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Lesbian Magazines Reinvent Themselves

Last year, long-running lesbian magazine Girlfriends ceased publication after more than a decade in print, but the closing of its pages did not necessarily indicate the death of the industry. “There have been enormous changes in the lesbian publishing industry,” said Heather Findlay, Girlfriends’ former editor-in-chief. “First of all, it is an industry right now.”

Many pioneering lesbian magazines rightly assumed they were targeting a closeted audience, and for women who came out before the emergence of the internet or The L Word, publications such as The Ladder, Curve and Girlfriends, among others, provided a place for community and self-reflection. These days, newer magazines such as Velvetpark and Jane and Jane, as well as regional publications such as Los Angeles ‘ Lesbian News and Florida’s She have contributed to a much more open environment for lesbians and bisexual women.

“Throughout the years, we noticed a distinct increase in the openness of Girlfriends’ readers to their sexuality,” said Findlay, who is also the president and editor-in-chief of H.A.F. Publishing. “We were not publishing to a closeted audience.”

Now, as fewer lesbians remain closeted, several publishers have launched magazines designed to target niches within the lesbian community, despite competition with the internet for readers and advertising dollars. Even travel and lifestyle company Olivia plans to jump into the fray with the relaunch of their website (Olivia.com) and a print magazine set to debut near the end of 2007.

Grace Moon, founder and editor-in-chief of Velvetpark, started the magazine in 2002 under the auspicious premise of “dyke culture in bloom.” A lesbian lifestyle magazine, Velvetpark purchased the subscriber list to Findlay’s Girlfriends and On Our Backs after they folded last year.

Though Moon had no experience in publishing or journalism when she began Velvetpark, she was motivated to create a magazine that was as inspired editorially as it was visually. With a background in fine art, she approached the task like a curator at an art exhibit and brought together “a bunch of creative thinkers and put them between two pieces of paper.” The editorial staff, a combination of “street smart and high art,” now includes a diverse group of photojournalists, novelists, poets and musicians.

After years of launching magazines for other people, Alison Zawacki and Debbie Wells finally decided it was time to start their own: Jane and Jane. Though they initially considered focusing on adventure, the idea evolved into a home and family magazine for lesbians because “with all of the attention given to domestic partnerships and all of our lesbian friends starting families with children, we saw a need for something that was not being filled.”

Jane and Jane covers a variety of topics, from parenting and relationships to financial planning and health, fine wine and cuisine. Zawacki and Wells believe they were able to launch their magazine in part because of the greater visibility of the lesbian community and because shows like The L Word created “a whole new awakening in our society with regards to the lesbian lifestyle.”

Trying to fill a niche market can be difficult. But Amy Errett, CEO of Olivia, agrees with Zawacki and Wells that many lesbians, especially older women, are looking for a magazine that caters to their specific interests.

What is missing from current lesbian media offerings, said Errett, are enough publications that provide “a well-rounded view of all aspects of women’s lives in all age groups.” Though their magazine is not expected until late 2007 or early 2008, Olivia will begin with a relaunch of a “fully integrated, lifestyle-oriented website.”

Findlay also sees “a definite trend away from using magazines as a political tool,” and a need for more articles that tackle socioeconomic issues. Because the lesbian publishing industry is so young, she said, it never had a chance to participate in the glory days when both circulation and advertising dollars were up.

One of the major benefits of this period was that editors had the money to nurture and support writers to go out and do investigative reporting. “That happens very rarely now,” said Findlay, who cited as examples Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation, which was originally published as a two-part article in Rolling Stone. “We’re missing out on the enormous contributions these articles make on how we think,” Findlay said.

Both politics and a desire for collaboration did, in fact, influence Moon to publish Velvetpark, which was launched shortly after Sept. 11. “At the time,” she recalled, “New York City was putting itself back together emotionally and financially; 2002 was a year of forging ahead and optimism amidst these obstacles and the politically and socially charged atmosphere of the time.”

