Well, it is the Gay and Lesbian Times so I'm guessing no malice is intended (although yeah, normally that'd be as out of line as making play of their race/religion/age where it's not relevant to the story).

I'm assuming in this case it's shoehorned in as a signal that look! this is Relevant To Your Interests As A Gay Person and not just a prurient piece of giggling at something reckless someone did while off their tits on drugs (which of course it *is*, hence the need to try to pretend it's not).