i M m 9 \ Look eveiythin litical IYS issue insiDe: snapsHOT jNYL'SJOeLFieLD HomeLessness NewcreaTionMCC savaGe Love GIFT GUIDeS dec 2009 • vol 14 issue 7 DUSTI HYirien pin-up 1 2> CLUB D & cenTer STaGe PLayers Nina FLOwers iNTerview 0 ll74470"25134 ' 7 & LOcaL ceLeBriTY CHaD pauL Fire common life We Need Gay Papers & Reporters by Jennifer Vanasco Ihe demise this week ol reports only on the Washington Blade stories about the I came out in the 1990s at the tail ol the glory (40 years old). Southern ;ay community that days of gay culture. There were gay bookstores Voice (20 years) and are of mainstream - then in most major cities, and a mix of gay social other publications owned not LGBT-interest clubs, where you could gather to bowl, two- step, by Window Media hit me hard. Like many quickly. play cards or organize for LGBT rights. young gay writers who came out in the 80s and But they also get things wrong; and in the con- Gay papers and gay reporters are important. 90s. my first job was at a gay paper. I learned sta nt ch urn of information, importa nt stories - We need to support and nurture the ones we Most important, therewas a gay paper in every how to interview politicians, how to report on stories that dominate front pages for a week - have. Perhaps, too, we need a new model - city that could sustain one. events, how to copy edit and assign stories and can be lost under other, less significant posts. something like Pro Publica, the non-profit organ crop photos and layout pages. And I gathered ization devoted to investigative news gathering. At the time, the mainstream media didn't cover deep knowledge about gay and lesbian history, And don't forget that few blogs actually report If we were able to gather the best LGBT reporters gay issues often or well. The New York Times icons, politics, culture. news - most only link to and comment on news from around the country and give them the re­ called us homosexuals and didn't cover our that has a Iready been reported by other sites. sources to investigate important local stories, we unions in their social pages. It was tough to find Gay papersare ourcommunily'streasure. The could provide fuel to activists and bloggers articles about our rights that didn't have an stories there are more local and gay specific Newspapers as a classare being killed by many everywhere. obligatory quote from a religious conservative ex­ than the mainstream media, more reflective and things besides blogs: the rise of free and con plaining that being gay is immoral, wrong and in better reported than what often appears on the venient information and news on the web; the I mourn the Washington Blade and all the other many places illegal. Internet. Gay reporters who work at gay papers loss of classified advertising to sites like gay papers now gone that both built a commu­ take politicians to task and hold them to their Craigslist; the expense of paper. nity and explained it to itself. Before the internet, the gay press was the only promises. And gay papers themselves- since place where you could find reliable, objective in­ they are staffed by a small group not by individ­ And the gay press is further hurt by the rise of But I celebrate the paperswe have left. And I ad formation about LGBT issues. It was the only uals working remotely pass along knowledge, gay reporting in the mainstream media. mire the reporters who staff them, providing the place y}u could learn about vigils, bars specials, skills and expertise to the next generation of gay information to our community we just can't get group gatherings, protests. reporters. But don't be fooled. Just like chain bookstores re anywhere else. duced their gay and lesbian section to barely an And now it is disappearing. Blogs are wonderful, of course. We all read them. aisle after forcing local gay and feminist book Jennifer Vanasco is an award-winning, syndicated colum­ They can disseminate a lot of information stores out of business, the mainstream media nist. [email protected]; follow her at Twitter.com/JenniferVanasco. V^ SlMCE APPEALING TO VOTERS' sewsE OF FAIRWESS . HAStff WORKED, \ PROPOSE • THAT WE ADOPT THE SUCCESSFUL TACTICS OF THE ANTI-MARRIAGE RlGHTS^^U McWEWENT... With gay papers closing across the country there is a huge opportunity for outlook expansion. Interested investors should call Chris or Michael. outlookcolumbus.com COMMUNITY RESOURCES ADAMH ALCOHOLICS AMERICAN CIVIL AMETHYST BUCKEYE REGION ANONYMOUS LIBERTIES UNION ANTI-VIOLENCE 614.224.1057 614.242.1284 ORGANIZATION *K€THVST BRATO ADAMH 614.253.8501 ^CHH 216.472.2200 614.294.7867 ADAMHFRANKLIN.ORG AMETHYST-INC.ORG AACENTRAL0HI0.ORG ACLU0HIO.ORG BRAV0-OHIO.ORG ALC3H0L DRUG, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES i ALCOHOLISM RECOVERY & SUPPORT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WATCHDOG ADDICTION & POVERTY RESOURCES FOR WOMEN j GLBT ANTI-VIOLENCE RESOURCES CAMP SUNRISE CITY OF COLS COMMUNITY Q_ COLUMBUS AIDS COLUMBUS PUBLIC CRYSTAL CLUB RELATIONS COMMISSION TASK FORCE HEALTH 216.432.9544 614.214.4828 614.645.1993 614.299.2437 o*umt>ujths 614.645.7417 SUNRISEKIDS.ORG Fubli^ c Health THECRYSTALCLJB.ORG V*—JBJ— *•*- • I COMMUNITY.CI. CAFT.NET PUBLICHEALTH. ***<*'*'# J C0LUMBUS.OH.US C0LUMBUS.GOV EMPOWERING CHILDREN IMPACTED BY HIV/AIDS ETHNIC. 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NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS NGLTF OHIO AIDS COALITIONS OHIO CIVIL RIGHTS OHIO TOBACCO QUIT LINE COMMISION -^fc. OHIO 614.252.1700 202.393.5177 614.444.1683 800.QUIT.NOW Task Force ^t TOBACCO OHIO AIDS COALITION j QUIT LINE NACENTRAL0HIO.ORG J THETASKF0RCE.ORG OHIOAIDSCOALITI0N.ORG 0HI0QUITS.COM NARCOTICS RECOVERY & SUPPORT GLBTEQUAL RISHTS ADVOCACY HIV/AIDS RESOURCES £ ADVOCACY STATE DISCRIMINATION LAW ENFORCEMENT SMOKING CESSATION RESOURCES & SUPPORT OSU GLBT STUDEHT PATER NOSTER HOUSE PFLAG QUEERSPAWN RAPE ABUSES INCEST SERVICES RAPE. 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THE INBOUND CALL CENTER Call MANAGEMENT THAT'S A FUN PLACE TO WORK, AND A GREAT PLACE TO BE YOURSELF. resources www.CMRinc.com outlookfoluinbus.com Suicide for gay youlh is higher than for our straight brethren, especially during the holidays. We need to preserve ouryouthany way we can! Volunteer. from queer to eternity by Mette Bach idea that there are men and there are women and that's that. The Gold Star I have a bone to pick and ifs really is a line drawn in the sand, a fore­ old. I'm talking several years old, gone conclusion and, frankly, a myth. which in "gay time" is prehistoric. Back when I was just coming out, I Too much good stuff gets glossed went on a date with a woman who over and denied when the focus is on bragged about being a Gold Star Les­ the destination rather than the jour­ bian. ney. The idea that once one comes out one must somehow erase, deny, Being green, I asked what she meant. negate or pretend to be completely She told me shed never been with a meheterosexuality is just silly. Sex­ man before, only women. Being inse­ uality is sexuality; it's as complex as cure, I think I actually complimented we are. her. Beingsmart, I didn't goon a sec­ ond date. Now that I've stewed on it Romantic connections, physical ex­ for years and years, I'm ready to re­ plorations and respectful mutual spond.