I: Queer in New York -- Lights, camera, act up -- A queer's own story -- Hype anxiety -- Out of the closets and into the streets -- Outing, part I -- II: Queer in Washington -- Operation out-the-pentagon -- Inning the outing -- Outing, part II -- All the presidents' queer -- III: Queer in Hollywood -- The crucifixion of Zelda Gilroy -- From McCarthy to Medved -- Smashing the celluloid closet -- Outing, part III -- The Resurrection of Sheila Kuehl -- Queer in America -- The Oregon nightmare -- The silicon solution -- A queer manifesto.