In this episode of Revisiting The Gay Life, we do a deep dive into lesbian history. We share Randy's 1978 conversation with Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin about the first lesbian organizations in San Francisco and he sits down with Marie Renfro in 1980 to hear about that year’s black lesbian conference. And we hear from Randy about the evolving relationship between lesbians and gay men.
Revisiting The Gay Life is a new 12-episode series from KALW’s Queer Power Hour. It explores a pivotal moment in SF’s LGBTQ history — from the rise of Harvey Milk to the early days of what would later be called AIDS.
We reconsider this time through a perhaps unexpected lens: a radio show called The Gay Life that aired on KSAN, a commercial rock and roll station in the Bay Area in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Revisiting The Gay Life is produced by KALW Public Media in collaboration with the GLBT Historical Society and The Gay Life's longtime host Randy Alfred.
LIVE EVENT: July 15th, 2026
Join us for Out on the Air, a live conversation about the history of LGBTQ radio on July 15th at 7pm at KALW’s community event space at 220 Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco.
