The Seattle Gay News (SGN) was founded in 1976 to provide news coverage focusing on Seattle’s gay community; it is the third oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper in the US. Seattle Gay News started as a newsletter produced by the Gay Community Center. It provided news to a community that was largely ignored by mainstream newspapers and advocated for gay rights in numerous campaigns. Especially during the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, it was an important source of information and helped members of the community to support each other. Since its founding, the SGN has widened its focus to Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community more broadly.

This issue was published September 21, 1990 and it headline reports on a rise in violent attacks on LGBTQ+ people in Seattle. The article discusses the fear spreading through Seattle’s gay community, the community's efforts to protect each other, and their struggles for effective help from the police. Other front-page stories include a report on the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s opposition to David Souter’s confirmation to the US Supreme Court, and an account from a woman who had been married to a member of the Aryan Nation gang. In a photo in the upper right, Cal Anderson is photographed celebrating with his partner and supporters after his victory in a primary race to retain his seat in the Washington House of Representatives. Anderson later won a seat in Washington's state Senate.