LGBTQ+ History Tangents Magazine Issues 1966 to 1969 from ONE Inc Documenting Homophile Discourse

One: The Homosexual Viewpoint Tangents

Archive

Tangents Magazine issues published between 1966 and 1969 document the intellectual and organizational discourse of the homophile movement in the United States during the years immediately preceding gay liberation. Produced by members of the editorial community associated with ONE, Inc., one of the earliest American organizations devoted to the study and publication of material on homosexuality, the magazine functioned as a forum for essays, commentary, poetry, and analysis addressing identity, social discrimination, and cultural life. Emerging after the 1965 transition of ONE: The Homosexual Viewpoint into Tangents following internal editorial disagreements, the publication reflects shifting strategies within mid-century LGBTQ advocacy, including debates over assimilation, visibility, and political engagement. Issues from this period capture the language and arguments circulating among writers and activists at a time when open discussion of homosexuality remained largely excluded from mainstream media.

Tangents Magazine. Hollywood, California: The Tangent Group, 1966–1969. Archive of seven issues.
Group includes: March 1966 (Vol. 1, No. 6); June 1966 (Vol. 1, No. 9); August 1966 (Vol. 1, No. 11); September 1966 (Vol. 2, No. 12); October 1966 (Vol. 2, No. 1); January 1967 (Vol. 2, No. 4); and August–September 1969 (Vol. 3, No. 11–12). Each issue issued in color illustrated wrappers, measuring approximately 8.5 x 5.5 inches. Contents across the archive include essays on gay identity, social and legal discrimination, literary and cultural criticism, and community-oriented commentary. The August–September 1969 issue includes the statement, “Homosexuality is a natural style of life… Homosexuals are making large contributions to our society but history books and the press ignore it,” articulating a critique of cultural erasure that aligns with broader shifts toward visibility and rights-based discourse at the close of the decade.

These issues were produced during a transitional moment in LGBTQ history, as homophile organizations expanded their reach while new forms of activism began to emerge. The proximity of the final issue in this group to the events of 1969 situates the archive at the threshold of the gay liberation movement, preserving the intellectual groundwork that informed later political organizing. Publications such as Tangents circulated through subscription networks and community distribution, shaping a shared discourse among readers dispersed across the United States. Light handling wear to wrappers; interiors clean and well preserved; overall very good condition. The archive provides a focused record of early LGBTQ periodical publishing and supports research into homophile thought, print culture, and the origins of modern gay rights activism.

Item #21202

Price: $885.00