It was also, according to Moon, the beginning of a “post-queer era” where gay and lesbian media outlets were moving past the discussion of “identity and sexuality to explore the nuances of our cultural expressions.”

There are still many more topics that deserve our attention, said Findlay. “We need to cover more issues: trans issues, especially the transsexual community and the violence they experience; the state of the lesbian movement ? who is out there fighting for us right now and how; the difference between regional and local issues verse national; more reporting on lesbians and their money; how class affects lesbians; profiles of lesbians who are activists, but not necessarily gay activists; how young people are coming out; and immigrant lesbians and their families.”

Findlay also believes that the lesbian publishing industry is suffering the same woes as the mainstream press. “In an effort to compete with the internet for readers, the content of most magazines ? straight or gay ? has become more superficial and Hollywood-obsessed.”

In such a competitive industry, Findlay said that she understands the pressure ? “We, too, had to put celebrities on the cover of Girlfriends to survive” ? but she also wonders where many LGBT publications were during the months leading up to the Foley scandal, and why not enough money is put into Washington coverage. “How did we not know about the Foley scandal?” she asked. “The Advocate used to go after politicians that voted anti-gay and threaten to out them. But now there is a lack of political commitment.”

While the advent of the internet certainly brought new challenges, it also made publishing much easier and more democratic. “We are competing in a very crowded environment of information,” said Moon. “Everyone and their grandma can create content and have it distributed in some way.” Still, she admitted, Velvetpark “can do things online that we can’t do in print,” such as podcasts, AV projects, newsletters and MySpace.

The style of the internet has also influenced the stories and layout of magazines, said Zawacki and Wells, as they tend to publish “smaller chunks of information” and try to cater to a “fast-paced society that prefers short reads.”

Zawacki and Wells see the internet as a vehicle for people who don’t have the finances to pay for printing and distribution, as it is far easier to start a website than a print magazine. “The printing costs alone are enough to put a startup under, and as soon as you do not have the advertising base to cover these costs, you will find yourself in trouble.”

Though companies like Orbitz and American Airlines are discovering the “benefits of reaching out to the gay spending power,” they said, lesbian magazines today need to think as much about advertising dollars as they do their “staying power on the coffee table and how to keep from being tossed.”

Olivia also intends to take full advantage of the internet, said Errett, who sees it as a reliable tool for growth. The online version of Olivia Magazine will have a section called Life that covers a range of issues including relationships, parenting, health and fitness. “When you look at MySpace or LinkedIn, lesbians are wondering why they do not have that type of community space for them.”

Because the internet moves so fast, many magazines are now “more feature-driven as opposed to news-related,” said Zawacki and Wells. “By the time news-related information is passed on to the reader, they have already read it on the web.” Instead, readers who pick up a magazine want to be entertained “while enjoying themselves in a leisurely environment away from their computers ? such as over a cup of coffee or while relaxing at home.”

In fact, that might ultimately be the staying power of lesbian print magazines. Regardless of the competition with the internet and mainstream press, even now many lesbians want a tangible magazine that represents their lives.

Reading a magazine is still something people do for pleasure, Moon pointed out, “in bed, on the toilet, in a plane, at the dentist office. You cannot comfortably check your email and sit on the john at the same time ? not yet, at least.”

The lesbian magazine industry is also all independently owned and operated by women, Moon pointed out. “Women still represent a weaker economic bracket and smaller financial networks compared to the old boys’ clubs that have dominated media. When you look at the straight world, you can name the most recognized female entrepreneurs in media on half of one hand: Martha [Stewart] and Oprah [Winfrey]. And the men? Well, there’s [Rupert] Murdoch, [Ted] Turner, Sumner Redstone ? and the list goes on.”

When there is finally a female-owned media conglomerate like Condé Nast or Viacom, Moon said, “That’s when we can really talk about how the industry has changed.”

For more info, visit curvemag.com, janeandjane.net, lesbian news.com, shemag.com, and velvetparkmagazine.com.

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