Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Nominees for the 37th GLAAD Media Awards were announced this week.

As you may know, this blog is a two time winner in the Outstanding Blog category (2019 and 2021.) I removed myself from consideration in this category because two is good.

The category has morphed into Outstanding Independent Journalism, a choice I applaud. Blogs are still here, still essential parts of the media ecosphere. But our community journalism has grown in so many directions – podcasts, newsletters, video content, etc. Celebrating the evolution of independent queer and trans journalism supports the resistance and defiance and our joy.

Nominees:

Outstanding Independent Journalism

• Assigned Media
• The Buckeye Flame
• Charlotte’s Web Thoughts
• Erin in the Morning
• Impact Media
• Queer Kentucky
• The Queer Review
• Trans News Network
• Under The Desk News with V Spehar
• Xtra Magazine

This is an interesting mix of individual voices and group efforts. Some are newsletters, some use multiple tools such as web publishing and podcasts. I’m excited to’meet’ so many new outlets.

I made a handy BlueSky Starter Pack of LGBTQ+ Independent Journalists.

I still suggest anyone who wins twice should create room for others. Perhaps a legacy category might be nice one day. I’d like to see a group acknowledgment of the folx focused on Missing, Murdered, Unidentified and Unclaimed trans and queer stories. The work is a mix of media. I am just one cog.

I’ve been working with GLAAD since 2008 when they helped me secure the username pghlesbian on Facebook when ‘lesbian’ was not permitted. GLAAD has shown up for me repeatedly – on the #AMPLIFY project, the Pittsburgh Dyke March, helping countless folx I know who were wrongly banned from social media, some profile love, and now leading our new efforts on the research we do on MMUU stories.

Our stories in the media matter, from podcasts to feature films. I’m very pleased to see ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ and ‘The Wedding Banquet’ nominated. Two of my favorite films of 2025.

Honestly, I don’t want to be a go to blog for anything. That’s a lot of responsibility and often a burden for anyone. I have no revenue, no staff, no editors, often no real idea what I’m doing. If I made a list of folx who praise me then looked on the GoFundMe keeping this blog alive, would I see their names? Would I see yours?

I had this near decade of awards and honors (2016-2025) so I cannot complain. I’d like to simply continue what I do.

So best of luck to all nominees. If you’d like to talk blogging, cats, whatevs with a 20-year blogger on your platform, let me know.