August 5, 1986: Keith Haring's graffiti activism.

Before the first National Coming Out Day was to be celebrated on October 11, 1988, the occasion required a logo that would capture the courageous and dynamic move of stepping out of the closet. The exuberant illustration (shown in inset) provided by graffiti artist Keith Hating has been a symbol of openness, joy, and pride ever since. In a 1986 Advocate story, writer Darrel Yates Rist profiled Haring and his work, which Rist said had been "doggedly" ignored by mainstream critics.

"In America they're very, very conservative," Hating told Rist. "But in Europe ... I've had things published in Sunday newspapers of Mickey Mouse fucking E.T., a guy fucking another guy."

Already famous for his work illustrating the atrocities of apartheid, Hating, who died of complications from AIDS in 1990, said his most passionate activism involved volunteer programs for children. Asked if he was afraid his open homosexuality and sexually explicit themes might hamper public support for his work with youth, Hating replied, "At this point I'm not scared of it.... Being gay can't be a barrier to the other things I do." He added that children see him "as a role model, but not as a gay role model.... They respect me as a person."

Find this 1986 Advocate article in its entirety on www.advocate.com