The History of Wisconsin IN Step
by Jamakaya
The premiere issue of Wisconsin IN Step, first called “WisconsIN Step,” rolled off the presses on February 9, 1984. The issue was 48 pages long and five thousand copies were printed in a 5-12” x 8-12” newsprint format. Today, after several physical transformations but just one major ownership change, Wisconsin IN Step — popularly known through all of its incarnations as just “In Step” — remains the longest running, continually published gay and lesbian newspaper in the state.
In Step was the brainchild of David Iraci and Ron Geiman, who, after their stints in the Marine Corps and Army in the 1970s, became involved in Milwaukee’s gay community. In the early 1980s, a series of gay papers and entertainment guides started and folded in very short order. Geiman sold ads for two of those publications, “Escape” and “Gay Milwaukee,” but local businesses were reluctant to advertise because the owners and publishers were based in Chicago. Geiman became convinced he could win local advertising support for a locally run newspaper, and In Step was born.
The first year of operation was a constant challenge, both technically and financially. Computers were not yet in wide use, so stories were typed on the venerable Selectric typewriter. Ads were designed with press type and the old fashioned cut and paste method. Geiman and Iraci learned what most small publishers learn quickly: the work is labor-intensive and not very remunerative. Iraci left In Step after just one year and moved to California, saying he didn’t see much promise in it. But Geiman stuck with it, understanding that it would take more time to establish an advertising base and readership.
Geiman was probably better suited for the job anyway. He had worked as a journalist in the Army and often joked that he had printer’s ink in his blood: “Both my father and my grandfather worked all their lives in the printing industry. I used to go in on weekends when they worked overtime. I’d get to play with the presses. I always loved the smell of ink.”
Ron Geiman led In Step as both publisher and editor for 11 years, until health problems forced him to step back in the summer of 1995. The publication he built grew in size, editorial content and stature over those years, and he became one of the most respected leaders in Milwaukee’s, and Wisconsin’s, gay and lesbian community.
IN Step Grows with the LGBT Community
The growth of In Step has mirrored the growth of Wisconsin’s LGBT community. The “Guide” in the first issue of “WisconsIN Step” included just 40 listings, all of them gay bars in Wisconsin or bordering states. By the 1990s, IN Step published between 80-96 pages biweekly and its Guide included hundreds of gay and lesbian-owned bars, restaurants and businesses, political organizations, choruses, churches, sports teams, services and support groups.
From its inception, In Step contained a mix of news, features, columns, photos, cartoons and artwork. Milwaukeean Tom Rezza created original cover art for many issues in the first ten years. The late Bob Arnold contributed his witty “Life’s a Drag” cartoon. Columnists included Arnie Malmon (“Positively HIV”); Shelly Roberts (“Roberts’ Rules”); and Sister Dana Van Iquity (“No Nunsense”). One of the paper’s most popular columns, the irreverent “Juicy Bits” by W.W. Wells III, debuted in In Step’s second issue and ran until 1997. Geiman regularly wrote “Steppin’ Out,” a round-up of gay social and political events across Wisconsin.
Despite some who dismissed In Step in its early years as a mere “bar rag,” news coverage was always a part of In Step’s mission, and it expanded greatly over time. The addition of nationally syndicated writer Rex Wockner and Milwaukee journalist Jamakaya in the early 1990s solidified the news gathering operation. Photographer James Taylor also joined the magazine at this time.
Reviewing old issues of In Step is like seeing the recent history of the state’s gay and lesbian community before your eyes. You can see photos and coverage of all of our Pride Festivals and Marches on Washington for equal rights. You can learn about past controversies in our community and trace the development of different organizations, from ACT UP to drag pageants to SAGE..
IN Step has documented our victories and our losses — civil rights laws, Supreme Court decisions, the Gay Games, the Pentagon’s policy, Jeffrey Dahmer’s crimes, Tammy Baldwin’s election to Congress, Stonewall 25, gay bashings, gay weddings and, of course, AIDS. The very first issue in 1984 reported that the Centers for Disease Control counted 3,064 cases of AIDS nationwide, while the toll in Wisconsin at that time was just 24. In May that same year, we reported “AIDS Virus Found,” and in January of 1985: “New Blood Test May Limit Spread of AIDS.”
New Owners and a New Century
Advertising and content increased to such an extent that in 1993 Ron Geiman “took the leap,” as he says, and expanded In Step’s format. In December of that year, it appeared in an 8-1/2” x 11” standard magazine format, though still on newsprint. And in deference to the more inclusive spirit among gays and lesbians, it was dubbed “In Step: Wisconsin’s LesBiGay Magazine.”148;
But further changes were on the way. When Geiman became ill in 1995, Jamakaya served as editor for an interim period until the paper was sold. In April of 1996, William Attewell and Jorge Cabal purchased In Step. Attewell ran Wells Ink, an ad agency which specialized in the gay and lesbian market. He was also the elusive W.W. Wells III, author of “Juicy Bits.” His partner in life and business, Jorge Cabal, was a noted portrait photographer. Together, they had begun publishing a gay magazine, “Q•Voice,” in October, 1995.
Upon taking the reins at In Step, Attewell and Cabal redesigned the magazine to make it more reader-friendly, but promised to retain its most popular features to insure continuity. They thanked advertisers, subscribers and readers for keeping faith, and added: “We’d like to express our commitment to Wisconsin’s LesBiGay Community. In Step Magazine will remain your comprehensive news, information and entertainment resource.”
In May of 1997, the annual Pride issue was published in a new format — a tabloid-size newsprint edition with a banner reading: “In Step Newsmagazine.” Then, in August of 1998, Q-Voice was merged into In Step, with the letter “Q” retained to mark the paper’s arts and entertainment section. In November of 1998, In Step began bearing the subtitle “Wisconsin’s LGBT Community Newspaper.” A final transformation took place in January of 2000, with a bold new logo that reaffirmed the paper’s geographic market while honoring its roots: “Wisconsin IN Step.”
The tradition continues with ever-expanding coverage of news and arts statewide through our Milwaukee, Madison and Fox Valley bureaus. Wisconsin IN Step showcases the outstanding political cartoons of Paul Berge along with news and commentary by William Attewell, Mike Fitzpatrick, Ed Grover, Jamakaya, State Rep. Mark Pocan, Mike Leon, Christopher Ott, Kathryn Kingsbury, Carl Szatmary, Kevin John, Michael Johnston, Wayne Brasler, Jamie Taylor and “Dear Ruthie.” It’s a dynamic, dedicated, home-grown team committed to providing the best coverage possible of the GLBT communities here in Wisconsin, the Original Gay Rights State.