During the first half of the 1990s there has been a striking change in the public profile of lesbians and gay men and the attitude of public opinion towards homosexuality. From Hollywood to Channel 4 gay characters and themes have invaded popular culture. From the "queer' tactic of outing public figures to the political campaigns around the age of consent in Britain or the right to serve in the US military, the issue of sexual identity has moved into the main-stream of public life. One American writer has characterised this period as the "gay moment' and a leading British campaigner felt confident enough to open a recent anthology celebrating 25 years of gay liberation with the decidedly upbeat observation that "lesbians and gay men are the one social group for whom life seems to be getting better'.¹