Comments on: ‘Power in the darkness’: LGBTQI media is struggling to survive. Can it be saved?

By: Joshua Christensen

Joshua Christensen — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 06:02:14 +0000

My problems with the LGBT+ media, which is a problem I know a lot of other gays and lesbians have, even bisexuals – is the extreme focus on transgender people.

The wast majority of humans believe in 2, maybe 3 sexes, male, female and intersex. They believe that the sex is in the genitals, males have penis’s, females have vaginas and intersex might have both.

The LGBT+ community is now fighting with each other and it will rip us apart because you cannot have a community that is based on sexuality and one on gender be united in the long run because they don’t fight the same battle. Some trans people are fighting with gays and lesbians because they themselves see themselves as either gay or lesbian, so it makes perfect sense for them to fight with gay and lesbians, but why should gays and lesbians fight for trans rights? Especially when a lot of trans people consider themselves straight and we don’t want to change the idea of what a sex is?

Let us also not forget that there have been trans people who were supporting corrective rape and even talked about how gays and lesbians should change their sexuality all because these would not have sex with a trans person!

The LGBT+ Community is not one united community. We are as diverse as everything else in this world. There are racists, transphobes, homophobes, biphobes, leftwingers and rightwingers. There a fat-shamers, thin-shamers, antisemites, islamophobes. There are Christians, Moslems, Jews, Atheists and Satanists.

So no, the community will not last and neither will the LGBT+ Media

By: Trent

Trent — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 20:53:22 +0000

The LGBT community has always had a money issue. It feels a little gross to prove our buying power or spending value when a disproportionate number of LGBT community members, particularly in the trans community, lives in poverty. And yet for LGBT media, money is a necessary evil. In July 2017, Grindr launched Into (I came on as managing editor in November 2017), and shortly after, Conde Nast announced the beginnings of its own LGBT outlet, Them. Both of these spaces signaled the latest iteration of new, younger, “cooler” alternatives to legacy gay media, like the Advocate, the longest-running national LGBT news and politics magazine run out of Los Angeles, and Out, the Advocate’s younger, flashier, more fashion-forward sister. Despite the frequent attempts made by these publications to diversify their staff, their coverage, and their readership, they have been criticized for putting a lot of straight white guys on their covers and a lot of gay white guys on their mastheads.

By: Ruxxy

Ruxxy — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 04:30:39 +0000

Thought provoking article thanks Laurence.
I think there are also wider issues involved that also might explain why the gay press is losing readership. Over recent times it has become evident that some editors think all gay people fall into some sort of left wing political thrust. If one doesn’t fit this category just doesn’t cut it as far as the gay press is concerned. The very thought that many gays are conservative just doesn’t seem to fit and anyone who dares to express any view that the left is not in agreeance with, is demonised and even censored (as I have been) on several occasions.
Some sacred cows to the community (one of them a certain Lord Mayor) seem to enjoy complete protection from any article that questions things that should be open to discussion.
Once an avid reader and contributor – these days I bother less. As far as I’m concerned the issues are not just about outside perceptions but how we treat one another within our own circles.

By: Boring

Boring — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 00:05:01 +0000

I sympathise, but maybe have a look at this article for an insight into why no one’s reading. Wordy, self-righteous, boring. There’s an audience there but if they’re not coming to you, perhaps consider that it’s something you’re doing.

By: Robert Tait

Robert Tait — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 23:18:57 +0000

Fantastic article. Congratulations, Laurence.

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 22:18:51 +0000

An extremely well written call to arms Laurence and I hope the call is heeded. I’ve had to face some much discrimination and prejudice from society and my family in my life, my safe harbour was always my queer family. I hope, that like Mardi Gras, we will adapt and survive and continue to fight, every day of our lives, cause that’s what being a faggot is all about, thank fork we’ve got thick skins!

By: Tony Rogers

Tony Rogers — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 13:46:23 +0000

Well written, Laurence. The short-lived freedoms (and safety, and security) that the Russian LGBTIQA+ community had is proof that anything bad can unexpectedly happen for our people anywhere.