Lambda Rising Bookstore, International Symbol

Billed by Deacon Maccubbin, the owner of this Washington DC retail gay book store, as "the first gay-oriented TV commercial ever run anywhere in the world," this TV ad depicted still images of gay men and lesbians wearing jewelry featuring a lambda motif, with a voiceover explaining that the lambda insignia was the international symbol for gay rights, and that Lambda Rising was a bookstore where people could explore gay and lesbian history, culture, and literature in a positive environment.

Maccubbin said the spot aired on the local NBC and ABC affiliates and that both stations earlier declined to air the ad but Lambda Rising appealed to the National Association of Broadcasters' Standards Office and received clearance for the commercial.

Unfortunately, Maccubbin said, no known copy of the ad exists and attempts to locate it or the original slides used have been fruitless.