Gay Times

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gay Times (branded as 'GT')
GT cover
Editor	Joseph Galliano
Categories	Gay & Lesbian
Frequency	Monthly
First issue	1975
Company	Millivres Prowler Group Ltd.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Website	www.gaytimes.co.uk
ISSN	0950-6101

Gay Times (branded as 'GT') is the United Kingdom's leading gay magazine,^[1]^[2] for gay and bisexual men.

1 Publication and content
2 Historic issues
3 As cultural icon
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Publication and content

It is run by Millivres Prowler Group Ltd. and has a sister paper, Diva, for lesbians. The first issue of the Gay Times appeared in 1984, when it was created from HIM magazine which started in 1975. AXM magazine, Gay Times' younger brother and a rival to attitude, is now published by the same company.

Gay Times' key contributors include Terry Sanderson, Richard Smith (senior associate editor), Rupert Smith (contributor), Peter Tatchell, Sally Howard(journalist), Bruce LaBruce (columnist), Scott Capurro (columnist), David Hoyle (columnist), Kristian Digby (contributor), Joe Oppedisano (photo contributor), Justin Monroe (photo contributor), Paul Thorn (columnist), Gene Keigel (photo contributor),Fabrice Lachant (photo contributor) and Brian Whitaker (contributor) and Ian Brown (style and grooming editor/stylist).

It features gay news and current events, interviews, satire, award-winning physique photography, male art, a famous agony uncle section, current affairs, personal ads, and sections on music, film, literature, style, food and the internet. It also features lifestyle advertisements and a large directory section, including ads for escort services, counselling services and phone lines. It is largely seen as more political and adult-oriented than Attitude.

[edit] Historic issues

The front cover of the September 2004 issue - used on the London Underground

In September 2004 Gay Times had a controversial advertising campaign on the London Underground with pictures of their September issue front cover, that proved popular with Gay Times readers. It was the first advertising campaign to feature a gay kiss, attracting only one complaint that was later thrown out by the Advertising Standards Agency.

From March 2007, Gay Times has re-labeled itself GT, announcing: "The Future's Here: Are You Up For It? New Look. New Attitude. New Sections. New Writers. New Style. Gay Times becomes GT"

[edit] As cultural icon

On Little Britain, Daffyd Thomas is outraged when his local news agent sells the copy of Gay Times to the local blacksmith, as she only gets "the one in for you", as he loudly and often proclaims that he's the only gay in the village. The news agent describes the issue as having Hazell Dean in it and a "very informative article on rimming."
In the film Beautiful Thing, Jamie's theft of a copy of Gay Times from a Newsagent for himself and Ste to find gay venues to go to is a key plot element.