The plight of gay visibility: intolerance in San Francisco, 1970-1979

During the 1970s, San Francisco was often characterized as the "Gay Mecca" of the United States. While it's true that San Francisco was more supportive of the gay community during this period, this depiction often dismisses the problematic side of the increasing visibility of homosexuals. As with the increasing visibility of any minority group who is struggling to find its place in a community, the homosexual population in San Francisco soon found itself the target of anti-gay harassment and violence. This article hopes to elaborate on the published reports of intolerance that were chronicled by the gay community's own press.