Drawing on extensive archival research as well as new interviews, Greg Youmans's new book Word is Out: A Queer Film Classic, presents a wealth of information about the people who made the film Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, both in front of and behind the camera. It explores the film’s role in the late-1970s struggles for gay rights against Anita Bryant and California State Senator John Briggs. It analyzes the rise of a gay national imaginary and the consolidation of gay liberalism during the era. And it compares Word Is Out to queer media projects of the decade that took different aesthetic forms and had conflicting political aims. The book is arranged into alphabetical chapters, each exploring a key theme, issue, or person connected to Word Is Out: “A is for Anita,” “B is for Burden of Representation,” “C is for Collective,” “D is for Documentary,” etc.
The book is now available from all major booksellers. A 30th anniversary DVD of Word is Out is available from Milestone Films and the film can also be watched instantly through Netflix.