...
in December 1987, the paper's offices were targeted in an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack. Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
Elaine Kellett-Bowman
Dame Mary Elaine Kellett-Bowman, DBE is a British Conservative politician.Born Mary Elaine Kay, she was educated at The Mount School, York, St Anne's College, Oxford and Barnett House, Oxford, and became a barrister, called to the bar by Middle Temple in 1964...
was quoted as believing this was a good thing and when challenged in Parliament said "I am quite prepared to affirm that it is quite right that there should be an intolerance of evil."