80's project help!?

I am currently in 8th grade social studies and for a final project we are having a 300 point reasearch presentaion. It is about the 80's but a specific sub-topic. I picked gay rights, gay issues and "the gay plauge" (AIDS). Ity is a topic that i am interested in and that is one many dont want to do so i picked it. I am facing a bit of an issue though. I need citable information from RELIABLE sites or books about 1. 1 in how many people are gay now. 2. gay characters in T.V 60's-present. 3. helpfull statistics. 4. Gay laws. 5 breakthroughs

ANY AND ALL INFORMATION IS WELCOME!
Oh and one more thing. I would GREATLY apreciate if A) I get a web sit or book title and B) that homophobic or anti-gay people kept their opinions to themselves.
THANK YOU!

This should help you get started. Good luck.

Stephen Fry (UK comedian) did a 2-part program 'HIV and Me', which was aired on the BBC some moneths back. It's worth watching if you can find it online. Also, Wikipedia's good for an overview, and might have links to texts or websites that are helpful. Gay campaign groups that survive today often began then, and may have history sections or timelines of achievements. If you're aware of an LGBT organisation in your area, older people there will have lived it first-hand, and could maybe direct you to other resources.