In the heartland, however, life looks more like the Fifties - away from large cities homosexuals are still oppressed and commonly reviled. Gay travelers need to watch their step to avoid hassles and possible aggression.

Virtually every major city has a predominantly gay area - Chelsea, Avenue A and Christopher Street in New York City, Los Angeles' West Hollywood , San Francisco's Castro district, Houston's Montrose , Seattle's Capitol Hill and so on.

Gay life exploded into the public eye in the 1970s, but since the 1980s the energies of gay men and women have been primarily directed toward protecting existing rights and increasing support and help for victims of the AIDS pandemic. Activist groups like ACT-UP (the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) and Queer Nation hold sit-ins (and kiss-ins) as part of continuing efforts to maintain a high profile in the face of continued intolerance and isolation.

Things change quickly in the gay and lesbian (and emerging bisexual) scene, but we've tried to give an overview of local resources, bars and clubs in each major city.

National publications are available from any good bookstore. Bob Damron, PO Box 4222458, San Francisco, CA 94142 (tel 415/255-0404 or 1-800/462-6654, ) produces the best. These include the Men's Travel Guide , a pocket-sized yearbook listing hotels, bars, clubs and resources for gay men ($18.95); the Women's Traveler , which provides similar listings for lesbians ($15.95); the Road Atlas , which shows lodging and entertainment in major cities ($18.95); and Damron Accommodations , which lists 1000 accommodations for gays and lesbians worldwide ($19.95). Buy these for twenty percent off on the website.

Gayellow Pages, PO Box 533, Village Station, New York, NY 10014 (tel 212/674-0120, ) publishes a useful directory of businesses in the US and Canada ($16), plus regional directories for New England, New York and the South. The Advocate , Liberation Publications, PO Box 4371, Los Angeles, CA 90078 ( ; $2.95) is a bimonthly national gay news magazine, with features, general info and classified ads (not to be confused with Advocate Men , which is a soft-porn magazine).

Another useful lesbian publication is Gaia's Guide , 132 W 24th St, New York, NY 10014 ($6.95), a yearly international directory. Finally, the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (tel 1-800/448-8550, ) is a comprehensive, invaluable source for gay and lesbian travelers.